Red raised bumps on baby s arms and legs

To preface, I am a 26 year old female, alot of the events that I'm going to talk about occurred when I was a child, some will be more recent, but as I keep low to no contact with my parents now, there wouldn't be much to tell.
As far back as I can remember, my mom would say and do things that made me feel like I wasn't as important as my brother(s). Before my younger brother (22M) was born, if my older brother (29M) broke or damaged something, he'd blame it on me. She always believed him. Sometimes he'd pinch himself, run to our mom crying and say that I pinched him for no reason and I'd end up getting punished. If he wanted to use the PS1 (for those who remember that) and I was using it, I'd be forced to get off so he could have a turn, regardless of how little time I had been using it. The same applied to the family computer. Anything he wanted, he got.
After my little brother came into the picture I assumed my older brother would be forced to share the game systems, computer, toys etc. But I was mistaken. Instead, my mom began to spoil them both, giving them whatever they asked for. Citing their recent autism diagnosis as the reason for the special treatment. "You're the only normal one, you have to compromise on these things for your brothers because they're special." "You have to be mature and responsible because they can't." Were essentially the messages I was fed for years.
I was often the one left in charge if my parents went out, not my older brother. If I wasn't in charge, they would have our oldest brother, (32M) who was adopted by our maternal grandparents, my mom's parents, watch us. Unfortunately, he was also spoiled rotten, but by my grandparents in an attempt to make up for the fact that my mom didn't raise him. Which only fueled my older brother's need for the latest and greatest toys/games at the time. So they got into arguments all the time and I'd end up being the mediatoone in charge regardless. I always had to keep a close eye on my little brother regardless of who was left in charge also, he's not as self sufficient as my older brother and lacked the understanding that most kids his age had, so he needed constant supervision or else he'd end up getting hurt. Which happened a few times, but surprisingly only while my parents were the ones watching him.
When I was 10, my dad lost his job after a seizure (he's an epileptic) caused him to slam his face into a coffee table. He wasn't able to immediately return to work due to the damage, and was fired as a result. We were then evicted from our apartment and were forced to move in with my maternal grandmother. My grandfather had passed a few years prior so it was just her, my uncle and my oldest brother living in the house at the time. My grandmother didn't want us there, to put it simply. My uncle is the one who kept bothering her about how my mom was going to lose custody of us if we didn't have somewhere to go, and she eventually caved. But she wasn't discreet about how little she enjoyed having us there.
At 13, we were still living with my grandmother, my dad had gotten a new job and I finally got a cell phone. Not my own, but my Dad shared his with me after he'd get off work. So from the hours of 4pm to 10pm, I was a regular teen with a phone, which felt nice. One day, I had to text a friend about something related to school, so I asked my mom if I could borrow her phone to text this friend. As I was getting the info on the assignment that I needed, a text came across the screen. It was from my mom's ex Jay. Jay was the father of my two older brothers, (29M & 32M) he was also physically abusive towards my mom when they were together. I admit I shouldn't have gone through her messages, but as far as our entire family was aware, Jay wanted nothing to do with my mom or my brothers, so I was curious as to why/how my mom had his number saved, let alone why they were speaking. To my horror, my mom was flirting with and sending very explicitly worded messages about how much she wanted him and how terrible my dad was. I'll admit, neither of my parents were perfect, my mom had her favoritism of my brothers, while my dad was verbally and physically abusive towards me and my older brother, but never my little brother. My dad also cheated on my mom with a coworker shortly after I was born. Which my mom made common knowledge to us kids by the time I was 7. So our relationship as a family, was tumultuous to say the least. Nevertheless, I brought the texts to my dad, who then confronted my mom. I mean, I was a kid, I had no idea how to navigate that. So I brought it to an adult, as I thought I was supposed to. But boy, I had no idea that things would turn they way they did. My mom essentially told my dad, who barely understands technology, that the texts he thought she sent, her ex sent and that I was just trying to break them up because I hate her. He believed her. This affected me for years because she'd always use it as leverage to accuse me of lying. "Well you lied about those texts, so obviously you'd lie about this too!" I was branded a liar and to this day, despite her admitting that she was lying back then, everyone in my family just sees me as a melodramatic liar and I've come to accept that will probably never change.
At 14, one of my best friends died in a train accident. I wasn't allowed to go to his funeral because my parents had booked a vacation to see my dad's family. My parents knew that telling me no before we left would result in me sneaking out and going to the funeral anyway, so they lied to me, saying that they'd think about it and let me know in the morning before we'd leave, saying it with that tone they use when you know they're going to say yes just to make me think I'd be able to go to the funeral and avoid having to look for me. They've admitted to all of this which is even more chilling to me. The next morning, they'd already packed my luggage in the car by the time I had woken up. My dad sat down and told me in no uncertain terms that I was not going to the funeral and that I was going with them, regardless of what I thought or did. I kicked, screamed, cried, bit, everything I could possibly do to get my dad to put me down. But in the end he turned on the child safety locks and he threw me in the car with my younger brother, we left and spent 3 days with my dad's family. All the while I was made fun of and mocked for crying constantly on what was "supposed to be" a happy vacation according to my parents. My older brother didn't want to go, so he didn't have to. But apparently that only applied to him. To this day I still haven't forgiven them for that.
At 15, I was kicked out of my grandmothers house, and only my dad was against it. But in the end, I had to go live with my boyfriend because I had nowhere else to go and nothing my dad said changed the minds of my mom or grandmother. Until I turned 18, my mom would get me $100 in groceries a month, to keep me alive. (I think she was just afraid I'd report her for abandonment if she didn't atleast feed me) Even then, she would say that she couldn't afford the $100 sometimes and I'd have to get a month of food out of $50 or less.
At 18, I became pregnant. My dad was very unhappy. I had my first born and I thought we were on the road to mending our relationship.
At 21, my parents invited me and my child to their house for dinner, they also invited my boyfriend but he was unable to join us because he was tired from work, but these dinners had become a regular occurrence at this point. Unfortunately, my older brother (29M) still lives at home with them and my younger brother, so I was forced to interact with him. He ended up saying something like "Mom and Dad only put up with you because they want to see your kid." It struck a nerve with me, because it had already felt that way to me for awhile, and my parents were right there, but didn't deny what he said and I started to cry. I excused myself outside but I wasn't calming down.
For some context, back when I lived at my grandmother's house, I had regular breakdowns. My parents were constantly yelling at me or hitting me for one thing or another. I didn't have a room or a bed back then, I slept on the couch in the living room from the ages of 10-15. So when my dad would go off, he'd repeatedly slam me down into whatever surface was in the room if I tried to get up or leave the room we were in. So the couch if it was the living room, my parents bed if we were arguing in their room, etc. My mom never stopped this. Sometimes it would go on for hours, and it'd get to the point where I'd either freak out and get physical with my dad or I would start to rip out my hair and beg him to leave me alone. I was regularly laughed at by my mom or older brother and called dramatic for reacting that way during these screaming sessions.
But in that moment l, as I was crying outside, I felt like that kid again. I was small and meaningless. I wanted to go home. So I collected myself as best I could and walked inside, grabbing my son as I walked up to my parents at the dining table. I told my mom that I was sorry, but we're going home. She got as far as saying, "But we're about to have di- ." before my dad began to scream at me like I had never heard him scream before. My mom took my son into another room as soon as she saw that I was caught off guard by my dad's outburst, and locked him in my uncles bedroom. For over an hour my dad berrated me, as I could hear my son wailing for me from the other room. He kept pushing me and getting in my face, not letting me leave the dining room, he almost slapped me but for whatever reason, didn't. My mom and older brother, just like when I was a kid, stood there and laughed at my reactions. Eventually, he stopped because I said something that made him really mad, so he charged outside and left. My uncle came out of his room with my son soon after and he drove us home. I sent them a long message afterwards stating that I'm going no contact. That lasted about three years, and we've since reconnected in the past 2 years, my dad hasn't pulled anything like that, seemingly because he knows I'm serious when I say I will never speak to them again. My mom on the other hand is back on the "she's out to get me" "she hates me" train again. Anytime I ask her something, even simple yes or no questions, she sends me a novel detailing her yes or no answer. If she's saying no, she always phrases things like I'm this unhinged person who goes crazy over being told no and that she's just an innocent victim to my rage? Which is funny because regardless of what her answer is my response is always "Okay." Or "Okay, thank you." And any question is prefaced heavily with "You really don't have to if you don't want to." "It's totally fine if you cant." "It's fine if you say no, I can figure out something else if need be." I don't want to be a burden and I don't like exerting more energy than absolutely necessary, so I have no reason to try to argue with her. It's gotten to the point where we have so little contact, she has to blow up small misunderstandings that happen when we do converse. My uncle sent me a screenshot from my mom to him, which was her saying I needed to do something, I honestly don't remember what. But whatever it was, apparently my dad and my uncle were the ones who wanted me to know that, not her. Which honestly doesn't matter either way to me. But I guess she took whatever I said in response as an attack despite only saying okay or alright as a response, and I had to deal with her and my dad spamming my phone in the middle of the night trying to make this literal non issue, an issue. So I ended up replying that I have no idea why or how this had devolved into what it did, but I have nothing to do with this, and to stop messaging me about it. Surprisingly they did. Finally the most recent thing was that I had talked to my parents, in front of everyone at their house, including my boyfriend and our kids. I told them I wanted to start looking for a job and was wondering if they'd be willing to watch my now two kids for a couple of hours on some of the days that I work, just until we save enough for the down payment at a daycare for them. My main driver for this was that my mom and dad had been pushing for my kids to stay ovespend time with them so i figured if we could do that while I also work that'd really help. Nowhere in my mind do I think I am entitled to my parents help, I just thought that if they were pushing to spend time with them, that this was a perfect opportunity to do so. My parents agreed initially, but when I called them to make plans about it because I had an interview lined up, my mom said she never agreed to anything like that and that she "wasn't going to raise my kids for me." In the end, it wasn't worth an argument and I just said that she could have just said no the first time I brought it up, and I would have just started looking at alternatives for childcare. Pulling this hurtful stunt was unnecessary and cruel. And we haven't spoken much since.
Honestly I doubt they'll ever actually change, which is why I keep them at an arms length. Sorry for the rant, I just needed somewhere to put all of this.

I’ve had really severe KP on my arms for as long as I can remember. I’ve tried absolutely every lotion, scrub, cream and every exfoliant imaginable (lactic acid, urea, glycolic, tretinoin prescribed by a dermatologist, salicylic, to name a few.) I’ve been consistent with everything I’ve tried in order to make sure I’m giving each product a fair shot. I’ve tried dry brushing… Absolutely nothing works.
I’m horribly embarrassed about my arms. I’m very fair so the redness of the bumps is super noticeable. I’m insecure about people touching my arms and don’t like to wear sleeveless clothes. I’m so exhausted and so tired of hiding my arms. Doctors haven’t prescribed anything that’s helped. I feel like I’m screwed. Has anyone in a similar boat found a niche thing that’s helped them manage their KP?

I would say I am very aware of the paranormal and things of that nature. My parent's house is over 100 years old and is next to the catholic church my mom, brother and I were baptized at. Now this is where it gets interesting. In the 1950's, during the middle of a sermon, the priest who was living in the house attached to the church was having a heart attack or something of that nature.
The people living in the house at the time brought him to their bedroom (What is now our living room) where he later died. Years later, when I was about 8 or 9, I had just woken up from a nap on our recliner in our living room and was still groggy. I remember mom had a plant in the middle of the doorway for some reason and as I turned my head to see where I was going when trying to not bump into the plant, for 2 seconds I saw a man without a face but was wearing a hat (Idk if it was a trucker or baseball cap but it was a hat) maybe 3 feet in front of me.
The only reason I know it was real is because a year later or so, I was watching TV in moms room and was about to get up to go to the bathroom and when I looked at the door. I saw the same guy standing there for a couple seconds and then he was gone. I've heard things too, but nothing was as creepy as those expieriences, besides hearing my mom's voice twice.
Once when she was at work. I heard her call my name from the dryer room downstairs and asked dad if mom was home and he said no. The other time, my mom, dad and I were all home and I heard her call my name from the top floor, but it didn't feel right. I didn't respond for a couple minutes (Because it felt off and I know never to respond if it doesn't feel right) I asked mom if she called my name a few minutes ago and she said no.
Those aren't even the weirdest things that happened. I have a long-distance girlfriend. Her and I talked on the phone every single day for just a little over a year before we physically met. She'd always tell me about how she'd always see the previous owner walking around the house (Who died naturally on the patio) but she never once described what he looked like.
The day happens where we finally meet wonderfully and everything goes normal, until I wake up at about 3ish in the morning to take a piss. Shes still asleep and I get up and walk past the closet next to the bathroom. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw what looked like a guy with glasses wearing a blue flannel but didn't see any legs. It took me a second to register what I just saw, and I looked where I saw him, and he was gone.
I take my piss, not really worried about it, go back to the room and asked my girlfriend "So you know the guy, does he wear glasses and a blue flannel" she said "Ya Why" I said Well I just fucking saw him. That still gives me chills to this day almost 3 years later. Last summer I even asked her if she ever saw him near me, she said she saw him standing behind me as we were cooking and that gave me even more chills.
This was the first time since high school that I had seen anything and it's also the last time currently that I've seen anything. Idk what it is because I'm not religious anymore, more agnostic, and this shit creeps me out and fascinates me at the same time

I would say I am very aware of the paranormal and things of that nature. My parent's house is over 100 years old and is next to the catholic church my mom, brother and I were baptized at. Now this is where it gets interesting. In the 1950's, during the middle of a sermon, the priest who was living in the house attached to the church was having a heart attack or something of that nature.
The people living in the house at the time brought him to their bedroom (What is now our living room) where he later died. Years later, when I was about 8 or 9, I had just woken up from a nap on our recliner in our living room and was still groggy. I remember mom had a plant in the middle of the doorway for some reason and as I turned my head to see where I was going when trying to not bump into the plant, for 2 seconds I saw a man without a face but was wearing a hat (Idk if it was a trucker or baseball cap but it was a hat) maybe 3 feet in front of me.
The only reason I know it was real is because a year later or so, I was watching TV in moms room and was about to get up to go to the bathroom and when I looked at the door. I saw the same guy standing there for a couple seconds and then he was gone. I've heard things too, but nothing was as creepy as those expieriences, besides hearing my mom's voice twice.
Once when she was at work. I heard her call my name from the dryer room downstairs and asked dad if mom was home and he said no. The other time, my mom, dad and I were all home and I heard her call my name from the top floor, but it didn't feel right. I didn't respond for a couple minutes (Because it felt off and I know never to respond if it doesn't feel right) I asked mom if she called my name a few minutes ago and she said no.
Those aren't even the weirdest things that happened. I have a long-distance girlfriend. Her and I talked on the phone every single day for just a little over a year before we physically met. She'd always tell me about how she'd always see the previous owner walking around the house (Who died naturally on the patio) but she never once described what he looked like.
The day happens where we finally meet wonderfully and everything goes normal, until I wake up at about 3ish in the morning to take a piss. Shes still asleep and I get up and walk past the closet next to the bathroom. Out of the corner of my eye, I saw what looked like a guy with glasses wearing a blue flannel but didn't see any legs. It took me a second to register what I just saw, and I looked where I saw him, and he was gone.
I take my piss, not really worried about it, go back to the room and asked my girlfriend "So you know the guy, does he wear glasses and a blue flannel" she said "Ya Why" I said Well I just fucking saw him. That still gives me chills to this day almost 3 years later. Last summer I even asked her if she ever saw him near me, she said she saw him standing behind me as we were cooking and that gave me even more chills.
This was the first time since high school that I had seen anything and it's also the last time currently that I've seen anything. Idk what it is because I'm not religious anymore, more agnostic, and this shit creeps me out and fascinates me at the same time

Hello, I’m losing sleep over this. I don’t think I did a good enough job explaining to the officer what happened so I want to share my story and see what you guys think…
I was involved in a car accident yesterday. I was in the right hand lane wanting to switch to the left hand lane. We were about 50 yards from a stoplight/intersection when I turned my blinker on indicating the lane switch. I wanted to switch lanes because there was a bus stopped directly on the other side of the stoplight/intersection at the bus stop. Several cars in front of me had made the lane switch. My car has blind spot detectors that chime at me when it is unsafe to change lanes. About 40 yards from the stoplight/intersection, my blinker chimed. There was a black sedan speeding up, ultimately not letting me over. I let them pass, blinker still on, not chiming anymore. I check my rear view mirror and left side mirror. I see a black SUV in my rear view and barely in my left side mirror. Assuming it is safe to switch because of how far back the SUV was, I start making the change about 25 yards from the stoplight/intersection. At this point, the several cars that have made the lane switch in front of me has backed up traffic a bit since we are essentially down to one lane with the bus stopped in the right lane. I start pressing on the brakes about halfway through my lane change because the car that originally did not let me switch lanes has started to slow down and I did not want to hit them. I am looking in my left side mirror while traffic is slowing down, watching this black SUV get closer and closer. At this point, I am pretty much completely in the left lane, just needed to straighten out. Traffic starts to flow a little better and as I am getting ready to straighten out, my blinker started to chime again. The SUV behind me, notices I am now in the left lane and swerves to the left, but not soon enough. The front right of his bumper hits the back left of my bumper. I watched the entire thing happen in my left side mirror. I was going to honk at him to make him aware but I couldn’t quite tell if he was slowing down or speeding up and I didn’t want to startle my Uber passenger. I also had enough time to verbally say “oh he’s not stopping he’s going to hit us.” We went from going the speed limit (40mph) down to about 15-20mph with the congestion, and I believe back up to about 30mph when the collision happened.
The first thing he says to me when I get out of my car is, “I’m sorry, I didn’t see you.” Which to me, indicates that he was distracted while driving. There was a “witness” that stopped with us and immediately started pointing fingers (at me). He said the same thing happened to him last month and it didn’t go his way so he wanted to stay and make sure the guy driving the SUV “didn’t go down for this.”🙄 (this “witness” was a jerk to me the entire time and made me cry but that’s a different story) Then, we were discussing if we were going to have an investigator come out or just exchange information. While having this conversation, he was telling me it’d be easier to just go to a body shop and not get anyone else involved. He also said he was kind of in a hurry to get somewhere and didn’t want to wait around. That threw up red flags for me.. I decided to call someone to the scene. I told him I will take a photo of his license and insurance, damages, and license plate if he really needs to go but I will still be waiting for the investigator. He ignored me while I took a photo of his license plate. During our wait, I was on the phone with my dad in my car while the two guys were waiting on the curb (couldn’t stand to be near the “witness” anymore). I had my door cracked so I could hear them and was watching them the whole time. They created a video as fabricated “proof” that I merged INTO him as I watched him zoom into a rusted part of his running board, saying that that’s where I made contact first.. Then I heard them talking about how he was in my blind spot and I merged INTO him because I couldn’t see him. Reminder, I have blind spot detectors and literally watched him bump into me…
About half way through our wait, the “witness” calls to see if they’re sending someone out because we had been waiting for an hour and they told him we can file a report online as long as we exchange information and it’s alright if we leave. They both wanted to leave so I asked for the other driver’s license and insurance again (while secretly recording his face in case he decided to take off). He told me I can’t have his information so I informed him that he could get up to 90 days for not giving it to me before he leaves. He said he wasn’t leaving anymore because I hadn’t filed a claim yet and he thought I was going to try and lie about what happened. I told him I had never been in an accident before and didn’t file a claim yet because I wanted to speak to the investigator to make sure my claim was correct.
Long story short about our wait, the investigator shows up. We talk, all 4 of us together. Then she talks to the “witness” by himself. Who knows what he said🙄. I receive an “Unlawful Lane Usage” violation while the guy in the SUV receives violations for not having his driver’s license (I believe she said it was revoked?) and not having insurance. His vehicle registration was also 2 years expired but that apparently didn’t have anything to do with the situation so she let it slide. I’m not sure if he had received any other violations.
Of course his damage is far less than mine and I’m using my insurance, waiting for an appraisal. But, what do you guys think? I feel like with being able to fully explain my self and have time to think about and assess the situation, this is 90% his fault 10% my fault. Even though I guess I was deemed at fault. Him most likely being on his phone and not paying attention, not having insurance and I believe a revoked license, me for not honking to let him know I was there. With his current status, he shouldn’t have been in a car PERIOD.
Okay time to go to sleep, gotta make extra cash for the repairs, UGH! Thanks for reading😀

As a new parent, you might be wondering about the best time to start and stop using a bassinet for your baby. This is a common concern, and getting it right can help ensure your baby’s safety and comfort, as well as your peace of mind.
When to Start Using a Bassinet
From Birth: Most parents begin using a bassinet from day one. Bassinets are designed to accommodate newborns and are perfect for those first few months. They provide a cozy and secure sleeping environment, often making it easier to keep your baby close, especially if you’re breastfeeding or need to attend to them frequently during the night.
Key Benefits:

• Close Proximity: Keeping your baby within arm’s reach.
• Compact Size: Easy to move around the house.
• Better Sleep: Many parents report that babies sleep better in a snug, small space.

Signs It's Time to Transition Out of the Bassinet
1. Weight Limit: Most bassinets have a weight limit, usually around 15 to 20 pounds. Once your baby approaches this limit, it’s time to consider moving to a crib.
2. Mobility Milestones: If your baby starts rolling over, pushing up on their hands and knees, or showing signs of more mobility, it’s safer to transition them to a crib where there is less risk of falling out.
3. Outgrowing the Space: As your baby grows, they might start to look cramped in the bassinet. If they can touch the sides easily or seem uncomfortable, it’s a clear indicator that they need more space.
When to Stop Using a Bassinet
Typically Between 3-6 Months: Most babies outgrow their bassinets between 3 to 6 months of age. However, this can vary depending on your baby’s growth rate and development.
Listen to Your Baby: Pay attention to their cues. If they seem restless or wake up frequently because they’re uncomfortable, it might be time for a change.
Safety First: Always prioritize safety. If there’s any doubt, transitioning to a crib earlier is usually the safer option.
Tips for a Smooth Transition
1. Make the Crib Cozy: Use a swaddle or sleep sack to recreate the snug feeling of the bassinet. 2. Gradual Transition: Start with daytime naps in the crib before making the full switch. 3. Keep a Routine: Maintain your baby’s sleep routine to help them adjust more quickly.
Every baby is different, and there’s no one-size-fits-all answer. Trust your instincts and observe your baby’s needs. The goal is to ensure they have a safe and comfortable sleeping environment.

Just a little background on my upbringing: I was raised by a single mother of 3, and we have always identified as Christians. While we didn't attend church every Sunday, my family and I always made an effort to, but sometimes life’s circumstances made it challenging. We are far from perfect Christians, but everyone has flaws and inevitably makes mistakes.
Over time, our family members took different paths. I joined the Military, my sisters pursued new careers, and my mom relocated back to our home state where most of our other family resides. Despite our physical distance, we maintained regular contact, but within the past few months, it’s been getting harder to find the energy to talk to my mom. She had been asking me for money fairly often, as well as taking money out of my bank account without even asking. I am always the one to help my family out in times of need, and I have never really minded it. But it was just getting to the point where I felt that she was doing it too freely and taking advantage of me, which led me to address the issue. This confrontation resulted in her kind of distancing herself from me and seeking financial assistance from others, despite having a stable income and manageable expenses. So i was just confused on where all of her money was going. I reached out, and offered to help her make a budget plan, to help budget her money more wisely, but she didn’t like that idea.
Fast forward to around February timeframe, and I still didn’t hear from her that often, unless it was for money. My sisters informed me that my mother had been spreading unfounded rumors about me having insider knowledge about government secrets and aliens due to me being in the military, and that’s why I don’t call them to talk to them often. But mind you, I talk to my sisters VERY often, and the reason I stopped talking to her as much, was because she would always ask for money when we would talk. Also, my job in the military rotates between MAKING FOOD at the chow hall and working at the FITNESS CENTER on base, and they all know that, so her claims definitely contradicts the reality of my jobs responsibilities.
What happens next? The solar eclipse in April. She called me for like a week leading up to it, begging and begging that I stay inside for it, because the government was gonna be releasing toxins into the air during it; telling me to keep my Bible next to me wherever I went; that the world was going to end, and just a whole lot of imagined dangers associated with the event, prompting her to believe that an apocalyptic scenario was imminent. I told her on the first day that she started to beg me, that I live on the opposite side of the world, and that the solar eclipse wasn’t even going to happen on this side of the world, so there was nothing for her to worry about. Ever since then, she has been frantically calling everybody in our family non-stop, telling us that the end of the world is IMMINENT, and that now is our time to get right with god, and pressuring all of our non-religious relatives members to embrace Christianity, and telling the ones with newborn children, that their babies are going to go to heaven, and they won’t, etc…
So it went from only hearing from her when she needed money, to all of a sudden, hearing from her 24/7, about doomsday prophecies, and everything about religion. I am a very stressed out and busy person, not just with work, but also with things outside of work, so the last thing I want to hear after a long day, is that the world is going to end tomorrow and everybody’s gonna die, so i try to avoid her calls as much as i can to preserve my mental well-being and to shield myself from the persistent doomsday messages. I LOVE God, I read the Bible, and I pray to God EVERY single day. God is my #1, so it kind of makes me feel like a bad person for ignoring her phone calls, and it makes me feel as if I’m avoiding talks about God and Christianity, but deep down, I know know I’m not, and that I’m just trying to protect my positive energy.
As bad as this may sound, my sisters and I believe that my mother's behavior might be influenced by substances like psychedelics or something, given her sudden immersion in conspiracy theories and erratic beliefs. Not just because of her talks about the world ending, but also because of the things she said about me knowing about aliens as well, and how all of this stuff just started happening out of nowhere. She’s never been the type to indulge in conspiracy thoughts or anything like that, so her sudden departure from her usual demeanor is just worrying and confusing. So I’m just wondering what other people may think, or if they have any input. Am I a bad person for thinking that her religious views are possibly influenced by drugs?

So I’ve (M,31) known my friend (M,32) since elementary school. Thinking back on it, even as kids, he had somewhat of an insufferable attitude; but it was easier to ignore. We would just go back to playing video games or Yu-Gi-Oh! like we always did. And at the end of the day, everything would be fine. But now, as adults with lives and responsibilities, it just seems…harder.
And I feel bad because I know he’s just been through a lot. His mom passed just before Christmas of last year, and that was a devastating roller coaster of emotion for everyone. He was still living with her and she was his best friend. He told her everything, shared all his interests and hobbies with her, etc. And outside of the money he gave her from his job to cover half the expenses, she handled everything (he didn’t drive, never paid bills, and he’s now getting an intense crash course on stuff). Even earlier today, he mentioned how it was like screaming into the void now that she was gone; and so I’ve been sort of hesitant to call him out on some of his behavior as of late.
The first thing is him acting like “Of course we’re going to hang out if I call or text him about it.” No. I have my job that is stressing me out; especially after layoffs just happened, and I’m trying to step up even more to make sure I’m not next. I also take care of my father, who is sick in a nursing home and losing his balance and mobility. I got three calls last week saying that he’d fallen. I’m in a relationship, and my partner and I are already struggling to figure out the future so we can consider things like marriage and so forth, but neither one of us has enough money. I get dragged into so many things on my days off that I stress out cause I’m not at home as much as I want to be; safe, at peace, able to catch up on chores. I’m already doing weekly therapy cause of the stress.
When we do talk on the phone, he treats it like we’re a podcast or talk show, and I just need to stop what I’m doing to give him the next 30 minutes or an hour of my time. I’ve had to try and politely explain that I was occupied a few times. He’d call me at work and I’d quickly text him back that I couldn’t talk. And on top of that, the conversation always stems back to what edibles he’s trying lately. He’s been going online and buying up every CBD/THC/Shroom gummy he can find. He once asked me to stay on the phone with him for 30 minutes so I can observe the side effects of a gummy with him, and I told him I was busy. He tried again and asked for 10 minutes and I caved.
And when we hang out in person…he just does some stuff I seriously have questions about. Several times, I’ve seen him reach down and scratch his nuts while sitting next to me; sometimes he’s just sitting there and holding them. I get it: we’re guys, so whatever, right? But it never fails that he sniffs his hand after. He’s always in shorts and reaches through the leg to scratch, but he always straight up sniffs his fingers after. And he does this SO MANY times, and each time I pretend not to notice, cause I know he’ll just deny it if I call him out. It’s weird when there’s food involved. He’s started treating me like I’m a lackey and he’s the brains, and will more or less ramble off commands like to grab him a drink or a snack when he’s over at my apartment. And he acts like he needs to dictate how the time is spent, and always asks me to watch some creepy pasta type stuff. He’s more or less tried to declare when he wants to leave (usually midnight, which is a fuck no cause I wake up at 4am for work), and will try to get me watch hours long videos on murder mysteries, photos taken before tragedies, reviews over gory movies, etc. Today I just about snapped at him when he asked if we could watch a video over disturbing 911 calls; he’d just nagged me to watch a video about a lady finding dead children in an 18 wheeler in Mexico. And when I suggest we watch an anime or play a game or something, he acts like it’s a hassle to fit it into the schedule. Tonight, he was so excited to show me a video about a South Korean couple in the 80’s that got kidnapped and forced to direct movies in North Korea, and I was mentally begging for his Uber to come get him. And he can’t just shut up and let it play. He HAS to talk and show off how he’s some sort of YouTube rabbit hole savant. He acts like I just NEED to hear how well researched and well read he is about whatever video. We watched the Netflix One Piece, and it was just him listing every difference between the show and source material, or talking to the TV and characters, acting like he needed to coach the Straw Hat Pirates about the fights, and this was my first time seeing it. This was his 2nd or 3rd time (then later, he just outright said “We’re going to start watching the anime together. We’re going to watch it every time we meet up, and it’ll be 10 episodes each time.” Not, “Do you want to watch One Piece?” Just that we WERE, no input from me at all, just a damn command). This happens EVERY time we watch something. If he makes a mistake when saying something, he’ll get snippy if I correct him, and he acts like there was no mistake and he said it flawlessly. And then there’s the porn. Every time, he shows me his art he drew for his comic he wants to make and it’s really just an excuse to look up porn. Nothing but nude drawings in risqué poses. I’ve seen him scrolling through his tablet, and it’s nothing but porn images he’s saved. I glanced and saw him straight up looking at a hentai butthole shot while we watched some weird video he wanted to show me. And there are so many other things…
I know he’s hurting. His mom was his only parent, since he never knew his dad who abandoned him. I still have my parents, so I can only imagine. But his behavior is getting to be a bit too much. And I don’t know how to gently tell him he’s being a major dick. I don’t know if I’m just suddenly a punching bag now (he lives with his aunts and cousins, and they were all raised old school, no nonsense, “no, we don’t need no damn phone to turn off the lights, get your ass up and do it yourself” type, so I KNOW they wouldn’t let that shit behavior fly there), but it’s gotta stop.

Need to vent and welcome any advice!
My daughter (S) is 9. She plays with two neighbor girls, 10 (A) and 11 (E). These three girls have been friends for 5+ years. They play together daily, at our house 99% of the time.
This afternoon they were out playing Gaga ball on the trampoline. My daughter (S) got (E) out, and said “you’re out”. E: threw the ball at my daughters face S: threw ball back at her in the arm E: said “I know how to fight” pinned my daughter down and slapped her in the face
My daughter was shocked. Got up and went to get off the trampoline. E slapped her in the face again. My daughter ran inside hysterical. Her face was bright red with a visible hand mark. I kept asking what happened and she couldn’t calm down to tell me.
The other girl (A) who was out there came in and was asking if S was ok through the closed door. I left daughter with my husband and went and asked A, who witnessed this, what happened. She said my daughter never touched E in the face, only threw the ball at her (part of the Gaga ball game), did nothing to instigate her whatsoever and E just attacked.
When my daughter ran inside E said to A: “what a baby, she’s going to run in and tell her mom. If her mom tells my parents, I’m going to lie and say she started it.”
My daughters and A’s story matched 100%. I text E’s mom. E was hiding down the road. Her mom found her, talked to her, then asked to talk to me and we met outside. She came at me very rude and said my daughter started it by trying to take a brownie. My daughter and A BOTH specifically told me my daughter asked for a brownie and the mom said yes and when my daughter went to take it, E yelled no. I told the mom this and she said that my daughter never asked and that the other 2 gang up on her daughter, E.
She said E had a scratch on her nose so my daughter must have done something. Was very rude and I said no, E straight up said she was going to lie about what happened. My daughter has a hand print on her face. And I went back inside.
Asked my daughter and A, they both told me E had scratched her nose on a plastic headband about an hour earlier while playing inside.
And A said she heard my daughter ask for a brownie and the mom say “yes, take one, they are raw inside anyways.”
So basically the mom lied to my face, tried to blame my daughter, and never apologized. I sent her a picture of my daughters face after I came back inside. There is a visible red hand print on her cheek. My daughter wouldn’t let me take a picture for about 20 mins bc she was so worked up. 20 mins after the slap and it was still bright red. I also sent her a picture of the headband E scratched her nose on hours earlier. The “scratch” was a red dot the size of a pencil tip, aka a pick mark from the plastic picks on the inside of the kids headband.
We are next door neighbors. See eachother daily. We had a bonfire last weekend. She comes over every time I’m outside working. So almost every day. I’m just sick.

I was reading the book War Crimes the other day, and saw this passage about Varian that seemed pretty hilarious, as the Dragonmaw and their allies attacked during Garrosh's trial:

"“You’re making this fun, Dragonmaw!” he shouted defiantly, and charged the first pirate. Still struggling out of the parachute, he was an easy kill, but others had gotten free and now converged on Varian. The king’s blood was hot, and he swung the great broadsword as if it were a child’s toy, decapitating the troll who came at him with a cutlass and following through to cleave the black-haired human woman almost in two.
The mammoth tauren, no less fierce for the fact that he had one eye, was more of a challenge. Varian harnessed his momentum and twisted his torso, bringing the blade upward and slicing off the tauren’s right arm. But the left had a weapon too, and this one bit deep into Varian’s side. Dizziness filled him and he stumbled back, abruptly unable to lift the sword to defend himself. But the blow never came.
Something even bigger than the tauren, gray-skinned and wearing red and yellow armor, rushed forward. With a single slice, the tauren’s horned head was cleanly separated from his body. The felguard fixed Varian with tiny, glowing eyes and rumbled, “Your fate will be the same.” Varian couldn’t summon the energy for a witty retort. He blinked, trying to focus. His legs gave way and he fell to his knees, wondering if perhaps the felguard had been right.

So, essentially, Varian (albeit wounded after taking an arrow to the shoulder) while engaged in melee against some pirate forces loses a brief duel against a large tauren with 2 swords. This seems to be a far cry from what he's been able to accomplish on the battlefield before, especially considering basically a page later, he leaps up to Zaela and pulls her off of her dragon AFTER being shot by a rifle. I'm not sure how seriously a lot of the books are taken from a lore perspective, but I thought this was quite funny, and I'm curious to see if there's similar examples.

Some slight background: Grew up w/ narcissistic, abusive mom and enabling father. Went NC for 3mos almost 2ys ago while pregnant with my son. She’s been back in my life now for about 15mos and has changed a lot but some things just don’t change.
Nobody, and I mean nobody stands up to my mother. My immediate family is very small - including myself, mother, father, sister, and brother. My family is terrified of her, so she’s used to getting her way with everyone and I was honestly the same way until I went NC. Since breaking NC, she hasn’t given me much reason to stand up to her as she’s been on her best behavior, but she’s getting testy again and I can’t tell if it’s because she’s getting comfortable again or if it’s because I’m 6mos pregnant with my next baby. Maybe both? I don’t know.
Aside from having a nightmare of a childhood, my mother kept us in a bubble. No going outside, no cooking allowed, no doing or touching anything that could get us dirty, clothes changed anytime we left and came back to the house. It was miserable. I promised myself I would never give my children that type of childhood but it seems my mom is having a hard time accepting that. When I comes to my 15m/o son, anything that involves dirt sets her off. She’s always telling me not to let him do this, or that, “he’ll get dirty” and I always ignore her but tonight I snapped. We went to dinner and there was a fountain outside. My son wanted to put his hand in it, so I allowed him. My mom instantly freaked and grabbed LO’s other hand to pull him away from the fountain while saying, “Skemy00 no! Don’t you let him do that no!”. You would’ve thought I was letting him put his hand in hot oil. I immediately forced her hand off of his, raised my voice and said, “Stop it! He is FINE! It’s water, if he wants to touch it he can!”. She immediately stormed off and purposely scooted her chair as far away from me as she could during dinner. I just don’t understand why she can’t be normal. The pettiness is so fucking old and ridiculous. I just wish she could be an adult.

I’ve been sitting on a silver meowsic for a while, cracked it open a month ago to finally try and reclock it. Took an ltc1799 module that I hand made and confirmed to be functional via testing, just tacked the output onto the output arm of the crystal, and it kinda worked, it changed the pitch a little bit, but only at a certain threshold. only a fraction of the travel of the pot changed the sound, and any position outside that fraction resulted in the same exact pitch which was roughly equal to pitch set by the original crystal. When i tried the old bend one leg up technique on the output leg of the crystal it completely disabled the keyboard, but did not crash it, just a momentary pause in sound that ends soon after I reconnected the crystal’s output leg, in fact i could even start the demo song, disconnect the crystal, then reconnect it and it would pick up In the same place. Only other relevant info is that I’m running the ltc and the cat on different power supplies. What the fuck is going on?

My skin postpartum feels like a disaster. I have white bumps all over my arms and legs and it feels so bumpy. Any suggestions on what I should do? I can't tell if I'm too dry, if I should be exfoliating, if it's hormonal. All I know is summer feels cruel. None of my clothes fit and my skin is so bumpy.

Adam and D-Sides Boyfriend, or DS for short, were deep into a game of Super Mario Bros Wonder on the Nintendo Switch."Yeah, this game is pretty good!" Adam agreed, just as the doorbell rang. He paused the game and got up. "Hang on, I gotta see who's at the door." Boyfriend nodded, and Adam walked to the front door. Opening it, he found Owen and Oskar standing there. "I often forget you know where I live," Adam remarked. Oskar darted inside, eager to escape Owen’s company. "Hi," Owen said, following more slowly. Owen took one couch, and Oskar took another, each eyeing the other warily.

Adam broke the silence. "So, where are your girlfriends tonight?" "Busy," they both replied in unison. "Well, okay then," Adam said. "I’m playing Mario Wonder with Boyfriend. Want to join?"
"You have a boyfriend?" Oskar asked incredulously. "No, his name is Boyfriend," Adam clarified. "You’re joking," Owen said, skeptical. "Nope. Hey BF, come out here!" Adam called. DS stepped out and waved. "Beep!" "Huh, you’re right," Oskar admitted.

Just then, someone knocked on the side door. "Hold on," Adam said, heading over. He opened it to find Isaiah and Eleanor. "Hi, Adam!" Eleanor greeted cheerfully. "Hi, guys!" Adam responded. Isaiah walked in, stopping when he saw Owen and Oskar. "Oh...who are you guys?" Isaiah asked. "I’m Oskar," Oskar replied. "I’m Owen," Owen added. Eleanor followed Adam, who closed the door behind them. "So, since there are more people here than usual, any ideas on what to do tonight?" Adam asked. "Beep Bo Bap!" DS beeped. "Boys' Night Out?" Adam suggested. "Boys' Night Out?" Owen repeated, confused. "It’s basically when just the guys go out for the night and have fun!" Adam explained.

"So, basically anything?" Oskar asked. "Yeah, as long as it’s legal," Adam said. "Are you okay with it, Eleanor?" Isaiah asked. Eleanor smiled and nodded. "Yeah, don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Your sister is home, right, Adam?" "Yeah, but she was a bit snappy earlier. I wouldn’t bother her," Adam warned. "Where would we go, anyway?" Owen asked. "Beep bap!" DS suggested. "Yeah, we can go to Applebee's," Adam said. "I’m okay with that," Isaiah agreed. "Can we go to the casino afterward?" Owen asked. Everyone stared at him in confusion. "Dude, we’re all 12-14 except for BF," Adam said. "Oh right," Owen realized. "We can go to the arcade next," Isaiah suggested. "That works," Adam said. "What about after that?" Oskar asked. "We'll figure it out. Ready to go?" Adam asked. "Yeah, I’m ready," Isaiah said. Owen got up. "Let’s go." Adam, DS, and Oskar followed. "Bye, Eleanor! We'll be back in a bit!" Isaiah said. Eleanor waved as the boys left.
After a bit, they finally arrived at Applebee's. "Alright boys, welcome to Applebee's. You know what I love about this place? The culture. I usually have a burger, but sometimes I switch it up. First meal, you’re in Asia; next meal, you’re in Greece!" Adam said.

"Beep bap bo!" DS chimed in. "Exactly, I feel like I need a passport to eat here!" Adam laughed. "So what do you recommend?" Isaiah asked. "What do I recommend? Isaiah, this is Applebee's. I recommend all of it! Wait, you're from New York, right?" Adam asked. "Yeah. Why?" Isaiah asked. "Brooklyn or Queens?" Adam asked. "Manhattan," Isaiah said. "Did you not go to Applebee's before?" Adam asked. "No, not really," Isaiah said. "Well, that's fine. You’re gonna love it," Adam assured him.

After a bit, the waitress came over. Adam’s heart sank. It was Mary Lou Maloney, a familiar face to him but not to the others. "Hello, welcome to Applebee's. My name is Mary, and I'll be your server tonight," Mary Lou said.

"Beep!" DS said."Y-Yeah..." Adam stammered, clearly unsettled. Mary Lou focused on Adam. "How about we start with you, handsome?" she asked, getting close and rubbing his hair. "What would you like to drink?" "Uh, I would like a..." Adam began to say. "You want a lemonade, right?" Mary Lou suggested. "Y-Yeah, that works," Adam said, visibly uneasy. Oskar looked at Adam, puzzled by his behavior. "I’ll have water," Oskar said. "I’ll have a Pepsi," Isaiah added. "Beep bo bap!" DS said. "He said he’ll have a Coke," Adam translated. "I'll take a water too," Owen said.

Mary Lou smiled and walked away. Adam faced the ground, holding his head. "Adam, are you okay? You acted strange when the waitress came," Oskar observed. "No, no, I’m fine. Just a bit hungry, that’s all," Adam lied, unconvincingly. "Who was that? You acted like she was your mom. Oh my god, was that your mom?" Owen asked. "What? No, that's not my mom. Look at me," Adam said. "Beep bap bo, skidoo bap?" DS asked. "No, not my ex or girlfriend..." Adam said. "Then who is it?" Isaiah asked. "Well, she's... a friend of mine. Yeah, a friend. I forgot she worked here," Adam said.

Mary Lou returned with their drinks, still grinning. "I have your drinks, boys. Now, may I take your orders?" "Yeah, that would be nice," Isaiah said. Mary Lou turned towards Adam. "Hey!" she said. "...Yeah?" Adam replied. "You want a classic bacon burger, right? Well done, fries seasoned?" Mary Lou asked. Adam’s heart dropped. "Y-Yeah..." "I’ll have a chicken sandwich," Isaiah said. "How do you want that cooked?" Mary Lou asked. "Crispy," Isaiah replied. "I’m not hungry, thanks," Oskar said. "I’m not hungry either," Owen added. Owen and Oskar exchanged glances, both thinking, "What's your excuse?" "Beep bo bap do bop!" DS said. "Alright, I’ll be back in a bit!" Mary Lou said, leaving with a tune. "Not your girlfriend, eh?" DS teased. "Why are you speaking English now?" Isaiah asked.
Meanwhile, Eleanor knocked on Esther’s door, but there was no answer. "Hello?" Eleanor called, knocking again. "Go away, Adam, or I’ll stab you," Esther threatened from inside. "But... I’m not Adam," Eleanor said. Esther opened the door and looked up at Eleanor. "Who are you?" "My name is Eleanor. You’re Adam’s little sister, right?" Eleanor asked. Esther groaned and tried to close the door, but Eleanor held it open. "Hey, what are you—" Esther began to say, but Eleanor's grip was strong. The door cracked as Eleanor instinctively burst it open, then sprinted off. "What the fu—"

Back at Applebee's, Mary Lou brought the food over, still grinning. "Enjoy your food!" she said, passing it around before leaving. "Damn BF, those nachos look tasty," Adam said. BF nodded, taking a bite and giving a thumbs up. Owen and Oskar’s stomachs growled. "You sure you aren't hungry? It’s not too late to order something," Adam offered. "I'm fine," Oskar said. "Yeah, me too," Owen agreed.

After around 20 minutes of eating, the food was done. "Wow, that burger was delicious," Adam said. "Beep…." DS said. "Yeah, it was," Isaiah said. Mary Lou came back. "I hope you enjoyed your food, now who's paying?" Mary Lou asked. Everyone looked at each other. "Uh, can you give us a second?" Adam asked. She nodded and left.

"Alright, I'm fine with paying if I need to but are there any takers?" Adam asked.
"...This might work," Oskar said. He pulled out Swedish cash from his pocket. "...Oskar, that's Swedish currency. I don't think that's gonna work." Adam said. "Oh…" Oskar said. "Wait, Oskar, are you Swedish?" Isaiah asked. "Yeah, Eli too," Oskar said. "Huh, I mean I can kind of hear it in your voice," Adam said.

Mary Lou came back and leaned close behind Adam. "You know, if you can't pay, if you come in the back with me Handsome, I'll let you off free…." Mary Lou said. Adam turned red as everyone turned towards him, dazed, surprised, and confused. “Uh..Uh..” Adam begins to say, dazed and confused. “Think about it handsome. I'll be back in a bit..” Mary Lou said, kissing him on the cheek. She walked away, humming to herself. Everyone just stared at Adam. “Did…Did she just…?” Oskar began to say. “I think…?” Owen began to say. Isaiah just stared at the ground.
“Bro, I think the waitress just offered to let us go free if-” DS-Boyfriend began to say, but Adam cut him off. “Boyfriend for everyone's safety DON'T finish that sentence,” Adam said. “...Are…Are you going to say something about what just happened….?” Isaiah asked. “I would rather not…” Adam said. Everyone just stared at each other. “You know what? I'll pay. That way we can simply move on.” DS said. “Really?” Owen asked. “Dude, when a waitress offers to bang your best friend to get out of a restaurant without paying, that's when you know you gotta get the f**k out of dodge,” DS said. “Hey, nice reference,” Isaiah said. “Thanks,” replied. “How can you afford to pay?” Owen asked.

“My parents are CEOS of big companies, that's how,” DS-Boyfriend said.
“Hey Adam, can you get the waitress?” DS-Boyfriend asked. “...Why me?” Adam asked. DS-Boyfriend gave a sh*t-eating grin. “Oh you gotta be kidding me,” Adam said agitated. “Hey, don’t look at me, she’s the one into you,” DS said. Adam rolled his eyes and got up, but when he turned around, he bumped into Mary Lou, who was walking back to the table. “Oh hey! Taking my offer?” Mary Lou asked. Before anything could happen DS stepped in. “Actually he was going to get you so we can get the hell outta here,” DS said. Mary Lou looked down before nodding her head. “Alright, we can have some fun another time then.” Mary Lou suggested. Adam turned red again as DS got up from his seat and handed Adam the Money. “Here you go,” Adam said. Mary took it and smiled. “Alright, you can go! Have fun boys!” Mary Lou said with a creepy smile. The others got up from their chairs and quickly left through the door. But before Adam could Leave, Mary Lou grabbed his arm. “...This was nice. Can we do this again sometime?” She asked. Adam shrugged. “I guess so,” Adam said. Mary Lou smiled. She took off Adam’s hat and rubbed his hair. “... It's a date then, see you later…alligator.” Mary Lou said. “YO ADAM, WHAT’S THE HOLD-UP, COME ON!” DS yelled. Adam turned and left through the door.

Eleanor was sitting outside on the steps in the backyard, thinking to herself about what transpired. She didn’t know what came over herself, she didn’t even mean to get so aggressive. She was about to just get up and go take a walk down the road when she noticed a toy Rabbit sitting near the gate. It wasn’t there before. It was grey, and one of its eyelids was drooped down. It had a red vest and a blue bowtie and its eyes were purple. “Where did you come from?” Eleanor asked. The toy roared to life. “R-R-R-Ready to Rocket!” the toy belted. Eleanor gasped out of surprise and dropped the toy, causing it to stutter on one line. “Bon is here- Bon is here- Bon is here- Bon is here- Bon is-” But then the rabbit stopped, its eye slowly turning to look at something in front of it. “H-H-Hi Bon!” Eleanor looked up and saw him. A large 7 ft rabbit animatronic stood in front of the gate, but he looked…damaged. The rabbit had a white latex mask, with a cigar in his mouth and its eyes glowed a bit white as it stood there.He wore a red bowtie connected to a dickie. The torso had a large hole in it, and it was…slightly lined with blood. His vest was tattered and damaged. It had a bunch of holes in it. He had a name tag on his vest “HELLO! MY NAME IS BON.” But it was slightly ripped. His lower arms were exposed with an endoskeleton, but the fingers looked like claws. His lower legs were exposed with an endoskeleton as well. Bon wasn’t looking at her at first before his eyes slowly tilted towards her. The rabbit slowly moved its head, a creaking sound coming from it. The mouth opened, and at first, nothing came out, but then it spoke. “M-My. Name. Is. BON.” The rabbit went to walk towards Eleanor when Esther opened the side door. “Hey. Knew I’d find you out here.” Esther mentioned. Eleanor looked back, but Bon was gone. It was as if..it were an illusion. She looked down and the toy rabbit was gone as well. “Oh, hey,” Eleanor said, trying to sound as normal as she could, albeit possibly hallucinating. Esther sat next to her. “Listen, I don’t know what that was back there, but I’m not going to lie, it was kind of cool,” Esther admitted. Eleanor smiled. “My name is Eleanor, what’s yours?” Eleanor asked. “Esther,” Esther replied. It seemed like she would continue the sentence, but she left it hanging. Eleanor smiled before she asked something, following up on something she heard earlier. “...Hey, can I ask you something?” Eleanor asked. Esther nodded. “...Why do you hate your brother?” Eleanor asked. Esther frowned a bit. “It’s…not that hate him. I’ve been in other homes before this one and most of the time my brothers were…assholes.” Esther explained. “And…is Adam one?” Eleanor asked. Esther sighed. “No...Not really, he’s been nothing but nice but..I just don’t believe it. Like how could someone just be so nice? I haven’t even seen him snap in anger yet. I know it's bound to happen eventually but still.” Esther admitted. Eleanor shrugged. “Guess I understand,” Eleanor whispered. Esther got up. “Well, it was nice meeting you, I’m going to go back into my room ok?” Esther asked. Eleanor gave a thumbs-up as Esther left.

“Right so, where is the arcade?” Oskar asked. DS looked at his phone. “Uh, somewhere around…Here!” DS shouted, pointing at a building. The Building was red, with white glowing neon lights. The arcade was called “THE NEON ARCADE!” “Dude this place looks awesome,” Adam stated. “Where did you find this place?” Owen asked. “I came here with my girlfriend once, gots a sick amount of arcade machines,” DS stated. “Well what are we waiting for, Let's go have some fun!” Isaiah shouted.

The gentlemen walked into the arcade, it was literally what you expected, mostly just an arcade, but there was a play zone, food court, and…a bowling rink! Yeah, that should be about it. “Dude this looks straight out of the 80s!” Oskar shouted. “How would you know? It’s not like you were FROM the 80s!” Adam replied jokingly. Oskar just stared at him, his face serious. “...Calm down! It was a joke!” Adam said, putting his hands up. Oskar made a sigh of relief. “Good, I thought I’d need to kill ya,” Oskar said, joking back. Owen stared at Oskar, his eyes wide with fear. Oskar looked at Owen, seeing the fear in his eyes. “...What?” Oskar asked. Owen didn’t respond, as if remembering…bad times. “Owen…Owen!” Adam shouted. Owen snapped out of his trance. “Oh, sorry...Just thinking of something.” Owen admitted. “Your girlfriend?” DS chuckled. "Something like that," Owen muttered, wanting to change the subject. Adam glanced at him, concerned but deciding to let it go."Alright, let's split up and see who can get the highest score on any game!" Adam suggested, trying to lighten the mood. "Winner gets bragging rights for the rest of the night." DS chuckled. “Bet I can get the highest score,” DS spoke cockily. “You sure about that?” Owen asked. DS looked up at Owen Smugly. “Wanna bet?” DS asked. “No, I just don’t wanna see you lose it.” Owen replied. “BET.” DS stated.

The boys went to different games as the hunt was On. Adam saw this cool game called “Death by AI”, while Oskar played a game called “Ring Out”, while DS and Isaiah played Air Hockey. Owen on the other hand, didn’t exactly know what he should play. Sure, there was Miss Pacman, but he didn’t feel like playing that without Abby. That’s when he noticed a game just..sitting there in the corner. It was an arcade game from King of the Jungle Cafe. But that closed a long time ago. How did it make its way here? The game was called “ZOO ESCAPE”. It was about King Louie and his animal friends being sent to a zoo and they needed to escape. Owen looked around. No one was watching him. Why not give the old game a go? Owen walked over and placed a token in. The game rocketed to life, the familiar jingle playing out. It put a smile on his face. And so, he began to play. Despite how old the game was, it was still fun to play. He was playing for a while when he sensed someone was watching him. He at first thought it was Adam, but he realized it wasn’t. It felt off. He paused the game and saw someone leaning against the arcade machine. It was a boy. He was wearing a black teeshirt with white stripes. It had the earth on it. He had a purple and blue bracelet on one of his arms. He wore tan pants with white shoes. His brown hair went slightly over his eyes. From his face, Owen could tell he had braces and freckles. “Enjoying the game, huh?” The boy asked. Owen nodded. “Yeah, it's fun, I used to play this all the time,” Owen admitted. The boy chuckled. “I used to love playing this thing.” The boy agreed. “..I’m Owen, what's your name?” Owen asked. “Ronny, nice to meet you. ..Though, I swear we met before.” Ronny pondered. “What do you mean?” Owen asked, tilting his head. Ronny shrugged. “Nevermind, it's nothing,” Ronny said. Owen wa about to respond when he heard Adam shouting from the other end of the room. “OWEN, WE’RE ABOUT TO HEAD OUT, YOU READY TO GO?” Adam cried. “Yeah, Coming!” Owen shouted back. Owen looked back, but Ronny was gone. He looked around, but couldn’t see any trace of him.

Adam and the others gathered near the entrance, their faces glowing with excitement from the night's activities. "So, who got the highest score?" Isaiah asked, smirking as he pointed at the air hockey table, where he had just narrowly defeated DS. “AI had nothing on me,” Adam replied. Oskar chuckled, shaking his head. "Ring Out was a blast. I reached level 15, but I think you might've beaten me, Adam." "Did anyone check the scores for Owen?" Isaiah asked, looking around.
Owen shrugged, a small smile on his face. "I was just playing an old favorite, 'Zoo Escape'. Didn't check my score." "Old games for old souls," DS joked, giving Owen a friendly nudge. Owen glared at him but shook it off. "Alright, boys, let's tally up and declare a winner."

The group walked to the main score screen near the entrance. After some friendly banter and a quick check, Adam emerged as the victor with his impressive score on "Death by AI". "Bragging rights secured," Adam announced, striking a triumphant pose. "Now, what's next on the agenda?" DS pulled out his phone to check the time. "It's getting late. Maybe we should start heading back." Adam yawned. “Yeah, I agree, come on gentlemen,” Adam commanded.

The group began their walk back to Adam's house. The air was cool and refreshing, a welcome change from the bustling, neon-lit arcade.
"So, what was up with that waitress at Applebee's?" Isaiah asked, breaking the silence. "She seemed...intense." Adam stopped walking and rubbed the back of his neck, clearly still embarrassed. "Yeah, Mary Lou's...interesting. I guess she likes to mess with me." "Mess with you? Dude, she was all over you," Oskar pointed out, raising an eyebrow. "You sure there's nothing more to that story?" Adam sighed. “Look, I don’t really know, I guess she’s just…like that. I have no idea what’s going on in her head. I guess she just has a unique way of interacting with people she likes.” Adam suggested. Owen looked around. “My house is nearby here, I’m gonna head out,” Owen said. “Right, see ya man.” DS waved. Owen waved goodbye as he separated from the group. “Actually, looking around now, I think my place is around here too. I’ll see you guys later ok?” Oskar said. “Alright, see you later man,” Isaiah replied. Oskar walked away, now it was just DS, Isaiah, and Adam here. “You know what? This was fun.” DS Remarked. “Yeah, it was,” Adam responded, a bit tired. “Just a question, why did you start speaking English out of nowhere?” Isaiah asked. “...Eh, I just felt like it.”

It took them a bit, but the trio got back to Adam’s house. “Welp, that was fun boys but I’m gonna head home, see yall later!” DS shouted. Adam waved goodbye as DS walked away. “Don’t know about you, but I’m tired,” Adam said. “Same, goodnight Adam!” Isaiah replied. Adam waved as they walked into the house, Adam walked into his room, as Isaiah walked downstairs.

Isaiah got back into the apartment downstairs and closed the door behind him. He breathed a sigh of relief. Unsure why he did that. “Isaiah.” A voice called “S**t!” Isaiah yelled out of fear. “Sorry. I didn’t mean to scare you.” The voice responded. Isaiah focused his eyes and noticed two eyes staring at him from the darkness, but he recognized the voice. “It's ok Mom,” Isaiah replied. “Where did you go?” Naiomi asked. “I went with Adam and some of his friends on a boy's night out. Where’s Eleanor?” Isaiah asked. “In her room waiting for you,” Naiomi responded. “Thanks,” Isaiah replied. He was about to walk into the room when his mother stopped him. “...That Adam…is he any good?” Naiomi asked. “What do you mean?” Isaiah asked. “Is he treating you right?” Naiomi asked. “Yeah, if anything he’s like a brother,” Isaiah stated. Naiomi stared before nodding. “Alright, good. Goodnight Isaiah.” Naiomi said, with a deadpan voice. “Good Night Mom,” Isaiah responded. He entered the room as Naiomi looked at the door upstairs. But she decided against going up there, she’d need an invitation after all.

To preface,I have a hard time connecting with others.
This man had a Dali painting on his right arm.
Very vivid and detailed.
the melting clock,Dali’s mustache,the long legged creatures,tigers,had something else that’s hard to describe.
He told me how long it took 70 hours!
Multiple seasons that took a year to complete.
He seemed excited to talk about it.
It’s rare for me to see that i can spark happiness in someone (I usually have a hard time understanding others).

Inebriated Conversations

After eight long and grueling hours, we began our rapid descent from the heavens. I never really got the: “did it hurt when you fell from heaven” pickup line until we hit the tarmac. The force of the impact nearly knocked my head into the seat in front of me, so fuck yeah, it hurt when I fell from heaven. I’d imagine even Lucifer himself had a softer landing than we did. He also didn’t have to endure the stomach churning and nauseating food that was served on the plane, but I digress, at least we had finally reached our destination. A land not so far away that only varied in appearance, but the truth was this mystical and magical land, deep down, was no different from the place I grew up or attend college. As I waited in purgatory, the security line, I began wondering if I was dreaming. Was I really in London or even a different country for that matter? The line, which seemed so much longer than the European and the U.K., line was filled with fellow Americans. Perhaps they are still acrimonious about us beating them in the Revolutionary War, so they decided that this was ample punishment for our victory. Whatever the case, we finally made it through security, then collected our bags. I saw my relatively new bag with the bowtie on the handle and was relieved that it had not been lost or left in the United States. We met our tour guide, Emma, who at first glance seemed to be very different. She had an unusual hair cut that was much shorter than ones most woman her age would have, but I soon learned that her appearance, much like London’s, would not be any indication of what lies beyond. When we finally escaped from limbo, the airport, we were put on a coach bus, and taken to our hotel. I was exhausted and in need of a shower, but all I could do was drop my luggage off, then swiftly return to the lobby. As we stood outside in the crisp, refreshing air, we were handed our subway passes, or as they say, “tube passes.” We followed our guide, Emma, on a short walk to the underground. When our group finally descended the stairs and made our way to the map, a map Virgil couldn’t even navigate, we began our journey that involved the same punishment as those afforded to people in the eighth level of hell. We walked endlessly, 10.6 miles, and viewed the most popular tourist attractions London had to offer. I was surrounded by beautiful statues, fantastic architecture, and attractive people whose dialect could captivate almost anyone. At first, like everyone else, I was completely and utterly captivated by it all, because it was a completely different world. Our group finished the day with a mile and a half walk to the Globe Theatre, where we saw Shakespeare’s play, Comedy of Errors. My fellow students and I stood, as our professors sat comfortably watching the play. During the production, all I could think about was my numb legs and my aching feet. I tried drowning the pain with a few glasses of overly priced and nasty wines, but my attempt was to no avail. For once in my life, I knew what it was like to experience actual physical agony, not just the tedious and never-ending emotional kind. It wasn’t the lake of fire or some frozen wasteland, but that shit was still excruciating. After the play, we struggled to find a new passageway to the hot and crowded underworld, the tube, but luckily, I had service on my phone, so we found it. We finally made it back to the hotel around eleven in the evening. After a long day of flying and an excess of walking, I had never been as excited as I was to climb into a bed that was, quite frankly, too small for my six-foot-five physique. To anyone reading this, don’t worry, I’m not planning on giving a day to day synopsis of what I saw while I was abroad, because the sights aren’t what truly matter. I mean, I could just rant about Buckingham Palace and its beauty, Windsor Castle and its enormous layout, the Tower of London and its history, the Natural History Museum and its priceless artifacts, Stratford upon Avon and Shakespeare’s life, Oxford and it’s impressive library, Cornwall and its tranquil beaches, the Minack Theatre and its sublimity, or the Ashmolean Museum and its Jeff Koons exhibition, but that shit has no genuine meaning to it. I’m not going to waste your time by writing about some tourist sites that you could see in almost any travel magazine about the U.K., so if that’s what you are looking for stop reading. I suggest you pick up a travel magazine and read it until you are content, but if you want to read something real, then I suggest you continue. The reality is, the things I’ll take from this trip are the inebriated conversations I had with others. I not only gave these people advice about their lives; I learned something new about my own. I, ***** *******, am the Barstool Prophet, who descended from the heavens prepared to spout wisdom and retardation. Before I divulge the serious and deep conversations I experienced abroad, I want to let you know that the other person and I were under the influence of alcohol. I know what you are thinking, but alcohol has been a part of human culture since 7,000 B.C.; to put that into perspective, man invented alcohol before the wheel. From what I've seen in my lifetime some people drink to forget, some drink to remember, some drink to punish themselves, and some drink to converse with others. I fall into the latter category, but while I was in the U.K., I encountered people whose purpose for drinking was similar to mine as well as people that would fall in the other categories. I never really got the saying, "It's better to be a glass half full person, than a glass half empty person." I get the whole positivity aspect of the saying; however, I'd trust a "glass half empty person" far more, because they'd just order another drink. I am in no way trying to promote alcoholism; in reality, I am just trying to explain how alcohol can fuel an in-depth conversation. The Latin proverb "In Vino Veritas" states that "In Wine there is Truth"; wiser words have never been spoken. Alcohol allows people to speak their hidden thoughts and desires, especially to a stranger like me. 

Emma

As I stated earlier, Emma was our tour guide, who sported a relatively short and somewhat masculine haircut. Luckily, I had consumed enough alcohol at the time of her arrival to ask her why she chose that specific style. After giving me a vague: “because I like it” response, she clutched her glass of wine and forced it down. We talked about her occupation and how lonely traveling could get, but she seemed like she was familiar with the feeling of loneliness. She asked me what I wanted to do when I grew up, and I said, “I want to be a lawyer.” Emma slammed her glass down and began to laugh hysterically; she said, “Seriously?” I found her response quite peculiar until she revealed that her ex-husband was a lawyer. He was devoted to his job and always worked long hours, which did not bother her, at first. I surmise that his lack of interest in her is what led to their separation. After a long moment of silence, I gulped my drink down and gained the courage to ask: “do you think the relationship you had with him prepared you for this job?” She paused and began to think intently. She took a sip of her wine, laughed, and said, “I guess so, that’s one positive thing I got out of the relationship.” The chat continued with talk of food, politics, weather, and other small-talk topics, but then we somehow made it back to her haircut. Emma told me that she was bi-sexual, which, despite the tell-tell signs in her appearance, isn’t something she shares with most people. I told her that homophobia and racism is a major part of the culture that I grew up in, which surprised her. She couldn’t comprehend how someone with that upbringing could be so openminded. I responded with one word and one word only, “Self-Awareness.” I came to the realization that in life people are consciously and unconsciously molded by those around them, but at the end of the day, it is their choice to decide who they are and what they believe. Emma’s marriage may not have been picture perfect, but she was still able to take something positive from it. As much as we don’t want to admit it, even the worst of our relationships impact us in a positive way. 

Phillip Goldsmith

Before I get into this incredibly intense and somewhat depressing story, I’d like to describe its setting. I was sitting on a red velvet couch, drinking Jack Daniels Honey in a tall glass with one ice cube. I know what you are thinking, but I was not in a strip club. Our hotel’s game room/ bar area looked like an American strip club, not that I’ve ever been in one. Like seriously, if a few poles and dancers were added, I’d feel like I was at the Red Carpet, which is a strip club near where I live, but again, I may or may not have been there. I had finished half my bottle when Phil walked in, and I could immediately tell that he was hurting on the inside. Excluding dumbass frat guys, not very many people drink vodka straight out of the bottle with the intention of finishing it. He sat next to us, so I reached my hand out and said, “Hey man, what’s your name?” He said, “Hello, I am Phillip Goldsmith.” I responded as anyone would and said, “That’s a badass name!” We talked about life, love, and women as most guys do. We were both close to finishing our bottles when I noticed a tattoo on his arm that said, “Harry.” Who was this Harry? He certainly didn’t strike me as a Royalist, so I knew he didn’t just get the prince’s name on his arm for shits and giggles. I gulped down a few more sips of my drink and slowly placed it back down. I looked him in the eyes and said, “who is Harry?” His response shook every bone in my body to their core. After holding his tears back and ingesting some more of his vodka, Phil looked at me and said that “Harry was his son.” Was? He continued speaking, and I learned that Harry died three days after he was born. That tragic loss would result in a few other loses in his life, his wife, and his faith. Phil told me that he used to go to his grave on his birthday and Christmas, but he couldn’t do it anymore. He didn’t see a point in it any longer. Surprisingly I felt the urge to tell him that “God loved him and that he would see his son again.” I am in no way a prolific believer; I’d probably put myself in the wayward son category. However, something came over me, and I felt like I needed to tell him that. We had both finished our drinks, and as we were saying our goodbyes, he thanked me. I don’t know why, but he did. My encounter with Phil taught me that when you meet someone, you don’t know what they are going through, but through love and compassion, you can have a positive impact on them. 

Lexie

Lexie is a beautiful and intelligent young lady from Kansas City, Missouri. We met and chatted throughout the week because she was a part of our EF group. One night, after Lexie and I had more than our share of wine, we began to talk about our plans for the future. Before I tell this story, you must know, I have the unfortunate handicap of flirtation when I drink, but she was able to move past my impulsive outburst. I think my accidental comments about her beautiful eyes, stunning smile, and cute laugh allowed her to open up to me. Despite what you are thinking, I like to flirt because I enjoy making women smile, I don’t always do it for self-serving reasons. Anyways, as I said, we started discussing our plans for the future, but one can’t divulge their future in an inebriated state without discussing their past. I gave my whole spiel about wanting to be a prosecutor who would later become a congressman, then a Supreme Court or D.C. Circuit Court justice. She said, “Wow! That’s quite the plan. I want to go into Law as well.” I hastily responded by saying, “That’s sexy. I could see it.” We both laughed, but then she said, “I don’t know though, Law School is hard.” She didn’t strike me as a person who couldn’t handle a challenge, so I asked, “Why do you think you wouldn’t excel? You present yourself as someone who does.” She tried not to blush, then sipped her extremely sweet white wine. I know it was sweet because I made the unfortunate decision of trying it; it was so sweet that even a rock would get a hangover from it. Anyways, she started talking about high school and how people thought she was unintelligent. I laughed and thought about how I experienced that very same thing. I said, “Fuck that, screw them. God, high school girls are mean. Do you actually believe that crap?” She giggled and said, “Of course not, but it’s still in the back of my head.” I grabbed another beer from Raj, the bartender at the hotel. Yes, we were on a first name basis; did you expect anything less from the barstool profit? I sat back down and leaned in, intent on getting this point across to Lexie. I sipped my beer, ever so casually, and said, “Listen, we all remember the immature negatives of our high school existence, but this is now. At some point, we have to grow up into the people we want to be, not who everyone tells us to be.” She then asked, “Why are you so wise?” (You are probably thinking “sure she did,” but I swear that is what she said; I’m not a narcissist using creative license to praise myself.) I accredited it to my amazing parents as well as the shitty ex-girlfriends, situations, and friends I had experienced. We continued talking about a lot of random things like abortion, racism in America, and other pseudo-political topics. It was 3 am. when we finally decided it was time to go to bed. I hugged her and told her to use those negative voices as motivation. Again, I was thanked for the conversation, which, at this point, seems to be a normal thing for strangers to do. My conversation with Lexie made me realize that, when we travel, the baggage we carry isn’t only the physical kind. That tedious and deep emotional baggage also comes along for the journey. Most people, who travel somewhere, will lose a physical part of their baggage, like a sock, shirt, or something of that nature. Lexie did something most could not and do not, she left a piece of her emotional baggage, the night I spoke to her in the bar. 

Szymon

Szymon was in the bar area when I got to the hotel. He had a very interesting accent, which was far different from the ones I had heard that week, so I asked, “Where are you from?” He said, in a relatively drunken manner, “I am from Poland. You’re from America, aren’t you.” I responded with a firm: “Yes.” The conversation proceeded with small talk, but as I had a few more beers, the topics shifted to more serious topics. I was recently in a Holocaust history class, so of course, the first serious thing I asked was if he had been to Warsaw to see the Concentration Camps. He paused in silence, so I said, “Talk about hell on Earth, the holocaust was some fucked up shit.” After saying that he seemed to gain the courage to tell me that he was Jewish. He told me about the things his parents endured as children and how his grandfather had died in a concentration camp. He told me how he had rejected his faith after hearing these horrible stories. He said to me, “What could faith do for someone. The Jews have been persecuted countless times for it.” I understood where he was coming from, but at the same time, I didn’t. He had real reasons for his existential doubt, and I truly could not say the same. I got a shot of vodka from Raj; threw it back, and said, “Our faith shapes our decisions in life, even if we tell ourselves it doesn’t.” He sat pondering my words, but he seemed bored of the discussions about faith. I quickly changed the subject and asked him, “Why are you in London?” I learned that he travels all over continental Europe cleaning asbestos out of old buildings. I responded as any young person would and said, “that’s cool. I’d love to travel all over Europe.” He said, “it might be for a young single guy, but I hardly see my kids. I honestly wouldn’t be surprised if my wife cheated on me.” I couldn’t believe he would say something that personal, but then again, that’s what alcohol does. I suggested that he quit the job and find one closer to home. He laughed and said, “Ugh… you sound like my wife right now.” I bought him another beer and said, “maybe you should listen to her.” He looked at me and said, “maybe you are right ha-ha.” My conversation with Szymon taught me that it doesn’t matter how much money you make or how many places you get to travel on the company’s dime. What matters in life is family and the ones you love. By the time we stopped talking, I could hardly understand him, but he shook my hand and said, “have fun in London.” I laughed and said, “I will, call your wife tonight and tell her you love her.” He smiled and nodded, assuring me he would. It was time to leave, so I packed my things and got ready to go to the airport. I finally boarded my fiery chariot that would bring me back to the heavens. I forced down a few shots of Jack Daniels, closed my eyes, and wondered if the Barstool Prophet would have a second coming. Would I ever return to this amazing city and spout words of wisdom and retardation? Would I ever drink two whole liters of cider and wake up with a black eye? Well, that one is a definite no, but so many questions are left unanswered. Did I actually impact those that I talked to? Did they even remember the conversation? As much as I want to believe I did, I’ll never know. We don’t know what this life holds or what our encounters with strangers will yield; all we can do is give it our best shot and live like we are dying… (Que inspiring music). 

Let me know if the foundation of this sardonic and surface level literature reference writing has potential… first ever post!

Opening**
A security guard is seen running from foxy the guard runs into Freddy and Bonnie and chica in the dining. Foxy raises his hook and slices the guards arm off and the guard is knocked down. He wakes up in a chair it is a torture chair with sharp saws going to his face he sees a screw and tries to unscrew it doesn't work. The sharp saws go threw his face as his skin and meat and blood scattered on the floor and you see his bone they get cutting so wide the cupcake sees this and bites his meat and eats it.
Scene 1**
Mike wakes up in his bed staring at the clock reading 6:00 AM. He goes to his job as a cashier getting paid 3.29 a hour he is planning to quit but he needs rent money. He sees a guy stealing something so he runs and tries to tell him to give it back but sees a child and he realizes he should let them go because they could be hungry. Mike gets called to his boss. The boss tells Mike you are fired pack up your things or we will call 911. Mike packs up and goes home. He calls number for a job council he finds one. 2 weeks later (4/8/2000).
Scene 2**
Number 27, number 27. Mike realizes he heard his number and goes to a office. Hello my name is Dave Miller I am ur councilor today so what is your deal Mike letting people just go after stealing something is just bad you know that right? said Dave Miller. Mike said I did the right thing mr.Miller. I know but you can't be doing that ok Mr.Michael Schmidt also do you want coffee for ur job. What job? Said Mike. Security at Freddy's said Dave. Mike said how is the pay. Not good but hours are worst said Dave Miller. I will take it ok said Mike. Okay said Dave Miller.
Scene 3**
[1 day later]
I am at Freddy's Mike tells Dave on the phone. Ok remember check the place top to bottom but do not look in the suits said the owner and no parts and service also the owner said Dave. Ok I said Mike. (20 minutes later) I am in my office goodbye said Mike. goodbye said Dave Miller. Mike saw a tape with his name he played it and it was the year 1987 of the tape. Hello and welcome to Freddy fazbear pizza place our wonderful staff will love you and if you cook good so will chica and beware of one thing FUN!!! And remember the animatronics should be taken with care ain't that right Henry said the staff. Yes said Henry. Let's see th- th- video tape ends. Mike hears a call from the phone and answers. Uhm hello hello hello and welcome to Freddy fazbear pizza place it is for fancy and fun come to life and remember do not like do anything bad that would get you an illegal trouble I know I know why am I reading this well our last night girl let's just say was terrible at his job and I mean it just make sure to not do anything bad and hopefully not like the last last last night guard he was a train wreck oh yeah guess what he did on his cameras he wrote he nobody like drew the middle finger on every single camera lens that's all I got to say is don't do that and take my warning animatronics are alive and remember close the door and check the lights I'm not going to tell you again because if you ever mess with them they will harm you or worse the last night card sadly passed away because of a glitch at least that's what we think basically we have to reopen this place so we need another car to clean up it and make sure to keep it clean that's all I have to say goodbye said phone guy. Mike said okay and proceeded to look around the place. And before he knew it it was 6:00 a.m. and he could leave ending his shift for night one.
Scene 4**
Mike drove home and he saw a card taped to his door it said that he could get evicted in the next two weeks or else he would have to pay a lot of rent and if he didn't pay it by that time he would lose his house and be forced to live on the streets. So Mike just went to bed waited for 11:30 so he can drive off to Freddy's and get started with his night. He woke up and it was 11: 37 he was 7 minutes late and it was a 30 minute drive so he's so he went a little over the speed limit for the start of it and then calm her down but luckily he knows on the road or else they could have gotten hurt or even killed and but by the time he slowed down those traffic so he got the place at 12:03 and well he just went to his office and checked on everything and cleaned and made sure nothing bad would happen but he heard a phone call. hello hello oh yeah it is me again I tried giving you that warning the last time but you're not going to take it so I'm going to tell you in the hardest way I can and that is damn electronics will try to forcefully stuff you into a Freddy suit but pretty much saw in your face and pretty much that's what happened to the last guard so just be careful I guess but yeah I'm finishing my last week cuz a matter of fact yeah the last card was the one before mine yeah I don't know I'm calling it your last one but it's a awkward just trust me with this I know you probably say I was crazy last time but I'm going to redeem myself but I'm going to send the VHS tapes the company said not to to prove to you that those animatronics are nothing but bad and they always will be so I recommend you just stop messing with them or else they will mess with you in the most Gory way possible they will make sure they rip you live from when they will make sure you do not survive trust me well that's the end of the call goodbye. I thought the guy was crazy. Mike continued his night and well he got curious and he went by the animatronics they smelled disgusting and he saw a drip of blood fall out Mike just cleaned it up thinking it was just water pipes or something but cuz he got Mike just cleaned it up thinking it was just water pipes or something but cuz he Mike just cleaned it up thinking it was just water pipes or something but he got told not to look in the animatronic so he just ignored him and just cleaned he cleaned up the place and finished his night and then he just left thinking that exact drop of blood he realized something was deadly wrong so hey just text again and again and again he couldn't find anything so he heard a knock on the door it was 2:00 a.m. so he didn't care he saw on the cameras it was a police officer her named is Vanessa Mike learned when she told him when he opened the door Vanessa walked in. Mike showed her to her office and he was told about kids went missing in 1987. They never found the bodies. She asked Mike why did you choose this job is this something you think of yourself being at 10-20 years. Mike said no. She told Mike I have to go. Mike said okay cuz it was 5:59 a.m. Mike had to go anyways and he did he went in his car and left and went home and disgust on the phone with his own with the house on her he lives in and they talked about if they can postpone his rent to be later the owner agreed and said we will but if you do this again I will charge you extra.
**Scene 5
It was 7:38 pm and teenagers thought Freddy's place would be a good place to party they went inside and set up everything at 9:54 pm a kid went in the kitchen and saw chica and laughed because he didn't think chica was alive and went by her mouth and chica opened her mouth and peeled his head skin the boy screamed but the speakers where loud. Chica pickled at his meat as she went more and more deep as the cupcake jumped at the boys stomach and ripped his guts and blood on the ground as the blood was gory and one of the girls went to check on him and the cupcake jumped at her biting her face open. One teen went behind the stage with her boyfriend and saw Freddy put his microphone down her throat deep and ripped it out of her neck inside her and he stomped on her face. The boyfriend got scared but Freddy put his arm in his eye holes as he rips his head from there. Another group of friends went in the janitor closet to tell each other the scary horror story of Freddy fazbear pizza place and the light went off and the door opens and closed and the light was back on and they saw Bonnie in there with them as he uses his guitar in one put it in thee boys mouth and putting it out of his back ripping his torso open the teens tried to escape but the doors where locked and bonnie toookk them out one by one. In the dining room foxy ran at them using his hook to kill them slicing there brains out and golden Freddy desposes the bodies.
Scene 6**
Mike went to his office and cleaned the pizza place but phone guy called. Hello hello yeah as you can see I'm back from the call I know you're probably thinking right now and this guy talking about where you found out either way I'm going to help you no matter what even if I am dead right now and probably am I get that because they don't like me they will get to know you and they will like you I will give you hints that I found out on the way they are ghosts children I mean if I was forced to sing songs for decades I would be mad too because that is kind of bad basically no one caught who did I found it out because I'm not dumb and I am actually very smart at least I think but probably not I know exactly will have the bite of 87 happen that's what we call it basically Mike it was dangerous basically this child got bit in the forehead by foxy yeah pretty crazy stuff foxy but the kid raising his suck at him yeah the kid at least yeah the kids did not survive sadly imagine having to write that note to the parents or the parents right now basically they gave him a discount to me that's pretty messed up in the brain like if your child I would you want to do that no I'm not saying that you don't have kids or if you do I don't know anything about you probably know you can be the owner's child right right yeah you probably are knowing your name and that's the same name that's his and he did change his name and it will be new in the public is a start with an s because someone tried leaking the full name I'll ask is if you are him do not try killing me do not be like your father because I found out he's the one and as soon as I get going with this job you know what I'm going to do I'm going to report it to the police station and they're going to find out all the evidence cuz I found the bodies but I didn't remove them because that's disgusting their children dead in the suits I know you I'm guessing you're only doing this because your father told you to let me tell you something why you can stop right now you can at least I mean you were 6 years old when you accidentally killed your brother and dwell changes your name and everything all I ask I don't remember what happened and the year 1983 that's all I have to say goodbye. What Mike said. As he thinks I don't even remember being a child before I was 12. Mike was confused it was 2:00 a.m. he realized Bonnie moved and moved and he got scared Mike right now if his office try to get the exit the exit doors lock so you run back to his office went underneath Bonnie's legs as Barney tried trapping him with his kneecap almost freaking Mike got loose and ran to his office door and closed it and he started realizing phone guy was crazy as he thought Mike knew he was wrong the whole time Mike thought he knew they where not alive but he was wrong bonnie slamed the door trying to get in but left. He closed all doors at 5:00 a.m. and waited it was 6:00 a.m. he left. Mike found Vanessa and told her their alive Vanessa. She said I know they are they are just kids you shouldn't mess with them like do not harm them in any way just quit your job and leave every one you know that is a child out of this place or else they will get dangerously hurt said vanessa mike went to bed.. to be continued next week
Up for part 2

Still bewildered I caught one in the wild. I flew from San Juan to Detroit today and in front of me there was a couple with a young child, maybe about 1, in the window and middle seat, and a middle aged man in the aisle seat. The flight itself was pretty uneventful, the baby was a bit fussy and moving around and crying a little, but nothing out of the ordinary for a little kid. I think mom and dad got up once or twice and brought her to the bathroom to get changed.
After we land and people start shuffling to get their luggage, the older man starts wagging his finger and raising his voice at this couple, saying “You need to stay put and wait! You have been so inconsiderate this entire flight!!” The couple is understandably kind of bewildered by this because, like I said, they didn’t do anything wrong. The husband is says something to the effect of “sorry what are you talking about we haven’t done anything!?” And this hothead just keeps laying into them.
At this point I could tell they were a bit rattled so I pipe up “hey sir you need to calm down, they are flying with a baby and you are way out of line.” Then of course he starts spouting off at me “you don’t know what they did, you didn’t see!” Never mind I just spent 5 hours 11 inches away from them but whatever. I just reply “dude they are traveling with an infant, I’m sorry you’re so stressed but how about we give each other a little grace here?” He then starts telling me to shut up, etc etc, but other people are now looking at the scene he’s causing and he just clams up.
After a tense minute or so he walks away to deplane, and the poor wife starts apologizing to me, as if they had done anything wrong. I was just like “yeah look clearly he has some issues, I’d rather he yell at me than at you guys in front of your kid.”
Anyway to the jackass in 16D on flight 1913: get professional help. My only regret is not calling the flight attendant over to get you on the NFL.

This is my very first Reddit post after years of lurking, so hello all! For context, my husband and I bought ebikes today to get back in shape. I purchased a Tenways CGO600 Pro, which will arrive sometime late next week. My husband got a used Electra Townie Go 8i.
I rode his bike around today and it’s raised a question for me about how the Tenways handles on hills. I’ll start by saying I have read all the other super helpful posts about hills but have a bit more of a specific question.
We live in the suburbs that are pretty flat, but there are one or two hills that clock in at around 6-8 degrees of incline. On my analog bike, in my current condition, I’d probably end up walking the bike. When I drove the Electra, I made it up the hill on gear 4. It was definitely work, and my legs felt the burn, but I didn’t feel like death on wheels.
The Electra has gears (although I didn’t really change gears much when I rode it) a mid-drive motor, and cadence sensors. The CGO600 is a one speed with a rear motor and a torque sensor. So I know it might be comparing apples to oranges, but I’m wondering how the CGO600 will do on the hills?
I took it for a test ride and it handled a smaller incline just fine and overall it felt great. But I’m nervous about the 6-8 degree hills and how the bike will fare, now knowing how it feels on the Electra. I know I’ll find out next week when it gets here, but I figured I’d ask if anyone has any thoughts on how it might compare to the Electra (especially considering I didn’t put the Electra into low gear when I did the hill)

18M
Before I start I’m not looking for any pity I’m just lost and I don’t know what to do. I’m just looking for some guidance.
I just graduated high school almost 3 weeks ago and since then life has hit me like a truck. Everything ended so abruptly and it feels so weird now. I keep thinking I’m going to go back to school after a few days. Idk it just feels kind of weird. For all those 13 years of school I just kind of winged it and half-a$$ed everything. I was never “smart” per se and I always had trouble following simple directions, doing math, focusing on a lesson, etc etc.
Besides all that my mental state has been kind of messed up since I was about 16. My first major depressive episode was when I was about 12/13 and it lasted maybe about 4 months. I go through episodes of depression that can last anywhere from a week to a month long where I spend all day alone, I sometimes cut myself on the arms or legs, and I go from feeling this terrible sense of dread and hopelessness to not feeling anything at all. It also stops me from getting anything done because I just don’t see the point anymore.
When the depression cycle is over I feel like the happiest and healthiest man alive and I every time I think to myself “I was fine, I was just overreacting for no reason.” But then it comes back and I’m stuck in the same cycle.
I have friends that I’ve talked to but there’s only so much someone can do to help you. Plus I don’t want to kill the mood by always talking about how I feel or by even being there. I used to be able to fake my happiness but now I don’t do it as much because it’s hard to. When I do it’s only for people I’m close to as to not make them worry or make them feel awkward. So I stopped doing social things because people always ask me “Are you ok? You look sad. What’s wrong?”
I’m also addicted to weed and have been on and off smoking since I was 14. But for the past 6 months I’ve been smoking violently and non-stop. My parents gave up on me and tell me that they’ll let me ruin my own life with this drug. I wish I could quit but it’s so hard to, it gets hard to eat, sleep, and be calm without it. But at the same time it makes me lazy and stops me from accomplishing goals I have throughout the day. My mom called me a “nashaee(Pashto for druggie)” today and she always talks about “What wrong have I done in life to receive a son like you?” They tell me that “it’s just weed, not crack, you can easily quit it.” But I don’t think they realize how dependent I’ve gotten off it.
Therapy is off the table because I don’t want to have this conversation with my parents again about my mental health. They are great parents and will most likely get me help. However, I don’t want them to worry more about me as I’ve done enough to hurt them in past. Also, my dad is at risk of having cancer and I don’t want to stress him any further. Also, they don’t understand mental health and they always brush of my feelings as “teenage hormones.” As if I’m not 18 and have already gone through puberty.
I don’t think anyone knows I’m going through this because I don’t talk about it and I do my best to look and smell good and I try to dress in clothes I feel confident in which is all usually an indicator that someone is doing well.
I really don’t know what I’m supposed to do. Everything feels so hopeless and bleak. I have big dreams and ambitions but I just can’t find the fire to do anything anymore. I’m always on edge and there’s not much that brings me happiness. Everything feels exhausting and I always feel like everything is wrong. I don’t know who to turn to.

Hi, Im 27F and I have a weird and annoying case of urthicaria that pops up from time to time. This has been going on for more than 5 years. Description: It appears as small circles of varying size of raised, red, itchy skin. Usually only on my limbs, my hands or feet, but in specially troublesome cases like today, it can also appear beneath my chin and around the part my neck meets the back of my head. Another symptom is that the skin of my palms and thumbs not only gets itchy (without the bumps), but starts feeling inflammated and palpitating, like they just got stung by a bee. Thumbs tend to swell and become kinda purpleish. And after a while, they start to hurt. It's always worse on my left hand than on my right, for some reason.
The first time it popped up I was under stressful conditions, so I just chalked it up to it being psychosomatic. But then it kept popping up. Today, for example, I'm down with a cold and it popped up when I went to bed. (perhaps it's related to a momentarily lower immune system?)
I definitely want to have it checked out, but when I went to a dermatologist they told me I should go when I'm actually suffering from these symptoms... Which is impossible, since they usually begin and end within a day, if not a few hours.
I'm not allergic to anything at all, though I have close family members who are very allergic to stuff. I have no medical conditions except Schizoid Personality Disorder, for which I take a small dose of escitalopram daily. I have a normal BMI and on my last blood test everything was fine. If I do certain activities that involve extensive use of my palms and thumbs, like gaming, the symptoms related to those parts pop up. (swelling, palpitation, pain)
Antihistamines don't do much. The only thing that provides momentary relief is, well, ice. So, docs, do you have any idea what this is? Or at the very least what may be the mechanism causing it? Theories are very much appreciated haha.