How to make a fly tying station

I am flying AA next week into JFK but my final destination is New Jersey and my only transportation option is taking the LIRR to Penn Station and then taking NJ transit out to NJ. I will be checking 2 large suitcases and would rather not have to carry them with me on the trains so am considering paying for the baggage delivery service but wanted to know what the general consensus on how reliable this service is and if people reccomend using it. It says bags will be delivered within 4-6 hours but I’ve had a lot of horror stories traveling with bags before. Appreciate all feedback and would especially appreciate if anyone has previously had bags delivered from JFK out to North Jersey

I 20F have been dating my bf 20M for about 4/5 years now. We met when we were both 16 and although we have broken up once or twice because of things that have gotten in our way we always come back to each other and talk things out. When we broke up the first time, it was because we wanted different things for our future, considering the distance between us, our goals made it much harder for us to figure out a way to connect our paths. He decided he wanted to go to the military and I wasn’t fond of it at first which is part of the reason we broke things off as well. After a year of no contact and him completing basic training, We reconnected and talked about everything and found a way to make things work with him being military and everything and me being a college student. our feelings are still very strong for each other and we decided to get back together.
Fast forward to now, we’ve been back together for about 4 months, We have brought up the conversation of visiting eachother because we think it’s time. He is from California and I am from New York and I have decided I wanted to visit him.
This is where my mom comes into play, I have no idea how to tell her that I am in love with a man that has been apart of my life since i was a teen. My mom and I are not that close, we don’t have a close mother-daughter bond where we can just talk about anything. our relationship is dull and we only talk about things as if we were roomates that barely know eachother. My mother is not super strict but she also doesn’t let things just fly. she is very family oriented and religious but not SUPER religious.
I have no idea how to approach this topic with her. My boyfriend has told his mom about me and she received it well, she is supportive of our relationship and wants her son to be happy.
I have no intention of necessarily asking my mom for “permission” to go to California. I’m a grown adult and I will still go anyway. It’s more so just wanting to let her know of the situation so that she doesn’t worry about me.
any advice would be lovely…

Just barely 20F, married, in the military, living with a wonderful partner in a wonderful area and I have a decent job.
I've basically been living in fight/flight mode until I joined the military and got stationed in a nice, relaxing area away from my abusive mother and ex. Before the military, I was on-top of my fitness and eating habits. I was more disciplined, cleaner, neater, and I was able to make the most out of what little I had back then. I was in a bad place in the bigger picture, but in terms of health and discipline I feel like I was way better than I am now.
Now it's like, I'm living super comfortably and I have no idea how to act. I know what I need to do to take care of myself and I have spurts where I do really well and feel way better, but then I will fall into modes where nothing interests me, I can't get myself to do anything, I can't get myself to focus on anything, I can't cook after work or clean or do much of anything but lay in bed and scroll on my phone, and I really hate it.
I'm trying to get tested for ADHD but it's a long process due to being in the military and I don't know how soon I'll be able to get treatment. Or even if I qualify.
I don't know how to get back into the person I was before the military. My job isn't that intensive, but I feel like I have some sort of executive disfunction and nothing interests me, or even when things do interest me I have to REALLY force myself to get up and do something. There's a lot I'd like to be doing and I feel like it's so hard to get myself to do it. I feel like I'm floating through life, eating whatever, doing whatever, and not achieving anything even though I've already changed so much in such a short time. I want to continue to change. I want to continue to evolve and enjoy the life I am choosing to live.
I want to learn how to use makeup, learn how to dress myself, learn how to get back into the gym consistently, get back into bike riding, hiking, yoga, journaling, etc etc. All of these things I genuinely enjoy doing and idk why I get into these slumps.
How can I take these steps to improve myself? I don't want to become a lazy adult who just lets herself go.

I know this is unnecessarily long, so if you are not in the mood for reading, I understand. But I would greatly appreciate anyone who would take the time to read my story that is probably TMI and badly in need of some editing. I just really need some advice from people whose heads are less cloudy than mine.
My fiancé M/42 and I F41 have been together for about 4 years and have known each other since high school. I knew he was a recovering addict when I got together with him but I fell head over heels in love and didn’t see the relapse on the horizon that would occur shortly after the honeymoon phase and would eventually almost kill me - I took a swipe of some mystery powder and touched it to my tongue (fentanyl) thinking it would help me get through the most stressful day of my life as i was ceaning out his place while I was packing him up for detox. It was a total freak accident, I’m not an addict, never done anything like that in my life, I’m a single mom and a kindergarten teacher, but I loved him so much I just followed him down the rabbit hole and honestly just became so disoriented in this world I (naively) didn’t understand or even realize I had signed up for.
Anyway, He literally saved my life, and said I also saved his, because that day is what motivated him to get and stay clean for good despite being an active heroin addict for the majority of his life.
He worked an incredibly thorough program, and he gained more friends, money, and more overall success in 2 years than I’ve been able to scrounge up in an entire lifetime. And it’s no surprise honestly. He’s a special person. Absolutely brilliant, charismatic, driven, and has a heart of gold.
Within a year of getting sober, he moved me and my daughters into a gorgeous home adjacent to a golf course, bought luxury vehicles for both me and him, convinced me to quit my teaching job which was making me miserable, so I could finally be fully present for my girls, and then put a giant diamond ring on my left hand. He completely spoils us. We went from having nothing to having every tangible thing, we could possibly need.
The stability that he provided for us meant the world to a single mom who was barely making ends meet, but it was always just the icing on the cake for me. He’s my best friend in the world, he makes me laugh so hard my mouth hurts from smiling, he show me that he loves even the parts of myself that I don’t find lovable. I found my soulmate.
His program started slipping after 2 1/2 years (last November). He was already struggling in his role of being a stepfather, and we were fighting a lot about parenting stuff. He has a lot to learn, has little patience, and seems to have very unrealistic expectations of my kids. He wanted Parenting to be this effortless thing, and he just doesn’t get that it’s not. And that kids are not always going to behave themselves and that doesn’t mean there’s something wrong with them. so we were fighting a lot.
In December, he started complaining about his chronic back pain again (a real issue for him as he’s had five back surgeries due to a snowboarding accident in his early 20s-this was during that height of Purdue Pharma and what got him hooked on pain meds)
While I know he was legitimately in pain, it was also a red flag because pain was the culprit for his last relapse. He decided to go in for a sixth surgery and was told he would have to wait three months. He found a surgeon who has made a lot of profit off of him over the years (as he’s a PI attorney) and was willing to prescribe him generous amounts of pain pills to get him through the three months of increasing pain that he was experiencing. He spent the next three months in bed, depressed, checking out, taking pills depressed, checking out- as I became increasingly suspicious that his behavior was much too loopy for the amount of medication he was being prescribed. I fell into the role of his nurse, and his babysitter. Making sure he didn’t text to nonsense to clients, making sure he didn’t fall and make his back worse, making sure he wasn’t interacting with the kids, etc
I knew he wasn’t being honest with me, but he just kept gaslighting me. It honestly felt like he was psychologically tormenting me, treating me as though I was totally paranoid, heartless and out of line. I thought after the surgery, it would finally get better. I made a promise that I would be there for him because he had never had anyone there for him for the previous surgeries and it had been a really traumatic experience for him in the past. I really stepped up and tried so hard to his rock. The hospital experience was horrific, mainly because no amount of diloted was relieving him of the pain. None of the nurses understood why he needed so much more than everyone else, but I think his tolerance had just become so high.
After that nightmare was finally over I was really counting on things getting better, as the plan was for him to taper off the meds, live pain-free, and get back to normal. It didn’t go that way. It just kept getting worse and no matter how many times I told him that I didn’t trust him he just had an excuse for an explanation for everything. He is a master manipulator and I listened to him do it to everyone, doctors, the pharmacist he formed a “friendship” with, literally everyone.
On Mother’s Day, it got to a point where he couldn’t hide it anymore. He disappeared for the day, Ended up, passing out at a gas station and was unreachable for hours, when he finally came home, the car was all fucked up and he claims it was someone else’s fault. He went straight to his home office and I didn’t see the rest of the night until I walked in on him smoking crushed up pills. After that, he confessed everything to me, including the time that he told me not to check the mail because he had a special surprise for me to thank me for all the love and support I gave him To help him through his surgery. it turned out he had drug dealers sending him drugs in the mail. Needless to say there was no surprise for me me. Just heartbreak and betrayal. I felt like a fool.
I was still processing this the next day when , after insisting on taking a photo of me in these designer sunglasses he purchased for me out of guilt. I asked him not to take my photo, because I had tears in my eyes, but he insisted. He was napping next to me and I opened his phone to erase the photo. we’ve always had each other’s passwords, and have looked through each others photos before for various reasons, sharing photos, etc. I cannot emphasize enough how much I trust his loyalty to me when it comes to anything other than drugs.
But for some reason, all of my photos, the ones I was taking on my phone were showing up in his feed. I was so confused, so I started scrolling through deleting unflattering double chin pictures of myself when I came across that menu photos organized based on face recognition. One of them was his ex. I remember him telling me he deleted all of his photos of her the first time he told me he loved me.
I opened it and scrolled through hundreds of pictures of their happy life together. The pictures got more and more sexual, one of her with her legs spread, another another of them in the bathtub together, her kissing him while he had his hands around her neck, another screenshot of her naked in the shower with a thumbnail shot of him in the corner obviously jerking off to her on FaceTime. Because I’m a masochist I decided to take it one step further and look in his video folder. I found a There I found a thumbnail shot if a close-up of him penetrating her. I watched it and it just completely crushed whatever was left of me.
I’m normally a really passive person, and I just completely lost my mind. I reacted as though I had caught him cheating on me. I just couldn’t handle the physical evidence of such a close up shot of him being inside another woman. It’s stupid because I know, like me, he has a past. Obviously he’s been with other women. Obviously he’s been attracted to them. But it just scarred my brain, I literally haven’t even been able to eat since because I’ve been so nauseous. I know it’s ridiculous, because this is a reality I was well aware existed, but seeing it with my own eyes… I don’t know what to say. Other than that I need a lobotomy.
He says he erased all of those videos and photos from his phone, and something weird happened where all of his photos from the cloud just re-uploaded when he got a new phone. He’s not a technical person and I actually believe him because, aside from being a complete liar when it comes to drugs, he has always show me the upmost, integrity, love and loyalty. So it’s not that I don’t believe him. I just can’t get that image out of my head.
I can’t tell if this intense emotional reaction I’m having would be the same reaction anyone would have if they saw what I saw, or if I’m combining the feelings of betrayal over the gaslighting and the relapse…, the last four months of feeling completely invisible, hopeless, and like he was choosing drugs over me. My mind is like mush and I seriously can’t differentiate between these two very separate issues. I’m so confused, but that’s what gaslighting does to you. It makes you question your reality.
He said that he’s finally willing to go into detox, so at this point, I have waited this long, it would be silly not to stick around and see if he’s finally going to put an end to this. What’s getting me is that he’s still making excuses, still not seeming very remorseful, and is still so deep in self-pity that he doesn’t seem to have any awareness of how badly I’m hurting because of him. It feels like he just doesn’t care. anyone who’s ever loved an addict knows that feeling well.
I’m in Al-anon, and I’m well aware of all of the things I should be doing, focusing on myself, etc. but I’m just not doing well, and I can’t seem to find my way out of this dark hole. Anyone who has made it this far deserves some sort of a Reddit badge of honor. This was more of an autobiography than a simple question. I just wanna hear some outside input because I don’t trust my own mind right now. I’m willing to take your criticism, just please be kind. I know I’ve made mistakes, I’m just hurting so badly. I can’t seem to sort through this. Thank you so much if you took the time to read all of this and still want to respond. You have no idea how much it means to me.

So I've been playing Shadows of Valentia and I was playing the DLC and forgot how much fun I had with that group of units (Shade, Yuzu, Emma and, Randal) They could be an Infantry Mage, Infantry Sword, Flying Lance, and Cav Lance respectively. But you can switch some of them around too, just going based on what they can do in game and some background info, like Yuzu doesn't have to be stuck as a Sword user, since she is studying the arts of war and could be given any weapon type with that info. Shade could be switched to a staff unit rather than mage and Emma can class into Harrier which uses Black magic, so she could be a mage as well. Randal is the only one stuck as a Lance Cav lol
ANYWAYSSSS, I'd love to see them as units, who know I may make some new hero ideas hehehehe. Anywayssssss that's all
I would love to hear others' input about them, too!

This is the first time I have written some chapters. I'm not a native English speaker but I did my best. If someone can give me some pointers or help I would immensely appreciate it! It's a bit of sci-fi, if you are into it let me know. If not, that's cool too.
Thx in advance!
Chapter 1: The farm
Hagr stood at the edge of the farm, his gaze fixed on the vast expanse of Zandarius stretching out before him. The sky above was a canvas of swirling purples and blues, streaked with the faint glow of distant stars. A cool breeze whispered through the air, carrying with it the enticing scent of Heyla flowers.
With a sigh, Hagr set down his mechanic wheelbarrow, the last of his chores for the day completed. He began to make his way back towards the farm, his footsteps crunching softly against the rocky terrain. As he passed through the pink and green garden, the aroma of his mother's porridge drifted towards him, tempting his hunger.
Despite eating the same meal every day, Hagr's stomach grumbled with anticipation. The suuka porridge was all he needed right now, its warm, comforting embrace promising to chase away the chill of the evening.
Arriving at the farm, Hagr took in the familiar sight of their plascrete igloo. Half of the structure was comprised of little octagon windows, through which the warm glow of a fire emanated from the chimney. It was home, humble yet comforting in its simplicity.
Entering the igloo, Hagr found his mother, Altha, bustling about the kitchen, preparing dinner. "Hagr, dear, could you set the table?" she called out, her voice gentle yet firm. Hagr nodded, a small smile playing at his lips as he arranged the mismatched dishes in their usual places. Each plate was different, yet they always ended up in the same spot, a testament to the routines of their daily life.
Once the table was set, Hagr ignited the moonlamp, casting a soft yellow glow across the igloo walls. Altha emerged from the kitchen, carrying a steaming pot of suuka porridge. "Careful, Hagr," she warned, as she placed the pot on the table. "It's hot." Hagr nodded as he heard this many times before, his mouth watering at the sight and smell of the hearty meal before him. They ate in silence, the only sound the clinking of spoons against bowls as they savored each mouthful.
After a moment, Hagr broke the silence, his voice tinged with curiosity. "Do you ever wonder what's beyond Zandarius, Mumu?" he asked. Altha hesitated, her expression guarded. "I don't know, Hagr," she replied softly. "But we have everything we need right here on the farm." Though disappointed by her response, Hagr nodded in understanding. Perhaps someday they would have the chance to explore together. Altha caught his eye and winked, a small glimmer of hope in her gaze.
As they finished their meal, Hagr and Altha moved to the small kitchen area to wash the dishes. The kitchen was cluttered yet cozy, with shelves overflowing with pots, pans, and utensils. Beyond the kitchen, the interior of the igloo was a snug retreat from the harshness of the outside world. A small cupboard, crafted from Zandarius rare Bennam wood, stood in one corner, its doors closed tight to conceal its overflowing contents. Nearby, a plush couch with pillows offered a comfortable spot to relax after a long day's work. Opposite the couch, a large hammock hung from the ceiling. Above it, a smaller hammock swayed gently in the breeze, providing a cozy nest for Hagr during the night. Every inch of space was utilized to its fullest, creating a sense of warmth and intimacy within the cramped confines of the igloo.
As the hour grew late, Altha reminded Hagr of their upcoming journey to Kihar. With a yawn, Hagr climbed into his hammock, gazing up at the stars through the little octagon windows above. "Goodnight, Hagr," Altha whispered, her voice soft in the quiet of the night. "Goodnight, Mumu," Hagr replied, his eyes closing as sleep overtook him. And with that, he drifted off, thoughts of tomorrow's journey fading into the comforting embrace of dreams.
Chapter 2: The trip
Hagr awoke to the gentle light filtering through the little octagon windows of their igloo. Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, he glanced around and noticed that his mother's hammock was empty. Mu-mu?" he called out, but there was no response.
Curiosity piqued, Hagr peered outside and spotted his mother tending to the kikkamoos, their pig-like creatures with reptilian legs and Fluffy tails. With a swift motion, he leaped out of bed, his movements practiced from years of experience. After quickly dressing himself, he hurried outside, calling out to his mother. "Altha!" he yelled, using her full name in his urgency. His mother turned towards him with a warm smile. "Haggie!" she called back, using his pet name.
Hagr wasted no time and dashed off to fetch Tsjoopa, their trusty mechanical unicycle cart already loaded with goods for trade. As he returned with the cart, he found his mother waiting back at the farm. "Ready to go, Hagr?" she asked, her eyes sparkling with anticipation. "Absolutely!" Hagr exclaimed, brimming with energy. And so, they set off on their journey to Kihar, the nearest town for trading.
The road ahead seemed endless, traversing through vast and barren plains broken only by occasional patches of vegetation. Sparse woods flanked the roadside, offering concealment but little wildlife, a testament to Zandarius' unforgiving environment.
After a few hours of travel, they finally reached a landmark known as the Sharp Knives, a crossroad marked by sharp rocks jutting out of the ground. "We’re here, the Sharp Knives," Altha remarked, her gaze sweeping over the rugged terrain. "We're halfway there, Hagr." Hagr nodded, his eyes scanning the horizon. "Already? Time flies when you're in good company." A mischievous glint sparkled in Altha's eyes as she reached into the cart. "Speaking of good company, I brought something special for our halfway mark." Hagr's interest was piqued. "What is it?" With a dramatic flourish, Altha revealed a small container of sosuuka, a sweeter version of yesterday's porridge. "Sosuuka!" Hagr exclaimed, trying to sound enthusiastic despite his familiarity with the dish. Altha chuckled at his feigned excitement. "I thought it might be a nice treat for our journey." Hagr grinned, playing along. "Absolutely! Thanks, best mumu on Zandarius." Lost in thought, Altha gazed into the distance, her attention drawn to the gathering ominous clouds on the horizon, a harbinger of stormy weather to come. "We might have some rough weather ahead," Altha remarked, her voice tinged with concern. Hagr glanced up at the darkening sky. "Should we stop and wait it out?" Altha shook her head. "We need to keep moving. We can't afford to delay our journey." Guess we'll have to save the view for another time," Hagr sighed, reluctantly agreeing with Altha's decision, while she nodded in understanding. "But, after all," Hagr declared, puffing out his chest with a hint of pride, "at ten years old, I'm practically a grown man! I can handle anything, even eating sosuuka on the way without spilling a drop." Altha burst into laughter at his boast. "Sosuuka without spilling? I'd sooner believe kikkamoos could fly!" Hagr joined in her laughter, the sound echoing across the desolate landscape as they continued on their journey to Kihar.
Chapter 3: Arrival in Kihar
As Hagr and Altha approached Kihar, the plascrete town sprawled out before them, its streets winding like intricate mazes through the heart of the city. In stark contrast to the barren landscape of Zandarius, Kihar was a vibrant tapestry of life, with lush vegetation adorning every corner. Hagr’s eyes roamed over the cityscape, taking in the sight of the bustling alleys and the constant mist of smoke that hung in the air. Despite having visited many times before, he couldn’t help but feel a sense of awe at the bustling energy of the tradetown.
As they ventured deeper into the heart of the city, the tantalizing aroma of food mingled with the sounds of chatter and laughter, tempting Hagr's senses and reminding him of the porridge-filled days back on their farm. Finally, they reached the local market, a bustling hub of activity where traders hawked their wares amidst the thick scent of spices and exotic foods. "First stop, Old Taramor's," Altha announced, her voice carrying above the din of the market. Hagr's thoughts drifted to Taramor, the old, grumpy trader who had been a fixture in Kihar for as long as he could remember. Despite his rough exterior, Taramor was one of the few honest traders left in the city, and Hagr had always respected him for it. "Sounds good to me," Hagr replied, his tone positive.
As they approached Old Taramor’s, Altha hopped off the Tsjoopa and turned to Hagr. "Hagr, could you fetch a crate of Heyla bottles from the back of the cart?" she asked. Hagr nodded silently, already moving to comply.
Entering the shop, they found Taramor snoozing behind his counter, the cluttered shelves and dusty displays a testament to his lack of care for his surroundings. Altha hesitated, reluctant to disturb the old trader, but time was of the essence. "Taramor," she whispered, her voice barely audible. No response. Again a bit louder this time “Taramor”. Still no response. Growing impatient, Hagr couldn't help but raise his voice. "Taramor!" Startled awake, Taramor shot upright, his eyes wide with surprise. "What the hell's going on?" he grumbled, rubbing the sleep from his eyes. "Oh, it's just you two," he muttered, recognizing Altha and Hagr. Altha gestured to Hagr to take a look around while she spoke with Taramor. Hagr nodded and wandered through the cluttered shelves, his curiosity piqued by the assortment of strange and exotic items on display. In the background, a television played the news, the volume turned low but still audible. A news reporter's voice cut through the air, reporting on the recent assassination of a high-ranking official. The military had already neutralized one suspect, but two others were still at large. The camera footage showed two figures cloaked in dark red and black, their faces obscured. Zooming in on one of the suspects, the reporter noted a tattoo of a three-headed monster on their neck, linking them to the notorious syndicate known as the Three-Headed Beast. "People are urged to remain vigilant," the reporter concluded, "and to report any sightings of the suspects to the authorities." "Hagr," Altha called out, pulling him from his thoughts. Quickly, he set down a strange-looking coffee maker he had been inspecting and hurried over to join them.
Outside, Hagr turned to his mother, concern etched on his face. "How did the trade go?" Altha hesitated before answering, her tone guarded. "It wasn't as successful as we had hoped, but we'll manage." Trying to sound confident, Hagr responded, "No need to worry, Mumu. We'll make it work."
As they made their way back through the bustling market, Hagr glanced at his mother. " Can we get some Uja skewers now?" Altha smiled warmly. "Absolutely, Hagr. Let’s grab some delicious Uja," she said, turning on their trusty, albeit rusty, Tsjoopa.
Chapter 4: Best place is home
As Altha and Hagr made their way home in the fading light, a bird soared above them, its silhouette dark against the dusky sky. They were nearing their farmstead, the exhausting trip almost at an end. Hagr turned to Altha, his curiosity piqued. “What is coffee?” he asked, stumbling over the unfamiliar word. Altha pondered for a moment before responding, “I’ve heard of it. It’s some sort of black drink. Similar to Puggatree juice, they say, it gives you energy.” Hagr wrinkled his nose in distaste. He had never been fond of Puggatree juice, finding its thick texture and slimy consistency unappealing. With a shake of his head, he decided he didn’t want to try coffee after all.
As they chatted, unaware of the figure watching them from afar, the landscape growing darker with each passing moment, they finally arrived at the farm.
Altha unloaded the traded goods from the Tsjoopa, and with a nod to Hagr, she motioned for him to stow it away in the barn. Hagr complied, placing the Tsjoopa in the barn, where sturdy plascrete walls and reinforced wooden beams protected it from the harsh winds. With the task done, he made his way back to the igloo. As he approached, he noticed that the interior was unusually dark, the comforting glow of the moonlamp absent. With a sense of unease gnawing at him, he entered cautiously.
To his horror, he found himself face to face with a cloaked figure in dark black and red, his alien eyes glowing with an otherworldly light. Before he could react, he spotted his mother on the floor, tears streaming down her face, with another figure standing over her, a scarred human face, and a sinister three-headed beast tattoo on his neck. “Mumu!” Hagr screamed in terror. The figure with glowing eyes uttered incomprehensible words, while the scarred man cursed, "We can't leave any witnesses, Deskva.” Altha whispered urgently, "Hagr, stay calm. Everything will be fine." Hagr looked at his mother in disbelief, his heart pounding in his chest. "What's going to happen?" his voice trembled with fear. The scarred human scoffed, "We can sell the boy on the black market, but the woman? She's too old to bother selling. Not worth the hassle, Des." With brute force, Deskva grabbed Hagr, who fought against his captor with all his might. "Please, let me go!" Hagr pleaded, his voice desperate as he struggled against Deskva's grip. As Hagr cast a desperate glance at his mother, tears welling in his eyes, the scarred man turned his attention to Altha, deeming her of no value. Without hesitation, he drew his pistol, aimed, and fired, the shot piercing through Altha’s skull with a sickening thud echoing through the silent igloo. Hagr’s world shattered as he watched his mother fall, tears blurring his vision, bile rising in his throat. Before he could comprehend what was happening, a brutal blow to his head sent him spiraling into darkness.

Here we are again in the shit stew that is the Fallowveil trailer park. We’ve got soul eating strippers, jobs that kill us, and plenty of weirdos, both the trailer trash and the potentially paranormal variety. It’s the place where even your own computer sometimes threatens to kill you. I can’t tell if I should be worried, or annoyed that all my neighbors have such irresponsible web habits. I know it’s not me that brings in all these machine wiping viruses.
So even though I got a system error that literally said “you’re useless and you should die” I’m less interested in that. Stupid thing. Like I don’t already know I’m useless. That’s not what I’m depressed about.
Well… I suppose it's tangentially related.
I hope anyone reading will forgive me. I’m feeling the sting of rejection right now. It was really stupid of me to ask. Especially now. Nobody here really likes me. They’ve only been nice to me as a courtesy because I was almost involved in a god damn shootout. And my idiot self decided that was the perfect time to push one of my few friends all the way away. Never ask your friends out on dates. It ruins everything.
So there’s this woman. I’ve talked about her in the past. Trista Ramone. She lives in the far back corner of the trailer park. You can instantly tell which unit is hers because she’s covered every square inch of the property with gardens and a rabbit hutch. The place usually has beads and colorful flags hanging on its walls as well. She’s kind of a right winger’s nightmare. I know some of those flags represent various lgbtq plus communities.
She and I have been friendly in the past. We’re both night shift workers. We crossed paths quite a bit going to and from work so we struck up a friendship over the years.
Let’s just ripped the band aid off. Recently I’ve started thinking I had… stronger feelings for Trista. I got stupid and decided to tell her about them. She wasn’t interested. I get why. We have very different lifestyles. I like meat, and she thinks the meat industry is murder. I’m not willing to give up meat, and she’s not willing to give up her beliefs. It's as simple as that. Now things are incredibly awkward with one of my closer friends and I’m still spiraling into self loathing, where I belong.
She swore up and down that she absolutely still wants to be friends with me, but I’m not sure I believe her. The look she gave me when I told her I’d like to ask her out. It looked like sadness, but a small part of me is convinced it was pity, or worse, disgust and loathing, and that small part gave me ever shuts the fuck up. But anyway, she gave me permission to write about her.
She is one of the creepy fixtures of our little neighborhood after all. She told me to make her seem as insane and scary as I possibly could and that she should get to kill me at the end. She also handed me a few of her high school yearbooks, advised me to chat with another neighbor of ours who she went to school with, and to only use creepy rumors for the rest.
Part of me is really willing to describe her as awful, but that’s just my anger. I don’t like that part of me. Trista’s not a bad person at all. She’s just weird and she doesn’t want to date me. God damn it, Petunia’s right. I need therapy.
So, I’ve told the story of the sexy, scary lady living in a polycule here in the trailer park. I think she’s got a bigger heart than she lets on. I’ve talked about the stories surrounding the Schroeder Slaughterhouse. Now let’s talk about the hippy everyone thinks is a vampire.
She’s a taller woman, maybe five-seven or eight, and she’s skinny. Her typical wardrobe is… interesting. Try to imagine your typical new-age hippy/stoner girl, wearing colorful sarongs, crop-tops, beanies, baggy sweaters, T-shirts with colorful sayings on them, sandals, boots woven from some sort of exotic plant, beaded necklaces, bracelets, a few too many piercings and some intricate tattoos. Can you picture that kind of person? Well, take that and dip them in “goth” dye. Everything is black, and contrasts to her pale white complexion, her eyes are this unusual violet color, and then make the woman wearing all that seem kind of depressed about something. That’s the look Trista has going on. Like if Wednesday Addams was forced to dress up for Hippy Day.
I’ve heard people call her an emo vampire, but as a former emo myself, she doesn’t fill out all the criteria. She doesn’t typically wear any super tight pants or cake on the eyeshadow. I guess she’s just Trista. It might sound weird (and it is) but the whole thing suits her. Her style, tattoos, and complexion all create this image of skinny vampiric waif with a mysterious past and a freaky sarcastic attitude and I found the whole thing… kinda hot.
Trista keeps to herself. She’s made the most out of her little corner of the trailer park. Like I said, she decked out her unit with garden squares, and a Rabbit pen. No idea why she’s allowed to do that. A lot of these places don’t allow pets. I heard she was also trying to put in a beehive too, but her neighbors are fighting her on that one. Our park is a bit too condensed for bees. She has a permit to grow hemp, but of course it’s not for recreational use. She treats it and uses it to weave things like handbags, clothes, and other stuff. There’s a consignment store in town that sells all kinds of things Trista has crafted herself. So she’s handy and self sufficient too. She paints, she carves wood, she weaves, she crochets, she sews, and who knows what else. She’s so good at her little crafts that apparently she’s able to support herself just selling them and working part time at the Moonlight Inn outside of town.
She’s also relatively friendly. I almost feel bad calling her weird, but here’s the thing, I’ve seen some REALLY weird shit. People jokingly call her a vampire, and she seems to embrace that, but part of me seriously wonders. The big clue is, like I mentioned, she’s completely nocturnal. She’s always asleep during the day, and every blind and curtain is drawn tight. The one time she came out during the day, she had on this full body suit with a helmet with UV glass and everything. Even then, she only showed up to give Petunia a hug, before leaving again.
That was the first time I saw Trista, come to think of it. I was kind of intrigued. It was kind of hard not to be when someone shows up to a community cookout in a freaking astronaut suit. I approached Petunia after she left.
“Who the heck was that?” I wondered.
“MASON! I’m so glad you could make it! You’ve been here about three months now! How’d that job interview go?”
“Oh. It went well. I might be doing janitorial work soon.”
“Night shift?”
“Maybe. I’m not sure.”
“If it’s the night shift, you’ll definitely meet the person who just left. That’s Trista. She’s the girl with the rabbits in the far corner. Poor girl. She’s got a really bad skin condition. Can’t let sunlight touch her.”
“Oh. Is she like… albino or something?”
“No, she’s got pigment. I don’t remember what the condition is called. I guess it started in high school or something. You’d have to ask her. And hey! If you work the night shift, you’ll probably get to chat with her!”
Petunia wasn’t wrong. I started working as a nighttime janitor for a number of local businesses. That was when I first started noticing the pale goth hippy. She rides around on a moped, with her dark hair and her sarong barely billowing behind her. I couldn’t see her face through the helmet, but she waved to me as she passed by.
The next time I saw her, she was jogging, but here’s where it gets weird. When I first stepped outside, all I saw was a blur. It actually startled me as I whipped toward it, but then there was this skinny tattooed pixie, somehow still looking like a stonehippy/vampire in jogging gear. I swear she was moving inhumanly fast when I first noticed her. That was when we introduced ourselves. She actually jogged over to say hello.
“Hey! You’re the new guy right?”
“Oh, uh, yeah. My name’s Mason!” I reached out to shake the pretty girl’s hand, like an awkward loser. She smirked and shook my hand. Her grip was weirdly strong, and a bit cold.
“I’m Trista. I’m the weirdo in the back with the rabbits.”
“Trista… oh, are you the one who has a thing with sunlight? I think Petunia mentioned you.”
“Yup! That’s me. Xerodoma pigmentosum. Sunlight hurts. I hate that it hurts.” She lamented.
“That’s gotta be rough,” I said sympathetically.
“You get used to it. You work at night?”
“Yeah. Works better for me.”
“I get that.”
And so on and so on. She’s pretty cool, with a bit of hilarious snark in there. And she secretly procured recreational weed she was willing to share. I kept working the night shift just hoping for another chance to talk to her and possibly buy a joint. Eventually she invited me over to share a joint. The inside of her place was actually pretty sparse and spartan compared to the outside. Though she was a fan of hanging beads. Most of the main room was taken up by her various crafting projects and supplies. Hemp weaves, some paintings, and even a wood carving of what I think was a rabbit, but it wasn’t anywhere near complete.
I followed her to her kitchen where she reached into the very back of her pantry and pulled out a shoebox. Inside was her stash, but there was something else which I found very strange. It was a pack of syringes and a thing I assume is to sterilize syringes. I know what you’re thinking, and that was my first thought too. It’s a poor neighborhood, the woman already smokes weed illegally, it’s not that big a shock that maybe she was involved in other drugs too. I decided not to ask at the time. We shared our joint, and we laughed, a lot. She made fun of me for being a lightweight, while I got completely hypnotized staring at the patterns of a shawl she had woven.
Months went by and we got closer, but I couldn’t forget those syringes. After a while I got worried. I’ve seen what heroine does to people. So the next time I went over to smoke and eat (vegan) pizza with her, I asked.
“Trista? Are you using anything other than weed?”
“Drugs?”
“Yeah.”
“No. Why?”
“You can tell me if you are.”
“Mason, sweetheart, I’m a stoner. I don’t fuck around with anything else and I never have.”
“Really?”
“Really.”
“Okay. Can I ask what that set of syringes are for?”
“Oh. In my stash box? Those are… part of my condition. I don’t want to talk about it.”
“Oh. Is it like… embarrassing?”
“Yeah. So don’t ask. Can we just watch a movie?”
So I don't ask anymore. But I still have no idea what she does with those syringes. Based on what I read about that Xerodoma Pigmentosum thing she says she has, I have no clue what she would need to inject herself with.
Another time she asked me to check on her rabbits for her during the day, as her usual “sitter” had something come up. All I had to do was chop up the lettuce and carrots she left out. As I was enjoying the adorable fluffy faces, one of Trista’s neighbors, a woman named Bridget, poked her head outside her door.
“Hey. Do you know what Trista injects those rabbits with?”
“I… what?”
“I’ve seen her use syringes on those rabbits. She said she was just giving them medicine, but I swear I see her inject them every week.”
“I… I wouldn't know. She just asked me to feed them.”
“I love Trista, but that always seemed so weird. She has to know vaccines are a hoax!” I tuned the woman out after that one. My mind was on that set of syringes. Why would she be using them on rabbits? These things were her pets.
I was starting to crush on her by then. But I couldn’t help feeling weirded out by that. I was actually going to confront her, but the next time I came to visit, she was literally inside the Rabbit hutch, on her back, squealing with delight as her rabbit friends nuzzled and played with her.
“Bonnibelle! That tickles! Marcy! No chewing. Finn? Watch where you’re sticking that foot! Jake? Where are you? EEEEE Lumpy! Not the neck!”
It was as silly and adorable as it sounds. She was forced to whip herself upright when two of her little friends tried to burrow under her dress. She finally stood up with a laugh, cradling a rabbit in her arms and cooing at it.
There was just no way in hell this woman was doing anything that would hurt these animals. Bridget is a paranoid antivax weirdo anyway. If Trista was using syringes on the rabbits, I was convinced it was only for their benefit.
So life went on. I got more and more reclusive over the years. Petunia, Trista, and my next door neighbor Fred were the only things keeping me remotely connected to the outside. And so we get to now. So let’s see. What are the stories about the weird vampire woman?
Well, there’s the fact that she jogs at night, solo, in a poor neighborhood. Petunia keeps the shitty people contained and behaving for the most part, but I still wouldn’t exactly call it safe, especially for a young skinny woman. But she does it without a care in the world.
There’s one strange event that some people like to connect to this. I never knew this guy, but from what I hear he was a total weirdo who leered at anyone even remotely female. And this is despite the fact he was married. His name was Josh.
I remember him a bit. He’s the guy that Petunia chased away from one of her barbecues. Supposedly he was heard saying inappropriate things to the groups of ten year old girls that were playing in the bounce house Petunia rented. Telling them how pretty they were. Trying to coax them to take off their jackets. Police reports were filed but ultimately nothing could be proven. The guy's wife, Carole, always defends him for some reason.
But anyway, I remember hanging out with Trista one night a little over a year ago. She hadn’t gone jogging like she normally did. I asked her what was up with that.
“That weirdo, Josh has started catcalling when I pass his place. It weirds me out.”
“There aren’t other people who do that at night? I’m still shocked you jog alone.”
“Not like this. I can flip off a wolf whistler. But this guy… he keeps trying to get me to stop and talk to him, and when I don’t? He shouts about my ass. I’m gonna have to talk to Petunia about that shithead, if anybody can reign him in, it’s her.”
I’m gonna guess she never got a chance. Two days later, the whole town was awoken by sirens. I was getting ready for my shift when I heard them. I walked down the road a bit to see if I could figure out what was going on. The cops were heading toward the other side of the park, so I couldn’t see much. But I did notice Trista, in her jogging gear, skulking in the shadows. I wondered if she was in trouble. But before I could call out to her, she sprinted straight to Petunia's house and banged on the door. Petunia welcomed her inside, and that was all I saw. I still wasn’t sure what was going on, so I just shrugged and headed to work, figuring I’d text Trista later.
I didn’t learn till later that Josh was found dead. He was lying prone, face down, partly hidden by bushes at the edge of the park. His neck was cut open. He’d bled out rapidly. He had a knife in his hand, and officially it’s believed he fell on it and accidentally killed himself. There was a cocktail of drugs in his system so most people accept that explanation. But others swear they saw Trista out for her jog around the same time Josh would have been bleeding to death. She got questioned, and she swore she didn’t see anything. Without evidence, there was nothing else that could be proven.
Trista’s a friend. I know that guy was being creepy to her. So I’m happy to take her word for what happened, even if my seeing her going to Petunia’s pokes a bit of a hole in that. I can’t be sure it was Trista though. So I’m not saying a word. But if a certain creep attacked a certain lady who is rumored to be a vampire, it’s not that surprising to me that he ended up dead after bleeding to death. I’m not all that broken up about it.
I’m not the one spreading that story. Josh’s wife was the one who started the rumor. So now some people are even more convinced that the weird nocturnal hippy chick is secretly a vampire.
She’s no killer. No matter what they say. She would only have defended herself.
So that’s all the stories I’ve heard that have any credibility to them. There’s more people who swear she and Petunia perform weird rituals, and people who saw her moving “inhumanly fast” and such.
But now I have to share what I found in the yearbooks Trista gave me. I wasn’t really expecting much. I checked her senior yearbook out first. She looks about the same. Pale, goth, hippy, and sort of sad. She kind of looks even sadder in these photos if I’m being honest, but that’s high school for you. She graduated in the top half of her class, no sports or extracurriculars. I’m left wondering how she managed to go to school at the time of sun was so bad for her. I’ll have to ask her about that. So nothing really new there.
It was the yearbook from her junior year where things got really interesting. I was in shock when I found her. Trista is somehow impossible to miss, but unrecognizable all at once. She’s full of color! She wore more typical tie dye hippy attire. Bright vibrant pinks, reds, blues, greens, and yellows, in every photo, and holy shit was she busy. Captain of the soccer team, first chair flutist, president of the “green living” club and the “vegan alliance,” top ten in her class, it was all incredible. I think the main reason I didn’t recognize her was her skin. It was tan, as though she were out in the sun a lot. Furthermore there were photos of her playing sports and standing outside in bright sunlight.
It was like her disease wasn’t there, which confused me. She told me it was something called Xeroderma Pigmentosa. But that’s a genetic condition. She would have had that from birth.
I sent her a text, wondering about this.
- Hey! Just went through your yearbooks. What happened? You had color? Did you discover Linkin Park?
- My disease happened. Right at the end of Jr. year. That’s why I wasn’t there for the final class photo.
- But your disease is genetic… isn’t it?
- I guess it was dormant in me.
- So it just… happened?
- Pretty much.
- I’m sorry.
- I got over it. Mostly. It was hard. My parents were both hardcore vegan naturalists and we lived in a place that was all natural light and such, so I had to live in a shed for a bit while they built a space for me. But in my family? We kinda lean into whatever life throws at us. It took months of depression to come to terms with it. All of a sudden I couldn’t be out in the sun, and I had new dietary needs that absolutely required non-vegan sources. So I leaned into it. I was a vampire now. I can dig dark colors and “vampire style.” I could make it my own by avoiding leather. And I’d be as vegan as I possibly could.
- You’re kind of awesome.
- Damn straight. So I learned to love the night too and now, here I am.
I gained new respect for her after that. Frankly I feel kinda shitty about making fun of her for being a vampire. There might not be anything paranormally weird about her after all.
She sent me one more text telling me I should talk to a guy named Frankie. She’d gone to school with him. He’s a decent enough guy. Works in the Bicounty mall in town.
I had to wait a day or two for another of Petunia’s get togethers to talk to him.
“Hey!” I said awkwardly as I tried to figure out how to strike up conversation with someone I haven’t really spoken to in a long time. “Frankie, right?”
“Oh. Yeah. Been a while. How are you Mason? You okay after that whole thing at Red Nights?”
“I’m trying to be. Look, I’ll cut to the chase. You went to school with Trista Ramone, right?”
“Ol’ Boho Ramone? Yeah. We were sort of friendly. But I was a jerk to vegans back then. Why do you ask?”
“I’ve been hanging out with her. She’s being all mysterious.” He chuckled at that. “She said I should talk to you to learn more about her… weirdness? Everyone thinks she’s a vampire now.”
“She’s totally a vampire. I have no idea what else to call her?”
“Why do you say that?”
“What did she tell you about school?”
“Nothing. She just showed me two yearbooks. Between Junior and Senior year she went from colorful club president, to lonely vampire, because of her disease.”
“Nah man. I don’t want to talk bad about her. But she was kind of a bitch, junior year. She wasn’t just a colorful vegan. She was one of those “holier than thou” types who scoffed and talked down to anyone who dared to eat meat. Her “hippy” thing meant she never hung out with the popular girls but still, she acted like she owned the place at times. I was friends with this weird guy named Steven Jones. He was just kind of a weirdo. Skulking around in the background, you know? He HATED Trista. For a while I totally understood. I thought she was kinda stuck up. But this guy was like… irrationally enraged by that girl’s existence. I guess he tried to ask her out when he was a freshman and she politely declined. But he took that shit personally.”
“Huh. So like… why’s that matter?”
“Because Steven kept saying to anyone who gave him a second look, that he was gonna ‘ruin’ her. Never elaborated. But then the last month of school rolls around, Trista gets assaulted by an unknown assailant and a week later she’s got this new disease. Meanwhile, Steven spent a week strutting around the school looking smug, and saying ‘she got what she deserved.’ Then he disappears too. Teachers said he moved away.”
“She was assaulted?”
“Yeah. Someone in a face wrap tackled her while she was at one of her protests at the meat factory. The dude freaking BIT her.”
“Jesus.”
“Yeah. I was there. I came to the protest. I’ll admit I was trying to hit on Trista or one of the other girls there. But yeah. Dude dressed in all gray with a face wrap just charged in and went right for Trista. Knocked her down, bit her like a freaking zombie, then ran away before anyone could stop him. Didn’t even take his face wrap off. It was freaky, man.”
“What the actual fuck.”
“That’s what we all said. Trista needed a stitch. But while she was at the hospital, I guess she started getting more symptoms. She was out for the rest of the year. From then on, she was like she is now. Total vampire.”
“Was Steven a vampire?”
“I dunno. Probably. Little dickhead is what he is. Must have been him that attacked Trista, but nobody could prove it. Bite mark didn’t match or something. So why are you asking? You hang out with her at night right? You asking her out or something?”
“Oh. No. Just a friend.”
That was all I really learned from Frankie. It’s quite a story, and it’s full of unknowns that Trista refuses to explain. So I guess I’ll let readers be the judge. Is she a “real” vampire? Or just a weirdo? All I know is, she’s totally standing behind me right now and now I’m dead. Bleh.
I did come back to life to talk to Trista once I finished writing this. She enjoyed it. I may as well include that interaction.
I went to her place on my night off. She read my take on her and what the neighbors thought and she grinned. “Ha! I’m a total monster!” She chuckled. “So. What do YOU think, Mason? Am I a vampire?” She cocked an eye and playfully gnashes her teeth at me, making a pleasant little click.
I sighed. “No idea. You’re Trista. And… you’re my friend. I’m sorry if I made things awkward.”
She looked surprised by that. “Aw. Thanks Mason. You’re my friend too. It’s okay. I’m flattered.”
“You don’t have to explain.”
“So we’re cool?”
“Absolutely not. We’re both weird shut ins.” She laughed. It was good to hear her laugh. It made me happy.
“Yeah but I got the ‘mysterious vampire’ thing going.”
“You have dirt in your hair from rolling around with bunnies. And you’re a vegan.”
“Bite me.”
“Says the vampire.”
“You know, if I were a vampire, I could have bitten you when we both went to the slaughterhouses a few weeks ago.”
“That just makes me stupid.”
“You’re not stupid, Mason. You’re not a loser either.”
“So. You know of any other good spooky town stories that I can do next?
“Oh, sure. You ever heard the tale of Salome? She was a witch who would mash up the seeds of a Sinapis Alba plant to make a diabolical potion she’d dump on herself. They called her the ‘Witch of the Sands.’”
I’m embarrassed to admit it took me four days to realize Trista was just fucking with me. I only figured it out when I looked up Sinapis Alba and learned that mashing the seeds just makes mustard. “Salomi the sand-witch.” Well played, vampire hippy…
Sexy Neighbor
Haunted Slaughterhouse

This question has been probably asked a million times but I can’t seem to find it using Reddit’s search bar.
Given the Neighbor triggers we’ve seen on screen, how would you adapt them for use in Border.
Pretty much all of Border’s triggers have been taken from the Neighborhood and adapted for their use. And since they have the capability of developing triggers like Scorpion and Raygust, it’s definitely possible for them to develop triggers based off of the enemies they’ve fought. Obviously you can’t 1-to-1 a lot of these as there are Black Triggers, Triggers enhanced by horns, etc.
EDIT: I guess some of you didn’t read this last paragraph. Look BTs are BTs. We’re in a hypothetical realm of discussion where Border can see a trigger and recreate it albeit downgraded. If you were to take a BT and downgrade it so that a Border agent could realistically use. How would you do that?
Just going off the Wiki, here’s a refresher.
Cape: Minor armor that resists Gunner bullets. Can be shed to remove Lead Bullet and regenerates.
Chelidon: Ranbanein can morph it into Gatling Gun. High rate of fire with heavy damage. It can also be fired like a shooter with Viper properties. Or it can turn into a jetpack that can regenerate.
Lampryis: Hyuse’s magnets. Literally does everything. Shields, Railguns, Camouflage, you name it.
Alektor: Summon Trion animals that turn Trion into Trion cubes on contact. Can restore the user’s Trion with said cubes.
Organon: Orbital blades
Speirasika: Portals. Can also summon spikes.
Vorvoros: Liquify the user’s Trion body enabling them to freely change states of matter and the position of their core.
Tokens: Now we don’t know a lot about these. Obviously they are used to summon most of Galopoula’s triggers. Does it store their Trion beforehand? Do they have to spend their own Trion AND the token to summon things. You can interpret this as you want but I’m in the camp of storing your Trion beforehand and then you can use that to summon Galo-type triggers which then use your Trion while actively using them.
Despinis: 16 controllable blade rings that can combine for a big one.
Nikokyra: Controllable slime that can shield and coat objects to reduce friction.
Servitora: Little flying objects that reflect the user’s image.
Thugater: Spike whip tail thing.
Vasilissa: Tough Doc Ock arms that are replaced with a shield once cut.
Cannon: Big blammo. High damage and speed with an even higher cooldown period.
Disguise: Mimic the appearance of another person or Trion object. Can be used with Servitora to flip your own image to make it even more confusing.
Smoke Screen: Yep
Summon: Does that too
Tunnel: Tunnel perpendicularly through surfaces
Here’s a few I’d like to see.
Cheildon: C’mon who doesn’t want a jetpack. The rest of the kit is already in Border.
Alektor: Maybe a new bullet type? You can make a second trigger Vacuum that sucks up nearby Trion leakage for yourself. Maybe not restore damage but your total Trion is taken restored. Maybe it can catch your own leaking Trion meaning while active, only death blows can kill. If Osamu is up against a leaking enemy, his defensive style just got a touch of vampirism.
Cannon’s a new gun type. Give that to Chika and call it a day.
Wen So’s whole package is a bunch of mind games. Would love to see Osamu have a smoke and wire room with real and illusory wires.

Field report from community member of Game Edmonton.
​
Friday:
Showed up like 2 hours before Greta closed. I cut the line as usual. Funnily these two 10s (blonde and brunette) approached me to cut the line and then I flirted with them both, joked about how I basically did the same thing and how we're exactly the same 😏. Talked seductively with the brunette. They're loving my vibe. They gave me an alco cooler but I gave it to some other dudes who were nearby and started hyping him up when he was shot gunning. Those dudes were then hitting on them, but I paid 0 attention to them and brunette opened me again and then we went into the bar, I threw in a flying kiss to the brunette who kept eying me and left them. They were on their way to meet their friends.
Later, opened this pinoy chick who was by herself, she was like a 7 in looks. Her friends seem to have ditched her but this girl is like a replica of that Ukrainian chick 2 weeks ago. This time I left her the moment she didn't respond to my lead. It's funny tho since they are dtg to diff spots of the bar and the dance floor but they stay put there like a rock afterwards. Girl kept eying me after I left her to talk to some groups of chicks. I wished her a complimentary bye at the end of the night.
Opened this one good looking black chick and her okay looking friend- I whispered smth seductive in both their ears hinting at a threesome. Black chick was pretty DTF, but her friend was not liking my vibe and ended up being a cockblock. YET THEY still trying to close the gap with me at the dance floor. I tried dancing again but the bitch keeps on bitching. 🤷🏽‍♂ They were playing hard at the end of the night- just ignored them completely.
I met the blonde and brunette's group from the line now. Brunette went home early. Blonde is now introducing me to all her girl friends so like 4 girls are talking to me at the same time (told them to stop talking at the same time coz I can't hear lol), and their male best friend is just sitting and sulking in the corner like a lil bitch. I tried being friendly with him but I'm not gonna be a doormat. He tried to later cockblock me at the dance floor by blocking my view from the girls. Couldn't pull because I thought the blonde was already talking to another male friend she seemed obsessed about. But later she kept reopening me so many times (even at the dance floor) saying "I love so much" when I barely gave her any attention lol. She's still liking all my ig posts and stories lol.
My new wingman Decentralized joined and we had a fun time talking to girls outside the club and I tried pulling another blonde but she was living very far. Group of black dudes were hitting on her and her friends, but I kept persisting and basically AMOGed those dudes and we are at the donair shop now, but settled for their IG because they lived far and were a tad bit drunk for my taste. Spam messaged myself from the blonde's friend's phone who was another blonde. My wingman was near me throughout after the bar closed so it did help in talking throughout to maintain state.
Overall great night- 6 solid ig closes- three 10s, one 9 and one 8, one 7.
​
Saturday:
Showed up like 45 min before O'Byrne's closed. Lot of quick interactions with women. Only reason I'm not rusty is because I've been approaching a min. of one girl since the last 50 days. Highlights were this one set with a blonde (10) and a brunette (8) - the blonde stole my cheap shades lol and the brunette seemed more interested in me, but couldn't pull. I didn't spend enough time with them to form any solid connection. Another set - where I knew this girl but she keeps playing around when I try to make solid plans to meet, she introduced her friend but I kept breaking rapport with both of them. They actually loved it but I left the set to talk to more attractive girls. That girl seems to be a bit flaky and I feel like she's a time sink. Until she hits me up on socials, I'm not gonna waste any time pursuing this girl who I tried since last August.
Third set was after the bar closed- two girls (blonde 9, brunette 8). They were down to go to a After hours club but I tried to test how compliant they were by first going to the donair place nearby to share food. I was hungry. Blonde was down but her friend who's the mom of the group and also a single mom was hesitant. By that point, I knew they were trying to just make me pay for our Uber to the afterhours venue. They also said they don't have ig when I tried to ig close them. Why would these girls still stay in set talking to me when they were rejecting guys who hit on them while we're in set? Anyway I seemed confused at this point so I purposely acted wishy-washy and uncalibrated in terms of being decisive and then instantly left once the brunette girl gave a more definite No. Honestly could have still got them an Uber prolly looking back but idc. Interaction lasted like 5-8 min.
No ig closes.
​
Things I did well:

• Approaching hotties 10s esp. who are in groups is like piece of cake for me now.
• I've been sticking in sets longer than I previously used to, but I need to do it even more. I seem clueless when a girl withdraws attention from me, but is still into me?

​
Things I need to work on:

• Going for the kiss. My plan is to kiss someone once we're isolated but again I'm with a group. I'll remember to ask if they're bi next time.
• Staying in sets longer for the pull. I can't think of anything to pull group of girls to my place except my DJing but I keep forgetting to mention that I DJ. They find out on IG eventually.
• Coming to bars/clubs a bit early. Get into flow state and so I can reapproach girls again after other dudes eventually bore them out.

Could Maria actually make an apology work? Let's say she goes to Charlie tomorrow and says, "Hey. Charlie. Yes, I took a shot at you. I'm sorry. Q had an idol and offered me a pact and seemed loyal and I got greedy. But the plan not working has really snapped me out of it and made me remember how perilous this is. What are we going to do? Fight for immunity today and the loser goes home? Then the winner does an immunity challenge tomorrow that could be a toss up type and if they lose definitely go to fire? We've run this whole game together. I've got my move I can claim. Now you've got one over on me. We're pretty equal. Why don't we just make sure one of us wins? No matter what happens today, let's go to the end together with Ben. Then we've got 2 shots at the next one. We are the only people who won't put each other in fire. To them, we have to be gone. To us, a fire win could unbalance our current tie. Let's just finish what we started together."
Could that work?

Seen: Season 9
Stepping back, I go all the way to the magical age, I wait for things to happen and allow the gods to destroy the world but instead I let myself be known to them, giving my greetings and sucking ass to the destruction god. The difference between the original is that I stick around for the aftermath after getting myself some elixir of eternity, talking and getting along with Salem until and making her think I am a manifestation of the mind and make sure she doesn't go inside the pool of destruction, but ultimately leaving her alone at the last legs of the journey so she can fall in later without my positive influence.
When Ozpin is reincarnated, I once again wait for him to begin moving and meet Salem, I then allow them to fight and return for my misdirection technique where I trick Salem, giving Ozpin enough leverage to get the girls out. I then lay the guilt on, HARD, about how she killed her own daughters and how she could have died millenniums ago if not for her pride and ego, being 1000x worse than her father. In the event this mental manipulation solves the problem and she admits her mistakes then yippee, but, otherwise, I continue with my plans by hiding the children and allowing them to find relationships while I continue researching the grimm. I take them to the lower islands on the map, clear out the grimm and use my own which I would either have tamed or learned how to herd and fake extreme grimm density. Slowly I build my population and selectively breed the people to be taller, stronger and not alter Ozpin's reincarnation cycle by using my own stock. When we start reaching modern stuff, I kill Cinder before she has the chance to take half of Summer's powers and allow Pyrrha to possess the half-dead corpse. I would have also come out at some point, possibly with my men, to continue the heavily guarded city beyond the mountains, using it as an emotional sponge to massively decrease the grimm population. Meanwhile, over the years and well after exploration had finished, the other islands in the south near Vacuo would have been cleared out and populated. Using these islands, a lot of resources would have been sent to Menagerie so their paradise/asylum/home was more than a tropical tourist spot with terrorists. Similar events would be done around the world like expanding Atlas with a city on its Eastern side that exploited the same deep dust veins.
Come the attack at Beacon, well that is simply an event that shouldn't be stopped, instead, the forces were to be relocated elsewhere and when everyone left with plot significance the soldiers could come in and clear out the rest. The story would continue until the ladies got to Atlas, at which point the plan to leave the planet would be progressed while I take the knowledge wish granter, killing Salem's agents and allowing Atlas to safely leave orbit while the spacial bridge was opened for the people under Atlas. Finally, entering the 9th season, I jump down and eat the time fruit, giving Jaune a wink as I surpass him and vanish to the beginning. Watching the gods grow up, I capture their destroyer and teach them responsibility before beating the shit out of them, knowing that their journey of discovery will force them to repeat their mistakes. With what needed to be accomplished done, I take the leaf and get behind Jaune once more so I can go exploring, collecting and learning. Once I have seen all I possibly can, I end up back at the tree using the leaves and go to the present, saving the cat and the demon for my trump card, modifying the lamp to hold them and give the cat the answers it wanted while making the demon more humane and able to change his size. I then once again leave team RWBY and friends with the cat and demon by my side with a bunch of leaves and a seed.
Now back and ahead of the story, I reconnect with my people, happily hearing how things have gone as directed and that Atlas has positioned itself above Vacuo, sending down massive amounts of resources upon request and establishing an inter-planetary defence network that utilises mechs, asteroids, lasers and drop pods. The best part is that after getting the help of the Tree, the final part of my plan has been completed where I reveal myself, showing off my army of faunus, silver-eyed, semblance-using, magic users. The best part is that the Tree wasn't just used for a time skip and secretly helped complete my final form.
Like Salem, her immortality allowed her to be drenched in grimm energy which would have eroded anything else, giving her control and partial traits, as well as a liking for destruction. But the truth of the grimm component is that it is like Venom from Marvel and has the opportunity to harmonise cells as free parts that work with even greater determination and vigour. Mixing it with a body is hazardous and wouldn't have the intended effect and using an immortal simply creates a balance because there is no means of contention. But since I spent the time gaining pawns and researching dust, I would have finally been able to conduct a hybrid formula of dust and grimm that could be injected into exceptionally strong individuals or immortals with a proper synchronisation rate. As for the cat, it offered the potential to enhance things even further by using its supernatural and reality-defying powers to simulate a consciousness for the grimm-dust cells that merged with my immortal ones, allowing the new mind to be absorbed and enhance my abilities over my own body. As for the demon and leaves, they have a different purpose, one that others thought wasn't needed when Salem arrived after a while with her flying gorilla and dragon fleet with a bit of native desert-type grim and migrating herds. When they came, using the satellite array and infinite powers of creation to create defences only made up in a child's imagination, also using Penny and her ice abilities to clear out and flatten desert mounds. Speaking of Penny, her soul project was mass-produced using those of a good nature, meanwhile, Penny became like the director or big sister to all the other androids with their cybernetic superpowers. Something that would be a massive help against Salem's latest onslaught of epic and never-ending hellfire and rattlesnakes. Eventually, Salem would be beaten and cornered where she would be sealed and imprisoned thanks to the combined efforts of everyone, making an overwhelming last-stand victory. But Salem's wishes wouldn't go unfulfilled and she would get to see part of what she wished for desperately, seeing the gods descend upon the world where they would be met with me. If you were properly reading by now, you would know I gave these gods PTSD once I showed my maddened face and gave them a roast about their failings as gods and abandonment of their creations before talking about the philosophies and sophistry for why humanity should live by mentioning everything, from our flaws to our cute quirks to our outstanding commitments. The gods would be made to seriously consider as they were buttered up by their shrines being decorated and freshly offered offerings. Finally, though, what would be the final straw is the tea which would have the leaves pushed into their mouths, bringing them back to the Tree for sorting, alls all that ends well

Sometimes when destiny drops a great clip on twitter or when he makes a great point in a debate or when willymac makes multiple videos milking all the bad shit hasan does, i think "huh, well i guess we finally did it, how could they possibly defend this". Then they just never adress it or if they do adress it, it's all bad faith + no engaging.
Like for example, the big clip of hasan doing the weird divorce insults. When i see that, i think "how could he come back from this?" And then i see his regarded ass fanbase will come and the criticism flies infinitly far over their head.
Idk it feels like were always so close to making that final nuke that will change their mind but it always magically doesn't work...

1. The Bat in the Belfry - 3/5 (In terms of a Batman introduction episode, this does a decent job. It skips the origin story because superhero cartoons are allergic to them for some reason. But this at least vaguely alludes to Bruce's parents being gone, on top of introducing the struggle of being both a famous playboy and the Batman. As a result, the story is fairly generic though. Joker wants to release a laughing gas across Gotham. Gee, I haven't seen that one a dozen times. That said, this iteration of Joker has a really unique and wacky design. Along with zany acrobatic moves that are fun to watch and a great performance from Kevin Michael Richardson, it more than makes up for the subpar story. I also liked the side focus on Bennett and Fa Mulan- Sorry, Detective Yin. They're fun characters.)
2. Call of the Cobblepot - 3/5 (Penguin is quite acrobatic for a pudgy little guy. Alongside Rupert Thorne doing parkour in the previous episode, it seems the show wants to sell me on the idea that these chubby guys are just as combat capable as the Batman. And did they really have to give him the Danny DeVito hands? That's not a mandate anymore! I liked Alfred getting involved in this episode, though he doesn't really do much besides go to the Cobblepot manor. But it's funny that he does so in search of a tray.)
3. Traction - 4/5 (Colorful iteration of Bane. Why is his skin all red? He looks like a monster. But it's a cool twist on the character, so whatever. Although his motivations don't match up to the rad design, since after getting paid to destroy the Batman, all he wants to do is "take over Gotham", which he apparently thinks will be accomplished by just wreaking havoc. What is this, The Spectacular Spider-Man? I did like Alfred having to come and rescue Bruce, and the cute flashback where Alfred comforts him.)
4. The Cat and the Bat - 3/5 (This one's good, but mostly for the action setpieces. I think the rugged artstyle lends itself very well to snappy action, particularly the final scene with the Batman and Catwoman against the Yakuza. And the stuff before with Batman having to catch up to Selina messing with his Batmobile controls was neat too. But I can't say Catwoman leaves much of an impression on me in this one.)
5. The Man Who Would Be Bat - 4/5 (Kirk Langstrom as a character works pretty well as a kooky old man. I liked the visuals for his echolocation. As for the actual story...I mean it's just a typical Man-Bat story. Langstrom becomes the Man-Bat and goes crazy, so Batman stops him. But I did like the larger inclusion of Bennett and Yin, as I like their additions in this show as foils-yet-vaguely-allies to Batman.)
6. The Big Chill - 3/5 (So in this show Mr. Freeze is just another generic jewel thief. Not that I want this series to just copy paste Batman: The Animated Series, but simplifying the villains like this makes it less compelling by default. In fact here, he was always a criminal, he just happened to get ice powers. That said, his design is actually quite rad, and I did like the addition that he has a vendetta against the Batman. Plus it's funny that he took revenge on a random hobo, just for being in his way a few years ago.)
7. The Big Heat - 4/5 (Gee, I bet the writers thought they were hilarious putting these two titles next to each other. I'd say what this episode does slightly better than the others is showing the "struggle" of balancing the Bruce life with the Batman life. And actually giving the villain a narrative connection to it, instead of his schemes just serving as a vague lesson to learn. Firefly himself had a pretty cool looking suit, and the sky action was pretty nifty. Plus it was cathartic when Batman took him down to ground level and stomped. Nitpick: They forgot to animate Batman's mouth in the reflection of the puddle. I hope somebody got fired for that blunder.)
8. Q&A - 4/5 (Bruce listening to hiphop in his earbuds at a classical music theatre... Yeah this sure is a unique Batman. This is the first episode where I was genuinely interested in the story and villain. For starters, since they didn't immediately show me who it was, I got to remain curious about the kidnappings. Then I appreciated that they were connected to a personal vendetta rather than just wanting to steal jewels. I think Batman discovered the mystery a bit too quickly though. He didn't research the victims connections, he just clicked a button and the Batwave did it for him. But I enjoyed Cluemaster. Funny design. He's HUGE. I chuckled at Batman casually walking into his his moms house and her thinking she's his friend. And I thought it was fun how he defeated Cluemaster by asking the Batman's identity. Side note, that is an enormous basement.)
9. The Big Dummy - 4/5 (Wow, it's Homer Simpson! Well actually, Scarface sounds more like Krusty the Clown when he's yelling. That aside, we're back to villains just wanting to steal stuff for profit. Yeah, sure, whatever. Scarface trying to slap Batman was funny, though. And I found the idea of making him a huge puppet where Wesker himself takes the puppet position by the giant arm a funny twist on the character. The vague subplot about Bruce having a date with some Becky chick feels kind of tacked on and unnecessary, but I digress.)
10. Topsy Turvy - 4/5 (First "villain comes back for revenge" episode. Joker's plan is unfortunately fairly generic, but his zaniness still makes it fun. Not to mention seeing the Batman locked in an Arkham cell and dressing up as Joker. Why did Batman lock in the guard when leaving though? Rude for no reason. Also, I'm glad the fake Joker in this episode had to stay quiet so he won't be found out, unlike in The New Batman Adventures where a goon dressed up as Joker can just perfectly imitate his voice.)
11. Bird of Prey - 4/5 (Okay, I'm just gonna say it: Stop showing front facing Alfred! Without that little patch of visible hair, he looks completely bald, and it's weird! That aside, I guess after the series of villain introduction episodes, it's time for a batch of sequels. This is the better sequel than the Joker one, since I liked that Penguin had a clear cut motive. And I can't believe I'm saying this, but Penguin's zaniness was more amusing. No doubt helped by Tom Kenny's performance. Him wreaking havoc around Wayne Manor and harassing Alfred was just funny. And it made Alfred hitting him with a chair in the end better. I thought his rooftop battle with the Batman was pretty creative, and I liked that Alfred dressed up as Batman to fool the journalist. Also how he intentionally kicked their video tape into the fire.)
12/13. The Rubber Face of Comedy/The Clayface of Tragedy - 4/5 (The cops literally have Joker at gunpoint but they let him proceed with his slow getaway. I'm starting to understand why Batman keeps one-upping them. Great two-parter though, but part 1 is really nothing but setup for the real meat which is part 2. Part 1 is just about Joker causing chaos again, except the tone is more dramatic on account of this being meant to be more serious than the average episode. And while Joker's antics are fun, given how little it had to do with part 2 other than him being the cause for Bennett becoming Clayface, they didn't really need to spend a WHOLE episode for just that setup. It results in part 1 being just good, while part 2 is fantastic. Sadly, combined, I can't give them 5/5. But part 2 gets that honorary score for itself. You could have cut Joker's generic havoc-wreaking in half and have the Clayface transformation start around the 10 minute mark of part 1, leaving you with about 30 minutes to develop it further. But then they couldn't have that cliffhanger, now could they?
As for the actual story... Depressing. I'd say it's a bit early to change the status quo of Bennett since while he is a good character, we haven't really seen MUCH of him, so it's not a huge blow to suddenly make him a villain. But it's a pretty good, genuinely saddening twist regardless. And while the emotional moments feel a little hurried (hence why you could have cut some Joker nonsense) I think they're effective enough. Yin crying, etc. And Bennett's transformation itself is genuinely horrifying stuff, so you really feel the fear he must be going through.)
14. The Cat, the Bat, and the Very Ugly - 3/5 (And now we're on villain team-up episodes. Except they're still just generic stories about them wanting to steal stuff! Well, okay, I guess Penguin DOES want to use the relics to... I don't know, blow stuff up? It just isn't very riveting is all. I do find Batman and Catwoman being stuck to each other interesting in theory, but they don't really do much fun with it. And why did Batman lie to Yin about it? I guess he's worried he'll look suspicious if he's with Catwoman, but also, he could have just told the truth? The lie just incriminated him more. I also question this because the episode ends with Yin TRUSTING Batman, which makes no sense if she literally caught him in a lie the FIRST time she called him about a case.)
15. Riddled - 3/5 (That's certainly a unique version of Riddler. I respect it, simply because it's fun that the show dares to completely revamp characters like this. But the episode itself is mostly just decent. Yin and Bats going across town solvring riddles is mildly fun, but the actual confrontation with Riddler is just okay. I did like the 20 questions game, but couldn't Batman easily get out of that by not answering? I found it funny how dense the Police Chief was to understand even the simplest riddles, especially with how bluntly Yin had to explain the last one. Side note: Riddler uses the term "brainiac" in this. But that term exists because of the Superman character. So has a Brianiac attack on Metropolis happened here and been made publicly known or what?)
16. Fire & Ice - 4/5 (Gee, with a title like that, I sure was scratching my head wondering which two villains it could be about. I'd say while this episode is good, it felt a bit thinly set up as nothing but "what if ice villain with fire villain??". I did find it amusing that they turned on each other near the end and the conflict just became Heat vs. Cold. That scene with Yin yapping about knowing Bruce's secret though... Give me a break. Even if they WERE gonna have her find out his secret identity, that's most certainly saved for a Serious:tm: season finale or something with heavy stakes, not a random Firefly episode.)
17. The Laughing Bat - 4/5 (Golden concept for an episode. Joker trying to imitate the Batman is unhinged and hilarious. And Penguin being caught in the crossfire completely discombobulated by the switcheroo was great. Praise aside, I was a little disappointed that Batman turning into Joker didn't go further than...he can't stop laughing. Couldn't have Joker-ified him any more? White skin? ANYTHING else to have him also vaguely look the part? Overall I also felt there was too much focus on Bruce laughing as opposed to Joker being the Batman, when that was the best part.)
18. Swamped - 3/5 (While I appreciate that this is a villain introduction episode that goes beyond them being a jewel thief", Croc wasn't too interesting. He wants to flood Gotham because he likes water, but then Batman stops him. Although I liked the way he did it by forcing him to stay in water. :ohgood: Also neat that this episode introduces the Batcave "museum". This series gradually introducing all of these iconic aspects of Batman lore as opposed to having it all pre-established is fun.)
19. Pets - 4/5 (Season 2 really IS the season of villain team-ups. I was rolling my eyes at the prospect of another generic Penguin episode of him wanting to steal stuff, but got my excitement back up when they showed Langstrom. Although they could have devoted some more time to Langstrom actually being aware of Penguin's scheme and wanting out instead of just... One. And overall, it IS just another episode where Penguin tries to steal stuff, so yeah.)
20. Meltdown - 4/5 (Wow, this was JUST like the Batman Beyond episode "Meltdown". While a good episode, I have to say the Bennett-Clayface conflict feels a bit forced at times. Him repeatedly getting into encounters with Joker, the very man who caused him to become Clayface, and struggling with not morphing to take his rightful revenge? Valid. Understandable. But him randomly being willing to kill Batman and become an outlaw on a whim? I don't know. His fight scene against Joker on stilts was pretty fun though. That said, Bennett is a good guy and all that, so I'm hopeful for a redemption arc where in the end he becomes a superhero with his powers.)
21. JTV - 4/5 (It's another Joker shenanigans episode. What is there to say? Not that that's a bad thing, since Joker shenanigans ARE fun. He concocts some nutty TV show-themed scheme, and then Batman stops him. Cash was a bit of an annoying inclusion though. Did he even serve any narrative purpose? I guess he vaguely emphasizes how well Yin and Batman work together, by him working badly with her. I did like the "animated" JTV promo. But who even made that? I guess one of Joker's henchmen can animate.)
22. Ragdolls to Riches - 4/5 (Oh boy, the umpteenth episode about a villain stealing some jewels. Wait, it's TWO villains this time. Wow, this changes everything! Jokes aside, it actually kind of does, because Ragdoll is entertaining enough on his own. His costume is cool and unique in its simplicity, and his distorting body leads to some very expressive movements and action which make for a fun watch. And if that wasn't enough, his rivarly with Catwoman and repeatedly trolling her on purpose was pretty darn amusing. Though despite being the titular character, the episode is mostly about the Bruce/Batman/Selina/Catwoman mystery. It is fun seeing the "4" of them interact and not realize who the other is. Especially when Batman, the world's greatest detective, believes Selina's blatant charity scam and hands her a huge check. It's funny seeing Bruce be this oblivious.)
23. The Butler Did It - 3/5 (Another flipping jewel thievery episode! At least there's a mystery element to it this time, in that you initially don't know who the villain is. And when you do find out it's Spellbinder, there's the twist that he swaps his mind control targets from butlers to their employers. And it was really fun to see Alfred be the one to figure this out and escape the room he put himself in to save Batman's ass. I liked the bit where Batman hesitated to punch Alfred. And I think some of the hallucinations were fairly creative. That said, it was still a jewel thievery episode! Get some new plots, show.)
24. Grundy's Night - 4/5 (While I did have thoughts on this version of Grundy, those feel irrelevant when it turns out he was just Clayface in disguise anyway. That said, props for making a twist I could genuinely not predict. However, the reason I couldn't have predicted this is because after all that development of Bennett and his descent into Clayface, I wouldn't have expected his next appearance to just be him doing something generically villainous that Batman must put a stop to. It comes off as a bit awkward, because you'd think this would be more emotionally significant considering he was Bruce's best friend. But not only do we not even see his Bennett form in this episode, Batman doesn't even refer to him as such, just "Clayface". And then he goes home all cheery as if he stopped any ol' twerp. Huh?)
25. Strange Minds - 4/5 (While this episode falls into "Joker shenanigans" territory again, at least the focus here is less about just stopping him and instead delving into his mind. It leads to the zaniness being cranked up more, which is fun to see especially with how expressive Joker is in this show. Although I feel like they could have been a bit more creative with the visuals. I liked the flying fish, Joker as the moon, and the normal Joker managing the idea vault. But other than that it doesn't get more wacky then just a crowd of Jokers. But I liked the solution of how Batman made him disclose the information by making him think they had exited his mind. Cliché, but clever. It's a bit weird how Hugo Strange spots Batman in Joker's mind and immediately assumes it's the actual guy, though. For all he knows that could have been mentally conjured up by Joker. Batman would likely be on his mind a lot. Also, Harley Yin.)
26. Night and the City - 4/5 (Woah, TRIPLE villain teamup? Daring today, are we? I liked that Penguin didn't even know who Riddler was. And despite that, he's clearly stomping both Penguin and Joker in this contest. He came up with the idea to catch Batman in the first place, had the most elaborate bat-bait AND was the last guy standing in a fight against him. Joker and Penguin just followed Batman and quickly fumbled. I guess with Commissioner Gordon and the Bat-Signal being introduced in this episode that this marks the end of Batman being an enemy of the GCPD. Not that I mind, since while I liked the development of it, with Bennett gone and Yin already on his side, there wasn't a lot further you could push it. It's a shame this is Yin's last appearance, though. I don't really understand why, since while she's fired in this episode (for like what, a few hours?), she gets the job back and everything goes back to normal. Frankly it would have been more interesting if she WAS fired and then became a vigilante herself/sidekick to Batman as referenced in this very episode.)
Movie: The Batman vs. Dracula - 3/5 (Starting the story with Joker and Penguin? Yeah, this is a The Batman movie alright. They really can't help but spam these two villains. That said, decent movie, but I'm really scratching my head as to why they thought Dracula was the ultimate villain they could utilize for it. There is some thematic connection with him being able to transform into a bat, obviously... But that's as deep as it goes. And the few bits of Bruce recalling the death of his parents was like, come on, you really felt a need to rely on that as a plotpoint in a movie about Dracula?
The film, much like the show, is fairly barebones. Dracula rises and wants to take over Gotham, so Batman must stop him. The side story of Bruce having a romance with Vickly Vale feels very tacked on and pointless since not only was she not much of an interesting character, just a dime a dozen love interest, but she doesn't even appear in the series going forward. So, what? Also, did Bruce really need to hastily steal someone's lipstick and a platter to write "Alucard" and mirror it to figure out it spells Dracula backwards? Just rearrange the letters in your head.
The most interesting thing about the movie is it gets slightly more visually grim. Stuff Penguin bleeding in the beginning alone was a surprise, as tame as it was, because that's not something I would have thought the censors would allow. Of course I quickly realized it was plot relevant, but then they immediately go on to show Dracula "killing" a guy. Which, while I know having finished the movie that he was cured, the way the scene initially portrays it is obviously supposed to make you think that's what happened. There's also Joker practically bathing in blood and Dracula literally being burned alive in the end. Sheesh. So much for Batman's code. Vampire Joker is probably the best part of this movie. That blood bank scene is really cursed [good thing], and KMR's performance of Joker starving while Batman has him locked up was great. I mean Batman having to feed Joker his own blood just so he doesn't starve is a fairly unique plotpoint. Also his reaction to being un-vampire'd is pretty funny. "Where's Dracula?" "I'm looking at him".)

When introducing the main types of motorhomes, we typically stick to the common Class A, B, and C categories. But there are two important motorhome types that some might call ‘tweeners’ – the Class B+ and the Super C RV.
While Class B+ RVs are designed to provide more luxury than your standard class B camper van, the best super C RVs are designed for more rugged, off-road use than a standard class C motorhome. Let’s learn more about Super C RVs and some of the top-selling models you can find at Camping World dealerships nationwide.

What is a Super C RV?

A Super C RV is essentially a heavier-duty upgrade to a standard Class C motorhome. Most Super C motorhomes are built on a larger, heavier truck chassis, such as the RAM® 5500 SLT, the Freightliner® S2RV, and the Ford® F-550 Chassis.
Many Super C RVs also boast more powerful diesel engines, allowing them to tow heavier loads than an average Class C motorhome. Still, the significant identifying feature shared by Class C and Super C RVs is the cabover bunk area above the driver’s cockpit.

What are the Pros and Cons of Super C RVs?

Here are some of the most important advantages and disadvantages of Super C RVs, as compared to other motorhomes:

Pros

• Towing Capacity. Larger diesel engines and beefed-up towing packages allow you to tow heavier loads.
• Interior Living Space. A larger, heavy-duty chassis allows for bigger builds with more spacious floorplans.
• Holding Tank Capacities. Larger fresh, gray, and black water holding tanks allow you to camp longer between dump station visits.
• Extended Wheelbase. A wider wheelbase provides more stability and security when navigating this RV through various road conditions.
• Exterior Storage. Massive basement compartments provide ample room for grills, camping chairs, pop-up shelters, and more.
• Suspension. Upgraded suspension for a smoother, more comfortable ride and an improved ability to handle unmaintained roads. Learn more about RV suspension.
• Engine Maintenance. The engine is located under the hood in the front, providing easier access for mechanics than what’s required in Class A diesel motorhomes.

Cons

• Maneuverability. Larger RVs require more care and precision from the open highway to entering gas stations and parking lots. Still, most Super C RVs fall under the 26,000-pound limit, meaning you don’t need a special license to drive them.
• Fuel Efficiency. On average, this RV type gets less than 10 miles per gallon. This is closer to what you’ll get with most Class A diesel RVs but less than you’d get with a compact Class B RV.
• Price Point: Super C RVs start at a higher price point than standard Class C motorhomes, making them a more direct comparison with Class A diesel pushers.

Learn more about the pros and cons of diesel versus gas RVs.

Camping World’s Best Super C RVs

These are four of the top-selling Super C motorhomes you’ll find on Camping World lots:

Dynamax Isata 5 28SS with Xplorer Package

Powered by a Cummins 6.7L I6 turbo diesel engine, the Dynamax Isata 5 28SS boasts a 10,000-pound towing capacity for towing a larger toad or even a boat like the Nepallo. With a Quad-View camera system, you’ll have views from the hitch, the top of the rear wall, and on both sides for easy maneuvering in and out of campsites.
The exterior is equipped with a TV mount under the armless patio awning, which dramatically reduces the chances of bumping your head as you’re moving about outside your RV. The cabover mattress measures 50” x 80” for a comfortable secondary sleeping area, and the booth dinette can be upgraded to a tri-fold sofa or theater seating, depending on your preference.
Find a Dynamax Isata Super C near you.

RV Specs

• Length: 31’2”
• Chassis: Ram® 5500 SLT Chassis - Factory 4-Wheel Drive
• Sleeping Capacity: Up to 4
• Freshwater Capacity: 78 gallons
• Waste Water Capacity: 45 (gray) and 45 (black) gallons

Jayco Seneca Prestige 37L

https://youtu.be/kGFppR4bQDU
Of the Super C RVs on our list, the Jayco Seneca Prestige 37L boasts the highest sleeping capacity. As Chris says in the video, it’s full of luxury amenities like solid surface countertops with an undermount, stainless steel sink in the kitchen, a 50” LED TV, and a 40” electric fireplace below the entertainment center.
The overhead bunk above the cockpit boasts an impressive 750-pound weight capacity, and the included cargo net can handle up to 300 pounds if you use that area for gear storage. The JAYCOMMAND® control center powered by Firefly helps you control all the RV's interior systems from the control panel or directly from your smartphone using the mobile app.
Outside, the Seneca Prestige boasts a hitch receiver with a 12,000-pound capacity. It also has features like a water filtration system and a Thetford macerator system that would be pricey add-ons for many motorhomes. With slide-out toppers above all the slide-outs and the industry’s largest travel-view window in the entrance door, Jayco has thought of it all with this prestigious Super C RV.
Explore new and used Jayco Seneca motorhomes.

RV Specs

• Length: 39’4”
• Chassis: Freightliner® S2RV Chassis
• Sleeping Capacity: Up to 9
• Freshwater Capacity: 72 gallons
• Waste Water Capacity: 81 (gray) and 50 (black) gallons

Thor Motor Coach Magnitude XG32

Ideal for couples or small families, the Thor Magnitude XG32 boasts a nearly full-length slide-out on the driver’s side. This dramatically increases the floor space between the theater seating on the passenger side and the dinette and kitchen on the off-camp side.
It also creates extra floorplan space for a sizeable bathroom with a 32” x 32” corner shower, a mirrored vanity, and plenty of storage for linens and bathroom essentials. The bedroom features a second slide-out that houses the 60” x 75” queen bed that’s laid out opposite a massive closet and dresser.
The exterior features a powered patio awning, an exterior 32” TV with a built-in, Bluetooth-enabled sound bar, an exterior shower and LP connection, and a 100-watt solar charging system with a power controller. This 50-amp coach also comes standard with the Winegard® Connect Wi-Fi Extender +4G and a rooftop satellite mounting backer.
Check the price of Thor Magnitude motorhomes in your region.

RV Specs

• Length: 33’8”
• Chassis: Ford® F-550 Chassis
• Sleeping Capacity: Up to 4
• Freshwater Capacity: 75 gallons
• Waste Water Capacity: 47 (gray) and 40 (black) gallons

Tiffin Allegro Bay 38AB

Tiffin’s Allegro Bay 38AB is one of three floorplans offered in this Super C model. The 38AB sleeps up to six, making it ideal for families traveling with kids and their friends. Because every adventure starts with the journey to your destination, the Allegro Bay is powered by a Cummins® Quiet B6.7 360-HP diesel engine with a six-speed Allison transmission.
You can expand your destination selection with this Super C, as it’s equipped with an Onan 8,000-watt diesel generator that’ll keep your electrical systems running as long as you keep diesel fuel in the tank. Plus, its better optional upgrades include solar prep and three 200-watt solar panels with a 30-amp charge controller.
This 50-amp Super C RV also boasts plenty of holding tank capacity for boondocking trips, but the interior makes you feel like you’re glamping no matter the destination. A 20-cubic-foot refrigerator is one of the largest in the industry, and the residential microwave with an air fryer makes reheating camp meals as simple as the touch of a button.
Discover Tiffin Allegro Bay Super C RVs nationwide.

RV Specs

• Length: 39’4”
• Chassis: Freightliner® S2RV Chassis
• Sleeping Capacity: Up to 6
• Freshwater Capacity: 150 gallons
• Waste Water Capacity: 70 (gray) and 45 (black) gallons

Thor Motor Coach Magnitude RS36

The Thor Magnitude RS36 is another 4x4 Super C RV with a 6.7L Power Stroke Turbo Diesel engine that delivers up to 12,000 pounds of towing capacity. Even if you don’t tow, that powerful engine won’t have any trouble with this RV’s heavy-duty construction, which features a welded tubular steel floor, a welded tubular aluminum roof and sidewall cage construction, and Vacu-bond laminated roof, walls, and floor.
Inside that beefy package, Thor equipped the RS36 with all the features you need for comfortable easy navigation. That includes safety features like lane departure warning and pre-collision assist, comfort amenities like adjustable pedals and heated remote exterior mirrors, and an entertainment system with an 8” color LCD touchscreen and voice-command recognition.
To keep you comfortable and keep your systems running throughout the camping season, this 50-amp coach is built with dual 13,500-BTU air conditioning units, a 100-watt solar charging system with charge controller, and a 6,000-watt Onan diesel generator with automatic generator start to keep your appliances powered when camping off-grid.
Check the price of Thor Magnitude motorhomes in your region.

RV Specs

• Length: 37’8”
• Chassis: Ford® F-600 Chassis
• Sleeping Capacity: Up to 6
• Freshwater Capacity: 75 gallons
• Waste Water Capacity: 40 (gray) and 40 (black) gallons

These Super C RVs are some of the most rugged luxury RVs you’ll find. At a similar price point, here are a few other collections of luxury RVs you might be interested in:

• Camping World’s Guide to Luxury RVs
• 2022 Luxury Fifth Wheels
• Four Class B+ RVs That Goldilocks Would Love

Which of these Super C RVs is your favorite? Let us know in the comments below.

by Asma bint Shameem
You’ve been making Duaa to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala for a long time. You’re begging. You’re crying. You’re asking Him. But there is no response.
And you wonder “why”?
Why is it that your Duaa is not answered? Is Allaah not listening to you?
Well, sometimes it may SEEM like Allaah didn’t accept our duaa although in reality He DID.
Thats because the RESPONSE to the duaa may take different forms:

1. Allaah will respond and give you exactly what you made the duaa for
   
2. He will turn away some evil or harm from you because of the duaa, or
   
3. He will save it for you for the Day of Resurrection when you will need it the most.
   

🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“There is no Muslim who calls upon Allaah with words in which there is no sin or severing of family ties but Allaah will give him one of three things: either He will answer his prayer soon, or He will store it up for him in the Hereafter, or He will remove something bad from him that is equivalent to what he is asking for.”
They said, “Then we should make a great amount of du’aa’.”
He said, “Allaah is greater.” (at-Tirmidhi -saheeh by al-Albaani)
Our Deen encourages us to make a LOT of duaa, and we shouldn’t be hasty in seeking a response.
That’s because duaa is a most beautiful act of Ibaadah and is so beloved to Allaah Subhaan Allaah.
So we MUST ALWAYS make duaa and NEVER give up.
But the Shaytaan does not want us to make duaa and have it accepted. So he whispers in our head and puts doubts in our minds about Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala and makes us lose hope.
However, we can NEVER lose hope or despair.
Remember, NO ONE despairs of Allaah except those that are astray.
🍃 Allaah says:
[Ibraheem] said: "And who despairs of the Mercy of his Lord except those who are astray?" (Surah al-Hijr:56)
So have GOOD HOPES with Allaah and know that Allaah WILL respond to our duaas sooner or later.
If He’s not responding ’now’, He will respond ‘later’.
🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“The duaa of any one of you will be answered so long as he is not impatient and says, I made duaa but it was not answered.” (al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
🍃 Ibn al-Jawzi said about duaa not being answered right away:
“I think part of the test is when a believer supplicates and receives no response, and he repeats the du’aa’ for a long time and sees no sign of a response. He should realize that this is a TEST and needs PATIENCE.
1️⃣What a person experiences of waswaas when the response is delayed is a sickness which needs medicine, I have experienced this myself.
A calamity befell me and I supplicated and did not see any response, and Iblees started to lay his traps.
Sometimes he said : The generosity (of Allaah) is abundant and He is not miserly, so why is there a delay?
I said to him: Be gone, O cursed one, for I have no need of anyone to argue my case and I do not want you as a supporter!
Then I told myself: Beware of going along with his whispers, for if there was no other reason for the delay except that Allaah is testing you to see whether you will fight the enemy, that is sufficient wisdom.
My soul (nafs) said: How could you explain the delay in the response of Allaah to your prayers for relief from this calamity?
I said: It is proven with evidence that Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the Sovereign, and the Sovereign may withhold or give, so there is no point in objecting to Him.
2️⃣The wisdom behind that is proven in definitive evidence. I may think that something is good, but wisdom does not dictate it, but the reason for that may be hidden, just as a doctor may do things that appear outwardly to be harmful, intending some good purpose thereby. Perhaps this is something of that nature.
3️⃣There may be an interest to be served by delay, and haste may be harmful.
The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
“A person will be fine so long as he does not become impatient and says, ‘I prayed but I did not receive any answer.’”
4️⃣The response may be withheld because of some FAULT in you.
Perhaps there was something dubious in what you ate or your heart was heedless at the time when you said the du’aa’, or your punishment is being increased by means of your need being withheld, because of some sin from which you have not repented sincerely.
So look for some of these reasons, so that you might achieve your aim.”
Subhaan Allaah what a beautiful explanation of why duaa may not be answered right away.
So as Ibn Jawzi said, sometimes there may be reasons why Duaa may not be accepted.
For example;

• the person is not sincere to Allaah
• or he has haraam wealth
• or involved in sins
• or he is negligent of his obligations to Allaah like not being regular with the five daily prayers.
• or he has broken ties of kinship
• or he’s hasty or impatient in making duaa
• or it may even be a test of patience for the person. -or Allaah loves to hear the person call out to Him and show his need for Him.

And Allaah knows best.

I'm a newer nurse. It'll be a year in July. Nursing is not my first career, I went back to school for it. I'm 25. Work in a mixed ICU, full time day shift (in the south so you know we aren't paid well lmao). Not entirely MICU, we do a LOT of neurosurgery but we still get cardiac patients and classic MICU patients. I learn something new each shift and I have an amazing team I work with. I know I'm a good nurse for only being one just under a year. I ask questions, actively seek out learning opportunities, offer help to my coworkers, talk through issues with my coworkers, advocate for my patients. I research stuff while i'm at work so I can better understand disease processes or why we are treating with this method versus that method. I'm not afraid to ask the doctors why we are doing XYZ and I love learning from them.
However, I think I'm starting to reach a limit?? I have a sleeping disorder and awful IBS, among other stuff. My work lately has made me feel so so weak on my days off. I'm so nauseous the morning of my shift, I can barely keep food down some mornings. I'm losing weight, my hair is falling out, my face looks sunken, and I feel I've hit a wall.
I work at an Ascension facility so it's especially AWFUL right now with the systems still down and will be for weeks apparently. Holyfuckingshit this past stretch of shifts is making me want to leave before I even hit a full year at this hospital. I'm getting a heavy feeling that the nurses are still being expected to pick up ALL the slack for a MASSIVE INSTITUTIONAL ISSUE THAT GOES ABOVE OUR PAY GRADE. We are getting blamed for meds not being given on time BUT PHARMACY IS ALSO BACKED UP AND THEYRE DOING THEIR BEST TO TREAD WATER TOO (or the order is misplaced in the chart)!! Orders are all over the place because it's paper orders.... we are writing out our own MARs but stuff is getting missed. Our ICU patient PAPER CHARTS are the size of an encyclopedia series its absolutely ridiculous. ALSO so many of us newer nurses were never taught how to properly paper chart and do all of this "the old way." Med pass that would normally take a few minutes now takes twice sometimes three times as long. Blood bank is backed up too. Every department is backed up.
We are drowning. Even experienced nurses at my facility are hitting the wall. Those who used to do paper charting said it wasnt even like this. One of our charge nurses cried the other day. Hell, I cried multiple times these past few shifts as well - out in the open too! We all have been flying by the seat of our pants. Our healthcare system is cracking before our eyes. If youre not at an ascension facility you better pray your facilities are beefing up their IT departments cus yall might be next (😭)
Before the system even went down, I was starting to read more into OR nursing or something more procedural. I love comforting patients before a big procedure. I love working on a team and having a common goal. I love being a support person to whoever is doing a procedure or even to just the patient/family. I also would love to look into wound care or IV access. But I want to stick it out until I've been an RN for at least a year?
My body is begging me to take a break but I feel so inadequate admitting I want to switch areas of nursing and I'm not even a full year into being an RN. My few tried and true coping mechanisms (I'm a long distance runner and climber) are on pause because my body is TIRED. So I'm trying to spend my days off doing something else but I really miss running.
any thoughts, advice? anyone else feeling the same? I know this is all over but i needed to let this all out.

Please discuss and if you would like rate out of 10.
The Boho Dance by Joni Mitchell
LYRICS
Down in the cellar in the Boho zone I went looking for some sweet inspiration, oh well Just another hard time band With Negro affectations I was a hopeful in rooms like this When I was working cheap It's an old romance the Boho dance It hasn't gone to sleep
But even on the scuffle The cleaner's press was in my jeans And any eye for detail Caught a little lace along the seams
And you were in the parking lot Subterranean by your own design The virtue of your style inscribed On your contempt for mine Jesus was a beggar, he was rich in grace And Solomon kept his head in all his glory It's just that some steps outside the Boho dance * Have a fascination for me
A camera pans the cocktail hour Behind a blind of potted palms And finds a lady in a Paris dress With runs in her nylons
You read those books where luxury Comes as a guest to take a slave Books where artists in noble poverty Go like virgins to the grave Don't you get sensitive on me 'Cause I know you're just too proud You couldn't step outside the Boho dance now Even if good fortune allowed
Like a priest with a pornographic watch Looking and longing on the sly Sure it's stricken from your uniform But you can't get it out of your eyes
Nothing is capsulized in me On either side of town The streets were never really mine Not mine these glamour gowns
FOOTNOTES
Boho Dance" [submitted by Debra Shea] Joni's Boho Dance is a personal story (it does seem to me she's talking to a particular person as well as thinking about where she fits in) and goes beyond Tom Wolfe's discussion of the art world, but it does start with it. The Painted Word was published in June 1975, the same year as HOSL, so the subject may have been talked about in Larry Poons's NY loft, along with Don't Interrupt the Sorrow (since LP is mentioned in the book, he probably knew about it before it was published).
And it's not so much about artists and critics, as about the relationship between artists and the people buying their art (with critics often(?) determining what those people are buying and the buyers purchasing not only art but the feeling that they, because of their relationship with the artist, are also bohemians -- at least briefly). It's Wolfe's premise that the visual arts are the only art form in which relatively few wealthy people decide what everyone else will see.
Not that knowing any of this is important to appreciating Joni's work, but I do like placing Joni in context, as opposed to her seeming to create in a vacuum. So now when rereading The Painted Word with Joni's Boho Dance in mind, some quotes jump out at me:
"...the [art mating] ritual has two phases: (1) The Boho Dance, in which the artist shows his stuff within the circles, coteries, movements, isms, of the home neighborhood, bohemia itself, as if he doesn't care about anything else; as if, in fact, he has a knife in his teeth against the fashionable world uptown.
(2) The Consummation, in which culterati from that very same world, le monde, scout the various new movements and new artists of bohemia, select those who seem the most exciting, original, important, by whatever standards -- and shower them with all the rewards of celebrity."
Wolfe then describes Picasso as an artist who excelled at this art mating ritual, compared to Picasso's friend Georges Braque, who is really the one who came up with Cubism:
"...here we have the classic demonstration of the artist who knows how to double-track his way from the Boho Dance to the Consummation as opposed to the artist who gets stuck forever in the Boho Dance. This is an ever-present hazard of the art mating ritual. Truly successful double-tracking requires the artist to be a sincere and committed performer in both roles.
Many artists become so dedicated to bohemian values, internalize their antibourgeois feelings so profoundly, that they are unable to cut loose, let go ... and submit gracefully to good fortune; the sort of artist, and his name is Legion, who always comes to the black-tie openings at the Museum of Modern Art wearing a dinner jacket and paint-spattered Levis's . . . I'm still a virgin!"
One verse especially seems to come from this paragraph, although Joni's words are so much richer. Joni's conclusion is that she's not involved in this art mating ritual at all: "The streets were never really mine. Not mine these glamour gowns." Is that because she was making music, instead of showing her artwork? At first I thought this song went beyond the art world and was about anyone getting stuck in a certain lifestyle, even if it's hurtful. But maybe she WAS just talking about the visual arts.
Most of the song is criticizing someone else. It does seem like she's aloof and separate from the Boho Dance, not that she's learned how to do it comfortably herself. Hmmm, is this actually a song about Joni's relationship to the art world?

by Asma bint Shameem
You’ve been making Duaa to Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala for a long time. You’re begging. You’re crying. You’re asking Him. But there is no response.
And you wonder “why”?
Why is it that your Duaa is not answered? Is Allaah not listening to you?
Well, sometimes it may SEEM like Allaah didn’t accept our duaa although in reality He DID.
Thats because the RESPONSE to the duaa may take different forms:

1. Allaah will respond and give you exactly what you made the duaa for
   
2. He will turn away some evil or harm from you because of the duaa, or
   
3. He will save it for you for the Day of Resurrection when you will need it the most.
   

🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“There is no Muslim who calls upon Allaah with words in which there is no sin or severing of family ties but Allaah will give him one of three things: either He will answer his prayer soon, or He will store it up for him in the Hereafter, or He will remove something bad from him that is equivalent to what he is asking for.”
They said, “Then we should make a great amount of du’aa’.”
He said, “Allaah is greater.” (at-Tirmidhi -saheeh by al-Albaani)
Our Deen encourages us to make a LOT of duaa, and we shouldn’t be hasty in seeking a response.
That’s because duaa is a most beautiful act of Ibaadah and is so beloved to Allaah Subhaan Allaah.
So we MUST ALWAYS make duaa and NEVER give up.
But the Shaytaan does not want us to make duaa and have it accepted. So he whispers in our head and puts doubts in our minds about Allaah Subhaanahu wa Ta’aala and makes us lose hope.
However, we can NEVER lose hope or despair.
Remember, NO ONE despairs of Allaah except those that are astray.
🍃 Allaah says:
[Ibraheem] said: "And who despairs of the Mercy of his Lord except those who are astray?" (Surah al-Hijr:56)
So have GOOD HOPES with Allaah and know that Allaah WILL respond to our duaas sooner or later.
If He’s not responding ’now’, He will respond ‘later’.
🍃 The Prophet sal Allaahu Alayhi wa sallam said:
“The duaa of any one of you will be answered so long as he is not impatient and says, I made duaa but it was not answered.” (al-Bukhaari and Muslim)
🍃 Ibn al-Jawzi said about duaa not being answered right away:
“I think part of the test is when a believer supplicates and receives no response, and he repeats the du’aa’ for a long time and sees no sign of a response. He should realize that this is a TEST and needs PATIENCE.
1️⃣What a person experiences of waswaas when the response is delayed is a sickness which needs medicine, I have experienced this myself.
A calamity befell me and I supplicated and did not see any response, and Iblees started to lay his traps.
Sometimes he said : The generosity (of Allaah) is abundant and He is not miserly, so why is there a delay?
I said to him: Be gone, O cursed one, for I have no need of anyone to argue my case and I do not want you as a supporter!
Then I told myself: Beware of going along with his whispers, for if there was no other reason for the delay except that Allaah is testing you to see whether you will fight the enemy, that is sufficient wisdom.
My soul (nafs) said: How could you explain the delay in the response of Allaah to your prayers for relief from this calamity?
I said: It is proven with evidence that Allaah, may He be glorified and exalted, is the Sovereign, and the Sovereign may withhold or give, so there is no point in objecting to Him.
2️⃣The wisdom behind that is proven in definitive evidence. I may think that something is good, but wisdom does not dictate it, but the reason for that may be hidden, just as a doctor may do things that appear outwardly to be harmful, intending some good purpose thereby. Perhaps this is something of that nature.
3️⃣There may be an interest to be served by delay, and haste may be harmful.
The Prophet Sal Allaahu Alaiyhi wa Sallam said:
“A person will be fine so long as he does not become impatient and says, ‘I prayed but I did not receive any answer.’”
4️⃣The response may be withheld because of some FAULT in you.
Perhaps there was something dubious in what you ate or your heart was heedless at the time when you said the du’aa’, or your punishment is being increased by means of your need being withheld, because of some sin from which you have not repented sincerely.
So look for some of these reasons, so that you might achieve your aim.”
Subhaan Allaah what a beautiful explanation of why duaa may not be answered right away.
So as Ibn Jawzi said, sometimes there may be reasons why Duaa may not be accepted.
For example;

• the person is not sincere to Allaah
• or he has haraam wealth
• or involved in sins
• or he is negligent of his obligations to Allaah like not being regular with the five daily prayers.
• or he has broken ties of kinship
• or he’s hasty or impatient in making duaa
• or it may even be a test of patience for the person. -or Allaah loves to hear the person call out to Him and show his need for Him.

And Allaah knows best.