“Ugh” I say in frustration I was broke……I hate being broke no matter what I did to make more money I couldn’t keep it it either went to food,bathroom necessities or my lingering college debt i knew college would be expensive but I didn’t think the debt would stick around 9 years after I graduated I couldn’t even find a decent job that paid good enough just wanted to have a normal life without work what made this whole thing worse was my friend, she was way richer than me and sneaky as she sneaked up behind me and wrapped her arms around my shoulders “sup Mary” I jumped at the sudden touch almost letting out a yelp. “oh hey amber” Amber was way stronger and taller than me having been on the basketball team something that got her a scholarship and even a place in the wnba as jealous of her as I was I couldn’t bring myself to hate her she was my friend after all “so anything interesting happen?” She asked “no not really just the same old work,pay and hope I can afford food” I responded “you know I can give you money right? Hell I can pay for your college debt.” “You know I don’t like it when you give me money.” We both came from the same background a normal childhood with a nice family and school life was good too good grades and the Normal bully here and there but other than that it was a normal old childhood “but I feel like you need it look we’re friends and friends are supposed to help each other” “I know but still I can do this myself” she suddenly stopped in front of me crossing her arms I almost walked straight into her stomach “then tell me mary can you afford food?” I completely freeze I look away as my face flushed with embarrassment damn her she always knew my struggles “why’d you wanna know” I respond “you can’t afford food huh?” Amber suddenly says “wha- yes I can!” I hear amber giggle that damned giggle she always knew my struggles which made everything worse “look Mary I’m your friend you ask me for help I really don’t mind at all you know” “amber I said I’m fine I don’t need help” “did you pay your rent last month?” This completely froze me “I take it that’s a no what about last month?” With each word she said my face got more and more red with embarrassment “damn you amber” I say out of embarrassment more than anger I hear her giggle “so you didn’t pay your rent?” “n-no.” “do you need money?” I can’t help my embarrassment “d-desperately.” she giggles again “I told you you can tell me if you need help.” “I hate that you u can read me like a damn book” “we’ve been friends since middle school of course I can read you like a book” I hated that. She can read me like a book but I couldn’t she was a complete mystery to me although I knew all her secrets and she knew all mine “god you’re insufferable sometimes.” I say as a smile appears on my face “an insufferable yet amazing friend right?” She says with a smile “of course.” I say with a laugh gently nudging her although her tall frame barely moving “weakling.” She says as she nudges me almost making me fall “hey! No fair you’re stronger than me!” “Well maybe you should have done sports.” She teases “you know im not good at sports he’ll look at me I can barely run 20 seconds with you getting winded!” I hear her giggle before she flicks my head “weak ass” “oh screw you” I say with a giggle I always loved these little scuffles though it quickly came to and end as we reached my apartment complex “hey here Mary.” She says as she hands me 5 100$ bills “oh thanks you don’t have to do this you know” “your my friend and I’m just helping you now go pay your rent and get some food for once” she says with a giggle before walking off “screw you!” I yell with a giggle as she flips me off still walking away I laugh as I go and pay my rent I knock on the landlords door waiting for the door to open once it does the strong smell of cigarette smoke hits me she was about in her mid 50’s and a chain smoker but she was nice. “Hello” i say with a small smile “if your here to try and get your rent delayed I can’t do it your 3 months short” “that’s why I’m here I’m here to pay it.” “Oh?” She says i hint of surprise in her voice “im here to pay my rent” “in full or half?” She say’s skeptical “in full” i say with a small smile “it’s 200 dollars you know” she says “I now here” I give her the 200 dollars from the 500 amber gave me “oh? I’m pleasantly surprised. Did you finally get a well paying job?” I chuckle “I wish” that makes her chuckle too “me too honey me too any way have a good night” “goodnight miss” I make my way to my apartment with a smile on my face most people would think that the landlord was a mean grumpy women but she was actually a nice person even help me find a job when I lost my old one. Once I make it to my apartment I close and lock the door and look around it was nothing special if anything it was boring with no color or even pictures lining the walls it may have been boring but it was comfortable and I loved it. I fell on my bed going through my socials and just mindlessly scrolling when I suddenly got a text from amber “hey you free? Wanna hop on the game?” I smile at the text this was a nightly occurrence something I always looked forward to. “Yea give me say 3 minutes” i text back “okay don’t throw your controller this time” I smile at that it happened 7 months ago i having a day and her smugness only made me even more angrier which made me throw my controller and completely break it ever since then she joked and teased me about it “today I’ll make you break your controller!” I text back. “ha! Yea right! You know I’m way better than you” amber texts me. “Oh just get the hell on”

No great epiphanies or questions here but I have to share this with someone so you all are it. Just a reminder to myself and everyone that this stuff is SO REAL bc even though I know that and we know that, sometimes I forget just how real it can be.
My last period was weak and weirdly light, but I am at a perimenopausal age so I shrugged and didn’t think too hard about it. Had unusually little relief from symptoms that period, then three weeks of feeling super sluggish, foggy, unable to concentrate or get things done, depressed. Now today another period shows up more than a week early and STRONG, and I feel like a new person!!! Of course that’s what was going on, something weird with my hormones, but I was getting worried about all kinds of possibilities for how weird that few weeks between was. Depression, liver problems, even took covid tests. Just incredible how much better I feel today with a real full period.
Hallelujah and damn.

We’ve been in a relationship for just over a year. I’m 22F and he’s 27M. Things have been great, of course we argue from time to time but we always resolve it with some healthy communication. I adore this man. He treats me so well and makes me overall pretty happy.
But I have doubts about the relationship. It’s mainly doubts about our relationship long term.
The first problem that’s been causing some issues in our relationship is the fact that he’s unemployed. He’s been unemployed for roughly 4-5 months. It all started when he left his one job for something else he’d enjoy more. It didn’t last long and they fired him. Then he got another job, that didn’t last long either. He got fired from that one too and ever since he’s been job hunting. I don’t know if it’s because he’s a bad worker, he’s only ever expressed that he works really hard. So I don’t know if it’s just been bad luck or what. But he can’t seem to find something, even with him actively looking for work everyday.
The first problem makes me worry for my future. I’m in school, graduating soon and gonna have a hopeful career in engineering/construction so I know I’ll be making good money, I just don’t think he will. I eventually wanna settle down and have children. I know it sounds cliche but my absolute dream is to be a stay at home mother. I wanna be the one to raise my children and watch them grow. Eventually working once they’re in school, but at least while they’re young I wanna be around. That doesn’t seem possible if I stay with him. I love him to bits but the fact is he’s 27 and he hasn’t started his career yet. It seems like he’s gonna be in starting positions his whole life. It doesn’t seem like he wants to find a career where he can grow and build from it. I know it’s hard to find out what you wanna do for the rest of your life but you need to start somewhere. I’m trying to go easy on him and be supportive but I also don’t wanna sacrifice my dreams.
I know I’ll be happy with him but I’m scared I’ll grow resentment towards the things he couldn’t give me. I feel like we need to have a give talk but I don’t even know where to start. It feels like I’m heading towards a break up (which I don’t want) but I’m scared. I’m also scared that my judgement is being clouded. He’s the only person I have in my life besides my parents so I’m worried I’m holding on because he’s the only person I got. I’m also scared that if we do break up and I end up dating again, I’ll regret my decision then I can’t come back to him.
I don’t know what to do, any advice would be welcome!
TL;DR I’m having growing worries about my future with my boyfriend. He’s not career driven and I’m scared my future isn’t what I’ll want it to be

before anything I’d like to say that I’orry that I’m terrible in expressing myself in English, but I hope you guys will understand everything 😊 I changed a few majors, mostly because of that I wanted to get into English major but did not find the way until last year, and it was just unreasonably too hard (I musky studied British history and other stuff like that, I thought it’d be just a little bit of history and mostly to improve me in the language) , and because I did not know how to manage time and energy, study on time, study in a proper way, and a lot of other things. I learned all that now (not in high school because it was much easier). But those studies are also not for me, it was all language studies and I did not have any much interest in it although I love studying languages. I seriously don’t know the exact reason I gave up, but most probably the way we studied was just too complicated. Now I don’t want to waste any more time, I really need a diploma in my country, to study something that will improve my skills or something else more than just learning theory, and in my city there is not so many majors of which I’m interested in. I know most likely I’m gonna do something else as a job, so that’s not my worry now… I mean yes it is but not that much .
The choices are: Tourism- too easy, I want to know that I studied hard but I don’t want it to be unreasonably hard as well. I’m thinking what if a degree of my choice was too hard but I still loved (or can make myself love) studying about it so I go into the flow state or whatever. I know every study can be too hard and make me cry, but I want that flow state at least sometimes, it never happened in my previous studying. Also I can only study tourism online but I want to finally have a friend group ;-; and my focus is terrible anyways so yeah it’s better in classroom.
Some studies about nature, like horticulture. Something even just a little bit interesting. I have no plans in that though.
Fashion- well… I don’t have much plans with that, not so interested.
Graphic design- only online or go to overpriced universities which are mostly disregarded in job applications, that’s it. Also will it really be something I’ll love studying and doing as a job? So far as I see it’s mostly work for other people’s styles and preferences. Not that it matters too much, obviously, but what will I love about graphic design, except for maybe some creativity with other people’s ideas?
Interior design- do I really have to study about probably too hard and uninteresting things not directly related to the design? I don’t know and I have no plans in that as well
Software engineering- I hear a lot of recommendations for an INFP, but there are mixed experiences. Some find it creative and flexible as a job, other find it unfulfilling because it does not serve a higher purpose. Is it too hard and daunting to study, firstly? I know some universities require a lot of maths there, which I’m terrible at, and in real jobs that math is mostly not needed, just basic maths. That major is what I’m looking at the most now. I am interested in what they do exactly, and how is the process of doing that. And I don’t give a fck about AI replacing it. I am so sure that a degree in it won’t be useless anyway, and also that I’ll find a company that will indeed choose, despite the possibility to gain financially, to not replace people with AI.
Other IT sectors- 🤷‍♀️
I guess to chose and love studying about something, I will need plans in my future regarding what I’m studying? 🤷‍♀️ I don’t have a dream job or anything. My parents have careers I’m not interested in at all, so that’s why I don’t have any dream of my future job… much. I do love graphic design somewhat. Please tell me anything. Tell me if I was too unrealistic. Tell me how should I think about this all instead. I’m ready to face all criticism 😊

I'm sorry if this is a bit disorganized in how I speak because I'm tired and I have a lot of thoughts about this. There's this guy I was very good friends with for a while. He (17) is gay and I (also 17) am straight. We met in 6th grade and became best friends very quickly. I didn't know he's gay for a while because my gay-dar is really bad lol. I learned apparently two years ago but it seems like I've known for as long as I've known him. I have nothing against him for being gay obviously because he was my best friend still. I have an... odd sense of humor to say the least. I thought it was kinda funny that he's gay. I remember the first thing I told him when he told me was "You're still my best friend and nothing will change that. Just don't ask me out because that would be weird lol." I guess my sense of humor just wasn't the best because I would constantly joke about myself being gay/bi. Although I thought I made myself clear on being straight because I know at least once I said I'm 100% straight and I would always obsess over girls to him. It doesn't help that both if our biggest love languages are physical contact though. I was all over him every time we were together. Hugs, cuddles, me leaning on him, laying on his thigh, and just general physical contact. There was even one time when I had too many hormones and thought about doing bad things with him (not sex but almost), which I told him because... who else was I gonna tell? I guess it eventually got to a point with him where he thought I actually had a crush on him or something but just didn't want to officially be with him because of our church. When he figured out that wasn't the case, he got mad at me and told me I was leading him on and he felt hurt. There was also some other drama with common friends and an accidental racist comment (that was profusely apologized for but was never forgiven. This will be a bit important later) and we kinda picked opposite sides of that. So he stops talking to me. I thought he had me blocked, so sometimes I would just send stupid stuff to his number to get things off my mind. There were a few texts about me wanting to be friends again, but he never responded so I thought he hadn't seen them. Until one day out of the blue he finally texts me back and basically repeats his thing about being led on and such. He then says I still owe him a favor (which I did). He tells me about this friend group he has at his school that we're doing dares and stuff that are all about doing gay stuff (like actually gay. I'm not saying that as an insult). He also basically demanded that I go back to being physically affectionate with him. So he's like, "send me a shirtless pic" So I do. But they just keep coming. They eventually get to really bad, but I'm still doing them because I owe him. I get to the point where I'm just asking him what the next one is, but he stopped responding. Feeling like maybe I had been tricked and they had just been for him, I decide I need to block him to keep myself in a good space, so I text him as such. "Idk if you've blocked me, but I'm blocking you" I didn't explain why. It turns out, however that he never got the text telling him that I blocked him. I learned that on a church trip together where he asked my brother why I wasn't responding. I felt kinda bad so I unblock him and we talk for a bit. He eventually said he's decided he wants to be friends again, but at this point, it's just gotten awkward between us. We talk for a bit, but not a lot each time. He also tells me that he's no longer part of that friend group that's doing dares (thank goodness). Also around this time (I promise this is relevant) I find a girl that I'm pretty interested in and we like a lot of the same stuff, so I decide I'm gonna do a watch party of the live action avatar the last air bender series because I wanted to watch it with her. But I think it would be weird if it was just her, so I also see if some other people want to come. I ask the group chat of a friend group I was in with the guy and the girl who had the racist insult told to her. The girl says she's already seen the show so she doesn't want to come. Fine by me, I don't like her much anyway. But then she makes a backhanded comment saying I should ask my "better friends" (referring to me picking my other friend who accidentally said the racist thing). I don't respond to that because it didn't deserve a response. The guy responded a bit later saying he's also watched it. I respond with, "there's no rule saying you can only watch something once in life" the girl says "that's so crazy" with a lot of sarcasm. We argue a bit back and forth about it. I get a message from the girl I'm interested in telling me she wouldn't be able to make it, so I decide I'm just calling it off. I tell the guy and girl as such (with the detail about the one person I want to come not being able to). They then start playing the victims and saying things like, "of course we're the second choice" and then we argue for a bit about that too. The girl is doing most of the talking but the guy is backing her up still. I get fed up and decide the best response is to just block both of them again because it wasn't worth the fighting and getting upset. I decide in that moment that I'm not giving any more second chances because all it's bringing me is pain. The problem is that because this guy and I go to the same church, we see each other a lot still. I feel like every time he sees me, it reminds him of how it used to be and he wants to talk to me again, but he doesn't say anything for a while. Until this Sunday he talked to me through my brother and asked me to unblock him again. I figure there's no harm in letting him say a few words. He apologizes for being rude to me and says that he's no longer friends with that girl because he realized she's a bad influence. She was always mean to him and he misses the way we used to be. I respond with a simple, "OK, I forgive you." He seems a bit confused and says, "Do you have anything else to say? I totally deserve being called put for my behavior" and I just say "Not really." He then asks if I want to be friends again, which I take a long time to think about. I am too sympathetic. I love loving people and hate hating them. My heart tells me that I want to be friends with him but my brain says it's not a good idea and I need to stay distant and to not let him back in. What do I do? I've already told him that I miss the way things used to be too but I don't know if they'll ever go back the way they were before.

Don’t mess with MOONLOREN (moonloren.com), the site I thought was a superior crypto exchange because of its boasted $2 billion trading volume in just 24 hours. Could you believe it? I DID!!! As someone new to crypto coins, with only a surface-level understanding, I didn’t do much research.
That was my first mistake. Yes, convinced by their flashy stats, I decided to jump in, hoping to learn about crypto trading as I went along(courses and classes were too hassle for me). It all started quitestraightforwardly, that’s whenI needed to make a USD deposit to start trading, so I transferred $16000 into my account. The deposit showed up fine, but I never got the email confirmation I expected.Then, the issues began. There was no way to link my external wallet to their platform, leaving me to use their on-site, or 'hot wallet’, CMIIW. This wouldn't have been a problem if I could control my transactions properly or if the platform wasn't painfully laggy with a poor interface. The real red flags appeared when I attempted to transfer $15000 worth of ETH to another wallet, it simply never arrived to the other site but the amount was deducted and never came back. Attempts to withdraw any USD were outright rejected. Frustrated and confused, I started digging deeper and found multiple claims of scam against MOONLOREN (website :moonloren.com) that I wish I had known it earlier. Dang it! Their customer support became completely unresponsive the moment I raised my concerns and filed multiple complaints. Now, I'm left with a virtual balance of about $900 in my account, and simply had no idea if I’ll ever see any real money again.
I'm sharing this in hopes that someone here might have a solution or advice on how to get money back from a scammer like MOONLOREN (website :moonloren.com) and the success rate of any attempt. If you’ve been through something similar or know the ropes better than I do, I’m all ears for suggestions, any help would be appreciated. Thank you all!

Hey there! Thanks for checking out my post.
I've been really in the mood for some fandom RPs lately, especially from DC. I'm mainly looking to play a male character(s) myself, opposite canon characters that you'd play. It's nothing toooo specific beyond that, the main details of the plot really depend on the characters, but here's a few things to know, really.
I'm open to most kinda plots and pairings, and I'm open to really any themes. I'm open to pretty much everything! Even if you have ideas that you think are more out there, feel free to suggest them to me, I'd probably be down for them!
Like I said, I'm happy to play most anyone as long as you play a canon character I'm looking for. I can play canons myself, or crossover characters, or OCs; it all works for me.
Now, let's get to the main gist of it, really: who I'm looking for. I'm looking for canon women from different fandoms, though my favorite is DC. I have a few other canons I like such as Marvel or a few other ones here and there, but DC is definitely the main one. Below, I'll put the list of some of the canon women I'm looking to play opposite with. If you can play any of these characters, I'd absolutely love it.
Under each 'category' of character, I'll also include some details about some possible plot points or pairings we could try. These are only some suggestions, of course; I'm more than down to brainstorm other ideas, but think of these as sort of inspirations to help start out!
Hey there! I've been looking for someone to play canon women, mainly from comics verses, but a few other things as well!
ANYWAY, here's the main gist of the post. The main canons I'm looking for. If you can play any of these, I'd love it. Feel free to message me whenever!
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SUPERHERO CANONS

DC: Cheshire / Jade Nguyen, Artemis Crock (Young Justice), Yara Flor, Lois Lane, Donna Troy, Wonder Woman, Talia al Ghul, Black Canary / Dinah Lance, Zatanna, Ravager / Rose Wilson, Huntress / Helena Bertinelli, Jessica Cruz / Green Lantern, Poison Ivy, Star Sapphire / Carol Ferris, Punchline / Alexis Kaye, Iris West, Lian Harper / Cheshire Cat, Supergirl / Kara Zor-El, Spoiler / Stephanie Brown, Catwoman / Selina Kyle, Batgirl / Barbara Gordon, Mia Dearden, Dove / Dawn Granger (Titans TV), Starfire / Koriand'r, Lilith Clay, Hawkgirl / Kendra Saunders, Lady Shiva, Mera, some of the Arrowverse girls (Sara Lance, Laurel Lance, Thea Queen, Dinah Drake, Mia Smoak, Iris West)
MARVEL: Elektra Natchios, Psylocke / Betsy Braddock, Jean Grey / Phoenix, Emma Frost, Rogue / Anna Marie, Kate Bishop / Hawkeye, Lorna Dane / Polaris, Susan Storm / Invisible Woman, Wanda Maximoff / Scarlett Witch, Black Widow / Natasha Romanoff, Carol Danvers (MCU), Sersi (MCU), Felicia Hardy / Black Cat, Gwen Stacy / Spider-Gwen,Mary Jane Watson, Hope van Dyne (MCU)
THE BOYS: Starlight / Annie January
BEN 10: Gwen Tennyson (specifically, the Alien Force version or older only!), Charmcaster, Ester
Possible ideas: As a general idea here, with heroines and villain types, it could always be fun to do a plot where they're defeated, if you're open to a darker sort of plot. Maybe they end up imprisoned after a heavy defeat to a villain or army, or they're stranded somewhere, like on an island or desert or unknown city. Something that takes them out of their usual setting, you know? In fact, for some of the higher status heroines, it could be fun to do plots where they're turned into sidekicks themselves, or transformed in some way that changes their status quo. Other than that, since most of these characters are well known in universe, I'd also love a plot where they meet a fan or someone who knows their work in universe, if that makes sense.
Going into the specific characters here, Cheshire is definitely my favorite. She's one of those ones that there's a lot of good options to pair her with; maybe one of the Titans, like a Nightwing or Wally West, or maybe someone like one of the Green Arrows could be good for a dynamic with her, especially since they're characters she has an interesting history with. With some of the more experienced heroines (like Wonder Woman, Black Canary, Donna Troy, etc.), I do think it'd be fun to have them in a sort of mentor type role, where perhaps they're helping out a younger hero type, be that one that exists within the DC Universe already (like a Tim Drake or Bart Allen for example), or a new original character. As for Talia al Ghul, perhaps after failing to persuade Batman for so long, it's time for her to look for a new type of bethrothed, so she sets out for a new target for the League of Assassins. Rose Wilson could be fun with the Arrows, be that Connor or Roy, since she has a comic history with them. But to be honest, the DC characters are super flexible, so as these are only suggestions, we can fully brainstorm something up, I don't mind at all.
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VIDEO GAME CANONS

OVERWATCH: Ashe or Kiriko
FINAL FANTASY 7: Tifa Lockhart, Aerith Gainsborough, Jessie Rasberry
RED DEAD REDEMPTION: Sadie Adler, Abigail Roberts, Mary-Beth Gaskill
STARDEW VALLEY: Abigail, Emily, Haley, Leah, Penny, Robin, Jodi, Sandy, Caroline
MISC: Lara Croft (Tomb Raider), Ellie Williams (TLOU2)
Possible ideas: For the FF7 canons, I'm thinking some kind of new resident or visitor of the slums would make for an interesting dynamic to pair them off of. Someone who's new, possibly oblivious to Avalanche and their activities. He could slowly discover what the girls are up to, and either turn against them or works with them. Or perhaps, it takes a more casual turn, someone visiting the bar, needing a room or place to stay sort of vibe and meeting the likes of Tifa or Jessie. With the RDR girls, a new member of the gang under their tutelage or that befriends them could be interesting, perhaps leading towards a direction where they run off together, or kind of face the frontier together. Lara and Ellie can have similar plot scenarios I'd like to think, with one of them being in an apocalypse setting obviously. Getting captured or coming up against some kind of tribe or faction or some such, someone who's targeting them for one reason or another.
———————

MISC CANONS

STAR WARS: Rey or Leia
GAME OF THRONES: Daenerys Targaryen, Cersei Lannister, Margaery Tyrell, Melisandre
DISNEY: Teddy Duncan (Good Luck, Charlie), Alex Russo (Wizards of Waverly Place), Sharpay Evans or Gabriella Montez (High School Musical), Colette (Ratatouille)
MISC: Daphne Blake (Scooby-Doo), Carly Shay (iCarly), Azula or Suki (Avatar), Betty Cooper (Riverdale)
Possible ideas: With Rey and Leia, I really like the idea of plots taking place in their respective desert settings: Jakku or Tattooine. Something showing the sort of survival aspects of living in a harsh reality like this, how they have to fight for credits or food, living with all the foes around and the heat, that sort of thing. It could either go a darker route, or show kind of their daily life living in a setting like that, their social dynamics with whatever characters are around in those settings; The merchants, the bounty hunters, the traders, etc. You could do a similar thing with Daenerys too, if we wanna set her plot in Essos, though with the GOT girls, I think a sort of war / political plot would be fun, showing the aftermath of either their victory or defeat.
The other girls listed in this section I can be pretty flexible with. A slice of life type scenario would fit in with most of them, though a sort of mystery / detective type plot would be fun to set up with Daphne or Betty. If we do go the slice of life direction, maybe have it set when they're slightly older, showing how they're going through college or their early careers post their canons.
———————

CELEBRITIES

Margot Robbie, Megan Fox, Gemma Chan, Madison Beer, Anne Hathaway, Anya Chalotra, Victoria Pedretti, Jessica Chastain, Emeraude Taubia, Jenna Dewan, Candice Patton, Sydney Sweeney, Alice Eve, Caity Lotz, Kim Kardashian, Kylie Jenner, Olivia Wilde, Selena Gomez, Vanessa Hudgens, Taylor Swift, Dua Lipa, Conor Leslie, Minka Kelly, Alejandra Guilmant, Kennedy Walsh, Olivia Rodrigo, Hailey Bieber, Doja Cat, Hailee Steinfeld, Dakota Johnson, Corinna Kopf, Florence Pugh, Lili Reinhart, Ariana Grande, Scarlett Johansson, Bridget Mendler, Madelyn Cline, Sabrina Carpenter, Anya Taylor-Joy
Possible ideas: This is probably the most flexible selection here, there's a whole host of plots we can do. An encounter with a fan is the most obvious one I can think of, or them exploring a new type of concert or movie role. Perhaps they've taken on a photoshoot of some kind, but it's different because it's a peculiar type of shoot, or they're hired by someone with a bit of a complex reputation. Or something I think would be super fun, is if the celebrity is kind of made to do something publicly that they're not too fond of, either for a PR campaign or as part of marketing for a movie or album or something. Perhaps a PR relationship, or they're made to act or behave a certain way to change how the world perceives them. I could also see a plot where the celebrity is made to be a prize of some competition or event, like one where my character wins a date or something with the celebrity. I also think it'd be fun to maybe try something where the celebrity's PR is at an all time low or they're cancelled or something, and then proceeding to explore the aftermath of that. These are just a few ideas, tbh, let me know if any of them intrigue you. To be honest, with these ones, it's probably the one that needs the most brainstorming, tbh.
———————
But yeah, that's the gist of it. I'm mainly just looking for the characters above, so I'm pretty flexible on the plot or pairings; that's something we can discuss ourselves. I'm sure we can create an interesting and unique plot and dynamic between our characters, something we'd both enjoy!
Let me know if you wanna set something up! My messages are always open.
My preferred place to write is Discord.

So I’m buying new Over Ear Headphones and I’ve come down to 2 options - but I am very stuck on which one to get so any help on these questions would be appreciated if anyone knows:

• Is the noise cancelling the same between the two? There’s not much info about it on the 910N page, and most reviewers don’t go into too much detail about either
  
• Is the ULT wear TOO bassy? That’s the main talking point I’ve seen in reviews and is the only thing that’s putting me off a bit - I like bass but idk if this will be too much
  
• Does the ULT come with a carry case? It doesn’t mention it on the Sony site but all the reviews I’ve seen have them so a bit confused there
  

Thank you!

but I don't think I ever will as I don't know if it's the right thing to do, and this where I'm seeking advice as I am trying my best to understand how it may be perceived from her point of view. I tend to say the wrong things even after days of contemplating them. For context, we met travelling and I honestly had the most amazing time with her, she made me feel so special and taught me so much about life. We started dating pretty seriously once we got home, and naturally it turned into a relationship, which just felt so right at the time. I was completely infatuated and got attached very quickly. Fast forward a few months, giving time for deep feelings to develop for her, I couldn't find it in me the vision of a future romantic relationship with her. In all honesty I don't think I ever broke down walls and allowed myself to love and to be loved by her, I just never realised it until 2 weeks before ending things. To me it just felt like we weren't right for each other. I have terrible communication skills, and it was out of the blue on her end. I know there's a lot of work I need to do on myself to ever be ready for another relationship, and I am currently going through the process of therapy.
I felt like the biggest asshole, and after a lot of reflection and introspection after the breakup there's so many things I wanted to say but didn't because I thought I would be leading her on, but ultimately it just made it so much more hurtful for her. For the few weeks before the BU up until now I am living with an immense amount of guilt and shame. She is the only thing that is ever on my mind, and it's eating away at me.
I think I was a bit too honest in the break up. It was out of nowhere as I just couldn't handle my emotions. It was a cowardly way of going about it and she didn't deserve it one bit. I have since acknowledged this to her and explained how remorseful I was for not being more honest, both with myself and her, earlier. I told her I didn't think I had deep sense of love for us to continue in a fulfilling romantic relationship. Of course I had love for her, but realise it was just platonic love. I wanted to tell her this, but believed it would be giving her false hope that things would change. So I didn't, and now she feels unlovable, which is understandable in any break up but I feel like I just added fire to the flame. Now I wish I did, but I think it's too late. I do truly care for her, and only want the best for in every aspect of life. She deserves the best and someone to love her with all their heart, and I hope no one will ever do the same things I have done. I guess this is a long winded way of expressing the cliché 'I love you, but I'm not in love with you' or 'it's not you, it's me' but I do believe it holds true in this situation, as tacky as it sounds.
I should add that I don't think a relationship will work in future and have made that clear with her. I just don't want to lead her to thinking otherwise. We are still in some form of contact and have discussed the possibility of a friendship, something that she had stated might work with time.
Now to what I would like to be able to tell her a month after breaking up;
"I want you to know how appreciative I am for meeting you and to have you in my life even if it was a short amount of time. I am incredibly grateful for the time we shared and the memories will never go away, I don't want them to. I want to thank you for everything that you have done for me, for loving me, and for always being there for me. You taught me so much about life, even if you don't realise it.
It was incredibly hurtful, the things that I had said, and more importantly not said. and the way I acted leading up to it. It was selfish and I don't think I will be able to fully forgive myself. I could apologize a million times but I know this will not help the pain I have caused. I don't want you to blame yourself for causing my anxiety, that was something that I let brew in my head and tried to fix but it just got worse.
Of course I have so much love for you, even if it wasn't the right type for a fulfilling romantic relationship between us. I didn't want to say this at the time because I knew that would be so confusing for you to hear, but I never fully comprehended the consequences of not telling you. I acknowledge that I didn't let my guard down and allow myself to love you and accept the love you gave me. It was my subconscious way of not getting hurt. I gave into my fears in the most selfish way. Now I have made you feel unlovable and unable to trust. I know you won't be able to have trust in me, I expected that and completely understand, but I hope in future that you will be able to trust others again and to be able to have an amazing relationship with someone that will love you the way you deserve.
You are and incredible person and you have the kindest heart. The way you light up others lives and the way your friends and family speak of you is something you should be so proud of. I really admire that about you. You will always hold a very special place in my heart, and I will always care for you and continue wishing you all the happiness in the world, even if it has to be from a distance. You truly deserve all the best things in life and I hope you achieve everything you can possible dream of."
Apologies for the long post, there was just too much I wanted to say.
TL;DR I want to tell my ex how much I appreciate her for being in my life even though it was only a short relationship and I ended things. But I don't know if if this is giving the wrong idea, or if its just cruel a month after the break up.

Screening tenants is a crucial step in ensuring a smooth and trouble-free rental experience. Knowing how to screen tenants effectively involves being vigilant for certain red flags that might indicate potential problems down the line. Here are some key red flags to look out for when screening tenants.

Incomplete or Inconsistent Application

A tenant application should be fully completed with accurate and consistent information. Missing details or inconsistencies, such as different addresses or mismatched employment history, can be a sign of dishonesty or an attempt to hide something.

Poor Credit History

A thorough credit check is essential. Look for a history of late payments, high levels of debt, or recent bankruptcies. A poor credit score can indicate financial irresponsibility, which might translate to late or missed rent payments.

Lack of References

References from previous landlords and employers are valuable for understanding a tenant’s history and reliability. If an applicant cannot provide references or if the references are vague and uninformative, this could be a red flag. It’s possible they had issues in past rentals that they don’t want you to know about.

Criminal Background

A criminal background check is another important step in how to screen tenants. While minor infractions might not be a dealbreaker, a history of violent crimes, theft, or drug-related offenses could indicate potential risk to your property and other tenants.

Eviction History

Check for any history of evictions. An eviction on record suggests past issues with following lease agreements or paying rent. Even one eviction can be a significant red flag, especially if it was recent.

Unstable Employment

Consistent and verifiable employment is crucial for ensuring a tenant can pay rent on time. Frequent job changes, unexplained gaps in employment, or unverifiable income sources should be carefully considered. Stability in employment generally reflects stability in financial matters.

High Income-to-Rent Ratio

A high income-to-rent ratio is typically desired, but if the ratio is suspiciously high, it might indicate that the tenant is overstating their income. Verify income through pay stubs, tax returns, or direct employer contact to ensure the information is accurate.

Poor Communication

The way a potential tenant communicates during the application process can provide insights into how they might handle issues during their tenancy. Poor communication, rudeness, or difficulty in contacting them can be indicative of future problems.

Frequent Moves

A history of frequent moves can be a sign of instability. While some job situations require relocations, frequent moves without a solid reason might suggest the tenant has issues settling down or maintaining a good relationship with landlords.

Conclusion

Effective tenant screening involves looking out for these red flags to ensure you select a reliable and responsible tenant. By paying attention to details and thoroughly vetting each applicant, you can protect your property and create a positive rental experience for everyone involved.

I have bad anxiety and depression and have been off meds for about a year now due to losing my job so no more insurance. I have managed to survive by my wonderful fiancé and I really don’t want to be dependent on medication to fix my brain but my sleep schedule is just AWFUL and I’ve done pretty much nothing this past year.
I go to sleep around 4am everyday and sleep until 2pm (when my fiancé wakes me up on his lunch break from work). I dont do much daily either and get bad anxiety in public. I really am just lonely and always sad and feel worthless.
Is anyone else dealing with this and if so how are you coping or how did you get yourself out of this slump and back to society?
Thanks all for just taking the time to read this and help me become a human again. ❤️

Hello! First of all, sorry if there's any mistake. English is not my first language.
I am in a crossroads with my bf and I don't really know what to think or what to do. I am kind in shock for everything I learnt yesterday.
My Bf Omar (fake name), and I have been in a really relationship for 6 years. And we have a daughter of 4 months old now. Overall I would say we have a good relationship, but here I am going to write some problems we have been dragging: for my side, mainly control of my emotions and exploitong in the past (I am in therapy for years for this) and not being suficient loving with him. For his side, lies, not prioritize/neglect me and selfishness.
Now to the point of the story. In January we had a beautiful daughter that we both love to the death. The first six weeks, to my point of view, were almost perfect. We had both paternity and maternity leave and Omar has really getting involved with the child and with the house. It was pretty easy with him around.
At six weeks, he started working because he said he needed to come back to his reality (where we live we have 16 weeks of leave). He has a work that while requires a lots of hours during the week (Monday to Sunday) he has very flexible agenda. He promised he will go on being involved. Spoilert alert: he didn't. To be fair: he did help with the child a bit when he comes home but after he does what he wants and feel. Not really what I was needing for such a difficult time.
At that point I felt everything was on me. I talked to him and I told him I need him, as I was drowing, having anxiety and certain rejection/lots of guilt for the baby. I felt he was not really there, even when he was at home he was not with me.
I started to think he was seeing somebody. I asked lots of times. I was always the crazy and paranoic one. I was seeing gosts. But something was not right.
Two months after he returns to work, he has a major problem/crisis in his workplace (that involves evicting people from their houses) and I sit down with him and I told him I understand he needs now to be at work and that I will endure being alone and try to be supportive. It went not well for me.
And, surprisingly, after this crisis in his workplace he changes. He starts to really being involved, reconciling, take care of me. I was in a cloud again. It's hard but we are together.
Buut something was still off. Something was on my mind saying me that there's somebody else. Since everytime I asked I am the crazy one I started to look for some evidence. And I did something that's not good or healthy. I went throught his phone and I found some messages and a "love letter" in his notes. So yesterday morning I confronted him.
What's been happening? Omar was having a "paternity crisis" when our daughter was born. Those six first weeks he was holding up onto everything and was too much for him. In his mind, he started to remembefantasize her ex/first real love and their relationship. He was idealizing and building up some nostalgia/feelings her. What did he do? Did he tell me? No. He called her to meet. Mind you, our daughter was not even 2 month old. They meet up and he says nothing happen, just a walking and lots of talking remember their relationship. He kind of gets dissapointed because he wanted to "feel the butterflies" and feel loved again. But he felt nothing because the image he has built on her is not real. And I wonder, what would have happened if he goes and have this butterflies and love for her?
Something important I must say is that she's a very important person in his live, because of this idealization he has of her and their relationship. And they used to meet up maybe one or two times a year to catch up. This has never been a problem with me since the last time, before I got pregnant, she told him she was kind of feeling for him when they meet up. He supposedly, went NC with her.
After this meeting they have, it seems they hug a he kind of holds onto the idea of "a especial hug that awakens on him feelings". After that, they talked by phone and she becomes like his "safe place". Until at some point, she tells him that if they continue like this, things will go beyond. He realises what he's doing or get cold feed, I don't know, and tells her he can't do this to me and his daughter. He "breaks" everything because he chose us.
My thoughts? What would have happened if he had chosen her? He says we would never have chosen her. He was being an idiot and she was a way out of the "paternity crisis".
What upsets me? The way he acted, the lies and the fact that I was in postpartum. So, instead of coming to me and tell me "Hey i am having a crisis and to cope I am fantasizing with my ex to feel loved" and we can work together on this (mind you, I am very open minded and I always told him I understand being atracted of fancy somebody even if you are in a relationship. It's how you face those feelings that matter) and instead he calls her to what? To see if what's on his mind is a reality too in the real world?
I was begging this man to help me during postpartum and with the baby and he was thinking of somebody else. He left me alone. He only came back when he decided he chose us.
He proposes couple therapy to which I have agreed. But now he says he wants to fight for the relationship and maybe I am more inclined to separation. I think couple therapy can help us with this too.
I am a mess right. I am not thinking properly. So, I guess I want some online strangers insights. What are your thoughts? What would you do in my situation?
TL;DR: bf had a paternity crisis when our daughter was bornt and to cope with this in his mind started fantasizing and having feelings with his ex. What did he do? He called her to meet and started having contact to see if that feelings came to a reality in the real World? At some point he chose us (me and the baby) and wants to fight for the relationship. I am really hurt with all of this. Because of the way he acted, the lies and that I was in postpartum.

Hey guys 5 months ago i had my first panic attacks while on lexapro dealt with debilitating fatigue, many panic attacks over time. I weaned off, fatigue slowly went away but i would get crashes everyday that were horrible and scary feeling at times like hypotension or something that made me want to lay down.
During these last 5 months i spent a lot of time trying to get into a relationship as it felt like one of the only things i could do to improve myself and help myself, because i haven’t been able to get a job or do school like normal. i got into a relationship that was mainly over the phone with someone from tinder, met twice in person but talked everyday for a month. Never had we done anything the second time we hung out we cuddled than after age broke up with me. We were friends for a bit but eventually i said something rude and she blocked me. I was sad but got over it.
Later on like months later im just doing my thing hanging out with my buddy as often as i can who is like my only friend really i hangout with anymore and i play video games and thats my life but i still tried to get into a relationship on dating apps.
Eventually one girls matches with me on bumble shes obsessed with me and pushes me to hangout with her, i start hanging out with her and lose my virginity to her, im also able to ejaculate for the first time in my life because theres something wrong with me and im not that sensitive but basically me and this girl go through a lot within a month and we do it a million times but theres times where we go to the ER for my panic attacks, possibly caused by addisons disease who knows but shes still obsessed with me right until later she breaks up with me over the phone while she goes to visit family friends to her, one of which is her ex, and shes been doing this every weekend.
Its an hour away she breaks up with me at 1 am. Turns out shes “in love with him” still and she was confused being in a relationship with me, she’d tried covering up that fact but later admitted. I treated her good and didn’t deserve that bla bla bla. I wrote her a poem she left at her house cus she hasnt been home but has been with that guy. Also this dudes basically homeless and a major downgrade from me in many ways. She messages me everyday for some lame reason calls me bestie today and fucks with me with her friends and the guy calling me gay. I explain to her that its fucked and context matters, she acts like she has no reason to talk to me then and i agree if she wants to fuck with me than we should be talking. I’ve been very respectful but have my limits, i told that guy i’d bitch slap him also.
Anyways she blocked me temporarily until friday so i can get my stuff from her house. Or she removed me as a friend on snap but i got her on other stuff still.
Anyways i’ve obviously felt like shit and been sad i didn’t even know i loved her as much as i did until i lost her, she still hasnt read my poem, she hasnt been home.
My question: how do i deal with myself i feel like i have derealization my mindset bad now from being debilitated for months even tho i feel like im starting to get slightly better, im still afraid to have a job and improve myself. Trying to find a another relationship feels stupid now and i keep crying over her. So all and all i dont know what to do, also i think about how everything pintless because of ai and shit and i just want to be in a normal mindset and be out of my grandmas trailer where ive been for years, im 19 btw. And everything feels fucked, i ask myself “what now” i’ve done so much and dont know if things are gonna ever get where i want because each years becomes worse than the last sense covid happened in 2020.
If i havent expressed the severity of my situation i wouldnt be writing this if it wasnt absolutely an uncomfortable world to be in right now. Like its been aweful, had a bad mental breakdown yesterday, girlfriend broke up like 5 days ago. I just dont know what to do, life was already difficult while were together now that just made the few things i enjoy feel almost pointless. I cant stop thinking about her, waking up in the morning coming to the realization of this is the hardest. Trust me i do absolutely everything to get better. I feel like lonely, scared, uncertain, and demotivated about life and what should i do guys, like i feel im doing better than i should but its still just like aweful.
Say whatever you want guys, like i just need help with this, like will this actually get better, how? Why? Love you people so much like you have no idea.

I'm mainly thinking about factors like, ease of verification, average redemption times, quality of support, etc. I am aware of their RTPs, inconsistent free SC, needing to refresh to get your current balance on the sidebar and whatnot, but I haven't seen many conversations about them, so I was curious what you guys think.
Please refrain from any "I won $1,000 so they are definitely 1,000% legit!" type of comments. 😅
Personally, I had high hopes for them and those hopes are slowly getting crushed. Their verification process made absolutely zero sense to me. Then I connected a bank to my account, never used it, but they said it was necessary for me to upload the bank details for that account in order to process a "redeem to card". I can't tell if they are dumb or if I'm dumb, but one of us is definitely dumb.
Apart from that though, there's no denying that they have good deals. Probably the best I've seen... Not sure if they will last, but definitely worth taking advantage of nonetheless. I also appreciate the way they list the RTP on every game when you hover over it.
And finally, I did a bit of digging on them and noticed they were owned and operated by Heuston Gaming (based in Ireland). Why does this matter? Well, it seems that Heuston Gaming's "day job" goes above and beyond operating Sweeptastic, as you'll see from the link below. It's almost as if Sweeptastic is their "model casino", in the same way that a home builder would build a model home.
https://heustongaming.com/plans
The good thing about this is that they probably aren't going to milk you like the casinos with 94% RTP slots and no loyalty program. But the bad part is, model homes always get sold. So if/when Sweeptastic gets sold to a different company, everything could change. Something to keep in mind.
Sorry for going off on a tangent here. I had some of this info sitting for what I thought would be a positive post on Sweeptastic, as they appeared to check all of the boxes... but then shit kinda hit the fan, so here we are lol.
Look forward to reading (and responding to) your guys' feedback. Thank you!

https://preview.redd.it/jbrbolfnw33d1.png?width=1326&format=png&auto=webp&s=c9b58387559ec0f4f6eb7366c8982e63a319188f
Hi, can anyone please give a review of my resume. I think it can't clear most ATS or something. What are your views or suggestions. A brief intro about me: I have past experience of about 2+ years as a Software Engineer primarily working in Data Science, MLOps and development. I also did one internship last year which was mostly in GenAI. Still, I can't get a single interview this year for fulltime roles. Is it because of the job market or my resume just sucks? Can anyone tell me which tech skills to focus more these days cause in a single page I can't include everything and need to include only the most relevant things. Thank you very much.

i (20F) have zero desire to have sex. i don’t find anyone sexually attractive. i wasn’t even sexually attracted to my most recent ex but i had sex with him anyways because i didn’t want him to think i didn’t find him attractive. i was very romantically attracted to him, but im so serious when i say we could have never had sex one time and i would’ve adored him just as much. when we broke up, i was partially relieved because i knew id never be able to keep up with his sexual desires. it got to the point in letting him have sex with me that i started to feel disgusted with myself, i couldn’t get fully aroused, couldn’t get wet, it kinda really started to suck. i never really admitted it to him though, he thought he could “fix me” and i knew he couldn’t. i didn’t date for a year and some change before him, but now that i think about it i can recall having issues with being sexually attracted to other past partners. there was a guy i dated who had a sex drive so incredibly high it actually began to disgust me, and i ended the relationship. same thing happened later that year. i haven’t ever genuinely enjoyed any of the sex i’ve had like…ever.. except maybe once or twice.
i think the reason i’m so conflicted is because i still get the urge to masturbate. and truthfully i do it quite regularly. i just like how it feels, and it’s quick and easy. i guess. but i don’t watch porn. no desire to. i just get it over with and go about my day. i did a lot of research on asexuality and from what ive seen you can still be ace and since we’re human and have hormones and stuff, you can still get those urges. but i’m really not sure. i’ve only spoken to one person about it, and they understand what im saying but don’t know how to help me, as they have a VERY high sex drive so they literally have no idea what to say about it other than listen to me rant lol.
i have been going to my gynecologist a bit lately for concerns about my periods, and i got labwork and literally every single one of my levels came back normal. so i know its not like “oh my (for example) testosterone/estrogen/etc is low, that could account for the low libido”
its gotten to the point where i just don’t want to date anymore, because i dont want to have to sit and lie to myself, or whoever im dating, about how i feel about sex. i keep trying to convince myself like “oh maybe it’s just not the right person” blah blah blah, but it happens almost every time.
does anyone have like advice for me? i literally joined this sub today. and i’m on a throwaway acc which i hope is ok. i just feel like maybe a group of people who understand my feelings could help me more than my own confused brain

My (23f) best friend (23f) met this guy on tinder roughly a year and a half ago, possibly two years ago. I can’t quite remember the specifics of when they met. Their relationship from the outside seemed great. They were super compatible, their personalities matched, and I liked him as a person. I was so happy for my friend because her previous boyfriend was a pos.
Fast forward to last year—she moved out of state with him for about half a year. Their relationship started hitting some bumps and long story short, he broke up with her because their goals no longer aligned. She was heartbroken and was really struggling with the split, pretty much depressed. She ended up moving back home. For some context, this happened right before Thanksgiving 2023.
During this time, Im trying to get her out of the house so she’s not cooped up, rotting in bed. She’s my best friend, we basically grew up together. We’ve been there for each other during all the ups and downs in our lives up to this point. I extend a lot of compassion, empathy, comfort, etc. as I know and I can tell she’s in the trenches over this guy. I listen to her analyzing their relationship, reflecting on it, her anger about the breakup, her anger at him. This goes on for quite a few weeks, but I know it’s all normal and part of the grieving process.
Christmas time rolls around and her ex comes back to town because he still has family in the area. Him being back in town sends her into a spiral and she’s a nervous wreck. She reaches out for support from me and again, I’m there listening to her and giving her a safe space to express herself. They meet up to talk things out and end up getting back together. I’m supportive and happy they were attempting to make things work, as my friend was really hoping for this.
A week goes by and he breaks up with her. He takes off to South America and they go no contact right after Christmas, the New Year hasn’t even passed yet. I thought this was a pretty low move on his part and I no longer liked him.
It all goes back to square one with her healing but this time it seems to be even worse. She goes on a trip as she already had this trip planned with another girlfriend beforehand. Once she comes back, we catch up on life and then everything starts pouring out again. I was there for her again during this time, trying to help her through it.
It’s been 5 months since their breakup, but she hasn’t quite moved on or gotten over him. During this time though, she plunged into the “f all men” mentality. She constantly expressed that she found them disgusting, that they suck, that theyre not worth the energy, she’s remaining celibate, she wants nothing to do with them, they ick her out, etc. She’s trashed talked her ex, calling him all sorts of things. It’s not healthy, but I can understand that can help when you’re heartbroken. Meanwhile, I’m just like “period. you do you. i think taking a break from dating/relationships will help you heal.”
HOWEVER, within this past week he broke no contact and she’s entertained it. They hooked up and I’m honestly so over it. I love her dearly, she’s one of my besties and I want her to be happy but I’m tired of her behavior. I’m also emotionally maxed out when his name comes up in a conversation. How can I draw a firm boundary around this entire situation and let her know I don’t want anything to do with it?? I don’t want to lose our friendship, but I’ve never had to communicate something like this before and I don’t know how to go about it. Anything pertaining to him is still such a sensitive topic and I know she’s probably dealing with processing her own emotions about their recent encounter. I want to be kind but firm that I’m simply not interested in hearing about this anymore.
TL:DR — my (23f) best friend (23f) is not over her ex and recently slept with him after 5 months of no contact and i can’t find it in me to be supportive anymore.

Hi everyone, Here's the first chapter of my debut novel Sorrow Draw, available on Amazon in hardcover, paperback, eBook, and free to read on Kindle Unlimited. An audiobook version will be available on Audible and iTunes by end of July. Signed copies are in my TikTok shop (when I can get them in stock).
The story is set in 1881, eighteen years after a comet struck northern Africa, causing a global climate apocalypse. So it's post-apocalypse, but set in the Old West. For the complete rundown of the plot, head over to Amazon and read the back of the book blurb. I'm more than happy to answer questions in the comments if anyone has any.
​
Chapter 1: Old Mississippi (July 1881)
Eudora Becker
She gripped his hand as a mother would hold the hand of a child on a scavenging run. A hardened grip, like stone, to yank the boy this way and that. But the palm she clutched was not that of a child, but of a man. A man who didn’t move with the practiced skill of someone used to being on the run. They left an easy trail for their pursuers to follow, at a time when a single mistake could mean a bullet in the back, or a neck stretched by a rope.
The pair had made many mistakes in the week since they had escaped Memphis. In many ways, it was remarkable that they had gotten this far into the dusty and windswept southern corridor. The Uncontested Lands had taken more capable people than them, and the girl worried that her blind luck would only last so long.
But she was lucky. She always had been, and she was always content to let that luck conduct her through life but now that fear tightened her throat, she felt that providence had abandoned her. Fitting, she thought, that it would leave her now, in Mississippi, the land of the dead, when what passed for justice in the barren Wastelands was right behind them and gaining fast.
Through her exhaustion and fear, she had decided to keep to the river as much as possible. The underbrush in the dead woods beyond the banks of the Mississippi was thick and dry from the summer drought and nearly deafening to run through. The damp earth near the flowing waters muffled their steps, but it also left deep impressions of their bootprints.
“No help for it now,” the woman said. "And no, we can’t stop. They’re nearly right on top of us.” She knew what the man was thinking and she answered before he could speak it. It wasn’t the first time she had done it, and he had once remarked that she could read his mind so easily she must be a witch. Truth be told, his mind was simple and required no witchcraft or divination to know.
“We pushed ourselves too far, Eudora.” He stumbled but managed to stay upright. “We should never have left. Jesus Christ, I’m going to die.”
“Not if we keep running,” she said. “We ain’t gonna die if we keep running.”
“Oh, you’ll be fine, no doubt. I don’t think they’re going to kill the daughter of Samuel Becker. I think I’m the one who’s going to die,” he said, his voice thick with fear.
“Fine, Jeremiah. We run or you die, if it’s all the same to you.”
The air was cold and dry and her sweat chilled her skin. She didn’t know how much farther they could run, but they couldn’t stop now. Men chased them. At least two bounty hunters, maybe more. They were closing in, and almost certainly on horseback. Horses were rare, but what they had stolen was rarer still and worth sending mounted men after.
They needed a miracle, but Eudora didn’t put any confidence in those. Instead, she ran through the Wastelands like a fool who had lost her mind, driven mad by the choking dust that obscured the face of the sun so only a soft red glow burned in the sky to the east.
The river grew wide and shallow, and the bed underneath the muddy water hinted at underlying rocks, rather than silt. Perfect for concealing boot prints.
“This way.” Eudora pulled hard to the right and took Jeremiah with her. They jumped from the bank into the icy waters of the Mississippi, but splashing through the river made almost as much noise as running through the underbrush. Up ahead, the river widened into swift-moving shallows. Flattened granite slabs, worn smooth under the current, emerged from the surface like the backs of great whales. “There. We can cross at those rocks and give them the slip.”
Jeremiah, driven by panic, jumped from the bank and lost his footing on the slick rocks. Both feet kicked up, and he lost his grip on Eudora and fell. He threw his hands down to catch himself, but landed hard on his side, his left hand twisted underneath and made a sound like the popping of thick roots. His head hit the rocks with a crack and he cried out in pain, writhing in the shallows like a fish.
“Worthless son of a whore, get up.” Eudora fell to her knees beside him. The river roared in her ears and the cold water stung her skin and weighed down her clothes. She grabbed his collar and rolled him onto his stomach, still cursing him.
She cursed herself as well. The most foolish thing she had done since escaping Memphis was to choose Jeremiah to run away with. In the weeks since they left, she had nearly forgotten what she had seen in the man in the first place. She had known right away that he was a fraud. The people of Memphis might have been fooled by his vestments and the well-worn Bible he carried, but Eudora had spent her life being different things for different people and so she had no trouble rooting out a counterfeit. When she cornered him in the back of the old church and turned on her charm, he made no effort at all to keep his hands off of her. Not for God or Damnation, and she knew right then that he wasn’t, nor had he ever been, a holy man.
She helped him to his knees, careful to avoid touching his already swollen left hand. He got to his feet, unsteady as a newborn calf, and picked up the canvas bag he carried and slung it back over his shoulder, wincing in pain.
“I hope this shit can dry out proper,” he said. “I ain’t old enough to remember paper money too well.”
“Well you ought to know about it, cause I sure don’t. I swear Jeremiah Preacher, I’m really starting to wonder why I brought you along.”
Eudora was much younger than him, born just before the Calamity hit eighteen years ago. She had seen paper money before, used it to roll tobacco, or start fires, but her father told her that people used to kill each other over it. They could buy anything they wanted with it—clothes, jewelry, even the love of a woman. She didn’t understand the appeal at first. All of those things were free now, if you could find them. The world had no shortage of dresses and baubles, and Memphis had flesh almost to spare. But the banknotes in that canvas bag, were different than any she had ever seen. They belonged to the Republic of California and they promised wealth and luxury and power and as soon as she laid eyes on them, she had to have them.
The cry of a horse interrupted her thoughts. Through the haze of the morning dust, two figures on horseback trotted slowly up the bank of the river. The horses looked healthy and strong, not like the thin beasts Eudora typically saw around Memphis. These were well-cared-for, muscular animals. Her father’s animals and his men sent to collect her.
The two men themselves mirrored the horses they rode. Both of them solidly built and sturdy. Men not of the Wastelands, but born and bred to dominate it.
“Oh thank the Lord, you’ve arrived just in time,” she cried. “I don’t know what this man wants with me, I just want to go home.” Now that they were caught, there was no reason not to play the fool. It did no one any good for them both to swing and if Jeremiah cared a lick for her at all, he’d want her to live.
“Ma’am.” The lead man tipped his hat to her and reigned in his horse. He was older than Jeremiah but had a handsome, rugged face and he bore himself like a man who is used to being in control. He pulled aside his long coat to reveal a pair of silver revolvers. “Are you alright?”
“Just tolerable.” She smiled and looked up at him from under her eyelashes. As soon as she learned that she could trick men into doing whatever she wanted, she made a study of it. Powerful men like this, she had learned, don’t often want powerful women. This one would like her meek and docile, and so she played the part to get what she wanted. When he smiled behind his thick brown mustache and his eyes lingered on her, she knew she played the part right. Men were, if nothing else, very predictable.
Sweat glistened on his forehead and he turned to Jeremiah who sat shivering in the muddy water, confusion etched on his face. “Mornin’ preacher,” the bounty hunter said.
Jeremiah said nothing but swayed back and forth on unsteady legs, the fog of concussion still in his eyes.
“Now c’mon, preacher,” the bounty hunter said after a moment. “Not going to greet me today? I ain’t never seen a man of God with nothing to say before.”
“He don’t look like much of a preacher to me, Ira.” The second man pulled his horse up beside his partner. Unlike the hardened and rough man who rode next to him, this one was young with soft, delicate features. “Fact, he looks like nothing but an ol’ nibbler to me.” He spat a brown stream of tobacco, a rare commodity in the Wastelands. The dust choked out most living things and growing tobacco had become somewhat of an art, a delicate operation that turned to disaster more often than not.
A slow smile spread across his smooth face. His voice was unnaturally high pitched, an affection that many young people adopted in the Northeast Territories, and it had spread all the way down to Memphis, too. It was a way for the young people to separate themselves from the old Calamity survivors. High-pitched voices and beardless faces they plucked every morning—in their world, youth was a virtue. He took his revolver from its holster and laughed a childish laugh.
The sound of it made the hairs on Eudora’s neck stand on end. Young as she was, she still preferred the rough faces and calloused hands of men who didn’t try to pretend they were still boys.
“Shut up, Boone,” Ira, said. He locked his eyes on Jeremiah. “We’re here to take you in, preacher. And to bring back Becker’s daughter. I can’t imagine what the devil got into your head to do something so damn foolish.”
Jeremiah laughed, then flinched in pain. After that, he remained silent, made dumb by the hit he took to the head. With any luck, he would keep his mouth shut and the bounty hunters would string him up or put a bullet in his head. If they took him back to Memphis alive, he might talk. He might tell them that it was all her idea, and some people might start to believe him. Her father would protect her, but her reputation would be tarnished and it would take her quite some time before the people would see her as an innocent again, if ever at all. Some people had physical strength, others had willpower or sheer charisma to help them navigate their way through life. Eudora survived on her appearance of innocence. It was only with someone like Jeremiah that she could really be herself, or what she thought was herself. Maybe that’s what she liked about him in the first place. She didn’t have to play a part to control him. The man could be as dumb as a prairie dog, but he was smart enough to listen to her.
“We can always just gut him right here, Ira,” said Boone. “We can tell Becker he drew on us and we had no choice.” The young man fingered the gun in his holster. He wore a shirt with oversized sleeves that billowed in the wind, dyed yellow from the bark of the barberry shrub. It was gaudy and expensive, but impressive. Everything else about his appearance was strictly utility. Not enough wealth and fame to be entirely fashionable, but a few more bounties to his name, and Eudora reckoned he’d be an imposing sight.
His partner, Ira, was older and like Jeremiah, a Calamity survivor. Most survivors Eudora knew forged a kinship with each other. For many, their shared hardship had created a bond that superseded all others—race, religion, even family allegiances were second to that extraordinary experience of living through the end of the world. “God Himself couldn’t kill us, try as he might,” they’d say and clap one another on the back. In truth, it wasn’t a bond so much as bondage. Like wretched convicts in iron shackles, they were fettered to each other, to the life they had before the world ended, unable to move on and unable to escape.
“Please,” Jeremiah said. He fell to his knees. “I didn’t survive Calamity and Hellfire to die like this.” It was a coward’s voice and it sickened Eudora. Her cheeks burned with shame. Not for the first time she wondered what she had seen in him a week ago when she prodded him to take the money, to take her, and to run away.
“Hobble your lip, preacher,” Ira said in a slow, smooth drawl. “Surviving didn’t make you special, we’re all survivors, even the kid, here. He survived Becker’s purge of Memphis, the cholera plague, hell just being born nowdays is surviving something. Ain’t that right, Boone?”
“You ain’t wrong about that.”
“So I ain’t in your debt none because Calamity didn’t do you in. But I sure as hell don’t cotton to killing a preacher, though. Even a gump such as yourself. Something about it don’t sit right with me. Now I reckon once you stole from Becker and took his kid, whatever you had between yourself and God was finished business, so I ain’t gonna hold it a sin to take you in. Now get up, before I have to skin my shooting irons.”
Jeremiah, still on his knees, nodded his head slowly. “Wait,” he said, wide-eyed. “The bag. Look! The bag!” He held the canvas bag out to them. The canvas bag that contained the very reason Eudora had come this far. “Take it. Take all of it. Just tell Becker you found the girl and the money but you didn’t find me—or, or tell him that you found me dead. Tell him I hanged myself on account of my sorrow at being a no-good bastardly thief and kidnapper. You can keep the money, please, just let me go. Ain’t gonna do nothing to just let me go.”
The two bounty hunters turned toward each other and a surprised look passed between them. “Is that what you stole?” Ira paused, his hand steady on his revolver at his side. “Money?”
The younger man let out a confused grunt. “Now why the fuck should Becker care if you took off with some money?” he asked. His tone was that of a man struggling to comprehend some mystery. “What kind of money?”
“Paper bills. Bank notes. Lots of them.” Jeremiah turned from one man to the other. He was a cornered hare who spied some hope of escape from the fox. “From the Republic of California.”
Ira spurred his horse forward and waded out into the river. “California?” He repeated the word as if he couldn’t grasp its meaning. “How much of it you got?” He turned his horse sideways and inched closer to the cowering thief.
“I—I don’t know.”
“Bullshit.” Boone spat his tobacco again.
“Hear that, preacher?” Ira rested a hand on his thigh. “Boone here thinks that’s bullshit. I’m inclined to agree. You’ve been gone a fortnight and never once bothered to count it all?”
“I’ve been busy running from the likes of you gentlemen. Besides, I didn’t feel the need to count it. It’s a lot.” He loosened the drawstrings with his good hand and fished out a small stack of brightly colored notes banded tight together. He held it up. His breath came in ragged gasps, louder than even the din of the river. “I’ve got ten of these. They’re yours. I shouldn’t have taken it, I know that. I know that now. It was foolish. But—now I’m no prophet you understand—but, maybe, maybe I was meant to take it, so’s I could give it to you?”
“Sorry preacher,” Ira said, though truth be told, he looked like he gave it some consideration. “Whatever you took is between you and Becker. I want no part of it, tempting as it is.”
Ira spurred his horse forward again, rope in hand. The dun-colored mare stepped onto the sunken granite slab in front of Jeremiah, its step loud and hollow. In an instant, the horse lost its footing, another victim of the slick rock. The animal let out a panicked cry and fell with a crack on top of its rider. Whether that crack came from man or beast, Eudora didn’t know.
The mare struggled to right itself. It kicked its legs furiously, water erupted all around like the mouth of a geyser. Its black eyes, like polished obsidian stones, shone wide with fear and confusion and it looked to Eudora like some great fish that had found itself floundering in the shallows. In another circumstance, she might have laughed. When the beast finally righted itself, it bolted for the woods and left Ira on his back in the middle of the river, the brown frigid water flowing around his stiff body.
The situation changed fast and Eudora struggled to keep up with all the possibilities. There was a different Eudora for every possibility, a different role to play, and until she knew how this would end, she had to be quiet Eudora, the one who hid in the shadows and watched, too innocent and brainless to be of any consequence.
Boone dismounted and walked across the river towards Ira. He took his steps slow and deliberate, careful not to lose his footing. Head cocked to the side and the ghost of a smile on his lips, he stopped and stood at Ira’s feet. His fingers caressed the ivory handles of his revolvers.
“Goddamnit.” Ira moaned and rolled his head to the side. He raised a trembling hand to Boone. “My leg’s busted, for sure. We need to get that horse back. I don’t know where it ran off to. I’ll keep an eye on the preacher, you fetch my horse. I think I can stand if you help me up.”
“Oh, no, now I don’t think that I will,” Boone said, his voice barely above a whisper.
Ira’s eyes turned hard.
“Cocksucker,” he said through clenched teeth. “I should have known better than to put my trust in a catstick.”
Boone licked his lips and flashed a pair of dimples that only enhanced his child-like features. “I ain’t got no love for a survivor, old man, you of all people should know that.” He drew, spun his revolver once, and leveled it at Ira. “And there ain’t no way in Hell I’m taking that California money back to Becker.”
“The fuck you want some California money for? That place ain’t no paradise, it’s a goddamn myth. Hell, you got everything you could possibly want in Memphis. You got the best food, second scavenger picks, your choice of women to bed. What good is California to you?”
“Not every man likes Becker’s rules, Ira. In fact, I don’t much care for anyone’s rules but my own. Piss on Becker and his fucking city. I’ll be my own man now, not his dog.”
Ira laughed a dead man’s laugh. “He’ll find you. You know it, Boone. No matter where you run, he’ll catch up to you. I ain’t even the best he’s got. He’ll send his best after you and when they bring you back to Memphis, Becker’ll put you to bed good. He’ll peel that pretty face right off your fucking head. And if Becker don’t do it, Longstreet will.”
“I’ll be halfway to California by the time he even begins to suspect something’s amiss. I’ll be well above his bend. His arm ain’t that long.” Boone cocked the hammer of his revolver back. “No one’s arm is that long. Not Becker’s and not Longstreet’s.”
The flesh on Eudora’s neck prickled at the mention of Longstreet. Her father may have been the governor of the Memphis Territories, but even he answered to a higher power, and there was no higher power in all the territories in the East as Longstreet. He controlled the land from the upper reaches of New England, where the ice and wind could freeze a man in minutes, all the way down to Memphis, the southernmost reaches of the warlord’s domain. Politics never held much interest for her, but she knew enough of Longstreet to fear even the barest mention of his name.
“You don’t think so?” asked Ira. “Then you’re an even bigger fool than I thought. Longstreet will make you wish you’d never been born before he’s done with you.” He kicked, knocking Boone off his feet just as the young man pulled the trigger. Ira’s head exploded, a bright red spray erupted from the top of his skull and blood flowed from his nose like a fountain. His body sunk down into the earth and water filled the fresh hole in his head. Boone hit the rock hard, the river was too shallow to cushion his fall, and Eudora saw her chance. She could run, take Boone’s horse and be gone before the young bounty hunter could get back up. But he would get back up, and that would still leave a capable killer on her trail.
She picked up a stone, dark gray and smooth, slightly larger than her own fist, and she sat in the water next to Boone, her dress fanned out around her like a parasol. She ignored everything, shut out Jeremiah who only stood and looked at her, cradling his broken hand. Even contorted in pain, Boone’s face was beautiful. A catstick with a face carved from wax like his must have been very popular back in the Memphis Territories. The boy’s yellow shirt, darker now from the muddy waters, fluttered in the current.
Eudora lifted the rock in the air with both hands. She had never killed a man before, but now was not the time for hesitation. Drawing on all her strength, she brought it down on the boy’s head. She shut her eyes. Shut her eyes to Boone, to Jeremiah, to the sound of rock cracking bone again, and again, and again until she could no longer hear the splintering of the skull, but only the wet thud of rock hitting raw flesh, like a butcher pounding meat.
When she finally stopped, she sat in silence for several long minutes without a sound passing between the two fugitives. Finally, fear subsided. At last, her hands stopped shaking and her tears disappeared into the running waters of the rust-colored river. She was alive, and so was Jeremiah. Somehow they were alive and their pursuers were not.
“Well, ain’t you about the luckiest dumb son of a bitch in all the Wastes?” Her voice had an edge to it that she hoped he didn’t miss. It wasn’t fair that she had to kill the man called Boone, and Jeremiah got to do nothing but stand there and watch.
“You’re about as useless as tits on a nun, you know that? Jesus, was you just fixing to stand there all day? I ain’t the killing type, Jeremiah. It shouldn’t have been me. Isn’t that the man’s job? Do I gotta be the man for the both of us? I don’t want to be the man, that’s not my part. I’m the good girl, I’m the innocent one and now look at me. Look what you’ve done to me.”
He stared at her, his mouth open. “I’m sorry—”
Her tears came despite her best efforts to hold them back and she couldn’t stop her lip from trembling, but hopefully Jeremiah would chalk that up to the fact that she sat in the middle of a near-freezing river. She washed away bits of bone and hair from her hand, but no matter how much she scrubbed she couldn’t get it clean.
“Dora. Dora. Shhh, stop. Stop.” Jeremiah pulled her to him and pressed her head to his chest. “It’s all right, girl. It’s all right. He would have killed you, you know. You did what you had to do.”
“Never you mind me. Here, let me see that.” She took his hand. It was red and swollen and looked as if it might need a splint, but nursing wasn’t an art she had been trained in. “Let’s get to shore and out of these wet clothes before we get sick.”
“Wait.” Jeremiah picked up Boone’s revolvers one at a time and handed them to Eudora. She didn’t know much about gunplay, but she did know that a properly loaded revolver could still fire after getting wet. Boone seemed like the kind of man who would do right by his six-shooters. If he took half as good care of them as he did his own appearance, those guns would shoot.
“One more thing.” Eudora ran her fingers over Boone’s yellow shirt. It was finely woven and, having been almost completely submerged when its owner met his end, bloodless. “You want this? I think you’d really cut a dash in it.” She pulled the shirt off Boone’s corpse, careful not to let it touch the ruin of his face, the mass of pulp—a crater of meat and bone—that she had made.
Once they were out of the water, they stripped and wrapped themselves in wool blankets they got from Boone’s horse. Eudora sat down on the dusty bank, needles stabbed her feet and hands as the warmth returned to her body.
“We did it,” Jeremiah said. He threw his wet vestments into the river.
She snorted. “We? We did what? Escaped capture? Murdered a man?”
“We’re free. That’s what we did, we won our freedom. We’ve been on the run for days trying to get away, but now we’re free. Nothing can stop us now. Boone was right. By the time your father finds out that his men ain’t coming back, we’ll be long gone. He’ll be too late. Only, it won’t be Boone over there that’s halfway to California, it’ll be us. With a sack full of money. We’ll be set and living in paradise.”
“Paradise... I hope it’s true. I hope California is a paradise like they say.”
“Of course it is.”
He found a bottle of whiskey and pulled the stopper out with his teeth. He took a long pull and offered the rest to Eudora. “You want some, daisy? Dora? What devilry are you up to, woman?”
She ignored him and rummaged through Boone’s pack. “Well now, look at what our young friend was indulging in.” She held up a tincture of laudanum. The ruddy liquid set her heart racing. The end of the world was a dull thing and opium made her feel. It excited her entire body and took away her pain. Jeremiah had told her that he got the same feeling from having sex, but Eudora didn’t believe him. Sex was almost as boring as the rest of life.
The orange glow of the sun rose higher across the sky and the pair of fugitives drank to their freedom. They drank to their future. They drank to disremember the dead world around them, and when their drink was gone and the opium flowed in their veins and their skin burned with the fires of ecstasy, they felt, for a moment, at peace.

We recently got a new kitten. It was in the middle of the road, crying and shaking. We took him in and he’s had no other issue but the litter box. We put him in and try and go potty and he jumps right out. He’s been using the bathroom on the floor or on the couch (not very fun to clean up).
I’m not to sure how old he is, my parents said it’s pry not old enough to be away from its mama (3 weeks ?). We have 2 litter boxes in the house. A robot one and a normal one. The robot one he can get into because it has stairs and the normal one I think is a bit to tell for him to get in.
If anyone as has tips or anything that’s helps please send it my way. If I can’t get him to use the litter boxes, we can’t keep him and hes gonna get thrown outside
Thank you for reading !!

So recently, my best friend (22F) and I (24M) decided to go into business together. Not a huge business, she already owns a salon and I work full time so it’s just a fun (or supposed to be at least) side hustle that we both wanted to do. Since we started she has disregarded every idea I’ve had but if she has an idea I can’t say no to it or she gets pissed off because I’m disrespecting her ideas. She also has no problem taking my money when things are needed, but the moment I want to contribute, she takes charge and makes sure I’m doing the bare minimum; at one point, my job was to literally watch something cook. If I say I want to do a specific thing, she just complains and says that she now wants to do that. To make it all worst, the one time I decided I was going to work on creating some product without her, she didn’t talk to me for a week.
All of that aside, there is the financial aspect of it all. We’ve both put in roughly the same amount of money, within $20 of each other. However, what has been sold so far she has not shared the profits. She had no explanation as to why it was not split 50/50. I think maybe she thinks that since she does so much more work than me that maybe she deserves it, but as I said before I’m never able to actually do anything.
I think maybe this could be the end of our friendship because nothing has been the same since, unless we go out to a bar, that’s the only time she acts the same as before. What should I do, if anything? I don’t want to lose my best friend, but I also don’t want to lose this side hustle because I wanted to do it before I even knew she wanted to do it.

Hey there!! I have no idea if this is even the right place to ask this question I am sorry if it is not.. but awhile ago and I mean awhile ago I blocked and restricted someone on insta at the same time and I must’ve accidentally deleted the chat or it deleted the conversation, because when you restrict someone on instagram the chats just move to your message requests, but when I checked they were gone.. is there anyway to get it back.. does downloading your instagram data show you deleted chats? If this question isn’t the right place to ask please let me know what community would be the place to ask!! Thank you !! 🙏