Lady the of house

BMW driver ran over my pet rat and I am broken, should I confront her face to face?
So, just to clarify, I'm a 27 year old bloke from Limerick and I beg this has absolutely broken me. I work as a plasterer and the few things I enjoy are playing PC games, gym and looking after my pet rat Ronnie. I am a bit of a lonely lad, I haven't ever really had friends in my life and I actually met Big Ron after I saw a magpie (hate the cunts) smacking the ground like a piledriver. I opened my door to shoo him off, and I saw a wounded rat that couldn't move a muscle. I cleaned him up, tended to the wounds and got the lad fixed. I know this sounds silly, but he's been my best mate ever since and we practically do everything together when I am not at work. I'm cooking and I'll be chatting away to Big Ron. I'm gaming and I'm chatting away to Big Ron (named him that because he's HUGE!) I'm lonely, and I'll be chatting away to Big Ron.
Yesterday, I had a particularly stressful encounter with my boss who accused me of being slow which could not be any further from the truth. I'm the fastest, most productive and pragmatic individual in my job and I never ever cause a problem - my manager just genuinely doesn't like me and I'm not really sure why, but this morning on a five minute break I took (which I seldom take) he had a go at me because I hadn't scraped the walls properly which was a stupid thing to say, because I was just taking a break before I got back to it. So he ended up just telling me off, and my colleagues who already think I'm a weirdo were just laughing at me and joking about me getting sacked. So I come home and I'm fairly frustrated, and I open the door and close it.
A few minutes later, I realize something - the cage door containing Ronnie is open.
And at this point, he's only domesticated for six months, which made me realized in utter dread that he was missing so my anxiety went through the roof. I was looking around and before I know it, I hear some lady crash infront of my house and, embarrassingly enough, I figuratively and literally SHIT myself. I went off to the bathroom to clean myself up as I just hear the doorbell being rung loads, and I fucking swear, no word of a lie, I couldn't find my jeans or anything suitable to wear. After what felt like fucking ages I found some jeans, looked out the window, and saw some very young one run into her BMW. Big Ronnie must have ran out the door after I opened it, before getting ran over.
As soon as I came crashing down back to earth, I immediately got my phone out, took a pic of her reg on her piece of shit BMW and saved it. Not only did she damage my wall to fucking bits, she destroyed the one living soul closer to me than any other on this forsaken planet. I am livid. I am devastated. I am lonely again and my mind is racing with so many things. How the fuck is this stupid cow able to get away with this horrific crime and I'm left with my heart in two. I'm so sorry if this seems out the blue, but what do you recommend I do? I have her reg, I am considering hiring a PI to track her down, and give her a piece of my mind but I dunno if I should go further than that. Either way, a wreckoning is coming. I'm fuming. I am so angry. I am so hurt and miss you Big R.

I didn't know where else to share this and I really need to get it off my chest before I collapse cause it was a horrible thing to wake up from but before we do that
TW-Kidnapping mention of sexual slavery and death, lots of death, maybe even looping of ones death
I woke up early cause I had that dream where I was kidnapped and technically used as livestock but I woke up before the worst part which I guess was kinda lucky because usually it ends with when we get to the car he comes up behind us and chops one if our heads off as a lesson, thank god I woke up. It was definitely a nightmare cause there was no way to peacefully escape/die, you either got "bred" and used as actual livestock and died that way or the car one or where you would be in the car but he would also be in the car and kill you that way Or the part where you think you're finally safe and you're driving down the road he drove you up to his house in the first place and there's either spike traps or he's just standing there in the middle of the road with a hatchet One way or another you're dying. Or you'd do what the ladies do cause the ladies show up to try and distract him cause their like
Undercover cops but he just ends up shooting everyone outside the kitchen window or you do eventually make it out but the guy is also registered as a cop so you can't do anything and eventually you get caught again and killed brutally while staring at the ladies corpses and him saying it's all your fault and that they would be alive if it weren't for me.
So yeah I think I've had this nightmare one too many times-
Thanks for listening though 😭😭

i’ve never felt this way in my waking life about a dream before, and i nearly cried after waking up. I cannot drive legally yet as i am 15, but in my dream i was driving to my grandparents house to help them move out, but they weren’t even there for some reason. anyway, when i got out of the car i remember a knife somehow getting into my hand, and from there i just cut my own head off. it wasnt hard to do or anything, and i just kept going as if it was a routine thing or something i had to do before entering the house. as soon as my head was off it was as if i was looking through the top of my neck. but i wasnt worried about the neighbors seeing which is important for later. regardless of whether i was worried or not i simply put my head back on. and i remember minimal struggle because my hair got in the way of me reattaching it. i entered the house and the house was completely different even though everything outside looked like real life. the garage is where i went first and there was an oddly large table with cheap fabric paintings on it but there were these two textured discs of what was some sort of bronze-ish metal painted blue. and at some point here i remembered i had to wash myself off and it was almost as if a sink had just appeared in front of me. i washed the blood off of myself very lazily for how much there was and then walked out of the garage. there was an old lady in the hallway. i dont recognize her but she was very short. as if she was speaking telepathically to me i knew she wanted to see the garage. in the garage she looked through a small box containing random trinkets and another painting that was identical to one laying about the table. but then one of the discs caught her eye. she examined it and the realization hit me for some reason, that i cut my own head off. so i left without saying anything to her, the house was emptier from what i remembered as i left. i got into the car and thats when i woke up.
i know a lot of this is yap but this seriously freaked me out, has anyone had similar dreams to this or is it just me? can anyone give me a solid dream interpretation or..?

I already made the first post regarding episode 1 and 2, here are the links, if you are interested:
https://www.reddit.com/PolinBridgerton/comments/1d8p07y/analysing_thematic_imagery_of_season_3_episode_1/
https://www.reddit.com/PolinBridgerton/comments/1daa5se/analysing_thematic_imagery_of_season_3_episode_2/
Same note as before: I do not claim all of these thoughts as originals of mine, I am not taking credit for noticing what others already noticed, and feel free to credit those who were first in comments. Also feel free to comment what you see and I do not! Or challenge me or mine.
I shall do my best to deliver analysis of the fourth episode before part 2 drops.
General imagery of the season so far (feel free to skip if you read the last post or posts):
The main thematic imagery of this season is reflection; how characters are perceived by others and how they deal with those perceptions. It ties to both leads, who were given roles by society which they must fight from time to time, and how society’s perception of them changes and controls them. Mirror imagery was important throughout the previous season not only for Pen and Colin, however in this season in particular, mirror imagery appears very often, and I expected it to continue (ehem ehem).
Tied closely to reflection imagery, we see the dichotomy of light and shadows. This dichotomy is alluded to by titles of 3 episodes of the whole season; and through this dichotomy, social roles and expectations are established. Colin is in the light, showered by compliments from members of the Ton, while Pen is forced to be in the shadows. She uses the shadows as LW to her advantage, while Colin uses his power within the light to his advantage.
The general idea is that Pen needs to decide whether she wants to stay in the shadows, which might be easier, or whether she is willing to take a risk by stepping into the light. Other characters are also haunted by their reflections. I shall dive into it in each episode.
Episode 3: Forces of Nature
While the second episode heavilly relied on the dichotomy of the day and the night to showcase masculine and feminine power, the third episode features dichotomy of nature and humanity. I have very briefly touched upon it in previous analysis regarding the promenade, when Pen asks whether she can learn to flirt through books and the moment was juxtaposed with the nature behind our leads.
It is not a new dichotomy for the show. We can for example remember the ending of episode 6 from previous season ("Animals require no contracts or dowries. The hen and a rooster make no vows. Leave it to people to complicate matters with their ceremonies and their cakes.").
The nature represents the attraction and longing, while the humanity represents either obstacles in following our desires, or simply a rationale to be "sensible" instead. Lady Whistledown acknowledges that people can somewhat triumph ("Humankind has accomplished extraordinary feats in its attempt to compete against nature."), but the episodes concludes that not only will the nature win in the end, the battle does not even include the nature, but the people who fight themselves. Basically concluding that there are no winners.
"All of man's greatest inventions are nothing more than a distraction from which is most natural to us. Our instincts. The innate animal impulse that is inside even the most sophisticated of us. For all is said and done, our nature will always win out."
Both Penelope and Colin fail to fight their own feelings in this episode.
While the natural forces refer to inner desires, we might focus on the literal natural forces which symbolize them: the Featherington garden (aka the place of crime), and the fire; the most featured in this episode, though, is the wind. The natural force which ensured the first meeting of our leads and (at least according to the books and trailer for part 2), caused Penelope to fall for Colin, as he (literally) fell from his horse.
I shall get to it more later. Let's go again scene by scene.
Third episode begins with Colin's dream. Dreams are of course heavilly linked with both Colin, Pen and their desires. Ironically, Colin's dream represents his waking up Marina alluded to in the last season ("You are a boy, caught up in his own fantasies... You need to wake up, Colin!").
While Penelope stopped dreaming and gave up on her "fantasy" after Colin's comment in the end of season 2 ("I would never dream of courting Penelope Featherington, not in your wildest fantasies."), Colin is awaken at the same place, in a cheeky way, by his dream.
The Featherington garden represents crucial moments of their relationship so far. Firstly, it was the place where he broke her heart by his statement, and sparked her intention to marry. Secondly, of course, it was the place where they came to their agreement, with her agreeing to move from him by accepting his help, while he put himself in a vulnerable position to face feelings he did not acknowledge before. Thirdly, it is the place where he was forced to face his feelings VERY directly by agreeing to kiss her.
Colin's subcontious wants to "repair" the moment. It is cheeky for Colin to apologize for the late hour, which might have been appropriate for their last meeting, as well.
Fans have had a lot of fun dissecting Colin's psyche, as Colin's dream features basically every cliché of a raunchy romance novel, which is, of course, very intentional. The first shot features the fire burning, symbolizing Colin's realized feelings. The fog might either allude to the mystery whether Colin's love is requited, or to form a "protection from the gazes of others".
This episode offers a lot storytelling through clothing with Colin especially, and I shall dive to each of his looks. Generally speaking, Colin trades vulnerability for his armor repeatedly in the first half of the episode, culminating in his Innovations Ball look, which I find the most vulnerable.
Colin in his dream is dressed similarly as he was in the end of episode 2, however, his neck is now bare, alluding to his vulnerability. Pen's neckline is lower, her loose hair as well as the fit of the gown make it seem like she is in her nightgown. Still, it is very respectable look for a wet dream, likely to showcase and hammer that Colin did not found vulnerability anew, not sexual desire.
I find it interesting that the shot does not start with Colin walking into the frame, who is the one dreaming, but with Penelope. Perhaps the intention was to try to mess with fans and give them the impression it is Pen who dreams. Colin does not get confirmation of her feelings until he admits his. Again, Colin is the vulnerable this time, not Penelope. The scene focuses much more on her pleasure than his, either to again fool the audience, or again, to sell the difference.
As Colin wakes up, we get more visual clues in the globe and the map, likely alluding to his travelling experience, which are connected to his sexuality. The other is, of course, that his blanket is yellow, a color tied to Pen (resembling the shal Violet has in the portrait, again to sell the paraller of the couples, even before Violet states it to the audience at the end of this episode). He looks to the window, which might allude to him trying to find her, as she lives accross the street, which he likely did for the first time in last episode, or trying to find the light, representing a) his social role as a popular charming rake, and b) his masculine power.
Gregory's injury might thematically tie to multiple things. Gregory was established as a cupid, who pierces Colin's heart, and who now can't do so, meaning that Colin is trapped. Gregory can also represent Colin himself as he can't even properly eat with his injury, which was something Colin also mentioned of not being able to do so. We know that Gregory falls injures the hand before he has a chance to see the balloon, which might foreshadow the ending of the episode, when Colin tries to find the answer, only to not get it and be hurt.
Colin comes to the drawing room in a brown vest. The color of the vest reminds me of his pirate coat, and I wonder whether it is basically his "casual armor", the one he wears around his family now, not wanting them to know of his feelings. It is also worth pointing out that when Colin walks in, he goes to his brothers who sit seperately from the sisters and the mother, almost to shocase Colin's tendency to trying to follow male squad, even the toxic one.
Our dearest prophetess Hyacinth strikes again by mentioning Penelope. It is worth noting that while Colin is distressed, he still realizes that he likely hurt Eloise by commenting on Lady Whistledown finding about their ordeal, and seems to attempt to follow her to make sure she is fine. Colin can't refer to Penelope as his or as a friend, so he opts to refers to her as the acquaintance of the whole family and sips the tea this time. Colin's drinking is a recurring gag this season, showcasing his growing attraction towards Pen.
From the Queen's and Agatha's meeting, we get an interesting gag of the male suitors being thrown. Penelope fell for Colin when he fell from the horse, which is rather cheeky to remember when the one falling this time is Debling.
Penelope leaves her room just in time for her to a) be reminded of the importance of producing an heir, b) be reminded of her reasons she intended to find a husband, hearing her sisters. I believe that it is Eloise's comment that sparks Pen's hope to find a husband once again, as she gets her blessing. Penelope knew she couldn't stay away for long, but to keep her column, not because she gained hope.
It is quite reasonable that Penelope chose to promenade after week in her room. We are left to wonder why Colin choose to do so and if he was perhaps trying to see her. However, from his expression, I do believe that he was surprised to see her. Colin is the one who follows Pen this episode, showcasing the change in the dynamic. Penelope often followed him instead in the previous episode.
Penelope's styling seems very childish, with her ribbons, hair to the side and pinkish and lilac tone of her dress, perhaps a visual way for her to distance herself from the ordeal and that kiss. Colin is wearing the style akin to previous seasons, with his armor being left home. They are children once again. The willow the meet under might symbolize innocence, protection, childhood, as it somewhat shields them from the Ton. The long distance show might allude to them suddenly feeling a gap between themselves, or perhaps a need to keep their distance after the whole ordeal.
It is cheeky that Penelope relies on her double identity when asked for a reasoning. She might have just as easily pointed out the Ton itself, instead, she uses Lady Whistledown she disparaged in the last episode. Just as Colin refered to the Pen in regards to all Bridgertons, Penelope refers to her and his family regarding the embarassment. Pen thanking Colin for his kindness is of course very funny paraller to her comment about his cruelty in episode 1; a comment which might have hurt him the same.
Debling starts the episode as the hunted "prey", not only as Cressida (and later Pen) is after him, but by himself, as he wants to find a hiding place. However, Debling of course changes into the "predator" later.
Stowell House in general does not seem particularly inviting. It either displays mirrors or the "prey" on the walls, signalling Pen's entrapment. Penelope does not hide even in her corner, where she is found by the toxic buddies.
Penelope assures her mother that Ton will likely be distracted by the new scandal. Portia of course does not know that it is Penelope herself who is Lady Whistledown, and who might have a chance to publish such a scandal, but only if Pen leaves her hideout. Pen later offers social contagion as a joke, which might be a fun way of alluding to her double identity, as she holds a bit of power regarding social assesment.
Mirror imagery is quite cheeky regarding our leads and Debling. Pen's back is seen in mirror behind her, which might signal that she is currently social outcast, still uncomfortable after the incident, or visual signal of Pen hiding her identity.
With Colin's arrival, it is Pen who looks at him first, just when he looks at Eloise. Colin notices and continues to look, while Pen looks away and hides as a "prey". Colin turns away and we see a glimpse of him in the mirror. Pen fell first, but he fell harder. Colin flees the mirror, as he will continue to do so in this episode, following her.
Debling does not mind the mirror at all (something he seems to share with Agatha and Benedict) and as Pen becomes more comfortable, the mirror seems to dissapear from the shot. It is worth pointing out that both Colin and Debling have waistcoats with yellow ornaments, alluding to both of them being interested in Pen.
Colin is accompanied by the candles both when Eloise mentions Penelope, as well as when he is "assessing his pupil", alluding to his growing love. I do not think it was unintentional to have Alice mention his "kindheartedness", after Penelope thanks him for his "kindness". Not only do both mention the possibility of a different suitor, they also use similar language when speaking of Colin's role in it, rubbing the idea deeper.
Even more cheeky is that Alice does not refer to Penelope by name, only as a pupil, while Colin comments on it as "gossip" finding their home. Colin refers to Whistledown when asked about Penelope; while Pen is, of course, both subject of the gossip as well as its source as lady Whistledown.
Eloise'a and Cressida's scene alludes to Eloise walking to the crossroads and choosing a path she might regret. Eloise does not help Cressida much, but it is enough for her to easily win over Pen at first.
Finally, we get likely the most in face reference of the episode: Hawkins Balloon, with its blue and yellow stripes. It likely symbolizes our leads, with Colin seeing the balloon (aka embracing the opportunity of them becoming a couple), while Pen ignores it in favour of Debling.
Colin arrives in his armor, aka with his pirate coat firmly on. But his defence crumble rather quickly. He follows Penelope immedietely. At first, he follows her instruction to focus on sweets, but more and more into the scene, he just begins to look at Pen, the only exception is when Pen compliments Debling, as he feels a need to hide his feelings.
Colin loses his battle while seeing Pen eating the cake. The cake symbolized sex even back in 102, when Pen asks Marina how did she become pregnant. What is striking, though, that the next time Colin is shown on screen, he took off his coat and seems to finish Penelope's cake. Colin lets his armor down, just before his heroic moment.
The balloon is representation of a human attempt to "triumph" over the nature, to "conquer the wind". Funnily, as Colin with the help of his squad protects the balloon and wins over the wind, he loses his own battle against it internally, as the wind represents his desire for Penelope. Colin finds courage and allows himself to be vulnerable (by leaving the pirate coat, his armor, behind in the arms of one of his toxic buddies), only for him to find Penelope in Debling's embrace. Eloise and Cressida's remarks might be quite cruel foreshadowing for the later events. "It is good thing no one was injured." "Who says I wasn't?"
The distress of Colin at Innovations Ball is implied with his darker waistcoat, bare neck and him adjusting his jacket. Colin attempts his best to smile for Eloise, but it is a rather unsuccesful attempt. If I dare say, Colin seems like he is attending funeral. His question whether a man can be pensive is rather interesting, not only as it is pun on Penelope's name, but as Colin asks basically if he can be himself.
Penelope and Portia ignore the lamp, the sorce of fire and light, which I would argue, represents the love between Pen and Colin.
Benedict refers to Francesca as "his shield" from the debutantes, and we see Benedict succeeding in fleeing the debutantes with the sister by his side. Eloise, on the other hand, leaves Colin to them, leaving him "unprotected". This is hammered with Violet, who without the children by her side, becomes the target of Marcus. It is no wonder Francesca finds her man when she is allowed to return to her familiar shadows, with fireplace representing love, passion and desire once again. Benedict, too, fails to "battle the nature", as he finds himself in the embrace of his newest partner, after he meets her at the staircase, with her looking down on him.
As the debutantes ask Colin if he is as heroic on the dancefloor, Colin moves his head instead of answering, while we get the shot of Pen holding her own dancecard. It is quite clear. Colin is losing his chance.
While Penelope's and Cressida's race is for comedic effect, it showcases that a lot of times, women fight over guys they might even want, just because they fear someone else will snatch them. While Cressida is pressured to be married, no one points out that she almost married Jack last season, someone who turned out to be a schemer. Daphne won her own "race", only to end up with Simon. Cressida fails to gain Colin's attention in season 1 and 2 mostly due to her treatment of Penelope and Daphne.
Penelope finds herself on the crossroads between Colin and Debling. She chooses to look at Colin, showcasing to the audience that Pen is romantic at heart. While Colin answers the question of debutantes, he is in fact encouraging himself, but as he can't help but look at her, she takes it as his confirmation of wishing her good luck as a mentor. Just as Pen unknowingly let Colin down in willow scene with her words, Colin just done the same. Cheekily, Debling asks whether Pen has trouble with the balloon, while she answers "not at present". As she gave up on Colin in that instance.
Penelope herself pretends to love nature to secure herself a naturalist, ignoring her own desire to be with Colin. Ironically, she secures the naturalist by openly stating she does not really care about nature, when she cares about what nature represents in this episode. Debling giving Pen lemonade ties narratively to Pen leaving the lemonade at the table during the Full-Moon ball, as well as her leaving it at drawing scene with Colin.
I believe that Debling caught on Colin's feelings at this instant. The reason I believe so is that Pen's dance card was still blank and Pen gave Colin time to react. Debling did not ask Penelope for dance beforehand, and she hoped that Colin would speak... which is something Colin might have realized once Penelope gives Debling his hand and dance card is visible to him.

There is a lady who looks about middle aged and lives on my street. She is always nice and always says hello to me, and is generally very nice. She has given me food and there have been many times where she had become emotional and told me how lonely she is. This confused me because she has also told me that she has a boyfriend. Anyway during one of her emotional down turns, I went inside her house to watch doctor who with her. I thought this would kind of calm her down and make her think more clearly. Now doctor who has a new doctor, who is also the first black gay doctor called ncuti gatwa.
Now as we were both watching the latest episode, this woman kept making racial slur remarks at gatwas skin colour. It was truly racist at what she was saying about ncuti gatwas skin colour. It was an amazing episode though and it was called 73 yards. She kept saying racist things towards gatwa and I kept staring at her. She then stared back at me and said "I can say racist things towards gatwas skin colour because my boyfriend is black. Also doctor who is shit!"
When she said that I realised to myself that I had actually never seen her boyfriend before and it was still a messed up thing to say. I asked her where her boyfriend was and she says that he is down the cellar. Then in that moment I heard the words "Please help" and I became terrified. It was coming from her cellar.
"Want to see my boyfriend" she says to me with a smile on her face
She takes me down to her cellar and I see a man who has been badly injured and in need of hospital care.
"There that's my boyfriend and he is black, so now I can say anything to black people" she says to me.
Her reasoning was completely twisted and as I tried to run out of her house, she shoots me in the leg. She drags me down to the cellar and she then says "your Mexican right?" And I reply weakly with a "yesss"
"Great so now I can say anything to Mexican people because I now have a black boyfriend and a Mexican boyfriend" she says with a smile on her face. She locks the cellar door and I can hear her watching doctor who and she keeps on saying "doctor who is shit!"

There is a lady who looks about middle aged and lives on my street. She is always nice and always says hello to me, and is generally very nice. She has given me food and there have been many times where she had become emotional and told me how lonely she is. This confused me because she has also told me that she has a boyfriend. Anyway during one of her emotional down turns, I went inside her house to watch doctor who with her. I thought this would kind of calm her down and make her think more clearly. Now doctor who has a new doctor, who is also the first black gay doctor called ncuti gatwa.
Now as we were both watching the latest episode, this woman kept making racial slur remarks at gatwas skin colour. It was truly racist at what she was saying about ncuti gatwas skin colour. It was an amazing episode though and it was called 73 yards. She kept saying racist things towards gatwa and I kept staring at her. She then stared back at me and said "I can say racist things towards gatwas skin colour because my boyfriend is black. Also doctor who is shit!"
When she said that I realised to myself that I had actually never seen her boyfriend before and it was still a messed up thing to say. I asked her where her boyfriend was and she says that he is down the cellar. Then in that moment I heard the words "Please help" and I became terrified. It was coming from her cellar.
"Want to see my boyfriend" she says to me with a smile on her face
She takes me down to her cellar and I see a man who has been badly injured and in need of hospital care.
"There that's my boyfriend and he is black, so now I can say anything to black people" she says to me.
Her reasoning was completely twisted and as I tried to run out of her house, she shoots me in the leg. She drags me down to the cellar and she then says "your Mexican right?" And I reply weakly with a "yesss"
"Great so now I can say anything to Mexican people because I now have a black boyfriend and a Mexican boyfriend" she says with a smile on her face. She locks the cellar door and I can hear her watching doctor who and she keeps on saying "doctor who is shit!"

There is a lady who looks about middle aged and lives on my street. She is always nice and always says hello to me, and is generally very nice. She has given me food and there have been many times where she had become emotional and told me how lonely she is. This confused me because she has also told me that she has a boyfriend. Anyway during one of her emotional down turns, I went inside her house to watch doctor who with her. I thought this would kind of calm her down and make her think more clearly. Now doctor who has a new doctor, who is also the first black gay doctor called ncuti gatwa.
Now as we were both watching the latest episode, this woman kept making racial slur remarks at gatwas skin colour. It was truly racist at what she was saying about ncuti gatwas skin colour. It was an amazing episode though and it was called 73 yards. She kept saying racist things towards gatwa and I kept staring at her. She then stared back at me and said "I can say racist things towards gatwas skin colour because my boyfriend is black. Also doctor who is shit!"
When she said that I realised to myself that I had actually never seen her boyfriend before and it was still a messed up thing to say. I asked her where her boyfriend was and she says that he is down the cellar. Then in that moment I heard the words "Please help" and I became terrified. It was coming from her cellar.
"Want to see my boyfriend" she says to me with a smile on her face
She takes me down to her cellar and I see a man who has been badly injured and in need of hospital care.
"There that's my boyfriend and he is black, so now I can say anything to black people" she says to me.
Her reasoning was completely twisted and as I tried to run out of her house, she shoots me in the leg. She drags me down to the cellar and she then says "your Mexican right?" And I reply weakly with a "yesss"
"Great so now I can say anything to Mexican people because I now have a black boyfriend and a Mexican boyfriend" she says with a smile on her face. She locks the cellar door and I can hear her watching doctor who and she keeps on saying "doctor who is shit!"

We're in the process of building new homes in an HOA. These houses are on a private street that is owned by the HOA. One lady is absolutely insane, harassing and yelling at the workers for parking in front of her house. The HOA board is aware of what she's doing, and we have their explicite permission to park wherever we need on that street.
The lady went out and had some professionally built signs that say "No Parking" and staked them down in her lawn. This must not violate HOA rules because they allowed her to do it.
A friend of mine recently bought a house across the street from her. Being as I really love pissing entitled people off, are those signs legally enforceable? Could she have my car towed if park in front her signs?
Edit: I forgot to add why I say she's crazy. The first day work began, she screamed out her window at anyone who parked in front of her house, and anyone who didn't move, she ducttaped signs to their car window saying they can't park there.

I will do my best to summarize. I have tried posting here before but it’s difficult for me to write everything out. I was in a car accident about 5 months ago. Other driver’s fault. At time of accident I was on a day off from work, employed as a hospital Audio Visual technician. I am a career musician and teacher but Covid made all of that very difficult. Up until Covid I had been running my own music school, teaching full time and working as a creative musician. When Covid hit I switched to remote teaching and taught over 3,000 remote lessons before I realized it wasn’t sustainable in this new world. I worked a couple hard jobs In warehouses and landscaping prior to finding work in a hospital. I’m grateful for this job as I was able to have insurance. The car accident left me with my right thumb badly torn at the base, a bad concussion, whiplash and a knee injury I’m about to have surgery for, torn meniscus. I’ve been limping this whole time and can’t walk without a brace. I’ve had over 70 therapy appointments since accident(hand,speech, vision, behavioral, PT, OT).
My brain injury has left me with impaired vision which I am awaiting prism glasses for. I have had therapy for hand, speech, vision, neck, back , etc. My nausea and headaches remain. I quit drinking alcohol about 2 1/2 years ago but since accident I feel hungover every morning. I go to bed by 9:30pm every night. I hardly have any motivation or interest in music now. It’s like every passion I had for art has dissipated and replaced with confusion and grief for my former self. I can barely handle household sounds when my wife is home and bright light is still very hard to tolerate. I’m about to get switched to Cobra and I don’t think I have much time left before my job security expires. Fortunately I hired a personal injury attorney. My attorney has had to hold off until my medical care was complete. I had to have an IME for insurance last week.
At this point it’s hard to wrap my head around returning to my AV hospital job in any capacity. I have been practicing some instruments like flute and piano but it’s hard to enjoy my main instruments like electric guitar and other instruments I used to play loud. A couple days after my accident I was contacted by a very well known artist who wanted to hire me for electric guitar recording sessions. I told him about my recent injury and that was it. He probably thinks I’m unavailable period now. I might not have another opportunity like that now.
When I make any music now it feels 100% for me. It feels unnecessary to even release my finished productions now. I used to be so excited to release a song or album and share with the world. Now I just don’t care. I definitely cannot teach music anymore and the idea of playing gigs doesn’t even make sense. I used to play jazz and experimental gigs every week and lived in Chicago and NYC. My teachers had been in bands with Miles Davis and Sonny Rollins. My friends are all full time musicians. I have a hard time relating to them now.
I could go on and on. It’s very challenging to stay positive. I spend a lot of time sitting and thinking in silence. It’s been 5 months though. Prior to accident my wife and I planned a two week trip to Ireland. We are going at the end of June. I am looking forward to it and am grateful for my wife and her positivity and patience. When I return I will have knee surgery and will resume rebuilding my life as best I can. I am accepting that I am a new person now and the past is gone. I am lucky to still be here. I have a new outlook now and do not associate my entire identity with being a musician or artist. These are just things I enjoyed before and spent so much time with they became a part of me. In some ways they feel more a part of me now than before my brain injury. Now I do not feel any desire at all to perform or show anyone that I possess these skills. It used to be my whole life and now it feels like how I used to play basketball in middle school.
I feel so nauseous now I might not leave the house today. People who don’t struggle with TBI don’t understand how difficult it is to just appear positive in general. “Try to have a good day and enjoy the nice weather.” I get this sort of advice a lot and I have just started to ignore it. People think they are being helpful but a lot of times it comes off sounding like the annoying man asking the pretty lady why she doesn’t smile more.
I don’t know what else to say. Thank you for reading. Everyone’s posts have been helping me a lot lately. You’re not alone.

Whats that quote? Fool me once, shame on you. Fool me twice, shame on me?
I got catfished by this kid like 10 years ago when we talked on Adam4Adam. He sent me a completely different picture of someone. I let him suck me anyway and met up a few more times to let him suck me. He's not a bad looking guy, just nerdy and the picture he sent me was of a jock looking guy. I remembered that there were religious relics in the house he was in and it looked like some old lady's house.
Well 10 years later he hits me up again, this time on Sniffies. As I was walking up the steps to the house I was like this looks very familiar and then once inside, I saw all the religious figurines and knew I stepped into the same trap again. This time I didn't finish and told him to stop catfishing me and walked out. Then he messages me again an hour later asking me to come back and fuck him. I'm such a fool though because I'm pretty sure he sent the same exact picture that he sent 10 years ago lol.

https://www.inforum.com/opinion/columns/port-court-filings-allege-years-of-domestic-violence-by-expelled-former-nd-lawmaker
MINOT — On March 4, 2021, the North Dakota House of Representatives stopped its busy legislative schedule to consider harassment accusations against state Rep. Luke Simons of Dickinson.
The claims against Simons spanned years and included not just staff at the Bismarck Capitol and news media members but also some of his fellow lawmakers, such as Grand Forks Rep. Emily O'Brien and Casselton Rep. Brandy Pyle, both Republicans. Ultimately, the House made the unprecedented move of voting to expel Simons, something that had never happened before in state history.
That expulsion has become one of the fault lines in the North Dakota Republican Party, dividing traditional conservatives from an ascendant faction of MAGA populists closely aligned with former President Donald Trump.
Many outspoken members of the populist faction — including former lawmaker Rick Becker, who is currently seeking election to the U.S. House of Representatives and opposed Simons' expulsion during floor debate in 2021 — have claimed that Simons was removed improperly and wasn't afforded due process.
Now Simons, who has stayed active in politics, including providing a recent defense of a Williston-area Republican lawmaker who has refused to resign after berating law enforcement officers with homophobic slurs during a DUI arrest, is accused of a years-long history of mental and physical abuse against his wife and children. That's according to court documents in a divorce proceeding his wife filed in June 2023. The filings, in which she is the plaintiff, indicate that the two have been separated since October 2021.
Forum Communications Company does not typically name the survivors of sexual assault and domestic violence.
"Throughout our marriage, Luke has a history of assaulting myself and our children," states a declaration filed in the case by the plaintiff on March 1, 2024. "Social service reports exist that document Luke has beat our children with a 2x4, extension cords, and also used a crowbar for spankings. He has run into me with a 4 wheeler, attacked me until I was on the floor, punched my nose and broke my glasses and phone."
"Luke punched the walls of our home and choked me until I passed out," the declaration continues. "We have been separated following a significant domestic violence incident in October 2021, in which Luke assaulted me and bit one of our daughters, requiring the intervention of Luke's father and our church."
The filing includes photos of the bite wound. The plaintiff alleges that Simons bit another of their children after becoming frustrated while teaching that child to drive.
One exhibit in the case is a testimonial from Simons' wife dated November 2021, just months after Luke Simons' expulsion from the Legislature. Titled "My Story," it contains allegations of abuse by Luke Simons against his wife dating back to their wedding night in 1999.
Describing it as "such a happy, scary, time for a young lady," the plaintiff indicates that she "did something wrong or said something wrong and made him upset" at which point "he pushed me out of bed and I slept on the floor" with "no clothes and no blankets."
She also alleges that Luke raped her in the basement of his parent's home after a Wednesday church meeting, and that he perpetrated physical abuse against her — everything from kicks to punches to choking and slaps — during the more than 18 years they lived together on their ranch. "I found out that chains really hurt and even leave chain shaped bruises," she wrote.
She claims that Luke accused her of being deficient in her "Bible studies" because she was "missing the part about wives being submissive to their husbands." She says Luke claims she was talking "with a bad attitude just like liberal Democrats."
Under a section of the document titled "Reasons to get away," the plaintiff wrote, "I don't remember the last time I felt 100% safe and secure in my own home." She also wrote that she wants to "get away from Luke and his weird ideas about women and girls and their proper place."
In his own court filings, Luke Simons doesn't dispute that abuse occurred in the marriage.
"Plaintiff alleges Defendant was abusive throughout the parties' entire relationship," a pre-trial brief filed by Luke Simons's legal counsel states. "Defendant does not deny that abuse occurred but does deny that it occurred to the extent Plaintiff claims. He admits that he has made mistakes in the past and has sought counseling to overcome his issues."
At least one member of Simons' own family also acknowledges that abuse occurred in the relationship. One of the exhibits in the plaintiff's filings is a text message sent by Ben Simons, brother to Luke Simons, to the couple's children in which he refers to "wrong" perpetrated by his brother even as he opposes the divorce.
"Your mom is still proceeding with divorcing your dad," he wrote in the Aug. 10, 2023, text. "There is not one spiritual leader in her life that has condoned this. Your mom is being wrong. I know your dad has been very wrong for a lot of your growing up years but now it's your mom that is in the wrong."
"I wished so bad that your whole family would've not covered up the wrong that your dad did and maybe your family could've been helped sooner," Ben Simons, a former Republican candidate for the Legislature, continued. "I was so mad at your dad when I found out, I couldn't even talk to him. Now I don't want to cover up what wrong your mom is doing."
I sent a list of questions to Jamie Haynes, attorney for Luke Simons in this proceeding. I asked him which specific allegations of abuse Luke Simons denies.
Haynes told me his client declined to answer. "This is a private family matter that involves children. Luke won’t defend himself. He loves his family and hopes that this can be reconciled in the future."
Sandra Kuntz, an attorney who is representing the plaintiff in these proceedings, declined to comment on behalf of her client.

I have a confession, there are features that are leading me to this particular model: Bose system and the black wheels
I spec’ed out a lower trim package and gas model, then started adding the black wheels and figured the stereo could add a couple of grand, and I was back up in the same price bracket as the car I want in the first place 🙃
For those folks who keep up with technology, how is the Bose system really? Are you liking it? Any regrets?
I personally love the Bose products and have extensive love for music, the car is my only outlet to really vibe.
Also, I’m the type who pulls in my garage and sits and listens to music for 1/2 hour before going in the house.
Personal speakers and headphones are all Bose and Marshal, I’m very sensitive to those mid range bass and deep bass, those are what I’m seeking. The treble will start to be lost on me as I age anyway.
I’m moving up from a 2017 KIA soul, and I want to make sure I’m not just fan-girl over the technology jump.
I’m excited about the safety features too! Might save an old lady’s life !
Thank you!

(I’m not editing otherwise I’ll just never end up posting this…so, it’s long and jumbled)
I’m sorry. Another one of these posts. My first time posting though. Going to talk to my psychiatrist at my Wednesday appointment and bring up about possibly having adhd. Please give me advice. One thing I’ll say though is I’ve been dealing with these things forever, so it’s hard for me sometimes to think of examples or comprehend the big pig of these questions like “How often do you have trouble listening to someone, even when they are speaking directly to you — like your mind is somewhere else?” So then, I have to really think about my day to day life. So, here’s just some things about me that drive me crazy, make me cry, and have SOMEWHAT accepted. I’m 37 now. Of course, I lose things, a lot. Just a recent thought is I lost my phone like 7 times in 4 hours. The other night I was looking at a recipe going to make something, and I can’t stand (which I assume, most don’t) but reading all the story about the receipe so I’m scrolling up and down and up and down because I apparently can’t just slow down, and go through it from the top down and find it. Ah, yes found it. I think I’ll call my grandma because it’s hot in my house our air isn’t working, I’m going to see if it’s hot in her house, because hers isn’t working. “Okay where’s my phone” leave the counter go look a minute and realized I was just looking at it, to find a recipe. Oooook, so this is just how things are all the time, so there’s just a small thing.
As exampled above, I always have things going through my head, and not that I dont realize it, but sometimes I’m so accustomed to it, I don’t think about it because I just always feel like everything is moving fast in my head and around me….when we could simply be sitting at a restaurant outside. The wind is blowing getting hair in my face….my kids are running around the table…I’m participating in a game of charades with them (always feel we’re that weird family out to eat…there’s me, husband (with adhd, doesn’t treat it..)10 year old, 8 year old, 5 year old. Thinking about needing to get home, because I need to get everyone to brush their teeth, get pajamas on, get to bed…like it’s a race because, I don’t know why because it’s Saturday….we get home, now I’m over stimulated, and have been….now I’m rushing around to help them…and I just need to get out of the room/house to be alone for a little bit because there’s too much going on. And the thing is…10 year old is on the couch…and the other 2 might just be sitting on their tablets…and no one is really doing anything. This again is a small example, of my day to day. Why we go out to eat when we have all the kids I don’t know. In many cases I can feel like I’m in my own world with a bunch of noise happening in my head…and my son is doing absolutely nothing I would probably say is that loud//“annoying”….but this is just how I feel. There’s sounds of a festival going on at my work…when it’s quiet. Sometimes not a festival, may sometimes just be a conversation with myself. Which, sometimes, now and again, comes out of my mouth. And one of my co workers will walk by and I just say I’m just having a conversation with myself pay no mind.
So going off of that, now if I get over stimulated and don’t take a break…because I can feel the irritation building up….i can just scream, like I’m over this right now, I have GOT to leave this situation…. Which could frankly be at work, I feel too much is going on…sitting at my desk. At my desk I am switching position how I sit I don’t know how many times, sitting on my legs…all the way forward…all the way back, legs crossed…oookay let’s switch. I doodle on my paperwork…I work as customer service, I feel because I’ve done customer service so long, I do pretty well paying attention to the customer….but at my current job it’s become challenging. I worked from home before…so I could do other things like…make a list of all the things I need to do, that I won’t that day…week…whatever. I could be “productive” I’ll call it. Here, I have other people taking calls which I can hear them, people walking by, this fan blowing about 10 ft in front of me….the lady behind me putting her cell phone down on her desk…and I have got to go to the bathroom because I’m about to pee my pants because I’ve waited too long.
Okay. Moving on. I put things off, pretty bad. It could be a text back to my dad just asking if want to do lunch next Saturday. I feel like I can’t respond, though, I am just reading it…and then I just think I have to remember to respond, go about my life and remember that I haven’t texted him back…which maybe 4 days have gone by at this time….because I feel like I just can’t so I will put a reminder that I need to text him back. I need to make a dentist appt I need to pay for my girls summer camp I need to do the laundry otherwise my kids will have no clean clothes to wear I need to blah blah blah…because I just can’t do it right now, though, I feel a “normal” person would go, why wouldn’t you just do it right then because you have time. My answer is I don’t know, I just can’t. Again, just a sample.
Spend too much money because at that moment I know this will help me feel better, if someone is reading something out of a book, but I have what they’re reading in front of me…I’ll listen to what they’re saying but then read the sheet probably in about 5 seconds. Okay fine. Okay now, what is this about? Let me re-read.
A planner for budgeting, I do get the bills paid on time, though lately again since I’ve been at this job, it’s gotten my challenging because I can’t just do whatever I want at my desk while working….but once bills are paid, we know what we have left….but…let’s spend 100 dollars on dinner…oh and I still need to get groceries…..so hopefully I get to that before there’s no coffee in the morning. OPE, no coffee this morning…I’ll just drive to the gas station, get some come back home. GET COFFEE, text husband, put reminder. It’s 9pm, walked by the empty k cup holder who knows how many times by now, “did you get coffee”.
I can blow up at small things then feel horrible. I have no friends, when I talk to people I talk too much, too fast…so a lot of times I just won’t say much, oh! But then you say a topic I l am excited about! Flood gates open and I have to bite my tongue not to jump in…and then I’m focusing on that and half listening to what you’re saying…at this point I’ve thought about it and decide I better just say a sentence response or “exactly”…or just word flood.
And all of this posts, this is how I talk, and what I hear in my mind….along with who knows what else.
It’s too much, day to day. It’s gotten really bad lately and I think it’s because my only friend died…and I absolutely hate my job, I have to even drive 40 minutes too, generally almost late every day…been there over a year. Late most of the time to places…unless I’m way too early, because I’m afraid I’ll miss an appt so I can’t do anything that day. I’ve also felt more depressed lately, feeling like a failure, feeling like there’s something wrong with me, I’m weird I think I am ugly . Sometimes I feel sad and I don’t know why…sometimes I feel anxiety and I don’t know why. And if I’m not moving a mile a minute, I’m sitting and can’t do anything, and I feel like I HAVE to go do something…now. Let’s go. Oh, let’s go spend money we don’t have.
I feel I do have depression, and I do have GAD, but I feel this is all a big cause of it, or at least a portion. I don’t think it’s all major depression disorder and gad.
Omg. If you read this you’re amazing…even if you just skipped through it. Thank you.

My clutter and hoarding has gotten a bit out of control, and I really need to find a cleaning lady/team to help me with basic cleaning so I can try to focus on decluttering (because doing everything myself feels overwhelming and impossible). The thing is, I’m so embarrassed/ashamed to let anyone in the house, even to get estimates, because I know some people will be disrespectful to me right off the bat because of the mess (e.g., give me a look of horror, tell me how bad I’ve let things get (like I don’t already know), rudely refuse to work for me, start lecturing me, tell me this is the worst they’ve ever seen, etc.). I am trying to figure out if there’s ANY way to try to pre-screen people to try to rule out the most judgmental folks before I invite them over? I’m not expecting anyone to work miracles, but I would like to find someone who can manage to treat me with respect and professionalism despite the mess. Does anyone have any suggestions on things to ask to see if someone might be an okay fit? Is there some way I should gently “warn” them about the mess before they agree to do an estimate? I need to get over my fear somehow, but being shamed by someone judgmental would be a major setback for me. I appreciate ANY advice! Thanks!

For me I was like 9 or 10, and I was super obsessed with indie music. Interpol, The Strokes, Vampire Weekend, Silversun Pickups. I liked punk and ska too, I played bass guitar starting at age 8 and Matt Freeman from Rancid was my idol. Music was everything to me at that age, as it damn well should be.
I was in this GT class when I was in 4th and 5th grade. I still want to say “I don’t know why” but I think a better word is “unbeknownst to me”, my teacher would pick on me even tho I was just a normal kid. Looking back now, she should have been evaluated by someone who knew what was going on, or validating red flags I was seeing in how she treated me. BUT, as a kid you’re just like, ‘whatever it’s what everyone goes thru, right?’
So one day I showed up to class with a Killers Hot Fuss t-shirt on. It was my favorite shirt in the world, and it was even cooler because back than you had to order off of these catalogs, so my sister actually found the shirt and gave it to little me as a gift. So I stroll into class like normal, and I sit down and Mrs. Dufour (let’s just say that’s her name) gives me this hardened look and starts saying “no, no, no” and wagging her bony finger at me. Like I’m gonna know what tf she’s talking about, right? Just opening the conversation with a big ol’ empty disapproval. I just kind of look at her waiting for a follow up of some kind. She blabs out of no where “Oh you cannot be wearing that shirt to school.” I just kind of smile, cos to me, I mean, my family loves the Killers. Brandon Flowers was another idol of mine and I was just confused.
hen she’s like, “who is that anyways? A rap group?!” I gasped and stood up. “The Killers? It’s an indie band!” I released. “Well I’ve never heard of them.” She said back. “Don’t wear it again.”
The rest of the classed just giggled. ‘A RAP group.’ I indignantly questioned to myself. ‘Well I’ll take this all the way to where I need to. And I’ll be wearing it again next week.’ (I was a pretty secure kid, lol.)
She was the first racist person I ever encountered, actually. And the first time I guess I felt targeted all the time by someone like this.
Every time something happened to me in this class, this teacher would just treat me unfairly. One time I had pneumonia during Christmas break, but I had to miss the previous week because of it. When I came back after New Years she was just waiting for a moment where I might slip to yell or embarrass me. So when we get back from Christmas break, we were reading Rats of NIHM where the little baby mouse gets pneumonia. Upon reading it, I recalled the feelings the character was experiencing and I raised my hand in the middle of the class reading excitedly (cos kids are just excited to share things they know), and I was like “this character has pneumonia!” And she stopped the reading lesson, and went on this tirade on how I didn’t actually have this disease the month before, and I probably missed because of my parents and whatever else she said about her thoughts on my family who she doesn’t know, yada yada yada.
What finalized and validated this, was when my Nana died. A couple months after this, my Nana died suddenly and so we had to travel cross country for her funeral and more since my mom was her only child who could handle such a thing. We spent maybe 1 week, if that, out of school so not that long. When I came back, she was giving me this hard time in front of the class about “why I was gone for a week.” (Like, really lady. If you have a gripe take it with some adults, not a kid.) I was just kind of silently taking it and my best friend at the time chimes in and is like “His nana died.” And she looked at me and in defeat, I just started crying and she finally backed off.
At the end of the year, there was a swim party at her house in which I was the only one not invited. But she never said anything about me not being able to swim, but I felt she didn’t have to.
Just a child, experiencing this alone and only my best friend finally said something to help me in the end.

I had a peculiar encounter today, was reflecting on it but found it strange.
My partner and I were in Aeon Mall Shah Alam (which is a 95% type M mall) today and randomly walked into a shop to look at some house stuff. There was only one Malay sales lady (she looks to be mid 20's) and no other customers.
We looked at the stuff and asked her lots of questions. My partner and I spoke in a mix of chinese and english. The lady followed us around, smiling as she observed us.
Just before we left, she asked us an odd question: you orang cina tapi mengapa x cakap cina ya? I was left puzzled and gently brushed it off. She seemed to imply if you're type M you speak M, if you're type C you speak C. Speaking English is odd.
Later that evening, I had dinner at TTDI and tables around me (all type M) spoke English. Has she also never met a type M family that only speaks English?
Perhaps I'm living in my bubble, but what do you guys think of type c aside from the racial stereotypes?

Welcome to our first discussion of David Copperfield! This week, we will discuss Chapters 1-5. The Marginalia post is here. You can find the Schedule here. The discussion questions are below.
One reminder - although this is a classic novel that has been adapted many times over, please keep in mind that not everyone has read or watched already, so be mindful not to include anything that could be a hint or a spoiler for the rest of the book or for other media related to this novel! Please mark all spoilers not related to this section of the book using the format > ! Spoiler text here !< (without any spaces between the characters themselves or between the characters and the first and last words).
Links of Note:

• Goodreads page
• Storygraph page
• Rockingham Castle and Mr. & Mrs. Richard Watson: Dickens dedicated this novel to the Watsons (link has minor spoilers for Bleak House)
• A David Copperfield Map (zoom in to click on individual locations - beware of potential spoilers, though)
• Get your own Dickens character name! Use this automatic generator or go by your birthday.

Chapter Summaries:
Chapter 1 - I Am Born: David Copperfield launches into the retelling of his life story with that famous line that questions whether he or someone else will turn out to be the hero of his life…but we’ll just have to read the whole thing to find out! Immediately we are let in on the unusual circumstances of David’s birth, which is suffused with superstition, causing the town gossips to speculate wildly. He was born on a Friday night near midnight, which of course means that he’ll have an unlucky life and be visited by ghosts and spirits. (I mean, would this even be a Victorian novel without some ghosts? David assures us that he’s yet to be haunted, though.) He was also born with a caul (inside the amniotic sac) which means he’ll be safe from drowning. This is apparently such great news that they advertise the caul for sale after his birth, but only get one hit on Victorian Craigslist, so they hang onto it until they can put it up for a raffle several years later. David says he remembers that raffle and found it super weird to watch a piece of himself get sold off, which, fair! He does note that the old lady who won the caul died in bed and not by drowning, so I suppose it was worth it?
Anyway, back to David’s birth! His father had been dead for six months on the night of his birth, and his mother was a terrified teenager living alone with Peggoty, her servant-girl, so called because they share the same first name. One Friday afternoon in March, his mother was hanging out by the fire and pondering the likelihood of dying in childbirth, when a formidable woman named Betsey Trotwood showed up at her door. Miss Betsey was his father’s aunt and she loved Mr. Copperfield, but hated her abusive husband, who she paid off to go to India and leave her alone. It worked - he died there! On the night in question, Miss Betsey literally pokes her nose into Mrs. Copperfield’s window and then demands that the pregnant lady get up to let her in. Being a force of nature, she takes charge of the room right away, criticizing the Copperfields’ choice of home (a rookery with no birds?) and making somewhat disparaging remarks about Mrs. Copperfield’s history as an orphan and a nanny. She also declares that the baby will be a girl and demands to be the godmother and namesake so the new Betsey Trotwood (Copperfield) can undo all the mistakes of Great Aunt Betsey’s life. Mrs. Copperfield goes into labor and Miss Betsey stays by the fire, plugging up her ears with cotton. She spends some time mildly abusing Ham Peggoty (the servant’s nephew who was hanging around the house to carry emergency messages) and generally ignoring the doctor. Said doctor, Mr. Chillip, is a gentle man but speaks so slowly that Miss Betsey almost throttles him. When he congratulates her on the birth of a BOY, she smacks him upside the head with her bonnet and leaves immediately, never to darken the Copperfields’ door again! Welcome to the world, David!
Chapter 2 - I Observe: David Copperfield relates some of his early impressions of life: his memories of creepy pantries, stuffy parlors, boring church services, and a loving home. His mother is young and beautiful in these memories, and Peggoty is beautiful to him in her own way (though she insists she is not). One day, Davy's mom shows up with a stranger who walks her home and - gasp! - touches her hand! Davy immediately dislikes this black-bearded, dead-eyed interloper and Peggoty seems to like him even less. He falls asleep while his mother is swooning over her new admirer, but when he wakes up his mom and Peggoty are having a big fight. Peggoty says the new man is bad news and Mr. Copperfield would never approve, while Davy's mom says Peggoty is being unfair and heartless. When all she does is sacrifice for Davy, doesn't she deserve some attention and excitement?! All three of them end up crying, and things are never quite the same between the trio again.
Davy's mom continues to see this man, Mr. Murdstone, who rides up one day and invites Davy to take a little trip with him to see a yacht. Peggoty gets him ready in a huff, and you can just tell this is the Victorian era version of riding on the irresponsible boyfriend's motorcycle without a helmet. Davy gets to meet some friends of Mr. Murdstone and watch them do a bunch of paperwork on the yacht. They also make fun of him, comment on how hot his mom is, and make him drink brandy. Since Davy is a little kid, he thinks they're having a grand time. When he later tells his mom they complimented her looks, she is quite thrilled. And then a few months later, Peggoty invites Davy to go with her to visit her brother for a fortnight. She talks up the trip so Davy will be excited, but it's clear she's worried. Davy wonders how his mom will fare all alone, but Peggoty assures him she will stay with a neighbor. (Lies!) Mr. Murdstone is there to see them off and he has … opinions … about how emotional Davy's mom is during the goodbyes. I'm with Davy when he wonders why it's any of this guy's business in the first place. In retrospect, Davy reflects that he wishes he had known he was leaving something behind forever and he is glad that he and his mom had a touching moment full of love as his carriage pulled away.
Chapter 3 - I Have a Change: Davy endures a very boring journey across flat countryside towards the sea to get to Peggoty’s family in Yarmouth. When Davy complains, Peggoty defends her hometown, as a proud Yarmouth Bloater. (Here's some bonus reading: a Victorian-era article about bloaters.) Davy is won over when they reach the busy fishing town and he gets to see the Peggoty home: it is a boat that has been converted for living, and he thinks it is pretty perfect. It turns out to be a full house due to the generous nature of Mr. Peggoty (original Peggoty's brother). Just don't mention said generosity because it makes him super mad. Mr. Peggoty has taken in the orphaned children - Ham and Em'ly - of his drowned brothers, as well as Mrs. Gummidge, the widow of his fishing partner. Davy's fortnight with the Peggotys is full of happiness. He explores the seashore with Em'ly and falls in love with her. They bond over never knowing their dads, although Em'ly wishes she were a lady in the same class as Davy. Davy reflects that given what he knows of her future life, it might've been better if Em'ly drowned that day by the sea. Dark! Mrs. Gummidge often has melancholy moods where she cries all day and declares she has it worse than everyone else, but the family kindly chalks it up to mourning for her husband and assures her they don't want her to go off to the poorhouse and die.
As the visit draws to a close, Davy realizes he has quite forgotten to miss his home and becomes eager to see his mother and Blunderstone Rookery. Yet when they arrive, Peggoty pulls him into the kitchen nervously. She really botches the delivery of her big news because Davy first thinks his mother may have died and then, when she tells him he has a dad, imagines Mr. Copperfield may have risen from the dead. But she brings him to the parlor to greet his new step-dad: it's Mr. Murdstone, of course. Mr. Murdstone proves himself to be a real downer, kicking things off by correcting Davy's mom (who we discover is named Clara) for jumping up too enthusiastically at her son’s arrival. Davy sneaks away to find that his house has completely changed and the yard has acquired a mean, black dog that snaps at him.
Chapter 4 - I Fall Into Disgrace: Davy has fallen asleep crying after the discovery of his mother’s marriage, and when Clara and Peggoty wake him, his mom blames both Peggoty and Davy for his despair. Mr. Murdstone comes up and dismisses them both so he can be alone with Davy. He explains that if he had a stubborn animal, he’d beat it until it obeyed, strongly implying that Davy had better change his attitude or else. Things get pretty grim for Davy after this. He is kept isolated from both his family and neighborhood children. Mr. Murdstone’s sister, Jane, comes to live with them and immediately takes over Blunderstone. Clara is given no say in household matters: even the keys are kept by Miss Murdstone and, when Clara protests and weeps at being pushed aside, the Murdstones manipulate her into apologies and submission. When the family goes to church, Peggoty is no longer invited and the Murdstones keep Davy and his mother apart; Davy also notices that the family seems to be the subject of much whispering and staring from the community.
Davy’s days are miserable. He is often locked up alone in his room, where he loses himself in his father’s old stash of novels and uses this escape as a survival mechanism. (This collection of novels was taken straight from Dickens’ own childhood, according to his biographer John Forster.) When allowed out of his room, Davy endures lengthy, difficult lessons in the parlor. He suspects the lessons are meant as much to teach his mom the Murdstone tradition of firmness tyranny as they are to educate him. No matter how hard Davy tries, he cannot seem to remember the lessons under such severe supervision. Davy is belittled as stupid for his mistakes and boxed on the ears with his books by Mr. Murdstone. When Clara tries to help Davy at one point, Miss Murdstone catches her, and both Clara and Davy are in a good deal of trouble. Clara is chastised, Davy is removed from the room, and the next day’s lessons are overseen by Mr. Murdstone with a cane and switches. This goes about as well as you would imagine: in his terror, Davy makes more mistakes than ever and is dragged from the room by Mr. Murdstone. To her credit, Clara does protest and try to run after them (unsuccessfully). Mr. Murdstone wields his cane and switches, but Davy bites his hand in an attempt to wriggle away. He then beats Davy severely and leaves him locked in his room for five days. During his imprisonment, Davy sees only Miss Murdstone who brings him meager meals and allows him short walks in the garden each morning and family prayers in the evening, before locking him away again. At the end of this punishment, which feels like years to Davy, Peggoty sneaks to his room to whisper through the keyhole that he will be sent to boarding school in the morning. She tells him his mother isn’t very angry with him, only disappointed, and begs him to remember her and her love for him. She promises to look after Clara and they both vow to write to each other. Davy asks to be remembered to Em’ly and the other Peggotys.
The next morning, his mother expresses her disappointment in his behavior and her hope that boarding school will reform him; Davy seems to realize she has been coached to believe the worst of him. He chokes down a little breakfast before his coach arrives, and Clara steals one unsupervised moment with him to say goodbye affectionately. Then, they are parted, and Davy is on his way to boarding school. It’ll surely be a harmonious and supportive learning environment. Right? Right?!?
Chapter Five - I Am Sent Away From Home: Mr. Barkis, the carrier driving Davy on the first leg of his journey to school, pulls over not too far away from the house. Who should appear out of the bushes but Peggoty! She silently hugs Davy until she pops some buttons of her dress (one of which Davy keeps), hands him some cakes, and slips him a note from his mother that includes two half-crowns. Davy shares a pastry with Mr. Barkis, who asks a lot of questions about Peggoty’s relationship status and cooking skills. He asks Davy to write Mr. Barkis is willin’ in one of his letters to Peggoty, which Davy does at the next stop. As he waits in Yarmouth for the stagecoach to London, Davy eats lunch at a hotel restaurant where he is grifted by the waiter. This unscrupulous man tricks Davy into giving him his ale, most of his food, and some of his money. The rumor goes around that Davy has the appetite of a boa constrictor, making him too nervous to eat at the next stop for supper. Wedged between two men and with a woman’s luggage stuffed underneath him, Davy spends an uncomfortable night in the stagecoach as it approaches London. He finds it strange the next morning, after all the snoring and moaning he witnessed, that the adults insist they were unable to sleep a wink!
Upon arriving at the station in London, there is no one to collect him. Waiting in the office, Davy begins to worry that he will be turned out of the station at night, run out of money and starve, get lost walking home, or have to offer himself as a soldier or sailor (though he knows he is too small for that). Finally, a rather scrawny man - who Davy assumes is the Master of Salem House School - arrives and takes Davy the rest of the way. Weak from lack of food and sleep, Davy begs to stop so he can buy breakfast, and the man takes him to the home of a poor woman (presumably his mother) to cook the provisions they purchase. The man plays the flute very badly as Davy begins to eat, but soon Davy has fallen asleep. He wakes to hear comments of “delicious” which he assumes refers to the man’s music, but I bet indicates they were eating Davy’s breakfast. They continue on to Salem House, where a man with a wooden leg lets them in and throws old boots at Davy’s escort, who turns out to be Mr. Mell, an employee of Mr. Creakle, the school proprietor. Salem House is dilapidated, dirty, and deserted. Davy wonders where everyone is and Mr. Mell informs him that Davy has been sent to school during the holidays as punishment. Another punishment: Davy must wear a sign on his back identifying him as a biter, which makes him increasingly paranoid that someone is always behind him reading it. (Probably not.) He also worries that the students, whose names he can read carved in the doorpost, will all make fun of him for it when they return. (Probably true!) Mr. Mell, an odd man with various ticks, doesn’t pay much attention to Davy, but neither is he mean. We get another ominous reference to the future in that Davy says he dreads the return of boys like J. Steerforth and the presence of “the awful Mr. Creakle”.

Anyone else feel like lady six sky’s abilities do not synergise well together at all?
I really really want to like her because she’s so unique, but her extra farm housing + no fresh water bonus abilities make you want tall play, with really spaced out cities. But then her +15% boost means that I feel like I’m not making the most of her if I don’t clump my cities as close as I can.
I like her UD, makes science at least semi-viable in every city as you can get +3 from surrounding with farms, and any plantationable resource nearby means at least +4.
In my opinion her farm + no fresh water ability would be better suited to an already tall-leaning civ, thinking yongle or maybe cree. Combining her +15% boost with Japan’s guaranteed loyalty just seems too obvious as perfect synergy, not sure why that isn’t a thing.
I could be misplaying her, or overestimating the -10% from cities further than 6 tiles, but I’ve always just avoided playing as her

I’m in my late 20s and my partner is 30M, his friends are 30-32M and their girlfriends/fiancees/wives are prob like 30+F. They were all a tight knit group until people started planning weddings and getting married etc. I get how that would just naturally change things and also just growing up and dynamics changing so I didnt think much of it. The ladies have always been a little “ladies who lunch” who wish so badly to be a country club trophy wife (but none of them are… and I thought well yes, a lot of us arent nor do all of us want to be??). They are very obsessed with keeping up with the jonses and do the whole “only hang with a group just one on one” thing which has always been odd to me bc its just hard to coordinate with like 3+ couples from a logistical standpoint! I find their conversations to be boring (always about people their wedding, husband, kid, house… how they want to be a SAHM but they cant so theyre upset about it, not being able to afford a house so asking husband to work harder lol, expensive memberships/vacations/purchases etc) just bullshit i dont liek to engage in. Im 28 (really not that much younger) and they always say “oh, youre so young you have time to figure it out” and I thought it was weird how that was “noticed” ?? They bore me and rub me the wrong way so I stopped going to events unless it was a big one like a wedding or my bf really wanted me to go with (he doesnt like the girls either so he usually goes to guys nights).
After I became disconnected, one of them literally made up rumors about me hahahaah and spread it and my bf shut it down and confirmed it was not true but I just laughed at how juvenile the situation was. They refuse to go to dinner with us but they only want 6 people to go on someones boat or 10 people to go to a birthday party where everyone pays for their own tab/services (bowling, golf, ticketed event). Another one tells me God wants me to have kids (gross) and how “your mind will change when youre older” ( HIGHLY doubt that a 2 year age cap would make that huge of a difference but okay).one couple joined a yacht club and invites people every weekend (and if you say no, they will ask someone else after 5 minutes haha) and they will not do anything other than the yacht club (maybe bc its pre paid?) or brunch at the country club. Not my scene and I get motion sickness and I hate golfing so I just dont go bc why would I waste my time and Energy haha and they decline dinner invitations. I get that we all work and are busy and are looking to try to save money in this economy. They then complain they cannot afford to buy a house bu then the wife will say “oh but you know we’ve been working with loan office and realtor and” and its like okay but its been 2 years of this just dont even bring it up if you cant afford right now bc most of us cannot? Then she will say they found a bigger and nicer home to rent for 4000$ (WTF more than a mortgage!). Like an hour outside the city we live in (fine but dont tell me you flush 4k down the toilet every month and cry about the country club and no house. She will say snarky things to her husband if he says they are saving money and say “but you have to pick ONE country club for us still” and it makes me so uncomfortable bu also I judge them for over sharing haha My bf said he thinks that the girls are offended I dont take interest to their invites and what they have and he thought it was funny. It is funny but also kind of a wtf moment
I do not think I’m better than them but I realize how different we are? We all legit grew up in the same county, went to a network of private schools, and this area is very affluent and our parents worked HARD but no one is really the 1% in the group. I moved home with my family bc I was in grad school last year and I am a nurse so I’m literally busy dealing with other people’s crap/personal problems all week so I dont have time to deal with other people’s personal crap on my off days. They’re so appalled that I work a job like that when they all work as well (respectfully, we all work in traditionally pink collar woman jobs like I’m a nurse, the others are admin assistants and teachers so its not like any of us are climbing the corporate ladder) I went to school out of state so I have a lot of wonderful friends who live all around the east coast so they visit here or i sometimes visit them. My job, friend group, is completely different from all of theirs and they all went to school in state and never left. Our lifestyles are different, and im focused on career right now and not marriage and boat/countryclub/vacation/designer bags at this moment. A few of them are genuinely really nice and some are fun at times but in small doses. The yacht girl had an accident and needed urgent surgery on her arm so i reached out and offered to drop off groceries or meal prep company since they have food allergies inthe house and she responded as if she was offended “no its fine my husband just will buy us something every night bc we live new a lot of new restaurants now” HAHA
Not that I’m particularly pressed, I know they will prob stick around since we are talking about getting married. How do you respond to mean girls? Are they jealous? Do I continue to be unbothered? Do i reach out to show I dont hate them? Kill them with kindness? Fly under the radar? Clap back? I take it that mean girls don’t change after 30 either