Write something about your self

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2009.10.28 00:53 tty2 coding

Fuck spez.
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2012.04.04 18:47 MattRay0295 Learn Javascript

This subreddit is for anyone who wants to learn JavaScript or help others do so. Questions and posts about frontend development in general are welcome, as are all posts pertaining to JavaScript on the backend.
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2020.03.15 23:34 Silver_Surfer93 Wallstreetbetsnew

Welcome to the new WallStreetBets! This is not just about the YOLO. This is about winning.
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2024.05.19 10:05 ggwplucky [Abandoned Pools] Sony Connect Track by Track Interview

[Abandoned Pools] Sony Connect Track by Track Interview
A while back I was messing around with the Wayback Machine & came across this diamond in the rough on AP's MySpace page. Also found some photos, but most importantly, a track-by-track [Armed To The Teeth] interview from Sony Connect that they did back in '05 (presumably around the same time they did the Sony Connect set with the acoustic songs).
In the interview, Tommy tells the story behind each track on Armed To The Teeth (except Lucky). You'll also find tidbits about the process, lyrically & sonically of these songs, and much more!
If you want to read it/see it from the "raw" source and discover more, here's a link with the Wayback's capture I found on the interview blog: https://web.archive.org/web/20071005015435/http://www.myspace.com/abandonedpools
Now without further ado, the Sonic Connect Interview:
A track by track discussion of Armed to the Teeth from the Sony Connect Store interview:
LETHAL KILLERS TW: As far as how that [demo of the] song was constructed ... I did this trick where I would take a half-time drum loop and sort of nudge it one way and then put in another track and nudge it the other, and we got this sort of double time, rolling drum feel. So that - plus the sort of round-robin type of guitar parts that we have going - was sort of a very easy construction for a song. And then you start moving the bass part around, and, boom, you've got a song.
But I think that lyrically - I want to make it clear that that song isn't necessarily [about] "church is bad, government's bad." I think it's a little bit more complicated than that, though sometimes if you mix the two of religious power and government power, that can be bad for both of them. And I kinda like the idea of not living a life saying, "Well, you better live life in a certain way because then, you know, everything's gonna be great later in heaven." You know, the idea of, like, if this is all we have now, if that idea was just a little bit more embraced, our world could be a little bit better. I just find that a little bit more satisfying, too, if you think like, this is all you have and then you're gonna die. [Laughs] It seems a little bit more like, "Oh, okay, well!" instead of, like, thinking that there's some other life at some other time and you can put things off.
RABBLE TW: Well, a lot of the songs on this record - about two-thirds of it - have to do with a relationship I had that went south, and you know when you go through relationships you always have such a good 20/20 hindsight about things. And I think "Rabble" is just trying to basically say to somebody, "I just wanted to know you better" . . . It's just one of those things where, with this relationship in particular, I wish it would have turned out better. And there's a lot of things that happened that shouldn't have happened, and it's just sort of one of those "oh, what could have been?" scenarios.
THE CATALYST TW: "The Catalyst" is definitely along the same lines. I think the main line in that one is "I wish I could say something beautiful to make you fall in love again." There's a Coachella reference in there, too: "Love has slowly faded away like spotlights shining into space." Have you ever been to Coachella? Of course you have. You know, there's all those spotlights that shoot up in the air. I just thought that was kinda cool, like, how far do those lights really go? "The Catalyst" was also the last song written for the record. It was demoed while we were in the studio. And it's one of those songs that I said two-thirds of the record was written for somebody. That's one of them.
TIGHTER NOOSE TW: "Tighter Noose" is the oldest song on the record by far. It was probably written back in '99, 2000, or somewhere in there. I was thinking about it for the first record [2001's Humanistic], but it didn't really fit in with those kind of songs, so I kept it around and we'd even play it live occasionally. I think it fits in with these songs way better. [As for what "Tighter Noose" is about,] that song is one of those breaking-off-on-your-own- what-have-you-got-to-lose kind of things, because that was written sort of in the wake of when I was in The Eels. It wasn't a terribly happy situation, so I was like, well screw it, I'm just gonna go off and do my own thing. And then it's sort of like, well, you know: "I'm gonna go start my own thing. Uh, I have to learn to sing and write songs now." [Laughs] It's kinda funny: "Screw you guys! I'm gonna go get a deal!" And then like, "Uh oh." But really, I'm a firm believer in that [idea that] you just gotta go for it. And so it was like, well, this is gonna be difficult, but it's gonna be better than what I had before. And actually, with some distance on that situation, I realized I made the right decision and made a lot more money and was a lot more happy as a result. So that was sort of a leap of faith, you know. I didn't want to be someone's stupid bass player. Now I'm my own stupid bass player.
WAITING TO PANIC TW: There was a lull between record companies. The first record [Humanistic] was on Extasy - I don't know if you know about that company, but we were basically the poster-child for the implosion of an indie label. I came off the road in 2002, the label's folding, and I'm like, well, I'm just gonna go back and give this my best shot and we'll get another deal. It seemed highly unlikely, but we ended up doing it. And there was just a lull in there where nobody was interested. I had attorneys not returning my phone calls - that kinda stuff. It felt like, I'm just waiting around and I'm really anxious. So that was a song of frustration that was written and demoed all in one day - it was a song that just came out of me in like eight hours. We also put an EP out [The Reverb EP] and on the EP is the version of that demo that I did in one day. It doesn't happen [like that] very often. Usually I build bed tracks and come back to it a few weeks later and add something, and then come back a couple of days later. This one was all in one shot.
HUNTING TW: My friend Ross Golan, who has his own band Ross Golan and Molehead, had been following the wake of the relationship. He's like, "You just gotta write her a song and use her name." And I'm like, nah, nah, it's not covered enough. And he's like, "No, just do it. Go for it." So I did. I wrote this song and I wrote it for her for her birthday and I used her name, which is in the first lyric of the song, which is "Ginny." So I just went for it and wrote it. It was basically a birthday gift, and it was basically saying, like, you know, "Oops!" [Laughs] It didn't get me very far, but I like the song. We're friends, she's a good girl, absolutely, but back at that time, it was kinda like, "Erraaghhh! Here's a song!" But I like the song and I just think it was one of those times where I was really putting myself out there, and I know she liked it, too. But then, I think that's a myth where you just write a song and all of a sudden the girl just says, "Oh! Okay!" But, you know, hey. There it is. It's on the record.
That's the romantic notion of how they'll react to the song, at least.
TW: Exactly. And I'm really glad we're past that whole ironic phase, which I was part of with The Eels, where everything was super ironic and we'd play "The Macarena" on stage - [sarcastically] and that was funny! I'm glad we're through all that stuff, even though I was still a Beck fan when he was doing all that stuff, too. But I like being sincere and sappy and romantic. I kinda think that's a great thing.
ARMED TO THE TEETH TW: This is one of the first songs written when we came off the road and I had a lot of momentum. If you look at the state of the industry you can see a lot of corporations that seem to have to buy everything in sight. They just have to own everything, and to what purpose? Does it really make the industry much better? No. There's fewer outlets, there's a lot more gatekeepers. They want to buy stuff and it just kinda makes things bad for everybody. All the radio stations play the same shit - except for Indie 103.1 and KCRW in L.A. In spite of it all, I'm just gonna try to do my best and have a career anyway. When we came off the road I felt like I had a lot of momentum. Performing live is inspiring to writing, so it was just the whole idea of, "Alright, now that I have one record under my belt, I'm gonna really go for it in spite of all the forces that be." Even though they're pretty much indifferent to us, [laughs] their actions do affect us. It's sort of a song of bravado.
Why did you also choose "Armed To The Teeth" as the name of the album, too, which, in turn, implies it as the overall theme?
TW: Yeah, which is funny, since I kinda decided on that theme early on, thinking I was gonna go in a certain way, but then, like I said, two-thirds of the record is love songs. So "Armed To The Teeth" doesn't really fit in a certain way, but I also liked it just because [of] that idea of, like, now I'm really ready to make a record, and also I think it reflects the state of the country a little bit. Everything's a little bit aggressive, we're at war, and I thought it was sort of timely in that way
SOONER OR LATER TW: "Sooner Or Later" is another one of those tracks that was written after we got signed, so it's a newer song. I mentioned that sort of double time drum loop thing with "Lethal Killers" - this is the same thing. It's a half time drum loop that I nudged in one direction and then put in another track and nudge it in the other, then "boom," it's double time. And I like that, it's a good effect. It really sets up this kind of overlapping, rolling sound that a real drummer can't do. And things flam a little bit, and I really like that feel, so this song was constructed in the same manner where you have a rolling drum loop and then you put over a couple of guitar parts here and there and all of a sudden you got a song - I think this song is over six minutes. This is, um, I guess it's a couple things. Lyrically, it's sort of saying, like, whatever you do or whatever you say, there's no point in hiding anything because it all comes out in the end - which is the tagline in the chorus. There's no hiding. And in the verse it says, "Sooner or later / It's all coming down." In some way or another, whether you acknowledge it or if it just eats at your self, you can't really get away with anything. It's sort of fatalistic that way, but also in terms of, like, seeing how I also look at as a bigger picture of, like, politically, and since we're at war right now, it seems like things are getting a little scary. And that's kind of like one of those doomsday scenarios. If you look around a little you can really freak yourself out if you're reading about, like, bio-warfare and things like that. So a lot of this talk about "smoking gun in the shape of a mushroom cloud" and all that, it sort of brought up for me a lot of doomsday scenarios. So it's two-fold: it's that doomsday scenario, in terms of as far as the world is concerned, and then, personally, if you do stupid shit then you're eventually gonna pay for it somehow.
SAILING SEAS TW: Like "Hunting," this is probably the most direct, out-there storytelling song. Instead of using her [real] name, it's switched to "Holly," which is in the chorus. So it's another one of those songs talking straight to somebody. And there's a lot of details in there that I wouldn't talk about in normal conversation. That's the funny thing about songwriting where I wouldn't talk about this, but then I can put it in this song and you can still hear it and you still understand, but it's sort of masked a little bit. It's presented in a certain way where it's somehow okay to say that when you're in a major key or something. Because like, the second verse is about pretending you're outside a room listening to somebody [you love] have sex [with someone else], and that's a situation to put yourself into to really torture yourself. I created this scenario in my head and I put it in a song, and it's kinda brutal, but the [beat of the] song is upbeat and happy.
RENEGADE TW: This is a sample-based type song [with] drum loops. The cello was originally a Bjork sample and we replaced it. This one is sort of hard to explain. To me it’s just sort of like just a creation, because some of the record is social commentary, and I think there's a lot of that in this song, and it's like little snippets and ideas, and not necessarily one unifying idea. I think it's just kind of a song based on looking around and taking stock of things. This song in particular isn't really even about anything. It's just, like, observations, pretty much. And, oh, by the way, Billy Howerdel, the guitarist from A Perfect Circle, is playing guitar on that song. He jumped on that track and he's the one that makes it sound scary.
MAYBE THEN SOMEDAY TW: That was one of the first songs written in the wake of the breakup. It was one of those kind of "well-it-just-didn't-work-out-but-maybe-one-day-we'll-see-what-happens" kind of things. Because the circumstances are such that it wasn't gonna happen immediately so I was kinda like, well, we'll see. I don't have much to say about that; it's just grouped in with "songs about her."
GOODBYE SONG TW: That was also written when there was not a lot going on for me and we hadn't really nailed down the record deal. She [Tommy's ex-girlfriend] always thought she was bad luck - she'd show up and bad things would start happening - so she thought it was her fault that I hadn't got a deal. She actually moved away and soon as she did, we got a deal. [Laughs] I think it's funny to sort of say, like the first line of the song is "I'm not washed up / And you're not bad luck for anyone," so, you know, get off the ledge, really. And it's just one of those things; it's one of those yearning songs. I think with a lot of those songs there's a certain amount of effort spent on presenting evidence, like, "Look, I know this is how you feel, but look at all the other stuff." It's almost like making a case for your self [in a song]. And like I said, it didn't get me far, but it's still a good venting process. And I sort of realize when I say things like, "I wrote this for her" or whatever, it's not really for her. It's more self-indulgent to get this stuff out. And in a way you're saying, "Yeah, I wrote this song for you," but no, you wrote it for yourself so you could say things that you felt like saying. So I realize that and I think I realized that while I was writing them, but my job is to write songs so you take from what's around you to make it happen.
submitted by ggwplucky to AbandonedPools [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:54 HymnoftheBrokenMan Week from Hell pt4

Saturday started out rough. So at 0445 my silly puppy starts barking at well probably one of the cats lets me honest (they like to torment her, cause she tormented them.) I get out of bed and go down stairs and hang out with her. Let her out quietly so everyone can stay asleep. Around 0600 she starts barking at a leaf or something so I frantically let her in so she doesn’t bother the neighbors who are very nice and I want to stay on their good sides. Let alone the fact she could wake the toddler and baby who are evil little monsters. I’m successful house is still asleep. I take her down and feed her. But she’s acting funny. (I didn’t put 2& 2 together yet about that.)
0730 rolls around and I hear the stirrings of a toddler and see movement on the baby monitor app. I rush up stairs to try to stem the tide of child chaos. They’re all awake and my wife is upset. So I propose we watch Pawpatrol in the room and I take care of them. She gladly accepts and proceeds to pass the baby off to me and falls back asleep. Around 830 the toddler gets restless and ends up waking her up. Again fucking upset like Goddamn it isn’t the extra fucking 4 hours of sleep out got more than me enough? Well here is the coup-de-grace of my epic failure of a day that lead to everything. I fucking had the gall to ask if she could take them and I could get alittle sleep too.
This one moment lead to what I feel is the pivotal day in my self deletion…
The first hour all I can hear is he complaining about every little thing screaming at our toddler and baby cause they’re fucking kids and don’t know any better (toddler knows but still doesn’t grasp somethings.) Que that anxiety laden heart throbbing BP spike. I come out and try to help. She dismisses me condescendingly saying “your sick you need sleep” I retorted “I can’t sleep when your acting like this” (yes I fucking know I’m a shitty man get fucked atleast I’m honest.) eventually she calms down some. However over the next two hours all I can hear is, husband did this, husband didn’t do that, husband isn’t doing enough. Eventually I had enough with the lines “I have XYZ to do and not enough time be nice if I had help.” Fuck it okay, I come out and walk in the room and castigated her. “ you know I’m fucked up still, I’m trying to sleep.” She just throws it back in my face about how she forced the kids and grandmas outside so the house would be quiet. (BUT THIS THE THE FUCKING PROBLEM THEY ARENT THE FUCKING PROBLEM.) no I never said that because I’m a pathetic coward.
submitted by HymnoftheBrokenMan to u/HymnoftheBrokenMan [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:51 CuriousAnachronism 24 [M4F] Germany/Europe/Online - Fiat iustitia, et pereat mundus

Prologue

Hello and welcome to my post. I will subdivide this into two large parts. One will cover my thoughts, feelings, my hopes and dreams...While the other will tell you the specifics of how I pass the time, what topics interest me, what passions do I posses. I believe that at the end of this leap into my inner world, you dear reader, will have all the necessary information to judge whether we are compatible or not.

Part I
I am writing this in the hopes of finding something that I lack. Lately I have had this feeling, this tinge of melancholy within the dephts of my being, this yearning to find a kindred spirit, another Soul, much like mine, to form a bond with. Perhaps Loneliness is the right word for what is bothering me, but to use it seems to carry with it a connotation of ungratefulness. Ungratefulness for the people that I do have in my life, although none of them, of course, have the connection to me that I seek here.

I have found it increasingly necessary to seek in this Life a sort of purity of thought. What I mean is, I have began to undestand what ideas and concepts are ultimately compatible with my inner most Self, ergo what guidelines I have to follow to feel the most whole. Naturally I have likewise realised what I cannot add to my Self and what I will henceforth reject with all the power that I posses.

With this new context in mind, I now follow on the path of self improvement. I will now begin to mold my Self into my perfected idea of how the Self should be. This is certainly a significant undertaking, one that will not be easy to follow through on but one that I ultimately have to do. To me such context is essential. It is akin to a Guiding Star shining in the night. I will follow this Star for without it I am lost in the vast Darkness.

Looking back at my life, it was suboptimal, especially if one compares the way it molded me to how I will now mold myself. I suppose I must look on with a hint of regret at all that time which one might consider to be lost. Still... I try to stave off such decisively negative interpretations, after all, I have ultimately came to these conclusions. That means that somewhere along the line I had to have picked up on enough of such ideas for them to become so cemented in my consciousness. Well, either that or I was always like this, but in that case I can at least thank my life up to this point for not being able to supress such manifestations of my inner most Self.

To add to the topic of my life, I must admit that not all the battles have yet been won, not all the Demons vanquished, not every Mountain climbed. I want you to keep such things in mind when deciding whether or not to approach me. Many will shy away, I undestand that much, but the pursuit of true Companionship is just another such battle. Having said all that I do believe that being able to overcome hurdles together carries with it a certain appeal. That is to say, what's the fun in joining once the Game is already over?

I don't shy away from such challenges, perhaps to a fault. Certain troubles that I faced in the past carry with them a long shadow over my current health and well being. Still, I intend to change little in this regard other than the proficiency with which I will clash the current of my Will against the cliffs of Life.
Part II
In this part of my post I will tell you about my interests and hobbies, I will try to be thorough, commonality in this regard is rather important to build a relationship
History. I have had an interest in history for almost a decade now, it started back in school and developed from there. Well, now that I think about it one could argue that it started even earlier in my life as I liked watching the odd historic documentary or film aired on television but it wasn't regular back then, I never actively sought it out. I am mostly interested in European history in the period between the 18th-20th century but I sometimes branch out to other time periods and other parts of the world. I watch various channels related to history and read articles and sometimes books. I have recently got a few books on the German revolution of 1848/1849 and a historical magazine on the Thirty Years' War. Besides that I try to visit museums sometimes.
Literature. Especially old novels. I like to immerse myself in the Worlds of these books, I tend to read them while listening to thematically fitting music and take my time with them. One time you are following a troubled Youth in his quest for spiritual understanding of the world, another you see the aged and decrepit Doctor gambling his very Soul on the promises of abtaining satisfaction in earthy pleasures, then again your olfaction notices the most pleasant scent known to man even as the one eminating it has the appearance of a revolting Frog. These and many other stories open up to you once you decide to set foot into the literary World.
Languages. I know three, with one being a bit rusty. I am currently working intently on strengthening it. I believe that if I continue to apply myself in this regard then I should be able to finally conquer it. What language am I working on? Well, if you were to stack all the major works in it they would be as tall as a house... It is fun to go through different works in multiple languages, the same goes for film, games and such.
Games. I recently played Cyberpunk 2077. Well as recently as I played any major story centric game. Now that the dust has settled and the bugs mostly removed...It's not that bad. The main questline at least. Besides that I tried Fallout 76 (Very average, I'm dissapointed with what they made the "RPG" system) and I might give Deus Ex Manking Divided another spin (since it's somewhat similar to Cyberpunk when it comes to its aesthetics). Dark Souls is one of my favorite series, I still haven't beaten Elden Ring though. When it came out I wasn't in the right mindset to invest a hundred hours into it, with all those bosses and difficult locations. I think I'll only consider playing it if I am streaming it to someone. I am generally interested in either streaming games or having the person I am talking to stream them to me. To be specific I mean streaming to a single person while being on call. Besides that I'm a big fan of Paradox strategy games, especially Europa Universalis IV and Heats of Iron IV, I tend to only play single player since I find multiplayer with many people to be rather stressful but on the other hand I have nothing against a co-op game. I'm not the best player though, despite the ammount of hours I have in them. Another great game I would mention would be Dragon's Dogma. A very underrated RPG. I recently beat it again and it was an atmospheric and interesting experience. It is one of those games that feel like they have an endless ammount of depth and constant new secrets to discover.
Anime and Manga. In recent times my interest in them has waned but I still watch the occasional series here and there. Like Cyberpunk Edgerunners (Which I found to be rather mediocre) and the very good first season from the new arc of Bleach. Some of my favourite series include: Fullmetal Alchemist Brotherhood, Death Note, Fate;Zero, Psycho Pass, Code Geass and Attack on Titan. I wouldn't mind if you were to introduce me to some new series, maybe based on the ones I mentioned. My favourite Manga is Berserk which I still follow, althought I am still not certain on the direction that the new author is taking. I suppose it really is a matter of contention whether a somewhat (or considerably warped) vision is better than an unfinished work. One could argue that a few novels remain unfinished and possess a macabre appeal to them as such.
Music. Classical music has a very special place in my heart. A few of my favourite pieces would be: Clair de Lune, Nocturne Op. 9 No.2, Devil's Trill Sonata, Danse Macabre, Valse Sentimentale, Symphony No. 7 in A Major, Op. 92: II. Alegreto (by Beethoven) and Suite from Swan Lake, Op. 20a: I. Scene. Moderato. There are more but these ones always invoke something in me when I listen to them. Besides Classical I also enjoy listening to Synthwave, old Western pop and J-pop, both modern and from the 20th century.
Esotericism. I am interested in things spiritual, mystical, magical and esoteric. I have read religios texts, magical grimoires, introductions to various schools of thought. It is interesting to me.
Epilogue
Hopefully I was able to cast the spotlight upon my inner World in a clear and unequivocal manner. I feel the need to add to the aforementioned that I am rather introverted, which means that I tend to dislike large social gatherings. I managed to condition myself to be able to endure the presense of large groups of people but it isn't something that I would seek out in most cases. Besides that I am neurodivergent and suffer from certain issues with mental health. I have to take medication to keep myself under control. They work well enough but certain days are harder than others. I respect the struggle that others have with mental health but in the context of a relationship I have my limits, no one with BDP for instance. I am also not looking for anything casual. I understand than one cannot demand depth and meaning from a conversation with an absolute stranger, that is akin to trying to build a sand castle right before the waves strike but I ask at least that you enter with a mindset that this might become something of significance. I also do want to say that I am completely Monogamous. My preference? The sickly, pale, intellectual who watches rain droplets slide down the window in Autumn. Lastly, if I enjoy the company of a person I tend to not want to let them go.
Thank you for taking the time to read my post and have a good day. I ask that you send a DM instead of a chat and that you give the English translation of my title as your own.
Goodbye...Or perhaps untill we meet again
submitted by CuriousAnachronism to ForeverAloneDating [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:47 Ufratys First Time ACOMAF Reader (ch. 21-25) Thoughts & Impressions

Not much to say here since I wanted to see what happened with the Weaver. Enjoy!
Ch. 21
Ch. 22
Ch. 23
Ch. 24
Ch. 25
These recent cliff hangers have been great so far! Let's hope Feyre taps into her abilities and freezes the Attor’s nuts off. Thanks for reading!
submitted by Ufratys to acotar [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:43 Ok_Way9119 FIGURE OUT WHAT YOUR BODY WAS MADE TO DO

EVERYONE . There’s a reason why these traits we have were persistent in our ancestors throughout history. If you can find something specific about yourself, some specific behaviour, try connecting it to something to what your ancestors did. We feel out of place because our genetics are not adapted to our current uniform environment/society….. yet. I’m sure you have some historical lineage that can be tracked down. Find history, find environment, find adaptations to this environment, figure out what you were made to optimally do. Become self aware.
submitted by Ok_Way9119 to ADHD [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:42 Vivo00640 Creating a Genshin Impact Isekai

Long story short, I started playing Genshin the day it came out and basically lived my life in it for a year with two accounts (AR58 and AR56). Given my ADHD, it was pretty amazing for me to be able to focus on it for such a long time and actually dedicate time to something, but then I quit for two years. Life happened, and I kept logging in once or twice because I had to for some characters (Nahida) but I am back now, mainly cuz of Father. The time back reminded me how much I love the game, not just for the Cough Cough ASSests Cough Cough and Lore. Which leads to my main point.
I WANT TO WRITE A GENSHIN ISEKAI NOVEL
The plot, flow, and mechanics are mostly done, and the progression and JOURNEY are set. But I want to know what you would like to see or what you would do in a situation where you've been isekai'd. Be wild, and imagine what you wish you could change or make happen in the story or in the background where many NPCs don't get the spotlight. Or certain things to try out that you never could do again or ever. Or something you wish would happen that maybe it might happen. Any relationSHIPS that u wanna see or be apart of. Can be anything. Also things that u dont want to happen.
ps. If it wanst clear, I will be taking a shot at this "Journey" thing that everyone keeps saying in the game.
submitted by Vivo00640 to Genshin_Impact [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:42 ICANTJUMPFORMYLIFE Always trust your gut feeling

Before I go any further with this I know I have done some pretty stupid things over the years and I never really believed in the paranormal until this incident happened.
So about when me and my best friend were in highschool (year 11 to be exact) I was staying over at her place for the weekend after I had finished my work shift, it was around this time my best friend had an art project that was due soonish and she didn't have any inspiration to help her create something original. Then she came up with the idea to do a freaky photo shoot to see if that would help inspire her to create something ( and I ended up being her muse you could say) and mind you she is very much into special effects and stuff as she is a make-up artist in the making. So by the time she was finished with the make up you could say I looked like a decaying and walking corpse.
We decided to take some photos out in her backyard and then go analysis the pictures some got her attention and some didn't, so then I cleaned myself up and then we tried again, but this time an elf like character. That's when I got the "brilliant"(not so brilliant ) idea that maybe we should got to the nearby lake since there was some awesome places there that would be perfect. Mind you it was already 11:30pm at night.
The first mistake we made was actually going through with that idea at 11:30pm at night which well it was pretty stupid to begin with since will all the bad things happening around our local area ( missing people/ animals, murders etc), that alone should have been a clear indication that we shouldn't be going.
That wasn't a thought to us in the slightest,
So when my best friend drives us there and parks in the big empty car park( which was another clear indicator that we really shouldn't be there), we just sat in her car for a good minutes just discussing how the photos should be taken.....then that's when I got a chill down my spine and the sensation that we were being watched from somewhere. That feeling never left and to this day I can't believe my stupid self had just blantanly ignored that altogether. I wasn't the only one ,my best friend also got the exact same feeling I did and then we proceeded to get out of her car and start taking photos like we discussed. She has fake realistic swords and other weapons so we were using those as props and Everything was going perfectly fine (besides feeling like we were being watched).
What happened next still makes my heart stop, because the place we were at had hiking and biking trails as well as being surrounded by a woodland area. What we heard whilst in the middle of taking some more photos was the sound between a strangled and drying animal mix with a high pitch human scream and when I tell it sounded way too close comfort, I mean it sounded to close for comfort. That sound lasted for a good solid minute (just one singular sound with no breath in-between it) then it stopped and went erriely quiet. Way too quiet.
Now looking back on it, there was no sound of insects making any noise when we got out of the car and there was very certainly none after that sound. Which only means that there was a predator or something of the sorts nearby. I thought I was just hearing things or thought it possibly was just a native animal of sorts.
At this point me and best friend were starting to freak out a little bit, because then we heard the sound of sticks on ground snapping in half to the right of us near one of the hiking trails (which wasn't too far from where we were not that long ago) We tried to not panic and finish the last of the photos.(That was dumb idiotic idea know, but at this point we have made a few.)
I think I was zoning out and focusing on what she wanted me to ( for example,like hold the sword in a swinging position like you were about to slay down beast) I sensed that my best friend had stopped giving instructions and looked to her to see that she was standing and looking terrified to say the least
(This was our conversation in that moment)
Me:"uh... You good??"
My best friend:" slowly come over to me, but whatever you do. Don't .look , behind you."
When she said those words I instinctively and very stupidly looked behind me. To see that standing about a good 10 metres or so from me was a tall stocky but lean black figure that wasn't quite human nor animal from the looks of it ,but at first I thought I was a kangaroo ( yes I forgot to mention we live in Australia) with the way it was carrying itself. A very big kangaroo in this instance.
I then wished that I hadn't looked and now looked back at my best friend and now realised we needed to leave immediately. Because whatever the hell that thing behind me was, definitely wasn't friendly at all.
But we couldn't just bolt off back to the car as that would definitely cause the thing to chase down and it definitely would catch up with no trouble at all, so we had to as calmly as possible,pick up our belongings and slowly go back to the car. But since I didn't know what hell we were dealing with I didn't want to keep my back it as that would have very very stupid and I wanted to make sure it was still there. Thankfully it was but as soon as we got to her car and quickly got in(making sure the doors were locked), I look out the windshield and saw that it was no longer there.
We quickly high tailed it out of there and once back on the road, I then looked in the side mirror on my side of her car and saw the figure standing motionless in the middle of road watching us leave. That we when me and my best friend finally could process what just happened.
Then just before we got to the main road again, there was an actual kangaroo standing in the middle of the road which freaked us out more( but we didn't have a car accident from it) and went the car horn was beeped the kangaroo went on its way and so did we.
Once her place we quickly got inside and locked the doors, shut any open windows and locked as well as closed the curtains.The rest of the night and early morning we could hear scratching and tapping on the windows which we ignored and decided to go to bed.
Needlessly to say always trust your gut feeling or you may not live long enough to tell the tail.
submitted by ICANTJUMPFORMYLIFE to TrueScaryStories [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:41 Imaginary_Rock_747 For those in need of hope!

I have experienced derealization episodes since I was 6 years old. During the first occurence, I made my parents take me to the emergency room. I thought for sure that I was dying. Over the next 6 years, I had episodes here and there, but soon became desensitized to it. I have dealt with anxiety since I was a toddler, no joke. I did some research, and found that derealization or “feeling unreal” was simply a symptom of anxiety and was reassured.
When I was 12, I experienced a major episode of derealization. Didn’t know where I was, what was real, major heart palpitations, etc. I was a competitive swimmer at the time, and it happened during practice. I ended up telling my coach that I wasn’t feeling well and had my mom pick me up. The feeling subsided, but came back even stronger that evening.
I, again, started googling. I read forum posts from people that had been stuck feeling “unreal” for 5, 10, 20 years. I was horrified. This feeling followed me into the next day, and the next day, and the next, and then the next. This was my fate. I was going to feel like this for the rest of my life. I was so young - how was I going to handle feeling like this forever? I specifically remember reading on a website, “derealization is like hell on earth. The loss of our sense of everything can’t compare to anything that happens in our real life” - or something along those lines. That has always stuck with me. I still can’t believe that I dealt with something so significant at such a young age. Over that entire summer, I stayed in my bedroom, in desperate search of a “cure” or relief strategies as being outside amplified my symptoms. The only people discussing this were 20, 30, 40 years old, no one in my age category. I felt so alone. Hopeless. Desperate for help. I even started sleeping with my mom at the ripe age of 13. Every second of every day, I was unreal. In my DREAMS, I was unreal.
After months of agony, I came across a video that saved me. It was posted back in 2013/2014, and I can’t find it for the life of me, even after searching multiple times. Basically, the guy explained that derealization disorder is all a thought cycle - your thought of derealization triggers anxiety, which triggers derealization, all within a matter of milliseconds. I watched this video over 100 times. I would literally fall asleep to it.
That fall, I started grade 9. This was a HUGE contributing factor to the distraction of this disorder. I would find that in times that I was distracted, my symptoms would fade away. For the first couple months, it was only for 5-10 seconds. It was then that I realized that the YouTube video was correct; I could overcome this disorder, I just needed it out of my head.
After 10 months of suffering, my derealization disorder faded away. My brain became tired of thinking about it, worrying about it, hyperfixating on it.
My advice to anyone struggling with this disorder - IT’S ALL IN YOUR HEAD. I promise you. Find something to distract you (harder said than done, I know. I understand). This isn’t a lifelong condition. Something I saw lots of online was to “accept it”, but this didn’t help me. Distracting myself and disassociating it from my life was much more helpful that accepting it as part of me, because it never was a part of me. It was simply a symptom of anxiety that was caused by the thought of it happening.
I am now 21 years old and unaffected by derealization. Sure, I will experience it when I think about it, but it’s so infrequent that it’s never interfered with my day-to-day life. It gets better. I wish I could hug my 12 year old self, along with all of you suffering, and tell them that one day it will be nothing but a distant memory. Please reach out if you need any advice. I am here for you all.
submitted by Imaginary_Rock_747 to derealization [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:30 relationshipguy254 Relationship Problems: What To Do If Your Partner Isn't Willing to Change?

When you're in a committed relationship or married and your partner doesn't want to change, but they're doing things that bother you, like hanging out with friends you don't like, not calling you, or flirting with others, what should you do? Should you just wake up and leave, find another relationship, or try to force them to change? Let’s explore this in the perspective of not simply leaving but looking at it from an angle where you’re using it to help you grow. This only applies for relationships which are somewhat unhealthy but not abusive.
The first thing to do when your partner does something you don't like is to understand how it affects you personally, not just externally. If you feel really upset or sad when your partner doesn't answer your calls, it might mean there's something you need to address within yourself. It could be your own insecurities, fears of losing them, being alone, abandoned, or cheated on.
So, it's important to focus on yourself first. When you take a step back and reflect, you might realize there are aspects within yourself that need your attention. I've seen this happen with someone close to me. She wanted her partner to change, but after talking with her, she realized that she had been neglecting herself and always putting her partner's needs before her own, constantly trying to please them and impress them. In fact, she had never even taken herself out.
When you look within, you realize that there are things you've never done for yourself because you're so ingrained in your partner and their behavior or the desire for change. And it's not your fault; it's just that sometimes, due to how we've been taught about relationships, we become very focused on the other person. We put all our attention on them, forgetting about ourselves. Before even thinking about wanting your partner to change their behavior, look at yourself. Then, after self-reflection, begin to change certain aspects within yourself. Start by shifting away from prioritizing others over yourself, establishing boundaries, and acknowledging your own needs.
Then, what you'll realize is that there are two possible outcomes. You may find that your partner feels challenged to begin their own journey of growth. Sometimes, when you start asserting your independence, setting boundaries, and being true to yourself, your partner may feel threatened. This could lead to them reacting with anger, or they might respond in a positive way.
They might also decide to change because you're no longer tolerating their behavior. You're not entertaining their subtle manipulation or playing the victim. Sometimes, partners engage in these behaviors because they've done them for a long time and you’ve also been knowingly/unknowingly enabling them, but when you assert yourself, it can prompt them to change. They might start seeking help because they realize it's not just about losing you; it's about improving themselves.
And even if your partner doesn't change right away, if they don't change, when you focus on yourself, you'll know the best course of action. You won't be acting out of fear but out of prioritizing yourself or seeing the situation clearly. So, it's a win-win situation for you. You'll reach a point where you can be okay with the relationship or with your partner changing their behaviors, but you can also be okay without the relationship.
That's the essence of working on yourself. It's about giving yourself options, rather than feeling confined to making something work no matter what. When you focus on personal growth, it might inspire your partner to change, but ultimately, the one who changes will always be you. It's important to be okay with whatever outcome, knowing that you'll have a better life whether you stay in the relationship or not. So, before repeatedly asking your partner to change their behavior, take a moment to understand how their actions affect you.
This applies to relationships with typical challenges, not abuse, but personal growth is essential regardless of the relationship. Rather than viewing the relationship as a lifelong commitment, see it as a journey for personal growth and learning. By focusing on growing the you, you might positively influence your partner, as they say, "iron sharpens iron." But if they don't, you'll be better equipped to determine the best path forward for yourself.
Note from the Author
If you’re ready and you’d like my help with healing, finding peace in life and breaking free from these toxic patterns, then you can book a FREE BREAKTHROUGH CALL with me HERE. Happy healing 💙💙. Feel free to share and comment! Use this information with caution, it comes from my own thoughts & bias, experiences and research😊.
submitted by relationshipguy254 to healfromabuse [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:30 Tw_izted Non-Singaporean dating a Singaporean, are people here really that adamant about changes?

Some back story: I'm 17, and i live in Thailand, and my boyfriend is 18, he lives in Singapore. We first met on Discord 10 months ago (though we have bumped into each other years prior). We kinda chatted around as friends for awhile, until he confessed to me that he has a crush on me, to which i kinda accepted his proposal, and now we've been together for almost 6 months now
Now, our relationship isn't exactly the best, due to the fact that i felt like he never really had the same amount of care that he had for me compared to his online friends. He would often go to his friends first, before going to me, he would always spend more time with them, having a laugh and just, kinda forget that i exist at all.
When i ask him out, he would always let me find something else for him, which is something i can't do, but something he can do for his friends, and every morning, he would always greet me later after he's done talking to his friends, even though i was already awake when he's talking to his friends
It got so bad that i once threatened to broke up with him, but then i realized that it's not something i could do, since it will only hurt both of us. That's when i decided i am going to get to the bottom of it
And now, to the title of this post's question: are people adamant about changes (to themselves) in Singapore?
I realized, i have to understand him as to why he's just, like this at all in the first place. So i asked him "why are you like this?", and he told me a sob story about how he was bullied and always constantly left out by his peers when he was much younger, and that he has an irrational fear of being left out by others, which explains why he's stuck to them in the first place
I initially went with it for awhile, then it dawns on me as to why he's so glued to his friends, to the point of him being too reliant on them
I have to do something, he can't just keep relying on them, because i was just like him 3-4 years ago, and i don't want to see him fall into the same abyss as i did
So, i had a talk with him, i told him how that kind of behaviour is only going to make him lose his friends, and that he should consider looking after himself instead of relying on his friends. He told me he understoods my intention and that he will change for the betterment of our relationship
Weeks pass by, nothing, same old behaviour
I didn't know what to say, nor tell him about it at this point, because not only do i feel like he's only making himself worse, he doesn't seem to care about himself, he just cares about others more than him. It's as if he threw out his self worth, because he told me he felt inferior to others and that he valued others more.
As evident by this behaviour: Whenever we get into an argument, he starts blaming himself first, even though it wasn't his fault in the beginning
And when he got sick last week, i told him that he should rest his body up, and what did he do instead? Stay up till 2 AM (his time) to chat with his friends
As of today that i'm writing this (14:27 PM), he's still doing what i've been trying to tell him to get rid of. I'm not jealous nor mad, just disappointed
I would like to hear other Singaporean's thought on this, and if what i said holds some truth or not. Anyways, i end here
submitted by Tw_izted to askSingapore [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:30 beeby8 I need help if anyone is willing to listen.

Hi everyone.
My name is Isaac. I am 26 years old and I live in Frankston, Victoria.
For almost the past decade (ever since leaving high school), I have gone back and forth between being employed in work and job hunting both in person and online and I am honestly so sick of it. It has severely impacted my mental health when 95% or more of the jobs that you apply for you either never hear back from or if you do, you are just told that you were unsuccessful with no reason given as to why. It really makes you feel like you are worthless and they don;t even give you any constructive criticism as to what you can do to improve for the next job that you go for. And somehow, doing it is even worse in person when you physically hand someone a resume, then turn around as you're leaving the store to watch them literally throw it in the garbage.
As far as the jobs I HAVE had in the last 10 years, I have done everything from call center work to delivery driving to factory work to a little bit of retail and tons of other stuff that I can't even think of right now.
Those were just the jobs that I had though. As far as what I specialize in, my last two jobs were working for Telstra selling phones and mobile/internet plans in an actual store and Aussie Broadband in their Residential Customer Service department. I was let go from Telstra after 6 months because I wasn't meeting their incredibly unrealistic KPI's for such a tiny store and I voluntarily left Aussie because several of my supervisors and managers there were not treating me very well. I did actually enjoy doing both jobs however as it was in a field and an area that I actually have an interest in, that being the internet and technology in general.
As for what I want to do next, I recently applied for a job as a field service technician for the NBN doing Fibre to the Premises upgrades in peoples homes which I already know alot about as I dealt with the NBN pretty much on a daily basis both at Telstra and Aussie Broadband.
Just a little bit about me personally though, I do happen to have Asperger's Syndrome and ADHD. I was diagnosed with both in my early primary school years and even though the conditions affected me far more and worse in my primary and high school years, it doesn't as much anymore, although it still does occasionally. I still do suffer from anxiety and depression every now and then and have the odd panic attack here and there too. I am not medicated for it the way I used to be when I was in school because I feel like I can fight it on my own with regular therapy sessions. I also did not like who I was when I was heavily dosed on so much medication. It turned me into a zombie like robot and took away everything that made me who I am as a person.
Because of this, I also have to be linked with a disability employment agency and I have been through so many of them in the last 10 years as well and the majority of them are garbage who don't care about you at all and just see you as a number, not a person. All they care about is getting you into any random job as quickly as they can without worrying about if its actually suitable for you or if you'll just be gone from there in a month or two.
I also have a physical medical condition where I had to have an operation to repair a serious hernia that I had. The operation was just over a year ago and while I am pretty much fully recovered from it now, it has started to come back, meaning that I will have to have another surgery in a few years, depending on how long it takes for it to fully return. It's only had a partial resurgence so far. This means that I can't do any physically demanding job (like a trade for example) that would only increase the rate at which the hernia comes back fully.
So why am I writing this? Basically, I have honestly tried everything that I can to try and find long term employment in a job and an area where I can grow my skills, meet new people and have financial security and independence. So I am appealing to my community to see if anyone can help me. If anyone is hiring or knows someone who is hiring who is looking for someone like me in an area that would suit me. If you do, please get in touch with me by messaging me directly on Reddit through the DM feature and if you have something for me, we can exchange more private contact details and go from there.
Thank you for taking the time to read all of this if you made it this far. I really appreciate it.
submitted by beeby8 to melbourne [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:29 Secret-Tomatillo5044 I Accepted a Job to Film on the Dark Web pt1

I Accepted a Job to Film on the Dark Web
Man, I am pumped to tell you chronically online content addicts my story. Wait is that too mean of an intro? Will this get taken down for harassment since I painted too accurate a picture of the people on this site? Sorry, everyone, I’m sure you all smell like an expensive bakery and have touched grass this morning. Anyway, I promise I have something interesting. It even involves the dark web you uncreative writers cream yourselves over! I mean, totally real people speaking about their strangely similar experiences. Okay, fine I’ll stop bullying you through the screen before you click off.
This all started when I was seven years old and my parents were killed in front of me in an anti-indigenous hate crime, but let's be real you don’t care. I’m just some annoying Cherokee kid with dead parents so I’ll skip to the good parts. I spent years in an orphanage, gradually becoming more interested in death and violence. As bad as it is, I went out of my way to expose myself to that content in the hopes of desensitizing myself. Which ended up working too well, since now I’m obsessed with causing and viewing pain, though I don’t find any joy in hurting myself.
I got adopted at twelve and after a few months of staying at my new family’s home on the reservation, I went with them to a state sweatier than the average Reddit user, California. Long story short, both of my caretakers, whom I referred to as Uncle and Auntie because they could never be my parents, died. Leaving me in the care of their older son, who I call cousin. I’m not stupid enough to give up any real names, so I’ll call him Brick, cause he’s as dumb as one. He was in his early 20s when he was tasked with taking care of me and is the world’s worst excuse for a babysitter.
I’m almost always alone at the apartment, with him only coming by to drop off supplies and stay for a few hours so the neighbors don’t get too worried. Unless I get in trouble at school, then he’d suddenly give a shit. It's useful because he doesn't about the gory stuff I look at, but some display of interest would be nice. Oh well, ninety percent of the population sucks so he’s just part of the majority. Now, with that said, you’ll be able to understand the perfect storm that led me here. During my time on the deep web, I found a particular website that caught my eye. They had new footage relatively consistently and they were the easiest for me to access since I didn't go too far into the dark web, especially with all the honey pots lying around.
I even bought a couple of files for myself to study and admire. One thing irritated me though, the cameraman. He was always sobbing, breathing, shaking, or some combination of those. It seriously killed the vibe of the killings. Something I commented on under many videos, often saying I would do a better job filming. A choice that in hindsight was me asking to end up in one of those recordings. I didn't think anything of it at the time. I was mostly the only one who commented but I was sure they wouldn't care. I was embarrassingly wrong.
I was staying up like usual, but it was past one AM on a school night, and back then that was a lot so I tried to sleep. Closing my eyes, tossing and turning, the works. I had just started drifting off when I heard the front door open. I remained calm but immediately found it weird since Brick never showed up this late. The thuds of the individual's feet grew louder as they got closer to my bedroom. I tried to convince myself it wasn't a stranger, especially since they got in with ease, but I knew that was wishful thinking.
They hummed as they opened my door. My dumbass had left it unlocked. I remained on my side, trying to look like I was asleep. They turned on the flashlight of their phone, shining it in my face. It was hard but I stayed still while they traced it over my features. I could tell they were smiling as they clicked their tongue.
“Heh, I knew it was a brat,” they whispered to themselves, pulling tangles out of my hair. Something I struggled not to groan from. They pulled up the hair over my ear and got so close spit got on my ear lobe.
“I know you’re awake kid,” they murmured, putting a blade to my neck. I let them grab my shoulder and move me onto my back, I knew how to fight but I wasn't about to take that big a risk with the position they had me in.
“You think you’re so cool saying you can do better than our guy.” they snickered, kneeling, their flashlight still shining in my face.
“Do you seriously believe that?” they questioned, moving the light away.
“Yeah, I do.” I stood my ground, they might have been intimidating but I wasn't gonna let that stop me from being honest.
“I wouldn't sound like I’m gonna piss myself every time it gets gory. I’m confident I could get better footage too, getting up close is something I’ve fantasized about.”
They clicked their tongue again and ran their finger over the bridge of my nose.
”Well, I know you’re a big fan of what we do, and you’re confidence makes me think you got something to back those claims up, so how’d you like a deal?”
I was surprised by how civil they were being aside from the touching and weapon against my throat.
“What kind of deal?” I asked, for all I knew this guy wanted me to lick their feet or some weird shit like that. They placed a finger underneath my eye, tracing a half moon with their nail.
“You have till this Friday to film a video of you killing an animal and put it on a flash drive that I’ll pick up here. If it impresses me and the crew we’ll hire ya with a handsome salary.” They began, moving their hand down to my cheek.
“But if you don't show, or it doesn't meet our standards, then I’m fucking up one of the parts of your face.” They warned, pinching my skin harshly.
“And if I say no to this deal?”
They put their hand over my mouth, scratching my lips.
“That’s cute, if you say no I’ll just slit your throat.” they grinned.
“Or rip it open with my teeth if you got a preference,” they smirked, before running their tongue across their sharp teeth.
“Okay, since I have no choice I’ll go with it, but I’m telling you now I can give you something way better than what you likely expect of me.” I prefaced, looking into their sunken eyes. They scratched my scalp, including the side of my head that was shaved.
“Good choice, I’ll be back to pick it up and if you're not here I’ll assume you don’t have the video. I genuinely wish you luck, because you’ll need it.” they removed the blade from my neck and walked away. I sat still for a few minutes in the dark, processing what had happened and wondering how they got into my apartment with such ease. I was confident I could blow their sniveling excuse of a cameraman out of the water, but I was worried about the people I was getting caught up with.
Sure, I had been on a lot of gore sites over the years but I was always just watching and occasionally commenting. Compared to most in the scene I wasn't much of a threat. I could defend myself and have contemplated killing for years but I hadn't murdered anyone or worse. Plus, I am part of way too many targeted groups to not be constantly at risk. Teenage, fem-leaning, two-spirit, indigenous kid with trauma? Yeah, I might as well be walking sign screaming “Hate crime me”.
So yeah, there was a lot to worry about. Regardless, I couldn't let that fear hold me back. I had a job to do and a group of sickos to appease. The next morning was rough, I got no sleep cause I’d spent all night brainstorming. I barely mustered the energy to change and drank straight mouthwash instead of brushing my teeth. Slogging onto the bus with drool on my cheek, I went to the back like usual. No one sat there cause, the seats were extra worn down, and I scared off anyone who attempted to with my active, rabies-infected bitch face. That day was different though.
I blanked on his name and where I knew him from, but I recognized his wavy hair and prominent curved nose. He glanced at each seat on the bus, before somehow settling on my area. He tried to give me space but ultimately seated himself beside me after realizing it was the only spot that didn't look like it would give him cancer. I glared at him as I did with everyone, but it didn't phase him.
“You know you could pick anywhere else right?” I murmured. He stared at the floor, then at me.
“I’m aware, but a few months ago I started a mission to sit on every part of this bus, and this is the last place.” he smiled, his lips softly curving at the sides.
“What’s the point of that?”
His mouth moved into a more neutral position, but his eyes kept smiling.
“I just thought it would be neat to see the same place from a bunch of different perspectives.” he took out his phone and snapped a photo from the point of view where he was sitting. Maybe my sleepiness made my bitch face less effective, cause he hadn't shown a hint of fear, which kind of annoyed me.
“That’s cool I guess, but I wouldn't do that if I were you. I’ve done some back here alone that would make your skin crawl.” in hindsight my attempt at unnerving him just made me sound like a pervert, which is probably why he held back laughter. Trying to hide a chuckle by clearing his throat.
“Hey, it's not my business what you do, no matter how Haram it is. It’s your life so that’s between you and whatever you believe in. Just don’t shake hands with me.” he joked, playfully putting his hands up. Strangely, I remembered his name at that moment.
“Oh shit, you’re Abdul! We have art together.” I sat up, haphazardly slamming my hand down on my leg.
“Uh yeah, I’ve seen some of your paintings, they’re pretty cool. I like the way you texture them, I’m trying to work on that.” he complimented, seeming more weirded out by my sudden energy than my accidental insinuation. I felt a little stupid for yelling his name but decided not to dwell on it.
“Thanks, you’re stuff is nice, and you’re good at shading.”
He stretched his arms while thanking me. We talked for a few more minutes, taking jabs at each other throughout. Turns out he was better at being an asshole than his artsy charismatic appearance made me think. The thing setting our insults apart being that you could tell he was a loving person underneath. It was the nicest conversation I had with anyone in a while. Though he could tell I was tired so he quieted down, letting me sleep, waking me when we got to school. We went our separate ways until the last two periods we shared. All that time, I spent my remaining energy plotting how I was going to handle the video. What I’d kill, record with, and how to dispose of the evidence. It was a lot to consider, but through three classes I devised a plan.
I’d find a stray around my apartment complex and take it out in my room. Record it on a portable camera since I broke the ones on my phone, no, I will not be answering how that happened. Then once I had my footage I’d put the body in a trash bag, throw it in the complex’s garbage, and clean the blood off my floor. It didn't seem like Brick would come by so he wasn't a factor I thought I’d have to consider. The plan was almost too easy, but I decided to believe in Occam’s razor. I got so lost in thought that by the time I reached Art, which was my second-to-last period, I didn't process that we were moving seats.
“She called your name,” Abdul reminded me. Our teacher placed us next to each other at our four-person table. The two girls sitting with us were already friends, so I didn't bother to say anything, but I was interested in talking to him more.
“So, what do you think of this assignment?” He shrugged, taking out his sketchbook.
“I’m not that good at drawing people, but the idea of combining two people’s faces into a portrait seems interesting. Any ideas on who you’ll pick?”
“Probably the members of the music duo Brain Tumor, they’re my favorite artists and they both look weird as hell.”
“Wow way to talk about your favorites, if that’s what you say about them I can‘t imagine what you have to say about me.” he joked, pulling up reference pictures.
“First, it’s not an insult, second I don’t have anything to say about you. Brain and Tumor have features and styles that make them stand out. Sure they’re ugly, but it just adds to their visual charm. Hot people are boring, there’s nothing to pick at.” I explained, unzipping my bag.
“Oh, so you’re saying you think I’m hot.”
His comment wasn’t serious but it kind of got to me.
“Shit, that’s not what I meant, I was trying to say you’re boring. All hot people are boring, but not all boring people are hot, okay?” I explained, flipping to a clean page.
“Alright, but if I’m so bland then why talk to me?”
I hesitated, contemplating how much of a dick I was gonna be.
“Because it means you probably need some spice in your life, which I can provide.”
He began sketching a head on his paper.
“I like spices, but I feel like you’re the kind of person to dump a cabinet’s worth onto me.”
I flicked my pencil over to his side of the desk, putting on a mocking grin.
“Aww, you scared I’m gonna get you into trouble?”
He picked up the pencil and started using it, putting his on my side.
“No, ‘cause I’m good at setting boundaries. I’m more concerned that you’ll get annoyed with how unafraid of you I am.”
I stared at him for a moment, I hadn't expected to hear that.
“Jeez, man you didn't have to read me like that.”
He shrugged, observing the red paint from past projects that lay on my pencil.
“It's not hard to figure out, just this morning you were trying to push me away on the bus. Lucky, or unlucky, for you I want you to have a friend and you seem like a fun person.”
“Wait are you saying I have no friends?” I squinted at him.
“Well, do you?”
I didn't answer.
“If your response is silence I suggest you take up my offer.”
I was stunned, to be honest. No one had offered to be my friend since 6th grade, and that didn't last long. Of course, I accepted it, but for the rest of the period, there was an awkwardness in my mind. As pathetic as it sounds I wasn't used to others genuinely enjoying my company like he did. Which was partly by design cause I get joy out of scaring people away, but still. I forgot how it felt to have conversations about normal things like art. He had such a nice smile too, usually when I see a grin I want to slap it off, but I liked his. His voice was also nice, it’s hard to describe what in particular but it was easy on the ears.
Okay, I’m starting to get off-topic. I’ll skip to the important part. Toward the end of class, he started talking about how he was interested in filmmaking and got a portable video camera as a gift at last year’s Eid. He didn't have it on him, but he showed me a picture.
“Heh, that’s funny, I bought the same one a month ago.” I pointed out.
“Yeah, it's a popular model, I’m still getting the hang of it though cause I’m so used to using my phone.”
“Well, maybe I could bring you over to my place or vice versa after school and I can help you out.” I suggested.
He smiled, putting his phone back in his pocket.
“I thought you said you’ve only had it for a month? You know I can always look up tutorials from trained professionals.” he reminded me with a notable smugness that I'd used with him before.
“Well those guys are stuffy and I’m a fast learner.”
He redirected his attention back to his page, picking his pencil up.
“Alright, I suggest we go somewhere public instead. You’re not exactly the kind of person I want to bring home to my parents right away. Plus they always need to meet my friends and their guardians before I hang out at their home.”
I gave an exaggerated sigh, stretching my back.
“Aw man, looks like we can’t get high in my murder pit during our first hangout.”
He didn't respond for a solid few seconds.
“Wait, you do know I'm joking right?”
He shrugged, the smile in his eyes appearing again.
“I mean, one of those things is a little less believable than the other.” he snickered, and I laughed with him.
We set up a time and a date, which is where I screwed myself. He ended up being busy with projects from his other classes and family which just left us with Friday, the same day I had to submit the video. Now, did I tell him I wouldn't be able to make it? No, of course not, because I decided to be stupid and even more overconfident. I said that I’d one hundred percent be able to hang out with him after school like I didn't have a mutilator who was going to drop by my place at an unknown time.
The rest of the day went over fine but that bad timing led me to feel like a dick later. When I got home I was able to write out my plan, even sketching a few specifics of what I’d do. It was more exciting than when I’d been brainstorming, but this is when the gravity of the situation began to set in. When I said I’d fantasized about killings I meant it. I mean my teddy with twenty-five stab wounds should say enough. Regardless this would be the first time real blood was on my hands.
It made me feel powerful, but a little afraid. I’ve heard stories of people thinking that it would be an awesome experience and then feeling like shit. I doubted I’d be one of those people but still. Plus, I didn't exactly trust the guy who gave me this job. There was a good chance that this whole situation was rigged and they’d kill me no matter how good the video was. Or worse turn me into the feds and expose my collection. Honestly, if that happened I’d probably eat a shot to avoid going to jail. Wait, can I say that on this platform? Okay to the mods, that was a joke, I want to live a long life. Ugh, I’m doing a terrible job of staying on track. The point is there was a lot up in the air despite it being a matter of life or death.
I knew I’d go through with it but it was still a lot less straightforward than it initially seemed. I wracked my brain to remember where most of the cats stayed and tried to come up with a good way to lure one without raising suspicion. This also proved harder than first thought because I didn't think to account for the cat man, an old guy who lived alone and fed all the cats in our dingy complex while also housing a few. Knowing how obsessive he was he’d probably notice if one of them disappeared. Then again not all the cats return consistently or at all. It makes more sense that he’d think one of them was run over rather than slaughtered. It was getting late again so I rested my head for a moment, a bad move cause I ended up falling asleep at my desk. Not even changing out of the clothes I’d worn before, I woke up late and barely caught the bus the next morning.
I went to my usual spot but Abdul had already taken it. He patted the area next to it, which he’d covered in a towel, a smart move knowing how nasty it was. People gave me a few dirty looks as normal, which I smiled at. I stretched, my mind slightly less out of it than the previous morning.
“Uh, you do realize that-”
“Yeah, I know I’m wearing the same clothes.”
Abdul looked me up and down, his eyes remaining soft, but with a mix of concern and judgment. He set his backpack down and took off his sweater handing it to me.
“Dude what are you-”
“Look I don't know what led to you not being able to change but I think you should at least have a fresh top.”
I was surprised he was offering me something to wear but I took it.
“Uh, thanks, I’ll change into it later.”
He nodded as I put it in my backpack.
“You know you didn't have to do that.” I reminded him.
“Well there’s a lot of stuff I don’t have to do, but I do it because I want to, and I wanted to help you out.”
He smiled, his face still warmer than an Arizona summer. I got a strange feeling in my chest at that moment, I still can’t tell if it was good or bad.
“Well, thanks, I'll give it back to you tomorrow.”
We talked a little more and he mentioned something that caught my attention.
“Have you heard about all the animals that have been turning up dead?”
My eyes widened with surprise.
“No, I haven't, when did you hear about that?”
He pulled on his long-sleeve shirt.
“My sister said her friend who works at a shelter noticed a bunch of animals were getting adopted by people around the same time, and since then gore videos with them have been showing up. She found out through her co-worker who was emailed it by some random creep.”
I covered my mouth and looked away to hide the smile growing on my face. He had just given me the perfect cover-up without knowing. Now if I killed an animal people had an entire violent ring to connect it to instead of me! I stayed quiet for a minute because I could tell he’d likely see through any phony sad sounds I made.
“Oh wow, that’s awful, do you think they’ll ever find out the people behind it?”
He sighed, running his hand through his wavy hair.
“I hope so, for now, all we can do is pray that no more animals get hurt.”
I couldn't contain my grin as he said that so sincerely like animals and people didn't die constantly and that taking down one group would somehow stop the issue.
“Is there some joke I don’t get?” he furrowed his brow.
“Uh, no, sorry I smile when nervous.”
His gaze softened again, and he didn't press further.
His bringing up the animal killings ended up being the exact push I needed to get my hands dirty. I’d spent the entire day before planning so it was time to put that plan into action. I stole some cat treats that the cat man had laid out and spread them around my apartment which was on the bottom floor. Waiting for one of them to take the bate outside my window was pretty boring but one of them came after a few minutes. A scraggly brown and black cat with a tuft of fur missing on one side of his head. It's messed up but I felt like a little less of an asshole for taking him in since he looked like he was already struggling. I scooped him up and he didn't attempt to fight back.
“Hey there buddy” I waved, feeding him some more food. His eyes had a lot of crust on them, it was kinda gross but I don’t have the right to say with how often I wash my jeans. After a minute or two he let me pet him. I knew making any kind of attachment was bad but I thought it was the right thing to do so he’d fall into a sense of security. I was just about to take him into my room when the door opened.
“Hey, I’m back with groceries!” my shithead cousin announced with two plastic bags in his hands. He looked down to see me with the cat, his eyebrows raising.
“Aw come on, you know we can’t afford a pet.”
He groaned placing the bags on a table and unloading them.
“I know, but he doesn't look like he’s got a lot of life in him I at least want to help him feel better before he kicks the bucket!”
Brick rolled his eyes, putting the cereal box on top of the fridge
“Jeez, did you even think about what diseases he might have? His eyes look puffy what if he has something that can get you sick?”
He had valid concerns which was surprising since he’s usually stupid, but I was still annoyed with him.
“I’m sure he’s fine, I’ll even try to wash him, just please let me hold onto him for a little.”
He folded his arms looking down at us.
“Have you even named him?”
I froze for a second, before using the first thing that came to mind, which ended up being pretty awful knowing my plans.
“Cash cow.” I blurted, awkwardly patting his head.
“Honestly that’s better than what I was expecting. I was sure you’d pick ‘Hellspawn Mcgee’ or something else corny.”
He meant to make fun of me but honestly, I would have named him that if I had more time.
“Ugh, anyway I got those dumb chips you like.”
He then pulled out a bag of the wrong chips.
“Dude those are the wrong ones, this is the third time you’ve mixed up the flavors.”
He threw them at me, scaring the cat slightly.
“Well, I pay for it so you shouldn't be so picky. Anyway, while I was in line I picked up something you might be into.”
He then tossed me a trashy teen magazine. One of my least favorite sorry excuses for an influencer on the cover.
“This is a joke, right?”
I couldn't believe my own adopted brother gave such little shit in my interests.
“I don't know, you decided to start being a girl for real this time so I thought the makeup tips on page ten would help you out.”
I scrunched my face at his comment.
“Dude I’ve been this way for years, just because I started wearing more makeup and dresses doesn't mean I’m more of a girl than when I didn't. I know you won’t get the two-spirit thing but come on.”
He shrugged, seeing me done with me even though he’d just shown up.
“Yeah well hey I’m trying. Anyway, just so you know a friend of mine is coming here Friday.”
My heart stopped.
“Wait why here? You live elsewhere why can’t you assholes go there or their place!”
He slammed his fist on the table.
“Will you shut the fuck up!”
He screamed with a phrase I’d grown numb to.
“I don't know, to be honest, something about wanting to move into this complex and this being a way to scout it out. I’m just letting you know now so you don’t act like a complete freak.”
“Jokes on you I’ll piss in whatever shitty beer you bring just cause you said that!”
I yelled back raising my voice higher than his. He face-palmed before putting the plastic bags in the drawer under the sink.
“Whatever, you and your ketamine-addict-looking cat have fun,” he told me while seating himself on the couch. I picked up the cat and walked into the bathroom to clean it. I closed the door and placed him in the dry tub. Using a small disposable mouthwash cup I got a little bit of water. I hadn't had a pet before so I wasn't sure how to approach the task. I dipped my fingers in the water and carefully pet it while pouring s small bit down his back. Any other cat would fight back but he just made pissed-off noises without doing anything.
I scrapped my old shampoo bottle and kneaded it into his thin fur. His skin was bumpy and dry beneath the hair so scrubbing it was uncomfortable. I made sure to avoid getting soap in its eyes but I did pull away some of the crust on its lids. His pupils were so clouded I was surprised that he could see at all, making me feel even more sure that he would be on its way out with or without me.
After drying him I set him on a beat-up shirt I wore when modifying clothes. He sunk his claws into it a few times, playing with a loose string. I ignored him for the rest of the night, hopping into the shower and changing for bed. His meows woke me up a few times but I tuned it out after a while, reminding myself that he wouldn’t be my cat for long.
The next day was Thursday and there wasn't a second that passed by where the weight of the murder I’d have to commit didn't weigh on me. I seriously shot myself in the foot by taking care of that scruffy, pubic hair pile. I was supposed to be hyped about killing it, after all, I’d dreamed and seen way worse than what I was going to do. Yet once I got home and started setting up I felt grosser with each step. I decided to record it in my bathroom instead of my bedroom so it would be harder to connect to me. I set down a few fabric scraps and a worn-out beach towel, placing it all inside a tub for easier cleanup later.
“Okay, I guess it's time,” I mumbled to myself. I brought the cat in and placed it down, setting up my camera once it was comfortable. I also wore my most generic clothes in addition to a mask, putting my hair in a bun for sanitation. When I saw the flicker of red showing that the camera was on I felt I was dreaming. I smiled, excited that I’d get to live out my violent desires. Yet, when I looked down at its pathetic frame and confused expression those urges left me.
I rationalized what I was doing, reminding myself how many animals die all the time and that I’d been forced into this, but it didn't help much in the end. I won’t get into it but under the pressure of impressing the group Cash Cow didn't go out as fast as I would have liked for a first task. Getting rid of the evidence was especially rough, the textures were pretty nasty, to put it mildly. It was surreal watching the blood go down the tub drain and gradually drip off my hands as I rinsed them. I couldn't conjure a single thought the entire time I cleaned it up.
Whether I was wringing out the clothes or putting the remains in plastic bags, it didn't matter. All I could focus on was the task at hand, with hints of disgust along the way. I ended up finishing at three AM. My hands were wrinkled and shook once I settled. I won’t deny that during the murder I didn't hate it. Slashing into something was fun and it made me feel strong. Still, it wasn't nearly as fulfilling as I expected it to be. Part of it was guilt, but it was mostly disappointment. I’d built it up for years and it wasn't earth shatteringly good or bad.
Overall, I expected to feel more, but it just left me hollow with an uncomfortable itch. There was no way I’d ever be able to see the tub the same way, hell I don’t think I’ll ever use it again. Luckily I almost always shower anyway so it's not too big of a deal. I watched a few horror game videos, trashed everything, changed and went to bed.
My scalp hurt like a bitch the morning since I kept my hair in that stupid bun. Despite getting less sleep than the past two days I held myself together a bit better in the morning. I brushed my teeth, changed, and had some fried bread before getting on the bus. Regardless I looked like complete shit and struggled to slump into my seat.
“Rough night?” Abdul asked
“Uh, yeah.” I quietly responded looking to the floor.
He frowned, looking at me with concern.
“You can talk about it if you're comfortable,” he assured me. I contemplated giving him a thinly veiled metaphor or vague explanation so he'd comfort me but stopped myself before my mouth could run a muck. He wouldn't be able to do much of anything and I don’t like opening up.
“Uhm, thanks but it's something I have to deal with alone.”
He nodded, respecting my boundaries.
“You know, I understand if you can’t hang out today it seems like you have a lot going on.”
I avoided eye contact with him as he spoke. For once I was feeling hints of guilt toward a person. I wanted to spend time with him, but I knew that I wasn't in the state to do that.
“Yeah, I think it’ll have to wait, I’m-” I cut myself off before apologizing. A fact about me that should surprise no one is that I hate apologizing. Even when I do feel kinda bad the act fills me with embarrassment.
“You what?” he asked, his eyes telling me that he knew what I was going to say.
“I’m emotionally not great.” I spat out in an admittedly poor attempt to get out of saying sorry. As always he remained calm but I could tell he saw through me.
“Okay, like I said I understand, whatever it is I hope you feel better.”
I told him thank you and we didn't speak for the rest of the day. At home I changed into more comfortable clothes and brushed my teeth. Unfortunately, I wasn't bouncing back from killing nearly as much as I expected.
“It wasn't even that bad! That thing was on its last legs anyway.” I grumbled to myself, smacking my forehead. I was feeling worse than when I did it which is weird. I ended up spontaneously decorating a ratty tie from the bottom of an accessory drawer to distract myself. It helped me get my mind off things, for a little. I had zero plan, just wanting to make something needlessly complex. Hours that felt like minutes passed and soon it was covered in patches, frills, and beads. I just tried it on when I heard the front door open.
“Man, that shit was wild!” I heard Brick laugh groggily. I didn't have to see or smell him to know he’d gotten lit. I rolled my eyes, closing my bedroom door.
“Hey, who’s there?” his friend asked, seemingly referring to me.
“Oh, that’s my little sis, don’t mind her she’s just on her emo shit!” he joked, which pissed me off for the petty reason that I didn't even listen or dress emo.
“Hey, that’s alright with me, I went through one of those phases,” they responded, their words less slurred than my cousin’s.
I fucked up and forgot to lock it when I closed it so they were able to swing it open, almost smacking my desk.
“Hey emo girl!” they waved as Brick haphazardly pulled them back.
“Okay, man, seriously I think she wants to be left alone.”
The way his friend looked at me made me uncomfortable. Like they’d snap my neck if I pissed them off. They clicked their tongue while stepping through the door frame.
“Alright, but I gotta say calling her an emo is inaccurate, they look like they watch gore and most emos just say they do.” they flashed a sharp toothy grin. At that moment I began to connect the dots.
“Easy, she’ll get pissy with you dude, now come on.” Brick warned tugging their opened button pushed him away. They looked me dead in the eyes.
“I don’t think she minds, in truth, I feel like we’ll have a lot to discuss later.” they smiled again, finally walking back into the living room. A chill ran up my spine when I saw them. The sharp teeth, New York accent, unsettling gaze, that motherfucker was the person who recruited me! They were able to get into my place so easily cause my dumbass cousin probably gave them a spare key or the opportunity to make one, and now they were a room away from me!
I dug my hands into my pillow as I contemplated what to do, no matter what happened next, I knew it was gonna be a rough visit.
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2024.05.19 09:24 Best-Struggle-2738 I give up.

It all started with the divorce. I moved into an apartment so close to my old house that you couldn't hear an entire song between the two places. That's because I have three great kids (16, 13, 8) and, yes, in a minute I know you're going to say that they need me, etc. but what they really need is a real father, not one who constantly never has any money and is constantly out of sorts with stress. I'm a freelance writer with an undemanding, intermittent contract role with a prominent employer. This ends at the end of next month. Then there's nothing.
But I'm getting ahead of myself.
After I filed for divorce, I decided to file Chapter 13. This immediately rendered it impossible for me to get a car loan after I sold my vehicle due to cash problems. Drained my mom of her money keeping me in my apartment. Went to a treatment center for 5 days after I relapsed after years of sobriety. Lost my job at Chase in 2021. Couldn't afford my meds anymore so I got a DUI (dismissed), but not for drinking -- it was for driving under the influence of mental-health Rx withdrawal (not kidding - it was a thing). P.S. The meds went from $30/mo. to $210/mo. and I have four of them.
I then started dating a wonderful woman/friend. We got engaged. Happiness. Shortly thereafter, I fell out of a truck helping a friend move commercial-grade windows at a construction site because I'm uncoordinated. A freak, cartoonish accident. Shattered my ankle and leg. Lived on a couch for 3 months in excruciating pain.
I get up and try to work nonstop. Anything to get extra money. I barely sleep. I keep trying to move forward but life persists in pulling me back down. Whenever I have good news about something, 4 other problems rise up. I ask everyone what can **I** do to be better, what can **I** do to not be in this doom loop? No one has answers. "Hang in there" counts, I guess. I've cut friends out, as well as family members. I couldn't figure out the unemployment website. I am a black hole for everyone around me. I live by the grace of others and random, brief successes. I mean, **I** have compassion fatigue for me, so I can only imagine what others feel - even you, if you've been reading any of the above.
And guess what? That's not all. There's a lot more I won't detail. It's unreal.
Plus, last week, my fiancee of three years up and left with no explanation. Zero contact for 3 days. And once that shock wore off, I'm here a week later sitting in our empty house alone in the dark.
It's not that I'm sad. I'm done. I apply for thousands (and I mean thousands) of jobs per month. Nothing. Unless you count the time I accepted an elaborate fake job scam where they stole my identity when I gave them my banking info for W-9 info. **I** don't believe this tale of woe, but it's a domino game from hell.
But I'm empty now. I've got nothing left. I don't have the wherewithal, monetarily or for real, to handle this world anymore. I don't look at Columbus the same way, either. It seems darker somehow. It's not meant for me. The outside world seems shadowed more than I remember it being, as if everything out there feels like a greyed-out option on a website. "Unavailable" or "Out of Stock."
I can't afford (or need) to live in this house, even though I've paid rent in full 11 out of 12 months. I now have 12 days to find a new place to live and I don't have options beyond men's shelters or friends' couches for a day or two. This is surreal. She moved some of her stuff out today. How did I get here? I thought I had a place to stay but it fell through a few hours ago. I really don't know how I can ever get back to where I was before the last three years beat me down. And I have tried -- really fucking tried -- to stay on this side of things, but I don't think this world wants me anymore. I've gotten its message. If it's for some sort of life lesson via the universe, this 46-year-old man has learned that once you fall into the system, you're never getting out. I am always, like, $1500 away from being okay for good.
All I wanted was a real job -- not some part-time, bait-and-switch gig that wasn't what I was promised, but forced to accept. All I want is to sleep. All I want is to think of a future that has me in it. All I want is my fiancee to not leave abruptly and permanently, without warning or days of explanation (still waiting for that), and break my kids' hearts. Her leaving isn't even the reason for feeling the way I do -- it only confirms that I am the common denominator and that I am the problem.
What is the point of any of this anymore?
In a few days, it'll be my birthday. I can't see what that looks like.
I know many of you have problems and issues and conditions much worse than my life. But it's not about comparison for me. I've only detailed in writing 20% of what's happened/happening in my life so I could see it in writing. And I'm convinced more than ever there's no way out, no way back.
submitted by Best-Struggle-2738 to Columbus [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:23 RandomAppalachian468 The return of the tree painter, big life changes, and story update!

Hey everyone! Random Appalachian here. I just wanted to check back in with you all and provide some updates, as well as some exciting, if personal, news. I have to type this quick, as my work break ends soon, so pardon any typos, grammatical errors, or weirdly structured sentences.
For those of you who don’t know, I’m a park ranger in real life, and work at a wildlife reserve in Ohio. We’ve been having some issues with vandalism in our northern woods for a few months, and despite our best attempts, haven’t been able to find the culprit. It’s been immensely frustrating, especially when more paint has shown up on more trails, ranging from slashes, lines, and crosses, to dots and even letters. Normally we wouldn’t get too bent out of shape over a few trees being painted, but it’s well over 60 at this point, and widespread throughout the forest. None of the official people who help us maintain the trails in that area say they are responsible, and yet many of the markings seem to be blazes for trails. However the markings are at times absurdly close together, or in abstract places that make no logical sense. One “trail” is no more than perhaps 30 yards long and runs right along a massive clearing in a semi-circle, within plain sight of the clearing, and goes to nowhere; it goes into the woods, and pops back out into the clearing only 30-ish yards away. Most of our established trails that have been painted already have well-made trail markings of our own, and the trails are well-blazed. There seems to be no rhyme or reason to why these things are there at all. I don’t think it’s anything sinister, though the painter has left his/her paint cans in the woods before, so at the very least, they’re a litterbug. There is the concern about potential poaching, which can be a problem in our area. Sure, deer and turkey are commonplace in my rural community, but they are only that way because of conservation and game laws that keep populations intact. Local hunters play a big part in conservation, and if someone starts taking more than their fair share through poaching, that means less for everyone else, and upsets the balance of things. The sad thing is, unlike legal hunters who often hunt for meat for their families, (food is expensive nowadays) poachers usually do it for trophies, antlers, or ‘fans’ from the turkey tail-feathers. But our painter has yet to take any game to our knowledge. We’ve found no gut piles, blood, or discarded gear anywhere. So, if he’s not poaching . . . what on earth does he want?
Then a few weeks ago, we did find a camera inside our central perimeter.
To put this into perspective, we have roughly 10,000 acres to our little reserve. Only 1/3 is fenced in, containing our exotic animals for our tours, and our buildings that we use to operate. Offices, mechanical garages, barns, and storage sheds, that sort of thing. Usually if we have trespassing issues, it's in the northern woods, which is open to the public for walking/biking trails. Sometimes in the southern prairie reserve we get some wanderers, but it's pretty open, so people tend to shy away from it. But our interior, the central area, most of which is fenced in, is sacred ground for us. We have a children’s camp in there for kids to learn about nature, we have our animal barns, and even some staff housing. For people to walk around in there would be like a stranger walking through your bedroom at night, while you’re in the shower.
Not cool. Not cool at all.
One of our ecology survey teams found the camera in a lesser-used section a mile or so north of the children’s camp. Naturally, they assumed it was one of ours, until one of the staff innocently asked another ranger why we’d put a camera by that lake. When the ranger told her that we didn’t have any cameras there, it began to sink in.
We either have two trespassers, or the painter has decided to move his game further into our land.
I’m hoping it’s the former, that I’m overthinking things, but after all, the mystery painter had to have seen a few of the trail cameras we put up in the north to catch him. Could he be doing this as a form of tit-for-tat? I don’t know, but it’s got us rangers frustrated, and our ecology team is spooked. It was fun and games in the unpopulated north, but now he’s getting close to our people, our guests, and our animals. This is serious now. We removed the camera, but there’s not really much we can do without more patrols, more cameras, and more rangers. With our budget already restricted, the last part just isn’t possible.
My foray into trail cameras yielded no results as to a culprit. In fact, the day I came in early to pull them out of the field, it seemed nothing went right. Only two came off the tree, as I forgot the keys for the locks for the other two. I couldn’t find the last one at first, and darkness fell before I could locate it, so that I was wandering around in the northern district in the blackness searching for it. Inadvertently this helped me find the camera in the end; I saw the red light flash as it took my picture and was able to retrieve the SD card. It was in my long return trek to the patrol truck that I discovered the marks on a remote trail I hadn’t walked yet. A capital O and a capital N were scrawled in various places, with dots over the letters. I took German in university, so I know they aren’t grammatical marks from that language, known as umlauts (pronounced as “oomlout” for my fellow English speakers; for all my German speakers, if I spelled that wrong, I apologize). I’d left my phone in the truck (stupid rookie move for a seasoned ranger, I know) so I couldn’t take any photos, and didn’t want to follow the trail too far in the pitch dark. I had a flashlight with spare batteries, as well as my gun (I’m not a complete moron after all) but I didn’t have time to do much exploring, since I had other duties in the park that were waiting on me. I had some VIP’s that were coming in late, and had to be escorted, which meant I had to clamber back to my truck, swatting at mosquitos the whole way. Nothing on the cameras showed any definitive proof, though we might have a lead on a guy with a bow case on his back. Could be nothing though; it’s not illegal to wear camo or carry things, and it could very well have been a camera case, a backpack, or an empty bow case.
In any event, we rangers are working on a strategy for changing up our patrol routes and putting more cameras in the field, as well as checking in on the children’s camp frequently throughout the night. So far, this mystery person hasn’t actually hurt anything that we know of, but even if this is just local kids having a prank, it’s not funny anymore.
Anyway, on to the other news. For the aforementioned reasons, as well as others, I’ve been super swamped this past month, and so writing on the third book in the Barron County trilogy has been slow. I wanted to release it at the beginning of June, but at this rate, I’m going to have to push that back to late June, possibly early July. I hate to think I’ve disappointed you all, but it’s just not ready yet. That, and I’ve been busy with something else . . . something big.
I’m getting married next week.
It’s been a long time coming, but my fiancé and I are super excited. We’ve known each other since kindergarten and have been best friends since forever. We’ve both been running like chickens with our heads cut off to get everything ready, and naturally, we’re both exhausted/somewhat nervous. Our honeymoon will require some flying, and since my fiancé has never been on a plane before, that’s a point of nervousness for her. I’m sure she’ll be fine once we’re in the air, but until then, she’s a bundle of nerves.
All that is to say, I am working on the story, it’s just taking a bit. I cannot wait to get back into the swing of things for all of you and thank you again for your supreme patience in this. You guys and gals are great, and entertaining you all is a massive privilege. Stay tuned for the third installment of the Barron County trilogy, and the epic conclusion of Hannah Brun’s journey into the unknown! Until next time.
submitted by RandomAppalachian468 to u/RandomAppalachian468 [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:21 MagicalSausage Is this considered infodumping?

Obviously paragraphs and paragraphs of explaining the lore of your world is considered infodumping, but where would you draw the line?
I don't know if what I try to do is considered infodumping. Basically, I insert one paragraph of a character using their knowledge of the world to explain something in the middle of your usual descriptory prose.
For example (an excerpt of chapter 4 from my first attempt at writing a full length novel. I'm about 11k words in):
Despite the boy standing at least two dozen paces away from her, Emily felt like he had drilled stakes into her eyes with his gaze. They were green-within-green without any trace of human white in them. They weren’t natural. They weren’t human. Her heart raced. Foreboding trepidation rushed through her veins. She became aware of her panting and her sweat inching down her forehead. She trembled, all of a sudden warming up despite the stale, cold air in the great hall.
She lowered her head, realising that she had torn holes into her gloves from balling her fists.
Before her stood a Roamer. Samira had taught her about them in her lessons. She was told the last of them died a century ago. A race of mutants created to serve as the personal bodyguards of lords and kings centuries ago, one of them served the Embelwoods of the past. Along with her great-grandfathers, they built the great duchy of New Calinthia on the backs of honour and virtue.
Her right palm throbbed. Pulling off her glove, Emily looked at the angular birthmark on her right palm again, and she noticed that it glowed gently with the same shade of green from the boy-Roamer’s eyes.
From under the boy’s coat, the characteristic Roamer’s dark-veins crept up his pale-skinned neck, stopping short of his jaw like serpents slithering through snow. He took off his hat, revealing a head of black hair. As he made his way through the great hall, nobody spoke a word. She saw tense looks on many soldiers’ faces, the look of shock given by bystanders witnessing a murder.
I've italicised the paragraph in question. It's not really describing action and feelings like the other paragraphs around it, but it also isn't a large wall of text describing the lore and such–that would be an obvious infodump. How large of a break from the flow of action to describe something about the world would you consider an infodump?
Edit: The paragraph also doesn't fully explain what they are fyi. I'm planning to explore the Roamers' abilities later in the story and sprinkle in more tidbits of lore throughout. I can add the premise of the story here for context if someone requests it.
submitted by MagicalSausage to fantasywriters [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:15 ConsequenceSure3063 Best Cardboard Picture Frames

Best Cardboard Picture Frames
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Looking for a unique and eco-friendly way to display your cherished memories?
Our collection of cardboard picture frames not only adds a playful touch but also offers a sustainable alternative to traditional frames. In this roundup, we'll explore various styles, materials, and designs that will make your photos stand out, all while keeping your environmental impact in check.

The Top 19 Best Cardboard Picture Frames

  1. DIY Cardboard Picture Frames (5 x 7 in, 30 Pack) - Introducing the Juvale 5x7 inch cardboard photo frame. This pack of 30 DIY frames lets you showcase your favorite memories with personalized touches. Perfect for home decor, weddings, and more!
  2. DIY Picture Frame Kit with 50 Frames - Juvale 50-Piece DIY Cardboard Picture Frame Hanging Kit in Black and White provides a versatile and customizable photo display solution for your home, office, classroom, or party decor.
  3. Colorful Vibrant Paper Frames for Art Displays and Photo Props (24 Pieces) - Vibrant & versatile paper frames perfect for showcasing student artwork or creating fun photo booth props, available in two sizes and ideal for classroom decorations and themed parties (2 dozen per unit, 15”x 12 1/2” and 21”x 15” sizes).
  4. 25-Pack Black Cardboard Picture Frames with Gold Foil Border - Cardboard Picture Frames 8-1/2x11 Black W/Gold Foil Border (25 Pack): A timeless series of 25 professional-quality, black cardboard frames featuring elegant gold foil window borders, ideal for your certificates, photos, and prints.
  5. DIY 5x7in Wall Paper Photo Frames with Flax String and Clips - Jahosin DIY Photo Frames: Add a Touch of Art to Your Lifestyle
  6. DIY 5x7 Photo Frames for Home Decor - Introducing the 5x7in Wall Paper Picture Frames by Jahosin, a DIY photo frame set of 30 stunning frames that provide a unique and personalized touch to your home decor.
  7. DIY 50-Pack Picture Frames for Wall Decor with Clips and Strings - Capture and share your cherished memories with the versatile Juvale 50 Pack DIY Cardboard Picture Frames, complete with clips and strings for a customizable photo hanging display perfect for home, office, classroom, and special events.
  8. Customizable DIY Paper Picture Frames - Jahosin 5x7in Paper Picture Frames" – Showcase your cherished memories with unique DIY handcrafted cardboard frames, featuring adjustable flax string and mini clips for stylish display on various occasions.
  9. Customizable Kraft Paper Photo Frames (50 Pack) - Juvale 50 Pack Kraft Paper Picture Frames 4x6: Versatile DIY frames for personalized photo display, wedding decor, and party favors, including 50 cardboard frames with built-in stands and customizable embellishments.
  10. 50-Pack White Cardboard Photo Picture Frames, 4x6 Inches - Perfect for DIY and decor, this 50-pack of white cardboard photo picture frames with easels securely holds 4x6 photos and can be personalized with colors, textures, and designs.
  11. Personalized Eco-Friendly Paper Photo Frames (30pcs 4x6) for Wall Decor - Eco-friendly, 30-piece paper photo frame set with mini wooden clips, perfect for creating a charming photo display or wall decor in homes, offices, and events.
  12. 30 Pcs Kraft Cardboard Photo Frames with Wood Clips and Jute Twine - Enhance your event or home decor with Novelty Bank's 5-star-rated, 30-piece set of DIY kraft paper photo frames, featuring thick art paper, wooden clips, and jute twine for secure display of your favorite 4x6 memories.
  13. DIY Cardboard Easel Photo Frames (50 Pack) 4x6 Inches 10 Colors - Perfect for photo displays and DIY projects, the Juvale 50-piece 4x6 inch cardboard photo picture frame easel set provides a vibrant pop of color and is great for personalizing with embellishments.
  14. DIY Black Paper Picture Frames - 50-Pack - Elevate your memories with Juvale's DIY black paper photo frames - 50-pack, perfect for birthdays, anniversaries, and more. Enhance your interior decor with a personalized touch that displays up to 10.2 x 15.2 cm photos.
  15. 50-Pack Black Cardboard Picture Frames for DIY Projects - Transform your cherished memories into captivating art pieces with the Juvale 50 Pack Black Paper Picture Frames 4x6, designed to elevate your DIY projects and personalized crafts for a stunning, customizable display.
  16. White 4x6 Top Loading Cardboard Picture Folder Frame (Pack of 50) - Get the perfect frame for your cherished memories with the Malelo Picture Folder Frame, crafted from robust cardstock material and endorsed by professional photographers.
  17. 50-Pack Customizable Cardboard Picture Frames - Effortlessly revamp your space with Juvale's DIY 50-piece Cardboard Picture Frames, adorned with versatile Kraft brown frames, clothespins, and twine for elegant and personalized photo hanging displays that transcend seasons and celebrations.
  18. Black Gold Foil Cardboard Double Folder Picture Frame Set (5x7) - Collectors Gallery Black Cardboard Double Photo Frame, featuring gold foil border and linen weave finish, effortlessly frames two 5x7 photos side by side for an elegant and professional appearance in various photography settings.
  19. DIY Cardboard Easel Picture Frames for Classrooms - The Cover-It Cardboard Easel Picture Frame Classroom Pack provides endless creative possibilities for framing and decorating student pictures while fostering fun and self-expression in classrooms.
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Reviews

🔗DIY Cardboard Picture Frames (5 x 7 in, 30 Pack)

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I recently got my hands on Juvale's 5x7 inch Cardboard Picture Frames, and I must say, they've been a game-changer in my world of DIY home decor. With their bright colors and simple yet sturdy design, these frames are perfect for personalizing with jewels, glitter, and more.
One standout feature for me was their ability to fit 5x7-inch photos perfectly. It's been great for displaying cherished moments around the house, just like snapping photos of our recent birthday party. The attached stand is convenient, making it easy to set up and show off your creations without needing an extra easel!
However, there's a minor downside to these frames: their thickness. While they look sturdy enough, they might not hold heavier items such as thick cards or large paper cut-outs. Despite this, their durability has been impressive so far, even after a few creative paint jobs!
Overall, I can't recommend Juvale's Cardboard Picture Frames enough. Their vibrant colors and simple design make them a perfect addition to any DIY home decor project or special occasion. So go ahead, unleash your creativity and make something amazing!

🔗DIY Picture Frame Kit with 50 Frames

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As a creative individual who loves DIY projects, I recently got my hands on the Juvale Cardboard Paper Picture Frame DIY Hanging Kit (50 Pack) 4x6 inch, Black, White. From the moment I unboxed it, I could tell it was going to be a game-changer for my decorating needs. Each of the 50 paper cardboard photo frames comes with a mini clothespin and a piece of hanging twine, making it easy to display various memories and artwork around my home or office.
One of the features that truly stood out during my use of this DIY kit was its versatility. Not only can you create unique framed pieces for any space, but you can also get creative and embellish these frames with different materials, like paints, jewels, rhinestones, glitter, labels, stickers, and more. I especially appreciated the fact that the frames can be displayed both vertically and horizontally, allowing me to experiment with different layouts and compositions.
Another aspect of this DIY kit that I genuinely appreciated was its affordability. Given that I received 50 frames along with clothespins and twine, it gave me ample opportunities to decorate multiple areas in my house without breaking the bank. Additionally, the black and white color options make it easy to blend these frames into any decor style.
However, it's essential to note a few cons that I encountered while using this product. Some of the cardboard frames were slightly thinner and more delicate than others, so extra care must be taken during handling. Additionally, the hanging twine provided could have been slightly longer for easier installation in various locations.
Overall, I would highly recommend the Juvale Cardboard Paper Picture Frame DIY Hanging Kit (50 Pack) 4x6 inch, Black, White for anyone who enjoys DIY projects and wants to create personalized photo displays in their homes or workspaces. Its versatility, color options, and affordability make it a worthwhile investment in your decorating endeavors.

🔗Colorful Vibrant Paper Frames for Art Displays and Photo Props (24 Pieces)

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I recently purchased these paper frames for my classroom decorations, and I must say, they have been a game-changer! The vibrant colors and fun designs instantly caught my eye. I particularly appreciated the two versatile sizes that could easily accommodate various photo sizes.
The small frames were incredibly easy to use as they were designed with a photo space that perfectly fit a letter-sized paper, making it a breeze to display student artwork or use them as props for our fun photo booth activities. However, I did find that the larger frames needed some trimming and resizing to fit smaller images, but overall, they were still worth the effort.
One minor drawback was the lack of a smaller size option, as I believe it would be even more versatile and useful in various applications. Nonetheless, these paper frames have significantly enhanced the appearance of my classroom decorations, and I look forward to using them in other creative ways.
To summarize, the paper frames are an excellent investment for anyone looking to add a pop of color and creativity to their space. They are easy to use, have a sturdy cardstock thickness, and are available in a variety of fun designs. Although they may require some trimming for certain applications, the end result is definitely worth the effort.

🔗25-Pack Black Cardboard Picture Frames with Gold Foil Border

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As a cardboard enthusiast, I recently had the pleasure of using these elegant 8.5x11 black picture frames with gold foil borders in my DIY home decor project. The moment I took them out of their 25-piece packaging, I was instantly drawn to their timeless quality and that exquisite golden finish.
One thing that truly stood out for me was how easy these frames were to set up. Their side-load design made it incredibly simple to display and switch between my favorite photos, without any hassle. Plus, the linen weave finish added a touch of sophistication to my space.
Moreover, the frames come with a pop-up easel, which allows them to be displayed horizontally or vertically. This versatility made it easy to showcase both horizontal and vertical certificates or prints, in a professional manner.
However, one minor con I experienced was that the window opening wasn't quite precise, and required a little adjustment to fit my 8x10 prints perfectly. Nonetheless, considering their excellent construction and affordability, these cardboard frames are definitely worth the investment.
So, if you're in search of a cost-effective yet elegant solution to frame your memories or certificates, look no further! These cardboard picture frames deliver on both style and functionality, making them an ideal choice for anyone in need of a little DIY touch.

🔗DIY 5x7in Wall Paper Photo Frames with Flax String and Clips

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I've been using the Jahosin wall paper picture frames for a month now and I must say, they've significantly upgraded my home décor. The first thing that drew me to them is their unique DIY design with linkage mounted cardboard frames and flax string clips. The 30-frame set is versatile and stylish, perfect for displaying photos, Christmas cards, and artworks at events like weddings or birthdays.
They're incredibly easy to assemble, each frame comes with its own clips and a piece of flax string, making it a fun project that the entire family can participate in. They fit standard 5x7 inch pictures, coming in three attractive colors - black, brown, and white. Their pure handcraft and non-toxic material make them a safe addition to any home, and the brilliant artwork on the fronts is a bonus.
The only downside I've noticed is that the cardboard isn't the sturdiest, so they might need extra care when being hung or moved around. But overall, these picture frames have been a great addition to my home, adding a touch of art and creativity to my living space. So if you're in the market for unique, affordable photo frames, I highly recommend giving the Jahosin 5x7 inch wall paper picture frames a try.

🔗DIY 5x7 Photo Frames for Home Decor

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I recently discovered the Jahosin 5x7in Wall Paper Picture Frames and let me tell you, they've been a game-changer for my home decor. As soon as they arrived, I dove right in to create a unique and artistic display on my living room wall. The set of 30 frames comes in three colors and includes flax string and clips for easy mounting.
The first thing that stood out to me was the pure hand craft element of these frames. Made with non-toxic, harmless kraft paper material, they're not only stylish but also safe for the whole family. The quality is evident in the craftsmanship and the vibrant printing patterns that bring life to my space.
One thing I noticed is that these frames are designed specifically to hold 5x7in pictures, which made it difficult to fit some of my larger prints. However, this constraint did force me to be more creative with my photo selections, ultimately resulting in a more cohesive and eclectic display.
Overall, I'm thrilled with my purchase of these DIY Photo Frames from Jahosin. They've added a unique and personal touch to my home decor while also encouraging me to curate a thoughtful collection of cherished memories. If you're looking to transform your living space, I highly recommend giving these picture frames a try!

🔗DIY 50-Pack Picture Frames for Wall Decor with Clips and Strings

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I was recently looking for a way to display my favorite memories, and I stumbled upon the Juvale 50 Pack Paper Picture Frames. These paper frames added a personal touch to my home decor and were a hit at our family gatherings.
First off, the variety and versatility of these paper frames blew me away. They come in 50 different colors, which made it easy for me to match them to my existing dcor. The mini clothespins and hanging twine included made it a breeze to create a stunning photo hanging display on my wall. Plus, they're perfect for DIY craft projects. I had a blast embellishing my frames with glitter, stickers, and paint.
However, I found that the actual size of the frames was slightly smaller than I thought. But it wasn't a deal-breaker, as they still worked perfectly for showcasing my favorite photos.
All in all, I'd highly recommend the Juvale 50 Pack Paper Picture Frames for anyone looking for a fun and affordable way to display their cherished memories.

🔗Customizable DIY Paper Picture Frames

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When I first tried out the Jahosin 5x7in Paper Picture Frames, I was pleasantly surprised by how stylish and creative they were. The handcrafted, non-toxic kraft paper material felt like a breath of fresh air compared to the usual plastic frames. The set came with 10 frames, 10 mini clips, and a string, making it easy to display photos, Christmas cards, and art works in a casual and artistic way.
One of the key highlights for me was how easy it was to customize these frames. The DIY linkage design allowed me to arrange the frames in various ways, making them perfect for displaying memories during special occasions like weddings, anniversaries, birthdays, and graduations. Plus, they also added a touch of love, happiness, and wild living spirit to my space.
However, I did notice that the frames are quite delicate, so they may not be ideal for families with young children who might accidentally damage them. Additionally, the kraft paper material can absorb moisture, making the frames more susceptible to warping or damage in humid environments.
Overall, I found the Jahosin 5x7in Paper Picture Frames to be a comfortable and creative addition to my home decor, adding a touch of warmth to any space they were placed in. I would recommend these frames to anyone looking to display their special memories in a unique and stylish way.

🔗Customizable Kraft Paper Photo Frames (50 Pack)

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I recently used the Juvale Kraft Paper Picture Frames to decorate my living room and create personalized gifts for friends. The 50-pack is perfect for batch-making, especially when working on DIY projects. Crafted from cardboard, these frames are lightweight and easy to customize with paints, stickers, and other embellishments.
One feature that truly stood out was the compatibility with 4x6 inch photos, which means I could feature a variety of images from different occasions. Additionally, the kraft paper texture provides a warm, rustic touch to any space. However, I must admit that the cardboard material isn't as sturdy as traditional frames, so they might not hold up well in humid or high-traffic areas.
In conclusion, the Juvale Kraft Paper Picture Frames are perfect for DIY crafts, personalized gifts, and decorations. Their brown color and versatile size make them an ideal choice for various occasions and interior design styles. Despite the flimsy nature of the material, the ease of customization and affordability make these frames a worthwhile addition to your DIY toolkit.

🔗50-Pack White Cardboard Photo Picture Frames, 4x6 Inches

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As a frequent user of these 50-pack cardboard photo picture frames, I can attest to their ease of use. They are perfect for displaying your favorite 4x6-inch family photos, artwork, and memories. The attached stands allow for easy setup on surfaces like desks and tables, and you can unleash your creativity by personalizing these frames with markers, crayons, rubber stamps, colored pencils, and various paints.
However, the one thing that left me unimpressed was the size of the easel. Though it held the 4x6-inch photos nicely, I wish it had a thicker and more professional appearance. The attached stand could be more sturdy, especially if you plan on using it for more presentable purposes like selling art cards.
In contrast, I found that the frames were easy to customize, enabling me to express my artistic side while displaying my favorite memories. If you're looking for a quick and easy way to showcase your photos, these cardboard frames are a great choice. Just remember to handle them with care to prevent tearing if you decide to use them for more professional purposes.
Overall, I've had a relatively smooth experience using these frames, but there's definitely room for improvement when it comes to their sturdiness and presentation.

🔗Personalized Eco-Friendly Paper Photo Frames (30pcs 4x6) for Wall Decor

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As an avid fan of unique wall decor, I recently stumbled upon the Cardboard Picture Frames 30 Pack. These retro-chic frames have quickly become a staple in my home, adding a touch of whimsy to my otherwise monotonous walls.
Made from high-quality, recyclable paper, these frames are not only eco-friendly but also surprisingly durable. The matching wooden clips and string add a lovely contrast, giving my photos a charming, vintage appearance. The DIY nature of these frames is another highlight - they're incredibly easy to install and hang, making them accessible for everyone, regardless of their experience with DIY projects.
These frames aren't just for personal use, they're perfect for gifting too. They're versatile enough to be used as wedding, engagement, anniversary, or birthday gifts. Their ability to add a touch of elegance and charm to any setting is truly remarkable.
However, one minor drawback is that they're 4x6 inches, which may not accommodate larger photos. But overall, these Cardboard Picture Frames have been a fantastic addition to my home, adding a touch of personalized charm and retro vibe that I absolutely adore.

🔗30 Pcs Kraft Cardboard Photo Frames with Wood Clips and Jute Twine

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I recently purchased the Novelty Bank Paper Photo Frame set and it has been a game-changer for displaying my favorite memories. The simple yet elegant design of these 30 kraft paper frames sets off my photos perfectly. The art paper used is thick and flat, and the full back protects my pictures from dust and oxidation. Measuring 6 1/8 INCH tall by 4 1/2 INCH wide, with a window sized 4 INCH by 3 INCH, these frames are the perfect accessory for adding a touch of charm to my rooms and walls.
One feature I particularly love is the adjustable design, which allows me to customize the size of the window to fit different sized photos. The included wooden clips and jute string make it easy to hang these frames wherever I want, creating a visually appealing display that is sure to impress.
However, I did experience a minor issue with the quality of the jute string. It was slightly frayed and snapped after a few uses. Despite this, the overall quality of the product more than compensates for this small flaw, and I highly recommend these DIY Cardboard Photo Frames for anyone looking to enhance their space with personalized memories.

🔗DIY Cardboard Easel Photo Frames (50 Pack) 4x6 Inches 10 Colors

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I recently started using the Juvale Cardboard Photo Picture Frames to display some of my favorite memories and I absolutely fell in love with them. These little frames are not only versatile in terms of placement- standing vertically or horizontally- but also offer a variety of bright colors like yellow, light pink, and green, that make your photos pop.
One feature that stood out for me was how easy they are to customize. You can embellish them with paints, rhinestones, glitter, stickers and other decorative elements, making each frame as unique as the person who owns it.
However, there's a minor downside too. When using bigger hands, inserting the photos into the frame can be a bit challenging. But other than that, these photo frames are perfect for displaying your special memories!
I've used these photo frames for displaying my daughter's adorable drawings, my favorite wedding photos, and even used them as party decorations. They really brighten up any space! If you're looking to add a touch of personalization and color to your photos, the Juvale Cardboard Photo Picture Frames won't disappoint you!

Buyer's Guide

Whether you're looking to add a unique touch to your home decor or wanting to gift someone special, cardboard picture frames are an affordable and eco-friendly option. This buyer's guide will take you through the important features, considerations, and general advice about choosing the perfect cardboard picture frame for your needs.

Features to Consider

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  • Size: Cardboard picture frames come in various sizes to fit different photo dimensions. Ensure you choose the right size to suit your preferences and available wall space.
  • Shape: Some cardboard frames are simple rectangles or squares, while others come in interesting shapes like hearts or stars. Choose a shape that complements your photo and personal style.
  • Thickness: Cardboard frames vary in thickness. Thinner frames may be more delicate and prone to wear, while thicker frames offer added stability and durability.
  • Color: Cardboard frames come in a range of colors, from natural shades to vibrant hues. Consider which color will best complement your photo and its surrounding decor.

Considerations

When selecting cardboard picture frames, it's essential to think about how they will be displayed. If you plan to hang them on a wall, ensure they have an integrated hanging mechanism or that you can easily attach one. Additionally, consider the durability of the cardboard material, especially if the frame will be exposed to varying temperatures or humidity levels.

General Advice

  • Purchase from a reputable retailer to ensure quality craftsmanship and materials.
  • Read reviews from previous customers to gain insights on the product's performance and any potential issues.
  • Consider buying in bulk if you need multiple frames, as this can save you money and time in sourcing individual frames.
  • To keep your cardboard picture frames looking fresh, avoid exposing them to direct sunlight or damp environments, and handle them gently when cleaning or adjusting them.
By taking the time to evaluate different cardboard picture frames and considering the factors outlined in this guide, you can make an informed decision and enjoy your unique, eco-friendly photo display for years to come.
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FAQ

1. What are cardboard picture frames?

Cardboard picture frames are affordable, lightweight, and eco-friendly alternatives to traditional frames made from wood, metal, or plastic. They are often customizable and can display photos or artwork in various sizes.

2. How do cardboard picture frames compare to other types of frames?

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https://preview.redd.it/naxaprv13c1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=89ec506e34f468bacdd367f2e82950d8ef2a475c
Cardboard frames are generally more affordable and lightweight than other types of frames. However, they may not offer the same level of durability or sturdiness as wood or metal frames. Cardboard frames are also eco-friendly, as they use recycled materials in their construction.

3. Are cardboard picture frames customizable?

Yes, many cardboard picture frames come with the option for customization. This may include choosing between different colors, patterns, or sizes. Some cardboard frames also allow for personalized messages or designs on the frame itself.

4. Can cardboard picture frames display photos and artwork?

Yes, cardboard picture frames can display both photos and artwork, depending on the design of the frame. Some frames come with adjustable stands or hooks, allowing them to be displayed on tables, shelves, or walls.
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https://preview.redd.it/1enr5q923c1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=03e6f94c4fee79b3311c7e5157c06c21388d3e96

5. How do I care for my cardboard picture frame?

To care for your cardboard picture frame, handle it gently and avoid exposing it to excessive moisture or heat. Dust the frame regularly with a soft brush or cloth and store it in a cool, dry place when not in use.

6. How much do cardboard picture frames cost?

The cost of cardboard picture frames varies depending on the design, size, and customization options. Generally, they are more affordable than traditional frames made from wood, metal, or plastic.

7. Where can I purchase cardboard picture frames?

Cardboard picture frames can be purchased at various stores, both online and offline, that specialize in home decor, stationery, and art supplies. Major retailers and marketplaces like Amazon and Etsy also offer a wide selection of cardboard picture frames.

8. Are cardboard picture frames suitable for outdoor use?

While some cardboard frames may be suitable for indoor use, it is not recommended to use them outdoors, as they are more susceptible to moisture damage and less able to withstand harsh weather conditions compared to traditional frames.

9. Can I recycle a cardboard picture frame?

Yes, cardboard picture frames are generally made from recycled materials and can be recycled again at the end of their useful life. Ensure that you recycle the frame with other paper products, following your local recycling guidelines.

10. How do I assemble a cardboard picture frame?

Assembling a cardboard picture frame usually involves a few simple steps, such as sliding the photo or artwork into the frame, attaching the back panel, and securing any hooks or stands for display.
  • Remove the protective coverings from the front and back panels of the frame.
  • Place the photo or artwork into the cardboard mat that is included with the frame. The mat may have a cut-out area to fit the photo or artwork precisely.
  • Slide the photo or artwork with the mat into the front panel of the frame.
  • Attach the back panel of the frame to the front panel, ensuring that all edges are aligned.
  • If your frame has hooks or stands for display, attach them to the back panel of the frame as instructed in the product manual
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2024.05.19 09:15 Agneus [Online] [5e] [18+] [GMT+1] Virtues of Essence - Roleplay Focused Mystery and Lore Driven Forgotten Realms Campaign seeking a replacement player

“What defines virtue and how are we to gauge it? An inquiry that reverberates through epochs, its answer as fickle and capricious as the fates of those who deem to ask it. Duty, honor, justice - many over the ages would name these virtues, the conduits through which noble intentions find expression. Yet, as the battlefield of beliefs unfolds, a legion emerges, each as sworn to these principles as to obliterating all who would dare stake alike claim. Thus, battles rage and wars are waged and, in the end, those who are left are no more right than those fell by the blade. Alas, it is the victors whose ideals are etched into monuments for posterity. Except even words chiseled in unyielding stone are fated to fade in time. So is the wicked cycle destined to repeat in all its futility, its ephemeral prize seized again, only to be lost and sought anew. Try and picture, if for but a moment, a world where our rulers paused to reflect on the lessons of yore. They, too, would discern the elixir that enables one to escape the confines of memory—the very burden our fleeting nature forbids us to carry. Progress and evolution. Adaptability and transcendence. Everlasting and yet not stagnant, irrefutable, and yet fluid, these are the only true virtues. Thus, must we ever venture into the uncharted and unfamiliar for only from these unexplored domains may the truly virtuous arise.”
Where: Discord (Video and Voice) + FoundryVTT
When: every Saturday 5 - 9/10 pm GMT+1 (CET), 11 am - 3/4 pm EST
Who: party of 4 players and a DM seeking one extra player
Updates: Recruitment updates will be posted here.
Hello there and well met! If you’ve made it past the flavor text (or skipped it) and through the basic info (hopefully didnt skip past that one) you might very well be at the right address! Without further ado onto the post.

🐲The campaign🐲

Having only just recovered from the Second Sundering and the War of the Silver Marches, the North had been ravaged by a whole new set of tumultuous events - the rise of the Cult of the Dragon and that of the Absolute, the Fall of Eltruel and the short reign of the beholder crime lord Xanathar just some among them. After a brief respite from the twisted and the unnatural the clouds once more begin to gather. Along the Long Road, whole hosts of wild beasts and monsters have been accosting travelers seemingly at random and in the grand metropolis of Waterdeep a sudden rise in crime seems to coincide with strange events passing unnoticed beneath the surface. Amidst all this, in spring of 1493 DR, a party of adventurers delves into a mystery of enchanted gemstones being utilized to nefarious ends by unknown perpetrators all the while navigating the labyrinthine twists of city faction politics.
As implied by the post title, this is an ongoing campaign (we are 12 sessions in at the time of this post). Due to some irl commitments weve recently dropped a player and are looking to replace them.
As the title suggests, this is a roleplay focused mystery/lore driven campaign. Expect an overreaching plot with ample secrets to uncover, conspiracies to unravel and eldritch truths to unearth. The first word of the password is "Doth". On the same level of importance or more important even be that the players preference, there is a variety of subplots to engage with, from small and goofy and random to ones rivaling the main story arc in complexity and variance. Among these, individual character story arcs play a leading role, at times seamlessly intertwined with the current focus of the party, at times separate and independent.
As was already mentioned and is further described below, this is a roleplay focused campaign and a roleplay heavy game. This means that roleplay exists as a unifying concept for all other aspects of the game including exploration, combat, and puzzles. That said DnD is only DnD with all three of its main pillars intact and this campaign is no exception in that regard. I very much enjoy the mechanical side of the game as well besides roleplay and so things like multiphase boss fights and custom magic items are definitely on the table.

🧙‍♂️The DM🧙‍♂️

Hello there, Jay here, 25 yo law student from Central Europe currently working on finishing his master’s degree, trying to stay afloat in the current lease market. I study and work in a law firm by day and DM or play DnD by night (more like evening but night sounded cooler). I have been a big fan of TTRPGs since my early teens and of online DnD for the past five years. I’ve DMed multiple campaigns, finished CoS not least among them and I currently play in a long-term campaign. Before you ask, yes, my schedule is strained but not to the point I am unable to engage with my hobbies.
I would describe my DMing style as driven, realistic, and involved but also very conscious about player agency and collaborative storytelling as core values that make TTRPGs so popular and unique. I spend a lot of time ensuring the worlds I create and the stories I want to tell feel alive. From hand-picked music, to fully voiced NPCs and scenic descriptions designed to breathe life into the campaign setting I daresay my games rival in quality those of the professional DMs that charge for each session.
There is a drawback to this all however. Second word of the password is "thy". I expect a lot from my players as well. Writing a story in DnD is not a one person job. It takes a collective effort of the entire group to create something truly unique, something that one can be proud while looking forward to each session. Unwinding and letting off steam means something else for everyone. For me it means losing myself in the creative process of roleplaying an NPC or describing a scene, watching my players masterfully portray their own characters or having the party derail my plans in an awesome unforeseen and unexpectedly enriching way. If you find yourself in any of what I just described than this may be a game for you. If you don’t, that’s fine. This is definitely not a game for everyone.

🏰The setting🏰

Forgotten Realms is a default setting of Dungeons and Dragons but it is anything but boring and mundane. With now decades worth of lore behind it, it offers an unparalleled opportunity for anyone wanting to build on solid foundations to bring their ideas to life. While it has garnered a lot of attention lately with the release of a certain videogame (more people now know Astarion than a good amount of Hollywood celebrities I’d say) it has had its loyal following even before then, being constantly expanded and living its own life in a host of both online and home games. It’s been a natural choice of mine for a while now and not once have I had any regrets. The third word of the password is "mirror". I feel with how great of a variety of content the Forgotten Realms offer everybody is able to pick something that suits their creative vision. In summary the Forgotten Realms almost feel like a real place with how much worldbuilding has been done with them and offer a diversity of content few other TTRPG settings can boast.
When it comes to setting of the campaign in the world of Faerun I have once again made a somewhat traditional pick and decided to place the onset of the game onto the Sword Coast, more precisely into the city of Waterdeep. If one of the key upsides of Forgotten Realms is diversity of content, Waterdeep is one of the best representations of this. Being the largest settlement on the known Faerun, Waterdeep offers nigh limitless options in terms of main story arc genre, character creation and character backstory implementation. It has everything every large TTRPG settlement ought to have (fickle upper class, enigmatic factions, quaint taverns and extravagant nightclubs, always in bad mood city watch, a castle and a harbor) as well as few pretty original ideas such as colossal definitely not alive statues, a city council where even its members don’t know each other’s identity and a massive dungeon right underneath the city where you can literally fall right from a tavern taproom.
In case you are wondering, while this campagn takes place primarily in the city of Waterdeep itself, there is nothing stopping the players from exploring past the city if they so choose. The final word of the password is "crack?". Different parts of the main plot and various subplots can and will encourage the party to explore Waterdeep environs and sometimes even further.

📃The requirements📃

No exceptions here. Unless otherwise stated, the requirements must be met at the time of application.

🙋‍♂️How to sign up🙋‍♀️

Youve made it all the way to the end of this long post. Congratulations. Or maybe you’ve skipped all the way to the end. In that case I strongly recommended you go back. If not to learn what you are applying for than to make sure you haven’t missed something very important. Now if you are confident that you have what it takes and that this is a game that you could have a lot of fun with, please fill the below attached google questionnaire (if for any strange reason the link doesn’t end up working, please let me know in the comments under this post) and if fortune favors you, I shall get back to you promptly. Best of luck to you and I hope to speak to you soon!
https://forms.gle/5kc4RbwavJPfT8PD9
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PS: As a part of the questionnaire, you will be asked to submit a short piece of your narrative writing in a form of a google doc link (not a custom piece of writing, any relevant past one you have will do). Maybe best have that ready beforehand? On that note, dont apply for the game with a detailed backstory of a character you want to play that you arent willing to adapt to the conditions of the setting/campaign.
PSS: Not to discourage you but if you do make it through the questionnaire and into the second group of applicants you will be asked to do a discord interview with your webcam turned on. I am asking you to go through a lot for a game you might not even end up liking I know, but if you do end up liking it, all this effort will be well worth it as I am sure my other players would agree.
submitted by Agneus to lfg [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:11 throa2272 Weirdest 3 week "relationship" ever. Felt vaguely abusive. Idk

He told me he loved me on day 2 (Around April 13) after meeting. Actually he told me on day 1 that he would always love me and told me on day 2 that he DOES love me. During the first two weeks, he told me about his drug addicted ex that abused him and cheated on him. He then told me at brunch after church "I know there's hurt in there. And I'm ready to hear all about it when you're ready to tell me." And I trusted him so I did just that. I told him about how I've never ever felt secure and about how my mom used silence to punish me. Random but he also, out of nowhere, said he wants us to never use the word "lie" to accuse the other person of lying. That was while we were on good terms. But eventually we werent. Suddenly, whenever I voiced that I didn't like something he did, he would say "im not that guy from your past" even though guys in my past weren't relevant to the conversation. When we'd disagree, he would hurl small, indirect insults and accusations at me. When I'd explain myself and my perspective, he'd say "why is it always an explanation with you?" And during disagreements when I'd point out the things he said, he asked "why are you taking my words literally?" His excuse was that he isn't good at expressing himself through text but he boasted about being a writing tutor in the past. Plus he used to be in law school. (I currently am too). When I'd tell him "it feels like you don't like or love me anymore" he'd blow it off and barely respond. But at the beginning I didn't express feelings like that and he revealed to me out of nowhere "I can tell when you feel like I hate you." Like he read me easily and reassured me before but towards the end even when I shared my feelings in plain English, he still would never validate them.
He goes to therapy and one time i consulted my friend about an issue between us. He said he didn't want anyone in our business. The next thing he said? "How would you like it if I told Linda (his therapist) about our problems?" I told him I'd actually love that and asked him to "please please please talk to her about it."
I felt dumb. I revealed to him that I had never felt as much security as he made me feel before in my entire life. I called him my home. He kept telling me he would never leave me and that he loved me. I didnt even ask for that reassurance. Why would I? But it felt like home. On 5/10 we were supposed to meet but he ghosted. I blocked him when I realized he ghosted me. Suddenly, I didnt feel that sad anymore. I just felt stupid. But I was glad it was done. Weirdest three weeks of my effing life.
I haven't contacted him since. I blocked him on both my real phone and my texting app. But he called May 13. Called 3 times on May 14. Called twice on May 16. Called once May 17. Called once on May 18. All ignored. He sent some weird texts May 13 and 14. On 13th he acted sympathetic and tried to express his feelings. On May 14 he asked me why we never had sex and if I was truly waiting until marriage. He said that I kept trying to sleep with him and that he'd "push me off" and say we should wait. That actually never ever happened. I think he just wanted a reaction out of me. I haven't responded to anything. I feel strong. I know it's dumb to keep track or care that he's calling and texting. Please be nice. I'm trying to get over it.
Thanks for reading and/or responding.
submitted by throa2272 to abusiverelationships [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:10 okaythanksbud Is there a more efficient way to transform text?

I’m trying to work through a basic example where I use the distributive property to write out (a+bi)(c+di) through basic steps. Essentially I’m following this: (a+bi)(c+di)= a(c+di)+bi(c+di)= (ac+adi)+(bci+bdi2 )…
The problem with this is it is incredibly annoying when the substrings I am rearranging change. This requires me to create a new text object with different specified substrings which I then have to add to the screen while removing the old text object. Explicitly, here’s what I have:
sceneText9=MathTex("(","a","+","b","i",")","(c+di)") sceneText10=MathTex("a","(c+di)","+","b","i","(c+di)") sceneText11=MathTex("a","(","c","+","d","i",")","+","b","{i}","(","c","+","d","i",")") sceneText12=MathTex("(","a","c","+","a","d","i",")","+","(","b","c","{i}","+","b","d","{i}2",")") sceneText13=MathTex("(ac+adi)+(bci+","bd","{i2}",")") sceneText14=MathTex("(ac+adi)+(bci+","-","bd",")") sceneText15=MathTex("(","ac","+","adi",")","+","(","bci","+","-bd",")") sceneText16=MathTex("(","ac","-bd",")","+","(","adi","+","bci",")") to_isolate=["ad","bc","i"] sceneText17=MathTex("(","ac","-bd",")","+","(","adi","+","bci",")",substrings_to_isolate=[*to_isolate]) sceneText18=MathTex("(","ac","-bd",")","+","(","ad","+","bc",")","i") self.play(FadeIn(sceneText11)) self.wait(5) self.play(TransformMatchingTex(sceneText11,sceneText12)) self.wait(3) self.add(sceneText13) self.remove(sceneText12) self.play(TransformMatchingTex(sceneText13,sceneText14),key_map={"i2":"-"}) self.add(sceneText15) self.remove(sceneText14) self.wait(3) self.play(TransformMatchingTex(sceneText15,sceneText16)) self.wait(3) self.add(sceneText17) self.remove(sceneText16) self.wait(3) self.play(TransformMatchingTex(sceneText17,sceneText18)) self.wait(3)
My question is if there is a more straightforward way to go about this. For example if I have a(c+di)+bi(c+di)= (ac+adi)+(bci+bdi2 ) and I want the a (and bi) to move into the first (and second) parenthesized expression I need to break everything into tiny substrings (“a”,”(“,”c”,”d”,”i”…) but then if I want to follow this with, say, (ac+bdi2 )+(bci+adi) I need to define new substrings in order to ensure this moves the way I want (“ac”,”bdi2 “,”bci”…). (It seems like sometimes this works without defining new substrings but in general it doesn’t). Is there a way I can achieve this without constantly creating new text objects and doing all this annoying work?
Also on a similar note, I am wondering if it is possible to define distinct targets for identical characters. Say I have a string “(a,a)” and I want to transform this to, say, “(f(a),f(a))” so that the left/right a’s are mapped to their respective f(a) (again, maybe in this specific case things work okay but I am asking in a more general sense), is there any way to unambiguously specify the target? Like is there a way to do something like Obj1=MathTex(“(“,”{a}_1”,”,”,”{a}_2”,”)”) and Obj1=MathTex(“(“,”f({a}_1)”,”,”,”f({a}_2”,)”)”) then TransformMatchingTex(Obj1,Obj2) (obviously without having the _1 / _2’s show up). Thanks so much for any help
Thanks so much for any help
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2024.05.19 09:06 ThrowRA_calvalhalla My gf (28f) wants kids in the future. I 31m) don't - because I already have two. Should we break up?

Tldr: do I break up now, later, or wing it and see what happens in the future?
I'm divorced, with two kids from my marriage. Me and my ex-wife (Kira, not real name) have a really good relationship post separation,, and we split the kids 50/50 in terms of childcare, where they sleep, etc. We both live in the same city still, and the kids are primary school age, so logistically it's feasible to share them between our houses.
Both me and Kira have found new partners: she has found a really nice guy and he is great with the kids. I can see how happy Kira is with him, and the kids love him. I also found someone (Riley, not real name) who is great, I love very much and everything in our new relationship is really great.
I suffer from depression, which I have therapy for, and Riley has been great with dealing with my mood swings, and I feel more comfortable with her, and able to be myself more. I think I'm also being a better father with Riley around, cause I feel less alone and less shouty with the kids. Riley gets on with the kids; she's fairly introverted and extremely anxious, but a lot calmer than me and the kids do like her, when we go out for food, or go round to Riley's house on weekends when I have the kids.
When we got together, I said that I didn't want more kids. This is because I really struggle with the identity of being a dad. I was fairly naive by getting married and having kids at 26, because it wasn't what I really wanted at the time. 100% my fault of not being myself then. I was doing lots of things I didn't like with Kira. Now, at 31, I'm having a bit of a mid life crisis, in that I'm not sure I like my job that much, and I miss the fact that I never had a crazy time in my 20s where I travelled alone, or met lots of people, making new friends. Me and Kira met on the first day of University at age 18 and were together ever since. I didn't make any friends and I'm paying for it now. When we moved to a new city for my current job, I made lots of new friends but because of all my domestic things, I felt that I couldn't commit to going out with them, or making social plans. I'd feel worried that I wasn't being a good dad, so I'd stay at home and look after the kids. I let Kira do whatever she wanted with her friends and she really appreciated it. She always tried to get me to do things for myself but I sort of self sabotaged myself.
Anyway, now through therapy and self reflection, I feel like I know myself better. I'm happy with both my kids, and I don't want any more. I think I could be convinced but I really wouldn't be doing it for myself. I'd fall into a cycle of not prioritising what I want, which would make me frustrated and a grump, which ultimately led to mine and Kira's divorce.
Me and Riley have been dating for almost a year now. There have been multiple discussions where we both get sad because Riley wants kids, and I'm a definitive no. When we started going out, I was saying "I'm 99% no on kids". My logic being, I don't know what's gonna happen in the future and how I'll feel. We change over time and maybe some part of me wants kids again when I see mine grow up.
Well, cut to this past weekend. The baby question came up again, and I stood firm. She came down to either staying with me with no babies in the future, or leaving. I told her that I loved her and didn't want to make firm decisions, and we should leave it open. We're here now, and who knows what's gonna happen - maybe someone will get sick, life changes, financial stuff etc., and a baby might no longer be on the cards. My stance is, why end our relationship which is great in every way, because of something that might happen in 5 years? Riley wants security and wants to know what's happening, but we both stood back from the edge and things are ok now. I'm writing this because I couldn't sleep was worried that I'm lying to her.
I think if I tell her now I'm 100% no about babies, then we will break up. And all night I was thinking, nope, definitely don't want babies. I don't want to break up, I love her and she's really perfect and matched to my personality. I think I am a good bf, and look after her and she has said that she's very happy with me too.
Options. Man up, break up now and deal with heartbreak. How do I explain to my kids that we won't see Riley anymore? My older one keeps asking when she's gonna have a new Stepmom cause she loves Riley.
Or do I ignore all this anxiety, just keep going and just wait for any discussion to come up again and see what happens naturally? Worst case scenario right, is in 5 years, Riley wants a baby, I say no, and we break up - way harder because maybe we'd be married or living together, with more things tied together. Kids would be heartbroken.
My hope is that Riley will change her mind in 5 years. I know, this is stupid and naive.
I appreciate your time reading this. And if you want more info let me know.
Thank you
submitted by ThrowRA_calvalhalla to relationship_advice [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 09:05 Alteredchaos 📢 Sunday News - with a focus on carers this week

Ministers apologise and return £7,000 in benefits to woman, 93, with dementia
Government ministers have formally apologised and repaid £7,000 to a 93-year-old woman whom they held responsible for running up benefits overpayment debts even though they were told she had dementia and was unable to manage her affairs.
The case, which the minister for disability, Mims Davies, admitted was “disturbing”, was brought to light by the Guardian as part of its investigation into carer's allowance overpayments.
The agreement to write off the debt of the 93-year-old, whom the Guardian has chosen not to name, comes as ministers have promised to try new ways of sharing information with carers to try to prevent them building up months and years of overpayments.
Read the full article on theguardian.com
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DWP confirmed that it is developing an ‘enhanced notification strategy’ to alert carer’s allowance claimants to possible overpayments
Notifications designed to encourage claimants to report changes in income and so reduce the risk of being overpaid.
As part of its policy paper, Fighting Fraud in the Welfare System: Going Further, that was published earlier this week, the Department says (at paragraph 78) -
'In carer’s allowance we are progressing an enhanced notification strategy as part of our existing commitment to improve customer engagement, building on our existing communications with customers. As part of this notification strategy we are considering all forms of targeted contact to find the most effective and efficient solution, such as exploring the use of targeted text messages or emails to alert claimants and encourage them to contact the Department when the DWP is made aware of a potential overpayment.'
The Department added -
'The new strategy will help claimants understand when they may have received an earnings-related overpayment or are at risk of doing so, and will encourage claimants to contact the DWP to meet their obligation to inform the Department of changes in their income and other relevant circumstances. This will reduce the risk of those customers being overpaid.'
Note: having expressed concern that the DWP had 'done nothing' to stop carers building up huge overpayments of benefit despite knowing what people are earning, Work and Pensions Committee Chair Stephen Timms called on the National Audit Office to investigate problems with the carer's allowance system and, in particular, its failure to prevent or rectify overpayments.
Stephen Timms has also written to Secretary for State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride highlighting concerns about the DWP's lack of progress with overpayments since the previous committee's report in 2019. Mr Timms' letter repeats the committee's recommendation that the DWP increase the rate of carer's allowance and goes on to call for the DWP to review both the amount and the cliff-edge nature of the earnings limit and for the removal of the 21-hour study rule.
For more information, see Policy paper: Fighting Fraud in the Welfare System: Going Further from gov.uk
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Carers UK has welcomed the DWP's plans, noting this is the 'minimum' they've been calling for to tackle carers' overpayments. However, Director of Policy and Public Affairs Emily Holzhausen also highlights that implementing the strategy is 'urgent', asks that the whole issue be moved out of being branded benefits fraud, and that carer's allowance be reviewed as it should be 'modernised to reflect the realities of caring'.
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DWP-commissioned research highlights how the carer’s allowance earnings threshold influences decisions about how many hours carers work
Report also makes clear that the Department was made aware three years ago that there was room to improve claimant understanding and possibly reduce mistakes leading to overpayments by improving its communications.
The research, Experiences of claiming and receiving carer’s allowance, explores how and why people claim carer's allowance; their caring roles; experiences of combining paid work and care; and how well claimants understand the rules associated with the benefit. While carried out in 2020/2021, the research has been published today against a backdrop of calls for the wholescale reform of carer's allowance as a result of evidence that claimants who have earned above the carer's allowance earnings limit have been left with large overpayments and, in some cases, prosecuted for fraud.
While the research found that many claimants in employment felt there was a practical limit to the hours they could work, with many saying it was only feasible to be working part-time due to their caring responsibilities, it also found that -
Published on the same day that the Work and Pensions Select Committee said that there has been insufficient progress in addressing the problems with carer's allowance that it highlighted five years ago, the research makes clear that the Department has been aware of the issues for some time. For example, it highlights confusion relating to the complexity of the earnings calculation, including how deductions such as childcare expenses and pension contributions are taken account of, and whether wages can be averaged if you earn more in a particular week.
In addition, with the Chair of the Select Committee Stephen Timms having said recently that the DWP has done nothing to stop carers building up huge overpayments despite knowing what people are earning, and the Committee having called on the National Audit Office to investigate the problems with the system, the research found that -
As a result, the research says -
'... there is room to improve claimant understanding and possibly reduce mistakes leading to overpayments by improving communications around eligibility criteria. Since claimants did not engage with the detail of their benefit regularly, possibly only considering it once a year when they received their annual letter, more frequent communications may improve clarity of knowledge around carer’s allowance.'
Other key findings include that -
For more information, see Experiences of claiming and receiving carer’s allowance from gov.uk
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Almost 135,000 people currently have an outstanding carer's allowance debt, with more than £250 million owed in total, according to figures supplied by DWP Minister Paul Maynard
DWP Minister also confirms that women represent 68 per cent of those with an outstanding debt.
Responding to a written question in Parliament from Work and Pensions Committee Chair Stephen Timms, Mr Maynard said -
'As of 14 May 2024, the volume of people who have an outstanding carers allowance debt is 134,800 with a total value of £251 million. This figure represents the total stock and as such the total monetary amount may have been accrued over multiple years. Those who have an outstanding carers allowance debt may no longer be in receipt of the benefit.'
Mr Maynard added that -
'Women make up the majority of carer’s allowance claims, and this is reflected in the proportion of those with an outstanding carer’s allowance debt. As of 14 May 2024, there were 42,800 (32 per cent) males, 91,900 (68 per cent) females and 100 (less than 1 per cent) not identified, with an outstanding carer's allowance debt.'
The Minister also confirmed that, as of November 2023, there were more than 991,000 people in receipt of carer's allowance, consisting of around 271,000 (27 per cent) males and 720,000 (73 per cent) females.
Mr Maynard's written answer is available from parliament.uk
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Total value of benefit overpayments in 2023/2024 increased to almost £10 billion, representing 3.7 per cent of benefit expenditure for the year
New DWP figures also show that official error underpayments remained at around £1 billion, and that people could have claimed more than £3 billion more 'if they had provided accurate information about their circumstances'.
In Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year 2023 to 2024 estimates, the DWP calculates how much money it overpaid or underpaid as a percentage of total benefit expenditure for the year (£266.2bn) - for benefits including universal credit, housing benefit, personal independence payment, employment and support allowance and pension credit - and how many claims were paid an incorrect amount.
Note: the statistics no longer include estimates of claimant error underpayments as these are now published separately, as confirmed in recent DWP guidance.
In relation to incorrect payment rates across all benefits for the financial year ending (FYE) 2024, the figures show that the total rate of benefit expenditure overpaid was 3.7 per cent (£9.7bn), compared with 3.6 per cent (£8.3bn) in 2022/2023. In addition, the total rate of benefit expenditure underpaid was 0.4 per cent (£1.1bn), compared with 0.5 per cent (£1.2bn) in FYE 2023.
Looking in more detail at the figures for individual benefits, the statistics include data showing that -
In addition to the fraud and error statistics, the DWP has also issued Unfulfilled eligibility in the benefit system: Financial Year Ending (FYE) 2024, in line with its decision to remove claimant underpayments from its main fraud and error estimates. The new statistics set out the percentage of benefit expenditure that could have been paid to people with unfulfilled eligibility 'if they had provided the correct information', and show key findings that include -
The DWP highlighted that -
'PIP has the second highest unfulfilled eligibility rate [4 per cent] of all benefits and fairly high expenditure [£21.6bn], so due to this combination, PIP accounts for around one-quarter of total unfulfilled eligibility in FYE 2024. DLA has the highest unfulfilled eligibility rate [11.1 per cent] but relatively low expenditure [£6.8m], so even though its rate is higher than PIP, it accounts for a similar amount of total unfulfilled eligibility in FYE 2024. Universal credit has a lower unfulfilled eligibility rate than DLA and PIP [1.4 per cent] but its high expenditure means that it also accounts for a similar amount of total unfulfilled eligibility in FYE 2024.'
For more information, see Fraud and error in the benefit system: financial year 2023 to 2024 estimates and Unfulfilled eligibility in the benefit system: financial year 2023 to 2024 estimates from gov.uk
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Work and Pensions Secretary Mel Stride has set out the DWP's plans to scale up its 'fight against fraudsters'
New measures include using machine learning to detect and prevent fraudulent claims, as well as introducing a new Bill to enable benefit fraud to be treated like tax fraud.
Issuing a written statement in the House of Commons on 13th May, Mr Stride said -
'In the continued fight against fraud, today the Government will publish a new paper setting out the progress we have made in tackling fraud and error in the welfare system - Fighting Fraud in the Welfare System: Going Further. The paper sets out the progress we have made in delivering the commitments in the Government's 2022 command paper Fighting Fraud in the Welfare System and it demonstrates where we are going further to protect taxpayers’ money from fraudsters.'
Highlighting that the Data Protection and Digital Information Bill, currently before Parliament, will enable the Department to work with third parties such as banks to identify claims that signal potential fraud and error, Mr Stride says that the new measures being introduced include -
Note: the Department confirms that final decisions on accepting or stopping a claim will, however, continue to be made by a member of DWP staff.
For more information, see DWP updates Fraud Plan from gov.uk
In response to the above article the Disability News Service reported that the government's fraud policy paper ignores coroner’s concerns over review of disabled woman’s universal credit claim. Read the DNS article on disabilitynewsservice.com
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Less than half of legacy benefit claimants who were sent a migration notice between July 2022 and March 2024 have made a claim for universal credit, according to new figures from the DWP
However, new DWP statistics also show that 60 per cent of households that claimed universal credit have been awarded transitional protection.
In Completing the move to Universal Credit: statistics related to the move of households claiming Tax Credits and DWP benefits to Universal Credit: data to end of March 2024, the DWP sets out figures for the period since July 2022, noting that -
'In the period covered by this bulletin, the vast majority of migration notices have been sent to tax credit households whose likelihood of claiming universal credit and receiving transitional protection may be different from DWP legacy benefit claimants, the majority of whom had not yet been sent a migration notice in the period covered in this bulletin.'
The statistics include that -
Move to Universal Credit statistics, July 2022 to March 2024 is available from gov.uk
Note: the DWP has also published Universal Credit statistics, 29 April 2013 to 11 April 2024­ which show that there were 6.7 million people on universal credit in April 2024 (300,000 more than the 6.4 million in January 2024) and that half of households on universal credit that received a payment in February 2024 included children.
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Department for Communities also confirms that claimants in receipt of other legacy benefits will be issued with migration notices 'in the coming months'
The Department for Communities (DfC) has confirmed that the 'Move to UC' rollout in Northern Ireland has expanded this week to include people receiving tax credits along with housing benefit.
Announcing the expansion of the process, Deputy Secretary of Work and Health at the DfC Paddy Rooney said -
'We continue to take a measured and carefully managed approach to migrating legacy benefit recipients to universal credit. We have already successfully completed issuing migration notices to tax credit only recipients and we will continue to take every step possible to ensure that everyone receives the help and support they need during this next phase of Move to UC.'
The Department also confirmed that once it has issued migration notices to all those receiving tax credits with housing benefit, the following groups will be contacted in this order -
In relation to the bringing forward of managed migration for ESA and ESA/housing benefit claimants in Great Britain, announced by the Prime Minister on 19 April 2024, the DfC says that it is working to assess the impact of this on the region. It also confirms that it will align with the DWP's aim to complete the migration of legacy benefit claimants to universal credit by March 2025.
For more information, see Tax credit with housing benefit recipients next to 'Move to UC' and Rollout of Universal Credit for Tax Credit and Legacy Benefit customers - screening from ni.gov.uk
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57,000 adverse universal credit sanction decisions were made in January 2024, according to new DWP statistics
DWP statistics also highlight that around 95 per cent of decisions are as a result of failure to attend or participate in a mandatory interview.
In Benefit sanctions statistics to February 2024, the DWP reports on both the rate and duration of sanctions for universal credit claimants who are in conditionality regimes where they be applied.
Key findings include that -
In addition, while the total number of claimants in conditionality regimes where sanctions can be applied has remained largely stable since May 2022 (currently at 1.95 million), the total number of adverse sanction decisions stood at 57,000 in January 2024, the highest since March 2022.
The DWP notes that -
'Comparisons with universal credit prior to February 2024 ... should not be made. This is because the data sources, methodology and rules of the benefits differ from those used for universal credit currently.'
However, it adds that, following the reinstated duration measures and rate methodology improvements, the data is now determined stable and fit for purpose and, as of May 2024, it is published under the 'Official Statistics' label as opposed to 'in development'.
For more information, see Benefit sanctions statistics to February 2024 from gov.uk
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DWP has admitted missing multiple opportunities to record the 'vulnerability' of a disabled woman whose death was later linked by a coroner to failings at the heart of its UC system
The Disability News Service reported on the case of Nazerine (known as Naz) Anderson, from Melton Mowbray, who died of an overdose in June last year, after receiving a UC review notice.
According to a prevention of future deaths (PFD) report sent to the department by coroner Fiona Butler, the DWP missed six opportunities to record Anderson’s “vulnerability” on its IT system while it was reviewing her universal credit claim, and had failed to act on the mental distress she showed in phone calls about her claim. It also repeatedly failed to act on requests to direct its telephone calls and letters to her daughter.
The DWP admits multiple universal credit failures before disabled woman’s death article is available on disabilitynewsservice.com
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Number of emergency food parcels distributed across the UK by the Trussell Trust has increased by 90 per cent over the past five years
Food charity reports that it distributed more than three million parcels last year, with more than a million of them going to children.
In Emergency food parcel distribution in the UK: April 2023 - March 2024, the Trust says that it distributed 3,121,404 food parcels, the most parcels that it has ever distributed in a financial year, representing a four per cent increase on last year's record-breaking numbers for 2022/2023 and a 94 per cent increase since 2018/2019.
The charity also highlights that the number of parcels provided to children has continued to rise, exceeding 1.1 million in 2023/2024, and that food bank support is provided disproportionately to children, compared to the proportion of children in the UK population. In addition, it notes that pension age households are increasingly likely to need to use a food bank, with food bank support for these households having more than quadrupled between 2018/2019 and 2023/2024 (an increase of 345 per cent), compared to an 81 per cent rise amongst households without someone of pension age.
Also sharing statistics on the reason for referral for an emergency food parcel - which include health, benefit issues, work hour changes, insecure housing, changes in personal circumstances, immigration status and domestic abuse, as well as income and debt levels - the Trussell Trust says -
'Across all households the most common reason for referral was due to issues with income and debt levels. The vital role of the social security system in driving these trends is clear from the fact that the majority (78 per cent) of people referred to food banks were reported to solely have income from the social security system, with a further 8 per cent having earned income as well as income from social security.'
Trussell Trust Chief Executive Emma Revie said -
'It’s 2024 and we’re facing historically high levels of food bank need. As a society, we cannot allow this to continue. We must not let food banks become the new norm ... A supportive social security system is the bedrock on which we end hunger for good. Building on this, we need much more effective employment and financial support for parents, carers and disabled people, and action to ensure everyone can have the security we all need to access opportunities and have hope for the future, through more secure and flexible jobs and investment in social housing. Food banks are not the answer. They will be there to support people as long as they are needed, but our political leaders must take bold action to build a future where everyone has enough money to afford the life’s essentials. The time to act is now.'
For more information, see End of Year Stats from trusselltrust.org
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Employment Minister Jo Churchill has provided a House of Lords Select Committee with an undertaking that the administrative earnings threshold (AET) in universal credit will not be increased again without a 'sound evidence base'
However, Minister's evidence to Lords Committee fails to address its dissatisfaction with DWP's explanation for not publishing robust evidence to support previous increases in the threshold.
Further to the Lords Secondary Legislation Scrutiny Committee's report on new regulations that implemented a further increase in the AET from 13 May 2024 - that criticised the ‘inexplicable’ lack of data evaluating previous increases in the threshold in September 2022 and January 2023 - the Committee held a one-off evidence session yesterday to question the Minister and DWP officials.
Introducing the session, Committee Chair Lord Hunt acknowledged that the DWP had agreed to share its informal findings supporting its AET policy. However Lord Hunt added that -
'... similar, no doubt to the material that the Social Security Advisory Committee saw but correctly declined, if information is not available to the House and the public, then we feel unable to consider it either.'
The Committee then questioned the Minister about the Department's failure to publish evidence providing an assessment of the impact of increasing the AET either before or after implementing the change.
In response, Ms Churchill highlighted that the Department did publish a randomised controlled trial evaluation in 2018 providing the highest level of evidence on the impacts of increased in-work conditionality that Ministers have had sight of. When challenged that this evidence is somewhat outdated and 'a bit threadbare' - as it has been relied on for three increases in the AET - Ms Churchill indicated that Ministers also had early sight of unpublished research (a Regression Discontinuity Design (RDD) study) that compares the experiences of claimants who are just below and just above the AET.
When pressed on the expected publication dates for this and further evidence, Mr Churchill said -
'I have asked for [the RDD study] to be available as soon as it can be, and the date I was given was spring 2024 ... I would like it out the door as soon as possible, so you have more data ... RDD is the next piece, the next building block and then, the longitudinal study will come through in 2025.'
Concluding the session with a final question, Lord Hunt, speaking on behalf of the whole Committee, said -
'... we're looking for an undertaking from you, not to further expand the cohort until the Department can publish robust evidence of its effects. Are you able to give us that undertaking?
Ms Churchill responded -
'So are you alluding to us holding 15 hours or with this latest laying at 18? Because I could certainly say to you, I think with all confidence that at 18, we want to understand the iterations and make sure that we've got a sound evidence base from there.'
NB - the increase in the AET in January 2023 was based, for individuals, on the equivalent of them working 15 hours per week at the National Living Wage, and this week's increase to the equivalent of them working 18 hours per week.
Despite welcoming the Minister's reply, Lord Hunt went on to say -
'... we accept your undertaking, except we are still as dissatisfied as we were because you haven't provided, in the view of the Committee, sufficient explanation yet. We are awaiting this robust evidence, which I think that we now expect in June 2024.'
The evidence session Regulations to increase the Administrative Earnings Threshold (Legislative scrutiny) is available from parliament.tv
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Work and Pensions Select Committee has called on the government to bring forward proposals to compensate women born in the 1950s who suffered as a result of the DWP's communication failures when their pension age was increased, and asks that it does so in the current parliamentary session
Committee chair highlights lengthy delay and urgency for affected women and calls on government to act on Parliamentary Ombudsman recommendations before summer recess.
Writing to Secretary of State for Work and Pensions Mel Stride, Committee Chair Stephen Timms requests government support for 'urgent action' following the Parliamentary Ombudsman's final report in March 2024 which recommended a remedy based on level 4 of its severity of injustice scale, putting awards at between £1,000 and £2,950.
Mr Timms says that the Committee does not seek to question the Ombudsman's proposal for compensation at level 4, but instead has focused on what a remedy may look like -
'The evidence we received indicated support for a rules-based system. This would be a system where payments would be adjusted within a range (based on the PHSO’s severity of injustice scale) to reflect the extent of change in the individual’s State Pension age and the notice of the change which the individual received. This would mean that the less notice you had of the change and the bigger the change in your SPA, the higher the payment you would receive. While not perfect, the advantages of such a system are that it would be: quick to administer; applying known data to a formula to determine the amount due; and relatively inexpensive (compared to a more bespoke system).'
The Committee's recommendation also includes some flexibility for individuals to make the case for further compensation in the event that they have experienced direct financial loss, for example where a woman whose divorce settlement was less than it would have been because it was based on the expectation that she would receive her state pension at 60.
Mr Timms also asks the government to consider -
'... the need for urgent action, given that the Ombudsman started to look at this issue in 2018 and that every 13 minutes a woman born in the 1950s dies ... Implementing a remedy will need parliamentary time, financial resources, and the data and technical systems only available to your department. It cannot happen without government support. We would ask you to bring forward proposals for a remedy by the summer recess.'
Mr Timms' letter to the Secretary of State for Work and Pensions is available from parliament.uk
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2024.05.19 09:04 gryffixx Random thought about “work”

No job is hard but every job takes effort. The amount of energy it takes to NOT put in effort is about the same if not more than it is to actually put the effort into something. However at the end of the day it’s the end of the day and all that means is however much effort is put into the chosen career or whatever in general whether that be a blue/white collar job, line cook at a fast food joint, or even a homemaker, the effort that is given is everything. A person for example can talk smack telling people they could do better and intentionally/unintentionally saying they are better to use that as motivation for someone to do a better job well that won’t work as well as a person who puts in the effort and will do just that and show someone what a better job looks like. Aka leads by example. Not that difficult if a little effort is put in “a little bit of elbow grease” if you will. Respect is another thing people will have less tenacity to put in the effort if they are disrespected. Whether it is a boss to boss, boss to employee, employee to boss, person to person, etc. Doing a phenomenal job is definitely a TEAM EFFORT. But that’s my opinion and honestly not everyone is capable of putting in effort but are still capable of completing a task. For example taking out the trash, doing your chosen job, picking up after your dog, washing a car. Is any of that necessarily hard? No. Is it any more difficult to put effort into doing it and not half ass-ing or being a lazy shit? No. So at the end of the day all it fizzles out to is character. Major benefit of putting in effort is at said end of said day you can hold your head up high knowing you did everything you possibly could do to do a good job and be content knowing you put in that effort to do your best and that is respectable. Disadvantage of putting in effort is that people around you will start to learn and do by your example and may outperform or do better than you. Again in my opinion is that really a disadvantage? After all a “team” means everyone benefits a job well done unless you have an ego and toxic self pride which makes you unable to celebrate doing good as a unit as to being a lone soldier and believing you are godly, but then again at the end of the day it’s the end of the day. “To each their own”. 
 -gryffixx
submitted by gryffixx to gryffixxblog [link] [comments]

http://rodzice.org/