I've been in an SE capacity most of my career - about 10 years now. I'm a solutions architect breaking $200k a year in the bay area selling CRM SaaS and PaaS but I'm losing steam. I was 100% remote but we recently became hybrid. We got acquired by a soul crushing PE firm and they keep changing strategy every quarter and the constant mandatory training and product certifications and complex processes are killing me inside. I'm starting to get tired of giving demos and the presales role altogether. The combo of bad processes, rushing everything last minute, and dealing with pushy sales people at this company is burning me out.
I've learned I'm a creature of routine and while I'd prefer a 100% remote role, I don't mind a hybrid role. I'm currently working an avg of 45 hours per week and I want something consistent and where I can coast at 40 hrs per week. I'm fortunate to still be employed but this current tech job climate is pretty terrible and unemployed SEs seem to be having a rough time out there.
Something I've always disliked about this job - the knowledge you learn for each employer is is often niche and is usually only applicable for the company you work at. Interviewing for another company means you will have to invest your own nights and weekends to learn their product inside and out. The interview process for SE roles are also brutal - you spend all this time learning a company's tech , then have to go through so many rounds of interviews with tech exercises, panel interviews, culture fit, meet the VPs, etc. After that huge investment of time learning the product you might get rejected. That time is wasted and you'll likely never use it again unless you stay within an industry. Rinse and repeat for the next company. Sometimes I wish I had a job where the knowledge stays relevant across the industry.
With that said, does anyone have ideas on lateral moves out of presales where the skillsets translate well. I'm even considering leaving tech for something more stable and less stressful. Willing to take a pay cut at this point. I'm looking for: - consistent 40 hrs per week - pays at least $170k+ annually - offers mostly if not 100% remote work - is recession proof or resilient or in demand right now
I'm evaluating other consulting gigs, analyst roles, government jobs, product management, PMM. Have even considered going into the trades where it's unionized for job security at this point. Any insights would be appreciated.
Tldr - tired of presales. Looking for an out while leveraging the skills you gain from this role. Please share your ideas. If you think this is a dumb decision, would also love to hear your perspective.

I've started on 1mg Wegovy on 2nd of May this year and just did my 3rd shot yesterday. It's been rough side effect wise, since my doc immediately started me out on this dose. After the second shot, side effects have become much better to handle.
I have high hopes for this weightloss journey on wegovy, and after 2 weeks I am down exactly 4 kilos or 8.8 lb. But never did I imagine it having such a great impact on my quality of life, so fast.
I was diagnosed with schizophrenia almost 5 years ago, and while on the antipsychotic olanzapine/zyprexa, I gained 14 kilos in just a month. I have been overweight and struggling with stress/emotional eating ALL my life. I tried hard for YEARS to lose the weight, i even reported my calorie and movement tracking to my doc. While I'm now on abilify, I can hold my weight but actual weightloss was incredibly slow before wegovy. I had constant food noise, I would cry from never feeling satisfied, I would feel disgusting every day, hate myself, cancel plans because I felt horrible about myself.
Since wegovy, the foodnoise has completely stopped. I feel low to no hunger. For the past week, I can even enjoy my food but I'm just full really fast. i am learning to not rely on food as something to cheer me up. I go out more and move my body because the progress makes me motivated. My sleep has gotten so much better, where I used to have troubles falling asleep and staying asleep for years. Even my schizophrenia symptoms have improved, due to the reduced stress around food and sleep.
I've been keeping it a secret to my friends, only one close friend and my bf know I take this medication, but the past 2 weeks have already been life changing. I can't believe I have struggled for years, begging for help from doctors, when all it took was a little help with supressing my appetite to stick to my plan.
I guess I just wanna shout out how thankful I am for this medication. It has truly changed my mental health and I'll continue to work on the physical part, as I still have 31kg to go. For the first time I'm positive I can do it and I can live a happy life, with hard work that will pay off. I'm keeping my fingers crossed for everyone else on this sub. ❤️

🕟 Kick Off: 16:00 BST
📍 Location: Emirates Stadium, Islington
📺 UK Broadcaster: TNT Sports
🙎🏻‍♂️ Referee: Michael Oliver
🔴 Arsenal Team News:

• Arsenal have a fully fit squad.

⚽ Arsenal Form: 🟩🟩🟩🟩🟩
🔵 Everton Team News:

• Patterson and Mykolenko both miss the match with longer term injuries.
• Andre Gomes suffered a head injury in the last match so will likely miss this game.

⚽ Everton Form: 🟩🟧🟩🟩🟩
📖 Match Facts:

• Everton haven't won an away game in their last 11 matches.
• Everton are ranked 19th in goals scored per match at 1.1, whereas Arsenal have kept the most clean sheets this season at 18.
• Arsenal beat Everton in the reverse fixture 1-0 with a goal from Trossard.
• Evertons last win at the Emirates came in 2021, with the only goal being an own goal from Leno.

🎲 Odds (Betway):

• Arsenal – 2/11
• Draw – 6/1
• Everton - 12/1

✍🏼 Pre-Match Ramblings
Well, there goes another season, and it looks like we won't be getting our fairytale ending that we all wanted. We can thank Spurs and Son in particular for that. But oh well, you can't rely on others for things like this. I'm not gonna bring up the losses against Villa or the dropped points to Fulham, you can read every other comment in the Daily Discussion for that.
It's hard to just talk about this game, but what I will say is that I was shocked to see the recent form of Everton. Yes, that run of games includes Sheffiled United and Nottingham Forest at home, but it also includes Liverpool at home. I think we should be glad we're not at Goodison park, because Everton seem to be able to pull a result out of their arses at that place this season. Away, however, seems to be a different story. They got battered 6-0 by Chelsea, lost 2-0 to United, 2-0 to City, and so on and so forth. I can't fathom a world where we lose this game.
I imagine fans will be watching this game with one eye, with the other eye planted firmly on the game in Manchester that has the potential to change our fortunes. Does David Moyes have something for us? Probably not, let's be honest. West Ham have had a... leaky defense this season, and that's putting it lightly. Perhaps we could loan them Declan Rice for a few hours?
Whatever happens in Manchester and in London on Sunday, we should all be immensely proud of this team. We may not have done enough to take home the gold, but we are getting better and better every season. Last season a lot of people thought 'Well that was there chance', as though it was a one off. We have proved that wrong, and improved all over the pitch. We have been elevated by the likes of Declan Rice, Kai Havertz, David Raya, and our stars such as Saliba, Saka, Gabriel, White, and Odegaard keep improving every season. We are not yet at our ceiling. Nowhere near. This team has a bright future, and I can't wait to see where they can go.
On a more personal note, I have thoroughly enjoyed writing these Pre-Match threads for the majority of this season. Writing about Arsenal is something I have been wanting to do for a long time, and to finally be doing it week after week, and having people actually reading what I have to say, is a surreal feeling. I will continue to write these next season, hopefully with a tool to automate the bits at the top (it's a bit dull copying everything over every time). Thank you especially to those of you which have gone to my website. Throughout the summer I may write some retrospective pieces on the season, and do some transfer rumour roundups, so keep an eye out for those.
Come on you Gunners!
https://anditsarsenal.com/2024/05/17/arsenal-vs-everton-19th-may-2024-build-up-team-news-tv-coverage-predictions/

Everytime I think about contacting my ex (fully nc for 3m so far) I think about how tired I am of still allowing him to have this much control over my emotions and my life . Albeit, it is exceptionally frustrating to feel like he is not NEARLY as shattered as I am because he was not really capable of vulnerability and likely had a foot out the door for over four years (which I somehow failed to notice/care but am working on forgiving myself for it now). The thought of him borderline pollutes my conscience on a daily basis as I try to heal from this and he is just able to go on with his life scotch free. The hardest part for me is not knowing if I will be able to fully accept that I deserve so much better or if I will eventually be convinced that he “became better” and we will “eventually work out”. There isn’t a parallel universe where he would be able to reciprocate what I devoted to him.
This must be the universe trying to tell me one last that time that someone who does not consider me does not love me and that anything someone does when they think they’re going to lose you is a manipulation and they probably never did truly love you.
I now see this information as a tool, rather than a harsh truth, because I have come to learn that figuring out sooner that someone is not genuinely about you and willing to put in what is required for a successful relationship is really only a gift to yourself. The gift is that you are saving your time, love and energy for someone who is worthy of it and hopefully can reciprocate.

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

Hi, I'm looking for a beta reader for my fanfiction. I mostly want eyes on it, but also someone to help me figure out what's needed for the last chapteclimax? A soundboard for the last chapter I still have yet to write. The rest of the story is completed though!
Beta Template
Name: Garlic Breath
Fandom: Food Wars
Pairing: M/M, Souma x Takumi ship
Genre: Romance <3
Link: Google Docs + commenting Link
Fandom Blind: Mostly! The only thing you need to know is:
The two mains go to a fancy culinary school, and they regularly do food wars to see who is the best cook. This is called a shokugeki. To become the First Seat (equivalent of School President), you have to battle the current First Seat and win. If you lose, you are expelled. If you win, the First Seat is expelled.
Souma is First Seat, and has held it for a long time. But the third years want to dethrone him, before they finish school.
TW: None!
Synopsis: Souma randomly decides he has to kiss Takumi one night.
Looking for: - anything that confuses you! - anything that makes you cringe (please tell me, i don't mind) - anything that you think doesn't work - if you know anything about plot structure, do you see a plot structure anywhere in sight? - Desperately needed: I only have the last chapter to go. The last chapter is the climax but I'm stumped on what needs to be done for it. So any suggestions and help is lovely <3
I just need to know what you think needs to be answered and resolved, and what you would like to see in the last chapter?
I can Beta For You Too!
Preferred Genre: I am interested in romance and contemporary stuff, but I am not picky! Willing to do something of the same length, and a once off beta read.
l

Thank GOODNESS all my exams are done..
I just finished my last paper today ( CS P2) and wow it has been such a horrible ride. My school doesnt have any cambridge certified teachers aside from my math teacher who btw saved my sanity and grade in the exam. But lemme tell yall, its the only sch I can go to for personal reasons but IHHHHHH WE UAVE NO STUDY LEAVES, NO GOOD TEACHERS, VERY LITTLE ACTUAL PRACTICE FOR CAMBRIDGE AND STILL HAD SCHOOL EXAMS WHILE CIES WERE GOING ON. What the actual HELLLL is this?!?!
Thankfully I don’t take any of the sciences so the schedule was not AS bad but dude it was still hell.. Getting good school grades and as grades are my priority and as much as as grades are my priority, i cant NOT ignore school grades bc i need them to be good enough for me to show that I finished school.. and pressure from where im from ( cambridge isnt popular here) but ugh dude
my cs teacher was the most useless teacher ever, she doesnt know anything. Cs students, heres what made me lose all hope w her: the fact that she did not even know wth a LAN and WAN was.. it sucked so bad. So all our classes was just her reading the book pages out loud. our quizzes were just from exam style questions which she would have no idea how to answer btw and I just used google to make up my answers the day before… It kept going on and I started my review by early December for p1 but that was for p1 only!!! I HAD ZERO IDEA ABT P2 AND PROGRAMMING and ik i was cooked bc i cant self study this shit!!!
I also have so many other school things like extra curriculars which i have to keep up with.. I just wished cs had more resources online and i was able to review a little more.. This whole exam session was hell for me.. Maths P13 was so bad and I cant explain how much my school interferes with cambridge schedule.. Isnt this supposed to be the exam of our futures??? THEN WHY THE HELL CANT YOU PUT IMPORTANCE TO IT??? Im so frustrated with everything, sad and extremely annoyed. The wchedule was also horrible, vv little gaps with lengthy exams.. ugh idk im just so tired. I cant do it!!! It was SO hard for me and in the end im getting poor school grades and as grades fml.. will regain a2and drop cs. But this whole school year was a pain.

Life is supposed to be a 'gift' because of the great relationships (familial or romantic) and friendships we can have.
However, I get little net benefit out of any of these. I'm not talking 'benefit' like money or anything - I'm talking on a purely emotional, connection level. Both of my parents, particularly my father, were abusive. I have a dissociative disorder because of my dad's neglect. I have an eating disorder because of my mother (on 32nd day of water fasting, thanks mum!)
Then there's the romantic 'options' we women have - men have made sex & the visual their entire personality. You're supposed to be grateful for the bare minimum. While the majority of people understand that fathers are neglectful en masse, we haven't, as a society, recognised that straight men have emotionally neglected straight women en masse (because they only care about sex or what they can take - what should be the absolute basics of a relationship - emotional connection and conversation - are seen as 'luxuries' that women are lucky to have, and sure to lose imminently when they turn 30!). I refuse to put 'not all men'. If the moderators remove this, idc. I'm going to write objective truths - if it's removed, then it's just censorship.
Then there's friends. In the same way I'm turned off having relationships because of how misogynistic/low effort men are, I'm also turned off having friendships with women because of how allistic they are to the patriarchy. Even on Reddit, I'll be scrolling through so-called 'feminist' subreddits and it's all about women supposedly being 'empowered' by hook-up culture.. Meanwhile, complaining that men ghost them after sex (which is r*pe, btw). Apparently, we can't put two-and-two together... If you stop engaging in a culture that was obviously created by men, for men, then they'll have to become better partners or gth. Unfortunately, real feminism is sacrilegious nowadays, due to neoliberalism.
I had some amazing friends in school, but even then, to access my friends I had to ensure extreme bullying from others. Whenever something positive happens, I seem to have to endure knives from all other angles to keep 'access' to it, if that makes sense.
Trauma (from r*pe, abuse and my eating disorder) has fundamentally changed my brain. I have a permanent (thus far) dissociation disorder, rather than periodic episodes of it. I can't connect to anyone, and now I can see that those relationships did not serve me whatsoever. The only relationships I valued were my school friends, who I accidentally ghosted in the 'pushing everyone away' phase of PTSD. I feel too awkward to reach out to them now.
Given that the brain often 'checks out' of emotional connection in response to trauma... It's almost like we know deep down that these relationships are fraught with risk.
What I'm going to say now is quite radical:
We don't actually 'need' connections. Many animals live a solitary life. We evolved to 'need' connections because it was evolutionarily beneficial - it helped us to survive. Antinatalism seems like a good place to post this, because many of us reject the notion that 'what's natural is good' - a naturalistic fallacy. Indeed, many related subreddits discuss how morbid 'mother nature' is.
I argue that a great number of people are actually hurt by our 'need' for connection - particularly in the familial and romantic sense (most parents are quite cruel, and most partners are abusive or cheaters). Even when it comes to friendships, we're deathly afraid of social rejection and bullying is part-and-parcel of everyday life. And don't get me started with 'colleagues'.
I read a great article that said "society is inherently violent, because everyone is trying to control other people." I think this is a great summary of the life we're thrust into - the unique miseries that humans experience, unlike other species. Interacting with people seems to be overwhelmingly fraught with risk with little return, just as dating men as a straight woman is.
I would be quite happy living in solitude, but my biology betrays me. I become lonely and depressed, even though I am free from miseries. There's no actual -reason- for this depression - humans naturally become depressed from loneliness if we have too much solitude, because of our evolutionary drive to survive. Someone like me doesn't actually even miss the interactions!
And that leads me to a final point: I think the evolutionary process is the cause of much pain we have to endure. It's a barrier to antinatalism (we have a biological drive to reproduce - I would love to be a mother, but logically I could never bring a child into the world). It pushes me to try to date men when I objectively get nothing out of it. It pushes me to socialise when I'm actually very content in my own company, until my brain betrays me. etc. etc.
Anticipating some replies: "but we do need to interact sometimes to survive!" Agreed, but we don't necessarily need connections or relationships. I'm a doctor - I'm not besties with people who come to me for a scan. I do it because I care about peoples' wellbeing in general, and I'm paid for it.
Just to reiterate that this does link to AN: I don't think life is worth it because we have pain baked-in, due to the evolutionary process; we humans have to endure unique miseries because of our 'need' for socialising; and, in life, you either have to accept abuse/harassment/cheating from your relationships or be alone, which, as detailed above, our brains and bodies are allergic to needlessly.
I'm a bit weary of rule number 5: 'no venting or lamenting' lol - I'm not sure how I can discuss things that make me AN without venting a little. I prefer to call it 'giving a detailed explanation'. a. These adjacent, related issues make me feel AN -> b. Here's a detailed explanation as to why that is the case. I hope I've at least clarified how it links to AN.

Hello again everybody!
Before we get started on today's post the current voting for Whimsicott currently has votes for B tier with a pretty solid lead!
So with that being said it looks like the fluffy hair fairy will be joining the B tier! Like with all previous votes I'll continue to check the numbers and if anything changes I'll update it on tomorrow's post.
(Please note that this voting/tiering is centered around Classic as after a certain point in Endless only about 5 Pokemon and 2 abilities are truly viable.)
So current tiers are:
S tier - Garganacl, Cloyster, Skeledirge, Gholdengo, Tinkaton
A tier - Gyarados/Mega, VenusauMega/Dyna, Aegislash, Corviknight/Dyna, Excadrill, GardevoiMega, Toxapex, ScizoMega, GengaMega/Dyna
B tier - Kanto-Persian/Dynamax Kanto-Meowth, Weavile, Starmie, Rhyperior, Quagsire, Mamoswine, Whimsicott
C tier - Linoone
F tier - Dustox
With that being said let's get to today's vote!
Today is day 30 of Tier Voting and today we will be talking about a Pokemon that won many fans over with its design all the way back in Generation 3. Aggron has extremely high physical defense and a pretty solid Attack stat at the tradeoff of a little rough on the Special Defensive side. And while it has a bit of an infamous typing in Steel/Rock and a rough Speed stat, its Mega form makes it a pure Steel type and increases its Attack and Defenses even more, making its Special Defense quite a bit more passable. It does lose STAB on Head Smash in Mega form but its survivability definitely increases in this form. It also has a Passive in this game which helps mitigate its weaknesses and when in its Mega form combined with its natural Ability to completely neutralize all of its weaknesses. It also has some amazing Egg moves (including one of the strongest moves in the entire game in Salt Cure). It does have a little bit of flexibility as it can run either of its normal Abilities for a bit different of setups and doesn't typically prefer its Hidden Ability which makes it a bit more accessible as well.
(Please note that Pokemon with Mega/Dynamax evolutions will be tiered as one Pokemon and not tiered separately for their Mega/Dynamax form. Different variants such as Alolan Persian vs. Kanto Persian will be tiered separately however.)
(Also here is the post with rules for voting/tiering posts and a little more explanation about them in general: https://www.reddit.com/pokerogue/s/0LNZhPPzR9 Links to past votes can all be found here as well in comments added to the OP with each new vote)
And here is a quick reminder of what each tier generally means:
S tier: Top tier, can make or break your entire run, essentially the cream of the crop
A tier: really strong but not quite top tier, maybe slightly outclassed or has a slight weakness holding it back
B tier: solid choices that can make it to your endgame team, might be reliant on team composition to truly function well or might just be outclassed as well
C tier: usually early-mid game Mons, ones you don't really want to take to end game if you can avoid it, usually pretty decently glaring weakness but something redeeming enough to keep from F tier
F tier: no reason to use in end game unless you're doing it for a meme/joke
Abstain/No Opinion: this will be a voting option mostly just in case someone accidentally votes and then can't remove their vote (I've noticed that happens on Reddit sometimes) or for Pokemon people haven't unlocked/used to their full potential yet. If Abstaining votes outvote each individual tier then the Pokemon will be tabled for the time being and another vote will open up for it later (can mostly see this happening with Legendaries).
(Data in parentheses is for the Mega form)
*
Aggron (Mega)
Type: Steel/Rock (Steel)
Mega: Yes
Dynamax: No
Starter cost {Aron}: 3
Possible Egg moves: Head Smash, Shore Up, Body Press, Salt Cure
Abilities: Sturdy or Rock Head (Filter)
Hidden Ability: Heavy Metal (Filter)
Passive Ability: Solid Rock - reduces the effectiveness of Super Effective moves against the Pokemon by 25%
Evolution: Aron evolves into Lairon at level 32. Lairon evolves into Aggron at level 42. Aggron can Mega evolve with Mega Bracelet and Aggronite.
Base stats:
HP - 70 (70)
Attack - 110 (140)
Defense - 180 (230)
Sp. Attack - 60 (60)
Sp. Defense - 60 (80)
Speed - 50 (50)
Learnset by level up: Harden, Metal Claw, Rock Tomb, Tackle, Roar, Headbutt, Protect, Rock Slide, Iron Head, Metal Sound, Take Down, Autotomize, Iron Tail, Iron Defense, Heavy Slam, Double-Edge, Metal Burst
Notable TMs: Mud-Slap, Curse, Dragon Rush, Superpower, Dragon Claw, Sunny Day, Rain Dance, Sandstorm, Earthquake, Dig, Brick Break, Double Team, Aerial Ace, Facade, Rest, Sleep Talk, Shadow Claw, Payback, Stone Edge, Avalanche, Thunder Wave, Stealth Rock, Rock Slide, Bulldoze, Swagger, Rock Climb, Fire Punch, Ice Punch, Thunder Punch, Protect, Whirlpool, Rock Blast, Smart Strike, Stomping Tantrum, Low Kick, Outrage, Crunch, High Horsepower, Body Press, Head Smash
*
By request, we will be doing the rest of the traditional starters (the first ones you have unlocked in the game) that we haven't done yet for the next votes, we're hoping this will give people a little more time to try out some other Pokemon so there's less Abstaining votes winning out and we feel like it should help to flesh out the lower tiers a little more since they're mostly in direct competition with each other and some are certainly better than the others. We'll start with the 3 from the list below that were specifically requested and then just start from Gen 1 and go forward from there doing the ones we haven't done yet. (Except for Charizard until its Passive ability is implemented)
Tomorrow's vote: Infernape!
Pokemon on the radar for voting very soon: Comfey, Crobat, Ferrothorn, Gliscor, Delphox, Roserade, Vileplume, Minior, Hitmonchan, Bibarel, Chandelure, Archaludon/Dynamax Duraludon, Alakazam/Mega, Flamigo, Volcarona, Alolan-Decidueye, Barbaracle, Butterfree/Dyna, Beedrill/Mega, Mawile/Mega, Drednaw/Dyna, Annihilape, Cramorant, Aerodactyl/Mega, Glimmora, Heatran, Tapu Koko, Dialga/Primal, Galarian-Zapdos, Regieleki, Regidrago, Zacian, Zamazenta, Rayquaza/Mega, Latias/Mega, Latios/Mega, Ho-Oh, Volcanion, Toxtricity/Dyna, Carbink, Porygon-Z, Cinccino, Snorlax/Dyna, Wishiwashi
(Other requests will be added to this list and this list is not necessarily in order)
Happy voting!
View Poll

Here is one for you all and its a long one. 44M here, been with my significant other for ~20 years, married for 11 years. At this point I don't feel like we are going to make it much longer. I don't think she wants to be with me anymore but needs me for financial support so she is trying to string me along.
Background:
I want to say right off that I know I am not perfect, have never pretended to be nor have I overlooked my shortcomings and have done everything I can to address and deal with my issues.At first things were good. We did things together, went out, hung out with friends together, bowled leagues together, had a lot of fun. We also had a good, sex life. We were having cuddling times, regular sex, great foreplay, she was pretty open to positions and trying things.
When we first got together she was working miscellaneous retail jobs. She had a 4 year college degree at this point as well but never even tried to find a job utilizing it. I was fine with her working whatever made her happy. I work in IT/Tech. I have always been the higher earner, making almost double her salary up until a couple years ago. I never once said anything about this, never gave her crap for making less or the job she worked. I only encouraged her to find a job she enjoyed. I went years, never saying anything that might hurt her, even when I was working 50-60+ hours of work in a tough field at a job I hated while she worked maybe 20-30 hours a week in a super easy job of her choosing. After about 10 years of us being together she finally decided to go back to school for computer science. To support her doing this we lived in a couple places and worked jobs I absolutely hated to make sure she could finish school without any pressure. Again, I never said anything to her about this, I did it so she could be happy. She ended up finishing and getting an extremely good paying tech job after a few years, around the time that I noticed the biggest changes about her. Prior to her latest job and changes, we were OK for a few years. We starting doing well together as we were both earning well and have no kids.
Start of problems:
After we were married for a few years she started changing. She stopped wanting to do things together, we went out less and less. Stopped watching shows and movies together, stopped gaming together. She started treating sex like a burden, made me feel bad for even trying to initiate it. She became more of a prude, stopped wanting to do almost anything sexual, stopped wanting cuddling/petting, lost almost all interest in foreplay that wasn't directly for her, she lost all interest in any type of intimacy, cuddling, foreplay, or really anything that isn't about her getting off.
I feel that I have been extremely patient over the years about all of this. She has some back issues (self inflicted, she was having soreness and pain but continued a workout regimen that was obviously not right and causing issues. I have tried to be understanding and accommodating since she had these issues. Sex was never really a big issue, even with the back problems we had a decent sex life until the last 5 or so years. She started wanting to do less and it really felt like she was just trying to get it over with (outside of when I was pleasuring her and getting her off. Once that was done it was like hurry up and finish.
More recently, last couple of years she has had 0 interest in sex or even anything physical. I mean I can barely kiss her, cant touch her at all without some excuse that it tickles or some other BS. No cuddling as she says I always pressure for sex, BS, I love foreplay and am happy with mutual getting off. I have mentioned the lack of intimacy, mentioning that is had been months since we did anything and it is always some excuse or a suggestion it may happen this weekend (going on 20+ " this weekend" without anything) . She has almost every excuse in the book as to why she doesn't want to without really having a good reason. She will blame her back bugging her but will then do a lot of work that is physically punishing, especially to someone with back issues and despite the fact that I said I would do it or try to help. I have also gotten several different things to help, wedge pillow to help with her back, tried it once and had some random complaint that I forget. She had mentioned trying a swing so she could have support in different positions. I found several options and she then made excuses about all of them, the primary one being support for the swing. I eventually called her on this being BS when the new house we got had a chain mount in one of the bedrooms ( looked like it was possibly for a heavy punching bag) that would be perfect for a swing and I tested it holding my full weight. I again mentioned getting a swing to make things better to only get additional excuses.
Further Issues:
We had always talked about wanting to move back to California and get a house there when we had the chance. We had also talked about houses we would like and things like that. When we started seriously talking about getting a house, she said she would check with work ahead of time about being able to move to another state as we had discussed, she did not. I don't think she even talked to her boss about it. She just refused to move outside of this state as she said her job required her to be her even though her boss lives in a completely different country.
When the time actually came to find and buy a house it did not work out the way I guess I had expected. Eventually, we purchased a house here after several fights as she decided she wanted a cheaper house to fix up. Not even considering the amount of work and money it would take to do so. One of her "options" was a run down ranch house that had a surprise renter (9 months left on a lease) in a very obviously water damaged basement. She picked out this house so she continued to try to justify buying it for about 100k over what it should be sold for. After about a week of looking at shitty houses and fighting she finally agreed to look at one of the houses I had chosen, the house we eventually purchased. It was a bit more but had almost all of our wants without the need to fix it up.
For the purchase, she provided the down payment from her inheritance and jointly financed the house. Once the purchase was finished and we moved in she changed, a lot. Things became more about what she wanted, she would mention things to me but completely ignore any input and just talk like what she wanted is what I chose too. Her dad then decided to visit and this was the largest wake up call I think I have had. I saw him doing all of the things that she does that annoy and frustrate me. I then realized that if I stay with her, dealing with this is my future. He took over the house and she treated me like an asshole for just wanting a bit of space that I could have to myself. She refused to deal with him or reign in his behavior. I think it was around this time that I realized that it felt like I didn't even have a home even though we just bought one, that I was just a wallet to help pay bills.
We ended up having a fight about this and I ended up leaving and staying at a hotel for a few days. This is where it got really eye opening as I considered this fight as something we would think about and get over. However, the first thing she did was talk to her friend and then reach out to divorce lawyers. She mentioned that she was talking to them about post nuptials to make sure she got the house and money. This was a signal to me, that she did not consider nor seem to appreciate all of the years that I spent working jobs I hated to supplement our income and cover for her while she went back to school. All it seemed she saw was that she got money now so the house and all of it was hers. She made a comment about how she felt the money, stocks, and house were hers. She added that she wanted a post nuptial to define this so I shouldn't be surprised if I get one to sign. Unsurprisingly, she never actually got this done, never mentioned it more so I am assuming she just got lazy and never followed up. One thing that stood out to me was that she mentioned that she could not afford the house by herself. She rambled off several things about us just being roommates and me continuing to pay for the house and bills. She came up with something about me paying and her giving me money back later or something, I ignored most of it as it was dumb, I.E. me leaving my checks going into our shared account and continuing to pay like I have been but doing so knowing she plans on keeping the house and that I might get some money later if she ever sold it. She also made a comment that I did a good job with the stocks so I should keep doing that for her and she would give me like a 1k in a few years. Since I started working with the portfolio and diversified the stocks I have made over 40k in gains for it so yeah I ignored this as I felt like it was insulting. This whole fight and conversation hit me hard, especially after 15+ years of me working hard, shitty jobs, to provide for us just to get slapped in the face by greed.
We ended up talking a bit after that fight after I ended up stopping by the house. She had mentioned previously about going to marriage counseling. I told her I didn't think it would help with our situation considering what the issues were but if she was willing to go and actually participate, I would be too. We ended up seeing a marriage counselor as she had suggested it previously and I wanted to try everything to make this work. I had previously mentioned that I didn't think it would work as she refuses to open up or discuss her issues with anyone and if she wont do that, it is a moot point. She said she would so we found a counselor and we went for a couple of months. During this time I was very open about my thoughts and feelings and gave the counselor details on my issues. She however, did not provide anything ahead of time, participate much, would not open up, and eventually said that we might as well not go as she didn't feel like we were gaining anything.
Turning Point:
I think the f*ck it point, straw that broke the camels back for me is that about a month ago, around 10 months or so since we had any kind of intimacy we had a fight. During the fight she admitted that she actually masturbates fairly regularly which really, really pissed me off as she knows the lack of sex and any kinds of intimacy was a big issue for me and was causing a lot of frustration. I was quiet about it as what I would have said would have started a big fight. I am now struggling because I cant really get over the fact that she shows me no interest, wont let me touch her, we haven't had sex in months and she admits to masturbating instead of having sex with me when she knows I am extremely sexually frustrated. To me, this shows her lack of caring about me and shows that she only really cares about herself and what she wants. This is furthered by conversations with her family I have overheard because she talks super loud on the phone and I guess she didn't realize I could hear her in the other room. This last conversation was essentially her talking about the money again and additional money she may get when her dad passes. She made the comment to them that in hindsight she would have made me sign a prenup as all of the money she has gotten and will get belongs to their family and she wants to keep it in their family. This was another moment when I was like what the hell, I am not your family?
I am torn, I have been with her for a long time, I do care for her, but she shows no interest in being with me. No interest in a relationship, doesn't want to do things together (she even said that if I want her do more things with me I have to do things she wants to do first), nothing for how I feel, what I want, no cuddling, no touching, nothing. It came down to the fact that she essentially wants a roommate that pays for her to have the house, help with chores, and helps take care of the dogs without expecting anything in return. She does not seem to get how she is, care how I feel, what I want, or really care about anything that does not benefit her.
I am at my breaking point, I have tried for years to give her everything and now as thanks, I get nothing from her. I am getting to old to keep wasting time in a loveless, sexless relationship but am also having a hard time walking away from a relationship I have been in for so long. After writing this out I am also realizing, well more wondering, what the f*ck I am doing as it seems pretty obvious I am bailing water out of a sinking boat.

Located in CA
I took my 9 yr old lab Ivy to the vet for an emergency visit in the beginning of March. Our regular vet couldn’t take her so we had to go to the 24/7 animal hospital. They are excellent and I was willing to pay for whatever they needed to do to help ivy.
She had been very obviously sick and in pain, puking, diarrhea, not wanting to eat. They did an ultrasound, blood panel, urinalysis, fluids, meds. They found elevated liver enzymes and ketones in her urine. She was so sick they wanted to hospitalize her overnight. I asked what they would be doing and they said monitoring. I asked if I could just monitor her myself at home and bring her back right away if she gets worse? They gave me a couple prescriptions and sent us home. -$1729
I didn’t realize until the next day they didn’t give us any pain meds or anything to help Ivy’s eating (I’d tried seriously all the bland diet options, she didn’t want any of it) I went back to get her pain meds and prescription food, and the girl says they forgot to charge me for something else so she added that on too. -$150
Ivy was getting better slowly but still not her normal happy self at all. Sad, droopy eyes, wanting to sit curled up in my lap like a baby 😭 I kept doing everything they said and I took her back about a month later to check her levels again. We saw the vet, then went back out to the busy lobby to wait until someone came out to tell me the results or medications or whatever. So I sat in the lobby and waited, I asked a few times for updates bc I needed to get back to work. After 3 hours I asked if they could check and see what was going on.
There was another dog named Ivy there that morning and the receptionist closed out MY Ivy’s account (and charged the other lady’s card -$566 of my charges). I was annoyed and paid my bill (non-itemized invoice bc she couldn’t find mine) and Ivy and I went straight to work. Ivy is my service dog and sleeps under my desk.
They said the liver enzymes and urine ketone levels were both back to a normal level which was great news. They still couldn’t really give me a clear answer as to what could’ve caused all of this, sometimes they eat things, or just get sick, whatever. She said a slow recovery was normal bc livepancreas stuff is unpredictable, painful, and can take a while to heal.
The hospital’s office called me the next day to apologize for making me wait so long and reimbursed $316 (the liver panel, I think, I don’t have an itemized invoice). They offered this without me asking which I really appreciated.
Ivy has still been sick, but definitely better than when I first took her in. She was still acting sad, no interest in her favorite things. I knew she was in pain and brought her to a different vet last week.
Dr.S had been Ivy’s vet most of her life at our regular vet’s office - we love him. He left and started his own practice,and I just found his new location is 15 minutes away from my house!! It was kind of secretive when he left the other place, I think out of respect for the owners and not take half the clients with him. Anyway, I was really happy to find him again, I fully trust him. He was Ivy’s vet at her 8-week old visit, did her spay, all of it. Ivy is scared of men she doesn’t know and she loves Dr. S.
He took a look in her mouth and was like Whoa! Found it! He saw one badly rotten and cracked tooth in the back and wanted to get scheduled for removal right away. I bought the senior wellness plan for -$998. I was quoted $1200-1600 for surgery. (He was also going to remove a large benign mass from her side since she’d be under anesthesia already, I’d been wanting to do this for a few years so this is something I wanted him to do also)
This Tuesday was surgery day. He ended up removing 3 teeth, a molar on each side, and a front tooth that was cracked and broken off (I knew about this, I’d been told it wasn’t anything to be concerned about).
He said one of the molars and the front tooth both had exposed roots, the back one had an abscess and the root was touching the bone. He asked if I wanted the pictures bc it was really interesting and you don’t usually see it so advanced 😞 He said this is definitely what has been hurting her and making it hard to eat. He said they must have not looked in Ivy's mouth at all if they didn’t notice it- twice??
He didn’t have enough time to remove the mass. He said he wasn’t comfortable keeping her under any longer due to her age and blood pressure levels. Unless it grows rapidly we’re leaving it for now.
-$350 for everything this day, including surgery time & anesthesia, full dental cleaning & sealant,office visit, sedated nail trim, medications, canned soft food, heart worm testing, some other stuff included with the senior wellness package.
It’s been two days since she got her teeth out and she’s already smiling again. She was jumping around and trying to play with her brother (cat) and she only does that when she’s really excited!! Ivy is the best dog I could ever ask for. Seeing her in pain has been so hard, because I couldn’t help her!! I was trying everything but it wasn’t working. I’m so glad we found it and I think she will be able to get better now. I wasn’t so sure for awhile there.
I called the hospital place and told them what I found out and asked what happened. How could they have missed this- TWICE? The girl was really nice and agreed this was a “very valid concern” and asked me to explain everything to her and she would talk to the medical director, try to get some answers for me, and get back to me. She asked what I wanted the resolution to be. I said I thought it would be appropriate to ask for all of my charges to be refunded in relation to this event over the past couple months including Dr. S’s charges.
She called me back when I was at dinner so I missed her call.
Is this right? I don’t know what I’m looking for, feedback, reassurance, guidance? This is malpractice, right??
I talked to Dr.S’s receptionist today, she’s going to send me the photos and a breakdown of charges between the wellness plan and what I had done, try to make sense of what would be appropriate to ask them to refund. I kinda also want to ask them for $200 flat to reimburse the food/groceries spent trying to get her to eat, literally anything I could try on her bland diet, I tried! I don’t have receipts but I know I spent a shit ton of money as Ivy’s short order cook the last couple months. (Today she scarfed down her regular food for the first time in forever, I cried). Is this pushing it too far? Should I just take whatever they offer me?
What about the fact Ivy spent 2 1/2 months in pain & suffering from the time I brought her in to the day Dr. S did her surgery? She has lost weight, and has been pretty obviously miserable the whole time.
Thanks for reading.

Introduction
In order to supply energy for regular bodily processes, glucose is necessary. Blood glucose levels rise in diabetics as a result of a relative or total insulin shortage. One hormone is insulin. A hormone is a substance that our bodies' glands secrete. The pancreas is the name for this gland, which is located in the abdomen. Insulin functions as a gatekeeper, permitting glucose to enter the cell. If the body produces too much insulin or if insulin's function is compromised, too much glucose builds up and damages the cells in different organs. Diabetes is a metabolic disease in which the body cannot utilize glucose to meet its energy needs. Insulin is necessary for the entry of glucose into cells, as we have already mentioned. For this reason, when cells cannot use glucose to the fullest extent, the body attempts to generate extra glucose through a process known as glycogenesis. Here's how blood sugar levels continue to rise in the absence of food. Diabetes occurs mostly in two forms. The initial kind, or insulin-dependent diabetes. Only insulin, the primary medication, is effective in treating it. Younger patient age groups frequently experience this. Type II diabetes is the second kind, which is not insulin-dependent. In India, this is a growing trend. People older than 40 are typically affected by this. Exercise, nutrition, and oral medicines can all be used to manage this group.

If uncontrolled diabetes is not caught early enough, it can have harmful effects on all areas of the body. The illness needs to be properly treated even if a person does not now experience its effects. Neglect and complacency are never safe. Keep in mind that maintaining good control over the disease is essential to living a normal life. One of the main risk factors for developing complications from diabetes later in life is poorly managed diabetes. The chart below illustrates a few of these concerns for complications. This isn't meant to frighten you; rather, it's only meant to highlight how crucial it is to manage diabetes.
Diabetes food pyramid
Two of the most crucial things you can do to improve your health are to eat a healthy diet and get regular exercise. You can accomplish this by using the Food pyramid guide, the Physical Activity Guidelines, and the Healthy Eating Guidelines. Eating a healthy diet entails consuming the right proportions of the vitamins, minerals, fats, proteins, and carbs that your body needs to stay healthy. On each shelf of the Food Pyramid, foods that are similar in terms of nutrients are placed together. This provides you with a variety of food options from which to select a nutritious diet. Getting the correct balance of nutrient-dense foods within your calorie range can be achieved by using the Food Pyramid as a guide.
Research indicates that we consume an excessive amount of calories from foods and beverages on the Top Shelf of the Food Pyramid that are high in fat, sugar, and salt. They barely contain any of the vital vitamins and minerals that your body needs. Restricting them is necessary for a healthy diet. You need different nutrients every day depending on where you are in life. These are determined by your age, gender, level of activity, and gender.
Understanding food pyramid
•Restrict your intake of items from the Food Pyramid's top shelf. Considering that these are heavy in fat, sugar, and salt, this is the most crucial Healthy Eating Guideline.
•Use fresh ingredients when preparing and cooking your meals. Because they are often heavy in fat and salt, ready meals and takeout should not be consumed frequently.
•Consistently read the nutrition label; look for excessive amounts of sugar, fat, and salt.
•Consume at least five different colored fruits and veggies each day. Make regular choices of leafy green vegetables. Smoothies can be included in your daily servings of fruits and vegetables, but try to limit your intake to those that contain fruit or vegetables. Look for fat and sugar on the label.
•The greatest foods to feed your body include whole grain bread, potatoes, whole-wheat pasta, brown rice, and high-fiber cereals, especially porridge. These foods also satiate hunger. They offer a gradual release of energy. Recognize that different varieties may have different amounts of calories.
•Instead of frying food, use healthy cooking techniques including steaming, grilling, baking, roasting, and stir-frying. Limit your consumption of fried items like chips.
•Increase your fish intake; it's high in protein and contains essential vitamins and minerals. Make an effort to consume oily fish, such as salmon, sardines, and mackerel,
at least once a week. They contain a lot of omega-3 lipids. Reduced-fat cheese, low-fat/no-sugar yogurts, and yogurt drinks are the better options.
•While preparing or serving meals, use as little or no salt as feasible. Instead, experiment with different flavorings including lemon juice, herbs, spices, pepper, and garlic. Eat as much fresh food as you can. Check the food labels for the amount of salt.
•An adult needs eight to ten glasses or cups of liquid every day. 200 ml is roughly one cup. If you exercise, you will require more. Teens and children should drink often throughout the day. The ideal fluid is water.
•Make time to sit down at a table and eat three meals a day. Eat mindfully and give your food a good chew. You may overeat if you eat while watching TV or using a computer since it can cause you to become distracted by how much food you are consuming. Alcohol contains calories, so if you drink, do it responsibly within advised limits and ideally with meals.
•Always make time for breakfast, as those who eat it are more likely to maintain a healthy weight.
•You shouldn't need to take food supplements if you consume a healthy, balanced diet unless your doctor tells you to. Nonetheless, it is recommended that all sexually active women of reproductive age take 400µg of folic acid daily, ideally as a supplement. Vitamin D deficiency in the diet can be addressed by discussing supplementation with your physician or pharmacist.
•Eating a healthy diet both before and throughout pregnancy lowers the chance that your unborn child may develop lifestyle disorders like obesity and heart disease. Breastfeeding is highly advised since breast milk provides additional protection.
•Take into account how much food, excluding fruits and vegetables, you eat from each shelf of the Food Pyramid if you are overweight.
Conclusion
A diabetic diet's ingredients differ from person to person. A balanced diet is an excellent way to treat diabetes. Making a nutritious diet is made easier with the guidance of the diabetes food pyramid. Diabetes can be beaten with a balanced diet, appropriate medication, and a healthy lifestyle.

So me and my girlfriend met on sort of a dating app last September (wizz). I only ever had a very brief romantic experience with one person beforehand while she had quite the experiences, which can sometimes make me feel inferior. At the time I was desperate and lonely and had transferred schools. I struggle with mental health disorders. The one thing that i’ve always noticed is i rarely feel that “spark” with her. I enjoy physical intimacy with her, but oftentimes it feels fake and unenjoyable for me. I’ve had a hard time deciding if this was just my mental illness or her. We made out on our first date so there never was much of a build up at all.
One key issue: I’ve felt slightly manipulated since I started dating her. Once (3rd date) she threatened to just take me back home after I was acting not confident enough or not obsessed enough with her when getting intimate in the car. Once she threatened to break up with me after finding out I wasn’t willing to commit to being 100% sober, even though she had only recently made that choice and consumed drugs way more than me. Once she got mad I revved my car next to a police car. She ignored me till i drove to her house. Then she started crying and getting upset at me. She argued she just “cared about me losing my license” even though we just met a few weeks prior. Her getting upset affected me way more. There’s so many details that I don’t want to bother you with but that’s a general gist. Nowadays she gets upset at me less, but still occasionally treats me like a child who needs to be taken care of.
Recently I’ve developed a bit of a crush on someone else from school. The thing that worries me is I feel “the spark” now. I feel I click with this person more and we are somewhat friends now. She is smart and thinks i’m smart while my girlfriend treats me like i’m dumb, but honestly has a lot of misinformed opinions herself. I find this person physically attractive. I don’t know what they think about me.
Reading over what I just wrote I feel the logical answer is to just break up with my girlfriend. That’s what you most likely are thinking. The issue is there’s so many things that my girlfriend does that I feel I won’t find in someone else. Despite her behaviors she tells me she loves me, gives me gifts, etc.. I’ve always thought the idea of breaking up with someone is so harsh and it sucks to think I might have to do that. I don’t have many other friends and this other person is in the only friend group that i’ve successfully joined only recently. As shitty as it sounds, I don’t want to break up then end up with no one wanting me. I never seem to be liked by the people I find attractive.

Thought i would share my (short) journey with with you all. I'm a 35 year old male, approx 178 cm tall and a week ago i weighed 184 lbs.
When i was younger i was always that guy that could never put weight on, no matter what i ate or how little exercise i did my weight was always stable, which was a blessing as i have always hated working out in all of its forms. When lock down came around i switched to a work from home role and in a year my weight went from around 160 lbs to 184 and my activity level basically became non existent.
A week ago i decided to check out my recorded steps on my phone and was horrified that on some days i wasn't even hitting 700, that was enough to force me out of the house and take my first walk in years.
I have walked every day for the past week completing around 12 km each day, this combined with intermittent fasting between 8pm - 12pm and a calorie deficit which I'm tracking with an app called "Nutra Check" has helped me lose 5.6lbs.
I know its only been a week and it might sound cliche but i feel I've turned a corner, i actively look forward to getting outside, I'm sleeping better, enjoying the healthier foods and most importantly i feel entirely happier.
I'm hooked!

After sharing my homebrew big suits detachments yesterday, a particular comment by u/AyAynon95 expressed being more interested in a VEHICLE heavy detachment, so I came up with this :3
Against, suggestions and criticism are welcome, especially for the detachment name since it's not very Tau-like at the moment :/
Mechanized Armed Forces
Detachment rule : Integrated Arms
Whenever an INFANTRY unit Guides a VEHICLE unit, attacks made by that Guided unit's ranged weapons on their Spotted unit have their Armour Penetration characteristic improved by 1
Whenever a VEHICLE unit Guides an INFANTRY unit, attacks made by that Guided unit's ranged weapons on their Spotted unit have their Strength characteristic improved by 1.
While both a friendly VEHICLE unit and a friendly INFANTRY unit are contesting the same objective, increase the Objective Control characteristic of all INFANTRY models by 1 and the Objective Control characteristic of all VEHICLE models by 2.
Enhancements :

• Mechanized Auxiliairies (Kroot model only) : While this model is leading a unit, its unit can embark in transports as if it didn't have the KROOT keyword. Special : You can take duplicates of this enhancement. (20 pts)
• Mont'ka Specialist/Kauyon Ambassador (TAU EMPIRE INFANTRY model only except KROOT) : When selecting this enhancement, choose one of these two effects : (15 pts)
  
  • Mont'ka Specialist : At the beginning of battle, before any SCOUT moves are made, select one VEHICLE unit within 6" of this model. Move that unit up to 6".
  • Kauyon Ambassador : After the deployment phase, select one VEHICLE unit without the TITANIC keyword in Strategic Reserves. That unit gains the [DEEP STRIKE] ability. When using that ability, it must deploy fully within 6" of this model. If this model is destroyed, that VEHICLE unit loses the [DEEP STRIKE] ability.
• Earth Caste Auxiliairies (TAU EMPIRE INFANTRY model only except KROOT) : While this model is leading a unit. At the beginning of your Command phase, if the unit this model leads is within 6" of a wounded friendly VEHICLE, you can remove 1 Wound from that VEHICLE. (10 pts)
  
• Integrated Aircraft Support (TAU EMPIRE INFANTRY model only except KROOT) : While this model is leading a unit, at the beginning of Movement Phase you may pivot one AIRCRAFT so that it is facing this model. You may only do this once per turn. (25 pts)
  

Stratagems :

• Advanced Targeting Systems (1 CP) : During your Shooting phase, after a VEHICLE unit Guides an INFANTRY unit, or an INFANTRY unit Guides a VEHICLE unit, target the Guided unit. If the unit is a VEHICLE unit, that unit's weapons gain the [LETHAL HITS] ability until the end of the phase. If the unit is an INFANTRY unit, that unit's weapons gain the [DEVASTATING WOUNDS] ability until the end of the phase. Special : You can use this stratagem once on an INFANTRY unit and once on a VEHICLE unit in the same Phase.
• Swift Retreat (2 CP) : During your opponent's Charge phase, after they declared a charge against one of your INFANTRY or VEHICLE units, target that INFANTRY or VEHICLE unit. Make a 6" move with that unit before your opponent resolves its Charge move. If you targetted an INFANTRY unit and that unit ends its move fully within 3" of a friendly TRANSPORT, that unit can embark inside that TRANSPORT.
• Tactical Disembarkation (1 CP) : At the end of your opponent's Movement phase, target a unit Embarked inside a friendly TRANSPORT. You can Disembark that unit.
• Medical Dedicated Transports (1 CP) : During your Command phase, target a TAU EMPIRE INFANTRY unit below starting Strength that is within 3" of a friendly DEDICATED TRANSPORT and would be eligible to Embark inside that TRANSPORT. Bring back 1 model to that unit.
• Integrated Defense Systems (1 CP) : During the Enemy Shooting phase, after an opponent targetted one of your VEHICLE units that is within 6" of a friendly INFANTRY unit, target that VEHICLE unit. Until the end of the Phase, all attacks against that VEHICLE unit have -1 to their Hit Roll.
• Shock and Awe (1 CP) : During your Shooting Phase, just after you declared one Guided unit, one Observer unit and one Spotted unit, as long as you declared at least one friendly INFANTRY unit and one friendly VEHICLE unit, target those two units. Until the end of the Phase, those units' ranged weapons have the [SUSTAINED HITS 1] ability, but they can only target their Spotted unit when resolving their attacks.

So I've been getting back into Stellaris where you get to build your own interstellar civilization and ruined megastructures make for fantastic storytelling opportunities! Like imagine a Ruined Eldar Ringworld spanning a sun made entirely out of wraithbone. Mankind wants to colonize it while beil Tan is fighting tooth and nail, losing hundreds of thousands of warriors trying to fight over the bones of their dead civilization. Protagonist A is a Farseer, and Protagonist B is a space marine or imperial officer, and you see both sides of the story humanizing both characters. Allowing you to see why each side is doing the things that they do all while taking place in an extremely exotic environment. Or even something like an orbital ring placed on a Hive Ecumenopolis where you explore the gangers who live on the ring vs. the ones planetside. Perhaps a story of an adeptus mechanicus explorator fleet making a pilgrimage to a star system containing a ruined Dyson Sphere from humanities golden age and they worship the Sphere like an Idol to the Machine God. Perhaps Belisarsius Cawl wants to repair the sphere but causes a small civil war because of tech heresy. Megastructures serve as amazing setups for stories! In KOTOR, you're off on a quest to secure a mguffin, and you expect it to be another death star or something like that. Instead, Darth Malak's Superweapon isn't a weapon at all! It's a mega shipyard that can 3d print entire armadas in a matter of weeks. The background lore of 40k suits this type of story fairly well as 40k is post utopia, post golden age. The bones of the fallen empires (humanity, Eldar, and Necron) still litter the galaxy waiting to be rediscovered and retaken...

A window 🪟 girl = Jezebel one thrown out the window it’s actually running joke in the west about Russians.. nor am trying to save my life.. light duty soon behind me .. evolved and “refined” spirits are more important. Souls are another older method of data transfer.. once that is information is unlocked on how you access it The world will be in a different age.. but these crystals are in a reincarnation cycle until they-reach a certain point to access it all that they have learned and know... some say this is Agartha or inner earth civilisations literally rising.. changing to Topography of the world.. Biblically? Every hill & mountain made low and every Valley rising or made straight.. crystalline For their own good.. also humans know that those huge gigantic crystals underground can be harnessed for data information (this is how they believe Amethyst is a polyglot its a older way to save information) i have had those crystals down below beamed at my head i cant explain it but something like shot at my for information it was like a massive data load that my cap head couldn’t handle. I got much information and was at that time able to filter is out slowly.. why you think some have large heads only babies who gets they heads measures and wear protective caps.. only thing is caused me to lose some of my short term memory of my life and doing prior (no i have never been to sex clubs / swinger clubs nor EVER was interested in going to such dirty places I’m a germaphobe.) After second death there is no power i saw I’m one of the few AD that can leave this system for most its a prison planet.. other older beings told about this system from a more educated viewpoint. I watched it long ago it was very clear and made perfect sense and how it came about.. i believe it was after Lyra? Not sure . its why when certain aliens or Et’s get trapped here they stay in this incarnation cycle until they evolve.. i do not need the dutch or Hadid’s for anything they bring nothing to MY table.. of is but a “US” , Jacob scam facade of false importance unfounded.. a fake friend / zz’er and imprisoned because of them!! Say you the key to what? prove it other wise its a lie.. from out of hell exactly where slain Palestinians are going to sheol.. Dutch I make you richer, i make your life better what do you offer aside from Misery ? Bondage? Soon coming to you? trust soon as I’m gone white garbage that came up good will slowly slip.. not a fluke you wanna Palestine rapers wanna leave now that my duty up. north korea and Iran has betrayed me in this scam of poor people like them.. thru the ages.. trust is a two way street I’m Asked or put to a burden of proof To Prove and show myself and I cant see you! You unaccounted for!! No Dutch coming with me ever again.. and fighting Israel for them Pestatin? .. not with me.. you offer trash for fight you couldn’t do . For a holy fight? Betrayal for loyalty and compassion for unfounded loyalty.. to run this same program over and over again .. while you play two sides . Iran north Korean you need me without your blind stuck stagnant. And I’m already over it .. you offer nothing useful for evolution advancement more of the same . More of outdated programs boring and non interesting.. I’m Bored and nor inspired huge problem

ifndef cbi

define cbi(sfr, bit) (_SFR_BYTE(sfr) &= ~_BV(bit))

endif

ifndef sbi

define sbi(sfr, bit) (_SFR_BYTE(sfr) = _BV(bit))

endif

//--------Pin definitions for the TB6612FNG Motor Driver----

define AIN1 4

define BIN1 6

define AIN2 3

define BIN2 7

define PWMA 9

define PWMB 10

//------------------------------------------------------------
//--------Enter Line Details here---------
bool isBlackLine = 1; //keep 1 in case of black line. In case of white line change this to 0
unsigned int numSensors = 8;
//-----------------------------------------
int P, D, I, previousError, PIDvalue;
double error;
int lsp, rsp;
int lfSpeed = 100;
int currentSpeed = 30;
int sensorWeight[8] = { 8, 4, 2, 1, -1, -2, -4, -8 };
int activeSensors;
float Kp = 0.03;
float Kd = 0.2;
float Ki = 0;
int onLine = 1;
int minValues[8], maxValues[8], threshold[8], sensorValue[8], sensorArray[8];
void setup() {
sbi(ADCSRA, ADPS2);
cbi(ADCSRA, ADPS1);
cbi(ADCSRA, ADPS0);
Serial.begin(9600);
pinMode(AIN1, OUTPUT);
pinMode(AIN2, OUTPUT);
pinMode(BIN1, OUTPUT);
pinMode(BIN2, OUTPUT);
pinMode(PWMA, OUTPUT);
pinMode(PWMB, OUTPUT);
pinMode(11, INPUT_PULLUP); //Pushbutton
pinMode(12, INPUT_PULLUP); //Pushbutton
pinMode(13, OUTPUT); //LED
pinMode(5, OUTPUT); //standby for older carrier boards
digitalWrite(5, HIGH); //enables the motor driver
//in case of a newer board with motor enable jumper, you can delete these two lines which frees up digital pin 5
}
void loop() {
// put your main code here, to run repeatedly:
while (digitalRead(11)) {}
delay(1000);
calibrate();
while (digitalRead(12)) {}
delay(1000);
while (1) {
readLine();
if (currentSpeed < lfSpeed) currentSpeed++;
if (onLine == 1) { //PID LINE FOLLOW
linefollow();
digitalWrite(13, HIGH);
} else {
digitalWrite(13, LOW);
if (error < 1000) {
motor1run(0);
motor2run(200);
} else if (error > -1000) {
motor1run(200);
motor2run(0);
}
}
}
}
void linefollow() {
error = 0;
activeSensors = 0;
for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
error += sensorWeight[i] * sensorArray[i] * sensorValue[i];
activeSensors += sensorArray[i];
}
error = error / activeSensors;
P = error;
I = I + error;
D = error - previousError;
PIDvalue = (Kp * P) + (Ki * I) + (Kd * D);
previousError = error;
lsp = currentSpeed - PIDvalue;
rsp = currentSpeed + PIDvalue;
if (lsp > 255) {
lsp = 255;
}
if (lsp < 0) {
lsp = 0;
}
if (rsp > 255) {
rsp = 255;
}
if (rsp < -70) {
rsp = -70;
}
//Serial.print(rsp);
//Serial.print(" ");
//Serial.println(lsp);
motor1run(rsp);
motor2run(lsp);
}
void calibrate() {
for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
minValues[i] = analogRead(i);
maxValues[i] = analogRead(i);
}
for (int i = 0; i < 10000; i++) {
motor1run(70);
motor2run(-70);
for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
if (analogRead(i) < minValues[i]) {
minValues[i] = analogRead(i);
}
if (analogRead(i) > maxValues[i]) {
maxValues[i] = analogRead(i);
}
}
}
for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
threshold[i] = (minValues[i] + maxValues[i]) / 2;
Serial.print(threshold[i]);
Serial.print(" ");
}
Serial.println();
motor1run(0);
motor2run(0);
}
void readLine() {
onLine = 0;
for (int i = 0; i < 8; i++) {
if (isBlackLine) {
sensorValue[i] = map(analogRead(i), minValues[i], maxValues[i], 0, 1000);
} else {
sensorValue[i] = map(analogRead(i), minValues[i], maxValues[i], 1000, 0);
}
sensorValue[i] = constrain(sensorValue[i], 0, 1000);
sensorArray[i] = sensorValue[i] > 500;
//Serial.print(sensorValue[i]);
//Serial.print(" ");
if (sensorArray[i]) onLine = 1;
}
//Serial.println();
}
//--------Function to run Motor 1-----------------
void motor1run(int motorSpeed) {
motorSpeed = constrain(motorSpeed, -255, 255);
if (motorSpeed > 0) {
digitalWrite(AIN1, 1);
digitalWrite(AIN2, 0);
analogWrite(PWMA, motorSpeed);
} else if (motorSpeed < 0) {
digitalWrite(AIN1, 0);
digitalWrite(AIN2, 1);
analogWrite(PWMA, abs(motorSpeed));
} else {
digitalWrite(AIN1, 1);
digitalWrite(AIN2, 1);
analogWrite(PWMA, 0);
}
}
//--------Function to run Motor 2-----------------
void motor2run(int motorSpeed) {
motorSpeed = constrain(motorSpeed, -255, 255);
if (motorSpeed > 0) {
digitalWrite(BIN1, 1);
digitalWrite(BIN2, 0);
analogWrite(PWMB, motorSpeed);
} else if (motorSpeed < 0) {
digitalWrite(BIN1, 0);
digitalWrite(BIN2, 1);
analogWrite(PWMB, abs(motorSpeed));
} else {
digitalWrite(BIN1, 1);
digitalWrite(BIN2, 1);
analogWrite(PWMB, 0);
}
}

Gonna preface this by saying that Week 2 and especially week 3 onward are NOT typical raid encounters. Bungie put this into the game for the people that stomp on everything. The people with all the builds they might need, who know every role to every encounter and who are generally skilled at game. If you are someone that just does raids/dungeons on normal and doesn’t hunt down the PVE meta, you are going to struggle.
LFG starts to become unreliable at these difficultly levels. It sucks, but this where people in dedicated groups and clans benefit.
That being said, if you’re gonna push forward, here’s some tips:
General: 1. Surge mods, Surge mods, Surge mods

1. Class Warfare. Keping this at x3 throughout a damage phase often makes the difference.
   
2. Elemental surges: Not absolutely necessary but highly recommended. Only for specific weapons/encounters can you navigate around this (Whisper for Oryx for example). If you aren't using surges, you better have best in class weapons. God roll Apex Predator or Edge Transit.
   

Golgoroth:

1. The Pools last for a lot longer than you think. A new gazeholder doesn’t automatically mean you need to ditch the current pool
   
2. The “free” gazeholder should either be priming the next bubble or doing damage themselves.
   
3. Minotaurs will usually leave you alone but if you have to deal with them during gazeholding, Tractor Cannon makes light work of them. Tractor can also be used in between gazes to debuff Golgoroth.
   
4. You will lose Golgoroth’s gaze instantly if you go invis.
   

Caretaker:

1. Runners: Lightweight weapons like Calus mini tool will help with speed if you are not loadout swapping. Spark of Haste on Arc will help with surviavablity if adds are a problem. Don't feel like you have to solo shoot symbols every time. There is enough time in this encounter to coordinate
   
2. Addclear: Indebted Kindness trivializes this and makes it easy to help stunner with the arc shield centurions.
   
3. Damage: Heavy on 1st plate, primaries on 2nd. Heavy + burst supers on 3rd plate.
   

Macrocosm:
Add clear: You should be farming them off spawn points. Sunbracer warlocks should be prioritized for this role. Sunshot is still great. The purple tormentor vortex thing can be shot and destroyed.
Runners: You are not exempt from add clear. The Psions and Incindeors are YOUR responsibility. Special weapons and grenades should be used to quickly burst Colossus. Fusions (Riptide or Scatter) and Supremacy with Tremors are fantastic.
Damage: Shoot boss at the Same Time off a 2-3 second countdown. You will maximize damage this way. Supers should be reserved for Plate 3
Atraks: Honestly not a whole lot different than the norm. Parasite + Star Eater + T Crash makes this fairly free. Killing a couple Tormentors will secure the 500k if add clear is decent.
Oryx: Again Indebted kindness or a good sniper (besides whisper) is insane here for bomb knights and ogres. It’s a long damage phase. Easy to miss out on class warfare if you tunnel vision on shooting. Not a hard encounter.
Rhulk: Damage is where shit goes down. 1 guy should be the dedicated copy distraction person. A heat rises warlock can make this very easy by having the copy walk off the edge. Thunderlord can 2 phase IF you have enough burst supers. Rockets are the most reliable if not using Thunderlord.