Creative sayingsreative say

Michael. Hello. I've only discovered your presence recently; and I've only recently discovered your very confident style of presenting creative content. And it's great, I love it!
The thing is. I have a problem, and I genuinely need your help. I've spent the last 7 days catching up on your Twitch videos, your YouTube clips, grabbing hold of all your social media updates so I can keep track of that 1,000mph mind of yours. But I have a question, a question I'm which I'm routinely mocked for.
I'm a Java developer. Yeah, a woolly mammoth! Heh. I can't join in with the Java hate as I think Java is great. But it's very so uncool to say so. But it's true.
What, in your esteem, would be the best language for me to move onto learning (taking into account I'm already deep-diving Kotlin for Android development). I'm asking in a beer-chat in a bar, casual way, not a needy "please tell me why my life sucks *sad face* , *sad face* way!"
What language do you recommend as a top-tier choice to dive into. Cheers man.

Had a random thought watching the playoffs; who were these players equivalents around 2010? Between play style and where they are in their career arc. They obviously aren’t one for ones especially since talent has increased so much in recent years so no need to nitpick, but if you think there are better comps, let me know. Here’s what I have
Mike Conley- ‘10 Derek Fishe‘15-‘16 Tony Parker.
Older PG in the twilight of his career that is still VERY competent and a engine and mature, emotional leader for his contender.
Jaden McDaniels- Kawhi circa 13/14
In terms of his role, he is also very reminiscent of Lakers Artest, although Jaden is on the opposite end of his career. For this reason, I think 2013-14 Kawhi is more fitting. Post 2015 is a whole different discussion and I doubt JM will peak like Kawhi but this is def not close to his ceiling offensively. If MIN made the Finals, a FMVP is more of a long shot given that ANT is ascending unlike any of that spurs core, but Kawhis FMVP was also a long shot as well.
Anthony Edwards- ‘06 Wade
This seems obvious. I would not bet on it per say, but a Wade-ish finals run is definitely in the cards. A little 13-14 Pacers Paul George vibes too.
Jayson Tatum- ‘12-‘15 Kevin Durant
Giant SF, scoring Virtuoso who is on a perennial contender that just hasn’t got it done yet. Also 1 Finals appearance.
Kawhi Leonard- ‘11 Kobe Bryant
The playstyles are obvious. Kobe was just coming off a title. Kawhi is more far removed from his last championship and Kobe was more available. But post championship you can see the wear and tear for both. I get the feeling this is going to go from sad to tragic for him. Kobe was also eliminated by a hot mavericks team in 2011.
Nikola Jokic- ‘12 Dirk
There are a couple better playstyle comps like prime Arvydas (who was one of the best players in the world apparently), but Dirk feels pretty close. The touch, the size. Plus he’s European and coming off the first title. Dirks path was more epic and he was a bit older, but both are defending the belt regardless.
Jalen Williams- ‘11-‘12 Harden
Again, Hardens counting stats are not quite as flashy because of the era and his role being smaller, but he closed games and was the clear 3rd option on that team. Also in his first couple seasons and already on a young contender. He’ll be in OKC longer, but I could totally see JDUB being a 2nd team all-nba guy a couple years down the line.
Klay Thompson- ‘13 Ray Allen
If this went how I think it should, Klay will go somewhere where he can help a contender as a pure spot up shooter and smart team defender.
Josh Hart- ‘14 Draymond Green
Chris Paul- Best case scenario, could he be a 2011 Jason Kidd? Probably a little late
Luguentz Dort- 08-09 Tony Allen. He’s going to be a perennial all defense type
Aaron Gordon- Mid 00’s Tayshaun/‘11 Shawn Marion
Tyrese Haliburton- Pre MVP Nash
Jalen Brunson- ‘07-‘10 Deron Williams
This one I actually feel the most passionate about……
Kyle Anderson- Spurs Boris Diaw
Super creative passing forwards. Serviceable defenders in their early 30s
What are your comps?

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Synopsis:
Juliette Contzen is a lazy, good-for-nothing princess. Overshadowed by her siblings, she's left with little to do but nap, read … and occasionally cut the falling raindrops with her sword. Spotted one day by an astonished adventurer, he insists on grading Juliette's swordsmanship, then promptly has a mental breakdown at the result.
Soon after, Juliette is given the news that her kingdom is on the brink of bankruptcy. At threat of being married off, the lazy princess vows to do whatever it takes to maintain her current lifestyle, and taking matters into her own hands, escapes in the middle of the night in order to restore her kingdom's finances.
Tags: Comedy, Adventure, Action, Fantasy, Copious Ohohohohos.
Chapter 241: Until Now
The doors to the Hartzwiese Adventurer’s Guild opened.
Before, the sound of raucous laughter could be heard flooding the street outside, filling the quiet of a spring night with all the debauchery the local drunkards had to offer.
Despite the halls of adventurers not being formal drinking establishments, those within were ready to compete in boisterousness with all the taverns, inns and pubs of the town combined. And also win. Handily.
And yet–
The moment the doors parted and I stepped within, a hush as quiet as any grave fell over its inhabitants.
A woman balancing with her derrière upon the head of another became still, the alcohol in her cup the only movement as it dribbled onto a stunned face below her.
A man slurping from the communal cauldron stared wordlessly, the stew pouring in, and then out of his mouth as the muscles of his throat forgot the means to swallow.
A bartender asleep upon a row of kegs quietly rose, the sudden din of silence waking him where the sound of debauchery and those drinking from the taps beside him had failed.
Here, there, and everywhere, eyes widened as the sudden silence was filled with the sounds of my footsteps as I strolled past, my loyal handmaiden and my brother’s attendant in my wake.
And also–
Mreow.
Mrewowow.
Meww.
Cats.
Tabby cats.
Calico cats.
Ragdoll cats.
Cats with twirly whiskers. Cats with puffy faces. Cats with slightly rounded ears.
Behind me, skipping around my legs while taking turns to sit upon my shoulders and very occasionally my head, were a legion of cats of various shapes, sizes and colours.
But no matter the springiness of their whiskers, the shine of their coat or the liveliness of their tails, one thing to bring them all together was the anarchy they caused.
This was no neat line of ducklings following after their mother.
This was a barbarian horde.
With no sense of organisation other than a shared drive to claim everything as their own, they immediately skipped amidst the stunned adventurers, scavenging for all the copious scraps while still turning their noses away from the alcohol forming sticky traps upon the floor.
Saying nothing, I allowed their demanding cries to fill up the hall as I swept forwards, pausing before a wall plastered from end to end with faded notices and requests long gone unanswered.
One by one, I systemically tore every request featuring a crudely drawn image of a cat, gathering into my arms a pile of parchment large enough to reach my chin.
Then, I made my way to the wooden desk.
A receptionist waited with a smile at the ready.
“Greetings! Welcome to the Hartzwiese branch of the Adventurer’s Guild. I see you’ve removed several notices from the–”
Poomph.
Silenced but unperturbed, this latest clone watched as I dropped the stack of requests onto her desk, before promptly topping off the stack with a copper ring.
“Do what must be done,” I said, my voice defiant. “I am ready.”
The receptionist answered me with a smile more permanent than the wall the notices were torn from.
A moment later–
“[Identify].”
A green hue appeared in her clasped palms as she assessed the ring.
“Juliette. B-rank. Your registered branch is Reitzlake.”
The sound of several cups clattered against the floor.
“Welcome again to Hartzwiese. I see from your commission history that you have an extraordinary amount of completions for recovering lost cats. May I assume the significant number of cats now roaming the branch hall relate to the notices removed from the wall?”
I pursed my quivering lips.
“Maybe.”
“Wonderful. And how many cats is it that you’ve rescued?”
“... Lots.”
“I see. Please give me a moment while I confirm the requirements of our commissions.”
The receptionist swiftly retrieved a stack of parchment from a drawer.
As she flicked through, her eyes simultaneously went to every cat roaming, napping and clawing in the hall. A skill not even monstrous overseers from the abyss with their dozens of eyestalks could match. But that’s only to be expected.
Wherever these receptionists were found, it was from a level deeper than any monster dared roam.
Eventually, she gave a nod.
“Thank you for waiting. There appears to be an excess of cats in relation to the number of commissions we have available. We’ll endeavour to ensure that every cat is rehomed at the earliest opportunity through our partner agencies and charities. But unfortunately, I can only provide official acknowledgement for cats rescued through a formal commission.”
I sucked in a deep breath, hoping that patience was one of the things I accidentally inhaled.
“Fine. And how many commissions does that end up being, then? … 10? 15?”
The receptionist flicked through her bundle of parchments once more.
“94.”
“... Excuse me?”
“I can confirm the successful completion of 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions. Congratulations. This is a new record, breaking what appears to be one earlier set by yourself. A remarkable achievement befitting a B-rank member of the guild.”
The receptionist’s professional smile never wavered.
I thought that would be the worst of it.
But then–
She slowly brought her hands together … and started applauding.
It was the leak which broke the dam.
At once, she was joined by all who were present to witness this crowning moment of regret.
I turned around in time to see a riot in motion.
“W-Wooooooooooo!!!!”
“In … Incredible …”
“A new record … I … I heard it was broken in Trierport … to think I’d witness it broken again!”
“A B-rank adventurer … ?! Where … Where did she come from … ?!”
There was no polite, respectful applause here.
It was the wild cheering of a crowd at a tournament. The whooping cries of theatregoers calling for an encore. The acclaim of my father as he elbowed others to delight in the poetry I’d written when I was 6 and thus now regularly attempted to burn.
Everywhere I turned, I saw and heard the acclaim mixed with shouts of horror as mugs of alcohol were spilled on purpose and by accident. The layabouts stomped on the floor, doing their best to murder decorum under the strain of unbridled emotion.
Only a few falling teardrops formed any hint of more dignified revelry, the glimmer of admiration running down cheeks as sniffles were hidden amidst the raucous cheering.
And then I bore witness to the most morbid sight.
Like a tidal wave of soiled clothes and snotty faces, they suddenly came as one, hands reaching out for me with dripping mugs still in their grips. Horror struck at my soul. And unlike a farmer who’d scarpered into the night, I had nobody who could heal a wound caused by hooligans accepting me as their own.
“A-Amazing!! Take my drink! Take anyone’s drink!!”
“So many cats rescued … even my allergies can’t believe it!”
“My gods, it’s a legend! An adventurer among adventurers!”
This.
This right here.
This was the lowest point of my life … were I not an unparalleled genius.
“Oho … ohoho …”
At once, the wave halted.
Faces which were lit up in unabashed delight turned to looks of mild confusion against the tinkling music of my laughter.
They needed to cycle through the expressions until they reached horror and shame.
“Ohhohohohohohoho!!”
… For I was no drunkard seeking to join their ranks!
No … I was Juliette Contzen, 3rd Princess to the Kingdom of Tirea!
And that meant every action I took, every word I spoke, and every cat I saved was for a reason beyond the hopes and dreams these hoodlums had of wanton debauchery and rusting swords!
Indeed!
A lesser princess than I may slink away into the night, cowed by the utter shame, humiliation and disgrace of completing so many F-ranked requests that I somehow broke a record I’d only just set!
But I was made of greater things!
Of schemes and subterfuges so deep that it would take too long to explain! The plots I weaved were a silken web more intricate than any cogs which made up Coppelia as she doubled up, desperately trying to stop herself from succumbing to more pain from laughter!
And that meant with every cat request now denied to these louts … they would finally do some work!
“Ohoho … ohohohohoho!! Behold and be afraid! Witness before you the coming of a new dawn, here to lift you from your days of boundless reverie! Unfurl the shutters and gaze upon a radiance so pure it brands your dallying minds! The scorching sun has come to test the snail’s back, and all that your bleary eyes see is a great salt lake to devour you whole! Shrivel as you cling upon the sweat which drips upon your brow, for that is the proof you’re yet alive!”
A sudden silence met my proclamation of their coming ordeal.
And then–
“Wooooooooooooooooooooooo!”
“I don’t understand! But what a speech!”
“If she can do it, so can we!”
I raised a hand to my lips, barely covering my smile.
“Ohhhohohohohohohoho … !”
Here it was!
Operation: Gainful Employment!
An entirely new strategy, as bold as it was uncharted!
By removing what was surely the vast majority of missing cat quests available to the adventurers of this town, they would have no choice, utterly none whatsoever, but to engage in actual work! The type of work adventurers openly advertised themselves as doing!
Monster subjugation! Crime prevention! Fetching artifacts from hidden dungeons and then succumbing to their wounds at the entrance while the Royal Treasury pocketed the treasure!
Yes, this was clearly a highly experimental tactic.
But what was I, if not a bastion of creativity?
At the very least, I utterly refused to accept the status quo! An organisation dedicated exclusively to rescuing lost cats or elbowing into my kingdom’s sovereign affairs was no good to me!
Thus … I could not cower like some towngirl nauseous from the smell of their revelry.
Instead, I would squeeze the Adventurer’s Guild dry until the day I replaced them with an army of trained poodles. Until that joyous day, I could never tear my eyes away when they waited to be robbed.
To do so was more than a dereliction of duty …
Why, I’d be an accomplice to their drunken escapades!
My vow remained unchanged. For my goal, I would brave any indignity. The ring I was hoping the receptionist would forget to return was proof of that.
And thus–
I stood tall as a summer reed, proud in the knowledge that I had no need to feel even an inkling of embarrassment over completing 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions! …
“Pfffffffffffffffffffffffffffffft.”
“S-Stop at once! You are not to laugh!”
“Pffffttt~”
“C-Coppelia!!”
Clearly not seeing the angel of self-sacrifice who I was, Coppelia held one hand tightly around her mouth. Even so, she failed to stop either the sound of her amusement or the tears falling from her eyes.
My only salvation was that it came at significant cost to her. Even now, she careened between laughter and painful regret.
I decided to offer both her and myself mercy.
Turning to the receptionist, I found a modest pouch already waiting upon the wooden desk. As well as a copper ring waiting beside it.
“Thank you for your service to the Adventurer’s Guild,” said the receptionist, her professional smile undaunted by the commotion. “Your total remuneration is 102 gold crowns, 7 silver crowns and 9 copper crowns. I’ve taken the liberty to compile all your separate payments together.”
I took the pouch and ignored the ring.
The receptionist pushed the ring forwards.
A long moment later, I collected it, uncertain what a receptionist would do if I tossed it into the communal cauldron, but knowing it would somehow still end up on my finger regardless.
With my head held high, I bravely ignored the chorus of voices unknowingly cheering for their own hardship as I swept past. Renewed tears and applause filled the hall. A few cats attempted to follow me. I stopped to shoo them away.
And then I was outside, the door closing behind me.
“... Goodness, that was quite the sight,” said Renise with a bemused smile. “It reminded me somewhat of the inns of Reitzlake’s docks. I wonder if all the halls of adventurers are like that, or merely those which you frequent?”
“Please don’t insinuate I’m responsible for the debauchery which occurs wherever the Adventurer’s Guild is concerned. That’s something I can claim no credit for.”
“You say that … but to me, it seems that you caused quite a stir. That really is a remarkable number of cats you rescued, after all. Even I can tell that 94 simultaneous F-ranked commissions–”
“Miss Renise.”
The maid’s smile wavered against whatever fatigued expression I was making.
A moment later, it fell away entirely as she switched to her role as my brother’s attendant and the leader of whatever scoundrels he’d charged her with herding.
“... Yes, I suppose there’s time for idle conversation later. There’s a guardhouse nearby. We should report on all that’s happened tonight.”
I gave a nod of agreement.
Hopefully, the baroness hadn’t woken from her stupor yet. But if she had, I was certain the single portrait of myself I’d returned to the wall of her gallery to smile down at her gagged and bound state would calm her nerves.
Renise hummed towards the direction of Hartzwiese’s centre, before returning her attention to me.
“If you wish to keep your identity incognito, I can see guards sent to where they’re needed using my own authority, and arrange for the appropriate seizure of the goods and crowns we’ve discovered.”
I beamed at once.
My, so prudent! It’s little wonder she was chosen by Roland!
“A judicious offer. And one I’ll accept gladly, providing the burden isn’t too severe.”
“This is merely an administrative task, and little burden compared to what both yourself and Miss Coppelia regularly perform. In any event, it is only efficient. I expect I’ll be spending a significant amount of time at the baroness’s farmstead. It is quite extensive. If possible, I would like to make use of it for Rose House. I imagine having such a facility close to the Granholtz border would have its uses.”
I nodded, already forgetting the barn’s existence.
“I encourage you to use your discretion as required. My brother has put his trust in you, and so I both expect and know that you shall not disappoint in furthering the kingdom’s prosperity.”
The young woman smiled. One filled with appreciation, but also lacking ambition.
Good.
An excellent combination as far as retainers were concerned.
“Thank you. Although I worry you place too much trust in my abilities. In truth, those like Baroness Arisa would have made for a greater asset to the kingdom. Her resourcefulness must be acknowledged.”
“It is not resourcefulness my kingdom requires. It is loyalty. And hers is a pit so empty it drains others.”
“That’s true. But at least we were able to acquire some useful things from her nonetheless.”
Renise pulled out a tiny vial from the belt around her thigh.
A golden liquid was stored within, glimmering with an unnatural light.
“These were in her chamber,” she said, her eyes lacking emotion as she surveyed the bright liquid. “When we met, she actually attempted to purchase my loyalty with this.”
“A suspect vial. How quaint. And what miracle did she promise?”
“One that would wake my parents from their curse of eternal slumber.”
“... And is it?”
“I don’t believe so, no. This is one of many identical vials I found in her chamber’s desk drawer. All prominently labelled with instructions to only drink as required to stave off the effects of bloating.”
Renise returned the vial to her belt with a slightly embarrassed smile.
“It’s still useful,” she admitted. “But just not for what I require.”
I gave a simple nod as my reply.
Nothing else needed to be said.
She hoped to see her parents wake from their prison of dormancy. An understandable wish. And one I wasn’t required to supplement with the comment that no pair named the Smuggler King and the Smuggler Queen were likely to receive as light a sentence as their daughter.
I could not speak on behalf of Roland. Although I imagined that as a kind man, he would prefer not to pass judgements which were total. But as the Crown Prince, he did not have the luxury of kindness.
It would take much to change their fate.
But perhaps that’s why Renise was here, still proving true, and not accepting stomach ailment potions from a baroness.
A moment of silence followed.
Renise gave a short sigh. And that was that.
She set her eyes on the task ahead–at least until whatever words she’d parted her mouth to say were interrupted by Coppelia’s humming instead.
“Sooooooooooooooo … you just want to wake up two people eternally sleeping, right?”
A small smile met her optimistic voice.
“If a cure were readily available, I’m certain I would have found it by now. I believe one might be possible, but it would take skill and ingredients beyond any apothecary I know of.”
“Well, sure, you could go that way. But what about going straight to the source instead?”
“The source?”
“Sure. They’re asleep, right? So just ask the one in charge of where they are now.”
“I’m … not quite sure I follow?”
Coppelia clapped her hands together and beamed.
“The Spring Court is the realm of dreams. Chances are, they must have shown their faces around a few times by now. If you ask the Spring Queen nicely, she might do you a favour.”
“The Spring Queen? … The fae?”
“Mmh~ luckily, we have someone with connections here!”
Renise was startled out of her reply.
It was nothing compared to me. The one being pointed at.
“Coppelia!” I said, truly aghast at the suggestion. “The fae are not to be taken lightly. Why, I still have nightmares about my conversation with the Winter Queen! I learned a side to royalty that day which I shall never forget … and I’m quite poorer for it!”
“You met … the Winter Queen?” asked Renise, her eyes suddenly wide.
“Unfortunately, yes, but I had zero intention of meeting her, and I’ve just as little intention of meeting any other fae as well. Including the Spring Queen.”
I waved away the coming query to declare what was just as important as my lack of enthusiasm.
“Besides, I’ve not the foggiest idea how I would even hope to use these supposed connections I have.”
“Oh, that’s the easy bit,” said Coppelia, her casual disregard for what counted as ‘easy’ more terrifying than any lout I’d met today. “The hard part is getting them to do what you want. But meeting them? The fae are creatures of stories. If the time is right, they’ll speak to you–one way or another.”
“Then they must book an appointment. One which I can formally reject.”
“I mean, I don’t think you have much choice. You didn’t last time, right?”
“The last time, I was sat beside the Winter Queen’s crown. I see no fae artifacts to hook me away. And that means utterly no scenario in which I could be abducted without my express–”
I suddenly stopped, clasping my hands around my mouth.
A moment later, I raised my arms in a martial art I’d just invented, turning repeatedly on the spot.
Renise blinked at me.
“Excuse me, but what are–”
“Shhshhshh!!”
I paused, gazing intently around at the quiet, dark streets of Hartzwiese, all the while ignoring Coppelia’s giggling at my near miss.
That … That was close!
“O-Oho … oho … I almost invited something terrible. Truly, it’s perhaps best not to needlessly voice things which Fae Queens and their deviant brand of magic could use …”
Coppelia nodded at me, as proud as she was clearly disappointed.
“You’re lucky. If the Spring Queen had a sense of humour, she’d have snagged you right there and then.”
“No. If the Spring Queen had a sense of humour, she’d wait until–”
Click.
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NASCAR is in an era where they’re focused on evolving the sport along with having a wide variety of tracks such as the iconic superspeedways, mile and a half’s, short tracks, street courses, road courses, rovals, and dirt tracks.
Many drivers weren’t a fan of the dirt track race Bristol, which is understandable.
Here’s a comprise I came up with that’ll be a consideration.
In Monster Energy Supercross there’s the Daytona race. The riders race on the grass infield in the trioval of Daytona that’s covered in dirt.
It could be a compromise to have a dirt section in the trioval perhaps along with pit road as well, but the remainder of the Droval would be a non diet racing surface. A dirt section would be minimal enough to not annoy the drivers who don’t enjoy dirt, but it would also exist just enough for drivers to showcase their skill on dirt in a small section for drivers who grew up on dirt and to provide variety along with uniqueness for fans. This dirt section would only be about let’s say 10-15 maybe 20% of the Droval at maximum, that’s it.
A dirt section in the trioval in front of the main crowd of attendance would intrigue fans and it would be a memory acknowledgement wise to the grassroots of NASCAR that conducted races on dirts and beaches for example.
Texas, Atlanta, Daytona, and Charlotte are all Droval candidates in my opinion along with Indianapolis except the dirt section at Indianapolis would have to be in a creative location considering there’s no trioval plus the dirt would have to be in a location that wouldn’t damage the Indianapolis road course and be viewable to the fans present at the track in the main grand stands.
This is just my opinion. I know some may agree and some may not agree or have mixed thoughts, that’s perfectly okay. I do miss the dirt Bristol race slightly, so this is the reason why I wanted to at least come up with an idea to bring a little bit of dirt into NASCAR without having a complete dirt race 100% around a track.

Was doing some reading in the production of the film "American Splendor" and I came across this quote from Joyce Brabner: . “I’d say Letterman really got painted into a corner, thwarting his opportunities to be creative,” she tells Comic Riffs. “People think the show gave Letterman an opportunity, but they don’t see the table with 10 guys in shorts wearing baseball caps pitching jokes for things for him to say. They don’t see the index cards that say: ‘Ask this first.’ It’s all spelled out for him, and everything is pre-interviews. He’s basically had to be this hand puppet, with everybody’s hands up his butt to tell him what to say and do." . I guess I was really naive in believing that Letterman still had autonomy and was doing most of the directing on what his show should be. This is disappointing if true because I really liked Dave's quick wit and smart aleck dry humor.

i'm in my early 30's, been through lots of trauma... i took many months off of work to take a break due to serious things i was going through..
just recently i began working at a fast-food chain, and one week in and it's incredibly draining... i have little drive at this job because there's no meaning behind it, and because my life is at it's most painful time ever, which is saying a lot...
i find myself incredibly exhausted beyond words, and feeling so overwhelmed and like my world is crashing down during each shift, it's hard to explain...
i find the most meaning in being creative and helping people... i don't want my art to become a job or else it'll lose it's catharsis and passion for me...
i just don't know what job to take... i tried to work as a nanny for some kids a few months back, but the mom fired me after one day because her autistic son was too much for me to handle.. nobody else will hire me because i'm a guy even though my record is clean...
i just hate these customer service jobs especially in fast food... what the heck do i do for work that's meaningful and not draining for a HIGHLY sensitive introvert like myself?

Like I am a 721, and I feel torn between what I want to do with my life and what I know I probably should do.
I'm currently studying animation, I've studied screenwriting two years and half a few years ago, and overall I'm very creative, I want to live of my art, wake up next to my husband and think "today is another beautiful day, in the life of my dreams". You know type 7 shenanigans.
But on the other hand I dropped off Political sciences last year, after the whole course (It was a private university we were around 120) treated me like an outcast and overall I would say they bullied me, but like I was 20, I really find It childish to call It bullying as the victim, I really, to this day feel very cringed... Like what the hell, grow up, You're gonna run the country, or represent It in other Nations!
So like feeling rejected completely when I wanted to help the world around me, made think that that very world could crumble to pieces and I would not give a shit.
The problem is that now the world is crumbling to pieces, but I still care, of course. And while I am building myself a very pretty life, I know that I am still doing nothing to help, while everyone that met me, described me as a perfect diplomat.
And honestly I know I am, by nature, and studying is only gonna make me better at It, I know I can make a difference. The thing is, do I want to put aside the life I was building up for myself, full of freedom and real happiness, for others? For others that might even dislike my help and sacrifice, again?
I don't know. I know that I want to write, and be free to do my things, but I also know that I cannot keep ignoring the sufference of people around me, even if they're far away.
Like if life really is a party, should not everyone join? And if they don't, if they're screaming outside, dying outside, can I still enjoy the music and dance in my room?

I just found this subreddit today after feeling almost completely alone for the last 5 years. And because I’ve found it and because reading about everyone else’s stories has fulfilled a need so deep I don’t even know how to begin to explain, I’d like to share mine.
I’m 28, married for almost 5 years, and we’ve never achieved penetrative sex. My husband and I have both been Christians our entire lives and we both decided to wait until marriage to have sex. Almost all the other guys I’d been with before him were not virgins, but they knew I was waiting until marriage and so we never did anything more than touching/intense make out sessions. My husband and I never even saw each other naked until our wedding night, when, of course, we tried having sex for the first time.
Now, I was always pretty sure something was wrong with me. I was never able to get a tampon in, I tried going to get a Pap smear so I could be put on birth control for my horrible period pains and they weren’t able to perform the pap because I was in so much pain. I remember telling the NP I was a virgin and I’ve never put anything up there before but it’s almost like she didn’t believe me because she proceeded to shove the terrible plastic speculum right into me in one swift motion and my entire body trembled in pain, I was a sobbing mess, and she just said “oh we can’t complete the exam because it looks like you’ve started your period.” More like you broke my hymen, thanks. Tried again a month later and had another failed attempt. After that I was completely traumatized. I remember crying in the stirrups to the NP asking her how was I ever going to be able to have sex if it was that painful and she just said “sex is completely different, when you’re aroused you’ll be fine.” Wrong. That was in 2017. I got married in 2019 and didn’t attempt another Pap smear until 2022.
I was always open with my husband even before we were married that I had these issues and that I was worried what it would mean for us when the time came, so on our wedding night neither of us were surprised that we couldn’t have sex. And honestly, I think a big part of the reason it’s been almost 5 whole years and we still haven’t achieved full PIV is because we have such a great sex life even without it. Because we couldn’t have penetrative sex we got creative, adventurous, we focus on each other because we’re basically taking turns. We both always achieve orgasm. But there’s just always that part of me saying I’m broken, I’m not enough, he’s gonna get tired of this, he needs more, and any other girl could give that to him and I can’t. (Let me be clear- these are MY feelings, ones I’ve told my husband about and he could not feel more differently. He’s always assured me he is more than happy with where we are and would never want anyone else) But alas, the guilt still eats me alive telling me I’m not a real woman, I’m not a good wife, I’ll never be enough, and he deserves better. I’ve officially gotten to the point where I’m determined to make this happen for both of us, and I’ve gotten serious about my dilator usage with a specific goal in mind.
I purchased vaginal dilators (I use SoulSource) on my own after researching pain during sex. At first I couldn’t even get the smallest one in without pain (about the size of a pinkie finger). I tried having my husband help me use them but realized I need to be able to control the angle and speed on insertion for now. It was not fun. I’d go months in between even trying to use them. I was so ashamed, felt like a complete failure, but at the same time our sex life was great so I didn’t even want to bother with them. The shame took over more as the years went by. We can’t go on like this forever, I want this for both of us.
A few really important things happened that truly changed everything. This isn’t something I talk about with just anyone, but we do have some really great friends and family that know everything. I was talking with a really good friend of mine (who’s always been a bit of a sex fanatic) about how I think I don’t like using the dilators because of a mental block - like, it hurts, it’s awkward, I don’t know where I should be when I do it etc. She said “your vagina is a muscle, you’re just stretching it out. You’ve got to think of it like a workout” and as simple as it sounds, that’s what I really needed to hear. It changed my whole mindset, I realized I needed to do it routinely, for set periods of time, and I don’t need to be embarrassed (now before you say “well duh” remember I bought these dilators on my own, I didn’t trust the healthcare professionals anymore, so I was just winging it). I taught myself my routine. I listened to my body about when I could size up. I realized on my own that deep breathing helped and that once the size didn’t hurt anymore I should move it around and in and out. Nobody told me that shit. I did it by myself, for myself and my husband, and nobody else knew about all of this until I FINALLY decided to go try another Pap smear and found the most amazing NP in the world.
I sat in her office, cried, and told her everything about my previous Pap smear, how I still haven’t been able to have sex with my husband, how I’ve been using the dilators and. she. LISTENED. She did my pap with a juvenile sized speculum that was stainless steel and heated in a warming drawer and told me any time I go anywhere for a pap to call the office and make sure they have that or find somewhere that does. I got through the pap with MINIMAL pain. Then she did an internal exam with her finger, figuring out the spots that were the most painful. I was diagnosed with Vaginismus/Vulvodynia that day. It was the first day I felt seen, heard and validated.
I’d been slowly progressing with my dilators, trying to keep routine and falling out of habit, only ever able to get to size 6 out of 8 for over a year and now my husband and I are traveling to Iceland for our 5th wedding anniversary in two weeks and my goal is to have PIV while on our trip. I use the dilators every other day, I’m on size 7 out of the 8 Soul Source dilators and my husband is a little bigger than 8, but I believe we’ll get there. I’ve never felt this much hope in my journey so far, I’m so incredibly proud of my body and how far it’s come. Say a lil prayer for us if you got this far. I don’t care if nobody reads this because really, this is for me. I’m done being ashamed and I wanted my story out there, because reading everyone else’s really helped me.

I read The Shepherd by Cara Dee recently (thanks to the people who recommend it. I thoroughly enjoyed it!) and there was a scene that resonated with me where the sub basically says he associates pain with punishment
Don’t get me wrong, i love a good over the knees spanking that turns into a good fucking but i need more…I want bdsm books with serious punishments. I want long punishment scenes where the sub doesn’t get a spanking and an orgasm and they call it a day. It just doesn’t seem like a punishment to me
GENERAL: books can be MMM, MM, MMF etc, can be fantasy/contemporary/omegaverse etc, Dom/sub, Masteslave, daddy kink etc, size difference between the dom and sub (smaller sub, younger dom
WHAT I WANT:
• Very creative punishment. Something the sub absolutely detests that gets the point across
• Bdsm. Can focus on the SM but i feel with that it is already focused on pain so idk if the punishment will be very painful ig?
• Punishment examples: orgasm denial (that does not ultimately turn into sex), withholding attention, impact play, standing in corner (more popular in daddy/boy books), humiliation (consensual ofc)
• Sub can be subservient or bratty (my issue with this is that they get “punished” so often that the scenes are repetitive or just very light punishment)
• I want the subs to feel chastised, thoroughly punished and apologetic and all that jazz
• “You won’t sit for a week” spanking but they actually can’t sit
HARD NOs: • No abuse.
• No extreme whipping the sub half to death. Unless the sub consents to that ofc

Brothers, sisters, visitors especially, Thank you all for opening this. It’s my prayer that you will read through all of this and remember who we are in Christ, especially in these days.
I was online the other day, and was just glancing over a thread and noticed out of no where, people were arguing about the topic of God. Just, general topic, you know how things go online.
There was one person who said, “love is the answer. It’s why Jesus came and to die for us. It’s all about loving one another.” To which I thought, ah yes that’s the greatest commandment of all. But she really didn’t say anything else of value. Yes, love, the greatest fruit of the spirit, the great commandment is love one another, the best part of living with others may be to show their love to each other. But she kind of hid behind saying that and nothing else.
Another was quoting verbatim the KJV versions of some of our greatest verses, and nothing else. Just kind of saying the words, no connection. It brought me back to Paul who reminds us to be tasteful in our interactions with nonbelievers so that we might be heard in a genuine way, and possibly plant the seeds of salvation.
Another, nonbeliever, was throwing out his concerns on why or why not they weren’t participating in the conversation of faith at all.
.
I want to talk about the fundamentals of our belief. As followers of Jesus, children of God, vessels of the Holy Spirit, there should be the understanding of why we believe without the answer having anything to do with tradition, or culture. We should have a basic understanding as to why the gospel is truth. We cannot be the foundation who was tossed away because of the wind. Spiritually, our wisdom must be current, and in tune with the Holy Spirit, and the fundamentals. Otherwise, we choose our own wisdom over the truth and what? God gives us to our own wisdoms leading us to foolishness? A basic understanding and capability to answer basic questions of our faith is just as important if not more than our works. Faith without works is dead, but an eager tongue with no wisdom will lead to failure and destruction.
If you’re still reading this with open ears and open eyes, I thank you. I am only the vessel of this truth and have been given the discernment to decipher it, and the ability to write it.
1) ((This is the one relevant to Gods might, wonder, creativity)): God created all things, with His word. The first 5 days of creation He finished and he said “it was good”, (Genesis 1). In the beginning of all of it, was His word, and everything that is was created by Him and nothing was created without Him, (John 1). God, with his spirit, created all.
2) ((This one is relevant to humankind being favored and loved by God)): God created man on the 6th day and he calls it “very good”. The only time in this story of creation where something is very good, not just good. Sees man is alone and says that is not good. Puts him in a deep sleep, takes his side (‘selah,’ also used in the Hebrew to describe the “side of the mountain, the “side of the ark of the covenant) and makes woman, as an ally in this life.
3) ((This one is relevant to Jesus’ role)): Adam and Eve lived in Eden, and God walked amongst them. Man was meant to be with God, and worship Him and love Him. God had created us for that andd the way we were able to was by the garden. Eden was our bridge between God and earth where we were mean to live freely, perfectly and with God. The bridge to God was broken, from the fall, through disobedience and from the moment of the fall God foretells of another way back to Him.
We all know the line. “I will send the seed of a woman to crush the head of the serpent…”— which on its own one might ask why? The answer is because this is the moment death enters. From the fall and on, we were no longer bridged to spiritual life or God at all. We were trapped on this side of existence away from spiritual life, God, Eden. So it HAD to be the seed of the woman. It had to be in our realm of reality, we were no longer on that side of reality.
Next, “the serpent will wound the heel”, representing that the man will suffer. It will be a wound.
It’s a rule of creation, all life needs blood to live. And since we have forfeited our spiritual life in Eden where we’re meant to be, to have physical life, we have no blood to live and we are dead spiritually without believing in the fact that the blood of Christ replaces ours. Think back to the creation story: “God breathed life into adam…” it was the ‘ruach’, or the spirit, that livened adam whom was formed from the ‘adama’, or the ground, and had his ‘dam’, or blood, to keep him alive. God, who is one with His Word, is the giver of life, and is the Truth.
Foreshadowed by Moses, unbeknownst to him, recorded in Numbers concerning the bronze snake, & the rock and the water (both times, first the strike representing the crucifixion and second representing the spoken confirmation—where Moses failed btw).
And so Jesus comes to fulfill that prophetic word from God. A) come to our plane of reality because we fell off His B) crush the head of Satan/serpent—destroying the power of death, and the power of the fall. C) dying—it is the blood that gives life, without blood we cannot live. D) giving us the Holy Spirit—when God gave Adam blood to live, He also gave him His ‘ruach’ to breathe. And so it is the exact same thing as now, with clean blood from Jesus to live AND the Spirit, or ‘ruach’, to breathe.
Jesus says “I AM the way” for this reason. He is the bridge from humanity to God, just like Eden.
Amen, I thank you father for your holy wisdom and I pray that someone who you needed to understand the details closely finally sees. I pray your will be done in all things. Amen.

The Digimon TCG's 16th set, Beginning Observer, had its prerelease this weekend. The set released more or less in sync with Digimon Adventure 02: the Beginning in Japan. That means I've been seeing DNA evos left and right!
But then, you have to wonder...why'd that idea stop at 02? Wouldn't it be cool if other Tamers in the franchise could DNA Digivolve? Who would they DNA with? What would the lines be like? If Tamers from other series followed 02 rules, what would happen? HMMMM...
That said, a few ground rules:
-DNAs start from the Champion/Adult Level and go from there.
-No using the Tamers' canon lines from that point on! For example, the DNA of Tai's Greymon and Sora's Birdramon can be BurningGreymon/Vritramon, but not Garudamon or MetalGreymon! (And now I wanna do this one...) (Same for WarGreymon or Phoenixmon.) Note that Wikimon says Birdramon can become BurningGreymon; that's fine, as long as it doesn't draw from the Adventure canon line(s) after Adult/Champion.
-You can do better than Vikemon. For those that don't know, Vikemon is both a canon evo of Joe's Gomamon and the canon evo of Shakkoumon. Confusing! If you find a creative use for Vikemon, have at it!
-Think outside of the usual pairs for this. After thinking about it, Halsemon + Pegasusmon = Hippogriffomon is a pretty cool idea, for example. ;)
-For the purposes of this challenge, no original characters; there may be another chance for that in the future.
So, there ya go. Feel free to use the TCG for inspiration; I did. ;)

Figured a single post would be better than annoying everyone with a series of 'em, so here you go. List is newest to oldest.
Fair warning: Absurdist Humor & Satire are my bread and butter, but I make "real" stuff on rare occasions too. It's all just a creative outlet for the vitriol that builds up in my system over the work week. Let me have my fun.
Still Just A Frog

• Prompt: adult alternative pop/rock, college rock, melodic (Manual Mode)
• Song Type: Social/Political Commentary
• Notes: A ditty for folks still living in their fantasy land in 2024

I Don't Love You That Much (Based On A True Story)

• Prompt: male vocalist, chicago blues, electric blues
• Udio Used: Blues, Electric blues, Chicago blues, Instrumental
• Song Type: HumoSatire
• Notes: "Every relationship's got boundaries, but this is too far over the line."

Take 3.8 (Shrinkflation)

• Prompt: bebop, hard bop, cool jazz, drums (drum set), alto saxophone, double bass, piano, 5/4 time, instrumental jazz, cool jazz
• Udio Used: Piano, Cool jazz, Bebop, Double bass, Hard bop, Big band, Jazz, Swing, Uncommon time signatures, Improvisation, Rhythmic, Instrumental
• Song Type: Instrumental/Bebop Jazz Quartet
• Notes: An experiment with command tags to see if I could get something similar to Paul Desmond's "Take Five" (the title's a send-up to that song.) The commands were mostly ignored by the AI, but I still really liked the results.

Shake Your Cans, I Dare Ya!

• Prompt: 1960s, early rock and roll, rhythm & blues, soul, male vocal trio with baritone and bass and tenor voices, bouncy, fun, happy, moderate tempo, piano, drums, trumpet, saxophone, trombone, upright bass, harmonica, guitar
• Udio Used: Jazz, Rhythm & blues, Soul, Happy, Playful, Vocal jazz, Energetic, Guitar, Trombone, Bass, Fun, Piano, Trumpet, Drums, Saxophone, Bebop
• Song Type: HumoSatire
• Notes: This one's still a WIP, providing I get the nerve up to continue struggling with it. It's missing the 2nd pre-chorus, which contains the core "snark" of the song ("Quit your whimpering and dance, dammit!"). Beware Udio's use of Jazz prompts! It adds syncopation to the music which can be a pain to work with in a song with pop-style lyrics.

Your Anime Waifu Isn't Real, G*d Dammit!

• Prompt: 1960s, early rock and roll, rhythm & blues, soul
• Udio Used: R&b, Doo-wop, Rhythm & blues, Soul, Doo wop, Early rock and roll
• Song Type: HumoSatire
• Notes: Just what it says on the tin.

Blasphemy in what was supposed to be Barbershop...

• Prompt: barbershop, a capella, barbershop quartet, male vocal quartet, barbershop
• Udio Used: Male vocalist, Pop, Melodic, Love, Vocal group, Uplifting
• Song Type: HumoAbsurdist
• Notes: Udio seems unable to produce a Barbershop Quartet song, even though there's a Barbershop prompt. Should have Bass, Baritone, Low-Tenor and Tenor vocalists, but it kept dropping the Bass and Baritone for Countertenor and Soprano/Falsetto, like you hear in Doo-wop. Took too long futzing with this for a joke song, so I went with what ending up sounding best.

The Bingo Hall Gooners - Yo-Da-Lay-Dee! (Pinch A Booty!)

• Prompt: classic bluegrass, 1930's bluegrass, traditional bluegrass, male vocal trio, mandolin, fiddle, banjo, in the style of the "man of constant sorrow"
• Udio Used: Northern american music, Regional music, Country, Progressive bluegrass, Bluegrass
• Song Type: HumoAbsurdist
• Notes: A Bluegrass tune about a pervert getting pepper-sprayed. Because why the hell not?

Ні,
I'm a college student looking to pick up a new hobby. I've always enjoyed sketches and would say it comes pretty ‘naturally’ but never took the time to develop my skill further growing up. I am very skilled in creative writing—I want to be able to translate my creativity through sketches now instead of writing. Now I want to learn and improve this summer.
I definitely don't want to pay for classes until I have to (idek if I have to at one point, id prefer if all of what so need was online) I want to start from bottom up and improve until I cant get any better. I want to become so skilled that I feel like I can fully express myself. I have a cousin who inspires me. She shares my same cultural identity and now creatively is able to sell her unique work and do commissions! Money is not the end goal but I would love to feel skilled enough to sell unique pieces!
TLDR; I'm aware that progress doesn't happen instantly—as well as that it’ll take time for me to pick a ‘niche’ to expand on. If you're strictly self taught or self taught for the most part, and you consider yourself very experienced/advanced per se through that, what are the best free resources you utilized? Any great video tutorials, YouTube channels, websites, or anything else that helped you greatly for your steps of the way in particular?
Additionally, l'd love to know what inspired any of you to start seriously doing this as a hobby. Im in a bit of a dark place right now and need this new hobby to pick myself back up.
Thank you in advance :)!!

Obviously, this could have to do with his TM, making his mobility limited, but upon re-listening to the Slipknot discography, his lack of creativity (compared to the first 3 albums) is very noticeable by All Hope Is Gone.
Then when you listen to his drumming post-Slipknot, particularly for Sinsaenum, there's nothing that really stands out about it. It could have been performed by any metal session drummer and the result would be the same.
I want to say that Joey is my favourite drummer ever and my biggest inspiration when I'm recording and playing drums live, so this isn't a dig, but just something that as a massive fan I noticed and find a little sad given how things ended. It's like he never got given the chance to recapture that 1999-2005 era energy with the others that Eloy is now getting.

I perceived myself as an INFP for a while, however I am recently unsure and I do think that my own perception of myself may not be enough, I would like to see how other people think about it.
• How old are you? What's your gender? Give us a general description of yourself.
I prefer not to specify my age, however I am a teenager (so perhaps some things could be a product of just being a teenager, but I would still like to see what I could be typed as). I am a female. I typically do not speak to others often, partially due to how difficult it is to do so (it is difficult because although I do like conversing I do not formulate my thoughts well in one go) and furthermore I am very shy (I do not usually admit this first however, because I don’t like it when people assume shyness is the only reason why people, or I, don’t talk). I particularly enjoy answering questions in a conversation because there’s a lot of things in my mind and it’s nice to share them. People who aren’t close to me describe me as too quiet and don't talk at all. However if they were closer, I would likely end up talking too much in an undignified manner. Furthermore, typically I’m surrounded with people who talk a lot, but if I’m surrounded by people who don’t talk at all, I may end up being the one who speaks. I am concerned with the accuracy of my statements when it comes to discussing ideas, but only due to fear of judgements, so sometimes I go back and forth to check things a lot. I especially do this when texting. Despite that, I seem to act recklessly sometimes, especially due to random bursts of excitement. I end up regretting this later. I unfortunately do not know where I get these bursts of excitement. It’s strange to me, but people think I’m mysterious and calm, even though I’m the complete opposite. I’m pretty sure not many people know I have anger issues. I like to think of philosophical things and I often look over my values.
• Is there a medical diagnosis that may impact your mental stability somehow?
I never had a medical diagnosis related to my mental state. However it might be relevant to say I do have a risk for depression.
• Describe your upbringing. Did it have any kind of religious or structured influence? How did you respond to it?
I’ve learned a lot of my values from one parent. Or at least, I’m influenced by it. This particular parent always thinks that it’s better to explain the benefits of a particular choice, and give them the choice to do it or not based on that, rather than forcing them to do so. Perhaps I learned something from that because I agree with that line of thinking. However I am not sure if it is common. My family is entirely Christian but they are not strict. Therefore I am not sure if this influenced me (I am not religious at all), but I did go to church in the past. I’m not sure how telling this could be, but I used to be very loud, however, for reasons I don't even know, I suddenly became extremely quiet.
• If you had to spend an entire weekend by yourself, how would you feel? Would you feel lonely or refreshed?
It would be refreshing since my weekends are typically more stressful-sounding than spending it entirely alone. I don’t like my typical weekends because I have to do too many things when I just want to physically calm down.
• What kinds of activities do you prefer? Do you like, and are you good at sports? Do you enjoy any other outdoor or indoor activities?
I enjoy sports a lot. However I am terrible at sports, I am physically weak and am not able to aim very well in most sports. I am particularly good at badminton however, because I am just able to comprehend how it works very well. I enjoy walking and running a lot, because it feels much easier to imagine things that were inside my thoughts during then, and therefore it is very fun.
• How curious are you? Do you have more ideas then you can execute? What are your curiosities about? What are your ideas about - is it environmental or conceptual, and can you please elaborate?
I am not sure how curious I am, but if I am interested in something I will definitely start researching it online a lot. Sometimes it is much too tiring for me to do this though. I do have a lot more ideas than I can execute, but this is mostly since I am not skilled enough in the particular areas that are required to execute these ideas (adding onto this, in the past I’ve been described as “brain running faster than can keep up” by others, but I am not very sure if this still applies today). I am sadly unsure about what my curiosities and ideas are about. I think it is mostly conceptual because there is no way it can be applied to the environment at all. Actually, I just mostly, and very obviously, mix whatever stories I read and whatever I learned from anything I consume and make something that entertains me, but outside my head it would very likely be seen as “cringe”.
• Would you enjoy taking on a leadership position? Do you think you would be good at it? What would your leadership style be?
I would enjoy it just to try it, however I don’t have enough experience to be accurate about this. I definitely would not be good at it because I am not very good at directing people actively, I am very unsure of myself. I am also too slow to lead people. If I try to lead people without being told I’m supposed to be by the group (this is unlikely), I’d just keep them focused on the goal. I’d also help them with understanding how to get there if I do know. However I think if I was given this role by the group I would be very confused and end up overthinking, so it would probably be the worst to make me a leader.
• Are you coordinated? Why do you feel as if you are or are not? Do you enjoy working with your hands in some form? Describe your activity?
I don’t understand this question very well so I apologize if I answered it incorrectly. I do not particularly think I am well coordinated or not coordinated at all because it varies a lot. I do enjoy working with my hands, particularly if I’m fidgeting with something, but I do not know how to specify this.
• Are you artistic? If yes, describe your art? If you are not particular artistic but can appreciate art please likewise describe what forums of art you enjoy. Please explain your answer.
I mostly draw people and not anything else when it comes to drawings. I draw with an attempt for it to look realistic. Typically I don’t draw anything abstract because I don’t know how to, but if I could, I would on occasion. If this counts, I also enjoy writing fantasy themes, however I sadly can not muster enough motivation to write.
• What's your opinion about the past, present, and future? How do you deal with them?
I am not fond of the past at all. I tend to not think too much about the past, but when I am talking about the past, I am mostly thinking of my past actions rather than experiences. It is difficult for me to talk about my opinion of past experiences detached from my own actions. Also, most are too bland for me to write my opinion about. I do not think about the present much, it is usually other people that bring me to the present. Then again, I don’t really know how to see the present since it passes by quickly. I often think about the future, but not the distant future. I’m thinking of the future as in the future in relation to other people. It is difficult for me to think of the future in relation to myself.
• How do you act when others request your help to do something (anything)? If you would decide to help them, why would you do so?
If I’m not focusing on doing something else I would gladly help. I would help because, why not? It’s just a feeling of inclination. I do not know why else I would help.
• Do you need logical consistency in your life?
I don’t understand this well, but from what I assume, I suppose so, but I never thought about this. I assume that it would confuse me otherwise. What even is anything if it is logically inconsistent?
• How important is efficiency and productivity to you?
Efficiency is a very good quality, so it must be important, is what I think. If you could be efficient if you tried, yet you don’t try to be, it’s a bit irking, but I suppose that is hypocritical. I stress about productivity a lot despite not being productive myself, at least, from what I see. My thought process is that if I’m not productive myself, then I am not smart. I don’t know where I got this idea, because I don’t apply this to others.
• Do you control others, even if indirectly? How and why do you do that?
I don’t control others. It seems too tiring to order people around. Even indirectly, I don’t notice myself doing so.
• What are your hobbies? Why do you like them?
Photography because I like the scenery that comes with it. It’s interesting how lighting can affect things. However I am not that experienced and don’t know much information about this so I can’t describe why I like it much. I enjoy drawing because I enjoy looking at the results and seeing how I improve. I find art interesting in general because it’s like you can create almost anything with it, so most artistic hobbies I would like for that reason.
• What is your learning style? What kind of learning environments do you struggle with most? Why do you like/struggle with these learning styles? Do you prefer classes involving memorization, logic, creativity, or your physical senses?
I don’t know, other than that I often find myself relying on using logic for classes and not at all memorization. I do not apply creativity and physical senses to classes nowadays, so I think I wouldn’t prefer classes like that.
• How good are you at strategizing? Do you easily break up projects into manageable tasks? Or do you have a tendency to wing projects and improvise as you go?
I improvise a lot. I think I don’t like to strategize because it’s too tiring and I don’t have a goal I am going for so I can not strategize at all (if I do have a very specific goal I would try to strategize). I don’t think I strategize enough to answer how good I am at it, but when it comes to strategy in relation to other people, I am bad with it.
• What are your aspirations in life, professionally and personally?
I simply just want to improve myself both professionally and personally, with my personality, morals, and behavior. I don’t think I will find an end to that, because I’m constantly trying to think of what’s good and what’s bad. I would really like to improve my skills with a lot of things too, such as things related to writing.
• What are your fears? What makes you uncomfortable? What do you hate? Why?
I don’t want to talk about what I fear or what makes me uncomfortable. I hate being dragged into things without being told about them because I would be fine with it if I was told beforehand. I don’t know why though.
• What do the "highs" in your life look like?
I think my highs are more grounded in reality. I notice whenever I’m at my best I feel more connected to reality for some reason, and I am very reasonable.
• What do the "lows" in your life look like?
Generally I think I would be more easily distracted but otherwise I don’t think it is noticeable by others when I’m in my low because I keep most of it in my head.
• How attached are you to reality? Do you daydream often, or do you pay attention to what's around you? If you do daydream, are you aware of your surroundings while you do so?
I think I do daydream often, but I am not sure. I think I can easily attach to reality if I focus on it, however otherwise I think I focus on imagining things. I am definitely not aware of my surroundings if I daydream, how can I be?
• Imagine you are alone in a blank, empty room. There is nothing for you to do and no one to talk to. What do you think about?
“Why am I in a blank, empty room?” I would definitely think that, but ignoring that, I would just think about the same things I do before, like thinking a lot about stuff I’ve read or I am very into.
• How long do you take to make an important decision? And do you change your mind once you've made it?
I’m indecisive so usually when I make an important decision I think about it a lot so it might take a long time. I do doubt my decision but not enough to change my mind. I will worry about it but I will not change my mind just then. Sometimes I get tired of thinking about it and decide to just choose whatever option I feel is best, and I will definitely regret that because I end up realizing in the long term how terrible it is.
• How long do you take to process your emotions? How important are emotions in your life?
I understand how I feel about things but sometimes it takes a while. I am not sure of a specific circumstance, but sometimes I don’t understand why I am feeling this emotion and take a few minutes to think about it before I understand it. But emotions are definitely important to me as my own emotions help me make decisions.
• Do you ever catch yourself agreeing with others just to appease them and keep the conversation going? How often? Why?
I do this most of the time because I don’t want to argue and find it tiring, also I don’t like seeming rude. If it’s an idea that has nothing personal related to it I can most definitely disagree though, for example something that has to do with facts and logic, but if it’s connected to them and their values I definitely would just agree because it feels rude for me not to.
• Do you break rules often? Do you think authority should be challenged, or that they know better? If you do break rules, why?
I don’t break rules at all. I try to check too much that I’m not breaking rules if I’m not used to where I am because it scares me to accidentally do so. I don’t want to get in trouble for not doing so. However I don’t think authority should be automatically challenged or they automatically know better, I think it depends on who the authority is. Mostly I think that the actions and rules they make should be considered first and why they added that rule. Therefore I don’t think you can just simply challenge all of them or think all of them know better.

Literally everything is so fake PLEASE SOMEBODY TELL ME WHAT TO DO WITH HER. Like she has zero pressure. That overhead being reactable because it’s so fucking slow literally means she has nothing. Her strings ass. Her specials unsafe on block liek if a nitara does db2 just d2 she can’t do anything because she pauses before her options even if she dive kicks or tries to go up or does her dash attacks. The flying is terrible, you can jump and try to fly down from the peak of her jump and the tip of your toe will get you anti aired and mid glide she can’t do anything which makes it even easier.
All her strings except her 1212 and 221 go nowhere unless you have meter no matter the kameo. The khameleon mix is also shit so please don’t try to act like it isn’t. The low overhead isn’t even good mix because mileenas sais won’t connect if you just do the full string so just block the first hit and block high and you’ll always be taking the better option the real mix is in whether she’ll do the overhead from diving down or do the low first. But that’s not unique to her and you hardly get time to just stand still because if you dash and don’t hit the opponent they will mash.
And in fact they will mash on anything it doesn’t matter what you downed them with the divekick or a kameos move and try to air dash forward to continue ‘pressuring’ they hit you you’ve just done a 45% combo and want to try and mix the opponent so you dash up and down once in their face and go for the overhead they’ll be pressing the second you touch the ground or they’ll just poke and your overhead gets hit and then you get comboed because the game is so fun and creative.
Her plus frames are useless except for grabbing which only works because people try to mash after them and the game lets you grab people out of pokes but her strings are so bad you really shouldn’t even be mashing after them.
It actually hurts my head trying to play her because everything is fake and unless you’ve played her yourself you might not understand.
But nothing she does is real except maybe doing f1 after motaro’s low shot or her calling out Janet in the corner but other than it’s all very fake. She doesn’t even get a grab combo consistently except with kitana’s fan lift but you need meter to do it despite the damage being trash.
And her jump ins are embarassing why does shao have a better one than her? The amount of times I can air dash down and j1,2 or 3 and the opponent pokes like a dumbass but my jump in whiffs is actually incredible and this stuff hardly happens to other characters like Johnnys jump kick will hit you from behind when you poke… it’s like dashing makes hers worse.
Ik you’ll all say there are good nitaras etc etc but I’m so serious when I say that thought they are very good they win partly because people just don’t know her well enough to counter her sometimes.
I’m no god but I’ve got to god rank with her and elder god a few times but she’s just so bad I don’t even understand what her gameplan is because she’s bad up close and far away she’s not doing shit either. So running away is pretty pointless.
I just need someone to show me or tell me what to do with her atp because as I said it feels pointless playing her. Almost every character can get more or similar damage than her for 1 bar now so it’s not like she’s doing anything special. She doesn’t even get meter for flying yet ermac and rain can do their cancels and easily gain themselves meter to work with so I don’t understand why she can’t do that either .

I'm an INTP and I recently reconnected with my best friend after nearly three years after I cut her off on my 21st when she didn't reciprocate a gift because I wanted it to be something special for us to do on eachother's birthday, has a hissy fit and then gaslighted me acting as if nothing happened. It was also me taking into account how she'd been for years prior with me and finally listening to what my family members were saying (ex-mother and grandmother).
She had always been a risk-taking woman, but mili bozhe is she worse today. I was in the car with her and she claims to be a great driver but isn't (not indicating half the time, speeding, tailgating etc.) and she was even telling me about how she drove at night super drunk down country lanes between these two towns with a car full of people as they went bar crawling. Her Dad drove me back home one time before I could drive and he was doing about 60 down a 30 road with an island and everything.
She recently closed a business and is now going bankrupt. However, while it was running her parents massively exploited her. She told me she was crying on the floor at times and they just stepped over her. Sounds like classic narcissistic parents to me.
So I met back up with her and she now has tattoos, smokes (claims she can stop whenever she wants but that's a lie) still drinks, has done drugs in the past, e-cigs, vapes etc. and gained so much weight. Everything about her is so irresponsible and impulsive. I've told her how I feel about her behaviour but she always shrugs it off. I told her that thinking before doing would be very helpful in her case.
She entertains the seemingly extroverted, creative musician 'stage' side of me but other than that there's a massive emphasis on making decisions overwhelmingly by emotion than logic. Help, what do I do?

WPA – A Completely Average Roadtrip
Disclaimer: Not canon, and I don’t use patreon so please don’t spoil me. Also, any opinion held by a character is that of the characters and not my own. Enjoy.
Town of Ljosalfington, local time 14:00, week 7
Emma Booker
“Again Illunor, I warned you before that this is a utility vehicle, not a party rated smart-limo. I am already compromising more than I should by allowing you to use the sample cooler as a minifridge, one which I can’t even use!” I said as I loaded the materials I had just purchased into the back of the high-G All terrain fusion-ethanol-electric hybrid 24th-century legacy pickup truck that I had printed out earlier this week, carefully avoiding the heavy ordinance hard point.
“That is hardly an excuse for that abysmally cramped leg space barely fit for cattle, never mind the bare minimum for standard decorum suitable for nobility. If this is what a car is like, then I don’t see why you care for your technology,” complained Illunor, who was sitting around idly with a malformed garish bowl of icecream that he had stashed away from lunch.
“If it bothers you so much, perhaps you could help next time with your ‘bigger-on-the-inside’ magic,” I retorted as I slid the last core sample into the back before covering it up with a tarp and strapping it down.
I had originally planned to visit Ljosalfington by myself to acquire much needed exo-materials to test various mana manipulator configurations as I worked to develop my first wand as not all of the materials I needed were procurable locally from Elaseer. I eventually yielded, much to my regret, to allowing Illunor to come with me as he insisted on wanting to deliver a letter personally in town after Thacea had pointed out the wisdom of not travelling alone.
We continued our back and forth for a bit yet as I finished securing my payload a voice called out to me from the direction of the town.
“Excuse me a moment, I couldn’t help but notice but are you from the academy?”
I turned to see an elf dressed in a plain brown buttoned up tunic matched by a slightly shabby pair of trousers with what appeared to be a lute upon his back and a plain and unenchanted longsword on his belt gesturing at our robes. Mine especially were new and unusual, tailored by the academy to go over my armour and allow access to the anchor points and allow me to exit my armour with minimal hassle. Illunor scoffed at what was evidently a commoner’s arrogance at approaching nobility and turned his head away in disgust. I glanced at Illunor and shook my head before turning to face the new man. I had time to spare, and any opportunity to engage in a hearts-and-minds dialogue with the locals outside the bounds of the managed environment of the academy was more than worth the time to chat. Especially as most of the other locals seemed to be content in ignoring me.
“Yes, we are currently studying at the Transgracian Academy. I am Cadet Emma Booker representing the United Nations of Earth and Luna from Earthream, and my aloof compatriot is Lord Illunor Rularia of the Vunerian courts. We were just about to head back but are in no rush. May I ask your name and what brings you by?” I asked with my hand outstretched in greeting.
“Ah yes, yes. My name is Edhel Redoehdelnif, a wandering bard by trade like my father and his father before him. My apologies, Cadet Emma Booker, I am unfamiliar with Earthrealm,” said Edhel as he grasped my hand with both of his and shook it tepidly yet vigorously. Or rather, tried to, as the motors on my suit resisted his efforts.
“News doesn’t seem to spread all that fast around here, so it makes sense you haven’t heard of us. We’re a new realm, and only just got here. Pleasure to make your acquaintance, Edhel Redoehdelnif,” I replied.
“Absolutely fascinating! And a knight no less, or perhaps a squire? I’m sure you have many stories to tell of Earthrealm. Say, by chance are you about to head back to the academy? I have business in Elaseer and the usual coach has been absent as of late so I would rather not go it alone,” said Edhel.
I was hesitant to bring a stranger back in the car with me, even if Illunor was present. However, the opportunity that meeting a bard presented was too good to pass up from an intel perspective and to win the favour of the populace at large.
“That is a great idea. I think I have room for one more…” I paused before gesturing towards Illunor, “provided everyone is ok with it that is.”
Illunor gave a huff and turned his head away in silence.
“Very well, I will allow this. But he will not be joining me in your sorry excuse for a coach,” said Illunor dismissively.
Illunor approached the backseat expectantly and the door opened for him automatically, allowing the dlc kobold to gracefully enter and lounge across the length of the seats, once again ignoring the seatbelts. I sighed as I made my way to the driver’s seat, and Edhel entered from the passenger side as he marveled at the automatic doors and the interior.
“What a strange carriage this is! Although I must say, shouldn’t you be retrieving your horses? I didn’t see any harnesses or sense any artifices,” inquired Edhel as he attempted to make himself comfortable on the car seat, lute in front of him.
“Oh no, this thing doesn’t need horses or magic,” I said with a chuckle as EVI started the car. The elf raised his eyebrows at the sudden hum of the engine and made an expression of alarm when the car started driving itself without my input. “See, purrs like a kitten.”
“Earthrealm must have some large kittens if they purr like that,” noted Edhel, “but you must be concealing the enchantments somewhere. Such a thing as this with such strange yet precise craftsmanship is only possible in the crownlands.”
“Nope, no magic,” I said cheerfully.
“Then how?” Asked Edhel.
“It’s rather simple really. Are you familiar with the workings of a mill?” I asked, deciding to keep things surface level and elementary to avoid provoking the IDOV threshold.
“Somewhat, though I confess to not being familiar with their workings. Are you suggesting this is akin to a mill?” Asked Edhel perplexed.
“It’s the same principal. A mill works by taking a source of rotation such as a waterwheel or windmill, transferring that rotation along a series of rotating shafts and interlocking gears, and finally putting that energy to work by rotating a millstone,” I began as the car pulled out onto the smooth cobbled road in the direction of Elaseer. A notification popped up in the corner of my vision indicating my recon drone swarm had shifted from a holding formation to a convoy screening formation, and while the roads were clear I kept the speed at 60km/h to account for my passenger’s apparent distaste for seatbelts.
“Rotation…” muttered Edhel. He turned to face one of the wheels and EVI pinged an alert for a probable match for a detection spell, “fascinating.”
“Edhel, what are you doing?” I asked.
“Oh, yes, perhaps I should have asked first. Yes, I can see how it all fits together. But the source of this rotation? I see no mighty river or great wind to power this, so where does it come from?” Asked Edhel, not really apologizing. Elven arrogance, it seemed, was not limited by class.
The act reminded me of Sorecar when he inspected my gun, but where the armourer had been respectful with it, Edhel was more flippant. I considered the possibility that he was a spy sent by one of her peers or the crownlands, though this did not mesh with the methods I had seen so far. Edhel may have been just overly enthusiastic. In either case, I quickly decided to only reveal the antique design for the ethanol engine, and not that of the batteries or the emergency coupler to my suit’s fusion reactor.
“Right, well please ask first next time. As to your question, I won’t bore you with the details, but the rotation is generated by creating a periodic sequence of explosions inside of a machine – a manaless artifice – called a combustion engine, said Emma.
“So that’s what that sound is…” pondered Edhel, “are these artifices typical in Earthream?”
“You are awfully inquisitive for a commoner,” noted Illunor as he inspected his nails for dirt, “and rather accepting of something which should be impossible.”
“I wouldn’t be much of a bard if I wasn’t, my lord,” said Edhel shifting uncomfortably in his seat, “perhaps some music might set the mood better?”
“That would be preferable, bard. I have heard enough of the Earthrealmer’s Road Trip Playlist and would like to listen to some music of real culture,” said Illunor.
The bard agreed and proceeded to awkwardly play a ballad about an adventurer who slew a hydra in some frozen wasteland. Partway through, I politely interrupted the Edhel to point out the seat controls much to his fascination and Illunor’s grumbling at their common nature, and after some adjustment the bard went on playing and I half-heartedly listened while I paid attention to the road and my drone feed.
Particularly after EVI detected something unusual and alerted me to its presence.
”Attention Caded Booker. There is a disabled vehicle blocking the primary route to destination. Heat signatures in the woods are consistent with that of an ambush.”
“Damn it,” I muttered.
I glanced at the drone feed to see a broken cart strewn horizontally across a wooden bridge over a brook. On the surface it looked like a pair of civilians who required aid and assistance, but off in the woods were several heat signatures, several of which held weapons of varying levels of enchantments. Occasionally one of the pair on the bridge would talk with them, suggesting they were in cahoots rather than hostages. I recalled crossing that very bridge not a few hours earlier, so the blockade was very recent.
“EVI, did we pass that cart on the way here?” I asked.
”Negative,” replied EVI.
I grimaced. I had been trained to handle road-side ambushes, but it was only something that was a theoretical possibility. Something that should only occur in a warzone or a corrupt and unstable polity. I knew I had the capacity to handle such an encounter, even non-lethally, but that didn’t change the fact that these were civilians and as such were the responsibility of local law enforcement. Combined with the fact that I had passengers I was responsible for and engaging the ambush was a risky option.
“EVI, give me a list of alternative routes,” I commanded.
”Affirmative. Here is a list of routes in order of recommendation,” replied EVI.
I looked over the routes superimposed on a map of the region and quickly dismissed taking a shortcut through the forest and cutting through farmland. A detour caught my eye that extended the journey by roughly ten kilometers and I immediately sent a pair of drones to scout it out before committing to the detour.
“Are you alright, Cadet Emma Booker? You seem distracted,” asked Edhel, snapping me back to reality.
“Yeah, I’m fine. I’m just focused on driving,” replied Emma.
“I suppose it must be quite taxing to command an artificed carriage of this complexity. Perhaps it might ease your mind if you were to regale me a tale of a hero of your realm?” Said Edhel, strumming a complex tune from his lute as he spoke as each and every pluck triggered a low-level spell.
“Well, that may be a problem. We don’t have any monsters to fight, and wars are a thing of the past,” I said while desperately tip-toeing the subject of aunt Ran, the subject of war, and our voyages through the cosmos, “though we are not without the adventurous spirit. We certainly have many stories of grand voyages. Some mythical and fictional such as The Odyssey as told by the Greek poet Homer and some historical such as the race to the south pole.”
“The south pole,” muttered the bard, “so you have explored all of Earthrealm then? I suppose that makes some sense, if you have artifices such as this then traversal of a globe would be quite manageable.”
“You are quite perceptive,” I said, not wishing to elaborate.
“A great performer knows his audience,” said Edhel with a charming, honest, almost human smile.
I felt a pang of homesickness as an intrusive thought reminded me that I could have gone to a real college surrounded by friendly faces my age, engaging in nightly holostreams and dreaming of adventures in the stars from the safety of a college dorm room. The sight of Illunor in the rear camera was the only thing that kept me grounded, as I almost felt like I was back at home on a road trip rather than returning to a fantasy feudal court, constantly evading death at every turn with the fate of humanity on the line. As such, and prompted by EVI, I barely had the wherewithal to take the planned detour.
A fact which did not pass by Edhel.
“I believe you may have taken a wrong turn, Emma,” he commented.
“Nah, I’m just taking the scenic route. I came from that direction on the way here, and you have inspired me to see the other road and I figure it should only add a few extra minutes to our travel time,” I said, gesturing at a paper map which I had referenced exactly once, “though on that subject, you seem to know these lands quite well. Do you have any recommendations on places to visit in the Nexus to scratch that itch?”
Illunor raised his eyebrow at the detour excuse, knowing full well this was not part of the plan. I worried that he might complain about the issue and but thankfully remained silent as he snacked on the contents of the misused sample storage unit. Edhel himself took on a more pensive posture.
“I’m happy to have been such an inspiration, Emma, though I am sure an explorer such as yourself has little need of such. I would normally suggest the skyward fountains of Verdellan or the cloud tides of Asturia, but that may be too casual for someone of your calibre. Perhaps the severed chasm or the fire marsh of Bhandahova may be more to your liking. Or perhaps…” Edhel leaned in, “I have heard rumours of a dragon in the glassy obsidian wastes of Vurcanar.”
I chuckled at that, knowing how I was fortunate enough to fish a dragon scale out of the nearby lake for the ECS. “The thought of going dragon hunting had certainly crossed my mind…” I mused aloud.
“Yet you sound hesitant. Perhaps it is too much for a newrealmer. Perhaps a slime or a dire rat might be more appropriate,” he said with a tease.
“No, it’s not like that! It’s” I stammered, before attempting to change course after realizing I had been goaded, “what I mean is, I was under the impression that dragons were an endangered species. Where I come from, hunting endangered animals is usually illegal, and big game hunting in general is frowned upon. We do make exceptions in the case of problem animals such as if a large predator starts hunting humans, but as a rule we prefer conservation and try to find ways of coexisting with wildlife such as the use of barrier fences and scaring away dangerous animals rather than being forced to cull their numbers. Having a species go extinct would prevent future generations from appreciating them and risks destabilizing the ecosystem they are a part of. Now if this dragon was actively razing villages and eating civilians and livestock, that would be one thing, but this does not look to be the case. I don’t imagine the Nexus has any settlements in this wasteland, and the dragon clearly wants to be left alone. Killing an innocent dragon would be murder.”
I grinned to myself after delivering a diatribe that would have made my tenth grade social and environmental studies teacher beam with pride, though by the expressions of my passengers my view did not appear to be shared. Edhel’s mouth was agape in shock and fascination, while the Venurian in the back seat merely huffed in disapproval.
“I assure you Newrealmer, there are no innocent dragons,” stated Illunor with a hint of terseness breaking through his otherwise regal demeanor.
“Illunor, I understand that Venurians have personal reasons for not liking dragons, but you can’t just extend that disdain to their descendants or those uninvolved just because they are the same species,” I said.
“If I may interject on your behalf, my lord, I believe I can address Cadet Emma Booker’s concerns,” said Edhel with a bow. Illunor nodded in approval.
“Very well, you may proceed,” he said.
“Thank you, my lord. My dear Emma, you must understand that dragons are not simple animals driven entirely off of instinct as it appears to be the case in Earthrealm. They are monsters. Intelligent, long-lived, violent, greedy, cruel, territorial, selfish flesh-eating monsters. They are evil by the very nature of their being, unable to change by their own accord, and unwilling to change when His Eternal Majesty offered them freedom from their nature. It isn’t that they want to be evil. As intelligent animals – intelligent monsters – dragons are capable of understanding morality, and many have tried to overcome their evil nature at great expense to themselves. A well intended and noble sentiment, yet a doomed one as like all animals, they all succumb to their nature in the end. Overcoming one’s nature is impossible,” said Edhel. His eyes took on a stoic, almost remorseful gaze as he spoke, and Illunor nodded with approval.
I was appalled by this claim, not by the contents so much as how blatantly false it was. As a representative of the human race, I was a living counterexample to his whole argument. We had remained physiologically unchanged as a species since the last Ice Age, and yet in spite of that, in spite of our many flaws, we had found peace and balance. If we could do it, anyone could do it.
“Will all due respect Edhel, that is nonsense. Monsters aren’t born, they are made. It is the mark of any intelligent species can adapt their behaviour to their environment for better or worse, and under the right care any so-called monster can grow to be a force for good,” I began, but while I searched for the right words Edhel shook his head.
“I appreciate your race is an empathetic one, Emma, your idealism is unfounded. As flesh eaters, a dragon must take the life of another animal or person to survive, or they will perish. As such, every dragon has taken a life. As long-lived creatures, they will have amassed a significant number of kills. As the land can only support so much animals, a dragon must be fiercely territorial and aggressive to remove competition, lest they starve. As such, even the most kind-hearted dragon alive must be violent and greedy, and their intelligence fuels this even more so if they know a bountiful land of morsels exists just outside their range.
Now perhaps a multitude of dragons may find a way to co-exist together in some settlement, but to support such a venture would require a large territory of prey, or a livestock animal. Perhaps they could support a large colony by farming grain for their livestock, but that would require effort on their behalf. As large animals, such efforts require a great deal of energy. Yet that size makes it easy for them to intimidate smaller races to do their labour for them, and to keep their client race in line dragons must be cruel. And even so, as their numbers grow so do their needs. As such, they must expand into the lands of their neighbours to survive until there is nothing left to devour, at which point they must turn against their own lest they starve. As such, it is the nature of dragons to conquer and devour. That is why there is no such thing as an innocent dragon,” finished Edhel.
I was speechless, not because I believed Edhel had a point, but because I was horrified at how easy he found it to rationalize the extermination of an entire sapient species. If this was how the elves thought, then it wasn’t the dragons who were the monsters. I suppressed that dark thought. Edhel’s thought process was a product of his culture, not a feature of his elven heritage. If there was any hope of peace between our people, I needed to show him there was another way of being. I needed to prove that co-existence was possible, no matter one’s nature.
I took a deep breath to steady myself before replying.
“That- that is a callous way of seeing things,” I began, though the shock was still there in my voice, “you speak as though there is no natural equilibrium with a dragon, that their only state of being must be to be cruel, to devour, to conquer. But I see things differently. In fact, I might wonder if a fledgling civilization might see the presence of a dragon as a boon rather than a curse. Being intelligent, the locals may be able to come to some agreement with the dragon. Perhaps they might leave some land as a hunting ground or offer up a share of their cattle or guard the dragon as it sleeps. In exchange, the dragon might allow them to build a town outside its mountain and protect them in times of danger. An equitable exchange. A civilization might even create artificial lairs to attract dragons for this very reason. True, some dragons may behave tyrannical towards their town, but a well armed populace of a large city would be more than capable of fighting such a threat, and a rational dragon might reason that threatening their own populace would put their reliable source of food and shelter at risk. You see, it’s all a matter of perspective.”
“You certainly are an imaginative one, Emma, to wonder up a quixotic world where the hare and the fox live together in harmony as equals. Even so, you seem to have ignored one key detail to such a society. What would happen should the dragon not be fed for months on end?” Asked Edhel with his eyebrow raised.
“The same thing as stranded a dozen starving, stranded Elves!” I spat back.
[Alert: Vehicle speed above recommended limit for conditions. Recommendation: slow down. ]
“I am driving slow!” I seethed, not realizing I had sped up with manual control enabled.
“I grow tired of this common prattle,” interjected Illunor just in time to prevent an awkward silence, “bard, play us another song.” “As my lord wishes,” said Edhel with a bow before turning to me with another smile, “perhaps a more soothing melody would be in order? A love song perhaps, to honour Cadet Booker’s compassionate nature?”
I said nothing as Edhel began to strum his lute again to the tune of a love story of a pair of doomed lovers named Ramian and Junette, hating his cheeky knowing grin that only served to get under my skin further as I focused on calming down and slowing the car back to a more reasonable pace before investigating a priority alert which I had been blinded to moments prior.
[Alert: hostile roadblock is absent, location unknown.]
Shit.
“Illunor, we may have a problem,” I said.
“Shush, Newrealmer, have you no class? We are almost at the best part! I’m sure it can wait,” replied the contextually clueless lizard.
I had never wanted to throttle Illunor as much as I did now.
“Illunor, shield, now,” I said with a raised voice.
“I don’t see-“ he started, pausing mid-sentence as his ears perked up.
[Alert: Multiple manafield and spell signatures detected!]
I took evasive maneuvers as Illunor tried to piece together a shield spell, fumbling it twice as panic appeared to set in and providing me with a reminder that Illunor was a civilian, not a soldier. A hail of arrows pelted the exterior of the truck, piercing but not penetrating the composite armour. I was tempted to do nothing but just drive away from the arrow fire, but a foreboding premonition of danger filled me as I recalled Sorecar’s hunter-seeker arrows.
Seeking to avoid that fate, I triggered the active defenses.
The smoke screens deployed around the vehicle, obscuring the sight of any who depended on visible light to see me. A barrage of decoy flares equipped with wooden cores shot upward at angles and diffusing to the side like a pair of giant wings which when combined with the MFD, short for mana-field dampener, inside the vehicle meant that the pelting hail of arrowfire softened to a whirr as the arrows whiffed over the top of the truck, retargeted away from the soft flesh of my passengers and even invoking friendly fire amongst the ambushers.
In the chaos, EVI and my drone swarm fed me complete tactical information on the ambush. Of the 26 individuals at the first blockade, 20 were accounted for, and 3 had died from friendly fire. Ahead at the bridge, 5 more of them were at the bridge where a barrier had been hastily erected to cage me in as the river valley was too deep to cross.
“Illunor, we need a bridge,” I said, taking stock of the wellbeing of my passengers.
The bard was huddled down low and suppressing his manafield, but otherwise rather composed. Illunor, on the other hand, was cowering in the gap between the seats with his hands covering his eyes and his tail tucked in.
“A bridge is no small request, Ne- Cadet Emma Booker,” replied Illunor, “and your ‘Emeffdee’ has blinded me to the outside of this moving death trap.”
“If I drop it, can you at least make a ramp?” I asked as I circled the battlefield. Or tried to, at least, as earthen ramparts emerged from the ground from a yet unseen source to cut off other avenues of escape.
“A ramp? Surely you don’t mean-“ he stammered.
“Yes or no,” I said.
Illunor paused, before taking an unsteady breath.
“Yes. But not with that Emeffdee,” he replied.
“Good. Steady your nerves and prepare to make a ramp ahead of us on my signal,” I said, “in the meantime, get your seatbelt on. This is going to be hairy.”
As I circled around to make my approach on the bridge, the final combatant made his appearance on a nearby tree, revealing himself as an elven mage. An alert focused on the air around him indicating he was preparing an unknown high-tier spell, and I locked the predator drone on him indicating the elf as a high-priority target if our escape plan failed, and I was forced to use lethal force.
If I was forced to kill.
It was one thing to know you may have to kill in the line of duty, but it was much harder to reconcile that with reality. No number of simulations could match the real thing, and a part of me wanted to simply offload the responsibility to EVI to keep my hands clean, but to do that would be betraying my duty as a human being. I breathed in deep and tried not to think about it, instead hoping to rely on the ace I held in my sleeve instead.
“EVI, ready the spell jammer,” I said unevenly.
“Acknowledged, the prototype Exo-Radiation Wave-Field Distruptor is primed. High risk target identified and locked, permission to engage?” EVI asked, forcing me to address the dreaded question.
“Negative,” I replied, “hold your fire. If the ramp fails, then you have permission to engage,” I said.
“Affirmative, on your mark,” replied EVI.
I lined up the truck with the bridge and bolted through the smoke, keeping a careful eye on the mage as I went. His spellform took on a more concerning shape as I accelerated, and I realized I could not afford to let him finish his spell. I triggered the spelljammer.
A terrible roar erupted from an array of speakers printed from mana-resistant materials that would have made Godzilla herself beam with pride. The sound was decidedly unnatural, gnarly, dubstep drop composed of an electric eel, a whale, a mountain lion, and a tyrannosaurus rex all being simultaneously assaulted by a swarm of angry cybernetic murder hornets as an equally chaotic wave of mana blasted outwards from the exterior of the truck, with the interior thankfully sheltered by audio and mana dampening.
The ambushing assailants cowered and panicked, and it was enough to cause the Elven mage’s spell to backfire in his face as his form exploded into ashes, meeting a horrific fate which I had tried so desperately to help him avoid. With all the combatants momentarily incapacitated or dead, I lowered the dampener and turned off the smoke.
“Ramp!” I shouted, snapping the lizard back to reality.
The Venerian nodded and hastily formed an earthwork ahead of us right before the blockade, and the truck leapt off the ramp with a not insignificant amount of air beneath our wheels. I braced for impact, regretting skimping on the shocks in the name of preserving materials, but the impact never came.
[Alert: Friendly spell designated ‘Feather Fall’]
Illunor thankfully had enough wherewithal to gently land the steel brick, and I sped off into the distance away from the trap that had unfolded behind us, leaving the interior of the truck in an awkward silence as we each processed our brush with death in our own way. “How many are dead?” I asked EVI.
“6 hostiles confirmed dead,” replied EVI.
I drove on in silence. Those were six deaths I had tried to avoid, and I became lost in thought as I wondered what I should have done differently to avoid the confrontation entirely.
Edhel broke the silence with a bout of laughter.
“Terrific! Absolutely terrific! Why, I can conjure up many a tale from this encounter alone! I live for this kind of inspiration!” Exclaimed Edhel a little too chipperly considering the circumstance.
“I would rather not hear stories about how I bravely ran away,” I moaned in deadpan sarcasm.
“You think too little of yourself, Cadet Emma Booker. It is plain to me that you are no ordinary rabbit. Make no mistake, I see it as a privilege to bear witness to the roar of a vorpal hare!” Said Edhel as he supressed his laughter, “though I am afraid with all the excitement that I must finish my song some other time.”
“How about I play some of our music?” I offered after the elf revealed his thrill-seeking side.
“Splendid, I would like that. Perhaps something of your ‘Roadtrip playlist’ you speak of? It sounds like a collection of your voyages,” said Edhel.
“That would be an improvement on the truth,” said Illunor dismissively as he eased from his state of shock, “it is little more than noise under the pretense of music.”
“Illunor…” I muttered to myself before turning the mic on, “no, no it’s not like that. I have terabytes of pre-recorded songs from various artists back home which can be played by… an artifice called a speaker. A playlist is a set of songs which are grouped together, usually to listen to in specific situations such as studying, partying, or travelling. The latter collection is what Illunor is referring to.”
I very deliberately chose not to reveal my ‘Unfortunate Daughters’ playlist.
“An artifice which plays music, and a magicless one at that. I must say, Emma, I fear for the bards in your realm,” said Edhel with a laugh.
“Your fear is misplaced, Edhel. Entertainers live like kings where I come from,” I retorted with a smirk of my own, “well, the ones with talent at least.”
“Well, well, I suppose I have to hear my competition!” Said Edhel with a laugh.
“Do as you must, though let it be known that I warned you,” said Illunor as he watched a play on his sightseer.
I had EVI compile a list of songs that left out content offensive to Nexian sensibilities or violating OpSec and as it compiled I mused over what type of sample spread I wanted to show off. Then it struck me. What better way to show off our culture than with some good old blue jumpers and nova rock! Sadly, jumpers were unavailable to show but I still had a whole list of modern artists to choose from.
Moments later, the car speakers sprung to life to the tune of ‘Innocent Youth of Mine. Edhel’s eyes lit up like a child visiting a zero-g gravity park for the first time, seemingly star-struck by the antique electric guitar and the synthesizer-drums in particular.
“What… what is this? I have never heard anything like this!” Proclaimed Edhel.
“Dreadful, isn’t it?” said Illunor, doing what he did best and pretending to hate it.
“Oh there is a lot more where that came from,” I said with a cheeky grin of my own, “this one is called ‘Innocent Youth of Mine’ by ‘Cannons and Poppies’. It’s part of the Nova Rock genre.
“And those strange instruments?” Asked Edhel.
“Oh, you mean the electric guitar and the synthesizer. They are electronic instruments, taking advantage of channeled and modulated electricity to create near any sound we can imagine,” I replied.
“Channeled electricity… are you suggesting these sounds were made by some form of lightning?” Asked Edhel.
[Suggestion: Avoid topic of electricity due to OpSec risk]
I nodded at EVI’s warning, thankful that it caught me before I discussed the very thing that all of my equipment ran on.
“It’s not exactly lightning, but close enough,” I said.
“If I had not witnessed to your display of power earlier, I might have perhaps been more skeptical of such a claim, but I suppose a lady must keep her secrets.” said Edhel with a raised eyebrow and chuckle, “but I digress, this music is most interesting.”
“There is a lot more where that came from,” I said with a cheeky grin of my own.
“If I ever have a prisoner in need of torture, I will turn to you first,” replied Illunor, “if you are willing to subject your peers to this madness then I cannot imagine what you would force upon your enemies before dunking them in ice.”
“In your dreams,” I retorted.
I played a few other songs including Astrodesee’s ‘Meteor Struck’, the Martian classic ‘Hotel Cydonia’ and even ‘Switching to Warp’ before Elaseer emerged from the distance, and I pulled up outside the gate to drop Edhel off.
“Here already?” Asked Edhel.
“Well, yeah. I was just running a quick errand, I didn’t want to go too far,” I replied casually.
“That was a distance worth at least five days of walking by foot, and you call that a ‘quick errand’?” Asked Edhel. I shrugged, and he laughed.
“Well in any case, thank you for allowing me passage in your car. I must apologize for my lack of gift or payment…” said Edhel. “Don’t worry about it, it was on the way,” I replied.
“I see, how generous. Perhaps we might one day meet again?” Asked Edhel.
“Maybe, but I’m not sure how likely that is. The academy takes up most of my time,” I replied, “though you never know. I still have a lot of quest hours to complete.”
“Is that so? In that case, I hope we meet again! Goodbye Cadet Emma Booker and farewell Lord Illunor Rularia,” he said. “And good travels to you, bard,” said Illunor.
I waved off Edhel and drove back to the academy, Illunor still sulking in the back seat.
“Perhaps next time, you should steer us away from danger?” Suggested Illunor.
“I tried, but we were tracked,” I replied.
I groaned inwardly at the additional work needed to fix the truck. EVI compiled a list of upgrades for future engagements, batting away my idea for a ‘turbo mode’ and a ‘jump boost’. Though at the end of the day, meeting the bard wasn’t a complete loss. It felt good to talk to someone almost normal for once, and I hoped I met him again.
Edhel Redoehdelnif
I watched as Cadet Emma Booker’s vehicle went off into the distance, getting one last look at the Earthrealmer’s strange artifice before turning towards the gate. The voyage was an exotic experience, not unlike that of a fever dream or a peak into a world completely alien to my own. Indeed, it was a struggle to contain my excitement and enthusiasm and process the experience rationally as I made my way through the southern gates of Elaseer and turned the corner of an alley before entering an impossible structure that did not exist.
“You are earlier than expected,” said the shadowy figure of my handler as I made my way to the meeting hall.
“The Earthrealmer’s means of transportation proved far more expedient than anticipated, my lord” I spoke as I knelt before him, “even with her unexpected departure from the anticipated road and the ambush we traveled for scantly more than an hour.”
“Yes, I will require a full report from you. Perhaps you can shed some light on the ‘smoke dragon’ my men claim intervened on the Earthrealmer’s behalf,” said my handler.
“Smoke Dragon, my lord?” I asked.
My handler responded by activating his sight-seer, revealing how the ambush had appeared from the outside. The Earthrealmer’s uncanny artifice traversed down the road, a pair of manafields displaying proudly from within until the archers began their assault. The artifice then transformed as smoke billowed out from its pores and wings sprung forth above until it was the form of a mighty wrym with a pair of glowing eyes springing forth from its ever extending head where it then gave forth a terrible unholy roar which sent waves of mana outward. The mage working to seal the area and trap their mark vapourized in an instant as his spell backfired. It was apparent to Edhel that his exceptional experience in the carriage was merely a muted rendition of the events unfolding around them.
It would seem the hare had the shadow of a dragon.
“I do have some insight, though I must confess the Earthrealmer did very little in the way of direct action. I suspect she has some unseen means of commanding and scrying through her artifices,” I said, “one which does not utilize magic as we know it.”
“Such a statement is heresy,” said my handler, “but such special circumstances are your reason for being. I will require you submit your memories for verification. What is your appraisal of the new realmer?”
“The girl is far more dangerous than a surface appraisal would suggest, though she prefers to conceal that power rather than utilize it out of a misplaced sense of compassion. Her people appear to have a boundless creative drive through which such artifices are birthed, though again it is misdirected towards more common applications. I believe that if properly tamed, this human animal may provide us with great works of art,” I said with a bow.
“I see. Does the girl know you work for us?” Asked my handler.
“She may harbour some suspicions, though did not voice them outright beyond concealing her knowledge,” I said, “though nothing significant. Provided our next meet is under believable circumstances such as a festival she should view me as cordial.”
“She has indeed proven clever,” conceded my handler, “very well, I will make arrangements for your paths to cross again. Perhaps I will arrange for her to be a contestant at the next inter-academy tournament. In the mean time, prepare your report and don’t wander far. This is a priority assignment.”
“As you wish, my lord,” I said with a bow and a smile.
Emma Booker had proved to be an interesting animal indeed, and I hoped our paths crossed again.

Hear me out…
I’m not saying she’s like him as a person, but as an artist they work very similarly.
Drake gives new artists a platform just so they can thank him later on. He did this to The Wknd, Kendrick Lamar, and ASAP Rocky. While having done this, he stole their flow and creatively ripped them off. I’ve seen Taylor Swift do this probably since Red. She befriends up and coming female artists and their careers slowly stall. Why is that? Once they become bigger than her, she competes with them and cuts them out. Drake has also done this in the past.
I also think they’re both really petty and are afraid to lose the top spot, so they constantly release music to keep stay on the charts. Because of this, they lack identity and artistry. They’re machines that need to pop out music every year or other year to stay relevant. I don’t think either of them know who they are without music. The eras tour kind of showed me that Taylor has never really had an identity of her own— she goes with whatever is popular. Drake does the same thing.
I just wish someone would drop a diss track on her.
There's a lot more , but let me know what you all think!