Legit reasons to miss school

Me(20f) and my bf(24m) have been together for 2 1/2 years and we recently broke up and I cut off contact a couple days ago. Everything initially started I had went on his phone one night and found messages of him talking to other people on Reddit. The messages included d pics, flirting and talk about things they will do when they see each other. I did a little bit more investigating and found the people he was messaging are men but he claims he didn’t know that. Now his reasoning for doing this was because I have been distant and off for a little bit. I completely agree with him and I have been like that, but the part of the reason is I have mental health issues and I have times where I’m up and down and don’t wanna be around anyone. He knew this from the beginning. After finding the messages i decided we should take a break, after a few days I let him come back because I missed him. It’s now about a month and a half later and 2 weeks ago I decided I couldn’t forget and move on so I ended it. We still texted after he moved out until about 3 days ago when I just couldn’t deal with it anymore and I told him to stop texting me. The thing is I feel really bad about it and a lot of the times I think about how I lost my bestfriend over something so small or how i should’ve just been able to move past it because I love him but I know what he did was wrong. Do you think I made the right choice completely ending it after 2 years?

A couple months ago the father of my child took off with our son unenrolled him from the school i put him in and hid him from me for 3 months. He enrolled him in a new school about 2 hours away from my house. Last week I couldn’t take it anymore so I went to the new school he enrolled him at and took him back. Yesterday we had court and the judge ruled what he did was unfair. So I now have custody M-F. There is about one more month of school where I live. By law it is not mandatory for a 4 yo to go to school here as well. Do you think I should reenroll him? I want to just spend time with him and travel. He’s been through a lot..
** His father bought up his attendance records in court 22 missed days 76 attended. Do you think they’ll try to pull my card about 1 month?

I don’t know how to feel.
My boyfriend and I have been dating for the past two months (almost 3) and recently I’ve had a dream about kissing a different man for some reason, I didn’t feel anything for the guy and I remember pushing him away and kissing my own boyfriend, who I felt something for. (Obviously.) That had me really worried for some reason and not to mention that I found a celebrity attractive and I feel really bad about it. I don’t feel any attraction to any guys at my school though, only my boyfriend.
Recently there’s this guy who I think has been staring at me recently, and I can’t help but keep looking back at him. Eugh not in a weird fucking way I always feel sick to my stomach thinking about dating another guy, but he’s been making feel awkward and uncomfortable and I hope it’s just that guy zoning out because I feel like a cheater for looking back at him.
Me and my boyfriend were going through rough patches lately, and honestly I think that’s the reason why I’m acting like this? I don’t know.
Anyway, I’m just worried that I’m loosing feelings for him or something because of that and I don’t want that…

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Memory Transcription Subject: Elias Meier, Former UN Secretary-General
Date [standardized human time]: July 13, 2160
The irritability coursing through my psyche was palpable. Every sound was dialed up to eleven, stabbing at the core of my sensory processing. Constant awareness grated on me after days without sleep, never having any break from the stream of information I needed to digest. There was no way to shut the world off and reset, and no reprieve from the unsettling reality of my physical experience. I was curled up in a ball on the floor, rocking back and forth; I wasn’t sure how much longer I could go on like this.
Virnt scuttled over to me in the spaceship, jostling my shoulder. “Elias? Would you like to turn back from this mission?”
I remembered how I’d spent most of the trip, standing under the water in the shower. There was a special shampoo they’d provided for synthetic hair, like a wig. I held out my phony hand and emptied most of the bottle’s worth of goop, zoning out; I was trying to soak in the distant sensation of liquid running down my spine. Once upon a time, this had been the most relaxing time of my day—letting muscle tension fade away and cleansing grimy skin oils. Now, I knew neither of those two still existed in my day-to-day life to assuage.
Did it even matter to slap soap on some metal frame? There were no consequences of letting hygiene go by the wayside. I didn’t sweat in order to start to reek, and I couldn’t get skin conditions or be affected by bacteria. It could be that I was bathing out of habit, clinging to my old lifestyle, that I kept going to wash up. Perhaps the shower had become my favorite haunt because I felt disgusting in this body. Everything was a reminder that I was an inhuman scrap pile, and it was wearing on my sanity. It wasn’t like anyone related to what I was going through.
I used to spend so much time fussing over making my suits look crisp and perfect—immaculate ties, UN pins adjusted just right. The heavy jackets would trap my body heat in the summer; now, it no longer had that effect. I could bundle up as much as I wanted in 40 degree Celsius heat, unless there was some limit that would fry my circuits. Shit, I might not need a spacesuit in the vacuum of space—I couldn’t freeze or suffocate, after all. Being left out in the void for all eternity didn’t sound that much different from my present experience.
I hate what I’ve become. I hate what they’ve done to me; all I do is think, and every part of my new self lives in the uncanny valley. There’s nothing positive. Maybe it’s time to call it…death was better than this. I can’t bear another day of this hell.
“Hey, stay with me! Distractibility, depression, being unable to maintain concentration—these are natural consequences of sleep deprivation. I’m surprised it carries over without a physical mechanism to grow tired…but I’m working on a sleep suite, I promise,” Virnt said, glossy eyes staring at me.
I groaned. “I’m not tired, but it’s just nonstop. I…I’m having trouble remembering what I read.”
“Here, I’m going to try a temporary fix. You look like you need it. I don’t want you to suffer; just turning you off and on isn’t the same. I’m going to emulate GABA, uh, shut off your optic sensors, decrease the activity in your prefrontal cortex, and simulate delta waves for an hour. We can see if it somewhat fills the need for deep sleep, okay? Relaxation, no processing: worth a shot, right?”
I nodded mutely, staying in the fetal position. I didn’t have the will to move, and I didn’t want to get my hopes up that Virnt’s plan would be any mercy. The sensation of the Tilfish tinkering with my settings was strange, as if my brain was being overridden in the moment. There was no process of falling asleep to give it the air of naturalness. Suddenly, I was blind, trapped in darkness—and a modicum of drowsiness kicked in, limiting my movement. Thoughts died down, offering much-need relief; I faintly wished I could remain in this state.
When I came to, there was a sudden influx of information as the rest mode was switched off; it was hardly a seamless waking, but I’d take it. Peace in my own head was something I’d never take for granted again. I hadn’t thought myself to be a weak-minded individual, but I hadn’t realized how much it wore on you: feeling out of place in your own body every waking second, and not trusting your senses. Brain function had been restored enough that I could get a grip on myself, and rise in my disheveled state. A peek out the window revealed we’d completed our intra-atmosphere transit to the Duerten embassy.
I rubbed my eyes on reflex, but there were no gifts from the Sandman there. “Why couldn’t you have just added everything to start with, Virnt?”
“The humans I talked to said they wouldn’t want to sleep, unless they had to! I put the most focus on your emotional matrix and your facial expressiveness, since I thought that has the highest importance of what makes you human,” the Tilfish replied.
“You could’ve made it at least optional.”
“I sent the option to your holopad for the future, to trigger this program for as long as you’d like. This is a learning process, so I’m sorry for anything that’s off. All trial and error here, but it’s only going to get better! That’s the positive.”
“There are a lot of patches needed. For starters, you’re missing two of the senses: taste and smell. In spite of that, ever since I walked past the Terra Technologies staff eating tater tots, I’ve been craving them at random intervals. I’m not hungry—I can’t consume food!”
“Predator instincts,” Virnt teased. “The Federation was right.”
“I’m serious! Why on Earth would that be a thing? I literally can’t satisfy it, so it’s almost cruel.”
“It’s psychological, Elias. I looked into it after I saw it in your transcript. When humans are under a lot of stress or otherwise feeling down, you seek dopamine from food. It’s something familiar that activated your memories, and promised emotional comfort. That’s why you have the phrase ‘comfort food.’”
“I can already see how the Federation remnants would spin that. A predator’s so-called emotions are tied to food, and stimulate appetite to fulfill their whims.”
“You seem in better spirits. To add to your improved mood, we announced the success of your memory transplant to the world. The response was overwhelmingly positive—history looked back fondly on you. You got a lot of well-wishes, and I was able to get almost all of your social media re-activated. At least, the platforms that are still active.”
“I’m…allowed to share my honest experiences?”
Virnt eased me out of the shuttle, into the sunlight; cameras were waiting, causing me to stiffen. “Of course you can. I’m not here to muzzle you, my friend. Quite the opposite, in fact: I want your experiment documented as thoroughly as possible! You’re the spokesperson for—”
I shielded my face from the reporters, who were lobbing questions. “What is this? I don’t have a prepared statement. This is an ambush.”
“Terra Technologies has a mission of transparency, and improving sapients’ quality of life through digital means. We had to announce such a monumental breakthrough, but you’re under no obligation to speak with them.”
“Good,” a warm voice chimed in from next to me, making me jump. “The poor guy’s come back from the dead, Virnt. Give him a break. He’s here to speak with the Duerten Forum and their ambassador, for some semblance of his old life.”
I turned my head, beaming as I recognized her. “Erin? Oh, sorry: that’s Secretary-General Kuemper, isn’t it? You’ve moved up in the world. The United Nations is in good hands.”
“It’s good to see you, Elias. I bawled my eyes out at your funeral. You cared so much for peace and taking the high road; there isn’t a person out there who could’ve handled first contact with more grace. You inspired me, and an entire generation of future diplomats.”
I embraced Erin, who’d once been a passionate SETI researcher giving me all of the bad news about aliens. As we flailed about in the dark to save humanity and adjust to the galaxy, finally acquiring a few friends, she’d become my Secretary of Alien Affairs. I’d trusted her to do whatever it took to stabilize our extraterrestrial relations. It was a bit of a relief to see a positive reaction from someone I knew; I wasn’t sure how my friends would take my return, but I hadn’t been expecting a welcome with open arms. It brought me solace and comfort to know about the legacy I’d left behind, and the ripple effects my tenure had on the United Nations.
It is strange to see how much she’s aged. That’ll be the reality of anyone that used to be an acquaintance of mine.
The alarm bells pinging in my head faded into the backdrop, and I forgot that the wind gusting against my face only felt like a dull push. My mind slipped away from food cravings that failed to get my mouth to water, how there was no feeling of tightness from my dress shoes, and the stillness of my non-existent diaphragm. I was simply happy to see someone I cared about and enjoyed working with, in my old life. There was safety in having a person I trusted to be on my side. My brain snapped back into diplomat mode, falling into a familiar flow of conversation. If I had nothing else, I still had my social skills—an ability to navigate various cultures.
“So the Duerten Forum agreed to meet with the two of us. They know about the Sivkit attack, but not the full threat,” I spoke aloud, after breaking away from the rather soul-affirming embrace. “I read the strategy meetings for briefing them, and I’m on-board to appeal to nostalgia; humanity saving their homeworld was after my time, but close enough to it that I could serve as a reminder. A blast from the past.”
Erin nodded, her security forming a wall between us and the cameras as we walked toward the embassy. “I always wondered what you’d think of modern Vienna, Elias. All of the aliens willing to be here on our world, and to treat us like people. Friendship used to seem like a pipe dream; we were happy if they’d allow us to exist, tolerate us to that extent. Look at us now.”
“I almost gave up hoping that they could care about us, or stand beside us at all. We couldn’t do it alone then. It’s time we remember to stand together—to rise to the occasion once more. I can’t bear the thought of anything threatening our home, or our friends. I saw enough needless death twenty-four years ago.”
“That pain is a lot more recent to you. It’s completely okay to be wrestling with grief. A billion of ours died.”
“We didn’t become the monsters they thought we were, and we pulled through. We revealed their hatred and treachery, and have chosen a future set on rectifying every right they trampled. I’ll always mourn what we lost, but I’ve never been more proud of humanity in my life.”
Kuemper patted my shoulder. “You sound like yourself, my dear old friend. It’s very good to have you back; you were much better at smiling while they spit in your face than I ever was. Let’s do what’s necessary to get the ball rolling with the Shield.”
“I’m right behind you.”
The exterior of the Duerten embassy had a distinct construction style, with metal and concrete forming the bulk of the outside structure; on Kalqua, sturdiness was at the foremost of their priorities. Winds on a normal day could ratchet up to what we’d consider a tropical storm, according to my brief review of their culture. The door was evidently heightened to facilitate foot traffic from humans, despite the exit hatches on the upper floor which seemed frequented by the avian staff. Their personnel could literally fly away during an emergent situation. I tailed Kuemper into the lobby, and noted how much of the inside’s floor was concrete as well. It was resilient and easy to clean, a perfect surface to avoid being marred by talons.
Most of the gray avians used perches instead of chairs, with several staffers working on paperwork at their desks; in private areas, some met with any humans who had business with the Duerten Forum. The lack of reaction to a predator’s approach was new to me, but a welcome change. Kuemper confidently led the way to an elevator, which had the English and German words for “Welcome to the Duerten embassy!” written above the opening. The generic Shield logo was painted on both sides of the door, and emblazoned with a representation of Kalqua. There were no buttons inside, apart from an emergency exit; a camera surveyed us, before a watching staffer summoned the car upward. I felt a jolt as we reached the top floor.
“To be visited by two Secretary-Generals: one of whom is a ghost! Let me express the Duerten Forum’s honor and delight. Not, of course, that I don’t cherish Ambassador Hannah Marston’s visits.” A silver-feathered head poked out of a door at the end of the hallway, past a spacious lounge; his beak was the precise yellow of corn. “Please, come in. Make yourselves at home. Can I get you anything to drink?”
Kuemper shuffled forward, giving me a knowing look. “Water would be lovely for me. Thank you for the warm welcome, Ambassador Korajan.”
“I second that gratitude. Enchanted to meet you. I’m sure you know, but I’m Elias Meier.” Taking a gamble that the ambassador was more than acquainted with our customs, I extended a hand. Korajan strode forward with confidence, ensnaring my palm in his wingtip. “We appreciate you taking the time to sit with us, Ambassador.”
“Just Korajan,” the avian said, feeling my artificial hand with undeniable curiosity. He finally released my grip, and waited for us to get seated. “There’s no need for formalities, especially when I’m in such esteemed company. What can I do for you?”
“We’ve come to seek your assistance in the fight against the Sivkits’ assailants. The Sapient Coalition needs allies to back us against these menaces,” Kuemper stated. “Any help we can get would make a difference.”
“I see. I heard about your unfortunate defeat in your prior engagement, but I don’t see how it involves or concerns us. The Duerten, as you well know, aren’t in the position we used to be. We’ve turned our focus inward for years, shoring up our defenses to watch out for our beloved planet. The potential benefit it might offer you is so negligible that it’s hardly worth increasing our vulnerability. The risk far outweighs the rewards for any party.”
I studied the avian, careful to avoid a direct stare. “I understand that it’s a lot to ask. However, small bits of help from across the Shield can accumulate to be a massive difference maker. We want to stop this genocidal force from getting anywhere near Kalqua; if we play our cards right, you won’t need defenses.”
“Elias—sorry, may I call you Elias?” Korajan asked, continuing after I nodded. “We’re, of course, concerned to have a predatory species with such power and intentions, outside our known terrain. They bear a striking resemblance to the Arxur, and my government does appreciate the advance warning from the SC so we can make preparations. Yet the Forum is concerned by several of your recent initiatives, which would make us doubly unwilling to back your cause.”
“Go on. What initiatives have unsettled you?” I hope he doesn’t mean me, with resurrecting dead humans; that’d hit close to home, and I don’t know how to defend it. “Perhaps we can clear up our rationale and intentions, ensuring that there are no misunderstandings.”
“I hope I’m not impolite to point it out, but my government is beginning to see a pattern in your recent connections to carnivores. The Sapient Coalition is attempting an uplift on one race, despite what we all know happened on Wriss, and has brought them into your mix while they are at war with each other. We’re also aware of these Osirs—a race you are resurrecting to live among you, despite having no idea what they’re capable of. Present company excluded, species that need meat are not trustworthy types. These Osirs are weapons: look at the fangs.”
“Anything is a weapon in the wrong hands. Respectfully, we don’t feel that it’s right to judge a species for their diet. If I’m not mistaken, your own kind were once omnivores, Korajan.”
The Duerten fluttered his wings in acknowledgement. “The Federation changed us greatly—some things for the better, others to erase our intellect. We’re an individualist species, and they tried to make us…what do you humans call it? A ‘hive mind.’ Hive minds, of course, are fiction, yet they tried to make it real. Still, sometimes when you’re changed enough, it makes it impossible to go back to how things were.”
“I of all people grasp that sentiment,” I sighed, without moving an abdominal muscle, reflecting how my life would never be the same in this state. “We believe all sapients deserve a chance at life and happiness. Equality isn’t a principle we withhold based on any factor, and we don’t change species to fit our own whims.”
“This is why we’re content with our relations as is: separate, so we’re not connected to your disputes or obligated to get involved. The Duerten will always have differences between what are considered acceptable behaviors, and our guiding principles and overarching goals.”
Kuemper tapped her fingers on her knee. “Regardless, our choices with the Bissems and Osirs will have no impact or tangible effects on the Duerten. Nor is it a reason to shy away from protecting herbivores, the mandate that led you to stand up to the Federation in the past.”
“That cost us everything. Kalqua took a beating worse than Earth did. We don’t set out to attract the ire of powerful enemies these days.”
“We saved Kalqua. We were there when you needed our help to keep your innocents safe,” I reminded him, knitting my eyebrows with earnestness. “We answer when others call for our help to stay alive; the Duerten know what drives us to answer the bell. Isn’t that worth a smidge of reciprocation?”
“If Earth, or for that matter, Leirn were under siege, we would come. However, it appears to us that you entered their territory, not the other way around.”
“Think of the type of species…no, the kind of governments that would glass worlds. The old-school Arxur Dominion. The Kolshian shadow caste when they were defied. The Krakotl extermination fleet because they hated us. That’s what we see in the Osirs, and the gluttonous killing of Sivkit civilians while refusing to speak. We can’t turn a blind eye.”
“I’m sorry, Elias. Even if I wanted to help you, I don’t have the authority. I’m expressing my government’s position, and I’ve been told the Duerten Forum isn't going to war under any circumstances. I apologize that I can’t be of more use, and regret if you might feel your time has been squandered, leaving empty-handed.”
I shared a look with Kuemper, recognizing that we had been stonewalled; there was an implication in Korajan’s last statement that the discussion on this matter was over. The Forum hadn’t given him any negotiating room, so I didn’t get the sense I could do better than asking for him to take a message. If this was the most friendly party we’d be interacting with, I wasn’t off to a good start wrangling support for an alliance. There were a few other Shield races we could try, but an endorsement from the founders might’ve gotten the whole union on board. We had to find another angle—negotiating with the Fed remnants would be impossible without the Shield as an intermediary.
“Of course we don’t feel that way. The back-and-forth was enlightening, productive communication, as much as humanity would love to stand side-by-side in this endeavor,” I offered. “We appreciate you hearing us out, and do hope you’ll pass along our rationale to the Forum, for clarity.”
“I will,” the Duerten responded. “Your words, as always, deserve to be heard and treated with respect.”
Kuemper followed my lead, rising as I stood. “Korajan, I want you to know I deeply appreciate what you said about coming to Earth’s aid should we ever fall on hard times. That stood out to me, as a reason why our cooperation is so precious and beautiful.”
“I agree wholeheartedly. I do wish you the best of luck in your future engagements; my people hope you emerge victorious.”
“Thank you. Our door will always be open if you have a change of heart.”
In my mind, I had already vacated the Duerten embassy, but it was necessary to retrace my steps to depart the ambassador’s office. Aliens were much more diplomatic in rebuffing us now than in my era, which was the proper way to express disagreements between nations. It wasn’t lost on me that the differences in “behaviors” and “principles” Korajan meant were things such as hunting, omnivory, accepting carnivores, exterminators, and predator disease facilities. The Forum still clung to much of their old lifestyle; the gray avian had stated that some Federation changes were “for the better.” That was telling about how much of their ideology they’d yet to shed.
“Forgive my impertinence, but before you go, Elias…may I ask a personal inquiry? It’s not on my behalf of my government,” Korajan called, as our shoes cleared the threshold of his office.
I turned around, giving him an encouraging smile. “Of course. Go ahead.”
“What…what was it like? To die…to be dead?”
“It wasn’t like anything. It was a singularity of all outcomes: all I ever was, and all I ever could be, condensed to nothing. There are no words to describe emptiness and infinite rest. It’s a peace that knows no equal.”
The Duerten dipped his head. “Thank you. It gives me some…personal solace, to know…to know my daughter is resting peacefully. She died in so much pain after only a short period of remission. Ahem…if you’ll excuse me, I…”
“We’ll leave you in peace,” Kuemper replied, softness in her voice.
I folded my hands behind my back, mulling over the choked-up ambassador’s words. How could I let a few days of mental suffering defeat me, when kids suffered through such terrible diseases—never getting to reach adulthood? This program could give children like Korajan’s daughter a chance to grow up, and be a kid, free from pain. As soon as I was alone, I knew I’d be cast back into a maddening state of consciousness, with my brain struggling to stay tethered to this reality. Where I’d been ready to give up before Virnt’s quick fix, the avian’s story made me want to remain in the fight.
The Tilfish had been right: there was the potential for the technology that had brought me back to do a lot of good, and save others a great deal of heartbreak and suffering. No personal sacrifice was too great to ensure that one day, no parent would ever have to bury their child.
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Time seemed to pass much quicker when Ghrruk and I were swimming together, finding small insects or algae to eat, and sleeping in the same place by nightfall. It was strange at first, but I felt safer. As if teamwork made us stronger.
Our front legs started to grow a few weeks after the attack. I was surprised to see Ghrruk’s lost leg regrowing too. It was still a stump, but a little longer.
“Do you think it’ll regrow entirely?” I asked her.
“I hope so. I’m the only one with a missing leg.”
“There are a few others whose legs have been damaged by the predators, though.”
Ghrruk’s tail drooped a little. “I’d rather have a damaged leg than a stump. At least they have a chance that it’d heal…”
“Maybe yours will heal as well. I’ve been looking at it lately and I’m certain it’s growing back.”
“Or maybe our bodies are simply becoming larger. And so does the stump.”
She was quite negative when it came to her leg, even though she saw our future, and Thomas, in a very positive light. Speaking of which, Thomas did install a defense of sorts above our home to protect us from predators. It worked because we hadn’t been bothered since.
THUMP – THUMP – THUMP
Speaking of the human…
“Thomas!”
Ghrruk immediately swam up. She wasn’t as graceful as before her tail started to shrink. The main reason, though, was that she was kicking water with one leg, which made her veer slightly to the left. It was almost unnoticeable. Any other tadpole would think it was the usual way she swam.
She really likes him, I thought, following her from a distance. My trust issues weren’t completely gone. My trip inside the jar had left quite its mark.
Small red worms swirled down and all the other tadpoles frantically ascended to fill their bellies. I did as always, staying a little below the rest, catching whatever came through.
Funny how they trusted Thomas, yet slurped, expelled, and then slurped again on the worm, likely examining the worm to make sure it’s actual food.
“Oh. Oh! Look at you!” Thomas exclaimed. “Some of you have front legs! You’re becoming actual frogs. Amazing!”
Thomas’ face descended so close to the water his nose almost dipped in it. Most tadpoles scattered away in fright, before curiosity – and food! – got the better of them and compelled them return to peek at their savior. I was certain he was looking for me so.
“Ah! Ghost! There you are! Wait a minute.”
The moment he uttered my name I dived down.
Thomas stood up and left. Ghrruk came swimming back to me in swift leg bursts.
“Why do you think he left? He usually stays longer, telling us stories,” she said.
“I don’t know but I don’t have a good feeling about this. I think I’m going to hide behind a rock or something.”
As expected, when Thomas returned, he held a stick of sorts and was looking for something – me! But I had a few good hiding places. It had taken a lot of effort to dig up dirt and arrange things on the bottom.
He tried to catch me with that stick again and again, stirring the bottom of the pond in order to find me. Unlike previous attempt, he didn’t linger for too long, where he’d be waiting for me to take a few gulps of breath. Whatever he tried to achieve, it didn’t seem that important to him. Or maybe he grew tired a lot quicker than the first time he saw me and my peculiarity.
Days turned into weeks, and slowly but surely, we had all grown our forelegs. Our tails were also shrinking, forcing us to adapt a new swimming technique. And best of all, I could distinguish tiny knobs poking out of Ghrruk’s lump, sign that her toes were growing back.
“See,” I said, undulating the end of my tail rapidly, “your leg is growing back!”
“I’m not so sure...”
“It’s really there. I know you can’t see it, but I can. Why won’t you believe me?”
“Because it feels completely different than how it was before. When I walked out of the pond, I could feel every toe on my right leg. My left was just… weird.”
A few bubbles left my mouth.
“Wait, when you what?”
“Walked out of the pond.”
“When did you… how did you walk out of the pond?”
I was so surprised, even though I had seen other tadpoles, or rather, froglets, climb up and out. But that wasn’t reason enough to follow them. I never even thought about it, what with all those predators out there. And let’s not forget Thomas.
“A few days ago,” she said, her body wobbling excitedly. “You were busy digging the sediment to improve our hiding spots, as usual, and when I noticed a fellow froglet clambering out, I wanted to take the leap myself.”
A stream of bubbles left my mouth.
“You went out of our home? To do what? Get killed? Wasn’t losing one leg enough?”
Ghrruk’s kicked her hind legs, floating right in front of me.
“That leg wasn’t my fault,” she declared, her tiny front legs making an abrupt, agitated movement. “I did what everyone else did. You are the weird one, always wishing to hide deep inside our pond, spending countless hours digging in the depths. Don’t you feel the urge to leave? To explore? To have a glimpse what is beyond the water?”
“Maybe later. Now, I want to avoid Thomas. And the predators.”
She slowly drifted backwards, creating some distance between us both.
“Then, we will have to go our separate ways. Thomas is our savior and the outside is safe. Hasn’t he told us that this place is like our pond? Encompassed in such way that we can’t leave but also that others can’t come in? Why won’t you trust him?”
“I guess it’s in my nature not to trust humans.”
Ghrruk blew a few bubbles out. Her mouth gaped open and close, as if she was gasping for air. I knew I had infuriated her.
“Well, I trust him. I have also needs. My body desires to leave this place and find… whatever I need to find.” She twirled in place. “Ghost. See you around.”
Ghrruk sprung her hind legs hard against the water, darting away for the surface. I trailed her until she climbed out of the pond.
Why does she have to do this now?
I carefully popped my head above the water, observing Ghrruk clambering out. Without even glancing behind her, she clumsily snuck between the blades of grass and she was gone.
“Ghrruk? Ghrruk!” I called.
No answer came. Other froglets were following her lead. I decided to dive down to the comfort of my hiding place near the plants, which had grown considerably since the attack. There, I pondered about Ghrruk, about Thomas, about the meaning of my life, and what I ought to do, leaving only for food or air.
During that period, Thomas came and went, unlike Ghrruk, who I didn’t see again. She was gone.
Sometimes, when I ascended, I broke the water to check whether Ghrruk was somewhere around the edge of the pond. All I could see were other froglets, sitting immobile in the shadow, waiting patiently for no apparent reason.
Each day, more froglets left the pond. Of course, they ended up returning. But the murky waters had never felt so lonely. Loneliness. A sense that had never occurred to me. Not before Ghrruk. Thinking about her made me anxious, constantly wondering where she went, and how often she returned to the pond. I was certain she did return, except she never came back to my place, so there was always that possibility... I could only hope she didn’t get eaten.
Then, one day, when my tail had shrunk a bit more and most of my brethren’s color changed from black with tiny specks of brown to a lighter color with larger specks, sometimes even a hue of green, my entire body tingled. A curious sensation, an impulse akin to Ghrruk’s.
This call of nature drove me to the sand bank that Thomas had built on the edge of the pond to let the froglets leave easier. Initially, I thought it was a trick to catch me. But then I realized that it was a lot of effort just for me, and thought he was simply trying to help us, as he has always done.
Ghrruk was right, a voice whispered inside.
My tiny head and eyes popped above the water. No sign of Thomas. I kicked my legs, a new form of swimming that was much faster than the tail undulation, until I set foot on the sand bank. I was about to leave our home. My tiny heart was racing.
Grains of sand stuck to my body. It was a small hindrance, but nothing that would impede my will to find out what was beyond. With a few awkward steps, advancing leg by leg, I arrived at the edge of the grass.
Maybe I will meet Ghrruk today? Mayb – aaah!
“Gotcha, Ghost!”
Thomas!? Why didn’t I hear him come?
My entire body was stuck between his two fingers, so small I was.
“Exactly as I thought! Your eyes. They’re red! They don’t look evil or anything. They’re just… red. That’s so weird.”
If I could’ve screamed, I would have. I attempted to squeeze myself out, but the force of his fingers was far beyond my ability to do anything. My legs were the only thing squirming in place.
“You know what? I think you deserve a new name. A better one.”
Another name? It can’t be much worse than “Ghost”.
“To be honest, I never really liked your name. I know, I’m the one who gave it to you, but it felt a little hollow. Too… translucent, if you know what I mean.”
Thomas chuckled, which scared me even more.
“Hmmm… ‘Red’ is too plain so let’s call you Carmine.”
That’s worse!
“Yes, Carmine sounds good. Do you know what it means?”
I don’t care, I just want to return to the tranquility of my pond and never leave it ever again!
“Carmine’s a Latin name that means ‘Song’. At least, that’s what my teacher told me. It’s also the name of a red color. Slightly deeper than crimson red, though I’m not gonna name you Crimson, right? Besides, Carmine is fitting for you.”
His hand suddenly moved towards his mouth. I was panicking, certain he’d gulp me down and that’d be the end of me. I was completely helpless, unable to get out of his strong grasp, rapidly advancing towards the two red bulges, widening into a circle until –
Smack.
My snout grazed his moist mouth and he inexplicably moved his hand back to where it was, with me still stuck between two fingers in the middle of the void.
“You’re adorable, Carmine. I hope you’ll sing a lot of beautiful songs once you get your frog voice.”
Another shadow loomed over me. Another human.
Thomas’ father? Oh no…
If being scared of what Thomas just did wasn’t enough, the human who detests me had arrived. From our very first encounter, I always felt uncomfortable whenever he was near. Likely because his first advice upon seeing me was to flush me down the drain – whatever that may be.
“Again with that disgusting thing. Throw it away, will you?” he growled.
“Why do you hate this frog so much? It’s such a cute thing. Look at it!”
“Yeah. It looks like piece of mold.”
“What? Because it’s white?”
“If I found that in the kitchen I wouldn’t touch it with my bare hands. Why won’t you just discard it? You’ve got hundreds of healthy frogs. Why are you so obsessed with this one in particular?”
“Maybe because Carmine’s a peculiar frog.”
“Carmine?” His whole body leaned back as he frowned. “Didn’t you name it Spooky or something like that?”
Thomas sighed and his eyes rolled. “No, dad, he was called Ghost, but now that his eye color is more pronounced, I think that Carmine’s a better name.”
“So you won’t –”
“No. Stop asking. He’s my favorite frog of all.”
The father’s head approached. His eyes filled the entire space in front of me.
“That’s why you’re squeezing him to death? Look at how frantically he tries to escape!”
“Oh, sorry, Carmine. I’ve been holding you for so long, it must hurt. Here!”
Thomas crouched and returned me back exactly where I was. Instead of continuing to the grass, I tumbled over. With one swift kick of my legs, I repositioned myself correctly and clambered through that sticky sand, which was now irritating my body – likely due to the lack of moisture – until I reached the water. I surged down to my hiding place and stayed there until Thomas was gone.
Around nighttime, part of me wished to try again, yet I didn’t. I was too scared to be picked up once more.
There’s no way I’m going back there.
But deep inside, I knew that I’d have to leave the pond. I knew I’d have to do the same as the others; explore the great outside and explore the rest of the world. For now, all I wished was to have Ghrruk in my vicinity so we could communicate, eat, and sleep together. If only I could have peace of mind in anticipation of what was to come next.
Good night Ghrruk. I miss you.
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I'm on only my second playthrough (a Voyager run) and i vaguely know the whole map from watching Rand, Zak, DDRJake and others play.
My aim with weapons is crap- Until I leveled up archery to 5 I missed all the time, I think now the only reason I get more one shot kills now is the increased critical chance damage bonus from level 5. 170 days in and I show up in MT fully stocked already. I found four pots and a skillet in Grey Mother's house. Four batteries in the cars. Looting up and down the street alone gave me food for weeks. I haven't even bothered with the farm, church, or Will's plane yet.
The loot feels like too much, like a cheat code or something. I knew I'd probably find at least one pot in Milton but all the misc loot takes all the survival tension out of the game. Do I need to start playing Stalker?

I feel bad every time I post because I feel like such an attention seeker, I'm so sorry for that...
I've just been so stressed recently because of school and other stuff, every night I just start getting so many self deprecating thoughts... Most of my troubles and my problems aren't gender related, like yeah dysphoria (at least I think I have dysphoria), but other then that most of my problems aren't related to gender at all!
So I've been getting really worried, maybe the reason I think I'm trans is because I want an excuse as to why I feel like shit, maybe something else is bothering me and I just mistook it for gender problems... MAYBE I DON'T HAVE ANY PROBLEMS AT ALL AND AM MAKING SHIT UP CUS IM WEAK AND DUMB!!!
...I'm sorry for taking up your time, just wanted to put these thoughts somewere

I am married to a man who had a PA for 10 years. He told me about it February 2023 and has supposedly had no relapses since.
It has been a difficult journey but I really have seen a lot of positive changes in him. He has done workbooks, listened to the PBSE podcasts, and does therapy every other week.
However, things in the bedroom are still not right. He will initiate sex and also is receptive to me initiating. But he still has so much trouble climaxing a lot of the time. Last night, i legit climaxed 4 times and he still couldnt until I used my hands for him....
Naturally, I am concerned about this. If he really has been clean for 15 months, why is this still an issue?!?
We do have ever accountable for all his devices and I've never seen suspicious activity. But Ive seen other people say there are ways to get around this. Can anyone give me examples of how he could be doing this? Or is there another reason why he is still having so much trouble in the bedroom?
Thanks in advance!

BM struggled with substance abuse in the past, when SD13 was a baby BM was fired for diverting narcotics and her nursing license was suspended for a few years. She slipped a few times during the state rehab program she was in, but has been sober for 11 years, got her nursing license reinstated and is even in a masters program for mental health nurse practitioner to help others with addiction issues. Her Mother also struggled with substance abuse for most of BMs life. BM has always been very open about her struggles and we’re all proud of her, DH still sends her flowers every year on her sobriety date after her Mom passed away (since her Mom used to send the flowers).
As a result of this, DH has always been keyed into any behaviors that SD might show that would indicate an addictive personality. It’s not BMs, her mothers etc fault, but it is what it is you know.
SD is getting ready to go on an 8th grade trip and made a comment about being her ADHD medicine. This is a controlled substance that she has been on for about 3 years, and she does not take it on the weekends, school breaks, etc. DH asked her why she thought she would need to take it and she got very defensive about how she was going to be crazy without it and got very cagey about not being able to take it - which set off alarms for DH. She was really upset about the thought of not taking it for TWO days while they go to an amusement park and other fun activities (so nothing she would need to like focus for).
The last few months SD13 has been hyper fixated on her body size, and will rarely eat more than just fruit and a small serving of dinner before going and working out for an hour. She’s also made comments before about how her medicine kills her appetite. Im on a similar medicine so I understand but after 4+ years on a medicine the side effects like that have leveled out. In my mind, she is using her medicine for that reason and really leaning into that side effect which is troubling as well. We (DH and I) want her to get into therapy to help but SD refuses to talk in therapy sessions and just stares at the doctor.
So DH calls BM and talks to her about SDs reaction to the medicine and BM is like so whatever about it. Admits she doesn’t really keep track of it and lets SD tell her when she needs more, doesn’t know if she takes it on the weekends or not. And it’s like — addiction runs in your family. Your daughter who you say is the reason you got sober is on a controlled medicine and having some extreme emotions attached to it- and she’s so nonchalant about it I want to scream!

Hey all, applying to medical school. I'm on a full-ride scholarship that will support me through to becoming an attending as a result of a developmental disability. I studied Medical Bio/Neuroscience/Psychology as an undergrad and virtually all of my time outside of school is spent listening to psychology-related podcasts and lectures. I just really love the idea of contributing to mental health as a public figure. Currently, I serve on a federally mandated board for my state, writing health and education policies for 3M+ individuals with varying disabilities in my state. A majority of those have affective/cognitive problems as a primary disability.
Advocating for mental health has been an enormous part of my work as an undergraduate (even though I've been working toward these degrees for 8 years now due to financial constraints). As a result, I am even more drawn to working with marginalized communities and understand deeply how stigma and class can work against you even if you really are trying to "pull yourself up by your bootstraps." I look up to physicians like Karen Horney and Gabor Maté, who have been able to get their message out there in powerful ways, transcending the clinical milieu and garnering international attention from the general public.
But here's the rub. I feel like something is missing! I've worked in a dozen specialties over those 8 years, and I feel I really love psychiatry and what it represents; but at the same time, I think there's a lot of value in performing procedures or otherwise working with your hands. I worked in derm for 2 years and first assisted as a Mohs tech; one of the most fulfilling experiences of my life. Also really loved the ED for the variety. But even as I ooh and aah over a derm lifestyle, I feel like I'm betraying a field that I've invested so much of my energy to and that I can't imagine not doing.
Because I'm on scholarship, there is a lot of interest in terms of the program in me charting my path far ahead of time. I'm being asked what specialty I would like to approach, so that they can help me chart a path to get there. I want to say psychiatry, but there's just something missing and I can't put my finger on it.
Has anyone gone through this? How did you decide to do psych, and why did you turn down other more lucrative and tactile specialties?

Natural Born Killers is looking for new and experienced players to join our ranks. We are an active, friendly, non-toxic community that will keep you engaged and active. We also play games like Apex Legends, Helldivers 2, and Warzone.
Our mature community averages 30 years old, and most have full-time jobs and families. However, we dedicate a reasonable amount of time to gaming daily, and you'll see people playing throughout the day.
We are currently doing our last Duriel runs daily to get the Uber Uniques you are missing!
About You - Be 21+ Years Old - Have a good working microphone - Be on PC, XBOX, or PS and in the North American Region - Use Discord for Clan and Voice Communication - Wants to participate in the community.
How to join? Click on our Discord link to join NBK today! https://discord.gg/SVtp66kWMN You can learn more about our community at https://nbkclan.gg/

Would it be okay for me to use an open scrobbler to count some of my scrobbles?
My reasoning for this is that when I am at school where student wifi doesn't allow Spotify or when I am somewhere outdoors I listen to music via mp3 files so it doesn't count onto last fm. I thought about just taking note of which songs I listened to offline and to use the open scrobbler to scrobble them when I get back.
Would that be wrong?

Everyone that had a mischance to encounter Grandcheeseburguer Footlettuce probably heard of someone named "Pedro," specifically "Pedro Henrique Bicca Vasconsellos." I always say that he's a fucking idiot, but why? Who is he? What does he do? I'm not explaining personal shit like address, age, appearance, and other shit, but I'm going to say his acts. Before reading this testament of doom, you need to know that he has little-to-no anxiety; this is a factor that contributes to his freedom in school. And everything that he said is in Portuguese, but I'll translate.
Number one: in August 2023, I skipped school because of something probably cold. There was a guy named V (not going to say his name), V was a fearless person and Pedro started to fucking bothering the shit out of V got pissed at him, so Pedro started yapping so hard with him, that randomly he throwed a fucking chair at him. This day there was no teacher, so the monitor (which is a teacher that are in the classroom to take care of autistic kids) was there. Pedro started a fight and it was a chair war, there was chair flying every-fucking-where, almost hit a girl that was there (she left the school then), V retaliated then Pedro throwed a tantrum and later they were fighting out of the classroom. Pedro throwed a brick at him and luckily missed. V came to school everyday, but Pedro was attending a therapist and found out that he had anxiety, he neglected himself and didn't take the meds, however the principal was defending him because of his meds, he even assumed that he doesn't take the meds and it was so good to take because he could do whatever he wants, what a pathetic cunt.
Number two - There was a part 2 of this inciddent, but it was because Pedro was throwing paper balls at him (and laughing), and V got pissed again, after that, there was never a fight against both but Pedro jokes about the fight and provoked V, until he left the school.
Number three - There was an incident, Pedro was walking around probably skipping class in the bathroom, and found a child, Idk the reason but he beat the fuck out of the child and hehis (the child's) father was there and the father got pissed and argued with him, but Pedro also beat the shit out of the father, he didn't got even a suspension, he chilled out at the school's computer and got back to the classroom, pff..
Number four - There was a teacher we had that was actually very old, 65 years old, she yelled at Pedro to not chat with the other students, and guess what? Pedro got so pissed that he fucking throwed a tantrum, showed the middle finger, called her a bitch and the teacher got so scared that she was moving slowly to the principal, nothing happened with him, but she left the school.
Number five - There was also a tantrum, in start of 2023, he got pissed at a teacher because she said to him that he needed another copybook because he was split in two subjects (i don't know if there's on another countries, but here in Brazil if the family can't afford another copybook, they need to split between to two and three subjects in one copybook), so, he got pissed, showed middle finger, said to the teacher fuck off, and guess what happened to him... yes, nothing. This was before he was diagnosed with anxiety, as person with actual anxiety, I think that his "anxiety" is just his bitch personality.
Number six - Wow, another tantrum? It was this year, some days ago though. Yeah, the history teacher said that he was using phone in classroom, he hided his phone so fast, and he yelled at the teacher, throwed his bag against the floor and yelled "SEE, THERE'S NO PHONE HERE MOTHERFUCKER" and almost beated the shit out of the teacher but he missed, called him an insect and a shithead, he left then and never came back, only on the exit time, there was another tantrum with the same teacher but I can't remember at all. Also he skipped class and played football after that tantrum.
There's so much more but I'm lazy to write

Justin's already teaching in the main campus. I miss him so much. Help!
Is it possible to be heartbroken even though you don't even have a thing? Lol. He's been my crush for 10 months already. I confessed my feelings last year and I guess he knew na ako iyon (?) hahaha. The last time that I saw him is noong convocation pa namin. And I never knew na iyon na pala iyong last kasi lilipat na siya sa main campus para mag work.
Been going to school lately na sobrang tamlay ko. It's not the usual me. I badly want to see him. I miss the old times...

I am 37M who migrated to Kolkata in class 6 from Hyderabad. Due to various fortunate circumstances, our family settled in Kolkata. After getting job in IT, I have worked in Chennai and Hyd for short stints and came back to Kolkata due to family reasons. And now took an onsite opportunity and moved out again.
Now there is a chance that i might be asked to move back to India at the end of this year. So I am torn between Hyderabad and Kolkata. Whichever place I choose, there is no coming home. As we plan to settle there and explore business venues.
Hyd Pros: Hyderabad has definitely all the modern city facilities, high rises, brands which would make the transition smooth. The options to switch jobs are numerous and my wife really wants to explore South India and do business there. Hyderabad has lot of opportunities and yet to get saturated and out of our reach like BLR.
Kol Pros: General quality of life is so high. Uninterrupted supply of water and electricity is something I have grown up with and from what I have seen in Hyd, powercuts and water scarcity has always been a concern. I am planning to move towards New Town if I choose Kolkata. Also over the laat couple of years so many salons and cafes have come up which makes Kolkata seem like an upcoming market.
So question to everyone is.. which in your opinion is worth choosing? Any Kolkatans here who are living in Hyderabad and any Hyderabadis living in Kolkata? If given a choice, what would be your city to live?
If anything I missed to phrase properly, I will update.

Hi all, using a throwaway for obvious reasons.
A former friend of mine reached out in confidence due to a case of Johnes in some sheep he sold. He finished lambing a few months ago and sold off his lambs, as he always has, through a middle man to then sell off to smaller buyers. A few young ewes of his, around three years old, were also sold off to another friend of his, and those ewes were diagnosed with Johnes. As an outsider, what are the ethical obligations he's under to let the buyer of the lambs know that ewes in his flock tested positive? He's an old school country boy but he's also a good man. I told him I'd ask around anonymously to see what others would do. He is testing his flock to see who else is positive, but won't have the results for a few more days. Thanks in advance...

i’m sixteen years old and due to some complications ended up with no GCSE’s.
I have a bad neurological condition and it really started affecting me when I was in school. At the time, we were preparing for exams; so basically relearning everything as well as new material that was going to be in the papers. however, I started missing school and getting sent home early due to really bad migraines that would last hours and sometimes even the full day. Some of these migraines would get so bad to the point I’d have to be hospitalised.
because I ended up missing so much school, I was forced to drop out a year before GCSE’s (which I think is really unfair as I couldn’t control my illness, but okay..) and wasn’t allowed back in unless I resat the entire year which I didn’t feel like doing.
As of today, I still have this neurological problem but it’s a little more under control.
Although, I really want to be a receptionist in a professional setting and nowhere will take me due to lack of GCSE’s.
I’d really appreciate some tips or where I could go from here. (i also apologise for dumping my whole life story here !!)

Ive been thinking about this question for a while, and I think I’m wrong/overreacting cause he is sometimes nice. But he often hits us, gives me so much responsibility with my younger siblings. Often forgets me at school, leaving me to take care of me siblings. Let me give you a senario to understand.
One time, I had an after school activity at school, it was over, and I had a guitar make up lesson soon after, (as I missed one the previous week), and keep in mind, the activities at school end at around 4:45pm. I called my dad, who said, “I’m 15 minutes away, wait please.” I waited said 15 minutes. Called him again, “wait just 5 more minutes.” (FYI, my guitar lesson was at around 5:45, so we had to leave at maximum 5:15 if we wanted to make it, and that was the time. I panicked and called my mom, who said, “wait a couple minutes I’ll call him, I might have to get you a taxi.” I had never been in a taxi by myself at the time (I was 12 btw.) and was extremely socially anxious, so I hesitated. So I decided to wait. 2 hours had past, I missed my guitar lesson, it was around 7pm, dad arrives. This has not been the first time this has happened, (but I end up going in the taxi)
Ok sorry, I’m rambling but I wanted to mention one last thing, he forgets me at my guitar lessons, doesn’t care for my events, (meaning he doesn’t care if I’m late, as it doesn’t concern him), and hits me a lot. Is he neglectful and abusive? Or am I being ungrateful as he often spoils me at times.

We went on the ship in Nov and again in April and this is my April ship review.
It is the same itinerary, except we didn't get to Bermuda in Nov due to weather.
Main reason we keep going on this ship is because the port is driving distance and it is cheap. It was 1300$ for 4 people inside room. When we missed Bermuda, they gave us 300 in onboard credit which can be used for tips or you get it back in cash at the end of the trip. So hard to beat their price and I don't know if I want to pay 1000$ to upgrade from golden corral food to off the strip Vegas buffet food.
For embarkation, this time, we walk right through security whereas last time, it took one whole hour to get through security. They gaved priority boarding to family with stroller after you check in.
The room was ready by 1, but some places were not clean like the remote control was sticky and inside the draws and wardrobe was dusty. The floor in the hallways were not as clean as before. Our room attendant and his assistant were friendlier but not as efficient as the last one. Definitely recommend to bring some disinfectant wipes.
They have Heinz ketchup and condiments now, before they had home made ketchup that was too sweet. Some food was too dry but there was always something you can find. They had more watermelon and pineapple this cruise, might be seasonal. Last cruise was mostly melon and apple and pears and they were not very fresh. Their cold salad bar was so delicious. Even the pizza station has become more Americanized in terms of toppings and more square and thick crust. Last time, it was mostly the white pizza, red pizza and cheese pizza. This time, we rarely see the white or red pizza, it was mostly cheese, pepperoni and pizza with a lot of toppings. I feel like there was definitely more bar server walking around this time compare to last time. Number of people cleaning the buffet was pretty good. Some upholstery on the chairs were definitely wearing down. This ship can definitely use a dry dock soon. They do southern comfort food really really well, their Mac and cheese, BBQ ribs were super good. Also they had congee and fried rice for breakfast every morning. They lack Chinese food for dinner and lunch and there is no Chinese menu even thought it is one of their biggest group on this ship. The only Chinese translation they had was on the water dispenser.
The crew in the main dining room is definitely more outgoing. There was a guy with guitar and a crew singing by dessert. The food was bad, they can't cook a ham and cheese omelette correctly. Their brunch menu of souther fried chicken sandwich was like McDonald chicken sandwich except it was cold like I don't think they heat it up long enough. Breakfast was hard if you have a milk and egg allergy. They do brunch on sea days and during the last sea day, they had a brand new menu which meant everything was super delay but the food was so good. It was like breakfast from around the world. They had English breakfast, France was French toast, Japan had fried chicken with rice. The French toast and fried chicken was amazing. On to dinner, you are assigned a time and we got 8:30pm. The lobster and fish dish were dry. The steak was overcooked and dry. I gaved up on the main dining room after 2 nights with 2 small toddler, it wasn't worth the effort to sit down for 1.5 hours for 50/50 chance of good food. The server are more outgoing but the food got worse. Their Caribbean night food in the main dining room was delicious!
I love docking in Bermuda for three days, it made the going on and off the ship super easy and no long wait. Bermuda was awesome.
We didn't try their kids club because our kids won't go. But here is some information. If your kid is under 3.99 years old and not potty trained, they can go to the baby club which is available during sea days for 2 hours. They have two time slot and first come first serve when you sign up the day before. Their idea of potty training is the kid goes into the bathroom all by themselves and the staff stands outside, so the kid should be able to independently do everything themselves. They do have open sessions in the kids area for family to go together. They have Lego, duplo, switch and playhouse and markers. They also have events at night around 7:30 like dance party or sport event which are drop off or parents can stay. They will also take your child after the appetizer course in the main dining room and bring them to the bigs buffet section and feed them and then watch them afterwards.
They have a outdoor pool, Indoor pool, adult only pool and a splash pad with a 1 feet deep pool. The adult only pool is on the back of the ship right next to the walking track which means you will have old people and young people walking through the area constantly. And they don't really enforce the adult only part. Like kids were standing in the general area watching the sunset and no one told them to go away. The splash pad and kiddie pool was not open last time, so my kids had a lot of fun this time in the splash pad. The splash pad and the water slide are in the same area, so my partner and I took turns on the water slide. Last time no one can tell us why it was closed or when it will be reopen again.
If the weather is bad outside, there was no where inside the ship that was quiet and you can still see the ocean. Every lounge and bar and sitting area had music playing and they set the volume so loud. The only quiet area was the back of the buffet. The music on this ship is too loud.
The shows are still the same, there are more broken parts on the led screen on the main stage. Compare to Nov, they are missing 1 male singer, 1 female singer, 1 male dancer, 1 female dancer. The magician act was same but 2 new magician. The comedy act was a different guy and he was boring. They have two shows on the circle stage that is 12$ if you but it beforehand or 18$ on the ship. It is free for kids under 4. It comes with a alcohol or no alcohol drink. I say the show is worth 2$ if you minus the cost of alcohol drink. It was call Houdini but there was no real magician, it was all singing and dancing. Only two of the crew had circus skills.
Overall, I would do this cruise again because if we don't make it to Bermuda, it would be like 900$ for a week where I don't have to cook or make my room.

Long time lurker, first time poster.
Sorry this may be a long one. First a little backstory. Names and locations will be changed to maintain anonymity.
I (35F) grew up in a blended family. My parents got divorced when I was 10 and my dad remarried when I was 11. In addition to my younger sister (33F) from his previous marriage to my mom, I gained a step brother (27 M) and later a half brother, Ben(22 M). My sister and I spent every other weekend and summers at his house and the four siblings grew really close. We’re all each other’s best friends. I get a long okay with my step mom (let’s call her Anna). As we got older my dad became less involved and sometimes distant and basically let her raise the boys how she saw fit. With a lack of rules at home and few opportunities to make mistakes to learn and grow into adults. They are in their 20s but they are very infantilized. The younger one is not even allowed to change his hairstyle without permission or go on out of state trips by himself. It’s really weird but I moved abroad a decade ago and everyone back home just allows it.
Now on to the story at hand:
I live in an Asian country and a few years ago I met the love of my life and after meeting my family back home decided to get married. We had planned on doing just a courthouse thing because we were both not very big on something traditional, but we got swept up in the excitement knowing that my Dad and Sister would come if we decided to do a proper wedding.
In this country, wedding planning tends to go pretty fast as everything is usually done by one company. We gave our out of town friends and family a heads up in February that we’d have a ceremony in the fall and that we will set headcount no later than late Spring.
My step mom anointed herself the wedding planner as she’s passionate about it. She also cannot make the trip due to a disability which makes it hard for her to get around. It was getting close to crunch time for the headcount planning so I contacted her asking “hey I haven’t heard from the boys and I can follow up with them too, but do you know if any are planning on coming?” She then answers “no because the baby doesn’t know his school schedule and the older one can’t afford it”.
I was hoping to at least have one join as I assumed one would want to stay behind to stay with Anna but I was a little sad that neither of them contacted me to let me know directly. I told my sister who connected with them and told them to get in touch. The youngest was shocked to hear that he wasn’t going as he was under the impression that he was going and he had even picked up extra shifts at work to save extra money. My step brother confirmed it was a money issue which was totally fine and I thanked him for letting me know. I’m now excited that one of my brothers will also be joining.
Fast forward to Mother’s Day and Anna tells no Ben is not going. My Dad asserts that “he doesn’t know how to clean his room so why should he go?”
Once I hear about this conversation I’m irritated as I keep getting conflicting answers and I need to set my headcount. I Message my dad to get an update and he affirms “no Ben is not going because he ran up our car insurance up so his extra money will go towards that and he has to stay home with Anna”. I call up my dad to try to figure things out as the story keeps changing. I mention that I’m totally okay if the boys can’t come especially if it comes down to money, but the communication around everything has been really frustrating. He then proceeds to gaslight me asking:
“I don’t know why you care some much about whether or not your brothers come to your wedding”
“You’re doing too much. You should have just done the courthouse and call it a day”
And making me out to be a bridezilla.
The call got a little heated but we neither of us got rude or nasty. I finally ended the call with “I got the boys aren’t coming. That’s fine. Once I get confirmation on the accommodations I’ll let you know. Love you and have a good night” we hang up and I go to bed after venting about the whole situation with my sister.
I wake up the next morning to find a short message from my dad saying he’s not going anymore and to have a nice wedding. He’ll give his spot to Ben.
I am shocked. Not only did he drop himself from the wedding but over a misunderstanding on his part. I never guilted anyone about not including my brothers and did not beg or anything. I literally just commented on how frustrated I was with their communication but he aggressively wants to misunderstand for some reason.
I wrote back explaining my position and mentioning my disappointment in his decision but let him know the door is open if he changes his mind. I tried to message Anna but she’s been ignoring messages. From what I heard from my sister she is team dad and busy trying to vilify me.
The next day my dad basically admitted that the reason why none of the brothers are not going is because of my step mom. (Which I was suspicious of). He didn’t apologize but basically doubled down on saying I care too much. He also added he would be at my wedding after all.
The whole interaction has left the worst taste in my mouth:

1. My parents tried to make me look like the bad guy just for trying to clarify head count.
   
2. My dad tried to punish me by threatening not to come.
   
3. My dad finally admitted that it’s Anna who is blocking her sons from going but instead of sticking up for me he lets her get away with it to “keep the peace”
   
4. He never apologized for any of it.
   

It’s turned me off towards wedding planning especially as I wasn’t even that keen of having a wedding to start with. So, would I be the asshole if I uninvited him?
Thanks for reading.

I keep going back and forth! I’ve been a stay at home since Covid! and looking back, I don’t know how I juggled life while working! I remember the hectic morning runs and the rush to get home before the school bus arrived for one child and the picking up from daycare & school from 3 other… then when Covid hit things clearly changed…. Long story short, all of my kids are finally full day school age and out of the house( elementary school age) Going back to work is a thought, but because of my husband crazy traveling work schedule I wonder if it will disrupt our household! I’m solo a lot and if the kids get sick, need an early pickup, have off for holidays or vacations etc…. That would fall a lot on me. Also finding a job that can accommodate my kids schedule so we don’t have to pay for childcare isn’t easy! And summers!! The price of camps are insane!! Also missing the many school events will leave me feeling guilty. I’m not sure what I’m looking for….. I’m just confused! Is anyone still home with school age children and still feel worthy!? Do people judge you for “ being a stay at home mom” when your kids are out the house? I sometimes feel people get judgy…. “ so what do you do all day” 😒