Hello!
I dropped by my po box last Saturday and received a bunch of lovely happy mail! Thank you!
Here is a picture of the postcards I've received recently. I make it a habit to spend some time at a coffee/tea shop once I visit my po box to read through each postcard, do some crafting and/or journalling. The tea I had was was a blend of hawthorn, rose, lemon balm, and hibiscus.
u/Reasonable_Ad1688 - I like the washi tapes on the postcards, especially the map/"life is an adventure" one. I have never been to the USA, but have always been mesmerised by the amount of national parks available in the pnw. I just put the crater late into my google maps! Crater lake sounds like a nice place and it seems you have tons of good memories from your time there.
u/gummibearhawk - I like Krakow too - that I, too, have visited twice. During spring and summer many years ago. Never during the winter. Lovely city with delicious food (pierogi).
u/euphoricreader - I love everything about your postcard - from the recipe to make spicy roasted sweet potatoes (I'm a foodie), washi tape, stickers, and the stamps. Of course, also the postcard itself. Never been to Puerto Rico, and so I'm adding the rainforest to my list on google maps. Sounds like you had an amazing time in the rainforest/Puerto Rico!

Hello folks, I just wanted to know your insights or suggestion regarding food consultancy. I was offered to do a menu planning for an existing restaurant in a heavy foot traffic in the metro. I have a few questions;

1. Is the pricing per menu item and if so, how much?
   
2. If consultancy is per project meaning bulk work, how much would it cost - just the menu planning lets say 30 menu items from Appetizers to Desserts.
   
3. What is the payment scheme here? 50% DP, 30% and 20% upon completion same in construction?
   
4. Should I charge separately for paperworks, transportation and field work like sourcing suppliers and kitchenwares?
   
5. And how much is the retainer fee per visit in case the owners wanted to have me on board as on call and how many hours of work?
   
6. There is also a concern on sanitation and staff training - I feel like this should be billed separately and not included in menu planning which takes bulk of the work. Am I correct to this idea?
   

Background about me; I have 25 yrs of food service industry experience, from fast food, to find dining both local and abroad. Conceptualized kitchen menu with costing, standardized recipe book and product mix analysis.
I just need more information to consider a fair fee that would benefit the owner and not diminish my worth.
Thank you in advance for all your comments.

I need help navigating this heart wrenching journey that I’ve been on for 20 years.
Before my parents married & before me and my 2 sisters (same parents) were born, 1981 & 1983, Our dad had a son with a woman he met prior to our mom.
When I was 21 my paternal grandmother passed away. Her funeral was at least 250 people. There were so many extended family there. I recall my dad introducing me to a young man and his gf. They sat alone in a pew several rows behind the large group. My dad was a wreck at the funeral. I’d never seen him cry before this day. He was a tough exterior and sentimental man.
In 2004 I learned from my dad, that the young man he introduced me to at the funeral was in fact my older brother. Before this conversation I never heard of him.
We were raised in a very traditional, second generation Italian American family. My brother’s mother was Puerto Rican and because of this my father could not marry her (late 70’s cultural expectations) During this conversation, I also learned that my grandmother saw my brother every weekend since he was born. My grandmother and my father kept this a secret from their entire family. My father siblings never even knew.
According to my dad after the funeral him and my brother got into an argument because my brother was still resentful that my father could not marry his mother. I’m not quite sure how long it had been since my father and brother seen each other at the time of my grandmother’s funeral. I was 21 so my brother couldn’t have been more than 25 years old. My father did not have contact information to give me for my brother in 2004 because after their argument my brother changed his phone number.
Since 2004 I’ve been trying to find my brother based on knowing just his name, which may or may not be his legal name. For example, my grandmother was one of 12 children, and every single one of them had a pseudo name that was unlike their birth name. I actually only learned my grandmother’s legal name at her funeral because it was on the mass cards. I’ve searched based on when I believe his birthdate is, his mother’s name and where his mother may possibly have lived when they met. I’m also going off of memory from a conversation I had with my dad 20 years ago. There was a period of years, where I stopped looking because I was turning up empty-handed .
In 2019, my father’s life was taken at the hands of his second wife. I desperately tried to find my my brother yet again. I don’t know how much information my brother has about me and my sisters. I don’t know if he’s tried to look for us or if he even wants to be found. I’m sure they’ll be many comments of people saying he probably doesn’t want to know us, but I have to believe that’s just not the case. I am now 43 years old and I can tell you, Family has always been immensely important to me and I am extremely sentimental and sensitive when it comes to matters of the heart and family. This was a quality I definitely inherited from my father. I can’t imagine my brother doesn’t have the same feeling in him when we share a dad.
My dad was a very loving man, and I can’t imagine that my brother would not be interested in knowing me or my sister. It likely broke my dad’s heart to keep the secret. He really loved us and was over the moon when we were born. He loved kids very much, I can’t imagine how hard it was for him to not include his son and his life freely.
What’s even more heartbreaking is I learned last year that my mom in fact knew that my dad had another child before he met her. She found out when I was about five years old, but she never told him she knew. In my heart, I wish she did tell him when she learned this information because maybe it would’ve opened up the opportunity for my brother to be a part of our lives. My dad wouldn’t have to keep a secret.
My mother also shared with me that when we moved out of Brooklyn in 1992 it was because my father owed child support and couldn’t afford to pay because my younger sister had severe epilepsy, she was in the hospital several days a week for years and all of his money went to pay bills for the hospital and taking care of the household. We were a middle class but struggling financially because of this. So we moved away. I’m not proud that my father did this, but I understand why he made the choice he did. I don’t know if he sent my brother’s mother money over the years. If my grandmother saw my brother regularly, I feel like my father would have provided for my brother in some capacity financially as he was growing up. My grandmother was very loving and she would’ve wanted her son to do the right thing within the best of his abilities.
So here I am, present day, racking my brain and searching the Internet for any information. The day after my father passed away I sent in private message to anyone that I found on social media with the name that I believe my brother has. I also contacted family members if that person’s page was private to messages. I was desperate to find my brother. Some people were really kind and replied back, saying I’ve reached out to the wrong person. Others just simply never got the message because if we’re not friends, it goes into a different folder. It seems like I’m chasing a ghost. The only thing I could think of is finding a way to locate birth certificates with my father’s name on it as the father and/or locating those child support court documents from 1992 that would at least give me a start of information about him and his mom.
Some thing my dad told me a couple years before he passed away about my brother was that he worked in law-enforcement. Because of his profession, it makes it even more challenging to find him publicly. Typically, law-enforcement personnel don’t use their legal names on social media and they’re removed from white pages / people search public platforms so that they’re not traced by criminals or inmates.
I can’t lose hope in the process.
Does anyone have any suggestions of how I can go about this. I don’t have a tremendous amount of money. Otherwise I would seriously hire a private investigator, that’s how important this is to me. But I’m willing to do as much research and pay what I can to get information that brings me closer to finding him.
Thank you all for reading my story. All insight is appreciated.

Post shows Illinois, but it should be Arizona lol.
Hello from the desert! Remember, desert only has 1 's', dessert has two because you always want a second dessert. Except, I don't often have a sweet tooth so that doesn't typically apply to me, but it always stuck with me. Oh, I have a wee bit of ADHD and my brain goes off a bit, so I'm sorry if this is a bit... Random.
Later this year I am traveling across the country and I'm excited as I've not traveled in many years but I'm also sad because I worry about my dogs. I'll be gone from home for about 8 days and I've never been away from my dogs for longer than like 36 hours. I have a roommate but they're not very reliable so do I get someone to house sit? Someone to check on them daily? Any ideas here would be appreciated because it's got me stressed.
I haven't been listening to music much lately which is actually kinda odd for me but I do keep entertained with TV shows and movies. I found out about a TV show late last year that has a new season releasing in the fall of this year that I'm super excited for, it's called From. I'm not usually one for horror but by golly it is super good. Disney and Pixar films are some of my favorites as are Harry Potter and Star Wars. I know this may be a controversial take but The Half-Blood Prince is my favorite of the 8 Harry Potter films, despite a handful of awkward lines throughout.
I'm a gamer of the board and video variety. For the video flavor I mostly play PC games, either single player or co-op games; first person shooter games are behind me and I can't stand what a lot of the genre has become. Bring me back to the good old days of Halo 2 and Halo 3! Oh my god I sound old... back in my day! blegghhh. Board games are more difficult to get going as those typically require other people and I'm quite introverted and picky with whom I spend my time.
Anywho, I have talked to a bunch of people from here before and I find that often the conversation just kind of fizzles. I've even met people from here before which doesn't always go great but sometimes does! I met one of my closest friends from a video game randomly and it turned out we live like 2 miles away which was super random and makes for a fun story. STOP IT BRAIN! GET BACK ON TOPIC! I'd prefer to talk to people in my state but don't mind talking to anyone from anywhere if anything here resonated with you. Wow there were a lot of 'any' words there. I prefer reddit chat to DMs and if we hit it off perhaps we could move to Discord eventually, I am almost always on Discord since I'm almost always at a computer, especially since I work from home. I would absolutely hate to have to go back to working in an office after we made the switch to WFH, I find it much more peaceful not being around a bunch of hooligans and whippersnappers, oh my god I'm old. Alright, I'm out, I hope to hear from you!

Apologise for the format since I'm writing this on mobile.
Hi, I'm 20F that has inherited estate from my late mother. I'm here to ask advice on options to allocate my inheritance.
Inherited funds around RM70K. Two properties (valued around 500k together), 1 is family house and 1 is rental that brings in RM800 monthly which I use as my allowance as a university student. Also got an old proton car that is still going strong today.
Although with all these inheritance, my mom brought me up with a frugal B40 lifestyle. She didn't have good money habits and thus I never had any knowledge of good habits with money. All she knew and taught me was hard work. Work enough to pay for your life that want. Never learnt anything about investment, mom was even a victim to a ponzi scam. Later learnt she bought two insurance plan for me (medical and life which sums to around 5k per year payment) which is another thing I have to worry about now.
I'm willing to learn and listen to any advice. I know I'm blessed enough that with the inheritance, if taken with correct steps, can set me up with an easy lifestyle compared to my peers. So please, I appreciate any guidance.
The only advice I could give back is if you still have good relationship with your family, remember to tell them how much you appreciate them before is too late. And perhaps ask them for a recipe or a song that they like so you can use it to remember them when they're gone.
Thank you for your input.

Hey there! I'm on a mission to find that new friend (maybe best friend?) and I think you might just be the one! Let's be real, life can be tough sometimes, but a friend by your side makes everything so much brighter. Although I barely know you right now, I believe in you and know that you can conquer anything that comes your way. Plus, having a new friend to laugh and share life with never hurts, right?
Also because I'm nice - To everyone who thinks this post is too long, I've created a slide deck in the comments and an audio version (again in the comments) for those who enjoy the spoken word!
I moved to Bangalore almost half a year back and while I'm loving the city, I could use some company to explore with! Whether it's grabbing a drink or trying out a new recipe or cuisine in the kitchen (Pics in the comments) - Also, Can DM me for the recipe(s) :D) I'm always up for a good time. And the best part? I'll even treat you to a cold one on me although I don't really drink anymore.
I'm so glad that the pandemic is finally over, offices are reopening, and people are all heading back to their workplaces. Can I be real with you for a second? I'm both excited and scared to get back to the office grind. But, with a new job and a move to Bangalore, I'm ready to take on anything! This city is amazing with its cool weather and friendly people. But here's the thing, since I'm new in town, I don't have a lot of people to hang out with. So, I'm on a mission to find some new friends to explore this city and beyond with! Whether you're in Bangalore or anywhere else in India, I'd love to make some long-distance friends and maybe even plan a vacation together if we hit it off. And, even if you're not up for a road trip, I'd love to have someone to chat with and keep me company at home.
I have to admit, that making friends has always been a struggle for me. Growing up, I struggled to make friends until I was 12 and, even then, those friends weren't really good for me in the end. The few friends I have now live far away or are too busy to hang out, so I'm hoping to change that here in Bangalore. And, with the pandemic making socializing a bit tricky, it's been a slow process and it shouldn't stop anyone anymore since it's over. But, I'm a determined person and I won't give up on finding a great friend.
I guess what I'm really looking for is that special bond that comes with a close friendship. Someone who wants to travel the world with me, someone I can confide in, and someone I can care deeply for. I've tried everything and I'm not giving up on trying to find that special friend who'll be there for me through thick and thin. If you're in the same boat, let's be each other's lifesavers!
I've been through some tough times with some minor bouts of blues and anxiety, but I'm doing better now! My friends and family say I'm like a happy golden retriever, much better than my previous grumpy French bulldog self. Some days are still rough, but that's just the ups and downs of life. Just a heads up, I might need to take a break from reality sometimes, but I promise I won't ghost you. I have a pretty good memory, so when I come back we can pick up right where we left off! And of course, if you'd need to do the same, I understand that as well and will be more than happy to resume things where we left it off :)
A little bit about me - I love to spend my time with my head in the clouds, either daydreaming or lost in a good book. Currently, I'm trying to figure out how to get my career on track and transition to a different role that I feel I’d be better in. I also love to have fun outdoors, whether it's on a hiking trail, on road trips, or just staying in for the night. I also like to write and if you want to see some of my writing, check out my Reddit profile!
Music is a big part of my life and I enjoy many different genres, except punk metal. If you're a fan of Bowie, then we're going to get along just fine! I'm especially into the Indian Indie music scene, and I'm a huge fan of artists like Prateek Kuhad, Ritviz, Aditi Ramesh, Aarifah Rebello, and more. I have a playlist for every mood and I'd be more than happy to share it with you. I also love classical and jazz music, and I'm still exploring the jazz genre. I'm not an audiophile, but I use a Sony WH 1000XM3 for travel and my trusty AirPods for my daily commute and they work great for their price.
I used to foster a dog and a cat, and they really helped with the loneliness when I was living on my own. Now they're back with their awesome owners, but they'll always have a special place in my heart! And also I recently got my own little kitty too!
I'm also a collector of letters, both old and new. I like to write letters to myself on days when I need a little pick-me-up or a good reality check. I'm also a big fan of the show Final Space, it's got the perfect mix of humor and sci-fi, you gotta check it out! And if you're into true crime, you have to watch Only Murders in Building S2, it had me cracking up!
I love listening to podcasts and have always dreamt of starting my own. Whenever I go on road trips, I love to bring along some true crime podcasts, and some shows about finance, books, movies, and music. Speaking of road trips, I got a new car recently (and got the first big scratch on it too last week, No dents phew!) I had a trusty 2008 i10 named Meenakshi, but she's getting a little long in the tooth, so thought might be time to retire her.
Lately, I've been getting into gardening, and it's been a lot of fun! My grandma had a beautiful garden in our backyard, but it was neglected until 2021. So wish me luck on that! (Some plant tax - see comment) I've been replanting and repotting and adding new plants to make them more colorful. I'm even trying to grow some fruit trees, like avocado, mangosteen, mango, and rambutan. And I'm excited to start growing some veggies, especially lettuce, using hydroponics. Salad, here I come!
I'm a fishing enthusiast (although I don't eat the fish I catch and I'm actually not a strong swimmer (ironic, I know!), so it's just all about reeling 'em in and then sending 'em back home. (Check out my fish pics in the comments). I recently went on a fishing trip on a boat and it was a blast, even though it rained. Sadly, city fishing isn't as exciting as it is in nature documentaries where you get to see epic battles between the fish and the fishing rods.
When I'm not fishing, you can find me out on a hike or camping trip or mostly just being at home. But don't get me wrong, I really do love the great outdoors and I've been dying to go on the IndiaHikes Bali Pass trek. It's next on my bucket list! Speaking of lists, I'm trying to complete the 52 Books challenge this year (12 done) and I'm currently reading Kafka on the Shore by Haruki Murakami. I just finished a cute little comic book about Peanuts (Snoopy) by Charles M. Schulz, which is one of my favorite artists. Next up is Maame by Jessica George. And of course, In Search of Lost Time by Marcel Proust is a classic that I adore. I also love doing crosswords, but I tend to get frustrated and give up easily.
In my free time, I enjoy watching TV shows and keeping up with technology. If you're into that too, we could be study buddies! I used to have a friend who I would study with on the phone and it was great to have someone to chat with while we both got work done. A work buddy would be awesome as well! We could both do our own thing and still have each other for moral support. I also have a stamp collection and a boarding pass collection that I think you might like.
I recently got into digital art (using Procreate!) and I'm sketching some important people in my life. I'm a traditional artist at heart, but digital art is a new challenge for me and I'm learning all about layers and other technical stuff. I love gaming too and I have a few games on my console like RDD 2, GTA V, Apex, COD WZ, and more. If you're a gamer too and need someone to play with on co-op missions, let me know! I just finished God of War Ragnarok and I'm working on completing all the quests and side missions. I'm going for the platinum trophy and it's a bit of a challenge, but I'm up for it! Up next would be the new Hogwarts Legacy game. In spite of all the hate, it's gotten on the press and otherwise, I've heard good things and the play-throughs look amazing as well.
So in short Let me tell you why we should totally be BFFs:

1. I'm always up for a good chat, day or night. I'm a night owl, so don't be surprised if I'm awake when everyone else is asleep.
2. Need someone to vent to? I'm here to listen and offer support. And if you need to spill your secrets, I promise to keep them safe (unless they're illegal, then I might have to call the authorities).
3. If we're ever in the same city, we can hang out IRL! I travel a lot for work, so there's a chance we'll cross paths. And if you're in Bangalore, just give me a call and I'll come running with a shovel (kidding or am I?).
4. Life can be tough, but I want to be there for someone to help make things a little better.
5. I've got lots of stories and personal experiences to share. Even though I'm still young, I've been through a lot and I'm happy to help others if I can.
6. Need some career advice? I'm here for you!
7. I won't ghost you, I promise. I've been ghosted before and it's not a good feeling, so I won't do that to anyone else.
8. I've got a bottomless supply of humor, memes, and cute kitten/puppy pics to brighten your day.
9. I love to cook, especially desserts. If we're in the same city, get ready for some amazing food! And if you need some culinary tips, just ask!
10. Trying to hit your fitness goals or study more? I'm here to motivate and cheer you on. I'm trying to get back in shape myself, so we can work on it together!
11. I've got your back, no matter what. If someone tries to mess with you, I'll be right there ready to fight (figuratively, of course).
12. If you're a night owl or just in need of a chat, don't hesitate to call me, even if it's 4 AM and you're having a mid-life crisis.
13. I've got endless Spotify playlists for every occasion, Netflix/HotstaPrime recommendations, and if we hit it off, I might even share my accounts with you and we can watch something together over Zoom!

Anyhow now you know quite a bit about me and also where to find me :P
Hope to hear back from you!
Also a PS - I guess from all of this, you'd understand that I'm on the hunt for a long-lasting friendship that'll make every day feel a little brighter. I'd love to chat with you every day or whenever we can and share silly memes, secrets, or anything that you're comfortable with. We can even watch dumb videos or movies together and have deep and thought-provoking conversations. I want to find someone to have fun with and get to know, but I know that takes time and I don't want to rush it.
I tend to be drawn to people who are slightly extroverted and overshare a bit, so I hope you don't mind talking about yourself! I can be a bit shy at first, but I open up quickly. Kind and affectionate people are my favorite. I won't be on my computer all the time and I don't expect you to be either, but I'd love for us to talk or hang out frequently. Whether you're upset about something or your boss was a real bully today, we can gossip about celebrities or friends and offer each other support and motivation to be the best buds we can be!
If our friendship blossoms, who knows, we might even become lifelong friends and meet up in person one day! Gender, sexuality, race, country, or timezone don't matter to me. All I ask is that you be yourself and want to get to know me.
And one more thing, please don't ghost! I promise to do my best to keep the conversation flowing. But if you only reply with a one-word answer or an emoji, it can be tough to keep the conversation going. So let's chat and have some fun!
I believe in putting effort into conversations, it's what keeps them going and stops us from getting ghosted. If you're not into a topic, let's switch it up and find something we both love to talk about. I love getting to know new people and learning about their interests, and I hope you do too!
So, just to keep things on track, let's avoid one-word replies and make sure to share information about ourselves too! If you see a post you like, give the person a little more than just a simple "Hey". Let's make the most of our conversation and have some fun!
Oh, and don't worry about Reddit chat being a little glitchy, we can chat on any platform you prefer. Just let me know and we'll go from there!
So, if you're ready for a new chat buddy, send me a message! I can't wait to get to know you and share memes, secrets, and dumb videos together!
So, if you got till here, or if you haven't too - Have a great day/night ahead regardless and I hope you find what you're looking for
TL;DR - Just looking for that new best friend! I promise I'm nice and won't bite. That's about it

I am planning my first solo trip (24F) to Puerto Rico in august. The purpose of my trip is to basically just to explore, relax, and develop a deeper connection with myself. I plan to MOSTLY just stay around the San Juan area with a few exceptions listed. I'm staying 4 nights.
Overview of MY ITINERARY: DAY 1: Arrive at noon , go explore san juan and chill on beach DAY 2: explore old San Juan ( maybe rent a car for day 3-5)
DAY 3: day trip to cuelbra (is this worth the hassle and $ getting to?)
DAY 4: Go to El yunque rain forest and luquillo beach
Day 5: chill on beach. Depart.
Questions: -Will it be more cost-effective to rent a car or just use Uber? -Is there any changes you would make to the itinerary as a solo female traveler, who has been to Puerto Rico? -Any tips for a day trip to cuelbra and El yunque that people tend to forget if they are renting a ca not traveling in group. -Is Puerto Rico a good destination for a first time female solo traveler? Will it be worth it? I enjoy the nightlife scene but thinking I may skip out on it just so I feel as safe as possible

Currently on a cruise for my honeymoon, very late tonight a man said inappropriate things about my body in front of people he had “grouped” together to become friends on a cruise. For some context; We are on a transatlantic and majority of passengers are 60+ so being a very small group of people in our age demographic (18-25), one man (36) seemingly reached out and created this group. Invited us to a chat and to hot tub/club/drink etc each night. He stops me and my husband in the halls each time we pass, asking what we’ve been up to blah blah. Even sat with us at breakfast this morning. I thought he just wanted some people to hang with on the cruise, my husband was more down to meet up with our new friends than I. Point of the story is tonight after we had been drinking all together, he said something to my husband loudly at a table of 14ish people about me wanting black dick. For reference my husband is Puerto Rican and this man is black. My drunk husband said touch my girl and I’ll kill you. (I realize this is may be perceived as a “threat” but really he was saying to fuck off) The man responded I’d never touch that bitch she too skinny. A few of the people we’re visibly uncomfortable with the comment and walked out at that moment, as did I. —- 10 minutes prior to these comments two ladies and one man had left the group and ‘the man’ put a ten dollar bill on the table and offered up a bet that they went to have a threesome. No one really responded but he continued saying it. I replied to him “it’s not any of our business what they are doing” and he responded “ya ya we’re all adults here”. But I think maybe me saying this was the reason he decided to insult me?
Wondering if reporting him is an over reaction, but fearful to see him in upcoming days as we are stuck on a boat together for 6 more days as he is 13 years older than me and double the size of me, and my husband. I know drunk people say dumb shit, but over the 10 days spent with him he has pushed the girls to kiss eachother offering payment in drinks and several other comments to bring up sexual conversation. Only reason we were continuing to hang out was bc the other cool people around n didn’t acknowledge him much. But now I’m scared to leave the room

And even if you were you new ones ot would be with no bondage.. or suffering come ! so you can go to hades 🥲. No more warning let them do what they think they want i demand it ..but no refuge with me. no together with me wherever i go is my only caveat! The earth is for humans.. And you NOT my kindred you a fuxking PIG .. that even the babies are mocking.. You have a whole SOUL! You have not had second death. by means of saying he gods chosen get pigs don’t belong in the heavena “nasty dave” your a pig race🇵🇷 disgusting 🤢. Fucking let them come and let them see.. But never with me.. come and I assure you will not be dressed correctly ain’t no refuge with me bitch scum race lazy race. Let them do what they want but never ever where i am or with me.. New teros. You are not safe with me you never gonna met this helpful version again. A created animal.. not an air being.. not my seed.. not even wanted ..stop wanting what is not yours with no reasons for why the person wants it i blame Denmark for marrying pigs.. and dogs.. straight gross i will take nappy hair before “rape my way up” putin its fuxking pigs stupid. They belong to new Russia. They that gross new race not authorised by god not my bloodline and you will get burnt like bacon 🥓”fry em like bacon” its why the gov authorised the pig heart Dave worked at “area 51” after we left he like a jenny ho pes ⚪️(25) anyway ⚪️ foes down never up dumb dumb

Good day reader,
I'm looking for a potential partner that will lead to marriage.
About me:

• 33 years old.
• 5'7 height.
• Normal BMI.
• Working professional.
• From Paranaque.
• Roman Catholic.
• Single no kids.
• Silent person.
• Loves cuddles.
• Simple lifestyle.
• Hobbies and Interests are:
  • Puzzle
  • Model Kits
  • Documentaries
  • Movies
  • Informative Videos
  • History
  • Working out
  • Making desserts
  • Video games

About you:

• 25~35 years old.
• Working professional.
• Within Manila.
• Normal BMI.
• Can respect my hobbies and interests.
• Single no kids.

Thank you for reading and have a great day ahead.
PS: I prefer to exchange pictures in telegram for security purposes. Mature enough to send pic also not just 1 sided.

Hello good people of Watts Island. I’m back to talk a little about Shanann’s friends and do something akin to ‘Who were they and where are they now?”
The idea behind this post came from “Beyond the Headlines: The Watts Family Tragedy” that I recently watched on YouTube. I have much to say about these interviews and the narrative that was and is forced on the public regarding Shanann and her relationship with Chris.
So, let’s get into it.
The Watts Family Tragedy Includes Never-Before-Seen Footage Beyond The Headlines Special LMN
Maybe some of you have seen this before and maybe some have not, me included. I came across this just a few nights ago and I feel there are some things that could be addressed. A “set the record straight” if you will. I figured that we would use this opportunity to talk about these women who call Shanann their “friend”, their connection to her and what has happened in their lives since this crime made them semi-famous.
Most of you know that I have researched this crime relentlessly. I have learned a lot about the people involved. I also became very familiar with the business of MLM’s and the dichotomy that exists in the friendships that develop within them. It’s all very, very interesting. After reading all of this, go back and rewatch the above video once again. It has a performance vibe to it. Shanann’s gruesome demise brought fame and glory to Thrive and its promoters and many of them still use their connection to her to bring in sales. We will get into that later.
The main characters to discuss in this video are:
Cristina Meacham, Cassandra Rosenberg, Cindy Derossett, and CBI Agent Tammy Lee. We will touch on Mr Rourke and Mr. Wrenn but this is about the women and their connection to Shanann. There is also a news reporter featured in the show but she is a paid talking head, so not of interest to me. She is merely the messenger of the narrative. She did not actually construct it. However, she had a big part in pushing it out into the world.
On with the show…
I want to start with Cristina Meacham. Before I give you my thoughts on her interview, I want to say that the loss of her husband, Deloye (DJ) is a tragedy and I feel for her and her daughter.
DJ was a retired US military serviceman. He was a certified diving instructor and owned his own recreational diving company in Hawaii called Deco Divers. On October 13, 2023, just two days after Cristina returned from Puerto Rico where she had attended the funeral of her grandmother, DJ passed away from complications that occurred while he was diving in shallow water. He suffered from some sort of emergency while in the water and died as a result. He was 53.
The Meacham’s appeared to have had a good marriage if you believe what’s on social media. But we all know that things aren’t always what they seem. That’s neither here nor there. Cristina and Nickole Atkinson have always seemed the most genuine of Shanann’s “friend group” (their words not mine.) Cristina struck me as honest. Yes, she is a hunbot. Yes, she does participate in an MLM. But she doesn’t sell the fake lifestyle like Shanann did. At least, not as aggressively.
I think the two women were close. Talking on the phone everyday. Brainstorming on how to coax more suckers into promoting Thrive. But Cristina’s livelihood didn’t hinge on building a bigger downline. Shanann had quit her job and Chris’ paycheck didn’t begin to cover their basic expenses.
Back in 2015, while Shanann was still working and making decent pay, money was extremely tight. The house payment alone absorbed over half of his monthly salary. After utilities, car insurance, minimum credit card payments, Shanann’s shopping habits, clothing and food, the Watts were well into the red. Shanann juggled the bills each month in order to try and keep them afloat. But it didn’t work and in June of that same year, the Watts filed for bankruptcy protection.
By Chris’ account, he was floored by the need to file bankruptcy. Shanann had complete control over their finances. She insisted and Chris wasn’t one to tell her ‘no.’ She chose to marry him, in part, because of that little fact. Chris was easily pushed around by his wife. He was conflict avoidant by nature. Combine that and his fear of Shanann’s italian temper and you have a recipe for financial disaster.
By the time summer of 2018 had rolled around their money problems were significantly worse. Shanann no longer worked that decent paying job. The girls were now enrolled full time at Primrose to the tune of $500 per week. Still, Shanann would pump hundreds and sometimes thousands of dollars a month into promoting Thrive. This meant that the house payment would go unpaid for months at a time and/or only partial payments were made. The HOA had filed suit against the Watts for unpaid dues that stretched back more than a year.
Shanann knew that things had gotten to the breaking point where money was concerned. She used deceptive tactics to draw friends and family into the Thrive pyramid scheme. Maybe this is why Cristina Meacham always appeared genuine to me. Her sales pitch didn’t have the desperation behind it like Shanann’s. I suspect that the majority of the women promoting Thrive were in the same predicament as Shanann. Trying to keep a roof over their families heads is hard when your fake lifestyle soaks up all of the money. They continue to throw money at the Thrive monster in order to keep up appearances in hopes that some poor schmuck will fall for the same tired sales pitch and go all in on promoting the product. Downlines on downlines on downlines. It’s impossible for someone like Shanann to make this MLM business structure lucrative. It’s not going to happen. Most huns see it fairly quickly and this is why most of these “sales consultants” LOL actually throw in the towel in the first 6 months. The super hunbots with delusions of grandeur sacrifice everything they and their partner have built in pursuit of the life they “deserve” despite it being completely unrealistic. These women build teams of lovebombing stepford wives, all of which are hell bent on clawing their way to the top of the pyramid.
With this dynamic at play in all MLM’s it’s hard to know if the relationships between hunbots are legitimate or if they are a product of the MLM. Cristina may have been “close” to Shanann but in the MLM game that doesn’t necessarily equate to genuine friendship.
Let’s keep it real. Cristina was in the front row of the Shanann Show more than once. The first week and half of August 2018 had Cristina in the trenches. Shanann texted her literally day and night spouting hateful accusations at Ronnie and Cindy Watts. Followed by prolonged rants on why Chris didn’t want to touch her or talk to her. Cristina could surely see why Chris may have been upset with his wife. Anyone with any semblance of normalcy could read those text messages and see that Shanann was not a supportive or caring wife. She wanted her husband to choose her side in a battle she orchestrated against his family. A highly disordered personality has to be the culprit.
Cristina is used in the voiceover during the intro of the show. She speaks in a strange tone that I hadn’t heard from her before. I have watched an embarrassing amount of this woman’s social media content and believe me when I say that this voice is new.
Cristina has a lot to say about who Shanann was and while I don’t believe that their friendship was anything rock solid, I do think that Cristina knew Shanann better than anyone else outside of her husband and family.
Cristina was starting to get a picture of the real Shanann, though. The text exchanges between Shanann and Cristina during July and August 2018, were eye opening to me. I have read and reread some of those messages and found myself shaking my head in disbelief. Shanann was not a nice person. Cristina has had years to mull over the details. She didn’t seem comfortable with the way Shanann was treating her husband and in-laws. Her responses to Shanann’s vitriol are interesting. They suggest to me that after spending eight weeks at Saratoga Trail and watching Shanann in her element, Cristina was seeing things for what they were. Shanann wanted to be in control. If her wants and needs weren’t met, there was going to be a problem. She was a bully and a…bitch honestly. Cristina resorted to the obligatory head nodding after her initial attempts to encourage Shanann to be calm and level-headed failed miserably.
While Cristina and Koral were in Colorado in late summeearly fall of 2017. Shanann was in the throes of Thrive and most of us know what that entailed.
Shanann had quit her job at the hospital to Thrive full time. The girls were dropped off at daycare at approximately 7 am each weekday morning, where they stayed for nine plus hours. Chris was sent to retrieve them after his twelve hour shift ended at Anadarko. He brought them home where he was tasked with bathing, feeding, brushing teeth, administering meds, and reading bedtime stories, before putting them to bed by 6:30 pm. Shanann would often make Chris perform live for her Facebook friends in addition to his nightly dad duties. Giving piggyback rides on camera. Dutifully obeying his wife's demands to do pushups and squats with screaming children clutching his neck and head. All of this is punctuated by being the punchline to all of Shanann’s not-so-funny, mean jokes. The laundry was always waiting patiently for his attention after the girls were put to bed. Sometimes even the dishes were on his list of things to do before he was allowed to rest after his long day.
Cristina knows all of this. She was right in the thick of the action, so to speak. Not only was she a witness to this unequaled dynamic but she also utilized Shanann’s beast of burden herself on many occasions, as he was also a great babysitter. Cristina trusted Chris, once upon a time. Trusted him so much that she would leave her toddler in his care while she and Shanann took a weekend trip to Las Vegas. She also left Koral with Chris several nights per week. Shanann and Cristina went to dinners, movies, bars, etc while Chris stayed at home with both of his toddlers and Cristina’s as well. He didn’t even have access to a vehicle during these times. What kind of man would put up with that kind of treatment? A nice man. A genuinely nice man. That’s who Chris was and Cristina Meacham knows it.
Her knowledge of what their marriage was really like behind the doors on Saratoga Trail is the reason why Cristina doesn’t shed one real tear in the above video. Look closely. No tears. Her voice lifts and squeaks as though it is full of confusion and emotion but there’s no there, there. Performative.
Cristina knows that Chris was an excellent father and husband until that day in August. She also knows that Shanann pushed and pushed and pushed. It was her way or no way at all.
They use a few of Shanann’s text messages as proof of her broken heart after Chris began to pull away but what they don’t show is the manipulation and abuse that filled the other 99% of her texts during that same time period. The way that Shanann spoke about her husband and his family in text messages she sent to Cristina Meacham during the summer of 2018 shows the real, down and dirty deal. It is more than obvious from Cristina’s replies to those messages that she knew Shanann was full of hatred and malice toward Chris’ parents and sister. Hell, not even his young niece and nephew were safe from Shanann’s vitriol. It’s not as if Cristina hadn’t been privy to that side of Shanann. She had seen it firsthand. This is why Cristina cries with dry eyes.
Don’t get me wrong. I believe that Cristina is affected by the loss of someone who was a big part of her life in the final two years leading up to the murders. But what you can’t convince me of is that Cristina truly believes that Shanann was the living, breathing angel that she is portrayed to have been.
If there is anyone outside of Shanann and Chris' respective families who saw who Shanann really was, it’s Cristina Meacham.
Cristina ruminates on the atrocities that Chris committed that August morning. Strangely though, she leaves the girls out of their own murder. It’s quite obvious that the point of this whole thing is to shove that same old narrative down our throats. That Shanann was an angel and Chris is the devil. They pushed this on the public from the day that Chris was arrested. There was no investigation. No defense team to pull the skeletons out of the closet and dust them off for the world to see. No friends or family of Chris were given a platform to tell their truth. Nope. It was and still is the “Shanann Show.” Propagated by the Weld county DA’s office, the Rzucek family and the powers that be at LeVel.
Cristina’s description of Shanann is a caricature. Maybe this is why the tears just aren’t there. She calls Shanann a good person and a good wife to Chris. Would a good wife insist that her husband cut all ties with his parents for the 2nd time in six years? Do good people use Facebook as a weapon against their in-laws? Does a good wife heap all of the childcare and chores on her husband every evening after he worked a 12 hour shift? While she sat at home and spent money that they simply did not have? These are just small examples of the shit that Shanann put Chris through. We won’t even talk about how she separated Chris from his family and friends through manipulation and deceit. She made sure that he had no life outside of the house on Saratoga Trail. Even his position at Anadarko was for Shanann’s benefit. His work as a mechanic just didn’t fit into her vision for him. How can she call Shanann a good person when she was well aware that Shanann used her children as leverage against the people that loved them? It’s honestly disgusting.
If Cristina was such a close friend of Shanann’s, why didn’t she speak up and tell her that the way she treated her husband was wrong? Cristina had the chance to bring some truth and clarity to the situation while Shanann and Chris were still in North Carolina? The way that Shanann insulted and degraded her husband and his family was shameful. Cristina never once spoke up to bring Shanann back down to earth. That’s not a real friend.
Let’s talk about Cassie Rosenberg. Oh, Cassie, Cassie, Cassie. Shanann’s champion and “best friend.” Cassie is one of those people that were made for MLM’s and the like. Opportunistic but likable and empathetic. She dove into Thrive, head first. Just like Shanann. She was fresh off of a foreclosure and feeling low when Thrive rescued her and her husband, Josh from a life of boredom and laziness.
Shanann and Cassie met around November of 2017. Cassie lived in Arizona with her husband Josh and their three children. Stair step in ages. Two girls and one boy if I remember right. Not really sure as the Rosenberg children didn’t get the screen time that Bella and Celeste were forced to endure. Then again, Cassie had an actual career. She is an RN and therefore worked during the day instead of sitting at home and playing on her phone.
Cassie and Shanann instantly clicked during their initial meeting. Cassie had been part of Shanann’s invisible audience by way of her involvement in Thrive. Cassie was drawn to Shanann’s Thrive celebrity so to speak. Cassie was new to LeVel when the murders occurred.
Then there’s Cindy Derossett. She is another Thriver. She also lives in Arizona. Cindy is a LeVel millionaire recipient who owns a small boutique in Queen Creek, AZ. She has been with LeVel for 10 years.
So, here we have three of Shanann’s fellow Thrivers speaking about her character, pushing out the agreed upon narrative to the public. There are so many things wrong with this and it’s difficult to pick a place to start.
Why were these women chosen for this program? I understand that Cristina Meacham was probably the closest thing Shanann had to a real friend. Even though their friendship was transactional, Cristina knew Shanann for fourteen years. Even if you didn’t count the twelve years that they didn’t see one another, Cristina was still Shanann’s oldest friend. Yes, that’s correct. While Shanann had hoards of acquaintances that she would eventually pester to join the Thrive experience, she had no close friends before she joined LeVel.
Back to the question of why these particular women were chosen to represent who Shanann was in life…I believe they were the only people who would or could give the public what it wanted; a tragic main character that propagated sympathy.
Cassie wonders whether we ever really “know” someone else. She questions how Chris could commit such a horrible act without showing any signs of what was to come.
Of course it’s possible to truly “know” others. However, Cassie barely knew Chris. It hadn’t even been a full year since she had initially met Shanann face to face. Trips they took with LeVel were their only physical interactions with one another until the Rosenbergs popped up in Colorado during that holiday weekend in 2018. Of course Cassie didn’t know Chris and truthfully she barely knew Shanann.
Cindy began her “friendship” with Shanann on Facebook. Cindy was a Thriver from way back and she was introduced to Shanann by Addy Maloney.
Cindy, who calls herself a “spiritual coach” and motivational speaker, is an accomplished lovebomber. If you didn’t know better you would think that Cindy Derossett had been an integral part of the lives of Shanann and the girls. She had never actually met either of Shanann’s daughters. Cindy would see Chris on the LeVel trips but that was the extent of her relationship with him. She barely knew this family and yet, here she is on television speaking about them as though she were some kind of authority on who they were.
Both Cassie and Cindy agree that everyone that met Shanann couldn’t help but be her friend. If that were true then why was it that Shanann had no friends to speak of before joining Thrive? Sure, Shanann knew a lot of people and she would often refer to them as “friends” but in reality Shanann couldn’t maintain anything deeper than a surface level connection. Interpersonal relationships couldn’t be sustained.
She was engaging and fun on the surface but that would change as the relationship progressed. There were no friends outside of Thrive. Even the women she met before she started Thrive were eventually used to expand her downline.
While reading the text messages between Shanann and her circle, it’s obvious that each of these relationships were centered around Shanann. It was her problems that were discussed. It was her accomplishments that were celebrated. Every conversation was dictated by whatever it was that Shanann had going on in her life. Shanann surrounded herself with empathetic people in order to exploit them. Like Chris.

Cassie and Cindy are asked to describe Bella and Cece. I, myself, who have never met those children, would have done better. Their answers are full of platitudes that have been repeated over and over for the last five years. Neither of them say anything heartfelt about the girls. 

This is because Cindy had never met either Bella or Celeste. She saw via Shanann’s facebook posts but she had never actually been in the same room with them.
Cassie had only met the Watts girls once. This was in May of 2018 when the Rosenbergs traveled to Colorado for a local that Shanann was hosting. The family of 5 spent the Memorial Day weekend with the Watts on Saratoga Trail.
Both girls spent 9 hours a day, five days a week at daycare. They were in bed by 6:30 every evening.
On the weekends, Chris kept the kids out of Shanann’s hair so she could “run with her amazing team.”
So when exactly did Cassie and Cindy spend enough time with Bella and Cece that would constitute them being asked to speak about them post mortem??
At first I didn’t get it. It took a moment or two for me to catch on to why these people were invited to tell their story. People that didn’t really know them.
Then it clicked. This entire production was about Shanann.
This show aired for the first time in 2020. Just about the time that this case was generating renewed interest for different reasons.
Two years had passed since the murders occurred. Plenty of time to read and reread the discovery. Shanann’s facebook videos were compiled on YouTube channels and sent out to the morbidly curious. Like myself. Two years it took for people to begin to question the narrative. Was Shanann an innocent victim in this crime? Was she a good wife and mother who was married to a monster?
Or, was there something else to see here?
These women were brought into this case by way of their MLM connection to Shanann but they have remained as main characters to push the narrative. They have told us that Shanann was everything right in the world and Chris killed her because he was a cheating, lying piece of shit.
While some of you may believe all of that to be true, there are those of us who dug deeper into the lives of the Watts family leading up to the murders and what we have found flipped the case upside down. It’s the reason that this case remains in the front row of the true crime cases that we can’t let go.
The has-it-all image Shanann presented on social media was a dissimilation. Behind closed doors she had created an environment filled with intense levels of stress for her family.
Chris and the girls lived in constant apprehension. Creating a perfect picture for the outside world had become a responsibility for this family and anyone that threatened it would be discounted. Shanann’s selfishness caused uncertainty, insecurity, depression and probably fear.
Cristina, Cassie and Cindy talk as though they had spent considerable time with them when in fact they had not.
Truthfully, they barely knew Shanann. The amazing mom and wife that they were acquainted with was a veneer and the lifestyle that she showed off on social media was a sham. Nothing but a simulation of the life she dreamed of having.
Pay attention to what it is that they are saying and not saying about Shanann. Their characterization of her is anecdotal. The entire vibe is disingenuous and insipid.
Cristina insists that Shanann was a go-getter and was determined to create the best life for her family. But is that really true? Is that what she was attempting to achieve? Or was she hung up on material things? People who spend their families into financial ruin aren’t caring for them properly. Sliding into a second bankruptcy and a foreclosure on their home so that she could keep up the traveling, wealthy, suburban mom facade isn’t what I would call “trying to create the best life for her family.” Her vision board was a testament to her mindset. Yachts, beach houses, the list goes on and on. Someone with this kind of juvenile thinking isn’t what I would call a “go-getter.”
Cindy claims Shanann taught her girls how to love. Again, how would Cindy know this to be true? Teaching them to love? By fostering a golden child/scapegoat dynamic between them? By encouraging them to throw their food at their dad when they were displeased or impatient? How about when she screamed at their Mimi that they would never step foot in their grandparents home again?
Was it love she was teaching them when she dressed them up in lovely clothes every year to sit on Santa’s lap and find entertainment in their terror and distrust?
But most importantly of all…was she teaching them to love when she subjected them to her own sadistic form of Babywise from the minute they were born? Leaving them alone in their cribs to cry-it-out?
Cindy says when Shanann posted videos to Facebook, it was their “joy” to watch. It was likely they were required to watch by their MLM leaders.
Cassie calls Shanann “captivating” but all I saw was the exploitation of her children.
The reporter even dodges the facts by claiming that Shanann’s “main job” was as a consultant for a nutritional supplement company. There’s no way that this educated woman doesn’t know that Shanann was participating in an MLM. A pyramid scheme does not equate to a “main job.” Mostly because that “main job” doesn’t actually pay you for your work.
We will continue my reaction to Beyond the Headlines: The Watts Family Tragedy, later this week. I have a lot to say.
Thanks for reading.
Del

Looking for more meal prep options that are fairly simple. I try to stick around 10 grams of protein per 100 calories. (Give or take) Hit me up with your favorite recipes! Dessert or otherwise. And if anyone is interested in some of my own I'm happy to share.

really specific and weird question but hear me out.
so I've been role playing as the culture guys from banks novel, and I'm trying to simulate the whole "orbital" thing from the books.
so I basically I wanted to have a huge bio trophy population on a ring but I also kind wanted to allow them to colonize other planets too if the humans wanted like like the books for the lols,
however I noticed that the ring world habitability basically prevents me from doing this since all my biotrophies are locked into ring world preference,
however, for some weird reason, i went to the species tab, and I was able to "apply template" to reverse the ring world habitability of my biotrophies back to its default (dessert, ocean etc).
however after some research apparently you shouldn't beable to do this?
like before selecting the origin I was able to still chose a default habitability, however the weird part is that I don't remember ever researching the tech to change habitability, yet I was still able to take out the ring world habitability trait?? for some odd reason?
was this an old/new thing I forgotten? sorry for this absurdly specific question but I really haven't played this game in a long time and forgotten a bunch of stuff.