Good morning my love 🌞 another day of shit to do. I am so annoyed. I have to clean out the closet in the spare room. The horrible daughter thought she's cool by "moving out" for a month and that's not working out so now she's coming back FML. I have to take all my stuff out of there (like I have room for that) but it's better this way. She ruined half my shit already. I wish she would just go away in general. She's a disrespectful shit human and makes my life hell. Hate is a strong word, but whatever comes right before that, that's how I feel about her. The older one is the opposite. She's nice and helpful. But either way, It makes me miss Leslie even more because she is sweet and good and smart and all of the things this little bitch is not. I won't live like this forever. I just fucking won't. I have had it with her. But enough of that. She doesn't deserve my energy, not even the negative kind.
I finally have an appointment for my taxes today. I found someone else who is going to do the work and find me more write offs. She costs the same as the other so hopefully she does a better job. My income is getting up there so paying 4-5k in taxes on top of everything they already take out is killing me.
I gotta work today too. Just wish I was in a position to quit that fucking place. But I can't. Not yet. The money is too easy. Finding insurance clients is too easy. The free food when I work is too convenient. Every time I get in a bad frame of mind and have an attitude about it there, I always do the pros and cons and the pros always win. It's my ticket to really banking cash, which I have been doing. I got R's account all paid up to where it should have been. I got my savings account growing. I got my cash stash growing. And I keep my checking at a good level balance. Been really watching what I spend. I am fighting with myself as to whether I want to just let my cash keep growing or if I want to pay the car off and squash that payment. I earn more in interest on the cash than I pay on the car, so it's probably smarter to just keep making the payments even though I don't want to. I have so much on my mind about how to get in a better position. The vision will be clear when the right answer comes to me.
It sucks that I have a jam-packed filled day today. It's been raining the last few days on my days off and of course the sun comes out today when I have shit to do. But that's ok. I probably would have stayed inside and day dreamed about you anyway.
Anyway, I gotta get on this project because I don't want it eating up any more of my day than necessary. I love you. I really really really love you. I miss you more every day that goes by. Every single thing seems to make me miss you more. It's so hard on my end. So so so hard. I saw that you must have been reading a lot yesterday. ❤️ And I see you're still an early morning person. Eww 😜 jk. I think it's cute. I'll talk to you soon sweetheart 🔋❤️😘
Always and forever, I love you more.

My whole wedding is a boho, rustic vibe. It’s not casual but it’s certainly not an overly formal affair (garden wedding with lawn games and s’mores). On that theme, my wedding dress is very boho. It’s more cream than white. It has lots of flowers embroidered on it. It doesn’t have a train. It’s not even technically a wedding dress. I bought it from a designer clothing brand I’ve really adored for awhile because I like their ethos about sustainability and their general style.
My FMIL sent me a picture of her dress. It’s a full on gown. First of all, it’s white with a few blue flowers on it. It’s a full length, one shoulder dress with crystals along the one shoulder. It’s pretty but it’s basically more of a gown than my wedding dress. I’ve explained to her a few times that I think she will be overdressed as no one else (including myself) will be at her level of formality. She insists on wearing it and is even trying to pressure my mom to match her formality (my mom picked out a cute midi dress with polka dots). She wants my mom to wear a formal gown as well so she doesn’t stick out.
I’m trying to be very delicate and polite about the situation but it’s just weird! Why do you want to wear a formal white dress to your son’ss wedding??? Especially one that you know is more white and more formal than the actual bride! My fiancé has told his mom more sternly that her dress is not a good idea but she’s stubborn. Unfortunately I don’t think there’s any changing her idea and she’ll show up wearing what she wants. It’s still super frustrating though!

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Warning : this is probably the longest post I've ever written. It's awful. If you're expecting something short, run for your safety. Otherwise, take your time and have fun.
So Kaiser and Ness have always been pretty interesting characters since their introduction, but with the most recent chapters and especially ever since the Ness flashback, things have been intensifying and there's a lot going on around these two, especially with potential developments that might happen during the PxG match. Definitely some of my favorite characters in the story thematically.
This will be a huge post analyzing, dissecting and aiming to understand the psyches of both Ness and Kaiser, by following their stories individually, as well as how they intertwine together, how their pattern of relationship is very important to the story as a whole, as well as trying to review a lot of information in hindsight that might make a lot more sense now that we virtually have their entire stories.

Part I : Ness, the Wizard

So it all starts with Alexis Ness, a German kid born into a very stereotypical scientist family of reddit atheists, as well as the following sentence : "(my parents) taught me that it's possible to explain everything that happens on earth".
https://preview.redd.it/467quusc7s0d1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8c94fce3eb7d93edfad74f154bcb62b3f0cc072d
This first sentence already sets a very important tone with Ness' character. He is dreamy, he's a child full of wonder with a bit of an obsession for finding magic in things, born into a family that dismisses the existence of unexplainable concepts as a whole and lambasts him for believing in them at all, even as a child. Ness is an irrational being, born into an extremely rational environment, and that fact alone alienates him from his passion, and drives him to keep going until he finds something or someone that will understand him.
Ness has a passion for the unexplainable, not the scientific unexplainable, but more the "incredible" unexplainable, things that seem too fantastic to be believed at first, and yet are still true. He also assimilates his sadness with the lack of understanding from his family among the things that he deems to be unexplainable, whether by his family or himself. Ness has a passion for magic, cannot explain why, and that's part of why he believes in magic so much. His passion is self defined.
And that passion for seeking magic in things, is also what drives him to soccer. The joy that people feel, the roaring fans, the celebrations that come from goals, Ness feels as though soccer is what will allow him to truly bring magic into this world. Which is why I theorize, that with Ness' drive for playing soccer being to bring magic on the field, he might be a self-type ego that seeks to bring magic, the same way Barou seeks the feeling of being the king of the field, or Bachira to become one with the ball (this is a very common theme with self type egos, I might make a post about this one of these days). This is a very important point if we want to understand where Ness' current development in the PxG match could be going.
https://preview.redd.it/2pwr3hio7s0d1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=467615cdabc6a0ae6cebea3896dd0d4a29f74989
Ness then takes matters into his own hands and trains relentlessly to pass the Bastard Munchen tryouts, the best club in Germany, so he can have a shot at turning his dream into reality. Ness plays quite well and even shows skills that should allow him to be better than the current BM selection, but he runs into a massive problem ; his individual skills do allow him to keep up, but his plays are ineffective. His magic doesn't work on the world, and the biggest reason why is that no one on the field can keep up with his thinking. Ness lacks the partner that will help make his vision come true.
https://preview.redd.it/h3t5pj628s0d1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=20fa753b3d1e362981725295f453e7df8c592712
And that's when a certain someone makes their appearance.

Part II : Kaiser, the Blue Rose

It all starts with Michael Kaiser, a different German child with a very different upbringing, but whose destiny would end up crossing paths with that of Ness.
Kaiser grew up in the ashes of a destroyed family. His dad was a theatre director, his mom was an actress, who ended up leaving his dad soon after his birth. His father, unable to bear the weight of both an unwanted child and a failed love life, ended up sinking into alcoholism, gambling addiction and domestic violence.
His father having wasted his fortune completely and being unwilling to work, Kaiser was forced to learn how to steal very early in his life, but his disgusting father's self loathing, resentment and regret towards Michael's mother still ended up reaching him through his father's constant abuse. The treatment he got from his father was the only definition of love Kaiser has ever had, and he ended up internalizing this notion, as well as the feeling that he was not wanted in this world.
https://preview.redd.it/pbjmwago8s0d1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d8e88e9839891a7c7ac9e26abd27403fde3c1331
Kaiser grew up, and started saving up money from selling the more valuable items that he would steal. For his twelfth birthday, he decided to buy something for himself that would actually allow him to feel alive and closer to his far away objective of leaving his father one day. And that is how he stumbled upon football.
Unlike Ness however, who developed a passion for football simply because he saw magic in it, Kaiser developed an unhealthy attachment to football that would mimic his relationship to his father. It didn't matter how much he abused the ball, the ball wouldn't respond or protest, it'd just stay by his side silently. Kaiser saw in the ball the same form of attachment that his father showed him, he saw himself in the ball, an unwanted piece of trash that would silently take the abuse that was dished out to him. Because that was the only behavior that his father ever showed to him, Kaiser ended up assimilating abuse and violence to love. That is how Kaiser became an abuser himself, which is a very important facet of his character : cycles repeat themselves, and abusers create potential future abusers.
https://preview.redd.it/1nw0aoxs8s0d1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d0fb7ff24ec0a70cd1c141a6084d231931d1c1b0
Where Kaiser's story really begins though is when he is framed for a crime he didn't commit and the police enter their home for a search. Kaiser gets hit by his dad, the police find the money he was keeping from his father, and he's about to lose everything that would allow him to leave this life. Kaiser, at that moment, accepts the abuse again, and decides against his own heart that he'd simply take whatever sentence he gets and start saving up money again once he's out. He instinctively changes his mind when his dad decides to poke a few holes into his soccer ball though.
https://preview.redd.it/419kda1z8s0d1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=fd23734280fee0a5e45b3b2f432dd3a4bc1a4437
Though Kaiser has an awful definition of what love or attachment really is, the love that he developed for football was still as pure as he could muster. And instinctively, as he sees his father about to destroy the only thing he's ever managed to feel attachment towards, Kaiser rises against the odds and fights as hard as he can. As the narrator says it himself, this is when Kaiser's identity was truly born. This is another very important element that we'll have to keep for later.
https://preview.redd.it/bwc3c8i09s0d1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=db6e687a46405976f724c2a652d139f9e8618dd1
Kaiser then goes on to get scouted by a certain PIFA executive named Ray Dark, who heard of the fact that he managed to take out multiple police officers with just a soccer ball. Kaiser is encouraged by Ray Dark to pass the BM tryouts, and is already determined to get as far away as possible from his former life, and this is where Kaiser's ego starts to badly mutate from its purest form, all because of the consequences of his father's abusive behavior : Kaiser is incapable of accepting any form of kindness and is very incline to violence.
Kaiser, from the second he enters the facility and starts training with the rest of the potential recruits, manages to make enemies through his extremely antagonistic behavior. He consistently picks fights, which obviously leads to situations where he's systematically in the wrong, and to people refusing to play with him in the moments that matter the most. This is where the Kaiser Impact is born ; Kaiser decides to create a weapon that won't just help him, but make sure he asserts full and total dominance over others. But he doesn't stop there.
https://preview.redd.it/vru5ubo89s0d1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=47b1282e4c7c8a7e9f351e1624d440b5759a12c7
Kaiser starts studying elements of psychology, and his goal is strictly to find out how to manipulate someone and make sure that they would serve him during matches. He needed a lackey, that would serve him under all circumstances, and the best way to find that lackey was to find someone that was close to breaking under pressure and despair.
And this is where the BM tryouts start.

Part III : Perspectives

This is where the duo meets for the first time, and their perspectives on the situation are very different from one another, but very similar in one aspect : they provide each other with what they need.
https://preview.redd.it/vyrcjzv8as0d1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d0c94fb7754c4ad6ea8c6cd5eeb352149c4e994
Ness starts out the BM tryout match very hopeful, but realizes that his individual abilities are his only functional tool and that he can't manage to spark magic with the teammates that he currently has. Ness is in a situation of despair, where he is realizing that he might not make it, and that his family was right to treat him the way they did.
Kaiser in the meantime, is in the exact opposite situation. He is alone, certainly, but also not worried : all he is doing is looking for someone with good enough skills, and in a precarious situation whose heart he can safely erode and tame. Ness needs someone to show him that magic does exist ; Kaiser needs a lackey that he can use to reach his goals. Ness needs a friend, Kaiser needs a test subject. Their relationship, is by definition profoundly unequal, and for that reason, Kaiser is also the only one of the two to be aware of that fact.
https://preview.redd.it/v9ezbkfjas0d1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4b0613b95305a64ebc6041d1c2b8a73052a6473a
The rest of the match is pretty obvious : Ness finds a good partner to make his imagination come to fruition, Kaiser finds a dog to feed him passes, they get a hat trick together and are selected for the BM team. The important point though, is that Ness didn't actually find despair in that match : he was on the brink of realizing that he couldn't bring magic alone, but the second he was about to either give up or awaken, Kaiser came to him and became his provider for the magic he was seeking. That is the best way to make Ness' ego, his very being, dependent on Kaiser's existence.
This panel shows this best : Ness' play would've been suboptimal for anyone else, his magic would not have been sufficient for a different player. Kaiser's individual ability however, is so overwhelming that he effortlessly brings Ness the magic he seeks. Ness' magic wouldn't have worked if it wasn't for Kaiser.
Ness has never known what it feels like to create magic alone, and therefore he associates magic to Kaiser's presence. If Kaiser himself fails, that implies a personal failure on Ness' part since it means his magic didn't function. That's an extremely important element to understand for the codependency element of these two characters, and that's part of the reason why Ness has constantly been extremely defensive of every single one of Kaiser's failures so far in the story : the same way Kaiser's dream slowly became his own, his failures feel just as much his as they are Kaiser's.
https://preview.redd.it/0pl31b2abs0d1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1137ca6530c1ec0ae89b1a7f0a3be49cf24f1ba3
Kaiser then goes on to become a very vicious player that specifically tries to scar his opponents as much as possible. The impossibility that Kaiser strives for, has become something he wants to incarnate for his opponents, an impossible behemoth to slay, the same way his dad was to him. Kaiser acknowledges this, however he associates the feeling of losing to such impossibility to weakness. To Kaiser, the fact that he let his father mistreat him for that long seems to be proof that he used to be a weak person, and that the true way to fight is to become just as evil and incarnate that feeling of impossibility to other people, as he says it to Ness : "Believing in the impossible is a curse, the instant people believe in the impossible is when they decide to give up. It's a survival instinct to guard against heartbreak, that's the way of weaklings, they kill themselves through this curse. Weaklings who dilute the purity of their egos to live longer are what I hate most in this world".
Kaiser has rationalized the abuse that he has gone through by assimilating his behavior to weakness, instead of recognizing this was the behavior of a child trying desperately to survive against impossible odds. The fact that he sees his past behavior as such and that he decided that he should become an abuser himself to get power back over his life, is already proof that his father's abuse won over his ego, and he doesn't know it himself. This is why his ego is fragile and diluted, and that's how he lost his way.
https://preview.redd.it/gnr2pmijbs0d1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=7e9c07a3f25650ab84e6cd8b3bc90d301a7d313b

Part IV : The reality of impossibility

This is where the NEL comes in. From what we know of Kaiser's objectives with the NEL, he has come to crush the local japanese ace, to give himself a publicity boost that would either prove to the world that he isn't inferior to Noel Noa, or to get himself a contract that would allow him to get out of his current club, both so he could compete with Noa in a less direct way, and therefore not have to face the impossible task that is destroying the system that has been built around him.
Both his intention of trying to destroy Isagi by showing him how impossible it is to beat him, and his intention to avoid beating Noa directly by instead trying to publicize himself as being a striker of equal mettle, show how his ego has been twisted from what it originally was : Kaiser has become addicted to the feeling of incarnating impossibility to other players and crushing them, and he has become very avoidant of any challenges that could seem impossible to him, the same way his father's abuse seemed impossible to overcome. He has created himself a predatory mentality unfit for a competitor, and he did it all as a survival mechanism to fight against impossible odds.
The problem really starts however, when his plan backfires, and it turns out the japanese ace specifically thrives on impossible challenges and does not stop improving. Isagi Yoichi, by the time of the PxG match, has become the incarnation of the impossible odds that Kaiser usually wants to avoid, but this time he is conflicted since Isagi is also the exact type of player that Kaiser wants to crush : he is forced to face his own fear, and the more the odds are against him, the more impossibility will catch up to Kaiser. Which is exactly what might lead to Ness' awakening.
https://preview.redd.it/cl0fcuo5cs0d1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2eb5a41479308384a1dc7cdb9f4be2a40891ea55
Since Ness attributes his magic to Kaiser's success, seeing Kaiser fail (and maybe even resent him for it), is most likely what will bring Ness to the pit of despair that he got to escape from back in the BM tryouts. Ness will have to face his fear of not being able to bring magic to the world alone. And with what's been foreshadowed, I believe Ness' awakening will come with some sort of cooperation with Isagi, which in turn will make Kaiser realize that he is back to facing the impossible behemoth that he faced not so long ago. This is what will make him revert to his purest ego. But what is his purest ego exactly ?

Final part : Conclusions, and Kaiser's true ego

We finally get to the part where I stop holding everything back and I tell what's on my mind.

1. I'll start with something very important : duos in Blue Lock are always doomed unless they become more than the sum of their parts.

Kaiser and Ness' duo made me realize it, especially with their very obvious parallels to Reo and Nagi, but duos often start out with one of the players (and sometimes both players) attributing a part of their ego to their partner. That right there, is exactly how egos are stifled.
In the case of Kaiser, though his intention was to manipulate Ness, he ended up creating an association in Ness' mind where though Ness sees his purpose in life to bring magic through football, he attributes his ability to bring magic to Kaiser, which means that in Ness' mind, he is incapable of doing it alone. I don't believe that's the case, but for Ness to prove it to himself, he has to try doing it first. The PxG match is the perfect opportunity for this, but that's not all.
https://preview.redd.it/p2zv1za0es0d1.jpg?width=1124&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dad6ddd89aca9f05adb18cc06825f6337f7b3702
Sae and Rin are also a very important example of this, since Sae knew from the start that having Rin associate him to his ego and use him as a reason to play football was a death sentence for both of them. I believe that Sae truly does want to win the Champion's league with his brother, but has let go of that dream and has tried to force Rin to do it as well to make sure both of them would reach their potential before hitting the wall that is the world level.
Reo has always attributed his dream of winning the world cup to the fact that he has Nagi by his side, and cannot really imagine achieving this dream without him. However, if Reo truly wants to evolve, I'm sure a lot of you are already anticipating this, but he has to let go of Nagi and evolve alone, which he most likely will do during the Manshine-Barcha match. Nagi himself doesn't have an objective, and has always improved as a player with the intention of helping Reo achieve his dream, which means that part of his ego is simply helping another player achieve his. Unless the both of them seperate at least temporarily, then Reo will never gain the confidence to achieve his dream alone, Nagi will never gain the ego to have his own dream and play football for the sake of his own passion, and neither of them will be able to cooperate on their common vision of winning together. And the way I know all of this ?
Is because Isagi and Bachira have already showed us the path of how a good duo functions. Bachira almost never awakened his true ego all because his loneliness made him see Isagi as essential to his well being, it forced him to look for players that would be able to keep up with his best football, and when he found them, he already thought he had won. Bachira realized that the only way he could keep playing with the players he admires and wants to rival, is by believing in his way of playing football instead of putting his belief in someone else. This is how duos survive : by having both players becoming better and fulfilled individually, and constantly pushing each other to individually become better before they rely on each other for victory.
https://preview.redd.it/bcjasudces0d1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b6339a69e35ab6868f134742dbd1b56cd1db4d27

1. To get back to Kaiser and Ness, what that means is that Ness' evolution has to come at the cost of his dependence on Kaiser, and Kaiser's evolution has to come at the cost of the introspection he has to do to understand where his true nature comes from : this specific moment.

https://preview.redd.it/19jdamedcs0d1.jpg?width=960&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=14f345c0c401e1be17aae850a33fc3faf259303b
My belief is that Kaiser's ego to incarnate the impossible isn't actually wrong, it's just taken from the wrong perspective. What Kaiser was since the very start, isn't a mindless perpatrator of violence that does it out of pleasure for crushing others : What Kaiser is, is a survivor.
\"I'll leave here someday.\"
No matter how tough the situation, no matter how much his father beat him, Kaiser never stopped believing or dreaming that he would one day free himself from his situation and rise against adversity. It might've been a small flame at first, but when his ego truly awakened was when he actually fought back for the first time. Kaiser isn't an impossible being because he is an unbeatable, violent monster, he is an impossible being because he rises against impossible odds no matter what.
\"The boy dreamed about going on a journey someday.\"
He is unfathomably resilient, and that is something that was very specifically cultivated from his experience of victimhood : Kaiser couldn't have become this kind of person if he was simply an abuser the same way his father was (which is currently what is stifling his ego), the only way he can be this impossible being is by going through what he did and surviving.
And in fact, that's also something that been shown in the manga already. After all, the only moment so far where Kaiser has showed us what could be his greatest performance, was when he had to rely on a play Isagi made to get a goal opportunity, and managed to beat 4 defenders (one of them being the best U20), culminating in a goal that's impossible to replicate even for the greatest players. Kaiser might be a self type ego that seeks impossible situations to reach flow.
https://preview.redd.it/rcpi8xb3ds0d1.jpg?width=1920&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8b64e5c2db2df699852631c44c4f308fb3efc417
A player's personality is often reflected through their playstyle : that's the case with Kaiser, with his KI symbolizing his impossible dominance, and his MV symbolizing his manipulative way of playing with people ; which is why I don't believe it's a coincidence that the one time Kaiser has truly made a play no one else could replicate was when all odds were against him. And yet ironically, this is also the goal that Kaiser hates the most, because he still hates his younger self for not having fought back until the last moment. What he sees as weakness, is what is actually his greatest strength.
Anyways if you've read this far, thank you very much and congratulations, and if you have any, please tell me your thoughts in the comments.

Or, at least provide some extra tools that would make it easy for modders to do so. Not sure how that would work exactly, but I know Bethsoft devs don't have infinite time and money.
Disclaimer: I don't think most missions in Starfield need substantive revision—linearity isn't really the issue in my view, because Bethesda has never made it a point of giving every mission more than one outcome (or different flavors of the same ultimate outcome). But, quite often, how exactly you do things, what you say about what you're doing/have done, how you express yourself through dialogue, etc. provides a simulacrum of the choice that would exist if the quest simply had branching paths. Perhaps an ideal version of this game would go further and embrace the reactivity of your average Obsidian entry, but I don't expect that (and neither should you). Just some simple revisions (which I know design-wise are never really that simple) would do some wonders.
Viz., Bethsoft should make "small" edits to some specific missions that really interfere with the ability to feel immersed in the setting. I'll mention two of the worst offenders (in my limited view of having played the game one and a half times), but I know there are others that could benefit from similar (and likely even smaller) revisions.
The Hammer Falls (the last mission in the Freestar Rangers questline) was the first mission I did where I hated even bothering with the questline because of it. Learning from Paxton Hull (who I wish you could join or otherwise not be forced to kill, but that's not that big of a deal) that Ron Hope was behind everything should open up options to at least talk with others about what to actually do before being sent to your ultimate goal.
The fact that the game railroads you into immediate confrontation without, like, checking with anyone feels like an oversight. I know sheriffs are supposed to be kind of independent, but this guy (Hope) is like one of the twelve or so most powerful people in the Collective. I can't even talk with Marshal Blake or whomever about him before confronting him in a deadly shootoff? I can't even ask for backup? Where's the sheriff-fantasy where I call up my buddies to take down a crook?
I imagine a better designed version of this quest might involve first returning to Akila City and having a tense conversation with Blake (or some other Freestar representative) where you argue the apparent conflict of interest (the Collective's ruling body funds/supercedes the Rangers) and what that compels you to do, if anything. It could really help thematically resolve the underlying themes of the questline as a whole (the law as a just ideal/the law as an instrument of powecontrol). Not that this needs to have two wildly different paths where you confront Hope versus explicitly cover up his crimes, but it could at least affect your status as a ranger if you deliberately decided to confront Hope without convincing Blake. (Just an imperfect idea demonstrating the limitations of the current quest.)
The fact that you can't say anything about Hope before confronting him would be something I would've made a note on in QA. It's such a basic point of interrogation for ensuring that a quest in an open-world RPG fits seamlessly and immersively into the world. There are plenty of missions/quests in other Bethsoft games that don't do this, usually because the impact is really minor. But as the final mission of one of the two major factions' questlines, predicated on a reveal that recontextualizes all past missions in the questline, it works really poorly in my view to railroad you directly into confronting Ron Hope with no consultation with Marshal Blake or anyone else. Just the addition of a simple conversation would make this problem so much less glaring. Give the player an option of expressing their discomfort or anger at what's going on, or extend the final conversation with Marshal Blake. Or, ideally, give good reason mechanically (in the very quest's context) as to why things are as linear as they are.
When you trap Odahviing during The Fallen, he approaches you to talk, then you set him free after a conversation, then you ride atop him to Skuldafn, thus starting The World-Eater's Eyrie. But accounting for the eventuality of you leaving the courtyard before he reaches you to talk (or you exit conversation) is unreasonable, because a dangerous dragon, Odahviing, is right there, the way to Skuldafn is right there, and the end of the quest is right there. There's no design incentive to return to the open world if you're doing this quest at this exact moment, and I'm willing to bet exactly one person has ever done that (me, once, to deliberately see if it messed up the script). And once you fly to Skuldafn, the next couple hours are entirely linear (which is good!). It makes the end-game work really well because it feels and is seamless.
Confronting Hope doesn't have the same sense of urgency not because it isn't important but because the various design elements that encourage urgency in a mechanical sense aren't there. Imagine confronting Paxton (or whoever) in the reception area of the Hope factory (or somewhere equally close). There'd be basically nothing incentivizing you to not go confront Hope right then, for the same reasons as with Odahviing in Dragonreach's courtyard. Not accounting for leaving the reception area becomes just as reasonable of a design decision as not accounting for leaving Odahviing trapped without talking to him. When you leave Arcturus II, though, it doesn't really feel at all dissimilar from leaving a planet after clearing a random POI. Imagine if, after trapping Odahviing, he only gave you directions to Skuldafn which you had to travel yourself. This would have a similar effect, I feel, to what we experience at the end of First to Fight, First to Die and the beginning of The Hammer Falls. I imagine plenty of people would take detours to do x or y before finally going to Skuldafn, despite the quest's written urgency. If you want urgency in a practical sense, make the progression from objective-to-objective urgent by design. Reflect the urgency in the very way the game is played (i.e., make it weird to even consider leaving the Dragonsreach Courtyard while Odahviing is there and ready to take you to Skuldafn).
First Contact (the Paradiso mission with the colony ship) is honestly the single worst mission in the game for how little ability you have to do anything other than what the game explicitly tells you are your only options, often against the intuition of the writing. I think Bethsoft wanted to give a potentially intriguing moral dilemma that ends up being needlessly forced and ultimately not intriguing because of how poorly forced it is. The result is a quest that, while potentially interesting, is completely ruined by its implementation. Even creating a fail-state where you kill the executives (which the ECS Constant's crew could react to) could be an option which would involve considerably less scripting than creating entire new paths from scratch.
Because, again, the problem with these quests isn't necessarily that they're linear. It's that they're linear in such a way that makes it impossible for it to feel organic or emergent in the setting. Could you imagine a Season Unending type quest in the Paradiso boardroom where instead of the two options we have now, you would instead have to use specific dialogue choices to ensure a particular deal could be reached between both parties (with you as the Constant's (possibly ostensible) advocate? Maybe allow for some backgrounds or skill checks to automatically succeed some particularly challenging persuasion/intimidation checks for either the ECS crew or the Executives. It's a lot more work, but it's the ideal version of this particular mission, in my view, and it could happen without the other two options even existing. You could make the quest more linear and have it be more engaging for the player.
I've seen this articulated before but not in quite these terms: it is better to allow a player options in how they experience a single choice then to give them two forced bad choices.
The version we're left with feels like the type of Bethsoft quest that has a faster, dummy way to do a mission that people would only really choose if they were roleplaying a specific way, or just wanted to get an achievement (e.g., Destroy the Dark Brotherhood!). It's like there's two clearly worse/less developed options that are available for specific types of players, yet are ultimately meant to highlight the ultimately superior and lengthier third option, which in this case doesn't exist. I hate to say that it's just lazy (as designing any quest is a large undertaking), but it certainly feels really lazy the way that this quest forces these two options onto you with especially poor justification. And even then, there being only two options isn't that big of a deal—implement a fail-state where you kill the executives (or something equally unhinged), which I could see plenty of players doing, including me. Or maybe convince them to stand down by strapping grenades to your spacesuit, I don't know! Something that plays more to the player's ability to impose their will on NPCs rather than being powerless.
As for said powerlessness, being powerless isn't bad, but in this case it isn't really justified. There's no obstacle in terms of difficulty when it comes to this quest, it's just a barrier to choice that feels extremely artificial. At least in High Price to Pay, you can't be in two places at once and you know that there's danger in two places that you can't control for. Your powerlessness is earned by the game at this point, because you actually feel, given the context of the plot to this point, that you're up against something that you can't defend everyone else against at all times. It still feels a bit forced, perhaps, but it isn't nearly as egregious.
I honestly dread doing First Contact again because it frustrates me far more than any other mission, because of how it forces frustratingly restrictive options upon you. But it doesn't require huge overhauls to fix, even if an overhaul would make it a lot better.

First lets take a quick look at some of the trades the Blue Jays have done mid-season in 2024:

• IF Tanner Morris (26) to MIN for $$$
  • Some sad news off the get go...after hitting just .149/.281/.213 with a .494 OPS in AAA, Morris has retired from baseball mid-season. Placed on the voluntary retirement list until his current contract expires at the end of the season.
• LHP Jimmy Robbins (26) to TEX for $$$
  • Has taken the role of emergency depth for the Rangers AAA team and has pitched just 7.1 innings and is rocking a 8.59 ERA, .321 OBA & 2.18 WHIP.
• RHP Wes Parsons (31) to CLE for $$$
  • Filling in his usual role as he uses up his last year of options. Has pitched 4.0 innings in MLB allowing 0 ER and 14.2 innings in AAA having a solid 1.84 ERA. Solid depth pitcher for them but not a mainstay.
• RHP Mitch White (29) to SFG for $$$
  • After allowing 6 ER in 10.0 IP with TOR he was DFA/Traded to SFG where he allowed 7 ER in 5.1 IP before again being DFA/Traded to MIL where has has allowed 2 ER in 3.2 IP. Seems like teams think they can fix him considering they are trading for him. MIL has also been hampered with injuries and internal demotions to their bullpen so his stay might not be long when arms return.

Now lets take a look at some of the players that left the organization in the off-season through trade/waivers that were at one point on the 40-Man roster:

• IF Santiago Espinal (29) to CIN for RHP Chris McElvain (23)
  • Not a great season for Espinal as he has declined even further from his past seasons in all aspects of the game. He is hitting just .200/.252/.284 with an .536 OPS. His defensive metrics suggests he is now a negative player on defence as well. Due to injury he has been given a solid amount of playing time too. McElvain has been solid in A+ but still looks likely to be a future reliever.
• UTL Otto Lopez (25) to SFG for $$$
  • DFA due to the middle-infleid depth the Jays had was then DFA by the SFG even when they were awarded another option year with him. MIA got him for free on waivers as the only claiming team and he has been very solid for them. He earned a quick call-up after having a 1.526 OPS in a week and is carving himself a role in the Majors with some solid hitting and strong defence. He is batting .282/.333/.564 with an .897 OPS in 39 PA. His early power display is very unsustainable though. He is already half way to his career minor league high.
• RHP Yosver Zulueta (26) to CIN via DFA Waivers
  • There was a lot of anger amongst the fanbase with his loss on waivers and while his stuff is still good the production is still no where near where it should be. In 14.1 IP in AAA he has a 5.65 ERA, .267 OBA & 2.02 while striking out 18 and walking 13. Still not sure how he remained on prospect lists as long as he has. He just hasn't been good for awhile now. He does give the vibes off the guy that will randomly break out at age 30/31.
• C Tyler Heineman (32) to NYM to BOS via DFA Waivers
  • Remains the trusty #3 catcher we knew him as. He is just 0-for-1 with 1 HBP at the Major League level but is staying warm in the Red Sox minor league system until he is needed once again. Batting .257./395/.286 with a .681 OPS in AAA. Severn is an upgrade in all departments though except the lack of magic tricks.

Finally, lets take a look into the players that left the organization in free-agency:

• 3B Matt Chapman (31) to SFG (3 Y x $18 M w/ Two Player Opt-Outs)
  • Easily the most talked about departure this season and it feels like beating a dead horse at this point but Chapman has been super terrible. Hitting just .206/.258/.341/.599 with a 73 wRC+ (1.0 bWAR / 0.1 fWAR). His strikeout rate remains as high as ever but his BB% has been nearly cut in half. He has already made 6 errors and his defence has dipped further for the 4th straight season. Chapman has just 2 extra-base hits over his last 82 PA despite having some of the best swing-rates and exit velocities in baseball. Looks like Chapman will be a SFG for the full 3 seasons.
• RHP Jordan Hicks (27) to SF (4 Y x $11.0 M)
  • Arguably the only "big" contract the Giants have signed that have given them their value for their money. Converting back to a starter has worked wonders for him as he has posted a 2.44 ERA / 3.21 FIP, .220 OBA & 1.15 WHIP. He has taken a good 3 mph off his fastball which has led to a decrease in strikeouts, whiffs and more harder contact against but it has led to an increase and sustained improvement in control. 5.0 IP does seem to be his limit most nights and there are some long-term questions about stamina and durability but so far he has been worth ever penny. If things do now wrong e can always be converted back to an RP and his contract still won't look bad.
• 2B/OF Whit Merrifield (35) to PHI (1 Y x $7 M w/ Club Option for $8.0 M)
  • Age seems to have properly caught up to Whit who is just hitting .188/.261/.300 with a .561 OPS in 80 AB with is just a 62 wRC+ (0.1 bWAR / -0.1 fWAR). His savant page portrays him as one of the worst hitters in baseball and his defence is now of negative value. Phillies had him hitting lead-off for 3 straight games recently where he went 1-for-15 before being demoted again.
• RHP Adam Cimber (33) to LAA (1 Y x $1.65 M)
  • After struggling with injuries and inconsistency at the end of his Jays tenor he has rebounded back with LAA to being a solid mid-usage arm. Posting a respectable 4.00 ERA, .214 OBA & 1.00 WHIP. His numbers are misleading though as outside of 2 meltdowns he has been shutdown. He is one of the heaviest used bullpen arms in baseball and has only allowed an ER in 3-of-19 appearances. Should fetch the Angels a decent prospect at the trade deadline.
• RHP Jay Jackson (36) to MIN (1 Y x $1.3 M w/ Club Option for $3.0 M)
  • Jackson has not had a great season with MIN as he is rocking a 6.20 ERA, .244 OBA & 1.28 WHIP.He has allowed at least 1 ER in more than half his appearances. It seems like MIN will likely not pick-up their club option on his contract at this rate. It is unfortunate to see after how important he was for us last season. Glad he got his money though.
• SP Hyun Jin Ryu (37) to Hanwha Eagles (KBO) (8 Y x $1.6 M)
  • Ryu signed the largest contract in KBO League history this offseason which keeps him in the organization until his mid-40's. In 49.0 IP he has 5.33 ERA, 1.45 WHIP & 47 SO vs. 14 BB. Haven't watched him nor seen his game-to-game production but the face value numbers don't look great. To be fair he was likely never playing most of the contract anyways.

Just to reassure everyone of someone productive not slipping through the cracks here are all the minor-league departures:
Free Agency:

• C Rob Brantly (34) to TBR (AAA) is hitting .310/.375/.466 with a .841 OPS
• LHP Paul Fry (31) to SDP (AAA) is pitching a 6.43 ERA, .317 OBA & 1.76 WHIP
• SS Mason McCoy (29) to SDP (AAA) is hitting .259/.342/.363 with a .705 OPS
• C Lyle Lin (26) to ARI (AA) has just 3 GP due to being on the Developmental List

Releases:

• RHP Jiorgeny Casimiri (22) to BAL (A) is pitching 12.91 ERA, .436 OBA & 3.26 WHIP

Rule 5 Draft (Minor League Portion):

• 3B Angel Del Rosario (21) to MIN (A) is hitting .271/.364/.292 with a .656 OPS
• SS Trevor Schwecke (26) to PHI (AA) is hitting .182/.282/.227 with a .509 OPS

Just for completion here is a list of players who left from the organization that are not active in professional baseball right now (as far as I know):
Free Agents Un-signed (13):

• 1B/DH Brandon Belt, RHP Anthony Bass, SP Gabe Klobosits, C Jamie Ritchie, SS Abiezel Ramirez, RP Rowan Wick, RP Matt Peacock, SP Zach Thompson, RP Roither Hernandez, RP Jol Concepcion, RP Joe Jones, RP Deigo Linares & C Stevie Berman

Minor League Releases:

• Off-Season (20): RHP Darwin Cruz, RHP Michael Brewer, C Victor Mesia, RHP Christopher Rodriguez, 3B Endri Garcia, RHP Julio Ramirez, RHP Ben Baggett, RHP Winder Garcia, RHP Tony Rosario, RHP Cesar Ayala, OF MacKenzie Mueller, SS Luis Garcia, RHP Francisco Lucumi, CF Jaun Pizarro, RHP Jackson Rees, SS Martin Gimenez, RHP Davis Feldman, LHP Cooper Benson, RHP Sam Ryan & SS Rikelbin De Castro
• Spring Training (3): IF Eduardo Escobar, RHP Alan Zhang Carter & RHP Nolan Long
• Mid-Season (4): RHP Leam Mendez, RHP Gabriel Ponce, RHP Jerry Huntzinger & RHP Fitz Stadler

Original Post: https://www.reddit.com/GenX/comments/19anw8d/what_gen_z_slang_do_you_use_to_piss_off_the_kids/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=web3x&utm_name=web3xcss&utm_term=1&utm_content=share_button
I LOVED all of the responses I received on this post and promised to update it. I spent a lot of time going through the thousands of recommendations (and accusations), and here is the new list.
Just one disclaimer - I know some of these are old/stolen from other eras or cultures. It is simply a list of what we are hearing and using to annoy/irritate our younger people. Just this morning as I was dropping off my son, I yelled "have a skibidi rizz day!" He was not amused.
Slang Loose Meaning
Alpha Leader of the pack
Ate and Left No Crumbs Slayed, killed it
Baka Idiot
Based Being true to oneself
Bet Yes/OK/Cool
Bussin Awesome
Camp Ironically trendy (think Crocs)
CEO Pro, or a master of something
Clap Back Comeback, insult
Cheugy Lame, out of date
Coded/Core Of a brand, or having stereotypical/shared traits
Dank High Quality
Deadass Dead serious
Don't @ Me I said what I said, I made my point
Drip/Drippy Style or expensive attire/accessories
E-Boy/E-Girl Gamer emo type aesthetic, youth subculture
Fam Bro, Friend
Fanum Tax Someone stealing your food
Finna I'm going to/Eventually
Fire Awesome/well done
fbffr For real/Be fuckin for real
Gas Awesome
Gang gang Like 'bet' - an agreement
Giving sanctuary Protecting, giving a safe place
Glow Up Transformation from bad to good
GOAT Greatest of all time
Guap Money
Gucci Good
Gyatt Short for "God Damn" (usually referring to a big butt)
Headass Acting stupid
High-Key Straight up, obvious
Hit Different Not normal, usually means "better"
Hundo/Hunny P 100%
I'm Weak/Dead You find something hilarious
It's Living Rent Free You can't stop thinking about it
Low-Key Secretly, on the down-low
Main Character Has/Wants all the attention
Mid Mediocre, not great
Miss Me With That Leave me out of it
No Notes Nothing further to add, flawless
NPC Someone so uninteresting, they don't matter
Cap/No Cap Lie/No Lie
On Fleek On point/perfectly done
On God I swear to God
On Site As soon as you see someone, the fight is on
Rizz Sex appeal (short for Charisma)
Roman Empire Something you think about too much
Saturate Take it all in, think on it awhile
Say Less Stop talking, I get it..
Shipped Two people you want to see in a relationship
Sigma Lone wolf
Simp Someone who does too much for female attention
Sip Tea/Spill tea You want the gossip/You're sharing the gossip
Skibidi Filler word/Something sketchy or gross
Slap/s Describing how awesome something is
Smol Small and adorable
Skrrt To get away from/distance yourself
Stan Obsessed, Fanboy/girl
Sus Suspicious, not-expected or shady
Take Several Seats Take a step back/calm down
Take the L Take the loss/loser
Take the W Take the win/Winner
Touch Grass Get offline, and go outside
Uwu Cuteness overload
Yeet To throw something with force
Zaddy Sexy older man (sometimes used as sugar daddy)

As said in the title, I've finally finished going through all the boys in TDL S3! Though I didn't aim for best ending or anything, I just wanted to see how it would go for each one. (I'm not sure if the photos will post, so apologies if this post will be wonky!) I thoroughly enjoyed this experience, so here's a silly happy rant :) (Hope I flaired this correctly! This is just really me rambling, but very happily lol)
WARNING: Very long! Will also contain spoilers!!

• ROUND 1: Chayun (Normal ending)

This was the VERY first Picka game I've ever played, so I went into this blindingly and didn't really aim for anyone or followed any guides. So as fate had willed, I got Chayun! Maybe that's just my personality projecting onto Seul, lol. And maybe that very first meeting influenced my decisions - I wonder, if I had the date with Gonghyun first, would I shoot for him instead?
Chayun is... SO so cute. There's something really mature and cool about him, you know he can take care of you, and you can't help but be charmed. He's not overly affectionate, but also unafraid to show his feelings. He doesn't play any games (unlike SOME people out there...) and is mostly honest.
My favorite thing about him is how much of a simp he is for Seul. This is the guy whose forbidden word was her name because of how much he said it. This is the guy who unknowingly broke another girl's heart because he can't stop mentioning Seul. Ugh. How do I get a Chayun?
I also don't know why and how, but even when I was aiming for the other guys (and following the guides), he STILL keeps choosing Seul. I thought it was just programmed for him to do so, but I've seen posts where he chose Eunchae, so...? Maybe I just never got over my first love and unconsciously made him feel like Seul still likes him. Ha!
Speaking of first loves...

• ROUND 2: Gonghyun (Bad ending)

SIGH. I originally was going for Sanho next (more details later), but in the last round, I went on the snowball date (?) with Gonghyun and felt SO bad for making him feel like I didn't even consider him. Also, my first date this time was with Gonghyun and I was SOOOO impressed with the whole Busan thing. So I went for him.
Unfortunately, I 1) didn't have enough gold for all the gifts and 2) couldn't keep up with the timing, so I spent less time with him I guess? I missed the Wicka date with him as well as the cocktail bar. But I won every game and even went on a last date with him (which I didn't get to do with Chayun), so I thought, maybe I'll get the normal ending!
WRONG! Fellas, don't go for someone whose first love is still in the picture. Or, if you do, make sure you have enough gold to control everything. EME!
Gonghyun is really considerate and nice, he gives off major "gwapo" vibes, and he would have ticked all the boxes for "green flag of the year". But he also gives off the vibe of someone I could never fall for completely, like if someone asked me for boyfriend recommendations I would mention him, but if someone asked me if I had a crush on him I'd say no.
Or maybe I'm still bitter over not being chosen. Oh well! I don't choose what doesn't choose me, so.

• ROUND 3: Sanho (Normal ending)

I have never been more enamored over a fictional character.
When I first encountered him during Chayun's route, my eyes went all O_O and I was like, "OMG, ATEEZ Choi San what are you doing here?!". That's literally the same name except for the "ho"! He's polite and mature and RELIABLE! Brains and brawn! Cute and younger-brother-like!
And while he's reliable, I want to take care of HIM instead of the other way around. He's consistently sweet, and while he seems innocent, there's a certain depth to how he speaks that shows his introspection. He's honest and earnest, and I really loved how formal he was lol he's definitely my pick for most charming TDL3 man.
My favorite part? Ironically, it was when I was on Chayun's route. I got Sanho for the snowball date, and at that time I was unsure over Chayun because he felt really cold to me. Sanho contrasted that perfectly by being so sweet and warm. "Warm as the sun," indeed.
Another favorite moment was when he carried Gonghyun during their ski trip! I wished there was a way for Seul to join their trip, but I guess that's predetermined. Oh, maybe I didn't really want Gonghyun... I wanted to BE Gonghyun....
Sanho's route was so lovely that I lowkey dreaded (/lh) the next and final one...

• ROUND 4: Seowoo (Best ending) (WHO WOULD'VE THOUGHT?!?!?!?)

Sigh. SIGH. The biggest, longest sigh you will ever hear on earth.
At this point, I was getting sick of TDL3, so I decided to try out TDL1. Considering that Jooyul (who I wasn't aiming for in the beginning but eventually liked) and Seowoo were same-age friends with the main character, I thought, "ah this will be more easy-going".
I was wrong. This was the most annoying, most insufferable, and spiciest route. Also I got the bad ending for Jooyul, so I guess easy-going routes just aren't for me.
Seowoo... Like Jeewan said, our cranky boy. He's so in love, but he doesn't want to admit it. Feel free to correct me, but he's always strikes me as someone who loves so deeply that it scares him, that's why he's always pushing Seul away. The weird thing is that the more he does it, the more I keep wanting to choose him? Because I am SURE he likes Seul, he just has to be convinced that Seul will keep choosing him until the end. (Which Sanho also was, but he was more straightforward about it.)
I was slightly enamored with the whole thing about Eunchae. Like, of COURSE they'd have such an agreement. Before this, I was really rooting for the two of them because the pairing was so weird. In local terms, there's the OA (Eunchae) and the nonchalant (Seowoo).
But I am on his route, so he's mine this time, and he WILL get sick of me!!!
My favorite part was, well, everything. At least, all the dates. He's so annoying and endearing that I have to spend a few minutes ranting into the chat after it's been deactivated. Can the creators see the messages I sent? I apologize for all the swear words. Nakakabwiset naman kasi talaga yang si Kim Seowoo parang tanga!! I would be swearing like this throughout and then he sends a heart and BOOM TIKLOP.
I wish his ending had him returning to Seul's house, like what Chayun did in their NORMAL ending. I get that he's shy about the song, but maybe Seul's final decision could have convinced him that Seul is safe enough for him to fall completely for? Well... I guess this is what fanfiction is for. Heh!

• Additional thoughts

It's a shame the paths are all for heterosexual pairings. I would have loved going for all the girls - Jeewan was so cool, Eunchae never failed to make me smile, and Bohwa was such a darling!! Though, do we think she has special connections to the admin of the program? Weirdly timed messages, the girls date at her shop? Or maybe she's just too charming to turn down~
Sanho and Seowoo would be a funny ship, lol. Seowoo being his usual cranky, pakipot self, and Sanho surprising him by being all firm and assertive.
Chayun and Gonghyun... Our knights and nobles... An unlikely pairing, but they're so similar that they might work??
Gonghyun is freaking hilarious. He keeps choosing Seul when I DON'T pick him. Baliw.
I think I was meant to find this game, because the characteristics of my ideal type were found in each of the love interests, so every route was fun. I started with someone who can only look at me, and ended with someone who wrote a song about me - two things that will surely make my heart flutter in real life. I only just realized these things while playing, so I guess it was an eye-opener too!
Now, I will be taking a break from all things TDL until I save up enough gold to open a slot to save Seowoo's ending. I am too lazy to do the extra tasks and too poor to actually buy it. In the meantime, I'm playing Friends Booth and thinking of which boy to target next in TDL1. I want to try for Euntae, but I am so sad about Jooyul's outcome that I want to redo his route, and this time with the guide (I tried following my instinct, as with Chayun). Sigh! Maybe I'll just go with Doha for the funsies.

For the Start: I have been playing SW for about 4.5-5 years, accumulating over 2.7k hours of playtime. Given the recent influx of new players and the interest I've noticed on Reddit, I've decided to share my experiences, knowledge, and thoughts about the game.
This is also meant to be a little vent for me because of the crap that has hit the fan multiple times since I started playing. Anyway, here it starts:
Hour 0-500
It was late 2019, and the virus started to become a thing. Like everyone else, I was bored and began looking for games to play. I happened to stumble across SpyCakes and his SW videos. The game looked cool and seemed to be something my (then limited) machine could easily run while being exactly what I wanted. So I got it.
And I was hooked. In less than a week, I had already played over 70 hours, and this trend continued, though not as strongly, over the next few months. Within half a year, I had invested over 500 hours.
Hour 500-1000
Due to personal reasons, I only played the game now and then for the next year, adding up to 600 hours (with a Steam loss of about 400 hours—keep this in mind). After that, I got addicted again and started playing the game regularly. I already had over 750 hours when the first "accident" happened. Windows crashed on me, and I had to reinstall it. I thought the vehicles were stored safely somewhere other than on Windows. Imagine my anger when I noticed they weren't.
I did something I slightly regret doing and am sorry for: I went to the bug report to "let out some steam" with sentences like "Can you please get the damn F**** vehicles that we build like any other stupid game in the Steam Cloud?" and "I've just lost F*** 1.1k play hours in vehicles because of this!" (Here comes the "lost" 400 hours).
So yeah, that was stupid. DON'T DO IT! As a result of this, I'm still invisible/muted to others on the bug reporter. I also want to add that I tried about six months later to get un-muted with no reaction.
"Hey to the mods of the bug report/feature request site, I noticed that I was banned a while ago (since #10306). I know what I said wasn't nice in any form, and I regret it since I wrote it."
By now, it was early 2023, and I had somewhat gotten over it.
I started playing the game again and found the fun in it once more, despite the worsening bugs that plagued the game over the next year.
1000-Now
Then the second "accident" happened: Windows 11. It looked like a regular Windows update (I don't read patch notes, lol). But it wasn't. It was Windows 11, and with that came another reset. Again, I lost my vehicles (which also happened around the same time as the bug-related problems). This was another blow. But this time, I just ignored it—"everything is just fine"—and didn't stop playing, now really learning.
I started investing real time into it. Got the DLCs when they came out and was mostly happy. Then the Space DLC came out, roughly two years after the April Fool's joke by (I think) SpyCakes—correct me if I'm wrong. And oh god, do I HATE IT. Every other large update or DLC before actually improved the game in one way or another. Yeah, the core gameplay is nearly untouched since it came out, but I'm not that type of player. But this update—oh god, did it break many vehicles (even my not-so-done ones). Jet engines? Useless! Bypass jets? Just as useless! Prop planes? Always the better one! Watertight areas? Nope! Oh, your plane was able to fly? Not anymore! Though many of these things have since been patched, the core issue is still there—the many bugs that they don't really fix. I've learned to go out of my way to build around them, but still, to this day, nearly every vehicle has some anomaly that I can't seem to fix. Even if I rip stuff from workshop vehicles, they stop working for me. Modular engines are another big thorn. And don't get me wrong, I love them! But with the ability to XML mod regular engines to make them have nearly infinite power at basically zero fuel flow, it's just something I sometimes love to use. The cooling seems to be broken for me, even for workshop vehicles (don't worry, I've reinstalled the game more than often enough).
A Hopeful Future (Which We can Only Dream of)
Despite the challenges and frustrations, I still find joy and creativity in the game. Each setback has taught me valuable lessons in patience, problem-solving, and resilience. Through these experiences, I even learned to code in Lua, which has opened up new possibilities and added depth to my gameplay.
I hope it was a joy to read, and I would love to hear about others' stories.
Additionally, I have many unfinished projects lying around and wanted to share them with you. If anyone is interested, they can be considered credit-free—so do with them what you want.
My First Boat (Somhow it survied)
F111
747-800
SPB (Space Plane concept)
Smal Ballte Ship (Cute at that)
Fregate (Just as large lol)
XXL truck Rocket Luncher (132 Rockets)
Flying Moonster (13 Props)

My whole island Bunny Bay is bunny themed for my pet bunnies. My best girl Maggie always sat and cuddled while I'd play. She looked just like Dotty and Dotty is my birthday twin. I bought her amiibo to have her on my island.Maggie was on some meds for a stuffy nose and yesterday morning she passed. I can't even imagine loading my island anymore, let alone playing on it. My Maggie is everywhere on my island. I'm disabled and they were the only things that brought me stress free happiness and a distraction from the pain. I'm so lost without her and my game. I was almost done with my very first island and I guess it'll stay that way.

I'm not sure what to do
Hi, I'm 23 years old, currently in my last year (last weeks) of electronics engineering in university. Last year I failed one of my classes so I had to take a gap year. So this is my 5-th year of these studies. I really was supposed to finish this year, but I probably failed again.
Generally speaking these studies were extremely difficult for me, and from second year I was always close to failing one or two of my classes. I hid it from everybody since I liked seeing them being proud of me. I really hate that this is what I have chosen to study..But there is no way back.
I am european, so studying is free.Two years ago I have found a job as an electrical engineer. (I have also tried other electronics engineering jobs, but briefly)I have worked there for two years now, but I have left the place in January with a promise that I will be back when I graduate. However while I was working there full time during my gap year, I 100% understood that this is not for me. The job, the place and everything drained me. Even thinking about going back makes me tear up. I tried forcing myself to like what I do...Since I don't think it was that bad I really think that someone would love it, someone who has engineering as a passion. but it just didn't happen for me and while working I burned out even more. There were moment where I worked all night, just to be on time with my project.
after the second year I also started having panic attacks, where I would think that my heart is going to stop. But I managed to learn how to control them and when I feel one coming I usually know how to calm myself down.
Fast forward to now, I can see that my bachelor theme is way to difficult for me, I stayed allnighters to understand it and make it but the further I go the worst it gets. I understood that I might not make it, for a moment I had horrible thoughts, since EVERYONE around me is telling me that I will be nothing without my degree. My boyfriend of 5 years, he already graduated and is studying masters, is extremely mad that I even have thoughts of not finishing. My grandparents (my grandma has a doctor degree and was working in the university and faculty that I study in) are calling me, writing me messages, that if I dare to not finish they will disown me. My mom and dad was hard on me, but they are starting to understand, and are trying to just force me to push it through. There are moments when I think that I can somehow push it though, but reality hits harder. I cried a lot, but never in front of my peers and professors. However, today I was trying to catch up with few of my assignments, I worked all day and night, I really thought I understood everything. During my presentation, I just started crying, I couldn't explain whats written I couldn't explain anything, I was trying so hard to hold it in, but I just couldn't, tears were running down my cheeks like crazy. Everyone was uncomfortable, just waited for me to finnish my slides. At this moment I don't know what to do. I don't know if I can push it through...I know that last year is hard for everyone but Im just so tired...
I do think that education is important but I just dont know why something like engineering makes me suffer so much, it was never for me. I have very real plans for studying language therapy and working in this field maybe in the future.
If anyone is or was at a similar place, I really would appreciate any kind of advice.

So, I've had this in mind for some time now, it it was only a couple of days ago that I decided to put these lyrics to "paper", for lack of a better term. You can also find them in the comments section of the full theme video on YouTube if you look and I've transferred them here for you to sing along to. Basically, I decided to share them on this Sub in case anyone might be interested in them.
Since the ADC is partially supposed to be a parody of all those brightly coloured, highly marketable kids shows from the early to late 90s, I figured the lyrics should be written to reflect that bright, bouncy, catchy, slightly saccerine, parent madenning quality, with, of course, a hint of underlying menace and foreboding.
Feel free to sing along if you can figure out how to match them to the tune. (There ARE a couple of tricky parts in there.) Singing starts at 0:16 on the dot. Enjoy. <3
https://reddit.com/link/1ctbpxz/video/t3g6enlh6s0d1/player
Ta Dah Dum! Roll up, One and all! It's time to have a ball; To laugh and play and learn with us until our curtain call!
Roll up! We mean you! Such wonders still to view! All your circus pals are here, so give a cheer for:
Gangle and Zooble and Kinger too~ Ragatha, Jax and there's Pomni! Woo Hoo! Day after day after day we fly~ Past the Moon and the Sun and we don't know why!
Ta Dah Dum! Roll up! Take your place! Put a smile on your face, for the greatest three-ring act in all of Cyberspace! Nutty and insane! Hold on to your brain! Can't tell what it supplies when you hang out with our guys...
Cain and The Bubble, they never bore~ Where they'll next send you, you're never sure~ Of Fun and Adventure, they're King and Queen! From Friendship and Madness, there is no escape! Know what we mean?
Roll up! Time is near! Hope we've made it clear: No need for an exit, why would you want to leave here? Roll up, Ready, GO! "How come?" Don'cha Know? Cus it's time for The Breathtaking, We're not faking! So worth praising, plain Amazing, Digital Circus show~!

1. Imagery: Prompt: Dive into a character's mind as they recall a significant memory. Use vivid imagery in their inner dialogue to recreate the sights, sounds, and emotions of that moment.
   
2. Metaphor: Prompt: Explore a character's internal struggles by employing metaphors in their thoughts. Compare their inner conflicts to natural phenomena or objects, providing readers with a metaphorical window into their psyche.
   
3. Simile: Prompt: Develop a character's self-reflection using similes to describe their own attributes or emotional state. Compare aspects of their personality or feelings to familiar elements to enhance reader understanding.
   
4. Rhyme: Prompt: Craft an internal monologue where a character's thoughts unintentionally rhyme. Experiment with the natural flow of their inner dialogue, adding a poetic touch to their self-reflection.
   
5. Meter: Prompt: Create an introspective moment for your character with a specific meter in their inner dialogue. Pay attention to the rhythmic beats to emphasize the cadence of their thoughts.
   
6. Alliteration: Prompt: Convey a character's heightened emotions through alliteration in their inner thoughts. Use the repetition of consonant sounds to mirror the intensity of their feelings.
   
7. Assonance: Prompt: Explore a character's internal emotional landscape using assonance. Focus on the repetition of vowel sounds within their thoughts to evoke a particular mood.
   
8. Personification: Prompt: Infuse life into a character's internal struggles by personifying their emotions. Describe these emotional states as if they have distinct personalities, lending depth to the character's introspection.
   
9. Symbolism: Prompt: Integrate symbolic elements into a character's inner dialogue. Have them reflect on objects or concepts that represent deeper meaning in their personal journey.
   
10. Enjambment: Prompt: Develop a stream-of-consciousness moment in a character's inner dialogue. Allow their thoughts to flow seamlessly from one idea to the next without interruption, capturing the fluidity of their mind.
    
11. Repetition: Prompt: Convey a character's inner turmoil through the repetition of a key word or phrase in their thoughts. Explore how this repetition amplifies the intensity of their internal struggles.
    
12. Free Verse: Prompt: Break away from structured thought patterns in a character's internal monologue. Write without constraints, allowing the character's emotions and reflections to guide the form and flow of their inner dialogue.
    
13. Stanza: Prompt: Divide a character's inner thoughts into stanzas, with each representing a distinct facet of their emotions or reflections. Explore how this organizational structure enhances the depth of their self-exploration.
    
14. Theme: Prompt: Have a character delve into their thoughts on a central theme of the story. Ensure that their internal dialogue contributes to the exploration and expression of that theme.
    
15. Tone: Prompt: Shift the tone within a character's inner dialogue to reflect their changing emotions. Guide readers through the character's internal journey by altering the emotional atmosphere as their thoughts evolve.
    
16. Connotation: Prompt: Introduce a word with strong connotations into a character's internal dialogue. Explore the nuanced emotions and associations tied to the word within the context of their thoughts.
    
17. Irony: Prompt: Create an internal dialogue where irony plays a crucial role in the character's self-reflection. Showcase situations where the character's intended and actual understanding of a situation diverge, adding complexity to their thoughts.
    
18. Allusion: Prompt: Incorporate an allusion to a well-known literary work or historical event into a character's inner dialogue. Explore how this reference enriches the depth and meaning of their introspection.
    
19. Syntax: Prompt: Experiment with sentence structure in a character's internal monologue. Use varied syntax to convey the ebb and flow of their thoughts, mirroring the complexity of their inner world.
    
20. Diction: Prompt: Shape the mood of a character's internal dialogue by carefully selecting their inner thoughts. Choose words that align with the desired emotional atmosphere, influencing the overall tone of their introspection.
    

Hi! I have been gifted a juicer (old Model) but am thankful for it! I’m trying to cute down on my sugar so I looked through the sugar free Reddit and there is stuff against juices due to the sugar content I guess. Is that something you worry all worry about with juicing?

11. Postmodern Fairytales:
Freewrite a modern reinterpretation of a classic fairy tale, blending postmodern elements. Consider how the characters navigate a narrative that challenges traditional storytelling conventions and incorporates metafictional aspects.
12. Astral Dystopia:
Write a freewrite set in a dystopian future where societal collapse extends beyond Earth, into the cosmic realms. Explore how a character grapples with the challenges of survival and identity against the backdrop of a dystopian, astral setting.
13. Biohazard Bop:
Create a freewrite featuring a character in a world plagued by biohazards, navigating the challenges of daily life with a lively and rhythmic energy. Explore how the character copes with the dangers and uncertainties through their unique approach to the biohazardous world.
14. Algorithmic Allegory:
Freewrite a story that allegorically explores societal or philosophical themes using algorithms or computer code as central elements. Consider how the characters interact with and interpret the algorithmic elements in their world, reflecting broader meanings.
15. Transcendental Drabbles:
Write a series of extremely short stories (100 words or less each) that collectively explore a character's journey toward transcendence. Capture poignant moments and reflections as the character undergoes a transformative experience.
16. Nanopunk Poetry:
Freewrite a poem that delves into the microscopic world of advanced nanotechnology. Explore the character's perspective as they navigate and interact with the nano-level elements, and consider how these interactions shape their understanding of the world.
17. Cogwheel Sonnets:
Craft a freewrite in the form of a series of sonnets set in a steampunk-inspired world. Explore how the characters and their relationships unfold within the constraints of a traditional sonnet structure while incorporating cogwheel imagery.
18. Esoteric Erotica:
Write a freewrite that explores the sensuality and spirituality of a character's intimate experiences, infused with esoteric and mysterious elements. Consider how the character's connections transcend the physical, entering realms of profound intimacy.
19. Apocalyptic Epigrams:
Freewrite a series of epigrams that capture the essence of characters' lives in a post-apocalyptic world. Explore the emotional and existential challenges faced by characters in succinct, impactful verses.
20. Subterranean Satire:
Craft a satirical freewrite featuring characters navigating an underground or hidden society. Explore the humorous critique of societal norms and conventions, using satire to shed light on the absurdities within the subterranean setting.
Feel free to let me know if you'd like more prompts or if there's a specific subgenre you'd like to focus on!

My flock of cockatiels isn't balanced, I have 3 boys and one girl which causes issues. I can't expand my flock yet but definitely will in the future. So in the meantime to get used to this idea and reassure myself that I'll handle it I'm thinking about their names.
I know I can name them whatever I want but I have a tradition that's very close to my heart. All my animals have overly complicated names, two for each. The first name is important, the second one I choose based on the sound of it. So there's Rebbeca Elisabeth, Aurelius Sylvester and their kids: Frederick Arcadius, Leonard Salvatore, and late Dante Angelo. (Musician, painter and a writer).
I want to name Fred's girlfriend Daphne. After the greek nymph. Yes, I want them to be paired like that because of scooby doo.
I'm worried that Daphne is too short and doesn't follow the theme. My sister also says it will completely change the meaning of Fred's name. She associates him with Freddy Fazbear. I think it would be cute for them to have matching names but I was brainstorming the theme for a month and ruining it would be pretty sad.
Leo's girlfriend would be Ramona. I didn't think much of it at all I watched Scott Pilgrim and liked the name. I think it's pretty and there's a nod to Becky with the R.
Again, I'm worried it's too short. Yes, it's three syllables but just compare it to the rest.
I know Dante is very short and deviates from the theme. I named him Dante because he was a runt and knew he'll likely die so the name still felt powerful and gave me a lot of comfort when I grieved. I added Angelo post mortem, his brothers got their second names months after when I was certain about their gender.
In addition to my ramblings I want to mention that while I don't know how the girls will look like, I want to take girls that know eachother and are tamed, I imagine them as a white face pearl (black and white with spots) and a lutino (yellow face, red cheeks, white or light yellow body). I'm gonna name them after they'll choose their man.
It's also very likely that even though I'm already choosing names for them I'll change my mind once I'll get to know them. They deserve to have names that suit and define them as individuals.

so yesterday was my first day at school and there was this guy who sat infront of me. i was in second desk and he was in first and then also today the same thing he was in first and i was in second. he’s pretty cute and looks nerdy with glasses. the glasses makes him look cuter. and he’s like so padhaku types yk nerds. we had free periods toh woh sirf padta rehta hai when we will just gossip. humara 2-3 bar eye contact hua bas. i have 2 more years with him.🤡 ong excited also i feel like he might have a girlfriend cause he is so quiet and doesn’t talk with anyone so maybe loyalty? ( please don’t have a girlfriend cutie 🕯️🕯️🕯️)