Killer Grips: Anne Maria, Brick, Jasmine, Justin, Millie
Screaming Gaffers: Chase, MK, Ripper, Scott, Sky
Episode 7: The Chefshank Redemption
"Last week, the dry desert heat baked our favorite pardners like roadkill on the black top! But, crispy bottoms or not, they still had to mount their ancient steed… from a hundred-foot platform!"
“But that wasn't all. A calf-roping contest had the teams lasso each other. When Trent threw challenges for Sky, she gave him a much deserved talking to, which led to some Total Drama from Justin. Well, poor old deputy Trent found himself hitching a ride on the 3:10 to Loserville.”
"With ten remaining, it's anyone's guess who will win this week!" The camera now showed the cast trailers, with nobody in sight. "Will the Gaffers manage to win again?" the host asked as the shot moved to the team of five, loitering together beneath a tree.
"Or will the Grips even things out?" Chris asked next as the shot cut to the team of five, all sitting outside at a picnic table.
"It can happen!" Anne Maria said.
"Right," Chris said in a close-up before smiling at the camera. "See for yourself, next, on Total! Drama! Action!"
(Theme Song)
The episode properly opened on a scene of the morning sun, a lilting tune playing as the camera panned down and over to the cast trailers. The sound of snoring could be heard as the shot zoomed further in on the boys' trailer, and cut inside to show the boys all in the beds they'd picked at the start of the season, though Justin was in the middle of a facial while a fan was blowing on his nails.
An air horn was sounded loudly as the shot zoomed in on Chase, who woke up with a snap. The focus switched to Scott, who opened his eyes and rubbed them before Ripper sat up and yawned.
"I call dibs on the bathroom!" Chase said after he got out of bed, rushing to the door of the trailer. The scene cut to a close-up of the handle as he grabbed it and pulled to no effect, leading him to frown and try pulling with both hands, still with no results.
Chase then saw Justin still in bed. "Can you help with this?"
“This is day 12 of my manicure!” Justin replied. “To risk any more cuticle damage would be madness!”
"I'll open the door if you can't," Ripper told Chase as he stood next to him. “I have more muscle than all of you wimps.”
“By all means, go ahead and give it a try,” Scott encouraged insincerely.
Ripper grabbed the handle and pulled to the best of his ability, but the door remained closed. "I can't open it. We're trapped."
Confessional: Ripper
“I'm pretty much the strongest of my brothers," Ripper told the confessional camera. "In my school, I'd usually have to rip open lockers so I could either stuff somebody into it or take money. I'd usually get weeks of detention for that though."
Confessional Ends
“Why did they even trap us in here?” Chase complained as the scene cut back to the guys' trailer.
“They probably want us to fight each other to see who'll come out on top,” Scott theorized.
“We should find a way out instead of doing that,” Justin argued. “My hands have just been manicured.”
The camera cut back outside as the scene panned over to the girls' trailer, and the camera cut inside to show Millie jiggling the girls' door handle.
"I don't know how I ended up inside this trailer when I slept in a tree, but we have to open the door," Jasmine panicked as the scene panned over to her. Anne Maria and Sky were sitting on the lower bunk next to her.
“I'm pretty sure they snuck you in here while you were sleeping,” Anne Maria said. “And why are you so worked up about this?”
“I have claustrophobia, and I hate being in tight spaces,” Jasmine said.
Millie gave up pulling the handle. “This thing is jammed. I'm not able to get it open.”
"So we should try a different exit," MK walked past the bunks and pointed up at the ceiling. The other girls looked up as well and the camera followed their gazes, stopping on an emergency hatch.
"One of us should be able to squeeze through it," Sky noted and tilted her head down at MK.
“Uh, why are you staring at me?” MK asked gruffly.
Confessional: Sky
"I'm not happy to see Trent leave this early," Sky confessed. "He did do some questionable things in the past few challenges, but I thought he could get better after our talk. Regardless," she looked at the camera with determination, "I have to not let this affect my game now that I'm competing without him for the first time, and we are still together, unlike me and Keith."
Confessional Ends
"You should be the one to do it," Sky told her petite teammate. "You are the smallest one here."
MK furrowed her eyebrows. "I don't like being singled out because of my height, but for the sake of escaping this trailer, I'll excuse it." The techno looked back up at the hatch. "I will need a boost though."
"I'll help you get up there," Jasmine offered as she walked over to the girl. "My height will definitely come in handy."
The scene flashed back over to the guys, showing them looking up at the hatch.
"So obviously, we need someone to fit through the hatch and open our trailer," Scott deduced.
"Count me out," Ripper huffed. "I'm too heavy to fit through."
“I'd do it, but I would need more people to climb up through,” Justin said. “This would be a lot easier if Brick was here.”
“Speaking of which, where is Brick anyway?” Chase asked aloud.
The scene cut over to the craft services tent before flashing inside to Brick standing in the kitchen wearing a pot as a hat while Chef stood next to him in his drill sergeant uniform. "Okay maggot," Chef said. "I'm gonna ride you 'til your confidence coats the back of a spoon and your self-respect forms stiff peaks!" He showed the cadet his reflection in a cleaver and said, "No more War Child Brick. Watch and learn." He used a knife to cut a banana, a can, a bitten apple, and a boot into pieces.
"What is that?" Brick wondered.
"Taste perfection, boy," Chef poured the sliced items into a pot and served a spoonful to Brick, who cringed in disgust. "What you're tasting is pride, son. The most important virtue in a man's life. Now stir that pot!" the cook ordered before storming out.
"If Chef wants pride, then I'm going to give it my best effort," Brick talked to himself as he stirred. "What he gave me was an order, and I always follow orders."
The scene flashed back to the guys' trailer, cutting inside as Ripper placed himself in a fighting position with his arm folded and sticking out in front of him.
“Are you sure you want to do this, Ripper?” Justin asked in concern.
"Of course," Ripper said. "All I have to do is show that door who's boss by bursting through it!" Moments later, he charged across the room, yelling at the top of his lungs.
The door opened outside just before Ripper reached it, and unable to stop himself, he flew outside, past a smirking Chris wearing a police uniform, and landed next to the girls who had already gathered outside their own trailer.
"Hope you all enjoyed your first taste of the gulag," Chris said as he walked over to them, the other boys coming out of their trailer and joining the group.
"Gulag?" Anne Maria asked as Ripper stood up and dusted himself off. "What even is that? Food?"
“Gulag means prison, not food,” Sky pointed out.
"Correctamondo," Chris told her. "Because today," the camera quick-panned to a prison set with high walls rimmed with barbed wire and several wooden dummies in prison uniforms set up in a courtyard, "is Prison Flick day!"
The castmates groaned.
"Ah, prison," Chris continued. "The confinement, the claustrophobia!" he said, getting excited as he began to pace back and forth in front of the unimpressed contestants, a tense tune building up in the background. "The vile, nasty food! And you're always lookin' over your shoulder, 'cause Mr. Killer Dude wants to cut ya for takin' the last tater tot! And no matter how hard you try, digging out spoonfuls of dirt, year after year, there's no escape!"
"Unless you get voted off, of course!" he added plainly.
Confessional: Chase
“As if this place wasn't prison-like enough,” Chase muttered. “Now we have to actually live like criminals. It won't surprise me if in a year or two, Chris gets locked up for teenage abuse.”
Confessional Ends
"Lockdown, people," Chris said with a grin as the footage cut back to him in the interior of a prison lit by a handful of stage lights. "Let's get this challenge started!" The shot pulled back, revealing the teams standing across from each other next to tables filled with a variety of cooking dishes. A covered cart sat near the hot, and in the background were a pair of cages.
"Teams, take a prisoner from the competition," he told them in a close-up as footsteps were heard in the background, "and Chef,” Chef arrived on screen in his earlier outfit, "I mean Warden," the host corrected with a wink. "Lock 'em up."
The shot cut over to the Grips. "Okay," Justin whispered as the five huddled, "we have to pick the weakest member of the other team."
“We do have to weigh our options,” Millie said. “Chase once told me that he swallowed ten bugs into his mouth in under a minute as a dare, and Scott and Sky have strong stomachs as evident in the eating challenge from last season.”
“Ripper doesn't seem the type to chuck out what he eats, so we're picking MK,” Jasmine decided.
The shot cut over to the Gaffers' huddle. "Obviously, we need to pick Millie for this," Scott suggested. "She's less likely to handle gross food."
"I would say Jasmine since she's less likely to go through being locked up because of her claustrophobia," MK said, "but using someone's fear against them would make me look bad."
"Looks like we have a choice," Chase finished.
"Choices?" Chris announced suddenly. "Gaffers?"
"We choose Millie," Sky announced, causing the writer to groan.
"Grips?" Chris followed up, taking a few steps to the other team. "Now remember, this is an important choice. Whoever gets the upper hand here could win the whole challenge!"
"Because of that," Brick announced, "we're picking MK." The techno girl gulped.
"Today's first game is," Chris announced as he walked back over to the covered cart, "the Prison Chow-llenge!" A few deep notes played as he grabbed the cover and whipped it away, revealing the stinking, rotting, half eaten food lying beneath. "Each team of prison chefs whips up the foulest, nastiest, most barf-inducing slop this side of Alcatraz," he explained as the camera moved in for a close-up of the 'food', then cut to a cringing Brick and a again to a somewhat surprised-looking Anne Maria.
"Millie and MK have to stomach as much as they can," the host explained. "Last one to power-hurl wins!"
"Technically, this isn't an actual prison," Millie said as Chef herded her into the cage closest to the Grips. "If I was, I'd be protesting how unfair my “arrest” is."
"That's what some of them say," Chris told her with a smile as the door slammed shut and the camera pulled back, showing that MK had been locked up as well.
Confessional: Millie
"I'm not exactly hyped for this," Millie confessed uncertainly. "With the exception of the Brunch of Disgustingness, I'm not the kind to eat gross food, and I don't plan on doing so in the future, but since I've already been nominated, I might as well just suck it up."
Confessional Ends
The camera panned across the Grips' table, showing only a handful of dishes filled with unidentifiable mush. "This just keeps getting worse and worse!" Millie said as she looked at it in horror.
"The reward better be worth it," MK said from her cage.
"Have I ever let you down?" Chris asked before quickly adding "Wait! Scratch that!" He smiled before continuing. "Anyway, the winning team gets this!" He held up a golden shovel, which gleamed in the light.
"A shovel?" Millie asked skeptically. “Seriously?”
Confessional: Jasmine
"Given what I know about confinement cells, I think I know what the next part of the challenge will be," Jasmine told the confessional camera. "If it's digging, then we have to believe that Millie will pull through for us."
Confessional Ends
"Prisoners ready?" Chris called from between the two cages. "Aaaand, culinate!"
The host continued his rapid commentary as the Gaffers were shown making their first moves around a large bowl of something brown. "Ripper goes right for the roaches. Chase tops it off with some moldy pineapple slices and oh! Here come the horse lips!" The burly boy dropped his ingredient into the bowl and walked away while the daredevil stuffed the pineapples into the bowl and grabbed some horse lips in order to add them in.
Sky approached the table from the other side. “Where did you even get these things?” the athlete asked.
"I found some leftover pineapples from the beach party," Chase told her before they left the table.
“Gross, but effective,” Sky said.
Scott arrived with his wife beater taken off and in his hands. “This oughta be good,” he snickered as he twisted his cloth and squeezed out all the sweat into the bowl. After doing so, he put his wife beater back on his bare chest.
The camera cut over to the Grips as Justin took some dead hair out of his pockets and put them into his team's bowl. "Looks like Justin is sacrificing some of his dead hair," Chris commented as Jasmine stepped forward with a cheese grater and a moldy onion, "and Jasmine adds a topping of ripe onion." The Australian woman quickly grated the onion and walked away as Anne Maria walked up to the bowl.
"Remember," Brick whispered to the Jersey girl, "we're trying to make the food gross, not tasty."
"I know that, which is why I'm throwing out these expired lip gloss," Anne Maria said as she took out two sticks of lip gloss and put them in the bowl, followed by her using her spray can on it.
"Time's up!" Chris announced suddenly and with a grin. "And jailbirds, hope your appetites are primed!"
"Hope you're not feeling queasy today," Jasmine said with a smirk as she delivered her team's bowl of white-and-moldy 'food' over to MK.
"Here is what me and my team put together," Chase said as he walked past to take a bowl of something mostly brown to Millie. “Sorry if it grosses you out, babe.”
"This looks," Millie said before gulping, "uh, incredibly...not so bad..."
"Are you maggots ready?" Chris asked excitedly. The shot cut to a close-up of maggots squirming beneath the white mush, the camera zooming out to show a horrified MK. "One minute to down that chow! Aaaaanndd...Dig in!"
The hacker took a spoonful of prison food and forced it into her mouth, cringing and shuddering immediately.
Confessional: MK
"I don't even know how the contestants could go through the Brunch of Disgustingness without dying last season," MK admitted in the make-up trailer. "I clearly don't have the iron stomach for this challenge, even after eating Chef's grossening excuse for food for two seasons."
Confessional Ends
The footage cut back to Millie as she hesitantly plunged the first spoonful into her mouth. She swallowed it whole and moaned. "What did you even put in this? Anchovy paste?"
"Not gonna answer," Ripper snorted cruelly.
Millie took another spoonful, and after a pause, she opened her mouth and pulled out a moldy pineapple slice. She shuddered again and flung it away from her.
A quick-pan over to MK showed the short girl forcing her way through her own meal. "Don't think about it," she said with a disgusted grimace after a swallow. "Do not think about it!" She took another bite, shuddered, and swallowed.
Seeing her struggle, Scott quickly conducted a plan. "Wow, who knew Millie had such a strong stomach?" he said to his team. "Especially after I squeezed all of my sweat into the bowl!"
“What?!” Millie's eyes went wide as she dropped her bowl of food to the ground with an off-screen splat. She vomited moments later, in a stream that hit a stunned MK in the head.
"MK keeps it down for the Screaming Gaffers," Chris announced over a piece of triumphant music, "and wins the reward!"
The Gaffers cheered, Sky holding the golden shovel in her hand.
"Hey Chris, can I throw up now?" MK asked as Chris let her out.
"As long as you don't get any puke on my hair and below, go right ahead," Chris told her.
"Cool," MK said, holding her stomach as she walked out of her cage. The moment the host left, she turned around and grabbed the side of her former cell, and puked right into it.
"Are you gonna be alright?" Sky asked as she and Scott walked over to her.
"Yeah," MK said after she turned around. "I was just waiting for Millie to puke her guts out."
"And because of me, she did it much faster," Scott gloated. “My sweat came through for us.
“You didn't need to say it out loud,” Sky told her teammate. “That was sort of cheating.”
"You say cheating, we say getting an advantage," MK said before getting queasy again. "Now can you excuse me for a sec?" Without waiting for a response, she turned back around and puked again.
The camera cut to Chef on another part of the set. "Sir, we may not have won," Brick said as he ran over to the cook, "but I can take pride in the fact that we created a meal that even you wouldn't eat."
"You've still got more to learn!" Chef shouted.
“Pardon?” Brick grew confused.
“Pride and two bucks will get you a cup of coffee!” Chef said. “What a man really needs is loyalty, and you clearly came through for your team. If it wasn't for the sweat thing, you would've won!”
“Thank you?” Brick said confusingly.
Chef placed a hand on his shoulder. “I was once like you. Young, weird, kinda ugly. But you've got a gift. Now own it. Don't let it go to waste. Like I did,” he sniffled and returned to his gruff state. “Meet me in the kitchen after the challenge. You're on permanent KP duty, soldier,” he said as he left.
Confessional: Brick
“I had no idea Chef could show empathy towards me, and though I don't like going against my morals by doing this secret alliance, that was the highlight,” Brick said with a smile.
Confessional Ends
(Commercial Break)

I’m probably posting into the void but I wanted to create a discussion on how we could improve each skill and gather ideas. I was inspired by the survey to give some ideas on how skilling could be improved.
Philosophy around the revamps: I would like to see skilling be both more fun and more useful. I personally believe we should have both afk and active skilling methods. This allows people to play how they prefer and not feel burned out from being too bored or having to focus on one thing for a long time.
Please add more ideas or add to the ideas below!
Agility training method: Agility Dungeon: Filled with traps, obstacles and timed. Faster completion means bigger xp drop. How to make agility useful: More shortcuts in the overworld. In combat and boss battles, damage could be mitigated by chance of dodging a trap in the boss arena.
Archeology: Well made skill, continue to add more archeological sites.
Cooking: Time to become a master chef! Increase to 120 and add more complicated dishes. Instead of just cooking a lobster, add some butter, lemon, herbs. Takes longer to create each dish but higher xp. Uses: these new dishes will both heal and buff, such as temporary increase damage. They will also have a tasty rating where higher cooking makes it more likely to cook tastier dishes.
Construction: Player owned house rework needed or just scraped and replaced with a more useful idea. I would be happy to see the houses removed at this point.
Crafting: Crafting ranged and magic armour more In line with levels. But also the ability to create mods for armour and jewellery for combat buffs rather than the masterwork route of mining and smithing rework. Could also be reworked to modify skilling outfits to buff skilling activities as well.
Divination: This has both an active and passive skilling method. It isn’t the most fun skill but hard to come up with how to make it fun.
Farming: Love POF, more content and animals.
Fishing: new method- Big Fish: Similar to fish flingers but in the overworld, more involved fishing where you gain more xp for fishing larger fish. Larger fish could work with cooking for increasing tasty rating of dishes. Update when we have a new region with some new fish.
Firemaking: I personally enjoy accidental firemaking. Would love to hear some creative ideas like this rather than just more logs to burn.
Fletching: Again same as firemaking I think accidental fletching was a good direction. Creating more useful bows and improving level scaling is important for this update. Creating modifications see armou weapon modifications below.
Herblore: I am happy with current herblore. Ironman issue: Getting number of herbs can be tedious. A new way to gain herbs outside of combat and farming would be good.
Hunter: More creatures to hunt, would love to see this expanded in the next new location added. A more involved skilling method such as Ken it hunting, which involves tracking down dangerous creatures. Croesus mushrooms are already satisfying afk method.
Mining: new ore and 120 skill
Runecrafting: Runecrafting is one of the most needed revamps in my opinion. I would like to see a brand new training method rather than just increase in xp rates. The namesake of Runescape is runes. I feel like they need some love. Possible new skilling method: New alters added to be used for new spells/spellbook. Instead of just having everything created through the abyss, reward players for exploring the world and going to the alters themselves. We could spend more time in the alter, where we might need to power it up before we create the runes. This would mean we would make more runes per trip but also get a bigger xp drop per trip.
Smithing: modifications new metals 120 skill
Thieving: Heists: It’s time to rob a bank, add heists in museums and banks across RuneScape. You have a limited time to steal as much as you can from a building and get out. This could be a good post 99 method as I think we are a bit above pickpocketing now.
Woodcutting: More trees! Better levelling curve.
Armou weapon modifications: My concept around this is to modify equipment in a similar way to invention however it will have different uses. For example, add scope to bow means the range of bow is greater with an increase to accuracy, but a decrease in speed. Certain weapons and armour will have modification slots. This brings some more options for boss drops as well, dropping loot that can be used in an artiisan skill to create weapon specific modifications. This could add a new dimension to loot and combat.

From Struggle to Viral: My Journey I'm taking on a new challenge! After working to revive two struggling channels, I'm starting fresh with a third. And I'm inviting you to join me on this journey to make it go viral and earn $100 from it. The Process

• Brainstorming topics that resonate
• Scripting and editing with precision (all done solo!)
• Crafting strategies to achieve rapid success
• Overcoming hurdles and sharing my learnings (with you)

The Plan First, I'll create a batch of 30 long-form video ideas to fuel my channel's growth. I'll share my progress, frameworks, and approaches with you every step of the way. Get ready for tomorrow's update! ── theSufian

Just watched Premalu and i wanted to write out my thoughts, esp regarding all the films that came out this year.
Film has always been a passion but something I've yet to consider as something i dive into professionally. At a point in time i'd spend all my time consuming and studying film, was basically my whole life. As i got busier this slowly slipped away and i was in a creative draught for years. Couldn't engage with the craft the way i used to, any ideas i was getting felt dry.
And then I watched Manjummel Boys in the theatres.
Sucked my right back into the world of cinema, felt like a flip went off in parts of my brain that've been collecting dust for so long now. Missed Premalu in theatres but watched Aavesham recently and had what has to be the greatest theatre experience i've ever had. The attention to detail on the writing, screenplay, visual comedy, editing, and of course the acting had my jaw on the floor (when i wasn't rolling on it from laughing my ass off).
And now, just finished Premalu and the ending moved me far more than i thought this cute rom-com ever could, couldn't explain why.
The inspiration and energy these movies gave me is indescribable, the urge to drop everything and commit to making art hitting harder than ever.
Much love to all the people behind these works of art and I cant wait to explore more of what Malyalam film has to offer (Bramayugam next!)

Share your creative ideas!
Content: The holidays are right around the corner and that means its time to start thinking about gifts. But why spend a fortune on store-bought presents when you can make your own? Whether its a personalized photo album, a hand-knitted scarf, or a crafted candle, DIY gifts show more love and thoughtfulness than anything store-bought. What are your go-to DIY

[post content]-I love to make homemade candles and other crafts on my own. It feels so satisfying to create a unique product thats all yours. What DIY projects have you tried out recently? Any tips or favorite blogs to follow for inspiration? Lets help each other out and share some ideas!

I have a server that has been running for over a month now, it has a few mods like Base Builder Plus etc, and all seems to be working ok.
I have updated my types.xml file to increase the loot table, and this worked flawlessly, however, as time goes by, items do not appear to be replenishing, and i have no idea why. has anyone experienced this? is there anything i can do to remedy this?
for example, i have checked the table for svd's, fal's and M79's as an example - none are spawned on the server at all, although they were intially. here's an example of my types.xml

20
28800
3600
12
30
80
100




Additionally,
My globals xml also has the following attributes changed


Would really appreciate some pointers if possible.

Why did the farmer visit the pharmacy? To speak with the farm-assist.
Hi and welcome to my post! Wanted to start off with a funny to me dad joke.
Nice to meet you, I'm Dylan! To put it simple, I am a single 22 year old man who has been pretty lonely in life and lacking in female connection and interaction. And part of what comes with that is the desire to be intimate with a person. I am very mature for my age and will always be respectful of your boundaries and feelings, especially with anything sexual. Lately all I have is myself when it comes to sexual desires, so I would like to have someone to keep company with in that regard too.
I'm just relaxing at work since there's nothing really going on and thinking about going home tonight and burning a woodwick candle. Perfect for when there's a storm outside. I love candles! 🕯️ Sometimes a campfire outside on a fall night or a crackling WoodWick candle is a relaxing constant among our busy and hectic world. It's nice to just disconnect, feel grounded and happy in your own little cozy space. Feeling calm and collected and at peace. Something that fewer people take the time to do these days.
I am seeking a woman around my age or older to build a close connection with that could possibly lead to a relationship and something intimate which includes the possibility of teasing/sharing pics etc. but only when we were comfortable. Figured I would be open in my Intentions as that's the best way to be.
You:
Kind, respectful, and easy going.
Comfortable with the idea of eventually sharing intimate things together.
Willing to eventually move off of Reddit.
Want something genuine and fun!
Are honest in your intentions and a good person to be around!
That's about it, we will get along great I know it.
I've been feeling a little bummed out lately. I always try and stay happy and see the best in things. But.. I've just been so alone. Most of my whole childhood and adult years have been spent feeling lonely. I grew up surrounded by cornfields which was peaceful but also has a lonely aspect to it. My family never really were close and never did anything as a family really. And part of it too is the fact that I never had any neighbors my age to interact with. But aside from that, my adult life has been very lonely. I'm just always by myself. I barely have any meaningful adult relationships or experiences, or even any friends.
I work a 3-11 job in building maintenance at my company world headquarters building which I love, but again it's very lonely. I work the off shift so the building is always empty. I don't get normal social interaction with people my age or a chance to build relationships. I only have 3 older men as co-workers and we are mostly in the basement away from any people on the floors from knowing our existence. I always walk the floors and see office people laughing and chatting with their coworkers and I just don't have that kind of experience. And just.. no one knows I exist really. Everyone probably assumes I have a lot of friends, but I'm struggling inside with being so alone and trying to meet people and get past the "hi how are you?" "I'm good thanks" stage. Most people don't seem to want to talk beyond that. And most women are already in relationships and thus it would seem weird to approach them in an office setting trying to get to know them deeper. But man those "hi how are yous" are the only real interactions I get during my day.. so thus I decided to come here lol. Rant over, sorry! I promise I'm not a downer. 😅
Now for some things about me!
As you can tell, I am very mature for my age and am polite and have good grammar which unfortunately not everyone my age does anymore lol. I am not active at all on social media/internet culture really and don't know much about all the slang the younger people these days use. I feel like I'm 50. 🤣
I am left handed which is pretty cool. I'm not much of a party person or a drinker, I much prefer a quiet night at home and maybe a beer or two on a weekend but that's about it. I am simple and stay out of drama and trouble and don't get much into politics or other things that cause drama with people. I much prefer a relaxing campfire and a night at home and to just let the world keep on turning haha. I consider myself pretty intelligent and mature, especially for my age which is why I'm open to older ladies.
Physically I'm 180 pounds, have brown hair, green eyes, and a typical build. There's a few pictures on my profile.
Some of my hobbies are:
• Photography
I have a Nikon D200 and D5500 that I love to shoot with. I love nature scenes, abstract, black and white/goth kinda photography, sunsets, etc. it's so fun to just let your mind explore. It's not about what camera you have, but those who are behind the camera! I'm gonna try and photograph the northern lights tonight!
• Cooking and baking
I loveeee to cook and bake! I enjoy making various meals but also love to just have a frozen pizza once in awhile or something like that. I recently made homemade chili which turned out great. I love to bake, especially in the fall! I love pies, cakes, pastries, cookies, etc. I restored a vintage KitchenAid mixer that needed tbe gearbox rebuilt. Eventually I would love to practice home canning my own food.
• Music
Oh my gosh, I like so much!! Alternative rock, punk, post punk, electronic, synth pop, psychedelic rock, hard rock, etc. I am very non judgemental and open when it comes to music. My three current favorite bands are Type O Negative, Joy Division, and the Cure.
• Nature walks and camping
I really enjoy camping, making fires, and relaxing by a campfire. I love to take walks outside and just enjoy the beauty and simplicity of nature. It's wonderful, especially in a world so focused on everything digital.
• Repairing things
I'm a maintenance guy and one of my hobbies is electronics repair so I am good with my hands and just all around good at troubleshooting and fixing all sorts of things around the house. Last week I helped my elderly neighbor get his tractor started, it needed a new component in the starting circuit. So I'm pretty handy which... Comes in handy! 😂
• Autumn 🍁
This isn't a hobby per say, but man do I love the fall!!! It's my absolute favorite time of the year. Oh my gosh. The beautiful colors, crisp cool air, misty and foggy days, rain, lack of bugs, being cuddled up with a candle or by the fire drinking a tea, etc. I love it! There's only two seasons for me. Fall, and waiting for fall! Haha.
• Scented Candles and incense
Going along with my love for fall, I absolutely love candles! I have like 30 something lol. 😂 Currently my favorite are WoodWick, which are owned by Yankee candle. They have such a soothing crackle and the scents are great! I also love to burn incense from time to time as well. I have cottagecore hippie vibes.
• Old houses and architecture
I love old houses! Especially 1900s and Victorian era homes. Old homes have so much character to them and are just so beautiful from a time when people took pride in their craft. I strongly dislike the modern cookie cutter cheap construction of homes today. I would love to live in an old home one day. I also love their architecture and uniqueness, as well as architecture of old cathedrals and other buildings.
• Relaxing
Basic I know, but sometimes on the weekend I just love to get cozy in bed and relax and put on a YouTube video or an album! 😊
That's about it for me, I'm a pretty laid back and simple person. My ideal person is someone who is respectful and honest! I am very straightforward and open minded and would hope that you are as well.
If I seem interesting to you at all I would love to hear from you!
Thank you so much for reading.

Former Colorado Buffaloes PG KJ Simpson declared for the draft and is 100% committed: https://twitter.com/KSimpsonJstatus/1778862077618118765 Simpson committed to Arizona out of high school as a four star recruit but decommitted after Sean Miller was fired and chose to play for Colorado. He was on the Pac 12 All Freshman team as a rookie, Second team All Pac 12 as a sophomore, and First team All Pac 12 as a junior, averaging 20/6/5. Advanced metrics and impact stats ranked Simpson as a top 5-10 player this past season in college basketball.
Simpson measured in at 6'0.25 w/out shoes at the combine. 6'4.5 wingspan which is solid for a smaller guard. He's 6'1.5 or so in shoes which is close to what he measured in at Colorado. He's a small guard but plays with grit and toughness. He tested well athletically....agility and speed at pluses for him and he can also elevate quite surprisingly at times. He's a below the rim finisher overall but he can elevate with time/space and when he can really load.
Although he's fast in a straight line and extremely shifty, he's doesn't have tremendous burst in the halfcourt offensively, nor is he elite laterally defensively. But he uses craft and timing to play quicker than he is on the offensive end in the halfcourt.
Simpson has some of the most shake as a ballhandler in this class. He has a very tight handle and can handle in tight spaces, can break double teams, has tons of different counters, fakes, combos in his disposal, can drive with both hands, hesitations and in-and-outs that get defenders off balance...awesome at the hostage dribble, rising up and drawing fouls behind his back or creating space to finish at the basket, misdirections. He is one of the best PnR ballhandlers and playmakers in this class...really has a sixth sense of understanding pacing. He's fantastic at snaking the PnR and creating looks for himself or making plays for his teammates....he hits his teammates in their pockets. From the perimeter and the post. Cutters, shooters, dump off men...you name it. Scoops, bounce passes, baseball passes, cutters, skip passes, lobs. He's got a lot of different tricks in his bag and really slings the ball around the floor. Creative and hits tight windows on time. Elite out of bounds passer, consistently finds the big or a cutter for easy baskets and/or fouls. He'll hook guys arms and draw fouls on them in the PnR. You can't rush him as a creator or playmaker. He finds gaps, he probes decisively, and he makes plays.
Simpson is one of the very best outlet passers in this class. He loves the hit ahead pass. He's awesome in transition. His speed is a force in transition. He always keeps his head up. Maintains full court awareness and has amazing timing as a passer. Not just the timing but the accuracy and the ability to make dimes with both hands and the versatility as a passer. His understanding of what kind of pass to make depending on the circumstance. The pass itself and the touch and direction of the pass. He's a great ball mover and the kind of passer who thinks a pass ahead---he often makes a pass with the idea of creating an open look with the next pass by a teammate after that. He passes teammates open, makes very quick reads and is an awesome processor, which makes him an great playmaker.
Simpson does take risks as a passer and will turn the ball over, which will come with the territory of his style of play, but only had a 14% turnover rate which is an overall good number for someone who is fairly ball dominant.
He likes the up and under and he loves the behind the back baseline move. He uses misdirection dribbles a lot to surprise defenders and rejects screens. His timing and craft allow him to play quicker than he is and gain a step often but not always in the halfcourt. If you can hang with his initial moves, he's simply not big enough and doesn't have the explosiveness to create enough separation to finish cleanly around the rim. His touch around the rim isn't incredible for a guy who's a fantastic shooter, he misses bunnies around the rim or doesn't display very good accuracy on touch shots at the rim. He does have very good touch on his floater and diversity...can use both hands, he changes the flight of his floater depending on the circumstance, and he's someone who can stop on a dime from full speed and has fantastic body control with the floater. He will use the jump stop and he has pretty long range with his floater. His all around rim numbers were not anything to write home about this season and never were in college. He plays strong, and will use his strength to muscle balls up at the rim and create contact or finish through contact. He has ball fakes, head fakes at his disposal. The hostage dribble keeps guys on his back. He got to the line 5 times a game which is a great number for a 6'1 guard and made 88%. I think that's a part of his game that will translate at the next level, but his raw finishing will likely never be a strength of his. His ability to pressure the rim is an important trait for any smaller guard to have, however, and makes him an all around scoring weapon and offensive force.
Simpson is an awesome pull up shooter. That helps alleviate concerns surrounding his finishing. He's got fantastic balance and footwork as a pull up shooter and he can rise up on a dime which makes his shot very difficult to contest. He was an elite shooter all around this year, after being a mediocre one his first two seasons in college. He really worked hard on his jumper during the summer of 2023 and it paid off. He's got great mechanics as a shooter. His mechanics as a shooter are very clean, with a quick trigger. He is an elite PnR pull up shooter. He doesn't need much space to fire. He simply does an expert job of creating space for himself as a shooter in the PnR and actually using the big to his advantage on ball, and he will screen himself and create open shots for teammates which is what the attention he requires opens up for teammates. He will make fantastic reads as a passer as he's coming off screens out of DHO's.
He is one of the better off ball movers in this class. He's a great cutter, that lulls defenders to sleep and quickly dives to the rim and loves to cut to the rim with his defender navigating traffic, he is great at relocations off ball, he flies off screens on the perimeter, and he's always ready on the catch. He's one of the best C&S guys in this class. He's always on balance and square to the basket. Simpson shot 44% from 3 on 5 attempts a game and has very deep range; he's someone that extends a defense far from the basket with the range he has.
He loves the pull up baseline in the midrange. He sells the drive with his final step before rising up. He makes shots over contests. He can occasionally have pull ups blocked because of his size. He is very good at feeling the defender, and either spinning off their body or simply deftly stepping back and quickly rising up and hitting pull ups in the midrange. He likes the turnaround pullup around the FT line and the elbows, or quickly taking it to a defender and pushing them back, which doesn't allow for them to be able to recover when he pulls up. His game winner against the Gators was on such a baseline pull up; the decisiveness he plays with forces defenders to play on his terms.
Simpson averaging 6 rebounds a game at 6'1 is so impressive. It's cliche, but he really does have a nose for the ball, an innate sense of where balls will be off the rim off misses and he gobbles them up in the air. He's willing to mix it up in the trees for rebounds. He pursues boards. It's a fantastic ancillary trait to have that compliments and enhances all the other things he does so well. His ability to grab and go and make plays in transition as a passer or as a transition 3 shooter makes his defensive rebounding abilities a real weapon for him and his team.
Simpson is a bit of a mixed bag on the defensive end. He has some really good possessions of ball denial and ball pressure and being a pest. His agility testing at the combine does lend one to believe he can be a pest as an on ball guard going forward and he showed moments of that, picking up full court and forcing steals, or in the halfcourt sticking to his man and forcing tough shots. But he wasn't consistent at all in doing so, and he gave up a lot of dribble penetration.
His effort on the defensive end comes and goes. He's just not elite laterally overall. Guys who quickly take it to him off the dribble and force him to really react quickly can burn him. He can navigate screens but very regularly took circuitous routes and died on screens too often. He ended up either out of position or simply late to contest when he did so. Went under screens, and allowed open 3's, but also allowed drives when he didn't work hard enough to get back in front. He does a great job anticipating passes; causing deflections and outright thefts. He intercepts a ton of passes. He likes sneaking up behind ballhandlers or guys in the post and tying them up or forcing balls out of their hands. He's active in passing lanes and breaks up passes. He does a good job suffocating ballhandlers on traps. He averaged 1.6 steals a game but think that belies his ability a bit in this area.
He's too small to contest most shots and he loses focus a ton on defense and ends up behind plays. He will get back cut although he's not as bad as other teammates at Colorado were. He does battle hard on post switches. His overall defense wasn't anything to write home about while in college, and he likely never will be a great defensive player because he just doesn't have the tools, but he wasn't a liability this season. Less offensive load should help his defense but he doesn't have a very high ceiling on this end.
KJ Simpson is entering the NBA as one of the most polished offensive talents this draft has at his position. You could say at any position. He can score and make plays for others on or off the ball. The questions surrounding his size, defense, and ability to finish/pressure the rim at the NBA level, is what has some wondering whether he'll be able to stay on the floor at the pro level. He was one of the best performers during the combine scrimmages the last two days. There are not many guys as skilled as he is in this class, and I think he will find a way to make it work.
Are you all Thumbs Up, Down, or Across on KJ Simpson?

Warning this is a long one. If anyone has seen Gilmore Girls, please picture my grandma as Emily Gilmore because I seriously don't know how they were able to capture my grandma so accurately.
This morning, I (22f) had what feels like a huge blow out with my grandma (74f) over text this morning. For a big background, I am my grandmas only living descendant. My birth mother died when I was 3 in a car accident, and she was my grandmas only child. My mother struggled with bipolar disorder and was in an abusive marriage with my father. After she died my grandparents attempted to get full custody of me and the result was visitation under grandparent rights. The court petition is available online and can be found by searching my full name, which is so great for me. Obviously, there was bad blood between my grandparents and my father. I grew up in the middle, scared to show that I loved my grandparents but also slightly distrusting of them because the stories they would tell me were different than what my father would.
I have tried to set boundaries with my grandma in the past. She calls me by my dead moms name occasionally. I ask her not to, she still slips up and does. She's inviting me to go to my moms grave, I don't feel comfortable doing that. She makes me feel guilty about no one putting flowers on their graves when they die. She's convinced I'm bi-polar despite me having been tested 3 times and being diagnosed as not bipolar. She will make passive aggressive comments about not only my but my boyfriend (23M) of 4 years weight and stretch marks. I've told her that we both struggle with eating disorders. After graduating I went from being 120lbs at 5'7 (underweight) to being 190lbs (overweight) in 4 years, some of the weight gain was healthy then the past year and a half I've put on the majority of it, becoming unhealthy. The past year and a half I have also had severe mental health struggles. I have ADHD, depression, and anxiety. I struggle to do a lot of basic things. I was seeing a therapist but then my insurance changed so I am trying to find someone new. I am on medication. I am actively getting help.
My grandma will call me 20 times in a day regularly. She'll text me more than that. When I haven't answered she has called my boyfriend at his job. She will harass my boyfriend and demand to know what I do every hour of everyday, despite him being at work apparently he's my babysitter. It is negatively impacting our relationship because he feels he's being forced into a parent role. She ruined a job interview for me one time because she wouldn't stop calling during it. I am terrified for her to show up unannounced. Luckily we live 4 hours away from each other, so I think I have a safe enough buffer. However, every weekend for the past month she has been trying to come and stay for the weekend.
Now on to the main confrontation/issue. My grandmas mom, my great grandma, offered to give me 1k a month so I could focus on finishing my degree (after this semester I have a semester & then a class left.) My only condition was that I focused on school. This morning my boyfriend sent me a text that said I needed to talk to my grandma as they were withdrawing their financial support. He sent me screenshots of their texts, I am going to transcribe them best I can without making this post too long. I feel like its getting long already lol.
GM to BF: We'll pay for her therapy. She needs talk & medicine. Her psychiatrist should do both. But the monthly 1k, so she doesn't have to work while she's getting the rest under control hasn't helped her. I'm afraid it has given her too much time alone, which is bad for her. I've worried that helping her not to have to work was a bad idea. She does much better with interaction. Maybe encourage her to come over, or take a trip with me during the next 3 weeks (my summer classes start). She needs interaction. She was much better in high school because she was so involved.
BF to GM: Will do, she has been looking at getting a summer job.
GM: Doing the monthly may be hurting more than helping. She wasn't even successful with her classes, even without the outside job. I THINK she would do things if she was here. Crafts, cards, all the extended family. Right now we're just paying her to stay home and read. I don't think the 1k will continue. It was for her to do her classes without having to work through December.
BF: I'd text her and mention that. You should talk to her SPECIFCALLY about losing the 1k.
GM: But it didn't work so why would we still do it? Classes were supposed to be her job. She completed 10 of 18 hours. She didn't do her weekly progress reports and didn't send us her finals. Never once. If that was her "job" paying her weekly, and anyone else as her boss, would she still have that job?
BF: I don't have that answer. I can't speak for her on those things.
GM: You know the answer is no. This is not helping her. This is a face to face conversation. Her story is not what I know to be the truth as I related to you.
GM: I know she lost her scholarship and just isn't telling us. I'm sure she's not proud of it. I told you earlier, that I knew she was in a bad place. That was when I needed to help her. Not after it was too late. She just said there was a cap on the amount of scholarship and she's used it. She's getting a student loan to finish. I'm proud of her for doing that instead of asking us. BUT, what I've pieced together is what I said earlier. And her loan is because she has to pay back the scholarship and tuition going forwards. Right now is the best time for her to transfer(to a college where she lives.) I knew we were in trouble when she sent me a photo of a stack of books she checked out from the library. I had zero time to read books when I was a college student, and I didn't have a job in addition.
BF: While that may be true, you also were in different classes. It's good for her to have time to do things she likes when she's not in class.
GM: I had a social life with other people. I did not stay isolated. She does well with others. Alone drags her down. Just like her mom. A powerhouse when she's involved. Depressed and anxious when she's alone. She's become totally reliant on you. She's lost her independence and drive. I know its flattering you want to be her savior, but for different reasons, its crippling for both of you.
BF: I don't want to be her savior. I really don't.
GM: Rescuer
BF: I really want more than anything for her to be self reliant so we can both lean on each other. I just know at the end of the day I will always support my girl.
GM: That's best but she has to let go & stand up. Develop a broader network to build strength, You are her core! Like a center pole in a tent. Now she needs the other stakes to have the support.
I took 14 credit hours this semester and I only dropped 1 class that was 2 credit hours because I could take it in the summer and lighten my load. I passed all my other ones with As & Bs. I misspoke to my grandma about my scholarship. I told her it was 5k and then I was out but in actuality it was 20k, 5k per semester not total. I've used 4700 so far. That still doesn't explain why she thought I had lost it but ya know. I see my friends at minimum once a week. I have 6 close friends I regularly see. I text with them daily. I grab dinner with them. I game online with them. I attend class 2 times a week. I only see my boyfriend 2 nights a week and on Sundays, and we LIVE together.
My grades conveniently became available online at the same time this conversation was sent to me. So I took a screenshot of my grades and sent them to my grandma.
OP to GM: Here are my grades. I also sent them to grandpa. Thanks so much for believing in me, not. You are the last person I want to see or talk to right now. BF showed me everything. When I am read to talk I'll let you know.
GM to BF: I cannot believe you did this. Now she is furious with me & won't talk to me. I told you that in confidence. You need to fix this. That's not good things for her to know out of context.
OP to GM: Actions have consequences. The consequence of your action is that I am not speaking to you. If you continue to message BF, I will be blocking you on his phone. Not only today, but previously, has been highly inappropriate. I am NOT a child. I do NOT need babysitting. I do NOT need rescuing by you. You are NOT my savior. Stop trying to be.
GM: *Long message trying to re-explain how the messages were worded.* I told BF you're smart and a powerhouse! I just want to see your independent spirit and get you there again. I am your biggest supporter. You're misinterpreting this.
OP: BF screenshotted everything and sent it to me before I ever said anything to you. I don't know how reading exactly what you have been saying about me is misinterpreting things. Please stop messaging me.
When I was in high school I was awake from 6:00am-2:00am. I was in 10 clubs/sports, all honors classes, I was starving myself, I slept less than 4 hours on average. I was a walking zombie that was living off a strange energy that being starving & sleep deprived creates. I was miserable. I was depressed. I was anxious. I only had time for friends in school. If you didn't have a class or lunch with me, you never talked to me. I struggled with school work at home because my adhd. I was not a powerhouse, I was fighting to survive everyday and I feel like I used up every piece of energy I'll ever have then.
This is where we left off. I feel guilty confronting my grandma about it, and feel like I should apologize. But like I said to my BF after he got upset with me for him being in the middle:
Its an incredibly overwhelming relationship that has baggage older than I am which has been put on me my entire life. It has been like this my whole life, except that until I was 18, I was the middle. I know it's a lot, but this is how she is. She is an intrusive controlling and manipulative person, while it may from from a place of care, she still is those things. Herr loving me and being kind to us does not take away the hurt and pain that she causes me. It is not care and love when there are stipulations to that care and love. She's constantly weaponizing my dead mom's mental illness against me. She wants to send me money so I don't have to work and can focus on school but when that actually helps me then I'm not nearly busy enough for her liking. She's also creating a hostile environment where I can't express if I am struggling because then it'll be "I told you so" and then I'll have to drop out of school because they'll stop providing financial support.
So reddit, AITA for confronting my grandma about her texts to my boyfriend?

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Hello hello! Hope everyone is doing well! I am back here today on my search for a like minded partner, someone who's easy going, laid back and friendly. I want to create a beautiful and long term roleplay with you!
A little about me. I am a detailed and experienced roleplayer (8 years), meaning I can be crafty and descriptive. I also love to make new friends so let's talk OOC too (actually this is a requirement, please be friendly and conversable). Building a healthy chatty relationship will make it easier and nice for us to roleplay. We could get to know each other better, discuss roleplay more and drive it to our likings and more. Lastly, I like to play on Discord sooo.... Have it I guess?
I like to craft plots with my potential partner, including both of our interests to make it juicy! It also helps us to get to know how much compatible we are, our likes and interests, etc. I also like to send refrence pics for the character and outfits, it just brings more life to the roleplay!
Now, I am going to leave some tropes that interest me and you can message me from any you like!
Married Couples, Arranged Marriage, Childhood Friends, Enemies To Lovers, Friends to lovers, Co-workers, Roommates, Classmates, Love Triangle.
I am probably forgetting some, but feel free to hit me up with your choice!
My ideal slice of life roleplay would be to include nice, warm, wholesome and lovey - dovey moments into the play. I really want something pure in it, I want to be smiling while roleplaying about this. The idea of two characters being so into each other, looking out for each other in their tough times, that magical touch of love into the play (if you know what I mean). Like the perfect romance, the "these two are meant for each other. These two are goals!" factor is what I am looking for. Along with that some drama, angst, twists and turns to just make it into a Netflix worthy (is that too dramatic? If so, pardon me!)
That's all!
While messaging me -

• Please don't be 1-2 liner, like "Hi I am interested, Hi are you still looking". Ik you are interested and that's why you texted. Secondly, I am looking for partners as long as my post it up. I normally delete the post once I've found a partner.
  
• Stay away if you ghost literally without a cause. Seriously, it's really immature and cheap. I don't even want to get started about this. I get reached with really nice responses and then end up getting ghosted, I simply don't get why put such efforts discussing and typing such nice responses, if the true purpose is to ghost? So if there are any problems, let's talk it out like adults, I don't bite.
  
• I will literally ignore and block one liner commenters who ask me to dm them.
  
• I only rp with people around my age (18-25), so please be around that age. Don't be under 18 (and please don't lie about your age, I've faced such people).
  
• Won't respond to new accs either, too shady.
  

Lastly, bring a prompt if you have one! I'd love to hear out :). I promise if I like it, I'll contribute my bits and pieces, or as I mentioned, the story creation is on the table!
So then! Message me with more than a "Hi I am interested, are you still looking" and let's proceed further!

TLDR: how do we get our 3.5 year old to poop in the potty instead of pull ups?
I have heard this is mostly an issue with boys but girl moms, please offer any wisdom you have! I’ll take any and all advice.
We (mostly) potty training our now 3.5 year old last summer. He pees in the potty consistently and hasn’t had an accident since October. However, he refuses to poop in the potty. He holds his poop until evening when he knows we’re going to put him in a pull up overnight and poops then. We then give him a fresh pull up overnight. He then poops again in the morning within a few mins of waking up. He will then take off his sleep sack and PJs and picks his clothes for the day. He usually poops in either a standing or squatting position.
We know he controls when he poops but he flat out refuses to poop in the potty - we’ve tried a big and little potty. This stresses my husband out and he is convinced our son will go to kindergarten in 3 years still unable to poop in the potty 🤦‍♀️ I’m not worried about that but still want him to learn sooner rather than later.
When we had our second 6 weeks ago my husband decided that during his 2 week paternity leave it was the right time to tackle him pooping in the potty even though I tried to tell him it wasn’t a good idea. He spent 2 weeks stressed and trying to coerce our son to poop on the potty any way possible (reading, watching the show of his choice, the promise of a new desired toy, etc). Of course our son successfully pooped on the potty once (and was heavily praised and rewarded) but has since refused to even try.
This week is his last week of “school” (daycare) until the fall so my husband really wants him to get it this summer. I think we should continue to offer him the opportunity to try it multiple times a day and assume he will get it at some point. Husband thinks we should be more aggressive in making him try. So now I’m trying to figure out what might work because my husband being stressed about it stresses me out and I just want to make it through summer with both kids without spending insane amounts of time batting a stubborn 3.5 year old.
Things that we have tried/have happened that we thought would be motivating but have not been: - knowing all of his friends at school poop in the potty - knowing all of his cousins, aunts, uncles, etc poop in the potty - showing him how babies (like his newborn sister)poop in diapers (or pull ups) but he is a big boy who can poop in the potty - having him skip the pull up overnight so he wouldn’t have that safety net of just being able to poop in the pull up (NOT doing this again because I hated going from nursing a newborn in the middle of the night to comforting a distressed 3 year old who woke up covered in pee and need Mama to help him go back to sleep, to back to nursing the newborn) - accidentally pooping in his underwear once and talking about how it was an uncomfortable mistake but in the future he can poop in the potty - trying to convince him to poop in his pull up while sitting on the potty or even standing near it (flat out refusal to go near the bathroom or have the little potty brought to him)
Please give me any suggestions you have - how have you gotten your kids to poop in the potty?

BLUF: SoD Phase 3 is the first time in five years my guild has been on the cusp of ending our Classic WoW journey; there are many variables behind this fall-off, but the main driver is “lack of reasons to engage” with SoD individually or as a guild.
SOME BACKGROUND: I've been the MT, RL and GM for the same Classic-focused guild since 2019. Our guild is a true “dad guild”, many of us have known each other for years, and we’ve cleared every piece of classic raid content at a “respectable pace” raiding 2 days a week, 3 hours per raid. Near the end of WotLK/ICC, we agreed that we would not continue into Cataclysm and focus on SoD as it would be a nice change of pace and we all loved the idea of a Classic WoW “reset”. During Phase 1 and Phase 2, we easily fielded multiple 10-man raids (minimum two, sometimes three per reset) with a mix of mains, alts and some regular PUGs every reset.
CURRENT STATE: Phase 3 we’ve seen a drastic drop off in interest. This is the worst case of raid logging I’ve ever seen – majority of our core raid group is now logging out right after the raid, might log in once during the week to refill consumes and WBs, and then won’t log back in until raid night. While our core is strong and we have a roster of 23-25 raiders, we are now consistently having to find 3-4 PUGs each week because absences continue to climb. Most shockingly, finding PUGs has even become a chore; all of P1, P2 and early P3, I could toss a message in LFG and immediately have a handful of PUGs to choose from. Now I’m lucky if I get two hits in 30 minutes on a primary raid night, and we don’t even list any experience requirements – the interest just isn’t there.
WHAT WENT WRONG (in order of importance):
1) Raid Loot – this has been the biggest factor in raid engagement drop-off for us. Simply put, ST raid loot table is severely lacking in upgrades. Once everyone got their 3-piece and crafted shoulders, it came down to premium weapon upgrades and even those were lacking. Other than the fist weapons and maybe the SP trinket, there are no other “highly desirable” loot drops in ST. There is almost zero incentive to clear the raid for those that love seeing their power level increase each reset. Most of us are still sitting in a mix of crafted and level 40 Gnomer gear because it’s just as good.
2) Weekly Reset – I still don’t understand the decision behind a weekly reset of ST. Even at 20-man, the raid only has 8 bosses and takes even average guilds between 1.5-2 hours to clear. 3-day reset was fine and drove up engagement throughout the week. It also incentivized more alts as we would have interchanged mains/alts depending who needed upgrades and who was near full-BiS.
3) Dungeons – Wild Offerings were the primary driver for heading into Mara, BRD and ZF in early P3. However, once everyone got their 2-3 WO upgrades, that was it. The dungeons do not provide any real value unless you skipped phase 2 and are looking for a few specific pre-BiS upgrades.
4) Incursions – this has been covered ad nauseam but I’ll give my take. For our guild, the issue with Incursions wasn’t the influx of gold. It was the DRASTIC gap in XP gain per hour and availability of solid lvl 50 rep gear. A) The amount of XP gained was so good there was no reason to go into the open world with your friends, B) the full set of lvl 50 gear you could get at honored minimized/replaced the need to enter dungeons for pre-BiS gear, C) FOMO is real, and we had a number of guild members who felt incredibly deflated when they logged in 24-36 hours after P3 release and saw a bunch of us already at lvl 50. Some of them even stopped leveling for a few days and we had a couple of people quit cold turkey. Incursions diminished initial excitement for P3.
WHERE DO WE GO FROM HERE (P4 & Beyond):
1) Give more/better loot across max-level raids – people want to replace their old gear; they want to feel progression. So give us more/bettedifferent loot options so we keep coming back for more.
2) If 20-man raids are expected to be 7-day resets, then give us a secondary 10-man raid with 3 day resets – I’m not advocating for MC10 + MC20; I’m advocating for MC20 and another, separate 10 man raid to drive interest; think ZG, AQ20, Kara, ZA; all “smaller” raids that drove lots of interest either via loot, currency and/or cosmetic drops like mounts.
3) Legacy dungeons need something beyond geacurrency to drive long-term engagement – expand dungeon boss loot tables to include cosmetic drops or even mounts to keep us coming back on a regular basis; rep tabards might be a nice touch as well for secondary rep grind options
4) Incursion-type events should be on a daily or even weekly reset - the quest XP and gold SHOULD be really good, but make each quest a daily or weekly reset so it forces us into other forms of leveling and gold making each day
Sorry this is so long. But Classic WoW has been a great hobby for me and my buddies. We don't want the party to end, we just want the DJ to put on some different music.

I am looking for something with very low calories that I can snack on throughout the day to make me feel full. Any ideas? I already drink tons of water. It's practically the only thing I drink other than an occasional sip of coffee.
I have lots of health issues which causes me to have low energy, low endurance, etc. I also am on lots of meds which causes weight gain. Going to a gym isn't possible since I can't drive and live out in the country probably 30 minutes away. I am active as much as possible doing gardening and other outside stuff in the cooler parts of the day. I am retired medically though which means I am home all the time so snacking is my downfall. I'm not a couch potato, rarely watching TV or movies. I don't even have a tv lol! I have started doing some crafts which has me in the house during the hot afternoons and at night.
If I could find something, a food or a supplement, that would make me feel full I think that would really help.

Oh man. I'm 20M. The following is from when I was in KINDERGARTEN, just to make that extra clear, for obvious reasons. As a 5 year old, in Kindergarten, I had a crush on a girl called Anna. I think she liked me back (as much as a 5 year old is capable of). But man, I was DOWN BAD, and I kept it secret. So like idk if this is even normal for a 5 year old but I used to fantasize about her (not in a sexual way- just involving hugging etc.). We had tango dance classes, and every boy got paired up with a girl, and I got paired up with her. There was the move where you hold the girl and dip her over, and istg I had a hard on the whole time (again, is this normal for a 5 year old?) though it wasn't a problem because 5 yr old pp is small.
And the main confession- one time (may have been more than once), when everyone had to leave the main classroom to go somewhere, maybe for P.E class, I asked the teacher for permission to go drink water (from my water bottle, which was back in class). This was like within 60 seconds of everyone leaving the room. I went back, and (thank FUCKING god there weren't security cameras back then) kissed Anna's seat. She sat next to me, so it just looked like I was kneeling down near my own seat. This particular time, my teacher walked back in, and I had to pretend the bottle was on the floor and I was getting it. I can only imagine what the teacher thought. I was FIVE.
She later stopped being my friend (in grade 1) for some reason, and a while later, she wanted to share a toffee between me, her, and another girl. She had the brilliant idea of the other girl biting it first, then her, and she finally handed the last 1/3rd of it to me, soaking in both their spit. I am glad to inform you that I said no thanks atleast at this point.
There was also a time when I was 8 when a girl told me she 'loved' me (in that way) and I had a hard on for THE REST OF THE DAY. She also sometimes propped her feet up on my seat when I got up and left, and I used to have to get her to move them when I came back, but secretly I wanted her to put her feet on my lap.
Was I unusually down bad for that age? Or is this totally normal? (I also had full body fantasies by the time I was around 10, despite not knowing what all the body parts were)

ICR lists QuantumScape as one of the companies who they work with : https://icrinc.com/sectors/energy/
I have no idea when QS engaged ICR but Sabrina Puelo https://www.linkedin.com/in/sabrina-puleo/ with ICR is representing QS at a CTAN conference in June https://www.linkedin.com/company/climate-tech-action-network/
I would be interested to learn more?
"The ESM team specializes in working with companies across the clean technology ecosystem, with focus areas including electric vehicles, battery technology, and renewable energy among others.
Our dedicated Energy, Sustainability and Modern Mobility team is staffed with veteran investor relations, public relations, digital and social communications experts, combined with former buy-side portfolio managers and sell-side analysts who are exceptionally well qualified to influence perception and valuation across all facets of the industry.
It’s that deep experience that’s made ICR the strategic partner for some the best-recognized names in the energy sector. They come to ICR to help craft their messages, and create the integrated communications initiatives that deliver it to the full spectrum of stakeholders”

Welcome to International Coaching Week 2024, a time when we dive deep into the art and science of coaching, with a special focus on leadership and innovation. Today, I want to share with you a blueprint for Driving Change and Innovation, specifically tailored for executives and organizational leaders. The journey of leading through change is intricate and challenging but immensely rewarding.
The Challenges of Leading Through Change Change, especially within organizations, is often met with resistance. It’s a natural human instinct to cling to the familiar. Yet, as leaders, it’s our role to guide our teams through these transitions, not just managing but embracing change as a vehicle for growth and innovation.
Understanding Resistance Resistance isn't just an obstacle; it's a conversation waiting to happen. It's a treasure trove of insights into what your team values, fears, and misunderstands. By approaching resistance with curiosity rather than frustration, you can uncover key leverage points for facilitating smoother transitions.
Communication: Your Most Powerful Tool Effective communication is the cornerstone of successful change management. It’s about more than just conveying information; it’s about creating clarity, building trust, and fostering an environment where feedback is valued and actioned upon.
Strategies for Success 1. Cultivate Resilience and Adaptability Embrace resilience not just as a personal trait but as a cultural value within your organization. Encourage adaptability by modeling it yourself and rewarding it within your team.

1. Create a ‘Change Lab’ Introduce a concept like a 'Change Lab', a dedicated space (physical or virtual) where team members can freely discuss the change, express concerns, suggest ideas, and participate in crafting the change strategy. This inclusion turns resistance into engagement and skeptics into advocates.
   
2. Lead with Empathy Understand that change is a personal journey for everyone. Leading with empathy means recognizing the emotional responses to change and addressing them directly and compassionately.
   

My Role as Your Coach In navigating these complex waters, having a coach by your side can make all the difference. My approach is not just about strategies and outcomes; it's about people, relationships, and sustainable growth. As your coach, I can help you:
Navigate the emotional landscape of change. Develop resilience and adaptability within your leadership style. Communicate effectively to align your team with new directives. Transform resistance into innovation. Let’s Connect If you're facing the challenges of leading through change and looking for support, strategies, or just a space to explore ideas, I'm here for you. Reach out, and let's discuss how we can work together to turn these challenges into opportunities for growth and innovation.