I(22,male) and my girlfriend(22), let our names be A and B. We(A and B) have been together for 4 years and have been living together for 2 years,we have a friend group of 4 people(including us) let the other 2 be X(22,M) and Y(21,F). So, starting from 2022, i had just joined a gym, where me and X became close friends, basically gymbros, this was in February 2022 before that I and B were in a long distance relationship and as the lockdown had just uplifted B also arrived to my city for colle in 2022 feb. So my equation with X had always been amazing (Y isnt in the picture righ now no one knows she exists) so the gym i and X had met in we stay there for 8 months approximately and in September-october X finds a great gym so we decide to change our gyms. (During this my girlfriend also moves in with me) in the new gym X meets a new friend group where he meets Y. Y is a girl who has been gymming since a year when he met her and X is a gym rat so they basically hit it off and X basically starts to ignore me for the new friend group but i never really cared that much because i had understand he wanted to hit things off. Not going into much detail but till January end of 2023 me and X have very rare conversations but we are still friends tho no hard feelings then around valentines things mess up and Y and X stop talking and Y comes in a relationship with a guy (Z) it was basically a very forced relationship but after that X comes back to me starts spending time with me but I never said anything for that matter as I wanted to support him. So then X also becomes friends with B my girlfriend and now its only the 3 of us . I do talk Y seperately because i was friends with Y and rest of the group so it wasnt fair to just not talk and it was just till greeting each other when meeting in gym So even though X kept saying that he doesn’t care about Y but he very much did( also Y after 6 months of being in a relationship breaks up with Z) so me and my girlfriend do our best and we root for them and they are now in a relationship from the (sept2023) Things start to take a huge turn from here as now i and my girlfriend are now close with X and Y we are now a friend group. During the start we give them all the time they need to build their relationship But one day we saw X and Y are watching a movie with some other friends whom we also knew and they didn’t even ask us naturally i and B get sad and indirectly target them through stories ( yes that was very immature of us instead of just talking with them) but their reason was that they didn’t ask us about movie because we just said that we are financially tight but we never dined for a movie infact B was very excited for that movie but still after that argument we get to hear “it was immature of you to put up an instagram story” to which we agreed but we weren’t heard and somehow it was our fault in the end. So after that in the end of 2023 i and B change gym and X and Y do too so naturally we start drifting apart in this timeline there has been many instances where i and B have invited them to our house asked them to hangout but they were never free for us and somehow always managed to hangout with others just to make it clear i and B have no problem with X and Y hanging out with other friends it’s the disrespect we have gone through even after discussing with them what we clearly feel instead of putting up stories we actually talked but it always ended with “you guys are thinking too much” “ it’s not that serious” and never “we are sorry we made you feel this way” anyways my girlfriend B is a veery aware of her emotions person and she wants to cut them both off but I insisted to hold on a little longer. Fast forward to June 2024 till now many instances have happened where i and B have been disrespected and not heard, so we joined the same gym as X and Y, so we asked if they would like to go to the gym with us, they usually go in the evening and we due to certain commitments prefer going in the afternoon, so to the invite they say if they will have their food they will join us, so afternoon in the gym i was waiting for them and guess what they went to watch movie with some other friends and with all the disrespectful events, i got really pissed and decided to block X and Y and so did my girlfriend blocked them! However, i thought that because X has been my friend for a long time i shall meet and discuss and i let him know that you guys have been blocked and then I explained why and we came to a conclusion that no matter what happens between Y and B i and X would remain friends When i met X he had not noticed that he has been blocked so when i met him I immediately said you and Y are blocked BUT HE DID NOT LISTEN anyway after clearing things with X i unblock him and send him a request he then proceeded to dm me and ask “did you block me to i?” I was like yes i told you .X then proceeds to flip out and starts freaking out and says stuff like how could you block me? This doesn’t work like that i am confused as to why this reaction when things have already been talked about in between of the argument he proceeds to involve my girlfriend and says “from the time B has arrived in the city since then you have become like this” and not only says this once but 100 of times and literally starts blaming my girlfriend on the call while Y is on a conference listening. (Even after X including my girlfriend i did not cross the line to include X’s girlfriend in the conversation) But he still has the audacity to say that i and B target Y when not even once we mentioned her. I and B are trying our best to tell them that this is what we were talking about and how you guys are still not listening. But after 2 days of fight they still called us immature for blocking them (when i and B saw no future with them and didn’t see any difference with or without them in our life) so we blocked them and gave them a kind explanation but they still chose to tell us how i and B are immature and whatever we both feel is petty and how they are superior for letting petty things go. Where i and B were just looking to end things calmly X and Y made everything about themselves and things got really ugly till the end. So AITA
NOTE: Sorry for such a long message,it’s the first time posting on reddit, also wanted a safe place to vent out and get good advices.

Hey,
I have been unblocked for three months and we are in non-contact. A week ago, I was curious and looked at his Tiktok account. I just noticed that he blocked me. I don’t understand why, since I’m not blocked on other social medias but only on Tiktok.
I don’t understand his reaction, it's not like him...
what is your opinion ?

ℹ️ For Java (PC/MAC/Linux) players → mc.peacefulvanilla.club [no port]
ℹ️ For Bedrock (PE/Console) players → bedrock.peacefulvanilla.club [port 19132] or add " Nifty Nemesis " as a friend and connect to the server through the multiplayer friends tab, in case neither method works have a look here
ℹ️ Website → www.peacefulvanilla.club
ℹ️ Web maps → www.peacefulvanilla.club/maps
Enjoy a peaceful vanilla experience, with no grief, no pay to win ranks and no PvP outside arenas. Play like you do on single player, but with friends! With no worries. LGBTQ+ Friendly Minecraft Server. The server is based on Java Edition but you can play with Bedrock Edition too! This means you can play with MCPE (Pocket Editon) on iOS and Android smartphones. Of course, you can (and should) play also with the good old Java Edition.Peaceful Vanilla Club is a semi-vanilla virtual reality (VR) friendly server. We officially support the Vivecraft VR mod for Minecraft Java Edition, but the official Minecraft VR version for Oculus works very well too!
✅ No Fast Travel: Wander and Explore!
Say goodbye to teleportation on this semi-vanilla server. No /tp, /tpa, or /warp to shortcut your journey. Discover new and exciting ways to traverse the map, from subways and iceways to railways. Teleportation is off the table, enhancing the exploration experience and preserving the essence of the game.
✅ A Peaceful Place to Unwind
While the server operates on normal/hard mode, it's designed as a tranquil sanctuary. Chill alone or with friends in this peaceful haven. Enjoy the serenity, unless you venture into predefined hard survival areas for an adventurous twist!
✅ A Nostalgic Journey
Relive the golden age of Minecraft on this nostalgic server. A portion of the map harks back to Beta 1.7.3, with darker nights as a nod to the past. Immerse yourself in the nostalgia, complete with a replica of the iconic pack.png. Experience the essence of Minecraft's earlier days.
✅ No PvP Outside Arenas
This is a stress-free server with PvP restricted to designated arenas. Admins define special areas with keep-inventory, ensuring a camper-free environment. Enjoy the game without worrying about unexpected PvP encounters.
✅ Quality of Life Enhancements
Maintaining the vanilla feel, this server incorporates significant improvements without compromising the original gameplay. Experience the best of both worlds with enhanced features that elevate your gaming experience.
✅ No Map Resets: Timeless Terrains
Since its inception in Summer 2019, the server's map remains untouched. Embrace the commitment to a map that evolves with time, providing a stable and continuous world without the need for resets.
✅ Land Claims: Protect Your Territory
Secure your land with a unique block. Claim your space and create a safe haven for your builds. Obtain your first claim block after 30 minutes of playtime, or purchase more at the spawn. Rent, sell, or buy claims to shape the world to your liking.
✅ Player-Managed Economy: Build Your Empire
Engage in a fully functional player-driven economic system. Establish your shop using villagers, rent and sell areas to fellow players. The server encourages entrepreneurial spirit and creative business endeavors.
✅ Playtime Ranks: Rise Through the Ranks
Your playtime matters on this server. Unlock rewards and permissions as you ascend through playtime ranks. The more you play, the higher you rank, adding a rewarding progression system to your Minecraft experience.
✅ Commands and Utilities: Enhancing Gameplay
Enjoy additional utilities to manage your gameplay, including pet management, random teleportation on first join, unstuck features, the ability to sit down, Death Chests, Decorative Heads and more. These command enhancements add convenience to your Minecraft adventures.
✅ Hard Survival Areas: Seek the Challenge
For those seeking a more extreme adventure, enter the Hard Survival Area — an area of severe difficulty. Test your survival skills in this challenging terrain that offers a heightened level of excitement and risk.

Dear Mr. Zuckerberg, Facebook, and Instagram Teams,
I am writing to express my profound frustration and disappointment over an unresolved issue that has severely impacted our business. As the organizer of a family-friendly international film festival, we rely heavily on your platforms to share news, updates, and important information with our audience. However, our attempts to include our business website in any post are consistently blocked, citing a violation of "community standards." This is perplexing, as our festival and its content do not, in any way, violate your community guidelines or rules.
We have diligently reported this issue through your Help Center, adhering to all recommended procedures to rectify what we believe to be an error in your algorithms. Despite our persistent efforts and numerous reports, we have received no responses or resolutions, leading to increased frustration and significant challenges in promoting our events. It is particularly disheartening that while our organic posts are blocked, paid advertisements containing the same web address face no such issues. This inconsistency not only undermines our trust in the platform's fairness but also suggests a potential bias that could be interpreted as an attempt to push us towards paid promotions.
We plead for a fair hearing and a swift resolution to this matter. The blockage of our website on your platforms is costing us both business and money, hindering our ability to effectively communicate with our audience and promote our festival. We believe in the power of social media to connect communities and spread positive, enriching content, and we hope that you will address this issue with the seriousness it deserves.
Thank you for your attention to this matter. We look forward to your prompt and just resolution.
Sincerely,
Festival Director
(details withheld on reddit)

I use Spotify on the Firefox web browser on a linux device, and uBO doesn't seem to work properly, and never has. Every once in a while an ad will attempt to play, and while the audio of the ad is successfully blocked, the music will still pause for a while, and the image of the brand still appears on the right side of the page. The progress bar for the ad displays as only one second, but the progress bar doesn't move for at least a few seconds. I believe the time each ad takes is different each time, though I'm not sure. Often there are multiple ads, and the same thing happens for all of them, the progress bar is stuck for a while, then suddenly moves on to the next ad, no audio has ever played for them. Once the ads are done the music resumes as normal. This has happened ever since I've started using Spotify a few months ago, I've never used it without uBO and always on Firefox. I never minded it before as it usually went very quick, and I believe uBO makes it go faster than it normally would, but the longer I've been using Spotify, the more ads it will attempt to play, and the longer it takes to move on. I can't find anyone talking about this specific issue, and when I look it up everything says that uBO should work perfectly fine on Spotify. Are there any fixes for this? Also I'm not very good with technology or linux, so simpler solutions are preferred, but if I have to I will figure out how to do something more complicated. Thank you

Hey everyone,
I wanted to share an unforgettable experience I had recently. My best friend Akansha and I just graduated from college. We’ve been making the most of our newfound free time by cycling around town and listening to music every evening. It’s been our way of staying connected and enjoying life after all the hard work.
One light rainy evening, I went over to Akansha’s house as usual. Her mom, ever the welcoming host, greeted me with a warm "Come in, Beta." Despite Akansha being a bit under the weather, she was excited for our ride, especially with the refreshing drizzle.
We set off, and the weather was just perfect – cool and invigorating. On a whim, we decided to visit an abandoned lake we’d heard about but never visited. It sounded like an adventure, and we were all about exploring new places.
Little did we know, this lake was inside a long-abandoned estate, rumored to be haunted.
When we reached the lake, we left our bikes and walked to the shore. The atmosphere was eerily quiet, and as we wandered, we stumbled upon something terrifying – human remains partially buried in the mud. Panic set in immediately. We rushed back to our bikes, only to find that all the exits were mysteriously blocked by an unknown figure.
Desperate and scared, we ran into an old office building on the estate, hoping to find another way out. Inside, it was like stepping into a horror movie – spider webs everywhere, old slave rings, and rusty chains. The air was thick with an unsettling presence. And then, we saw it – a ghostly figure chasing us through the halls.
Our hearts pounded as we fled. We found a dark room and slammed the door shut. Breathing heavily, we discovered the room was filled with old documents and journals. We quickly skimmed through them and learned that the estate once belonged to a cruel plantation owner who enslaved and mistreated people. The ghost was one of his victims, seeking revenge.
In our frantic search for an escape, I found a hidden trapdoor under an old rug. We opened it and crawled into a narrow, dark tunnel, hoping it would lead us to safety. The tunnel was damp and smelled of decay, but we saw a faint light at the end.
As we crawled, the ghost's wails echoed behind us, and the tunnel began to tremble and collapse. I realized we wouldn’t both make it out in time. With a determined look, I pushed Akansha forward.
"Go, Akansha! There's no time!" I shouted.
She protested, but the collapsing tunnel forced her to keep moving. Akansha emerged outside the estate grounds, battered and breathless. She ran for help and found an elderly couple nearby who took her in and called the police.
The authorities confirmed that the remains belonged to the victims of the cruel plantation owner. Our story spread, and the haunted lake and our brave escape became a legend in the town.
Though hailed for her courage, Akansha was deeply affected by the experience. As she tended to the garden, she heard a faint cough behind her. Turning around in shock, she saw me standing there, alive and well.
"I thought I lost you," she exclaimed, tears of joy streaming down her face.
I explained that when the tunnel collapsed, I had found a hidden passage that led me to safety. I had been too weak to reach out until now.
Overjoyed at my miraculous return, Akansha and I embraced, grateful to be reunited. We continued our adventures, exploring the world with a newfound appreciation for life and friendship.
Every evening, we continued our bike rides, feeling the wind whisper and the leaves rustle, which reminded us of the bravery we showed together with chilled nerves. Though our shared love for adventure lives on. I'm forever grateful for our friendship and the unforgettable moments we shared.
Until next time,
Ranjit

I wanted to share a project for intermediate HTML designers. I'll include the code and steps for each part. Please let me know if you have any questions!

Step 1: Setting Up The Project

Start by preparing your environment to develop an interactive photo gallery with HTML.
If you want to dive straight in, I'd recommend following along with me using our online coding environments.
We’ll use some JavaScript for this project, so I’d recommend using an online JavaScript compiler to build with. I will also outline the steps for you to create the necessary files and organize your workspace on your own computer.
Just follow these, and you'll have a solid foundation for your project.
i. Choose an IDE or Editor
Before you start, choose an IDE or editor tailored for web development. I favor Visual Studio Code (VSCode).
It's for HTML and CSS and a solid choice if you’d prefer to build on your own machine.
ii. Install Necessary Plugins
If you choose VSCode, consider installing VSCode extensions like "Live Server" to preview your HTML pages in real time and "Prettier" for code formatting.
These tools will make your development process smoother and more efficient.
iii. Create a New HTML Project
Once your editor is set up, it's time to create a new project:

• Open your editor and select the option to create a new project or folder.
• Name your project folder something descriptive, like "InteractivePhotoGallery."
• Inside this folder, create three files: index.html for your HTML content, styles.css for your CSS styles, and script.js for your JavaScript logic.

iv. Set Up a Basic HTML Structure
Open your index.html file and set up a basic HTML structure. Here’s a simple template to get you started:

          
 Header content like a title or a navigation bar 
 
 Gallery content will go here 
    

Here's the compiler where you can try it.
This is the basic structure every HTML project that uses JavaScript starts with.
We've got our DOCTYPE, HTML tag, head section (with meta tags, title, and links to our CSS and JavaScript files), and the body where our content will go.
This basic structure also introduces the JavaScript file linked with the defer attribute, ensuring it loads after the HTML content.
v. Prepare for CSS and JavaScript Development
Make sure your styles.css is linked correctly, and your script.js is set to load at the right time in your HTML file to start adding styles and functionality in the next steps.
vi. Verify Project Setup
To ensure everything is set up correctly, try opening your index.html with the Live Server plugin or directly in your browser.
You should see a blank page with the basic document structure ready to be filled with content.
And there you have it! You’ve successfully set up your environment to create an interactive photo gallery with HTML.
Next, you'll create the HTML structure for your interactive photo gallery.

Step 2: Creating the HTML Structure

With your development environment ready, it’s time to construct the HTML skeleton of your interactive photo gallery.
i. Create the Header Section
The header will introduce your gallery. You might want to include a catchy title or a brief description:

 
My Photo Gallery
 Explore my collection of high-quality images ranging from landscapes to portraits.
 
 
 
  
Caption for image 1
 
 Repeat for other images 
 

This sets the tone and context for the visitors of your gallery.
ii. Set Up the Gallery Section
This main part will hold all your images in a grid or other layout:

 
  
Caption for image 1
 
 Repeat for other images 
 

Replace "path-to-image-1.jpg" with the actual path to each image. Ensure that each image has an appropriate alt text for accessibility.
iii. Include a Filter Section (Optional)
If your gallery is large, consider adding filters to help viewers sort images by categories:

These buttons are set up to trigger JavaScript functions that will filter the gallery based on the category.
iv. Add a Modal for Image Viewing (Optional)
To enhance the interactivity, include a modal that opens when an image is clicked, allowing for a closer view:

 ×  
 
 

This section will be controlled via JavaScript to display images dynamically when clicked.
Here’s a summary of what we've accomplished in this step:

• Structured the Page Content: Created distinct sections like the header and gallery, employing semantic HTML for better accessibility and SEO.
• Utilized Semantic HTML Tags: Used
  ,

  ,
• Embedded Multimedia and Links: Introduced images with descriptive alt texts and dynamic elements like filtering buttons that will later interact with JavaScript.
• Prepared the Document for Styling and Interactivity: By structuring your document effectively, you've laid the groundwork for the next steps involving CSS styling and JavaScript functionalities.

Let’s move on to Step 3 to style your interactive photo gallery.

Step 3: Styling with CSS

Now your HTML structure is set up, it’s time to add styles to bring your interactive photo gallery to life.
We'll focus on creating a responsive layout and designing aesthetic details like animations and hover effects.
i. Include a Google Font
First, choose a font from Google Fonts that complements the aesthetic of your gallery.
For example, we might use 'Roboto' for its clean and modern appearance. Add this to your HTML file within the section:

This link imports the 'Roboto' font, with normal and bold weights.
ii. Style the Header
Begin by styling the header to make it stand out as the introduction to your gallery:

header { background-color: #f8f9fa; padding: 20px; text-align: center; border-bottom: 1px solid #ccc; font-family: 'Roboto', sans-serif; } header h1 { font-size: 24px; color: #333; } header p { font-size: 16px; color: #666; } 

This styling gives your header a clean, professional look.
iii. Style the Gallery Layout
Use CSS Grid or Flexbox to arrange your images in a tidy, responsive grid:

#gallery { display: grid; grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(200px, 1fr)); gap: 10px; padding: 20px; font-family: 'Roboto', sans-serif; } .photo { position: relative; } .photo img { width: 100%; height: auto; display: block; } .photo .caption { position: absolute; bottom: 0; background: rgba(0, 0, 0, 0.5); color: #fff; width: 100%; text-align: center; padding: 5px 0; } 

This grid layout ensures that the gallery is responsive and the images adjust to the screen size.
iv. Style the Filter Buttons
Make the filter buttons interactive and visually pleasing:

nav button { background-color: #fff; border: 1px solid #ddd; padding: 10px 20px; margin: 10px; cursor: pointer; transition: background-color 0.3s; font-family: 'Roboto', sans-serif; } nav button:hover { background-color: #eee; } 

The hover effect adds a dynamic element, encouraging users to interact with the filters.
v. Style the Modal for Image Viewing
Create styles for the modal that displays the full image:

.modal { display: none; position: fixed; z-index: 1000; left: 0; top: 0; width: 100%; height: 100%; overflow: auto; background-color: rgb(0,0,0,0.9); font-family: 'Roboto', sans-serif; } .modal-content { margin: auto; display: block; width: 80%; max-width: 700px; } .close { position: absolute; top: 15px; right: 35px; color: #f1f1f1; font-size: 40px; font-weight: bold; cursor: pointer; } .close:hover, .close:focus { color: #bbb; text-decoration: none; cursor: pointer; } #caption { color: #ccc; font-size: 16px; padding: 15px 20px; text-align: center; width: 100%; } 

This styling will create a dark overlay when the modal is active, focusing attention on the clicked image.
vi. Ensure Responsiveness
Add media queries to ensure your gallery looks good on both desktops and mobile devices:

u/media (max-width: 600px) { #gallery { grid-template-columns: repeat(auto-fill, minmax(150px, 1fr)); } } 

This media query adjusts the size of the gallery cells on smaller screens below 600px.
Here’s a summary of what we've accomplished in this step:

• Enhanced Visual Design: We applied CSS to improve the aesthetics and user interaction of your gallery.
• Responsive Design Implementation: Using CSS Grid and media queries, the gallery adapts to different screen sizes ensuring a good user experience on any device.
• Interactive Elements: With styling for hover states and modal views, the gallery becomes more engaging.

With the CSS styling in place, your photo gallery not only looks more appealing but is also ready for the dynamic interactivity that JavaScript will provide in the next step.

Step 4: Adding Interactivity with JavaScript

With the HTML structure and CSS styling in place, it's time to breathe life into your photo gallery with JavaScript.
This step will involve writing scripts to handle image filtering, modal interactions, and other dynamic behaviors.
i. Implementing Image Filtering
Start by writing a JavaScript function to filter gallery items based on categories:

function filterGallery(category) { const photos = document.querySelectorAll('.photo'); photos.forEach(photo => { const isVisible = category === 'all' photo.classList.contains(category); photo.style.display = isVisible ? '' : 'none'; }); } 

This function takes a category and changes the display property of photos that do not belong to that category, effectively hiding them.
ii. Setting Up the Modal View
Write the JavaScript necessary to open a modal when an image is clicked, and populate it with the correct image and caption:

document.querySelectorAll('.photo img').forEach(img => { img.addEventListener('click', function() { const modal = document.getElementById('myModal'); const modalImg = document.getElementById('img01'); const captionText = document.getElementById('caption'); modal.style.display = 'block'; modalImg.src = this.src; captionText.innerHTML = this.nextElementSibling.innerHTML; }); }); // Get the element that closes the modal const closeButton = document.querySelector('.close'); closeButton.onclick = function() { const modal = document.getElementById('myModal'); modal.style.display = 'none'; } 

This script sets up event listeners for all images in your gallery.
When an image is clicked, it displays the modal and updates the modal's content with the image and caption of the clicked item.
iii. Enhancing Usability with Keyboard Navigation
Add keyboard functionality to improve accessibility and user experience, allowing users to close the modal with the 'Escape' key:

document.addEventListener('keydown', function(event) { if (event.key === 'Escape') { const modal = document.getElementById('myModal'); if (modal.style.display === 'block') { modal.style.display = 'none'; } } }); 

This listener checks for the 'Escape' key and closes the modal if it is open.
Here’s a summary of what we've accomplished in this step:

• Dynamic Filtering: We implemented functions to filter images based on categories, enhancing user interaction.
• Modal Functionality: Set up scripts to handle opening and closing of a modal for viewing images, along with displaying the correct image and caption.
• Keyboard Accessibility: Added keyboard navigation for closing the modal, improving accessibility.

With JavaScript added, your photo gallery is now fully interactive, allowing users to filter images, click to view images in detail, and interact smoothly with the gallery interface.

Step 5: Review and Debug

With the HTML structure, CSS styling, and JavaScript interactivity in place, it's time to thoroughly review your interactive photo gallery and prepare it for public viewing.
i. Testing Across Different Browsers and Devices
Start by testing your photo gallery across various browsers (like Chrome, Firefox, Safari, and Edge) and devices (desktops, tablets, and smartphones):

• Cross-browser Testing: Check for layout discrepancies, font rendering, and interactive features like modal pop-ups and image filtering.
• Responsive Testing: Ensure that the gallery displays correctly in different screen sizes and orientations. Pay attention to touch interactions on mobile devices.

ii. Debugging Common Issues
Address common issues that might arise during testing:

• Layout Breaks: Use developer tools in your browser to inspect and modify CSS in real-time to fix any unexpected layout issues.
• JavaScript Errors: Check the console for any JavaScript errors, and debug them by reviewing your `script.js` file. Make sure events are correctly attached and that elements are properly targeted.
• Performance Optimization: Optimize load times by compressing images and minifying CSS and JavaScript files. Consider using tools like TinyPNG for image compression and online minifiers for your CSS and JavaScript.

iii. Code Validation
Use HTML and CSS validators to ensure your code meets web standards and is free from syntax errors. The W3C Validator is a reliable tool for this purpose.
iv. Test Responsiveness
Adjust your browser window size to simulate different screen sizes or use your browser’s developer tools to test various device resolutions.
Make sure your layout adjusts and looks good on mobile, tablet, and desktop views. Adjust your CSS using media queries if necessary to improve responsiveness.
v. Improve Accessibility
Ensure your page is accessible to all users, including those with disabilities:

• Check color contrast ratios.
• Ensure that all interactive elements are keyboard accessible.
• Use semantic HTML to aid screen readers.
• Include alt text for images.

vi. Optimize Loading Times
Optimize your page for faster loading times:

• Compress any images used without losing quality.
• Minify your CSS file to reduce its size.
• Check that your hosting solution loads your page quickly enough.

vii. Gather Feedback
Sometimes, it helps to get a fresh set of eyes on your project:

• Ask friends or colleagues to review your page.
• Gather feedback on the design, content, and functionality.
• Make adjustments based on the feedback to enhance user experience.

With your page polished and debugged, it's ready for the world to see.
The next step would be to consider how and where to publish it, so let’s take a look at that!

Step 6: Publishing Your Page

Now that your interactive photo gallery is fully developed, tested, and ready, it's time to publish it and look into ways you can continue to expand your skills.
This final step will guide you through the process of publishing your page online.
i. Choose a Hosting Service
To make your photo gallery page accessible on the internet, you need to host it on a web server.
Here are a few popular, user-friendly options that offer free plans:

• GitHub Pages: Ideal for hosting simple, static websites. Plus, it integrates directly with your GitHub repository, making updates easy.
• Netlify: Offers a straightforward drag-and-drop interface for deploying your site and automatic HTTPS.
• Vercel: Similar to Netlify, it provides easy deployment options and is great for static sites.

ii. Prepare Your Files for Deployment
Before uploading your files, ensure everything is named correctly and organized:

• Your main HTML file should be named index.html.
• Ensure all links to JavaScript, CSS, and images are relative and correctly referenced so they work on the web server.

iii. Upload Your Files
Depending on your chosen hosting service, the process will vary:

• GitHub Pages: Push your project to a GitHub repository, then enable GitHub Pages in the repository settings.
• Netlify/Vercel: Drag and drop your project folder onto their web interface or connect your GitHub account for continuous deployment.

iv. Set Up a Custom Domain (Optional)
If you have a custom domain, you can link it to your hosting provider to give your gallery a more professional look:
v. Test Your Live Site
Once your photo gallery is online, visit the URL provided by your hosting platform. Check everything once more to ensure:

• The page loads correctly.
• All animations and links work as expected.
• The site is responsive across different devices and browsers.

vi. Share Your Photo Gallery
Now that your photo gallery is live, share the URL on your professional networks, email signatures, and social media profiles.
Congratulations! You've successfully created and published your HTML interactive photo gallery.
This not only enhances your online presence but also demonstrates your ability to apply HTML, CSS, and JavaScript skills in a practical project.

I really don't want to be labelled a shiller here so I want to preface this a little bit and make this post purely informative rather than sensational. I have no connection with the development team or the community besides an interest. I only found out about this a couple of weeks ago but have been researching it quite a bit and want to share what I found for anyone who is interested.
I know every single day there's a new coin that comes out that everyone is trying to hype and get investors. I'm not encouraging anyone here to buy Kaspa or anything like this - you can't invest in it anyway it's already been launched it was a fair launch either way. I'm only posting because I think what the team at Kaspa has come up with is genuinely super cool and for anyone interested, and that it's worth exploring, doing your own research, getting to know the idea, the implementation, etc and see if it's something you think it's cool as well. For all I know it can tank tomorrow and I'm in no way claiming it's going to make you a millionaire, so do not invest in it.
This is strictly informative.
I also want to say that although I've done a fair amount of research on this coin, it's possible I might be getting some things wrong so please correct me so take everything I say with a grain of salt and confirm for yourself.
So Kaspa is essentially a community project (if you go on the discord you can cast your vote for the direction its going in), and has no business model. It was researched and primarily by Yonatan Sompolinsky (Postdoc CS at Harvard University), Shai Wyborski (Ph.D candidate at HUJI/BGU, quantum cryptography), and a few others.
It basically uses a DAG protocol, which stands for directed acyclic graph. You can think of a DAG as a block-web rather than a block-chain. The DAG has a central backbone that is chain-like, but blocks can branch out from the backbone, and can "depend" on multiple parent blocks - rather than just one. In a blockchain, each block has one parent. In a BlockDAG, each block can have multiple parents. As I understand, DAGs were generally considered a problem as they are almost a pictorial representation of what you don't want. A web of blocks that may not be in agreement with each other. In fact with BTC and other Blockchains, the whole point is to remove any "web-like" structure (orphan blocks) to have just one solid backbone with nothing sticking out of it, making it a chain.
However, at the same time, BlockDAGs solve a lot of issues. They allow for super fast and cheap transactions, and scale with ease. For example, Kaspa for example is capable of securely doing one block per second right now, and can theoretically go higher. I'm not sure how this compares to other DAG coins, but this basically means instant (and cheap) transfers. Which is pretty neat.
There have been attempts to use BlockDAGs in the past, and these BlockDAGs have been vulnerable to attacks. Not all BlockDAGs are the same. The team at Kaspa have been working on a specific protocol they call GhostDAG for what I believe to be nearly a decade. In fact, I think one of Yonatan Sompolinsky's related papers was cited in the original Ethereum whitepaper. Anyway, GhostDAG is a way of creating a secure way to order the blocks in such away that it protects against potential attacks and double spending. It uses a clever way of ranking parent blocks in the web in terms of their trustworthiness.
What I personally find intriguing is that the security of the protocol was actually mathematically proven by them, and you can read about this proof in the whitepaper. It boils down to a "k" value, where basically you choose how secure you want it at the expense of performance. Right now "k" is set to 18, which basically means 18 "parallel" blocks are allowed at any one time. I believe this equates to protection against a 47.5% attack, but don't quote me on that. It gives ample room for fast transactions. In the future, they are working on something DAGKnight protocol, that would theoretically allow for "k" to scale dynamically with change in network latency times, basically auto-optimising what would otherwise be a constant parameter.
There are some other issues that they have ways of solving. For example DAGs can be quite heavy storage-wise, as they branch out, taking up lots of room on a hard drive. But the team have come up with a way of pruning old blocks to make it lighter. I'm not totally sure how that works as I haven't looked into it too much, but this whole thing is explained in detail in the second half of this GhostDAG 101 video. This is a great video but it's 2 hours and quite technical. If you like that stuff, please watch it.
What does this mean practically?
From what I understand, BTC offers a very high amount of security, but it's expensive and takes ages to send money. This makes it impractical for quick transactions, which you might say is why pizza shops don't accept BTC generally. But it's trustworthy due to being proof of work. Nobody wants to spend an extra few dollars for a pizza and also wait 10 minutes - 3 hours for it to go through. So people generally use BTC to "hold value" and move it in large chunks when needed. When we are looking for quick transactions, we generally resort to level 2's or a proof of stake, which is apparently less secure than proof of work.
The ideal is to have a fast, secure, a scalable level 1, and it seems Kaspa has come up with a contender for such a thing. Something that it is the same echelon in terms of security of BTC, but also something you can use easily in daily transactions. If you think of the "ideal" currency, it's decentralised, scalable, cheap to use, fast, and secure. It would seem that before Kaspa, all the coins had some variation of all of these aspects but not all of them.
On that note, if anyone knows another coin that meets all these criteria, please post it below.
Again, don't take my word for this. I'm not asking you to buy Kaspa or anything. If you find this interesting, just do a little research. I thought it was super cool to learn about this technology, and I hope it picks up in the future. If you look up Kaspa, you might find a lot of people saying "LFG!!!" or "to the moon!!!" because they are only looking to get rich off this. That's not the point of this post, I'm looking to grow the awareness of a coin I think has real life utility in the future, and IMO has a solid team behind it with good intentions and good values.
Thanks for reading!

Tackling Your PHP Contact Form Dilemma

Dealing with a contact form that fails to send an email on the first try can be a frustrating experience, especially if you're not well-versed in web development. This common issue often surfaces when customizing templates, where the primary focus is on the aesthetics defined by HTML and CSS rather than the underlying functionality. The scenario typically involves a PHP-based contact form, which, instead of functioning seamlessly from the get-go, requires a second attempt to successfully dispatch the user's message. Such a situation not only hampers the user experience but also poses a significant barrier to effective communication between website owners and their audience.
The root of this problem often lies in the PHP script assigned to handle form submissions. While replacing a non-functioning PHP file with a seemingly operational one from another source might seem like a straightforward solution, the integration process can introduce unforeseen challenges. These challenges might stem from conflicts between the script and the website's existing infrastructure or from overlooked configurations necessary for the script to operate correctly within a new environment. Understanding the technical nuances of this process is essential for troubleshooting and ultimately ensuring that your contact form works reliably from the first submission.

Command/Function	Description
mail()	Sends an email from a script
$_POST[]	Collects form data after submitting an HTML form with method="post"
htmlspecialchars()	Converts special characters to HTML entities to prevent XSS attacks
filter_var()	Filters a variable with a specified filter
isset()	Checks if a variable is set and is not null

Delving Deeper into Contact Form Challenges

Understanding the intricacies of PHP contact forms is crucial for web developers and site owners aiming to provide a seamless user experience. One common pitfall is the misconfiguration of the server or mail function, leading to the initial failure of email sending. This issue often arises from server-side restrictions or incorrect SMTP settings, which are not always immediately apparent. Additionally, the complexity of PHP mail functions can introduce variables that are overlooked during initial setup, such as the need for proper headers to ensure email deliverability. These headers include content-type declarations and MIME version specifications, which help in correctly formatting the email so that it's recognized and properly displayed by email clients.
Another significant aspect to consider is the security of your contact form. Implementing basic validations on both client and server sides is essential to prevent common security threats like SQL injection and cross-site scripting (XSS). Furthermore, using CAPTCHA or similar verification methods can help in mitigating spam and automated submissions, which not only affect the site's performance but can also lead to blacklisting by email service providers. Ensuring that your PHP contact form is both functional and secure requires a holistic approach, focusing on reliability, user experience, and security measures. By addressing these areas, developers can significantly reduce the likelihood of initial submission failures and enhance the overall effectiveness of their contact forms.

Essentials of PHP Mail Functionality

PHP Scripting Language

"; } else { echo "Email sending failed.
"; } }?> 

Debugging the Initial Send Failure

PHP Debugging Tips

"; } else { // Attempt to send email // Include the mail function from the first example here } } 

Enhancing PHP Contact Form Functionality and Security

When tackling issues with PHP contact forms, understanding the flow of data and error handling becomes paramount. The lack of immediate feedback or error messages on the first submission attempt could be indicative of underlying problems in the form's PHP script or server configuration. It's essential to implement comprehensive logging mechanisms to capture and review errors. Such logs can reveal if the script encounters specific conditional blocks that prevent email dispatch, or if server-side configurations, like PHP's mail functions, are not correctly set up. Additionally, optimizing the user experience by providing clear and immediate feedback on form submission status helps in reducing user confusion and improving interaction with the website.
Security measures extend beyond just preventing spam and malicious inputs; they also involve safeguarding the email sending process. Utilizing SMTP authentication for sending emails can enhance security, as it requires valid credentials, reducing the risk of being flagged as spam. Regularly updating the PHP version and libraries to patch known vulnerabilities is another crucial step. Educating oneself on secure coding practices and staying informed about common vulnerabilities can greatly mitigate risks. These efforts collectively contribute to not only making the contact form more reliable but also protecting sensitive data and maintaining the integrity of the website.

Frequently Asked Questions About PHP Contact Forms

1. Question: Why does my PHP contact form not send emails on the first attempt?
2. Answer: This could be due to server-side email configurations, script errors, or incorrect SMTP settings.
3. Question: How can I secure my PHP contact form against spam?
4. Answer: Implement CAPTCHA, use server-side validation, and filter inputs to prevent automated spam submissions.
5. Question: What are the essential components of a PHP mail function?
6. Answer: The essential components include the recipient's email, subject, message body, and additional headers for content type and encoding.
7. Question: How can I add attachments to emails sent from a PHP contact form?
8. Answer: Use the PHPMailer library, which supports attachments, SMTP, and more comprehensive email functionalities.
9. Question: How do I handle form submission errors in PHP?
10. Answer: Implement error logging and user feedback mechanisms to identify and inform about submission issues.
11. Question: Can I use PHP's mail() function with Gmail as the SMTP server?
12. Answer: Yes, but it requires configuring SMTP settings to use Gmail's server, including authentication.
13. Question: Why are emails sent from my PHP form going to the spam folder?
14. Answer: This may be due to lacking proper email headers, sender reputation, or not using SMTP authentication.
15. Question: How do I validate email addresses in PHP?
16. Answer: Use the filter_var() function with the FILTER_VALIDATE_EMAIL filter.
17. Question: Is it necessary to sanitize form inputs in PHP?
18. Answer: Absolutely, to prevent XSS and SQL injection attacks by using functions like htmlspecialchars() and prepared statements.
19. Question: How can I improve the user experience of my PHP contact form?
20. Answer: Provide immediate feedback on submission, validate inputs client-side, and ensure the form is accessible and responsive.

Final Thoughts on PHP Contact Form Quirks

Addressing the challenge of a PHP contact form that fails to send an email on the first attempt demands a comprehensive approach. This exploration underscores the importance of verifying server-side configurations, employing robust validation and sanitization techniques, and ensuring the security of the form against malicious inputs and spam. Key practices such as using SMTP authentication for email sending, implementing CAPTCHA for spam prevention, and providing clear user feedback are instrumental in enhancing form functionality. By adopting these strategies, developers can not only troubleshoot and resolve initial sending issues but also significantly improve the user experience and security posture of their websites. The journey from identifying the problem to implementing a solution highlights the dynamic nature of web development and the continuous need for learning and adaptation. As technology evolves, so do the challenges and solutions in creating effective and secure online communication platforms.
https://www.tempmail.us.com/en/php/troubleshooting-php-contact-form-issues-on-first-submission

I currently have the following firewall setup on Linux:

• block all outbound traffic by default;
• allow only outbound traffic to WG endpoint IP+port
• once it's up, allow all outbound traffic on WG's interface

This works as a passive killswitch, and should prevent leaks even while PC is starting up when WG is not yet up. However, I increasingly am having problems with websites blocking VPN, or forcing me through infinite captchas. For that case, I want a specific web browser application to work outside of WG tunnel, without temporarily exposing everything else to clearnet.
Question is, is it even possible to do? On Linux, "app" is not clearly defined unlike on Android, where split tunneling is easy to do in VPN app.

Me (26F) was asking out in person by a (30M). We were texting all week, I was definitely better with conversation but he would ask about me, never got weird. Today’s our date and radio silence. I didn’t text back the other day because I was out with a dead phone and he double texted. Made plans with me and nothing. I don’t really care but I want to come off like the cool girl that clearly won’t be interested after, but not hurt. Do I block him once the time comes around and he doesn’t text? Do I leave him unblocked and ignore him? Do I respond if he texts and say I’m no longer interested since he didn’t respect my time? Either way I’m uninterested, but I want him to know I really don’t care lol. I may see this man’s friend again at one point so I don’t want it to be weird if I do.

A guy at work was sleeping and dating me for a few months, I found out he had a long distance fiance for 4 months. I had no clue about her till the end. I told her she was upset but then blocked me days later and they're still getting married. I left my old work place but I am still friends with other Co workers there. They told me he was bragging about having sex with me and how he liked the daddy kink and laughed. I shouldn't have but I unblocked him and told him it's weird etc. He said I'm a pathetic cunt etc and to get fucked for telling his fiance. I told him sarcastically not to be embarassed. He said good luck with my love life and I should be embarassed with what I did. I don't feel embarassed for exposing a cheater. Be blocked me. I don't know if he's projecting, I don't know the state of their relationship, but he was clearly thinking about me and/or our sex at least. What I don't understand is why he felt the need to brag or talk about our sex Life to others if he hates me so deeply? What's the reasoning behind it?

TL;DR Was in a situationship where i got blackmailed into sending nudes time and time again and sexting a guy and now i feel paranoid he will leak my nudes and/or never delete them thus ruining my chances with mg current bf.
As the title suggests, me and a guy were involved with one another since we were 16. To cut the story shorter my best friend at the time introduced me to her cousin and it turned into a very bad situation in that we've never actually met in person, yet we've had very sexual conversations often sending nudes, talking about what we'd do to each other etc leading him to blackmail me with my nudes from when i was 16. These nudes have my face in them. If you're wondering why i even entertained this guy, well I had a low self esteem, extremely naive view of love and history of sa as a child.
The part that makes it terrible is how he constantly held our situationship over my head, often threatening to leak nudes until i gave in and didn't leave. We'd constantly block and unblock one another and i finally had enough last year where i blocked him and he has stayed blocked since. I have no interest in interacting with him again as im in a very happy relationship now.
However, a lot of the situation makes me freaked out and often wakes me up at night as I wonder if he'll leak my nudes or try to ruin my relationship. He often would tell me how i can't get rid of him how he'll make sure i don't move on and my future husband will see the filth i sent him. We all (me, the ex and my new bf) come from super religious conservative backgrounds and a leak of my nudes will definitely turn my life around and cause havoc. I'm 90% sure my current bf would leave me. I just need advice on how to get rid of these horrible thoughts, how do i know he won't leak them? He confirmed a while back that he has an app with all of my nudes on which is some sort of secret app. How do I make sure he doesn't leak them? Should I contact him and ask him to delete them (I have tried this before but he refuses and mocks me).

A guy at work was sleeping and dating me for a few months, I found out he had a long distance fiance for 4 months. I had no clue about her till the end. I told her she was upset but then blocked me days later and they're still getting married. I left my old work place but I am still friends with other Co workers there. They told me he was bragging about having sex with me and how he liked the daddy kink and laughed. I shouldn't have but I unblocked him and told him it's weird etc. He said I'm a pathetic cunt etc and to get fucked for telling his fiance. I told him sarcastically not to be embarassed. He said good luck with my love life and I should be embarassed with what I did. I don't feel embarassed for exposing a cheater. Be blocked me. I don't know if he's projecting, I don't know the state of their relationship, but he was clearly thinking about me and/or our sex at least. What I don't understand is why he felt the need to brag or talk about our sex Life to others if he hates me so deeply? What's the reasoning behind it?

One life to live your best life. DoN'T DiE!
Ultra-Hardcore mining for 253 weeks in a row. Yippee Ki Yay, Miner Crafters.
If you die... you can earn a revive back to the Overworld by beating the weekly Sunday competition.
Sundays at 12CT there is also a special Team Competition, going now for 219 weeks now.
Current prize selections could include a revive on the persistent ultra-hardcore world, or an in-game advancement shout-out. Details in the discord channel.
Minecraft multi-player server: gapple.mchost.pro
Direct IP if you prefer 108.181.149.16:26998
Goal: Stay alive and earn the most points doing it.
Score: +1 per minute you stay alive, +1 per experience point you earn.
Examples: killing a skeleton earns 3 points, and killing the dragon earns 12,000 points.
You will start in the Spawn Ship until you are ready to enter the world.
Hold a bone block to see the server's current top scoring players.
Server Rules:
Do we even need to mention play fair and friendly? That should be a given on every server.
Do not use client-side mods that give unfair advantages.
No hacking, xray resource packs, or hacked clients on our servers.
Apocalypse DataPack:
Players killed by a zombie will become a zombie.
10% of skeletons get an enhancement.
Bats bite, and can morph into an illusionist.
Spiders can spin webs.
Ox-Heads defend the pastures.
The Litch kills everything he touches, so repel him and stay away.
Herobrine is a veteran miner, and not to be trifled with.
Medusa guards the Nether. One look at her and you turn to stone.
Your Discord Invite: https://discord.gg/EP5Y9C7
A great summary typed up by Tfin:
This is UHC, but not the UHC you know! Read on to find out what's up here! I'll start with quotes from the MineCraft Wiki: Ultra Hardcore... the main difference being players cannot naturally regenerate health. Like regular Hardcore, players cannot respawn if they die. These are the important points. This is where we're coming from. This isn't one of those 30 minute speed UHCs, or even the collapsing border UHCs of later versions. GatKong created this MineCraft datapack in the spirit of that original UHC season, but made it more difficult with a few additions. On this server, this is how you'll be playing: There are no teams. Free-For-All is the order of business here. PvP is enabled, but you'll need to find other players if that's how you want to win. There's a whole world out there. No borders, shrinking or otherwise. Go see it! ... There are a lot of customizations, So check out the tips and rules. Oh, and have fun!

He makes me wonder if I am the borderline or if he is.... I was done. I blocked him but he made fake numbers and new emails, alt accounts. So I unblocked him so all the calls and messages come from one number. He called me over 61 times yesterday. I finally answered to which he called me a stupid, childish, bitch and hung up on me simply because I told him I wasn't interested in talking right now.

Hi guys,
I've written a blog post about how to improve the azure security posture of the organization. The blog post is at: https://celina.solutions/improving-your-azure-security-posture/
The main suggestions, in addition to attending to the recommendations of azure security center, include:

• Protect your incoming traffic with a firewall. You should ideally leave no resource directly accessible to internet without protecting it with a firewall. Use services like Azure FrontDoor with WAF as a first line of defense and traffic filtering. If possible, keep the number of openly accessible resources as limited as possible.
• Structure your network infrastructure. Do not leave all your resources in one vnet – one subnet configuration. If you can, split your network by implementing hub-spoke network topology. If this is not possible for your situation, at least split resources that need to be exposed to internet (e.g. WebApps, APIs, etc.) from those that usually do not (e.g. databases, storage, etc.) and put them into different subnets. Then implement network security groups and regulate the traffic, who can talk to whom. This way, you will minimize the attack surface and make the attack more difficult.
• Apply least privilege principle everywhere. If something doesn’t work, it will come to your attention, but if a service is more open then needed, it is very likely that it will not be known. Some actions you can take are:
  • Assign the least privileges to resources as well as human users. Then assign more privileges only if needed.
  • In your network, block all traffic first and then allow what is needed. Same for firewalls.
  • In your VMs and containers, block all ports first, then open only the ones that are needed.
• Store your secrets in KeyVaults. Those API keys, passwords, etc., they all should be stored in KeyVaults in encrypted form. Azure KeyVault does an excellent job here. Ideally, also those secrets should be accessed dynamically from workloads and not stored in local configuration files at all. By eliminating secrets from your config files, you also eliminate the risk of them being accidentally committed to a source control repo or leaked somewhere else.
• Encrypt your data, at rest as well as in transit. Configure your infrastructure to:
  • Use disc encryption
  • Use https and secure communication everywhere if possible.
  • Exclude sensitive data from logs (e.g. passwords and connection strings)
• Use Azure Manage Identities. Have all your Azure resources linked with managed identities and assign access privileges by their identity. This way, you will minimize the need for secrets, e.g. your web app should connect to a database using managed identity authorization and not by using a username/password.
• Organize access based on user groups and not individual assignments. When assigning permissions to users on Azure resources, instead of quickly assigning the privileges directly to the user, have proper Azure EntraID groups in place, assign privileges to the user group and then assign people to the groups. This way, it will be easier to manage when people come in or leave your organization

Any suggestions on what would you add to the list, or what would you see as missing there?
Thanks!

My last relationship ended last April 2023. I blocked him in all my social media accounts but he still tried to stay in contact a month after that but when he noticed the feelings wasn't mutual, he stopped and until now, he still haven't gotten in touch, thinking that he is still blocked. But I unblocked him at the start of the year. Of course sometimes I still remember him but I don't know if he also remembers me (I was the one who broke up with him because of immaturity). I was already sleeping when I suddenly woke up because I dreamt of him (out of the blue). I don't know what this means..

My last relationship ended last April 2023. I blocked him in all my social media accounts but he still tried to stay in contact a month after that but when he noticed the feelings wasn't mutual, he stopped and until now, he still haven't gotten in touch, thinking that he is still blocked. But I unblocked him at the start of the year. Of course sometimes I still remember him but I don't know if he also remembers me (I was the one who broke up with him because of immaturity). I was already sleeping when I suddenly woke up because I dreamt of him (out of the blue). I don't know what this means..

TRIGGER WARNING- SA, etc.
It's a very very long story and there's more that I could go on about but- My parents had me young, mom (19), bio dad (21). They separated when I was around 3 or 4 y/o and that's when my dad (19) (that later adopted me) came into my life. When he went to adopt me at about 7 y/o, before sibling 1 was born, they needed bio dad to release his rights; he agreed on one condition from my mom, 'Don't talk to my family anymore, I will handle it'. So he signed, with the additional agreement that he would not have to pay child support, dad adopted me. I ended up with 1 little sibling and I wanted nothing to do with bio dad at this point, he was already out of my life since the adoption. At around 12 years old, my parents started their divorce, moms second divorce. This divorce was completely different. At first, I hated my (adopted) dad but then again, he used to work 3 jobs to support us, only had 1 day off and used it as a "cleaning day" (which I later appreciated as an adult because I had SEVERE allergies, but in the moment I was just like wtf man fr?) From 13 y/o to about 15 y/o my moms at the time bf was sexually abusing me, forcing me to "cuddle" on the couch, he would pretend to fall asleep (in 5 seconds) and touch my non existent boobs and coochie while grinding his boner against my butt until he had enough. I would lay there silently crying until he actually fell asleep, slowly crawl away, and be up the whole rest of the school night, in shock, crying, cutting myself, and writing very depressing poems. He would break open the bathroom door while I was bathing and would try to peep at me in the tub. I'd cover myself under the bubble bath for HOURS until I had no bubbles and the water was cold. I then tried hurting myself even worse but sibling walked in on me. I broke down and thought if I do this, this dude is going to go for my sibling so I'll just take whatever it is to protect them. So I did. I dealt with all the things plus him walking in on me SERVERAL times in my bedroom each time after I'd have a bath/shower (no lock on the door). This guy also apparently would hit, strangle, and rape my mom. I came to find out that he had a record too, he and his brother abducted a 17 y/o or 18 y/o girl, took her to a trap house, raped her in a bathroom with a pole-blood in the tub, sink, toilet, floor, etc. He also was busted because he put a garbage bag over another man's head and lit it on fire-because the man was black. (Dude ended up being dishonorably discharged later on btw) Eventually, she got rid of him, dated a bit, and settled with a new bf, my now step dad of over 10 years. At this point, I was 16 y/o, had a GREAT relationship with (adopted) dad (not so much my mom), and became curious about my bio dad-where I came from, family customs/traditions, similarities/differences, interests, the other half of who I am. I found him on social media, reached out but didn't get a response for 2-3 weeks. Shortly after us chatting, I went to see him (adopted dad and sibling 1 came with). I had 2 more siblings from bio dad, they were a decade or so younger than me, and sibling 3 didn't resemble me much but did with sibling 2 BUT sibling 2 looked so much like me at that age, weird. A short time later, there was a family event by bio dad, I was invited but had no way to get there (about a 6 hour drive from where I was at the time) so his sistemy aunt said she'd take me. She picked me up and I was to spend the night at her house (with my 2 cousins) then we would travel in the morning. I was so excited because I vaguely remember cousin 1 from childhood, apparently we were super close growing up together, I was eager to reconnect and bond with my cousins. When spending the night, cousin 2 went to sleep early (a bit younger than cousin 1 and I), so cousin 1 and I were talking for hours, it was great being able to reconnect/re-establish our relationship...until he kissed me, threw himself on me, tried getting me to touch him as he started to touch me. I said stop wtf what are you doing we are FIRST cousins!! He chuckled and said "We are but we're not" ... "wtf are you talking about?" ... "I'm not supposed to say but your dad had a DNA test done during tour parents divorce and told all of us your mom cheated on him, you're not ACTUALLY his acoording to the test" ... so at this point, I'm disgusted, have so many questions, confused, am in a house of 'family' that I don't know/don't believe that I am family-I went to sleep. Next day we traveled to see bio dad and after the event I asked him and step mom about it and also mentioned that because of this cousin 1 tried "xyz". Bio dad's response to the DNA-"Your mother had the DNA test done and it said I was not your bio father, she probably lied/gave me a fake test so I would stay out of your life." I went to my mom and questioned her, she said "Absolutely not, you know your (adopted) father and I don't talk so you can even ask him to verify that I'm not lying. I have no idea about anything that has to do with a DNA test, we never had one as he (bio das) was my first and we got married then I was prengant with you about 3-4 months after getting married." I asked (adopted) dad and his story lined up perfectly with my mom's. So bio dad lied to me and his entire side of the family to save face. He lied to all of them because his agreement of giving up his rights to me and not having to pay child support would not have been supported by his side of the family so he told them I wasn't his and supposedly provided a (fake) test so they'd get off his back about it. My grandfather from him said he saw the test-but there was no test! Beyond fucked up man...but whatever. I still wanted a connection. I wanted to leave the bullshit in the past and move forward right? So, fast forward a bit, I was in a 3 year (3 out of 3.5 year) relationship with a TRUE P.O.S. bf that was physically, mentally, emotionally, and verbally abusive. We lived together for 3 years out of our 3.5 year relationship. He was addicted to porn, would call me a bitch every single day amoung other things, ended up raping me and thought it was funny, would hit, kick, choke me (not in the good way), and push me off the bed but then say "You think I want to be like this?! You think I want to do this to you?! Hurt you?! You're making me do it, it's your fault because you have issues." I wasn't "allowed" to talk to my guy friends because they're guys (and I didn't have many girl friends at all), especially my best guy friend that I grew up with and had known since 3 y/o. Bf would isolate me from my families even. At work, I only would talk to my guy friends/male co-workers if bf wasn't there otherwise he would ignore me the whole shift and be brutal when we got home (yeah, we also worked together for a bit over 3 years). I then found out that bf went on the dark web and watched a man kidnap someone, rape her, murder her, and proceed to rape her corpse...my bf was getting off on it! He even said he went back on the next night to do it again but site was blocked. FUCKING PSYCHOTIC. I could go on and on about his craziness. I was his 3rd virgin btw and at work we had a "work daughter" (was so close to that girl, she was 3 years younger than me, 5 years younger than bf and I used to go to her (when bf didnt have same shift as me) crying and telling her everything that would happen with him, so she knew all the shit he did). I was scared he was going to kill me one day, I was scared to stay, scared to leave, all the stupid things and all I wanted was consistent love. We did end up breaking up a few months after I turned 21, he ended up dating our work daughter and took her virginity too! He also did all the shit to her as he did to me! I felt bad for her at first but then thought no you dumb fuck, you knew EVERYTHING you were getting into smh. Anyway, I went to a family event for bio dad, bf was working, they wanted to meet him; we set up lunch for the following day. Bio dad said he was going to give bf the "talk" yk...with the shot gun type of talk. I said I don't feel comfortable with that because firstly, it's not his place, I have my dad (adopted), secondly, bio dad even agreed that we more so have a friend relationship at this point, and third, I've already been with bf for 3 years so it's not appropriate. He got REALLY salty the morning of the meet. We were coordinating plans and everything when he said along the lines, "We haven't seen you in person for almost 2 years now yet you always have time to go out...etc.etc." I responded, "The two times that you have seen me post that I was out, I was across the street from work. I went there for about 2 hours both times with bf and co-workers. I cannot drive 6-8 hours to you and 6-8 hours back in the same day. I work two full time jobs and am going to college online full-time. I'm sorry that I'm making you feel this way or that I've been distant but I try talking and seeing you all (on Skype and such) as much as I can. I don't know what else you want me to do or say at this point. That's why I'm excited for this meet up today. You also could have put in the effort to come out this way these last two years to visit me as well, but again, I'm sorry. I hope you all aren't mad at me, I'm really trying here." He then tells me "I'm going to have to cancel lunch today. I don't think meeting today is a good idea. Now I'm going to have to tell your (LITTLE) siblings that you don't want to see them today since you never have time for us and have basically disappeared from our lives these last 2 years." Aaaaand that's when I ✨️lost✨️ my shit and popped off 🙃 "ME?! I'm the one that disappeared?!?! How fucking dare you say that. How fucking dare you try to do that to them and me. YOU disappeared from MY life at 4 years old, LIED to the entire family (they still questioned if I'm "there's" or not, even had received the comment "Even though you're not ours, your ours because we've known you since a baby" and only 1 of bio dad's parents is still somewhat in touch with me to this day btw) I didn't see YOU for 12 YEARS of my life! I reached out to YOU, I have been the only one making an effort to keep the line of communication open and going and even after all of that plus my explaining that I work TWO full-time jobs plus full-time school, you still have the nerve and audacity to make me the bad guy and say I'm the one not trying here?! YOU are going to continue to LIE and tell MY siblings that I don't want to see them when that couldn't be further from the truth?! I'm going to tell you this ONCE, YOU blew your first chance of staying in my life when I was a child, now you're blowing it a SECOND time with me as an adult; there WILL NOT be a third time. I WILL NOT subject myself to this nor do I need your added stress. I WILL NOT allow you to do this to me EVER again. If my siblings or even step mom (or that side of the family) want to be in contact with me-I will gladly accept that but YOU are DEAD to me. Don't talk to me, don't contact me, I want NOTHING to do with YOU anymore, sperm donor." ... no response ...every couple of years after that I got a "happy birthday" or "merry christmas" here and there but I never responded. It's been a few years with no interaction from him. I just miss my siblings. I got so attached to them and I miss them, I tried staying in contact through video chats but they were still fairly young at that point so it was difficult plus having him or step mom in the background sometimes was awkward. They're now getting a bit older, sibling 2 is turning 18, sibling 3 will be 16. We have each other on social media but don't talk and very very VERY rarely interact with likes on posts. I'm afraid to make the first move, I don't want to push anything, I don't know what bio dad has been feeding into their brains about me, etc. My relationship with them will NEVER be as close as with my almost 21 y/o sibling 1 from (adopted) dad, which I can accept, I absolutely love my sibling 1 that I grew up with like nothing and no one else; I practically raised him tbh. But I do think about the other 2 siblings, I miss them, I just don't know if I should respect unspoken boundaries or make the first move? What do you think? And lmk if you want more of these batshit crazy stories that I've went through (tbh I'm probably going to post another seeking advice on another subject). ✌🏻