My residence permit is stolen and I go back to India for good by 30th June. I have made a police report for my residence permit. The problem I'm facing is that I planned to travel within Europe and I have my flights to Croatia booked for 30th may. Even if I apply for a residence permit, it'll be too late to even travel in June by the time it comes. Please help me out, I don't know what to do and I hope for you to guide me. Talking to the IND did not help and I don't know what to do.

Hey everyone, as many of you I’m sure can relate: I have gone through almost every diet, tip & trick in the book. Nothing helped.
January I started a “new chapter” where I decided I would work on my discipline and take fitness classes weekly to support my goals maybe even balance out my caloric intake…
It’s led to an interest in juicing .. now I’ll tell you, this shit is ROUGH. But physically I feel incredible. - I took the advice of another user on Reddit. My initial commitment was for a 10 day fast, but on day two I was suffering I felt like defeat like a quitter. I wanted to binge I had to binge…. I ordered bbq, but you know something I barely ate. I don’t even think I can categorize it as a binge, but my Ed does. My ED also calls this having failed, but my intuition doesn’t.
A Reddit user suggested starting with 1 day juice fasts (eat every other day) getting comfortable with that 1 day and progressively adding 1 by 1.
Im happy to report, eating fruits and vegetables, and these large quantities I never would be able to binge is making me feel incredibly right in my body, I feel lighter I feel thin I feel energetic, I feel clean. I still have the urge to binge but the effect this juice is having on me seems to be DECRESING THE SIZE and intensity of my binge.
To me that’s a goddamn miracle, so I wanted to share all of this with you… It’s not easy but for me it’s made a hell of a difference. I hope it helps you too.

I am not well rounded with knowledge when it comes to website creation.

I'm using PortfolioBox to showcase my skills as a freelancer.

What type of services do I offer? Many, but here is this... VIRTUAL ASSISTANT RECRUITMENT & TRAINING SUPPORT VIRTUAL WEDDING PLANNER & EVENTS COODINATOR ADMINISTRATIVE ASSISTANT
DEADLINE: Friday May 3, 2024 by 11PM Central Standard Time

What I need done:

• Beginner friendly tutorial of how to use the site. Just show me the basics or foundation of being able to navigate and understand the website.
• Pages created for site navigation. You can create and edit pages to fit my services and elevate the level of presentation of services. I don't want difficulties with the Page URL. Make this simple, for example: www.website.com/contact www.website.com/BookServices

Pages Needed Below(please organize the pages from top to bottom starting with the Intro>Services & Pricing>Book Today>Make A Payment>Contact Me>Gallery>Reviews or if your expertise knows a better way to rename these and organize them, please feel free to be open with communication for this overall project.

A.) Intro Page/About Me: I see this with a company logo and brief description of what services I offer B.) Services & Pricing Page: I will provide information on services. I offer a wide range of services as per the job titles listed above. You will have to describe the role of each position(I will provide you with job description and duties) and what services are offered through these services. I'm not sure how you'd like to implement this. My work account is u/thick_hamster3002 and you can see from my previous posts what I offer for services and how pricing may be. C.) Gallery Page: This will include documentation that I personally have created and photos of work as well. I think maybe 15 photos max will be good enough to showcase my work D.) Book Today Page: Create or utilize the site tools in order to allow my services to be booked through my site/Portfolio include pricing just as a good faith reminder. Give the potential client options like a calendar where they can choose a time for a Zoom or Google Meet Interview so I can discuss their project or job details E.) Reviews Page: Create a place on the page where past clients can leave their honest reviews. I would like to be able to manage these with the 5 star rating and filter from highest review to lowest. I also want the ability to delete reviews on just end if needed. It would be really great if you could use a bigger font to showcase 1 or 2 reviews as a spotlight. F.)Contact Page:I will provide you with all of my business contac t information. Also, list my Instagram & Facebook Work page as options to contact me as well. G.) Payment Page: Some services offered can be broken into payments that need to be made monthly or contain a deposit needed to hold services for a specific date and time. I'd like a payment ID reference number or similar so Paying Clients can see their paid and remaining balances with due dates provided.
*Again, these pages can be in the order I listed above or renamed and reorganized as far as page order. I did not type them in any order here.

• Google Analytics and Tags must be made/applied, and reports go directly to me. I also need to learn how to use some of these tools and how it will apply to my portfolio web page. Just a quick run down or light training. I can even go off of your notes if they provide all the necessary info and knowledge for me to understand how this works
  
• Portfolio Aesthetics: Ensure that the page stands out from others but still professionally fits the overall roles. Feel free to change fonts and colors. Just make sure it's organized, user-friendly, and applicable.
  
• Change the current website domain from Cosmicconnectionelevation.com to CosmicConnectionSolutions.com
  
• Teach me if there are other ways to receive immediate site notifications to my phone like when services are booked, upcoming meetings or consultations, payments, and more important information.
  

I am open to ANY advice or suggestions you have in order to elevate my business further
If things are done with professionalism & and quality, I may be willing to compensate more than the listed $45. This is up to my discretion, and I ask that you do not ask for more than what has been offered.
BONUS EXTRA $5 OPPORTUNITY: Create an email with the domain example@CosmicconnectionSolutions.com as I would like everything uniformed and have similar underlying themes.
Please send me a *message through my reddit** profile u/texanasiann. We will move to email and phone communication after this. In your message, please include why you should be the candidate chosen for this task and show any work you've done in the past. I accept referrals/recommendations but prefer to see your website creations rather then going based off description of pages and will most likely make my decision off of what I can see. Again, any advice or tips are always well received and welcomed. THANKS IN ADVANCE!*
ALSO COMMENT BELOW SO I CAN KEEP TRACK OF SCAMMERS AND RECOMMEND YOUR ACCOUNT BETTER TO OTHERS I will write and review anything you'd like me to after you complete this project. If you need reviews across 5-6 website locations, then you should know... I'm an expert at giving reviews. Highlighting strengths, skills, and project turnaround time.
I can pay you via Cash App, Chime, or Paypal. I will not pay until the project is completed and work is turned in.

Destiny mentioned maybe delving into this and wanted to throw these ideas out.
First, I think destiny should adopt the 2 legal ideas of causation from Torts in discussing some historical events and causation:
A. Proximate cause - basically the literal cause, where one event or action directly leads to another, in his discussion on palestinian expulsion he talked about this mostly what event directly triggered another.
B. But for cause - an event action or state that must be true for the event to occur even if it didn't directly cause it, in Palestinian discussions this sort of comes up when people cite older history and how people are already primed or systems are set up(group x wouldn't have done action y in response to event z if set C events hadn't occured first in the prior decade).
For the but for cause, obviously that is the history up to the point of decision which he should read and analyze
For proximate cause these are my thoughts on it:

1. The official story -

The US believed that saddam hussein was pursuing WMDs and was sympathetic to radical islamic terrorists.
While this is often viewed as having no basis, its true that hussein was a strongman dictator who definitely had gas weapons in the recent past, and had wanted to secure more regional power + more international power(especially to try to negotiate away the crippling sanctions the US had on him post gulf war and the attempted assassination of bush senior). Additionally, in order to shore up sunni base support despite the terrible economic and security conditions, hussein had implemented the 'back to faith' movement which attempted to bring fundamentalist islamic support, by leaning into islam + embeddingn baathists into these communities and orga. Al qaeda in Iraq(not actually part of overarching al qaeda because of disagreement about shiites) was an increasingly active entity in iraq and was theoretically trying to encite a sectarian war for sunnis to win. As a result of the back to faith movement at least some in the baathist party had genuinely mixed or changed loyalties and some lower level baathist officials were likely working with al qaeda in iraq. To some externally it could look like hussein was a supporter of al qaeda, which is why one contigency for invasion was that he arrest and hand over their leadership, we thought he didnt because he was supportive but in actuality he was scrambling to comply but couldnt, in part because the baathist party had been increasingly swayed by these groups. A lot gets into who knew what and when, because all this info was identified in some reports by the US but theres no evidence all the detail filtered up and was known at the highest levels of decision making.

1. The plausible popular alternative motivations -

The US, generally and as part of the war on terror, wanted to have more direct control and allies in the region and wanted to curtail adversaries like iran, believing that they would interfere with the war on terror or generally try to take actions adverse to US interests(including but not limited to oil markets), further they thought that since iraq was a majority shia country being generally oppressed by authoritarian sunni government + the generally friendly relationship with the Kurds, that the country would be a good ally if it obtained democratic rule and undermine irans shiite hegemony.
As baathist authority in iraq was waning, iran was gaining more influence and power in iraq(much like today) and hussein had been an unreliable friend/foe in the past and now had a real grudge against the US. Additionally Iraq had been antagonistic toward US allies like the saudis and Kuwait and jordan and Israel. Obviously Iraq was a big oil producer. Also the kurds and Shiite populations had been oppressed and killed by the baathists previously so thinking they might be winnable and strong allies is easily supportable. So this was all a reasonable assessment but maybe a little too imperial/cold war interventionist throwback to be a good public facing argument by itself.

1. My 'forever war game theory' -

So i think there was a possible additional consideration, in the face of fighting the nebulous and unwinnable global war on terror, we wanted to setup an indefinite favorable battlefield and keep violence away from the homeland.
Think about this, its post 9/11, the threat is global terror that cant be boiled down to a single government or group but an ideology that can spread at the speed of light in the internet age. First consideration is, we probably can't truely 'win' this war in the traditional sense because it can always spread therefore the goal is to advantageously manage it. Second is for anyone with these ideas, espeically suicide bombers, their goal is not really practically strategic but spiritual and optical, therefore the likelihood is wherever we have troops is an easier and more accessible target than the actual US that will magnet in terrorist fighters internationally(this happened if you look at the national origin makeup of detainees taken in iraq it was significantly levels if non iraqi people). Third consideration is, where is best to fight/manage a forever war, afghanistan was a terrible location, its mountainous, and has an extreme treachorous climate, the people and customs are more alien and tribal, the infrastructure is medieval, its majority sunni that could be sympathetic to these radical movements, it specifically has a history of extreme resistance to foreign intervention and our only in is through the unreliable and corrupt ally of pakistan. Iraq on the otherhand, has a much more accessible landscape and climate, the people have been influenced signifficantly by english colonialism and western education, its relatively wealthy and has good infrastructure, it has a shia majority who may be courted and the kurds as allies, it has a history of being a country that can play ball with foreign elements and it has more ties with reliable allies like jordan and kuwait and the saudis(with baathism removed). Fourth consideration may have been that iraq is biblical, its generally accepted as the cite of the garden of eden and by some interpretations will the site of a battle at end of days(bush and many advisors were evangelical christians and this could have influenced some vibes in the background) therefore it would be the appropriate venue of the intentional forever war. Additionally around that time there was a fairly popular book about game theory positing the idea of 'win state games' vs 'forever games' and how to differently participate in them which very well may have been known/read by advisors. (I came up with this theory in spring 2013 and used it to predict(to the derision of my friends at the time) that our pullout of iraq would lead to the development of what i called a 'terrorist super group' that was better trained than insurgents or terrorists, had international membership and had international ambitions, and that would likely be less attached to the more anachronistic traditionalism of the taliban/other groups WHICH obviously was proven true by ISIS).
All in all im not saying 1, 2, or 3 would be good ideas or justifications(1 was factually untrue in the end, 2 is pretty imperial and too aggressive, 3 is unwise/experimental) but the giant simplifications to 'cuz oil' 'cuz he was dumb' 'cuz post 9/11 the US wanted a big war' 'cuz his dad' are all completely devoid of all thought and get peddled by even people who can think critically.

So I'm in Bye Bye Birdie for the first time. There are SO many references that I feel like I had to do research to figure out. I can't believe how much I miss of the references and context. The only place I found these compiled was this text-based personal website last dated 16 years ago, and even then it's only a few (though really key ones!) and some of them don't show up in my 2024 copy - I wonder if they were pared down. Regardless, figured I'd make a context and reference list based on the copy I have!
I can't fit it all in one post, I exceed the text limit, so we'll start with Act 1 with general context stuff and the second post will be Act 2 only :)

Context

How Dated Was the Musical When Released?
Bye Bye Birdie is famously a direct reference to Elvis Presley getting drafted in 1957 and the stir it caused. But note the musical was written and published in 1958, and went on Broadway in 1960. It's like if a musical went on Broadway this year (2024) about a blonde-haired pop star named Tay-lee Quick (instead of Taylor Swift) who performed a world tour, but didn't initially book any dates in Canada, causing a massive outcry, leading to several Canadian officials and the president "Justice Troodoo" to beg her to stop there and... something else silly happens involving her, then she gets punched by a jealous girlfriend, and silliness ensues.
That is how on-the-nose this musical really is. There are many references to what would have been VERY modern events in this musical. For that reason, I'll try to give some equivalences of how the references in the musical would sound if it was written today.
Elvis' Perception in America
This extensive Wikipedia article does a great job of saying in many words that Elvis was insanely influential and deeply controversial. 1956 was a major year of stardom for Elvis -
Phone Calls
Phones are obviously a huge part of this musical! Wanted to combine all the phone references here.
Kim's Phone Number: Kim's number is, according to Rosie in Act 1, Scene 1, "Capitol 7 - 8820". In the 50s, the previous system which used 6-digit phone numbers started to be replaced by one that used an "exchange prefix" and 5 digits after. (Source) (Source) At the time, phone numbers that didn't connect to anyone were given out for shows like I Love Lucy, so that may be what happened here as well, though I don't know.
One Phone Line to Share: Kim's mother asks her to get off the phone early in the play so she can take a phone call. For a long time before cell phones, each home had a "home number" and you couldn't use it at the same time. This is why Kim's mother is asking her to finish up her call so she can call someone and eventually get a phone call as well.
Picking Kim's Number: Rosie uses a rolodex she randomly flips through to pick Kim - which would have been very standard in the 1950s.
The Operator Trying to Get Through: Calls were pushed through using real people, usually women, plugging lines into a "switchboard" to connect them manually. So when Kim's mom says the operator has been trying to get through for nearly three quarters of an hour, she's been trying to not get a busy signal when manually connecting the lines for 45 minutes! That's dedication!
Mr. MacAfee Frustrated with Long Distance Calls: Cost of international calls at this time was per-minute - so calls to New York, Chicago, Fairbanks, Alaska, and Hong Kong would have cost a pretty penny - over $100 for the first 3 minutes in a similar estimation! It sounds like Conrad and Albert didn't really offer to cover this cost, so you can see why Mr. MacAfee is so cross.
Getting Pinned/Going Steady
"Going steady" referred to, in short, being exclusive with someone. "As Time reported in 1957, "Boys and girls who go steady dance together exclusively (cutting in is frowned upon), sip their sodas, absorb their double features and spin their platters in each other's company or not at all. Steady-going girls indicate their unavailability in various ways, [like] the old-fashioned fraternity pins." (Source) It's mentioned in other sources that this could also be school pins, or rings. Something to show your commitment. One of the heads of my production described it like a "promise ring". It's definitely a firmer promise and commitment then just going out with someone, but not quite an engagement.
However, why, if this is such a sweet gesture of romantic love and commitment, would everyone be freaking out about it, and Kim's parents potentially not reacting well to "getting pinned" or "going steady"? (Kim has a line where she exclaims to her mother that she thinks her dad took the announcement "awfully well"). Truth be told, going steady in high school was actually highly discouraged by adults and especially church at the time. This article/Reddit thread sheds some light. I'll copy the first comment here by u/Gfrisse1. "It was felt that going steady would encourage the relationship to develop into one of physical intimacy, something parents wished to avoid. On the other hand, dating a wider, more diverse number of individuals would give them the experience of being exposed to a greater number of character and personality types, thereby helping to hone their mate-selection skills for later on. In the meantime, the short-term relationships were not expected to get much beyond the first- or second-date stage of intimacy. (One-night-stands, or casual hook-ups were not as common-place as they are today.)"
Cigarettes/Age
There are many references to smoking, cigarettes, and how old you should be in this play. It's complicated, but just know that in the 1950s, EVERYONE smoked. Everywhere. In the early 1950s, though, the first studies were coming out with the link to lung cancer, and tobacco companies used every trick in the book to try to squash that. It's genuinely fascinating (and terrifying) how much money and strategy was poured into this misinformation campaign. Read about it here. Anyway, what this means is in the late 1950s, it's not like most were giving up smoking, but because tobacco companies had started more explicitly advertising to minors, several states were in debate about the smoking age. It varied from 21 to 16, but just know that Kim was not considered old enough to be doing it. (Source.)) However, MANY minors did. Think of it like underaged drinking today as the best analogy. There's some specific cigarette references that will pop up in specific scenes, but just know that's the standard.
Patriotism
Fresh(ish) off of the victory of World War II, which was filled with MASSIVE pushes for increased American patriotism (to the degree that Disney even got in on it!), love for the USA was very culturally acceptable and a way to show you were a good person! It was easy to rally around (especially if you ignored the growing civil rights movement of Black people trying to achieve equality, which many white people at the time were very happy to do until they could no longer ignore it - obviously, not touched on in this musical, but significant. Several racist references have been either removed or are requested to be removed by current versions.) But that's why we hear so many classic American anthems in this play!

References by Order of Appearance (Act 1)

Almaelou Music Corporation

This is the end of Almaelou Music Corporation!

Almaelou may very well be a parody of Aldon Music, which would fit due to its major success being in the late 50s, and it's influence in music written for teen girls at the time.
Arpege

Rosie: A five-dollar raise in 1954 and a bottle of Arpege last Christmas.

Arpege is a perfume that was released in 1927 and remained the best-selling perfume of well-loved fashion line Levine for decades. (Source) Albert is quoting a commercial tagline tied to the perfume that was very well-known at the time. It continued to be used in commercials for many years. (Commercial example). It was possible to see 1/2 oz bottles at the time (Source), but Albert gave her a laughably small amount at 1/16 of an ounce. You can still buy this perfume today!
A five-dollar raise in 1954. Secretaries in metropolitan areas could earn around $75 a week. (Source) A five-dollar raise bringing that to $80 a week would, ironically, be about a 1/16 increase in earnings. Also, Rosie is pointing out in an earlier line she has put in 90 hour weeks and hasn't gotten a raise in four years.
Modern example:

Rosie: My last raise was four years ago and you got me that jewelry from Kay Jewelers once
Albert: "Every Kiss Begins with Kay", Rosie. Rosie: Not when that "Kay" is a .25 karat discontinued friendship ring!

Music Business Bum Vs. English Teacher
This is related to the prestige of being an English teacher who is helping people learn a scholarly subject vs. the "seedy" music industry.
Ugga Bugga Boo

"When you wrote Conrad's last hit 'Ugga Bugga Boo' then I knew this was it/You were thru with English forever."

Ugga Bugga Boo is a real song released 1947. It's a comedy song, written by voice acting legend and radio host Mel Blanc (voice of Bugs Bunny, Porky Pig, and many others) for his comedy radio show. I do wonder if Elvis had a song in this vein, as the Jetsons did a similar parody with an Elvis expy a few years later, but I couldn't find one.
Geoffrey ChauceWilliam Morris

"It was goodbye, Geoffrey ChauceHello, William Morris"

Geoffrey Chaucer is considered one of the greatest English writers, specifically poets, of all time. Born in the 1400s.
As for William Morris, this could be two references, possibly combining.
William Morris Agency was an incredibly famous music talent agency that would have likely been known by some audience members in the 1950s. They've represented tons of major talent. This is what I believe is the most likely reference given the song context.
However William Morris was a man also considered a legendary poet during his life, born in the 1830s. However, he also made wallpapers and textiles. After his passing, he became infinitely more famous in the public eye for his wallpaper designs than he did for his poetry. This is could be a dig at that Alfred could be great in the English world, but like Morris, his legacy will be for something "silly" instead. (Important to note that his works, both art and poetry, had great impact - and this may just be a coincidence reference, I don't know)
Bliss! Kiss! That rhymes! I wonder if anyone's ever used it before?
Many people had and have, this is a joke of him being unaware of current trends. Dean Martin had a #1 song in 1955 with this very rhyme for instance that audiences may have remembered at the time.
Dentifrice

Albert: Oh one last kiss; it gives so much bliss... what is your dentifrice! No, that's too clinical...

Basically, toothpaste. Which is, kind of, related to kissing? It could actually be a paste or powder for cleaning the teeth, though in the 50s it wouldn't have been the default way to refer to what you used it seems from my research, like in this commercial. May be a way to show off that Albert really does have an excellent English teacher level vocabulary!
A modern example may be "do you use fluoride? No, that's too clinical..."
"What's the story? Morning glory?"
This is most likely a reference to the song "What's Your Story, Morning Glory?" by jazz legend Ella Fitzgerald released in 1958, another topical reference. It's very possible Helen, the teen who says this line, would be aware of the song because Ella Fitzgerald in 1956 had released her "Ella Fitzgerald Sings the Cole Porter Song Book" album, her attempt to pull in a non-jazz audience. (Source on Ella's Discography)
"What's the tale, nightingale" is most likely an original line to match the "Morning glory" one, same with the hummingbird line.
"Go to a fancy night club and stay out after ten!"
A nightclub was different from what we think of today. Think tables and chairs, late night musical performances (not the NSFW kind), and in some of the most famous like the Copacabana night club, rubbing elbows with the rich and famous. And drinking, of course! Source on Nightclub Definition
18 in World War II

Mr. MacAfee: I am not an old man! I was 18 in World War II.

This is one that may get a bit better with time. WWII ended in 1945, but the play is in 1958 at the earliest. It's better to demonstrate with a modern example written for 2024. "I am not an old man! I was 18 when Facebook first launched." Not quite the same impact as WWII, but the timeline is similar. Essentially this is not a flex and just shows he definitely is old to a teenager.
No Smoking 'Till You're 14

Albert: Remember the Conrad Birdie Creed dear. No smoking till you're fourteen.

As mentioned in my blurb above, 14 was too young to smoke. A modern version may say "No drinking 'till you're 16" or something. Similar to the line "and stay out of the bar!" later on.
"Go down to Track 12"

Albert: Why don't you girls go down to Track 12 and I'll talk to her.

This is one of the many train tracks that must have run through this station. This station is located in New York, so it would make sense for there to be at least 12.
Wear your rubbers

"Keep your money in your inside pocket. Wear your rubbers. And eat a hot lunch..."

While "rubber" as slang for a condom definitely did exist in the 1950s, I believe it's far more likely Mae is referring to overshoes due to the context, though to be fair, I can't find a source to this being "official slang" besides casual mention in posts like these. Something tells me Mae is not randomly mentioning condoms lol.
A Plain G.I.

Albert: Proud to be a plain G.I.!

Mentioning this because it's faded away from current use and surged in usage most recently at WWII, this is just referring to being a soldier. (Source) Hence, G.I. Joe, if you're old enough to remember that.
Appealing for the Draft

Albert: And that's why he volunteered for...

Men were drafted to join the US armed forces until 1973. (Source)
Jerries

Albert: "Say Mr. Peterson," he cried eagerly, "Do you suppose I can get assigned to the front-line trenches? That way I'll be sure to get one of those dirty jerries..."

"Jerries" is slang for German soldiers and was most popular during WWII. The joke here is that WWII is over at this point - the enemies Conrad would be facing at this time would be the Vietnamese, not the Germans. When Rosie tries to correct him, he just says "whoever's dirty this time!".
2024 equivalent: "Conrad said 'Is there any way I could be placed on Seal Team 6? That way I'll be sure to get that Osama Bin Laden for sure!'" "Albert!" "...Or whoever the terrorist is this time!"
Rosie + Albert's "Origin Stories" for Conrad
Just a few references from Rosie's and Albert's stories in "Healthy Normal American Boy" that may be interesting.
Old Virginie - This may be known as a historical fact for people in Virginia, but Carry Me Back to Old Virginny was popular enough in the state of Virginia that it was the state song starting in 1940. In 1940, the version that became the state song had "Virginia" instead of "Virginny", but people watching the musical would definitely be familiar with the original version as this play was only 20 years later.
Indo-China - An eastern territory that got independence from France claim in 1954, and comprised Cambodia, Laos, and parts of Vietnam. Audiences would have been very aware of what Indochina was - according to Wikipedia, "The events of [Indochina getting independence in 1954 through the Geneva Convention and the political tensions of that between S/N Vietnam and other countries] marked the beginnings of serious United States involvement in Vietnam and the ensuing Vietnam War." (Source) Remember, that's the current war during the events of the play!
Dirty Hong Kong moon - We had a complicated relationship with Hong Kong in the 1950s-60s. Read more here. Though I'm not sure if this is meant to be a mis-insult like when Albert said "dirty Jerries".
A wire to New York

Another Reporter: I'll make sure we've got a wire to New York.

This is almost certainly setting up a telegraph communication to New York, which was still happening (though declining in popularity) by 1960. (Source)
I mean I really feel that girl

Conrad: When I sing about a tree/I really feel that tree!/When I sing about a girl,/I really feel that girl,/I mean I really feel sincere!

This isn't necessarily specific to the 50s or 60s but I think this joke gets missed because it seems so tame today. A huge part of Elvis' appeal was his explicit sex appeal at the time (in the form of - gasp! - hip thrusts!) so he's slipping in accidentally a reference to "feeling up" a girl%20for%20sexual%20pleasure) here. Yeah, that slang started in the 1930s!
Mr. MacAfee's Speech
Just know that this is a lot of great historical references, nothing specific to 1950 - 60.
Ed Sullivan
Ed Sullivan was the nationwide sensation that lead The Ed Sullivan Show, a TV program considered one of the most iconic of all time in US television history. You have to understand just how influential and huge the Ed Sullivan Show was at this time. It's genuinely difficult to think of an equivalent in 2024 - today, people get entertainment from tons of sources on the internet, TV, etc. but in 1960 there were THREE television channels. That was it. THREE. To be fair, there were many, many more radio stations that could deliver information and entertainment, but by 1960 it was a TV nation - as the Library of Congress says, "In 1950 only 9 percent of American households had a television set, but by 1960 the figure had reached 90 percent." The Ed Sullivan Show was well watched and well loved by all of the United States. (And Albert saying that they would appear on Sunday at 8:05 was right, as that's when it aired in real life!)
One reason Ed Sullivan is specifically picked is the absolute bombshell of a privilege to be a normal family on this show beamed in practically every household in the United States. But another is Elvis' relationship with the show. When Elvis finally appeared on the show in 1956, it set a record of the most-viewed TV program ever in the US. In fact, it still holds the record TODAY of having the highest share of TV viewers in all of television history in the US. No other TV program has ever had a higher percentage of people tune in vs. other stations. (I mean, that's helped by the fact that there were only 3 choices, but still!) So yeah - this was a cultural phenomenon that was easy to reference in this show!
Margo out of Shangri-La

Mrs. Peterson: She looks like Margo when they took her out of Shangri-La.

Going to take this one right from that personal website I referenced above!

In the 1937 [movie] "Lost Horizon)" [...] a group of travelers are stuck in a utopia called Shangri-La, somewhere in the Himalayas. One of the residents of Shangri-La is Maria, played by Margo), a Mexican dancer and actress. When the travelers finally escape, Maria insists on going with them. But outside the realm of Shangri-La, her youthful beauty can no longer be maintained and she reverts to her true age, causing her to die and her appearance to transform to the hideously withered, wrinkled features of someone who has lived way beyond a normal life span.

You can watch the movie free with ads here, if you're curious! Also, according to the synopsis, Maria never actually escapes Shangri-La. She just dies and "reverts to her true age". AKA looks very very very decrepit. I'm guessing this is more of an easy thing to misremember and better shorthand, though. See the face at 2 hr 3 minutes in abouts!
Suwannee River

Gloria: Mae, can you hum Suwannee River?

While this is a nice convenient copyright-free tune, it would definitely have been publicly known at the time. It had been sung at least partially by Bing Crosby, on the Honeymooners, etc. in recent years before the musical premiered. Unsure if this is what they were going for, but the original lyrics are racist - no wonder it was Mae's "favorite selection".
Ruby Keeler

(Stage direction) Gloria tap dances as Mrs. Peterson hums gaily. Sort of Ruby Keeler-ish steps with a lot of feet-slapping.

Ruby was a well known actress and dancer in the 1920s-30s (and then later after a break). Here's some footage of her dancing! Interestingly, in her early career she was cast in a musical called Bye, Bye, Bonnie. In a newspaper article review, it seems the plot wasn't very similar to Bye Bye Birdie, though it did involve someone going to jail. (Source)
The Touch System

Mrs. Peterson: I'll find you a typewriter (Exits) Albert: [TO GLORIA] Do you use the touch system? Gloria: Whenever possible.

Albert is just referring to the touch system of typing - basically, not looking at the keyboard while you type. Still relevant today, though not with typewriters, which were standard until the 1980s, so that fits here. Of course, Gloria is of course referring to, uh, something a bit more sensual. (Read: She wants to touch him and not like a friend.)
Kodak Ad

Sullivan: So remember: your surest way to the best in color slides is to insist on the new Kodak! And now, the young man you've all been waiting to see.

Just like media today, the Ed Sullivan Show certainly included ads. This included ad deals where Ed himself would promote a product, kind of like YouTubers do with "This video is sponsored by...". And, as you can guess, one of those products was Kodak cameras and camera related products. Kodak was still a huge brand at the time (there were not cell phone cameras as competition, so it was way more likely your home owned a camera or two), Kodak absolutely was sponsoring the Ed Sullivan show and had been for a few years (Source). Here's an example from the time period. What you may miss about this ad in the musical is that it's not actually advertising a camera! Cameras at the time required physical film be loaded into them, and wouldn't you know it, Kodak released a new high-speed color film in 1959! (I think this may be a coincidence, as Kodak had been selling color film for quite a bit before this) Yet another reference that's right on the nose of the current times (of the time)!
Wear it in good health

Albert: Who let that kid in here? Rosie: I did Albert. Albert: Rosie! Rosie: It's a sort of farewell present to you and Miss Rasputin. Wear it in good health.

Not invented in the 50s by any means, but this phrase really isn't used as much today I think. There's not really a deeper meaning here besides sarcasm that I can find - it's just wishing someone well. Obviously, the sarcasm is dripping here lol.
Dinah Shore

STAGE DIRECTION: ...as Mr. MacAfee throws a tremendous Dinah Shore kiss to the audience.

Dinah Shore was an actress and entertainer that had been popular for years at that point. Super interesting career if you want to give it a read. This is referencing her famous "Dinah Shore kiss" that she would give at the end of her show broadcasts and was a huge part of her brand. Here's an example!
Stay tuned for Part 2! :)

Okay, so I'm currently in a 30 day trial with MM. I attached all my institutions and I have to say, I'm really liking it. Much better at accessing from Apple Mini, iPhone and MacBook.
So, i'm only bumping up against 1 issue. I help several other people who know nothing about finance, budgeting and investing. With Quicken, I just have a different file for each of them, no additional costs incurred from Quicken. I send them reports and review with them via Zoom, no cadence. I don't charge to help them, I just like to help.
So, I'm seeing with MM that I can't really do that. I did review the MM Advisor version but it looks like each of them, if they want to use ongoing, have to pay a subscription like I do or I have to pay for each of them.
Am I missing something? Anyway someone could suggest for me to have them seperate (accounts, reports, goals etc).
Thanks in advance.

Hello: One of the pain points at my firm of late is keeping up with various state's compliance requirements. I feel comfortable determining which states a client has income tax & sales tax nexus in, however once registered in those states (or if an employee gets hires in a new state), it is all of the additional filings that we find it hard to keep up on (e.g. annual filings with the SOS; excise taxes; etc).
I recently started using Harbor's guide for annual reports, and I also subscribe to TheTaxBook, which is primarily focused on income taxes, and they have been a small help.
Does anyone have any resources they rely upon to help them know all of the various filings a business needs to stay on top of when doing business in a particular state?

18+ for smut themes.
Hey there! I’m Septimus (M) And it’s nice to meet you!
Today I’m coming forward with the desire to RP as an OC in OC x OC or OC x CC harem based prompts.(I’m greedy, I know but what’s RP without wish fulfilment?)
For my replies I only write in first person and the length of my replies vary from a few sentences to a few solid paragraphs depending on how much is going on in a scene. I figured I’d put a fair warning here that if you reply with low detail, I won’t be rping with you. I’m not looking for a few words as a response. While that might be your thing, that's fine and power to you! It’s just not mine.
I’m someone who likes a nice balance of build-up and story to go along with the smut. I’m not the biggest fan of constant sex, or sex that starts within one or two replies. I also like cute dates and moments, and love to type out action driven moments. Of course this isn’t exactly applicable to every starter.
What I look for in a partner:
Third Person responses (Unless you're playing an OC among the harem)
Don’t take control of my character at any point. Self explanatory but if you write that he does something or has a reaction to something I didn’t write myself I’m not going to be rping with you. You usually get one chance with this and little to no warnings.
Active: I don't wanna be waiting a week for a single reply with no warning. I understand if you're busy outside of RP but please let me know so I'm not just waiting around and twiddling my thumbs. If I go a few days up to a week without hearing from you at all I'm going to assume you're no longer interested. This is once the RP has started. I hear nothing from you I will simply assume you aren’t interested unless you state otherwise. This is just me making sure my friends list isn’t cluttered and I’m not being ghosted. :)
Communicative: It kinda links in with the other but if you're not feeling the RP or you're busy. I'm not gonna get mad or anything I'm an understanding person! Also we don’t both need to be online to RP I generally go off the idea that we both reply whenever we’re able to and the other will get to it once we’re up for it/online.
Please for the love of god don’t spam me every 5 mins. Sending “Hellos?” “?”, ask me if I’m busy, or send a message, delete it and then resend it if I don’t reply right away. It comes across as extremely pushy. I’m not ignoring you if I don’t reply, I’m probably busy. And if I come back to a bunch of spam or keep hearing the notification noise while I’m trying to do something else, it annoys me. As it would anyone I’m sure. Spamming me is a quick way to get blocked. You get one chance with this and no warnings. Sending a bunch of ideas/thoughts about the RP is fine though.
Detailed responses: Anything just around a paragraph (4+ sentences though it depends on the RP AND my response.) is enough, but more is always very much appreciated.
I don’t do group RPS and I don’t play as female characters.
Now to get into the meat and potatoes, I’ll post my kinks and limits. There’s a lot there and not all of them will be applicable to the starters. Aside from Harems. Those are compulsory.

Kinks:
Harems – (Which doesn’t mean playing a bunch of characters at once. If you prefer to play 1 character per scene that’s fine, though the minimum amount of overall characters I’ll take in a harem/RP would be 4 though more is heavily preferred! This kink is currently compulsory for all my rps)
Outercourse (Which is stuff like titjobs, thigh jobs, grinding, hot dogging, that kinda thing), Risky/public spaces. (Places you can get caught but don’t. Toilet stalls, changing booths, that kinda thing), Facials, Freckles (Face and body), Big, nicely shaped bums (Especially if they jiggle… just an overall fan of the jiggle if I’m honest), Creampies, Cum on tits/body, big cumshots, thigh high socks, showewater sex (places like pools, showers, hot tubs that kinda things, and a Mutual desire for sex. I also don’t mind pubic hair as long as it’s not overly bushy, trimmed stuff is nice and preferred! :) I’m also into the rougher stuff. Things like Anal, rough sex. Choking, Spanking all that as well!
Limits:
Pregnacy, which also includes lactation (Hard limit, sorry), Vomit, Piss, Blood, toilet stuff, knife/gunplay, noncon, Gangbangs (reverse gangbangs with females is fine), non hetero pairings, Rimming/pegging, cartoonishly large proportions, NTR, (There could be more that I haven’t thought of, if you’re unsure feel free to ask)
There could be more that I might be into, that hasn’t been listed so feel free to ask about it and we can work something out. And without further ado let’s head straight into it.

I’ve made an easy access list for you to read through to see if anything piques your interest before you have to scroll through this abundant list.
Of course, due to reddit’s character limits I’ll just be posting a few of the starters below, so you can get a handle on my writing, any other ideas you might be interested in feel free to shoot me a PM and I can send those to you!

Anime/Fandom/Game Ideas:
Idea 1: My Harem (Hero) Academia.
Idea 2: One Piece.
Idea 3: Jujutsu Kaisen.
Idea 4: Fire Force.
Idea 5: Demon Slayer.
Idea 6: Attack on Titan.
Idea 7: Fairy Tail.
Idea 8: Naruto.
Idea 9: Bleach.
Idea 10: Fullmetal Alchemist
Idea 11: Chainsaw Man.
Idea 12: Sword Art Online.
Idea 13: Tokyo Ghoul.
Idea 14: Black Clover.
Idea 15: Darling in the Franxx.
Idea 16: Pokemon.
Idea 17: Avatar the Last Airbender.
Idea 18: DC Titans.
Idea 19: Spiderman.
Idea 20: Persona (Girls from 3, 4 and 5.)
Idea 21: Final Fantasy. (7/14)
Idea 22: Baldur's Gate 3.
Idea 23: World of Warcraft.
Idea 24: The Witcher 3.
Idea 25: League of Legends.
Idea 26: Cyberpunk 2077.
Idea 27: Apex Legends.
Idea 28: Overwatch.
Idea 29: Mass Effect
Idea 30: Harry Potter.
OC Ideas:
Idea 31: Scifi Space Crew. (Can be used for Mass Effect)
Idea 32: Bladebreaker. (Can also be used for Xenoblade 2)
Idea 33: Fantasy Harem Adventure.
Idea 34: Tokyo Demon Hunters.
Idea 35: Fallout/Nuclear Apocalypse.
Idea 36: Zombie Apocalypse.
Idea 37: Only man of the town.

Idea 1: My Harem (Hero) Academia.
(So for this one, my character will be a transfer into class 1-A. From Shiketsu. His power is that of Persuasion. With the power he’s able to convince someone to do something as if it’s their own free will. That being said he’s rather hesitant to use it on other people and due to the stigma around his quirk he’s been seen as an outcast and a freak and has been constantly harassed due to the nature of his quirk.)
(The idea I have for this RP is that the girls of class 1-A will help him come out of his shell and accept that his quirk isn’t the villainous thing that other people have led him on to be. This is more of a “Love Route” though I suppose a more selfish route is also available! Also if you wanted to branch out to internships with heroes like Mirko and Mt Lady that’s available too! It’s currently set after the training camp arc and will continue from there.)
Starter: It was a day which started like most others in Class 1-A. The students got ready in the dorms and headed to class to chat among themselves while they waited for Aizawa to enter. However, unlike most days there seemed to be an extra desk placed in the room. The seat caused some confusion which didn’t last long as the first bell rang and Aizawa entered the room.
“Morning everyone.” He stated in his mainly bored and sleepy tone which seemed to sound like he was stifling a yawn. “Today we’ve got a new student transferring in from another school. He’s from Shiketsu, some of you may recognize the name since it’s got the same level of prestige as U.A. but regardless, make sure he feels welcome.” He said, pointing a sweeping stare at everyone and finally resting on the problem student of the U.A class Bakugo.
With that he fell silent and I felt it was my cue to enter. Swallowing a little at the nerves I steeled them quickly and entered. Nervously my blue eyes sweep over some of the familiar faces in the room. Many of the students had standout performances in the UA sports festival and as well in the news reports about the villain attack on the training camp.
I had a lot to live up to if I wanted to join these legends in training but regardless, I was determined to do just that. Breathing a little and shifting my auburn hair from my eyes I smiled the best I could. “My name is Schwarzer, Chris Schwarzer. It’s a pleasure to meet you all.” I say bowing to the class.
Satisfied with the introduction, Aizawa nodded to the spare seat in the room. Taking that as an order I nodded back and headed over to my seat sitting down and getting my books out. Curiously I turned to the seat next to me noticing one of the girls in the class and gave her a slight smile as Aizawa began his lesson.

Idea 2: One Piece.
(I’m not so sure how I want to approach this one, however I’ll jump in and give it a go. Much like the MHA starter this character will have the power of Persuasion. Having eaten the Persua-Persua fruit. I’m thinking for now either he makes a crew with characters from the story, or he joins the Straw Hats and goes on adventures with them. (Obviously this doesn’t have to be canon and completely made up as we go.) Either way I’m super keen on this since I love One Piece to death. I also have a list of potential crewmates I can send!)
Starter: Adventure! Freedom, Treasure and Booze! These were all the things a pirate needed in life. And exactly what every pirate set out to obtain. Two years after the events at Marineford where Strawhat Luffy himself took on the government with an army behind him, and the Whitebeard Pirates at his side in order to rescue his brother… And two years since I felt inspired enough in his absence to set forth on my own.
I gathered up a strong crew and made a name for myself. My alias, Silver Tongue Schwarzer, is a nice title which rolled off the tongue. I had no issues amassing a sizable bounty at 90 million berries. While it wasn’t as grand as other pirates, the world government saw enough of a threat in my power to provide a bounty that large. Of course, had my powers been widely known it’d have rocketed higher.
So then why was I now sitting at a bar on the Sabaody Archipelago, alone and staring into the amber liquid of booze in a mug? It was simple. Mutiny. Those whom I had trusted most among my crew turned on a dime and after reaching the Archipelago they threw me overboard and turned around. To where I didn’t know and quite frankly after their betrayal I didn’t care.
“Damn them. Damn them all.” I muttered under my breath cursing as I downed the rest of my contents. “Another!” I called out to the barkeep who approached to fill my mug.
“You’re looking a little rough there, are you sure you need another?” The bartender asked as he took the mug from me.
“I don’t have anything else to do. I don’t even know what else to do with myself.” I responded grumpily. “Just fill it up.” I demanded.
“Right.” The bartender responded as he filled it with more of the alcoholic amber liquid and slid It in front of me.

Idea 9: Bleach
(So a new human soul reaper makes it into the soul society. His power isn’t great to begin with simply being enough to take out the average hollow. And with the resurgence of the hollow threat the Soul Society has offered to give him a substitute badge to take out those hollows deemed too small for the soul society to handle. Maybe he’s paired up with someone or someone like Orihime steps in to help him grow.)
Starter: Another boring day at university followed by a night of boring patrols. With all the big hollows being taken care of by “Full-fledged” Soul reapers it didn’t leave me with much opportunity to train against bigger enemies.
At least that’s what I thought originally. A few blocks from me there was a rift which opened up and the pure spiritual pressure that came from the hollow that stepped out of it was enough to make me feel as though gravity itself was pushing against me.
It was hard to breathe and even harder to stand as my hand clutched my blade in my left hand tightly. I shook my head as I heard the loud roar of the large breast and could even see its towering form from my position.
It was nothing close to a menos, but it was enough to tower over a three-story building for sure. “Damn.” I hissed to myself as I knew there were no soul reapers around at this stage. With a threat this big I was sure they’d come, but until then it was up to me to buy some time and make sure no humans or souls were consumed.
Pushing myself forward I reached the park that the Hollow had appeared in. Thankfully the park was deserted at this time of night.
When he saw me, the hollow let out a low growl. “You don’t smell like much, but you’ll do as a snack.” The hollow commented as it charged forward.
“Just evade, buy time.” I commented to myself as I began to leap around the battlefield looking a bit like and feeling like an idiot.
The hollow toyed with me a little while enjoying the chase before it seemed to get bored. Just when I was thinking I was fast enough to keep avoiding it the creature’s mouth opened and its forked tongue shot out at me with faster speed than I was anticipating. I raised my blade to defend myself but it was a feeble attempt and I knew it wouldn’t be enough.

Idea 20: Persona (Girls from 3, 4 and 5).
(So basically this is just gonna be a fairly interesting idea. My character along with the girls of persona 3, 4 and 5 get stranded in this strange dimension where they have to fight their way out to make it back to their own worlds.)
Starter: It all happened so fast. One minute I was in a team meeting with my group discussing what we should use our newfound powers for next. And the next second, I blinked and I was in some kind of strange room.
One by one more people were added into this room. Some of which were dressed in some elaborate costumes. And I frowned as I looked at each one of them, all of which I didn’t recognize at all and judging by their looks they didn’t recognize me. Although before we managed to introduce ourselves a booming voice broke the silence.
“Welcome all!” The clearly male voice commented. “To the room of my design.” He added on. “I’m sure you’re all confused. And no doubt you’ll want to return back to your homes. However, to do so you’ll need to enter my labyrinth. “Make it to the end and you’ll all return home.” The voice explained.
“Of course, this maze isn’t without its dangers. Enemies, much like you encounter on a regular basis will roam these halls. As well as beasts of my own design far stronger than those… Fear not though for every checkpoint you reach this room will become more furnished with amenities. For now, you simply have beds to rest on.” He said as there was an audible click and the dark room was suddenly lit up. Sure, enough there were rows of beds all lined up one for each person to sleep on.
“When you’re ready to test yourself, step through this door and enter the first level of the labyrinth.” He declared as a large door appeared and opened up in front of them.
For a while nobody said anything, probably all too stunned to even process the information.
“So, I’m guessing we’re all persona users given what he just said.” I spoke up. “I guess we should probably start with names and strengths, right?” I questioned the group. “I’m Chris Schwarzer.” I say. “My persona, Seraph focuses on ranged combat.” I explained.

Idea 21: Final Fantasy VII. (Others Can be done! :))
(So this one will be set in the world of Final Fantasy VII, however if you’re looking to do others, I’m more than happy to do so! I’m familiar with them all. Mainly 7 and 14 But this one will be focused on FF VII, since Jessie, Yuffie, Tifa and Aerith are best girls! If you wanted to mix this up with FF 14 and have them transported to Eorzea we can make something up!)
Starter: Midgar. Easy place to find work given you were capable enough. There were a lot of monsters prowling the highways between sectors and a lot of people willing to pay mercenaries to get the job done.
“Hiyah!” I called out as I cleaved my blade through the neck of a monster severing its head from the rest of its body and slaying it instantly. It was a tough fight but I overcame it. I panted a little as my muscles relaxed and I slid my blade back into its sheath. The job I was on was simple, kill the beast and return its head to a barkeep in sector 5. I scooped the beast’s head up into a burlap sack and hoisted it over my shoulder before I headed back to the bar.
By this point I was a rather well-known mercenary. Jobs exterminating monsters were easy to come by and easy enough to complete. Plus, the payout paid for my room and for most of my meals. As I entered the bar I headed up to the counter and placed the bloody burlap sack on the counter. “Got it done.” I say to the barkeep.
The older man, his hair and beard white with age frowned a little and looked at the bag. The blood splatter on the counter… which he had just cleaned was enough to let him know that I was serious and he placed the sack full of gil on the counter.
“Thanks.” I say as I picked up the purse. It was lighter than I expected, but even if it was short I wasn’t about to start an argument. In return to my manners, I got a short grunt back.
“Don’tcha forget about disposin of that thing, I ain’t want it.” He said waving his hand dismissively towards the bag.
“Right, I’ll get on that.” I say as I grabbed the sack.
“An there was a woman lookin for you.” He stated. “Said she’d be waitin for you in buildin next to the orphanage.” He stated.
“Right, thanks.” I said to the man and headed out, disposing quickly of the severed head in the sack before I headed up to the building in question. I frowned as I peered inside. My eyes looking around for any sign of someone out of place. It did seem a little crowded in the building after all. I was about to announce myself when I felt a hand tap my shoulder and turned to see who it was.

Those are by no means all of the starters and given the size limits of post limits I figured I’d narrow it down to some of the ones I like the most! Feel free to ask me about any of the others! Thanks so much for reading this and I hope to hear from some of you soon! :)

I was walking our dog Charlie when I saw the graveyard for the first time. A little white fence, not even knee high, ran in a circle around maybe a dozen small headstones. There was space for a small gate along the fence but it was empty now, like a missing tooth. Whether the gate was removed or never existed, I couldn’t tell, but the rest of the fence was in good shape. It even looked freshly painted.
“What do you think, Charlie?” I asked, pulling up my hood.
The sky had been threatening rain all week and it was finally making good. The Weimaraner tilted his head at me and then looked off toward nothing. The fact that nothing happened to be in the same direction of the graveyard, well, I figured it was a coincidence. But dogs always know, don’t they? When something is bad and dangerous and hungry and close. Charlie knew, even warned me in his own way. A shame I didn’t notice until after most everybody was…after it was too late to do anything about it.
Nicole was hanging up pictures when we got back from our walk. I started unpacking one of the billion boxes scattered around the living room. It appeared to contain roughly four thousand dish towels and a single chipped coffee mug. Charlie watched us, patiently, filled with the usual, unshakeable belief that if he sat long enough and looked adorable enough, sooner or later, one of his owners would produce a treat. He was correct and it was my wife who folded first, tossing him a dried sweet potato thing which Charlie gratefully caught mid-air.
“Like the neighborhood?” Nicole asked.
“It’s kinda perfect. Lots of folks out and about, saw a few other families moving in, oh, and there’s even a graveyard in the middle of the development. You know, like how we always dreamed.”
Nicole made an “ick” sound but overall seemed happy.
I heard Bryan and Anna thumping around upstairs, most likely still arguing about who got the room with the attached bath. If they hadn’t sorted it out by dinner, I resolved to think up a weird game they could play where the winner got first bedroom dibs. It was still early in the afternoon, so I caught Nicole up on what I’d seen in our new neighborhood while we unpacked. We were far from the only new occupants of Stone Brooke; at least four other houses had SOLD signs driven into their front yards like stakes through freshly vanquished vampires.
The development was less than a year old and I doubted it would make it more than another six months before being filled to the brim. That was fine with me. It meant our property value would keep going up, up, up and away.
“Do you think we’ll make any friends with our neighbors?” Nicole asked, opening a new box to unpack.
“We’ll be having joint ski vacations and holiday parties in no time,” I guessed. “I’ll try to chat some up next time Charlie and I make our rounds. I’ll even knock on some graves, if you’d like.”
Nicole scowled and shook her head. A thousand teasing jokes about the living dead limping up to our house ran through my mind but each evaporated before escaping my mouth. Eight years of marriage had left me with a finely-honed sense of when to be a clown and when not to push it. And, the truth was, I felt a small twinge of discomfort myself whenever I thought about the little cemetery. It was a family plot, old; would the bodies even be embalmed? Or would you find something rotted down to tar and marrow if you dug up one of the plots?
I shivered.
Nicole smiled. “Looks like maybe somebody just walked over your grave.”
“Not possible. I’m not leaving a body behind when I go, remember? Viking funeral? Have my brother launch fire arrows at a gasoline-soaked canoe with me in it. And then scatter the ashes somewhere meaningful,” I added. “Like the Grand Canyon or the ocean or the last Blockbuster on Earth.
Nicole called for Anna and Bryan and we sat down to a family dinner of move-in-day sandwiches and popcorn and whatever other road-trip snacks we still had from the drive. It was a good night. Bryan was distracted by his phone, a new friend or a girl maybe. Anna was joking with Nicole about something…something to do with school. I can’t remember what, exactly. I really wish I could.
That was the last time we all sat down together as a family for dinner.
I woke up in the middle of our first night in the new house. Some outside sound had entered my dreams. What was it? A whispering or a knocking or rasping. No, not rasping–rustling. Like the sound of many things moving at once but moving quietly, carefully, deliberately. I sat up in bed, blinking against the total darkness of the room.
There it was again; the rustling. Faint and far away, I guessed, but it was so eerie that I could hear it at all.
“Hey, Nicole,” I whispered. “Hey, are you awake?”
Nothing in response other than that rustle again in the dark. It sounded like it was coming from somewhere below me. I got up and stumbled through the room without turning on a light. I don’t know why I didn’t wake Nicole up to listen; I wish I had. I guess I didn’t want her to think I was crazy if I was the only one who heard the sound.
The rustling was actually fainter when I finally made it downstairs. There was only a little light in the house spilling in from outside through half-curtained windows. I paused on the second to last step down and listened. The noise was moving away, growing softer and less frequent. By the time I stepped on the living room rug, the night was silent.
I waited, listened for almost a full minute, then started padding back up the stairs. There was something unsettling about the rustling that made me glad it had stopped. I’d watched a Civil War documentary a few years back and they demonstrated how a battlefield surgeon would operate by sawing through a half a pig carcass then sewing up the wound. They’d pushed in real close during the last part of the demo so you got a great look and even a great listen..
The rustling I’d heard outside the house that night reminded me of the sound of the needle and thread slithering through the pig’s flesh as the surgeon closed the cut.
Wind, I thought. Dream. HVAC system. The first signs of a brain tumor. But probably just the wind traveling through the branches of the maple trees that line our street.
There’s a landing at the top of the stairs with a big window that looks out over the front yard. A silver-gray column of moonlight fell in through the glass, giving enough light to make out a shadow standing on my lawn but not enough to see it clearly. It was a man, tall but a little bent. I remember thinking maybe he was hurt so I moved closer to the window for a cleaner look.
The guy was right at the edge of my yard, nearly in the road. He was facing my house but I couldn’t pick out any details about him. Too many clouds and moonshadows for a good look at his face. We both stared at the other for a minute then the stranger turned and began to walk away. Or, ‘walking’ isn’t entirely the right word. He moved like a man who had just learned to walk and he almost, almost had it figured out.
His knees threatened to collide more than once and he was moving with a limp, favoring his right side. I watched him fall over twice, each time dragging his body along the road for a dozen yards or so before shakily standing up and continuing on like a shell-shocked soldier wandering out of a trench. Each time the man got near a streetlight he would veer away from the glow, stumbling back into darkness and always moving toward the treeline that marked the edge of the woods around our neighborhood.
I stood, frozen in the moonlight, as the night visitor slipped into the forest, movements jerking like a puppet with stiff strings. Then the figure was gone and I was left blinking, wondering if I was dreaming or maybe this was what sleepwalking felt like. It didn’t seem real, any of it; not the rustling, not the man in the yard.
Once I was back in our bedroom, I considered waking up Nicole. But what was I going to tell her? Hey dear, sorry to startle you, I think there was a zombie outside our house. Or maybe just a creepy neighbor. Or maybe your husband is just going slowly, gently, completely crazy. Before getting back into bed, I went and lifted the corner of the curtain on the window, peeking out at the last spot in the treeline where I’d seen the weird guy slip away.
I’m not sure what I was expecting; some trail of destruction, maybe, like Godzilla’s wake on his way to Tokyo. But there was nothing, no sign, no proof there was ever anything at all. Just the sleeping neighborhood, tucked away in the middle of silent woods. The trees were slick with the day’s rain but that would all freeze overnight if it hadn’t already. Streetlights stood out like nails driven into the night, these little bright scars in the dark. I followed the line of them from where it ended at the road back to where it started at the center of the house development.
The graveyard sat high on a hill there at the heart of the neighborhood where the lights started. Or ended, I guess.
I tried to put the bizarre experience out of my mind and laid back in bed next to Nicole.
Charlie and I were on another walk first thing the next morning when we saw another moving truck. This time, however, it looked like the family was on their way out. We stood under a tree watching the movers buzzing back and forth, big, quiet men with thick black belts around their stomachs. The departing family was helping, a man and woman with three three little boys. There was something about the way the parents were behaving that made me stop and observe everybody for a little longer than I usually would, especially with Charlie trying to pull on his leash to go after a Canadian goose.
The adults were zipping boxes from the house to the moving van at warpspeed, almost like they had a deadline. At the same time, both the man and the woman looked so exhausted I was surprised they were standing, much less zipping around like hummingbirds that learned how to drink coffee. They eventually noticed me and Charlie standing across the street, so I waved and walked over.
“Howdy neighbors,” I said, unleashing the most cheerful grin I could drag out.
The couple stopped moving boxes. They stood together, between me and their kids, and I got the unexpected but absolutely unshakable idea they were scared of me. Or, at least, awfully interested in me keeping my distance from their children.
I tried to smile even more disarmingly but it probably went in the other direction.
“We just moved in,” I said, pointing down the street. “How are you all liking Stone Brooke?”
The pair shared a look. They were both around my age, maybe mid-30s, and made an interesting pair. The woman was very tall, her face soaking in shadows cast by a gardening hat. The man was short and balding but muscled like a powerlifter. He took a step toward me and I instinctively tensed up.
“You should leave,” the man said, barely above a whisper.
“Okay,” I said, backing up, “I didn’t mean to-”
“No, I don’t mean here,” he said. “I mean this neighborhood. It’s not a good place.”
His–I assumed wife–was looking around the nearby houses while we talked. Something must have spooked her, because she took two steps forward and leaned in.
“Walter, we don’t know him,” she whispered. “He might be-”
“Okay, June,” Walter said, “okay, you’re right, you’re right. Buddy, I’m sorry, we don’t have anything to talk about. We’re out of here, hopefully before dinner.”
The couple turned away and walked back to their kids. Walter hesitated in his driveway, giving me one last glance.
“Listen, I’m sorry, you seem normal enough,” he said, ignoring the glare from his wife. “But you really should get out of Stone Brooke as soon as you can. We’ve only been here a week but there’s already so much…shit, if you are normal, you wouldn’t believe me. And if you’re not, well, we’ll be gone by tonight either way.”
Walter’s wife returned to his side, one delicate hand on his bowling ball of a shoulder trying to steer him away. She must have noticed my absolute confusion; the little bit of her face I could see from under the hat softened.
“If anyone knocks on your door after dark, you shouldn’t answer. Don’t go out after sundown, either. And if anyone you know starts acting…” She looked back at her kids. Two of the three were moving boxes from the house to the truck in a mini-conga line but the third, a little boy, was standing on the porch staring at us. “If anyone you know starts acting strange, just don’t be alone with them or let anyone else be alone with them. Do you understand?”
“Not at all,” I admitted but the pair were already gone, joining their kids next to the U-Haul.
The one boy was still separate from the others, still watching me and Charlie while we stood on the sidewalk at the edge of their yard. Feeling uncomfortable and confused, I gave the kid a friendly wave. He just stared until we left.
I tried to shake off the creepy encounter. Ten minutes of walking in the sunshine had me feeling fine in no time. Charlie and I took a loop around the rest of Stone Brooke then started heading home. I wasn’t planning on walking by the cemetery but that’s the way our route ended up winding. It was even smaller upclose; not the dozen or so gravestones I’d guessed the day before but maybe only seven or eight. The stones themselves were small and weathered. They were carved of something that was white once but had been sun-stained to a dirty gray. I couldn’t make out any names or dates from where I was standing just outside of the short fence. It didn’t feel right stepping into the cemetery to get a better look. I told myself it was respect holding me back from getting any closer.
Well, that and the fact that Charlie was not a fan of the area at all. He began whining as we approached the hill; by the time we were at the fence, Charlie was tugging at his leash, trying to drag me back toward our house down the street. And, weighing in at nearly ninety pounds of muscle and anxiety, he nearly succeeded.
“Easy, Charlie, easy,” I said. “We’re not going near the dead people.” He tilted his head at me. “Okay, we’re not going any nearer than we already are. I just want to look for a second, alright?”
It wasn’t alright. Not by Charlie’s measure. After about two minutes of trying to stand without getting wrapped up like an AT-AT walker by my dog’s leash, I surrendered. I took one last look at the graveyard before I allowed Charlie to lead us away. There were a few trees scattered among the stones. They were bare of leaves, which was normal for the time of year, but they were also stunted and sickly. The trunk of the tree closest to the cemetery gate appeared to be dry-rotted, its bark flakey and brown-orange in spots.
The last thought I spared the cemetery before leaving was that I didn’t like the faint smell I detected. Nothing crazy, it didn’t smell like death or anything dramatic; it was an earthy scent, like a field after a rainstorm but with the hint of something spoiled under all of it.
I let Charlie lead us home, walking quickly but not rushing. Nicole was up unpacking again when we walked in. The kids were still asleep. My wife had on gray sweat pants and my faded Red Hot Chili Peppers t-shirt. Her hair was tied up in a scarf. I remember thinking how pretty she looked, brown eyes jumping from box-to-box, looking for her next target, and smiling as she worked.
We spent the rest of the day just settling in, checking out the house, unpacking and playing games with the kids. Then we DoorDashed Chinese for an early dinner. I remember it being early enough that the sun was still out when it was delivered and just setting when Nicole took Charlie out for his evening walk.
Charlie returned alone half an hour later, dragging his leash and looking stressed beyond anything I’d ever seen from him.
“Hey, hey, buddy,” I said, opening the door he was scratching at. “Where’s your mom, Charlie?”
I stepped out onto the front porch, expecting to see Nicole running down the street after Charlie gave her the slip. But it was starting to rain and no one was moving anywhere I could see.
“Nicole,” I said loudly. “Hey, Nicoollle.”
She didn’t call back or come jogging down the road. My throat was feeling weird, so I swallowed then yelled her name, much louder this time. I tried to keep any tinge of panic out of my voice.
“Nicole!”
Charlie was sitting on the floor, still on his leash, looking up at me. He was whining so quietly I didn’t notice at first. I pulled my phone from my pocket and called Nicole. It rang for what felt like a few years before going to her voicemail. I tried again with the same result, then yelled out again, and then another call.
I felt it crawling up and over me, that panic, the anxious madness that you feel when a normal day teeters on the beam before falling into an awful damn day. That happened to me once before when I was in college and my uncle died suddenly in a car crash. I remember the phone call, the confusion, the resistance to the growing, unavoidable certainty that your life just changed in a terrible way.
My pulse was up and my stomach was cramped. I took a deep breath and called my wife for the fourth time in about two minutes. Maybe her phone was on silent. Maybe she was still out searching for Charlie?
In the rain? I asked myself.
Sure. She loves Charlie. She would look for him in the rain or a blizzard or a volcanic eruption.
“Okay,” I said out loud, “but after she couldn’t find Charlie, she would call me so we could all look. She would call.”
What if she was hurt?
The thought went off like a molotov in my mind, spreading until it was the only idea I could focus on. I pictured Nicole laying in some ditch or hollow with a broken leg, black sky pouring down on her. She’d call if she could, if that was the scenario, but if she couldn’t reach her phone for some reason, then she’d be counting on me going to find her.
I took Charlie off his leash and hustled upstairs. Bryan was in his room unpacking and Anna was sitting in a window nook reading. She looked up at me when I left the stairs and asked where mom was since she’d heard me calling outside for her. I told both of the kids that their mom was probably meeting some new neighbors and I was just going to pop out for a second to see if she needed anything. Anna was ten and accepted my excuse with a smile before going back to her book. Bryan, however, was thirteen and had a much better ear for lies. He gave me an odd glance but I smiled and promised I’d be back in two shakes.
Two shakes turned into nearly thirty minutes of me scouring Stone Brooke. It wasn’t a big development, maybe fifty or sixty houses spreading out in rings with the old cemetery in the middle. That was where the original farmhouse was when all of the land was owned by one family. I remember the real estate agent telling us that the day we toured the house.
It’s strange the places your mind will go for a distracting memory when your agitation is slouching slowly toward hysteria. I peppered my foot search for Nicole with frequent phone calls, which only resulted in stacking voicemails over voicemails. I scoured all three main streets, hood trickling with rainwater, my flashlight sweeping between houses and under trees. After an hour, I’d checked the neighborhood twice over, all except for the little graveyard. I wasn’t even trying to consciously avoid it but I realized I had.
The waist-high gate was unlocked and swung open when I lifted the latch, which was just starting to go to rust. I got the sense that the cemetery was once well-cared for and only recently had been more or less forgotten. There were a few weeds among the tombstones and a glass vase filled with nearly mummified flowers in front of one grave in particular but there wasn’t any sign of Nicole. The ground was soft from the rain but it was too dark to see much of anything. I did note that the entire hill was messy, more dirt than grass and quickly turning into pure mud.
“I hope none of the coffins float out,” I muttered, drawing my flashlight across the eroded markers.
There were lots of shadows and sunken places on the ground but nothing deep enough to hide a person. I walked home quickly, trying to stay a few steps ahead of the cold fear that kept flashing every imaginable horror that might have happened to my wife through my mind.
If I knew then what I know now about what actually happened to Nicole…the worst, darkest, most vile things I came up with, they weren’t even close.
I made my way home after the graveyard to tell my kids their mom was missing. Just the thought of starting the conversation was filling me with dread and a terrible guilt. They were children; how were they going to process this new, ugly thing? I’d do my best to summarize the situation for them and then I would call the police. That was the plan. Needing to wait twenty-four hours to file a missing persons report is a myth, I knew that. But the sheer surreal misery of the night was blanking my mind on what I would tell everyone.
Nicole went out to walk the dog right around sunset, so about 5pm or 5:30pm. Charlie came back holding his leash at 6:41pm. I remember the exact time because I checked my phone to see if there were any missed calls from Nicole as soon as Charlie appeared.
While I was walking up our driveway, I kept mentally rehearsing how I was going to break the news to the kids. Was there any good way to tell children their mom was missing? Should I inject optimism, sugar-coat, make promises? Or just be frank and completely honest and tell them I didn’t know if…
Not a thought I wanted to finish, even in my own mind, and I opened our front door still undecided how I was going to handle the next part. Then I saw Nicole sitting at the kitchen table playing cards with the kids and I froze. I stood there in the doorway staring until Anna noticed me and told me, look, mom’s home! I managed a limp smile and a nod.
My wife was facing away from me and when she turned in her chair, for an instant, I thought I was looking at a stranger. Then she smiled, really smiled, and it was just Nicole there, the same girl I’d met at a friend’s Halloween party fifteen years ago but now even more lovely. I grinned, still confused but nearly shaking with relief.
“Where were you?” I asked, attempting to sound calmer than I felt. “When Charlie came back, I went looking for you. I was worried that…well, I was worried.”
Nicole took a second to reply. Several seconds, actually. An odd look passed over her face, eyes closing, her jaw tight. Then she snapped out of it, whatever it was, and smiled wider.
“The dog had slipped away to chase a squirrel,” Nicole said. “I’m fine. We’re fine. We’re all fine. We just lost track of time. Sorry to worry you.”
“Okay but you could have called,” I pointed out. “And I called you.”
Another pause before she had an answer.
“I lost my phone chasing the dog,” Nicole finally replied. “And then we got all turned around and mixed up. New neighborhood, you know? Are you hungry?”
In our years together, we’d both gotten good at knowing when the other one was lying. That night, I genuinely could not tell. What she was telling me was plausible if not at all how I expected her to react to Charlie running. For that matter, it was already unusual that our dog would take off after a squirrel. And why would Nicole lie to me about all of it anyway?
But I pressed all of those concerns down into my chest and locked them there. It was a good night, I told myself, an eventful night, a terrifying night for a bit there, but now, everything was okay. We had all sat and played cards, then ate dinner, and then unpacked the last of our boxes before bed.
Nicole kept watching me all throughout the night. I acted like I didn’t notice. She was acting normal enough other than these brief pauses now and again, like she was stopping to think about what she was saying carefully. Her nose also began bleeding, which she stuffed with tissue, blaming the bleed on allergies. My biggest fear that night was she’d had a medical event or something and needed to go to the hospital. A fall turned into a concussion, maybe.
Or, God, a stroke?
Ultimately, Nicole wasn’t showing any signs of an emergency, so I tried to relax.
Still, I found myself watching Nicole for the rest of the night. She caught me looking while she was brushing her teeth. All she did was stop and smile at me. We laid down in bed and I immediately clicked off the light, telling Nicole that I was worn out. After a minute of silence in the dark, I felt my wife’s fingers on my shoulder. She pressed a fingertip to my neck and lightly brushed the space between my jawline and collarbone. It made me shiver; not in a pleasant way.
“Hey, that tickles,” I said, turning away.
Nothing for a moment and then her fingers were pushing against the back of my neck, not hard enough to be painful but not exactly comfortable either.
“What, uh, what are you doing?” I asked.
In response, Nicole kissed my shoulder. Or, it was half a kiss and half almost a bite. She didn’t break the skin but it was awfully close. I slipped away, putting space between us by rolling off of the bed.
“What the Hell?” I snapped.
Nicole didn’t say anything back. There was no light in the room, not even moonlight. In the blackness, I heard my wife shifting in bed.
“Nicole?”
Still nothing from my wife and now she wasn’t moving at all. Seconds stretched out and all I could think to do was stand dully waiting for things to feel normal.
“I just remembered I need to send some emails back to the office,” I told the darkness. “I shouldn’t be too long. I’ll just be downstairs. Are you heading to sleep?” No answer. “Okay, love you, Nicole. Good night.”
I heard her shifting again as I was leaving the bedroom. It was louder than before, a rustling that reminded me of something I couldn’t place. Whatever it was, I wasn’t a fan.
I ended up sleeping on the couch. I had a dream that people were standing outside of our house trying to look in the windows. There was the rustling sound from earlier, like running water or wind through a forest. I woke up to find Nicole standing halfway down the stairs, silhouetted by the light from my open laptop. She froze when I looked at her, stared at me, then softly walked back up the stairs.
There was no more sleep for me that night. I stayed on the couch watching TV with the lights on until dawn.

Compiled info I got from pretesters and my personal experience;
Driving testers tend to be more sceptical of younger drivers. This is only natural. If you are under 22 you are at a slight disadvantage as you have more of a responsibility to prove to the instructor that you are worthy of being on the roads. I wish this wasn’t the case but this is what I have heard from multiple former testers. But fear not - if you do your prep and take on board everything I include in this document, you will be absolutely fine. This does not mean that those older than 22 will have a FAR easier time, but it is something to be conscious of if you fall into the 17-21 age bracket. I did my test at 17 and 6 months (three weeks after becoming eligible) and passed first time. So this is just something to be conscious of, but don’t let it take your confidence away one bit.
The test is as much a mental test as it is a driving test. This is so overlooked by instructors and learner drivers in general. During the test the tester will be building their own mental report of the type of person you will be on the roads. Let’s use an example. Say that you stall within the first 30 seconds of the test. The best reaction you can have is a calm and collected one - restart the engine and get going again. Don’t say anything under your breath, don’t try to justify it to the tester, just take your time and get going again. The best example of this is the reverse around the corner. I have heard of people who literally have hit the curb during the reverse around the corner, and because of their calm and collected reactions, they still passed. Think about it from the tester’s point of view - if you are getting flabbergasted and emotional about a small error (like stalling) in a controlled environment under the safety of a highly qualified driver - what will you be like when you’re on the roads by yourself? You have to prove to them that even if there is an adverse event or something similar, that you can deal with it and not make a big fuss.
Control the controllables. The driving test is one of those events where you have very little control once it actually starts. But in the build up to pulling out of the test centre with your tester riding shotgun, you can control a LOT. Nothing enrages me more than when I hear of people failing before they even get in the car due to an out of date tax, NCT / insurance. Or even worse, they don’t bring their permit, etc… Once you're on the roads, you can only control your own vehicle, no one else's, so it is so important that you set yourself up for success before you leave the test centre. Spend the time learning the theory questions and smash those - that’s your first win. Remember, the tester is making a mental report of you at all times, so by answering the majority of those theory questions correctly goes a long way. Learn off the engine parts well - these are the low hanging fruit of the driving test. Some smaller details - arrive at the centre in plenty of time to ensure that you get a parking space which you can drive DIRECTLY out of, so you can avoid having to do a reverse manoeuvre the second you get into the car with the instructor. If you have a buddy or a family member who is willing to - get them to park in a spot which you would like to drive into after your test, so as you arrive back into the centre, they can pull out and you can reclaim the easiest spot in the parking lot. Give the car a quick clean before the test and maybe stick on a decent pair of jeans instead of shorts. All of these things add up and could be the difference between you passing and failing. If it comes to a split decision for the instructor - you want them to be on your side.
Quickfire points: The Learner Drivers Facebook groups contain valuable knowledge. Take 10 minutes a few days before your test to figure out what questions tend to be asked at your centre. See if anyone has had any unusual routes over the last while and so on… Ideal time to book a test is around 11am. You want a time where traffic is light, school kids are still in class and so on. You also want to have an hour or two beforehand to go over questions and do some practice. Remember, this is a necessary test to ensure we don’t just let anyone on our roads. You have to believe that your skill level is up to scratch. If you put in the work and follow some of my advice you should be perfect! Wishing you the best of luck

Hello guys. Was wondering what kind of career my chart indicates?
On the other websites it showed my Venus was 0.01 degrees conjunct midheaven and I know that has something to do with career.

Whats coming next? Any advice would be helpful🥺

I'm someone who tracks my listening time which is why this is important to me. I finished a book today that was 6 hours and 43 minutes long. I listen on 3x speed (depending on narrator, it works for me).
When I plug this into an audiobook calculator, I get 2 hours 14 minutes listened to. Libby says I spent 2 hours 55 minutes listening which is a massive difference. I'm not sure why it's so extremely off, or if I should report it or if anyone else has noticed the issue.

Hi! I'm looking for some advice/reassurance on my situation, because I'm a pretty confused FTB. Any commentary or advice would be very appreciated :)
I've had a slightly under-asking offer accepted on a share of freehold flat in Z3 London, it's in a nice area with decent transport links. I really like the flat for a few reasons, but these are my primary ones: nice views, big windows receiving good directions of light, doesn't need renovation, good layout, average size for a 1-bed.
For context, I'd ruled out other flats I looked out for the following reasons: small windows and/or poor light direction (top priority), electric heating, ground floor, poor transport links, very small/awkward layout. Also, some ex-council flats - not specifically because they were ex-council but because they were in buildings that would be a headache to mortgage or would entail high legal fees (i.e. external deck access, multi-storey buildings subject to the Building Safety Act).
I've since successfully applied for a mortgage and received an offer - the bank definitely did an in-person valuation because the estate agent mentioned booking them in when I spoke to them about my own surveyor visiting. The offer came back quickly, no requests for additional docs and no down-valuation. My deposit is 17.2% of the agreed price.
Now, the reason I ask for advice is my L2 surveyor visited recently and while my survey doesn't include a formal valuation figure, informally over the phone they said that I'm "paying a lot for the space I'm getting". I've compared 14 recent sales prices for similar flats in a small local radius (Sep 22 to Jan 24) and prices per sqM for these - based on that, I don't think I am overpaying. For example, my price per sqM is slightly below the median for these sales. For the listings I could find photos for at least some of these sold flats were also worse, in my opinion - i.e. poor EPCs due to single glazing, average sized N-facing windows. But the surveyor is a professional in this, from a well-respected local firm & also live locally themselves, so I do trust their opinion over my own.
The full survey report is pending but over the phone nothing found was unexpected or worrying, so I don't think anything in the survey is grounds to negotiate.
I don't want to lose this flat if I try to negotiate the price down based on the surveyor's opinion that it's overpriced - especially because I'm not sure the flat is actually overpriced. Also, there's no chain, so the seller isn't dependent on me buying to get their next home. What would you do?

After putting in the effort and dedication required to complete your International English Language Testing System (IELTS) exam, the anticipation of receiving your results can be both nerve-wracking and exciting. In this detailed blog post, we'll explore the best places to check your IELTS results, the typical timeframe for result availability, and the steps to access your results. Additionally, we'll highlight the resources offered by GCI Language to support your IELTS journey.

When Are IELTS Results Typically Available?

The availability of IELTS results depends on whether you've taken the paper-based or computer-delivered test:
· Paper-based Test: Results for the paper-based IELTS test are typically available within 13 calendar days after the test date.
· Computer-delivered Test: Results for the computer-delivered IELTS test are usually available within 5 to 7 days after the test date.

How to Check Your IELTS Results

· Visit the Official IELTS Website: The best place to check your IELTS results is the official IELTS website https://ielts.org/. Look for the "Check Results" or "Results" section on the website's homepage.
· Provide Necessary Information: To access your results, you'll need to provide the required information, including your test date, passport or identification number, and candidate number.
· View Your Results: Once you've entered the necessary details, you'll be able to view your IELTS results online. Results are usually available in the form of a score report, indicating your scores for each section of the exam – Listening, Reading, Writing, and Speaking – as well as your overall band score.
· Download or Print: You may have the option to download or print a copy of your results for your records. It's advisable to keep a copy for future reference.

Best Places to Check IELTS Results

While the official IELTS website is the primary platform for accessing your results, there are also other reputable websites that provide access to IELTS results. British Council’s https://www.britishcouncil.org/ and IDP Education’s https://www.idp.com/ are trusted providers of IELTS preparation materials and resources. GCI Language offers comprehensive support to candidates preparing for the IELTS exam, including access to mock tests, study guides, and expert guidance.

GCI Language for IELTS Preparation

GCI Language understands the importance of obtaining your IELTS results and offers valuable resources to help you prepare effectively for the exam. Their IELTS preparation materials are designed to enhance your skills and maximize your chances of success. With GCI Language, you'll have access to comprehensive study guides covering all sections of the IELTS exam, complete with tips, strategies, and practice exercises, experienced instructors who offer personalized feedback and guidance to address your specific needs and challenges, and practice tests that will provide valuable practice.
Checking your IELTS results is a crucial step in your journey towards academic or immigration goals. By following the steps outlined in this guide and leveraging the resources provided by GCI Language, you can access your results with confidence and take the next steps towards your aspirations.
Join our vibrant community of language enthusiasts and let's embark on a transformative journey together.
If you have any further questions, you can call or whatsapp us directly at +1 604-755-4334 in Surrey. We will be happy to assist you and answer any questions you may have.

Source: Where to Find and Check Your IELTS Results: A Complete Guide