Big brother barbeque

I feel like Marco had a girlfriend the whole time. Him introducing Alexa at the end was super sus. Like isn’t the part where they went to the soccer players’ homes only a week? But somehow Marco met a girl and it’s super serious in this time. I feel like Alexa was already his girlfriend and that explains why he had no connections and why Abby didn’t have Marco meet her family. Not to mention why she found out sooner than the other girls he’s famous. And she didn’t care he met someone else.
I think the producers wanted Marco bc he was the biggest star and they needed a big name to get people to watch. Think mooch on celebrity big brother where he was a “houseguest” but he wasn’t really. He left a few episodes in and was just a ploy to get viewers. Thoughts??

Hi, I do not know if this is an inappropriate request, but I am seeking advice on how to suggest my mother go to therapy as a sixteen-year-old. (This is long and ranty, so I made a tdlr - I do need this advice)
For some context, my mother is forty-two and recently went through her fourth pregnancy (with a gap of eleven years from her last), this time through IVF. Six months into the pregnancy, my stepdad asked for a divorce.
A week later, he told my very hormonal mother that he hadn't loved her for a long time and implied that he was hoping putting this family in several tens of thousands of dollars in debt would fix their relationship. (Also, a week later, he admitted to cheating on her)
At this time, she was seeking therapy from her work; she stopped at one appointment.
Six months later, I am trying to be as empathetic as possible.
I understand why my mother hasn't left him despite years of abuse. She has no family in the big state we live in, she has no friends, and while as a dual-income household, we are fine, she cannot financially support four children, let alone pay the mortgage to our home.
My baby brother is two months old and perfect; our maternal grandmother lives with us now to care for him while my mom and stepdad are at work. (My mother and her mother do not have a good relationship)
Since my mother went to work, she barely spends time with the baby, which, up until yesterday, I have tried to reason this fact to her long hours with the addition of overtime.
But I learned, through watching her location for a week, that after her ten-hour work day, she goes out of her way to visit my stepfather at work. (They work for the city)
She's never been a reliable parent and never involved herself with anything in her children's lives; her parenting is limited to feeding and clothing us and the occasional movie.
I have spent the last eight years trying to reason why. It is always work and exhaustion from work.
But now it's clear that despite her busy schedule, she has time.
She doesn't like my brother, I think, and her mental health is shit, but every time I suggest help, she deflects. Either we don't have the money (we could cancel many subscription plans), or she shuts down.
My sister and I are off to university in two years, and if my mother doesn't get help, my younger siblings will subjected to watching her abuse alone.
My youngest sister (11) has been put in situations alone with my mom and stepdad where they are yelling and threatening divorce (she has been bribed not to tell me and my sister about these fights). My biggest fear is allowing my younger siblings to live through this.
TDLR: My mother is a lousy parent in an abusive situation and is never going to get help for herself
I have less than two years to ensure she doesn't force her two youngest to witness this.

My kuya is bisexual and came out to our parents this year. Hindi sya nagcelebrate nung birthday nya kahit binilhan namin sya ng cake and jollibee. He refused to take pictures that day because this year, they also forced him to break up with his girlfriend when they discovered she was trans.
Yesterday, June 1st, he spent the day locking himself up in his room. Kaninang umaga, nag-iiyakan kami kasi he thinks no matter what he does, he is never enough. He doesn't feel accepted by our parents for who he is regardless of his personal and academic achievements because, of course, they don't.
I want to get him something special this June to give him some semblance of hope. Kasi I won't get another cause for celebration until next year (his bday, his graduation, and we never celebrated any normal Christian holiday before). Even if walang ganap sometime in the next few months, I need a plan so I can start saving up. I could also just give him love and support but it can't make up for the disappointment of two parental figures. I will always be here for him, regardless. I want him to remember me, and that he is loved.
Here are some ideas: - dried flower bouquet - cake - big rainbow plush - spa day (mani + pedi + facial/hair) - fancy cafe date - clothing - makeup and skincare - ???
Conflicts: - if I get him gifts or food at home, we need to hide evidence because parents will notice every new thing we get; "saan galing yan?" "Saan nyo binili yan?" "Bakit di kayo nag-aya?" - can't hold an open celebration with the parents either sa bahay or someplace else without them knowing the reason for it. And it would make my brother upset with the fact that we are celebrating something they are openly against. - parents don't let us have days out with just the two of us, kasi (1) they feel left out and think we hate them, (2) they don't like us spending too much on shopping or "acting poor" going thrift shopping, and (3) they always assume we're drinking, rebelling, or doing something generally satanic. - i love my parents but holy shit do they make my brother's life so difficult. - i don't have much time left to spend with him. He is busy with his studies and when he gets his license, he is set to leave for work and study in Canada. I have 5 years tops, kasi nagmamadali syang makaalis and he's so smart I know he'll get his license right away. - i have to do this as soon as I can. He's been talking to me about some serious suicidal thoughts. I can't lose him.
I already tried asking my friends for advice. They have none, other than moving out as soon as possible.

Tldr,, i need help planning a gift or method of celebration meaningful and fancy enough for my brother, preferably within June or before he goes overseas.

AITA for not wanting to talk to my mother?
Hello everyone I 20f haven't talked to my mother for 2 days and planning to continue the same. For context I will start from the very beginning:
1.When I was around 9-10 yrs till 12 my mother used to get me naked and made me sit outside our house infront of everyone as a punishment for not doing homework. A tuition teacher of mine who is a family friend told me once that my mother would tell her to beat me as I was a bad kid and didn't listen to her and my tutor was like why would I she does all her work , is good at studies and no complaints from school as well. When my mother used to go for ptm the teacher would praise me as a good student and someone who other should look as a model student but my mother would make complaint to her that its not right and I don't deserve praise because I would not do anything at home but my work was always complete. My school teachers would joke about me as this is the first time a parent is liking praise for their kid.
Due to the naked torture and beatings she would do I lost a lot of confidence I hate being the centre of attention even for good things and just hate being outside it fucked my body image problems as well.
When I joined college I got 91% so my dad wanted me to get a gift so I asked for a guitar my dad said yes but she used the money my dad gave to get my brother admission into a cricket academy. When my brother scored a 50%(he would always pass with warning so a big achievement) she allowed him to get a cricket kit worth 16000,he already had all equipments just got him a new one.
Her biggest complaint is I don't help in chores so I will give you an idea of my work I am in 2nd year college studying B. Com as well as executive level for company secretary so a lot of time goes into studying but the chores I do are I always clean the spaces I use , handwash my own and my brother's clothes clean everyone's bed wash utensils 2 times in a day mop the floor 2 times a day and iron everyone's clothes everyday. But she doesn't take this into account would always tell all relatives that I don't do anything and just sit around use my phone or laptop mind you she doesn't say I am studying. Whenever she has complaints against me she wouldn't talk to me privately will always shout on me infront of my father due to which he has also started scolding me without listening to me. I have lost 5 kg in the last 2 months after joining gym but she would always tell everyone taht I wasted the money on gym as she couldn't see any changes in my body and taunt about my weight.I did not like doing makeup but she humiliated me so much in events or functions for my looks that I learned to do my makeup even though I don't like to. In conclusion I hate my life and want to end it or just run away but don't have the courage I cry to sleep and am tired of everything can't even focus on my studies.
For clarity I am indian and my brother is 15 rn.

Joel and Kit are non-identical twin brothers who were both abandoned and given up by Bernie hence their contempt for blonde women/girls.
I’ve watched enough crime drama shows to correctly assume that’s the big twist that is coming up.

So I just finally finished LF a few days ago (after rotting on the library waitlist for months!), and I was really pleasantly surprised by the way Tanaka was written. Now part of that is just that I'm a big sucker - as both a reader and a writer - for taking apart characters who are irredeemable bastards and seeing what makes them tick. I was really curious to see other fans' takes on her, and it looks like she was pretty polarizing as a POV characters - some of you guys, like me, really loved to hate her (and maybe even dip a tentative toe into feeling sorry for her), and some of you just plain hated her (and that's fine - some people prefer being able to like their POV characters. I'm not one of those people). However, I haven't seen anyone really say much about the significance of her interest in (love of, really) art and art history. So I wanna talk a little about that.
The takes I've seen have largely come down to either, "It didn't fit with her character and felt really random," which I'm about to disagree with HARD, or "It served as a device to show that there was more to her that meets the eye, and that she could have gone down a completely different path." This one, I agree with, but I also think there's a lot more to it.
(1) So let's talk about why art history specifically. Why not something else seemingly 180 degrees away from being a Marine, like gardening or culinary science? As an artist who takes myself unapologetically seriously, I have had a lot of conversations with an artist friend of mine lately about the intimacy of art. Art is both an expression of individuality and a vehicle of profound, often terrifying, connection. The former is what Tanaka regards as the core of her being, while the latter is anathema to her. She is drawn to art precisely because it exists in a space of tension between her comfort zone and her deepest fears. It is the razor edge that she loves to walk.
I've said before that I think of art as a form of telepathy - you are trying to capture something inside your own mind and externalize it in a way that it is transmitted into the mind of another person. When Tanaka begins experiencing this very literally in a manner she can't control, it's her worst nightmare. But she loves art because it is a version of this that she can control. It's an outlet for her to fulfill the fundamentally human need for connection when it's never been safe (both literally and psychologically) for her to do so through any other means. She learned that as a child when she sought a hug and got a slap in the face instead.
A number of the art pieces she contemplates are emotionally intense. The Third Miko in particularly is memorable because it is a heavy piece, full of vulnerability and grief and dread. These are the kinds of pieces that not only did the artist have to rip themselves open and pour their soul into in order to produce, but the audience is required to do the same to some extent in order to fully experience them. Turning soul-crushing sadness into usable rage isn't alchemy - it's more like a refinement process; it takes a lot of energy, and there is a lot of waste runoff that still has to go somewhere. For Tanaka, that's where it goes. That's the safe place to put it. Inside of someone else's pain, where no one will ever know it's yours.
(2) The other thing I wanted to talk about hinges on a "blink and you miss it" detail that, for me at least, completely reframed the whole picture regarding the "two roads diverged" aspect of Tanaka's life, and that's the casually dropped revelation that she never actually had a choice in the first place. The way this was written, I'm absolutely certain it was a very deliberate choice by JSAC to undermine the assumptions we as readers had been previously led to make.
The "two roads" framing comes up explicitly three times in the book. The first time is in Chapter 24: "Tanaka hadn’t thought about that painting in decades, or about what a very different life she would have lived if she’d made a few different decisions at the start." The next mention is in Chapter 31, when Dr. Ahmadi is reviewing Tanaka's file. She says, "You refused an advanced scholarship in order to enlist." Both of these references frame it very explicitly as a choice. But then, a few pages later, it's revealed that it actually wasn't: "If Aunt Akari had let her study art history instead of enlisting in active service, where would she be right now? And who would be tracking down the high consul? What else—how many thousands of other things—would be different?" (emphasis mine).
This detail and the way it was just slipped in there actually made me feel terribly sad for her because it reveals that this was, in fact, never where she wanted to be at all. This is more a matter of interpretation, but my takeaway was that the whole thing about her preferring a repressive society might be less the truth and more of a narrative she tells herself because she has spent her entire life deprived of any kind of real agency. It's true that someone who has never experienced life outside a pressure cooker environment might rapidly decompress like a blobfish upon being removed from it (I'm reminded of the memoir The Girl With Seven Names, where the author's mother and brother can't adapt to life outside of North Korea and want to go back), but that's less about being naturally well-suited to it and more about being deeply and maybe irreversibly maladapted.
When Tanaka tells herself she loves life under the boot because it gives her something to push back against, she's making the best of a bad situation by pretending her lack of agency is actually just a really sophisticated form of agency. It's because the only love she has ever known is the threat of consequences, with the only realistic alternative being complete apathy. It's the same mentality that makes abuse victims blame themselves - because, in some ways, the version of events where you were totally helpless and at the mercy of other people and a cold, uncaring universe is more distressing than the version where you brought it upon yourself through your own choices and actions. Wanting (and presumably asking her aunt's permission) to study art history, only to be forced to enlist in the marines instead is just another variation of her reaching for a hug and getting a slap. But if someone cares enough to slap you in the face, at least that means they care, right? "Laconia would put two in the back of my head because they care about what I think and do" is still a nicer story than "Laconia would put two in the back of my head because I'm nobody and nothing and completely disposable to them." It also made me wonder what was meant earlier by "if she’d made a few different decisions at the start." What does she tell herself she could have done differently to change a fate that was never in her hands to begin with?
TL;DR Tanaka loves art because it's the only way she can safely experience human connection, and it's implied she actually would have chosen to study art history if her aunt hadn't forced her to enlist.

I genuinely don't know what to do in this situation. I can't tell if I have issues or what, but I feel like a monster for how I am feeling right now. I'm on my last year of high school before I go to college, so, I think I need to unload some stuff here right now. This might be a long vent, but here it goes.
Way before my mom got cancer, me and her have a very complicated relationship, you know, the typical teenager and traditional, old school parents kinda thing. Understandably, I'm known to be a lazy, spoiled, arrogant, and selfish kid, who doesn't give a shit about anybody else except for himself. Since I was younger, that was how I was raised, I had everything already ready on my hands. Besides that, I have some attention/ focus issues, as I would daydream unusually way too much and I have low understanding skills, thus always getting left behind by my classmates. I have high self-awareness on my flaws, and that is part of the problem.
My mother has always been strict with me and my older brother, for a good reason. She grew up very.poor and had to work hard for decades to get to where we are. This took a massive toll on her health, as she now has an autoimmune condition and her body had been failing her. I always considered my brother to the favorite child, because he's the smartest, most diligent, and loyal kid in the family -- unlike me. My mom has always claimed that she loves us all equally, but she always compares me to my brother, and even my friends, who are always winning trophies and getting top grades in school. I never won a trophy or medal before, and never got the top grades.
School was always something I struggled with. I'm pretty sure I have ADHD but I haven't confirmed yet. I tried asking my mom if I could perhaps see a doctor or try to get her attention on my problems, but my mom is the type of parents that doesn't believe in mental health and just called me a "lazy, selfish, brat". She uses the claim that "You haven't suffered before, there are others having worst than you" and etc. She brushes away my problems, claiming them to be a negative flaw of mine. Not only that, she is also homophobic, much to the dismay of my closeted self. I know about my flaws and I've been trying to better myself, but because of the things that I did, my mother has zero trust in me and continued to treat me as if I was going to do something bad again.
Because of this, thoughts of suicide and even more violent thoughts arrived. There were many times where I had attempted to do it, but I was too much of a coward, another flaw that my mom pointed out. Quarantine took a massive impact on me and I have felt like absolute shit. My mind became so down in the deeps, that I even developed an unhealthy addiction to something that I am too ashamed to mention here, but just so you know, it is something that ruined my life, relationships and my sleep. Nobody knows that I have this addiction.
Then, at one point, I broke down and told my mom about my issues and how I attempted suicide. But all she did was brush it off and used those same words again, and then it became a joke. Since then, my emotions went from sad and utterly depressed, to just full on anger and hatred. Me and my mom would get into more frequent arguments and such, but it was nothing too big and wasn't that much. But that all changed a few months back.
A few months back, my mom was diagnosed with cancer. It broke her and the family apart. I hated seeing my mom in this condition, always in pain, crying and screaming because of the painful medicine and treatment, and just, she was in absolute pain. But she still continued work from the early morning until the late of evening, just to support us. I tried doing my best to help her, but she told to just "focus on my studies and graduate". I even offered to find a job or something besides school, but she told me that it was stupid and that a child shouldn't have to do this. My mom still cares about me, despite the fact that she was slowly dying.
However, perhaps because of the treatment and the fact that she doesn't have much time left. my mother became much more angrier. Everyday now, she would shout and berate people, from waiters in restaurants, the entire family (even my grandparents), my father, and me. My brother is living abroad in a different country, which means that he doesn't understand what's happening on home, which is why I couldn't talk much about my mom with him because he always assumes I'm overreacting.
Eventually, all that anger and frustration that my mom felt, all came down to me. She would take out it out me verbally and emotionally, by berating me, screaming at me in public, and calling me all sorts of terrible things. She wants to see me become perfect and succeed, thus why, I believe she was being super strict with me. I stopped fighting back with her and I just endured all the anger, as I knew that if I retorted, she would die quicker.
However, I guess the breaking point was an argument in the hospital. There was a miscommunication between me and her, which led to the worst berating of my life. She called me a "heartless brat" and "a piece of shit", and claimed that I don't love her and I only want her alive for the money. I couldn't take it anymore so I shouted back, and told her that I wish I was never born to be her child, and then I stormed out from the hospital, unable to keep myself calm any longer.
And now since then, our relationship has been growing more complicated. Some days, she would be fine and happy to be with me and the rest of the family. But on most days, she would just explode. The berating got worse with me, especially how she told me that she would rather die than see me become a failure. I have also grown more violent, as I would now punch or hit my head on the walls, and I wanted to kill myself not because of my depression, but because of pure anger and spite at everything. I started treating everybody like shit, always getting angry at them and secretly feeling hatred and envy towards my friends. I had thoughts of beating people up or hurting others physically, and some more violent thoughts, but I just couldn't find the right chance to do that. I even planned my suicide and secretly wrote a note, ready to use it when the time comes.
As I am typing this now, me and my mom had another big fight regarding a schoolwork of mine. In one of our classes, we were supposed to have some kind of project fair, basically presenting our essay. It was supposed to tomorrow, but the dumbass, boring teacher that everybody hates moved it to Tuesday -- the day that me, my family, and mom will be going out of the country to treat my mom at an advanced hospital. The teacher then claimed that for those who did not show up, they will get a zero. The teacher is known to hate teaching his students, doesn't bother to make the class engaging, and would give people low scores no matter what. Because of this, my mom had to admit about her cancer to the teacher and why I should present tomorrow, instead of Tuesday. My teacher luckily agreed and I would be presenting it tomorrow alone, which is fine. My mom emailed me the message about that news. However, I accidentally misread something in the message, which would become a terrible fault of mine. Today, when my mom was talking the project to me, there was a word that I didn't recognize and tried to ask what she meant. This exploded her and she screamed, berated me for the entire afternoon, because I had misread one word.
Now, I have locked myself up in my bedroom, typing this. I want to just jump out from my window and end it there. My mom always told me that the reason for her cancer, was because of me. So if I just end myself now, I don't think my mom will be in pain anymore. I know my mom doesn't mean what she said, but words hurt a lot more than anything. I want to get out of here, but at the same time, I want to stay. If I try to talk about this with my mom, she'll just berate me again and call me ungrateful again. I think I'm in my breaking point and I don't know what to do. I hate myself, and I want to end it. I can't take it anymore.
Am I being selfish? I'm sorry that this is a long vent, I just need to release some steam. I love my mom so much and she has made so many sacrifices, just to feed us and build a roof over our heads. I want to help her, but I am genuinely conflicted. Hopefully one day, I can resolve our relationship. I don't know what to do. I just want my mom to understand me.

I've listened to the audiobook over 5 times now (don't have time for reading so I listen to audiobooks)
CCW has taught me the importance of not over pursuing, no contact, only using the phone and texting for making dates, being more keen when it comes to choosing someone to date, not wasting time with women who don't show least a moderate level of attraction and knowing what type of woman that I want.
But the issue I'm conflicted with is having sex before I get to know her, is hookup culture the new norm in dating? I don't consider myself to be a txt book example of a devout Christian but I've become more socially conservative over time and more prudish to where in my 20's
I had no problem with having sex and hookups first and then seeing where it went but in my 40's I'm not sure what's happened to me, over the past few months I've really made an effort at improving my social skills and can make small talk with anyone and have good conversations.
Idk if I'm turning into an avoidant personality type since now I'm truly comfortable with being alone, been reading scripture and want something wholesome although I don't believe you have to involve yourself with church since there's nothing really christian about modern churches (prosperity gospel, new age nonsense becoming more prevalent).
I think now I'm so self conscious of coming off as over pursing or needy that subconsciously I'm avoiding being a creep women end up feeling like I'm more of an older brother than someone they see as a sexual partner which is the other problem I'm having.
If a woman doesnt give me the 'fuck me' stare I just assume she's not interested in me that way but also is it the social norm now to have sex with a woman first before you get to know her? I mean I'm more comfortable with least going on a few dates first and seeing if our values line up or least having one or two shared interests before I can think about trying to have sex with her.
Anyone here who's somewhat socially conservative or religious having the same issue? I don't think it's a fear of rejection, I've been on dates that didn't work out and it wasn't a big deal but the idea that I have to sleep around with lot of women which I may not have a deep connection with makes me feel empty, I like having sex but only with someone who is attractive in other ways than physical, hope I'm making sense.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Hey there, fellow Rockstar Handymen/Handywoman!
First off, thanks for taking a moment to hear me out. Even though we’re strangers, it's past 11 PM on the East Coast, and I’ve had a full day working on projects and doing estimates, I’m buzzing with energy. Why? Because I know how crucial it is for us to have a space where the real pros separate from the amateurs.
Welcome to the club! Please, slip on your booties or take off your shoes. You know the drill. 😂 Make yourself at home. We’ve got liquor and beer at the bar, and if you prefer to smoke doobies, our backyard is your haven. Just give me a heads-up if you’re heading out there.😉 Remember, I’m writing this on a Saturday night, so if you’re reading this on a Monday night, maybe save those activities for the weekend and stay focused!
A little about me... I grew up in NYC, the son of a building superintendent/handyman since I was about 8 years old (turning 45 this summer). My family is a crew of skilled craftsmen: my brother, an epoxy floor specialist; my cousin, an ornamental iron specialist; another cousin, a woodworker; and another, a tile specialist. It’s in the blood. I didn’t specialize; I became a jack of all trades but master of none, learning from incredibly talented people.
For years, I treated my handyman service as a side hustle. In 2012, I got hooked on leveraging the internet to grow businesses through branding, marketing, advertising, sales, customer service, and more. I grew a few businesses from scratch with these skills, even stepping away from handyman services for a while. Then, after my partner and I parted ways, I needed a quick way to make money without getting a job. Naturally, I turned back to my handyman service.
I applied everything I learned into building a professional handyman business. By the third month, I was hitting over $10K a month. It’s easier to achieve in big cities. I provide great quality work, but my invoicing success came from knowing how to leverage our tools to stand out and attract clients powerfully.
Fast forward to June 2023, I relocated to Orlando. Sold my NYC business and started fresh in Florida. Within a week, I had my first client, and by the third month, I was almost at $7K that month, despite dropping my prices by 30% to match market rates. 😡
Enough about me. This is about us. I’m thrilled to share the “secrets” I’ve discovered that big companies (Thumbtack, HomeAdvisor, etc.) use to capture our clients and then sell them to us. My goal is to spread awareness in the pro handyman community about the power we have to build something we can be proud of and to be a support system when things go awry. The more we learn from each other, the stronger we’ll be.
I firmly believe a well-structured handyman business can easily generate six figures a year. The opportunity is massive for all of us. Here, we fill in all the gaps together.
Now, I want to hear from all you handyman rockstars: Where do you serve, and how long have you been providing services?
Don’t be shy!
Remember, closed mouths don’t get fed.
Have an incredibly awesome day! I insist!
AceOnHand - Handyman Extraordinaire / Internet Savvy / Saturday Night Rambler

Hey folks,
So my wife and I got a place together and we were originally going to let me sister live with us for 1-2 years as her place was still under construction and would help us with our mortgage, however wife in the end decided that she did not want that living arrangement so we ultimately said no due inconvenience and being wary of another female. Then the topic of her brother came up where he was just getting his life started in a professional sense and needed to save for his own place and asked if her brother could move in which is why we are currently charging him $500 in a HCOL area (Market is double). I said yes thinking we were doing her bro a big solid.
He said he would be on his best behaviour, help clean and try not to inconvenience us but proceeded to stay in the dining room at night and sleep on the couch until we told him not to.. We’ve asked him multiple times to clean common areas and take out the trash which he does but after a while but gets less consistent over time claiming he is busy and has no time. There have been long periods where he hasn’t done it despite being at home all day until again we tell him to do it. Another issue is that he keeps chasing our dog and giving food to him behind our backs when we have communicated to him not to do that multiple times. We dont want the pup to have bad habits of running away from us and we dont know what he feeds the dog too.. other than the bread I caught him in the act.
So today as I was cleaning I found the microwave have dried stains and food in there of which I had to clean and I had enough and basically informed my wife and her bro that he has to move out. He was saying I should communicate to him what he needs to clean and whatever but I’m think you are a full grown adult, you use items that others use why wouldn’t you clean it otherwise who is going to clean it? We’ve told him to do things multiple times for different things too. Mind you these issues aren’t isolated and have occurred many times for the past year.
My wife is upset at me and thinks I’ve ruined their relationship and when we were talking amongst the 3 of us I felt that they were both ganging up on me for being so cold and heartless for making him move out. They also told me I should stop bringing up past issues that we have had but in my mind all of these things are adding up. Bro in law also asked me, “are you sure you aren’t going to regret how you treated me for the rest of your life”.
Please let me know.. and thank you for your time.

This is too boring, mundane, & irrelevant to bother posting anywhere else, so I’m spewing my nonsense where it nearly nary will be seen but hopefully get out of my motherforking brain.
Last year for the first time ever, we had family photos done with everyone on my (immediate) side of the fam. It was awesome, and we ended up with some stunning photos of all kinds: just our kiddos, my sis & I with our parents, kiddos with grandparents, our fam of 5, etc.
We wanted to do family pics again this year because we loved them so much, so we managed to book the same phenomenal photographer. This time just the 5 of us + my MIL. My husband was thrilled with the idea, especially since his dad has recently passed. It’s still a very tender matter, and I try to offer as much tlc & grace to my my husband & MIL as possible.
The only hiccup in all this has been getting a date solidified. We had a date booked, but the weather was awful for the planned outdoor session so (after checking w MIL), we rescheduled. Unbeknownst to all of us at the time, the new date aligned w the local high school graduation.
Small tangent.. my husband has a crummy brother & scummy s-in-law (sisteslut.. we assume they’re still married, but who knows. Brother’s w___e is still fitting as well.) and their youngest kid just graduated high school. Easy to see where this is going.
MIL didn’t want to miss the graduation (totally understandable); even though my husband & his brother have been cordially communicating a bit within the last couple months, we weren’t specifically invited to the graduation, etc. and we had no reason to attend, much less even know the date. Why feed the already obese llamas?
Photos were rescheduled for the 2nd time, and I made plans for graduation afternoon for me & the Littles. Though MIL did somewhat-gently encourage my husband to attend the graduation with her, he opted not to go. “It’s open to the public and I’m within my rights to be there” .. oy vey. That’s an expression I heard sooo many times from my MIL over the years. I don’t disagree, but I prefer not to go where my presence isn’t requested or desired. Which is absolutely the case in this situation. Plus, whyinthefuck would I go to a long-ass graduation for ~a thousand kids I do not know at all? I haven’t seen husband’s brother’s family at all since FIL’s funeral, and it was almost 2 years no contact prior to that. Plus I didn’t even attend my own HS graduation of less than 100 grads.
We’re finally coming up on the 2nd rescheduled date, and wadayaknow.. high school baseball playoffs are going on. Husband’s nephew is a key part of the team, and MIL has been religiously attending every game she can. Against tremendous odds, the team advanced. My husband wasn’t certain of the day/time of the next game at that point, and warned me that MIL might not be able to make it to the photos if the times conflicted. Then websites were saying one day/time, school was saying another.
As of yesterday, it wasn’t even an issue. Game scheduled Saturday, photos scheduled Sunday. Today, it was a big fat question mark. Rain had been constant, though mostly light/moderate. Game actually got underway.
It then got called & rescheduled. Luckily for Monday, so no conflict issues.
This was really just more annoying than anything else, so I just needed a little vent.

First post on here, so here’s to hoping this follows rules and is also the right place to put this.
So, I moved here in 2020 after graduating college on the east coast. Have some family here. Since moving though, it seems like that east coaster cold/standoffish affect has lingered and because of that (and covid I guess) I really still haven’t made any friends. My older brother is a total social butterfly and has had no problems (big in the car scene), but for some reason I can’t seem to make many friends. Don’t really have hobbies, as my job and being a mom have basically nixed any energy I would have to use my free time hanging out with people/ putting myself out there. I thought naively that moving out here would force me around so many people that I was bound to make a few, but sadly that hasn’t been the case and I’m just as much of a hermit as I used to be. I’m a shy person, but (if you couldn’t already tell) I’m a big yapper in the right conditions. I’m not a pick-me (am married) and pride myself on being a loyal friend and girl’s girl. In college it was easy, but without sharing that common ground of academia and being around each other all the time, I have nothing that allows me to make those connections.
All this to say, what advice would you give me to put myself out there in a way that wouldn’t be too anxiety inducing, around at least somewhat likeminded people near my age/at least have kids? I’ve tried the park, and maybe it’s the ones I go to but so far a lot of moms I’ve been around have not been very open or friendly, or simply aren’t interested in motherly camaraderie (spelling?).
For as many local residents Vegas has, I never thought I’d struggle with such loneliness. I feel like a loser east coaster that has nothing in common with the people here.
TLDR: I’ve lived here 4 years and haven’t had any luck finding female friends and I’m tired of it. Advice appreciated!

The only rule to consider is no powers. My personal line up would look like this:
PG: Gideon Graves- 31 years old so a veteran presence on the court who also led a league of ex. That screams leader to me and what I need at point. Also, from what we saw in takes off he has some handles.
SG:Ken Katayanagi- thanks to the chemistry with his brother I expect great passes to each other. Also, they’ve got great height for multi positional defending.
SF:Kyle Katayanagi- everything from Ken applies here.
PF: Lucas Lee- big, strong, and great height, he has all the tools of a PF. Lucas also has the benefit of being a skater which should help with his footwork in the paint and mid range area.
C: Todd Ingram- Big man and dumb as rocks. His job is to get boards and by God will he.
6th:Matthew Patel- human highlight reel with the vertical he showed off in takes off. He also showcased his flashy passing.
Coach: Wallace Wells- In book 3 Wallace rattled Envy while she was fighting Ramona allowing her to get hits in. Anybody who can rattle from the sidelines has the qualities of a great coach. You might question him based off what he did to his stunt doubles but let’s be real, a coach will do that.
Honorable mentions: Scott Pilgrim- his best chances on this team would be as the 7th man but that’s only if he has a good jump shot
Ramona Flowers-Team chemistry is a very important thing and it’s already strained with Lucas and Todd in the same front court.
Kim Pine- wouldn’t care

i'm a big video game guy. but it's honestly a shame for me to say that i haven't played the campaign and to be honest i have no excuses. i used to live in saudi arabia where it was banned but my brother was a g cause when he went out of the country he bought it and came back with it. i didn't even touch it. i think cause when i was younger (22M now) i was a cod kid, mostly just loved playing those and assassins creed games (black flag is my favorite), a bunch of other titles but never GTA.
i recently played rdr 2 though and that shit was amazing i'd honestly replay it, im guessing im getting the same experience in gta v.

So back when me and my brother were kids, say about 2016 - 2019 we saw a commercial on TV for a loan company (not a bank) might be local? Anyway they parodied "Come and get your love" by RedBone with "Come and get your loan", and we both found that pretty funny because we had just seen guardians of the galaxy, which featured the real song. We both referenced it and brought it up as a joke for a few years, but now I can't seem to find it anywhere. I made a post on TOMT oh about a year ago but noone commented or helped out. Apart from that theres not much more info I have on it. I probably would've been local, I couldn't see parodying copyright music as being ok with a big corporation. As I mentioned earlier, it would probably have been around 2016 - 2019. I don't remember anything about the actual commercial itself, however my best guess would be it was played on the local news station, as they play alot of local commercials (which adds up to alot of lost media, but nothing I'll mention cuz I doubt anyone could ever find most of it.) So yah, thats my post. Hopefully this has hit 150 words too.

Posting this here because I don’t know what else to do at this point.
Getting married in a few months to my lovely fiancé. We are successful and balanced, and love our life together. Our life together also includes his massively complex family structure and some social woes on both ends.
In particular, a younger half brother who is 100% an iPad kid. Born and raised. Like, cannot socialize at family dinners, cannot interact when we are over there, have not seen him do without it in years. There are some behavioral disorders but he overall is a normal 13 year old kid, just with zero boundaries or corrective action from the parents. He acts about 8-10 years old + has made some very inappropriate comments in the past. We made it clear that our ceremony will be UNPLUGGED, out of respect for the literal church we will be married in, and my fiancé brought it up to their father he’d need to have the brother sit through the 45 minute ceremony sans iPad.
Argument ensued, with the angry ending comment being “well son we will try our best”.
At the risk of sounding like a jerk, I’m scared that trying won’t be enough in this case, and have a fear I’ll walk down the aisle and see/ have him in the front row where he’s seated with it playing away and not being able to do anything about it in the moment. I don’t know if this is something I can task my planner with but… AITAH here? I’ve had to literally swat phones out of my own families hands at my cousins wedding previously + was mortified that my mother recorded all of the speeches with her flash ON. So overall it’s a big point that both sides comply to this request for the ceremony at least.
Has anyone had an issue like this in the past and how the heck do you solve for this??

Warning: This is a long and confusing post that spans over 2 years, so here’s some backstory. My husband (22 M) and I (22 F) initially got married a year and a half ago with a small private ceremony. We planned to have a big destination wedding a year later. Though we didn't walk down the aisle, we said our vows, exchanged rings, said our I dos, and kissed. We only invited our parents, siblings, and close family friends—fewer than 15 people. We got married on a random Tuesday, and everyone made it except my husband’s sister (25 F).
My relationship with my SIL was super friendly until it became tense and complicated once I mentioned that her brother and I were possibly getting engaged. We worked together as part-time entry-level employees, and I noticed a significant difference in her attitude after we announced our engagement. I didn’t realize she would go to the lengths of not showing up to our wedding. Not only did she not attend, but she also ghosted us for months afterward. The only acknowledgment was a text saying, “Congrats, so happy for y’all.” She did not explain missing the ceremony. At work, she was very cold and only talked about work, never our personal lives like before. I hoped we could return to being friends someday.
My husband also received the silent treatment and decided to confront her. He asked if we had done anything to offend her and if we were good. Her only answer was, “I am doing great; there’s nothing wrong. I didn’t come to the ceremony because I had work.” I had asked our boss about this, and he was shocked, saying he would have given her the whole day off for the occasion. She had never mentioned it to him. We called BS, and she said, “The only reason I didn’t show up at the wedding was because I didn’t think it mattered. I’ll come to the destination wedding and watch it happen again.” This really shocked and hurt us.
Things got worse over time with my SIL. We kept trying to hang out with her—whether with her and her significant other, family, or just one-on-one—but she always had an excuse, whether it was work, being too tired, or something else. Here’s where the issue comes in. We decided to have the big party/wedding celebration in the States so more friends and family could come and avoid drama with my SIL. We kept the destination wedding plans to get professional photos done, having already paid for half of the ceremony and reception.
The big party in the States went off without a hitch, and there were so many people we didn’t have to interact with my husband’s sister. We felt relieved, thinking we were done with the drama. Nope. Some words were exchanged, and she basically told us that we expect too much from her and need to lower our standards. She said she would never be the person we wanted and essentially didn’t want to make time for us. After that, my husband was done. We got his parents involved, hoping to smooth things over, but it only made things worse. They kept defending her, saying we take things too seriously and that she doesn’t know when it’s not cool to joke around. We became very fed up.
My husband and I decided that the final destination wedding would be very private and invite-only. We invited his parents, my parents, and both sets of grandparents. Most people except his parents had already RSVPd and started paying their deposits. His mom asked me to resend the email with the travel info, so I did. Then, I got an email from my travel agent asking to check the guest list. I saw two names to which I hadn’t sent the travel info. I knew only one person could have given that email to my SIL—my MIL. Yay.
We discussed this with his parents, asking them to respect our decision and let my husband handle his issues with his sister without interference. His parents didn’t like that. They started screaming that SIL was a family and that the family sticks together. They said she was going to the destination wedding whether we liked it or not and that if she wasn’t invited, we could take them off the list too—they weren’t going. It irks me to see my husband treated so poorly by his own family. It makes me incredibly sad and mad. I stood up for him, asking if they used the “but he/she is family” excuse with SIL, but they said no. They claimed they hadn’t had a chance to talk to her. What a bunch of bull. They kept emphasizing that she was their little girl and they needed to fight for her. This made me very angry. My husband is equally their child. The line was drawn, and they blamed my husband for breaking the family. They said his decision was ruining the family forever.
What do we do? Should we invite them all and call it a day? Do we stick to our guns and let it play out? My husband and I are so hurt and sad. Honestly, after this destination wedding, we plan to distance ourselves from them.