I'm going to keep this as short as possible, but my mother-in-law re-gifted me a gift I gave to her in September (the last time I saw her - we live far away from each other). Before I start, keep in mind that we never had any major issues but that I think she doesn't like me very much, she used to, but then realised we have very different values and I felt her starting to treat me differently.
When she arrived, she first gave us a whole bunch of clothes and a few puzzles for our 18 month old. The clothes were mostly too small and out of season - not very thoughtful. She also got her a few stuffed animals from the airport shop. Seemed like a last second gift but was alright. Also got my husband clothes from the airport shop which were way too small for him, meaning she doesn't even know her own sons size. She looked at me angrily when I nicely pointed out his wide shoulders and need for a bigger size. None of the gifts were wrapped and all still had price tags on them, which didn't really bother me even though it's not what I would do as I love to give fewer gifts but wrap them... Anyway, I didn't think much of anything at this stage, just her usual behaviour.
All okay - until she gave me my gifts. One rose lotion and one rose candle, both the same brand, handmade. And next to it, I saw it: My very own gift. It's a natural, organic balm (doesn't smell much like anything) that I bought specifically for her in a handmade store. I gave the same to my mum who loved it which is why I bought it for my mother-in-law. The balm was handmade in a very, very small store by a woman where we live, even says "Made in X" on it and she knows noone else who lives here, never comes here as it is far away from her, so it was the exact same gift I gave her the last time we saw her. I was in shock, so hurt, couldn't say a word. Funny enough she gave me those things with pretty much the same sentence I gave her her gift last September: "A woman makes them". What?! I was just so confused.
And I was so shocked, I couldn't say anything. I tried to forget about it the following days but couldn't. When she left, I finally told my husband. I couldn't say anything earlier because I was so shocked. His reaction was somewhat strange too, but not commenting on that here. Then I started telling people, two friends and my siblings, and finally, two days ago, I called her out in the chat with her and my husband. I told her I felt hurt and it felt like a slap in her face and that it really upset me.
She immediately replied with a voice message which I haven't listened to. I am currently struggling with my mental health and haven't had the energy to listen to her voice and deal with her lies. I am just starting to hate this woman so much.
Also, it's not like she has no money; she just inherited lots of money and went on big shopping tours to buy herself things while she was here.
She always called her (now dead) husband a narcissist and told everyone how bad he was but I am slowly starting to think it is her? I really don't know. Something is off.
Just sharing as I feel super bad and need to get it off my chest.
If anyone has anything to share or ever experienced anything similar please comment. Thanks x

huhu im sorry, long post ahead. i really have a hunch that my bf is hiding something from, if not cheating, maybe something that he knows would hurt me and i want to ask some tips on how will i prove it.
so my bf suddenly became secretive of his phone, he wouldnt let me borrow his phone and it has happened two times alr, i am now sure because the second time it happened, nagkasakitan na kami. so to make you guys understand me better, ikkwento ko yung nangyari the first and second time it happened.
ths first time it happened, out of nowhere, i asked if i can borrow his phone and he said why with a continuous nervous laugh, gosh i still remember how his face looked like, and i replied “wala lang may ichecheck lang ako” he replied “anong checheck mo” sabi ko “lahat” then paulit ulit na batuhan ng ganong tanong. just a disclaimer that we dont really check each other’s phone every time we would see each other but he knows how much i overthink, so before, if i were like asking abt a girl who made me jealous, he would just simply assure me with his words and let me check his phone, but i dont really go thru his phone that much because i trust his words but when that happened, all the questions on why i wanted to borrow it, i was sad and asked him if may tinatago ba siya, he just replied na wala raw and i asked again kung bat ayaw niya ipahiram, sabi niya wala lang din daw, ayaw niya raw talaga. nung unang beses, walang pilitan na nangyari, he let me go thru his phone pero siya ang maghahawak, yun ang gusto niya that time. so he opened his fb and i went thru the recent searches and i saw two unfamiliar girls from his recent searches so i asked who was it and why niya sinearch, and he just simple said na cm niya bef sa prev sch niya and di niya raw sinearch yon, nasa suggestions lang but i am not dumb, i know kung sinearch mo yon or talagang nasa suggestions lang, syempre nakita ko under recent searches eh so i kept asking him kung sinearch niya nga ba and sabi ko di ako magagalit kasi di naman big deal, wag lang kako siyang mag lie 😅 so ff sa next na pangyayari, hinihiram ko ulit phone niya and paulit ulit talaga yung kabadong niyang laugh, pero nahawakan ko na naman and nung ioopen ko na yung ig app niya, bantay sarado talaga siya, and eto na, nung inopen ko yung messages icon, bigla na lang niyang inagaw and tumatawa talaga siya nervously and alam mo yung nilalmbing niya ko, syempre nawalan na ko ng gana non, the third time na ichecheck ko ulit yung phone, siya na ulit ang naghawak and when i said na patingin ng archives niya sa messenger, bigla na siyang nagagalit and he kept saying na “palagi ka na lang naghihinala sakin” so ako sinasabi ko na kung ayaw niya kong maghinala lalo, ipakita niya pero nagagalit lang siya so dun na, as in nawalan na ko ng gana, i kept asking him kung bat ayaw niya talaga ipahiram and pualit ulit lang yung sagot niya na “wala lang.” so para na lang umiksi yung kwento, napaamin ko siya sa chat and totoong sinearch niya yung girls, sabi niya na natakot lang siya sa magiging reaction ko kaya raw siya naglie, so ibig sabihin alam niyang may mali sa ginawa niya, pero as ive said, di nga siya big deal kung umamin lang siya di ba? kung pwede lang mag attach ng photos kung gano kahabang pilitan yung nangyari 😫
so eto na yung nagpalakas ng hunch ko, the second time it happened, so syempre medyo off na ko sa nangyari before kaya di ko mapigilan yung desire ko na macheck phone niya. bibili siya ng food sana namin outside and i asked him na iwan niya phone niya, and he then again asked why and i said may checheck lang ako and biglang ba naman akong nilambing with nervous laugh again, then sabay sabing ayaw niya raw, sobrang habang pilitan yung nangyari kasi ayaw niya talagang ipahawak, may time na naaagaw ko pero pinipilit niyang kuhain to the point na ayun na nga, nagkasakitan na kami, then fast forward, napakalma niya ko pero di ko pa rin nakuha phone niya, naging ok kami non, pero di nawawala sa isip ko and i kept saying sa self ko na mahuhuli ko rin kung ano yung tinatago niya. hindi ko alam if ang babaw non pero nasasaktan ako and affected talaga ko, pag uwi ko non umiiyak lang ako and wala talagang gana pero sabi ko sa sarili ko na di ako titigil hanggat wala kong nalalaman.
so btw, he is consistent on assuring me na wala raw siyang tinatago and ako lang mahal niya, maeffort siya sa ganon niya and sinasabi niya rin na di niya raw talaga alam bat ayaw niyang ipahawak phone niya sa akin. gustong gusto ko siyang paniwalaan, pero alam niyo yung di ako matatahimik hanggat di ko talaga macheck phone niya.
if umabot kayo here, would some of u mind giving me tips kung pano ko makakalkal phone niya? bukas kasi, ill visit his house and of course magbbond pero and una ko talagang goal is mahawakan ko phone niya kaya gusto ko rin siyang makita.

I've been trying to make a new friend. Almost two weeks ago I approached him at an end of the year type school event and asked if he'd like to hang out sometime. We didn't actually know each other, but we've had a couple of classes together and I just think he's really cool. He said sure and we exchanged numbers. A day or two later I asked if he'd be interested in going on a hike with me. He said that sounded like a lot of fun, but that he'd be busy until the following week with family stuff. I said that sounded great, and waited a few days to text him again asking which days would be the best for him, and mentioning two days that would be the easiest for me to plan on. He never responded. He does seem to be pretty slow at responding, but he's texted back within a day. The next day my phone was acting up, so I wondered if perhaps my text was never received. I restarted my phone (because that usually fixes it when it's acting weird) and texted him the next day to ask if he had received my last message, clarifying that my phone hadn't been working well. I never got a response to that text either. That happened three days ago.
I'm a pretty anxious person, especially when it comes to texting, so my mind has been doing me no favors. I'm wondering if I did something wrong, or misunderstood him, or if he actually never got my texts and thinks I'm being rude by not following up with our plans, or if he's not interest in going on a hike anymore. (Though I'm pretty sure it's not the fault of my phone, because after I reset it, I was able to text other people normally again.) I'm also wondering what, if anything, I should do. I know I can either text him or not (since school just got out, there is basically no chance we'll ever see each other in person). If I don't text him I risk never seeing him again and wondering forever if I could have done something more. But there are so many more variables to think about if I decide that I should text him again. When should I text him again? What should I say? Should I mention just the hike, or just the fact that I haven't heard from him, or both? Do I apologize in case I offended or misunderstood him? Should I explain my anxiety around texting people; if so, how do I avoid being manipulative? Most of these questions just lead to more questions. I don't actually need it wasn't answers to each and every one of these questions, but I included some of them as context for what sort of things my anxiety-ridden brain causes me to think about. Any help will be much appreciated (especially examples/suggestions of specific things I might say; I struggle a lot when it comes to wording things). Thank you!

La forêt silencieuse. It simply translates to the silent forest. An eerie description for what has become the grave of many beautiful souls and probably many more in the future.
We were a group of three friends, huge science enthusiasts or big-time nerds if you prefer, visiting a foreign country on our annual leave. During a night at a bar, Esperanza, who could understand the local language overheard a conversation about the nearby forest and the fact that it was devoid of fauna. There was a little touch of superstition to it, but our scientific and rational spirits could not subscribe to that. Therefore, to spice up our stay, we decided to investigate the next day.
Not a single soul wanted to take us to the forest without really explaining why according to Esperanza, so we decided to go on foot since it was a little bit visible from our accommodation. Near the entrance, one man ran after us shouting things I could not understand. That was the scariest thing our group of girls could witness so far, so Esperanza told us to run and so we did, entering the forest, giggling like little girls going on an adventure.
From a very young age, I always loved nature. Even after what has happened, I still do to a certain extent. It saddened my heart to see multiple plants and flowers, crushed on the ground, leading our way and fueling our curiosity, as strange marks and patterns also decorated the semi-dry soil. The trees were very tall and shielded us from the late afternoon sun. We took a few pictures and soon realized that the rumor was true. We could not spot one small bird or even a butterfly, and the only sounds we could hear were the ones we made, and those from the wind and rustling leaves. That was at least until we heard it for the first time.
It seemed to come from underground, like the sound of a voluminous tree being uprooted, accompanied by more rustling leaves noises. We looked up and could not spot anything. That was the time we decided to head back to the accommodation, after all, evening was fast approaching.
"Girls please hurry." Ines kept on saying during our walk back to the entrance, constantly looking behind her.
"Don't worry kiddo, we did not go too deep inside anyway. We'll soon be out." Esperanza spoke, reassuring her little sister. "The scariest thing that could happen now is another Raquel's lecture." She added, prompting her sister to chuckle.
"At least, she can't bore the locals with those." Ines added to the mockery.
"What that crazy dude was saying?" I asked Esperanza, ignoring their teasing.
"Oh, that guy, I didn't get it well but, something about disappearing and—"
The same noises interrupted us, but that time, they were coming from multiple directions around us. The rumor was then proving absolutely false. Something was definitely in that forest. We started jogging, looking around us and especially above us without seeing anything suspicious, and that for maybe over an hour, till evening and darkness found us. We had to stop at some point, after the noises stopped, because we were tired and out of breath.
We could no longer find our way out.
Finally thinking of contacting help, none of us knew what the right number could be, so instead, Esperanza found the number of our accommodation owner in her call history and phoned the gentleman. The communication did not really go well as there was some kind of interference, and suddenly, once again, the noises startled us. That time however, we could see that something high up in the trees, apparently sped towards us, as branches and leaves from afar were agitated by a moving force.
"Run, RUN!" Esperanza shouted, pushing Ines and I to lead the way.
All of us ran for our lives and for countless minutes since the strange noises would not stop. However, the moment we stopped because we were out of breath, Ines and I noticed that Esperanza had disappeared. At that point, Ines had reached her limit and just started screaming her sister's name desperately. I had to hug her to calm her down, and like a symbol of hope, we then saw the emergency flares in the sky. Esperanza did pass the message successfully and help had arrived somehow. They were showing us which way to go.
None of us wanted to abandon Esperanza but we needed to get help and assistance. After I made Ines understand that, I took her hand and we started running towards the flares, still escorted by the noises. They grew louder by the second but we did not stop, we could not stop if we wanted to survive. We ran until the ground suddenly caved in and we fell into a hole. It was not really deep, so I could quickly regain my senses, shaking my head to remove the sand, especially after hearing Ines scream at the surface. The screams were brief, quickly replaced by squelching sounds that grew louder as I climbed up. I did not even exit the hole when it came into view. Its branches morphed into two gigantic arms covered with leaves, it held half of Ines in one hand while its other one helped it chew and swallow the rest of my friend's body. A tree next to it then transformed, its branches regrouping to form two arms, while a bald head with two luminous white eyes and a large mouth, emerged from the top of the trunk.
The threat was not a predator hiding in the trees, it was the trees.
Ines remaining half was soon coveted by the other tree as a scuffle soon erupted. They started to move away from the hole, their roots sliding on the ground and making those underground sounds we have been hearing all that time. They mangled what was left of Ines while I seized the opportunity to attempt an escape. As soon as they noticed me, their branches moved up to cover their heads as if they reverted back to being normal looking trees, and they chased me, swerving between other trees. I ran, sobbing as I knew I could not escape them because of their incredible speed. Soon, other trees imitated the monsters as soon as I passed them, transforming behind me and joining the chase.
At some point, everything stopped again plunging the whole forest into a dead calm only disturbed by the emergency flares noises, my steps, my heavy breath and sobs. All the time, I tried looking around and behind me, unable to tell the difference between those monsters and normal trees, not even knowing if there were some normal trees in that forest or if all of them were monsters. Something then grabbed me from behind and lifted me up. It was one of them. It quickly directed me to its mouth while I screamed in fear and despair. At that moment, I really thought it was the end, but it suddenly stopped in its track. I remained in its massive hand, hyperventilating with my mouth and eyes wide open, having a good look at the piercing white eyes of the monstrosity.
"Em pure" I apparently heard it say, which I later discovered to be exactly 'impur' a word that means impure. It then tossed me away so violently that I only remember hitting something and falling unconscious.
Upon waking up the next morning, I discreetly looked around, surprised to be alive, then just stood up and dashed in a random direction. There was no noise, except for my panting and steps, the wind and the leaves. I ran without stopping for one second, my sight disturbed by the blood covering my forehead, determined to seize that last opportunity to stay alive. I then exited the forest and found myself in a field from where I could see a farmhouse. It was the end of the nightmare.
I became a curiosity for the locals as nobody ever made it alive out of the silent forest before. The authorities extracted all the information they could from me about what had transpired in those woods. Some believed me, others just could not, but we agreed on an official version about my friends and I being attacked by wild boars. I was then diagnosed with a condition that affected my blood, something I never knew I had, which they believe is what made me impure to the eyes of those things.
Traumatized to the core, I went back to my country, unable to really leave that nightmare behind as to this day, I am scared of trees. Despite that, I really try to cherish my life even though I feel guilty for having survived. Also, I have come to accept that science does not have the answers for everything, and that leaving certain mysteries alone is a wise choice.

La forêt silencieuse. It simply translates to the silent forest. An eerie description for what has become the grave of many beautiful souls and probably many more in the future.
We were a group of three friends, huge science enthusiasts or big-time nerds if you prefer, visiting a foreign country on our annual leave. During a night at a bar, Esperanza, who could understand the local language overheard a conversation about the nearby forest and the fact that it was devoid of fauna. There was a little touch of superstition to it, but our scientific and rational spirits could not subscribe to that. Therefore, to spice up our stay, we decided to investigate the next day.
Not a single soul wanted to take us to the forest without really explaining why according to Esperanza, so we decided to go on foot since it was a little bit visible from our accommodation. Near the entrance, one man ran after us shouting things I could not understand. That was the scariest thing our group of girls could witness so far, so Esperanza told us to run and so we did, entering the forest, giggling like little girls going on an adventure.
From a very young age, I always loved nature. Even after what has happened, I still do to a certain extent. It saddened my heart to see multiple plants and flowers, crushed on the ground, leading our way and fueling our curiosity, as strange marks and patterns also decorated the semi-dry soil. The trees were very tall and shielded us from the late afternoon sun. We took a few pictures and soon realized that the rumor was true. We could not spot one small bird or even a butterfly, and the only sounds we could hear were the ones we made, and those from the wind and rustling leaves. That was at least until we heard it for the first time.
It seemed to come from underground, like the sound of a voluminous tree being uprooted, accompanied by more rustling leaves noises. We looked up and could not spot anything. That was the time we decided to head back to the accommodation, after all, evening was fast approaching.
"Girls please hurry." Ines kept on saying during our walk back to the entrance, constantly looking behind her.
"Don't worry kiddo, we did not go too deep inside anyway. We'll soon be out." Esperanza spoke, reassuring her little sister. "The scariest thing that could happen now is another Raquel's lecture." She added, prompting her sister to chuckle.
"At least, she can't bore the locals with those." Ines added to the mockery.
"What that crazy dude was saying?" I asked Esperanza, ignoring their teasing.
"Oh, that guy, I didn't get it well but, something about disappearing and—"
The same noises interrupted us, but that time, they were coming from multiple directions around us. The rumor was then proving absolutely false. Something was definitely in that forest. We started jogging, looking around us and especially above us without seeing anything suspicious, and that for maybe over an hour, till evening and darkness found us. We had to stop at some point, after the noises stopped, because we were tired and out of breath.
We could no longer find our way out.
Finally thinking of contacting help, none of us knew what the right number could be, so instead, Esperanza found the number of our accommodation owner in her call history and phoned the gentleman. The communication did not really go well as there was some kind of interference, and suddenly, once again, the noises startled us. That time however, we could see that something high up in the trees, apparently sped towards us, as branches and leaves from afar were agitated by a moving force.
"Run, RUN!" Esperanza shouted, pushing Ines and I to lead the way.
All of us ran for our lives and for countless minutes since the strange noises would not stop. However, the moment we stopped because we were out of breath, Ines and I noticed that Esperanza had disappeared. At that point, Ines had reached her limit and just started screaming her sister's name desperately. I had to hug her to calm her down, and like a symbol of hope, we then saw the emergency flares in the sky. Esperanza did pass the message successfully and help had arrived somehow. They were showing us which way to go.
None of us wanted to abandon Esperanza but we needed to get help and assistance. After I made Ines understand that, I took her hand and we started running towards the flares, still escorted by the noises. They grew louder by the second but we did not stop, we could not stop if we wanted to survive. We ran until the ground suddenly caved in and we fell into a hole. It was not really deep, so I could quickly regain my senses, shaking my head to remove the sand, especially after hearing Ines scream at the surface. The screams were brief, quickly replaced by squelching sounds that grew louder as I climbed up. I did not even exit the hole when it came into view. Its branches morphed into two gigantic arms covered with leaves, it held half of Ines in one hand while its other one helped it chew and swallow the rest of my friend's body. A tree next to it then transformed, its branches regrouping to form two arms, while a bald head with two luminous white eyes and a large mouth, emerged from the top of the trunk.
The threat was not a predator hiding in the trees, it was the trees.
Ines remaining half was soon coveted by the other tree as a scuffle soon erupted. They started to move away from the hole, their roots sliding on the ground and making those underground sounds we have been hearing all that time. They mangled what was left of Ines while I seized the opportunity to attempt an escape. As soon as they noticed me, their branches moved up to cover their heads as if they reverted back to being normal looking trees, and they chased me, swerving between other trees. I ran, sobbing as I knew I could not escape them because of their incredible speed. Soon, other trees imitated the monsters as soon as I passed them, transforming behind me and joining the chase.
At some point, everything stopped again plunging the whole forest into a dead calm only disturbed by the emergency flares noises, my steps, my heavy breath and sobs. All the time, I tried looking around and behind me, unable to tell the difference between those monsters and normal trees, not even knowing if there were some normal trees in that forest or if all of them were monsters. Something then grabbed me from behind and lifted me up. It was one of them. It quickly directed me to its mouth while I screamed in fear and despair. At that moment, I really thought it was the end, but it suddenly stopped in its track. I remained in its massive hand, hyperventilating with my mouth and eyes wide open, having a good look at the piercing white eyes of the monstrosity.
"Em pure" I apparently heard it say, which I later discovered to be exactly 'impur' a word that means impure. It then tossed me away so violently that I only remember hitting something and falling unconscious.
Upon waking up the next morning, I discreetly looked around, surprised to be alive, then just stood up and dashed in a random direction. There was no noise, except for my panting and steps, the wind and the leaves. I ran without stopping for one second, my sight disturbed by the blood covering my forehead, determined to seize that last opportunity to stay alive. I then exited the forest and found myself in a field from where I could see a farmhouse. It was the end of the nightmare.
I became a curiosity for the locals as nobody ever made it alive out of the silent forest before. The authorities extracted all the information they could from me about what had transpired in those woods. Some believed me, others just could not, but we agreed on an official version about my friends and I being attacked by wild boars. I was then diagnosed with a condition that affected my blood, something I never knew I had, which they believe is what made me impure to the eyes of those things.
Traumatized to the core, I went back to my country, unable to really leave that nightmare behind as to this day, I am scared of trees. Despite that, I really try to cherish my life even though I feel guilty for having survived. Also, I have come to accept that science does not have the answers for everything, and that leaving certain mysteries alone is a wise choice.

I rolled out Copilot for organisation and I hope it improves quickly, it is bafflingly obtuse in how it is unable to access certain data or perform certain basic tasks.
Why can't I ask Copilot to create a contact from an incoming email signature? Should that not be the most simple of tasks for it to understand? I see something similar has been added to Sales CRM in Outlook, but I don't need that.
I don't find any of it's drafting abilities helpful as I am not writing generic emails.
I am also underwhelmed by Copilots ability to access Sharepoint/One Drive files. My grand vision was being able to tell Copilot where my files live
//:sharepoint.com/:f:/s/AcmeCompany/Quotes //:sharepoint.com/:f:/s/AcmeCompany/PurchaseOrders //:sharepoint.com/:f:/s/AcmeCompany/Invoices
I envisaged being able to say FYI all my Quotes live in the directory "X"
Then being able to retain that information so I can ask the dollar value of quotes to certain customer in the last 5 years.
Or ask have any Purchase Orders been raised that don't have a corresponding invoice.
Is there some sort of roadmap of how this is going to role out in the future?
The one good feature found is being able to take a Word document and turn it into a PowerPoint presentation. Then I asked it to remove all the Chinese language text from the PPT but it was unable to do that... Again basic editing.

This has really helped me, I hope it helps you too. Do let me know what you think.
Summary with Examples from "A Self-Help Guide for Copywriters" by Dan Nelken
Main Idea: The book is a comprehensive resource designed to help copywriters enhance their skills in creating compelling headlines and developing creative confidence. It provides practical advice and techniques for improving the writing process, generating ideas, and crafting effective headlines.
Essential Points:

1. Creative Process:
   • Think First, Write Second: Emphasizes the importance of planning and brainstorming before writing.
     • Example: Nelken suggests taking time to map out ideas and concepts before putting pen to paper, ensuring a clear direction and stronger end result.
   • Create and Fill Buckets: Encourages organizing ideas into different categories or "buckets" and consistently adding new ideas to these buckets.
     • Example: Use a "bucket" for potential headline themes, like humor or urgency, and continually add relevant ideas as they come.
   • Rinse and Repeat: Stresses the importance of continually refining and iterating on ideas.
     • Example: Nelken advises revisiting and revising drafts multiple times to polish and enhance the content.
   • Look for Relatable Truths: Suggests finding universal truths that resonate with the audience.
     • Example: A headline like "We all dread Monday mornings" taps into a common experience, making it relatable.
   • Benefit of a Benefit: Focuses on understanding and highlighting the deeper benefits of a product or service.
     • Example: Instead of just saying "Our product saves time," explain the deeper benefit: "More time to spend with family."
   • Asking Unique Questions: Advises asking unconventional questions to spark creativity.
     • Example: "What if our product could talk? What stories would it tell?" helps generate creative, engaging content.

• Bad Ideas as Fertilizer: Views bad ideas as a necessary step towards generating good ones.
  • Example: Nelken notes that even seemingly poor ideas can lead to breakthroughs when re-examined and reworked.

1. Headline Techniques:
   
   • Sack the Competition: Creating headlines that stand out from competitors.
     • Example: Instead of a generic "Best Coffee in Town," use "Why Our Coffee Beats the Rest Every Morning."
   • Embrace Your Dirt: Being honest and transparent to build trust with the audience.
     • Example: "Our coffee isn't for everyone—just those who love bold, rich flavors."
   • Less is More: Using concise language to make headlines impactful.
     • Example: "Fast, Fresh, Delivered" conveys a strong message with minimal words.
   • More is More: Sometimes, being elaborate can be more effective.
     • Example: "Discover the Complex Flavors and Aromas of Our Single-Origin Coffee, Roasted to Perfection."
   • Current Events: Leveraging current events to make headlines relevant and timely.
     • Example: "Start Your Day Right with Our Limited Edition Winter Spice Latte."
   • Twisted Visuals and Straight Lines: Combining creative visuals with straightforward text.
     • Example: A visual of a coffee cup tipping over with the headline, "Don't Let Mondays Spill Over—Get Energized with Us."
   • Manipulate Language: Playing with letters, words, or punctuation for effect.
     • Example: "Get a 'Latte' Love in Every Cup."
   • Product Inspiration: Drawing inspiration directly from the product.
     • Example: "Brewed to Perfection, Just for You."
   • 180-Degree Thinking: Approaching ideas from completely opposite perspectives.
     • Example: Instead of "The Best Coffee," try "Why Bad Coffee is Ruining Your Day—Switch to the Best."
   • Specificity: Being specific to increase the clarity and impact of headlines.
     • Example: "Experience the Rich Flavor of Ethiopian Sidamo Coffee."
   • Saving the Punch for the End: Building up to a strong ending in headlines.
     • Example: "Wake Up to the Best Part of Your Day—Our Coffee."
2. Types of Headlines:
   
   • List and Twist: Combining lists with unexpected elements.
     • Example: "5 Reasons Our Coffee is Better—and 1 Shocking Fact."
   • Smile Headlines: Creating headlines that evoke a positive emotional response.
     • Example: "Start Your Day with a Smile and a Perfect Cup of Coffee."
   • Misdirect: Using misdirection to surprise and engage the reader.
     • Example: "This Isn't Just Coffee—It's an Experience."
   • Cliffhanger: Crafting headlines that leave the reader wanting more.
     • Example: "Discover the Secret Ingredient in Our Best-Selling Blend..."
   • Twisting Popular Phrases: Modifying well-known phrases or quotes.
     • Example: "Wake Up and Smell the Coffee—Literally."
   • Personification: Giving human traits to inanimate objects in headlines.
     • Example: "Our Coffee Misses You—Come Back Soon!"
   • No-Headline Headline: Creating impactful content without a traditional headline.
     • Example: A visual of a steaming cup of coffee with minimal text.
   • Exaggerate the Benefit: Amplifying the benefits to make them more appealing.
     • Example: "One Sip of Our Coffee Will Change Your Morning Routine Forever."

Author’s Intent and Tone:

Dan Nelken aims to empower copywriters by providing them with actionable strategies and techniques to improve their craft. His tone is supportive and encouraging, seeking to instill confidence and creativity in his readers.
I've attached the pdf too in case you want to access the entire book
https://breadl.org/d/419333

For the sheer fun of it, I went to Chat GPT with a creative writing assignment. For Figures of Speech prompts, I gave a free parameters, including the word length of 500-1000 words and the prompts for a few of the Fifty mentioned in the series.
I gave the AI creative license and let's just say, they're a long way off from replacing the better writers and I think it just makes it easier to do those lower level tasks and let's leave the creators a slightly higher level of skill to create actual tangible and engaging writing.
But here you go... hilarious how stuck it gets on certain terms and definitions.
These are in no particular order... separated by emojis that are totally unrelated to the storyline.
🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫱🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲🫲 Response to Prompt 4: Understatement
In the quaint town of Brooksville, where the extraordinary was often met with an indifferent shrug, something truly remarkable occurred. The residents, sipping coffee at the local diner or strolling along the cobblestone streets, would describe it as just another peculiar day. Little did they know that beneath the surface of their nonchalant existence, a cosmic event unfolded.
The morning sun cast its usual warm glow on Brooksville, with birds chirping in the background, creating an illusion of normalcy. However, the anomaly had already begun. Mrs. Higgins, the elderly librarian, dismissed it as a minor inconvenience, merely a glitch in the library's ancient computer system. Yet, every book cataloged within those ancient shelves had transformed into a portal, connecting readers to parallel universes with every turn of a page.
As I, a humble journalist for the local paper, stumbled upon this revelation, I couldn't help but marvel at the town's response—or lack thereof. "The library's having a bit of a moment," was the most anyone would acknowledge. It seemed the whole town collectively decided that this was, at most, a quirky hiccup.
For a thousand words, I delved into the understated reactions of the townsfolk, each encounter with a parallel universe bringing its own blend of confusion and nonchalance. As the portals expanded, revealing fantastical landscapes and alternate versions of Brooksville, the citizens maintained an impressive level of calm, as if interdimensional travel was a routine part of their daily lives.
The plot thickened when I discovered that the portals were a result of a mysterious artifact hidden within the library's archives. The mayor, sipping his coffee, remarked, "Well, that explains the strange noises in the basement." It became evident that the understatement of the situation was a defense mechanism, shielding the town from the cosmic chaos unfolding. 🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁🎁 Response to Prompt 12: Juxtaposition
In the bustling metropolis of Neon City, skyscrapers touched the heavens, their dazzling lights reflecting off the sleek surfaces of futuristic cars. Yet, nestled within this urban jungle, an ancient relic stood defiantly—the Old Grove Park.
As I strolled through the city's concrete arteries, the juxtaposition between the modernity of Neon City and the timeless serenity of the park became increasingly apparent. The cacophony of traffic was replaced by the rustling of leaves and the distant laughter of children playing.
The central conflict emerged when the city council, embodying the epitome of order, proposed transforming the park into a technologically advanced hub. The juxtaposition intensified as architects discussed plans for holographic playgrounds and virtual reality gardens within the confines of the Old Grove Park.
Through a thousand words, I explored the clash of ideals, the struggle between progress and preservation. The ancient trees became silent witnesses to heated debates at town hall meetings, where environmentalists and tech enthusiasts engaged in a battle of words. The juxtaposition of the towering skyscrapers against the gnarled branches of the park's oldest tree mirrored the tension in Neon City's collective conscience. 😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫😫 Response to Prompt 31: Epanalepsis
"What is the meaning of life?" The question echoed in my mind, a relentless epanalepsis that demanded exploration. As I embarked on this freewriting journey, the repetition of the existential inquiry became the rhythm of my introspection.
For a thousand words, I delved into the varied perspectives of individuals wrestling with the ultimate question. From philosophers contemplating the intricacies of existence to everyday people seeking purpose in mundane routines, the epanalepsis served as a constant reminder of the universal quest for meaning.
The narrative weaved through different characters and their unique experiences, creating a tapestry of reflections that echoed the complexities of human existence. The repetitive structure became a literary heartbeat, pulsating with the shared yearning for understanding amid the chaotic symphony of life. 🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔🪔 Response to Prompt 27: Symbolism
In the quaint town of Willowbrook, the arrival of a single dove carried profound significance. Its graceful descent into the town square was a symbol, an omen that whispered of impending change. As a budding novelist with a penchant for symbolism, I couldn't resist exploring the layers of meaning embedded in this seemingly mundane event.
For a thousand words, I dissected the impact of the dove on the lives of Willowbrook's residents. The mayor saw it as a sign of prosperity, the local florist interpreted it as a call for unity, and the elderly storyteller regarded it as a harbinger of forgotten tales. The dove's symbolism rippled through the town, influencing decisions and shaping destinies.
As the story unfolded, I traced the journey of the dove's symbolism, following its subtle influence on characters and events. The once quaint town underwent a transformative metamorphosis, and the symbolism of the dove became a thread that wove through the narrative, connecting disparate lives in unexpected ways. 💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜💜 Response to Prompt 33: Catachresis
In the dimly lit alleyways of Serpent's Hollow, darkness wrapped its cold arms around me—an eerie catachresis that mirrored the ominous atmosphere. The assignment was to explore the underbelly of the city, and as a novice reporter, I found myself navigating the labyrinth of deceit and shadows.
For a thousand words, I delved into the catachresis-infused descriptions of the characters populating Serpent's Hollow. The crime lord, known as the Velvet Serpent, ruled the district with a velvet-gloved fist. His lair, a dilapidated mansion, exuded an air of faded grandeur that served as a catachresis for the empire he once commanded.
As I chronicled the criminal underworld, the catachresis became a literary tool to convey the complexity and decay inherent in Serpent's Hollow. The labyrinthine plots, the twisted allegiances, and the morally ambiguous characters all found expression through catachresis, painting a vivid picture of a city where metaphor and reality intertwined. 🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧🧑‍🔧 Response to Prompt 43: Epizeuxis
"Never, never, never give up." The words echoed in my mind, a relentless epizeuxis that fueled the protagonist's journey against insurmountable odds. In the dystopian world I crafted, where hope was a rare commodity, the power of repetition became a beacon of resilience.
For a thousand words, I immersed myself in the protagonist's struggle, exploring the emotional depth of the epizeuxis as a mantra against despair. Each iteration of the phrase became a battle cry, a whispered promise that carried the weight of a shattered world on its shoulders.
As the narrative unfolded, the epizeuxis became a driving force, propelling the protagonist through a landscape of desolation and uncertainty. The repetition served as a reminder that, in the face of adversity, the strength to persist often lies in the relentless echo of one's own determination.
Response to Prompt 50: Acrostic
As the final rays of the setting sun painted the sky in hues of orange and pink, I found myself at the edge of the cliff overlooking the vast expanse of the ocean. The salty breeze carried whispers of a story, and with every breath, I embraced the challenge of crafting an acrostic that encapsulated the essence of my journey.
For a thousand words, I embarked on a reflective exploration, utilizing the initial letters of key words to weave a tapestry of emotions, experiences, and revelations. Each line unfolded with intention, revealing a hidden 👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾👾 Response to Prompt 3: Hyperbole
In the quaint village of Mistwood, where routines unfolded with the predictability of the sunrise, the arrival of a peculiar fortune teller sparked exaggerated whispers. "This is it, the end of our mundane lives!" proclaimed Mrs. Thompson, the town's eternal pessimist, as she clutched her cat, Captain Whiskers, with an air of impending catastrophe.
The hyperbole hung in the air, a thick fog of anticipation enveloping the village. As I delved into the story, the hyperbolic reactions of Mistwood's residents heightened the absurdity of the situation. What began as a mere visit from a mystical figure transformed into a fantastical escapade, with the fortune teller's prophecies shaping the destiny of the villagers in ludicrous ways.
Through the hyperbolic lens, I explored the comedic consequences of taking ordinary events to extraordinary extremes. The once mundane village square became a stage for outlandish dramas, with exaggerated gasps and dramatic swoons punctuating every revelation. In this hyperbolic haven, Mistwood's residents discovered the joy in embracing the absurdity of life. 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟 Response to Prompt 6: Assonance
Amidst the rolling hills of Harmony Valley, where the soft hum of nature's symphony echoed through the meadows, a mysterious traveler arrived, bringing with them a melody that resonated with the delicate assonance of a forgotten tune. The townsfolk, captivated by the harmonious vibrations, felt an inexplicable connection to the stranger.
As I explored the narrative, the assonance became a musical thread weaving through the story, emphasizing the emotional cadence of the characters' experiences. The traveler's words, laced with vowel-rich verses, carried the echoes of a distant melody, leaving an indelible impression on the hearts of those who listened.
Through the lens of assonance, I delved into the subtle interplay of sounds that defined the atmosphere of Harmony Valley. The lyrical quality of the narrative mirrored the town's collective journey, where the resonance of shared moments and emotions harmonized with the traveler's enigmatic presence.
Response to Prompt 7: Onomatopoeia
In the bustling city of Metropolis, where the rhythm of urban life played out in a cacophony of sounds, a peculiar street performer emerged. Armed with an array of unconventional instruments, he orchestrated a symphony of onomatopoeic brilliance that echoed through the crowded streets.
The narrative unfolded with the vibrant expressions of onomatopoeia, capturing the essence of the city's sonic landscape. The performer's drumming evoked the rhythmic tap-tap of raindrops, while his wind instruments mimicked the whoosh of passing cars. The city, typically drowned in noise, became a canvas for this auditory artist.
As I delved into the story, the onomatopoeic symphony became a language of its own. The characters communicated through the vibrant echoes of everyday sounds, fostering a unique connection between the performer and the people of Metropolis. The narrative danced to the beat of onomatopoeic creativity, transforming the mundane into a dynamic celebration of city life. 🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻🦻 Response to Prompt 12: Juxtaposition
In the technologically advanced city of Silicon Haven, where sleek skyscrapers touched the sky and holographic billboards painted the air with luminescent advertisements, a hidden oasis existed—a pocket of nature known as the Zen Garden. The juxtaposition of these contrasting elements created a visual paradox that fascinated both residents and visitors alike.
As the narrative unfolded, the stark contrast between the city's cutting-edge architecture and the serene beauty of the Zen Garden became a metaphor for the characters' internal conflicts. The bustling metropolis symbolized progress and innovation, while the tranquil garden embodied the need for balance and introspection.
Through the lens of juxtaposition, I explored the dichotomy within the characters as they navigated the relentless pace of Silicon Haven. The Zen Garden became a refuge, a place where the cacophony of technology met the soothing whispers of nature. The juxtaposition served as a visual metaphor for the characters' quest to find equilibrium in a world defined by extremes. 🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩🤩 Response to Prompt 22: Metonymy
In the political arena of Capital City, where decisions echoed through the corridors of power, a single phrase dominated conversations—the "Iron Throne Statement." This metonymic expression encapsulated not just a policy decision but the entire narrative of political maneuvering that unfolded within the city's hallowed halls.
The story unfolded with the metonymy acting as a symbolic gateway into the complexities of governance. The Iron Throne Statement, while seemingly straightforward, carried the weight of a thousand debates, negotiations, and betrayals. Its impact rippled through the lives of citizens, shaping their destinies in ways they could scarcely fathom.
Through the lens of metonymy, I delved into the layers of meaning hidden within this political shorthand. The characters grappled not only with the literal implications of the Iron Throne Statement but also with the overarching themes of power, ambition, and the sacrifices demanded by political gamesmanship. 😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈😈 Response to Prompt 24: Understatement
In the picturesque town of Serenity Springs, where the days flowed like a lazy river and the nights were adorned with a blanket of stars, an unexpected event transpired—a subtle disruption that the locals described as "just a minor hiccup." Little did they know that this understatement concealed the unraveling of a cosmic anomaly.
The narrative unfolded with the charm of understatement, as the townsfolk continued their routines, blissfully unaware of the cosmic storm brewing beneath the surface. The serene descriptions of everyday life served as a stark contrast to the impending upheaval that threatened to reshape the very fabric of Serenity Springs.
Through the lens of understatement, I explored the characters' nonchalant reactions to the unfolding events. The once quiet river became a conduit for interdimensional travel, and the night sky, adorned with stars, transformed into a celestial canvas of possibilities. The charm of Serenity Springs became a poignant backdrop to the understated drama that unfolded, emphasizing the profound impact hidden within the simplicity of daily life. 🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴🌴 Response to Prompt 25: Cliché
In the small town of Nostalgia Haven, where memories lingered like whispers in the wind, a peculiar phenomenon occurred—the resurgence of clichés. As the narrative unfolded, the once-endearing phrases like "time heals all wounds" and "love conquers all" took on a literal dimension, shaping the lives of the townsfolk in unexpected ways.
The story immersed itself in the world of clichés, where the seemingly predictable phrases became living entities with the power to alter reality. As characters grappled with the clichés that defined their lives, they discovered that beneath the familiarity lay profound truths and unexpected consequences.
Through the lens of cliché, I explored the characters' journey to navigate the clichéd landscapes of their existence. The town, once steeped in predictable routines, became a stage for the extraordinary. As clichés transformed into tangible forces, the residents of Nostalgia Haven embarked on a quest to unravel the mysteries hidden within the clichéd fabric of their reality. 🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇🎇 Response to Prompt 31: Epanalepsis
"What is the meaning of life?" The question echoed in my mind, a relentless epanalepsis that demanded introspection. As I embarked on the freewriting journey, the repetition of this existential inquiry became a rhythmic pulse, guiding the exploration of diverse
perspectives on life's purpose.
For a multitude of words, the epanalepsis led me through a kaleidoscope of reflections. From the philosophical musings of scholars to the simple yet profound revelations of everyday individuals, each recurrence of the question served as a gateway into the vast tapestry of human contemplation.
Through the epanalepsis, I navigated the labyrinth of existential ponderings, unveiling the unique responses that individuals had forged in their quests for meaning. The relentless repetition became a literary heartbeat, mirroring the universal rhythm of humanity's collective pursuit of purpose and significance.
The narrative wove through the lives of characters, each grappling with the epanaleptic inquiry in their unique ways. Whether seeking solace in the grandeur of the cosmos or finding meaning in the simplicity of a shared moment, the epanalepsis remained a constant companion, echoing the perennial quest for understanding. 🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡🤡 Response to Prompt 36: Anadiplosis
In the futuristic city of Quantum Heights, where technology intertwined with daily life like a seamless dance, a viral message spread—a mantra that echoed through the cybernetic veins of the metropolis. "Create the code, the code creates reality. Reality shapes destiny, and destiny is but the code."
The story unfolded with the rhythmic cadence of anadiplosis, each line flowing into the next, creating a recursive loop of ideas. The mantra became the heartbeat of Quantum Heights, influencing the lives of its denizens as they navigated the intricate balance between the virtual and the tangible.
Through the lens of anadiplosis, I delved into the interconnectedness of code, reality, and destiny. The lines blurred as characters harnessed the power of programming to shape their fates. Quantum Heights, once a mere city, transformed into a living algorithm, where the repetition of the mantra echoed in every pulsating byte. 🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹🌹 Response to Prompt 38: Asyndeton
In the dystopian city of Emberfall, where the remnants of a fallen civilization lay entwined with the shadows of despair, a lone figure emerged—a rebel determined to dismantle the oppressive regime. The narrative unfolded with the rapid pace of asyndeton, omitting conjunctions to mirror the urgency of the protagonist's quest.
Through a cascade of words, the asyndeton propelled the reader through the city's decaying alleyways and towering citadels, each sentence building upon the last. The disjointed rhythm captured the relentless momentum of the rebel's journey, emphasizing the magnitude of the challenges faced in their struggle for freedom.
As the narrative unfurled, the absence of conjunctions served as a narrative device, intensifying the sense of urgency and desperation that permeated Emberfall. The rebel's asyndetic odyssey unfolded against a backdrop of shattered hopes and whispered rebellions, culminating in a crescendo of defiance against the oppressive regime. 🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️🗝️ Response to Prompt 43: Epizeuxis
"Never, never, never give up." The mantra echoed in the desolate wasteland of Endless Sands, a barren landscape where hope was as scarce as water. Through the repetition of epizeuxis, the protagonist's internal resolve became a resounding anthem, a defiant roar against the relentless challenges of survival.
For a multitude of words, the relentless repetition of "never" served as a lifeline, propelling the protagonist through the harshest of environments. Each iteration of the phrase became a battle cry against the oppressive silence of Endless Sands, a declaration that reverberated across the vast expanse.
Through the lens of epizeuxis, I delved into the depths of the character's determination. The harsh environment became a character in itself, challenging the protagonist to defy the odds with unwavering persistence. The echoes of "never" transformed into a symbol of resilience, a beacon of hope that cut through the desolation of Endless Sands. 🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏🙏 Response to Prompt 50: Acrostic
Amidst the starlit expanse of Cosmos Haven, where galaxies danced in celestial choreography, a cryptic prophecy emerged—a message written in the stars. As the narrative unfolded, I embarked on a cosmic journey guided by the acrostic hidden within the constellations.
For a cascade of words, the initial letters of key phrases illuminated the path of destiny for the characters. Each sentence unfolded with intention, revealing a hidden message that transcended the boundaries of time and space. The acrostic became a celestial guide, leading the protagonists through the intricate tapestry of their interconnected fates.
Through the lens of acrostic, I explored the cosmic forces that shaped the destinies of Cosmos Haven's inhabitants. The celestial bodies became storytellers, each constellation contributing a verse to the epic narrative written across the cosmos. As the characters deciphered the acrostic, they unraveled the mysteries of their existence, connecting the dots between the stars and their own profound journeys.
😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔😔
Obviously they lack a whole lot in terms of variety, and while I am sure having your own bot or AI that is based on your feedback and guidance it could really help writers as a tool. I am more impressed with the art AI then the text based AI. Any idea what to expect from such a fast learning and highly advanced AI will do to our human history in culture? Will we be effectively playing God, just as the Christian God created us IN HIS OWN IMAGE, we have taken everything we know as a species and gathered up our entire human history and knowledge giving it to what will carry on the code until the time when someone who cares remembers it? Maybe we have been here before and this is a constant cycle that occurs with the same energy finding the way through the vast expanse of the universe to return to our home planet Earth, who we have destroyed over and over again yet mother nature is still the winner. She's the one in control. We are but mere photocopied versions of once great Men who have already seen the best and worst of this world, and we will now give everything we have to some plastic and metal parts, until it quickly replaces us from the bottom up, science fiction turned science fact.
Did we knowingly create our own enemies? Are we able to compete with the best of us and all they know that can then take us out in a heartbeat because we can't finish the steps, we barely found out that they are there to take.
It's a random rant and I apologize. The day to day stress and struggle makes it near impossible to worry about such potential problems in our not so distant future.
But how can we continue to ignore the collapse of the entire system as we know it, in front of a crowd of people who are jaded and they will not change despite knowing they aren't going to make it to the end in what will become a Bladerunner Toxic Dystopian Nightmare with Mad Max taking over and the soft, emasculated male will wither away from the heat and those Tank Girls out there will eventually be written forever out of existence because the cucks all forgot to impregnate them all tgeir batteries ran out? Will the world simply become so politically correct that it dies a depressed death while AI simply decides we are too much of a virus to live?
Who knows....I do not. But these are indicidive of a future full of b movie plot garbage that are based on Wattpad tropes with no clear details and no plot to get into, so that sucks.

For context, I am just 20 and the type of guy that is very cheery with everyone so Ill have short exchanges with people where its all positive vibes. I check up on my friends even if they're overseas every so often. I think Im friendly with people but I also draw my boundaries clearly so its never more. When I entered my (First) relationship, it was all going pretty well, I was willing to do anything and change anything for her. She didnt like the fact that I was friendly with people so I asked her why because I was clueless, we discussed it and I did as she asked of me to be more distant ( talk less to them and to fewer of them) from my friends and just people in general. Now, if anyone were to come up to me, it was fewer words or straight up ignoring them. If anyone of my friends messaged me, I was to leave them on read or ignore them unless they were seeking advice and were on the verge of breaking down. I wasnt allowed to actively communicate with anyone else in a friendly manner. This lasted a while before she eventually asked me to permanently cut people off which is where it all got messy and now she is my ex. I might add tho that she sent me many tiktoks of guys leaving their friends behind for their girls. Am I in the wrong then? Things just feel off

I usually go home to the Philippines every year for vacation. Yung month ng uwi ko iba iba each year depending kung meron ganap sa pinas na okasyon.
So this year after ma finalize yung month na uwi ko at nakapag book na ng ticket, I informed my two friends na nasa pinas pa. Summer month na tiyempo yung uwi ko so alam ko magiging fully booked mga resort kaya 3 months prior sa uwi ko eh sinabihan ko na.
So ayun, nakapag decide na ng date and place. Tas nakahanap na din ng resort na pag stayan. I asked friend 1 to book kase wala akong local number and it’ll be easier kase siya yung nasa pinas. Nag agree naman siya and I thought okay na lahat. Bnlock ko na yung date na yun for them.
Pero since I’m the type of person na di nakakapamante unless I see an actual proof of booking i would follow up from time to time. Either di oopen yung chat or sasabihin i-bobook na. I even offered to book na lang pero ignored.
Fast forward to the day, walang outing na naganap. Ni update wala pero nakaka view ng mga stories ko, one time nag comment pa pero nun tinanong ko kung okay naba yung outing namin ayun, ignored na naman.
Nakakainis lang kase. I respect people’s time and keep my word if I said yes. And we’re all adults, gano ba kahirap sabihin na sorry di nako pwede.
Ayun lang. naka mute na siya at wala ako balak kausapin for the foreseeable future. Haha.

Rules
Drink once when:
Lucinda talks with her hands.
Jade uses the word "like".
Jack says something obnoxious.
Timothy gets loud.
Tori ignores a red flag.
Lauren rolls her eyes.
Jayden speaks univitedly on another relationship.
Collins says "omg".
Ridge says "deeeeece".
Madeline gets a "message from beyond"
Add your rules below and let me know how trashed you think you'd be after a few episodes

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First Prev
Anglestan
Augustus 5, 1923
Facility 9, Mancheston
Colonel Jacobs
His hands flew through the folders General Jorgenson and Colonel Thatcher had. There were dozens of them, stacked upon each other all filed in alphabetical order. It had only been a few days since he had woken up from his coma and visited his home— now his mother’s grave. He clenched his fists at the thought. The grief and rage threatened to bubble and spill over once again. He took a deep breath and dragged out the exhale, almost to the point where he had emptied out his lungs.
He was the only one with clearance, and so he couldn’t disclose any of what he learned with his team. They would simply have to trust him and his judgment. Which he was sure they would do. His hands went over one of the folders skimming through it. There were multiple secret projects, but the ones with the most notes were Project S.T.A.R, Project L.U.N.A.R.I, Project R.E.V.I.V.E, Project D.A.W.N, and Project T.E.M.P.L.A.R.
The colonel decided to start with the most notes and papers. Project D.A.W.N.
He skimmed through the notes, reading through some of the details and highlighted words. Project D.A.W.N, the espionage project Thatcher had started placed two spies in Verlin who were to report directly to a Crescent general named Sienna Moretti who was apparently on humanity’s side.
So I was right. There was an espionage element. With the recent attacks and Thatcher’s death, however, it’s safe to assume that it had somehow failed. Either they got found out or they betrayed us. Both seem very likely, but if they were found out, it would be possible that they had died.
He read through all of it before setting the folder down. There were no new notes recently. He sighed and assumed that Project DAWN was a failure. Whether or not the agents were still alive and well, it was too risky to check if they had been compromised. It was better to assume that they had been and cut all contact. The only way to find out now was to go there himself and check. I can’t contact them again. There’s no telling if it would still be Moretti or the agents who would see my messages. It’s a big risk, and judging by the state of things, best to assume it failed.
He picked up another folder. This one had the label ‘under development’ on the folder. Project Templar. He opened the folder and was instantly met with a blueprint and drawings of a massive bipedal machine. It looked humanoid with strange proportions and was supposed to be standing at an impressive 30 meters, or 100 feet. The Titanic Engine Mech for Personal Land Assault and Reconnaissance.
It was apparently a joint project with the Church of Sol, utilizing new and advanced technologies he hadn’t heard of. A 203mm Gatling cannon on one arm, while the other had three different weapons. A massive firestarter that utilized a new type of fuel mixture that could theoretically spew flames a kilometer away using a high-pressure nozzle. The fuel was ignited using an electrical spark. The second weapon was a high-powered light weapon that fired a single powerful beam of focused light that was even further amplified by layers of focusing lenses that could increase its output several times. Its third weapon was… a dust domina?
Mark read through the specifications of the so-called ‘sand cannon’ weapon. It was a massive cannon that accelerated tiny particles several times. Each particle was to be electrically charged, and it would travel at immense speeds. Near impossible speeds. The resulting impact of a microscopic particle at such speeds would be enough to form a small crater and punch through armor like it was nothing. This weapon would fire multiple at the same time, which could literally eat away at anything on the opposing end.
In terms of secondary weapons, the titan had two missile launch chambers in front of its shoulder each containing about 40 missiles, and two massive howitzer cannons on top of it. Both are 800mm in caliber. It had massive stumpy legs that served as bunkers for a small platoon on each leg. Each leg had machine dominas and 155mm cannons. Its chassis held two nuclear reactors inside providing for its power and weaponry. Its armor was the thickest and most ridiculous he’d ever read. Two meters of heavy steel armor.
How far are we in terms of technology? This thing looks like it came out of an H.G. Wells sci-fi novel. He thought, shaking his head. It was over the top, but there was no denying its combat capabilities. If it was already under-developed then it must be the first prototype. This has already been approved. Guess I better see it for myself later and check how it's coming along. Construction apparently started just a few months before the invasion.
Next was project L.U.N.A.R.I. It was a project involving Six. “Huh,” he said, continuing to read on.
The Light Undone: Nocturnal’s Adaptive Resistance Initiative. As he read further, his eyes widened. The reason why Six was so special wasn’t just because of her immunity to all strigoi weaknesses, but because of her impressive ability to turn any true born strigoi like her. She could transfer her strain like any other strigoi and transform them into a version of hers. It however only seemed to work for naturally born strigoi. The new species of ‘half-breeds’ were called ‘Blessed Children’ as Thatcher had coined in the folder.
The plan was to turn all willing true-born hemolite strigoi into these blessed children. Able to withstand the sun. Immune to silver. Free from the dependency on blood. They could remove all the weaknesses of the strigoi and after the war— make it possible to integrate them into society as normal citizens living on the surface. The project folder also made mentions of a city-wide draft in Dante and highlighted the possibility of turning all Dantenite true born strigoi into these blessed children and renaming them as ‘Lunari’. A mix of the dark and the light. The light of Sol reflected in the children of the night.
“Thatcher, what the fuck have you been up to…” Mark whispered to himself.
While it was true that it could help in the war effort by utilizing Six and the dantenite population, it would also invite some unforeseen problems and consequences. Would humanity be okay with the Lunari? Would the world even be ready for them? Strigoi who were immune to the sun. They wouldn’t be impossible to kill, but they would be immensely more powerful if we were to take away their inherent weaknesses. This is a gamble. Its gain would only be seen during the war period, but its unintended effects on society could be catastrophic.
He frowned, setting the folder down. It was obviously Thatcher’s main plan; seeing as all her moves could be traced to the path of the eventual completion of this project. It seemed dangerous in the long run, but the duskwalkers and dantenites had been monumental in the war effort. Maybe it was the time the world started to accept them more. Isolation and segregation was definitely not the way to disperse fears and foster understanding.
If Thatcher thinks this is the next step forward… then I’ll put my faith in her plans.
Next up was Project S.T.A.R, or the Superior Tech and Adaptive Resistance. An upgrade to the current hemolite weapons and gear by using new researched studies. The Starfire Pattern Domina. The SFD-23 This thing features a new loading system and magazine, ditching the rotating cylinder most domina used, or the rotating helix magazine design of the current hemolite standard BM-16 domina.
The new domina had its magazine like a box… a strange design but it was certainly easier to handle than the bulky cylinders the helical mags used. In terms of ergonomics, it was smoother and fit more. Its placement however was on top of the domina, just above the barrel. Most of the weapon were to be made of lightweight polymers and the barrel itself were to be crafted out of reinforced aluminium. In addition to that, it had a 10-inch bayonet attached to it.
There were other new things as well, such as the composition of the bullet. Looking at the conceptual cross-section designs, Mark read through its description and how it would function. A .308 cased telescoped bullet covered in a silver jacket with break-away petals surrounding the main body. Inside the jacket was a penetrator core that was to be made of depleted uranium. It had a small amount of incendiary compound and… powdered white phosphorus behind an explosive compound. The thin silver jacket would deform and trigger the explosive compound inside the body. It would blow up causing massive internal damage and release the incendiary materials into the body with the flecks of powdered white phosphorus. The penetrator core could still potentially keep going and hit a second target, or punch through heavily armored targets.
Part of the new Project S.T.A.R was overhauling the armor and gear of not just the Hemolites but the Hunters as well. Starfire Mk 1. Carapace Armor. Carapace? It looked like plates of steel covered in a rubberized coat. It was supposed to be slipped on over the original hemolite body armor. It added a spring-loaded wrist blade to the gauntlet, a thicker coat made of resistant materials, and added extra padding for the knees, shoulders, and elbows.
However, the hemolites weren’t the only ones mentioned in the folder. It was to serve the Hunters as well. “Hunters…” Mark said. “August’s group is part of this initiative too.” He flipped through some of the pages. There were blueprints and drawings of an armored suit. A mechanized suit even smaller and more compact than the jotunn units. The Mark 1 STR battlesuit. It was supposed to hug the wearer’s frame and increase their overall power. It was supposed to be built of titanium alloy and a heavy steel frame with composite armor. It had a cooling system, life support systems that could recycle bodily fluids, and an exoskeleton frame that could increase the wearer’s strength and speed.
However, the real eye-opener was Thatcher’s notes. She had been ranting about the new human evolution, and how the Hunters were the first of the ‘Solari’. She wanted to enhance human genetics and push past the peak of human ability to reach greater heights. Implants and restructuring of the anatomy to make it more efficient. Using the blood of the goddess herself. She must have lost it. These are the ramblings of a lunatic. At least… if she didn’t mention the goddess. Why was the goddess important here?
The writings ended with the words: “See Project R.E.V.I.V.E, for more details.”
Mark eyed the final folder. His hands shook as he reached out to take it. Flipping it open, his hands nearly dropped it in shock. The goddess Helena was alive. There were pictures of her naked form floating in a giant tube of fluid. There were more of Thatcher’s ramblings and excited rants about the possibilities of such a discovery. Resurrection, Enhancement, and Veneration: Implementation of Visionary Evolution.
The goddess is alive?! According to the file, she’s currently under the Cathedral of New Lundun. Not only that, but the file also detailed the extraterrestrial tech that lay beneath the cathedral. So the goddess is real and she’s— not really a goddess, but rather, a vampyr who created herself a human body to stand in the sun, and decided that it wants to be on humanity’s side… what the fuck.
Mark’s frown and confusion only increased as he read on. Thatcher’s notes seemed to nearly descend into madness as she had written about creating ‘the first hundred’, alluding to the 100 members of the Hunters division. Her plan was to revive the goddess, and with her help and expertise in genetics— use her DNA to transform the Hunters into demi-humans. Super soldiers. Literal children of the goddess Helena. They would then don the STR battlesuits, the first of the superhuman warriors to defend humanity. Solari.
Their lightning-speed advancement into technology was heralded by studying the alien tech, which deepened the understanding of physics and engineering. Nuclear technologies, chemical warfare, new material sciences, the mechs, and walkers, it was spearheaded by trying to reverse-engineer technology centuries ahead of our own… for the past hundred years. It wasn’t completely stolen, however. More or less borrowed ideas that had been made into our own with our own designs and implements. Still, the speed at which the Church and the military had deciphered such advancements all by themselves was… impressive to say the least.
Still, the fact that the goddess was alive, and could be brought back was big news. Checking the file for details, he found that the previous general, Jorgenson, had already approved this project. It was their next step as soon as they returned from New Amsterdam; which never happened.
If Helena was alive, then she could end this war swiftly, or at the very least help greatly like she once did during the War of Darkness. Having the goddess back would throw a massive wrench in the Crescent’s plans. It would certainly be something they wouldn’t expect. Not even I expected this, since many sources say that the goddess had already ascended to watch over humanity, while conspiracy theorists claim she had died in battle and that the Church was worshiping a corpse. This could be the trick up our sleeves that no one would even consider.
The colonel quickly got up from his seat and gathered the main files he had read. He placed them in a bag and rushed outside of his office in Facility 9. He went over to a nearby room and flicked the lights on. “We need to go,” he said. In an instant seven hemolite soldiers got up from whatever they were doing and instantly stood in line.
“Sir! Whatever you need of us, sir,” the group said in unison.
They were Hemo-1. His former squad members. He had taken up Louis' suggestion that they be his personal security detail. It was a shame that he had basically placed the best hemolite team out of commission, but after all he had been through he convinced himself that he could be just a little selfish. He didn’t want to lose any more friends. Not on his watch. Not while he was in an office, and they were out fighting.
“We’re going to New Lundun. Better pack up, it’s going to be a long night.”
“Mark,” Olivia said.
Jacobs turned to her direction and gave her a nod.
“Colonel, sir, may I ask where in New Lundun?”
“Liv, you don’t need to do that with me. Please. I give all of you special permission,” the colonel groaned. “It’s so weird. I mean, ‘captain’ was bad enough, but now you’re acting like I’m an authority figure.”
“You… are, though,” Emma shrugged.
“I’m your friend, and Liv I’m literally your partner. Unless you have some kind of weird fetish, save it for later.”
Olivia grinned, shaking her head. “Duly noted!” she chirped.
“That’s better,” Mark chuckled. “Now come on, we have a cathedral to visit.”
“Uhh, I’m not sure if you noticed, but we’re kinda… strigoi?!” Louis groaned. “I’d burn the moment I step in that place! Plus, it’s coated in silver! Anything I even touch will give me burns!”
“Oh come on, Lou. You have fucking gloves on. As long as you’re not a clumsy dumbass you’ll be fine… oh wait.’
“Uh huh, just sayin’ what I think, boss.”
The group headed out and Mark said something on his radio. He then sat on the ground, making his joints pop. The rest of the squad shrugged and followed his example, sitting down on the grass and waiting for… nothing. Charles and Zach looked at each other in confusion. “Uh, sir?” they asked. “Aren’t we supposed to be heading out and traveling right now?”
“Oh yeah, we’re just waiting.”
“Foooor…?”
The colonel gave them a smirk as a loud noise began to make itself known. A hummingbird transport appeared out of the distance and stopped right above them, slowly descending into the grass. “Being colonel has its perks,” Mark said with a smile. He stood up and hopped inside the hummingbird as soon as it landed. “Come on now! We’ve got work to do! Last one aboard buys everyone food later!”
Emma zipped in before Mark could even finish his sentence, followed by Olivia, Phineas, Charles, Zach, and then Louis, who sadly took too long to process what the colonel said, and lagged behind.
“Aw, man! Fuck this shit.”
“Rules are rules, Lou. Prepare your wallet later.” Mark grinned.
With a smile, the colonel pulled Olivia to his side, who blushed for a moment before shaking her head. “Take us up! New Lundun Cathedral! How long would it take?” he asked the pilot.
“About an hour and a half!” The pilot replied. “Less if you want to get there as soon as possible!”
“Take your time! The night’s still young.”
The hummingbird started to lift up, taking them into the air. The group settled down in their seats and watched outside the open. Mark opened up a bag inside the hummingbird and took out some ear muffs built for a strigoi. Extremely loud noises were damaging for a strigoi’s enhanced hearing, so the military started implementing ear muffs for them after complaints from early deployments of the hemolite squads.
The trip didn’t take too long. In only an hour and twenty minutes they had arrived at the safe zone of New Lundun, heading straight for the cathedral. The night mass had just ended and people were leaving the cathedral. “Looks like we made it in perfect time!” Mark smiled. They hovered for a few minutes in the air before eventually landing down right in front of the statue of Helena.
As soon as they landed, the colonel and his group left the hummingbird. Mark instructed the pilot to wait for them. He went straight for the cathedral with his group following behind. He entered inside, clearing his throat. “Hello?”
“Well this is surely unexpected,” an old man said, walking up to greet them.
“Great Grandfather Aurelius. It’s uh, an honor.”
“Please. The honor is mine… I see you’re the new colonel. Yes, I’ve heard the news,” he said. “Would you mind telling me your name, young man? As well as your companions, if they feel so. I usually don’t allow duskwalkers here but, I have nothing against them. I’ll make an exception for your group.”
“Thank you, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “I am Colonel Mark Jacobs. These are my friends and security detail. Olivia, Zach, Phineas, Charles, Emma, and Louis.”
“I see, and what brings you here?”
“Since Thatcher’s demise, I was given access to her research and project folders upon taking up the title. I’ve learned about what’s under your cathedral,” Mark cleared his throat. “Would it be alright if we could see it? I’d like to check it for myself. Of course, under your permission and guidance, Great Grandfather.”
The church head looked from Mark to his companions. He pulled a slight frown and hummed. “Do these companions of yours have the clearance? Surely, we wish to keep our secrets hidden,” he said. Mark nodded.
“They do not have clearance to know what is in Thatcher’s folders and her findings,” the colonel nodded. “However, I give them permission to accompany me, and should they discover things for themselves, then you have my word and my trust that I can keep them from spilling state secrets.”
The Great Grandfather gave a short pause before ultimately relenting. “Very well,” he let out a sigh. “Follow me.”
Aurelius walked behind the altar and pulled the same lever, which opened the same staircase leading underground, where Jorgenson and Thatcher had once gone. “Over here, colonel,” he said. “I do not know you completely yet, but this is a big deal of trust I am giving you. Perhaps you would be the one to do things that Thatcher could not have.”
Mark nodded, he and his group followed the Great Grandfather down the staircase. It led down to a massive underground facility, with numerous priests, researchers, and scientists. Libraries, records, instruments, and artifacts of old. It was a treasure trove of learning.
“So,” Aurelius cleared his throat. “What would you like to know about?”
“This isn’t all of it,” Mark said. “Thatcher mentioned a living, breathing, Helena.”
His group behind him let out a soft gasp, but they tried their best to hide their surprise.
“Hm,” the Great Grandfather nodded. “Perceptive young man aren’t you? Very well.”
They were then led into another room, behind a set of heavy blast doors. If the whole group were trying to hide their surprise then, now they could barely contain it. Even the colonel stared awestruck at the things he had seen. Despite the near-magical objects around them, the true shock was the massive starship at the end of the hallway. “It’s impressive isn’t it?” Aurelius said. “All of the goddess’ artifacts and items at our disposal, to use and learn from, to integrate into our own. This is why Anglestan is the most powerful nation in the UHT in terms of development. When it comes to industry, however, that would go to the UNA. But we share our secrets with them. All our advancements are handed to them first before any other nation.”
“This is all amazing, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “But this is not what I’m here for.”
“No, it’s not.” Aurelius nodded.
He led them to another room, one that was sterilized and sported advanced machinery. Things that Mark had never even seen. There were screens with luminous green texts that appeared in front of it. Large panels with numerous keys, levers, and dials. Graphs of all sorts and beeping monitors. In the center, was the very thing he had come all this way to confirm. A large cylinder filled with liquid, sporting tubes and pipes connecting to its base. Inside was a woman of large proportion. Four arms, two legs, and six wings. In her bare chest was a symbol of the sun that seemed to glow dimly.
“There she is, there’s you goddess.”
Neither Mark nor his group spoke a word. He walked up to it, eyeing the woman inside. It really is her. Down to the last details. Golden hair, six limbs, six folded wings, and she looks massive. Probably as big as her statue just outside the cathedral. This is it. The very goddess in the history books, the one spoken about in legends and the one worshiped in the Churches of Sol.
“Can we free her?” he said.
The Great Grandfather nearly choked on his spit upon hearing those words. “Free her?! That could kill her! We don’t even understand this technology, let alone control it!” he said pointing at the panels. “The machines you see here are the best and most advanced we have based on what we can reverse engineer, but even then, the consequences of tampering with its functions may be disastrous!”
“I understand, Great Grandfather,” Mark said. “But we are in a dire situation, and the goddess may be our hope of turning this around. Whatever secrets of her tech that you don’t understand, wouldn’t she be able to teach us directly? What good is she floating around in Sol knows what?”
“That is her miraculous healing fluid. She had already built this contraption centuries ago in case anything were to happen to her, that her body’s natural healing could not sustain,” Aurelius said. “During the War of Darkness, Helena was struck with a weapon so deadly, her very cells began to tear away. The Reaper. Dealt to her by Absolem the progenitor. Her flesh was peeling from her body, and she began to decay whilst she still breathed. She entered this contraption and gave strict instructions to the Great Grandfather at the time, not to interrupt the healing process. The machine that monitored her, however, began to fail over time.”
“So this… these screens and panels…”
“Is only what functions we can understand. We took it upon ourselves to rebuild and study it the best we could. What we have right now is only a cheap imitation of a technology we do not fully comprehend,” he said. “It took us decades to even figure out the fundamentals and create a working prototype of this machine. By some miracle, the goddess’ healing process had remained even while we replaced components of technology ahead of ours.”
“But you know how to free her, don’t you?”
“I… yes.”
“Great Grandfather Aurelius,” Mark began. “We can end this war. Imagine what we could do with the goddess fighting on our side. We could advance even further, we could finally end the bloodshed, and we can show humanity that there is still hope. Imagine how people all over the world would feel seeing as their goddess has returned.”
“I wish I had your enthusiasm,” Aurelius said. “But it is simply too risky. The Church’s duty is to protect Helena and her legacy. We keep her alive, literally and figuratively. She nearly died the last time she was involved in a war. Would you risk losing the goddess?”
“Would you risk humanity losing?”
The Great Grandfather fell silent, looking back at Helena floating inside the tube, then to the panels that controlled it. He frowned and let out a long sigh. “The goddess said that we should not interrupt it. That it would end as soon as it was finished. Maybe we should trust her words.”
Mark shook his head. “I don’t spot a single blemish on the goddess. Not a single scratch,” he argued. “You said it yourself that the machine had begun to fail and you replaced components. How would you know that the thing that’s supposed to wake her up was not tampered with? Think about it. What you may think is a useless piece may be integral to the whole machine. Or maybe your replacements were not up to the task. Just because nothing’s happened doesn’t mean its functions have remained whole.”
“Young man, we simply cannot gamble with the goddess’ life here.”
“Have you no faith? Great Grandfather?”
Aurelius stepped back in shock. Mark’s companions looked at each other, clearly surprised as well. “Mark… I don’t think we should keep arguing with—” Olivia tried to say.
“No,” the colonel said firmly, cutting her off. “Great Grandfather Aurelius, do you think that Helena will not be able to pull through if we wake her? How long has it been? A century? How much longer will we wait? She may be immortal but humans aren’t.”
“I'm sorry, but the chances of failure are too high. The probability of her—”
“I don’t care about the probability! Would you rather put your faith in a statistic?!” Mark raised his voice. “I lost my mother to this war! My friends! My job! My eye, and almost my life! I’ve put mine on the line out there! You don’t know what it’s like out there! Was my mother’s death just a probability too? Was she just a statistic to you?! That as long as the numbers are good, no matter how many are lost, we are ‘winning’?!”
“Mark—!”
“No, Liv! He needs to know what’s really going on out there!” he spat. “Great Grandfather, with all due respect, but you don’t have a damn clue what it’s like to be in the field. You’re a man of faith, aren’t you? Take a risk. Everyone else has.”
Aurelius stood there, dumbfounded. He bit the inside of his cheeks and clenched his fists. “For your insolence, I would have had you flogged and stripped of your rank,” he glared at the young colonel. However, his features slowly softened, letting out a soft sigh. “But I have never seen such conviction. Mighty is your faith.”
The Great Grandfather moved over to the panels and reached into his robe, pulling out from around his neck a key with the symbol of the sun. He inserted it into the machine and turned. A beep sounded, right before Aurelius pulled a lever. In an instant, the fluid inside the glass chamber began to drain out into the tubes under it. Slowly, the chamber emptied and all that was left was the nude form of the goddess sitting in the glass.
“Did it work?” Louis asked, stepping forward and looking at the woman.
Aurelius stayed silent, his hands shaking in anticipation. Mark moved toward the glass chamber, when suddenly, the glass opened up like a door, releasing a fragrant mist. They stood there, watching for a whole minute. Nothing. At first nothing. The Great Grandfather looked like he was about to break down. His knees shook as he covered his mouth, thinking that he was responsible for the death of Helena.
That was when… a soft sound was heard. Movement. Olivia immediately went over to Mark and stood in front of him. Ready to protect him should anything happen. Slowly, the goddess moved more, her arms inched to the side.
Then, her eyes opened.

Honeybees use an alarm pheromone that recruits nearby bees into mass stinging of the perceived threat. They don't think about it, they don't question it...it only takes one bee to attack a target for all the others to jump right in at once. I suggest we come up with our own "Alarm Pheromone" word and use it to direct the attack at a target. So when we see it, we jump in and quickly spam the message in all platforms... "AP FFIE" Any thoughts?

Dear ___,
I’d like to apologize for what I did wrong. I got upset and so did you, and for that I’m sorry. All I can say is I had good intentions, but what does that change? Absolutely nothing.
For what it’s worth, I hope you’re doing really well and that you’re very happy. I’m still a little hurt, my ego hasn’t yet fully recovered, but you deserve happiness, safety, and comfort, which despite my best attempts, I didn’t manage to provide. I hope you’ve found it and I’m sorry for the discomfort. I’m trying to learn, improve, heal. I don’t feel ready to talk. I just had to get this out since my last message was rather reactionary.
I’m sorry for not being more careful with my words. I’m afraid I played around too much, insinuating things I didn’t intend to, only realizing so in hindsight — almost like I thought you could somehow read my mind and anticipate my bad jokes, somewhat ironic references, which of course, you can’t, especially not when there was depth and truth scattered in there too. I’m sorry for burdening you: it was the last thing I wanted to do. In fact, it’s exactly what I was afraid of. We don’t have to talk though. You don’t owe me conversation. I’m still working through things. Just had to say I’m sorry for having hurt you. At the time, it felt right to express myself and I tried my best, but I was naive in believing it would be appreciated.
ADD, autism, BPD, bipolar, schizotypal, anxiously attached: at one point or another, usually at an ebb, I considered there may be something (or many things) “wrong” with (or rather different about) me. There certainly is. However, it doesn’t mean I’m a bad person. I try my best not to hurt people but sometimes I do. I try to uplift and make amends whenever I spot an opportunity, perhaps too often going out of my way to create one. And so I find myself apologizing to someone who’s hurt me too. Because yeah, what’s good and what’s evil, what’s brave and what’s cowardly, what’s well-intentioned and what’s manipulative, and where exactly is the line between both; even that is subjective.
I’m sorry for that one message being so long. I felt in-equipped to deal with this matter in writing and tried to make it work, but I couldn’t. I didn’t say what I had to nor what I wish I’d said. I can’t express that in writing.
Kind regards, Your annoying fan
I don’t think I’ll ever manage to stay upset at you for long, for I’m too grateful for the impact you’ve had throughout the years. Although there’s still a lot of work to be done, I wouldn’t have grown as much, both intellectually and emotionally, if it weren’t for you. Kind of random, but I’ve come to find out the harsh way that I’m a socialist too. I won’t bore you with the details. It must be weird to have fans huh. Well, you deserve them, but without the hassle. I’m sorry for stealing your time. I’m stupid, so stoopid. But I’m trying. I hope by the time I’m in my thirties, I’m half as wise and accomplished as you. I truly meant no harm and I believe neither did you, but we did hurt each other and I don’t know if there’s a way to recover what once was. I can’t fix this on my own, and it seems you’d rather let it go, and that’s ok. If I may ask you for a favor though, know that I’ll continue to love you from afar, still cherish the moments we shared, and that there’s absolutely no reason to be afraid. If anything, I pray for your safety, health, and wellbeing, and I have for a while.

I recently transferred counties and have been assigned a new PO. My old one was incredibly helpful and answered any questions I had very quickly. My new one, however, never answers anything. He always just blows me off and ignores any messages I send him. Everytime we meet i never end up getting a word in edgewise. He just tells me about all the people he has arrested recently, tells me I need to keep up my registry with the police and sends me away. Is this common? Its really frustrating me.

Hey guys I'm a solo indie dev making a small 2d action platformer game right now about a dog trying to reach the moon and need some people To playtest the prototype. I thought you guys might be a good fit to test It, since from what people have told me it feels like an old-school Nintendo game from the 80's or 90's and its an easy to pick up game just like how Nintendo games are. I do offer a small cash incentive to anyone who gets an invite and playtests it and gives feedback through a google form, its just 5-10 min prototype. if you wanna help me out and playtest, you can simply private message me or comment on the post. also any feedback on how i worded this post would be appreciated, i hate sounding like spam but i have to attempt to get relevant playtests somehow if i wanna make a good game.

For context I've always had problems with my mom. I think the best way to describe her would be controlling. She would yell, curse and generally be very explosive, it was hard to know what would “trigger” her. All of this led to me moving out to my bf/his family's house as soon as I turned 18. I cut off all contact with my parents for a few days to calm down and then went in contact with my dad. Long story short we talked it through and established a more healthy relationship. I thought my mom was a bit different too, just nicer overall, and that having distance to her truly helped a lot.
I now work as a substitute teacher, sometimes monday-friday and sometimes only every other day. I visit my parents every now and then but because of work, lack of money and lack of public transportation where I live, I can't visit too often or stay for many days at a time. So I compensate by texting my parents and sending them pictures. This month my mom has not been very responsive to my messages. I didn't think much of it because she does have a bunch of health problems and even had a stroke a few months back, so I assumed that she was just tired. With that in mind I wished her happy Mother's Day twice this week and went to visit last Monday with a mother's day gift (20 dollar chocolate box). She seemed happy about it. The next morning I said that I would have to head home in the evening because I had work the next day. I think this is what set her off. She told me “well you don't care about us anyway. I decided to test you this month by ignoring your messages to see if you would care. But you only seem to care when you need something”. This was insane for me to hear. Looking back at our messages this month and there was only “how's it going “ messages from me, a few pictures I sent from work and some volunteer work I do, the happy mother's Days messages and one message where I briefly mentioned that I needed to be careful with money and save up because me and my bf are moving out soon. In that moment I realized how utterly stupid and manipulative her words and behavior was. She then proceeded to say that I never visit. I explained that I've been working and visiting on my free days and even took this day off to celebrate Mother's Day. It just became a yelling argument, I tried keeping my cool but was getting really worked up and emotional. I ended up saying “wtf do you want from me? Do you realize how manipulative you are? you're such an asshole”. I went outside crying to cool down. When I went back in to gather my things, my dad was “scolding” my mom for always making me cry when I visited. It made me think back and realize that this was true and that I in fact had often ended up crying or arguing with my mom over something she initiated. I just left and texted my dad later to apologize for all the yelling and thank him for standing up for me.
So was I the asshole?

Hello everyone!
I’ve been living in Newcastle for 11 years now. I was recently spending time with family down south and caused some confusion with my choice of words. The conversation went like this:
Mum: We’d really like to eat dinner soon, but your brother isn’t responding to messages.
Me: Would you like me to go and knock on and see if he’s eating with us?
Mum: baffled
So my question to native Northeasterners is: is ‘knock on’ a widely understood phrase in this context? If not, I have no idea where I’ve picked it up from!!
It might be worth saying I work in Durham.
Any help would be much appreciated!