“Led By The Wolf” In the year of the Storms in the land of Hawkvile a male white wolf was trying to find shelter for his mate and twelve wolf pups. He came upon a cave and put his mate and pups in there then he turns to see if the storm would soon pass then all of a sudden lighting struck a oak tree! It fell on the wolf crushing him the wolf turns his head to see his mate then died. The female morned for her loss but she knew she must be strong for her pups so she began to explore the cave. She notes a strange sent about the cave It was a mixture of wolf and man mixed then the hair on he back and neck stood strait up as she stumbled on the skeleton of a creature it’s body had the head and feet of a wolf but it’s chest legs and arms was a man! She backed up in hotter for she and found the bones of She found the bones of the Old Werewolf Lord Dagar! The body was dead but the spirit was still there. As the female wolf continued to explore the cave, she couldn't shake the feeling that she was being watched. She tried to push the thought aside and focused on finding a way out of the cave with her pups. Suddenly, she heard a deep growling voice behind her, "Who dares to disturb my slumber?" She turned around to see the ghostly figure of the Old Werewolf Lord Dagar standing before her. The female wolf was frightened but stood her ground, "I apologize for disturbing your rest, but I needed shelter for my pups during the storm." The ghostly figure of Dagar studied the female wolf for a moment and then spoke, "You are a brave and loyal mother to protect your young. I can see that you are in need of guidance and I am willing to offer my assistance." The female wolf was hesitant but knew that she needed all the help she could get to protect her pups. She nodded her head in agreement, "Thank you, Lord Dagar. I accept your offer of guidance." And so, the female wolf and her pups were led by the ghostly figure of Lord Dagar through the cave and out into the storm. He taught her how to hunt and protect her young, and she became a great leader of her pack. From that day forward, the female wolf and her pack were known as the Shalom pack, and they always remembered the guidance and wisdom of the Old Werewolf Lord Dagar. As the years passed, the chosen wolf continued to grow in strength and power. His pack looked up to him as their leader and protector, and he led them with wisdom and courage. The chosen wolf had a special connection with the spirit of the Old Werewolf Lord Dagar, who had split his spirit into twelve parts and entered into twelve of the wolf pups. The chosen wolf had the most potent infusion of the Werewolf's power, and he knew that he was destined for greatness. One day, the chosen wolf received a vision from the God Shalom, who revealed to him that he had been chosen to lead the wolves on a great quest. The wolves were to journey to a far-off land and recover a powerful artifact that had been stolen from the God Shalom's temple. The chosen wolf gathered his pack, and they set out on their journey. They traveled through forests and mountains, facing many dangers along the way. They fought off rival packs of wolves, battled fierce predators, and braved treacherous terrain. Finally, after many weeks of travel, the chosen wolf and his pack arrived at their destination. They sneaked into the enemy's stronghold and fought their way through to the inner sanctum, where they found the stolen artifact. The chosen wolf and his pack returned the artifact to the God Shalom's temple, and they were rewarded with great honor and respect. The chosen wolf knew that he had fulfilled his destiny, and he continued to lead his pack with courage and wisdom, always remembering the lessons he had learned from the Old Werewolf Lord Dagar. “Led By The Wolf.” Chapter 1. (The Beginning Of This) In the Year of Shadows. It was a very sorrowful time. There lives a boy fourteen years old name Jacob Cole Bodrick. Jacob was a very smart boy a inventor he created things, and he was a little dare devil he was constantly in trouble he was scolded punished even beat with a whip but that would not stop him he kept making things he was determined to make something to help the king. He invented a boat that looked like a cherieot with two robot horses it could run on lad and sea he couldn't wait to get back home to show his mom and dad. Jacob rode on his Black Mare heading home when he saw the smoke, he raced his horse toward the smoke his house was on fire and the barn and yard was a blazed with the fire his parents was no where to be found so he raced around the barn and he found his father who was dying with a sword in his chest. “Father!!! Father!!!” Jacob shouted “Save the Horses and go save your mother son!” His father said breathing heavily. He said as he died, Jacob freed the horses and fell on his fathers dead body and he cried. Later that night after barring his father he went to his lab he was going to kill the one who killed his father, he made his weapons and created a long sword from fire and ice and alyrim steel he would get his revenge so he thought. He made his way to where he saw the tracks of horses and he began to track down the killers, he passed a house where a tall dark haired man was standing watching him. “Hey have you seen a gang of men with a women ride by here?” Jacob said with anger and determination in his voice. “Yes I did son you gonna take them on your own?” The stranger said as he looked at the young boy. “Why don’t you hop down and we plan together on finding your mother.” The man said. Without another word Jacob rides off. The stranger looks down at a picture painting of a beautiful woman that was in his hands of him and a beautiful woman and his heart jumped. “Oh No... he has her eyes.” The man said with a very serious look on his face. From the distance Jacob saw smoke and he drove his horse towards it and he saw them and what was happening anger hit him as he saw his Mother and the hideous man, Jacobs teeth clinched when the killer spoke. “I am Slaygar now tell me where is the boy!?! I want the boy!” Slaygar with a growl in his voice. Jacob's mother spit in Slaygars face, Slaygars hit her to the ground with his cane long and black with a gold skull handle, Jacob went to attack Slaygar when a hand clutched his mouth and he was pulled back he fought and fought. “Ezy kid Ezy!” The stranger said as he pulled him down and covering his mouth with his hand. Jacob kept fighting then the Stranger hit him hard knocking him out. “Sorry kid but all you would have done was get yourself and your mother killed.” The man said quietly as he watch Slaygar and the boys mother. The stranger watched as Slaygar ties the women to the horse and got on his Black Horse it’s eyes was red the man never seen such a horse. “I will find you boy I will find you!!!” Slaygar shouted angrily. He said that then looked at the boys mother. “Oh he find us over the momma heh heh.” Slaygar said with a evil laugh. The men that was with him laughed then Slaygar felt two presence the young boys anger he sensed it. A wicked smile came to his face. “Your Not Ready To Face me. Come On Save Your Mom don’t let her die!” Slaygar taunted. Suddenly he made a fire ball in his hand and said. “Naw! On second thought I will just kill her now so you can see it.” Slaygar laughed as he threw the ball of fire at the mother and the the horse setting them both on fire, The screams of Jacobs mom and the horse woke Jacob out of his slumber from being knocked out. “Watch her burn!” Slaygar shouted. Jacob heard His mother screaming along with the horse and Slaygar laughing he saw his mother and the horse in one big flame of fire he heard the screams it echoed in his mind that would haunt him in his dreams. “Bloody Hell No!!!” The stranger said as he pulled Jacob with him two his horse. He fire two arrows one hit the mother in the head putting her out her misery and the other hit the horse. He turns and saw the boy watching what happened tears filled his eyes he couldn’t make a sound. The stranger grabbed him he pulled back the boy started screaming at him. “No! NO!!! MY MOTHER!!!” “Come on son she’s gone I’m sorry kid but you can’t avenge her death now come with me you can trust me boy!” The stranger said sadden because the woman who was Jacob’s mother who he just had to kill so she wouldn’t suffer was his true love. The man picked him up got on his horse and took out running for the mountains Jacob screaming at him to put him down as he did. He got him on the horse and ran as fast as he could twards a particular mountain. Slaygar and his men were hot on their heels trying to catch up he wanted that boy. “Come on yall I want that boy. Guys let’s get them kill the man I want that boy alive! Slaygar shouted angrily. The stranger kicked his horse making her run faster. “Come on girl let’s go yah yah!!!” The stranger shouted to his black mare. He saw an elf behind a tree he was raising to, he whistled and mages witch’s warlocks saucers Druids and minotaurs and centaurs Elves and Dwarfs came out to fight against Slaygar and his army. Slaygar yelled. “Retreat they have an army!!! This ain’t over I’ll have that boy!!!” Slaygar shouted. Slaygar and his men left. Jacob from shock was loosing consciousness the last thing he remember was a young Elf with black hair named Jake pulling him off the horse and carrying him to a cave. When Jacob awoke he saw a centaur there. “Ezy now you need to rest you been through a lot.” Kane a big centaur said as he stood over Jacob and handing something to drink. “O shut up Kane let the boy alone and don’t give him any of that mess to drink you kill him and he ain’t even sick.” Aurther who was the stranger that saved Jacob said with a smirk on his face. “Oh and look who’s talking joke all you want you know if it wasn’t for me and that mess as you call it you be under ground by now that is if someone took the time to Barry you and not throw you in the creek for the sharks!” Kane replied. “Yea well if I didn’t pull your big horse tail out the rocks when that mountain caved in you be a big bunch of warm food aye.” Aurther said as he began to chuckle. The Centaur walk out the room cursing. Jacob watched him walk out and his eyes was wide like he seen a ghost. Aurther came and sit by him and said. “He’s a centaur yes I know I was shocked to I thought it was just some child’s story but if it wasn’t for him I be dead there’s also minotaurs and High Elves Dark Elves Wood Elves Dwarfs and I heard there were dragons to but never seen them.” Jacob looked and seen the stranger that took him and killed his mother. “You Killed My Mother!” Jacob said with tears running down his cheeks. He pushed away from him and said “Get away from me!” “Son I’m sorry about your mother but would you rather have her burn alive because I sure couldn’t! So I stopped her pain.” Aurther said tears came down his eyes. “My Fathers Dead. My mother’s dead! she’s…” Jacob said. As Aurther put his hands on his shoulders.” “I know I’m sorry man I really am.” Aurther said as the tears ran down his cheeks as well. Jacob hugged Aurther. Aurther didn’t know what to do he took his hands off his shoulders and wrapped them around Jacob in a fatherly embrace and said. “Um Son. Um ok there now your fine everything is gonna be just fine.” Jacob said trying to comfort him. Aurther let the boy grieve his mother and father. Jacob finally fell asleep in Aurther’s arms. “Um kid kid.... umm come on kid.” Aurther said awkwardly as he was holding him keeping him from falling. Kane walked in and just a running his mouth and saw Aurther and the kid asleep in his arms. “Ooooh Aurther are you getting attached to the boy gonna take him in as your own, Ooooh you gonna let him call you daddy? “ Kane said laughing” He gasped. “Shut up Kane! Help me!” Aurther said aggravated. Kane went over and helped Aurther put him in a bed, then Kane looked at Aurther. Then antagonized him as he watched Aurther cover him with a blanket. “My my Aurther Morris is taking my job over a young blond headed boy.” Kane said shaken his head. Ooooh what would the other boys say and what about Kiara she might feel jealous. Hehe.” Kane said laughing. “Shut up you fool!” Aurther said red faced. looking around trying to make sure no one else noticed. “You keep your mouth shut about this you fool!” Aurther said with a threatening look. He looked around again then walked up to Kane and pointed his finger in his face. “If you say Anything to humiliate me…” Kane interrupted Aurther. “O give it a rest Aurther Morris everyone knows about Mary I’m Sorry you had to take her life and everyone knows how much the children mean to you and how special this one is to you. By the way Aurther here Mary told me to give this letter to you if the boy winded up in our care if something happened to her. I thought I never see that.” Aurther graved the letter. “Read it Aurther don’t burn it like the other one because it hurts too much over the choice you made read that letter!” Kane said sternly to Aurther. Aurther looked at Kane. “I’m Serious Arthur read it!” Kane said. Aurther unrolled the letter and read it. (Letter.) Mary: Dear Aurther. I’m sure you burned that last letter I wrote you so ima tell you again. Arthur I love you and I always will, I want to be with you but you chose a different path and I cannot do that. I heard you went back and took those children in and I want you to know that I’m truly grateful and I know their gonna be safe between you and Kane and Duke and Hosea. Now if your reading this letter then something happened to me and Jacky. I hate that y’all met on bad turns you would have liked him. Like I said if your reading this then I’m dead and my boy is with you like the Wizard said all those years ago we were kids but it’s true heh we made fun of him. Take care of my boy Arthur Jacky wasn’t the father but he tried to raise him like his own. Arthur please take care of my boy. I love you Arthur. PS: He’s your son Arthur. Your his father. Always yours Mary. Arthur swallowed hard tears filled his eyes. Arthur: He’s my Son? Kane looked at him they went into a cave where no one could see or hear them. “He’s my son he’s my son it can’t be!” Aurther scratched his head confused. “It’s true Aurther I can tell y’all share the same blood, you know I can tell by the smell and looks I see and smell what others cannot that’s how most my kind when we go on the full war path we don’t stop till all their kin are dead the minotaurs are the same. And Mary sent me a letter telling me about it when he was born.” “I know I know you ain’t got to give me a history lesson if y’all centaurs. I mean it’s impossible we ain’t been together or done anything in over 14 years. And I never knew Mary wrote you to. “Hey I known her way longer then you! In fact I introduced you two.” Kane said. Hosea walked up and spoke to them interrupting there conversation. “Hey y’all it’s me Hosea. Aurther that boy is Fourteen years old you know and he even looks like you when you was that age.” Hosea said as he walked up. Hosea found Aurther when he was a baby his family were killed by a unknown gang and Hosea had road up after seeing the smoke. All the houses were burnt to the ground only thing standing was a wooden shed. Hosea looked around the place and was about to get on his horse when he heard the sound of a baby crying in the wood shed. He ran in there and picked up the baby and seen a letter on the baby. It said. Letter: If you make it here and my baby is alive. His name is Aurther please take care of my Baby boy. Hosea looked at Aurther and said “Aurther that boy looks like you remember I raised you that boy has got to be your son”
Arthur shook his head and was about to speak when Duke showed up in the cave. “Aerther! Hosea! Good Kane your here look y’all meet me at the entrance we got to talk. Duke shouted. Things are about to change and it’s gonna be life and death. I got to keep y’all safe so y’all come on now!” Duke shouted at them. “What is it now Duke why hear and it better not be more of that prophecy mess.” Hosea said as he rolled his eyes “Hosea! Think man think! Centaurs Minotaurs dwarfs Elves you think because they exist that magic don’t look I have to do this now for all of you if I don’t all of y’all will die a dark dark time is coming and Gabriel Bolton will not be able to fight it. I dreamed about a Vampire again a good man drove to evil defiled the Temple Jirah And and the sacred cup filled with blood from the hands of the Wolf Statue his eyes glowed blood red and his mouth had fangs then the beast part man part wolf came their where twelve came to trap the monster the man became and Gabriel Bolton was dead!” Duke said with excitement. Hosea interrupted Duke. “Duke Holloway! That’s just a bad dream Duke there’s no such things as Vampires or Werewolves that’s just an old story to scare children there’s no such Thomas Dracula ether enough is enough.” Hosea shouted at him. “Its not a story Hosea it’s Prophesy it’s going to happen we’re here Kane please trust me put a little of your blood in this bottle.” Duke wouldn’t hear anything that would change his belief. Kane looked up and huffed “Here you go Duke” Kane said as he let him collect his blood. “Oh my God this is so ridiculous.” Hosea said as he took his hat off and with the other hand slapped his forehead. “Great! Now I need Hogan the minotaur now. Hogan!” Duke shouted Hogan came inside the cave. “Yes Master Duke.” Hogan said as he looked at Duke who had raised him when he was a young little kid Minotaur. Duke saved him from a cave that was collapsing down. “Hey big man look I need a little of your blood in this bottle.” “Sure Master Duke here you go but why do you need it?” Hogan asked. “To protect y’all.” Duke said with a serious tone in his voice. “This is Crazy Duke have you lost your mind do you want some of the children’s blood now?” Aurther said very agitated with Duke. “No Aurther I know you think I’m crazy I’m not and I got what I need and I will show you.” Duke said very serious. “It’s ok it’s ok here Duke if it help take it.” Hogan said as he gave the blood. “Duke we are starting to worry about you man.” Hosea said with much concern. They all loved Duke he saved them from a gang that were trying to burn them alive and he killed them all and he lead them to safety. So they all decided to follow Duke there were all with him 15 years now and he started to act strange the last three years when he got ahold of some scrolls found in a cave. “I’m fine Hosea I’m fine you see.” Duke tried to reassure Hosea. “Ok Duke now what are you gonna do with that.” Kane asked very interested in all that mixed blood. “I’m gonna combined it with this now” Duke said as he pulled out a bottle that had dragons blood in it then a long white feather A small bottle of Angel water that’s What Duke called it but it was water from the crystal river in the Sunny Valley it had the power to protect and heal any wounds or disease most people called it Shalom’s Grace. “Now the gift from my feathered friends.” Duke said smiling. “O what now you seeing Angels and they gave you what fairy dust? Come On Duke you know that’s a load of bull!” Aurther shouted. “Watch Aurther! Please!” Duke asked. Arthur shook his head and said. “Duke? I....” “Please Aurther! All of you I know y’all think I’m crazy but I’m not Trouble is Coming and I got to do as I can to save you all Just Like Noah and the Ark but I don’t plan on my friends dying and we sure got more then eight.” Duke said as he spoke of the Ancient scrolls. “Duke I read the Sacred scrolls to man but you going to the extreme on this man.” Aurther said as he looked at Duke. “Just Watch Aurther! You see something you would never dream of Aurther. Duke started putting all the blood together and when he had it in place he started to pray. “Jirah My God My Savior please provide us protection we are in need of it now we will be lost unless you have mercy on us please my Lord shine down on us the blood of the centaur minotaur the Angels feather the dragons blood and Angel water please except this and save us!” He began to call every name in the Camp and closed it. “John and Angela Morgan and me Duke Calloway.” Duke prayed They watched him pray and saw his tears Aurther covered his eyes and said. “O My God Why Duke.” Aurther said frustrated. Then the earth shook and from the sky what looked like White fire started coming down! Hosea put his arms on Kane and Arthur’s shoulders He almost fell. The Minotaur Hogan kept him up Hosea became a believer at that moment. “That was the fire of Salome!” Hosea said. “What are you Talking about Duke stop!” Aurther shouted. “I tried to tell y’all. Aurther this is Gods Will.” Duke said unwavering. What looked like a wall of stone was about to close the in except for a doorway That was hold on for John Morgan and his wife Angela they showed up and looked at Duke and said. “What is this and what was that bright light coming from the heavens?” John Morgan asked as he ran up.” “That was the fire of Shalom now I’m going in so you can be safe.” Duke replied. “Wow so you was right all this time!” John said shocked.0 “It’s all about faith my boys my brothers now we can be safe! Wait a minute. John who is this?” Duke said and then asked as he noticed the people with John. “This is one of those Foreigner girls her name is Zoe She was on a chain of a slave master I killed him to save her if I didn’t he would have beat her to death and this is Cole Morgan my cousin he’s 13.” John answered him. Duke put his hand over his eyes. “I couldn’t let that just Happen to them Duke I stand by my decision.” John said sternly. “No no you did what was right John you did what was right i’m proud of you son but I don’t know how to save her I called all the names already.” Duke said with concern. “Well we got to do something!” John said with a sense of urgency. “I know I know!” Duke replied. Duke passed back and forth then stopped and looked up at the Heavens again. “Dear Lord Jirah please hear my cry once again you see the situation of this young child and the little boy please replace my name with hers and add the little child so that she and he may be saved and I will fight to keep them safe!” Duke Prayed to the Lord. The door opened for the Zoe and the child went through, The door started to close. “Duke no no way no Duke you take my place!” John Shouted “John you got a family get in there!” Duke shouted back. Duke pushed John and Angela in and the door started to close once they were in they couldn’t get out Arthur John and Hosea was beating on the wall that was invisible they couldn’t get through to Duke but they could see and hear him. “Hosea, Aurther, John, Angela, Hogan, Kane, I Love y’all and always will y’all are safe and when the time is right y’all be free from here I’m sorry for this but it’s the only way y’all can live! Duke turn and walked away the wall turned to stone, Aurther walked back and forth trying to register in his mind what just happened he yelled: “What just happened what just happened!!!! Kane Hogan get it open get it...” Hosea graved him Aurther. “Calm down boy calm down he’s gone and we’re safe that what Duke wanted Aurther!” Hosea said as he tried calming Aurther. “Oh my God Oh my God what have I done!” John said with his hands on his head. “You did what Duke would have done saved someone now you calm down Aurther go check on your son and....” Hosea said as Aurther shouted. “He not my....” Hosea interrupted Aurther. “Hush Arthur go see your son Kane go with him John Hogan lets get her and and the child something to eat in fact it’s time to get supper ready come on.” Outside the wall of protection Duke and a Angel with the name Gabriel talked with each other. “So they gonna die in the mountains.” Duke asked “No they will live til the end of the protection which will probably be about a Thousand year form now there it move fast for them but they will notice they ain’t getting older wile they in there their immortal now the spell breaks they will have a choice rather to be a vampire or a werewolf however the boys Jacob and Cole are special type of Mages they can do what any other that can use a form of magic and then they will be masters of all magical creatures.” The Angel Gabriel Said to Duke “OK good so what now.” Duke asked “Come follow me I’ll lead you where you need to go next.” The Angel Gabriel said. Arther and Kane went back where they left Jacob and saw him holding his mothers letter to Arthur in his hand. Jacob looked at Arthur. “So your my real daddy! Why you didn’t raise me why you ran off?” Jacob said upset. “Son I....” Jacob interrupted Aurther. “NO!!! Stop you can’t call me that you killed my mother and you was never there for me!” Jacob shouted. “I.... Your Mother would have burned alive Jacob!” Aurther told him softly. “I was about to save her and you stopped me!” Jacob said. “You would have gotten yourself killed with your momma I didn’t know you existed until yesterday and I didn’t know you was my son until today!” Aurther explained. “Hey!!! Y’all quit fighting! Kane come over here Arthur look at this you to boy.” They came and looked. “Duke gave me his Journal and look here at the last page he wrote it ten days ago, it says. I got to get my boys and brothers and sisters safe I got to make sure they stay alive no matter what!” Dukes Journal: Arthur will soon bring his son up here and then we got to protect the children and keep them hidden from Slaygar we got to keep Slaygar away from our children. The demon will soon be born his name will terrorize the world forever they will call him Dracula the Angel Gabriel cannot stop Gabriel Bolton one his wife is dead he will give in to evil and he will go too far may Shalom have mercy on Him. Hosea! Hold this dear you need it when the wall breaks I probably be dead when you come out but this journal will lead you to my next Journal and you need that Journal to understand the changes you see. Love Duke “Ten days ago you mean he saw me bring my son home? and why keep them away from Slaygar?” Aurther said confused. “Yes Apparently Slaygar wants to kill these kids for some reason?” Kane said. “We got to keep these boys safe no matter what so until this spell where’s off there’s nothing we can do but survive we have a whole mountain so we can hunt so we got to survive, this is a magical place Aurther so we must be careful.”

So, a lot of you aren't going to like this.
Those of you who work at agencies ESPECIALLY won't like this, because it's gonna make those of you who are lazy and blame everyone else for your problems...
Well it's gonna make you look like you're lazy, and blame everyone else for your problems.
So here's my central thesis for this post, done in my best Alec Baldwin impersonation:
"Facebook's not weak, YOU'RE weak!"
Okay, fair enough, Facebook is actually kinda shitty. But have you heard that old (admittedly misogynistic) joke, "Women, can't live with 'em, can't live without 'em?"
Well that describes FB.
I hate FB. I despise it with every fiber of my being.
But... it also makes me a lot of money. So I still run a lot of ads on there.
Quick note about me so you know I'm not some random dipshit: Been in online marketing for a long time, been running ads for about 5 years. Currently do about $5mm a year in spend, a decent chunk of it with my own personal cash for my own business. I still consult and run ads in JV/partnership deals, however, so not ALL my own money.
So, lots of posts lately about FB being shitty. Interestingly enough like many things there have always been these posts en masse. ios14 was a huge turning point in this industry. And it seems to keep getting worse and worse.
That said there's still people CRUSHING it on FB on a daily basis. Individuals who are doing 50k - 100k in spend a day (I've been one of them, right now more like 20k a day though.)
And these are direct response guys, not big ass brands who can afford to throw cash away.
So the question is... why are you struggling and they aren't?
Well first of all let me let you in on a secret: FB sucks for them too. It sucks for me, it sucks for all of us.
But if you want to be successful, you need to focus on what you CAN control, not what you can't.
So here's my rules for success:

1. UNDERSTAND FACEBOOK SUCKS

I've run five copies of the exact same ad in the same ad set at the same time and gotten wildly different results. That's why I test the way I do (Test images/videos and copy at the same time, so I can have duplicates of everything and cross reference/aggregate performance)
Also understand something that works in your market is half the battle... you need something FB likes too. Which you'll never know what it is until you stumble upon it.
Which brings me to my next point...

1. YOU'RE NOT TESTING ENOUGH

I've seen SO MANY posts where people are like, "We've tested TEN IMAGES and nothing works!!!"
My friend. 10 images is what I test in a day. I've been known to test 100 videos a week. I'll write ten pieces of copy for one day's testing.
Do I do this every day? No. I wish I could. I don't have the time/energy. But ideally I SHOULD be doing this every day.
Now if you're running a budget of $100/day obviously you have a lot less you can test.
But my point is... even for those of us who know what we're doing... it takes a LOT of creative testing to get a hit.
Creative testing should be 80% of your time on FB. The guys who tell you it's about the campaign structure or whatever... I mean yeah that stuff is important and can help. But if your creative is good you can kind of ignore that stuff and still get decent results.
Oh and every account is different in terms of what it likes. So you kind of have to treat them separately and test creatives on each. Have fun!

1. IF YOU'RE A MEDIA BUYER AND CAN'T UNDERSTAND CREATIVE YOU SHOULD GET A NEW JOB

Look, not everyone is a great copywriter, or video producer, or artist.
But any good media buyer should be able to take a guess at WHY the creative isn't working, and what should be changed. They should know how to test in a way that is getting these insights that can then be used to further iterate on and improve creatives.
I have met some media buyers who don't know shit about creative but are great at scaling. They're rare, but they're out there. Maybe 10 - 20% of great media buyers are like this. But these people could never fly solo. They only shine in a team with a big creative producing "engine". And they still know how to test to get that learning - they just don't really know why.

1. YOUR TESTING STRATEGY SUCKS

Tests are experiments. They should, as much as possible, isolate one variable.
So many times I hear about people testing in different campaigns, or on different days of the week, or whatever.
No. Testing is in one campaign. Usually different ad sets because otherwise FB will pick a favorite, but if I could throw all ads in one ad set and have FB evenly spend I'd do that.
Furthermore, you should have a very clear goal when you test. "We're testing angles." "We're testing whether red or blue gets a better CPC." "We're testing which of these 10 pieces of ad text does the best."
Don't just throw up a bunch of random videos. At least not often. Test one element. An intro. A CTA. Whatever. Have a plan, and stick to it.

1. WHAT AGENCIES TELL YOU IS BULLSHIT

And the worst part is then the people working there start to believe it.
A small incomplete sample of bullshit things I've heard:
"Facebook has to get out of the learning phase."
False. A good creative will work pretty much straight away. FB's pixel's been dogshit since ios14. Yes, generally training a pixel will help, but this "it needs 7 days of learning" horse shit is just that... horse shit. Often said by people who want to make excuses rather than get down and dirty and do the hard work - making good creatives.
"The pixel takes time to learn."
A half-truth, see above.
"It takes a month to even start getting data"
If I took a month to get data I'd be destitute. You should be able to test if a campaign is going to work in a week, assuming you have the creative ready to go.
If you can't figure out whether something's going to work in a week or two and 1 - 2k of spend, you suck at your job.
If you can't spend 1k a week, then you're working with a client that's super small and that has its own set of challenges, especially on FB.
And if an agency tells you they can't give you some damn good data and an action plan on exactly what you should do in a week or two, run from them and find someone else.
There are more that get my goat but you get the point.
BTW... MOST (not all) agencies work like this:
They sell you a ton of bullshit. You sign on as a client. They give you a junior they get from the Philippines or Eastern Europe for like $400 a month while charging you $3k. They give you endless excuses for months on why results aren't there until you finally leave but hey at that point they got like $15k in profit out of you... they don't care.
WHY I POSTED THIS:

1. Because there are people on here who believe this shit and waste time spinning their wheels when they could be getting traction
   
2. Because I hate lies and incompetence
   
3. Because I enjoy watching all the terrible media buyers come out of the wood work and try to argue with me on why I'm wrong (seriously, do it. Let's go. I need to procrastinate when I should be writing copy.)
   

And if you think I'm looking for clients... I'm not. I don't really have the time. Unless you want to do a profit share deal and your biz is already doing at least $1mm a year in revenue, then yeah, PM me, but it's gotta be a very attractive proposition for me to work on your shit.
Full disclosure: I am considering starting a YT channel where I basically get drunk and/or high and rant about shit like this for 5 - 10 minutes at a time. But as you know there's no money in that.
IN CONCLUSION:
Most of the shit you've heard is dead wrong and spread by people who either don't know any better or want to sell you this fantasy that ads are impossible. They're not. They're just a lot of hard fucking work.
BTW, you can reach out to me via PM for questions but honestly I'd rather you post it here so we get a discussion going and please don't take it personally if I don't have the time to answer back.
Now stop being on reddit and go make some more creatives and write some more copy to test.
Oh, and to all the lame media buyers who are upset that someone's shining lights on just how lazy and useless they are:
Bring it on, bitch.
P.S. I don't know why the preview is showing all my numbers as "1". I swear I learned how to count, even if it took me longer than some of the other kids. If anyone knows how to fix that, please post a comment or PM me. Bonus points for a funny joke at my expense.

Chapter 2. (Dracula)
Nine Hundred years later deep deep far in the the Shadow Forest a place called Castlevania in the black castles the kings chambers a beautiful black haired blue eyed woman named Isabell Bolton was travailing in pain as she was giving birth to her first born child, the queens maid that was there helping deliver the baby held the little child cleaned him up and wrapped him in the blanket.
“Is the Baby ok Sara?” Isabell asked very exhausted.
“Yes it’s a boy!” Sara said very excited as she gave the mother her baby.
“He’s So Handsome. Luther come quick see our boy!” Isabell said with glee.
King Luther Bolton came in and grabbed his son hugged him.
“My boy Oh my baby boy.” King Luther said very happily.
Suddenly a dark and evil witch named Festus appeared in the room with them she was pure evil.
“Oh! what do we have here aww how sweet the Dark One was finally born He will be called Dracula he will be a terror of this world he will be known all over the nation and he shall live till the end of time his power will come on his thirtieth birthday when he drinks from the cup of Shalom that’s full of blood of the wolfs tears no one will stop his destiny he is a warrior of Econdire!” The witch said with a wicked evil laugh.
King Luther drew his blade and pointed it to her as he gave the baby back to the mother.
“You will not take my child and he will not become what you said!!! You will die this night!” King Luther shouted as he charged at the witch. She disappeared as King Luther swung his blade.
“Hahahaha you can’t kill me mortal and you can’t change what is to come I’m just here to warn you if you don’t want that to happen then you must kill the baby you can change prophecy Luther Bolton! Or seek out the skull face man named Slaygar he will gladly take the child and the Prophecy will not come true! Or should I say. “Your Majesty” hahahaha! Oh Luther. Ten years from now on a day before your wife gives birth to Your fourth son you will die and Dracula will be crowned King then time will count down. Hahahahahaha!!!” Festus said laughing as she disappeared out from a window in black smoke. Luther ran to the the window she disappeared from then she went to his wife who was weeping and crying out of fear
“Honey shush it’s ok!” King Luther said as he looked with worry and concern out the window.
“We’er not calling him Dracula we’er not his name is Gabriel Luther Bolton!” Isabell said sternly. “He will be a beacon of Hope.” Isabell said smiling.
“Yes That’s Beautiful, Gabriel. I like that name. Gabriel.” King Luther said in his thoughts he was worried about the prophecy.
Years passed and Gabriel had three more brothers Drakeul, Nathen, and Samuel, Then his father got sick Gabriel was ten years old and he was trying everything he could to heal his father he was a mage a healer and he put all his herbs and couldn’t stop his father infection nor could he keep him from getting sicker. He was only able to take the pain away for a wile. But King Luther got worse and worse. The King grabbed Gabriel by the arm as he coughed and said.
“We got to get you better father I....” Gabriel said his voice shaken as he was interrupted.
“Gabriel listen it’s over there’s nothing more you can do. I feel my body shutting down before I go...” King Luther said as he winced in pain.
“No Father!” Gabriel said weeping.
“Shush! Gabriel be strong for your mother and your brothers she’s in labor now so you got to be Strong your a good man and you be a good king but I got to tell you something and you got to fight for what’s right no matter what! Your hear me son?” King Luther said as he was feeling weaker and weaker.
“Yes sir.” Gabriel said as he straightened his shoulders.
“Ten years ago when you was born a evil witch came and told us that you was the Dark One and you was to be the terror of the world til the end of time and you had a different name but I’m not at all going to speak that name and she said you was to be the warrior of Evondire.” King Luther said as he looked a his handsome boy and he smiled at him.
“Econdire? The evil prince?” Gabriel asked confused.
“Yes son and....” Luther told him all what had happened even to the point where they searched for the good witches mages sorcerers and wizards.
“They said Love is the first thing that change this fate and they said have more children as many as possible before My death and to surround you with Love and train you to be the best of yourself that love and good will overcome evil.” King Luther said as he tried hard to make sure His son knew to not loose his Live for others and those who loves him.
Gabriel looked at his father he didn’t know what to say but he swallowed and said.
Gabriel: I will live to the best of my ability to Love and be good to all.
“Good now go be with your mother and the child they need you...” King Luther didn’t finish his statement when he took his last breath and he left this world.
“Father! Father! No Father come back! Father!!!” Gabriel shouted and wept over his dead father.
King Luther died, Gabriel put his head on his fathers chest and wept the tears fell from his face on to his fathers chest. One of the Priests of Shalom walked up his name was Dagon Gibbs.
“My son he’s gone hey come here hush now.” The Priest Gibbs said with comfort.
“Bring him back Father Gibbs! Bring him Back!” Gabriel shouted still crying.
“Hush now I can’t do that I’m not God my son. I’m sorry for your loss I will prepare his ceremony but you mother gave birth to a son you need to go to her. Your coronation to be Crowned King after the ceremony of your father’s funeral. Life must go on Prince Gabriel you have a lot of priorities and obligations that Have to be done be strong Prince Gabriel.” Priest Gibbs said with a comforting voice.
Gabriel walked to the room his mother was and heard the cry of the baby he opened the doors to see his smiling mom holding her baby boy her blue eyes sparkled. She saw her firstborn and her smile faded. She then said to Gabriel.
“Gabriel come see your baby brother! I named him Logan!” Isabell said as she noticed the look on Gabriel’s face.
Gabriel held his baby brother.
“He’s so handsome and healthy, Luther would be so so happy.” Isabell said as she put her hand on Gabriel’s shoulder.
Gabriel looked at his mother and the tears fell from his eyes as well as his mothers.
“I know he be in here if he wasn’t gone but he is I know it. It was prophesied by that witch.” Isabell said as her voice shook with grief.
Gabriel put his head down.
“Oh I know baby you tried your best but his time was up sweetie. We talked long about this. I can’t grieve now you got to be ready for what’s come Gabriel.” Isabell said with sadness.
She began to weep, as she held Gabriel close to her. Gabriel gave the baby to Drakeul and hugged his mother as they wept for her for their loss. They had the beautiful ceremony for King Luther they buried him in a tomb under the castle.
Seventeen years passed the palace grew and the people where happy everything looked great Gabriel had a beautiful women they got married his it was so beautiful they had two sons identical twins Trevor and Alucard.
The year started off wonderful but then an man named John Bayn a wicked king from the deepest part north he was full of rage and sought nothing but power he attacked Transylvania and declared war against Gabriel, the king caused Gabriel to loose his source for food and he cut his supply of water king Bayn got some men inside Gabriel’s city who turned some of the people against Gabriel.
“Gabriel my brother what is your plan we have to do something we have to fight against these basters or we going to loose the city!” Drakeul said as he looked at his brother who was now king.
“Easy Drakeul getting angry at the King won’t fix this.” Samuel said as he grinned.
“He has a point Samuel we got to do something!” Nathen said to them both.
Gabriel turned around and looked at his brothers.
“Tonight we will gather the most faithful soldiers and we will attack and kill that king. I will not loose my city I will destroy my enemy!” Gabriel said with determination.
The Priest Gibbs walked up to the war table And looked at King Gabriel.
“Your Majesty. Think before you act I pray you. I dreamed of you last night, you was dark cold bitter your eyes were as red as the blood I seen you drink from the cup of Holy water from Shalom’s Temple but it was filled with blood blood that came from the Wolf’s tears you must not give in to this anger it take you far then you want to go.” Priest Gibbs Said with a Urgency and a warning.
Gabriel looked at the Priest as did everyone in the room.
“King Gabriel I beg you sir be patient don’t go wait the Lord will make away and give you Victory! Please Your Majesty stay they will come to you and the witches prophecy won’t come to pass! If you go out there, My King. The curse will happen three years early then what was told!” The Priest Gibbs said again with Urgency.
“Father Gibbs. I will not give into a witches curse I will not let a curse stop me from protecting my people I will do what has to be done and show them I am not to be played with they will know not to come against me! Like they knew not to come against my father.” King Gabriel said as he began to give out his plan.
“My King...” The Priest Gibbs said as he put his hand on King Gabriel’s shoulder.
“No Father Gibbs! They killed your son today! It stops now!” King Gabriel said as he gently put his hands on the Priest Cheek. “I will not give in to the Curse I will hold on to my Love for others and the Love y’all have for me” King Gabriel said as him and his knights went out the war room.
The Priest swallowed hard, tears fell from his eyes he didn’t know he lost his son last he spoke he sent him to the market to get bread.
“How...” He asked his voice shaky.
King Gabriel turned and looked at the Priest “They skinned him alive and put him on a spike right out the gate I’m sorry we took him down and took him to his chambers.”
Tears fell down his cheeks he walked towards Gabriel. One of the knights put their hand on the Priest shoulder to push him back, the king lift his hand stopping the knight, Gabriel walked to the Priest. The Priest put both his hands on Gabriel’s cheeks.
“Gabriel please I beg you my son is dead please heed my warning don’t make me loose another son. Listen to me don’t go out there bad things will take place that will hurt you in a way that you will curse the Lord in His temple! Please Gabriel hear me.”
Gabriel hugged the old priest as he wept over the lost of his son, not knowing that the old man was weeping over him that night was the last night of Gabriel would be a human king but Gabriel didn’t realize that the Lord himself was trying to talk through Gibbs and Gibbs was weeping because he knew Gabriel would not take heed to his warning.
Later that day just before the king and his twelve knights were going to fight for their land he kissed his wife Hope, and his two sons Trevor and Alucard.
“Here Sweet Husband.” Queen Hope Said with a sweetness in her voice.
She put a letter in his hand.
“I will be waiting their.” Hope said with love in her voice.
“Ok I’ll meet you and the kids there.” King Gabriel answered as he smiled at his beautiful wife.
Logan came running up.
“Brother!” The Prince Logan shouted.
“Logan what are you doing?” King Gabriel asked seeing Logan was decked in armor.
“Let me fight I can fight!” Logan asked determined to fight.
“No Logan you must stay here!” Gabriel demanded.
“But Brother I can fight I’m not a child I’m seventeen! I killed a Lion and stopped a thief and kept several prisoners from escaping! Please let me fight for our kingdom!” Logan asked with hope in his eyes.
“I know! What you been doing it has not been unnoticed. That’s why I need you here protect my wife and kids stay with them ok! Please Logan do this for me brother.” Gabriel said as he walked passed Logan. Logan didn’t like it but he nodded and went and stood by Hope.
They walked out the city Drakeul, Nathen, and Samuel walked side by side with their king brother Gabriel tonight was the night for Victory! The 12 Knights walked behind them as well as fifteen thousand of the faithful soldiers.
The war began the fight was harsh side by side the Bolton brother’s fault side by side and backed to back fighting the enemies as well as the twelve knights who was protecting them they fault and killed many, then faced the face King Gabriel and King Bayn began to fight each other it was a hideous battle Gabriel took a lot of wounds but before it was over King Bayn was on his knees.
“You Won but I have brothers and friends they come and avenge me! You will not stand! Your own people don’t even trust your leadership! Hahaha!” King Bayn taunted.
Gabriel swung his sword cutting Bayns head off, he picked up Bayns Crown and handed it to a red haired knight named Andrew Archer, who seemed to loose his helmet during the battle.
“Take this that will be one of my trophies.” King Gabriel said as he handed the crown to the red haired knight.
The Red head Knight Spoke.
“What about the rest any prisoners?” Andrew asked with concern.
Gabriel looked at the village that was still burning and relived walking through and seeing again what they did to those poor people. He looked at Andrew and said very coldly.
“We will show no mercy they all will die but slow I will hang them on a spike and point the towards the village they destroyed and the people they murdered so they see why they are dying so painfully!” Gabriel said with anger in his eyes. Andrew Swallowed hard and they all did as they were told and they left back to the city the screaming and pleads for mercy echoed in their ears.
Back at the castle of Transylvania a war broke out Gabriel’s soldiers was fighting for their lives against some other soldiers who was turned by the King Bayns men. Hope Trevor and Alucard was in the Temple of Shalom and the Logan was fighting to protect them Hope was a Mage she used her magic to destroy the last few guards that turned against her, she looked at Logan.
“Logan You Ben and Cole take my Sons and go!!! Go Now!!! Keep them safe!” Hope said scared for their lives.
“I can’t just Leave you!” Logan shouted.
“You must Logan protect my babies please!” Hope said with urgency.
Logan Ben and Cole took Trevor and Alucard and ran them out of the city they got on their horses and headed south. Gabriel came and saw what was going on they went and fought killing every betrayer and every last one of Bayns men. Then Gabriel remembered the note and ran to the temple and when he Got there he saw the Priest Gibbs knelt down by Hope her stomach was carved into with a knife her hands cut off her throat slit. Gabriel fell beside her.
“NO!!!! MY BABY!!!! HOPE!!!! NOOO!” King Gabriel shouted tears falling downs his cheeks as he wept. He stood up anger and raged filled him he cursed cursed the temple and the wolves he cursed everything that the temple represented and he pointed at the Priest and yelled!
“THIS IS YOUR FAULT!!!!” King Gabriel shouted in anger tears screaming down his cheeks falling to the floor.
He cursed the priest. All the 12 knights stood around him his brothers got between him and the Priest.
“Gabriel! What are you doing! It’s not his fault!” Drakeul said trying to get Gabriel under control.
“Gabriel calm down you.... Oh My God!” Samuel said as his mouth dropped open his eyes widen.
Gabriel turn to see what everyone was looking at and saw the statue of the Wolf of Shalom from its eyes were tears of blood that dropped into the Holy Water cup. Gabriel was then immediately A trance he walked to the cup.
“NO!!! STOP HIM DONT LET HIM DRINK FROM THE CUP!!!” The Priest Gibbs said with urgency.
His brothers ran to him and pulled on him he sent them flying back with a wave of his hand.
“That ain’t no magic I ever seen.” Nathen said his eyes widen and his voice shaken with fear.
Gabriel picked the cup which was full of blood and began to drink it the priest and Drakeul yelled!
Drakeul and Priest Gibbs Shouted as One. “GABRIEL!!! NOOO!!!
Gabriel drunk the cup all of the blood in the cup then the curse happened but three years early. Gabriel yelled as his body changed and his face went pale and fangs grew in his mouth and his eyes went from a beautiful blue to crimson red.
Then the Angel of the Lord appeared and said. “My name is Gabriel I am the Messenger of the Lord you have defiled this temple of the Lord and you cursed the God that created you and came against the church of the most high God you our forever cursed to walk this earth as a monster til the end of time you will bring fear and terror....”
The Angel stopped when Drakeul walked up to him, Drakeul look the Angel in the eye fear filled him he trembling knelt down grabbed the Angel by his feet he felt the Archangels Power he spoke his voice shaky.
“Please I inquire a audience with the Lord!” Drakeul asked shaking.
“You cannot see the Lord you will not survive.” The Angel Gabriel said.
“Then please tell him applaud him to have mercy no he didn’t show mercy and he did the most worse thing but please I beg you don’t let him be damned take me instead give him another chance! Please don’t let him be damned!” Drakeul pleaded with him and his brothers salvation.
Drakeul began to weep at the Angels feet, The Archangel looked at Drakeul was a little fascinated how he a soldier who Stern and cold would be weeping over his brother who did such terrible deed. Then the Lord Spoke to the Angel.
“Gabriel Bolton will still be cursed but there is away that he can redeem himself but he will have to find it but he is forever bound from the temple of the Lord until he redeems himself and only you Brothers can help him find the boy that can change him the boy must become Him and he must become the boy and the certain deeds must be done, only then shall the spirit of your Brother be redeemed however the curse of Your Brother will be on a innocent Christian who will battle to redeem the Spirit of Dracula. Your brother Gabriel’s name will change this day he will be known as Dracula the rest of this worlds time! You will share his curse soon and help him walk the right path.
The brothers looked at each other confused.
The Angel looked at the twelve knights.
“From this day till the end y’all are the wolves of Shalom there shall be many of warrior wolves through y’all and y’all will fight against Dracula and all that becomes as he is that choose evil over good and there will come a time where Vampires and Werewolves will join together to fight an even. Greater foe an evil that has been locked away. There will rise a dark mage who will set the dark lord free and become the dark lord this will be the road that may redeem Dracula. But as of now your fight is to get and keep Dracula out of the temple this day!” The Angel of the demanded.
The twelve Knights became Werewolves the first ever to walk on earth. The Angel looked at Gabriel.
“Take him Out!” The Angel commanded. Then he disappeared!
Gabriel attacked the Werewolves and the fight was extremely hideous the werewolves gave a beating but each place they clawed open healed instantly, Gabriel beat them till the turn back in human form his blood was ragging but the. The power hit them and they arose again as the werewolves and begin to drive him out of the temple.
As Gabriel taught them he saw himself in a mirror the monster he became the crimson red eyes sharp fangs pale face the sharp claw like finger nails and at that moment he saw what he done and he saw what he did to the knights and as he saw them in wolf form walking towards him wounded even but still coming he didn’t want to hurt them they were his men his people and he was hurting them and he defiled the Lords Temple. He ran out the temple his brothers followed him.
“Gabriel! Gabriel! Drakeul Shouted.
He turned around quickly he put his hand around his brothers shoulder and with that same hand lifted him off the ground like he was paper without the help of his other hand.
“My Name Is not Gabriel!!! I am Dracula!” Dracula shouted. Gabriel Bolton was no more.
He threw his brother into his other brothers Nathen and Samuel caught Drakeul and the impact knocked them three feet back they pulled themselves up off the ground and they saw his face pale as the dead his eyes which used to be beautiful blue was now bloody red, he spoke again.
“My name is Dracula every King every army will never dare to attack my country or my family I will crush them and they will know the meaning of fear!!!” Dracula shouted crazily.
Dracula said his blood boiling hot as things were transitioning in his body.
And so the prophecy was fulfilled but three years before the time. And so fear filled the land the terror of Dracula spread through each city of Transylvania and Castlevania where Dracula’s Castle was the place which was beautiful and full of light was now darkened and full of fear.
Three days later at the docks of Dragons Bridge Logan asked Ben and Cole to take his little nephews to a safe place he was going back to his brothers to help fight.
“Logan! Are you crazy man Hope asked you to get Alucard and Trevor to safety man come on with us.” Cole said with concern for Logan.
“Yea man we’re young we got to get to Safety” Ben said.
“I must go back make sure it’s safe and send for y’all. And no y’all can’t come with me y’all thirteen and fourteen” Logan said sharply.
“No I’m fifteen Logan and you need to come with us man” Ben shouted at Logan.
Cole: And I’m two days from Sixteen. And your not seventeen yet your three days from seventeen and Hope asked you to save her nephews!
“I know y’all keep them safe now please go! I will not hear anymore.” Logan said as he turned from them.
And with that Logan turns away from them in the boat and went off towards home with his friends calling for him to come back and to not be stupid, but Logan kept on walking. Ben spoke.
“Come on Cole he’s not gonna listen to us.” Ben shouted angrily.
They set out for the other side which lead to a country called Albion and to a city called Camelot where King Constantine Pendragon III ruled and Uther Pendragon was a young mighty Prince who had a Amethyst who used a spell to keep him young for a thousand years. The children would be safe there the Ben and Cole thought.
As for Logan three days passed it was his birthday he turned seventeen and he was not happy for the things he was seeing and home the enemy that attacked the city was outside the gate dead hanging from a spike he heard on of them groan he drew his sword and thrust it through the dying mans heart to end his suffering he heard more, and saw a whole line of them he went by killing them ending their suffering. Dracula stood in front of his brothers and spoke.
“No one will dare to attack me now unless they want to die which I’m more then happy to oblige, brothers with this power we’re unstoppable I can give you this gift and you can be stronger.”Dracula said to his brothers. Drakeul Samuel and Nathen couldn’t believe what they were hearing from there Brother. “Was Gabriel really gone.” They both thought. Drakeul walk up to his Brother.
“Brother! Listen to yourself this is insane! look at you! this ain’t no gift it’s a curse! The Father Shalom Cursed you made you this monster, I will not become this thing you are!” Drakeul shouted out. Dracula looked at his brother with a elite shock look the laughed mockingly
“O dear Brother you actually think I’m giving you a choice that’s rather cute.” Dracula Taunted.
In a flash he grabbed his brother he moved faster then lighting he but Drakeuls neck and began to suck his blood Drakeul went limp almost dead Dracula bit his wrist and let the blood poured down to Drakeuls lips then Drakeul died. Samuel turn to run as did Nathen out the door, Dracula flicked his hand and the door slammed shut in his face Dracula grabbed him and done the same thing to Samuel as he did Drakeul. And Nathen tried to fight Dracula but failed and suffered the same fate. Dracula took a red towel and wiped his mouth and turned around to see Logan looking straight at him fear hit him hard he watched his brother suck the blood from his other two brothers.
“Gabriel what....” Logan said scared and shaken over what he saw.
“Hush now Logan they be back and my name is no longer Gabriel it’s Dracula I am a Vampire”Dracula said with a soft a soothing voice. He was hoping to calm his baby brother.
“What Happened to you what did you do what did you become? This isn’t right Gabriel it’s not right!” Logan said still scared and shaken he never seen something like this before.
“It’s a gift Logan and I can give it to you and you never be weak again!” Dracula said trying to tempt him.
“No!!! Your a Monster this is a curse you are not my brother I don’t want your gift!” Logan shouted.
Logan turned and walked outside straight into Dracula’s arms. Fear jumped in Logan’s chest his heart started beating very fast. Dracula embraced him with a loving hug put his cheek to his brothers in a gentle hug.
“Easy baby brother I hear your heart beating way too fast trust me you be way stronger.” Dracula said as he pulled Logan back in the door and closed it then he tilted Logan’s head to the side and he bit his neck as Logan screamed.
“NOOO! BROTHER!!!! NOOO! PLEASE!!!! NOOO!” Logan screamed.
Logan died with the blood of Dracula running through his vainest and Dracula’s blood was very powerful. Dracula put his brothers in three tombs and closed them up and said. “In Three days they will be reborn more powerful then before.”
Three knights past and Dracula’s brothers came out of their tombs.
“I refuse to be evil!” Logan Shouted.
His eyes red as blood face pale white he looks like his brothers as they all looked like Dracula.
“We all refuse to be evil!” Drakeul said.
“Lets remove ourselves from this Kingdom of Dracula!” Nathen said.
“I Agree!” Samuel said.
Suddenly The Angel of the Lord appeared it was the Angel Gabriel again.
“No harm can be done to Dracula. Like you he is immortal and will forever be so as for you friends your decisions and Trevor and Alucards decisions will be the results of Dracula’s salvation or his soul forever damned. Now go you are the Guardians of Shalom save the world from your brothers wrath and hunger and save your brother.” The Angel Gabriel said. Then the Angel disappeared Logan up looked and said to his Brothers.
“Y’all go I’m going to Dracula!” Logan said as he walked to the Throne Room of Dracula.
“Little brother you can’t.” Samuel said with concern.
“Yes I have to!” Logan replied.
Logan went out to find his brother. He found his brother in the Castle sitting on his throne with a golden cup full of fresh blood.
“Logan! How’s my baby brother? You looking handsome.” Dracula asked.
“Dracula I will not follow you I will not be evil...” Logan snapped.
“Brother I’m not evil! I did what I had to do!...” Dracula interrupted and said as Logan interrupted him saying.
“Shut up Brother look at yourself look what you become look at the hideous mess you done at front gate half of them was still alive! No brother there’s nothing you can say or do to get me to follow you! You can burn in Harcarsh with the devil! But as long as I can breath you never see your children again.” Logan shouted at Dracula. Logan walked out the door and flew like lightning towards Albion and to the city Camelot he was going to do all he could to make sure those baby boys never be in reach of Dracula.
Ben and Cole made it into Albion and got off at the docks in at a small village of Noplend. No sooner then they showed up Dracula walked the land. Cole was looking at the beautiful land, Ben spoke.
“Cole this is so beautiful!” Ben said
“Yes it is!” Cole replied.
“So glad to see my little brothers friends are keeping my two boys safe.” Dracula said behind them.
They both turned around and saw their King they heard the rumors that spread about the good Great King Gabriel turned to an evil monster known as Dracula, when they saw him fear hit them their kings face was Pale white hair to his shoulders his eyes bloody red his fingernails were like claws and talons.
“My King Gabriel...” Cole said shaken as he tried to bow.
“Stop! My name is Dracula! You two kept my children alive for that I’m grateful but Logan will soon join you and I must show him something when he finds you you be dead and the message will be clear of what I can do, and when you come back as the same as he is he realize I could have kept you both dead!”
In a flash he rushed at Ben but His neck drained his blood and gave him his blood forcing him to swallow it then he broke his neck. Cole seen what happen drew his sword and attacked Dracula yelling at him for killing his best friend. Dracula drew his sword blocking Coles blade and he played with Cole speaking to him as each time the blades met.
“Cole don’t take it personal boy, it has to be this way.” Dracula said to him.
“You killed my Brother.” Cole shouted in anger trying to kill his King that looked like a monster with his red eyes and sharp fangs showing as Dracula started laughing.
“And your next it has to be this way and o yes y’all thank me later.” Dracula said as he grabbed Cole.
“Do you hear your self Dracula or who ever you are now your killing your own!” Cory shouted scared.
Dracula thrust his sword into Coles chest and pulled it out, Cole dropped his sword and feeling the life drain drone him as he felt Dracula bite his neck and drink his blood, Cole pulled away fast Dracula held his weak body closer to him Cole was getting weaker by the second, Dracula bit his wrist and forced Cole to open his mouth and the blood poured in Cole spit it out and Dracula did it again and Cole tried to resist but Dracula covered his mouth with his hand Cole kicked and and tried to get away he died with Dracula’s blood in his mouth the blood went down his throat and spreading through his veins. Dracula heard his sons crying he went and picked them up.
“Hush now it’s ok they both be back watch them and watch Logan. Logan needs to learn you can’t take my sons from me and not get away with it.” Dracula said as he kissed both his sons before he disappeared in blood red smoke.
Logan came and saw what Dracula did to his friends he fell to his knees and wept.
“NOOO!!! NOOO!!!” Logan shouted crying.
He heard Cole gasp air and he rose up quickly as did Ben they both were now vampires their eyes bloody red as Dracula’s and Logan’s was.
“What NO! I’m sorry I’m so sorry this happened to you!” Logan said as he could feel a sharp pain in his heart. The pain was intense more then usual and it stayed it didn’t ease like it used to after awhile.
Dracula laughed.
“Well now sense everyone is up and doing good let’s have a talk about my children!” Dracula said still laughing.
“Brother why did you do this?!?” Logan shouted his tears dropping to the ground like rain.
“Because I can and you learn to love it! Now as for my sons you should know better then to try to keep my children away from me. Y’all will protect my children and y’all find a good family for them and let them be raised by a mother and father and you protect them. Yes I’m not crazy look at me I know I can’t raise my children alone don’t ever try to keep them away from me?” Dracula said stern and angrily.
“Take my kids to King Arther and Queen Guinevere make sure their safe.” Dracula demanded not knowing that Arther and Guinevere didn’t exist yet.
“Um King Gabriel...” Cole said his voice shaken.
Dracula looked at him with a cold glare.
“Dracula Sorry. Um their is no King Arther Or a Queen Guinevere.” Cole corrected himself and then said plainly.
Dracula put his head down confused he started having visions that morning and he was have more he shook his head again.
“Right King Constantine III Arther Pendragon is not born yet. Take my sons to Constantine.
“Dracula are you ok? Brother” Logan said. Despite the situation Logan still Loved Dracula and he could feel the love.
“Shut up and Go!!! Get my kids there!” Dracula shouted he could feel Logan’s love and it was a warmth to his cold heart and it hurt him cause all he could think about was Hope.
When the red smoke he disappeared from them. Logan covered his face and shook his head and looked at the children sleeping and he looked at his friends and said.
“Ben, Cole, I’m sorry I’m sorry he did this to you.” Logan said tears falling from his eyes.
“It’s ok Logan I feel good and strong better then I ever had. But we need to figure out what to do to keep Trevor and Alucard safe.” Ben said hoping to make Logan feel better.
“Your right well let’s go to Camelot.” Logan replied.
“I’m so thirsty. I... I want blood!” Cole said as he held his stomach.
Logan’s thirst hit him to as well as Bens.
“Logan the babies.” Ben said with concern.
A mage appeared he was old his hair and beard was long and white his name was Amorous.
“Logan Bolton Son of Luther Bolton the Vampire that will save Emyrs and Merlin and set them on their paths to their destiny.” Amorous said very happily.
Logan, Ben, and Cole, looked at the mage their mouth was open the smelt his blood and he looked like food to them. Amorous pulled out three big water bags that were full of blood.
“Here drink and get your strength there’s much you have to learn. And let’s get the little ones to a good home.” Amorous said as he gave them the blood to drink. Their long journey began.

When I (21M) got into a relationship with my partner (20F), it was awesome. Then she involved her friends in the relationship. She came off as very codependent to her friends, even saying her friends (20F) are never wrong (you’re gonna see some red flags here that I was stupid to ignore). Met one of her friends - wonderful guy not a bad bone in his body, hope all of them could be Ike that. She expressed (I don’t even know jokingly) that her girl friends were jealous that she got a boyfriend - yet she wanted us to be friends.
I have never met such hypocritical people in my life on first meet. They would criticize my career (I earn decent money in school), my race (they continually called me a brown boy), the fact I didn’t drink underage, they would question my validity as a partner in earshot much to my partner’s silence. They would criticize my colloquialism - I would say “shut the fuck up” when a funny story came up while laughing. They would tell my partner (not me) that they didn’t like it (happy to not say it if it makes them feel uncomfortable) but then they proceeded to tell me to shut the fuck up with impunity. The double standards sucked. The dishing out but not being able to take it sucked. I was always made to be the villain. When I brought these up to my partner - “Oh you feel that way because they have siblings, and you’re an only child”. They showed up to my apartment unannounced when I was on a date with my partner (I live on the 3rd story). After the date was over, they would make plans to go out and say “This is a friends only thing”.
I held my tongue for a lot of disrespect. The people were openly known in their friend group to be third wheels in the relationship. They used to call me a bitch and a groomer (because I had friends who were 2 years younger than me). I used to call the main instigator a horseface after she made fun of my forehead and looks. But then it was too far. They could say whatever to me but the moment I come back I’m in the wrong.
They would openly ask my partner “Did he even get girls before you” to which my partner felt she had to defend her “choice” in me. They would cause fights to the point where I’m crying and hoping I’m no more. I would dream they would make fun of me so much - I would get up and walk out (I actually did this once but chalked it up to having to take a phone call).
They would criticize my race but then ask me to set them up with someone from my race. They would make fun of my career, yet ask me to get them a job. I tried to play nice with these people. On my own birthday, one of these girls was stressing out over organizing a career fair, I walked 40 minutes to help her out. These people would cause fights between us and I would apologize to them about stuff they do to me all the time saying “I just want to be accepted by the group”.
Worst part came when her friends pulled switchblades out on a moving bus as a joke and were brandishing it. I was the only voice of reason telling these people to stop, protecting my partner, motioning others to sit down and telling them that the group can get in so much trouble because of their idiotic behavior. Yet all her friends laughed at the fact I was getting serious. One of her friends had come up to me afterwards and showed me her palm, laughing. It was blood- she had cut her hands on the blades trying to play with the knives. Laughing.
Whether it was them blacking out drunk, headbutting each other, and touching each other inappropriately- I need to make sure no one falls behind or gets in trouble. Her friends would smack me for sitting on their bed by accident just to charge my phone near the wall. Everyone would laugh.
Her friends dressed up during Halloween as red flags (can’t make this up) and they kept making racial remarks to my friend. “Dance white boy”, “bathroom’s over there white boy”, etc. He took it as a joke the first few times but then started to feel uncomfortable. He told me wayyyy too late that this is what he experienced.
One day I had enough of their immaturity, their laughter at my pain, their double standards, and their unresolved hatred. I asked them to treat me with some respect. My partner stood silent as they continue to make insulting and demeaning faces at me and avoid the issue. I had a freeze response. Then my hypervigilance took a toll on me one day in the form of an extreme panic attack (first one ever) where I cried and clutched my chest on a train. They started indifferently. I sat crying with the doctor hugging me, while they called an Uber to go to a bar. They called the paramedics- they were heroes. I had enough, went up and yelled some disgusting things at the main instigator, who was making disgusting invalidating faces at me while I was approaching her for accountability. Called her a horsefaced-bitch. Told her “Why should I die on the train? You go kill yourself!”
My partner threatened to break up with me if her friends had told her to and told me I wasn’t fit to meet her dad. The next day, her friends guilt tripped her “You made a choice to go home with him instead of come with us to the bar”. They talked about how it was “bizarre” why I was so kind to the doctors and the paramedics yet yelled at them. A few days later, the pain in my chest was tough. I went to the doctor, got some tests and was diagnosed with a cardiac arrhythmia as a result of the panic attack. When she told her friends, they said “we don’t care he had a heart attack, we care more about what he yelled at us afterwards”.
Then blame was shifted. I was the scapegoat. They were the ultimate victim. The whole group - people who didn’t even have anything to do with the situation brought up 9 month old issues that I had apologized for. Ganged up. They said I brought too many bad memories to the group.
When I asked my partner why she lets such people run from accountability for their actions. She said how her father told her to never give up on her friends. How her father lets his friends insult him and his wife till she cries. And that was his takeaway.
I broke up with her. I can’t be a doormat like how her mother is to her father and his friends. I told her she was truly spineless for letting this happen to me. Went to a therapist and got my diagnosis for CPTSD. I wasn’t perfect but I tried. I really did. Lesson learned.

When I (21M) got into a relationship with my partner (20F), it was awesome. Then she involved her friends in the relationship. She came off as very codependent to her friends, even saying her friends (20F) are never wrong (you’re gonna see some red flags here that I was stupid to ignore). Met one of her friends - wonderful guy not a bad bone in his body, hope all of them could be Ike that. She expressed (I don’t even know jokingly) that her girl friends were jealous that she got a boyfriend - yet she wanted us to be friends.
I have never met such hypocritical people in my life on first meet. They would criticize my career (I earn decent money in school), my race (they continually called me a brown boy), the fact I didn’t drink underage, they would question my validity as a partner in earshot much to my partner’s silence. They would criticize my colloquialism - I would say “shut the fuck up” when a funny story came up while laughing. They would tell my partner (not me) that they didn’t like it (happy to not say it if it makes them feel uncomfortable) but then they proceeded to tell me to shut the fuck up with impunity. The double standards sucked. The dishing out but not being able to take it sucked. I was always made to be the villain. When I brought these up to my partner - “Oh you feel that way because they have siblings, and you’re an only child”. They showed up to my apartment unannounced when I was on a date with my partner (I live on the 3rd story). After the date was over, they would make plans to go out and say “This is a friends only thing”.
I held my tongue for a lot of disrespect. The people were openly known in their friend group to be third wheels in the relationship. They used to call me a bitch and a groomer (because I had friends who were 2 years younger than me). I used to call the main instigator a horseface after she made fun of my forehead and looks. But then it was too far. They could say whatever to me but the moment I come back I’m in the wrong.
They would openly ask my partner “Did he even get girls before you” to which my partner felt she had to defend her “choice” in me. They would cause fights to the point where I’m crying and hoping I’m no more. I would dream they would make fun of me so much - I would get up and walk out (I actually did this once but chalked it up to having to take a phone call).
They would criticize my race but then ask me to set them up with someone from my race. They would make fun of my career, yet ask me to get them a job. I tried to play nice with these people. On my own birthday, one of these girls was stressing out over organizing a career fair, I walked 40 minutes to help her out. These people would cause fights between us and I would apologize to them about stuff they do to me all the time saying “I just want to be accepted by the group”.
Worst part came when her friends pulled switchblades out on a moving bus as a joke and were brandishing it. I was the only voice of reason telling these people to stop, protecting my partner, motioning others to sit down and telling them that the group can get in so much trouble because of their idiotic behavior. Yet all her friends laughed at the fact I was getting serious. One of her friends had come up to me afterwards and showed me her palm, laughing. It was blood- she had cut her hands on the blades trying to play with the knives. Laughing.
Whether it was them blacking out drunk, headbutting each other, and touching each other inappropriately- I need to make sure no one falls behind or gets in trouble. Her friends would smack me for sitting on their bed by accident just to charge my phone near the wall. Everyone would laugh.
Her friends dressed up during Halloween as red flags (can’t make this up) and they kept making racial remarks to my friend. “Dance white boy”, “bathroom’s over there white boy”, etc. He took it as a joke the first few times but then started to feel uncomfortable. He told me wayyyy too late that this is what he experienced.
One day I had enough of their immaturity, their laughter at my pain, their double standards, and their unresolved hatred. I asked them to treat me with some respect. My partner stood silent as they continue to make insulting and demeaning faces at me and avoid the issue. I had a freeze response. Then my hypervigilance took a toll on me one day in the form of an extreme panic attack (first one ever) where I cried and clutched my chest on a train. They started indifferently. I sat crying with the doctor hugging me, while they called an Uber to go to a bar. They called the paramedics- they were heroes. I had enough, went up and yelled some disgusting things at the main instigator, who was making disgusting invalidating faces at me while I was approaching her for accountability. Called her a horsefaced-bitch. Told her “Why should I die on the train? You go kill yourself!”
My partner threatened to break up with me if her friends had told her to and told me I wasn’t fit to meet her dad. The next day, her friends guilt tripped her “You made a choice to go home with him instead of come with us to the bar”. They talked about how it was “bizarre” why I was so kind to the doctors and the paramedics yet yelled at them. A few days later, the pain in my chest was tough. I went to the doctor, got some tests and was diagnosed with a cardiac arrhythmia as a result of the panic attack. When she told her friends, they said “we don’t care he had a heart attack, we care more about what he yelled at us afterwards”.
Then blame was shifted. I was the scapegoat. They were the ultimate victim. The whole group - people who didn’t even have anything to do with the situation brought up 9 month old issues that I had apologized for. Ganged up. They said I brought too many bad memories to the group.
When I asked my partner why she lets such people run from accountability for their actions. She said how her father told her to never give up on her friends. How her father lets his friends insult him and his wife till she cries. And that was his takeaway.
I broke up with her. I can’t be a doormat like how her mother is to her father and his friends. I told her she was truly spineless for letting this happen to me. Went to a therapist and got my diagnosis for CPTSD. I wasn’t perfect but I tried. I really did. Lesson learned.

It’s pretty much the title. But i feel like we could use a palate cleanser from some of the awful people we see here on Reddit.
I’m Catholic, and for the first 6 years of my education, I went to a private Catholic school. In kindergarten, me and my twin brother (19f, 19m) had a friend, Wyatt (19m). My mom (54f) was his mom’s RCIA (Rite of Christian Initiation for Adults) sponsor, so we ended up spending a lot of time together as kids. In 4th grade, my brothers and I transferred to a different school, and we fell out of touch with Wyatt and the rest of his family.
Fast forward to 2022. My mom is at Costco, and she runs into Wyatt’s dad, Mike. The two get to talking, and they say how they want to get us kids together. That didn’t happen until about a year later. In August of 2023, we went on a joint family camping trip, and every so often when I’m home for the weekend from school, we’d do other family things. We’ve gone zip lining, axe-throwing, hiking, done escape rooms—basically just fun family stuff. It was around that first camping trip that Mom and Mike made things official. For the last four months or so, all of us kids have known on some level that they were going to get married.
They aren’t super over the top around us kids, but we do feel like one big dysfunctional family. It can be really stressful at times for me to be around so many people all at once, but I like it. My younger brother (16m) and Mike’s second son (17m) are already like brothers, and I’m slowly getting closer to his daughter (15f). She’s a sweet girl who’s super tomboyish like me, and we’re each other’s sister we never had.
Mom and Mike had another camping trip planned for this weekend, but I had a previous commitment with a friend, so I stayed home (the benefit was that Mom didn’t have to ask anyone to take care of the dog or the chickens lol). As my friend and I were driving home from our plans today, I was texting with my mom when she said she had a question for me. Seeing as she’d entrusted her house to me, my mind started going worst-case scenario when she said that. I played it cool, and I responded with “Shoot.” She then sends me a picture of her hand with an engagement ring on, and the caption was “Will you be my maid of honor?”
Apparently, she and Mike had hiked to the top of a mountain (they go on hiking trips a lot) and at the top of the mountain, he popped the question. My mom and I had discussed the potential wedding between her and Mike, and she’d said that she only wanted me and Mike’s daughter as her bridesmaids. That said, I accepted. My mother also watches our potato queen’s videos and has seen enough delulu bridezillas dump all the planning on their MOH, and she told me that I will not be responsible for any planning. I will still attempt to plan a bachelorette, which will probably be a tea party in the backyard because I’m not old enough to drink and my mom isn’t a drinker. (But if anyone has ideas for a bachelorette that a college sophomore can throw together, they are greatly appreciated.)
I haven’t even seen my mom’s face, but I was able to feel how happy she is over our texts, and I’m just as happy for her. For the last 10 years, she’s put aside her own needs and focused on making sure my brothers and I were taken care of. She’s bent over backwards for us to make sure we had whatever we needed, all while teaching middle school. My mom is an actual superhero. After all these years of her taking care of us, it makes me so happy and gives me peace of mind that she has someone to take care of her now.
I couldn’t have picked a better guy for her because not only is Mike good to her, he’s good to me and my brothers. He helps my twin get involved with jobs and is good with his boundaries. Whenever he’s working in the same area my college is in, he offers to take me to lunch, and he’s been to both of my orchestra concerts. He helps my other brother work on cars and was there for every ROTC drill competition. Basically, he’s been the father I always wished I had but didn’t get to grow up with. Well, better now than never.

I (52 M) and my Fiancé (51 F) have been together for just over 3 years. I gave up everything, including my career, to move across Australia for her. It’s been a rough & tough ride but my career is getting back on track. Last year was a big challenge for her as she had a custodial fight with her ex (the legal father of her son) because he was hurting the child physically. The end result was he agreed not to hurt that child but he gained 20% more custody so now it’s 50:50. Overarching all of this has been an insurance case, that is now going to court. Basically she can’t work because of a serious back issue and should she win, she may end up with ~$4m. Now I never knew about the insurance case until after I had relocated. I’ve also agreed to sign a pre-nup should she win. I have no interest in the money as I’ll retire with around $2m in super. I’m happy to share this should we get married but if I’m to sign a pre-nup excluding me from the $4m, the same will apply to my super. Anyway, we have agreed, we’d share our lives and the benefits that come with being financially free. She just wants to make sure that her son gets the lions share of the money, should something happen to her. Now, right now, as the case is in court we live 100% off my income. As the case is getting closer to being finilised, she has started to act like she’s won. She’s planning on what houses she’s buying, the cars she’s getting, the holidays she’s taking etc etc. I like to remind her of the medical treatment she’ll need, how the money must last for 30-40 years and she should be prudent. She doesn’t care to listen. She’s always been a consumer and loves to spend money but this is next level. She’s obsessed with looking at her phone and when I spoke, She used to tell me to ‘shut up’ a lot. I asked her to stop this just stop scrolling to listen to me. She now tells me to ‘hold on’ which is just a polite way of say ‘shut up’. Like all couples, we argue but lately she tells me that ‘as soon as I get my money, you can F🤬 Off’. It was off the cuff a few times but now I feel she’s serious about it. I’ve been questioning whether she truly loves me as if she did, she wouldn’t say such things. Not to mention, although she has a strong case, she may lose and end up with no money. I know she’s feeling the stress & pressure of the case but saying those things is either over the top or she just plain means it. I just want opinions ?

When I (21M) got into a relationship with my partner (20F), it was awesome. Then she involved her friends in the relationship. She came off as very codependent to her friends, even saying her friends (20F) are never wrong (you’re gonna see some red flags here that I was stupid to ignore). Met one of her friends - wonderful guy not a bad bone in his body, hope all of them could be Ike that. She expressed (I don’t even know jokingly) that her girl friends were jealous that she got a boyfriend - yet she wanted us to be friends.
I have never met such hypocritical people in my life on first meet. They would criticize my career (I earn decent money in school), my race (they continually called me a brown boy), the fact I didn’t drink underage, they would question my validity as a partner in earshot much to my partner’s silence. They would criticize my colloquialism - I would say “shut the fuck up” when a funny story came up while laughing. They would tell my partner (not me) that they didn’t like it (happy to not say it if it makes them feel uncomfortable) but then they proceeded to tell me to shut the fuck up with impunity. The double standards sucked. The dishing out but not being able to take it sucked. I was always made to be the villain. When I brought these up to my partner - “Oh you feel that way because they have siblings, and you’re an only child”. They showed up to my apartment unannounced when I was on a date with my partner (I live on the 3rd story). After the date was over, they would make plans to go out and say “This is a friends only thing”.
I held my tongue for a lot of disrespect. The people were openly known in their friend group to be third wheels in the relationship. They used to call me a bitch and a groomer (because I had friends who were 2 years younger than me). I used to call the main instigator a horseface after she made fun of my forehead and looks. But then it was too far. They could say whatever to me but the moment I come back I’m in the wrong.
They would openly ask my partner “Did he even get girls before you” to which my partner felt she had to defend her “choice” in me. They would cause fights to the point where I’m crying and hoping I’m no more. I would dream they would make fun of me so much - I would get up and walk out (I actually did this once but chalked it up to having to take a phone call).
They would criticize my race but then ask me to set them up with someone from my race. They would make fun of my career, yet ask me to get them a job. I tried to play nice with these people. On my own birthday, one of these girls was stressing out over organizing a career fair, I walked 40 minutes to help her out. These people would cause fights between us and I would apologize to them about stuff they do to me all the time saying “I just want to be accepted by the group”.
Worst part came when her friends pulled switchblades out on a moving bus as a joke and were brandishing it. I was the only voice of reason telling these people to stop, protecting my partner, motioning others to sit down and telling them that the group can get in so much trouble because of their idiotic behavior. Yet all her friends laughed at the fact I was getting serious. One of her friends had come up to me afterwards and showed me her palm, laughing. It was blood- she had cut her hands on the blades trying to play with the knives. Laughing.
Whether it was them blacking out drunk, headbutting each other, and touching each other inappropriately- I need to make sure no one falls behind or gets in trouble. Her friends would smack me for sitting on their bed by accident just to charge my phone near the wall. Everyone would laugh.
Her friends dressed up during Halloween as red flags (can’t make this up) and they kept making racial remarks to my friend. “Dance white boy”, “bathroom’s over there white boy”, etc. He took it as a joke the first few times but then started to feel uncomfortable. He told me wayyyy too late that this is what he experienced.
One day I had enough of their immaturity, their laughter at my pain, their double standards, and their unresolved hatred. I asked them to treat me with some respect. My partner stood silent as they continue to make insulting and demeaning faces at me and avoid the issue. I had a freeze response. Then my hypervigilance took a toll on me one day in the form of an extreme panic attack (first one ever) where I cried and clutched my chest on a train. They started indifferently. I sat crying with the doctor hugging me, while they called an Uber to go to a bar. They called the paramedics- they were heroes. I had enough, went up and yelled some disgusting things at the main instigator, who was making disgusting invalidating faces at me while I was approaching her for accountability. Called her a horsefaced-bitch. Told her “Why should I die on the train? You go kill yourself!”
My partner threatened to break up with me if her friends had told her to and told me I wasn’t fit to meet her dad. The next day, her friends guilt tripped her “You made a choice to go home with him instead of come with us to the bar”. They talked about how it was “bizarre” why I was so kind to the doctors and the paramedics yet yelled at them. A few days later, the pain in my chest was tough. I went to the doctor, got some tests and was diagnosed with a cardiac arrhythmia as a result of the panic attack. When she told her friends, they said “we don’t care he had a heart attack, we care more about what he yelled at us afterwards”.
Then blame was shifted. I was the scapegoat. They were the ultimate victim. The whole group - people who didn’t even have anything to do with the situation brought up 9 month old issues that I had apologized for. Ganged up. They said I brought too many bad memories to the group.
When I asked my partner why she lets such people run from accountability for their actions. She said how her father told her to never give up on her friends. How her father lets his friends insult him and his wife till she cries. And that was his takeaway.
I broke up with her. I can’t be a doormat like how her mother is to her father and his friends. I told her she was truly spineless for letting this happen to me. Went to a therapist and got my diagnosis for CPTSD. I wasn’t perfect but I tried. I really did. Lesson learned.
Was it fair for me to blame her friends for the panic attack? I feel like an idiot trying to explain all the stuff they did to cause it but then they can blame me for the way I reacted/ deflect with past issues.

The boy who took my heart
but gave it back after crumbling it
Daylan Meadows my first heartbreak, it was truly one of the biggest learning experiences I’ve had so far. I loved him, I really did, and I know he loved me. But, not a single relationship is perfect. We weren't even close to perfect, but it felt perfect. He felt perfect. What I didn't realize was how emotionally damaging that relationship was until I lost him.
It was the summer of 2020, mid June when we first met. I was thirteen and he was seventeen. That night I was with all of my friends, we picked him up from his mamaw's house. At the time we were in different relationships. He was with a girl named Ciara, and was living with her in Berea. I was with a boy named Sam. Which was Daylans cousin, but I had met him through Jayla way before Daylan. But that night I remember seeing him, there was something different and special about him. We all drove around for a while talking and laughing about the most random things. We haven't really talked that night or after, there were times we would catch each other looking at the other. After a week or two Sam and I broke up. Jayla and I wanted to go do something before we packed her stuff to her apartment, so we invited Daylan. While driving around he had asked me how my relationship was going. Before I could say anything, Jayla told him that Sam and I broke up. He told me he was sorry to hear that but when I looked at the rearview mirror he had a big beautiful smile on his face. He started flirting with me, and we instantly connected. He told me how he and Ciara were over but he was still trying to get the stuff his papaw gave him. He never lied to me about their relationship. So we were always hanging out with each other, but he didn’t want everyone knowing, because he didn't want to hurt Sam. We hid it for a little bit. Then one day we were riding around with everyone, me and him were in the back seat. I had laid my head down because I had gotten car sick. When he saw he laid his head down with me making sure I was okay. Afterwards, he laid his hand on my knee showing me he was there for me not caring who saw.
I was falling for him. Everything about him I was falling for, the way his eyes form a yellow sunflower in the brightest baby blue, how they glistened in the sun, the way his big smile could bring light to every dark corner, the freckles that are placed perfectly on his skin, the way his voice made me feel at home, or how his jokes was always funny, but the way he looked at me, the way his skin peacefully touched mine, and the way he spoke to me with love are some of the many reasons I was falling in love with him. There was a night I never wanted to let him go. We laid there, soaking in every moment. He thought I had already fallen asleep, he pulled me in closer rubbing his finger against my cheek. I could feel him looking at me, but not just looking at me he saw me for who I was. He saw me. That’s all I ever wanted, and he gave it to me. The next morning It was just me and him and things started to progress. But the one thing I didn’t want him seeing, he saw. I was waiting for him to judge me, he never did. Instead he asked me why, the one thing no one took the time to ask. I opened up to him and he saw me, he understood me. He helped me. We were never apart, we were figuring out life together. He ended up living with me for a couple months. He was the first person to meet my mom. After we had gone and seen her, we had to stay at my aunt's house after we got back. The day we were leaving she had gotten into an argument with me. A lot of it was because of our age. Then that night he had to go back and live at his mamaws, but he was always there when I needed him. It never made us any different. He never left, he always chose me.
A year goes by 2021, we did everything together, we were experiencing everything together. Even though we had a hard time with our relationship we promised we will get through it together. We facetimed everyday, and sleep on the phone together. We even had a good night saying that we would say every night. We had gotten a dog, her name was lady may. We called her lady. After we had her for a while we had gotten willow. He and I did everything together and we always supported each other. I always made sure everyone knew I was his biggest fan. One time he let me bleach his hair and it had turned out orange. It was the funniest thing ever. We laughed about it for days. It was the little things that truly meant the most. We went to birthday parties, dinners, get-togethers, we were always there for one another. We opened up to each other more about our past. There were times we held each other on my bedroom floor as we cried together. We were learning more about each other everyday. He helped me eat when I couldn't even move out of bed. He would set alarms for every hour, so I could at least take a bite of something. He helped me when everyone was against me. He always stuck up for me. We loved each other more everyday.
After two years 2022, he got his own place, Sam and his dad Matt were also living with him. The relationship was getting hard, he would want me to stay the night with him but wouldn't want me to stay alone with Sam. I had understood why, that wasn't the problem though. The problem was he didn't trust me, so I would have to get Alicia to come over when he worked. Then he would still tell me how he dont trust me. I told him I could go home when he was going to work. Then that would lead to another argument because I didn't want to spend time with him. But we promised we would get through it together, and we did. That September he went 3 hours away for trade school. It sucked at first we missed seeing each other everyday but we still stayed. We got through it together. He came home and signed up for the marines. I didn't know about it until after. At first I was mad he didn't talk to me about it, after i supported him in every way possible. I was so proud of him, I still am. He had come so far in life and was chasing his dreams. How could i not support the boy who was so excited, the boy i loved more than anything, more than myself, the boy i wanted to be happy. He was happy so I supported him and that December he left. We wrote letters back and forth for three months. I was the first person he called when he only had one phone call and hadn't talked to anyone. When he came home it was like we had never been apart. Every little moment meant so much to us. Trying to salvage every ounce of each other before he had to go. Most of the time we sat in bed watching our favorite shows, talking about everything that has happened in the past three months. Then he had to leave all over again.
Summer 2023 was the hardest. He had gone back but was moved to North Carolina. We were doing so good, until we weren't. We argued all the time, he wouldn't call me or he would stay out all night and ignore me. I tried so hard to work it out. We promised we will get through it together. I went to visit him 9 hours away from home with my brother, Savannah, and sissy. The whole time we were there I had a feeling, I didn't know what it was.Then that night I ended up going through his phone. I didn't find anything serious but it did cause an argument. He had blamed it on me because I went through his phone and the only reason he was mad was because I woke him up. But I forgave him and pushed it away. He always apologized and tried to make it up to me, we always got through it together. I had ended up getting home 3 days after, that night we were on FaceTime and he was already asleep. I kept getting the feeling that I wanted to login to his Snapchat. At first I didn’t but the thought of it was making me sick. I knew something wasn’t right, and when I did I found it. I'll never be able to describe the sinking feeling in my chest, the feeling of wanting to throw up because your world is crumbling down, that full minute of silence, betrayal, heartbreak, how every breath felt harder and harder to reach, the way my hands started shaking with nothing but the thoughts racing through my head, and how my knees felt like giving out each step i took when walking down stairs to savannah. I don’t even know how I formed enough words or power to tell her I needed her to come upstairs with me. She could just see the look on my face. Running up the stairs I handed her my phone. Before she could even say anything I was on my knees bawling cursing him. I had woken him up, and he seemed so worried about me. Asking me what was wrong, what happened, am I okay? But I told him I knew about kaylee, the girl he was in the marines with and he went silent. Every question he said nothing, I called him every name in the book. Nothing. After 3 hours he finally told me. And I got off the phone. He checked on me every hour begging me to call him. I had ended things, I was so wrapped up in our relationship that I didn't think I could live without him. But at that moment I could. That was the first time he broke my heart, because even though we got back together, that wasn’t the end of it for him.
Two weeks later we found out I was pregnant, we were fixing everything we were doing well. I was still hurt but I had a baby to worry about now. We were so excited, we were planning everything. Until I started bleeding I knew something was wrong the first time it happened, everyone told me it was normal to spot in your first trimester. After a couple of days of bleeding more I went to the hospital. They did all kinds of tests and told me to come back in forty eight hours to check my hcg levels. When I went back my levels were dropping, they told me to come back in forty eight again. The day I was supposed to go back was horrible. I got up that morning, and was going to make myself some oatmeal. I was washing a bowl out, and got every light headed. I sat down for a minute, once I wasn't light headed anymore I got back up and continued to make the oatmeal. Not even a minute after standing back up I felt like I was going to pass out and throw up at the same time. Savannah was in the kitchen with me and she helped me sit down. She was going to finish making my oatmeal but I had to get up and run to the bathroom. I was trying to throw up but I couldn't. I had put myself on the toilet and pushed. My whole body drained, I was in so much pain. I managed to wipe myself and pull my underwear up, then I was on the floor screaming and crying. Savannah was trying to give me medicine but I was throwing everything up. She had called my sister, once she got there they put me in the car. I was passing in and out from the pain, my sister was rushing me to the hospital. After they took what feels like every test in the world, they finally told me. I was having a miscarriage. At first I didn't know how to feel but that night Savannah laid in bed holding me as I was bawling, asking God why he is doing this to me. Daylan tried to be there but didn’t know how. The next two weeks were really hard. Daylan got to come home, we never talked about the miscarriage. We fought the whole time because I found more stuff on his phone. I promised him I would never touch his phone again that I put it on our baby, and the words I never thought I would hear from him hurt me more than anything I’ve experienced. He told me we didn’t have a baby together. He broke my heart again. Those three weeks we were together again, I would cry almost every day in fear of an argument because I didn't want him out all night drinking. I had to beg him numerous times to not drink, he would be a complete asshole. But at the end of the day I would try and do everything I could to show I was a good girlfriend and that I was worth keeping. Then he left again, we were off and on that whole time nothing really changed. We argued or wouldn’t talk at all, there would be times where we would laugh and joke about everything because we saw each other. We were the only people who knew each other inside and out. The special FaceTime movie nights and how he would beg me to sing him to sleep. That never changed. My love for him always stayed the same. We’ll get through this together. We had to, we promised we would. Maybe this time we can fix it, maybe when he comes back home.
I never thought that when he did come home it would be the last time I saw him. I was so excited to be with him to be able to spend time together. But this would be the time he proves to me that he is changing and becoming better for us. The first night was amazing. We laid on the couch laughing and crying because we didn’t want to let each other go. He asked me if we were going to be okay with tears in his eyes. While holding him I told him yes we are going to be okay we are going to get through this together. He left the next morning. I didn't see him for two days. He told me he was going to hang out with buddies, but I never heard of them until then. I knew something wasn’t right, so I told him that. He told me I have nothing to worry about because he wants to come see me when I get home. On my way to my sisters I was telling Jayla about him going to Leslie co and that’s when she told me a girl named alyssa from there is reacting to his Facebook post. I ended up texting him about it and the whole time he lied to me. So I texted her and she told me the truth, and that indescribable feeling in your chest, the silence, the breaths, it all came flowing back as I’m on the kitchen floor of my sister's house bawling, begging god for us to be okay, begging god to not let me lose him. That’s when he texted me saying we will never be okay and we know that. He broke my heart again. I was begging for him not to go. I was laying in bed that night with the worst ache in my chest begging him to choose me. But he didn’t, after three years and everything we’ve been through he didn’t choose me. As my world was crumbling he handed me my crumble up heart, and chose hers. I packed up everything over the past three years for him to come get. And he did, he held me for the last time as I buried my wet face into where his neck met his shoulder. I wanted to memorize his scent as he drove away. I watched him turn away to leave and I swear to you I wanted to scream. I wanted to run after him, I wanted to beg him one more time to choose me, to love me, I wanted him. Then he drove away perfectly fine, not looking back, leaving me and my crumbled heart behind.
It’s been six months. You didn't tell me happy birthday three months ago, I waited all day. It was so hard at first, I didn't know how to be without him. He’s all I’ve ever known. But now I've felt so relieved and happy. I made plans to actually hang out with my friends again, focus on school and I've passed all of my classes for the first time in years. I know he would be so proud of me, we would be celebrating. I’ve hardly cried. And I still miss him everyday and hope for a text or call. He meant the world to me, he was honestly my best friend. I wouldn't change anything about us, I would never choose anyone else to go through it with. I will always care for him, and I'll forever wish he would come back one day so we can make it right. Maybe one day when we have grown up our paths will lead us back to each other, and we won't give up. But right now I feel like myself again. And they seem happy together. I would never want to get in their way or ruin their relationship. All I want is for him to be happy and if she's what makes him happy that's good enough for me. Although I was scared to lose him, I now love myself. I love him and I always will, but with loving him, I figured out how to love myself because Corinthians 13:4-8 “Love is patient, love is kind. It does not envy, it does not boast, it is not proud. It does not dishonor others, it is not self-seeking, it is not easily angered, it keeps no record of wrongs. Love does not delight in evil but rejoices with the truth. It always protects, always trusts, always hopes, always perseveres. Love never fails.” I hope love never fails you, I hope you never have to question your worth, I hope you find peace in your sad moments because hunny you deserve the world and its entirety. You're a reminder that there is love on the hardest days. A reminder that even though I was in a bad place, I don’t need anyone but myself to be happy and honest. You showed me everything I was capable of. You showed me the importance of loving myself before I lose myself. You showed me how important I am to others. I lost myself through it all but in the end I picked myself back up and continued walking forward. I finally see myself with love and beauty, as if all my insecurities had gone away. I see myself how you once saw me. I know how happy you would be for me and all of my accomplishments. You would be hyping me up for days, you would remind me every hour that I'm doing amazing, how proud you are, and how you knew I could do it. I just wish you realize before it’s too late, you need to love yourself before others. You could lose yourself on the way. Not all stories have a happy ending, but ours had a happy middle and beginning and that will always be enough because it means that we are a story worth remembering. That our love was real, because loving you is easy and letting go is hard. I so deeply love you Daylan Meadows. I hope one day we can come together, and love won’t fail us. So please don't forget the songs we listened to, or the things we talked about, the little inside jokes we had, or the laughs we shared. Please don't forget my smile, or the sound of my voice. Just please don't forget me.
Love, Neo<3

This is going to be a long story y’all, buckle up!
My father, Matthew, has always been an unstable man. When I was growing up, he would regularly lash out physically and verbally towards those closest to him, but he would put on a façade when around anyone else. Those who are closest to him know just how awful a person he is yet how good he is a covering it all up to convince people outside the family that everything is ok.
My mother and father had gotten divorced when I was young and I, along with my two siblings, would go to his house on the weekends. When we lived at his house, he would never let us go outside, he would forget to feed us, he would make us do chores to clean up after him, he had cameras all over the house, and he would lash out violently if his standards weren’t met.
When I was 14~, I stopped going to Matt’s house. I had forgotten a book at my mom’s house that I needed for homework over the weekend, and I asked Matt if my stepdad could drop it off out front of the house so that I could get it done still. Matt started to yell at me saying how forgetful I am and how my stepdad is not allowed anywhere near the house and all these other nonsense things and then demanded that I hand over my phone to him and that I was grounded for the weekend.
I yelled back at my dad that he doesn’t pay for the phone, Mom does, so he has no right to take it from me. He did not take this kindly and proceeded to tackle me into the doorframe to get the phone out of my hand.
Now, keep in mind, I was a small kid growing up and he is a very fat man that was much taller than me at the time. I got a serious bruise on my shoulder.
After being tackled, I took off into the street running every which way to hide from him. I did not want to be hurt like that by him ever again. I found solace in an old man’s house after I had run for 20 or so minutes. We called the police and my parents and that was the last day that I would speak to my father for the next four years.

Fast forward 4 years, my great grandmother (Nan) who is Matthew’s grandmother was in the hospital and her condition was grim. Her organs were shutting down one by one due to her age.
Nan meant so much to me, when I got my driver's license her house was the first place that I went to. I would drive to see her as often as I could, and I would keep her up to date on everything that was happening in my life. And when she fell ill was no exception, I was glued to her bedside all day every day.
I was a senior in high school when she was sick and all I needed to graduate was an English credit, so I got out of school at 10:30 every day. Once Nan was hospitalized, I was there by her side from 11am to 11pm on most days. I talked with her for hours about her life, about meeting my Pap, about how her siblings had passed in a fire when she was young, and everything else under the stars.
For almost 30 days in a row, I was there for her, calling off work and putting my life on hold just so that I could be there for what was left of hers. She had many visitors, some family members came from Nebraska, Florida, and hours away by car just to spend time with her in her last days. One person that was absent, however, was Matthew.
Matthew was raised by Nan growing up. His mom had him when she was way too young. In fact, my father was the product of my grandmother’s sister’s husband and my grandmother. So, my Nan raised him instead.
At first, my Nan would ask when Matthew was going to stop by, but over the month she asked less and less.
They moved her to a hospital that was closer to her home and the rest of her family, and I kept going to see her, but this time the commute was an hour instead of 10 minutes. This hospital was conveniently located 5 minutes away from Matthew's house, but still no sign of him. Not until things took a turn for the worst that is.
My Nan’s condition was getting very bad and my grandmother, Matthew’s mom, had asked me to go and pick up my Nan’s husband because everyone thought that this was the last chance that they would have to see each other. Little did I know, as I was out to get Pap, my gram had called my dad and told him that this was it and he had to come and say goodbye.
When I returned with Pap, my dad and his girlfriend were there at her bedside for the first time since she had fallen ill. The moment I saw my dad, I started to shut down. I feared him. Even though it could have been the last time that I could have seen my Nan, I left the room to cry in the hallway. This is the man that had abused me, my siblings, and my mom for so many years yet now all of a sudden, he was there like he was the golden child.
After having only been there for about an hour, my dad and his girlfriend decided that it was time to leave. My gram turned to me and told me that my dad loves me still and he didn’t mean any of that stuff from the past and that he wanted to talk to me. Idiotically, I listened to her and walked after him and his girlfriend and called out, saying, “dad, do you have a minute?”
He snapped back with “no, I don’t” and then grabbed a nurse and told her that “this kid is following me, and I don’t feel safe enough to walk to my car, I need security to make sure he doesn’t harm me”
I broke down and asked him if he even remembered me or if he cared enough to ever want to reconcile with me and his girlfriend chimed that I need to leave him alone and that I don’t understand what he’s going through.
If there was any part of this story that I regret, it is what I said next. My dad’s girlfriend was born and raised in Germany and had talked about German history and that sort of thing with us in the past, and well... she didn’t denounce what the N@zi's did, let's just say that.
I told her “Shut up you stupid kraut, I’m not talking to you”
After this my dad yelled at me in the hospital and said “way to show your true colors, I knew I was right about you all along”
The next morning on my drive to the hospital I got a call from an attorney saying that Matthew had filed an emergency protection from abuse against me (my state doesn’t do restraining orders, but just think that).
In my state there are 2 types of PFA’s, EPFAs and regular ones. The kind that my dad filed against me was the Emergency kind that would get immediately granted in order to protect the person that filed from imminent dangeserious harm, then they would retroactively checkup to see if the EPFA was warranted after it was filed.
This meant that I could not go and see Nan again, not as long as I had this EPFA hanging over my head.
The claim that Matthew made against me, his own son, had so many errors and made-up nonsense. For example, he said that I am 6’2”, 220lbs, brown eyes, mentally unstable/dangerous, threatened his life, that I own guns and that he fears I’d use them on him, that I abuse my brother and sister, that I abuse my Nan, that I followed him to his car and all of these other things. He even spelled my name wrong in the document. A name that HE gave to me.
At most I’m 5’10”, 160lbs, green eyes and never shot a gun before, you get the picture. All of it was nonsense. The judge didn’t know that though when he filed it, he just heard a story of a crazed man who owns guns and wants to use them.
I got in contact with a lawyer once I got off the phone and tried to find any way around this so that I could go and see my Nan before she passed.
Unfortunately, I was too late. My Nan passed the next day, and I could not say goodbye. She had her funeral (which she asked me to sing at) and was buried all before I could get this EPFA overturned so that I could go and see her.
I missed all of it and Matthew got to walk away unscathed.
This happened a year ago and I am just finally getting it off my chest. I don’t even care if anyone reads this, I just wanted to type it.
If it makes anyone feel better, my dad was a middle school music teacher, but wasn’t allowed to go work around kids this year because of another lawsuit that he got himself.

I (18f) am in a sort of situationship with this guy that I met on Reddit. We’ve been talking for the past 8 months or so, and I really like him I truly do like him and I have very intense feelings for him. When I wake up he’s the first thing I think about and I constantly want to just be by his side however sometimes I just can’t shake the feeling that the connection we have will never grow to become something official.
For one we live states away, and we have a pretty big age gap, but he’s a very kind person and I find him very admirable. I always compliment him and tell him how amazing and special he is and I always give him these random declarations of how I feel towards him. I do as much as I can to show him that I’m serious about him and that I care about him but he never does any of these things back. I mean he doesn’t always compliment me the way I want him to, and he doesn’t ever really ask to call with me, I’m always the one who initiates the calling and conversations in general. He leaves me on read a lot of the time and that’s always annoyed me but then again he is a busy guy.
I’ve expressed to him that I want something serious as some point and when I’ve brought this up he seems to be on the same page and has said that he does see me as a potential future serious partner but you know actions speak louder than words. When I told him that I got accepted to a university that was literally in his state his reaction was so underwhelming he said and I quote “oh yay” that hurt me so bad it was such a bad reaction. I just didn’t feel like he even wanted me to finally meet him or something.
I want something serious with him and I just want to be loved more than anything I just want to finally be happy with a man that will cherish me and I want him to be that man but sometimes his disinterest towards me makes me feel like he only sees me as a friend and I hate that.
I hate that I have to pretend that certain things don’t rub me the wrong way and hurt me. For example he’s planning a trip to a certain country to attend the wedding of a friend and he’s planning on taking his ex as his date to the wedding. His ex so happens to live in the country where the wedding will be taking place hence him planning to take her. He says that they’re just friends now but this pains me beyond comprehension and the thought of him going to a wedding with his ex makes me feel nauseous but I have to pretend like it’s all cool and that I’m fine with it when in reality it makes me want to jump off a building.
I just hate that I feel like I care more about him than he does about me.
TL;DR - I don’t think my situationship will ever turn into a real relationship which has me at a loss.

My boyfriend and I have been together for 9 months. He has cheating history before he met me, emotional and physical.
Before I met him, I was a very secured person, not needing anyone’s validation for my appearance. I just don’t care. I’m happy. I’m also aware that I dress well, not slutty at all. His guy friends even told him that he has a good one, internally and externally. Some are intimidated. All in all, I seemed to gain their respect.
Since I started dating him, i feel like I’m not good enough for him physically because sometimes he would make a comment about what I’m wearing like “you’re not wearing those pants, aren’t you?” Or when I wear the sexy dress I like, he’d say “that’s simple” and gives me an impression that he likes when I’m wearing something that catches people’s attention, like something a little with gems.
He also looks at attractive girls both in person and his phone. I know this is all instincts. Sometimes he doesn’t remember what they look like. But I know that when he’s drunk, he has a tendency to stare for a while. In my head, when he’s drunk, it takes one woman to entertain him for them to start flirting.
He does want to marry me, want to start a family with me, and we’re both in love. He’s changed so many things for himself just for me and us. Cut porn, doing chores in the house, stopped adderall, lessen weed, and more. Proven and tested. I truly appreciate him for accomplishing these things within a few months.
Would it be reasonable to break up with him because of his gawking tendencies when he’s drunk? I’m scared of getting cheated on and I feel like at one point this is going to happen. I want to run away… He happens to be my dream guy and I happen to be the one he’s been looking for. Like we’re each other’s “The one” and planning to get married. But i don’t know how to shut my fears off.
Would love to hear married women’s and men’s advice.

I am not the OOP. The OOP is u/Capital-Scheme-8294 posting in AITAH
Concluded as per OOP
1 update - Long
Original - 23rd May 2024
Update - 24th May 2024
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AITAH for wanting to divorce my post partum wife?
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It's stupid to think I'm at this point but here I am. My stbx wife (28F) and I (29M) have wanted kids for years and we're thrilled when she finally got pregnant last year. From day one I wanted to be the most supportive husband and future father I could. Her father was never involved in her life. I used to work as a tech in labor and delivery, and my brother to put it kindly is not the most involved father. I saw too many problems up close when it came to lacking husband's, and I would be damned before I made the same mistakes
The problem is roughly 4 weeks into her pregnancy everything started going downhill
She stopped wanting sex. Fair enough. Hormones and stress make that a problem I went full stop. But then she didn't want any physical interaction. No cuddling, no kissing, slowly becoming more and more distant
-Her eating constantly changed and she was terrible about it. She would demand I get her something all day then the moment I give it to her she wants something else, screaming at me. OK, again, hormonal issues I get it no problem
she never let me to go any appointments, no groups she went to, spent more time away
-became cold and bitter. Constantly angry at me. This went on for months
-slapped me a couple times when I forgot one of her dozens of tasks she assigned me during the day. Stopped doing anything for the house a month into the pregnancy. Sure, she's pregnant, I get it moving around is hard, but she wouldn't even do laundry about 4 weeks in and by 5 weeks I did everything. I'm also the primary source of income. I barely sleep. im running on fumes.
-made me sleep in the guest room. Would always try and pick fights. I never once raised my voice, my hand, or my tone. I sat there and constantly mentally reminded myself this isn't her and this would all be worth it
-she didn't want me to make any baby decisions. No name, no work on the nursery, nothing
One month before she delivered, she yelled how fucking useless I am and how I don't do anything and that she's staying with her mother. She didn't let me get her anything, come check on her, threatened to divorce me and get a restraining order if I even called her
A couple weeks back, I found out about the birth of my son from a Facebook post. She posted it with her mother and some family. It fucking broke me. I tried to go to the hospital and visit. They had security kick me out.
After months of outright hatred, anger and abuse thrown at me 24/7, I fucking had it. Odds are im not even on the birth certificate. I opened a new account and all my deposits go there. I took half out of our joint account. She never bought baby stuff ahead of time, who knows what that money was going towards, so now that she has to buy supplies for our son she's used up every cent
I've gotten a lawyer. The house is mine, I'm the only one who spent money on it in any way. I've sent the rest of her stuff to her mother's house. I'm demanding a paternity test. Im not spending another damn cent until I get verification it's my son. Im absolutely divorcing her. She chose the stay at home life, if she cheated she's screwed. Her mother has money for a couple week stay, not even close to enough for full time support. If he is my son, I will absolutely be getting my rights as a father for a relationship.
Last week, my stbx called. She was practically hyperventilating. She wanted to come home. She was crying how it was all a mistake. She's not staying with her mother. She's at a friend's house. She wants to come home. She wants our son to have his father. I told her I don't fucking believe he is my son. Why the fuck would she pull this shit if he is? Show me a paternity test, and I'll do everything I can for him, and him only.
She wants to meet tomorrow at a park so I can talk to her. I said sure, so I can finally say everything I should have said months ago to her face. My parents are hoping we can make up, but they absolutely understand if I won't. My brother is a deadbeat jackass so I don't care what he has to say, but my sister thinks I should at least hear her out
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Comments
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seidinove
NTA. Someone mentioned peripausal psychosis. She needs to talk to a doctor. But sheesh, if I found out that my baby was born on Facebook, I’d be absolutely flattened.
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HalcyonCA
She also physically abused him. This woman is not well. He's right to protect himself and divorce her.
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bleeepobloopo7766
Yes. If she is behaving like this to her husband, is she even a safe mother for the child?
OP you should document any and all you can about this. If it is your son you might need to protect him from mother who might be genuinely dangerous.
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SubstantialYouth9106
NTA! HECK NO! Do not meet her at the park tomorrow. If she wants to meet you then it can be at your lawyer's office with your representative present and a conversation recorded. If the child is yours after an immediate paternity test, make sure your name is on the certificate and that you file for equal custody and have an equal say in all decisions of the child’s life. I would even ask to communicate via a parenting app. Save all forms of communication from her via text and email so you have a paper trail. No phone calls. I am very sorry that you had to go through this and your experience becoming a father, if the child is yours, was ruined. You realize your worth and you do not want to be with a partner like this. Please protect yourself. I hope you have cameras around your property, a ring camera by the door, and that you claim she abandoned your space. Your parents need to be on your side and follow your lead. The relationship is not healthy anymore and now that a child is involved you should be putting the child first and not raising it in a potentially toxic environment.

OOP: As far as my parents, they love her and believe she had some mental break during the pregnancy. However, when they found out about the facebook post, my Dad was heartbroken and my mother was utterly livid. They want me to have a happy family, but they are also pissed at her on my behalf. They'll support whatever I decide

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Socialist_Poopaganda
Wait so they know but think it’s fine that she verbally and physically abused you?? I appreciate the thinking that it was a mental break but that doesn’t mean anyone should stay with an abuser. I hope you’re getting therapy and you have a good support system because this was awful to read.

OOP: I kinda fucked up and didn't tell them about the slapping and still haven't told them because I was still in that mindset that she was just going through a rough time. It was dumb and I will absolutely inform them ASAP
I'm admittedly not great at opening up to them too much because I have the mindset not to worry them and handle things on my own. But going forward if I'm trying to get a good support system I gotta dump it all on them

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**Judgement - NTA*\*
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Update - 1 day later
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I had to speed up the process of actually talking to her since the story spread quickly around on the internet, inevitably reaching someone involved with friends or family and now way more people i personally know are getting the details than I'm comfortable with
Oh well my bad lol
Before I ended up chatting with her, I opened up to my parents and sister about what was happening in detail. My parents were flustered at me hiding the more unsavory details to say the least and are probably going to be checking up on me daily for the rest of the year to make sure I'm ok. My sister would probably have to be held back from thrashing her, so I had to get a friend to help with the chat since my sister would not be able to contain herself
So basically, within hours of the story going into the digital stratosphere I called my wife back as quickly as I could to finally sit down and talk. We chose a local park this morning and I had a friend of mine record the conversation from beginning to end. I was basically ready to hear the generic affair story and get out of dodge
But of course it got complicated.
We met at a section with picnic tables and picked one as far away from other people to avoid them getting wrapped up in any awkwardness. She looked terrible. Haggard, stressed, and thankfully without the baby. She tried to have the big emotional chat and what not. I wasn't tearing up or acting like the hardened badass. I frankly was just wanting to figure out what this was all for
I didn't even get to ask the question before the floodgates spilled. I'm going to attempt to relay this story as best as I can because even looking back on the recording it's a mess, but also, it's because I don't 100% believe it, so fair warning, it could all be fake
This all started with her mother. As I said before my wife's father was absent. He sarted off well, having 2 sons with her mother before herm l. When her mother got pregnant with her, her father went from being the picture perfect guy he was at first and slowly changed into a negligent, abusive, unfaithful, and unsupportive jackass, ending with him disappearing when her mother was delivering. He's been in and out of prison since. No one knows why he did it. The impression her mother always gave was a strong resilient woman who withstood anything life threw at her and did anything for her kids. She has claimed to be in therapy for years. In reality, she has managed to conceal a deep hatred for men outside of her sons, but according to my wife there was favoritism towards her. My wife also found out she stopped therapy almost a decade ago but never told anyone.
Her mother seemed to always have some slight against me and now i know why. She was never hostile, but certainly wasn't warm to me, and hearing about her secret hatred, I kinda knew where this was going. Roughly about half a year before she got pregnant, my MIL slowly began sowing seeds of doubt and bitterness into my wife. Apparently she had a full mental break. She told her about me staying late at work possibly hiding an affair. Or that myself providing majority on the income setting her up for a hard divorce. Everything my MILs husband did to her, she convinced my wife I would do to her, and she pumped this poison into her for months. My wife always idolized her mother, and compounding that with anxiety she's suffered from for years, she dove in deep.
As soon as she got pregnant, like on the dot, she fell into a mental hole within days. And that's when her mother got hold of her again. Hearing about her pregnancy apparently triggered something fierce in my MIL and it spiraled from there. She had my wife fully convinced it was happening again
Every single thing my wife did to hurt me was at the behest of my MIL. Combined with pregnancy hormones, an undiagnosed mental illness she claims to have (no confirmation), and stress, she completely lost her mind. She 100% believed I would bail, so she was punishing me first, culminating in her moving in with her mother and leaving me out of the birth
While I was sending the papers and started the divorce proceedings, she kicked into full blown post partum depression. And when her mother finally got her, when she finally beat me, which I guess was her victory over her ex (did I mention she's fucking crazy), she had no more use of my wife. The family involved in the birth included my MILs sister and my wife's brothers. While my MIL and her sister knew what was going on, my BILs got fed the bs narrative my MIL spun. When my MIL was done with her plan, the entire facade came down and my BILs found out everything upon questioning my wife. They were horrified.
Needless to say, postpartum, facing a very grueling divorce on her side, no longer welcome in our home, and having done everything to alienate me from my son at the behest of a broken lunatic, reality hit her like a truck. She torched her entire life because her mother is a broken shell of a human who used her to enact her own sense of justice. The very mother who washed her hands of her after she got what she wanted
Or at least this is the story she gave me
Frankly, there are many holes in her story. The starting point of the pattern of abuse, the claims of who was involved in the delivery, me being absent from appointments, the friend (who she confirmed is female) she's staying with, and of course, my alleged sons paternity.
It seems way too fucking crazy to be made up. Who the hell would go to the effort to make this up facing what she's facing?
As soon as she finished, she said she's setting up a paternity test and gave me the info I need. Within luck it should be done in roughly a week or so once i do my part. She gave the most sincere apologies any human being has ever given. She's begged for another chance. I was frankly, to stunned to say anything, so she left and promised to call soon
I don't think I can give her another chance. I don't think I can ever risk anything like this again.
God I'm still hoping she's just being a cheating psycho and spinning a sympathy story to try and throw me off, because this got way too complicated
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Comments
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Bargle-Nawdle-Zouss
I am so sorry for your pain. Nobody deserves to go through Insanity like this.
I'm glad she's cooperating on the paternity test. However, no matter the results, you should go through with the divorce. You do not need this in your life. Given this incident, I would even pursue full custody of your child.
Get duplicate copies of the recording of this meeting. Make sure that they are easily transferable to your attorney for the divorce.
Best of luck, and of course NTA.
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Sweet-Fancy-Moses23

I don't think I can give her another chance. I don't think I can ever risk anything like this again

You are right.She subjected you to months of mental torture and agony despite you being supportive and understanding.Then she prevented you from being present during the birth of your child. I can’t imagine what OP went through when he found out the birth of his much anticipated child through a FB post. All this at the behest of an evil mother.Who says it won’t happen again ?
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SonOfSchrute
She’s full of shit

OOP: I hope so. I sat there practically slack jawed listening to this. It's too wild to be 100% honest, but too detailed to be completely fake

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mooglemethis
FWIW, I do think there's a kernel of truth in there, I absolutely believe your MIL manipulated her, but at the same time, most people can only be manipulated so far before they call bullshit and get fed up. The people that don't are usually the ones who want to believe the manipulation, who want the lies to be true.
She was willing to hit you and hurt you in unimaginable ways, based on nothing but 'maybes' and 'what ifs'.
And it's that part that scares me. I don't think that part of her can be suppressed with force of will alone.
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I am not the OOP. Please do not harass the OOP.
Please remember the No Brigading Rule and to be civil in the comments

A small thing triggered me to write here because it’s getting to the point where I dont know if I need a break from my partner or not. I’ll call him Phil.
Today started out good! It’s a 3 day weekend, had no big plans because our toddler is sick. Nap time didn’t go as planned and she skipped it for the 3rd Saturday. Bummer but didn’t affect anyone’s mood. We continue our afternoon and Phil asked if his dad can stop by and grab some groceries we bought him last week. I say of course. I dont have the best relationship with his family but that’s a much bigger story than I can include. We get along well but there’s a lot of layers. Anyways he comes over and we’re outside with our toddler playing with chalk. Now we’ve visited his dad a bunch but our daughter has never been comfortable with him. He doesn’t give her space, he bosses her around and snaps his fingers at her or claps loudly at her to get her attention, touches her when she doesn’t want to be touched or is trying to back away, etc. I dont know if he doesn’t understand cues but to me she’s visibly uncomfortable and he doesn’t change his approach dispute Phil apparently telling him to. So after a few minutes she wants to go away from him and take a walk down the little path by our house. I say sure because I know she needs some space. I try to keep her close to the house but she wants to go across the street so I say okay but we have to go back in a minute. We are gone for a couple minutes and Phil calls to say come back. I told our toddler that we need to go back and she says no and she’s scared. I relay the message to Phil and he said “well get her back. Force her if you need to” I said “I’m doing my best but I won’t force her” so I let her play another minute and try to usher her back home but she keeps asking if grandpa is there and I say yes let’s go back and she’s saying she’s scared. I try to clarify if he scares her and she says yes. So I said okay… we don’t have to go back yet. I text Phil that she says she’s scared and he said “she has to be around him to not be scared. We do the same for your family” which isn’t true because my family gives her space to get comfortable and lets her come to them. Only one brother she’s scared of and we’ve seen him a couple times but each time she cries so I end the visit. He’s really tall and larger stature and she says he’s scared because he’s big. No hard feelings. Well anyways we’re on our way back and she sees her grandpa leaving so she gets excited but then he comes back and asks for a picture with her. Phil picks her up and I quietly say “ don’t want him to hold her.” And Phil rolls his eyes and heavily sighs. I take a couple pictures but she’s again visibly uncomfortable and pulling away from him which makes me uncomfortable.
Once he leaves she’s super happy but now Phil is quiet and stewing. The rest of the day (about 5-6 hours) he’s sighing and upset and I can feel his heavy mood. I’m as usual trying to cover up his stress and mood by being excited and positive for my toddler so she doesn’t feel it. Before we go to bed (her and I cosleep) I turn to close the bedroom door and as I look down the hall Phil slams the light switch button and is cursing to himself. I text him after toddler falls asleep and ask what’s up, why is he slamming lights and being angry? He replies “when??” So I respond “before we went to bed” and he says he doesn’t remember doing that. Such a small thing right? Why am I even bothered by it right? Because he wants to be angry or stressed allll day and have his childish outbursts and doesn’t care that our toddler is learning everythihg from his actions. She copies everything I do. She mimics how I talk, how I react to things, everything. She’s watching and learning. I’ve told him he can’t have outbursts and raise his voice at me. He can’t angrily honk at people on the road for having their blinker on. He needs to get his anxieties under control. He won’t. We can have literally no worries and he will find something to worry about and then have this heavy anxious mood all day. It’s exhausting trying to compensate for that when I have my own issues that I keep to myself and away from my daughter. I have near constant stomach issues because I’m trying to walk on egg shells with his moods. I don’t know how to manage this anymore but I’m a SAHM so I feel stuck.

A month before my elopement, my best friend of 10 years (who was part of my bridal party) told me I was taking away from her elopement because me and my fiance were getting eloped on the same mountain as her. When she got eloped a couple years ago, she only wanted it to be with her partner and immediate family. I didn’t even realize it was on the same mountain my partner and I were planning to get eloped on because hers was planned so privately. We had our own personal reasons we wanted to be on that mountain and we wanted our friends to be there because they are like our family. I thought she would be excited for me, and she was the first person I told about our plans. She seemed happy for us but a month before the elopement, she calls me and says that she felt upset about how we didn’t ask her if we can get eloped on the same mountain that she got eloped on and by us having our elopement there, we were taking away meaning from her elopement because it was her and her partner’s special spot. She continued to say that she thought I was shoving my elopement plans in her face and bringing all of our friends there when we are already planning a bigger wedding next year and that she didn’t have a big wedding. I told her I wouldn’t be that petty and didn’t even remember where she got eloped. She continued to say that I was copying her elopement and that it was like getting the same wedding dress as her. Our elopement location was on the same mountain, in a totally different location, had a different back drop of mountains, and was during the winter with snow. Hers was during the summer. I told her I didn’t want her to feel hurt and so my partner and I considered changing our elopement plans and location (again this is weeks before the wedding after we made our hotel accommodations and our friends were going to make a weekend out of it). Eventually we decided to keep our plans because it felt true and authentic to our relationship. I later found out that they didn’t actually get eloped there. They took elopement photos and said their personal vows there, then got eloped in the city with only their immediate family members present. She didn’t end up coming to my elopement because I told her that I didn’t feel comfortable having her there because it felt weird to me that she was going to be having all these feelings and thoughts during a special moment in our lives. I also asked her to be a guest instead of a bridesmaid. This brought so much stress to the planning and ruined my excitement for the day. When I got to the mountain, I cried because of not having a dear friend there and due to all the stress and sadness she made around something so special to me. Now it’s been a few months after the elopement, and I’ve been hearing that she is still upset about this and that she is the one who is hurt in the friendship. She has yet to take accountability for how she affected this special moment in my life and the hurtful things she said. I decided to end our friendship because it was clear to me that she wasn’t going to reflect deeper and gain more self awareness around this situation. After our elopement, I had a conversation with her husband, who is also our friend. He said he was also upset that we didn’t ask them if we could get eloped on the same mountain as them. He wanted us to ask him as a courtesy but didn’t care for us to change our plans. I validated his feelings of being upset and said that wasn’t my intention. Then the conversation was past us and he said he would still like to be friends even though his wife and I aren’t friends anymore. Am I missing something here and did I do something wrong to hurt my (former) friend? Should I have never ended the friendship at all? Should she still be invited to the wedding if her husband is invited?

Right now I am on a 12-week leave (through the state of CA for Medical issues) from my Full-Time NOC/CNA position on a MED/SURG unit. I am also a single mom with two young children both under 5 years old and attending Vocational Nursing school Full-Time. I tried getting into RN school for the past five years but I’m tired of the denials, and waiting for a spot in the program so this is how I plan to climb the ladder. Anyways… i’m suppose to return to work 07/05 still working full-time because my boss denied my request for part-time or per-diem position. I am already exhausted and stressed out,without going to work and I have no idea how i’m going to manage working full-time on night shifts, full-time nursing student and being a full time mom… i asked my boss for a raise and it was denied I’m getting paid $16.50 with everything I have to do in that hospital! I asked to be switched to days and my request was denied! I do not want to work in a nursing home either because the hours don’t work with my school schedule nor my children’s schedule. I do not have a village so my options are limited, I am going to school so I can give my children a better life, dropping out is NOT an option. Ughhhhhhh I’m tired of how being a CNA makes me feel, I don’t live off a CNA income I survive. And working at this hospital I am burnt OUT always having 15+ patients and 8 total cares. I remember when I was working full-time without going to school I was absolutely miserable, I cannot imagine working full-time and going to school. Idk what Im going to do but I am adamant on climbing this ladder.

Recently, this line in Varamyr’s prologue in ADWD was brought to my attention:

One by one they fell behind or forged ahead, making for their old villages, or the Milkwater, or Hardhome, or a lonely death in the woods. Varamyr did not know and could not care. I should have taken one of them when I had the chance. One of the twins, or the big man with the scarred face, or the youth with the red hair.

Who are these people Varamyr could have taken? Why would George give us descriptions of those people? Why have Varamyr remember these people specifically? Why have Varamyr remember anything about the people when he’s fucking starving and malnourished and delusional?
Because they’re going to be important later. While I have some ideas on who “The twins” and “The youth with the red hair” are, in this post I’m going to be focusing on “the big man with the scarred face”.
A big man with a scarred face, now, who could that be?
Sandor motherfucking Clegane of course!
I can already hear you saying “But he’s at the quiet Isle! He can’t be in the north!”, but as is shown in this revolutionary new timeline: https://www.reddit.com/pureasoiaf/comments/1cwuytvproposing_a_new_timeline_for_the_adwd_north/, Our timeline of a lot of the events is wrong, so it is possible Sandor took a ship to the north soon after Brienne left (or maybe during Brienne’s stay since the last time she sees him is when she has lunch in the septry). Cat’s skiff got from White Harbor to KL in a week or so, so it is completely possible Sandor went North and reached there a few months after the battle on the wall.
Ok, you say, He might be in the north, but what could that mean for the plot?
Why, because it means he sent the pink letter, of course.
The new timeline shows that Jon’s assassination took place a full month before Theon and Jeyne escape, so none of the suspects, other than maybe Stannis could have any reason to send the letter. So the pink letter:

Bastard, Your false king is dead, bastard. He and all his host were smashed in seven days of battle. I have his magic sword. Tell his red whore. Your false king's friends are dead. Their heads upon the walls of Winterfell. Come see them, bastard. Your false king lied, and so did you. You told the world you burned the King-Beyond-the-Wall. Instead you sent him to Winterfell to steal my bride from me. I will have my bride back. If you want Mance Rayder back, come and get him. I have him in a cage for all the north to see, proof of your lies. The cage is cold, but I have made him a warm cloak from the skins of the six whores who came with him to Winterfell. I want my bride back. I want the false king's queen. I want his daughter and his red witch. I want this wildling princess. I want his little prince, the wildling babe. And I want my Reek. Send them to me, bastard, and I will not trouble you or your black crows. Keep them from me, and I will cut out your bastard's heart and eat it. Ramsay Bolton, Trueborn Lord of Winterfell

Why send the letter? To bring Jon and hopefully draw Ramsay away, I believe that the original spearwife plan was originally to rescue Jeyne when the armies were outside battling, but they had to abandon that plan when no army came after a month and do the next best thing.
One of the first things you notice on your first read of the letter is the repetition of Bastard, and since it makes no sense for Ramsay to write it, it must be some other character who wrote it, and who do we know in the series who loves to curse? Sandor. He might have changed a lot on the quiet isle but cursing a hard habit to drop. Sandor probably really does think of Stannis as a false king with no claim, since it’s unlikely he knew about the twincest considering he spends most of his time in KL around Joffrey or being a regular Lannister guard who doesn’t know. He also probably became more religious at the quiet isle and genuinely despises Stannis for turning to R’hllor.
So how does he know about the spearwives? Because he’s in winterfell of course. My guess would be he went to Eastwatch and managed to smuggle himself on a ship and go to White Harbor, where he went into Wyman’s service, maybe he even went and specifically told Wyman about his mission to rescue Arya, and since most people in the North haven’t seen the hound before, it’s unlikely they would know who he was, or even think about it, considering the rumors that he’s around Saltpans. Only the Freys might know him, being from farther south, but they probably wouldn’t pay attention to a random Manderly guard.
Why would the spearwives let Sandor know who they are? Because Mance recognized him from his previous visit to Winterfell. This would also explain why grrm retconned Mance into winterfell in asos.
Why would Mance trust Sandor? He’d probably do what he did with Theon and have the spearwives bring him and interrogate Sandor, Mance is a pretty good judge of character As for ‘your false king’s friends are dead’, Sandor from what he knows of Stannis thinks that Stannis has no friends, so he’s just having a jape, something he does continuously through the letter.
Sandor has also become far more religious at the quiet isle, so he thinks of all other religions (except the old gods) as witches. His experience with the BwB also put his opinion of red priests down, making him call Mel a red witch.
How did Sandor send the letter? Probably with Wyman’s help, or maybe there’s a dead maester who’s gone missing in all the chaos at winterfell. As for the signature pink wax, the quiet isle does have some trade, so the most likely scenario some ship carrying sealing waxes for trade came and Sandor asked the elder brother to buy him the pink one because it reminded him of the girlish stuff Sansa likes, along with kinda resembling the color of weirwood (remember that the first time he saved Sansa was when she fell on the serpentine steps coming back from the godswood.)
But why? He obviously came to winterfell hearing of Arya’s marriage and to save her, but it must have been clear during the wedding and after that the girl was not Arya, but someone else, namely Jeyne Poole, Sansa’s close friend who was taken away from her.
Sandor clearly thinks of himself as Sansa’s ‘protector’, and his time at the quiet isle has probably made him take that role even more seriously, so when he sees that Sansa’s close friend has been married off to a raving lunatic who’ll ruin her, he’d immediately think of Sansa and decide to save Jeyne, since he doesn’t know the spearwives or Mance well, he’d definitely not tell them and jeopardize the rescue.
As for the line, ‘the skins of the six whores’, I think Sandor’s increasing religiosity has made him increasingly take a line against alcoholism, which is probably pretty common in wildling culture, so he made them give him their wineskins and turned that into a cloak.
But why hasn’t Theon seen him, you ask? Well, actually, he has:

Outside the snow was coming down so heavily that Theon could not see more than three feet ahead of him. He found himself alone in a white wilderness, walls of snow looming up to either side of him chest high. When he raised his head, the snowflakes brushed his cheeks like cold soft kisses. He could hear the sound of music from the hall behind him. A soft song now, and sad. For a moment he felt almost at peace. Farther on, he came upon a man striding in the opposite direction, a hooded cloak flapping behind him. When they found themselves face-to-face their eyes met briefly. The man put a hand on his dagger. "Theon Turncloak. Theon Kinslayer." "I'm not. I never … I was ironborn." "False is all you were. How is it you still breathe?" "The gods are not done with me," Theon answered, wondering if this could be the killer, the night walker who had stuffed Yellow Dick's cock into his mouth and pushed Roger Ryswell's groom off the battlements. Oddly, he was not afraid. He pulled the glove from his left hand. "Lord Ramsay is not done with me." The man looked, and laughed. "I leave you to him, then." -ADWD, The Ghost in Winterfell

‘False is all you ever were.’ We know Sandor’s dislike of lordlings and knights, thinking them false fakers who break vows easily, and he must’ve seen a lot of Theon while watching Joff in the yard and seen his shallowness. Sandor’s parallel for Theon’s situation with the Starks is being saved by the Elder Brother, who has become his brother in all but biology to him, and he saw how good Theon had it with the Starks, so he thinks of Theon as a kinslayer. There is also a moment of sympathy when he sees what has been done to Theon, seeing a bit of what he did to himself and turned himself into due to his hatred of Gregor. So what would this mean for the story? Well, all the Manderly guardsmen are outside the castle and probably planning to defect to Stannis, so the future depends a lot on the outcome of the battle of Ice, which is too much for this post, but I might address it in another. Tl;dr: Sandor Clegane went to Winterfell to save Arya, and is currently outside winterfell with the Manderly host.

The Xavi era is over. The 44 year-old manager, considered by many as the best Spanish player in history, will likely wake up one morning, look back at the past two and a half years, and think “What the hell just happened.”
His journey has been one of constant ups and downs. His appointment as manager fresh from a short managerial stint in Qatar, taking over for Koeman; the both weird and familiar space he found himself as his work started, surrounded by the warmth of the club of his childhood and his life, and at the same time feeling constantly scrutinized by local media, fans, and some of the board.
At the top of the list are the many repercussions he suffered from the actions of president Joan Laporta. He was forced to watch while in charge the saddest of goodbyes to Lionel Messi. Rumors of the board interfering with squad call-ups. The I love you - I love you nots of the past few months of the President, from getting choked up when he said Xavi was staying, to his final decision of firing him with a match to go in La Liga, to everything before and after.
Breaking news: Laporta doesn't seem to love anyone but himself. There is a saying in Spanish; “La confianza da asco.” Said in other words, those closest to you will treat you the worst. The neutral Spanish fan who grew up watching Xavi lift a World Cup and back-to-back Euros hopes that in the near future, and regardless of Xavi’s tactical shortcomings in comparison to Barcelona titans like Luis Enrique or Pep Guardiola, he will find peace, serenity, and room to do the work and succeed. Often, one can only find that away from home.
Whichever way Barcelona arrived here, the sacking of Xavi brings forth Hansi Flick. The German is the second foreign manager out of the past seven at Barcelona, and the first one in 22 years to have never either managed or played in Spain, since Louis van Gaal in 2003. Flick, aware of the interest for months, has been learning Spanish in an effort to bridge the inevitable gap he will feel upon his unveiling.
If only that were the only problem.
Laporta’s last bullet
The appointment of Hansi Flick by Joan Laporta ties both of them at the hip; for a lot of people watching, this is El President’s last chance to turn things around, especially as other areas of the club, fanbase and financials notoriously, are on a downward spiral.
The Nou Camp Nou is still in shambles, and the dream of playing at home by the end of 2025, no matter what news sources push out, is difficult. In turn, the experience at the Estadi Olimpic has proven to be both good and bad for the club; on one end, the audience watching matches at the temporary stadium are heavily, and more than ever, international fans hoping to see one more attraction, much like the Sagrada Familia Cathedral, or the beach.
On the other end, Barcelona has gotten away with it with a lukewarm season for that same reason. Losses to Paris Saint-Germain (1-4), Real Madrid (1-2), Girona (2-4) and Villarreal (3-5) at home would have set the Camp Nou on fire.
If we focus on the financials, things get worse. The club has partially sold assets out to execute what they called “levers” that would allow them to tackle last-minute payments, wage bills, and much needed transfers. The situation would be alleviated if the team performed, though. Barcelona was counting on getting close to the Champions League final to bring some much needed revenue in. That did not happen, with the club losing to an extra-inspired Dembele against Paris Saint Germain in the Quarterfinals, 6-4 in aggregate.
Barcelona also failed to qualify to the newly formatted FIFA Club World Club. Much lower-valued clubs like Benfica, Atletico Madrid, or Red Bull Salzburg will attend; but Barcelona did not make the cut–another 50 million Euros out of reach. In turn, financial leadership has attempted to distance itself from the wreckage, with moves like Financial Vice President Eduard Romeu, who left two months ago. He is still to be replaced.
As Laporta keeps the plates spinning, he turns to what seems to be the last chance he has to turn the wind in his favor, and in the end, the one thing true Barcelona fans care about most: what happens on the pitch. With the sacking of Xavi and the imminent appointment of Hansi Flick, the President could have placed the last nail on his coffin and opened the door for a successor.
It could also prove to be the best decision Barcelona has made since Guardiola.
Hansi Flick
Hansi Flick (1965, Heidelberg) spent the bulk of his playing career at Bayern Munich in the 80s. He averaged 20 matches per season, not standing out but nevertheless being part of the team that won four Bundesligas, first under Udo Lattek then under Jupp Heynckes in what was his first stint out of four for the veteran manager at the German club.
As a Bayern player, he visited Spain twice, both times playing against Real Madrid, and losing both times, in the Champions League final rounds.
Immediately after his retirement, he became manager of lower league FC Bammental, and later and more consistently, TSG Hoffenheim. He managed the club for close to 200 matches, attempting promotion to the German third tier several times, but failing and eventually being sacked on November 19, 2005.
Roughly a thousand miles away, Xavi and company visited the Barnabeu themselves, beating Los Blancos by 0-3 with a Ronaldinho brace, including that run from midfield to dribble half the team, beat Iker Casillas, and get a standing ovation from the rival stadium.The best of times were still to come for Barcelona: 18-year-old Messi was starting to feature.
After that reset, Flick decided to cool down and learn. What followed were stints as an assistant manager at Red Bull Salzburg serving Giovanni Trapattoni in one of the mighty Italian’s last adventures in 2006. He is only one of seven men to have won the UEFA Champions League as both a player, and a manager.
Most notoriously though, he was later the right hand of Joachim Löw in the German National team. The first strokes of Flick’s abilities as a manager started to shine as part of Löw’s team: aggressiveness in the offensive, physicality, aerial prowess. Set pieces. Largely in charge of the latter for the German side during the 2014 World Cup, Flick proved his worth when elegance-personified-in-football Toni Kroos whipped a cross from a free kick, and Mats Hummels headed past Hugo Lloris to beat France (1-0). Days later, Kroos would join Real Madrid from Bayern Munich.
Flick went on to become the Sporting Director of the national team after they lifted the World Cup, but the bench kept calling him in. By 2019 he was back at work, as assistant manager of Niko Kovac and his Bayern Munich. The Croatian was hoping to build on the Bundesliga title achieved last season, but first players, then fans turned their backs on him as results and performances, individual and at the team level, simply weren’t good enough. Eintracht Frankfurt beat the German giants 5-1, and Kovac was sacked.
That night in November, Hansi Flick took over as interim manager. Six months later, he would lift the Bundesliga, German Cup and the Champions League trophies. It would be only the second treble in Bayern history.
Flick left at the end of the next season, surrounded by rumors of his relationship with board and key Bayern ex-players, but as one of the most effective managers in Bayern’s recent memory.
Later on, Germany called, and Flick did not hesitate to say yes; a real chance at being in charge of the national team.
However, that stint did not go well. It did not help that, while in charge, Flick doubted himself.
The next 23 months involved an underwhelming third place at the UEFA Nations League, and three dismal performances at the World Cup, with a loss to Japan (1-2), a tie against Germany (1-1), and a late win to Costa Rica (4-2).
Even though he had plenty of Bayern ex-players at his disposal, Flick simply could not make things work with a team he could not communicate more than a few times a year, man management being one of his fortes. He tried to compensate, as humans often do, in other areas of his own influence. He changed formation over a half dozen times, shying away from his 4-2-3-1. He became aggressive in his communications with players.
The board eventually lost confidence in him.
His style of football though, aggressive, high-block and high-tempo, Flicki-Flacka as it was dubbed back in Munich, is the kind of philosophy Flick will be asked and hope to bring to Barcelona.
The question remains: will he be able to get past language barriers, cultural dissonance, a local media that will not hesitate to attack a foreign, non Barcelona-DNA manager the instant things are not working, and succeed against a well-oiled Real Madrid, likely with Kylian Mbappe in the ranks?
Just as importantly, will Laporta get out of Flick’s way–and his own way–and let the manager do his job?
Will there be enough resources to build a team that will be able to play to the German’s style?
Some of these questions can be asked by looking at the manager’s tactical style, and the players at his disposal.
Flicki-Flacka
When Flick sticks to what he does best, he proves to be lethal, like at Bayern Munich. His 4-2-3-1 system choked the opposition in his own box, took the ball by storm, and found quick and effective ways to create chances to score.
Ask Barcelona after Flick’s Bayern demolished the Catalans in 2020 (2-8). It was the Cules biggest loss in 70 years. Barcelona manager Quique Setien was sacked hours later. Pique, Messi and Suarez were vocal in the press about the need for change. Ronald Koeman, the manager who preceded Xavi at Barcelona, took over days later.
Regardless of whether Flick will be able to implement the same system in a country where low-block teams (those that wait in their third of the pitch, defending closely together and hoping for a counter) are more common than in Germany’s open style of football, some main concepts are expected.
High pressure, all the time. Flick is known for wanting to pin the opposition against its own goal, from the 1st to the 90th minute. He keeps rivals off-balance, and refuses to give them the ability to breathe, and build, from the back.
If the opposition does wriggle out of pressure, attacking players are expected to track back and keep pressuring the ball. During his first campaign at Bayern, it was common to watch as Thomas Müller stole the ball in the middle of the pitch. The team would then turn on a dime, and a full attack would follow; often with superiority in numbers against a defense struggling to track back. Leroy Sané, Lewandowski, or Müller himself would often have a chance to score only seconds later.
Possession is important, but chance creation trumps. Flick refuses to speculate with the ball. Think of it as the attacking antithesis of Garcia Pimienta’s Las Palmas: Flick’s teams charge up the field, use the flanks, and find through passes, and just as often crosses, to keep pushing and create chances to score. In the 19/20 season, Bayern scored 100 goals in the Bundesliga; 99 goals the season after. Bayern has not matched those numbers since.
It starts at the back. Away from some of the most dominating teams in Europe these days, with a midfielder stuck between the two central defenders in order to link up the play, Flick trusts that having two ball-playing defenders will negate the need for a midfielder so far down the pitch, giving them more opportunities to both be closer to and move faster towards goal.
This happened at Bayern as well, with Alaba and Boateng comfortable with the ball, which gave Kimmich and Goretzka freedom to be more involved on the attacking build up; Goretzka would push up higher down the field and join the attack, specially as an aerial threat, and Kimmich would stay slightly back and bring creative ways to restart the attack, send in a cross or a through pass, or take a shot.
Crosses are sexy. Expect a lot of crossing at Barcelona, especially if Flick develops the squad he will be hoping to build. The German prioritizes the flanks over the midfield in his style of play; incisive, fast players are non-negotiable, as well as a striker and an attacking midfielder who are both comfortable in the air, and able to play with their back to the goal to create chances for the wingers.
Behind them all, the right and left fullbacks take turns charging up the field, with one of them likely staying back and into a three-player defense (a style that Manchester City has mastered), and the other one pushing further up. When the game requires an unlock via a deep cross or a run into space, the other fullback will be asked to push up as well.
Conceding goals is acceptable. Such a style of play, pushing so high up the field without reservations, leaves plenty of space at the back between the defense and the goalkeeper. As it was the case with Bayern (the 2-3 loss to Paris Saint Germain in 2021 being a good example of this), ultra-pressure comes at a cost, and teams with the ability to counter quickly and with skill will find plenty of opportunities to score.
Players may change position. Hansi Flick’s decisions around who to play and where regardless of their experience to date have impacted a lot of high-profile players now considered the best at what they do. Canadian superstar Alphonso Davies was slowly growing as a winger before Flick exploded him into one of the best left backs in the world. David Alaba turned into a world class center back after being pulled out of that left back position; and world-class talent Kimmich, known for being a positional chameleon with a brain to match, is shining as a defensive midfielder, He was an established right back when Flick took over.
The German will look at players and be, in theory, unafraid to make decisions that land them in different positions. This could prove a problem with some of the traditional fanbase, who could turn to these situations when things don’t work out..
Setting expectations, man management, and physicality. Aside from the tactical aspect of his management in his career so far, Hansi Flick demands a communication style that is open and daily, forging relationships with players that will render the performance he needs out of them on the pitch. This could prove difficult in Spain for the first time in charge of a team that broadly does not speak his native language. It’s the reason other coaches like Simeone struggle to leave Spain, or why Unai Emery is often seen tripping over his words as his passion for what he is saying catches up to his domain of the English language. Making insightful, elaborated points in a non-native tongue is hard. This is likely the reason why news outlets are reporting that Flick and Barcelona are already looking to land Spanish-and-German speaking players who could act as the extension of the manager in the locker, like Thiago Alcantara.
Regardless of the potential language troubles, Flick will overall deploy a style of play that will be clear, specific, and especially after the national team failure, immovable. In Muller’s words while at Bayern: “He tells us what to do with consistency and without alternatives. We know what the player next to us is doing”.
This will likely be a breath of fresh air compared to the exiting manager; even though Xavi stuck to the 4-3-3 style Barcelona die-hard fans demand, the way in which the tactic was deployed was often lacking in shape, purpose or consistency, and often turning into a ball for Raphinha or Lamine Yamal to save the day.
Lastly but equally importantly, Hansi Flick demands that his players are in top physical shape, and if possible, increase their muscle size in order to increase their aggressiveness, pressuring abilities, and aerial superiority. During the COVID outbreak, several Bayern players notoriously put on muscle in the forced break, with some of them looking close to unrecognizable. Coutinho notoriously put on four kilograms (9lbs) of muscle.
If players like Pedri, Yamal, or Cubarsi join the fitness plan, Barcelona could benefit from it in the long term–especially when looking at the injury list year after year.
Aligning Flick's system with Barcelona's current squad
When imagining what Flick’s Barcelona could look like, some players stand out. First is the old guard, the players the German manager has coached in the past. They will prove invaluable both in the integration of the manager, and in the implementation of his system.
That list includes Robert Lewandowski, who is likely to play a Bayern’s Lewa/Muller hybrid role next season, scoring but also assisting plenty, as well as benefiting from set pieces and crosses. Ter Stegen was part of Flick’s German team as well, and with Neuer at Barcelona, the goalkeeper will continue to enjoy the spotlight as a ball-player goalkeeper.
Same is the case with Gündoğan, who Flick managed in the national team.The midfielder, about to turn 34, has the qualities needed, especially if we look at the need to perform, now. Gündoğancertainly has a year or two left in his career; this season, he led Barcelona in progressive carries of the ball and recoveries as well, and is the current free-kick specialist.
There are also those who have not played under Flick yet, but align with his style of play, at least on paper. That includes, above all, Lamine Yamal. His style of play is perfect for the job Flick will want him to perform, and if Flick’s fitness plans follow, we could be in the midst of a supernova of a player.
Other players, like Gavi, theoretically fit right into Flick’s system. The 19 year-old’s ability to be physical sometimes to a fault, his technique, and his attacking abilities will prove a great addition to the starting midfielders on paper, de Jong and Gundogan. If he comes back after his injury on a good note, we could see the best version of Gavi yet.
In defense, one player stands out: Jules Kounde. The Parisian has the passing ability and physicality Flick loves, and could prove a great anchor at the back, as well as an aerial threat. It may be that the defender could have the chance he has been waiting for to finally get the recognition he deserves from his fans.
Ronald Araujo is flawless in the air, on defense and attack, but constant transfer rumors originating from Barcelona hint at the club wanting a big influx of revenue to square the finances up. Flick could see in Cubarsi Barcelona’s Kimmich, being placed in different roles across the pitch and perhaps eventually being placed in midfield. The 17-year-old is certainly displaying mental abilities foreign to someone who is still unable to vote in an election in Spain.
Ferran Torres and Raphinha will need to change a lot of things about the way they play in order to gain the trust of the manager; specially defensively. On the sidelines is Vitor Roque, who especially in this system, would seem to be lost at sea, although the 19 year old still has so much room to grow.
Regardless of current players, there will be a need for new players over the summer. Laporta will likely not be able to find the funds for it unless players exit first. The return of Eric Garcia, on loan from Girona, could prove a good addition at the back, especially after the ball-playing defender’s amazing season at the neighboring club, including five goals scored in La Liga.
If Villarreal’s Alex Baena or Girona’s Aleix Garcia join the team, they would both fit right into this system; the first one behind Lewandowski, and the second one, playing with de Jong or Gundogan. Some aspects of their game, like Aleix’s switch to pushing forward over helping back, or Baena’s seemingly innate ability to earn uncalled for yellow cards when frustrated, will have to be worked on.
In the horizon, and as an almost unobtainable wish, stand players like Kimmich, himself, Davies, or young talent Jamal Musiala. The Bayern Munich player, who made his professional debut at age 17 under Hansi Flick, would be the kind of transfer the German manager would have made if he had just joined Manchester City or Real Madrid.
Not in Barcelona. In Xavi's own words, “The present situation has nothing to do with 25 years ago. The manager would come and say “I want this player, this one, and this one.” It doesn’t work like that anymore.”
Whatever the situation, Flick has landed in Barcelona, and the challenge is one that will make or break him, and Laporta, by extension. If he can find a way to get past politics, language, media, emotional turmoil, financial instability, a cold stadium, and all other things Barcelona, he will be seen as a genius, and Laporta, as a mastermind.
It will all come down to whether this club can stop chasing whatever version of “Barcelona DNA'' is out there in 2024, and whether they can let Flick bring some of his own DNA to an organization that historically prides itself on hanging on to the past.

About me: I (F24) live with my mom (F46) and dad (M47) and a little sister (F13). I recently graduated from nursing school. I have CNA/CG certifications. I wanted time off to heal because I had just gotten out of a 4.5 relationship and lost my IRL friends (2) in the process.
I went to the gym around 11 pm. I go at night because it's not busy. I tried a pre-workout drink. I couldn't sleep until 5 am. I also used poor technique and hurt my left shoulder. I couldn't lift pass 90 degrees or push things without a lot of pain. It was a challenge to drive home. I'm still learning.
10 am: Mom wakes me up to "ask" to cover one of the care homes at 12:30 pm. I have just woken up, all I could say was "no". All she did was close the door and leave. Maybe she would cover the home herself or find someone else to do it, I don't know. I was tired and in pain. I fell asleep.
I woke up around 12 because my sister asked, "Aren't you supposed to go to the carehome?" I told her I said no to her and then she asked me to make lunch. I checked my phone. At 5:54 am, my dad texted me to cover the home. I ignored it because I already told my mom no and she also did not ask me why I refused. I go downstairs to cook and plan my day. Me and my sister were going to clean the house.
My dad wakes up and asks if I covered. I said no. His mood switched instantly and he screamed why not. I could not answer him anymore because he is just screaming, throwing things around, and cursing at me in tagalog. I continued cooking because I am used it.
A few minutes later, he goes to confront me. He yelling, insisting I "left them hanging on a cliff," Again, I told him about my mom and my shoulder. He said I was making excuses, I'm lazy, and I lack respect. He says this while slamming chairs on the floor. He also threw a box of lightbulbs at me. I was facing the stove so I didn't see it coming. He missed my head but I was shocked. Nothing broke because the lightbulbs were made out of plastic. I said I'm never working for you guys again because you're treating me like garbage. He told me my mom said I agreed.
I called my mom to confront her lies. I told her why I said no and she should've asked me. She hears my dad screaming nonsense and hangs up. My dad told me to move out and overall treated me like garbage. I stood firm and told him that he can't talk to me like this, it's wrong. He will respect me. I guess he took it as a challenge or something, because he walks up to my face and screams that I should respect him first, This is still my house, my rules. So I will treat you how I want to." I refused. "No, you will respect me because I am a human being. You will not treat me like this". He screams at me some more and leaves the house.
He thinks that if I ask 100 people whether or not I was in the wrong, they will all say yes I was. He will "give me 10K" If 100 people say I was not in the wrong.
Disclaimer: IDC about the money. Challenge accepted, dad.

I want to start this by saying, yes I understand we’re young, we’re not going to have everything figured out. Also immature might not be the right word, but the only one I can think of.
With that being said, I like to keep track of how things in the world are going, so I want to set myself up for financial success early on. My girlfriend on the other hand just seems to turn a blind eye to things, and just hope for the best. I think this is due to how differently we were raised. I was mostly raised by a single dad and wound up taking care of the grocery shopping when I was in middle school. It was my responsibility to make ~$150 last us two weeks. My gf on the other hand never had to worry about things like that.
Now that we’re older(been together for 3 1/2 years)and starting to look into making a future together, I want to make sure we do things the right way. Whenever trying to discuss this with my gf she doesn’t like getting into the harder details that need to be discussed. I’ll just list some examples
This is her fist year working, and her company doesn’t take out taxes, so I’ve told her she needs to talk to my tax guy( who does free consulting) so she knows what to expect . It always ends up, “oh I’ll go next week” but next week never comes.
She doesn’t take advantage of living with her parents, who don’t charge rent or food. She only has to pay for gas, eating out, personal things, but ends up buying expensive products out of impuse.
She recently bought concert tickets(to a show 8 hours away) for her and her younger sister( who’s in school so can’t help financially) claiming she had to because they were on sale. I tried reminding her that she doesn’t make that much money($10/hr) to be spending like this, it’s always “I know I know” but I never any efforts.
All of these issues aren’t super big deals, again I understand we’re young it’s the time to make mistakes, but recently my dad mentioned giving our current house to me, because he plans on moving back to his home country(still a couple years away). He owes about 20-30k at 3% interest, with $500 Mortgage payments. When I brought this up to my gf as a possibility, she turned it down claiming she wouldn’t want to live in my childhood home, claiming we’d be better off buying a house in a new city for a fresh start. I tried telling her what a good deal this is, especially with house prices and interest rates, but she refused to listen.
Honestly just need to rant a little, and get a couple of different perspectives. Also I hope I didn’t make myself sound controlling, this isn’t an often occurrence, I just try to be there when she doesn’t make great financial decisions, but feel like I’m getting shut out.