Back in 2016, I was working at a roadside diner west of St. Cloud, Minnesota. Neat little place, had a bit of a 60’s vibe to it, but without the hairdo. On the slow hours of the day, or whenever we just had locals around, I’d be humming along with the chefs playing radio out of the kitchen. It wasn’t an exciting time, but it was nice to have a workplace that felt like a second home.
A couple of weekends a month, we had an all-night crew to serve passing truckers. You usually never had to do more than one shift though, and we got to make own schedules. Our boss was pretty hands-off. It was during one of those shifts, at the first week of early summer, that my life took a turn for the worse – and I didn’t even realize it.

We were used to having the occasional odd customer during those hours of the day. When this guy walked in, I didn’t know what to think. He was about 6’2, bald, and pale as chalk. He wore this worn-out t-shirt that looked like it’d been on fire. With every step, he dragged his feet, and collapsed in one of our booths, seemingly exhausted.
I looked back at the chef, and he just shrugged. Guy wasn’t hurting anyone, but he didn’t look like he was all there. But a job’s a job, so I went up to him.
“You alright there?” I asked.
He looked up at me like I was speaking a foreign language, then sunk his head back down, gently shaking it.
“Nah,” he said. “I, uh… I don’t think I am.”
He had this voice on the knife’s edge between a hysterical laugh and a howling cry. He was trembling.
“You need me to call someone?”
“Call?”
“Yeah, call someone.”
“How?”

I didn’t understand the question. I figured he was coming down from some kind of binge, and I wasn’t about to take any chances. I asked the chef to get me a side of bacon to keep the guy calm while I called the police.
As I slid the plate over to him, he sunk his face into his hands, sobbing.
“T-thank you,” he cried. “I-I’m… please…”
I sat down across from him, instinctively reaching out to grab his hand. He let me. Even at a light touch, I could feel the scars on his palm and fingertips. Whatever’d happened to him, it must’ve been awful.
“I can’t go back,” he sniffled. “Don’t make me go back. I can’t. Please, I can’t.”
“You’re not going anywhere. It’s okay,” I smiled. “You’re safe here.”
“Can you help me?” he asked. “Can you keep him out?”
“I’m sure we can figure it out,” I nodded. “Just eat up. It’s okay.”

His fingers trembled as he tentatively bit off a piece of bacon. His teeth were black, and he flinched.
“I need time,” he said. “I need time to run.”
“Don’t worry,” I assured him. “We’ve called for help.”
“I just… I just need time.”
We just sat there for a while. He calmed his breathing but kept staring out the window. I could tell he was looking for something – or someone. All I could see was a road and a handful of moths. We sat there for some time, in silence, as he carefully nibbled on the slices of maple bacon.
As two police officers entered the diner, he got up from his seat. He reached into his pocket and pulled out a small bundle of scrunched-up trash. A couple of singles, a plastic card, dirt, and something resembling animal bones. He tried to straighten out the bills, pushing them into my hands along with the laminated card.
“Just… I need time. I’ll come back. Please.”
I didn’t understand. I just nodded and accepted it. Seconds later, the officers asked him to step outside and explain the situation. I got busy taking orders from a couple of passing truckers, watching glimpses of the scene through the window. A couple of minutes later, the strange man was taken away.

My shift ended at sunrise. I dragged myself to my car with a yawn, shuffling around my pockets for the keys. I hadn’t thought much about the items he’d handed me, but I took a closer look. I’d thrown away the animal bones and dirt, but there were a couple of dollar bills and that laminated card left. I checked the card first.
It looked like some kind of bookmark. On one side it was completely white, and on the other side there were dried blue flower petals arranged in a spiral. Kinda reminded me of a sunflower. And finally, there were the dollar bills.
I didn’t pay much attention to these at first. Just a couple of singles. But after a closer look, I noticed something unusual. There was a man on the bill that I didn’t recognize. It took me a couple of google searches to realize that this man was Walter Mondale – the man who’d lost to Ronald Reagan’s second run for president back in ’84. Why was this man on a one-dollar bill?

Before heading to bed, I put the items down on my nightstand. In a moment of silent wonder, I looked out the window. What had that man been looking for? What’d he been running from?
There was nothing out there.
Just a couple of moths.

Waking up the next morning, I had a full day off. I spent it cleaning my apartment, watching movies, having dinner with a couple of friends, and ending the night with a couple of drinks at the pub down on the corner. No binge or anything, just got a bit boozy. I was still gonna be in bed by midnight.
I took the scenic route home; a long walk. All the way down main street, past the lake. I took a shortcut through the park by the final stretch, speeding up a bit. That place was trouble.
As I hurried by the fountain, I spotted someone in the distance. A shrouded figure at the edge of the streetlights. I stopped to observe for a second, but as I did, the lights flickered. Coming back on, the figure was gone.
I chalked it up to imagination. I was a bit drunk, after all. Besides – it was small, like a child. What the hell would a kid be doing out at this hour?

A couple of days passed. I didn’t notice anything unusual, but I kept coming back to that distressing feeling of missing something important. Looking back at it now, I just feel dumb. He was there all along. Outside the supermarket. In the parking lot. Off the highway. Hell, he was outside my window at night sometimes, but just too short for me to spot.
I’m getting ahead of myself.
It wasn’t until one morning when I was driving to work that I got a clear view of him. I was crossing a four-way street, taking a sharp left turn, when I had to throw myself on the breaks. There was a kid in the middle of the street.
I hadn’t seen him that clearly before. He was probably around 6, maybe 7 years old. Wearing a plain black shirt and a pair of light blue canvas pants. Short black hair, dark eyes, and no shoes. That particular detail stuck with me. No shoes? Why?
I almost lost control, but I was lucky. There wasn’t much traffic, and I managed to stop further down the road. There were black lines in the pavement from my screeching tires swerving back and forth. Regaining my composure, I looked in the rear-view mirror.
The kid was gone.

But that was just the start.
I’d spot him every now and then. Looking out the window at work. At the gas station. A passing face in the crowd when shopping for groceries. Every now and then, something would pull on my attention, forcing me to whip my head around, looking for the source of that ill feeling crawling up my spine. Sometimes I saw him. And even worse – sometimes I didn’t.
I remember lying awake at night, hearing moths tap against my window. There was nothing else. Nothing outside. I patrolled my apartment six times, checking every window. I’d looked everywhere, and there was no reason for me to feel the way I did. I was growing paranoid.
And yet, in the morning, my front door was unlocked, and slightly open.

It all came to a head one afternoon when I was out on my smoke break. I’d barely slept for the past three nights, and you could kinda tell I was having a bad day. As I stood there, leaning against the side door of the diner, I see the kid again. This time just across the road, maybe 50 feet or so away. I’d had enough. This had to end.
I was furious. I stormed forward, calling him out with every slur and curse I could think of. I was psyching myself up. I was in the right, and I refused to be harassed anymore – kid or not. Didn’t matter. I crossed the road, barely dodging a speeding jeep, and met him face-to-face.
“What the hell do you want?!” I’d yell. “Why are you following me?!”
He was completely expressionless. He didn’t even flinch, no matter how much I pointed or screamed. I snapped my fingers in front of his eyes, and he didn’t even blink. He just stared at me, like a porcelain doll head on a swivel.

I wasn’t thinking about the bystanders though. A couple of middle-aged men stepped up, asking in no kind terms what the hell was wrong with me. I was held back and restrained. Someone called the police. Someone else called my manager – I’d forgotten to take off my apron, so they could see the diner logo. A couple of people filmed it. One of the videos got like 120k views in a day before it fell off the map. I still see it as a react gif sometimes.
It was a disaster. After a couple of officers came by to talk to me, he’d just disappeared into thin air. The officers took me down to the station – not to detain me, but to get me away from the heated crowd. That car ride downtown sobered me up to what the hell was going on. I was being stalked by this kid, but there wasn’t a living soul out there that would believe me.
Well, maybe one.
Maybe.

I was asked a couple of questions and released within about half an hour. They told me to go home and sleep this whole thing off. That wouldn’t be a problem. I didn’t have a job to go back to anyway, according to the (many) texts I’d gotten. I had all the goddamn time in the world.
I was just about to leave when something came to mind. The two officers who’d picked me up were still waiting by their car when I turned back to them.
“Sorry, you picked up the guy I called in about at the diner, right?” I asked.
“Sure did.”
“You got any idea what happened to him?”
The two looked at one another for a moment, shrugged, and turned to me.
“Didn’t have any ID and gave a fake name. I think they took him to psych.”
“Psych?”
“Well, he was saying some, uh… strange things. There were interviews with a, uh…”
The two quieted down and flashed me a smile.
“There’s not that much we can say.”

Coming home, I decided to get to the root of this. It didn’t take me that long to find the place where the guy’d been taken; there aren’t a lot of mental health facilities in this part of the country. Especially facilities that accept involuntary subjects.
But my eyes kept drifting back to the strange dollar bills he’d given me, resting neatly on my nightstand. They were so detailed. A bit old, sure, but that only made them seem more genuine. What the hell was he doing with a handful of clearly fake dollar bills? Like, what’s the purpose? There had to be a purpose.
That unnerved me.

I managed to arrange a meeting. It wasn’t easy, and I think a lot of it boiled down to the police having no idea what could make this guy talk. For some reason, he kept providing them with false information. Maybe a familiar face, for one reason or another, might make him talk.
Just a couple of days later, I was putting my items in a metal bowl on the second floor at a mental health institute in the next town over. I asked one of the nurses if I could keep one of my dollar bills. Apparently, that was okay.
I was shuffled through a couple of locked doors and escorted to an off-white side-room. No décor, no locks. The guy was already there.

He’d been dressed down into these neutral eggshell-white garbs. It was strange seeing him in a lit-up room like this. I didn’t know what to expect.
Getting a closer look at him, he was probably in his 50’s. It’d been hard to tell earlier. I couldn’t get over just how pale he was; it was almost a complete lack of pigment. It looked sickly. His thin arms didn’t help – he looked malnourished. And yet, he was smiling.
“Hello,” he said.
“Hello to you too,” I smiled. “You doing okay?”
“I’m… I’m pretty good,” he nodded. “Thank you.”
I sat down across from him and took out the dollar bill he’d given me.
“I wanted to ask you about this.”
“For the bacon,” he said, matter-of-factly.
“Excuse me?”
“Sorry, was that not enough?”
“No, it’s…”
I took a moment to compose myself. I had too many questions.

He sighed, took the bill, and looked it over. Looking back at me, I could tell there was something painful stirring in his mind. His smile slowly faded.
“Sorry,” he said. “I try to forget sometimes. It’s easier than making sense of it.”
“Let’s start with something simple,” I nodded. “Like… your name. Where you’re from.”
“Those things are pretty far from simple.”
He was looking straight through me; his eyes sinking back to deeper, more uncomfortable thoughts.

His name was Samuel, and he was born around these parts in back in the 1970’s. He’d worked as a telecommunications specialist out of St. Cloud back in the 90's. He had a wife, three children, and a four-bedroom house.
“But it… that was all before, see?” he explained. “Then it all just…”
“Just what?” I asked. “What happened?”
He looked at me, opening and closing his mouth, looking for the right words to come out. Nothing happened. He shook his head, trying again.
“It started with the street preachers,” he said. “Hundreds of them, marching on every city. All saying the same doomsday shit as always. World was dying. All coming to an end.”
“I haven’t seen anything like that.”
“Then there were storms,” he continued without skipping a beat. “Some would last for weeks. Others longer. Entire cities would be flooded or torn apart. Earthquakes causing monster waves along the east coast, sending shockwaves all the way to mainland Europe. Then, Yellowstone.”
“Yellowstone?”
“Yeah,” he nodded. “Lights out.”

Samuel was painting this apocalyptic vision of a world undone. Catastrophe after catastrophe. Hooded people marching the streets, screaming for the mercy of a mad god. But there was more to it.
“Then things stopped making sense. It’s as if the rules changed,” he continued. “Roads would stop leading home. Trees would change color. People turned twisted and corrupted. Like… one of our neighbors couldn’t eat anything but gunpowder. There was a woman just down the street who tried to kill anyone wearing glasses. It was… pandemonium.”
I didn’t say anything. What he was saying didn’t make any sense, but he was trying his best to keep his rambling coherent.
“The plants died. Trees too. The only thing that could grow in that environment were these twisted blue things that popped up out of nowhere. But people… people are what got twisted the most.”
He told me of these towering 7-foot-tall humanoid creatures that roamed the forests. Black as night – not even reflecting light. Arms reaching all the way to their knees. Elongated, inhuman things that all used to be someone he knew.

“The doomsayers all said the same thing,” he continued. “That God was a scared little boy, and that he was dying. Everything that was happening was just an expression of that ceaseless, bottomless, existential grief.”
Samuel looked back and forth, finally burying his face in his hands.
“It all broke down. Roads stopped leading anywhere. No power. No water. Julie changed. Ollie changed. Tobie made himself a mask and wandered off into the woods. Ira just… disappeared. And for… years? Has it been years? It’s just been me.”
“But you’re here, now,” I said. “And what you’re describing, it… it didn’t happen.”
“It happened,” he insisted. “Just not… here. But here.”
He tapped his finger on the single dollar bill.
“Somewhere, somehow, I must’ve taken a wrong turn. I slipped through something broken, and now I’m here. And… and he’s coming to bring me back. He doesn’t want anyone to leave.”
“Who?”
“Just! Just…” he chuckled. “Just a sad little boy who’s been told he’s going to die.”
I didn’t know what to say. I just sat with him for a while, holding his hand.

Before I left, Samuel got up from his chair. He looked at me, forcing himself to smile.
“If I go back, I’ll try not to… to be like them. I’ll try. And… and I’ll be the one to say something.”
He let out a painful little laugh, shaking his head.
“Maybe just a… hello.”

I left that day with more questions than answers. I couldn’t picture the world he’d lived through. Then again, how could it be true? None of it had happened. But what was he gaining from lying about it?
That was the last time I saw Samuel. A few days later, he went missing, as if he’d disappeared into thin air. I didn’t know what to think of it. There was nothing on the cameras – no one entering or leaving the building. No quick escapes, no clever plans. He’d just walked into his room and disappeared. Nothing left but a couple of moths fluttering about.
And for a while, that was it. That was the end of the story. I got busy looking for a new job, and all the little items given to me by Samuel was put away into a little box in my glove compartment. Life soldiered on, and no matter how many questions I had, there was no one around to answer them. Even the strange kid that’d been following me was, seemingly, gone.

A couple of months later, I was driving home from a friend’s place. I stopped at a four-way street, waiting for a couple of trucks to pass, when there was a knock on the passenger side window. I almost choked on my own spit. Scared me half to death.
Looking out, I could see that kid again. I hadn’t seen him for some time, and I quickly bounced between curiosity and downright anger.
“What do you want?” I yelled out.
There was no response. Instead, the door just opened. It’d been locked. As he opened the door, he pointed to the glove box.
“You want his things?” I asked. “Is that it?”
He nodded. I wanted to lash out, but there was something telling me I shouldn’t. Instead, I reached over, opened the glove compartment, and pointed to the box.
“Just take it and leave me alone,” I said. “Get it over with.”

He reached in and grabbed the box. So much effort for a couple of mementos. I turned my head back to face the road. The kid backed out. But of course, I had to get the last word in.
“Not even a thank you, huh?”
That made him pause. He looked at me, tilting his head. As he opened his mouth to speak, a moth fluttered out. Then another. And another.
Then – darkness.

What happened next is hard to describe. My memory of it is fragmented. It’s like trying to watch a buffering video, where long stretches of it are just nothing – but you know something was supposed to happen in-between.
Blink. I was sitting in my car. There was a dark blue sky. No clouds, no stars. Figures in the distance. An open field with blue flowers bending to a howling wind. A powerful stench of ammonia stinging my nostrils. Something to my immediate left, ripping the car door straight off the hinges.
Blink. Running. Ruins of a town. It seemed familiar, but there was barely anything left. My leg was bleeding. I was being followed. No matter where I turned, or where I ran, I seemed to end up at the same intersection.
Blink. A three-story building, brimming with life. Glimpses of arm-long antennae through the broken windows. Clickety-clack of bursting wings tapping against crumbling concrete. A loud warning shriek as something rubs its legs together; a call for prey.
Blink. Hiding in a tipped-over trash container. The rain has stopped in mid-air. Raindrops held in indefinite suspension. I suck water drops out of the air to quench my thirst. My hands are shaking from the blood loss.

Countless little images. Some in order, some not. I have no idea how much time passed. In the moment, it must’ve been much longer than I can remember. Days. Weeks, even. There’s no way to tell.
Blink. Walking through a barren field. It feels like walking through a dead forest, but there are no trees. Only those willingly impaled and wailing.
Blink. An abandoned booth by a broken highway. A sign offers phone calls, in exchange for “real teeth”. There are six sizes of pliers hanging on a wall within. All are bloodied – even the small ones.
Blink. The church that had burned down the night before had reappeared. The people inside, too. They couldn’t leave. Tonight, they would burn again.

Somewhere in this nightmarish puzzle-pieced fragment of nothing, there was a constant drive in me to get away. To get out. I knew that if I’d gotten there, I could get back home again. I just had no idea how. Maybe finding the kid. Asking. Begging. Something.
The last fragment of memory from that space was being cornered in a cellar. They were banging on the door. I’d tipped over a wardrobe to keep them out, but they weren’t going to stop. They were never going to stop. I couldn’t let them kill me again – not like that.
One of the Changed ones were coming. I don’t know what that means, or how I know the name, but I knew of it. There was a mirror, and I could see the signs. It stepped out. Seven feet tall, black as night. Elongated arms and neck. Barely a body at all – just a void space vaguely shaped like the remnants of a person.
Except this one felt… familiar. It was the first one to speak.
“H E L L O.”

Blink. Running. A cold hand. If I squeezed too hard, my fingers went straight through it. I had to keep up. He was showing me something.
Blink. They were flooding over the school bus, tipping it by their sheer numbers. Eruptions from the sewer grates. They were famished.
Blink. An open field. Sunflowers facing me, no matter where I turn. It’s not far.
Blink. I look back, as I’m pushed over the edge. He looks just like the rest of them. They aren’t angered by his betrayal.
They feel nothing, as I fall.

In February of 2017, I was found by the side of the road. I’d been gone for months. My car was too. I came back with nothing but the clothes on my back and countless scars. I’ve been told that I didn’t make any sense at first; I was just rambling nonsense. Or maybe it just sounded like nonsense to these people.
Over time, I forgot more and more of these fragmented images. And the less I remember, the more I can move on. Still, I’ve written them down over time, and they paint an ugly, insane picture of what I’d been going through. Some of which I, myself, have a hard time believing. Then again, I know myself well enough to see that there’s no point in lying.

I haven’t seen Samuel, or that strange kid ever since. I think this is all over, for now. There’s nothing left for me to give.
But even now, years later, I still wake up to that feeling at night. That there’s something wrong, or that I’m forgetting something. That there’s something near that I’m looking straight through, or past.
And every now and then, I hear the flutter of a moth’s wing, tapping against my bedroom window.
And I think I know what it wants.
It wants me to go back.

LINK

https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1kbWBIneq5-J3-wU3ZLDWCCeuT-8bIqoG86mYh2kykYs/edit?usp=sharing

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STRIDE: Fates
SUPERHOT VR
Survival Nation
Survivorman VR: The Descent
Sushi Ben
Swarm
SWARM 2
Sweet Surrender
SWORDS of GARGANTUA
Swordsman
Synth Riders
Table of Tales: The Crooked Crown
Tennis Esports
Tennis League VR
Tentacular
Tetris® Effect: Connected
The 7th Guest VR
The American Dream
The Climb
The Climb 2
The Last Clockwinder
The Last Worker
The Light Brigade
The Pirate Queen with Lucy Liu
The Room VR: A Dark Matter
The Signifier
The Tale of Onogoro
The Twilight Zone™
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners
The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners - Chapter 2: Retribution
The Wizards
The Wizards - Dark Times: Brotherhood
Thief Simulator VR: Greenview Street
Thumper
Tiger Blade
Tilt Brush
Time Stall
Titanic: A Space Between
Titans Clinic
TOKYO CHRONOS
TOSS!
TOTALLY BASEBALL
Townsmen VR
Toy Monsters
Track Craft
Traffic Jams
Tropico
Trover Saves the Universe
UBOAT: The Silent Wolf
Ultrawings
Ultrawings 2
UNBINARY
UNDERDOGS
Unearthed
Unplugged: Air Guitar
Until You Fall
Vacation Simulator
VAIL
Vampire: The Masquerade - Justice
Ven VR Adventure
Vermillion - VR Painting
Virtual Desktop
Virtual Virtual Reality
Virtual Virtual Reality 2
Virtuoso
Vox Machinae
Walkabout Mini Golf
Waltz of the Wizard
Wands
Wands Alliances
Warhammer 40,000: Battle Sister
Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Tempestfall
Warplanes: Air Corp
Warplanes: Battles over Pacific
Warplanes: WW1 Fighters
We Are One
WHAT THE BAT?
Windlands
Windlands 2
Wings 1941
World Of Mechs
World War Toons: Tank Arena VR
Wraith: The Oblivion - Afterlife
YUKI Space Ranger
Yupitergrad
Yupitergrad 2: The Lost Station
Zero Caliber: Reloaded
Ziggy's Cosmic Adventures
ZOMBIE BAR SIMULATOR
Zombieland: Headshot Fever
ZOOKEEPER : Blast Quest
Zooma: Deluxe Edition

Friends, I did the first two nights from different sections. I was second row in 207 the first night, and then second row of 307 the second night. (I'll be doing third night in the 100s for a floor comparison and can update this later with a third experience.) I wanted to add some notes on my experience here in case it helps.
(Edited to add a few details.)
Yes, it's worth it. It is incredible. The shows are great, and it will be its own experience to see them here. The Sphere is like getting an entire second show visually on top of the music. They have put something really special together. No reason to be on the fence: if you can make it, you should.
Seat comparison. I don't think there is a bad seat in the Sphere, and everyone I talked to enjoyed it wherever they were (though I didn't talk to anyone with an obstructed view).
That said, there are some tradeoffs. Down on the floor seemed to be the die hard fans and best energy. Several people said they thought the overall view in the 300s was probably the best for seeing everything. I found the 300s a little bit less immersive and little more chill--a great night 2 seat for me. The 200s are a balance between the Sphere and the Band and best of both worlds. I definitely felt more "in it" in the 200s.
I do think that being towards a center section of the Sphere is more important than being down a level and closer, and more important than being a few rows closer inside of a section. On the wings it seems like the visuals would be less immersive because you have a stronger sense of where the wall is in your vision field.
I didn't find the 200s to be steep, but the 300s were a bit as you're getting in and out. It took a few minutes to adjust, but I had no issues after that. This does seem to be a bigger concern in the 400s, so consider moving down if you don't care for heights and if that will impact your experience.
I really liked seeing shows from different seats the last two nights and encourage that if it's an option for you. It's a different view and experience each time and keeps it fresh.
Visuals. The visuals are incredible and it is an amazing experience to be there and see it. It fills your vision and is like wearing a VR headset with 15k other fans. It feels at times like you are sitting in a space ship, or on a roller coaster. It's a ride-- Photos and video cannot capture it because of the sheer scale of it.
The opening visuals for the first song are chill, then they blow the doors off the place with the second song. Because of that, I think opening set songs will be a little more warm up, and the second song in the first set will bring the energy. The closing visuals appear to also be the same.
In between, they do repeat many of the visuals from night to night, but several of them are generic enough where they can be used for many different songs (though still fun to watch and impressive). Some of those are more "static" than the headline videos that you are seeing circulating, and it puts the emphasis back on the music for stretches.
There were some new visuals on Night 2, maybe 20% or so of them. We'll see in time as they continue to roll new ones out and mix and match what songs they play to what.
The visuals can be a little disorienting. This is because it's intense. Even when you know it's a screen, it is so big it tricks you. Night 1 I found myself needing to sit down for a minute. Two things that helped me: One, turn around and look back at the seating, especially where the screen ends at the top. That helped my brain remember where we were. Second, looking at it through my phone when I took a few videos also grounded me. Overall, this was minor for me, I bounced back in a minute or so, and I loved it.
Sound. I found it plenty loud, but saw some comments that it wasn't enough for some others liking. I think if you are acclimated to the outdoor tour amphitheater experience, that tends to be louder because they push volume out further outdoors. In the Sphere they don't need to do that. What you get in exchange is a more balanced sound. No complaints here.
They did seem to dial it in a bit and got more bass second night. I didn't notice it so much, but a few folks around me commented. Making some minor adjustments as they learn by playing the venue and getting fan feedback is to be expected, and I'm glad to see it.
Haptics. Night one there were a few songs where they turned on the seat haptics, but it did not feel sync'd to the music until D&S. Night 2 they were only used for drums and space, and somehow Mickey controls them or they are sync'd to certain of his kit. I thought it was very cool N2 and how I hope it goes. They are amazing for D&S and I highly recommend sitting for that and not treating it like a second intermission. The seats and the visuals make it a totally different experience.
Intermission. The bathroom lines really did get long. I guess that's always true at intermissions, but this felt longer than other venues, though they did keep it moving. This was the only minor complaint I had.
Dead Experience at the Venetian. This was cool to see and is easy to check out while you're around. The photo collection exhibit and Mickey Hart's artwork exhibits are both neat. You can do it all in 30-60 minutes. There was no line while I was there. They do sell tour posters, but were already selling out morning of Day 2.
Merch. The merch at the Dead Experience at the Venetian during the day is different than what they have at the Sphere during shows. There is overlap, but there were some of the same styles in different colors. So far, none of it is available online.
Posters. Yes, there is a different poster each night. They also have weekend posters (with all three nights on them) and full tour posters. Tour posters had a limited run in foil, and then regular matte posters.
Security. They did not seem to be checking or care about vapes. It looked like every third person in line held theirs up in their hand with their phone as they walked through.
Getting in and out of the Venue. This overall ran really smoothly. I am not staying at the Venetian, so the first night I took a cab from the south end of the strip for about $20. Some traffic getting in, but once I was dropped off it was really quick getting into general entrance. Second night I got dinner at Venetian and took their sky bridge. That was a longer line, but still got through in about 15 minutes.
So if you're having dinner at the Venetian, I'd plan to walk over by about 645. It was about a fifteen minute walk, then a bit of line at security, but you'll get in with no stress and should have time to grab a drink. A 5pm reservation somewhere should give you plenty of time if you tell your server.
Shows get out around 11.30, and then it's either a walk back to Venetian or to the cab line. I was getting back to my hotel around midnight. If you started with dinner at 5 before the show, it's a long night.
Pace Yourself. Three days is a lot anywhere, but in Vegas you're on your feet during the day, it's hot, and the Sphere is an intense experience. It'll add up. Take it easy where you can.
Travel safe, and may the four winds blow you all safely home.

Scott Masterson had first met Scarlett at a rooftop party in downtown Dallas. Their age and the time of year were both in late springtime, them in their mid twenties and the date in early May. He had on a sharp yet breezy blazer and she astonished in a thigh length sleeveless blue dress.
“Oh hey Scott I don’t believe you two have met…” his then happily married friend had remarked with a slow swinging open hand toward her.
“Scott Masterson…reluctant friend to this knucklehead” he said with a tight lipped grin, trying not to be so obvious with his instant rapture.
“Scarlett…a pleasure…”
Her hand was so delicate to Scott’s touch. They locked eyes. It was like looking back through centuries of connection, endless days of laying in the sun next to the Seine River, or rising to Hollywood fame in the 1940’s and only having each other who would understand the glory and the pain of it all, or generations of quiet, simple country love that would bear such beautiful, happy children that would go on to raise beautiful, happy children, all with their dark blue eyes. Yes, the memories of every love story since the beginning of time was swirling right there in Scarlett’s irises. Scott had to catch himself before he stared embarrassingly too long.
“Sorry Scottie here doesn’t get out often” his friend quipped, which Scott appreciated actually, it helped him snap back to professionalism.
“Well I don’t either…at least I prefer not to.” Scarlett’s words flowed through the air like a flock of rose petals.
“Hey, kindred spirits.” Scott was really sensing a rising energy out of her, they had barely broken eye contact.
“Well, I’ll let you two have at it, I got a wife around here somewhere. Hey…Scott and Scarlett…not bad, not bad.” His friend exited stage right with a sly chuckle.
“Nice guy…so…what are you drinking, Scarlett?” Scott looked around for the emptiest corner of the rooftop bar, hoping to find a nice place for them to be able to hear each other. This night had just become something.
“That depends, Scott…what do you like?”
Oh man.
Well, as you can expect, the evening blossomed into a beautiful, long winded conversation that etched a long list of similarities between the two. They both lived in the city, had never married, and had dreamed of stable, simpler lives far away from tall buildings and busy streets. The next morning Scott awoke in her arms, which warmed much deeper than just his skin. He could feel her soothing his very identity, his future, everything. Her arms were tailor made to fit his very soul, and he had never felt more safe and at home.
“Mmm…you can stay right here…” she whispered, eyes still closed.
“I will…I will”
They both fell back asleep, into a dream that wouldn’t end upon waking.
Two years passed and suddenly they lived that simple backwoods life, way out where acres of land far out-populated the few and far between people. They took a lovely home, which happily looked over a long backyard, right up to a lively yet mostly undisturbed river. Their only neighbor within a mile was an older ranch worker named Charles, who rarely made himself perceivable. Days were spent way on into town where they both had offices. They didn’t mind the commute. Nights were spent mostly like this night, cuddled outside near a lovely little fire, with a slowly shrinking amount of wine sitting between them. Enjoying their Kingdom. Tonight, however, would prove to be a special night, for many reasons, all unexpected.
“Honey, I’ve been thinking…” Scott began, sitting up and opening his hands to the warmth of the fire.
“Oh?” Scarlett also sat up, eyes widening.
“So look, Scarlett, the last two years have been the best of my life. An absolute dream…”
She held her breath, her focus darting between his eyes and mouth.
“Yeah?”
“We have everything we ever want out here. But…what if there’s more?”
“More?” She had envisioned this very conversation hundreds of times.
“Our dreams have come true, but what if we…made some new dreams?” Scott turned and embedded his eyes into hers. He burst into a big smile.
“Scott…I thought…”
“Nevermind what I said” he cut her off, which he always made a point to never do, but this was a good exception.
“I’m ready, Scarlett…let’s have a family.”
“Ohhhh Scott, oh Scott”
They hugged tight enough to where it hurt.
“Well, in that case, we may need to open another bottle.” She said playfully, bouncing her eyebrows twice.
“Excellent. I’ll be right up. I’ll put this fire out and then start yours up.”
“Oh stop!” She bounded away girlishly, up the snowy back steps and into the house.
Scott let out a big sigh that he could see in the cold air and sat back in his chair, taking in his decision. He really was ready. He had secretly been keeping a long list of names that he liked and that he thought would work in front of Masterson. Especially little girl names. He stared into the campfire flames, getting lost imagining the three of them sitting right here, a little girl resting securely in Scarlett’s arms, as Scott had found himself, and stayed within these past two years.
Suddenly his trance was broken when, from the road in front of their house, came the sound of a vehicle approaching at high speed. Scott snapped his head back toward the house to get a better listen. He could see, around the house and through the trees, a large truck barreling down the country road, its headlights racing and bouncing with intensity. In an instant, it had passed up the road and out of sight.
“Huh?”
Soon, after a moment of silence, another sound echoed into the night. This sound rattled Scott to the bone and tore all that was right in his world into pieces. A sharp, bellowing squeal. His eyes shot over to his neighbors house, which was about a tenth of a mile to his right but still had a couple dim lights on that he could see. The shriek seemed to come from there.
Then, more squeals. It was hellish. More than animal but not quite human. Scott stood up. He heard crashing and tearing and further destruction coming from Charles’ house.
“Scarlett!! Scarlett!” He yelled toward his house, where he looked and could see her silhouette behind the curtains at the kitchen window. She didn’t seem to hear him.
He turned back toward his neighbors. The chaos had gone quiet. Not a half a moment after, though, he heard something big barreling through the trees as fast as that truck had been sprinting. Running, running furiously between the two houses. Searching, hunting. Scott was taken aback so hard that his heel had caught the edge of the fire pit, throwing him down only inches away from severe burns. He had knocked his head in the whiplash, making him groan and take a moment to regain his bearings.
“SCARLETT!!!!”
He screamed out toward his home as he sat up, rubbing a quickly rising bump on the back of his head. He heard a loud breaching on the side of his house. The patio door. No. No. Then, all hell broke loose. Scarlett started wailing and crying and he could hear crashes of plates and glasses and deep guttural roars coming from the kitchen inside. Shadows danced in a frenzy from the curtained windows. Sounds of instinctual survival seemed to be thrown from Scarlett inside. Sounds of defeat. Sounds of agony. Sounds of insanity. Scott sprang to his feet, his equilibrium being more damaged than he realized after his fall. He had to catch his hand on a chair to stabilize himself. Scarlett’s symphony of pain had gone quiet. Soon after something burst back out the patio door again and off in the same direction as that truck before.
Scott struggled back up to the house, slowly climbing the wintered, crunching stairs that led to the patio. He no longer yelled for Scarlett. In fact, the only thing that came to his senses was the sound of his own heavy breathing. Everything else had been turned off, save for a heavy and sudden dread that he had prayed he would never feel. He came to the side of his house where indeed the patio door had been busted and forced open. It laid inside the kitchen, its hinges snapped like toothpicks. Scott, with eyes wide and twitching, slowly entered his home and looked into the kitchen.
He didn’t scream. He didn’t even change his breathing. He didn’t blink. He just got a good long look at what laid before him.
Everything was broken. The fridge was on its side, the door hanging open and food and drink scattered all over the floor. The table was upended, its legs to the ceiling. A chair was resting on the counter, possibly having been thrown in defense. And Scarlett. Oh Scarlett. She…was…everywhere. She was all over the floor. She was sprayed against the walls. She was stuck to the window. She was in the sink.
Scott gently walked through the carnal mess and sabotage of his world. Long ago he had known exactly what he would do if something anywhere near this bad were to happen to him. He politely stumbled through the kitchen, down the hall, and into the bedroom. He opened his closet door and lowered a fire safe from the top rack. He unlocked it with a passcode. 511, after that warm May date when he had first met Scarlett. In the safe was a Sig Sauer P320 handgun. Scott took it out, along with a box of bullets, loaded one into the gun, put the safe back on its rack, and walked out of the closet, sitting on his bed. Their bed. Where they should’ve been laying right at this very moment, working toward a happy future. Where he would’ve kissed her forehead and put a hand on her growing midsection. Where they would have awoken on Christmas morning to the sound of children who were way too excited to remain asleep. Where they would’ve grown old. Where they would’ve smiled at each other through wrinkles, satisfied with all the love they shared and passed on to the next generations. Where they would’ve held each other in deep peace as they finally fell asleep to this world.
“I will…I will”
In one quick motion Scott pulled back the hammer and stuck the barrel of that pistol right up against his Governor and blew himself away, far away, right back into Scarlett’s loving arms.
Jeremy “Smallmouth” Bassett quickly yet stealthily made his way back to his Uncle’s house. He hugged the sides of the dark country road, keeping his eyes and ears wide open as to notice any sounds pertaining to the event that he had just witnessed there in the field next to the huge blaze. His only thought was Uncle Chuck. His house was right on the warpath of that horrible thing and Smallmouth had to go to him and make sure he was safe. He dared not go back to his truck, which would bring a lot of unwanted attention. No, Smallmouth walked and walked and finally saw the lights of his Uncle’s house. He carefully approached the front door from the shadowed driveway. Suddenly it occurred to Smallmouth that something was very wrong here. The door was busted in, having been plowed through by something very large and very strong.
“No…no…no”
Smallmouth slowly entered the house. The kitchen and living room were a disaster, chairs and tables and bottles strewn about and shattered. Bloody hoof-prints covered the floors, each of them the size of dinner plates. Smallmouth heard no noise. He felt himself well with tears, his nose a faucet that he began to sniff up as he worked his way through to his Uncle’s room, the door there also being broken in. A small whine growing in his throat, Smallmouth peaked into his uncles bedroom.
It was all in tatters. The bed had been attacked and shredded, the mattress being ripped up and thrown about as if it were made of cotton candy. More bloody hoof-prints were painted all over the brown carpet. Smallmouth trembled and put a hand up to his wet face. He didn’t see a way that his Uncle was anywhere near alive, knowing what he knew about the monster that had been in this house.
Smallmouth slowly walked to the living room, to the only little table that had been untouched in the attack. It was almost as if the bottle of whiskey teleported into his hand from the overturned cabinet, unopened. He fixed that real quick.
Soon he was several pulls deep of the only thing in the world that he knew would make him feel better, even if only for a few hours. He found his pack of cigarettes in his coat pocket and lit one up, although he was indoors. What did it matter? He sat in a chair that he had turned right side up and set the bottle on the table and looked out the back window into the pitch black. He cried for his Uncle and he cried for the world. He cried for himself. He cried for broken promises and his own weakness. He drank and drank until his vision shook from right to left everywhere he looked. At first he didn’t even notice the figures on the back porch. Then his vibrating focus did pick up on them, but by then it was too late. It was so dark out there but in their outlines he could see they wore long robes and hoods.
“HA!! COME AND GET ME! HAHA!! YOU COME AND YOU GET ME!!” Smallmouth boasted with a delusional amount of courage.
A creak escaped from the kitchen and he drunkenly slung his head over toward it. Three more figures stood there. Or was it just one? Smallmouth was none the wiser. All at once the hooded intruders from both inside and outside began to chant a strange, twisted rhyme in strikingly low and dissonant harmony:
“A sliver…of liver…goes down…with a shiver… …and gives…your gullet…to gall… …but drink…the Cider…that drowns…the Spider… …and you…will be free…of it all… …so tighten the grip…that loosens your lips… …O raise…the bottle…of brown… …and wake tomorrow…to find…in sorrow… …ANOTHER…SPIDER…TO…DROWN”
Smallmouth groaned at them in dissatisfaction and turned his bottle up again and began to chug the whiskey. As he did they repeated the chant except this time it was louder and closer. By the time Smallmouth had finished his bottle he was quickly losing consciousness. This wasn’t just whiskey. As he closed his eyes he felt hands grabbing him from all sides.
Smallmouth pulled open his sticky eyelids. His head felt like someone had bowled a strike into it. Wind froze his face. The smell of sickly, wet iron stung his nostrils. His vantage was higher than usual. Way higher. He was looking out into another field, but from easily ten feet up. He saw an old church, formerly painted white but now a flaky pale-beige. He heard the friction of a quick pull of rope below him, matched with a slight, tight pain at his feet. He looked down. A red-robed figure was fastening him against a wooden structure of some kind. His feet sat on a small flat platform perpendicular to a post that went from the ground up past smallmouths head. He couldn’t move his arms, so he quickly shot his eyes side to side. They were also tied to another horizontal post. A cross. He was being tied to a crude wooden cross. His shirt had been removed, exposing a hairy, overweight belly. Smallmouth tried to speak, but all that came out was a slow, unintelligible grumble. He was still drunk. No, this was more than that. He was under the influence of something strong and absolutely inhibitive. He wallowed again, and took in a deep breath. The smell of iron once again hit his nose. He looked down at himself. He was covered in a thick, red liquid. That wasn’t just the smell of iron. He had been splashed full body with blood.
“Now now, young servant…” the figure at his feet had finished his task and took a couple of steps out to admire his own handiwork.
“Ahh…perfect. The picture of martyrdom. Yes, you will always be remembered, Brother Bassett. You are to be the first Saint of The New Bible.” He opened his arms in his declaration.
Smallmouth looked up into the cold night sky. The moon shown down, giving everything a midnight spotlight. It was a gorgeous waxing gibbous, big and bright but not quite full. Yes, he was in a great big snowy field that housed an old worn down church. From the windows of the church he saw candles glowing, showing dark heads and shoulders looking out to him, also covered in loose hoods, hiding faces. He was hanging on a cross about one hundred feet from the old church. In front of the cross was a partially covered pit, a couple of two by fours supporting double armfuls of branches and dead leaves.
The figure at the base of the cross put his arms back to his side. He was still looking right at the drugged Smallmouth’s dumbstruck face. Even with a veiled mouth you could hear the twisted smile in his voice.
“Tonight you will help us finally defeat this legion, Smallmouth. You see, it may have the evil spirits within it, but at its core, it is still an owned animal. An animal that knows its Master very well. An animal that will remember the smell of its Master. You, my friend, are covered in its Master right now. And you are hanging on a cross, the symbol of this brute’s most hated enemy. But take heart, young Brother. Before you is our pit of spears. Yes you will attract the beast, but our Divine plan will intercept it and the beast will fall and be pierced. And then, oh dear brother, you will forever be immortalized. You will be purified in fire by the hands of your church brethren. Out of your screams and into the smoke the iniquities of all will be released. We will go on to preach your good example and your sainthood forever and ever.”
Smallmouth began to drool and hum pathetically. He could hear and understand the words of the robed man but he couldn’t fight back. His body was useless, limp inside its rope confines. All he could do now is think, and watch, and wait, and dread his fate.
The figure turned away from him, walking over near the pit and gathering up a bundle of brambles and throwing them over the last open area, covering it completely. He then crunched through the snow over to the front door of the old church, groaning open the door. He stood at the dark doorway for a few seconds in silence, and then began to make a noise. An over exaggerated pig squealing noise, high pitched and infuriating. Soon after other voices from inside the church began to do the same, their wailing echoing out of the building and all across the field, loudly signaling, calling out. It may as well have been a dinner bell. Not a half minute after they began the distress signal it was loudly answered by a distant squall. A furious squall.
This was it. Either way it happened Smallmouth was about to die. Experience terror, and then die, and not even have the ability to put up any kind of defense. It wasn’t fair. He just slowly lifted up his head and watched out far into the moonlit, white field. He then raised his heavy head further and took a good gander at the moon and stars for the last time.
“God,” he thought to himself, still having full inner monologue yet no outer motor function, “I am so sorry. I am so sorry for being what I am. I am so sorry for ending up in this place. It’s only my own fault. If it wasn’t for me being so stupid and messy and drunk and terrible then this wouldnt be happening to me.”
He began to shed tears that washed lines into the blood on his face.
“Please forgive me God. Please, please, please forgive me for all of my sins. This is it. I’m gonna die. I’m gonna die. PLEASE FORGIVE ME!!!!” He yelled inside his own mind, hoping and trying to send his silent words as far up into heaven as they could go.
He lowered his eyes back to the ground. He looked over at the church again. The windows were empty, the candles were extinguished. Those hooded cowards were hiding from their own handmade sacrificial service. All was quiet for a long pause until a much louder, closer bleating began at the edge of the forest not even three hundred feet away from Smallmouth’s glazed over eyes. It was time, and it was too late for a miracle.
Out of the woods, slowly and heavily, stomped the massive hog. As it marched closer and closer Smallmouth could see its white, boiled over eyes and black-burnt skin. Its jaws were flying open and snapping its sharp, pocket knife-sized teeth together in an intimidating “clack”. It was now less than a hundred feet away, the dark old church to its right shoulder. It stopped, its pale glowing eyes fixed right on Smallmouth on the crude cross. It truly was a monster. It stood as tall as a man and as long as a canoe. Around its murderous mouth were stains of red, the remnants of all that it had taken from the world on this unholy night. In its clanging jaws were bits of flesh. It snorted and scowled.
Then, in a fury, it wailed that horrible squeal and started off into a dead sprint. It galloped and galloped toward Smallmouth at a high, blistering speed. It kept yawping and howling as it cut the distance from the cross down to fifty feet, forty feet, thirty, twenty. All at once it passed over the covered pit and plunged in. In his doomed, dead eyed stupor Smallmouth could hear what sounded like paint being dumped from a rooftop onto concrete. Trails of black liquid squirted and splashed up from the pit, which had been uncovered in the fall of the beast. Unbelieving, Smallmouth saw dozens of steel spear tips standing up from the dug-in ground. Right in the middle of them the beast was stuck. The sheer weight of the animal had caused the spears to pierce through its tough skin, sticking out of its back, soaked in black blood. One spear had stabbed right under the hogs chin, passing up through its jaws and out its black snout. It made agonized sounds. It roared and roared and shook the spears inside it, beginning furiously, then growing weaker and weaker within seconds. Finally, it let out one last weak little squeal, before it went still and quiet.
Smallmouth was frozen both physically by drugs and constraints and mentally by shock. His mouth hung open toward the pit of spears, his vision blurry. He took in a deep, troubled breath and let out a moan of disbelief and relief. The old church doors sprang open, and the sound of jubilation within flowed out into the night. The red robed figures flocked out of the building toward the pit, arms raised in celebration. They surrounded the hole, getting a good look at their success and their enemies defeat. Some held additional spears and began further stabbing the dead animal, causing more black blood to be shed up at them. They all yelled loudly and triumphantly. Some danced around the pit. Some skipped over to Smallmouth on the cross and danced around him, slapping his legs and spinning in circles.
Smallmouth looked on at the raucous celebration, both in utter disbelief of their trap actually working and also in turmoil. How long now until they fully execute their plan.
A taller robed man, whose voice matched the same one who spoke to Smallmouth as he tied his feet, spoke up, sounding almost happily intoxicated.
“Ahh yes my Brothers!! It is done!! We have won!!!”
They all whooped and cheered.
“Brother Norman, go into the church and bring me the small tank of fuel. Let us send our dear Saint Bassett to the Holy lands, where he will be adored for all eternity!”
They all clapped and hollered. One figure began childishly skipping away from the pit and over toward the front door of the church.
Then, it happened.
From the pit all of a sudden a great blaze erupted instantly. It stood as tall as the cross, and it burned a furious red and blue. It raged and raged, blinding Smallmouth and making him clumsily turn his face away from the heat.
All of the figures panicked, screaming and scattering away toward the church. They didn’t get far. Up from the fiery pit, dozens of long, long, black arms, adorned with six hooking claws emerged and stretched out of the flames and latched on to the legs of those trying to escape. Smallmouth heard crying and wailing from the men as the black, razor clawed-hands of the legion grabbed them and began pulling them back, into the blazes. One by one the red robed people were dragged into the flames, their clothes catching instantly. Smallmouth could see violently shaking bodies in the evil furnace. Oh, the screams. Above the tortured howling, the sound of laughing broke out. Deep, menacing laughter, hundreds of voices, echoed up into the air from the burning hole. Then, in one extinguishing squeeze, the ground swallowed the entirety of the fiery pit, leaving it completely covered in dirt, still and quiet. Soon after, and just like the pit of spears, the old church building caught in an instant and raging fire, quickly toppling the walls and dropping the steeple into its ruins. The smoke towered high in the night sky, which had just began to hint at a pale morning blue. Smallmouth hung on his cross in utter horror and surprise.
As the late evening hours glowed into early morning the smoke eventually tapered off, as Smallmouth’s drugs finally began to wear off as well. The fires of the church did garner long distance attention, though. Just as Smallmouth was able to regain control of his muscles and voice he heard emergency sirens call out into the cold morning air. Not long after, two fire trucks, an ambulance and a sheriffs truck tore into the field and toward Smallmouth on the cross. Not long after Smallmouth could feel the tied ropes being cut loose by firemen, their uniforms easily the best red clothes he had seen all night.
“What on God’s green Earth happened here son?” A bearded man with a dark hat and brown shirt and pants asked Smallmouth once he had been lowered down from the cross and sat on the ground with a shock blanket around his shoulders. The Sheriff, no doubt.
“God’s green Earth. It really is God’s, isn’t it?” Smallmouth whispered, staring out across the cold field. Then, at the very place he was staring, an old, familiar truck came barreling out of the gravel road in the woods and through the field in the steadily growing morning light. It was Uncle Chuck’s truck. It hurried over toward the other emergency vehicles, parked, the driver’s side door burst open, and Uncle Chuck came bounding out over to Smallmouth, his eyes wide and his mouth a wonderfully shocked “O”.
“JEREMY! JEREMY!!!” He basically fell on Smallmouth in a tight, warm hug. Smallmouth was caught off guard by Chuck using his real name.
His Uncle held him for several seconds and then let up, but kept his hands on Smallmouth’s shoulders.
“I thought you were dead.” Both of them said at almost the exact same time.
“I came back and your house was a mess and there was blood everywhere. I thought you were dead.” Smallmouth weakly spat out.
“Well, I woke up and you were gone, son, so I walked to the ranch to get my truck. I was worried bout ya son. I came back home and the whole place had been turned upside down. Blood on the carpet. I just thought the worst. Then I tried my neighbors house. Buddy, they’re dead. Looks like some wacko murder-suicide if I ever saw one. Scott probably tried to come kill us too and wrecked the place when he found it empty. I don’t know. But what I DO know is that you are right here! You are okay Jeremy!! Ahhh Praise Jesus!!”
“It’s not that, Uncle. That isn’t what happened out here. It’s..it was a..a, uh…”
Smallmouth’s fried brain couldn’t even comprehend what he had witnessed over the past few hours. It was all a violent blur.
“Dont worry bout it son, you can tell me everything on the way to the hospital. We gotta go get you checked out and cleaned up. C’mon.” He helped Smallmouth up and they walked over to the ambulance, his Uncle’s arm thrown around his shoulder.
Smallmouth would be sent home later that afternoon. It would take him and his Uncle a long time to sort through the chaos of that deadly night and rebuild their lives. But life kept on. Smallmouth would remain living with his Uncle, and would begin a job working with him down at the ranch. Together they started to attend a local church. Smallmouth never touched a drink or a drug or even a cigarette ever again, and remained steadfast in his newly revitalized faith.

My name is Lisa, and I’m a 25-year-old artist. I’ve always had a fascination with the macabre, which is why I jumped at the chance to explore an abandoned psychiatric hospital for my latest project. I planned to capture the eerie beauty of the decaying building, but I ended up uncovering something far more sinister.
The hospital had been shut down for decades, rumored to be haunted by the spirits of the patients who suffered there. It stood on the outskirts of a small town, its presence looming like a dark shadow over the landscape. I arrived at dusk, my camera and sketchpad ready, not knowing that the true horror was about to begin.
As soon as I stepped inside, the air felt thick and oppressive. The corridors were lined with peeling wallpaper and broken furniture, remnants of a place once filled with life now reduced to silence. I began my work, sketching and photographing the desolate rooms. But as night fell, I started to hear whispers.
At first, I thought it was the wind playing tricks on me. But then I saw her—a ghostly child standing at the end of the hallway. Her eyes were hollow, and she wore a tattered hospital gown. She didn’t speak, but her presence was enough to send chills down my spine.
I tried to rationalize it as a figment of my imagination, a product of the eerie atmosphere. But when I looked through the viewfinder of my camera, she was still there, staring at me. I decided to leave, but as I turned to go, the hallway seemed to stretch infinitely. No matter how far I walked, I couldn’t find the exit.
Panic set in. I wandered through the maze-like corridors, each turn leading me deeper into the hospital. The whispers grew louder, and shadows danced just beyond my vision. I stumbled upon an old treatment room, and that’s when I felt it—an icy grip on my shoulder. I spun around, but there was no one there.
The next thing I knew, I was lying on the floor, unable to move. My body felt like it was being pinned down by an unseen force. The whispers turned into guttural growls, and I saw the ghostly child again, but this time she wasn’t alone. Dark figures surrounded her, their eyes glowing with malevolence.
I don’t know how long I was unconscious, but when I woke up, it was morning. I was outside the hospital, my camera and sketchpad scattered around me. I tried to convince myself it was a nightmare, but the bruises on my arms told a different story.
I left the town, determined to forget what had happened. But the events of that night haunted me. Every time I closed my eyes, I saw the child and her demonic entourage. I began to notice changes in myself—unexplained rage, blackouts, and strange symbols appearing in my sketches. I knew I had brought something back with me.
Desperate for answers, I returned to the hospital. This time, I was prepared. Armed with research on exorcisms and protective charms, I ventured back into the darkness. The building seemed to welcome me, the shadows reaching out like old friends. The whispers began immediately, guiding me to the same treatment room.
I confronted the ghostly child, demanding to know what she wanted. To my horror, she spoke in a voice not her own, a deep, demonic growl that echoed through the room. She told me that the hospital was a place of great suffering, a beacon for malevolent spirits. She and the others were trapped, seeking release through me.
I tried to perform the exorcism, but the entities were too powerful. They overpowered me, forcing me to relive the horrors of the hospital’s past—patients tortured, doctors driven mad, and rituals that opened doorways to unspeakable realms. Each time I thought I escaped, I found myself back in the same room, the same moment.
It was a time loop, a never-ending cycle of terror. I was their plaything, my mind fracturing under the constant assault. Days, months, years passed—I lost track of time. Every escape attempt brought me back to the beginning, each failure chipping away at my sanity.
One night, I discovered a hidden room behind a crumbling wall. Inside, I found journals written by Dr. Whitaker, the hospital’s chief psychiatrist. His writings detailed experiments to contact the other side, using patients as conduits. The journals described a ritual to bind spirits, a possible way to end the torment.
Armed with this new knowledge, I gathered the items needed for the ritual—candles, chalk, and an ancient tome I found in the hospital’s basement. The ritual required a blood sacrifice, and I hesitated, but the thought of eternal torment pushed me forward. I cut my palm and let the blood drip onto the chalk-drawn symbols.
As I began to chant, the air grew colder. The ghostly child appeared, flanked by the dark figures. They howled in rage, trying to break the circle of protection I had drawn. The ground shook, and the walls seemed to close in. My voice trembled, but I continued, pouring all my will into the words.
Suddenly, the figures froze. A blinding light filled the room, and I heard a deafening scream. When the light faded, the figures were gone, and the child stood before me, her eyes no longer hollow. She whispered a thank you before vanishing into the ether.
Exhausted, I collapsed, waking up hours later to a silent hospital. I stumbled outside, the dawn breaking over the horizon. I felt a sense of peace, but it was short-lived. As I made my way home, I noticed people staring at me, whispering. My reflection in shop windows showed dark, hollow eyes staring back. The entities had not been banished; they had latched onto me, using me as their new vessel.
I fled the town, hoping to escape their grasp, but they followed. My mind continued to fracture, the symbols appearing on my skin now. I’m writing this from a motel room, knowing my time is short. If you’re reading this, beware. The hospital’s evil isn’t contained within its walls—it’s a stain on the soul. Don’t come looking for me. Don’t try to find the truth. Some places are meant to be forgotten, their secrets buried in darkness.

Burner account for obvious reasons.
My mom and I (15M) have had a pretty "normal" relationship, sure theres been hiccups here and there but these past three days have been horrible. It started with my mom coming home one night and noticed that there was a pot on the stove. She asked me to clean it up and I stated "Since you cooked with it how come you didn't clean it" (In retrospect, this probably wasn't the best thing to say in the moment). Dishes are something she would often remind me about, having ADHD I've always struggled with forming habits or just forgetting tasks at hand, this issue has been improving for me recently and my mom had stated that she had taken notice before, in our family, its usually "your dish your responsibility". But anyways, that seemed to make her start screaming and yelling in ways I have never seen her act before, usually it may be some yelling back and forth but she started throwing things around the kitchen while threatening to take my life, and take her own life unless I got out of the house so fearing for my own safety I went outside for a few hours wondering what the fuck just happened. So I texted her and asked if I could go back inside, got the reply of "do whatever you want" so I went back inside as I had schoolwork I needed to get done. Nothing happened the rest of the night. The next day I tried to de-escalate the situation, trying to ask my mom how she felt, and if there was anything I could do to help her out but that was like talking to a brick wall. That night was uneventful. Today (Sunday) I woke up a bit late, ate breakfast, etc. My mom decided to go out and told me, she told me I should mow the lawn today since it's not going to rain (for context, I texted her yesterday if it was alright to mow the lawn but it rained by the time I had the opportunity to). Around an hour ago I decided to go ahead and make myself some ramen for lunch since I didn't want to deal with a mess and make her angry again. Around the time I finished eating she came back home, I said hello to her and asked her how she was doing. The first thing I heard back from her was "Why is there dishes on the counter" which is when I realized I left a single plate out from making ramen which I intended to put in the sink anyways. I had put a dish in the sink earlier since I assumed the dishwasher was full since the magnet was on the "full" side along with my moms dishes. I tried to explain this to her calmly, letting her know that I'm going to clean everything up and she just goes off, shes screaming, yelling, tells me that I "ask for too much" and starts screaming at me about events that have happened YEARS ago, she starts getting up in my face, yelling about all the things I've asked for, she complains about needing to leave work and go to school for my 504 plan, paying for wrestling, and getting me a car which shes all done for me on her own accord, I rarely ask for anything from her, I mean, I don't even ask for money. I've tried having discussions with her about cars since dual enrollment next year requires for students to have their own mode of transportation and I have a very late birthday right before school starts but she just shuts me down which I never understood. She then starts screaming about how I haven't mowed the lawn yet even though I have all day and she then tells me its going to rain although she told me earlier it wasnt and kept on denying it. But the tipping point is when she picked up a knife and started pointing and "jabbing" it at me after she picked up a dish and shattered it on the floor. At this point I have no idea what the fuck got into her so for my own safety I started recording which she didn't appreciate, she put the knife down and started walking towards me telling me "get out now or i'll kill you" and "stop recording or ill get your dad to pick you up". For context, my parents are divorced and my dad has done some disgusting things I would rather not talk about, I haven't been in contact with him for months. I went up to my room, locked my doors, she started banging on my door telling me to get out but fearing for my life I decided to stay put, she eventually went away and this is where I am now. I'm honestly so lost and have no idea what I should do. Sure, I'm not a perfect kid but this was just so out of character for her and I'm so confused as to what made her act out like this.

"Supermarket massiv propost fuq San Ġwann ODZ
PA mgħarrqa b’oġġezzjonijiet għal pjanta ta’ 7,000 metru kwadru biswit San Mikiel
Aġġornata fis-1.20pm bil-kummenti tal-PM
L-Awtorità tal-Ippjanar bħalissa qed tikkunsidra applikazzjoni għal supermarket ġdid enormi fuq art ODZ f’San Ġwann, biswit skola privata.
Il-proposta hi li jinbena supermarket b’żewġ sulari b’parkeġġ taħt l-art fuq sit ta’ 7,000 metru kwadru fi Triq tal-Balal u Triq tal-Prepostu, f’żona ta’ San Ġwann magħrufa bħala Ta’ Ġnien Tut.
Is-sit jinsab ftit aktar minn 250 metru minn supermarket ieħor, filwaqt li għadha qed tiġi pproċessata applikazzjoni għal supermarket u ħanut DIY f’sit direttament fuq it-triq.
Il-PA ġiet mgħarrqa b’oġġezzjonijiet għall-iżvilupp propost, partikolarment minħabba li s-sit inkwistjoni huwa art agrikola barra miż-żona tal-iżvilupp u jinsab qrib skola, Fondazzjoni San Mikiel għall-Edukazzjoni.
Il-Prim Ministru Robert Abela qal lil Times of Malta li jemmen li l-proposta hija “non-starter” peress li tmur kontra l-viżjoni usa’ tal-gvern Laburista.
Is-Sindku ta’ San Ġwann Trevor Fenech qal is-Sibt li kellu l-intenzjoni li jressaq oġġezzjoni għall-proposta.
L-applikant qed jipproponi li jitwaqqa’ strutturi eżistenti, inklużi strutturi illegali mibnija fuq il-post, u jiżviluppa s-sit f’supermarket b’parkeġġ fil-kantina, ħwienet fil-livelli tal-pjan terran u tal-ewwel sular u uffiċċji relatati.
Skont il-formola tal-applikazzjoni pubblika mressqa mill-periti JG Periti, Jason Pace huwa l-uniku sid tas-sit inkwistjoni.
Madankollu, il-websajt tal-PA telenka lill-iżviluppatur bħala Meleney Gauci.
It-teħid ta’ art agrikola ODZ, aħseb u ara art li tkun fuq l-għatba ta’ skola u żona ekoloġika protetta, żgur mhix meħtieġa jew leġittima.
L-erja totali tas-sit hija ta’ madwar 12,000 metru kwadru.
Iż-żona proposta għall-proġett tmiss ukoll ma’ Wied Għomor u Wied il-Kbir, żoni protetti ta’ importanza ekoloġika u siti ta’ importanza xjentifika.
Dawk li joġġezzjonaw jinsistu li l-applikazzjoni tmur kontra l-politika rurali tal-PA u l-għanijiet tal-Pjan Strateġiku għall-Ambjent u l-Iżvilupp, li jillimita l-użu tal-art għal użi li mhumiex meħtieġa jew leġittimi fiż-żoni rurali.
“San Ġwann diġà għandu bosta supermarkets u t-teħid ta’ art agrikola ODZ, aħseb u ara art li tkun fuq l-għatba ta’ skola u żona ekoloġika protetta, ċertament mhix meħtieġa jew leġittima,” kitbu l-oġġezzjonaturi fir-rappreżentazzjoni tagħhom ippreżentata ma’ il-PA.
San Mikiel huwa dar għal kważi 500 tifel u tifla u aktar minn 100 edukatur. F’oġġezzjoni, l-assistent kap anzjan tal-iskola, Carina Gerada Sinnott, qalet li, bħala parti mill-edukazzjoni kontinwa tagħhom u permezz ta’ inizjattivi bħall-EkoSkola, it-tfal huma mgħallma jirrispettaw u jieħdu ħsieb l-ambjent u jipproteġuh għall-ġenerazzjonijiet futuri.
“Din l-applikazzjoni tgħaddi minn dan is-sens ta’ responsabbiltà biex tipproteġi l-pajsaġġ naturali li dejjem qed jonqos li jgawdi minnu pajjiżna. Jipprova jagħti prijorità lill-bini ta’ supermarket fuq is-saħħa u l-benessri tat-tfal tagħna u l-protezzjoni tal-ambjent naturali limitat tagħna,” kitbet.
Oġġezzjonanti nnutaw li hemm applikazzjoni pendenti għall-iżvilupp ta’ supermarket u ħanut DIY f’sit direttament faċċata tas-sit, b’parkeġġ taħt l-art.
Din l-applikazzjoni tressqet minn Joe Cassar f’isem JDG Holdings Ltd.
L-Awtorità tal-Ambjent u r-Riżorsi kienet oġġezzjonat għal dan l-iżvilupp propost, li, qalet, qajjem tħassib ambjentali sinifikanti u kien meqjus oġġezzjonabbli mil-lat ambjentali.
“L-ERA hija mħassba wkoll dwar it-tixrid, il-proliferazzjoni u l-intensifikazzjoni ulterjuri ta’ interventi ta’ tip urban f’żona ODZ u l-formalizzazzjoni ulterjuri tas-sit, peress li dan jista’ jservi inopportunament bħala predispożizzjoni għal proposti oħra simili fi ħdan iż-żona kif ukoll fuq fuq skala nazzjonali,” qal.
Pace huwa involut ukoll f’żewġ offerti oħra biex jinbnew supermarkets fuq art ODZ. Wieħed jinsab fuq 5,500 metru kwadru ta’ art ‘il barra mill-bypass ta’ Birkirkara u ieħor fi Triq Il-Kummerċ, Triq Is-Snajja u l-bypass tal-Imrieħel.
Sindku: PM jappoġġjani fi proġett oppost
Is-Sindku ta’ San Ġwann Trevor Fenech qal is-Sibt li se jkun qed iressaq oġġezzjoni għall-proġett.
“Din l-applikazzjoni qatt ma kellha tiġi ppreżentata,” qal hekk kif wiegħed li jopponi l-proġett.
Fenech qal li kien tkellem mal-Prim Ministru Robert Abela dwar il-proġett, u qal li huwa ottimist peress li Abela ""kien ċar dwaru u l-Partit Laburista jappoġġaw il-kawża tagħna.""
Abela kkonferma dan, u qal lil Times of Malta li ma jridx li l-proġett imur ‘il quddiem u li l-Partit Laburista se jkun qed jappoġġja lill-kunsill biex joġġezzjona għalih.
https://timesofmalta.com/article/massive-supermarket-proposed-san-gwann-odz.1092652
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L-Amazon Deals tal-lum (Afljat), id-destinazzjoni tiegħek one-stop għal oġġetti affordabbli, perfetta għal dekorazzjoni tad-dar, elettroniċi, provvisti għall-annimali domestiċi, sports u selezzjonijiet tal-ġugarelli. - https://amzn.to/3FeoGyg
Ċaħda ta' responsabbiltà: Dan is-sit huwa għal skopijiet informattivi biss u m'għandux jitqies parir legali [saħħa, taxxa, professjoni]. Aħna m'aħniex responsabbli għal kwalunkwe telf, ħsarat, jew obbligazzjonijiet li jistgħu jinqalgħu mill-użu ta 'dan il-blog. Dan il-blog mhux maħsub biex jissostitwixxi parir mediku professjonali. Il-fehmiet espressi f'dan il-blog jistgħu ma jkunux dawk tal-host jew tal-maniġment.
https://www.reddit.com/SinoMaltaNews
"
"SanĠwann ODZ 擬建大型超市
巴勒斯坦權力機構對聖邁克爾教堂旁 7,000 平方米的計劃提出了強烈反對
下午 1.20 更新了 PM 的評論
規劃當局目前正在考慮申請在 San Ġwann ODZ 土地上新建一家大型超市，毗鄰一所私立學校。
該提案是在 Triq tal-Balal 和 Triq tal-Prepostu 的一塊 7,000 平方米的場地上建造一座帶有地下停車場的兩層超市，該場地位於 San Ġwann 的 Ta’Ġnien Tut 地區。
該地點距離另一家超市僅250多米，而在馬路對面的地點開設超市和DIY商店的申請仍在處理中。
巴勒斯坦權力機構對擬議開發項目的反對意見如潮水般湧來，特別是因為該地點是開發區外的農田，並且靠近一所學校——聖邁克爾教育基金會。
總理羅伯特·阿貝拉告訴《馬耳他時報》，他認為該提案“行不通”，因為它違背了工黨政府的更廣泛願景。
San Ġwann 市長 Trevor Fenech 週六表示，他打算對該提案提出反對。
申請人建議拆除現有構築物，包括在地盤上搭建的違章構築物，並將該地塊開發為超市，設有地下停車場、地面和一樓的商店以及相關辦公室。
根據建築師 JG Periti 提交的公開申請表，傑森佩斯 (Jason Pace) 是該場地的唯一所有者。
然而，PA 網站將開發商列為 Meleney Gauci。
佔用農業ODZ土地，更不用說學校門口和生態保護區的土地，當然是沒有必要或合法的
該場地總面積約12,000平方公尺。
該計畫擬議的區域也毗鄰 Wied Għomor 和 Wied il-Kbir，這兩個保護區具有重要的生態意義和重要的科學意義。
反對者堅持認為，該申請違反了巴勒斯坦權力機構的農村政策和環境與發展戰略計劃的目標，該計劃限制了農村地區不必要或合法用途的土地佔用。
反對者在向他們提交的陳述中寫道：「SanĠwann 已經擁有眾多超市，佔用農業 ODZ 土地，更不用說學校門口和生態保護區的土地，肯定是沒有必要或合法的。」公共廣播電台。
聖邁克爾是近 500 名兒童和 100 多名教育工作者的家。學校高級助理校長卡琳娜·杰拉達·辛諾特(Carina Gerada Sinnott) 表示反對，她表示，作為持續教育的一部分，透過EkoSkola 等舉措，孩子們被教導要尊重和愛護環境，並為子孫後代保護環境。
「這個申請粗暴地踐踏了保護我國日益減少的自然景觀的責任感。它試圖將超市的建設置於我們孩子的健康和福祉以及保護我們有限的自然環境之上，」她寫道。
反對者指出，有一項正在申請中，要求在該地點正對面的地點開發一家超市和一家 DIY 商店，並設有地下停車場。
該申請由 Joe Cassar 代表 JDG Holdings Ltd 提交。
環境和資源管理局反對這項擬議的開發項目，稱這引起了重大的環境問題，從環境角度來看是令人反感的。
「ERA 也擔心 ODZ 區域內城市類型乾預措施的進一步蔓延、擴散和強化以及該地點的進一步正規化，因為這可能不合時宜地成為該地區內以及全國範圍內，」它說。
佩斯還參與了另外兩項在 ODZ 土地上建造超市的投標。其中一處位於 Birkirkara 繞道旁，佔地 5,500 平方米，另一處位於 Triq Il-Kummerċ、Triq Is-Snajja 和 Mrieħel 繞道上。
市長：總理支持我反對項目
San Ġwann 市長 Trevor Fenech 週六表示，他將對該項目提出反對意見。
「這個申請根本不應該提交，」他在承諾反對該計畫時說道。
費內奇表示，他已與總理羅伯特·阿貝拉就該項目進行了交談，並表示他對此感到樂觀，因為阿貝拉「明確表示他和工黨支持我們的事業」。
阿貝拉證實了這一點，他告訴《馬耳他時報》，他不希望該項目繼續進行，工黨將支持委員會反對該項目。
https://timesofmalta.com/article/massive-supermarket-propose-san-gwann-odz.1092652
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"Massive supermarket proposed on San Ġwann ODZ
PA inundated with objections to 7,000 square metre plans next to St Michael's
Updated 1.20pm with PM's comments
The Planning Authority is currently considering an application for a massive new supermarket on ODZ land in San Ġwann, adjacent to a private school.
The proposal is to build a two-storey supermarket with underground parking on a 7,000- square-metre site on Triq tal-Balal and Triq tal-Prepostu, in an area of San Ġwann known as Ta’ Ġnien Tut.
The site is just over 250 metres from another supermarket, while an application for a supermarket and a DIY store on a site directly across the road is still being processed.
The PA has been inundated with objections to the proposed development, particularly because the site in question is agricultural land outside the development zone and is close to a school, St Michael Foundation for Education.
Prime Minister Robert Abela told Times of Malta that he believes the proposal is a ""non-starter"" as it goes against the Labour government's broader vision.
San Ġwann Mayor Trevor Fenech said on Saturday that he intended to file an objection to the proposal.
The applicant is proposing to demolish existing structures, including illegal structures built on site, and develop the site in a supermarket with basement parking, stores at the ground and first floor levels and related offices.
According to the public application form submitted by architects JG Periti, Jason Pace is the sole owner of the site in question.
However, the PA website lists the developer as being Meleney Gauci.
The take-up of agricultural ODZ land, let alone land that is on the doorstep of a school and a protected ecological area, is certainly not necessary or legitimate
The total area of the site is around 12,000 square metres.
The area proposed for the project also abuts Wied Għomor and Wied il-Kbir, protected areas of ecological importance and sites of scientific importance.
Objectors insist that the application runs contrary to the PA’s rural policy and objectives of the Strategic Plan for Environment and Development, which limits land take-up for uses which are not necessary or legitimate in rural areas.
“San Ġwann already has numerous supermarkets and the take-up of agricultural ODZ land, let alone land that is on the doorstep of a school and a protected ecological area, is certainly not necessary or legitimate,” the objectors wrote in their representation filed with the PA.
St Michael is home to almost 500 children and over 100 educators. In an objection, the school’s senior assistant head, Carina Gerada Sinnott, said that, as part of their ongoing education and through initiatives like EkoSkola, the children are taught to respect and care for the environment and to protect it for future generations.
“This application runs roughshod over this sense of responsibility to protect the increasingly diminishing natural landscape that our country enjoys. It attempts to prioritise the construction of a supermarket over the health and well-being of our children and the protection of our limited natural environment,” she wrote.
Objectors noted that there is a pending application for the development of a supermarket and a DIY store on a site directly opposite the site, with underground parking.
This application was filed by Joe Cassar on behalf of JDG Holdings Ltd.
The Environment and Resources Authority had objected to this proposed development, which, it said, raised significant environmental concerns and was considered objectionable from an environmental point of view.
“The ERA is also concerned about the further sprawl, proliferation and intensification of urban type interventions within an area ODZ and the further formalisation of the site, since this may inopportunely serve as a predisposition for other similar proposals within the area as well as on a national scale,” it said.
Pace is also involved in another two bids to build supermarkets on ODZ land. One is on 5,500 square metres of land off the Birkirkara bypass and another on Triq Il-Kummerċ, Triq Is-Snajja and the Mrieħel bypass.
Mayor: PM backs me in opposing project
San Ġwann Mayor Trevor Fenech said on Saturday that he would be filing an objection to the project.
""This application should never have been filed,"" he said as he pledged to oppose the project.
Fenech said he had spoken to Prime Minister Robert Abela about the project, and said he was optimistic as Abela ""was clear about him and the Labour Party backing our cause.""
Abela confirmed that, telling Times of Malta that he did not want the project to go ahead and that the Labour Party would be backing the council in objecting to it.
https://timesofmalta.com/article/massive-supermarket-proposed-san-gwann-odz.1092652
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"सैन इवान ओडीज़ेड पर विशाल सुपरमार्केट प्रस्तावित
पीए में सेंट माइकल के बगल में 7,000 वर्ग मीटर की योजना पर आपत्तियों की बाढ़ आ गई
पीएम की टिप्पणियों के साथ दोपहर 1.20 बजे अपडेट किया गया
योजना प्राधिकरण वर्तमान में एक निजी स्कूल के निकट, सैन इवान में ओडीजेड भूमि पर एक विशाल नए सुपरमार्केट के लिए एक आवेदन पर विचार कर रहा है।
यह प्रस्ताव सैन इवान के ता' इनियन टुट नामक क्षेत्र में त्रिक ताल-बलाल और त्रिक ताल-प्रीपोस्टु पर 7,000 वर्ग मीटर की साइट पर भूमिगत पार्किंग के साथ दो मंजिला सुपरमार्केट बनाने का है।
यह साइट दूसरे सुपरमार्केट से केवल 250 मीटर की दूरी पर है, जबकि सड़क के ठीक सामने एक साइट पर एक सुपरमार्केट और एक DIY स्टोर के लिए आवेदन अभी भी संसाधित किया जा रहा है।
पीए में प्रस्तावित विकास पर आपत्तियों की बाढ़ आ गई है, खासकर इसलिए क्योंकि विचाराधीन स्थल विकास क्षेत्र के बाहर कृषि भूमि है और एक स्कूल, सेंट माइकल फाउंडेशन फॉर एजुकेशन के करीब है।
प्रधान मंत्री रॉबर्ट अबेला ने टाइम्स ऑफ माल्टा को बताया कि उनका मानना ​​है कि यह प्रस्ताव ""नॉन-स्टार्टर"" है क्योंकि यह लेबर सरकार के व्यापक दृष्टिकोण के खिलाफ है।
सैन इवान के मेयर ट्रेवर फेनेच ने शनिवार को कहा कि उनका इरादा प्रस्ताव पर आपत्ति दर्ज कराने का है।
आवेदक साइट पर बनी अवैध संरचनाओं सहित मौजूदा संरचनाओं को ध्वस्त करने और बेसमेंट पार्किंग, भूतल और पहली मंजिल के स्तर पर स्टोर और संबंधित कार्यालयों के साथ एक सुपरमार्केट में साइट विकसित करने का प्रस्ताव कर रहा है।
आर्किटेक्ट जेजी पेरिटी द्वारा प्रस्तुत सार्वजनिक आवेदन पत्र के अनुसार, जेसन पेस विचाराधीन साइट का एकमात्र मालिक है।
हालाँकि, पीए वेबसाइट डेवलपर को मेलेनी गौसी के रूप में सूचीबद्ध करती है।
कृषि ओडीजेड भूमि का अधिग्रहण, स्कूल और संरक्षित पारिस्थितिक क्षेत्र के दरवाजे पर मौजूद भूमि को छोड़ दें, निश्चित रूप से आवश्यक या वैध नहीं है
साइट का कुल क्षेत्रफल लगभग 12,000 वर्ग मीटर है।
परियोजना के लिए प्रस्तावित क्षेत्र विद गोमोर और विद इल-कबीर, पारिस्थितिक महत्व के संरक्षित क्षेत्रों और वैज्ञानिक महत्व के स्थलों से भी सटा हुआ है।
आपत्तिकर्ता इस बात पर जोर देते हैं कि आवेदन पीए की ग्रामीण नीति और पर्यावरण और विकास के लिए रणनीतिक योजना के उद्देश्यों के विपरीत चलता है, जो ग्रामीण क्षेत्रों में उन उपयोगों के लिए भूमि अधिग्रहण को सीमित करता है जो आवश्यक या वैध नहीं हैं।
आपत्तिकर्ताओं ने अपने अभ्यावेदन में लिखा, ""सैन इवान में पहले से ही कई सुपरमार्केट हैं और कृषि ओडीजेड भूमि का अधिग्रहण, एक स्कूल और एक संरक्षित पारिस्थितिक क्षेत्र के दरवाजे पर मौजूद भूमि को छोड़ दें, निश्चित रूप से आवश्यक या वैध नहीं है।"" पा।
सेंट माइकल लगभग 500 बच्चों और 100 से अधिक शिक्षकों का घर है। एक आपत्ति में, स्कूल की वरिष्ठ सहायक प्रमुख, कैरिना गेराडा सिनोट ने कहा कि, उनकी चल रही शिक्षा के हिस्से के रूप में और एकोस्कोला जैसी पहल के माध्यम से, बच्चों को पर्यावरण का सम्मान और देखभाल करना और भविष्य की पीढ़ियों के लिए इसकी रक्षा करना सिखाया जाता है।
“यह एप्लिकेशन हमारे देश में तेजी से घटते प्राकृतिक परिदृश्य की रक्षा करने की ज़िम्मेदारी की इस भावना का खंडन करता है। यह हमारे बच्चों के स्वास्थ्य और कल्याण और हमारे सीमित प्राकृतिक पर्यावरण की सुरक्षा पर एक सुपरमार्केट के निर्माण को प्राथमिकता देने का प्रयास करता है, ”उसने लिखा।
आपत्तिकर्ताओं ने कहा कि भूमिगत पार्किंग के साथ साइट के ठीक सामने एक साइट पर एक सुपरमार्केट और एक DIY स्टोर के विकास के लिए एक आवेदन लंबित है।
यह आवेदन जेडीजी होल्डिंग्स लिमिटेड की ओर से जो कैसर द्वारा दायर किया गया था।
पर्यावरण और संसाधन प्राधिकरण ने इस प्रस्तावित विकास पर आपत्ति जताई थी, जिसमें कहा गया था कि इसने महत्वपूर्ण पर्यावरणीय चिंताओं को उठाया था और इसे पर्यावरण के दृष्टिकोण से आपत्तिजनक माना गया था।
""ईआरए एक क्षेत्र ओडीजेड के भीतर शहरी प्रकार के हस्तक्षेपों के आगे फैलाव, प्रसार और गहनता और साइट के आगे औपचारिकीकरण के बारे में भी चिंतित है, क्योंकि यह क्षेत्र के साथ-साथ अन्य समान प्रस्तावों के लिए अनुचित रूप से एक पूर्वाग्रह के रूप में काम कर सकता है। राष्ट्रीय स्तर, “यह कहा।
पेस ओडीजेड भूमि पर सुपरमार्केट बनाने के लिए अन्य दो बोलियों में भी शामिल है। एक बिरकिर्करा बाईपास के पास 5,500 वर्ग मीटर भूमि पर है और दूसरा ट्रिक इल-कुम्मेर, ट्रिक इस-स्नज्जा और मिरीसेल बाईपास पर है।
मेयर: प्रोजेक्ट के विरोध में पीएम ने मेरा समर्थन किया
सैन इवान के मेयर ट्रेवर फेनेच ने शनिवार को कहा कि वह इस परियोजना पर आपत्ति दर्ज कराएंगे।
उन्होंने परियोजना का विरोध करने की प्रतिज्ञा करते हुए कहा, ""यह आवेदन कभी भी दायर नहीं किया जाना चाहिए था।""
फेनेच ने कहा कि उन्होंने परियोजना के बारे में प्रधान मंत्री रॉबर्ट अबेला से बात की थी, और कहा कि वह आशावादी थे क्योंकि अबेला ""उनके और लेबर पार्टी के हमारे मुद्दे का समर्थन करने के बारे में स्पष्ट थे।""
अबेला ने टाइम्स ऑफ माल्टा को बताते हुए इसकी पुष्टि की कि वह नहीं चाहते थे कि परियोजना आगे बढ़े और लेबर पार्टी इस पर आपत्ति जताने में परिषद का समर्थन करेगी।
https://timesofmalta.com/article/massive-supermarket-proposed-san-gwann-odz.1092652
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आज की अमेज़ॅन डील (संबद्ध), किफायती वस्तुओं के लिए आपका वन-स्टॉप गंतव्य, घर की सजावट, इलेक्ट्रॉनिक, पालतू जानवरों की आपूर्ति, खेल और खिलौनों के चयन के लिए बिल्कुल सही। - https://amzn.to/3FeoGyg
अस्वीकरण: यह साइट केवल सूचनात्मक उद्देश्यों के लिए है और इसे कानूनी [स्वास्थ्य, कर, पेशा] सलाह नहीं माना जाना चाहिए। हम इस ब्लॉग के उपयोग से होने वाले किसी भी नुकसान, क्षति या देनदारियों के लिए जिम्मेदार नहीं हैं। इस ब्लॉग का उद्देश्य पेशेवर चिकित्सा सलाह को प्रतिस्थापित करना नहीं है। इस ब्लॉग में व्यक्त विचार मेज़बान या प्रबंधन के नहीं हो सकते हैं।
https://www.reddit.com/SinoMaltaNews
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"Proponen un gran supermercado en San Ġwann ODZ
Autoridad Palestina inundada de objeciones a los planes de 7.000 metros cuadrados junto a St Michael's
Actualizado a las 13.20 con los comentarios del PM.
Actualmente, la Autoridad de Planificación está considerando una solicitud para un nuevo supermercado enorme en un terreno de ODZ en San Ġwann, al lado de una escuela privada.
La propuesta consiste en construir un supermercado de dos plantas con aparcamiento subterráneo en un terreno de 7.000 metros cuadrados en Triq tal-Balal y Triq tal-Prepostu, en una zona de San Ġwann conocida como Ta’ Ġnien Tut.
El solar se encuentra a poco más de 250 metros de otro supermercado, mientras que todavía se está tramitando una solicitud para un supermercado y una tienda de bricolaje en un solar justo enfrente.
La Autoridad Palestina se ha visto inundada de objeciones al desarrollo propuesto, particularmente porque el sitio en cuestión es un terreno agrícola fuera de la zona de desarrollo y está cerca de una escuela, la Fundación para la Educación St Michael.
El primer ministro Robert Abela dijo al Times of Malta que cree que la propuesta ""no tiene sentido"", ya que va en contra de la visión más amplia del gobierno laborista.
El alcalde de San Ġwann, Trevor Fenech, dijo el sábado que tenía intención de presentar una objeción a la propuesta.
El solicitante propone demoler las estructuras existentes, incluidas las estructuras ilegales construidas en el lugar, y desarrollar el sitio en un supermercado con estacionamiento en el sótano, tiendas en los niveles de la planta baja y del primer piso y oficinas relacionadas.
Según el formulario de solicitud pública presentado por los arquitectos JG Periti, Jason Pace es el único propietario del sitio en cuestión.
Sin embargo, el sitio web de PA enumera al desarrollador como Meleney Gauci.
La ocupación de tierras agrícolas de ODZ, y mucho menos de tierras que se encuentran a las puertas de una escuela y de un área ecológica protegida, ciertamente no es necesaria ni legítima.
La superficie total del sitio es de unos 12.000 metros cuadrados.
El área propuesta para el proyecto también linda con Wied Għomor y Wied il-Kbir, áreas protegidas de importancia ecológica y sitios de importancia científica.
Los objetores insisten en que la aplicación va en contra de la política rural de la AP y los objetivos del Plan Estratégico para el Medio Ambiente y el Desarrollo, que limita la ocupación de tierras para usos que no son necesarios o legítimos en las zonas rurales.
""San Ġwann ya cuenta con numerosos supermercados y la ocupación de tierras agrícolas de ODZ, y mucho menos de tierras que se encuentran a las puertas de una escuela y de un área ecológica protegida, no es ciertamente necesaria ni legítima"", escribieron los objetores en su reclamación presentada ante el PA.
St Michael es el hogar de casi 500 niños y más de 100 educadores. En una objeción, la subdirectora principal de la escuela, Carina Gerada Sinnott, dijo que, como parte de su educación continua y a través de iniciativas como EkoSkola, a los niños se les enseña a respetar y cuidar el medio ambiente y a protegerlo para las generaciones futuras.
“Esta solicitud pasa por alto este sentido de responsabilidad de proteger el paisaje natural cada vez más disminuido del que disfruta nuestro país. Intenta priorizar la construcción de un supermercado por encima de la salud y el bienestar de nuestros niños y la protección de nuestro limitado entorno natural”, escribió.
Los objetores señalaron que hay una solicitud pendiente para el desarrollo de un supermercado y una tienda de bricolaje en un terreno justo enfrente del sitio, con estacionamiento subterráneo.
Esta solicitud fue presentada por Joe Cassar en nombre de JDG Holdings Ltd.
La Autoridad de Medio Ambiente y Recursos se había opuesto a esta propuesta de desarrollo, que, según dijo, planteaba importantes preocupaciones ambientales y se consideraba objetable desde un punto de vista ambiental.
“La ERA también está preocupada por la mayor expansión, proliferación e intensificación de las intervenciones de tipo urbano dentro de un área ODZ y la mayor formalización del sitio, ya que esto puede servir inoportunamente como una predisposición para otras propuestas similares dentro del área, así como a nivel mundial. escala nacional”, afirmó.
Pace también participa en otras dos ofertas para construir supermercados en terrenos de ODZ. Uno está en un terreno de 5.500 metros cuadrados frente a la circunvalación de Birkirkara y otro en Triq Il-Kummerċ, Triq Is-Snajja y la circunvalación de Mrieħel.
Alcalde: PM me respalda en proyecto opuesto
El alcalde de San Ġwann, Trevor Fenech, dijo el sábado que presentaría una objeción al proyecto.
""Esta solicitud nunca debería haberse presentado"", dijo mientras se comprometía a oponerse al proyecto.
Fenech dijo que había hablado con el primer ministro Robert Abela sobre el proyecto y dijo que era optimista porque Abela ""fue claro acerca de que él y el Partido Laborista respaldarían nuestra causa"".
Abela lo confirmó y le dijo al Times of Malta que no quería que el proyecto siguiera adelante y que el Partido Laborista respaldaría al consejo para oponerse al mismo.
https://timesofmalta.com/article/massive-supermarket-proposed-san-gwann-odz.1092652
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"Un immense supermarché proposé sur San Ġwann ODZ
L'AP inondée d'objections aux projets de 7 000 mètres carrés à côté de St Michael's
Mis à jour à 13h20 avec les commentaires du PM
L'autorité de planification examine actuellement une demande pour un nouveau supermarché de grande envergure sur le terrain de l'ODZ à San Ġwann, à côté d'une école privée.
Le projet consiste à construire un supermarché à deux étages avec un parking souterrain sur un terrain de 7 000 mètres carrés à Triq tal-Balal et Triq tal-Prepostu, dans une zone de San Ġwann connue sous le nom de Ta' Ġnien Tut.
Le terrain se trouve à un peu plus de 250 mètres d'un autre supermarché, tandis qu'une demande d'ouverture d'un supermarché et d'un magasin de bricolage sur un terrain situé juste en face est toujours en cours de traitement.
L'AP a été inondée d'objections au projet de développement proposé, notamment parce que le site en question est un terrain agricole en dehors de la zone de développement et est proche d'une école, la St Michael Foundation for Education.
Le Premier ministre Robert Abela a déclaré au Times of Malta qu'il estime que la proposition est « un échec » car elle va à l'encontre de la vision plus large du gouvernement travailliste.
Le maire de San Ġwann, Trevor Fenech, a déclaré samedi qu'il avait l'intention de déposer une objection à la proposition.
Le demandeur propose de démolir les structures existantes, y compris les structures illégales construites sur place, et d'aménager le site en un supermarché avec un parking en sous-sol, des magasins au rez-de-chaussée et au premier étage et des bureaux connexes.
Selon le formulaire de candidature publique soumis par les architectes JG Periti, Jason Pace est l'unique propriétaire du site en question.
Cependant, le site Web de l'AP indique que le développeur est Meleney Gauci.
L’appropriation des terres agricoles de l’ODZ, sans parler des terres situées aux portes d’une école et d’une zone écologique protégée, n’est certainement ni nécessaire ni légitime.
La superficie totale du site est d'environ 12 000 mètres carrés.
La zone proposée pour le projet jouxte également Wied Għomor et Wied il-Kbir, des zones protégées d'importance écologique et des sites d'importance scientifique.
Les opposants insistent sur le fait que la demande va à l’encontre de la politique rurale de l’Autorité palestinienne et des objectifs du Plan stratégique pour l’environnement et le développement, qui limite l’occupation des terres à des usages qui ne sont pas nécessaires ou légitimes dans les zones rurales.
""San Ġwann compte déjà de nombreux supermarchés et l'appropriation des terres agricoles de l'ODZ, sans parler des terres situées aux portes d'une école et d'une zone écologique protégée, n'est certainement ni nécessaire ni légitime"", ont écrit les opposants dans leur réclamation déposée auprès de l'AP.
St Michael abrite près de 500 enfants et plus de 100 éducateurs. Dans une objection, la directrice adjointe principale de l'école, Carina Gerada Sinnott, a déclaré que, dans le cadre de leur éducation continue et grâce à des initiatives comme EkoSkola, les enfants apprennent à respecter et à prendre soin de l'environnement et à le protéger pour les générations futures.
« Cette candidature bafoue ce sens des responsabilités dans la protection du paysage naturel de plus en plus menacé dont bénéficie notre pays. Il tente de donner la priorité à la construction d’un supermarché plutôt qu’à la santé et au bien-être de nos enfants et à la protection de notre environnement naturel limité », a-t-elle écrit.
Les opposants notent qu'une demande est en cours pour l'aménagement d'un supermarché et d'un magasin de bricolage sur un terrain situé juste en face du site, avec un parking souterrain.
Cette demande a été déposée par Joe Cassar au nom de JDG Holdings Ltd.
L'Autorité de l'environnement et des ressources s'était opposée à ce projet de développement, qui, selon elle, soulevait d'importantes préoccupations environnementales et était considéré comme répréhensible d'un point de vue environnemental.
« L'ERA est également préoccupée par la poursuite de l'étalement, la prolifération et l'intensification des interventions de type urbain au sein d'une zone ODZ et par la poursuite de la formalisation du site, car cela pourrait inopportunement servir de prédisposition à d'autres propositions similaires dans la zone ainsi que sur un à l’échelle nationale », a-t-il déclaré.
Pace est également impliqué dans deux autres appels d'offres pour construire des supermarchés sur les terrains de l'ODZ. L'un se trouve sur un terrain de 5 500 mètres carrés au large du contournement de Birkirkara et un autre sur Triq Il-Kummerċ, Triq Is-Snajja et le contournement de Mrieħel.
Maire: le PM me soutient dans mon opposition au projet
Le maire de San Ġwann, Trevor Fenech, a déclaré samedi qu'il déposerait une objection au projet.
""Cette demande n'aurait jamais dû être déposée"", a-t-il déclaré en s'engageant à s'opposer au projet.
Fenech a déclaré qu'il avait parlé du projet au Premier ministre Robert Abela et s'est dit optimiste car Abela ""a été clair sur le fait que lui et le Parti travailliste soutenaient notre cause"".
Abela a confirmé cela, déclarant au Times of Malta qu'il ne voulait pas que le projet se poursuive et que le Parti travailliste soutiendrait le conseil en s'y opposant.
https://timesofmalta.com/article/massive-supermarket-proposed-san-gwann-odz.1092652
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"Riesiger Supermarkt im San Ġwann ODZ geplant
PA wird mit Einwänden gegen 7.000-Quadratmeter-Pläne neben St. Michael's überschwemmt
Aktualisiert um 13:20 Uhr mit Kommentaren der PM
Die Planungsbehörde prüft derzeit einen Antrag für einen riesigen neuen Supermarkt auf dem ODZ-Gelände in San Ġwann, angrenzend an eine Privatschule.
Der Vorschlag sieht den Bau eines zweistöckigen Supermarkts mit Tiefgarage auf einem 7.000 Quadratmeter großen Grundstück in Triq tal-Balal und Triq tal-Prepostu in einem als Ta’ Ġnien Tut bekannten Viertel von San Ġwann vor.
Das Grundstück liegt etwas mehr als 250 Meter von einem weiteren Supermarkt entfernt, während ein Antrag für einen Supermarkt und einen Baumarkt auf einem Grundstück direkt gegenüber noch in Bearbeitung ist.
Die PA wurde mit Einwänden gegen die geplante Entwicklung überschwemmt, insbesondere weil es sich bei dem betreffenden Gelände um landwirtschaftliche Flächen außerhalb der Entwicklungszone handelt und in der Nähe einer Schule, der St Michael Foundation for Education, liegt.
Premierminister Robert Abela erklärte gegenüber der Times of Malta, dass er den Vorschlag für einen „Nichtstarter“ halte, da er der umfassenderen Vision der Labour-Regierung zuwiderlaufe.
Der Bürgermeister von San Ġwann, Trevor Fenech, sagte am Samstag, dass er beabsichtige, Einspruch gegen den Vorschlag einzulegen.
Der Antragsteller schlägt vor, bestehende Gebäude, einschließlich illegaler Gebäude, die auf dem Gelände errichtet wurden, abzureißen und das Gelände in einen Supermarkt mit Tiefgaragenparkplätzen, Geschäften im Erdgeschoss und im ersten Stock sowie zugehörigen Büros umzuwandeln.
Laut dem von den Architekten JG Periti eingereichten öffentlichen Bewerbungsformular ist Jason Pace der alleinige Eigentümer des betreffenden Grundstücks.
Auf der PA-Website wird der Entwickler jedoch als Meleney Gauci aufgeführt.
Die Inanspruchnahme landwirtschaftlicher ODZ-Flächen, ganz zu schweigen von Flächen, die vor der Haustür einer Schule und eines Naturschutzgebiets liegen, ist sicherlich nicht notwendig oder legitim
Die Gesamtfläche des Geländes beträgt rund 12.000 Quadratmeter.
Das für das Projekt vorgeschlagene Gebiet grenzt auch an Wied Għomor und Wied il-Kbir, Schutzgebiete von ökologischer Bedeutung und Stätten von wissenschaftlicher Bedeutung.
Die Einwände bestehen darauf, dass der Antrag im Widerspruch zur ländlichen Politik der Palästinensischen Autonomiebehörde und den Zielen des Strategischen Plans für Umwelt und Entwicklung steht, der die Landnutzung für Nutzungen begrenzt, die in ländlichen Gebieten nicht notwendig oder legitim sind.
„In San Ġwann gibt es bereits zahlreiche Supermärkte und die Inanspruchnahme landwirtschaftlicher ODZ-Flächen, ganz zu schweigen von Flächen, die vor der Haustür einer Schule und eines geschützten ökologischen Gebiets liegen, ist sicherlich nicht notwendig oder legitim“, schrieben die Einspruchsführer in ihrer bei eingereichten Stellungnahme die PA.
St. Michael ist die Heimat von fast 500 Kindern und über 100 Erziehern. In einem Einspruch sagte die Oberassistentin der Schule, Carina Gerada Sinnott, dass den Kindern im Rahmen ihrer laufenden Ausbildung und durch Initiativen wie EkoSkola beigebracht werde, die Umwelt zu respektieren und zu pflegen und sie für künftige Generationen zu schützen.
„Dieser Antrag missachtet dieses Verantwortungsbewusstsein für den Schutz der immer kleiner werdenden Naturlandschaft unseres Landes. Sie versucht, dem Bau eines Supermarkts Vorrang vor der Gesundheit und dem Wohlergehen unserer Kinder und dem Schutz unserer begrenzten natürlichen Umwelt einzuräumen“, schrieb sie.
Die Einspruchsgegner wiesen darauf hin, dass ein Antrag für die Errichtung eines Supermarkts und eines Baumarkts auf einem Grundstück direkt gegenüber dem Grundstück mit Tiefgarage anhängig sei.
Dieser Antrag wurde von Joe Cassar im Namen von JDG Holdings Ltd. eingereicht.
Die Umwelt- und Ressourcenbehörde hatte gegen diese vorgeschlagene Entwicklung Einspruch erhoben, die ihrer Meinung nach erhebliche Umweltbedenken aufwirft und aus Umweltgesichtspunkten als anstößig angesehen wird.
„Die ERA ist auch besorgt über die weitere Ausbreitung, Verbreitung und Intensivierung städtebaulicher Interventionen innerhalb eines ODZ-Gebiets und die weitere Formalisierung des Standorts, da dies ungünstigerweise als Prädisposition für andere ähnliche Vorschläge innerhalb des Gebiets sowie auf einer anderen Seite dienen könnte.“ nationaler Ebene“, hieß es.
Pace ist außerdem an zwei weiteren Ausschreibungen für den Bau von Supermärkten auf dem ODZ-Gelände beteiligt. Eine davon befindet sich auf einem 5.500 Quadratmeter großen Grundstück an der Umgehungsstraße von Birkirkara und eine weitere an der Umgehungsstraße Triq Il-Kummerċ, Triq Is-Snajja und Mrieħel.
Bürgermeister: Premierminister unterstützt mich bei meinem Ablehnungsprojekt
Der Bürgermeister von San Ġwann, Trevor Fenech, sagte am Samstag, dass er Einspruch gegen das Projekt einlegen werde.
„Dieser Antrag hätte niemals eingereicht werden dürfen“, sagte er und versprach, sich dem Projekt zu widersetzen.
Fenech sagte, er habe mit Premierminister Robert Abela über das Projekt gesprochen und sagte, er sei optimistisch, da Abela „klar zum Ausdruck brachte, dass er und die Labour Party unsere Sache unterstützen“.
Abela bestätigte dies und teilte der Times of Malta mit, dass er nicht wolle, dass das Projekt umgesetzt werde und dass die Labour Party den Rat bei seinem Einspruch unterstützen werde.
https://timesofmalta.com/article/massive-supermarket-proposed-san-gwann-odz.1092652
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"

(Disclaimer: I am not diagnosed with autism, but I think I might have it and I can't quite find advice on this topic that is relevant to me. Also, English is not my first language, so I am sorry for any mistakes I make)
In September I am going to be enrolled into a boarding school with a focus on agriculture. On the weekends and on breaks I will be at home. For the rest of the time I will be at school. I am currently attending 8th grade in a public middle school, so this will be a huge change.
Also, I live in Austria (the boarding school is also in Austria), so a lot of things are different, but I assume there must be a lot of advice that would apply to both American and Austrian boarding schools.
My main concerns are social life (roommate, classmates, friends (?) at my current school), leaving my parents and grandparents, managing pocket money (it will likely be raised to 30-50€ per month when I enter boarding school), my cat (she is 10 years old and I will attend the boarding school for 5 school years, so she will likely die in that time), hygiene and cleaning, packing, academics (getting good grades is mostly easy at my current school, but I constantly forget homework or just can't get myself to do it), following instructions and motorics and coordination.
I also have some minor concerns like whether I would take atleast some of the flags in my room with me. I have 28 flags in my room: 1 large Austrian flag, 24 small flags on flag poles that I keep on surfaces in my room (Argentina, Bahrain, Brazil, Canada, China, Finland, France, Germany, India , Italy, Japan, Mexico, Netherlands, New Zealand, Panama, Russia, South Africa, South Korea, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland, Turkey, USA, United Kingdom), and 3 flags I crafted on my own ((in the order I crafted them:) Union of South Africa, Rhodesia and the flag of a Minecraft nation I am the president of currently)
I apologise for my excessive use of brackets.
I am already thinking about how I will put things in my dorm room. For example, I have 4 boxes made of fabric, which I plan on putting under my bed. The boxes have cats depicted on them on the front side!!!!!!!
So, if anyone has advice for boarding school, especially with social life and adapting, to share, I would be very grateful.

TL;DR I asked a guy at work for a small favour. He was friendly and polite and all of a sudden changed to being distant and dismissive. I don’t know if I did something wrong, I feel bad and I wish I could fix it.
A few months ago, I and my partner started planning a trip abroad to a country A on a continent I’ve never been before. Planning it was becoming quite stressful as we like booking everything in advance including restaurants and activities. I told about it to one of my female colleagues at which point she advised me to ask guy X to help me with the planning as X is from country A. At that point in time, I had never worked with guy X closely and I had never spoken to him before apart from saying our names in a group setting in a training at work months before. I barely remembered him from the training and we didn’t use to say hello to each other. Nonetheless I messaged him about my trip and he agreed to help me.
We met in the kitchen in the office and he seemed very friendly and genuinely nice and happy to be able to help me. He gave me lots of recommendations and useful information and even wrote a whole plan for my trip on a sheet of paper. He even shared some personal story such as him wanting to visit a place with an ex a few years ago. We chatted for one hour. I have to say that during that chat I realised how attractive I find him. While we were chatting, I could feel an intense sexual tension on my side but of course, I tried to hide it, I didn’t touch him, I didn’t try to flirt or anything like that. When he asked me if I’m travelling alone, I told him I’m travelling with my partner at which point he started telling me how I should go to this very romantic place. At the end, I thanked him and I had no reason to believe he found me attractive too or that the sexual tension was mutual. He never mentioned any gf but I know he used to be in a serious relationship and it’s possible that he still is. I’ve been in a relationship with my SO for 3 years, we live together and I’ve been very happy so I was surprised I could feel like this in the presence of another man but I didn’t think too much of it as it’s normal, we’re humans and we can’t control attraction.
After some time, one day, we’re passing each other in the office and he stops for small talk, asking me how the planning went. For whatever reason, I didn’t expect him to talk to me so I panicked, I felt nervous and I gave a short answer that I still haven’t done it and went my way, hitting a wall when I turned, no idea if he noticed. After that, after a few days, I realised I might have been rude so I messaged him with an update, telling him that I managed to book everything and that he really helped me and I was thanking him again. He replied very politely that he would be more than happy to answer any other questions if I have more, he even offered to book a tour for me if needed. I told him that the only thing that I would like help with is the language of country A, that I’ve been learning it for over one year and I would like to practice it with him. Again, he seemed very friendly and kind, said that of course, we can do that.
After some time, one day, he comes to my desk to set up a time to practice the language A. I never came to his desk and he had never done it either but I took it as a sign of friendliness. Later that day, we meet in the kitchen again and we spend 30 mins speaking. Despite me being nervous and speaking in a foreign language, the conversation wasn’t awkward, he’s all smiley and makes jokes, he even shared other personal story again about another ex and at the end he offered to do it again the following week and even introduced me to a female colleague who can also speak language A. I took it as a good sign.
Now here comes the event where everything changed. There was happy hour in the office, I was chatting with guy Y when guy X shows up, says hello and confirms the day of our next chat. Guy Y, whose native language is also language A, acts a bit surprised and says that I asked him too to practice and he thought he was the only one. I felt weird, I mumbled something that it’s good to speak to different people with different accents. At this point guy X just moves to speak to other people, never says anything else to me and leaves soon after. First of all, I didn’t know guy X knows guy Y. Second of all, I did tell guy X that I’m practicing with other people too so I didn’t think back then it was an issue. I know guy Y a bit better because he works with me on the same project and has acted very friendly towards me from the start. I think guy Y might be single and possibly likes me but I don’t know if guy X picked up on this.
Next week, on the day I was supposed to meet with guy X, first he delays the meeting 2 times, then when we finally meet, he acts rushed , switching almost all the time to English and acting as if it was a chore and as if he wasn’t the one who offered to help in the first place. My first thought was that he was busy or stressed at work.
A couple of days after, I was packing and messaged him about something that I wasn’t sure I needed to pack. He replies to me after hours, saying he was busy and wishing me a good trip.
Fast forward a few weeks, I’m back in the office, we pass each other and asks me how it was without stopping for small talk, I say it was nice and that’s it, he never asks me anything else again. I just couldn’t believe it. If I was him I would die to find out how it was, I would speak about my home country for hours. Again I tell myself he might be stressed or busy with work and try not to read too much into it.
After a while, he announces he is changing teams so he’s moving to a different floor. I message him asking if I could bother him again for cofee breaks to practice the language A and he replies of course. I then say something else but he never replies, shutting down the conversation. I’m pretty sure he would never initiate anything and at this point it’s clear to me he doesn’t want to talk to me anymore.
I just don’t understand why he went from over friendly to distant and dismissive all of a sudden. He is very friendly with everyone in the office and quite liked. Did I offend him? Did he just decide he hates me ? Can I fix this ? is it all in my mind and he’s just acting normal but not interested in making new friends? I know I shouldn’t be thinking of this and it doesn’t deserve my energy but it just bugs me to know that I might have upset someone who was genuinely kind and helpful at the start.

Freshly back and awake after a twelve day stint for my first time there. I knew that I wanted to go in general, and while I didn't have a firm itinerary planned out, there was one main goal that I had in terms of sites within the country. The main video game that I play is Beatmania IIDX, and it has internal trophies which are represented as badges. Your profile allows you to assign up to five of them as visible when you start a new round, and there are badges to earn for playing at least one round in every prefecture in Japan, as well as every subregion. Getting the Kanto badge meant that I needed to play at least one round in Tokyo, Kanagawa, Saitama, Gunma, Tochigi, Ibaraki, and Chiba. After five days, I had that complete, and now I have a permanent record of this trip within the game itself. There was also a time-limited event to earn points in IIDX in order to exchange them for goods, such as a hat, or a towel, or a new account card and a poster, and I managed to get that taken care of in somewhat dramatic fashion. I did some other things too.
Primary general points
· Getting Suica set on the phone and using it was generally painless. There were only two times where I needed to summon the help of a resident JR employee to clear up an issue with the gate not reading the card for some reason.
· Most vocal interaction which I had was the opposite of painless, because I continuously kept trying to speak Japanese and failing, and most people would realize that I was completely failing at it and responded with English (some with full on sentences, others with just a few words). There were a few rare times that I was able to express my intent in Japanese, receive a response, understand the response, and reply as necessary, but that was rare. Once English was invoked, I would stay with it, because that's what they were expecting. I've been self-studying the language for more than twenty years in varying degrees of intensity, and while my reading comprehesion seemed sufficient enough for this trip, and while I didn't expect my speaking to be as good because I don't have any opportunity to practice speaking, I came away bitterly disappointed in my vocal and speaking comprehension in terms of my interaction with people there. Even within the trip I could at least overhear common chitchat better, but any time I needed to converse with someone for some reason, I usually needed to have things repeated several times and broken down before I finally realized what was being said.
· You are going to be asked about separately buying a bag with every non-food purchase. Accept or immediately present one that you are carrying to indicate how your purchase shall be bagged.
· I never once had my passport requested for presentation.
· Only once did a person volutnarily reach out to address me, and it was just to ask me where I was from in English. Otherwise, everyone left me alone the entire time.
· Weather through the period was ideal. Mid to upper 70F/25C range and only a few days where it was rainy, and even then it wasn't a downpour. A while ago I personally resolved to only wear suits in public and I purchased a new pair of Mephisto shoes after hearing reports of the extensive walking causing problems for traveller's feet and shoes. My attire help up well; there were only a few times that I needed to avoid sunlight to not get too hot, and I have no issues to report from the shoes.
· I only got X'd out of a restaurant one time, and I think it's only because I wandered into it before it was ready for service. Otherwise, I never once waited in line for food, I never once went to restaurant more than once, and all food was acceptably priced for the portion and excellent for the quality.
For these per-day recounts, I wrote them contemporaneously at the end of each day, so you'll need to forgive me for some writing being in present tense and other writing being in past tense.
Day 1 - Travel, Sugamo, Ikebukuro
Non stop flight from Chicago OHare to Haneda. 12 hours. Good thing I usually don't watch movies, because that just means that all I needed to do was binge a few to make the trip go by.
Pre-trip research led me to choose APA Sugamo as my home base for the visit, and I think that it was a very fortuitious choice. I'll have more to say about it later.
Some awkward encounters happened right away upon checking in here. I was at the nearby Family Mart to buy some things and I didn’t catch that he was making sure I wanted a bag until he repeated it five times. Yes, I’ll take it. Before getting there I was coming down to ground level after checking into my room, and when that person saw that I would have been the only other person going down to the ground, they ducked right back out. I was warned on both of these kinds of things happening, so I guess it’s good to have that immediately out of the way. It would turn out that people deliberately avoiding me was rare throughout the trip.
Despite not sleeping on the trip, I had freshly arrived and had no sense of being tired, so once I had my stuff down, I went off to Ikebukuro right away. No picture or video truly conveys how crowded these areas can get. It can only be experienced in person to be understood.
I soon found Round One Ikebukruo and went right in. So dense and loud. It’s entirely alien to me to see no less than ten IIDX machines in operation and all of them in use. I dumped the money into random tickets, as I foresaw doing, but now I have to wonder if that was the right thing to do, or if it’s tied to that location. I guess I’ll find out.
The forecast is for rain so I need to be in a hurry to figure out where I’m going to go. There might be only one day left for me to get my time limited toys.
Day 2 - Kawasaki, Kanagawa - Utsunomiya, Tochigi - Oomiya, Saitama
My body decided that it only needed four hours of sleep this morning. Without doing more research, I somehow decided to assume that more of the Round One locations were close to 24 hours of operation much like Ikebukuro. Answer: no. I hopped on the train early and went to Shibuya first, but it was very quiet, so I decided to get some of the travels out of the way today and headed south to Kawasaki. I still needed to dawdle for a while until Silk Hat opened at 900AM, and when I finally was able to get inside, I was only able to verify that their store had several allotments of the campaign goods and all allotments were out. Played one round on a monitor that was surprisingly blurry, and I don’t know why that would be the case with a lightning model, but it was, so that was enough.
After doing all of that, I resolved to try to go to Chiba and Ibaraki afterwards. I figured that with Kanagawa and Tokyo likely all out, going to the outskirts would make more sense. However, there was an injury on one of the rails that threw everything off normal, and the train I found myself riding was bound for Utsunomiya instead. Seeing as how I was going to go there eventually, I rolled with it.
It doesn’t take too long to move away from Tokyo metropolitan area before you encounter more forest like areas and rice paddy fields. Halfway through the trip I noticed that two older women suddenly hopped off while the train was waiting to go to the next stop, and I followed them when I realized they found the express line. Utsunomiya has a substantial size to its area and buildings but it was very quiet on the streets there in midday. Walked a mile to Sega GIGO, found that they didn’t even have the goods tracker up. All out. Interesting buliding for it having several neon signs, all vintage and authentic at that. Getting to there from the south meant cutting through Saitama, so I knew I had enough time to make one last attempt there. Research shown two stores being near Oomiya station, so that’s where I ended up. Taito Station was immediately visible upon exit, and they have two IIDX machines specifically with 20 gram springs, which is closer to my home setup and that much lighter than standard 50 gram springs. The final hour drew near and I made one last visit to that city’s Round One. Unlike nearly every other place I went to so far, it only had one IIDX machine. However, and maybe because of that, their goods listing didn’t show everything as out. One painful language exchange later, I was able to discern that what I wanted was available. When you spend more than 3000 yen in a single credit, the game wants to verify if you really want to proceed. It does it again at 6000 and 9000. Yes, I really do. But, having made that money dump I was able to get my hands on the e-amuse card and poster with fifteen minutes left before the deadline. Mission complete. By this point in the day it was exceedingly difficult to even look at the screen so I was ready to come home, but not before getting some goods at the Oomiya Book Off and redeeming what I could for points at Round One Ikebukuro. By the end of the day the only thing that I could tolerate doing was to buy some chicken and nigiri from the nearby train station. Good enough. At that point in the day my body felt like it wants to rock back and forth after all the train riding done today. But, it ended up being worthwhile after all.
One nostalgic feeling I had the most strongly in the day was at the Utsunomiya location where the smell of it triggered past buried memories of yesteryear. I think I want to attribute it to the stronger second hand cigarette smell but I’m not sure - all the same I felt its presence strongly there. Also, I don’t see Oomiya (or really Saitama itself) mentioned as a fun place to go, but it might serve as an acceptable alternative to Ikebukuro, only not as massive in scale of human quantity. Depending on how the trip goes in total I may end up back there for IIDX playing, at least if I don’t find any other place that has 20G springs.
Day 3 - Akihabara
With the travels out of the way, it was time to keep things more regionalized and stick to one area, and there is shopping that needs to be done, so it was off to Akihabara and to see how much of other posted tales hold true. The answer is that it is a lot of it. Kotobukiya can stand to open sooner than noon. Super Potato is indeed priced for a market which wants to snap up anything cheap - I at least found Xi for under 500 and felt that it would have been a bit silly to buy only that, but it didn’t make spending 2000 on one single issue of Arcadia any better. I had no idea that Hey Arcade was right next to both of them; while it was assuredly nice to be there and see the row of Cave shooters among everything else, something got messed up with my registration of my new eamuse card with everything else, so that quickly added to my stress. Having to carry around a few hundred dollars worth of crap with every step didn’t help matters. At least I was able to help a person recover their lost phone by applying a bit of logic to the situation and deducing it to belong to the only person there who looked French, as it was on the Lock Screen. They were relieved, yes. Then, rain came, and it was more than I was anticipating, and I left the umbrella at the room, particularly since I knew I’d be shopping this day. It also turns out to have not mattered much, because I went to visit Bic Camera so that I could get myself a hair trimmer while here, and that turned into me finding a bunch of Kit Kats available, so that meant a second bag. The wind kicked out the rain and my umbrella. In trying to get as many gifts secured as possible, I found some gachapon, but it needed 100Y coins, and I didn’t need paper money in the trip yet. After fighting with maps, I found an ATM to get cash, and got the gachapon. I came home late with feeling rather crushed about the day in that I couldn’t take pictures very well with having to juggle weather and bagging considerations. There were some nice parts of the experience to be sure but between that and more gawking at Super Potato pricing ($135 for PS3 Caladrius? $6000 for Pulstar?) and seeing similar markups on other goods, I don’t think it’s unfair to say that there is a reputation that this area carries and the pricing is there to go with it.
Day 4 - Laundry Day. Shibuya, Harajuku, Shinjuku
I was so drained at the end of Day 3 that I fell asleep on the bed immediately after ending the night call, which meant that I woke up at 0200AM to a room that was fully lit. This meant that I needed to look up how to resolve my eamuse problem or else I wouldn’t be able to get back to sleep. I did both. Awake at 0800AM meant that I had time to do laundry while I figured out what to do with the rest of the day. This meant that I was able to get more of Sugamo in pictures, and it was nice to be able to walk among the actual residences, and do other things like come across a school as it was actually in session. With them being close by and all in succession, I figured to get Shibuya, Harajuku, and Shinjuku visited. It turns out to have been a good day for it, as the temperature was perfectly cool and no rain came, and the sun came out only for a little bit. Shibuya somehow doesn’t seem quite as large in scope in person but the crowds were definitely there, and it is much more hilly than I anticipated as well. After wandering around and not seeing any arcade for a bit, I came across a series of coffee and cookie shops and remained strong to not indulge. It was there while looking at a Disney store (which gets tourists to take pictures of it for some reason) that the song Alone Again came on through the nearby public speakers. What timing. It drove me to finally get a treat for myself, and the frozen latte (black sesame and houji) and croissant (dark chocolate filing) were certainly good, it ended up costing more than the dinner I’d have later this day. I found a seclusion with a garbage can to eat the food and not carry the trash around, then an arcade soon after, and it was time to determine if I could fix the problem. Just like an easy click, it was. New to trash. Old to new. Done. Why did it have to be this way. Harajuku came next, and the environment there was distinct. This one in particular felt like it was an extended carnival atmosphere with the single tight knit market street and emphasis on fashion. A conversation with a freelance artist in the subway actually went well enough that I didn’t feel dumb. The same sensation carried to Shinjuku as well, only it was more spread out. Kabuki street was interesting to see in person, and I didn’t get any unseemly vibes from the place. Maybe it’s different later at night. A return home at a reasonable time allowed me to go down Sugamo’s market street a bit; most of it was closed, but it was interesting to come across the few remaining stores that were open by 0800PM, and more so the one that wasn’t. Coming back to the hotel I found a 24 hour ramen shop with nobody inside. The chef didn’t want to speak and only pointed to the ordering kiosk when I addressed her. The food came through a slot in the obscured window. At least her thank you as I left was a bit more warm, and the food was certainly delicious. To match with the matcha dessert that I bought from Sugamo station, I swung by a 7Eleven to get a drink, and found a milk tea for cheaper than a vending machine. The overhead music in the store was an instrumental version of Alone Again.
Day 5. Ibaraki - Mount Tsukuba, Miraidaira. Kashiwa, Chiba. Akihabara 2.
Awake at 0500AM on my own and knowing the current forecast meant that my envisioned plan for the day was quickly realized. Reaching the Tsukuba Express starting point from Akihabara needs you to get very far down into the ground before getting out into sunlight. I was on the ride early enough to see schoolchildren going about their commute, some of them being no older than ten and going about it unaccompanied. The people of Tsukuba seemed to be particularly helpful and cheerful that day, even despite my Suica issues at the gate. I didn’t ask his name at the counter but the man at the service desk was eager to speak with me about my career and what I was doing there. One asked where I was from on the way up to the summit and another caught my cable car ticket on the way down. There had to have been a few of them who saw my doing this climb in my business attire and thinking me to be a complete idiot if not outright mocking them for doing it that way while they employed the use of dual walking sticks and the like. I know I read some reports of the home stretch being difficult, but it did get pretty close to being an actual rock climb instead of a trail hike for that part of it. A quick stop to Miraidaira on the way back to get the Ibaraki play. The way the town center greets you upon leaving the rail gate struck me as incredible, as well as for how quiet it was. It was like walking onto a movie set. I did find the sweet shop after the play, and that was another painful interaction yet again. Oh well. Two quick stops down Tsukuba Express and one across from Tobu Urban Park line was enough to have a toe in Chiba, and I didn’t even need to leave the physical building of the train station to get to the basement level to find a machine for a play. Thank you, Kashiwa, you were great. Gunma is all that’s left. The descent from Tsukuba did take some earnest exertion, and after doing that the two stops, that put me back in Akihabara about when I anticipated; what I failed to anticipate is how much that place seems to drain on me. I think I just need to eat at an actual dinner time. Once I got back to Sugamo and had food it was a bit better, but while in Akihabara and being around that environment, and not finding things on a shopping list, I found myself just standing still and watching life pass me by. I hemmed and hawed a while for a maid girl’s hour of service for chitchat, but eventually I talked myself out of it because I just didn’t want potential trouble, just like her name. Komaru. I thought about doing this once just to say that I did, but I ultimately decided against it. You cannot go to this place with the expectation that you will find anything unless it is advertised and new. If you are looking for anything used, don’t count on it being there. You also cannot go there without having a strong resolve to not engage with the touts, because it becomes disheartening to see them do their job and blankly stare at the world when they're forced to stand out there and do nothing. Back to Sugamo to find a place that advertised Wagyu but the price they wanted was more than I wanted to spend. The ramen and seaweed & rice servings were fine, but they advertised endless drink and I didn’t receive that. All for $20? No, son. I did better than that elsewhere, I’ll know better now. Long day.
Day 6 - Tokyo Flea Market, Nakano Broadway, Ueno.
The weather couldn’t have been better for this weekend. I’ve read reports that the flea market held near the horse race track will be arbitrarily cancelled regardless of what is reported on the website, but my gut instinct told me that it would occur today, and it did. Turns out that a flea market is a flea market which is a flea market, no matter where it happens. Same allotment of clothes and stuff that few people really want to buy, although I was able to find myself some neckties at least. I probably overpaid based on what I saw later in the route, but that’s fine. They look nice. I settled on some shot glasses for a gift as well, but I’m surprised that I can’t ind something ornate that isn’t part of a sake set. Seated in the shade with a chocolate churro while rap music played in the background - it’s like I never left home. A woman came to sit across from me for the sake of sitting down; she was from Holland and today’s her last day in the country. Her husband came with food eventually. She had three weeks here and went to several places (allegedly, she didn’t list them out) and I asked her about Nakano Broadway. She didn’t make it there. It’s a good thing that I did - this is probably the kind of environment and market that people expect of Akihabara now, and maybe that’s how Aki was years ago, but it’s different from this. What’s more interesting is that Mandarake has a larger presence here than in Akihabara (so it seems to me), and their stores had floor after floor of any and every kind of pop culture product that’s been made in the past sixty years at least. Buttress that with extensive watch and jewelry stores and a slender arcade in the basement, and it’s a very well centralized microcosm of the country’s economy on the whole. I actually made a point to have dinner earlier than usual this time and found a place to serve some deep fried pork cuts served with rice and soup on the side. It was enough, and very well made. The day had not ended and my bag was heavy with several books purchased there, so I reported back to base briefly and decided to try visiting somewhere else, and settled on Ueno. Just as I arrived, a festival was underway where local teams of people made an elaborate show of carrying a home made shrine to a temple. Streets were officially blocked by police to allow the procession. In following the line I came up against makeshift food and amusement stands with the traditional toy gun shooting and goldfish catching. It appears that this is an official “start of summer” festival and I was able to watch it all happen in front of me. That was the good part of the day.
Day 7 - Tachikawa / Kunitachi. Shinjuku 2.
One of the games that I've never played is Beatmania III The Final. I've played some BM3 7th Mix years ago, but not The Final. I found a location that has one - World Game Circus in Tachikawa. In looking around that area before the trip, I saw that there was a nearby shinkansen museum, and not much else, so I figured that going to both places would make that walk worthwhile. Turns out that it wasn’t a museum in the proper sense of a dedicated building. Rather, it was a bullet train engine car on the side of a building that was unrelated, and that was it. A cute interaction happened here - when I approached the car, I heard some children running around inside, so I approached cautiously without knowing if I was encroaching upon someone else's alloted time or something. Once the children saw me, they gave a hearty irrashaimase as I entered, and the boy stamped a paper and presented it to me. Perfect. Despite it not being a typical musem, the card did have some interesting content, and it's good to see some kind of commemoration for their achievements and progression in that industry regardless. They have a lot to be proud about there. Off to WGC. Maps wasn’t lying about the walk taking twenty minutes. It's a good thing that I looked it up on streetview beforehand, because I otherwise would have walked right past it without knowing it was there. Then there it was, and there I confronted a past that I couldn’t visit again. Sure, I got to play BM3 The Final at last, but my timing was off, my hands were off, there wasn’t much I could do. Along with that I can say that I’ve played on a Beatmania II cabinet, and that was better than 5th Style at least. But that was it, that was all I could stand to do. It was right there and I couldn’t bear to put up with it more than a few rounds at best. Dream big, because only disappointment follows if your smaller dreams ever are fulfilled. I don’t know why finding IKEA back in Shinjuku was so difficult, but it took a while. I bought a bag, and then I bought a bag because the other bag was at the end of the register, which makes sense. I did feed myself before getting back to the Taito station to play some songs, but it still wasn’t good enough. All thumbs. Ended the day with laundry since the timing worked. Speaking of making dreams big, it’s time to cross another one off the list tomorrow. I can’t wait.
Day 8 - Takasaki, Gunma. Oomiya, Saitama 2.
It’s a good thing that I only needed to get to Ikebukuro to transfer over to the next stop, because that’s where that particular run ended for some reason. I wonder what was up. Speaking of things getting messed up on trains, I managed to find my way on a train that needed a separate ticket, which I didn't have. The conductor found me right away and had me disembark at Uraja for me to wait for the proper transfer. The weather forecast said there’d be rain, and the travel forecast said it would take two hours to get there, and neither lied. I feel like I had more people staring at me in Gunma than other places. I will say that I found the Takasaki station area to be rather charming, with the stores that it had inside and the emphasis on the music culture there. It’s one thing to offer a piano to the public to play, but it’s another to have a public willing to use it. This location had both. Having what was essentially a Bic Camera built into the facility was a nice touch too. The Leisure Land arcade was sandwiched between other floors that had its own offering of gaming stuff, so that was an unexpected bit of a fun thing to look through. The area was clean and sparsely populated, and it wasn’t picked clean of all matter of things that would normally get snapped up, so that was interesting. Finally, I made it over to the machine. They had separate fans for each location. I got the songs and then the medals came, and that’s that. Kantou Seiou. I would have stayed a bit longer but I wanted to have the medals show up right away, and my internet wasn’t cooperating, so that’s all I could do. I think there was an Internet cafe that I could have used in the facility, but I didn’t want to deal with an awkward conversation. I did get some Lawson on the way out, as well as some trinkets from the local Gunma-chan store as well as some mini croissants and some macademia cookie things. More vocal awkwardness. Omiya was one of the stops on the way back, and I found a place to serve omrice, so that’s another one off the list. No shoes allowed inside. The value wasn’t there but the service was good enough, as was the flavor. The machines with the 20G springs are indeed legit. Back home in time for some McDonalds, and that’s another food-checklist item marked off. Takoyaki mayo dipping sauce - somehow it’s both salty and sweet. While returning to the hotel, I did happen to encounter an argument amongst two teenaged locals where the guy ended up half-heartedly kicking the girl and getting her to cry. I wonder what their argument was about. I didn’t play hero, but someone else did so enough to prevent an escalation and called the police over.
Day 9 - Sugamo, Tokyo Sky Tree, Akihabara 3, Kanda
Up early enough to decide that I should at least visit the Sky Tree while I'm there just to say that I did, and that I should visit the Sugamo street market upon its open since it was right there in front of me. I'm glad to have done so. With everything open, this felt more like what one would think to expect from a flea market environment that's operated and supported by the local populace. Small stores were open both sides of the street that go on for many blocks, and some tents and tables were set up to sell second hand goods as well. I was able to find someone selling a US Morgan dollar and he wanted only 2000Y for it, so that was an easy buy. If I would have known better to anticipate this area, I wouldn't have felt compelled to buy kitchy tourist crap that is expected as gifts elsewhere. If you are looking for a place to idly shop around that doesn't get extremely crowded and has an authentic local feel to it, consider making a point to come here. Off to Sky Tree. Getting the combo ticket for the second deck was worth it just for the lack of crowds on the upper area. If you're going to come here, consider getting a phone selfie stick or something of the kind so that you can take pictures against the windows without the structure scaffolding obstructing your view. On the subject of shopping again, this might be another area to consider visiting just for the sake of the specialty stores to be found here, such as those for chopsticks or hairpins. To close out the day, my wife reminded me to look for something from the Square Enix cafe, so that meant swinging by Akihabara yet again. Since it is within a walkway, it was a bit of a pain to find this place even with using maps, but I eventually found it and got what she wanted to find. Played some IIDX at Game Panic, which was surprisingly small and the one machine that was avaialble to play had some 2P turntable issues, so that didn't last all that long. Dinner was at a nearby place that specalized in tofu, so that was a good ramen serving with that infused. For the evening, I wandered south to Kanda to get night pictures, and found it to feel pretty similar to Ueno.
Day 10 - Ginza, Tokyo, Kanda & Akihabara 4
Launrdry in the morning. I also wanted to say that I went to Ginza in my time here, and I didn't research anywhere to go to keep it a surprise. It was a bit warmer and sunnier than usual that day, and I stuck to the main road for most of the walk, so I can't say that I found too many points of the interest along the path that I walked starting from Yurakucho station and heading out that way. High class store for high class people, and that's too rich for my peasant blood. Similarly for Tokyo proper itself, I suppose I'd have to needed to wander far away from the Yamanote vicinity to find points of interest there, as I didn't encounter anything that was remarkably distinctive here in comparison to other areas that I have previously seen. Continuing north across Nihonbashi brought me to Kanda and eventually to Akihabara yet again, as if it was a magnet that pulled me inside every time. For the sake of trying a different place I chose to play some IIDX at the Leisure Land arcade there, and I'm glad to have done that, as those machines were probably in the best coniditon that I encountered within that area. Dinner was at Tenkaippin, which I didn't realize until after I placed the order was cash only. The clerk didn't request it beforehand but I voluntarily left my passport there to show that I would return, and promptly went to the same ATM that I had found days prior in order to get the cash to pay for the bill.
Day 11 - Haneda T3, Nishi Nippori, Nippori, Uguisuidani, Otsuka, Shibuya, Shinjuku, Ikebukruo, home.
The end. I resolved to take the subway over to Haneda today to get the one luggage over there and stored, and it’s a good thing that I did - there’s no easy solution for getting over there without encountering a crowd. If anything I wonder if Yamanote is actually better. Regardless, I got that much done. With the day left to go, I ventured to Nishi Nippori and I needed to summon the map several times to make sure I found the location, as it was as obscure as it could get. Just a sign on the ground for the third floor, a stairway that led to the back, an elevator that had no decoration, a single room that housed everything. Arcade PCB kits on shelves, joystick panels in exposed boxes, nicotine odor from years past - it was like I was transported to 1995 upon entry, beyond the fact that the games weren’t as old. Most of them, they did have a lot going for SF3 3rd yet. I was able to take care of some game business in a hurry since I was the only one there. It was a very pleasant respite for play in comparison to most of the other sessions. The region itself felt much the same as this arcade - old and well worn, as in well lived. Venturing south to Nippori led me to stumble upon a shrine and cemetery just by following some stairs. Usuigudani was cleaner but mostly had hotels as points of interest. Back home to buy some mochi while mochi was for sale in midday. Then to Otsuka, thinking that I would wander to Ikebukuro, but I ended up wandering back to Sugamo instead. Whoops. Meal at Sugamo, then back out to return to Shibuya and Shinjuku at night to catch evening shots, when I hadn’t done so before at these places. Good thing I did that to get Golden Gai area shots at night. With the night winding down, I decided to have one last IIDX play at Round 1 in Ikebukuro to symbolically end where I started.
Ending arcade comments
· Although the upkeep is generally better and more consistent than the US, some machines will have hardware issues here too. I was surprised by the blurriness with some of the LM IIDX machines.
· Densha De Go on the propert large cabinet is nice but quickly becomes very expensive.
· Bombergirl is OK enough and having the dedicated detonator button that pops up for hitting the base is a cute touch.
· Chase Chase Jokers feels rather clunky and I'm not sure what the game is trying to do. Interesting side screen concept at least.
· Nostalgia is delightful and would probably find a small fanbase worldwide if it had more exposure.
· Favorite IIDX locations are Taito Station in Oomiya for the light keys and Leisure Land Akihabara for the high quality of the LMs there. Honorable mention goes to the Game Versus loctation in Nishi Nihonbashi, but that might not be worth it for a dedicated trip unless you go there first thing in the morning.
Ending overall comments
This was a life altering trip for me, as would be expected. While I'm glad to have made the journey, as to be expected, I will only want to return after making an extensive redoubled effort into speaking and hearing comprehension, because I know that I came across like a blubbering idiot so many times, and it's truly aggravating because I generally know what I want to say and most of the words that are used to say it, but it just doesn't come out of my mouth properly when it needs to be done.
I welcome any questions you may have, as that will help for me to recall the memories and have me write them down.

I'm looking at a 1 bedroom apartment that also has a small loft that meets my needs. Basically starting from scratch, I need assistance with what everyone thinks would be the best furniture to fill this small place I will call home. The loft will most likely be my home office, any nice setups will be much appreciated there.
Where I am really struggling is the living room and dining area since it is a small space. All I have is the attached floor plan and no actual photos since I haven't 100% secured the place yet.
https://preview.redd.it/tbkrvtfwl81d1.png?width=588&format=png&auto=webp&s=06a85a08c5c74f6f20acc51381b2200fe4af36c7

Location: Defense Line Husky, Datsot-3

POV: Motsotaer, Malgeir Federation Planetary Defense Force (Rank: Pack Member)
The shrieking whistle of incoming artillery shell was among the most terrifying noises known to living beings.
Sheeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeew. Boom. Boom. Boom.
But it meant you were still alive.
Pack Member Motsotaer wondered if the poor pups in the forward trenches heard them coming as the enemy high explosive pounded into their lines.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
One of their anti-aircraft concrete bunkers took a direct hit; its roof collapsed on itself with a loud crumble.
Grass Eater artillery was voluminous, destructive, but scariest of all, it was incredibly precise. Their intelligence assets in orbit knew all, saw all. Their kill chains were short. Once they saw you, they would call it in, and the remainder of your life was measured in minutes and seconds.
There was nothing vegetarian about the efficient and bloodthirsty way the long-eared Grass Eaters fought, and the numerous intelligent predator species they’d exterminated on their way to Datsot… some of those tales gave even Motsotaer nightmares.
The defenders of Datsot had no choice. No choice but to defend their homes against the psychotic enemies pounding their lines to bits. And the ones who remained had learned the hard lessons of war, either through experience earned by blood or via the process of not-so-natural selection.
Motsotaer clutched his rifle against his chest as he laid in his own shallow hole, eyes closed. If the end was going to come for him, there was nothing else he could do but huddle in his freshly-dug grave.
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The blasts continued walking across the defense lines, undoubtedly killing scores of his comrades. But he accompanied each shockwave with a sigh of relief; they let him know that he was still alive. Still breathing.
One final rumble. And then there was silence across the battlefield.
Motsotaer waited a minute before he peeked out — another lesson that smart defenders of Datsot had discovered the hard way. A couple brave medics were already on the move, their shouts left and right, pulling bodies and the groaning injured alike out of the rubble aftermath of the shelling.
With a grunt, he pulled himself out of his hole, rushing towards the neighboring anti-air bunker. The concrete roof had collapsed, but he could still hear cries from the dark. He squeezed through the cluttered entrance.
It was a mess on the inside. The lights were all gone. Scattered sandbags. It smelled like blood and death, and he pushed aside the still body of a Head Pack Leader he only knew of, only to find the corpse of yet another Pack Member, her limbs sprawled in an unnatural position.
“Anyone still alive in here?” he asked in the dark as his eyes adjusted. “Hello?”
There were a series of loud coughs. “I’m here. I’m here.”
“Pack Leader Nidvid!” he shouted as he recognized the familiar shrill voice. “Keep talking! Where are you?”
“Here. I’m here. Help me up.”
As she continued to cough, he had the sense to fish a flashlight out of his pocket, fumbling around until he found the on button. As the light activated, he could see Nidvid half-buried in the dirt, her lower limbs trapped beneath some sand from the broken sandbags.
“Pack Leader!” He got onto his front paws and started digging. “Are you injured?”
“I don’t think so,” she shook her head in the dim lighting as she experimentally wriggled her legs. “Here, I think I’m loose. Help me up.”
Motsotaer grasped her under her arms, and with a heavy grunt, pulled her out of the dirt.
“Whew,” she said, checking her body again for wounds. Nidvid looked around at the other bodies splayed in the bunker. “Oh no… Head Pack Leader…”
“That was a close one. I can’t believe you lived through that!”
“Yeah, me neither… Wait a second,” Nidvid said as she began rummaging through a pile of rubble near the Head Pack Leader’s body. “The radio…”
“What are you looking for?” he asked as he aimed his flashlight towards where she was looking.
“Oh no, no, no…” her voice trailed off as she picked up the device she’d been looking for. “Our hardline communicator…” It was clearly broken from the strike, its shell perforated with a hundred holes and its connection to the landline severed. In disgust, Nidvid threw it back to the ground.
“What uh— what did you need that for?” Motsotaer asked. “Were we supposed to tell them we were being attacked?”
“No… It was— before the strike, we got a high priority order.”
“A high priority order?”
Nidvid recalled, “There’s a special platoon in our salient… We were supposed to get an important message to them!”
“Special platoon?” Motsotaer asked. “Are you okay, Nidvid?”
“Yes, yes,” the Pack leader replied, visibly distraught. “They only had a physical line to us because they’re supposed to be keeping in the dark. Emissions control or something like that so they can activate the flying machine swarm in time. They said this was life and death and our whole defense line hinges on it!”
“Emissions control? Flying machines? Pack Leader, we should get you to a medic,” he said skeptically.
“No! Motsotaer, this is important. We need to get the message to them now. They’re only a couple kilometers south from our position. If we run over to their position now, it might not yet be—”
He looked up at her face in alarm. “Run to another position? Outside the trench line?”
“Yes! We have to go!” she said, as she peeked out of the concrete bunker towards the barren zone ahead of the trenches. “Now! Before they start their offensive.”
Motsotaer began to protest, “But that’s no creature’s land. If we get spotted by their troops, we’ll be hunted down by the Grass Eaters ships in orbit…”
She was insistent, “Pack Member Motsotaer, get it together. We still have a job to do. Are you with me or are you going to sit here and die like a coward to the long-ears?”
“Yes, ma’am,” he said, straightening up. Death or not, he was no coward. “I mean… I’m with you.”
“Good. Then let’s go.”
With a grunt, she leapt out of the trenches and jogged south, keeping to the defensive side of it for the modicum of cover it provided, and Motsotaer quickly followed. As they sprinted away from the tattered defenses, they ran into a thick tree line that hopefully provided them with some concealment from the Grass Eater ships above.
After a couple more minutes of running in the forest, Motsotaer started to tire and pant. He weighed his burning lung and how embarrassed he’d be if he complained. Luckily for his ego, Nidvid gestured for them to stop after another minute and tossed him her canteen. “Take a break before we get going.”
He chugged as much water as he could in a single swig, and returned the canteen to Nidvid. He gasped out, “How much further, Pack Leader?”
“About one more kilometer south,” she said, aiming her snout up at the treetops. “I recognize the smell of this area.”
“What’s this even about? The message… what was it?”
Nidvid exercised her limbs. “That Grass Eater artillery strike… it was to prepare for their offensive on our lines. They’ve gathered an armored division on the other side of that,” she pointed out into the barren fields beyond the trees. “We have an hour at most before they roll over us.”
“An armored division?!” Motsotaer squeaked. The enemy’s Longclaws — their armored vehicles — were legendary. They could kill from kilometers away. And their thick shells protected them against all but the most powerful artillery in the Federation’s arsenal. He’d never seen one of them personally. If he had, he suspected he wouldn’t be alive to tell anyone about it. “What can we do against a Grass Eater armored division?”
“That’s why we have to get to the special platoon,” Nidvid replied. She pointed in the southern direction, “You ready? Let’s go.”
They galloped for a few more minutes. Motsotaer’s limbs tired and his breaths shallowed as his lung burnt. As he was contemplating whether to ask for another break, Nidvid pointed at a shape in the distance. “There, that’s their position!”
He squinted at it. It was not easy to see, but buried in the tree line was what looked like a bunch of out-of-place branches and leaves over a small vehicle. Buoyed by the anticipation of the end of the marathon, he managed to keep up with Nidvid’s pace.
As they approached, there was a loud shout.
“Hi-yah! Stop!”
They halted their steps and looked for the source of the voice.
“Not one more paw step, deserter! This is a restricted area! Turn around or you’ll be shot!”
Motsotaer looked up at the voice hidden up in the branches. After a moment, with some help from his nose, he found the yeller. It was a short, stout middle-aged male with strange-looking green and brown paint smeared all over his fur and face. He had a rifle aimed squarely at the duo.
“Don’t shoot!” Nidvid yelled back. “We’re runners. We’ve got an important message! For your platoon commander.”
The male in the tree looked suspiciously at them as he leapt down. He lowered his rifle, but didn’t seem any less on guard. “A message?”
“Yes, we’ve got an urgent message for Special Platoon Commander Graunsa. Take us to him right now!”
He sized the two of them up. After a moment, he said slowly, “I am Graunsa. Why are you here, and what is the message?”
Nidvid recovered some of her breath and explained, “The Grass Eaters hit us hard with an artillery strike. Our Head Pack Leader is dead. Our landline is gone. We ran all the way over from our lines north of you.”
Graunsa nodded and gestured for her to continue.
“The Grass Eater armored offensive is about to start. They’re moving into position and ready to go, and there’s a special message embedded—”
“Wait a second,” Graunsa interrupted. “Give me the special message exactly, without omission or your own interpretations.”
“Yes, Platoon Commander,” Nidvid nodded. “The message is: bunny water carriers are in play, red-five-zero-eight; come out of the dark and introduce yourself. Authorization is three-three-greyhound.”
Graunsa looked thoughtful for a moment as he pondered it.
“What does the message mean?” Motsotaer whispered at Nidvid.
“I have no idea,” she shrugged, whispering back. “The Head Pack Leader just told me to memorize it.”
The platoon commander seemed to have made up his mind. “Alright, that seems legitimate. Thanks for the message.” He turned around to leave.
Motsotaer shouted behind him, “Wait, what are we supposed to do now?”
Graunsa turned around. “I don’t know. I’m not your commanding officer.” He paused for a moment. “I wouldn’t recommend going back to your lines though. Might not be there when you get back…”
“What?!”
“You can’t just leave us! Where else are we supposed to go?” Nidvid asked.
Graunsa seemed to contemplate the question for a few heartbeats and sighed, “You said you’re from the position up north?”
“Yup,” they replied in unison.
“And you’re a spotter, Pack Member?” he asked, looking at the rank and position patch on Motsotaer’s chest.
“Yes.”
Graunsa relented. “Fine. We might find a use for you. Get into the bunker… before the Grass Eaters in orbit see us dawdling out here.”
“What? Where?”
The officer pointed at a patch of dark green leaves on the forest floor. As they approached it, he grasped a latch and lifted it to reveal a ladder. The three of them descended into the darkness and Graunsa secured it behind them. With a quiet swoosh, a lamp mounted on the wall lit up to reveal a small hallway leading to a heavy-looking door.
Graunsa knocked on it twice. He turned around and looked at Motsotaer and Nidvid. “What you’re about to see in here is of the highest secrecy level of the Malgeir Federation. If you tell anyone what you see in here, you will be executed for treason. Do you understand?”
“Yes, Platoon Commander.”
“Swear it, on your honor.”
“We swear,” they replied in unison, their voices infused with growing excitement.
“Good enough for me.”
The heavy steel door swung open, showing a room that was vastly different from what its primitive exterior suggested. It resembled a command center far more than a field base, and Motsotaer felt a blast of cold air conditioning in his face as he passed the door threshold.
At the front, a main screen showed a map of the defensive lines in the sector. Facing it, two rows of sleek, new computer screens lit up the dark. Their operators worked busily at their controls, and only a couple faces looked their way in mild interest as they entered.
“What is this—” Motsotaer started to ask. Nidvid grasped his shoulder and shushed him.
Graunsa cleared his throat. Several faces looked towards him in anticipation. “Platoon, we just got the message. Activate the FTL handshake and authenticate us in the network.”
“Yes, sir.” A young-looking communication officer near the front operated a few controls on her console. “I’ve got the advisors on the line.”
Motsotaer read his nametag: Gassin. She was a Gamma Leader, much higher ranked than he, but she looked not a day over twenty. He noted that many of the people in the room sported high-ranking insignias despite their apparent youth.
“On screen,” Graunsa ordered.
A communication window appeared on the main screen, streaming video of someone in a jet-black EVA suit.
Motsotaer stiffened. It was obvious that the subject was alien; at around 1.7 or 1.8 meters, it was far too tall for being a Malgeir. Too small for a Granti. And from the side profile of the suit, it didn’t bulge nearly enough for the tails that the Malgeir’s Schpriss neighbors were known for. A strange new species of aliens.
From the blackened visor, it was obvious that whoever that was… it was the reason for all this tight secrecy.
“Special Platoon Commander Graunsa,” it transmitted in perfect Malgeirish. The alien was either a trained-from-birth Federation Channel One newscaster with a perfectly inoffensive accent, or its translator was far better than anything the Malgeir themselves had invented. “This call is encrypted, but the enemy Znosians in orbit are trying to find your location from the signals, so we’ll have to make it as quick as we can. Have your defensive lines completed your preparations?”
Graunsa stepped up to address the screen directly, “Yes, advisor. Our fire support platoon is ready for tasking.”
“Excellent. Transmitting the first batch of targets in your sector now.”
A series of symbols scrolled onto the screen, showing a number of coordinates.
“We’re getting the enemy positions now,” Gassin exclaimed.
Graunsa turned to her and nodded his appreciation, “Sixteen armored targets. Weapons free.”
“Yes, sir. Programming the sequence.”
A camera on the main screen activated, remotely showing a small hole with some machinery in it dug a few hundred meters away just at the edge of the tree line.
“Launching flying machine swarm!”
As Motsotaer watched, a thicket of metal erupted from the hole in a blur, roaring into the sky.
The main screen was replaced by a four-by-four of windows of black and white images. It took him a couple seconds to realize that he was looking at the battlefield from above. The Malgeir had rotary wing, airplanes, and jet — some were even armed, but they were usually much bigger. And their air assets had been grounded since the early days of the battle for Datsot when the enemy took the orbits.
Not these tiny devices though.
He focused on one of the sixteen windows.
The ground sped past below the camera’s vision, tree line after tree line, the flying machine seemed to know where it was going by itself: Motsotaer looked at the other occupants in the room. None of them seemed to be directly controlling it.
He stiffened.
Is this controlled by a thinking machine?
“We’re getting in range of the target coordinates, Platoon Commander,” Gassin updated the room a few minutes later.
As if on cue, the flying machines flew higher, and the trees on the ground grew smaller, as if further away. Until…
“Targets identified!” Gassin reported with excitement in her voice.
As an infantry spotter, Motsotaer had been trained — barely — to identify enemy armored vehicles. As in, he’d been given a cheatsheet containing the silhouettes of the different types of vehicles the enemy drove. But even he couldn’t tell at this distance what the white-hot smudges on the screen were.
The machine had no such issues though.
Several red boxes materialized on the screen, clearly marking several enemy vehicles in the thermal imagery and adorning them with detailed information.
The one Motsotaer was watching said:
Hostile vehicle, Longclaw MK4 (top armor: ~25mm), 4.2 km.
No hostile EW detected.
Without additional prompting, the flying machines raced in towards their targets, each recognizing a different one as its final destination. Afraid to blink, Motsotaer stared intently at one of the video streams.
A new line of text appeared at the top of the screen:
ETA 20 seconds.
It counted down the seconds, number by number.
The enemy Longclaw got larger and larger until… the screen went black, replaced by static. As he looked around, the other windows were similarly replaced with static one-by-one.
Motsotaer frowned, wondering where the videos had gone.
Then, it hit him. The flying machines were on one-way trips.
The sixteen windows disappeared, and another one appeared, showing the enemy assembly area from a much higher perspective. And instead of the vehicles he expected, he counted sixteen burning wrecks, the black smoke from their flames reaching up into the sky in columns.
“Targets destroyed, Commander,” Gassin said. Several of the officers in the room looked at each other excitedly, but their celebration was muted.
Graunsa nodded. “Call our advisors again.”
The alien appeared on the screen again. “Excellent work, Platoon Commander. We’re assessing the lines and getting the second batch of targets to you now.”
“Understood.”
As the new target coordinates scrolled onto the main screen, Gassin didn’t need additional prompting, “Launching flying machines!”
Another sixteen of them flashed out from the pre-dug position. Another sixteen windows appeared on the screen, replacing the odd-looking aliens’ video.
“Wait a minute,” the aliens’ voice cut into the quiet hum of the control room’s operation. “Switch back to the high-altitude drone. Something’s happening.”
The main screen’s image was replaced by the previous camera looking down at enemy lines. There was a flurry of activity in the enemy base area. Numerous dots representing the ground troops moved to-and-fro. And worryingly, the red squares that surrounded enemy armor began appearing en masse as enemy Longclaws drove out of their covered positions into the open.
Dozens of them.
Then, hundreds. And more appeared every second.
“What’s going on?” Graunsa asked, his voice reflecting Motsotaer’s worry.
The alien took a minute to get back to him, its black helmeted face filling up the screen again. “They’re attacking. They don’t know what hit them in the last strike. But they must have realized that they’re not safe in their assembly area, and they’re doing the only thing they can… We estimate they’ll get to your first lines in thirty minutes.”
“Can we stop them?” Graunsa asked. “We can—”
The alien looked directly into the video. “Not sixteen drones at a time. And if you launch the whole swarm at once, it’ll reflect enough signal for them to sniff out where you are with their counter-battery radars and take you out from orbit.”
Graunsa swallowed. “That’s— that’s— The machines can fly themselves without us, right?”
The alien didn’t say anything for a few heartbeats. “Theoretically, yes. But even if you evacuate your position now, your people won’t get out of range from the orbital strike they’ll call in.”
“I understand. Feed us the enemy targets.”
“Delta Leader, we can’t ask you to—”
“I said, feed us the enemy targets,” Graunsa insisted.
Quietly, hundreds of coordinate pairs filed onto the main screen. Graunsa looked at the faces of the young officers under his command. Dozens of them. He turned around to look at his two guests. “I’m sorry,” he said.
“It’s the right choice,” Nidvid replied, shrugging.
Motsotaer nodded at him.
“I know,” Graunsa said, turning back to the main screen. “Just doesn’t make it any easier.”
“Sir, we’re ready to launch,” Gassin reported.
“Weapons free. Release everything.”
“Yes, sir.”
The ground shook and rumbled, hundreds of flying machines leaving their canisters for the sky. They were close enough to hear the outgoing buzzing as the munitions launched. This time, more and more windows filled up the screen with the visuals of the outgoing flying machines — hundreds of them, and Motsotaer was surprised that the computers could even handle it all.
The visage of the alien returned to their screen. It said calmly, “Enemy orbital launch spotted. Multiple launches. High yield. Missiles incoming to your location, ETA twelve minutes.”
“Understood, advisor.”
POV: Slurskoch, Znosian Dominion Marines (Rank: Five Whiskers)
“Scramble! Scramble! Scramble!”
Riiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiiing.
“What’s going on?” Longclaw Commander Slurskoch sat up in his turret cupola as the sirens rang loud through the hull.
“We’re under artillery attack!” his Controller yelled back at him through the roaring startup sequence of the turbine anti-grav engines. “The Lesser Predators… they’ve got some kind of new weapon! Took out a whole battalion’s worth of Longclaws in the 194!”
“But we’re not ready!” his Driver complained. “Our artillery is supposed to pound them for another hour before we—”
Slurskoch shook his head as he checked the friendly force tracker on his screen. “Doesn’t matter! If they’ve got some new weapon, we can’t sit still while we get pounded to bits by whatever they have. We gotta get out there. Hurry it up!”
It took them another two minutes to fully warm up the engines, and with a roar, the Longclaw burst out of its camouflaged emplacement, kicking up a curtain of dirt in front of it.
“Let’s go! Go! Go!” Slurskoch yelled as his lagging Longclaw joined the armored formation already on the move.
The Controller spoke with one of her ears in the radio, “Their artillery just launched… something at us. We’ve pinpointed their location, and orbital support is on its way.”
His Gunner whooped twice, and Slurskoch nodded silently in agreement. That’d flatten those carnivorous abominations where they stood. He drew a few symbols and circles on the digital battlemap as the Longclaws drove toward the enemy lines. “Gunner, watch those potential trench lines in front of us,” he instructed. “Their anti-armor may not look scary on paper, but their infantry can always get a lucky hit in.”
Slurskoch was taught in training that it was better to overestimate the enemy than underestimate them. Luckily, the predators usually fell below expectations, which was why the Dominion controlled the orbits of Datsot now and not them.
His Controller frowned at something in her radio, “They’re saying something about the enemy artillery… The engineers at the base assessed the strike aftermath. There’s something strange in the rubble. The attack was more precise than anything we’d ever seen.”
“What does that mean?” Slurskoch asked in confusion.
“The sensor officer in charge of the assembly area has taken full responsibility. They didn’t see the incoming at all. Higher ups are speculating that the Lesser Predators have a new weapon in their arsenal.”
“The predators made new weapons?” Slurskoch snorted. “Useful ones? That’ll be a first. Well, whatever it is, maybe our Design Bureau will get a good look at it when we finally cleanse this planet of their filth. Make our next battle a little easier when we have to take their home planet.”
His Gunner agreed, “And then, the Prophecy shall be fulfilled.”
A few kilometers into the charge across the open, the Gunner remarked with one eye on her targeting computer, “Looks like even the local winged predators know that there’s about to be a slaughter here.”
The Driver, in his open hatch, looked up at the cloud of them flying over the enemy lines. “Looks like it. A nice juicy feast for them in the coming battle. The irony of the barbaric carnivores being eaten by themselves.”
A few thousand years ago, winged predators would have curdled the blood of any natural-born Znosian. On the original plains of Znos, they were one of the most dangerous threats a lone Znosian faced. Now, that fear had been completely bred out of the gene pool, replaced with contempt for predatory primitivism, the courage to face them in battle, and the drive to exterminate them all.
Curious, Slurskoch stared up into the cloud of winged predators with his Longclaw commander optics. He frowned.
One of them shimmered.
Shimmered.
He zoomed in.
Then, he saw a metallic glint. His whiskers tightened.
“That’s— those aren’t winged predators,” he barely made out in shock. “Incoming!”
“Huh?” his Driver asked, craning his head up to look at the dark shapes in the distance.
“Get inside! Secure the hatch!” Slurskoch shouted at him.
His Driver was not very good at thinking on his own, but he had been bred to follow direct orders without question. He ducked into his seat, quickly securing the hatch above him close with trained claws.
He barely secured the Longclaw as other commanders began yelling out similar instructions on their radios.
“Incoming!” his Controller advised, about ten seconds later than necessary. “Enemy… artillery?!”
“Gunner!” Slurskoch gestured in the general direction of the sky.
“I can’t get a shot on them. They’re too high up!” she screamed back at him.
A trio of air defense vehicles next to him opened up with their six barrels towards the sky, lines of bright tracers stabbing out at the dark swarm. He saw one of the… flying machines hit and fall out of the sky. Then another.
It wasn’t enough.
As Slurskoch’s optics tracked the incoming, he saw them dive. They were fast, and they flew erratic patterns, almost organically, like actual winged beasts. If he hadn’t had that specific fear bred out of his bloodline hundreds of years ago, he would have been frozen in shock. Instead, he yelled out, “Brace! Brace!”
Boom. Boom. Boom.
The world exploded around his Longclaw.
Through his friendly force tracker, Slurskoch watched an entire battalion disappear off the map on his right flank, and two Longclaws in his line of sight brewed up in massive fireballs, throwing their turrets into the sky as their plasma ammunition detonated. One of the anti-air vehicles brewed up next to his, splattering its parts against his hull.
His Driver drove for all he was worth, ducking and weaving in the open field. So did the other Longclaws. Some deployed curtains of smoke in front of them in desperation.
None of it seemed to help.
The shockwaves hit his Longclaw in quick succession, knocking him around the armored cabin and rattling his teeth.
Boom. Boom.
More Longclaws exploded. Many more. They were disappearing off his screen faster than the software could update the signals. He closed his eyes waiting for the end.
It didn’t come.
It was hard for Slurskoch to tell when the last Longclaw near them was hit. His hearing organs must have been damaged some time during the attack. His auditory senses ringed as they returned to normal, recovering when his Controller shook him with a paw on his shoulder. “—Five Whiskers! Five Whiskers!”
“What is it?” he snapped, keeping the quivering out of his voice.
“We’re alone in our company, and I can’t contact the six whiskers! And I’ve been trying to reach battalion without success!”
“Try the regiment commander!” he yelled out against the noise of the anti-grav engine.
“Can’t reach them either!”
“What about division headquarters?!”
“I think division’s gone, sir!”
“What?!”
“Nobody there has been responding. All I’ve got is a seven whiskers in the reserve infantry division behind us! They’re saying they see black smoke in the direction of our division field command!”
“What in the Prophecy? How is that possible?!”
“What do we do, Five Whiskers?”
Slurskoch had been trained for a wide variety of combat scenarios and contingencies, including losing his immediate superiors, losing most of his unit, and losing his communication link to command. But he’d never been trained for all of those combined at once. That was just not something predators were supposed to be able to do to you.
He fell back to the next best thing.
“What’s the combat computer say?” he asked.
His Controller operated the controls on her console, and after half a minute of querying, she replied, reading off the instructions, “Absent orders, continue the attack. Maybe we can push through.”
“What? Did it take our losses into account?” he protested as he checked the battlemap. Of the nearly five hundred Longclaws that had pushed out of the assembly area, only a quarter remained. At most. Some of the signals on the map were flagging themselves as mobility or mission killed.
She shrugged, “It did. That’s what it says.”
He squinted at her screen. That was indeed what it said.
Slurskoch thought for a moment, sighed, and bowed in prayer, “Our lives were forfeited the day we left our hatchling pools.”
The other crew members all did the same, lowering their heads to mutter the familiar mantra.
That ritual out of the way, he drew up to his full height of 1 meter and mustered all the confidence he could into his voice, “Attack! Attack! Attack!”
POV: Graunsa, Malgeir Federation Planetary Defense Force (Rank: Delta Leader)
The command center watched glumly as the hundred or so surviving Grass Eater Longclaws emerged from the wrecks of their comrades and slowly resumed their charge across the open toward the defense lines.
The flying machines had gotten a lot of them. Quite a few disabled too. And they were disorganized from the loss of their command. Yet they still charged. Diminished as their numbers were, they rolled towards the battered defensive lines with psychotic determination.
We’ve failed.
Graunsa sat down heavily into his chair. He brought up his communication console, connecting it to the advisor network.
The alien appeared on the screen, and though he couldn’t see its face, he could hear the sympathy in its translated voice, “You’ve done all you can, Special Platoon Commander.”
“It wasn’t enough,” he said, shaking his ears sadly. “They’re going to break through our line. Our infantry can’t stop them.”
It tilted its head. “I wouldn’t count them out completely, Delta Leader. They might. They might not. But your next defensive line certainly will hold them. The city behind you will be held.”
“Tracking enemy orbit-to-ground. ETA three minutes,” Gassin reported quietly from next to him.
Graunsa sighed. He looked at the alien, “I think I understand your people now, advisor.”
“You… do?”
“Yeah, at first, when we were picked for this mission, I wondered why your people were doing this.”
“Doing this?” the alien asked, seeming confused.
“Helping us. The weapons. The equipment. The training. The targeting. It was all in secret, but you didn’t have to do it. The other species around us didn’t do it. The Schpriss…” Graunsa snorted, “The long-tails can’t even find it in their spines to send us field rations. I thought your species… your people were just generous. Or perhaps you simply enjoyed the craft of war, being so adept at it.”
“Are we… not?”
“Those reasons may be part of it,” he conceded. “But more importantly, I think your people understand one thing the other species don’t… that we might stop the enemy here. Or we might not.”
“We didn’t set you up to fail, if that’s what you think—”
“But the next defensive line certainly will hold them,” Graunsa said, staring the alien in the eye. “You will hold them. Isn’t that right?”
It sighed. “I would be lying if that wasn’t part of the strategic equation. Our star systems are indeed next in line — sometime in the next decade or two, probably — if these bloodthirsty Buns conquered your Federation. That harsh astropolitical realism. But there’s something else too.”
“Is there?”
“Yes,” it nodded its head firmly in a familiar manner. “Yes, there is. We aren’t a particularly long-sighted species, Graunsa. We can plan, yes, but wars are fought by true believers. People don’t sign up to put their lives on the line for a hypothetical, potential invasion of our Republic twenty years in the future. They— we signed up for this because we truly believe what’s happening to your people… it shouldn’t happen to anyone, ever.”
Graunsa looked at the helmeted head for a while, then nodded. “I believe you, advisor.”
“I’m sorry this didn’t pan out, Graunsa. If I could, I’d be down there with you. We’d have made them pay for this.”
Graunsa smiled. “I believe you about that too. Thank you, advisor, whatever your name is.”
“You may call me Kara,” it said simply. A deft snap of its paws — he hadn’t noticed how soft its claws were before — and it released a latch on its helmet with a hiss. Lifting it from its head, it revealed a soft, smooth face without much fur except a bundle of long, brown strands on its scalp tied up in a neat spherical shape. Its hazel forward-facing eyes stared at him with the empathy that only other predators were capable of, filling him with mild relief. “Don’t tell anyone though,” it joked lightly, mirroring his smile back at him.
You’re not as ugly as I thought you’d be. Not nearly.
Graunsa’s grin widened at the thought. He put it out of his mind. “Ah. One last thing, advisor— Kara.”
“Yes?”
His mind drifted to his cubs at home. Perhaps they were still alive. He chose to believe that. “Our people’s clans and packs…”
“We’ll let them know,” she interrupted him softly. “And when the information quarantine is lifted, we’ll let your clans and packs know what you did here — everything.”
“Good. Thank you.”
Gassin sat down next to him, “Delta Leader, enemy missiles incoming. ETA thirty seconds, they’re entering—” She stopped her report and stared at the unmasked alien on his screen with equal parts wonder and sadness.
“Take a closer look, Gassin,” he ordered softly. “That… that is who will avenge us.”
On screen, the alien put its gloved paw up to its temple, forming a stiff triangle with its arm in a recognizable salute. “It was an honor, Graunsa.”
Graunsa returned it crisply, letting a primitive fire shine through his face. “Happy hunting, Kara.”

Location: Atlas Naval Command, Luna

POV: “Kara”, Terran Reconnaissance Office
Kara watched solemnly as the green signal blinked off the battlemap. She closed her eyes for a moment in silent prayer for the fallen.
Beep. Beep.
Another light on her console blinked urgently for her attention. Four thousand kilometers from the previous one. The war raged on — day and night — across four continents on the besieged planet. Fifty light years from the Republic, its defenders’ sweat, tears, and blood lined the fields and valleys of the beautiful blue sphere not so different from her own. Tens of millions of them: many who she knew would not see the end of this war.
They didn’t all know it, and some might not have cared, but fifty light years away, someone recorded their names, and someone felt a pang of loss for their sacrifice. In the cold, dark forest of the galaxy, somebody heard their trees fall.
Kara collected her thoughts, adjusted the bun in her hair, and lowered the tinted EVA helmet over her face once more.
She cleared her throat as she glanced at the screen and activated the microphone in her helmet, “Special Platoon Commander Treiriu. This call is encrypted, but the enemy Znosians in orbit are trying to find your location from the signals, so we’ll have to make it as quick as we can. Have your defensive lines completed your preparations?”

Meta

Thanks for reading my story! This is a standalone chapter in my Grass Eaters story, meant to be enjoyable all on its own. If you're interested in more of my writing, please do subscribe to the update waffle bot or check out the rest of the universe in Grass Eaters.
(Grass Eaters posts every Monday, Wednesday, and Friday. We are closing in on the end of Book 1.)

Introduction
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At the core of the digital app Reliancemall login are cutting-edge technology features. The shopping center provides an engaging shopping experience conisting of virtual reality experiences as well as interactive displays that immerse the user in the entire process of buying. Virtual clothes can be tried on by customers, while products can be thoroughly tested before purchase. Besides, holographic store assistants come into play. This innovation in merging retail and technology has changed it for those who do their shopping.
Convenience at Its Best
The Reliancemall login digital app is all about maximizing convenience and saving time. It has modern amenities that enable easy shopping. There is excellent parking at the mall, ease of movement e.g., through paths for wheelchairs, coffee shops or cyber cafés, etc. Besides having personal shoppers to assist you while shopping or food orders but deliver right at your doorstep without having to take them in person. Never has shopping been this convenient than now.
Engaging the Senses
Engaging the Five Senses Reliancemall login digital app is not only just about shopping. The mall provides something for all the five senses with a variety of places to eat, entertainment centers, and ongoing activities. In terms of digital restaurants to cinema halls and live acts as well as arts plays there is no single moment when it becomes boring on the Reliancemall login digital app this is really where shop meets fun"
The Future of Retail
The Future of Retail Reliancemall login digital app is like no other shopping mall but rather a signal glimpse of what malls will turn into in future. It has introduced a new level as far as shopping experience goes thanks to its extremely technological incorporation and convenience. As people embrace technology more in this era, it is important to understand that the likes of Reliancemall digital are bound to grow with these changes so that they reflect their requirements.
To get started with Reliancemall login app, follow these steps:

1. Make a visit Plan It is essential to plan your visit before heading to Reliancemall login app. Find out when the mall opens and if there are any special events happening on the day or any art installation or promotion that will interest you. This way, you will be sure of taking full advantage of your stay at the mall.

Step 2: Getting There
Reliancemall login app is conveniently located in the heart of the city. You can easily reach the mall by car, public transportation, or even walking if you're in the vicinity. If you're driving, make sure to check the parking facilities and down rates beforehand.
Step 3: Exploring the Mall
Discover the Mall Once you get to the Reliancemall login page, just set some little time to understand the structure. There are various sections in the shopping mall, each providing a different shopping experience. In case you need help, either peruse through the mall directory or ask someone at the information desk for assistance.
Step 4: Shopping
Shopping In Reliancemall login app, many stores and boutiques which offer cater to different matters are available. Owing to this, if you are searching for fashion, electronics, home decor as well as groceries including video games they are all available. While at Reliance Mall, visit different boutiques before making a decision."
Step 5: Dining Options
Choices of Eating When you are done shopping, you will feel tired hence necessitating some energy to keep you moving. Reliancemall login app is proud to have various restaurants offering different types of food for instances fast food joints, Indian cuisine all the way to Thai dishes and high-end eateries in the surrounding area. Feel free to taste some wonderful dishes during your lunch break or even grab a bite while working in any of the numerous eating joints present
Step 6: Entertainment and Recreation
The Reliancemall login app does is not only limited to shopping and dining. It also offers various entertainment and recreational activities. This might include catching the latest hit in the mall’s movie theatre, enjoying games in a game zone among other forms of art performance for instance live ones. It has all that you might have ever dreamt of in terms of entertainment."
Step 7: Services and Amenities
"The mall management of Reliance Mall login app has realized that customer convenience is very important, hence it provides you with many ways through which we have ensured that you will have an unforgettable shopping experience when visiting this retailer. This includes such things like baby changing rooms or wheelchairs lift so that everybody can access any floor within the building without any problems regarding stairs”
STEP 8: PAYMENT AND CHECKOUT
After completing your shopping and leaving the shop, go to the check-out desks Majority’s stores usually allow cash payments thru Reliancemall login app via UPI and Credit Cards using mobile payment methods through digital payment systems Don’t forget to read stores’ refunding policies especially those where you have made orders in order to return what doesn’t suit you or any other merchandise you may wish exchanged.
Step #9: Feedback and Reviews Following a visit to Reliancemall login app, we would like to know if you would kindly drop some comments on how you found it. If you tell us anything, this will be of great help to us in our bid to do what we can within our means be it improving the services offered by our mall or providing something new thereby enhancing visitor’s satisfaction.
Step 10: Enjoy Your Purchases In conclusion, make sure you celebrate your purchases which were made at the Reliancemall login app. The memories of the good time will always remain fresh regardless of whether it was a new outfit, a gadget, or a special souvenir relish till the end of time.
Conclusion
Summary The way in which we purchase has changed as a result of the Reliancemall log in digital application. By providing unique product presentation, services that make life easier and life like shopping, it gives an unforgettable shopping experience. If one loves fashion, values electronics prodcts or simple want apat to refresh mind Reliancemall log in digital application is the place that will meet all these need. When you visit town next, take a step a foot at Reliancemall digital app and have a taste of tomorrow in retailing.
Visit hare: https://reliancemall-login.in

I just need a place to let this out.
Last week, I (29F) caught my husband Jack (30M) cheating on me with his stepsister Claire (24F).
I went out with a friend last Saturday and planned to stay at her house. Jack didn't want to be alone all night, so he said he'd just go hangout with his stepsister (they've always been close), and they ended up going to a bar.
I was feeling unwell and just wanted my bed, so I decided to get an Uber and head home.
I was not expecting to walk in on them having sex on the couch... I literally threw up on the floor by the front door.
They told me they were drunk and it just kinda happened. I screamed at them both to leave. Jack refused to leave and refused to sleep on the couch, so I ended up leaving anyways and went back to my friend's.
I am still in shock that he actually slept with Claire. I think I'm gonna file for a divorce. I am so overwhelmed and uncomfortable.
Has anyone else gone through this? Please message me if so, I feel very alone and confused. Also, do I tell their parents that's why we're gonna get a divorce?! I've been isolating myself a lot because of this.

Okay first of all, even if I had the courage to go through with it I couldn't afford it. I don't have any savings. Live in paycheck to paycheck without any money to use as a security deposit.
I'm so exhausted. The reason why I don't have any money is cuz I keep putting it back into the family. For as long as I've been working I haven't been able to save anything. There's always been some problem or some emergency, and most of the time it's somebody else's problem that I'm trying to fix for them. I owe 10,000 between two different credit cards because every time I start to pay it off, there's another big expense that goes towards the family. Just paying off the interest, The absolute minimum monthly payment to avoid late fees, is about 300 a month.
I moved out of my parents' place in my early twenties. I was only gone for about a year and then my dad had his first heart attack. He survived. But he couldn't work after that. He got on social security disability, which was great, but it was less than half of what he used to make when he was working as a mechanic. This happened around the same time that my lease was up at the apartment, so instead of renewing it I decided to go back home for a little while and help them out until things stabilized again.
But then there was just one problem after another. Emergency after emergency. I've been stuck ever since. Sure there was a few short years somewhere in there that I possibly could have gotten out again, but then my mom got injured at work, I would have come back home anyway to help her. I spent a couple years driving her to doctor's appointments and physical therapy every single day. She's better now but never made a full recovery. And my dad's health got worse and worse. Now he's living with Alzheimer's dementia. Like a big stupid toddler.
We need to get my dad into a home. But we can't afford it. Those places are crazy expensive. I've been getting advice on various subreddits for this. I've been making calls for people that are supposed to help. We're waiting on some people to call us back. But so far we're mostly hitting dead ends. Medicaid would help pay for a home. But Medicaid would want to take his assets to pay for it. Including the house that we're living in. There are some rules and stipulations that would allow us to stay in the home, but they would put a lien on it and take it once we're gone. I would absolutely love to just sell the house, and use that money to get something new somewhere else. Start over or something smaller and more manageable. But our state has a 5-year look back.. so if I sell the house today, and put my dad into a home tomorrow, Medicaid would want to take some of the proceeds of the house sale to pay for the home. Even if We could keep the house completely and totally, we still owe a mortgage on it. And Medicaid would take my dad's disability checks to pay for the home, which we need to help towards the mortgage. And even if we did sell the house and start over somewhere else, rent is crazy high these days and it's more than what we're currently paying on our monthly mortgage. The mortgage rates at a new house would possibly be significantly higher than what we're currently paying. Our first and second mortgages combined add up to just about a thousand a month.
Because of my dad's dementia it's a full-time job looking after him. On top of my 40 hours a week full-time job. On top of doing what I can to look after my mom. And what's made it all worse is about 6 months ago my sister and her two kids move back in with us. Her kids are fucking wild. One of them's autistic. The other ones just an asshole. Incredibly loud. Trash demons who throw food wrappers all over the place. One of the last times she stayed with us for a while she gave us mice and bed bugs. Thankfully we were able to get rid of the mice. Bed bugs look like a lifelong struggle but I'm at a point now where I go months without seeing any of them, and want to do it's only one or two. And now that she's come back with us again, I saw roaches in our kitchen last week. I feel disgusting in my own home. Because of her and her kids, and my dad's bad hygiene.
Everybody's loud all the time care there's constant screaming. Everybody's breaking things. Everything sticky all the time for some reason. Toilets are constantly clogged and backed up. Sister's oldest kid, the 10-year-old, spends literally hours in the bathroom. The floor is usually flooded afterwards, things are thrown around like he got into a fight in there. I woke up this morning at this faucet sink was spraying outside ways, and here was crumbled up soap all over the place? It looked like he tried to reshape the soap and then jam it into the faucet to clog it.
Nobody takes out the trash except me. Nobody does the dishes except me. I'm the only one physically capable of mowing the lawn. Despite that I have a pinched nerve in the back and can barely stand up. And the mower is not working.
Can't afford to hire anybody for repairs or lawn care. With four adults and two kids, we currently only have about 40 bucks between us. We're all paycheck to paycheck. My sister hasn't had a job in like 13 years.
So I feel trapped taking care of this abusive piece of shit in a disgusting bug infested house that I don't want.
I'm so tired. I am so fucking tired. I just want to run away. I don't care about my sister or her kids. I don't care about my dad. He's been a piece of shit my entire life. But if I leave, my mom can't handle any of this alone. She can't handle any of it as it is. She has so many health issues that some days she can't even stand up or walk. She struggles to breathe a lot. But then on the good days, she's not doing enough to help me. I don't blame her for that, but it's hard to deal with the fact that I'm trying so hard and she's giving up. Some conversations it's like she's encouraging me to leave because she sees how hard it is on me, but I also know that she'll be dead within a month. Most likely from the stress. But it's also common for her to threaten suicide. And I know that that's not on me, if a person chooses to cross that line, then there's nothing I could have done to change that. But it's my mom.
I'm just rambling and venting. My issue is probably seems small compared to what a lot of other people post on here. I'm not looking for answers or advice. I don't think there are any. The only thing that would help me is if I literally did just run away and change my phone number. But I don't know how to abandon my mom. So I'm stuck. 40 years old and I barely lived my life. Never really had a chance to date. Never had a chance to build anything. Always chose the types of jobs that gave me a flexible schedule instead of the types of jobs that pay better. I can't take up a second job or pick up overtime because I need as much free time as possible to take care of my parents health issues.
The worst part about all this really is my sister and her two fucking kids. The worst my dad's dementia gets, the easier he is to deal with. He spends most of his days just sitting at the kitchen table slumped over looking stupid. So a lot of the anger and aggression have faded. If it wasn't dealing with her kids, possibly be able to manage this life. But the amount of stress they're bringing in is killing me.she always said that coming back to us was temporary. But she doesn't have a plan. She doesn't have any money. She gets social security checks for her kids. Something about their dad being dead. I don't know what the program's called or know any of the details about how it works.
The way I said the best solution would be if my sister and her two kids just ran away. Like if she just got fed up and took off somewhere. We're doing everything we can to help her and she's just fighting with my mom everyday about every little thing. Then, it would be amazing if my dad would just fucking die. Not just because I don't like him or I don't want to deal with it, but also because I know the person he used to be would hate what he's become. It really would be the best thing for him to just Go to bed one day and just not get back up. Then, once they're all gone, convince my mom to sell the house and get some small one story place and start over.
I would still have to deal with the irrational mood swings and stress of my mom. But I think I can handle that alone

Sorry for the long post, but I know the details matter. Thank you 🤍
I recently started dating someone. We finally felt it was time to introduce our dogs the other day. I've had my 4yr old (70lb) hound mix since he was a puppy.
Training background on my dog: He's well socialized despite getting him during the pandemic. I was a dog sitter for two years. So he was around dogs of all sizes. From German shepherds to 5lb Chihuahuas. He's learned so much about giving space and fawning to give early signs that he wants space. I'm very conscious of his space being respected and his body language when meeting a new dog. A few times he's had to set a firm boundary with a dog who doesn't have the same behavior, but always leaves it at a warning. So far they have all respected that and they are fine eventually. I trust him so much, he was able to meet my newborn niece not too long ago and was incredibly careful with her.
The person I'm dating adopted their hound mix (also 4yr, 40ish lbs) a couple years ago. I'm not sure if they have done training or not. Their dog is a sweetheart and just a happy pup. His play biting is pretty rough, so I made sure to point out that my dog might not be ok with that if it got too much for him and may set a boundary.
Meeting: The other day they met in the yard and had quite a bit of supervised play time outside. I could tell my dog was getting a little annoyed with certain behavior and was careful to intervene as needed and create safe spaces. The two dogs got in a tussle in a small hallway later that night. (We didn't see how it started but I'm just assuming it was a space issue) We separated them and saw tufts of hair from my dog on the floor. (He has very short hair, so I'm guessing the other dog had to have gotten skin as well but no bleeding. Just a puncture wound on his tongue)
Behavior from the other dog: (essentially puppy behavior, nothing intentionally aggressive) Humping Barking in my dogs face Jumping/pawing Biting/nipping Pressing against and chasing when personal space was requested
The fight: The next day, I was working alone at home with them. I kept them separated during feeding times and picked up all toys just in case.
While in a meeting, I heard growling and jumped up to see they were both under the table I was working at. By the time I got around to them the flight had started. It lasted a few seconds. I saw my dog grab the others ear. I knew better than to pull them apart right then as it would be worse, but the other dog pulled away. After separating them I realized the other dogs ear was torn pretty bad (about an inch). I immediately grabbed towels to stop the bleeding, called the owner and made a plan to get him to the vet. They were very understanding and didn't seem to place any blame on me for the incident. I stayed with their dog because they had to get back to work. The vet said they couldn't stitch the ear. This was the worst part. I was hoping they could have done more. They cleaned and wrapped him up but couldn't do much else. I took care of the bill, took an Uber back so the pup could rest and sat with him all day. Wrote down care instructions and sectioned out medications. I did as much as I could to make the situation a little easier on them.
My questions: It's there anything else I can do to help the situation since I can't be there everyday?
Is there any other training I could do with my dog to prevent this from ever happening again?
If we continue to date, how should we go about acclimating the dogs again?
Would it be out of line to ask the person I'm dating to enroll their pup in socialization classes?
Was this just a freak accident or was my dog being protective since they were right next to me?
This type of incident has ever happened with my dog. I truly trust him and his socialization from the last 4 years. But I want to make sure I do all I can to prevent a second incident. Thank you