So all of my income as of now has been 1099. My total net income January-today (minus expenses) is $19,000.
I am having my primary (part-time) job switch me from 1099 to W2 since I'm bad about keeping up with my quarterly tax payments and would like some of that burden reduced.
I’m expected to earn $26,730 in W2 income from that job for the rest of 2024.
The expected amount of 1099 income I’ll earn per month going forward is $1500.
My total 1099 income expected for 2024 is $31,000. So that's 31k plus 26,730 for total yearly income.
I have not paid any estimated taxes for 2024 yet.
​
I filled out the IRS tax withholding estimator, and it says that my Anticipated tax obligation will be $8,195, and to enter $27,190 on Step 4(a) Other Income on my new W4 (I have health insurance and student loan deductions I'm eligible for).
​
If I do this, will I not owe any estimated taxes this year, assuming my total income isn't more than I'm estimating? I.e. does this $27,190 I'd enter on the W4 cover my state (Utah) taxes and all other taxes I owe? Or will I still have to pay some taxes separately? I'm trying to not owe any money on April 15, 2025...

As the title states, (and despite the existential risk to myself - as I am disabled, impoverished, and my survival is reliant on the room I rent in her attic - given her recent threat to have have me thrown out by the police because she could not handle the feelings she had during the argument that she initiated), I have finally drawn a bright red line in the metaphorical sand regarding her treatment of me. This is the culmination of 8+ years of sustained, one-sided, unreciprocated, and unsuccessful effort on my part to sustain, salvage, repair, or improve our "relationship"
 
I've learned a lot from the stories and people on this subreddit, and I know if anyone can understand the way that I'm feeling about this it's you guys.
 
Any input, commentary, criticism, insight, commiseration, etc, is very welcome, and I appreciate anyone who takes the time to read it.
 
Anyways, enough preamble, here's the letter in all of my ridiculously-verbose inglory (the square-bracketed disclaimers, etc, were part of the letter as delivered to her, since she is selective illiterate whenever there's something she doesn't like):
 
[START]
 
[This document begins with a 382 word AI-generated summary (titled "AI- GENERATED SUMMARY:" below the square-bracketed opening remarks), estimated at 1m23s time required to read. If you are unable or unwilling to make it through even this brief summary, then there is literally nothing else I could possibly do to assist in your comprehension of my positions. The full message following the summary is approximately 2100 words, estimated at approximately 8 minutes to read.]
 
[If you would like assistance in understanding things I've written that you're struggling to interpret or comprehend, you can go to chatgpt.com (no account necessary), or download the ChatGPT app from the Google Play Store on your phone. You can simply interact with the chat in natural language (in other words, type as though you were texting another person) and it will understand what you are saying. If you are struggling to understand how to interact with it effectively, you can simply inform it of that (in any wording you choose) and it will assist you with altering your approach to receive more effective results.]
 
AI-GENERATED SUMMARY:
 
Your son's message is a powerful declaration of his boundaries, grievances, and intentions within your relationship. Here's a breakdown to help you understand:
 
Preface: He advises you to read with an open mind and, if needed, with assistance due to the emotional complexity.
 
Declaration of Disengagement: He firmly states his decision to disengage from any form of interaction or acknowledgment outside of essential landlord-tenant matters.
 
Condemnation of Abuse: He accuses you of perpetuating a cycle of abuse that has deeply impacted his health and stability.
 
Rejection of Coercion: He dismisses the idea that being evicted is a viable solution to the abuse, highlighting the coercive nature of such a choice, and how it leaves him vulnerable to further harm.
 
Criticism of Your Behavior: He unreservedly condemns your actions, particularly your exploitation and manipulation, emphasizing the gravity and effects of your conduct.
 
Challenges to Your Claims: He directly confronts your claims regarding his efforts in the relationship, asserting that he has consistently made extensive attempts to maintain it, despite your accusations to the contrary.
 
Commitment to Compliance: He unequivocally affirms his commitment to compliance with all landlord-related demands, demonstrating his unwavering respect for your authority as the homeowner.
 
Demand for Clarity: He demands clear and unambiguous knowledge of the requisite terms when any changes to living arrangement paradigms are demanded, underscoring his willingness to comply with any directives you may issue.
 
Defense Against Gaslighting: He firmly asserts his unwavering commitment to respecting your property and authority, preemptively refuting any attempts to accuse him otherwise.
 
Insights into Your Behaviour: He offers insights into patterns in your behaviour, linking them to moments of vulnerability or distress in your life.
 
Call for Self-Reflection: He urges you to seek professional help for your narcissism and unresolved childhood traumas.
 
Caution Regarding Gravity: He states that failing to address your responsibilities would be a missed opportunity for both of you to salvage the relationship and resolve underlying issues.
 
Reiteration of Hope: Despite his current stance, he leaves the door open for reconciliation if you undergo necessary personal growth.
 
Closure on Unequal Effort: He firmly states that he can no longer sustain the one-sided effort in the relationship and won't continue to do so.
 
It's evident that he's deeply hurt and demanding acknowledgment, change, and resolution in your relationship.
 
[end of AI-generated summary; my full, non-AI-generated message follows below]
 
[I recommend that you read this in its entirety at a time and capacity level where your literacy and comprehension are at their highest level, and preferably with the interpretational assistance of a knowledgeable and competent support person or technological assistant.]
 
[Presumably, after reading a few sentences or less, your defense mechanisms will be activated and you will eject. However, as with the vast majority of the things I have said to you that have gone unacknowledged, I am completely certain that the contents are cogent and comprehensible, and I believe that with competent support and vulnerable effort you undoubtedly have the raw cognitive capacity necessary for comprehension if you are able to stabilize your emotional reactions and put real effort into the actions necessary for you to understand my words.]
 
I will not talk to you.
I will not look at you.
I will not approach you.
I will not acknowledge you.
 
If you attempt to interact with me on any interpersonal level not related to your role as a landlord, I will reserve the right to express just how fucking despicable it is to treat such a vulnerable person with such utter disregard and abuse for so fucking long.
 
The cycle of abuse you have maintained to destabilize me for your own pathological reasons has caused - and continues to cause - extensive damage to my health, stability, and existence. However, since I know your response to this would likely be some variation of "you're not a victim here [my name], so if I treat you so bad, just leave", I'll preemptively and unequivocally condemn such coercive and abusive tactics, and state again (as I did the other day), that the forced choice between your abuse and life-threatening-homelessness is obviously no choice at all, and leaves me perpetually subject to your coercion and abusive control.
 
Such exploitation by you is absolutely disgusting, and honestly I understand why you run away from yourself at every single instance where you're in danger of having your lifelong house-of-cards ego even slightly threatened. I know if I treated another human being the way you treat me for even a moment, let alone for the literal years you have done so, I would not be able to face myself in the mirror either. You should be fucking ashamed of yourself.
 
You say I "don't want to be your son anymore", as though it has been someone other than me making hundreds and hundreds and hundreds of hours of efforts and attempts in order to try and single-handedly keep our relationship alive, and as though it has been someone other than you who has stonewalled me for years about every single legitimate and valid time I attempted to gain even the slightest foothold as a full human being in the owner-pet relationship you have fought so hard to maintain. You siphon, in fact demand, emotional supply whenever you so choose, and then fucking discard me as soon as it appears that I might do anything that would result in you losing even a fraction of a percent of the 99% to 1% imbalance you believe is an immutable part of our "relationship".
 
I will do my absolute best to be in my room as much as physically possible when you are home, so as to minimize the need to be physically adjacent to you in the course of our respective activities of daily living.
 
I, again, remain unequivocally committed to my position of deference and compliance towards any rules/demands related to my existence, presence, or activities as your tenant.
 
As you refuse to provide any sort of unambiguous guidance or clarification whatsoever regarding your shifting demands affecting my ability to access/perform basic activities of daily living, I will continue to act in good faith with respect to my adherence to all previously-established arrangements and protocols (whether codified or de facto) regarding such activities. To the full extent of my abilities, and to the extent that it is physically possible, I will immediately and unequivocally comply with any alterations, additions, or excisions you choose to impose regarding the nature of our physical coexistence as landlord and tenant, regardless of your disregard or intent for any harm to my stability that will ensue as a result.
 
If you intend to attempt to manipulate or threaten or gaslight me to illegitimately and dishonestly accuse me of failing to comply with your rights and demands as the homeownelandlord, then I can assure you that such efforts will be ineffective and inadvisable. The extensive history of my genuine, documented, and unwavering commitment to absolute respect of your home, property, and landlord-tenant authority is unassailable, and nothing has or will change about the good faith nature of my efforts to simply live peacefully and work on stabilizing my health and continuing to attempt to develop basic protocols that offer me the opportunity to seek the ways and means required to sustainably exist, survive, and seek meaning and fulfilment as a human being.
 
To try and make it a bit more bite-sized (without warranty as to the efficacy of said efforts), since I know when your ego is threatened you conveniently - and dishonestly - become completely unable to read a couple thousand words:
 

• I have never been more disgusted by the actions of anyone or anything more in my entire fucking existence.

 

• I will continue to be an absolute model tenant, despite the harmful effects of your constant abuse, and I will unequivocally comply with any demands you make with your authority as my landlord. I will explicitly and aggressively defend against any attempts to gaslight me, or attempt to dishonestly accuse me of failing to comply with any such demands.

 

• [note that the contents of this bullet point are neither a threat of suicide, nor an indication of any intent whatsoever to harm myself or others. I am including this disclaimer to preemptively remove your ability to selectively manipulate my words in order to further gaslight me]
  Feel free at anytime in your life to decide that maybe it might be time to face the fact that - though skillful in your delusion - you are the same scared child you were 40 years ago, and if you ever want to truly and meaningfully experience what it's like to be secure with yourself beneath the false veneer of superficial and ego-protecting interactions you surround yourself with at the exclusion of true and honest existential vulnerability, then you need to seek, engage with, and be honest and vulnerable with, professional clinical care for your intractable narcissism and the lifelong effects and deficits associated with same. In other words, to reductively and rhetorically restate what you disgustingly told me the other day as a means of deflecting from the fact that you couldn't go more than two seconds without contradicting yourself, “get your fucking meds adjusted”.
  

 

• When faced with any sort of challenge to your control or authority, your lifelong fear of abandonment has caused you to push people away before they have the opportunity to leave you, resulting in premature, self-created, and misdirected sabotage of significant relationships at the first sign of disturbance or genuine vulnerability. I know you're terrible at recognizing or interpreting patterns or facts, but think, for example, about when your efforts to remove me from your life and/or house have been at their most intense:

 

• (a) in 2016(ish) when conflicts about my role in helping with the [redacted address][job of cleaning out my grandpa's apartment after Alzheimer's took hold] triggered feelings of grief and fear in you at the decline of your father's health and the inevitability of his then-upcoming death,

 

• (b) in late 2019 through 2020ish, in the leadup to and aftermath of your father's death, where you threatened or demanded my removal from your house during damn-near every single minor conflict about utterly insignificant household disputes. The vulnerability and grief you felt surrounding his death triggered the core-level unresolved sense of abandonment you carry as a result of the lack of parental affection you received because of, inter alia, the level of care required by your [editor's note: dying of CF as a teenager] sister and resultant lack of parental support available to you as a result,

 

• (c) in 2021ish, surrounding your mother's acute medical events and her subsequent death, where your treatment of me followed effectively the same patterns and underlying causes as the item above (sans explicit threats of eviction, opting instead for the more oblique and covert references that have been your MO until the recent regression to explicit threats within the past few days).

 

• (d) in 2024, surrounding the final decline and subsequent death of [dog], where all of the same behaviours described above returned and steadily escalated, culminating in telling me to get the fuck out of your house because I wouldn't stop moving some boxes for 30 minutes, and then telling me that you were going to call the police to have me removed from your house as a result of your inability to force me to stop making accurate statements that damaged your ego and need for unquestioned interpersonal control in your self-appointed role as the sole ruler of the relational hierarchy you fought so hard to maintain.

 

• You need to actively and vulnerably seek and participate in professional clinical treatment for the lifelong effects of the hollow narcissism that has maladaptively protected you from your deepest childhood injuries and vulnerabilities, at the expense of truly genuine connection with, at the very least, your firstborn and only son.

 

• If you want me gone from your house, and life (and possibly my own life, given the extreme existential risk posed by homelessness for a vulnerable person with the significant disabilities I am faced with), then you will have to have me physically removed from your house in cold blood, and until the day you (or I, depending on the order) die you will live with that being the last time you ever saw the son that you took for granted and abused for 32 fucking years while he groveled at your feet begging for even scraps of affection or humanity from the person who constantly love-bombed and discarded him at her convenience to serve her own narcissistic desires worth no regard for the whole entire person she was subjugating to the role of, barely, a pet.

 

• Be aware that if you choose to remove me from your life as a pathological and assuredly-ineffective avoidance mechanism to try and preemptively shield yourself from the fear of abandonment that is triggered in you as a result of my overwhelmingly valid and necessary actions to demand that you cease your lifelong efforts to subjugate me in your self-created hierarchical position at the top of our unequal relationship, then you will be doing yourself an irreparable disservice by extinguishing whatever sliver of opportunity might remain for you to get the help you need to allow you to finally see me as a real person and begin making real decisions and changes and efforts to participate in efforts to salvage whatever scraps of hope might remain for us to have a relationship before both/either of us die.

 

• Feel free to ignore and/or conceal the tens of thousands of words of documented history in order to share contextless excerpts of this text within your self-serving echo chambers in your efforts to receive false validation of your delusional victimhood. Or, alternatively, feel free to vulnerably share this in its entirety - along with the full corpus of my messaging regarding the severity of the harms caused by your behaviours - with a competent and knowledgeable mental health professional(s) for the purposes of seeking treatment for your underlying pathologies and working towards genuine growth.

 

• In the unlikely (though incomprehensibly-or-perhaps-delusionally-still-hopeful) event that you are still reading, I will conclude by saying that the possibility for any hope of salvaging our relationship lies firmly and solely within your control.

 

• After over 8 years of significant, relentless, documented, often-vilified, and absolutely unreciprocated efforts to single-handedly to put 100% of the effort into a relationship that you reaped the benefits of while remaining unwavering in your abdication of even the slightest of responsibilities, I have run out of ways, means, ideas, and capacity to continue unsuccessfully trying to do both of our parts.

 

• I am not closing the door to the possibility of reconciliation if/once you have undertaken the extensive individual work you need to do if you are ever going to be able and willing to put the necessary effort into repairing our relationship. But neither am I continuing to continue working outside your closed door hoping that one day I might be able to do enough to influence you to treat me like a full, real, EQUAL, human being.

 
I love you, and goodbye for now. I hope to see you on the other side, but I cannot force you to undertake the journey.
 
- [name]
 
[/END]

i'm currently taking latuda 20mg and trazodone 50 mg for sleep. i take 1-2 stimulant laxes a day after taking 3-5for years and i wanted to wean off them entirely, but i've found it hard to stop.
ever since i started psych medication after 2.5 years of not being on it, i'm bipolar and had a very bad breakdown my gi issues have worsened. i've been using lax since i was about 19-20, i'm 27 now, i struggled with such bad constipation after my bout with anorexia that i never stopped taking stimulant laxatives, though i've gradually reduced them. every psych medication i've tried since december 2023 has failed me and i'm now starting to suspect it's my lax use, but i'm afraid to stop out of fear of what itll do to my bowels.
for the past week i've been experiencing on and off vertigo/dizziness, shivering, heart palpitations, exhaustion, farting and lymph node swelling, coldness in my limbs and muscles, and sensitivity around my veins, immense stomachache, which has never occurred longer term before, just once in a blue moon. when i scratched my stomach earlier the skin actually turned red. i cannot tell if this is the psych medication or not but a lot of it seems to occur around my bowel movements. it also happened during/after my period. makes it hella hard to function and i feel out of commission and extremely exhausted during the hours where i experience those symptoms.
i have an appointment with therapist tmmrw and i dont know if i should tell her i need to stop and search for advice. i already owe thousands to the ER from an allergic reaction to my medication so i'm afraid to go to a residential. i have also been tested for other conditions and they claim nothing is wrong other than a higher than avg hemoglobin level and a 'dry kidney' from dehydration. yet i feel like absolute sick shit.
i'm not engaging in restrictive behavior beyond the lax taking. my insurance is crappy and i only have a general practitioner doctor and psychiatrist whos out of pocket. dont think anyone who specializes in gi health is covered. my entire body is heaving and writhing and has no idea what to do and i'm afraid of stopping the lax, should i just reduce it to one pill every few days to start and then buy some miralax?
please, i need help. i've been wanting to get off these for years but felt helpless to stop and now i fear if i dont it will end catastropically. i'm afraid my system will shut down if i dont stop, but i'm also afraid itll shut down if i stop cold turkey too quickly. please please help me and offer me some advice on how to get thru this.

By popular demand, I guess...
I was kinda just being a smart-ass, but some of you wanted more so here it is: epilogues for every NPC as if they didn't continue to travel with Gorion's Ward and instead just decided to live their own life. Obviously, there are some implied alignment changes here.
This turned out to be longer than I expected and I kinda just threw it all together while I was working. Please excuse any typos or sloppy writing.
I want to apologize for one thing, though. Viconia's epilogue really only works if GW is a male, so I had to make that assumption for the sake of her story. If it matters any, I easily play just as many female GWs as I do male GWs. In fact, I probably play more female GWs because I don't care for the romances, frequently play the canon party, and want to nip the lame Jah romance in the bud.
But, to have them all in one place, I included my original smart-ass epilogues with the additional ones I created. Now, every character from BG1 and BG2 has an epilogue. I don't have the EE characters, though, because I play the original games and don't really know them.
So, just for funsies, which one is your favorite and why?
"Anomen continued to wait at the Copper Coronet for a party of adventurers willing to travel with him. Maybe it was the grating sound of his voice, or perhaps the way he leered at women, but he continued to remain alone. Eventually, he needed to find work to make ends meet. With Gorion's Ward having disbanded the slave traders and pit fights, Hendak had to find a new form of entertainment for the patrons. As such, he invented an all male review ladies night, and Anomen found work as a 'dancer'. He left the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart to join the less noble order of the pole. He also renounced his faith to Helm and instead allied himself with Waukeen because if you wanna see some groin, you gotta have some coin."
"Despite Gorion's Ward clearing the trolls from her keep, Nalia was not able to reclaim her lands and instead lost her estate to Lord Roenall. The lord offered to let her retain residence in her family's ancestral home, but only in exchange for her hand in marriage. Nalia found the proposition to be repugnant. Instead, she salvaged whatever wealth she could from her family's keep and moved to Athkatla to start a new life. She no longer helped the less fortunate, as she was now among their numbers and had her own problems. Nalia's lack of any practical skills combined with her sense of entitlement sent her into a life of failure followed by drinking and debauchery. She now spends more time back at the Copper Coronet than anywhere else. It is hard to say where she squanders her wealth more, the alcohol, or on the dancers during Ladies Night."
"After the incident with the Planar Sphere, Valygar was finally free of his past, could retire to his cabin, and pursue his true passion: writing. Ironically, the only inspiration he found ended up stemming from his family's checkered past. Valygar's only works that even had middling success were 'Tuesdays with Lavok' and 'Dude, Where's My Planar Sphere', with the latter being made into a production at the Five Flagoons Theater."
"Haer'Dalis continued to work as a performer at the Five Flagoons Theater. Unfortunately, it struggled due to poor management. It might have turned out better if an outside agent with fresh ideas had stepped in, but Gorion's Ward had better things to do than be a bard. While the work was generally steady, the returns were not great and the material was a little low-brow for Haer'Dalis' liking. The tiefling realized he reached rock bottom when he was cast as the lead in a play about a buffoon who apparently lost a plane-shifting apparatus the size of a small castle and had to find it before his parents returned from Neverwinter. After the opening night, he took his own life in his dressing room. His body was found the next morning with a note saying, 'Art is dead and I am art, so I shall join art in death.' Biff the Understudy stepped in for Haer'Dalis despite never having an opportunity to read the script. Nevertheless, the production was a resounding success and launched Biff's career to new heights."
“A heartbroken Garrick found work as a character actor at the Five Flagoons Theater, but eventually gained more success as a writer and director. He found it to be a mostly agreeable situation, aside from a tiefling primadonna who would constantly belittle his work and call it ”trite" and “drivel”. Fortunately, that situation worked itself out in time and Garrick found Biff to be much easier to direct. With the tiefling gone, his ideas had room to grow. He invented a new kind of love story, one where the protagonist doesn't always get the girl at the end but the journey to that ending would be quite amusing. He labeled this genre “the Comedy of Romance” and the works were mostly based on his own life. His plays were quite popular among the commoners, with his top selling shows being 'Sleepless in Saradush', 'Silverymoon Linings Playbook', and 'Crazy Rich Aasimars'. He eventually fully transitioned off the stage into the director's chair. By the peak of his fame, he was married to none other than Queen Ellesime."
“Aerie continued to work at the circus and WOULD NOT SHUT UP ABOUT HER DAMN WINGS. Even Quayle eventually grew sick of hearing about it. This put strain on their relationship. Things took a turn for the better when Ribald Barterman acquired a new curiosity for his shop. It was a magical ring which he sold to Quayle at a reduced rate out of sympathy. This ”treasure" was actually a cursed Ring of Deafness, which Quayle found to be anything but a curse and wore it for the rest of his days."
“Xzar and Montaron were both slain at the hands of the Athkatla Harpers, but this is actually where their story begins. Xzar, as he had done so many times before, had a backup plan of an arcane nature should death befall either he or the halfling. Their mortal essences were pulled to a pocket plane he created. There they could be channeled into restored bodies cloned at his estate. With this particular round of ritual, Xzar had incidentally made a slight error in the incantation and the two found themselves in a time suspended state in Xzar's pocket plane. It was only five minutes for the rest of the world, but it was fifty years for them. This turned out to be a pivot point in their relationship. Having only each other's company in this shadowy void, they were finally able to work out their feelings for each other. When they had returned to the prime material plane, they discovered their mutual animosity was replaced with love. Rather than pick up their life where they left off with the Zhentarim, they decided to pack it all in, moved to Bryn Shander, and start a bed and breakfast. Montaron rediscovered his halfling roots and love for the culinary arts while Xzar would perform seances to connect guests with their late loved ones. Scones and Bones became an overnight success and was consistently listed as a “must see” in Volo's travel guides. In their golden years, the couple co-wrote a memoir of their journey, ‘Brokeback Montaron’, which is sold in bookstores everywhere."
“After briefly crossing paths with Gorion's Ward, Mazzy Fentan continued her crusade as a de facto halfling paladin. She eventually found herself petitioning for membership at the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart in Athkatla after she had singlehandedly saved a village from an ancient dracolich. Despite the extent of her virtue and accomplishment, her petition was denied on the basis that halflings could not possibly be real paladins. This inspired her next crusade, one to break down vocational barriers for all demihuman races. Why couldn't halflings be paladins or dwarves be wizards? And why did gnomes always have to be illusionists? It simply made no goddamn sense. She began to get traction with her quest when she attended lectures by the wizards of the (sword) coast in Candlekeep. With their help, she ushered Faerun into a new edition era where there would be no vocational barriers for adventurers based on their race. Soon, the world began to see roguish halflings that also venerated Helm, while tending to the wilds as a druid. Half-orc bards also studied as wizards while manifesting natural arcane abilities as sorcerers. Tiefling paladins took their crusades to the wilderness and served as rangers, while sidelining as clergy to Mystra. The world was now a liberated place, free to not make any goddamn sense in a myriad of new ways. At one point, Lady Mazzy Fentan of Trademeet (now formally a paladin) crossed paths with a dwarven shadowdancebard and in that moment she regretted everything. Seriously, just take a moment and picture that. It would look fucking ridiculous.”
“Yeslick's clanhome was flooded once again. Despondent and without options, he took work at a smithy in Baldur's Gate but never stopped dreaming of finding both a clan and a home. He found a way to bring this dream to life after a courageous halfling paladin broke down the barriers for, among other things, dwarves to be wizards. Yeslick had an idea. He studied magic diligently until he was able to cast two spells of great importance: Water Breathing and Permanence. He then searched the lands for other clanless dwarves who would be willing to try something new. With the new clan he formed, Yeslick permanently gave all his fellow clansman the ability to breath underwater. They then moved into the flooded Cloakwood Mines and built the first underwater dwarven stronghold. Using his arcane powers, Yeslick also developed the ability to speak with the marine life that shared this stronghold. And, with that, the clan Aquadwarf was born. At one point, Valygar visited and wrote a play based on Yeslick's story. However, he couldn't even get it to stage at the Five Flagoons Theater. The illustrious director Garrick was quoted as saying, “A hero that can breath underwater and talk to fish? Nobody would go for that!"
“Keldorn finally retired from the Most Noble Order of the Radiant Heart and looked forward to a much simpler life. He rekindled his marriage with Lady Maria and life seemed to improve. It was rather early on when the couple discovered that Maria had become pregnant again. It was also not long after that when Peony, the housekeeper, also became pregnant. Maria started to ask Keldorn about this, but Keldorn started to get defensive and asked, ”Hey, who's the Inquisitor here?" Then Keldorn started to do the math with her to track the conception of Maria's pregnancy. She certainly did not want him to get to the end of that equation, so she quickly changed the subject. She suggested getting a new maid, but Keldorn chastised her for abandoning someone in their time of need who had been like family for years. He forbade Peony's departure claiming that his god, Torm, would not stand for it. Maria then made a passive aggressive comment about Torm being the god of loyalty, but she was mostly just muttering under her breath to get the last word in. Eventually, both children were born and had probably the most awkward upbringing of anyone in Faerun."
“After Gorion's Ward helped Coran take down a wyvern, the rogue brought the beast's head back to the mayor of Beregost for the reward and accolades. He thought this put him in a position to be a hero of great renown and perhaps, just maybe, people would stop mocking him for his flashy attire and completely superfluous eye mask. They didn't. He only gained acceptance when he crossed paths with a ranger who seemed indifferent towards Coran's keen fashion sense. Coran traveled the Sword Coast with his ranger sidekick, righting the wrongs against the ‘little guy’ and taking the law into their own hands when needed. This partnership dissolved when he discovered that the ranger thought Coran was the sidekick. As if! Coran tried to correct the ranger, whose argument was, 'Really, man, if that outfit doesn't scream sidekick then I'm Elminster's twin brother.' The ranger was not related to Elminster and shared no resemblance.
“Kivan never was able to get his revenge on Tazok. Unbeknownst to him, that honor was taken by Gorion's Ward. His thirst for vengeance continued to eat away at him until he found himself in a bat infested cave in the wilderness. It was then he snapped. He turned the cave into his secret hideaway, put together a disguise and started wandering the sword coast looking for evil-doers to punish. He would leave his calling card wherever he saved the day, a token of a bat with longer ears like an elf. And bats already had rather long ears so these bat ears were almost comically obtrusive. Nevertheless, his deeds were generally appreciated and the people stared calling him Bat-elf. For a short spell, another elf tagged along with him and tried to help, but he was so flamboyantly dressed that one could pick his sidekick out of the shadows blindfolded. Kivan eventually had to send him on his way. Unfortunately, his vigilante crusade abruptly ended after receiving a cease and decist order from DC Comics. Kivan could fight both monster and marauder all day, but his 14 Constitution wouldn't hold up against a lawsuit for trademark infringement.”
“Skie was deeply affected by both the death of her brother and the assassination of her father. And yes, her father was actually murdered and didn't lol-jk back to life in some crappy DLC. In any event, through these traumas, she came to realize the puerility of what she thought was her brilliant criminal masterminding. Instead, she decided to settle down and live a more responsible life as an upstanding citizen of Baldur's Gate. She took the reins of her father's estate after his death and rose to prominence as one of the Grand Dukes of the city. She maintained her relationship with Eldoth for quite some time, inexplicably, as he refused to get a job because he didn't want to take attention from his band which he swore was going to make it. However, the bard spent most of the day either lounging at Skie’s estate or gambling away his allowance with games of three-dragon-ante at the Helm and Cloak. Eventually, inspired by the book “Men Are From Menzoberranzan, Women Are From Immilmar," she decided to call it quits with Eldoth and sent him packing. Shortly thereafter, she met a man who was nothing like Eldoth and they settled down together to start a family."
“Eldoth's dreams of being a world-famous musician fronting the greatest band in Faerun never reached fruition. This was partly because he didn't actually have a band and partly because he didn't have the talent to write music. Instead, he just had a lute he purchased at Lucky Aello's Discount Store that only had one A-string and was missing the E-string. Also, Eldoth could only play power chords and he couldn't really sing and play at the same time. Most of the time he would just strum a chord or two and then talk about what the song would do next, often describing a solo and half playing it on an ”air lute" (while he was still holding an actual lute, mind you) to give people the idea as to how the song would sound when it was finally written. Yeah, he was one of those guys. After Skie kicked him to the curb, he bounced between various barmaids who clearly had low self-esteem, but not low enough to keep him around for long. Eventually, he got one of them pregnant and was forced into a shotgun wedding by the barmaid's father. He now works in the kitchen at the same inn as his barmaid wife. She helps the customers up front and he cooks eggs in the back. Eldoth continues to tell himself that this experience will just provide inspiration for his music and that someday he was going to get the band back together."
“After being rescued by Gorion's Ward, Xan made his way to Baldur's Gate to regroup. He spent an inordinate amount of time beating himself up over his failures and trying to muster the gumption to continue his quest to unravel the political turmoil of the region. However, it took him months to get to this point, and by that time, Gorion's Ward already sorted out the problems in the region. Discovering this, he deemed himself a failure yet again and sunk into a deeper depression. He pulled himself out of it when he met a woman who lost most of her family to violent deaths during the iron crisis, yet she still kept herself together and became a local success in a few short years. Xan immediately fell in love with the recently single Skie Silvershield and began to court her. They eventually married and started a family. At Xan's insistence, and inspired by his wife's name, their two daughters were named Sunshine and Rainbow. Xan was a staunch supporter of his wife's career and stayed home to raise the kids. When they were older and needed less attending, he followed a new dream and became a motivational speaker.”
“Korgan had his revenge against his backstabbing crew and employer, but he felt...empty. It was done, but he felt no satisfaction. Disgruntled and disappointed, he decided to lose himself in his cups at the Copper Coronet. Even this did nothing to alleviate his malaise. One night, having passed out drunk in a peasant room at the Copper Coronet, he dreamt of that final fight but something was different. In the background of the battle, there was a glow coming from the door of a shack and he heard the whispering of a language that sounded like it was from Kara-Tur. When he woke the next morning, Korgan returned to the rooftop and found the shack from his dream. He knocked and was greeted by a priest of Illmater. Korgan told the priest of his dream and he was led into the backroom where he found a man from Kara-Tur infirm and huddled over a cup of tea. The priest explained that he had just reincarnated this man of the faith using a heart delivered by a passing adventurer. Korgan took this as a sign, converted to the faith, and the two paired up to help those in suffering as a result of the schemes of others. The tales of Korgan and Yoshimo were not only told in many of a tavern by the bards, but also collected in graphic serials that were popular among the children of Athkatla.”
“Ajantis' death sent him into an afterlife at Everwatch, the realm of Helm. For his honor and diligence, the devout knight was granted an audience with his patron. Ajantis then told Helm what utter bullshit the god was. I mean, c'mon, he's the god of protection, the Vigilant One, and he couldn't protect a group of knights from a dragon's cheap illusion spell that a mage even tried to dispel with True Sight? It was like Helm wasn't even trying. Helm was stunned by the confrontation but also had no valid defense. Ajantis called Helm to a trial that was mediated by Tyr. After careful deliberation, Tyr determined that Helm was sleeping on the job and the judgment was to demote him to a lesser deity. Now, Helm was the patron of guards, but not actual guards that ever see action, just the ceremonial ones whose weapons and armor are super shiny and probably not even real. Ajantis was then granted Helm's old portfolio and became a god that truly protected his followers.”
“Viconia left Athkatla's government district perplexed. She was rescued from burning at the stake by Gorion's Ward and then immediately dismissed. She found this to be unusual behavior for a male. She was accustomed to men either trying to bed her or kill her, but this casual indifference was completely new. Viconia came to be obsessed with Gorion's Ward from a distance. She spiraled into a fantasy where the two of them had a future together. It was pretty bad. There were some extremely embarrassing vision boards involved and that wasn't even the worst of it. When her mania reached critical mass, her obsession actually collapsed and she had an epiphany. She came to realize that she did not need this man, or any for that matter. She started on a journey of self discovery and took a moral inventory of her past relationships. She wrote about it in the book, “Men Are From Menzoberranzan, Women Are From Immilmar”. She then used the revenue from the book sales to open Athkatla's first feminist bookstore. In Her Words became a mecca for women, particularly those who felt trapped in bad relationships. The community that emerged here created the group, Friends of Galia, which strove to free women from abusive relationships. Eventually, the bookstore expanded to include an apartment block above that became a shelter for such women. Occasionally, the partners of these victims would come around to In Her Words in an attempt to drag their partners back home. You can probably guess how a confrontation between a drunken 0-level commoner and a Drow priestess of Shar ends."
“Faldorn was defeated by Jaheira in Trademeet and lost her title of Arch-Druid. In truth, she was relieved to be relieved of the position. Years of pushing forward the Shadow Druid agenda led Faldorn to realize that she had lost touch with the real Faldorn along the way. After some soul-searching, she reinvented herself as a lifestyle guru and developed an entire line of organic health and beauty products under the name, She-Wolf. Both her products and seminars were all the rage in Athkatla, specifically among noblewomen who clearly had too much free time. Faldorn eventually gave up her residence in natural environs for a lavish estate in Athkatla's government district. Her following soon pressured her to petition to join the Council of Six after the fall of the Cowled Wizards left the position open (aside from a short-term replacement). Her petition was a success and she soon found herself on the Council of Six. Under her leadership, she created created the FDAA, the Food and Drink Association of Athkatla. Now, instead of draconian rules governing magic in the city, equally restrictive rules and standards were applied to the food and drink that the people consumed.”
“Barely surviving being gravely wounded by Irenicus, Tiax left Spellhold for Athkatla where he intended to do what he did best: rule. Learning from his past campaign mistakes in Baldur's Gate, he changed his slogan from ”Tiax Rules!" to “Make Athkatla Great Again”. Of course, what he thought would make Athkatla great was putting himself in charge as a despotic leader. But, he toned down that aspect of his platform and instead focused on the history of scheming and backroom dealing of the Cowled Wizards (as if he was any less evil or scheming) and promised the people he would be different than all the other corrupt politicians. Miraculously, despite his obviously apparent character flaws, he succeeded in replacing the Cowled Wizards' representative on the Council of Six. He decided to take their stance on restrictive magic to the next level and banned magic entirely. Since he didn't study the arcane himself, it was no skin of his nose. This move undermined his support base leaving him with only the most backwards and ignorant followers. He was ultimately removed from his position when he insisted the city build a wall around the planar sphere and was expecting that the city's wizards would be the ones to pay for it. After his removal, his few remaining extreme supporters organized an invasion of the main government building under the guise of freedom of assembly. All nine of these “rebels” were rounded up, tried, and sent to prison. Tiax was convicted of treason and reincarnated in Spellhold, which was now just a common prison. After his eventual release, he was prohibited from seeking any position of power in Amn."
"Edwin Odesseiron continued to lay low with the Shadow Thieves for a while. The Cowled Wizards suffered a crippling blow as a side effect of the conflict between Gorion's Ward and Irenicus. Edwin decided to step in and finish the job. His thought was that he could wipe out the Cowled Wizard remnants and then take credit for their defeat, thereby gaining him more clout among the Red Wizards of Thay. After many conspicuous mage battles in the streets of Athkatla, he succeeded. However, the people who noticed his efforts the most were actually the people of Athkatla. They were tired of living under the Cowled Wizards' iron fist and Edwin was lauded as a liberator and hero. He even had a statue in his image raised in Waukeen's Promenade. Edwin was initially nonplussed over people finally giving him the credit he always felt he so rightfully deserved. But, he quickly came to accept their praise and bought in to being a champion for the people. Edwin continued his agenda of liberation when a clearly insane gnome who found his way on the Council of Six tried to ban magic entirely in the city. Edwin and his followers were primarily responsible for having the madman removed from his seat.
“Shar-Teel, Safana, Branwen, and Alora all happened to cross paths with each other at Elfsong one evening. Shar-Teel was looking to fight a man, Safana was looking to shag a man, Branwen was recently petrified by a man, and Alora was just excited to be somewhere new. The four got to talking with each other and, despite having wildly different personalities, seemed to hit it off. Shar-Teel was sarcastic and aggressive, Safana was self-absorbed and man-hungry, Alora was kind and sweet, and Branwen was the matriarch of the group. You wouldn't think this lot would get along, but they actually did, and their differences merely become the fuel for innocuous hi-jinks week after week.”
"With Gorion's Ward's help, Cernd was able to rescue his child that he then abandoned again at the druid grove near Trademeet. He promised that he would return to raise the child, he just needed to run to the general shop in Trademeet for some pipeweed. He never returned, but that was pretty obvious since he didn’t even smoke. Cernd continued to wander Faerun. It came to light in Cormyr that Cernd had actually married, and had children, with numerous women in Cormyr, Amn, the Sword Coast, Tethyr, Calimshan, Turmish, Halruaa, Icewind Dale, Chondath, Sembia, Impiltur, the Silver Marches, and even the Troll Hills (don't ask). Furthermore, it was discovered that Cernd was not actually a druid, just a werewolf that had a Ring of Goodberries. The druid con was so that he could have a reason to abandon his wives and children and move on to a new situation. You would be surprised at how many women could fall for a guy that can conjure an impromptu picnic in the park. Unfortunately for Cernd, Cormyr was not the kind of place to run afoul of the legal system. For the crime of bigamy, he was sentenced to life in prison. He never set foot near a druid grove again, but he was allowed to participate in a work-release program tending to the gardens of nobles.
“Kagain returned to his shop and grew even more bitter, but not over what the death of Entar Silvershield's son had done to his reputation and business. Instead, he resented that even the Enhanced Edition of the game didn't give him a remotely decent companion quest. By Moradin's hammer, Cernd even had a pretty involved companion quest and the story there both starts and ends with a deadbeat dad! Also, Kagain can regenerate! Korgan can't even do that. And another thing! He was sick of people confusing the two of them as if all dwarves look alike or something. Ok, granted, they're both old dwarves with greying beards, but Korgan's beard is tied while Kagain's beard is brushed out. Of course, none of this made sense to anyone, even to Kagain who never actually crossed paths with Cernd or Korgan. However, the dwarf had nothing to do with his time except stand in his shop, isolated and alone, until he was done in by insanity and plantar fasciitis.”
“The death of Khalid shook Jaheira to the core. She convinced herself that she could never love again, certainly not so soon after his death nor with anyone that would be a child in her eyes. That would be absurd and rather tacky. After her escape from Irenicus' prison and deposing Faldorn from the druid grove, she took over as Arch-Druid. Being a Harper just wouldn't be the same without Khalid. However, the grove would allow her to explore a new, but comfortingly familiar, phase of life. She had barely been installed as the Arch-Druid when Cernd dropped off his child and disappeared again. He did not even stay long enough to tell Jaheira the child's name. Knowing he would likely not return, she named the child Khalid after her lost love. Realizing there were other children our there without families to care for them, Jahaeira would send her subordinates to wander nearby lands and bring them to the grove for a better life. Perhaps not surprisingly, many of these children happened to be Cernd's. She eventually renamed the grove to Kinder Garden in honor of the grove's new purpose of giving these children a kinder upbringing. Jaheira's headstrong personality served her well with these lost children, who all loved her as they would any mother. The Kinder Garden became the most thriving druid grove in all of Faerun. Jaheira eventually died in 1547 DR, with hundreds of children haven been rescued in her lifetime, and a memorial was erected in her honor at the grove. The inscription read, 'Nature's Servant Awaits.'"
“After being freed from Irenicus' dungeon, Minsc put his boots on the ground at the Copper Coronet. Being the simple man that he was, he found himself unwittingly recruited into fighting in the gladiator pits (before Gorion's Ward was able to free the slaves). Yet again, Minsc took a blow to the head. But this time, its effects were something completely new. No longer was he the slow-witted evil-slaying ranger, armed to the teeth and packing a hamster. Instead, his intelligence and wisdom started to blossom and he explored, through dissertation, the impact of modern civilization on the overall ecosystem of Faerun. Indeed, before Minsc started his work, the people of Faerun didn't even have the concept of an ”ecosystem". He left Athkatla to pursue a residency at Jaheira's grove where he could study and work in peace. He published works like, “The Intersection of Geopolitics and Biodiversity: Living More but Dying Sooner”, “The Essential Symbiosis Between the Savage and Civilization”, and “Moral Urbanization: Seeking a More Comprehensive Prosperity”. Minsc continued his studies and writing and ultimately produced enough groundbreaking works to have his own annex in Candlekeep. It was shortly after the dedication of this annex that Minsc disappeared from Faerun, never to be seen again."
“Jan Jansen's fate was the most impressive of all as his endeavors shaped the very fabric of Faerun for centuries to come. His story truly serves as a moral lesson for everyone and we should heed its virtue quite seriously. Helping Lissa and Jaella planted a seed of regret in Lissa with regards to her marriage to Vaelag. Speaking of seeds, this reminds Jan of a time when he was helping his Uncle Scratchy with his turnip farm. However, Uncle Scratchy was hoodwinked and the seeds he received were actually purple carrot seeds. You can imagine Uncle Scratchy's surprise when they sprouted and he suddenly had a field of purple carrots. Well, as you probably know, you can't make turnip stew, or turnip casserole, or turnip pie with purple carrots. But it just so happened there was a mage tower nearby and the resident mage needed a vast number of carrots. Apparently, her plan was to animate them as a kind of vegetable army to combat a myconid infestation in cave system rather close to her tower. Of course, animated carrots are quite self-assured and were immune to myconoid's confusion spores. Anyway, Jan had a once-removed cousin, Bobil, that was lost in those caves when he was a young gnome. He had wandered so deep that he found himself in the den of a solitary xvart who was obsessed with a magic ring. Bobil happened to purloin that ring but it turned out to not be magic at all. However, it was still worth enough for Bobil to buy himself a nice cottage in Trademeet. He then started his own turnip farm and had better luck than Uncle Scratchy. Wait, what were we talking about, again?”
“Boo continued his mission to study the sentient life forms of Faerun and determine their potential impact on the metaverse. He preferred the continued company of Minsc due to the ranger's kindness and protectiveness. Boo found this to be quite valuable in his current miniaturized state. Even after Minsc's accident, where his intellect began to expand, Minsc never lost his good heart and inherent kindness and the two remained the best of friends. It was a number of years later that the term of Boo's mission was complete. A team of his fellow people arrived on a spelljammer to collect the giant miniaturized space hamster. Minsc (and Boo) were on a retreat in a remote part of the Neverwinter Wood when a vessel shaped like a giant acorn landed in a nearby clearing. A number of human-sized anthropomorphic hamster-like beings, who called themselves the Ysoki, emerged and met with Boo. One had a strange crystalline device which it used to restore Boo to his proper size. Minsc naturally remained composed while all this was happening. He and Boo talked often and he knew this day would be coming. Boo returned to the spelljammer with his brethren to debrief on the mission. The Ysoki wanted to bring a sample back to their homeworld for further learning and study. Boo offered Minsc for the task, as the exemplar human would fit in nicely with the Ysoki's advanced culture and society. Everyone was in agreement and made the offer to the ranger. Minsc felt like he had made every contribution he could to the people of Faerun, so he accepted and boarded the ship. Boo, excited to finally be on a spelljammer again, took the helm and plotted a course for his homeworld. At his side sat his friend and faithful companion, Minsc.”

Link if it's hard to read in this post: https://jordankligman.substack.com/p/ontario-intentionally-denying-health
Who Is Denying Health Care?
I’d like to tell you this is an outlier, but across the board patients are getting denied access to health care. How do I know? It’s happening to me.
Family Doctors Are Denying Health Care
What do family doctors do? They don’t do physicals anymore. Their jobs is essentially order referrals and requisitions. They don’t even do that well. Roughly half of my referrals don’t go through. I had a previous family doctor use my entire appointment to lecture me on getting the COVID vaccine. I had already had my first dose and was scheduled to get my second shot at the time. Keep in mind I had that doctor’s appointment because I have serious physical pain. The doctor wasn’t interested in treating me. He was interested in pushing a specific ideology. I’ve had the Pfizer COVID vaccine in total five times. I was overdue for my tetanus vaccine. I had to ask during three different appointments before I was granted that vaccine. This is absurd.
What’s more absurd is I have had multiple family doctors reject me as a patient. Health Care Connect, a government funded service, claimed these doctors were accepting new patients but they weren’t. I found one doctor on my own that was accepting new patients. The receptionist made me bring a printout out of my prescriptions as if I was a drug addict. After waiting a month for my appointment to meet this doctor he refused to take me as a patient. Claimed he couldn’t help me. He didn’t even ask for the prescription printouts. He couldn’t give me an answer as to why he couldn’t help me. So I asked him to put in it in writing he was declining me as a patient. He declined to do so and said he wasn’t obligated to do so.
Walk-in Doctors Are Denying Health Care
I requested imaging to try to find the source of my pain from a walk-in doctor. They claim they sent the requisition. A year later and the hospital the requisition was supposedly sent to had no record of it. So I went back to the walk-in clinic to try to get them to resend the referral. Instead of seeing a doctor this time they gave me a physicians assistant. The PA refused to resend my imaging referral. Told me to go to the emergency room to get my imaging. I thought the entire point of a walk-in clinic was to keep people out of the ER? I’ve since been to the ER. No they won’t just giving you imaging if you ask even if you are prepared to wait 5+ hours. I demanded a copy of the requisition for the imaging from the walk-in clinic they claim they initially sent. I scanned it in and emailed to the hospital.
Hospitals Are Denying Health Care
Even with the requisition dated a year earlier they would not honour the requisition. It gets worse. Multiple hospitals have denied me health care. An ER doctor looked at my medical records and essentially denied me health care. He basically inferred since other doctors couldn’t find the source of my pain he wasn’t going to waste his time thinking about it. He ordered bloodwork to confirm I wasn’t actively dying and then kicked me out. I signed up for a virtual emergency call with another hospital as recommended to me by telehealth. That hospital nurse during the call denied me care because she said they don’t do second opinions. So I said fine get me an appointment with any doctor of your choosing. She then claimed where I lived wasn’t in the catchment zone for that hospital. I’ve been to this hospital many times. I have an outstanding referral that has gone unanswered from this hospital. Changing the reason mid conversation as to why I am being denied health care seems like a lot of nonsense. A finally my favourite hospital. That’s sarcasm because this third hospital scanned the wrong part of my body and then lied about it. Not only did they bully my family doctor into taking the blame for this error, but they had all my personal information wrong. This hospital thought I was in a wheelchair. They also had the wrong phone number for me. It was a area code for a city not even in the Greater Toronto Area. All I wanted from this hospital was an apology and for them to fix their mistake. The PR person from this hospital told me they were taking steps to ensure this would never happen again. I asked what steps were taking place. I was not given an coherent answer. They gave me another scan, but I have no idea if that was even done correctly. I tried to confirm with the technician what part of my body they were scanning. Her response was that she is doing the requisition called for. So no steps to ensure correct scans were being done. The extra radiation from another CT scan probably isn’t ideal but what I am more concerned about is the dye. My scan didn’t call for dye, but at some point the hospital changed the scan and decided it was a good idea to inject me with dye for a scan I didn’t need my I remind you.
The Government Is Denying Health Care
I have tried to get in touch with the Minister of Health for Ontario, Sylvia Jones. All I get back is a copy paste form letter that doesn’t relate to my situation. I have spoken to my local MPP. She was defending the doctors that denied me care. Then claimed the government is hiring more family doctors. Not sure how that related to my situation, but okay… Then she asked me if I was open to private health care. My response was I was open on a contingency basis, but I don’t think she understood me. If a private doctor could can diagnosis me I’ll pay whatever their fee is. If they phone it in and cannot figure anything out I don’t agree with private health care. The problem is private health is rampant in Ontario. So much so it’s a two-tier system. From my understanding private health care was not currently legal in Ontario, but there are loopholes. These private doctors sell yearly subscriptions ranging from $3000 to $10,000/year. I’ve heard speculation that some of these private clinics may even charge as much as $20,000 but I have been unable to verify that claim. It’s kind of hard when these clinics don’t post their rates online and operate in the shadows.
https://jordankligman.substack.com/p/ontario-intentionally-denying-health

Hello I am KD , a 32 year old gay person who has never been in a relationship.
. With me getting older, the pangs of loneliness are getting stronger. I don’t have the strongest relationship with my family. Honestly, I don’t have the will to live anymore. Being in a third world country, my salary only pays for my essentials so I have been living paycheck to paycheck. My health insurance does not have mental health benefits and seeing a therapist here is expensive for me, they charge $30 per visit. Something a third world working class citizen would consider a luxury.
I have always relied on myself but I am asking for help now because I feel like I desperately need a therapy and I barely have the strength to live on. I am uninspired with life, anxious, lonely, depressed. I know that we live in a beautiful world but it’s hard for me to see that because my salary only confines me in one area.
Any amount or any form of help will be deeply appreciated. My bank account is based in the Philippines, if you feel like sharing please reach out to me for my details. Thank you for hearing me out and I wish everyone all the best.

Has anyone known someone who's gone through this program? Or have firsthand experience? Another member in this sub messaged it to me and I realized I have seen a handful of listings for it job boards before
https://www.usi.com/siteassets/images/about/developing-talent-and-careers/early-talent/commercial-insurance-career-track-program_2024.pdf?v=4928ac
I graduate in December as a Finance major with a minor in Insurance and Risk Management. I will have my ARM completed then as well. I'm seeing lots of "entry level" roles but know I don't want to end up in auto or health claims if I can avoid it because I know myself and anticipate getting bored of redundancy. I'm looking at openings from UW trainee to Acc management trainees. I understand I may have some school type knowledge but I'm ready to get started and focus in on soaking up as much knowledge as I can. I think E&S would be fun to work in with the uniqueness I may see. My non insurance career choice would be sales so I also have interest in working as a producer or similar role one day.
A mentor who I've had conversations with through a mentorship program at the university has recommended that I be less concerned on what I'm doing and what the title is at first, but try to get a feel for what organization will really be able to help me build the knowledge and teach me, which makes a program like this attractive.

I accidentally posted this to my username instead of my subreddit so here is is:
The Mortgage, Part 3
“Fuck,” I said as I drove to work in the old beater that only started on the fourth try because it could tell that I was pissed off. Ray’s case started at two o’clock, and I was heading to the office to get ready. “Fuck fuck fuckity fucking fuck. Fuck.” I’d wanted to tell Angela about Ray’s case, and how I was sorry that I hadn’t wanted to help him, but now I would, I would help him, and I would win, but then I’d gotten her all riled up on something else, something totally different, something way more serious.
My wife had given me a triple ultimatum: fix things up with her father, save idiot Ray from Sy-Co Corp., and somehow find a downpayment for the place she wanted to buy, in the little townhouse infill project in Bixity. It was like demanding I do a double bank shot, and then run over to the baseball diamond and hit a home run after first pointing to where it would land, Babe Ruth style.
Angela was mad at me, seriously mad. She’d slipped out that morning before I was even awake, sliding quietly past me on the couch. I didn’t realize she was gone until I heard the faint click of the front door closing. I jumped up, tripped over a blanket, and by the time I got up and my robe on, the elevator down the hall dinged, and Angela was gone before I opened the apartment door.
I swore at myself some more and pounded the steering wheel, “I fucked up,” I said, several times as I hit the wheel over and over again, until I accidentally honked it, and then looked all sheepish when the guy in front of me gave me the finger. I reached my office without further incident, but instead of walking in the front door, I went further down the hall, and into the office of Mark Cecil-Rowe, Barrister, LL.D, the man with the finest speaking voice I ever heard. When I entered his office I forgot for a minute about Angela and her father and sleeping on the couch the night before. I forget about everything, except the reason that I had come to Cecil-Rowe’s office: to stump him with a legal problem that I had solved, but which I was pretty sure he could not. In other words, I had come to preen and to brag and to boast. No one likes a showoff, and I had come to show off. I put my hand on the door and turned the knob. After a brief pause, I flung open the door.
“I’m a goddamn genius,” I said as I strolled into the older man’s office.
I noticed the echo of a hastily closed desk drawer hanging in the air. In Aaron’s office, where I rented space, a sudden act of concealment implied cocaine, but with Cecil-Rowe, the item in question was probably a mickey of vodka. I had the sense that he’d been drinking a bit before I arrived, but his powers of observation were unimpaired, and when he looked into my face, his expression showed sympathy, and actual pain.
“What have you done now?” he said, as set the papers before him to one side, and readied himself to hear my latest tale of legal brilliance.
“I’m a genius,” I said.
“Oh dear. Have a seat.”
“No really, I am. I’m a genius. I got this case that everyone says you can’t win, but I’m gonna win it, and when I do, I’m gonna look like a genius.” Cecil-Rowe gave me a sad indulgent smile.
“Whenever you tell me you’re a genius, I am always concerned about what is to follow. When you get wrapped up in what you call your genius, you tend to ignore the more mundane things we lawyers have to do to win a case. You think you’re going to win by genius alone.”
“Let me tell you why I’m a goddamn genius.” With effort I wiped the smug, self-satisfied expression that was on my face.
“Tell me why you’re a genius,” Cecil-Rowe said, “while I pour us a coffee.” He heaved his bulky body up from his chair and shuffled over to a counter. He picked up a carafe of hot coffee sitting on a hot plate, and poured two cups. “Speak,” he said, handing me one. I took a sip of the coffee, and told Cecil-Rowe the tale of Cousin Ray: his purchase of a franchise from Sy-Co Corp, its swift demise, the crash and burn in Commercial Court, the Minutes of Settlement, the seventy-one kilometer limit, and lastly, Sy-Co’s motion scheduled for two p.m. that very day, seeking an interim injunction shutting down Ray’s place.
Cecil-Rowe absorbed all this without the need to take notes. Instead, he sat back while he eyed me, taking the occasional sip of coffee, and smiling at the extravagant flourishes and details that brought out Ray’s story to full effect.
“Obviously Ray is dead on arrival,” he said, “but I guess this is the part where you tell me how you’re going to win.”
So I told him how I was going to win, but it didn’t have the desired effect. “I told ya I’m a genius, Mr. C,” cueing him to applaud, to admit what a brilliant lawyer I was. But there was no applause from Mark Cecil-Rowe. He looked at me without so much as a smile.
“You can cling to that genius notion as a consolation prize, after you get whipped this afternoon in court.”
“No way,” I said, “not a chance. I got this thing won hands down. I’m gonna kick ass in court today and--”
“And how exactly do you plan to do that, if you don’t have evidence?”
“What?”
“Evidence, Calledinthe9os. It’s what lawyers like me use to beat geniuses like you.”
“But I’m gonna win without proof. I don’t need proof. The argument I’m gonna make, relies on simple facts that are totally obvious, so the judge is gonna--” Cecil-Rowe stuck up his hand.
“Stop right there. I know what’s coming. You’re going to ask the judge to take *judicial notice.”
And he was right. That was exactly what I was going to do.
There are some things so obvious that you didn’t have to prove them, things that everyone knew. You didn’t have to prove that water froze at zero degrees and boiled at a hundred, or that Bixity was between West Bay and East Bay.
“You got it,” I said, “judicial notice all the way.”
“You’re going to tell the judge that the centerpiece of your argument, the lynchpin of your case is a fact known to pretty well everyone, and so you don’t need proof.”
“Exactly,” I said. Cecil-Rowe took another sip of his coffee, and left me hanging in the silence for a while before he spoke.
“If that’s true, then why does coming up with that argument make you a genius?”
“Oh, I said,”I didn’t think of that.”
“It is acceptable to rely on judicial notice for minor, ancillary points. But you never should walk into court thinking that the court will take judicial notice of your entire defence. It’s just too risky.”
“But how am I going to rustle up a witness in time for this afternoon?”
“Worry about that after you leave my office. I can’t help you with that. What I want to know, is why you’re doing this at the last minute.”
“What makes you think I’m doing this at the last minute?”
“Because you never would have resorted to judicial notice if you were properly prepared. If you’d opened this case a bit earlier, you’ve have everything lined up. But you got to work on it late, and so you want to rely on judicial notice. You’ve messed up, Calledinthe90s, and you know what my rule is when you mess up.” Cecil-Rowe didn’t extend aid to me, until I admitted the error of my ways. It was infuriating, but he was inflexible. So I fessed up.
“My idiot cousin Ray’s been trying to retain me for almost two weeks, but I was putting him off because I was mad at him. So now my wife’s mad at me, and if I don’t win this case, I’m dead. Plus her dad’s mad at me too and --” My brain roared into overdrive, a mess of family and law and fear, and at the centre of it, thoughts of Angela’s anger and her father. My mind took off, and then came to an instant halt at a helpful destination.
“Yes?” Cecil-Rowe said.
“Sorry. I just realized how to solve the evidence problem. Look, can I ask you about the thing I actually came here to ask you about?”
“You have a problem that’s worse than having no evidence? What could be worse than -- oh. You don’t have a retainer. Your client doesn't have any money.”
“Exactly. How do I get paid? That’s the problem.” I explained that Ray had no money, as in none, and that if he did have money, he wouldn’t spend it on me. Instead, he’d go back downtown and throw his cash at some big firm, who would take on his case, and proceed to lose it in a calm, careful, sober manner, ending in a reporting letter to Ray telling him that he’d lost.
“Now that’s a problem I can solve,” Cecil-Rowe said.
“Really? ‘Cause I can’t see a way around it. I think I’m gonna have to do this for free, and that really pisses me off.” Cecil-Rowe shook his head.
“You may or may not get paid, but you can set things up so that if you win, you’ll win pretty good.”
“How? Ray’s a deadbeat. Tapped out.”
“But is he desperate?”
“Totally. The first time he failed, he lost his own money, but if he goes under this time, he’s taking family money with him, and he’ll be the black sheep forever.”
“And he’s using family to emotionally blackmail you into helping him?’
“Like no shit. That’s the part that pisses me off the most. I’m like a goddamn slave, being forced to work for free.”
“Never fear, young apprentice. I have just the thing in mind.” He reached into a drawer, and pulled out a form. “Fill in the blanks, and have him sign.”
I looked it over, and saw that the document was a retainer agreement. I whistled. “Holy shit. If he signs this, he’s almost my slave.”
“Close, but not quite” Cecil-Rowe said, “the Latin term for this is "contractus pro venditione animae"”. It’s the ultimate retainer agreement. Once Ray signs that, you own any cause of action he has against the person suing him. You can settle the case on any terms you like, and you get to keep whatever proceeds there are.” Cecil-Rowe placed the folder back in a drawer, and from his manner you could tell that the interview was over.
“Awesome, Mr. C. I’ll call you from Commercial Court when we’re done.”
“Commercial Court?” he said.
“Yeah, Commercial Court.”
“This just keeps getting worse. Take notes, Calledinthe90s, while I school you on Commercial Court. Commercial Court is a jungle, and without preparation, you’ll get savaged.”
“That’s what happened to Ray when--”
“Take notes, young apprentice,” he said, tossing me a pad and a pen. He started to lecture, and I took notes that I have with me to this day, in a safe deposit box downstairs in the vault at Mega Bank Main Branch.
* * *
By the time Cecil-Rowe finished schooling me, it was close to ten, and the case started at two. I didn’t have much time. I ran down the hall to my office, and called Ray’s restaurant. No answer. Then I called Ray’s house. I expected to get Ray’s wife, but the man himself answered.
“You’re not at work. Why aren’t you at work?”
“Sy-Co Corp served all my employees with a cease and desist letter. They all got scared and took off. The place is shut down.”
“You gotta fax machine at home?” He did, and asked why.
“I’m taking your case, but only if you sign the paper I’m about to send and fax it back.” I sent the fax, and five minutes later it came back signed, and it was official: Ray had sold me his legal soul.
I went out to the parking lot, got into my beater and drove fast. In less than thirty minutes I reached my destination. I knocked on the door, and when it opened, my diminutive mother-in-law poked out her head. “What a pleasant surprise,” she said.
“Sorry, Mrs. M, but I’m in a super hurry. I gotta rush to get to court to help Ray. But first, I gotta speak to Dr. M.”
“He’s not here,” she said.
“Not here?”
“He’s on his way to his bridge game. He left just a few minutes ago.”
“Where’s the club?”
“He’s walking there,” she said, and pointed down the street.
“Thanks.” I got into my car and headed where Mrs. M had pointed, passing big houses and new project with an “Opening Soon” sign. And walking past it was the figure of Dr. M.
“Hey, Dr. M,” I called out the window. He stopped and looked around, startled. But he didn’t see me, not at first.
“It’s me, Dr. M. Me, Calledin90s.” He leaned forward as if to see me better. I got out of the car.
“Is something wrong with Angela? Or the baby?”
“No, no not at all, sorry to scare you, it’s nothing like that. I need your help.”
“Oh.” He started walking again, and now it was my turn to be a bit stunned, watching my father-in-law walk away from me. I caught up with him in a few quick strides.
“Listen, I really need your help.”
“And I really need to get to a bridge game.”
“This isn’t about me. It’s about Ray.” That brought him to a halt. He turned to me, angrier even than he’d been the night before.
“Did you drive all the way out here just to make fun of me? To remind me of how you won, distracting me with nonsense about Ray’s case?”
“I mean it,” I said, “I can win Ray’s case. I can prove it in a few words.”
“Prove it, then.” So I did. I spoke words, only a few words, but they were the right words to speak to Dr. M, for the words I spoke were in his language, words that he understood perfectly.
“I understand,” he said, “you’ve come to boast some more, to prove that you were right after all.”
“I want to win Ray’s case, but I don’t have any proof of what I’m saying.”
“You don’t need to prove that two plus two is four.”
“This, I gotta prove, and I need you to help me prove it. I need you to come to court with me, as my witness.”
“I can’t do that. I didn’t witness anything.”
“As my witness. My expert witness.” Unlike a normal witness, an expert witness can give an opinion. An expert is there not to advocate, I explained to Dr. M but to instruct, to teach.
“My bridge partner won’t be very happy,” he said.
“But Ray will, and so will Mrs. M and Angela and--”
“Very well. Do you have a cell phone? We can call the bridge club from my car.”
* * *
We were on the highway getting close to the downtown exit, when my wife called my cell phone. Back then cell phone service was super expensive and my wife only used it for emergencies. Or when she was really angry. I picked up the phone, wondering which it would be.
“I’m so happy that you made things up with my father,” she said.
“How did you know?”
“My mother called. She says you took him with you, that you went out together.”
“He’s with me right now,” I said.
“Where are you going?”
“To court. Going to court to win Ray’s case for him.”
“And you brought my father with you to watch?” She was so happy, I could hear in her voice that she was smiling. “That’s a great way to bond with him, Calledinthe90s. Look, I’m sorry I got so mad at you earlier, I really am. My dad’s a bit too sensitive and--”
“Sorry, Angela, your dad’s not coming to watch me.”
“Why is he with you, then?”
“He’s my witness,” I said.
“What?”
“His expert witness,” Dr. M said, loudly enough for Angela to hear.
My wife’s anger exploded into the phone. She wanted to know how I could expose her elderly, vulnerable father to the stress of a court case. I tried to tell her how I needed him, how there was literally no one else I could turn to, that her father was an expert, a true expert, and the judge was legally bound to believe him, but Angela heard none of this.
“Look,’ I said, “I promise you that--” And then I lowered the phone and pushed the red button, terminating the call. I’d learned that the best way to hang up on someone, was to do it when I was doing the talking. That way it looked like the call had dropped.
“I’m going to steal that move,” Dr. M said.
We rolled into the parking lot. I grabbed the cloth bag out of the back of my car, the bag that held my law robes and shirt and tabs, plus the other stuff I needed for court. It was one-thirty, still thirty minutes to go, not a lot of time to get robed and ready for court. It was just past one-forty five when I, with Dr. M in tow, opened the door to a courtroom on the eighth floor of an old insurance building that had been converted into a courthouse, the home of Commercial Court.
“Commercial Court is an exclusive club,” Cecil-Rowe had explained to me earlier that day, “the legal playground of the rich and powerful. They’ll know instantly that you’re not one of them.” And he was right. It was clear from the moment I walked in that I did not belong, for I was the only lawyer in robes. Everyone else was wearing a suit, and not some cheap thing off the rack like I wore.
There were a half-dozen lawyers present, and after they saw me, they exchanged knowing looks about the stranger amongst them. I ignored them, and walked up to the Registrar. I told him the case I was on, and he signed me in.
“First time in Commercial Court?” he said, eyeing my robes. “You know you don’t have to be robed in Commercial Court.” In other Superior Courts, you always had to bring your robes and get all dressed up. But Commercial Court had its own set of rules, and in the court for rich people, their lawyers did not have to wear robes.
“You’re here on the Sy-Co case?” a young woman asked. She was a junior like me, give a year or two either way. She was dressed in the finest downtown counsel fashion, some designer thing that Angela would know if she saw it.
“Just got retained,” I said.
“You know there’s no adjournments, right? We don’t do adjournments in Commercial Court. I’m just trying to be helpful, because I don’t think you've been here before. You know you don’t have to be robed, right?
“So I heard.”
“So where’s your material? You haven’t served anything, so how do you plan to argue your case?”
“I gotta witness,” I said.
She smiled. “There’s no viva voce evidence, either. Affidavit only.”
“We’ll see what the judge says.” There was a knock from the other side of the door to the judge’s chambers, and then the man himself entered.
I was amazed to see that even the judge wasn’t wearing a robe; instead, he was wearing a light coloured suit and a bright blue bow tie. He was dressed as good as the lawyers, all part of the downtown Commercial Court club, the playground of the richest and most powerful corporations in the City.
“Commercial Court’s not like other courts,” Cecil-Rowe told me earlier that day, explaining that most cases were over in fifteen minutes or less. A plaintiff showed up with some papers, and had a short consultation with the judge. The judge signed an order granting an injunction, or taking away a man’s business, or freezing his money. Commercial Court is where you went to get quick and simple court orders that eviscerated your opponent before the case even got going.
Defendants would appear sometimes in Commercial Court, Cecil-Rowe explained, but it was usually their last time up. Defendants always died a quick death in Commercial Court.
The judge took his seat, and then looked over the lawyers before him. His eyes moved along, and then stopped when they reached me, the one lawyer who was not like the others.
“You don’t need robes in Commercial Court,” the judge said to me.
“I’ll remember that for next time,” I said.
“What case are you on?”
I told him.
“He’s filed no responding materials,” my opponent said, “nothing at all.”
“I’m just vetting the list,” the judge said, “I’ll circle back to you two in a few minutes.” I listend while the judge vetted the rest of the afternoon list: a Mareva, plus a Norwich order, with counsel on those cases sent away in a matter of minutes.
Now the courtroom was almost empty, just the judge, two lawyers, the registrar and my star witness and father-in-law, Dr. M, who sat in the back of the courtroom dressed in an old business suit, put on hastily at his place two hours earlier, when I urged him to hurry it up, to not waste so much time on picking a suit.
“Back to you,” the judge said, addressing my opponent, “I thought this was an uncontested matter. That’s what your confirmation sheet said.”
“I’m sorry, Your Honour, but I didn’t know until I got here that the case was defended.”
“I got retained at the last minute,” I said, “barely three hours ago, the day after I read the papers. But I’m ready to go, ready to argue the case on the merits, so long as you grant me an indulgence, and let me call my witness, to let him testify in person instead of by affidavit, there being no time for me to draft anything.”
Opposing counsel was on her feet. “That’s not how things are done in Commercial Court,” she said, “or any court that I know of, for that matter. My friend (that’s what they make lawyers call each other in court, ‘my friend,’ even though you might hate the other guy’s guts),” the lawyer said, “my friend should have served his responding materials and filed them with the court. Instead, he’s taken us totally by surprise.”
“I’m sorry my friend is surprised by opposition,” I said, “but then consider, it’s my client’s livelihood that’s at stake. If my friend gets her injunction, Ray Telewu’s business is dead, and he loses everything. So yes, my client opposes the injunction, and yes, I’d like to call evidence.”
The judge didn’t consult the papers before him nor the books, but instead, he looked up at the big white clock on the courtroom wall. Its hands said two-fifteen.
“How long will your witness take, counsel?”
“In chief, ten minutes.” I’d practiced with Dr. M on the way in, and I was pretty sure he could do it in five, but I gave him a bit of extra time, just in case.
“We’ve got about two hours,” the judge said, “but I want to be fair to you and your client. Let’s take a fifteen minute recess so you can get instructions. Either we go ahead today with viva voce evidence, or we adjourn, and that will give Calledinthe90s time to file responding materials.”
When everyone came back, the junior’s boss was there, Senior Counsel, a heavy weight, one of those big guys downtown. Plus they brought this guy from Sy-Co Corp, the head of some bullshit division, with some bullshit title, Head of whatever, so that’s the title I’ll give him here. He was The Head. He was the man, the big cheese, the signer of the affidavit on which Sy-Co relied that day.
“What’s he doing here?” I asked Senior Counsel.
He stared at me, all lean and steel grey, looking every inch the hard hitting lawyer that commanded the biggest fees. “If you’re calling a live witness, then so can we. The Head will give evidence today, in advance of your client, so that the judge hears it from him first.” His junior smirked at me, and the two of them sat down, delighted that they’d thought of a way to one up me.
Except that they’d done it by exposing their client to cross-examination. The judge came in, allowed the Head to testify, and when he was done, I stood up.
“Just a few questions,” I said. Senior Counsel was stunned for an instant, and then he stood.
“This serves no purpose, Your Honour. The witness has confirmed the simple facts of his affidavit, and there’s no disputing it. Ray Telewu opened a restaurant less than seventy-one kilometres from Bixity City Hall, and that’s in breach of the Minutes of Settlement he signed.”
I did not bother to respond. Instead, I just stood, and I started to ask questions.
“Have a look at that map in your affidavit,” I said, and he did. I picked up my copy, and tore the map out of it. I passed it up to him.
“What do you notice about this map?”
“That it’s accurate,” the Head said, repeating his evidence in chief, amplifying it, talking about how the map contained perfect measurement.
“You will notice that the map is flat,” I said, laying it on the witness box before him.
“Of course it’s flat. That’s what maps are. Maps are flat.”
“But the earth is round,” I said, “or more properly, a sphere.” Senior Counsel was on his feet in an instant.
“What difference does that make?” he said.
“What you’ll hear from my expert witness, is that a flat map cannot accurately show Earth’s curves. A flat map distorts distances, and in this case, reduces them.”
“But that can’t be by very much.”
“In this case, by just over twenty meters,” Dr. M said from the back of the court.
“That’s my expert witness, the esteemed Dr. M.” I didn’t actually say Dr. M. Instead, I said his real name. But I’m not going to use the real names of my family here, so I’ll just keep calling him Dr. M. “Dr. M was a professor of Physics at the University of Bixity for almost thirty years. He has published numerous papers on particle physics, and is the first Canadian winner of the Wolf Prize for physics.”

• * * *

It went downhill after that for Sy-Co Corp. My father-in-law testified, explaining in simple language, language that even a child could understand, that the Earth was a sphere, that the shortest distance between two points on Earth was a curve, not a straight line. He summarized his calculations in plain English, dumbing down the math, so that everyone present imagined, if only for the moment, that they shared his understanding of a difficult mathematical equation.
Senior Counsel tried to cross-examine Dr. M, but it did not go well, my father-in-law indulging him, gently chiding him, continuing his explanations until the lawyer sat down, defeated by Dr. M’s mastery of the subject,his own lack of preparation and his inability to improvise. When counsel said that he had no further questions, the judge addressed us all.
“I’m not going to reserve, and I don’t think I need to tell everyone why. I think it will take about a minute for me to write a decision saying that the Earth is not flat. I’ll give you some more time after that, but after fifteen minutes, I”ll be back to render my decision.” He rose, everyone bowed, and he disappeared behind the door to judge’s chambers.
I pulled a piece of paper out of my file, and slammed it on the desk before Senior Counsel and his junior. “Fill in the blanks, and sign,” I said.
Dr. M’s head shot up at the commotion, and he shuffled over to see what was going on.
“What’s this?” Senior Counsel said, picking up the paper I gave him..
“Minutes of Settlement. You fill in a number, a big number, for the costs you gotta pay me. Your client signs, and then we’re done.” Senior Counsel opened his mouth to bargain, but I overrode him.
“You know your client’s going to lose; the judge made that obvious. Hurry up if you want to settle; we don’t have much time.”
At the end of most Canadian court cases, the loser has to pay at least part of the winner’s legal fees. That’s the way it’s been since forever, and I think it’s a good rule. Sy-Co Corp had lost, so it had to pay a good chunk of Ray’s costs, and Ray’s costs were somewhere between whatever bullshit figure I claimed they were, and where they actually ought to be. Senior Counsel took the paper over to his client. There was a brief discussion, and then they came back, with the form signed, and a number written in the blank space.
I’ll give it to Sy-Co Corp and their lawyer. It wasn’t a bullshit number, a low ball number. They gave me a real number, a number more like something I’d actually accept, a number that made sense to pay me in costs, in light of the success I’d had, and how I got it. It was a respectful number, a common sense number, and I appreciated it an awful lot.
I tossed the paper back at them.
“Add a zero,” I said, continuing on when Senior Counsel blanched, and his junior retreated a step. “I know what’s going on here. Your client sold mine a bullshit franchise, one with a history of failing.” The franchise had opened up again under a new owner not long after Ray had lost it and then it promptly failed again. Like I said at the start of this story, it’s an old story. It’s how some franchise companies make money. “Your client makes more money selling bullshit franchises doomed to fail, then it does from the honest ones that make money. So add a zero to that number, or Ray’s gonna sue you, class action and all that, for all the people you’ve fucked.”
The Head stepped forward from the benches and spoke to me.
“We get threats like that all the time, but no one follows through. They don’t have the money to fight us, and neither does your client. So go ahead and sue.”
“It’s true that Ray doesn’t have jack shit,” I said, “not a pot to piss in, but he’s my cousin, Ray is, and even if he doesn’t have money, he’s got me. Ray’s family, and for Ray, I’ll sue you guys for free. Hell, I’ll even pay the expenses. Plus I’m gonna put a jury notice in, too, come to think of it, ‘cause juries--”
Senior Counsel cut me off, and moved his client to the back of the courtroom. There was a brief discussion, and then they came back. I watched as Senior Counsel wrote a single digit on the Minutes, a zero, written right where I wanted it.
“You’ll have to initial the change,” I said to the Head of Sy-C0, and it gave me great satisfaction to watch him sign.
“Don’t forget,” I said the moment his pen stopped moving, “for the settlement to be valid, I need to get the money today. Right now.”
“Can’t it wait until tomorrow?” the Head said.
“Not if you want the settlement to stay in place. I’ll follow you back to your office, and you can put a cheque in my hands.”

• * * *

“What’s this?” my wife said when I entered the apartment later that day, after I’d driven Dr. M home, stopping first at a local pub for beers.
“It’s an absurdly expensive bunch of flowers,” I said, “although no flowers, however beautiful, however expensive, could expiate my--”
She took the flowers, and gave a kiss.
“My mom called. She told me what happened. You fixed things with my dad.”
“Yup,” I said. I had certainly done that. I’d made Dr. M a professor again, if only for a few minutes. Not only a professor, but an expert witness. The judge had declared him an expert in plain terms and Dr.M had beamed when he’d heard those words.
“And you won Ray’s case, too. But my mom didn’t know how, and I don’t know how you did it either.”
“I’ll tell you over dinner tonight,” I said.
“But we agreed no more dinners out; we have to save money, now that a baby’s coming.”
I passed her the envelope that I’d received a few hours before. She opened it, and took out a cheque, a cheque drawn up for an amount I specified, made payable to Mr. and Mrs. Calledinthe90s.
The moment I got that cheque, all I could think about was how my wife would react when I put it into her hands. I could not wait to see her eyes bulge, to hear her voice say “oh my god,” to hear her laugh.
She did none of these things. Instead, she cried.
“Does this mean we can buy a house?” The money wouldn’t be enough to buy a house, not nowadays, with prices being so crazy. But things were different back then in the 90s. Sure, the internet was barely a thing and cell phones were super expensive and a lot of things sucked, but I’ll give the nineties one thing: houses were cheap.
“I think so,” I said.

I am a Canadian student that got accepted into Cork for their 5 year BDS Dentistry program (2024 - 2020)
I have been waiting for this for so long and now I feel stuck. I am trying to understand too much too quickly and feel burnt out instead of happy.
I have many questions but don’t know who to ask so if anyone can answer any of the following questions, it would be really helpful.

1. As a Canadian student, how did you finance your education? If you took a student line of credit, how does the interest work? Is it enough to cover the tuition and living costs? For OSAP, do they give less because it’s a Bachelor’s program? How do you plan on paying off the debt? I’ll be 29 when I graduate so this has been scaring me a little. Will I be too old to handle this kind of debt?
   
2. How to find proper accommodation close to or on campus so late in the cycle? I’m finding it difficult to understand what may be a scam. I also don’t understand the double occupancy aspect so if anyone could clarify that? Even the areas are quite new to me so any help with this would be great.
   
3. I have a full-time remote job in Canada right now that is decently flexible. I plan on continuing it while I study through the 5 years. Does anyone have experience with this? Do I need to declare it to Ireland or just on my tax returns in Canada?
   
4. I am confused about how the schedule may look for the first two years and can’t find it online. Would you have an old time table or schedule that I can refer to?
   
5. Are we allowed to study during the spring terms to fast track the courses?
   
6. If I wanted to practice in USA after getting my degree, is it accredited there? Would I just have to do the licensing procedure or would I have to study for 2 more years in a US dental school?
   
7. I’m trying to find good health insurance for the time that I’m in Ireland, I would appreciate any cost effective options!
   
8. I’m trying to make a budget/cost estimate of how expensive it would be to live in Ireland for 5 years but I feel stuck because I don’t have much of an idea. So any information on costs of accommodation, transportation, food, books, miscellaneous costs, etc would be nice!
   
9. Any suggestions on the best way to connect with people in a new country would be appreciated!
   

Thank you for all the help :))
P.S. for anyone who has accepted their UCC BDS offer, we have a group chat that we’re forming. Feel free to DM me your number so I can add you to it!

Can somebody please explain to me why I can get the Dexcom one month supply cheaper without insurance than with my insurance? My daughter (9f) was recently diagnosed with type 1 this past February and I am already a bit fed up with this $210 dollar added expense every month just to monitor my daughters health when she has “good” insurance. I discovered yesterday I could get the same 1 month supply on Amazon pharmacy without insurance for $167. I do not understand how that is possible. Unfortunately by the time I realized and ordered it off Amazon it says it won’t be here until Thursday and my daughter’s sensor expires tonight. She has formed a bit of an anxiety around not having the Dexcom so she was upset about the fact of having to go to school tomorrow without one. This forced me to have to go over to cvs to get the sensors using insurance! Not really looking for much, just frustrated! Thank you for listening to my rant!

So, I've kind of posted about this in other threads, specifically on askreddit, but by some users request, I will do my best to fully relay this entire tale up to the current point, as well as provide as much context I am able (and will provide missing context if asked in comments).
TL;DR
A friend of mine of 4 years drank himself into liver failure and his wife cheated on him, so I offered him a free room to try and put his life back together, and I was repaid for the thought with a divorce of my own, but honestly, it's probably not that bad.
Part 1: CONTEXT
Me and my wife have been together since early 2014, and married in late 2017. We have been through much together, including two extended deployments, one of which was 10 and a half months long. We have traveled the world together, lived on both coasts of the US, and despite much of our struggles and how things eventually went down, I was always convinced we would work as a team to overcome any issues.
The friend in question was, largely, an online friend. We met playing an MMO during covid and we quickly formed a very tight knit, but small, community that were very close that included me, my wife, my friend, his wife, and 4 other friends. Covid was a wild time and I was surprised how easy it was to form friends in this group and we kept in touch, as a whole, even once quarantine had ended and most of us had moved on from that particular game. This was a group that, while it started online, we have met most of these people several times IRL and had vacations to spend time together and just hang out.
Part 2: His Problems
Fast forward to about January of 2024. My buddy, from here on out I will refer to as Z (and for a quick add, I will refer to my wife as D), contacts us to tell us his condition is dire and he has been diagnosed with stage 4 cirrhosis of the liver as a consequence of his extensive drinking. Shaken, we quickly charter a flight out to visit. Within a week, we're staying with him and his wife and his roommate and a couple members of his family who are taking care of him. This man is bloated, yellow, and probably about 350lbs now. We are worried, but stay supportive and positive that help can be found, especially since he seems keen on changing his lifestyle for the better. Some of his family start a gofundme that we donate to, and many of the people in our gaming circle who have grown close also donate several thousand dollars (One member of our raid team donated 10k. You never know who is stealth rich on the internet I guess). Me and several other friends discuss the possibilities of helping him get on disability and even getting ourselves tested as compatible living donors. Sad, but hopeful, we depart about a week later, and stay in constant touch.
About a month later, I'm getting a call from one of our mutuals letting me know that "Hey, so I may have goofed up." and tells me how Z's wife had visited him and had a 3 way with him and his wife. I am obviously irate at this and turn to back Z up with comments like "So much for in sickness and in health, huh?" I do what I can to stay supportive, and my wife, D, also makes it a point to stay in touch with him as he has found himself banished to the couch of his apartment. Not even allowed to sleep in his own bed and frequently uncomfortable even being in his bedroom to use the PC.
I'm not particularly rich, but I am not poor either. I served in the military and have a high VA rating which means a constant income and have a steady job and a couple side gigs that pay well enough. My love language, in many ways, is gift giving. I pride myself on being able to pick a good gift, even if it's a little early for an occasion such as a bday or christmas, and will often pull the trigger on something if it means a lot or I think it will help. In this case, my brother was selling an old steam deck because he wanted a new OLED model, so I figured "two birds, one stone", and buy the steam deck off him and send it to Z so we can still game together.
In the intervening months, Z and D start playing games that I have no interest in (Disney Dreamlight Valley), but I am happy to play other games and hang out and chat. Really, nothing seems amiss, but since his banishment, me and my wife are both pushing for him to come and take up the spare bedroom we have in our home. Soon enough, I buy him a plane ticket and he arrives with little more than the clothes on his back and we take him in, no cost other than the expectation that he might help around the house a bit (he was a chef, so having a cook and someone to help clean was ideal for me who often did not have the time or energy to handle these tasks as thoroughly as I would like).
Part 3: The Incident
Now, I am skipping ahead a little bit here, but there's not much to be said about the time between. My wife worked part time hours, and when she did go to work, she'd have him tag along just so he wouldn't "Sit and stew with bad thoughts" at the house alone. I will admit that throughout this entire ordeal, I have had several, several times where my brain tried to warn me, but I ignored ALL of those signs because I trusted him, but more importantly, I trusted her with my life.
One new, frequent argument I found myself having with her was she would fall asleep on the couch, and when I finally tried to go to bed, I'd do my best to wake her and drag her upstairs. These became extremely frequent occurrences and I expressed to her how frustrated I was that I had to fight with her just to come to bed so we could sleep (mind you, this is not even about sex. Often I'm taking her to bed at like, 1am and I work at 7, so I really just wanted her to be sleeping in the bed). Hell, one time, I started catching the vibes that the longer I sat and waited for her to be ready to go upstairs, she just never would be, because they were waiting for me to leave so they could talk in hushed tones. On THAT particular night, I went upstairs alone with her finally awake, and she did not join me for another half hour.
Finally, the day arrives. Its Sunday. We are all downstairs hanging out. One of their newest habits I can't really stand but just dealt with is that she'd sit and crochet while he doomscrolled or strummed on a guitar I bought him and listen to music videos on youtube endlessly. Eventually, I grow weary and give my wife a kiss and tell her I'm gonna go upstairs and play some GW2 for a bit.
About an hour passes, and she enters the game room and tells me "I am uncomfortable. I really need to talk to you. Oh, you're dying!" (As she entered the room, I immediately turn face to talk to her and disregard the game, but she decided that my Charr was more important that what was about to happen, so she of course warns me.) We step into the bedroom and close the door.
"You're going to hate me," she says through tears, "me and Z kissed!" At this point, my brain short circuits and I recall one of my first thoughts being "Oh lord, here we go." and just a general desire to not be a part of this conversation. Shock sets in almost immediately. Still with a healthy dose of denial, I talk to her about what had happened and told her that it needed to end. Even at this point, I did not want to send this man home. Was it shock? Denial? Probably a mixture of the two, or some other additional emotional responses. She gets up after some discussion and goes downstairs, promising to shut him down, but comes back about 15 minutes later sobbing "I couldn't do it! I couldn't end it..." (Side note: In my confused haze of a mind, I feel personally threatened, and after she leaves the bedroom, I lock the door and grab a metal water cub I keep at my side and prepare to actually fight if it comes to it, but once she returns, I back off that idea again.)
Talking with her more, I present her with two options; Couple's therapy, or divorce. BOTH of these options are world ending to her, and she even goes so far as to suggest that just because I said the "D word" that it was what I wanted, which was objectively untrue. We talk back and forth about things I don't quite recall at this point, aside from one point where she comes back and locks herself in the master bath and tells me to call 911, she doesn't care, because she's going to take a bunch of pills, but after a couple of hours, Z shows up to the door and knocks and asks if he can come in. I tell him he may enter, and we talk for a bit. After about 5ish minutes, we decide to go downstairs to the living room and continue the discussion.
Once I sit down on the sofa, I immediately feel like I'm being positioned as the bad guy. I'm in the corner of our sectional, and she's on my left, he's on my right. She tells him "He said it's either a divorce or couple's therapy." "Oh, so he gave you an ultimatum?" I continue to argue that yes, those are the two only options. Z tells me "You're not being fair to her emotions. She is telling you there is another option." I am thoroughly baffled at this statement.
D: I didn't think it was possible and I didn't mean for it to happen, but I have fallen in love with another man. My heart has room for two. I truly have two soulmates. I have never been happier than sleeping on the couch next to my two boys.
Z: There is no reason you guys can't stay married, and we can explore what we've found. I mean, look at how happy she has been since I have been here!
Sick to my stomach, I get up to go vomit in the toilet. Now, I wore a silicone wedding ring, and often find even with a hand wash, a little water tends to get trapped under it. After I finish and wash myself up, I come back and am playing with my ring to dry it. She sees this as a sign that I am uncomfortable again wearing my ring, and takes off her ring as I sit back down and hands me her wedding ring.
Me: Uh, excuse me?
D: This is what you want, I can tell.
Me: No? I was washing my hands and water gets stuck under my ring...
D: Oh... I thought... okay. (And she takes back her ring from me)
I tell her, very clearly, the options are to either end things with him, or end things with me. At this point, I'm still in shock, but sober in mind enough to decide that this is not worth fighting over. I will not argue with my own wife my merits or why she shouldn't just pack up and leave with a jobless, now essentially homeless man, and if she cannot figure that out herself then I will eventually move on.
Crying, sobbing, she sits down in front of him and says, "I'm so sorry, I fought for you. I really did. I told you I'd fight for you and I failed. I loved being your girlfriend, but I need to be a good wife and stay."
Z says "Alright." and starts to go gather his things to leave. As he does, she grabs him and says "No, wait! Please don't go. I don't know what I want."
Z: Ok, well if we're getting all this out in the open, I want to say this. I love this girl. I love her with my whole heart, and without her, life is not worth living. I will not leave this house if you (me) tell me to. Only her. You are taking this very well right now, I can tell you want to hit me (Still in shock, no, I can genuinely say that emotion or thought had not actually registered outside of the event upstairs earlier), but this is my stand.
D: OP, we had a good run. I'm sorry.
And with that, I get up and go to get my sandals and leave the house to get some air. As I try to go, she runs to the door and he follows her. She pushes the door closed and says "No wait, please!"
Me: No, this is the deal. I'm going out to get some fresh air. I am not threatening self harm to "win you back".
D: Will you be back?
Me: I don't know.
Z: Man, I'm telling you, you don't understand, you think I am your enemy, but I am not.
And with that, I leave and shut the door.
In the about, hour, I am gone, I drive around near the house and I call my supervisor who I have a very good relationship with (and I did not want to involve direct friends or family yet because I'm afraid it's too early to start spreading this news). I go over to her house nearby and we chat shortly. After our talk, I have at least something of a clear head and go home, with words for both of them.
As I arrive home, there is no one downstairs. I go upstairs. His door is closed. I knock on the door.
Z: Uh, one second.
I wait for about 5 agonizing seconds, but I refuse to be shut out of rooms in my own home and open the door. He is shirtless, and she is hiding in the corner just out of sight of me. I look him in the eye.
Me: Really?
Z: Yep.
Me: Get out of my house.
And with that, they both silently pack their things and leave.
The second I hear the front door close, I start calling people. I am not above pettiness, and the first person I call is her mom, whom I have a good relationship with. She is SHAKEN and immediately calls her. (I find out later that it was a particularly harsh verbal beating by her, but it really doesn't change anything.)
When I come downstairs to check the state of the house, I see her wedding ring on the counter. I call out of work the next day and lay down and hope I die.
Part 4: Her Problems
So, there is some additional context that I did not add in part 1 because a lot of it is red flags I ignored over the course of our relationship that, in the days following, started to become more and more obvious. There are many that I spent much effort playing off or covering her for, but I will try to briefly list much of what I see as glaring issues in the relationship that were never remedied.
This woman is 30 years old and cannot drive. She can drive and HAS driven my vehicle at the start of the relationship (albeit illegally), but after one tiny little accident where she hit a pole and knocked my side mirror off (which she paid for and fixed before telling me, it really wasn't a big deal. I was on deployment), she never drove again. Attempts to get her behind the wheel would end very quickly after they started, and the conditions to get her in the seat were often extremely time limited, scheduled, or something would come up, and every time I told her "okay, this month we're getting your license for sure" it just wouldn't happen and I'd end up feeling like the one who was at fault.
She does not have her Bachelor's degree because she did not turn in her final project for one single class. Not only that, but she has never truly pursued a career with the things she learned from the coursework, or even used her AA.
For half of the relationship, she did not work at all. When she did, it was often part time work, and if she was saddled with full time hours or, god forbid, overtime, it was a world-ending affair. She would come home and constantly be tired from her few hours at work and would do little more than sit around and crochet.
Our agreement when we bought our house was that she was going to work full time and we were going to split household duties, but I would definitely scoop the cat box because she was allergic (but she wanted cats) and wash dishes (because she hated them), and she would do laundry (because I hated it). In practice, all her version of laundry turned out to be was to throw loads in when one of us was out of clothes and just hit wash and then rotate, and then leave all the clothes in a pile on the bed. EVERYONE KNOWS folding the laundry is the worst part! Come on! Men's clothes are easy! I don't wear that much! (When we would fold, I often finished in a third of her time and would just hang out and chat until she was done)
Ultimately, this meant that for many years now, she was working barely more than part time if she was working at all, and would sort-of do laundry. Meanwhile, I am scooping litter, folding laundry, doing dishes, doing all related yard work, doing all the household cleaning, handling all the finances, I did MOST of the cooking, and all of the grocery shopping (often going alone), driving her from work if I could (she'd uber it if not) and picking her up and driving her home, as well as just generally being a chauffeur for her for 10 years, while working a full time job and a side gig online. Many nights I'd have to stop what I was doing to pick her up at closing hours, and then would sit in the parking lot for 30 minutes while she did tasks like vacuum her little crystal shop that she definitely could have done before close so I didn't end up waiting so damn long. Then we'd come home hang out and eat while we watched TV, and then if I wanted to try and go upstairs to do another hobby, I'd be silently guilted about it because she wanted to sit on the couch and crochet.
Part 5: My Problems
I am not perfect, and admit I have flaws. One of her favorite things to claim to our friends now is that I was "emotionally neglectful", and if there is truth to it, I think I can pin down the day. Before I started working full time again, I was going to school on the 9/11 GI bill. I was not a good student in my younger years, but in time, I have become rather good at school. My first two semesters back I easily maintained a 4.0 GPA. Over the summer in 2022, I, woefully, decided to take a Calc 2 class online because I could not find one in person and wanted to be ready for Calc 3 in the Fall to fill a prereq for my bachelor's, and I really liked the instructor for that Calc 3 class. This calc 2 class was painful. The instructor had clearly recorded all his lectures during Covid and we were simply given the full course of videos and given work assignments and said "Email me if you have questions." This is not how I learn, but I figured, hey, it's one class. I'm working again, but one class isn't a huge deal. I can knock this out.
I was wrong.
After the second exam, I had a low C in the class and I knew I couldn't keep up. I withdrew from the class feeling no other option. I tend to be pretty good at math, and ultimately my dream was to work with 3d printing on an industrial scale with a Mechanical Engineering degree- and if that failed I had my military history (which is engineering relevant) and a degree to fall back on and work should come easily. After clicking that withdraw button, I saw those dreams vaporize. After that, I threw myself into my government civilian job full time and slowly fell into depression. By the end of our relationship, with the toll of doing 99% of the work around the house and for her and with my dreams dead and buried, at age 33, I would wake up and pray I died. I would never kill myself, but I wanted to just die. I felt backed into a corner. I still did everything I could to support her and hoped that one day, she would pick up some of the load and maybe, just maybe, I could go back, but that day did not come (At least not in the way I expected).
Part 6: The Aftermath
This post is already too long, and if I include every single detail that has come to light since, I might actually hit the post cap, but I will go over at least some of it here.
I have had my friends come out in droves. Both of them have been effectively exiled, at least from what I can see, from every friend circle we have. After a couple of days, they flew back to live with, I guess, his parents in Vegas while they sorted shit out, because after I spoke with Z's previous roommate, he adamantly explained he was tired of all the "fucking drama" that Z had been bringing into the house and was just done with it.
I have spoken with many, many people and gotten even more context and even receipts of some of each of their conversations to our mutual friends, and some of the shit I read is just hilarious. He is "not ashamed of pursuing happiness, he is just sad that people got hurt". She is "coming to terms with emotional neglect and felt trapped, but now, yes now, she is free."
I got my neighbors to watch the cats, and took my dog up to visit my closest friend of 20 years and spent about a week and a half drinking, smoking, and talking about all this while surrounded by some of the most beautiful nature the US has to offer. Truly, without this man, I don't think I'd have gotten this far as quickly as I have. He really has been a lifesaver and I truly, to my dying day, will always appreciate him.
Paperwork has been filed, we wish to remain on good terms, and one day I still do hope I can be a friend to her, but she is woefully immature and incapable of adequately performing in an adult society. I have quit my job and am returning to school with a much lighter budget and will be getting that degree I desperately need.
It's been hard, real hard. I have put every ounce of my being into this relationship, and I truly felt like she was part of me, and nothing like this could ever happen. But it's that trust that allowed this to happen. I do not hate her, I'm just disappointed. I will pick up my pieces and, hopefully, find myself whole again soon.
Part 7: Rambling anecdotes
These are some stories I wanted to include in the previous body of text but didn't feel like it kept the same flow (if there even is any at all, I'm not proofreading this). If I remember any others after I post, Ill just toss them in the comments.
Early after Z came to live with us, my mother came to the house to drop off a package. I am pretty sure I was at work, but when my mother came to the door, both of them answered the door and the way my mom describes it "First of all, do you answer the door at your friends house? Also, the way he hovered over her made me uncomfortable. They were in the doorway and he was right up behind her poking his head out." She said my wife had told her that I was feeling unwell and was upstairs sleeping. I can't even be sure at this point.
Shortly before all the things happened, my parents were going out of town to celebrate their own anniversary, and I had agreed to dog-sit their 5 month old puppy (who, while cute, has WAY too much energy and was EXTREMELY difficult to handle, and I have raised several dogs at this point). We met up and took the dog, and then ALL of us (including Z) went to dinner. At dinner, my mother looked at my wife and asked, directly "And so how long have you been married? 6, almost 7 years? Well at least you missed that 7 year itch, huh" and my wife shortly followed with a comment about how she was not hungry and did not eat dinner that night.
All of this happened WHILE THIS CRAZY PUPPY was running around the house, and part of me thinks he pushed this to happen when it did because he could not stand having to help take care of this dog any longer (2 days).
About a week after all this happened, my wife did not text or call me, or respond to any messages or emails I sent her (I didn't send many, but they exist). Frustrated, I text her and tell her I need to talk to her about logistics moving forward, specifically about her belongings. She told me "I will talk to you when I am ready." We did not talk for another week. Also, she told me to stop talking to her mom. (I have a good relationship with both of my in-laws and while her step-father tried to remain impartial to the best of his abilities, he gave me some of the best advice I could possibly have gotten at that time, mostly about how to move forward and cope, as he has personally dealt with this with smaller relationships 3 separate times in his life which he gave me details on, and we are still on good terms.)
Their favorite TV show to watch together was Outlander, which, if you aren't aware, is basically a story about a woman who time travels and has two men in her life.
One of our biggest constant points of contention was my friendship with an old high school buddy (who I spent much of the time in the aftermath hanging out with while healing). We believe, with good reason, that she hated this man because after I had almost been hospitalized for psych reasons due to stress, he had told me I needed to talk to her about working again and doing more to help around the house. She figured out, obviously, who was telling me to say these things, and sent a very, very angry text to his wife. They all apparently made up, but I know she never let that grudge go.
One of the fairly recent hobbies I got into was D&D. It seemed like a good fit for all of us. She loved fantasy and gaming, I enjoyed 3d printing and story telling. She needed friends, and a party of people hangin out would give her at least a few connections to start. Every night she "participated" in D&D, she mostly sat quiet and did not do anything. Hell, I tried to get her to participate in 2 different games, and after she left the first one, she asked to just sit quietly in the discord call (This first one was online only, second was in person) and listen, which was super awkward. In the in person game, after 3 months of playing, she did not know how to play her character at all, and mostly spent her time at the table crocheting. (My buddy even made a comment about how at one point, he was proud of how good I was getting at DMing and I was giving particularly good exposition, and she interrupted me to hand another player at the table a dice bag she made. I don't remember it, but I absolutely believe this happened.)
The day of "the incident", she had a meltdown about how a friend of hers had ghosted her. I told her it was okay, she was much younger anyway and people grow apart. She's probably going through stuff and we should respect that path she's on. She cried about how she has no friends.
Also the day of "the incident", we were in the shower together and she told me she had met her sister's new BF on facetime. I asked "why did she break up with her old one?" "Well... she cheated on him." "Oh, that's a shame. Cheating is probably the most cowardly act a person can do to another. If you're going to start a new relationship, you need to grow a pair and end it before starting a new one." She clearly took my words to heart.
One of my biggest pet peeves about cleaning the house is our dog sheds, a lot. If I see a hairball roll through the house it immediately drains me a bit. We had a roomba. She would send that thing home when it started and never start it again. It barely ran. She would not vacuum.
One of the most common descriptors of her I've heard used by many people now that they're "allowed to" is "She was there, doing the thing with us, but it was like she wasn't there."
Something she thought that I apparently hadn't figured out by the time we talked after everything happened was that they had been talking since February. I told her I wasn't stupid and had figured it out already that this wasn't out of the blue.
Z's wife is currently pregnant with the baby of the man she cheated on him with. (And he is also married)
Anything else I remember Ill leave for comments, I know there is much, much more.

So my wife was convinced she had a hiatal hernia and diastasis recti following her two pregnancies. So many doctor visits to Kaiser (our HMO) only for them to tell her the fixes are cosmetic and that she doesn’t have them anyway and to stop looking at Google.
And everytime she came back I’d say to go back and ask again. And then we got some diagnostic testing done, but the wrong kind. And again they said it wouldn’t be covered anyway as it’s not medically necessary except in some circumstances. She should just tough it out.
Now mind you, these issues are not minor. And they are super common for women who carry children. And in other countries, it’s a routine part of after child care (not trying to get into a debate about the merits of one health care system over another, other than to say medical minds differ on their importance).
Finally I said fuck it, and added a PPO insurance through my employer and we went to a specialist. She had her diagnostic procedure today and her doctor’s jaw literally dropped when she saw the results. Lo and behold, it was a sizeable hernia and several ulcers that have formed as a result of stomach acid from the hernia. In her words, it is absolutely medically necessary to fix these issues.
So just a reminder to you dads to support your wives. They know their bodies. And they go through a lot to give us our kids. And when doctors gaslight them, don’t back down!

Hey all,
Hoping I can get some guidance. Unfortunately an uncle of mine passed away yesterday. My uncle had no kids and at the time was not married. For at least a few years I was told that I was the executor of his estate and would managing his affairs when he passed and inherit his two properties (his primary house where I am in Texas and my grandparents property in his name located in Oklahoma). This was understood by my extended family which consists of two of his surviving siblings, one of them my mom. I never signed anything or saw a specific document, just a directive that some will or other document was in his home office. My mom has been helping and today both her and another family member basically turned his house upside down and cannot find any document referencing this. His health had been in decline since January due to complications from diabetes. In dealing with that we were learning that a lot of insurance and benefits he claimed he had were not entirely true. We were going to bring this up to him but his health severely worsened recently and it was too late. I am going to search the house tomorrow but at this point I am guessing no will or other documents exist.
At this point, I am planning on getting an attorney as soon as we can get over the emotional hump of a funeral. But I am really unsure how to proceed or if it is even worth it. Assuming I am unable to find the will would my uncle's estate be probated intestate? Would I even be able to assert my claim for his property? I am no lawyer but I feel like "he said that I was going to get everything" won't really fly in a court. I've got a pretty good relationship with my extended family and I don't feel like they would push back as of now but that can always change. I already feel like my grandparent's property is going to be a sticky issue, and I am fairly certain I'll need a separate probate for out of state property anyway.
Any help or guidance would be really helpful. I am in my late 30s and I have never dealt with anything like this. As I stated I am eventually going to seek out an attorney but I want to make sure I know what I am getting myself into.

Hi, me (46f) and my husband (43m), no kid and don’t plan to have kid, have been planning for FIRE for several years and hope to pick your brain for a status check.
Regarding real estate, We now own a $740k residence with $107k mortgage, which will rent out after FIRE, current rent at market rate is about $2800-$3000/month (we will move to Taiwan, and live with my in-laws, at least at the beginning); an office unit, about $300k FMV, paid off, currently used for our own business, will rent out after FIRE, current rent at market rate is about $1200-$1500/month; a rental SFH, about $400k value, paid off, currently rent out for $1900/month.
In addition, we have about $500k in various Roth/Traditional IRA accounts, $87k in taxable brokerage account, $200k in various CD/bond/checking/savings accounts, and another $330k invested in two real estate development projects, which will return funds by end of 2026.
Hopefully, our own business can sell for $200k-$500k. we can accept if no buyer, and just close it. Currently it brings in around $400-$500k/yr, but we work very hard.
So, our current net worth is around 2.4M. Our expected annual expense after FIRE is around $66k-$100k in Taiwan. Fortunately, Taiwan has very affordable living expenses and health insurance.
This is our financials. I don’t see many posts discussing FIRE with rental properties. Probably because of maintenance costs, taxes, management fees, rent fluctuations, etc. But we are reluctant to sell them, and would rather rely on the rents as income, at least partially, during FIRE.
What do you think, my fellow FIRE seekers? Thank you in advance for any input!

Introduction to healthcare staffing agencies

Healthcare staffing agencies play a vital role in providing qualified healthcare professionals to meet the growing demand for healthcare services. These agencies act as intermediaries between healthcare facilities and healthcare professionals, ensuring that the right professionals are placed in the right positions. The introduction of healthcare staffing agencies has revolutionized the healthcare industry, offering opportunities for both healthcare professionals and healthcare facilities to optimize their operations and provide quality care. In this article, we will explore the opportunities and challenges of starting and growing a healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota.

Importance of healthcare staffing agencies in South Dakota

Healthcare staffing agencies play a crucial role in South Dakota by addressing the growing demand for qualified healthcare professionals. With the increasing population and the need for quality healthcare services, these agencies serve as a bridge between healthcare facilities and skilled healthcare workers. They ensure that healthcare facilities have access to a pool of competent and reliable professionals, while also providing employment opportunities for healthcare workers. By effectively matching the right professionals with the right healthcare facilities, these agencies contribute to the overall improvement of healthcare delivery in South Dakota. Moreover, they help alleviate the burden on healthcare facilities by handling the recruitment and placement process, allowing them to focus on providing quality care to patients. Overall, healthcare staffing agencies are essential in meeting the staffing needs of the healthcare industry in South Dakota and ensuring the delivery of quality healthcare services to the community.

Market analysis of healthcare staffing agencies in South Dakota

Market analysis of healthcare staffing agencies in South Dakota reveals several opportunities and challenges for entrepreneurs looking to start and grow their own agency. The healthcare industry in South Dakota is experiencing significant growth, creating a high demand for qualified healthcare professionals. This presents a lucrative market for staffing agencies to connect healthcare facilities with the right talent. However, the competition in the industry is also intense, with numerous established agencies already operating in the state. To succeed in this market, entrepreneurs need to carefully analyze the current landscape, identify gaps and niches, and develop unique strategies to differentiate their agency. Additionally, understanding the regulatory requirements and compliance standards specific to South Dakota is crucial for ensuring smooth operations and building trust with clients and healthcare professionals. With the right research, planning, and execution, entrepreneurs can navigate the market and establish a successful healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota.

Legal Requirements for Starting a Healthcare Staffing Agency

Licensing and registration

Licensing and registration are crucial steps in starting and growing a healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota. In order to operate legally and provide quality services, it is important to obtain the necessary licenses and registrations from the appropriate authorities. This ensures compliance with state regulations and helps build trust with clients and healthcare professionals. The process of obtaining licenses and registrations may vary depending on the type of agency and the services offered. It is essential to thoroughly research and understand the requirements, fees, and timelines involved. Additionally, maintaining updated licenses and registrations is vital to avoid any legal issues or disruptions in business operations. By prioritizing licensing and registration, healthcare staffing agencies can establish a solid foundation for success in South Dakota's competitive healthcare industry.

Insurance and liability

Insurance and liability are crucial aspects to consider when starting and growing a healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota. As the healthcare industry is highly regulated, it is important to have the appropriate insurance coverage to protect the agency, its employees, and clients. This includes professional liability insurance to cover any potential malpractice claims, general liability insurance to protect against accidents or injuries on the agency's premises, and workers' compensation insurance to provide financial support for employees who may suffer work-related injuries. Additionally, it is essential to regularly review and update insurance policies to ensure they meet the changing needs of the agency and comply with state and federal regulations. By prioritizing insurance and liability management, healthcare staffing agencies in South Dakota can mitigate risks and safeguard their operations, reputation, and financial stability.

Compliance with employment laws

Compliance with employment laws is a crucial aspect of starting and growing a healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota. As the healthcare industry is highly regulated, it is essential to adhere to all relevant laws and regulations to ensure the agency operates legally and ethically. This includes understanding and complying with federal and state employment laws, such as the Fair Labor Standards Act (FLSA), the Family and Medical Leave Act (FMLA), and the Occupational Safety and Health Act (OSHA). Additionally, healthcare staffing agencies must also comply with industry-specific regulations, such as those set forth by the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations (JCAHO) and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Failing to comply with these laws and regulations can result in severe penalties, legal consequences, and damage to the agency's reputation. Therefore, it is imperative for healthcare staffing agencies in South Dakota to prioritize compliance with employment laws to ensure the success and longevity of their business.

Recruitment and Hiring Process

Identifying staffing needs

Identifying staffing needs is a crucial step in starting and growing a healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota. Understanding the demand for healthcare professionals in the state is essential for determining the specific staffing needs of healthcare facilities. By conducting thorough research and analysis, healthcare staffing agencies can identify the areas and specialties that require the most attention. This knowledge allows agencies to tailor their recruitment efforts and provide healthcare facilities with qualified professionals who can meet their staffing needs effectively. Additionally, staying updated on industry trends and changes in healthcare regulations is vital for staying ahead of the competition and addressing the evolving staffing needs of healthcare facilities in South Dakota.

Sourcing qualified healthcare professionals

Sourcing qualified healthcare professionals is a critical aspect of starting and growing a healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota. The success of the agency relies heavily on the ability to attract and retain top talent in the healthcare industry. To ensure the highest level of care for clients, it is essential to have a rigorous screening and selection process in place. This includes conducting thorough background checks, verifying credentials and certifications, and assessing the skills and experience of potential candidates. Additionally, building strong relationships with educational institutions, professional organizations, and other healthcare providers can provide valuable networking opportunities and access to a pool of qualified professionals. By investing in effective sourcing strategies, a healthcare staffing agency can position itself as a trusted provider of high-quality healthcare professionals in South Dakota.

Screening and interviewing candidates

Screening and interviewing candidates is a critical step in the process of starting and growing a healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota. The success of the agency relies heavily on the quality of the healthcare professionals it recruits and places in various healthcare facilities. To ensure that only the most qualified candidates are selected, thorough screening and interviewing techniques must be employed. This includes conducting background checks, verifying credentials, assessing clinical skills, and evaluating cultural fit. Additionally, it is essential to adhere to all legal and ethical guidelines throughout the screening and interviewing process. By implementing a rigorous screening and interviewing process, healthcare staffing agencies in South Dakota can attract top talent and provide exceptional services to healthcare facilities in the region.

Building Relationships with Healthcare Facilities

Understanding the needs of healthcare facilities

Understanding the needs of healthcare facilities is crucial for starting and growing a healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota. Healthcare facilities rely on staffing agencies to provide them with qualified and competent healthcare professionals to meet their staffing needs. By understanding the specific needs of healthcare facilities, such as the demand for specialized healthcare professionals or the need for flexible staffing solutions, consulting firms can develop effective strategies to address these needs. By offering tailored staffing solutions and providing expertise in healthcare staffing, consulting firms can help healthcare facilities optimize their staffing processes and ensure the delivery of quality patient care.

Negotiating contracts and agreements

Negotiating contracts and agreements is a crucial aspect of running a successful healthcare staffing agency. It requires careful consideration and attention to detail to ensure that both parties involved are satisfied with the terms and conditions. One of the key challenges in this process is dealing with corporate companies that may be losing money. It is important to approach such negotiations with tact and professionalism, offering solutions and strategies that can help mitigate their financial difficulties. By understanding their unique situation and providing tailored solutions, healthcare staffing agencies can build strong partnerships with corporate companies, creating mutually beneficial agreements that contribute to the growth and success of both parties.

Providing ongoing support and communication

Providing ongoing support and communication is crucial for the success of a healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota. By maintaining open lines of communication with clients and healthcare professionals, the agency can ensure that staffing needs are met efficiently and effectively. This includes regular check-ins with clients to assess their staffing requirements and address any concerns or issues that may arise. Additionally, the agency should establish a reliable system for healthcare professionals to communicate their availability and preferences, allowing for seamless coordination and scheduling. By prioritizing ongoing support and communication, the healthcare staffing agency can build strong relationships with clients and healthcare professionals, leading to long-term success and growth.

Marketing and Promotion Strategies

Creating a strong online presence

Creating a strong online presence is crucial for any healthcare staffing agency looking to thrive in today's digital age. With the majority of people turning to the internet to search for healthcare services, having a well-established online presence can significantly increase visibility and attract potential clients. To create a strong online presence, healthcare staffing agencies in South Dakota should focus on developing a professional website that showcases their expertise, services, and testimonials from satisfied clients. Additionally, investing in search engine optimization (SEO) strategies can help the agency rank higher in search engine results, making it easier for potential clients to find them. Lastly, leveraging social media platforms and online advertising can further enhance the agency's online presence, reaching a wider audience and establishing credibility in the industry. By prioritizing the creation of a strong online presence, healthcare staffing agencies in South Dakota can position themselves as leaders in the field and effectively compete in the digital landscape.

Networking with healthcare professionals and facilities

Networking with healthcare professionals and facilities is crucial for the success of a healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota. By building strong relationships with doctors, nurses, and other healthcare providers, the agency can gain valuable insights into the needs and preferences of the local healthcare community. This knowledge can help the agency tailor its staffing solutions to meet the specific requirements of healthcare facilities in South Dakota. Additionally, networking allows the agency to establish partnerships with hospitals, clinics, and group homes, which can lead to a steady stream of clients and job opportunities. By leveraging these connections, the agency can position itself as a trusted and reliable resource for healthcare staffing in South Dakota.

Utilizing targeted advertising and marketing campaigns

Utilizing targeted advertising and marketing campaigns is crucial for the success of a healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota. By identifying the specific needs and preferences of healthcare professionals and facilities in the area, the agency can tailor its messaging and promotional activities to effectively reach its target audience. This may involve utilizing online platforms, such as social media and job boards, to connect with potential candidates and clients. Additionally, the agency can leverage local partnerships and industry networks to expand its reach and visibility. A well-executed advertising and marketing strategy can help the agency establish a strong brand presence, attract qualified healthcare professionals, and build relationships with healthcare facilities, ultimately leading to the growth and sustainability of the business.

Challenges and Opportunities in the Healthcare Staffing Industry

Shortage of healthcare professionals

The shortage of healthcare professionals is a significant challenge faced by the healthcare staffing industry in South Dakota. With the increasing demand for healthcare services, there is a growing need for skilled and qualified professionals to meet the needs of the population. However, the limited availability of healthcare professionals, especially in rural areas, poses a major obstacle to the growth and expansion of healthcare staffing agencies. This shortage not only affects the quality of patient care but also puts a strain on existing healthcare facilities. To address this issue, it is crucial for healthcare staffing agencies to develop strategies to attract and retain healthcare professionals, such as offering competitive salaries, providing professional development opportunities, and establishing partnerships with educational institutions to promote healthcare careers in the state.

Competition from other staffing agencies

Competition from other staffing agencies is a significant challenge that healthcare staffing agencies in South Dakota face. With the increasing demand for healthcare professionals, the market has become highly competitive. To stand out from the competition, healthcare staffing agencies need to focus on providing exceptional services and building strong relationships with healthcare facilities. One area that can give a competitive edge is email deliverability. Ensuring that emails are delivered to the intended recipients in a timely manner is crucial for effective communication and maintaining client relationships. By prioritizing email deliverability, healthcare staffing agencies can enhance their communication channels and improve overall client satisfaction.

Changing healthcare regulations and policies

Changing healthcare regulations and policies play a crucial role in the success and growth of healthcare staffing agencies in South Dakota. Staying updated with the latest changes ensures compliance and adherence to legal requirements. It also allows agencies to adapt their operations and strategies to meet the evolving needs of the healthcare industry. By closely monitoring and understanding these regulations and policies, healthcare staffing agencies can effectively navigate challenges and capitalize on new opportunities.

Conclusion

Summary of key points

Starting and growing a healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota presents both opportunities and challenges. To succeed in this venture, it is important to understand the key points that can help navigate the industry. One of the key points to consider is the projected growth of the nursing industry in Georgia by 2023. This presents a significant opportunity for healthcare staffing agencies to provide qualified nursing professionals to meet the increasing demand. Additionally, understanding the specific regulations and licensing requirements in Georgia will be crucial for operating a successful agency in the state. By staying informed about industry trends and regulations, healthcare staffing agencies can position themselves for success in the competitive healthcare staffing market.

Future prospects of healthcare staffing agencies in South Dakota

The future prospects of healthcare staffing agencies in South Dakota are promising. With the increasing demand for healthcare professionals and the growing population in the state, there is a significant need for staffing agencies to provide qualified and skilled healthcare professionals. This presents a great opportunity for healthcare staffing agencies to expand their operations and cater to the healthcare needs of the community. However, along with the opportunities, there are also challenges that healthcare staffing agencies need to address. These include the competition from other staffing agencies, the need to constantly update their knowledge and skills to meet the changing healthcare landscape, and the need to maintain a strong network of healthcare professionals. Despite these challenges, healthcare staffing agencies in South Dakota have the potential to thrive and contribute to the overall healthcare industry in the state.

Final thoughts on starting and growing a healthcare staffing agency

Starting and growing a healthcare staffing agency can be a challenging but rewarding endeavor. For aspiring entrepreneurs in South Dakota, there are ample opportunities to tap into the growing healthcare industry. The state's favorable business environment and high demand for healthcare professionals create a conducive environment for startups in this sector. However, it is essential to be aware of the challenges that come with running a staffing agency, such as fierce competition and the need to establish strong relationships with healthcare facilities. By leveraging technology, networking with industry professionals, and providing excellent service, entrepreneurs can overcome these challenges and build a successful healthcare staffing agency in South Dakota.
In conclusion, starting a healthcare staffing business online is a great opportunity in 2023. With the increasing demand for healthcare professionals, there is a huge potential for success in this industry. If you want to learn more about how to start your own healthcare staffing business, visit our website. We provide a complete guide on how to get started, including step-by-step instructions and valuable tips. Don't miss out on this chance to build a successful online business in the healthcare industry. Take action now and visit our website to begin your journey.

Introduction to healthcare staffing business

Launching a healthcare staffing business in Wyoming can be a challenging endeavor, but with the right strategies and approach, it is possible to navigate the frontier state successfully. In this article, we will provide an introduction to the healthcare staffing business and explore the key steps involved in setting up and running such a business in Wyoming. One of the crucial aspects of any healthcare staffing business is the ability to attract new clients. In order to attract new clients, it is important to implement effective marketing strategies and establish strong relationships with healthcare facilities and professionals. By offering exceptional staffing services and highlighting the unique benefits of working with your business, you can position yourself as a trusted partner in meeting the staffing needs of healthcare organizations in Wyoming.

Importance of healthcare staffing in Wyoming

The importance of healthcare staffing in Wyoming cannot be overstated. With a growing population and an aging workforce, the demand for qualified healthcare professionals is higher than ever. Healthcare staffing agencies play a crucial role in meeting this demand by connecting healthcare facilities with talented and skilled professionals. These agencies ensure that healthcare facilities are adequately staffed, which is essential for providing quality care to patients. Additionally, healthcare staffing agencies help in reducing the burden on healthcare facilities by handling the recruitment and placement process, allowing them to focus on their core operations. Therefore, the presence of healthcare staffing agencies is vital for the efficient functioning of the healthcare industry in Wyoming.

Challenges and opportunities in the healthcare staffing industry

The healthcare staffing industry presents both challenges and opportunities for entrepreneurs looking to start a nursing agency in Georgia in 2023. As the demand for healthcare professionals continues to rise, there is a growing need for staffing solutions that can provide qualified and reliable nurses. However, entering the healthcare staffing industry can be challenging due to the competitive nature of the market and the need to navigate complex regulations and licensing requirements. Despite these challenges, there are significant opportunities for growth and success in this sector. By understanding the unique needs of the healthcare industry in Georgia and leveraging innovative strategies, entrepreneurs can establish a nursing agency that meets the demand for skilled nursing professionals and contributes to the improvement of healthcare services in the state.

Understanding the Healthcare Staffing Market in Wyoming

Demographics and healthcare demand in Wyoming

Wyoming, with its unique demographics and healthcare demand, presents both opportunities and challenges for launching a healthcare staffing business. As the least populous state in the country, Wyoming has a small but diverse population that requires specialized healthcare services. The state's rural nature and vast geographic area make it essential to have a comprehensive understanding of the healthcare needs of different regions. Additionally, Wyoming's healthcare system relies heavily on federal funding, making it crucial to navigate the complexities of government regulations and funding mechanisms. By leveraging the right banking solutions for taquerías, healthcare staffing businesses can effectively address the specific healthcare demands of Wyoming's population.

Existing healthcare staffing agencies in Wyoming

Wyoming is home to several existing healthcare staffing agencies that have established themselves in the state's healthcare industry. These agencies have successfully navigated the challenges of the frontier state and have built a strong presence in the market. When it comes to venture capital, these agencies have also attracted investments to fuel their growth and expansion. With the support of venture capital, they have been able to scale their operations, invest in cutting-edge technology, and attract top talent. As a result, these agencies have been able to provide high-quality staffing solutions to healthcare facilities across Wyoming. If you are considering launching a healthcare staffing business in Wyoming, it is important to study the strategies and success stories of these existing agencies to understand the market dynamics and identify opportunities for differentiation and growth.

Trends and growth projections in the healthcare staffing market

The healthcare staffing market is experiencing significant trends and growth projections. As the demand for healthcare professionals continues to rise, so does the need for staffing solutions. With the increasing complexity of the healthcare industry, healthcare facilities are turning to staffing agencies to find qualified and skilled professionals. This trend is expected to continue as the healthcare industry expands and evolves. Moreover, the advancement of technology has also played a crucial role in the growth of the healthcare staffing market. Online platforms and digital tools have made it easier for healthcare facilities to connect with staffing agencies and streamline the recruitment process. As a result, the healthcare staffing market is projected to experience substantial growth in the coming years.

Legal and Regulatory Considerations

Licensing and certification requirements for healthcare staffing businesses

Licensing and certification requirements for healthcare staffing businesses in Wyoming are an important aspect to consider when launching a healthcare staffing business in the state. To operate legally and provide quality services, healthcare staffing businesses must adhere to the regulations set forth by the Wyoming Department of Health and other relevant regulatory bodies. These requirements ensure that healthcare staffing businesses meet the necessary standards and have the appropriate qualifications and credentials to provide staffing solutions in the healthcare industry. Obtaining the required licenses and certifications demonstrates a commitment to professionalism and ensures compliance with state regulations, ultimately building trust and credibility with clients and healthcare professionals alike.

Compliance with state and federal employment laws

Compliance with state and federal employment laws is crucial for any business, especially in the healthcare staffing industry. In Wyoming, navigating the frontier state adds an extra layer of complexity to ensure that your healthcare staffing business is in full compliance. Understanding and adhering to the latest marketing tips for small businesses is essential in promoting your services while staying within the legal boundaries. By staying up-to-date with the ever-changing landscape of employment laws and implementing effective marketing strategies, you can establish a solid foundation for your healthcare staffing business in Wyoming.

Insurance and liability considerations for healthcare staffing agencies

Insurance and liability considerations are crucial for healthcare staffing agencies operating in Wyoming. As the healthcare industry is highly regulated, it is essential for staffing agencies to have comprehensive insurance coverage to protect themselves and their clients. This includes professional liability insurance, general liability insurance, and workers' compensation insurance. Professional liability insurance safeguards against claims of negligence or errors in providing healthcare services, while general liability insurance covers accidents or injuries that may occur on the agency's premises. Workers' compensation insurance is necessary to provide coverage for employees who may suffer work-related injuries. By obtaining the appropriate insurance policies, healthcare staffing agencies can mitigate financial risks and ensure the safety and well-being of their staff and clients.

Developing a Business Plan

Identifying target market and niche

Identifying the target market and niche is a crucial step in launching a successful healthcare staffing business in Wyoming. One key aspect to consider is finding group homes, which can be a profitable niche in the healthcare staffing industry. Group homes provide specialized care and support to individuals with specific needs, such as the elderly or individuals with disabilities. By catering to this niche, healthcare staffing businesses can establish themselves as experts in providing staffing solutions for group homes. This can be achieved by recruiting and training healthcare professionals who have experience in working with these populations. Additionally, developing strong relationships with group home owners and administrators can help healthcare staffing businesses gain a competitive edge in the market. By understanding the unique staffing requirements of group homes and tailoring their services to meet these needs, healthcare staffing businesses can position themselves as valuable partners in the healthcare industry.

Creating a competitive pricing strategy

Creating a competitive pricing strategy is crucial for launching a successful healthcare staffing business in Wyoming. In order to navigate the frontier state, it is important to carefully consider the pricing of your services. By analyzing the market and understanding the needs of healthcare facilities in Wyoming, you can develop a pricing strategy that sets you apart from your competitors. This strategy should take into account factors such as the cost of recruiting and training healthcare professionals, as well as the average rates charged by other staffing agencies in the state. By offering competitive prices while maintaining high-quality services, you can attract clients and establish your business as a trusted provider in the healthcare staffing industry.

Establishing partnerships with healthcare facilities

Establishing partnerships with healthcare facilities is a crucial step in launching a successful healthcare staffing business in Wyoming. By forging strong relationships with hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare providers, you can ensure a steady stream of job opportunities for your staffing agency. It is important to approach potential partners with professionalism and a clear understanding of their needs. Demonstrating your expertise in healthcare staffing and highlighting the benefits of partnering with your agency will help build trust and credibility. Additionally, offering competitive rates, flexible staffing solutions, and excellent customer service can set your business apart from competitors. Building partnerships in the healthcare industry requires persistence, networking, and a commitment to delivering high-quality staffing services.

Recruiting and Retaining Healthcare Professionals

Effective recruitment strategies for healthcare professionals

When it comes to effective recruitment strategies for healthcare professionals, a creative platform can be a game-changer. A creative platform provides innovative solutions for attracting and retaining top talent in the healthcare industry. By utilizing a creative platform, healthcare staffing businesses can showcase their unique offerings and benefits to healthcare professionals, making them stand out from the competition. This platform allows for the creation of engaging and interactive content, such as videos, infographics, and testimonials, which can be shared on various online platforms and social media channels. These creative elements not only capture the attention of healthcare professionals but also provide them with valuable information about the healthcare staffing business. By leveraging a creative platform, healthcare staffing businesses in Wyoming can effectively reach and engage with healthcare professionals, ultimately leading to successful recruitment outcomes.

Building a strong employer brand

Building a strong employer brand is crucial for the success of any business, especially in the competitive healthcare staffing industry. It requires careful self-reflection for entrepreneurs to understand their unique value proposition and effectively communicate it to potential candidates. By investing time and effort into developing a strong employer brand, healthcare staffing businesses in Wyoming can attract top talent and differentiate themselves from their competitors. A strong employer brand not only helps in attracting skilled professionals but also fosters a positive work culture and improves employee retention. It is essential for entrepreneurs to prioritize building a strong employer brand as it directly impacts the long-term success and growth of their healthcare staffing business.

Implementing retention programs and incentives

Implementing retention programs and incentives is crucial for the success of a healthcare staffing business in Wyoming. With a shortage of healthcare professionals in the state, it is essential to create a work environment that encourages employee loyalty and reduces turnover. One effective strategy is to develop a comprehensive retention program that includes competitive salaries, benefits packages, and opportunities for professional growth. Additionally, offering incentives such as performance bonuses, flexible schedules, and recognition programs can further motivate and engage employees. By investing in retention programs and incentives, healthcare staffing businesses can attract and retain top talent, ensuring the delivery of high-quality healthcare services to the communities they serve.

Marketing and Promoting Your Healthcare Staffing Business

Creating a professional website and online presence

Creating a professional website and online presence is crucial for any healthcare staffing business looking to succeed in today's digital age. A well-designed and user-friendly website not only showcases the services and expertise of the business but also establishes credibility and trust with potential clients. Additionally, having a strong online presence through social media platforms and online directories allows the business to reach a wider audience and attract more qualified candidates. By investing in a professional website and maintaining an active online presence, healthcare staffing businesses in Wyoming can effectively navigate the frontier state and position themselves as industry leaders.

Utilizing social media and digital marketing

Utilizing social media and digital marketing is essential for the success of any business in today's digital age. In order to reach a wider audience and increase brand visibility, it is crucial for healthcare staffing businesses in Wyoming to embrace the power of social media platforms and digital marketing strategies. By leveraging platforms such as Facebook, Twitter, and LinkedIn, healthcare staffing businesses can connect with potential clients and candidates, share valuable industry insights, and promote their services effectively. Additionally, implementing targeted digital marketing campaigns can help healthcare staffing businesses stand out from the competition and attract the attention of corporate companies in Wyoming that may be losing money and in need of staffing solutions. By utilizing social media and digital marketing, healthcare staffing businesses can establish themselves as industry leaders and gain a competitive edge in the challenging frontier state of Wyoming.

Networking and building relationships with healthcare professionals and facilities

Networking and building relationships with healthcare professionals and facilities is crucial for the success of your healthcare staffing business in Wyoming. One effective strategy is to focus on email personalization. By customizing your emails to address the specific needs and interests of healthcare professionals and facilities, you can establish a deeper connection and increase the likelihood of building long-term partnerships. Email personalization allows you to tailor your communication to each recipient, highlighting the value your staffing services can provide. Additionally, it enables you to showcase your expertise and demonstrate your commitment to meeting the unique staffing challenges faced by healthcare professionals and facilities in Wyoming.

Conclusion

Summary of key points

Launching a healthcare staffing business in Wyoming can be a challenging endeavor due to the unique characteristics of the frontier state. However, by understanding the key points and following a strategic approach, entrepreneurs can navigate the complexities and establish a successful venture. This article aims to provide a summary of the essential factors to consider when starting a healthcare staffing business in Wyoming.

Future prospects of the healthcare staffing industry in Wyoming

The future prospects of the healthcare staffing industry in Wyoming are promising. With the increasing demand for healthcare services and the growing population in the state, there is a significant need for qualified healthcare professionals. As the healthcare industry continues to evolve and expand, the demand for skilled staff will only continue to rise. Additionally, Wyoming's unique geographical location and its status as a frontier state present opportunities for healthcare staffing businesses to cater to remote and underserved areas. By leveraging technology and innovative recruitment strategies, healthcare staffing companies can tap into this untapped market and provide essential healthcare services to communities across Wyoming. With the right approach and a commitment to quality, the healthcare staffing industry in Wyoming has a bright future ahead.

Final thoughts and recommendations

In conclusion, starting a healthcare staffing business in Wyoming can be a challenging yet rewarding endeavor. The unique landscape and demographics of the frontier state present both opportunities and obstacles for entrepreneurs in this industry. By carefully navigating the regulatory landscape, building strong relationships with healthcare facilities and professionals, and leveraging technology to streamline operations, aspiring healthcare staffing business owners can position themselves for success. It is crucial to prioritize compliance with state and federal regulations, as well as invest in continuous professional development for staff members to ensure high-quality service delivery. Additionally, staying informed about industry trends and best practices will enable businesses to stay competitive in the ever-evolving healthcare staffing market. With careful planning, dedication, and a commitment to excellence, launching a healthcare staffing business in Wyoming can be a fulfilling and lucrative venture.

Kia Ora - throw account.
TLDR: 76 year old male, in rental accommodation approx $550pw, Approx $50k p.a in company and state pension, approx $270k lumpsum to invest while he determines next steps. Options for own home/self build on family land in Wellington in the future.
Thanks in advance...
FULL
My father has received a lump sum of $270k. He is settled in a 1.5 bed rental accommodation close by and in good health, after living with us for the last 2 years. He pays $550 pw, plus minor bills (heat pump, food, insurance).
He has just bought a 3-year-old low mileage fuel efficient car with cash (17k), but mostly uses public transport.
Advice please on planning for an active 10 years, and options to transition to supported living/care home after that. He is happy with the rental, but if it was his own place you could spend $30k on it to significantly improve it.
He has never been good with money, exacerbated by several divorces, and as a result in spite of a good pension has ended up in rental accommodation with few assets.
Initial thoughts are:

• move the money to perhaps three offset 6 month term deposits (1/3 split) to allow him time to think through the options.
  
• longer term whether this lump sum would provide sufficient deposit to extend my mortgage to buy a 1 bedroom property that he would then rent. Immediate concern is transparency with other siblings and what happens when he needs to move to some form of care. Indicatively I'm seeing one bedroom granny flats in the $550-600k range. This would make the 'rental' slightly more than he is currently paying but he is attracted to his own home.
  

An alternative preferred option is we have space to put a prefab c. 50-75sqm unit on our section. I'd be more confident of doing this within the lump sum. Still leaves residual issues on estate planning and how our land is reflected to resolve.
We are encouraging him to ensure he has powers of attorney and will up to date and inplace.

So I realized I have food noise. All day every day all I think about is food. But when I try to do CICO or restrict to shed a bit of weight, I put on that and more. As my weight goes up, I feel like this hunger monster. I never feel satiated and I don’t know what’s wrong with me. It’s like all this food is going into a black hole. And yes I eat protein, fats, and try to keep carbs at or below 100 grams a day when I can help it. Usually my carbs will come from the fiber tortillas, keto bread, beans, legumes, rice, fruit, and vegetables. For example, today I had an egg white and avocado wrap with cheese for breakfast and then a chicken and lettuce wrap for lunch with an apple. I STILL feel hungry and am already at 1000 calories for the day. I don’t seem to lose weight unless I’m below 1200 calories a day.
I’ve restarted taking myoinositol regularly, but it doesn’t seem to be working just yet. I take one scoop of the wholesome story 40:1 ratio. My gynecologist prescribed 500 mg metformin, but I honestly think I would benefit from double that dose or 1500-2000 mg max dose. How do I ask my gynecologist to see if an increase would help me? I wish I could give semaglutide a try, but my insurance says it’s thousands and I wouldn’t be eligible for coverage 😔.
I’ll add: was diagnosed with prediabetes (5.9) 6 months ago. I had horrible health issues and was constantly throwing up so went to another doctor who retested my A1c last month and it’s below the prediabetes range (5.5). I know the insulin resistance is probably not gone since I’ve had signs of it since before puberty and am now a grown adult. I wish semaglutide was covered by insurance for pcos.

Diagnosed with CFS in March on top of ADHD, Autism, depression, and PTSD in 2022
Over the years, I've coped with my mental illness, usually hiding away in video games until the low feelings stop or become numb.
However, since my CFS diagnosis, my ability to game and hide away from all of the stress has become difficult. I barely game at all, not even cozy or Mario games.
I was kind of doing okay. I had some upsets and ideation when I felt doctors were ignoring test results, but I was able to rally after that.
However, now that I'm working on the forms for my disability claim, I feel SO overwhelmed. I've reached out to a lawyer who is going to help, but I've always been independent. I like to be in control. She's only going to write what I tell her, but it feels like something I should be able to do even though my eyes burn, letters have fuzzy edges, and there's pain behind my left eye if I push myself too hard.
(Going to see an eye therapist next week to see if I have BVD or some other tracking issue).
I feel so hopeless and unhelpful. I've always been the one to 'be strong' due to my upbringing. It's why I always pushed my mental health down.
But without my favorite way to cope, all I can do is watch a tiny bit of tv, be stuck with my thoughts, or sleep.
I've contacted a local therapy organization to see if they will honor my hospital's financial assistance and cover the cost of my sessions. I'd rather not use meds as I'm super sensitive to those I've taken in the past (this includes all meds).
But if they can't cover me, I just feel like I'm going to overflow with this feeling of drowning, which will then affect my husband. He supports me. He's done everything for me. But I don't like bringing him down if I can help it.
He says he doesn't mind, but I can see how my disability and the worry he feels wears on him.
I should be able to talk to him about these things, and yet, I just feel like I'd be hurting him more.

• We started with the two federal lawsuits filed last Thursday, seeking to block Iowa from enforcing Senate File 2340, the immigration law that creates a new state crime of “illegal reentry.” You can read the federal government’s lawsuit here and the case filed on behalf of Iowa Migrant Movement for Justice and two individuals here. I have a post in progress at Bleeding Heartland on why the state will struggle to show this law is constitutional;
• One key issue in both lawsuits: Iowa’s law makes no allowance for the reality that the federal government may grant permission for someone to be in this country, even if they were removed or deported in the past;
• Responding to the lawsuit, Governor Kim Reynolds cited her “responsibility to protect the citizens of Iowa. Since President Biden refuses to enforce our nation’s immigrationlaws – threatening the safety of our citizens – Iowa will step in.” Similarly, Attorney General Bird said, “Iowa stands ready to defend our immigration law that keeps Iowa communities safe”;
• I previewed one of the key legal arguments for the state, which Republican legislators put forward during the House and Senate debates. The concept is that the U.S. Constitution allows states to defend themselves against an “invasion,” and GOP politicians claim undocumented immigration amounts to an invasion of this country;
• Contrary to the idea that SF 2340 will keep Iowans safe, Marshalltown Police chief Michael Tupper submitted a declaration for one lawsuit explaining why “it undermines public safety” when the immigrant community believes local police will engage in immigration enforcement;
• Many of the arguments in these cases overlap, and U.S. District Court Judge Stephen Locher has consolidated a hearing on the motions for a preliminary injunction, which is set for June 10;
• Iowa became a plaintiff in yet another lawsuit against the Biden administration last week. This case, involving six GOP-led states that are part of the Eighth Circuit Court of Appeals, challenges the U.S. Department of Education’s latest rule related to Title IX protections for LGBTQ students. Republicans dispute that Title IX’s prohibition of sex discrimination should encompass discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation and gender identity;
• Bird was spotted on Monday morning outside the criminal court where Donald Trump’s trial continues in Manhattan. The Attorney General’s office hasn’t answered any of my questions about the trip, but a spokesperson told the Des Moines Register’s Brianne Pfannenstiel “no taxpayer money had been used to fund her travel.” Bird spoke briefly to reporters outside the courthouse to call the case a “travesty” designed to keep Trump off the campaign trail;
• George wondered if state political leaders traveling across the country was going to be the “new normal.” I won’t be surprised to see Bird appearing with Trump in other venues this year. She’s been the former president’s top Iowa surrogate since Governor Reynolds endorsed and actively campaigned for Florida Governor Ron DeSantis;
• Moving to legislative news, the governor continues to sign more laws the legislature approved last month. Last week, she signed Senate File 2251, one of the bills she proposed, extending postpartum Medicaid coverage for thousands of Iowa women while excluding thousands of women from pregnancy or postpartum coverage;
• I’ve been wanting to talk about House File 626 for a while, but I don’t think Dennis and I ever got to it during the legislative session. Starting next year, this law will prohibit insurance companies from forcing a change to someone’s prescription medications in the middle of a coverage year, if the patient is stable on the drug and a health care provider continues to prescribe it. I enjoy stories like this, which have a major lobbying component. You might think this bill is not controversial, because it passed both chambers nearly unanimously. But advocates had to work for at least seven years to get it to the Iowa Senate floor, due to strong opposition from the insurance lobby;
• Here’s an update on a bill that particularly affects mothers. Natalie Krebs reported for Iowa Public Radio last week on contracts signed with four groups that will provide services under the “More Options for Maternal Support” (MOMS) program, which funnels taxpayer dollars to crisis pregnancy centers. Senate File 2252, which the governor signed in April, allows the Iowa Department of Health and Human Services to administer this program directly;
• Reynolds signed the remaining appropriations bills last week, which set spending levels for the fiscal year beginning on July 1. On this program I wanted to highlight a couple of big picture points: Reynolds did not use her item veto power at all, which illustrates how Republicans closely coordinate budgeting with the governor’s office these days. They don’t put anything important in appropriations bills without her approval;
• Second, the $8.9 billion state budget for fiscal year 2025 will spend only about 80 percent of projected state revenues. By law, legislators are allowed to allocate up to 99 percent of projected revenue, but Republicans are building huge surpluses into the budget in order to cover future tax cuts;
• The June 4 primary fast approaches, and I wanted to flag the early voting deadlines for listeners. You can vote early in person starting May 15, and county auditors will start mailing out absentee ballots on the same day. Whether you vote early or on the primary election day, remember to bring some form of voter ID with you. If you need to change your address or register for the first time, bring proof of address as well as a valid ID;
• Moving back to state government news, Bird held a press conference on Friday to announce she was creating a new task force on antisemitism. Oddly, her office still hasn’t released a full list of task force members. I was able to confirm over the weekend that none of the three current state legislators who are Jewish were invited to participate;
• On the environmental front, there was good news and bad news connected to the heavy rain Iowa has seen in recent weeks. Jared Strong reported for Iowa Capital Dispatch that “For the first time in nearly two years, no part of Iowa has extreme drought”;
• Now for the bad news: the rain has flushed a lot of nitrate off fields and into Iowa waterways. Strong reported on this problem for Iowa Capital Dispatch as well;
• Excessive levels of nitrate in water has been associated with blue baby syndrome and certain cancers; I recently republished some in-depth reporting by Keith Schneider on the possible link between farm chemicals and high cancer rates in Palo Alto County;
• A quick bit of Congressional news: all four Iowans in the U.S. House helped save House Speaker Mike Johnson’s job last week;
• We didn’t have time to dig in to the details, but researchers from Princeton University have demonstrated that Iowa’s “Education Savings Accounts” (school voucher) program led to tuition increases at many private schools. Stay tuned, because I will have more to say about these findings on the May 20 program.