Books with instructions on how to make beaded rings

It was a regular weekday at work. I had successfully completed my tasks way before the deadline, thanks to the Eisenhower box - a mental model that helped me prioritize my tasks effectively. But there was a crisis brewing at the office. It wasn't about missing a major client deadline or a system crash, it was about something far more delicate - emotions.
Our usually calm and composed project manager, Jane, was having a tough day. Her usually bright face was clouded with worry and I could see that she was struggling with something. With my tasks done for the day, I decide to offer her a lending ear.
Jane was going through a personal crisis and it was taking a toll on her professional life. She was unable to concentrate or make decisions, every little thing seemed to overwhelm her. Seeing her like this, I realized I had an opportunity to practice the principle of Emotional Intelligence in real life.
First, I helped her identify her emotions. It’s an essential first principle. People often brush their feelings aside, but acknowledging them is the first step towards dealing with them.
We sat down and started by identifying what she was feeling - anxiety, frustration, sadness. This process was cathartic for Jane and she admitted to feeling a bit lighter just by acknowledging her emotions.
The next step was to understanding the source of these emotions. This required some thoughtful analysis and honest introspection. After a long conversation, Jane was able to trace back these emotions to their origins. It was a mix of personal turmoil and work stress.
Now that the emotions were identified and understood, the final step was to manage these emotions. I advised Jane to consider separate ways to manage stress at work and at home. She decided to take up mindfulness practices to manage personal stress, while she agreed to delegate some of her work to reduce professional stress.
These simple steps benefited Jane tremendously. By adhering to the principles of emotional intelligence, she was able to acknowledge her emotions, understand their source and find a way to manage them. It was a clear example of how principles can guide us in our day-to-day life.
P.S: Don't worry folks, Jane is fine, and the office crisis was averted. This story was an imaginative scenario to demonstrate how the principles of emotional intelligence can be applied in real life. Remember, life doesn't come with an instruction manual. But mental models like this can help us navigate our way through, one emotion at a time.

Right. This is my first post in this subreddit, and I'm afraid this post might be removed by the rules of the sub, but I think it's a discussion worth having, and this is what the sub is for.
Let me preface this by saying Tim Duncan is a hall of famer, Spurs' goat, and undoubtedly the best PF in history. In his 19 year career, he won 2 MVPS, 3 FMVPS, and 5 championships.
This is an amazing resume. But I believe that media nowadays tends to take those nunbers at face value and not apply proper context into the argument.
Duncan's career can be separated into two parts: the first part is 1998 - 2004, and the second is everything else. The first part of Duncan's career is that of a standard all-time great. MVPs, leading teams to rings, all-time finals performances, and the like.
In 1997, Duncan was one of the most hyped prospects in the decade, akin to the likes of Anthony Davis and Zion. He performed right out of the gate, becoming an all star in his rookie season and winning a finals mvp as a sophomore. By 1999, David Robinson was a servicable starting center, but he wasn't 1995 David Robinson. Same in 2003, the "Spurs big three" were together on paper, but this was before Manu was a true contributing piece, and Duncan was clearly the centerpiece of the team for these 2 rings.
Now this is all great. At this point 8 years into his career, Duncan is clearly on the goat track. Let's compare him to some of the best players ever.
MJ: 3 MVPs, 3 rings, 3 FMVPs (85 - 93)
LeBron: 3 MVPs, 1 ring, 1 FMVP (04 - 12)
Magic: 3 MVPs, 5 rings, 3 FMVPs (80 - 88)
Kareem: 5 MVPs, 1 ring, 1 FMVP (70 - 78)
Duncan: 2 MVPs, 3 rings, 3 FMVPs (98 - 06)
All these players' resumes at this point look (generally) similar. However, if you bring other players into the equation, you can see the most all time greats (keyword: most) spend the first half of their career dominating.
Steph: 2 MVPs, 3 rings (10 - 18)
Giannis: 2 MVPs, 1 ring, 1 DPOY, 1 FMVP (14 - 22)
Jokic: 2 MVPs, 1 ring, 1 FMVP (15 - 23)
Therefore, it is generally the second half of a career that determines where a player places, and in my opinion, this is where TD's case falls flat.
By 2006, the spurs identity was very different to the early half of the decade. The remnants of the slow, grueling, post centric offense reminiscent of the 90s had all but disappeared in favor of a fluid, screen heavy, ball movement orientated offense. Tony Parker and Ginobili had fully come into their own as all-time greats, and the crucial part: Tim Duncan had SLOWED DOWN offensively.
In 2005, Tim Duncan shot 42% from the field: about as efficient as Victor Wembenyama in the first half of the season. Changes to zone defense rules made it much, much harder for post-centric offenses to succeed in the same way anymore, and a change was needed.
In the second half of his career, the Spurs became what we now associate with the Spurs. Beautiful ball movement, screen action, teamplay, unselfish role players, yadda yadda yadda. But that's just the thing, it was a team effort, and not Tim Duncan willing the team to championships in the likes of 2022 Curry, 2016 LeBron, 1998 Jordan, or 2009 Kobe.
In fact, I'd argue that the leader of the spurs from 2007 onwards was Tony Parker. If not that, at the very least starting in 2011, Tony Parker was the offensive first option for the Spurs. We even see the beginnings of this in 2005, with Manu and Parker both averaging efficient 20 and 16 ppg, with Manu even having an argument for finals MVP that year.
And that's just my problem with placing Duncan above players like Bird and Magic. For the majority of his career, Tim Duncan was a part of his team's system. This is a great thing, it shows he was able to put down his pride in order to win. But in the context of ranking all-time players, this has to be penalized.
Even in the case of the monstrously stacked 1986 Celtics, everyone knew that was Bird's team. For all of Showtime, that was Magic's team. Nobody would ever dare to think the 1996 Bulls was Pippen's team, or the 2013 Heat Wade's. But for the Spurs past 2005-ish, there is an argument.
I'm not saying Tim Duncan doesn't belong in the top 10 list of players, because that's absurd. I'm making the argument that placing him above Magic and Bird is almost just as absurd, taking the context into consideration. If anything, he probably belongs somewhere between 7 - 10, around the likes of Hakeem, Steph, Shaq, and Kobe.
If you still don't believe me, take some time out of your day to read some rankings of Tim Duncan around 2016-17 or so, you'd be shocked at how low some of these lists rated him. It's only post 2020, 4 years AFTER his retirement, that we started placing him in GOAT debates.

In order to create a self-sustaining tribe, we will need to have some skills.
Agriculture and permaculture are naturally very important for any community that seeks to be self-sustaining in the all-encompassing sense, however its applicability will depend very much on whether the tribe has land, if it is urban or rural, etc.
I can see ways in which the tribe could exist as a creed or support network without having collective property, however I think collective property (or properties) should be something we work towards.
I see it possibly more as a movement than as a singular community in one place, so it could be dispersed across multiple places, some urban, some rural, some collectively owned, some private but open to other members, some perhaps even existing within other established intentional communities.
Anyway, other obviously useful skills would be things like:
• Art
• Crafting (creating practical items like pottery and woodwork)
• Cookery (A tribal recipe book inspired by the backgrounds of our members would be nice)
• Textiles
• Communications
• Leadership, resource management and conflict resolution (I actually think this need to be one of the areas that we discuss first, as we need to work out how the tribe will make decisions and how we will deal with the inevitable interpersonal issues)
We could later think about skills that could be transformed into a trade that supports the community by bringing in money, and providing secure jobs for any members that want one.
I remember reading about one intentional community that makes its money by making and selling nice handmade hammocks, and most of the members contribute to the trade in some way.
There are others that offer workshops, retreats, classes, etc.
We should also think about a skill-sharing programme between members where we can share our knowledge.
Education
Later we could think about things like the education of children within the tribe. Will they go to normal school, or would the tribe run its own, maybe like forest schools? Could that be a source of income as well (for non members)? Or would tribal education look more like after school clubs, weekend activities, or tribal summer camps (sounds like fun)? Or would kids simply learn by attending tribal gatherings with the adults where they are directly involved in tribal affairs.
For older youths, we could look at apprenticeships or shadowing schemes. In terms of the goal of the tribe to become an auxiliary family to its members, this may mean that members could help young adults enter careers. For example, if I am a dentist, I might agree to let a young person from my tribe come and do some work experience in my clinic. Or if I run farm, I could offer entry level or summer jobs as stable hands, etc.
This would also extend a bit into adult life, as well, helping members to re-skill and upskill. The tribe could help to fund qualifications (particularly ones that will be able to benefit everyone later), for example helping people to become teachers, doctors, etc. (I know becoming a doctor is ludicrously expensive - but help might look like offering them accommodation with another member while they study). The qualified members would then help others members of the tribe when they could by using their skills. The skills could also be much simpler things like becoming a massage therapist or a hair dressers, or being able to officiate weddings - helping by servicing the community at a discount, or by barter.
This looks like nepotism, and it is, but that is partly the goal, I think. The goal is to help one another and stick together closely, offering our fellow tribesmen opportunities that they may not have if they don't have any other support network. Giving people a leg up in life. This is about making our own family and creating a community that helps each other to succeed in the world, levelling the playing field a bit and restoring the close-knit, supportive communities we were meant to live in.

I will have to excuse any grammatical errors beforehand as english is not my first langugage.
I've just watched a really good theory today from a youtuber called King of Lightning. His video is called The Best One Piece Planet Theory I've Ever Made. It's honestly one of the best One Piece theories I've ever seen. This theory basically says that Egghead Island is a miniature version of the former One Piece World. Egghead Island has it's own AC/climate which according to King of Lightning is somehow connected to the floating ring around the Labophase:
Labophase
The ring floating around the labophase is similiar to the Red Line which surrounds the One Piece World. Inside the labophase is a building containg the power plant/fusion reactor. King of Lightning then goes on to explain that the One Piece World is basically a giant Dyson Sphere. A dyson sphere is basically an artifical structure to harness a big percentage of a stars/suns energy. I really have to say that this theory is great and makes alot of sense in many ways.
Now let's pretend that King of Lightning is right on this one. To encapsulate a star and then build a world on top of it you would need a very resistent material. This material would need resist a lot of pressure. It would need to be very hard. One of the hardest materials in One Piece is sea stone. If you translate japanese symbols of sea prism stone 海楼石 to chinese it literally translates to sea floor stone. Maybe that's literally what it is. The stone at the bottom of the sea. The structure upon which the One Piece World is build.
Vegapunks dream
Energy is all around us
Vegapunk also mentions another really interesting thing. He says that energy is all around us. And that one day science will be able to use it. I always thought he was talking about solar energy or fusion energy. But what if the energy he is talking about is literally already there and the ancient kingdom or the civilization which build the One Piece World already succeded in making energy available allround the world? Similiar to the goal of Tesla. What if this energy is still available all around the One Piece World but knowledge of how to use it has been forgotten? What if some people are still able to use this energy up to this day but don't know it? I am talking about devil fruits and/or haki users and/or sulong forms. Vegapunk mentions that the devil fruits can be replicated via the lineage factor. What if the devil fruits were artificially created by the ancient civilization to alter the human lineage factor to be able to harness the energy which is all around the world? I am not sure how exact Oda is with physics but energy does not exist in a vaccum. Somebody like Akainu who converts a whole island to a burning inferno needs a lot of energy.
Let's get back to sea prism stone. What does a prism do? It's used in optics to bend light. It can also split light into different wave lengths. Think of the Pink Floyd album cover. What if sea prism stone is not only the structure upon the One Piece World is build but also is used to transform and redirect the energy from the star it sorrounds? An artificial material which absorbs the suns energy and transforms it to another energy? Maybe a special kind of electro magnetic wave? Devil fruit users harness it's energy for their supernatural abilities. If the sea prism stone transforms energy maybe this is the reason why devil fruit users lose their energy when touched by sea prism stone. The energy inside their body is absorbed by sea prism stone and transformed back to something else. Maybe it's not the sea water itself which restricts the devil fruit users from swimming but micro particles of sea prism stone diluted in sea water which absorbs their energy. That's why normal water which vaporated and rain down again does not affect devil fruit users. The sea prism stone particles don't evaporate.
Another thing which is interesting and checks out with the dyson sphere theory is Dr. Vegapunks alias. The name which he is called by his satellites. He is called Stella. I never understood this odd name up until I heard King of Lightning's dyson sphere theory. Maybe because I'm not a native english speaker. Stellar Engineering is the hypothecical engineering field of modifying a star by artificial means. A dyson sphere is also called stellar engine. So Dr. Vegapunk is the "star" or "estrella" in spanish and his dream is to create abundant energy for the whole world.

Is there like a big Harry Potter type book that has all the glass blowing/shaping tools with the magic on how to use them? Or is it you imagine your own tools and make them for the specific step in the current thing your doing?

The Characteristics Of Al-Mu’tasim
Foolishness
Al-Mu’tasim was foolish. Historians described him that when he became angry, he did not care whom he killed or what he did.
Dislike Of Knowledge
Al-Mu’tasim disliked knowledge and hated learned people. There was a servant with him who read with him in the book. The servant died and ar-Rasheed said to al-Mu'tasim, ‘O Muhammad, your servant died.’ Al-Mu'tasim said, ‘O yes, my master! He died and rested from the book.’ Ar-Rasheed said, ‘The book will rest from you. (to his men) Leave him! Do not teach him!’ Al-Mu'tasim remained illiterate. When he became the caliph, he did not know reading and writing and his vizier was unlearned. Ahmed bin Aamir described him by saying, ‘An illiterate caliph and an unlearned vizier.’3 He was divested of knowledge, virtue, and any good quality, by which he was supposed to deserve the caliphate in Islam that was the highest and most important position on which justice and equity among people depended. Al-Mu'tasim’s heart was full of spite and malice against Imam al- Jawad (a.s). He burst with rage whenever he heard the virtues and exploits of Imam al-Jawad (a.s) being mentioned. His envy towards him had led him to assassinate him as we shall explain later on.
Bringing Imam Al-Jawad To Baghdad
Al-Mu'tasim had ordered Imam al-Jawad (a.s) to come to Baghdad and he arrived in it in Muharram, 220 AH.9 When Imam al-Jawad (a.s) came to Baghdad, al-Mu'tasim house- arrested him to know all his affairs and activities. He ordered his men to watch him and he prevented him from connecting with his followers and those who believed in his imamate. Mu'tasim ordered Umm al-Fadhl to poison the Imam, and her brother Ja'far ibn Ma'mun, the accursed one, also helped and provoked her. she poisonedn bunch of grapes, and placed it in front of him. When the Imam had eaten from it, she regretted and went on to cry. He-asws said: ‘What makes you cry? By Allah-azwj! May Allah-azwj Strike you with sterility not to be restored, and affliction which cannot be veiled!’ She died in an illness, a hole appeared in the most covered of places of her body parts (private part). She spent her wealth and entirety of what she had owned, upon that illness, to the extent that she became needy to be nourished. And it is reported that the hole was in her private part. The accursed Umm al-Fadhl also contracted leprosy and descended into Hell in disgrace in the desert, and the dogs tore her body apart.
hemlock poison, whose characteristic was that it made the blessed feet of the Imam so heavy that he could no longer walk, and it made the Imam extremely thirsty, such that like his forefather Imam al Husayn a.s he said: 'Al-Atash, al-Atash' (The thirst, the thirst)... The wicked Umm al-Fadhl ordered the maids to beat drums and tambourines and dance so that his voice would not reach anyone's ears. Finally, Imam Jawad, peace be upon him, was martyred in loneliness on the dirt of his room while in exile. For three days, his blessed body remained on the rooftop of the house, and after that, Umm al-Fadhl threw the pure body down from the roof to the ground. The Shias took the blessed corpse and buried it on the 2nd of Dhu al-Hijjah in the presence of Imam al Hadi, peace be upon him.
‘When allegiance was pledged to Al-Mutasim, he went on to check his situation. He wrote to Abdul Malik Al-Zayyat to dispatch to him Al-Taqi-asws and Umm Fazl. Al-Zayyat dispatched Ali Bin Yaqteen to him-asws. He-asws prepared and went out to Baghdad. He honoured him-asws, and revered him-asws, and sent Ashnas bearing the gifts to him-asws and to Umm Al-Fazl Then he sent a drink of citron juice to him-asws under his seal upon the hands of Ashnas. He said, ‘Commander of the faithful has got Ahmad Bin Abu Dawood, and Saeed Bin Al-Khaeyb, and a group from the well-known people to taste it, and he orders you-asws to drink from it with the water of snow, and he has made it just now, and he says, ‘Drink it at night’. He-asws said: ‘It is beneficial (when) cold, and the snow has melted’. And he insisted upon that, so he-asws drank it knowing of their deeds. (The book) ‘Al Manaqib’ of Ibn Shehr Ashub –V4 p 416
وَ لَمَّا بُويِعَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ جَعَلَ يَتَفَقَّدُ أَحْوَالَهُ فَكَتَبَ إِلَى عَبْدِ الْمَلِكِ الزَّيَّاتِ أَنْ يُنْفِذَ إِلَيْهِ التَّقِيَّ وَ أُمَّ الْفَضْلِ فَأَنْفَذَ ابْنُ الزَّيَّاتِ عَلِيَّ بْنَ يَقْطِينٍ إِلَيْهِ فَتَجَهَّزَ وَ خَرَجَ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ فَأَكْرَمَهُ وَ عَظَّمَهُ وَ أَنْفَذَ أُشْنَاسَ بِالتُّحَفِ إِلَيْهِ وَ إِلَى أُمِّ الْفَضْلِ ثُمَّ أَنْفَذَ إِلَيْهِ شَرَابَ حُمَّاضِ الْأُتْرُجِّ تَحْتَ خَتْمِهِ عَلَى يَدَيِ أُشْنَاسٍ وَ قَالَ إِنَّ أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ ذَاقَهُ قِبَلَ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ أَبِي دَاوُدَ وَ سَعْدِ بْنِ الْخَصِيبِ وَ جَمَاعَةٍ مِنَ الْمَعْرُوفِينَ وَ يَأْمُرُكَ أَنْ تَشْرَبَ مِنْهَا بِمَاءِ الثَّلْجِ وَ صَنَعَ فِي الْحَالِ فَقَالَ اشْرَبْهَا بِاللَّيْلِ قَالَ إِنَّهَا يَنْفَعُ بَارِداً وَ قَدْ ذَابَ الثَّلْجُ وَ أَصَرَّ عَلَى ذَلِكَ فَشَرِبَهَا عَالِماً بِفِعْلِهِم « مناقب آل ابیطالب ج ۴ ص ۴۱۶، بحار الانوار ج ۵۰ ص ۸، منتهی الآمال ص ۱۸۰۵»
(The book) ‘Uyoon Al Mojizaat’ – ‘When Abu Ja’far-asws and his-asws wife, the daughter of Al-Mamoun went out as pilgrims, and Abu Al-Hassan-asws brought out his-asws son Ali-asws, and he-asws was young, he-asws left him-asws behind in Al-Medina, and submitted to him-asws the inheritances, and the weapons, and texted upon him-asws in the witnessing of his-asws trusted ones and his-asws companions, and he-asws left to go to Al-Iraq, and with him-asws was his-asws wife, daughter of Al-Mamoun. And Al-Mamoun had gone out to a city of Rome, and he died at Al-Badeyroun during Rajab of the year two hundred and eighteen, and that was during the sixteenth year from the Imamate of Abu Ja’far-asws. And Al-Mutasim Abu Is’haq Muhammad Bin Haroun was pledge allegiance to during Shaman of the year two hundred and eighteen. Then Al-Mutasim went on to plot in killing Abu Ja’far-asws, and indicated to his-asws wife, the daughter of Al-Mamoun, that she should poison him, because he was aware of her turning away from Abu Ja’far-asws, and the intensity of her jealousy upon him-azwj due to his-asws preferring the mother-as of his-asws son-asws Abu Al-Hassan-asws over her, and because she was not graced with any child from him-asws. She answer him to that and went on to poison in a bunch of grapes, and she placed it in front of him. When he-asws had eaten from it, she regretted and went on to cry. He-asws said: ‘What makes you cry? By Allah-azwj! May Allah-azwj Strike you with sterility not to be restored, and affliction which cannot be veiled!’ She died in an illness, a hole appeared in the most covered of places of her body parts (private part). She spent her wealth and entirety of what she had owned, upon that illness, to the extent that she became needy to be nourished. And it is reported that the hole was in her private part. And he-asws passed away during the year two hundred and twenty from the Hijrah during the day of Tuesday of the fifth (day) vacant from Zil Hijjah, and for him-asws were twenty-four years and some months, because heasws was blessed (to his-asws parents-asws) in the year one hundred and ninety-five
Bihar Al Anwaar – V 50, The book of History – Muhammad Bin Ali-asws, Ch 1 H 26
لَمَّا خَرَجَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ عليهالسلام وَ زَوْجَتُهُ ابْنَةُ الْمَأْمُونِ حَاجّاً وَ خَرَجَ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ عَلِيٌّ ابْنُهُ عليهالسلام وَ هُوَ صَغِيرٌ فَخَلَّفَهُ فِي الْمَدِينَةِ وَ سَلَّمَ إِلَيْهِ الْمَوَارِيثَ وَ السِّلَاحَ وَ نَصَّ عَلَيْهِ بِمَشْهَدِ ثِقَاتِهِ وَ أَصْحَابِهِ وَ انْصَرَفَ إِلَى الْعِرَاقِ وَ مَعَهُ زَوْجَتُهُ ابْنَةُ الْمَأْمُونِ وَ كَانَ خَرَجَ الْمَأْمُونُ إِلَى بِلَادِ الرُّومِ فَمَاتَ بالبديرون فِي رَجَبٍ سَنَةَ ثَمَانَ عَشْرَةَ وَ مِائَتَيْنِ وَ ذَلِكَ فِي سِتَّ عَشْرَةَ سَنَةً مِنْ إِمَامَةِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍعليهالسلام وَ بُويِعَ الْمُعْتَصِمُ أَبُو إِسْحَاقَ مُحَمَّدُ بْنُ هَارُونَ فِي شَعْبَانَ مِنْ سَنَةِ ثَمَانَ عَشْرَةَ وَ مِائَتَيْنِ ثُمَّ إِنَّ الْمُعْتَصِمَ جَعَلَ يَعْمَلُ الْحِيلَةَ فِي قَتْلِ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍعليهالسلام وَ أَشَارَ عَلَى ابْنَةِ الْمَأْمُونِ زَوْجَتِهِ بِأَنْ تَسُمَّهُ لِأَنَّهُ وَقَفَ عَلَى انْحِرَافِهَا عَنْ أَبِي جَعْفَرٍعليهالسلام وَ شِدَّةِ غَيْرَتِهَا عَلَيْهِ لِتَفْضِيلِهِ أُمَّ أَبِي الْحَسَنِ ابْنِهِ عَلَيْهَا وَ لِأَنَّهُ لَمْ يُرْزَقْ مِنْهَا وَلَدٌ فَأَجَابَتْهُ إِلَى ذَلِكَ وَ جَعَلَتْ سَمّاً فِي عِنَبٍ رَازِقِيٍّ وَ وَضَعَتْهُ بَيْنَ يَدَيْهِ فَلَمَّا أَكَلَ مِنْهُ نَدِمَتْ وَ جَعَلَتْ تَبْكِي فَقَالَ مَا بُكَاؤُكِ وَ اللَّهِ لَيَضْرِبَنَّكِ اللَّهُ بِعَقْرٍ لَا يَنْجَبِرُ وَ بَلَاءٍ لَا يَنْسَتِرُ فَمَاتَتْ بِعِلَّةٍ فِي أَغْمَضِ الْمَوَاضِعِ مِنْ جَوَارِحِهَا صَارَتْ نَاصُوراً فَأَنْفَقَتْ مَالَهَا وَ جَمِيعَ مَا مَلَكَتْهُ عَلَى تِلْكَ الْعِلَّةِ حَتَّى احْتَاجَتْ إِلَى الِاسْتِرْفَادِ وَ رُوِيَ أَنَّ النَّاصُورَ كَانَ فِي فَرْجِهَا وَ قُبِضَ عليهالسلام فِي سَنَةِ عِشْرِينَ وَ مِائَتَيْنِ مِنَ الْهِجْرَةِ فِي يَوْمِ الثَّلَاثَاءِ لِخَمْسٍ خَلَوْنَ مِنْ ذِي الْحِجَّةِ وَ لَهُ أَرْبَعٌ وَ عِشْرُونَ سَنَةً وَ شُهُورٌ لِأَنَّ مَوْلِدَهُ كَانَ فِي سَنَةِ خَمْسٍ وَ تِسْعِينَ وَ مِائَةٍ.. «
عيون المعجزات، ص ۱۲۹، اثبات الوصیه ۲۱۹، دلائل الامامیه ص ۳۹۵، بحار الانوار ج ۵۰ ص ۱۶؛ جلاءالعیون ص ۹۶۷، منتهی الآمال ص ۱۸۰۴»
Cause of Imam’s martyrdom
It is mentioned in Tafsir Ayyashi that a man named Zarqan was a close friend of Qadi Ibne Abi Dawud. He narrates: One day when Qadi Ibne Abi Dawud came to me, he was highly distraught. I asked him what the matter was and he told me in a plaintive tone, “Alas! If I had only passed away twenty years ago instead of being humiliated!” When I asked him to explain, he said, “Today, Abu Ja’far Muhammad Ibne Ali humiliated me in the presence of the chief of believers, Mutasim.” “What happened exactly?” I asked. “A thief came to the chief of believers and said: I am a thief. Please issue the Islamic penalty to me and purify from my sin.” Mutasim summoned all the jurists including Abu Ja’far Muhammad Taqi and asked us from where the hand should be chopped. I told him from the wrist. When the Caliph asked me for the proof, I said that the Quran has mentioned cutting off the hand of the thief and the word of ‘yad’ implies the hand from the wrist as mentioned in the verse of Tayammum: “…then wipe your faces and your hands…”Surah Nisa 4:43 And the whole nation has consensus that here the word of ‘yad’ implies the hand from the wrist. So it similarly applies for the thief as well and his hand must be cut from the wrist. For some time there was dispute among the jurists with regard to my verdict and some suggested that his hand should be cut off from the elbow relying on the verse of ablution: “…and your hands as far as the elbows…”Surah Maidah 5:6 After that Caliph Mutasim glanced at Imam Muhammad Taqi (a) and said, “Abu Ja’far, what is your opinion regarding this issue?” “The jurists of the community have mentioned their views; now what is the need of my opinion?” Inspite of his reluctance, the Caliphate insisted. He said, “If you are insisting so much; then listen: all the jurists have erred and issued a verdict that is opposed to the Sunnah. The Islamic legal penalty for the thief is that his four fingers must be cut off from the root leaving his palm intact.” “What is your reasoning for that? Mutasim asked. “It is the statement of Messenger of Allah (s) that during prostration (Sajdah) comprises placing the following seven parts of the body on the floor: forehead, both hands, both knees and toes of both feet. If the hand is amputed from the wrist how that person would perform Sajdah? Whereas Almighty Allah has mentioned in Surah Jinn: “And the places of prostration are Allah’s…”Surah Jinn 72:18 It implies the parts placed in Sajdah. “…therefore call not upon any one with Allah.”Surah Jinn 72:18 That is along with those places of prostration do not include anyone else with Allah. Hence whatever comes into the ownership of Allah cannot be cut off.” Mutasim was highly impressed at this reasoning and he ruled that the fingers of that thief be cut off. I was shattered by this verdict and I wished that I had died before issuing such a judgment and facing such humiliation. Zarqan says: That same Qadi visited Mutasim after two days and said: I am here because of my concern for you and I also know that as a result of that my abode shall in Hell. “What do you mean?” asked Mutasim. Qadi said, “O chief of believers, when you gather the scholars and jurists in your court and inquire about their legal verdicts, at that time not only scholars are present, on the contrary, your family members, ministers and your scribes etc are also present and later on these reports are circulated all over the country. But last time you really did something extraordinary! Ignoring the views of all the scholars and jurists of the Ummah, you adopted the verdict of Abu Ja’far. Whereas you should have taken into consideration the fact that from before also a large number of people from the nation believe in his Imamate and they imagine that you have usurped power that was rightfully Abu Ja’far’s. In spite of that you overlooked the verdicts of all the jurists and applied his opinion. This would weaken the foundations of your rule.” Mutasim’s became terribly infuriated and he said, “You have rendered a good advice; may God give you a good reward.” After that the Caliph ordered his minister to invite Abu Ja’far for dinner and poison the food. So that minister invited the Imam for dinner, but the Imam excused himself. The minister said, “We have only invited you for dinner, so that your presence would bring auspiciousness from God and so and so ministers of the Caliph would also like to meet you.” Finally the Imam attended the dinner and then realized that the food was poisoned. He asked them for the mount in order to return, but the host said, “Why the haste? Please stay some more.” Imam said, “It is better that I leave your place and go home.” After that he was in severe pain for a day and then finally passed away Tafsir Ayyashi, Vol. 1, Pg. 319; Biharul Anwar, Vol. 50, Pg. 5.
: الشيخ محمد بن مسعود العيّاشي في تفسيره:
باسناده عن زرقان صاحب ابن أبي داود و صديقه بشدّة قال: رجع ابن أبي داود ذات يوم من عند المعتصم و هو مغتمّ، فقلت له في ذلك، فقال:
وددت اليوم أنّي قدمت منذ عشرين سنة! قال: قلت له: و لم ذاك؟ قال:
لما كان هذا من الأسود! أبي جعفر محمّد بن عليّ بن موسى- (عليهم السلام)- اليوم بين يدي أمير المؤمنين [المعتصم] .
قال: قلت له: و كيف كان ذلك؟
قال: إنّ سارقا أقرّ على نفسه بالسرقة، و سأل الخليفة تطهيره بإقامة الحدّ عليه، فجمع لذلك الفقهاء في مجلسه، و قد أحضر محمد بن عليّ- (عليهما السلام)-، فسألنا عن القطع في أيّ موضع يجب أن يقطع؟ قال:
فقلت: من الكرسوع، قال: و ما الحجّة في ذلك؟ قال: قلت: لأنّ اليد هي الأصابع و الكفّ إلى الكرسوع، لقول اللّه في التيمّم: فَامْسَحُوا بِوُجُوهِكُمْ وَ أَيْدِيكُمْ [ النساء: 43.]، و اتّفق معي على ذلك قوم.
و قال آخرون: بل يجب القطع من المرفق، قال: و ما الدليل على ذلك؟ قالوا: لأنّ اللّه لمّا قال: وَ أَيْدِيَكُمْ إِلَى الْمَرافِقِ [المائدة: 6] في الغسل دلّ ذلك أنّ حدّ اليد هو المرفق، قال: فالتفت الي محمد بن عليّ- (عليه السلام)- فقال: ما تقول في هذا يا أبا جعفر؟ فقال: قد تكلّم القوم فيه يا أمير المؤمنين [قال: دعني ممّا تكلّموا به، أيّ شيء عندك؟ قال: اعفني عن هذا يا أمير المؤمنين] قال: أقسمت عليك باللّه [لما أخبرت بما عندك فيه، فقال- (عليه السلام)-: أمّا إذا أقسمت عليّ باللّه] إنّي أقول: إنّهم أخطئوا فيه السنّة، فانّ القطع يجب أن يكون من مفصل اصول الأصابع، فيترك الكفّ، قال: و ما الحجّة في ذلك؟
قال: قول رسول اللّه- (صلّى اللّه عليه و آله)-: «السجود على سبعة أعضاء الوجه و اليدين و الركبتين و الرجلين»، فإذا قطعت يده من الكرسوع أو المرفق لم يبق له يد يسجد عليها، و قد قال اللّه تعالى: وَ أَنَّ الْمَساجِدَ لِلَّهِ- يعني به هذه الأعضاء السبعة التي يسجد عليها- فَلا تَدْعُوا مَعَ اللَّهِ أَحَداً الجنّ: 18. و ما كان للّه لم يقطع، قال: فأعجب المعتصم ذلك، و أمر بقطع يد السارق من مفصل الأصابع دون الكفّ.
قال ابن أبي داود: قامت قيامتي و تمنّيت أنّي لم أك [حيّا] قال زرقان: إنّ ابن أبي داود قال: صرت إلى المعتصم بعد ثالثة ، فقلت: إنّ نصيحة أمير المؤمنين عليّ واجبة، و أنا اكلّمه بما أعلم أنّي أدخل به النار، قال: و ما هو؟ قلت: إذا جمع أمير المؤمنين في مجلسه فقهاء رعيّته و علمائهم لأمر واقع من امور الدين، فسألهم عن الحكم فيه فأخبروه بما عندهم من الحكم في ذلك، و قد حضر مجلسه [أهل بيته] و قوّاده و وزرائه و كتّابه، و قد تسامع الناس بذلك من وراء بابه، ثمّ يترك أقاويلهم كلّهم لقول رجل يقول شطر هذه الامّة بإمامته، و يزعمون أنّه أولى منه بمقامه، ثمّ يحكم بحكمه دون حكم الفقهاء؟!
قال: فتغيّر لونه و انتبه لما نبّهته له و قال: جزاك اللّه عن نصيحتك خيرا، قال: فأمر اليوم الرابع الامراء من كتّابه و وزرائه [4] بأن يدعوه إلى منزله، فدعاه فأبى أن يجيبه و قال: قد علمت أنّي لا أحضر مجالسكم.
فقال: إنّي إنّما أدعوك إلى الطعام، و احبّ أن تطأ ببابي و تدخل منزلي فأتبرّك بذلك، و قد أحبّ فلان بن فلان من وزراء الخليفة [لقائك] ، فصار إليه.
فلمّا طعم منها أحسّ السمّ، فدعا بدابّته فسأله ربّ المنزل أن يقيم، قال: خروجي من دارك خير لك، فلم يزل يومه ذلك و ليله في حلقه [في المصدر: في خلفه، و قال محقّق البحار: إنّ الصحيح في خلفة و هو بالكسر: الهيضة، و هي انطلاق البطن و القيء.] حتّى قبض- (عليه السلام)- تفسير العيّاشي: 1: 319 ح 109 و عنه البحار: 50/ 5 ح 7 و ج 79/ 190 ح 33 و ج 85/ 128 و الوسائل: 18/ 490 ح 5 و حلية الأبرار: 4/ 580 ح 2.
ـ أَحْمَدُ بْنُ إِدْرِيسَ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ حَسَّانَ عَنْ أَبِي هَاشِمٍ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ صَلَّيْتُ مَعَ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فِي مَسْجِدِ الْمُسَيَّبِ وَصَلَّى بِنَا فِي مَوْضِعِ الْقِبْلَةِ سَوَاءً وَذُكِرَ أَنَّ السِّدْرَةَ الَّتِي فِي الْمَسْجِدِ كَانَتْ يَابِسَةً لَيْسَ عَلَيْهَا وَرَقٌ فَدَعَا بِمَاءٍ وَتَهَيَّأَ تَحْتَ السِّدْرَةِ فَعَاشَتِ السِّدْرَةُ وَأَوْرَقَتْ وَحَمَلَتْ مِنْ عَامِهَا.

1. Ahmad ibn Idris has narrated from from Muhammad ibn Hassa’n from abu Hashim Ali-Ja‘fari who has said the following. “Once I prayed with abu Ja‘far (a.s.) in the Mosque of Ali-Musayyib. He lead the prayer with us and as to the direction of Makka he stood up facing straight. He also has said that a berry tree that was in the Mosque had dried up and had no leaves. The Imam (a.s.) asked for water and prepared himself under that tree for prayer. The berry tree came alive with leaves and fruits in that year.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1, The Birth of Abu Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali, the Second (a.s.), Hadith 10
ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَبْدِ الله عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ سِنَانٍ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَقَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ حَدَثَ بِآلِ فَرَجٍ حَدَثٌ فَقُلْتُ مَاتَ عُمَرُ فَقَالَ الْحَمْدُ لله حَتَّى أَحْصَيْتُ لَهُ أَرْبَعاً وَعِشْرِينَ مَرَّةً فَقُلْتُ يَا سَيِّدِي لَوْ عَلِمْتُ أَنَّ هَذَا يَسُرُّكَ لَجِئْتُ حَافِياً أَعْدُو إِلَيْكَ قَالَ يَا مُحَمَّدُ أَ وَلا تَدْرِي مَا قَالَ لَعَنَهُ الله لِمُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ أَبِي قَالَ قُلْتُ لا قَالَ خَاطَبَهُ فِي شَيْءٍ فَقَالَ أَظُنُّكَ سَكْرَانَ فَقَالَ أَبِي اللهمَّ إِنْ كُنْتَ تَعْلَمُ أَنِّي أَمْسَيْتُ لَكَ صَائِماً فَأَذِقْهُ طَعْمَ الْحَرْبِ وَذُلَّ الاسْرِ فَوَ الله إِنْ ذَهَبَتِ الايَّامُ حَتَّى حُرِبَ مَالُهُ وَمَا كَانَ لَهُ ثُمَّ أُخِذَ أَسِيراً وَهُوَ ذَا قَدْ مَاتَ لا رَحِمَهُ الله وَقَدْ أَدَالَ الله عَزَّ وَجَلَّ مِنْهُ وَمَا زَالَ يُدِيلُ أَوْلِيَاءَهُ مِنْ أَعْدَائِهِ.
. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Ahmad ibn Muhammad ibn ‘Abdallah from Muhammad ibn Sinan who has said the following. “Once I went to see abu al-Hassan (a.s.). He said, “O Muhammad, has something happened to the family of al-Faraj (the governor of al-Madina )?” I said, “Yes, ‘Umar (a member of al-Faraj family) has died.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “All thanks and praise belongs to Allah.” He said it twenty four times. I then said, “My master, had known it would make you this happy I would have come to running and bare foot with the news (to congratulate you).” The Imam (a.s.) said, “Do you not know what he –may Allah condemn him- once had said to Muhammad ibn Ali, my father?” The narrator has said that I said, “No, I do not know it.” The Imam (a.s.) said, “He spoke to my father about an issue and then said to him, “I think you are drunk.” My father then had said, “O Lord, if you know that I have been fasting this day, then make him test the taste of al-A ‘war, and the humiliation of captivity.” By Allah, in just a few days his belongings were looted and he was captured and know he is dead-may Allah deprive him of His mercy. Allah, the Most Majestic, the Most gracious, has exacted revenge from him and He continues to exact revenge for His friends from His enemies.
Al-Kāfi - Volume 1, The Birth of Abu Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali, the Second (a.s.), Hadith 9
ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ قَالَ اسْتَأْذَنَ عَلَى ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) قَوْمٌ مِنْ أَهْلِ النَّوَاحِي مِنَ الشِّيعَةِ فَأَذِنَ لَهُمْ فَدَخَلُوا فَسَأَلُوهُ فِي مَجْلِسٍ وَاحِدٍ عَنْ ثَلاثِينَ أَلْفَ مَسْأَلَةٍ فَأَجَابَ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَلَهُ عَشْرُ سِنِينَ.

1. Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father who has said the following. “Once a group of Shi‘a from the suburbs asked permission to meet abu Ja‘far (a.s.). He granted them permission and they came in his presence. In one meeting they asked him thirty thousand questions. He answered them all and at that time he was ten years old.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1, The Birth of Abu Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali, the Second (a.s.), Hadith 7
ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ سَهْلِ بْنِ زِيَادٍ عَنْ دَاوُدَ بْنِ الْقَاسِمِ الْجَعْفَرِيِّ قَالَ دَخَلْتُ عَلَى ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) وَمَعِي ثَلاثُ رِقَاعٍ غَيْرُ مُعَنْوَنَةٍ وَاشْتَبَهَتْ عَلَيَّ فَاغْتَمَمْتُ فَتَنَاوَلَ إِحْدَاهُمَا وَقَالَ هَذِهِ رُقْعَةُ زِيَادِ بْنِ شَبِيبٍ ثُمَّ تَنَاوَلَ الثَّانِيَةَ فَقَالَ هَذِهِ رُقْعَةُ فُلانٍ فَبُهِتُّ أَنَا فَنَظَرَ إِلَيَّ فَتَبَسَّمَ قَالَ وَأَعْطَانِي ثَلاثَمِائَةِ دِينَارٍ وَأَمَرَنِي أَنْ أَحْمِلَهَا إِلَى بَعْضِ بَنِي عَمِّهِ وَقَالَ أَمَا إِنَّهُ سَيَقُولُ لَكَ دُلَّنِي عَلَى حَرِيفٍ يَشْتَرِي لِي بِهَا مَتَاعاً فَدُلَّهُ عَلَيْهِ قَالَ فَأَتَيْتُهُ بِالدَّنَانِيرِ فَقَالَ لِي يَا أَبَا هَاشِمٍ دُلَّنِي عَلَى حَرِيفٍ يَشْتَرِي لِي بِهَا مَتَاعاً فَقُلْتُ نَعَمْ قَالَ وَكَلَّمَنِي جَمَّالٌ أَنْ أُكَلِّمَهُ لَهُ يُدْخِلُهُ فِي بَعْضِ أُمُورِهِ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَيْهِ لاكَلِّمَهُ لَهُ فَوَجَدْتُهُ يَأْكُلُ وَمَعَهُ جَمَاعَةٌ وَلَمْ يُمْكِنِّي كَلامَهُ فَقَالَ يَا أَبَا هَاشِمٍ كُلْ وَوَضَعَ بَيْنَ يَدَيَّ ثُمَّ قَالَ ابْتِدَاءً مِنْهُ مِنْ غَيْرِ مَسْأَلَةٍ يَا غُلامُ انْظُرْ إِلَى الْجَمَّالِ الَّذِي أَتَانَا بِهِ أَبُو هَاشِمٍ فَضُمَّهُ إِلَيْكَ قَالَ وَدَخَلْتُ مَعَهُ ذَاتَ يَوْمٍ بُسْتَاناً فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي لَمُولَعٌ بِأَكْلِ الطِّينِ فَادْعُ الله لِي فَسَكَتَ ثُمَّ قَالَ لِي بَعْدَ ثَلاثَةِ أَيَّامٍ ابْتِدَاءً مِنْهُ يَا أَبَا هَاشِمٍ قَدْ أَذْهَبَ الله عَنْكَ أَكْلَ الطِّينِ قَالَ أَبُو هَاشِمٍ فَمَا شَيْءٌ أَبْغَضَ إِلَيَّ مِنْهُ الْيَوْمَ.

1. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from Sahl ibn zd from Dawud ibn al-Qasim al-Ja‘fari who has said the following “Once I went to see abu Ja‘far (a.s.) and I had a few questions on three pieces of materials with proper markings and they were mixed as such that I could not distinguish. I felt sad. He picked one and said, “This is the letter of Ziyad ibn Shabib.” Then he picked up the other one and said, “.This is the letter of so and so.” I became awe struck. He looked at me and smiled.” The narrator has said that the Imam (a.s.) then gave me three hundred Dinars and asked me to deliver them to the certain persons of the sons of his uncle and said, “He will ask you to show him a professional person who would help him to buy goods, help show him one.” The narrator has said that I then went to him and gave him the Dinars and asked me, “O abu Hashim, can you show me a professional person who would help me to buy goods.” I said, “Yes, I can do so.” The narrator has said that a camel man asked me to speak on his behalf to abu Ja‘far (a.s.) to take part in certain matters of his affairs. I went to see him (abu Ja‘far (a.s.) to speak to him but he was having meal with a group of people and I did not get a chance to speak to him. He (abu Ja‘far (a.s.) said, “O abu Hashim, eat. He placed food before me. Then he said, initiating and without any question from me, “O slave, take good care of the camel-man that abu Hashim has brought for us. Keep him with you.” The narrator has said that one day I entered a garden along with him and said, “May Allah take my soul in service for your cause, I am addicted to eating fig. Pray to Allah for me.” He was quite and then after three day on his own initiation he said, “O abu Hashim, “Allah has removed your addiction.” Ever since it is the thing that I hate most.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1, The Birth of Abu Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali, the Second (a.s.), Hadith : 4
ـ عَلِيُّ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ بَعْضِ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ الرَّيَّانِ قَالَ احْتَالَ الْمَأْمُونُ عَلَى ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) بِكُلِّ حِيلَةٍ فَلَمْ يُمْكِنْهُ فِيهِ شَيْءٌ فَلَمَّا اعْتَلَّ وَأَرَادَ أَنْ يَبْنِيَ عَلَيْهِ ابْنَتَهُ دَفَعَ إِلَى مِائَتَيْ وَصِيفَةٍ مِنْ أَجْمَلِ مَا يَكُونُ إِلَى كُلِّ وَاحِدَةٍ مِنْهُنَّ جَاماً فِيهِ جَوْهَرٌ يَسْتَقْبِلْنَ أَبَا جَعْفَرٍ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِذَا قَعَدَ فِي مَوْضِعِ الاخْيَارِ فَلَمْ يَلْتَفِتْ إِلَيْهِنَّ وَكَانَ رَجُلٌ يُقَالُ لَهُ مُخَارِقٌ صَاحِبُ صَوْتٍ وَعُودٍ وَضَرْبٍ طَوِيلُ اللِّحْيَةِ فَدَعَاهُ الْمَأْمُونُ فَقَالَ يَا أَمِيرَ الْمُؤْمِنِينَ إِنْ كَانَ فِي شَيْءٍ مِنْ أَمْرِ الدُّنْيَا فَأَنَا أَكْفِيكَ أَمْرَهُ فَقَعَدَ بَيْنَ يَدَيْ ابي جعفر (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَشَهِقَ مُخَارِقٌ شَهْقَةً اجْتَمَعَ عَلَيْهِ أَهْلُ الدَّارِ وَجَعَلَ يَضْرِبُ بِعُودِهِ وَيُغَنِّي فَلَمَّا فَعَلَ سَاعَةً وَإِذَا أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ لا يَلْتَفِتُ إِلَيْهِ لا يَمِيناً وَلا شِمَالاً ثُمَّ رَفَعَ إِلَيْهِ رَأْسَهُ وَقَالَ اتَّقِ الله يَا ذَا الْعُثْنُونِ قَالَ فَسَقَطَ الْمِضْرَابُ مِنْ يَدِهِ وَالْعُودُ فَلَمْ يَنْتَفِعْ بِيَدَيْهِ إِلَى أَنْ مَاتَ قَالَ فَسَأَلَهُ الْمَأْمُونُ عَنْ حَالِهِ قَالَ لَمَّا صَاحَ بِي أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ فَزِعْتُ فَزْعَةً لا أُفِيقُ مِنْهَا أَبَداً.

1. Ali ibn Muhammad has narrated from certain persons of our people from Muhammad ibn al-Rayyan who has said the following “Al-Ma’mun did all he could to prove that abu Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali al-Rida (a.s.) was only a young man of worldly desires. However Al-Ma’mun could not succeed. When he became frustrated he gave his daughter in marriage to abu Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali al-Rida (a.s.). For the ceremony he sent two hundred most beautiful entertaining girls each with a bowl in her hand with a precious pearl in it to well come abu Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali al-Rida (a.s.) when he would sit on the special seat prepared for him. They, however, were not of any attraction to the Imam (a.s.) to disturb him. There was a man called Mukhariq who had a voice, musical skills, a guitar and a tall beard. Al-Ma’mun called him and he said, “O Amir al-Mu’minin, if he is a worldly man I will prove myself as dealing him deadly blows on your behalf.” He sat in front of abu Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali al-Rida (a.s.) and began to bray a hee-haw that made all the people of the house gather around him. He began to play his guitar and sing. He did it for an hour but abu Ja‘far (a.s.) did not pay any attention to the right or left. Then he (a.s.) raised his head and said, “O you, tall bearded one, be pious before Allah.” The narrator has said that the musical instrument and guitar fell off his hand and he could not use his hands thereafter until he died. When Al-Ma’mun asked him about his condition he said, “When abu Ja‘far (a.s.) expressed his disappointment at me it struck me with a huge degree of fear from which I have not been able to relieve myself ever since.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1, The Birth of Abu Ja‘far, Muhammad ibn Ali, the Second (a.s.), Hadith 4
ـ الْحُسَيْنُ بْنُ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُعَلَّى بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ جُمْهُورٍ عَنْ مُعَمَّرِ بْنِ خَلادٍ قَالَ سَمِعْتُ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنَ إِبْرَاهِيمَ يَقُولُ لِلرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) إِنَّ ابْنِي فِي لِسَانِهِ ثِقْلٌ فَأَنَا أَبْعَثُ بِهِ إِلَيْكَ غَداً تَمْسَحُ عَلَى رَأْسِهِ وَتَدْعُو لَهُ فَإِنَّهُ مَوْلاكَ فَقَالَ هُوَ مَوْلَى أَبِي جَعْفَرٍ فَابْعَثْ بِهِ غَداً إِلَيْهِ.

1. Al-Husayn ibn Muhammad has narrated from Mu‘alla ibn Muhammad from Muhammad ibn Jumhur from Mu‘mmar ibn Khallad who has said the following. “I heard ’Isma‘il ibn Ibrahim say to al-rida (a.s.), ‘My son feels heaviness in his tongue. I intend to sent him tomorrow to you. Pass you your hand over his head and pray for him. He is your Mawla (slave).’” The Imam (a.s.) said, “He is a Mawla (slave) of abu Ja’far (a.s.). send him tomorrow to him (abu Ja‘far (a.s.).”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1, Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of abu Ja‘far al-Thani’s (the second) (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), Hadith 11
ـ بَعْضُ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ مُحَمَّدِ بْنِ عَلِيٍّ عَنْ مُعَاوِيَةَ بْنِ حُكَيْمٍ عَنِ ابْنِ أَبِي نَصْرٍ قَالَ قَالَ لِيَ ابْنُ النَّجَاشِيِّ مَنِ الامَامُ بَعْدَ صَاحِبِكَ فَأَشْتَهِي أَنْ تَسْأَلَهُ حَتَّى أَعْلَمَ فَدَخَلْتُ عَلَى الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) فَأَخْبَرْتُهُ قَالَ فَقَالَ لِي الامَامُ ابْنِي ثُمَّ قَالَ هَلْ يَتَجَرَّأُ أَحَدٌ أَنْ يَقُولَ ابْنِي وَلَيْسَ لَهُ وَلَدٌ.

One of our people has narrated from Muhammad ibn Ali from Mu‘awiya ibn Hakim from ibn abu Basir who has said the following. “Al-Najashi once asked me, “Who will be the Imam after your master? I wish you ask him so I will know.” I then went to see Ali al-Rida (a.s.) and informed him (of al-Najashi’s wish).” The narrator has said that the Imam said, “The Imam will be my son.” Then he said, “Can any one say that my son will be the Imam when he has no son?”
Al-Kāfi - Volume 1, Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of abu Ja‘far al-Thani’s (the second) (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), Hadith 5
ـ عِدَّةٌ مِنْ أَصْحَابِنَا عَنْ أَحْمَدَ بْنِ مُحَمَّدٍ عَنْ جَعْفَرِ بْنِ يَحْيَى عَنْ مَالِكِ بْنِ أَشْيَمَ عَنِ الْحُسَيْنِ بْنِ بَشَّارٍ قَالَ كَتَبَ ابْنُ قِيَامَا إِلَى أَبِي الْحَسَنِ (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) كِتَاباً يَقُولُ فِيهِ كَيْفَ تَكُونُ إِمَاماً وَلَيْسَ لَكَ وَلَدٌ فَأَجَابَهُ أَبُو الْحَسَنِ الرِّضَا (عَلَيْهِ السَّلام) شِبْهَ الْمُغْضَبِ وَمَا عَلَّمَكَ أَنَّهُ لا يَكُونُ لِي وَلَدٌ وَالله لا تَمْضِي الايَّامُ وَاللَّيَالِي حَتَّى يَرْزُقَنِيَ الله وَلَداً ذَكَراً يَفْرُقُ بِهِ بَيْنَ الْحَقِّ وَالْبَاطِلِ.

1. A number of our people has narrated from Ahmad ibn Muhammad from Ja’far ibn Yahya from Malik ibn Ashyam from al-Husayn ibn Bashshar who has said the following. “Ibn Qiyaman wrote a letter to abu al-Hassan (a.s.) in which he had said the following. ‘How can you be an Imam when you do not have a son?” Abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.) replied him with signs of anger, “How do you know that I will not have a son? By Allah, not many days and nights will pass before Allah will grant me a male child through who He will make the truth distinct from falsehood.”

Al-Kāfi - Volume 1, Tacit and Explicit Testimony as proof of abu Ja‘far al-Thani’s (the second) (a.s.) Divine Authority over the people after abu al-Hassan al-Rida (a.s.), Hadith 4
Ali ibn Ibrahim has narrated from his father that ’Isma‘il ibn Mihran who has said the following. “When abu Ja‘far left Madina for Baghdad the first time of his two journeys on his leaving I said to him, “May Allah take my souls in service for your cause, I am afraid about you in this condition. To who, after you, will belong the task (Leadership with Divine Authority)?” He turned to me laughing and said, “The disappearance, as have thought, will not take place this year. When he was about to be taken to al-Mu‘tasam (179/795 —became caliph 218/833 — 227/841), for the second time I went to him and said, “May Allah take my souls in service for your cause. You are leaving. To who, after you, will go this task Leadership with Divine Authority)?” He wept until his beard become soaked. He then turned to me and said, “This time you should be afraid about my life. The task (Leadership with Divine Authority) after me will go to my son Ali Al-Kāfi - Volume 1 p323
عَلِيُّ بْنُ إِبْرَاهِيمَ عَنْ أَبِيهِ عَنْ إِسْمَاعِيلَ بْنِ مِهْرَانَ قَالَ: لَمَّا خَرَجَ أَبُو جَعْفَرٍ ع مِنَ الْمَدِينَةِ إِلَى بَغْدَادَ فِي الدَّفْعَةِ الْأُولَى مِنْ خَرْجَتَيْهِ قُلْتُ لَهُ عِنْدَ خُرُوجِهِ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ إِنِّي أَخَافُ عَلَيْكَ فِي هَذَا الْوَجْهِ فَإِلَى مَنِ الْأَمْرُ بَعْدَكَ فَكَرَّ بِوَجْهِهِ إِلَيَّ ضَاحِكاً وَ قَالَ لَيْسَ الْغَيْبَةُ حَيْثُ ظَنَنْتَ فِي هَذِهِ السَّنَةِ فَلَمَّا أُخْرِجَ بِهِ الثَّانِيَةَ إِلَى الْمُعْتَصِمِ صِرْتُ إِلَيْهِ فَقُلْتُ لَهُ جُعِلْتُ فِدَاكَ أَنْتَ خَارِجٌ فَإِلَى مَنْ هَذَا الْأَمْرُ مِنْ بَعْدِكَ فَبَكَى حَتَّى اخْضَلَّتْ لِحْيَتُهُ ثُمَّ الْتَفَتَ إِلَيَّ فَقَالَ عِنْدَ هَذِهِ يُخَافُ عَلَيَّ الْأَمْرُ مِنْ بَعْدِي إِلَى ابْنِي عَلِيٍّ. کافی ج۱ ص ۳۲۳

A little backstory; I’m a WW and I have a BS. I spent almost our whole marriage acting out different forms of affairs and infidelity. DDay was about 10 weeks ago. He should’ve left me. He should’ve packed his things and disappeared. Years of lying and cheating, who in their right mind would stay? Who would ever think to themselves that they could stay with someone whom doesn’t even love them in the conditional sense? Well, he did. And I’m at a loss for words. For the record, I love this man more than life itself. I’ve never loved anyone more in my life. Not even myself. Honestly, if he would told me it was either him or my dog, I would’ve chosen him. So me cheating doesn’t make any fathomable sense, right? Why would I do something like that to someone I cherish so deeply? Well, your guess is as good as mine. I. Have. No. Clue. And it eats away at me every single day. Every time I take a breath. Every time I look at his face. Every time I see myself in the mirror. Why would you do something that awful? How could you literally shatter the one person that meant everything to you? I still haven’t figured it out. Because there is absolutely nothing he did wrong. No abuse, handsome as all get out, caring. He cherished me like an ice cube in the desert. I don’t know if I’m really rating or rambling away, but the lowdown of the matter is he stayed here with me. I’ve been upfront and honest about everything I can remember but seem to suffer a great deal from “affair fog” I think. There are people that I’ve forgotten and affairs that I can’t remember having. None of them were romantic, I never wanted to have a relationship outside of my marriage. They were all hookups. He mentioned R and I thought that I was working towards that. But apparently I’m not. He doesn’t feel that I find him desirable. He thinks I’m trickle truthing because I don’t remember every detail of what I’ve done. I can’t seem to grasp how I can prove to him that I’m doing everything in my power to do the right thing this go around in hopes that I can learn how to have a proper relationship with the man I love. I need to learn respect. I need advice on what to do. I’ve scowered Reddit and google and read infidelity books. I think what I need is actual people telling me what has and hasn’t worked for them. Someone that I can relate to rather than succumbing to my own thoughts and guessing what the right and wrong thing to do is. Maybe someone friendly enough to chat with that could give me insight. (Females only)

My little boy (2years 8months to be exact) just hates going to bed. He’s always been fine when he had his side on the cot and he would be put in, we would kiss him goodnight and then walk out.
However about 4 months ago we took his cot side off because he could climb out. Now we have a battle every night and at nap time to get him into bed. He just says “don’t want it” and slides off the bed. The only way to actually get him into bed is to physically lift him into bed where he then still tries to get out. We refuse to sit in the room with him because we don’t want that sleep association. It just doesn’t fit our lifestyle. Especially with a new baby. I need to be able to sort her out. So my goal is to go back to being able to kiss him goodnight and leave the room.
We’ve tried moving our routine around so that we read him stories in bed rather than just before. I’ve also been reading him bed time books and showing him some bedtime tv shows. I’ve been tried to explain to him how sleep is lovely and it helps us to feel good and that we’re all going to sleep, not just him (at night time). But he hates it. Unfortunately after 2 hours of picking him up, putting him back in over and over, we do get frustrated and we will say “get in bed right now” in a kind of angry tone and that usually makes him stay in but my fear is that it’s making him hate bedtime even more because he sees it as a punishment. Our next thing will be to get a sleep wake up alarm thing which I hope will help him to know when bed time is (he’s usually very good at following the rules).
However any advice is so much appreciated. It just breaks my heart when he starts to cry and I feel like we’re doing something wrong to make him hate sleeping.
I am currently sat in the room with him cause I’m at my wits end and he’s still not napping. Just lying there whispering and hanging his feet off the side of the bed. It’s been over an hour of trying to get him to sleep. And I know he’s tired. He was up for 3 hours in the night (refusing bed), we’ve been swimming, it’s 2pm after a 6:30 wake up, and he’s in a horrible mood and was nearly nodding off in the car. I don’t think he’s ready to drop his nap yet but even so, we would still have the issues with nightime sleep.

hi reddit. i posted this on a different server already but figured maybe it belonged under hear as well. long time lurker, first time poster. I don’t really know what i’m looking to accomplish by posting this. Maybe i need advice or maybe this is just so i can vent. tw for the following (suicide, sh, addiction, ab0rtion) All the names in this story are fake for privacy.
I, (22F) have a long , overwhelming, complicated relationship with my mom (44F). for some context: my mom and dad (48M) were never married, they were more of a fling. they had known each other only about a month and were casually dating…then my dad ended things to continue his career in a different state. they found out they were pregnant with me (they were 21 and 24) and my dad stayed in our home state to raise me. they never got back together but they remained friendly. fast forward to now my mother has a son Derek (Fake name, 17M) with derek’s dad, her now fiancé. We’ll call him Sal. My father, we’ll call him Roger, had 3 more children (F,F,M 10-14) with his ex wife. my mother kind of tossed me with my dad, and i saw her on weekends and the summertime. my mother was never really a mother to me…she did the bare minimum. to her defense, maybe the bare minimum to me, was the best she could offer. My mother will never admit it, but she resents having me. from the moment my brother was born, i felt it, i saw it, i endured it. my brother is my mother’s whole world, her everything. Her straight A, complient, high achieving baby boy who holds the key to her heart. her life began when my brother was born. And i am nothing. I am the problem child, the underachiever, the one who could always be a little bit more like my baby brother. My brother’s dad, my step dad (39F), is a great guy. my mom and him have an extensive history. They met when i was 4. They were off an on for many years. He was 22 when he had my brother..he was broke, immature, a “player”. My mom was 27 when she had my brother Derek. She was head over heels for sal. and i think he just wanted a booty call. That changed when my brother was born. he was not always kind to my mother, but he loves the shit out of derek. he stepped up and became a very respectable man and a very important person in my life. They were so in love with each other but neither of them could get their shit together enough for one another. Sal was engaged to someone for 9 years, my mother was in a serious relationship with someone else for about 6 years. Both of them eventually broke it off. And about 4 years ago, sal and my mother got back together, and last year he proposed. I struggled a lot mentally once i turned 12. I suffered from severe depression, anxiety, and (at the time) undiagnosed schizo-obsessive disorder. My father was/is my rock. He dropped everything to help me, to fix whatever was wrong with me. He is my bird, he holds me up, and protects me when i cannot do anything to help myself. He would wash my hair, help brush my teeth, and sleep on the floor next to my bed, when i was afraid i would do something awful to myself if i was left alone. He would sit me and help me eat when I would force myself to go hungry. He is my footprints in the sand (if you know that poem). I owe my life to him. My mother, was not like that. I was struggling with severe depression and temptations of suicide and she refused to help me or help with therapy, and was convinced i was making it up. my mom found out i was sh, and she beat me. and told me if i did it again, to make sure i cut deeper next time. i was 12. My mother at one point told me that i should end my life bc “she didn’t play that shit”. i was 13 when I attempted to fulfill her wishes for the first time. thankfully, i was unsuccessful, but i think,subconsciously, my mom wishes i was. What a horrible thing it is to look into your mother's eyes and see her love for you vanish. I'm sorry you had to raise a kid that you didn't want. i continued to silently struggle with self harm n suicide until i was 20. when i was 18 i eventually told my dad. he held me and cried with me. he bought self help books and took me on regular dad/daughter dates to remind me im loved. he did everything he could to protect me from my own brain. My issues with mental health continued, I wanted to die and i would have done anything and everything to make it happen. i think, if she could, my mother would have done it for me. i was 20 when i found out i was pregnant, with my current boyfriend. i was terrified. i was not afraid of being a mother. i was afraid of being MY mother, of trying so hard to not be like her, that somehow without knowing, it would be like looking in a mirror and seeing her. i regretfully, had an abortion. It’s been two years now, and i think of it every day. i relive my grief everyday. i was quickly filled with this maternal warmth i had never known. and just at fast as it appeared, it was gone. I was told it gets easier, but it doesn't... This pain DOES NOT go away. I told my mother about it. she was gentle and loving. she was a painted image of what i had always needed. and within an instant it was gone. she told me id be a terrible mother anyways, that i was not ready. maybe she was right. i moved out shortly after, and she turned my room into her dogs room. i was 21 years old finally getting diagnosed with OCD and schizo-obsessive disorder, and trial and erroring medications. being in the worst mental pit of my life, struggling to stay alive. with only help from dad and bf for anything because she didn’t think any of it was real or as bad as i “was making it seem”. the second derek showed an ounce of an anxiety- she started taking him to therapy regularly, got him on medication, and prioritized it. mom is pushing and helping him find universities like princeton and other areas..i went to 13 different schools before HS because no one could agree on anything. he’s only ever been to private school. im paying for college all by myself. she takes him on trips to disney world for his birthday, after promising me every year to take me from 2-14. and lets him bring a friend fully paid, but makes me stay home to watch her dogs. i’ve still never been. I try not to think about it. i love my mother. i am very close with my brother. sometimes i wish he would stand up for me. but he is only 17..i will not hold that on him. this is all he has known. a loving mother and father who would give anything for him. i feel very out of place on her side of the family. i don’t feel like my mom knows me at all and she makes me feel small because im not who she wants me to be. and i can’t tell her any of this and it’s building a lot of resentment. i don’t want to hate my mom my mother had her baby with the man she wanted and created her own little family where i am the outcast. I am not her daughter, i am a constant reminder of what her life could have been and what her life is. for as much she doesn’t like her mother, she is a product of her environment. the way my grandmother treated her and my aunt …i see a lot of similarities of that with me and derek. i don’t think she’ll ever admit it, but i think she’s embarrassed of me. i didn’t have that push or encouragement from her like she’s gives derek. i feel like she’s wishes i was more like him. and it’s hard not to resent derek sometimes because he has a version of mom that im never going to get. i want my mother to love me. i want derek’s mother. that daughterhood feeling of wanting to blame your mother for how you turned out, wanting to be angry at her for how you've inherited her pain and her insecurities, but at the same time wanting to keep coming home to her, out of everyone else in the universe, because you know that if there's anyone who might be anything like you-if there's anyone who might even have a clue of what it's like to be you-it could only be her. and no matter how many times you've hurt each other, no matter how difficult it might be to get her to truly see you, you still just want her to love you as you are, to tell you that this isn't your fault, and to show you that she would keep letting you come home to her. i want her to be proud of me. but i am all you could have been and you are all i might be.
i know this was long. i needed to get it out i guess. i’m so lonely. i just want my mom.

Inspired by my flippant comment on wellychick’s thread for dating alternatives (didn’t want to derail her post) I realised something (and then the brain got involved). Warning, this got long, contains satire and mass generalisations, find something else if that scares you.
Bunnings/Mitre 10 (hereafter referred to as BM) should have a singles desk (obviously near the door, coz men ain’t walking all the way to the back). When singles walk in, they can register at the desk (men can list which aisle/2 aisles they’re going to be in), and then if women are in the store at the same time, they can track them down (no point asking men to wander the entire store obviously, plus security for the women, you can decide if you want to approach). When men leave, they sign out, the opportunity has been missed…
Bonus points if the store layout allows for the desk to be located between the doors and the café, then women can just snipe the men from over a book/coffee before they disappear into the aisles (more business for the café if it ends up extending to a date).
Now, obviously, with their conveniently longer opening hours and number of stores, the sheer odds of getting compatibility like this is probably low, so, tool nights! Lure in those single men with demos of tools. What better way to find the next tool you didn’t know you always needed! It would be like moths to a flame. Obviously this would be restricted to singles, coz the attached men are at home helping with the kids (you are doing that right??). My local Bunnings is already open in the evening for this to work. Who doesn't like an evening run for some hardware and then when you put it away, you find the exact same blister pack you bought several years ago.
In the safety of a public space, women can come along and assess the prowess of the men for their suitability (or laugh at their ineptitude and give them a pity pass). They could even bring along their flat pack furniture for assembly in couples challenges (wasn’t there a show that used flat pack to analyse couples and their ability to work together?). Bonus if it actually gets assembled correctly (although alcohol and tools probably shouldn’t be mixed), but maybe one of the shy or quiet men offers to help you out. Just use your intuition to make sure he isn’t dodgy first, of course.
You could have categories for compatibility, those that didn’t use any instructions or planning in assembly would be the gamblers, then you’ve got the organisers that don’t even open anything before reading the instructions cover to cover (usually more than once). Men will get to show off their manliness by loading assembled furniture into your vehicle, and in the inevitable case where it doesn’t fit (who needs measurements eh women?), well, he’ll load it into his, and drop it off for you (and then you’ll have him cornered). Apologies to those that aren’t compensating and drive shopping carts. Maybe she bought something small, or did use the measurements? Hahahah
Why would BM do this? Well asides from the obvious direct sales already highlighted, when couples are matched up, and the list of projects comes out (coz it always does, doesn’t it?) where else are they going to go, but their favourite store where they met, to get supplies! You now have a long-term captive customer, coz those projects are gonna keep coming!
Down the line once you have couples, then you’ll need a range of wedding supplies (don’t worry, the women will advise what they want)… and you guessed it, more shopping trips!
Post your own ideas :)

My Original Post: https://www.reddit.com/DivinityOriginalSin/comments/10my6dd/doing_a_maskless_undead_playthrough_heres_all_the/
Prologue: The prologue being an actual challenge was fun. Having to figure out how to get past the first few guards without dying and getting XP from everyone at the top of the ship because they try to attack you right away is always a nice bonus too.
Act 1: While Act 1 was cool, with a lot of unique interactions and a couple of hidden voice lines who actually acknowledge that you're unmasked, the rest of the game didn't have quite as much reactivity. Sahelia and Magister Locke being blind and able to speak with me were the other major highlights there of course.. Surprised Larian added voice lines for a playstyle that you're told not to do several times. I've included those voice lines if anyone wanted to see them at the bottom of the post in a video.
Act 2: In Act 2 it was mostly a murderhobo's dream. Driftwood was unquestable, and everyone other than the Drudanei addicts refused to speak with me (I guess it makes sense they are currently high so a skeleton isn't too shocking?). The surprising part was the source teachers didn't react to my Undead appearance. They were all able to be spoken with, and the Elves after saving Saheila welcomed me. Finally giving me access to vendors.
The weird part was after getting the spirit vision spell most of the ghosts of the world still were afraid of me. Not sure if intended or not. Do ghosts fear skeletons?
Pretty much the only quests that weren't totally broken in act 2 were the source teachers/main story ones but since there's a lot of XP to be earned I left act 2 around level 15 and without issue.
Act 3 was pretty much unchanged. There's not a lot of people you meet anyways, but in the elf tree settlement area they welcomed me into the city & turned on me immedialtey afterwards.... None of them wanted anything to do with me there. The Shadow prince reacted the same way, but the black ring soldiers were kind to me. They had some reactivity to the fact I'm undead (but I think they do regardless of me being masked or not? not sure tbh). The cooler part was that they actually accepted me as they also have undead soldiers.
Act 4 is a nightmare when played this way. You have to fight all the pilgrims all the voidwolken, and all the citizens on the way to Arx. The one surprise was lord linder kemm wouldn't attack me and would speak to me without any mention about my apperance. (Makes sense when you know who he is). Still a little weird he didn't call me out on being a literal skeleton though. Lord Ahu would also speak to me... kind of? The first time he spoke to me and did his usual story. Left his prison, and then was angry at me for the rest of the game. The toymaker was the first of the main story characters who refused to speak with me, but as I'd played the game enough times I at least knew how to continue.
Entering the tomb of the divine was just killing everyone on the way and it got to the point of annoyance. I just wanted to finish up lol. I was a little disapointed there was no reactivity in the rest of the game after Act 1 though. (Much like baldur's gate 3... you can tell act 1 gets the most love in Larian's games)
Since my previous post I had created a youtube channel to document my challenge runs instead of posting on reddit so if you're interested in video format here you go: (If you only want to hear the unique maskless voicelines you can go to them at timestamps: Zalaskar 4:48 and Malady 7:05 ) <- These Voicelines were really the hidden gem that I was happy to find at least.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=k9dA1vQZG9M

Hello, I'm planning on writing a fanfic where the MC is an artificer so I've been trying to figure out how the hell it works.
How are these items made? The items made by Gideon, the rings arthur and alice wore to report his health, the stones containing healing spells alice seemingly made, the long distance communication scrolls, voice changing mask, etc.. There's so many of these items with different functions. Some can be linked to existing elemental magic like the mask to sound magic, and some have esoteric effects I can't match with any known magic branch.
That's why I'm confused about how they are made, the mechanics of their crafting, the requirements to make them and so on. Does anyone know? I'd be grateful if someone explained it to me.

Hello typing! I just joined this sub today.
I recently built my first ever keyboard (although I still have yet to finish the lubing + modding stage as the rest of the stuff I need haven't arrived yet), and doing so many tests on monkeytype recently to test both performance and sound has kind of reinvigorated a sense of wanting to improve my typing skills further. I used to type at an average of 100+ WPM (fastest was 120 @ 100% accuracy for about 5 minutes) back when I was 12 and my fastest now in my early 20s is 144 WPM under the same parameters, with an average of 120-130 WPM when typing 1k words at 95-97% acc.
I've never really trained for it aside from playing Typer Shark when I was way younger and my access to games was limited, but I still do see it as a useful skill. However, I do have a few questions.
Firstly, is there any real advantage for me to type even faster than I do now? Or would I just be improving for the "hobby" side of it? I'm still studying in college so I have no idea if fast typing would give me any real advantage when job hunting. Is it something that would be good to put on a resume, especially if the job would most likely involve typing up a lot of working papers?
Secondly, I noticed that the way I type might be a huge reason as to why I might not be able to type any faster. Being an avid gamer that has relatively large hands, I pretty much learned to type by letting the left hand take up the most space. I toggle caps lock every time I capitalize anything since I never liked the feeling of anchoring my pinky/ring finger to Shift even if just for one key (unless it's for symbols), and I deal with any keys on the right half of the alphas with pretty much just my right index finger.
I rarely use any other finger on my right hand, as I exclusively use my ring finger for backspace and enter, while my index does everything else. Occasionally my middle finger gets used, but not in a consistent manner.
So, would it be worth it to train away that particular habit on my right hand? Trying out the 10-finger touch typing layout feels uncomfortable because of how it feels like my fingers can tangle up with each other, and I obviously make more mistakes.

I have moved to England a few years ago and find it very hard to find friends. I make an effort, open up, put myself out there, but it feels like it is all for nothing as it is usually one way. I know work is probably not the best place to make friends, but I have no clue where else! Just to share an example. When I started work my team were already working together for years and they are all very good friends outside work. Even though things changed, some people left, some moved teams, we kept in touch with a few people. Now, from my side I am trying to put myself out there. I am not the one to take the initiative in organising meet ups, but I always made an effort to be there. When I got pregnant, I invited them out and announced it, ended up sitting at the table kind of on my own, while the convo was flowing between them all. When I gave birth, I did text a few of them with which I was closer and said I will invite them around when I get things in order on my side and since then, they haven’t even checked up on me. I invited one of them who also gave birth recently to my house with her husband. We had a nice afternoon together, I am the one that texts her most of the time to check on her. She is getting married now and I have been invited to the evening drinks only. I am thinking how to attend and how to arrange things on my side as to be there I need to travel for a few hours. I find out after I reached out to one of them that the three of them have been invited for the full day and already booked accommodation. I am not complaining about this particular situation, it is just an example. I am telling to myself socialising doesn’t matter to me that much, but I realise I do suffer and it feels like shit happens to me all the time. Another example - a gave birth within a few weeks from the day another one of my colleagues did. She ended up receiving a lot of congrats under a teams post dedicated to her, when I received just a few likes. I just don’t understand what do I do wrong, I feel like I am trying to be nice and build relationships with people, only to end up hurt. Is anyone else feeling the same? Can someone notice anything you could point out to me while reading the above? Maybe I just don’t understand something.

This wipe i’ve made it my goal to collect all the boss gear. I thought it couldn’t be too hard for a solo player, just gotta play smart and kit up. As you can probably already tell, i was wrong.
(This is a long read, scroll to bottom for TLDR)
This weekend I decided i wanted to start my boss farming with the collector gear, get the hardest boss out of the way and then only slightly less suffering for night Island. What proceeded this decision was probably 50-60ish raids of peak highs and rock bottom lows.
The worst part about the Collector is how rare his spawns are, which i get, rare things wouldn’t be rare if they showed up all the time. But surviving about 12 raids in a row and not seeing him starts to grate on you.
He showed up less times (2) than the amount of purple cards out of random containers i pulled (3) looking for him.
The first time i saw him i was caught with my pants down, i had just come off of a raid where i lost a T5, full kit AK Alpha build I graciously traded from another player for the low price of one grenade.
Some how feeling frustrated about losing a kit that cost me nothing, i jumped into a Matka raid naked, just running around looting, i find another trusty grenade and was able to take out another kitted player at the steps of museum.
As i run over to grab his kit the Collector just materialises, i panic, no armor, and a Glock to my name, i hide behind a car and as the collector isn’t the smartest guy, he cant shoot me, but he does periodically edge closer to my side of the car so i just keep circling away from him.
Obviously this is when some street Fenix decide to see what all the commotion is about, now i have to try take them out while still circling this car, fortunately his goons were nowhere to be seen, i took out the Fenix, now it was just me, an almost empty glock and the collector.
I put the last few shots i had into the collectors head through the car windows. i might as well have been throwing paper balls at him. as i last ditch effort, i opened my mic and pleaded for help, at the same time the collector remembered my comments about him not being very smart and pulled off the cleanest juke around the car and one tapped me.
I was in pain, the one time he decides to show up, im on a naked frustration raid. I decided then and there i will have to go kitted every time, even if i lose a great kit. And that mentality led me to finally get the collector.
Cut to today, I had just lost a fully kitted Scar, T5 Armohelmet, stocked bag, the works, great fight but a shame not to have won it. Normally i would run a naked raid after losing a kit like this but I remembered last time, i went right back into my armoury and made up an almost identical kit and jumped right back in.
the raid started like any other, i made my way to the museum, i was able to take out a player on the way there, my spoils being a Makarov. I get to the museum and see a couple normal street fenix making there rounds, i take them both out and make my way into the museum, nothing out of the ordinary.
At this point i assume the collector isnt here as i haven’t really heard anything, so i don’t even check the stage i just run up the stairs in the corner closest to the stage room. As im going up the stairs i hear tons of footsteps like a stampede in my ears, im thinking "huh", i turn around and i see a collector goon!
I dont engage him, i already know im asking for trouble trying to fight him on the stairs, i run to the top of the stairs and down the hallway to a little indented area that has a tan box, i already know the AI gets a little stupid when you position yourself behind a box. My heart rate is climbing, "This is he moment you've been waiting for" is ringing around my head, i am fully kitted and the collector is here, his goons follow after me first, all in a nice straight line for me. My AP Scar makes short work of them.
Then i see my old friend, the collector.
I fumble with my mags and ready a grenade, i've been waiting to put a grenade right between his legs since the moment we first crossed paths, unfortunately for me the nade fell short, but it still did some work, i aim for his head and dumped a full mag of AP into his noggin.
The Collector dropped, i had finally defeated him, but i wasn't in the clear, my shots were silenced but the amount of shots i fired would have brought in the other players like Hyenas. before i could even look at fruits of my labour another play was already here.
A naked i blessed with full goon gear was coming to take what was mine, unfortunately for him, goon guns dont come filled with AP, we square up, i win the fight barely, with only a few ticks of life left, i reach into my bag and make use of my last stim, just enough to get me back to 2/3 health.
I hear the exfil alarm, there would be more players soon, i swap into the collector gear, grab all the mags, green key card and deagle. I also grab a couple goon pistols too for good measure. Now i just need to get out, i creep my way out of the museum, checking my corners. All clear, i had the corner exfil, please just let me cross this street.
Like any good citizen i looked both ways before crossing. I saw a player, my heart stopped. My instincts took over, i raised my new XM and mowed him down in just a few shots. I successfully cross the road, exfil and make a victory noise i dont believe i ever made before.
TLDR: After around 50-60 raids trying to collect the collector i finally defeated him.

So I (20f) met my ex fiance(22m) when I was living in TN and met him off of bumble and just before a year after dating we got engaged and shortly later we were getting kick out of my aunts house (very long story) so I was moving back to Utah to live with my mom while getting back on my feet. He followed with me to Utah. Shortly after we moved, I ended up pregnant, we didn't think I could because we had gone MONTHS with nothing, but it turned out to be stress preventing my body from allowing pregnancy.
Everything was wonderful. Great sweet guy, caring and thoughtful, and not the best at communicating, especially with his emotions. He was better than any person on social media as a support person during labor, and shortly after, our som was in the nicu, and I had a c section, so it was rough. But he was amazing with it all! And a great dad and very involved and caring.
Then, 4 months post partum, I find out all this stupid shit.
This is our first son, and there were complications . He's a little extra needy when it comes to food and gaining weight. He had an iugr and was 1 month premature. I was going to be staying at home to take care of our kiddo cause that was my dream, and at the time, he said he wouldn't be able to take care of the kiddo by himself.
Well, about 2.5 months into post partum, he stopped being fully present, I was doing everything with the rare times he would do stuff. I thought everything was okay, and he was struggling with post partum depression because he was still sweet, caring, loving, and still seemed like he wanted to be a part of the family. Arguments started about him not helping around the house, him hardly helping with kiddo, and when I would try to wake him up he would lay there pretending to be asleep or yelling at me that he's not gonna wake up.
He started to live in his truck as I started to speculate cheating but couldn't figure out how to pinpoint it, and the engagement ring came off.
Small background when we were engaged, and he pretty much was getting screwed over with a car his parents pulled a loan for when he was 16, but he was paying for it. He couldn't purchase a car and needed one asap, so I helped by putting the loan in my name. Well shortly after kicking him out I told him if he couldn't get the loan in his name I'll have to get rid of the car cause of the dept to income for an apartment even if he pays on it as well as me being scared that he'd just screw me over.
One other back story i saw him texting a women on snapchat and I asked who she was (because previously there was multiple arguments about him needing to stop talking and unadd the same ex of his an another about him liking half naked women on instagram). He says that it's one of the people from his gaming group, she lived in a neighboring state, which turned out as a lie. One day when doing laundry at a mat I was loading up in the back of the car and saw him open a snap of hers and respond, both of them putting in a lot of effort in the photos (which he doesn't do for me). I get in and tell him that's not her being friendly she's trying to fuck you and be a home wrecker, hah I was right... but he tried to convince me she was a friend, I never believed it.
One day, the day before mother's day, before he got his vehicle he was needing a ride with the car to put stuff in his storage unit from the car. I was going to get a breather because things were getting emotional and he stole my car. Cops were called and some women had picked him up. It was the girl he said months ago is a gaming buddy. Later we talked and he said he wanted to work on us and he'd remove her, she knows he has a family and us just a friend and stuff like that. I didn't really believe him. Well he removed her then said he's gonna go for a drive to get fresh air and think, turns out he re added her then went to her work event.
Shitty part of mothers day, my first mind you, finding out I'm being cheated on, and then goes "she said happy mothers day btw" like why the hell are you talking to her when your "trying to make it up to me for the damage so my first mothers day ain't ruined." He admits "She's a friend" that he had went to a concert with, goes to the bar with and visits her on lunch. There was arguments of how that's not what friends do and beginning to ask him how many times did he fuck her. He kept trying to convince me she's just a friend.
Some time when buy with arguing about that and him going "I blocked her I'll follow your boundaries to fix this" then couple hours later re add her. I began talking to men and an old ex because having people to talk to even when it's not about the drama is how I cope and it kept me above water.
Mind you at this time he really hasn't asked to see his kid and hasn't really acknowledged him unless I say something. We also were broken up before I started talking to other people.
He got pissed that I was talking to other people and started yelling at me about it.
Well I was tired of "she's just a friend" arguments cause I knew something was off. One morning I left work early (my shift starts way early) I went home took his phone while he was sleeping and went through it. Yup confirmed that I was right the past couple months and shit. So I woke him up and was like I know now tell me.
His pitty excuse that I don't believe anymore but at the time did is: I had an ex back when I was dealing drugs in Florida ask if she can move with me to my home state on one run but I told her I couldn't cause I was still under age and living with my parents and she killed herself when I left because I didn't take her with me and her dad is abusive. Well he said one time when he went to the bar he saw her looking at him and then he went to smoke and then came back in the bar and she was still staring so he went to talk to her because he "didn't feel loved so why the fuck not"
Side note he was jealous of our infant son because (starting at less than 1 month old of feeling jelous) that I was giving kiddo all move attention and loving on kiddo and my cats. Because I was suffering PPD PPA and Post partum anger, he wasn't there for me and even yelled saying things like "you shouldn't feel that way, things happen and it's fine there's alternatives" when I would cry about things that were struggling with kiddo like breast feeding and things like that. Fucking jealous of an infant dude.
Then said that they only fucked twice and it started when he saw her at the concert and gave her a ride home because she was drunk and her friends left her. That was brought up because I saw her tiktok with her post him with them in the car. I said you could have bought her an Uber and I don't believe her friends left her. The truth later be told 1 month after I found out about him full on cheating was he got on tinder, met her, picked her up and took her to the concert, fucked her then came home.
He was constantly gone while I was taking care of our kid so he can fuck around many times.
Well I forgot most stuff because of my ptsd response and blockage but recently he had kept seeing her and I said I was done. One day he's begging to work on things and the next day he blocks my number saying he never wants to hear from me again.
This past week has been fucked. To put it short. He refused to see his son when I was available in between work and doctors appointments because he didn't want to move his date and he already has went over a week without seeing the little guy. He did this twice.
He kept trying to say I think we will work out and come back to each other in the future. Saying things like I wanna see where things go with Jessica, if they work out great if not great and then we can try on us. Saying he will wait for me and that he will compete with the other men that I talk to or date. And stupid shit like that.
I told him I was first I should have never been second. Told him if he continues to pursue her I will never be willing to wrap back around to this even years from now when he's done with his stupid manic episode. He's showing heavy heavy traits of bipolar.
Well anyways
When he was in kiddos life and I went back to work I would tap in on the Alex to check in since he would never answer me and I would hear kiddo awake for hours or crying for so long wanting food that I would constantly have to leave work. I have gotten a video of him saying he won't wake up to feed our kid from a recent event. Kiddo has torticolis in his neck causing flat head and he needs off of it as much as possible but he hardly ever was up so kiddo would be on his head from bed time at 8 to 9 pm all the way till he woke up at 12 pm on later days but no earlier than 10 am when kiddos wake up time that he actually wakes up at is 7 am. He's constantly drinking and admitted to drinking and driving on the way home from work. The first thing in his fridge at his apartment was beer and constantly going to the bars.
Even when I was around with kiddo he would almost never acknowledge him.
He's always threatened since kid was 1.5 months old (way before I knew about anything) he would just sign his rights away. Well just this past Friday he said he wanted to so I said I can print off the papers to fill out and sign so I did and Saturday after he slept on it, had a calm conversation about it, the papers were notarized and emailed to the courts.
He blocked my number even though he technically can't and doesn't give a shit.
I feel like I failed my kid. I promised I would never find someone that was going to be a father to my kid the same way my dad was to me and I failed. No one saw this everyone was like it was a flip of a switch cause he was over the moon for me and was so excited to be a dad and now he's saying things like she's worth loosing my family and never seeing the family again. I hurt for my son the most.
:((
Edit: Another side note besides the neglect toward the child he has also laid his hands on me 3 times out of anger. Even when I was waking him to help me with kiddo, he choked me. I fear he will get angry at kiddo to hurt him cause I've watched him get so mad and yell at him and make the face he would make before he would hurt me.

if you don't wanna read the guide and just watch the videos, just scroll down to the boss you wanna see and click the links.
Summary - This build primarily relies on Hold person or hold monster, and divination wizard will help guarantee these spells to succeed through use of portent die. I also use LOTS of terazul, a haste potion that lasts two turns but doesn't require bonus action, very powerful and more importantly very easy to farm, cheap too! Buy it from the bartender in nine fingers hide out. You can get around 70-100 in about 20 minutes. https://youtu.be/0mgG-4UM7GI
Making the build - Eldritch blasters always seemed weak to me with limited gear, oftentimes, builds i see solely rely on crit gear and risky ring, so i never thought i would actually make an act 3 no gear run with eldritch blast as my primary source of damage. I only ever considered it cause someone requested it.
I started off with some kind of warlock/thief/fightesorc abomination, it did not end well. Not only was i missing half my blasts, but the damage was pretty damn low as well. A couple of days later i read some people in this sub talking about divination wizards, so i got to brainstorming again, tested it on raphael and it came out pretty okay! A couple more days later, u/Ozymandius666 commented about this item called Terazul, which just happens to be the strongest source of haste in the game. this build would have been considerably weaker without it.
LEVELS
stats - 16 con, 15 int, 17 charisma
4 white dragon sorc - get hold person and invisibility. feat ability improvement +1 int, +1 charisma
4 life cleric - feat +2 charisma, prepare sanctuary, and create water
2 divination wizard - learn scrolls - summon elemental, hold monster. NOTE!: keep portent die reaction toggled off, toggle it on right before casting hold monsteperson.
2 great old one warlock - get agonizing blast and devils sight
BEST SUMMON - earth elemental, this summon has low dex just like your party, so it will have high chance of taking turns together with your characters. can prone, and does extra damage to prone enemies using special multi attack.
PORTENT DIE
you get 2 portent die per long rest, the die number is random, at 16 int your hold monster has a dice check of 15, raphael has +3 to wisdom saving throws, that means you want a portent die of 11 or lower to guarantee hold monster on raphael by replacing his dice roll with your portent die. (11+3 = 14 = fail)
LEGENDARY RESISTANCE
you can bypass legendary resistance by using a portent die, here is how it works:
possibility 1 - enemy fails saving throw, portent die does not trigger, legendary resistance triggers = hold person FAILS!
possibility 2 - enemy succeeds saving throw, legendary resistance does not trigger, you can trigger portent die make saving throw fail = hold person SUCCESS!
so you want gortash/orin to succeed their initial saving throws so you can change it into a failure. worst case is they fail three in a row and trigger legendary resistance three times, even if this happens you can still easily kill them as long as you manage your resources properly.
Raphael https://youtu.be/ewgl3mjfu-0
Cazador - undead, can't hold monster, just cast bless and eldritch blast. https://youtu.be/i_2KXAXHPMM
Viconia - Bait her out of sanctuary with a summon triggering her opportunity attack, then hold person her https://youtu.be/tOUJub0V1Pk
Titan https://youtu.be/emxv73fn3MY
Gortash - watch out for reflector guard, this will return eldritch blast damage to caster. if he still has this, don't come out of sanctuary. https://youtu.be/C8bxfyqep28
Orin https://youtu.be/qtKua8c20sY
High hall - kill the mind flayers asap, they are the biggest threat and are pretty much the only enemies that can make you lose this fight. https://youtu.be/Xl_f2lkC9d8
Elder Brain (red dragon not killed) - for some reason my portent die disappears after the emperor teleports me, i don't know if this is a bug or if its some kind of lore design, which kinda sucks for divination wizards. can't see the future cause the apocalypse is coming??? it sounds pretty cool on paper. https://youtu.be/j9NoHwMI6Dk
ansur - undead, can't hold monster, but you can cheese him with cloud of daggers if you wish. https://youtu.be/5CxqRN48wSk?si=1bpk1zWXQITFcTG2
this is probably my last no gear, Next one will probably be a naked weapon only act 3 run.

Ever felt bad for feeling happy and liberated after leaving a toxic situation? Like you're being disloyal or betraying someone by finally experiencing a better life without them?
That unreasonable guilt sneaks in when things are looking much better for you without them. You may be taking care of yourself, pursuing something you love, and feeling really hopeful about the future, but there’s still that niggling feeling that you don’t need to be doing that or to be happy. It's this twisted “loyalty trap” where your mind gets all tangled up trying to stay "loyal" to the person who mistreated you.
See, when you're stuck in an unhealthy, abusive cycle for a long time, your identity becomes entangle in it. The psychological trauma bonds you to your abuser in weird ways. So, when you break free and start healing or experiencing life without them, you weirdly feel like you're doing something wrong.
It's almost like there's a voice in your head which keeps saying, "But we stuck by them through the hard times, how can we just walk away now?" Or "If I'm thriving without them, does that make me a bad person?" or “How can I be happy when they’re suffering?”
You logically know the relationship was not the best place for you and it was pretty messed up. You know you didn't deserve the crap you went through. But still, some part of you is kind of feeling disloyal for wanting to be happy and free or even just building a good life for yourself. This also applies when you leave a toxic workplace. You may feel like they really paid your salary for years and you’re simply abandoning them. Or when you say no to your mom, who educated you and sacrificed her life for you to get to 'where you were'.
Let me tell you something - that's the tricks your mind is playing, and you don’t need to listen to it! You have every right to be happy, healthy and free from abuse. Feeling good about escaping an unhealthy isn't disloyal at all.
In fact, it's one of the loyal things you can do for yourself. You’ve neglected yourself, knowingly or unknowingly, for a very long time. When you’re about to do something for you, your mind brings forth those voices of your tormentors, trying to guilt-trip you into not taking care of yourself.
You may hear that voice saying, “You’re being selfish for going on that trip with your friends” or “Your ex-partner is suffering, and here you are happy.” It’s a voice pulling you towards languishing in suffering, just like everyone else.
Do not listen to it but keep moving and healing until those voices seem like dry echoes from a distant past.
Broken Vow Implant
See, when we're stuck in a toxic situation, our minds can develop what I call a "broken vow implant." It's like a hidden promise we make to ourselves to stay loyal to the abuser or the abusive environment, even though it hurts us. This promise is so strong that it feels like we're spiritually bound to them, no matter how badly they treat us.
Even if we logically understand how hurtful the situation is, there's a deep inner belief that keeps running in our heads: "But I promised I'd never leave them, no matter what." This belief gets stronger and stronger every time we give in to their abusive ways, every time we put their needs before our own sanity and peace of mind.
After finally finding the courage to leave, we carry with us that deeply ingrained "vow” and this is what causes feelings of shame and disloyalty whenever we start to live a better kind of life. It's as if our soul still believes we're betraying them by allowing ourselves to be happy away from that toxic environment.
That's why many people, after leaving those relationships, may not create a better life for themselves. Instead, they end up sabotaging or creating an environment where they continue to hurt themselves. Some sneaky ways this can happen include being overly frugal, not because they lack money, but because they feel guilty spending on themselves, thinking it's disloyal to their difficult upbringing.
Conscious Reprogramming to Reclaim Your Loyalty
The only way to break free from those chains is to become very aware of how our wounded ego affects us. Then, we need to consciously challenge those core beliefs by doing things that show we value and care for ourselves, even if it means going against our old loyalties. It means catching yourself anytime the backward guilt tries sneaking in, and urgently reminding yourself: "My decision to finally leave wasn't a personal betrayal, but the bravest stance of loyalty to my humanity I could take." It means allowing yourself to feel shame or any uncomfortable emotion which arises when you take care of yourself, but not letting it overwhelm you for more than a moment.
The more you take care of yourself, the more you're being loyal to the one person who deserves it the most, which is you. And gradually, by not giving any more attention to that old "vow," it will fade away, no longer able to weigh you down with its toxic influence. So feel the joy, feel the light, feel the deep connection of becoming more intimately bonded with your truth, free of imprisonment. That's the reconnection worth remaining infinitely faithful to.
Note from the Author
If you’re ready and you’d like my help with healing, finding peace in life and breaking free from these toxic patterns, then you can book a FREE BREAKTHROUGH CALL with me HERE. Happy healing 💙💙. Feel free to share and comment! Use this information with caution, it comes from my own thoughts & bias, experiences and research😊.