I had taken spin classes before in Germany and it was fun but Cyclebar hits different ya’all. I moved to LA in 2023 not knowing a single soul, thought I’d join a fitness class to get in shape and make some friends. And quite serendipitously, found a CB a couple of blocks away from my place. From the first class itself, I was hooked and signed up for the unlimited package right away.
Saying I looked forward to going everyday would be understatement. That has never been the case with any workout I’ve ever done. Most days I would be so excited I’d arrive 30mins early and would have to go walk around the block before entering the studio lol. Everyone was so friendly, I made friends and would dm back and forth with the trainers as well. Also, as a lonely, single het guy, being surrounded by all these health conscious women didn’t hurt too haha. I even invested in workout clothes and planned my outfits for each day. I did 240+ classes in my 10 months in the US and I swear I had FOMO on the days my legs wont let me go.
By the end of November, I was in fantastic shape! I was eating whatever I wanted, my endurance levels were off the charts and my resting heart rate was that of a professional distance runner. CB also gave me hope for my golden years. As a former fat kid, I always assumed I would gain the weight back as I got older because everyone gets a belly in their 50s and 60s right? But with CB being so fun and easy on my joints, I thought I had a real shot at being a hot grandpa someday haha. Not just fitness, CB also helped me broaden my music taste as well and my playlists are now triple the size they were before CB.
Sadly, my life went to shit pretty soon. I got laid off in November and had to leave the US due to an expired work visa. I still remember how I bawled my eyes out on the way home after my last CB ride. Having the life I had built for myself taken away from me has been brutal but I am trying to fight back. I have spent the last 6 months talking to lawyers so I can get a visa so that I can then look for a job in the US. It would make so much sense to just stay in Europe but I am old and my heart is set on LA and this one CB studio. I cant wait to get back. You better believe I would be the happiest lad in all of US the day I get to ride in CB again.

So... I am talking excruciatingly homo erotic but not an actual full blown sex act. I thought about this weirdly from the hottest place you've jerked it post.
So let me preface this story that I've had exactly one wet dream in my life and it was when I was 19. It was finals week of my first semester of college and had the weirdest dream that I was fucking a guy on a hill while reading sheet music off his chest. I am not a musician or a top so no idea where my mind was. But anyway it being finals week I had an 8am final and was super not accustomed to having to wake up that early so I asked my straight roommate to wake me up. So, I end up waking up to the sounds of my own moaning but also realize my roommate has his hand on my side gently rocking me awake. I wake up super embarrassed about the moaning and just say thanks and lay there. That is when I realized my dick is beyond hard and my shorts are COVERED in still warm jizz. I'm covered by blankets but have no idea how I am gonna wake up with a hardon, strip naked, dry off and get dressed without him noticing. Our makeshift kitchen area (a coffee pot, mini fridge and assorted non perishables piled one of two desks) is right at the head of my bed. The space to get food was also my designated changing area. And I see my roommate with his morning wood making a small tent in his shorts (normal for him) fixing a bowl of cereal. He had never seen me hard and especially hard and naked. And yes this has the makings of something sexy happening but nothing did. When he went to his bed to eat I sprung and swung around fast dropped my shorts and did my best to dry myself and stuffed my boner in my jeans and sat back down waiting to go flaccid. But yeah technically nothing gay happened but in the moment I was so turned on.

Christopher Alvarez:

Going to do a quick live. If you haven't already, go to my stories and read the article I just dropped about the Drake and Kendrick Lamar beef.
It's been a wild ride, a wild weekend, and today is Monday. Like we say in Spanish: [I don't speak Spanish.]
Today has been a day where I have been forced to reflect on many of the things that happened to what started on social media and it wasn't a very exciting weekend for my family because they were concerned for my mental health and well-being.
The article that dropped kind of explains that Drake and Kendrick and all of the other celebrities that I have had the courage to connect with, they are great moments that I've lived in my life and that was a time when we were -- I was a kid, you know, just being a fan, living life, meeting my idols.
But nothing happened that night. All these accusations that Drake raped me, that Drake paid off some big money to make me stay quiet or like the Post article. Like, on that I have nothing to hide. I'm an open book. That's what I've told everybody my whole life.
I kind of write down the struggle of being a disabled person and I would never put anyone in harm's way. I understand that these comments on social media have hurt a lot of people because they have messaged me and I'm sorry to them.
I'm sorry to the Mark Hotel for the bad publicity that they have, that they've obtained.
I'm sorry to the security guard at the Mark Hotel for getting fired.
None of this is fabricated. I don't have any intention go bash anyone. It's unfortunate that this is the reason that I have to go live, this is the reason that I have to connect with my fans because I have to apologize for something that I have no idea how I got involved in.
So, I wish everybody could just put this aside. Look forward. Because that's what life is about, you know? Life throws you a lot of curveballs but it's how you get around it and it's how you make the best of every situation and I hope this predicament is an example of how obstacles are never too big for me to overcome and this is just one of them.
Thank to anybody who's texted me kind words. Thank you to the Brooklyn Eagle for giving me the space, the opportunity, to share my side of the story. If you haven't already, go and read it. And I'm gonna go answer Some questions in a little bit so go ahead and type whatever you want to know.
Okay, so, no, I was not on drugs. I'm not --
3 AM, yes, 3 AM. So what? It's New York City, baby. We party. It's the city that never sleeps.
No, Drake did not pay me. I'm okay. Nothing happened between Drake and I, nothing bad happened. We were just hitting it off, like a fan, as someone who likes music, and he’s got some great, great music coming out so stay tuned.
What else?
I guess that's pretty much it but I wanna say I know there have been some news outlets clearly like [???] who have tried to turn this debacle into something that it’s not. I don't think that's the right way to go about it. We should all reach out to the source before posting something. That's what I learned at Columbia journalism school. [Study to be right, to be best?]
What else do you want me to say?
It's been real. It's been real, guys. Thank you for the support. Thank you for everything. Keep reading. I'm gonna keep posting stuff as a journalist because that's what I do. I make people pay for doing bad things. So, those who are private entities or public officials, I make them pay. I make them own their word.
What other articles? I'm working on an article about [Miami pools?] shutting down so I think that’s my next article. I should have something coming out Friday night so stay tuned to that page, as well. If you don't follow me: journalvarez, that’s my professional page. Just like my Twitter handle which I think you guys, most of you guys, have figured out and started following so whether it's for the good reasons, or the right reasons, stay tuned.
I don't really keep up with what's being dropped by those Twitter users. I don't really know what else has been leaked so I can't comment on the audio of the puppy or the dog, whatever people are texting about.This is something that was brought to my attention by a friend. I don't follow beef. I don't really care about the beef from anyone because I live life happy, every day. Life is too short to hate. [So, gotta do that justice?]
I wish Kendrick and Drake all the best going forward. Hopefully they can hash things out. And keep reading the article. Thank you for this [?], I'm out.
Thank you, thank you, thank you.
[Moonshine?]

Woman:

Do you want to answer questions, or no?

Chris:

I’m out. [??] Everything goes so fast.

Woman:

I know. They're asking if you got paid. They're asking who came in the room, I don't know what that - I don't know where they got a room from. “Did you see the altercation with the security?” What puppy? That’s our dog. Okay.

Chris:

That's my dog.

Woman:

Let’s see… “Don't lie,” okay. “Was Drake kind to you?”

Chris:

Drake is always kind to me. He’s [??] guy and I can't say anything wrong about him or any other celebrities that I’ve come in contact with.

Woman:

“Did he slap you?” Answer’s no. “Were you paid?” No.

Chris:

I was not paid. I was not slapped. I was not abused. Nothing happened that night except just two guys enjoying some music.

Woman:

They want to know why you said to the person to DM you

Chris:

Yes. I will address that. That person said that there was a New York officer who paid Ebony Prince to make all this nonsense up. I just wanted to talk to her about what else she knew but apparently something is going on with her page so I never DMed her cause the page, the DMs weren't showing up

Woman:

Okay. “Why were you with him at 3 AM?”

Chris:

3 AM, I mean… it’s the morning. I know it's late, but New York is the city that never sleeps and people party hearty here in New York

Woman:

“Is Drake innocent of these accusations?”

Chris:

Drake is innocent and should not be slandered.

Woman:

“Why were you liking comments earlier?” Do you want me to answer that? You got it?

Chris:

I like… Everything I do on social media has a second intention and I like comments to create suspense, whether it's pertaining to, who knows what the comment is talking about.

Woman:

Yeah, they're asking about the comments. Okay. “The fact that the nurse answers those two means she's lying.” I don't know what nurse you're talking about. Okay. “Hospital after that date, everything okay?” Did you go to the hospital?

Chris:

I don't think so.

Woman:

I have no idea.

Chris:

I went to the [?] hotel in Brooklyn the night after.

Woman:

Yeah, okay.

Chris:

I like the ice. I like the cold.

Woman:

“He got a little girl as a present from…” I have no idea what that means.

Chris:

Wait, what?

Woman:

They said that you got a little girl as a present, which is fucking weird

Chris:

Stop, stop doing that.

Woman:

Stop what? Cursing?

Chris:

Don't curse.

Woman:

Okay, no cursing.

Chris:

I'm a [?] guy, I don't curse.

Woman:

He said “What's the benefit to answering crazy allegations like this?”

Chris:

There's no benefit, you know. I'm not a guy who likes to feed people what they like to hear but this was a specific scenario where my family and my friends would be harmed and I needed to come out.

Woman:

Okay, wait…

Chris:

What else, what else?

Woman:

“Someone talking in Spanish to him in the background…”

Chris:

I'm Spanish. I'm from Colombia. Colombia [???]

Woman:

Okay. Sorry. I think that's it.

Chris:

Wait, go back, go back.

Woman:

Oh, go back?

Chris:

To “the article do--”

Woman:

Oh, “the article doesn't seem consistent,” I guess

Chris:

What part of the article is not consistent? Let me know. Type your thoughts.

Woman:

Yeah, be more specific about this so-called inconsistency. “What's on the lobby video?”

Chris:

I have not seen the video. I have seen a screenshot of my face that's clearly me at 3:19 AM leaving the hotel after Drake and I had a good time listening to beats.

Woman:

“Chris, did you ever see Drake around any minors that night?”

Chris:

That night, I never saw him with any minors.

[Video freezes]

you let me know, okay? Because we’re [??] to tell them to get away from me because I like to be independent.

Woman:

Okay, good.

Chris:

What else?

Woman:

“What is she reading?” I'm reading the questions, guys.

Chris:

That’s my assistant. She'll be reading questions because y’all type too fast.

Woman:

Yeah.

[Video freezes]
Woman:

Okay.

[Video freezes]
Woman:

These are just comments.

Chris:

I don't know about the second guard. I know about one guard. [??]

[Video freezes]

I usually [?????]

Woman:

It says “You said it was just you two but we see multiple people in the picture?” Or in the video, I guess.

Chris:

I have only seen one picture and it’s me and this [blurred out?] guy in a red hoodie and I have no idea who that is.

Woman:

Okay. It’s too many questions. “Do you know who this Ebony person is?”

Chris:

I would like to find out who he is and trust me that the journalism guy in me will get to the bottom of it.

Woman:

Okay, they keep asking why the guard was fired.

Chris:

The guard was fired for letting me into the hotel. I had gotten to the hotel an hour before Drake arrived.

Woman:

They're also asking if you had to sign an NDA.

Chris:

I don't sign NDAs. Nobody controls me. I am my own man and I know when I have to speak up.

Woman:

Someone said “Where can I read the article?”

Chris:

Go to brooklyneagle.com. Go ahead, I'm on the front page.
“You’re making up your own questions to check.”

Woman:

I saw that, but I'm not. “Did you meet Drake’s dogs?”

Chris:

No. I did not meet Drake’s dog. I don't like dogs. I have a dog because it’s my sister’s but I don't mess with dogs.
[J???] get out of here.

Woman:

Oh, [J???]’s here.

Chris:

[J???], get out. You don't want to be here.

Woman:

Yeah, they're saying your ventilator sounds just like the beginning of 6:16. I will say I listened to that and it sounds nothing like the ventilator. I don't know where people are getting that from.

Chris:

The ventilator is the reason why I can't hear. It’a too loud.

Woman:

[J??] says “Hola.” Hi, [J??]
“Why were there police there?”

Chris:

Police are always there to protect the celebrity.

Woman:

“Why were you following underage kids,” you already answered that.

Chris:

Okay. I guess we’re done, guys. Thank you for keeping up. Thank you for following. Thank you for supporting, those of you who have [?]. Keep reading the article. Brooklyn Eagle, if you haven't already. I will be on my social media more, obviously, because you guys are commenting. So, I will be on the lookout for anything in the comments that needs to be answered. Thank you. Have a good night. I’m out.

Spindrift is the fifth tune on the eighteenth studio album Snakes & Arrows (2007). How do you rank this song? The choices range from skippable (You can almost see the circuits blowing) to outstanding (The treasure of a life).
Writing credits: Music: Geddy Lee, Alex Lifeson, Lyrics: Neil Peart
Relevant band member quote: "The whole song is a 'muscular' performance, and I had to concentrate hard on laying it down, and on locking in with the vocals. That is sometimes an underrated part of drumming, and of being an accompanist, but if you're playing a song, with words and music, the singing is often considered...oh, let's say, 'important.' For that reason, and perhaps because I write the lyrics, I give a lot of attention to the vocals, trying to frame them effectively and unobtrusively, while punching them up rhythmically when I can." -Neil in 'The Drums of Snakes & Arrows: What Went into What Came Out' from Modern Drummer Magazine (August 2007)
Rush Official YouTube Channel link
This track was released as a radio promo single in 2007.
View Poll

Hey there! I'm on a quest to find that special someone who can be more than just a friend. Life's journey is more enjoyable with someone by your side, don't you agree? Despite not knowing you yet, I have faith in the magic of connection and believe that together, we can create something beautiful.
I recently turned 21 and live in the Greater Ahmedabad area. While I adore my city, I'm eager to make new friends online. Whether it's chatting late into the night or sharing funny pictures, I'm all in for making meaningful connections.
Let's break the ice with some fun activities! Whether it's discovering new music, exchanging recipes (I make a mean pasta dish!), or watching our favorite shows together, I'm up for it. And if you're into gaming, count me in for some co-op adventures!
Though I'm young, I've experienced my fair share of ups and downs. But through it all, I've learned the value of kindness, affection, and understanding. If you're someone who values these qualities too, we're off to a great start!
Here's a bit more about me: I enjoy exploring new hobbies and trying new things. Currently, I'm diving into digital art and enjoying every moment of it. I'm also a romantic at heart, so expect lots of love and affection from my end.
When it comes to relationships, I believe in mutual respect, trust, and open communication. While I'm seeking online friendships initially, I'm open to the possibility of it evolving into something more if we both feel a connection.
So, if you're up for friendly chats, laughter, and maybe even a little romance, let's see where this journey takes us! Whether you're from the Greater Ahmedabad area or anywhere else, distance is just a number when hearts connect.
Feel free to reach out, and let's see if we click. And regardless of whether we hit it off or not, I wish you all the best in finding what you're looking for!
Looking forward to hearing from you!
PS - I won't mind if you are older than me.

She got up in the dark, with only the dim ambience of soft blue lighting to accompany her. She stretched all four arms, her two legs, and rolled her neck. It struck her as mildly interesting in that moment, how something so small could connect them to humans, The thought was fleeting as she took another step forward to kneel down on the floor. There, in a little alcove in the wall, she had set a volcanic rock from Anin, dried moss, and other paraphernalia from her home world. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath resting her hands together.
Praise and respect to the spirits of Anin. Praise the fathers and mothers of war gone to their rest below the moss and the earth. Praise their spirits that watch from the sky and peer through the ether down upon us.
She continued the slow mantra in the style of Prayer learned from Naktan and pulled her concentration to her core, ignoring anything and everything around her. A deep state of meditation overtook her. She would never have done this if she thought there were any chance that she was in danger, but below she knew Earth glowed like a sphere before their orbiting ship. There was no worry of invasion.
She thought she heard something at one point, but chose to ignore it as she continued her mantra.
Eventually, and after an unknown amount of minutes, she stood and turned slowly to find-
She stopped, and crossed her arms over her chest.
"What are you doing?”
Adam burrowed his way further down into her blankets, nuzzling his head up against her pillow,
"So warm, and comfy!"
She tried not to smile,
"You dumbass."
He pulled the blankets tighter around himself,
"You know, I did come here to talk to you, but now I actually am really comfortable, so come back in two hours."
"I- This is MY home!"
He closed his eyes and pretended to snore loudly.
She rolled her eyes as she watched him theatrically pretend to sleep. She looked around mildly for a moment, before picking up another pillow and glancing at the door. She casually walked over, dropped the pillow on his head and then held it down as if she intended to smother him.
”Die human scum!”
That got him up and moving.
Before long the two of them were grappling for the upper hand, him trying to put her in a choke hold, and her using her lower arms to pinch him.
He yelped,
"Ouch! Pinching is illegal!”
"Sissy."
He clamped his legs around her lower arms, pinning them in place.
She struggled for a minute and then went limp.
She could feel his smug smile,
"I win, I beat the saint of Anin. Everyone bow at my feet."
"You say that, but if this were a real fight, since you’re a human male, you're the one with a self-destruct button."
"Self-destruct button...?"
"Meaning if this were a real fight, I would have punched you in the balls."
"Yaoooutch… Oh god… Please don't."
Finally, he let her go, leaving the two of them to lay on her bed, sheets scattered on the floor around them, and her pillows in disarray. Adam put his hands behind his head and sighed.
She glanced over at him,
"I don't suppose you came to just hang out. Here on Admiral-ly business?"
He groaned, pulling one of her pillows over his face,
"Please smother me for real this time."
She leaned up on one of her elbows,
"Why?"
"I don't wanna be an adult anymore!"
She tilted her head to the side, watching in amusement as he attempted to throw a childlike tantrum, but only really had the energy to kick his feet once,
"It's boring and lame and they won’t let me wear heelies to important meetings... also children don't have to pay taxes."
She laughed, pulling the pillow from his face,
"Adam you are many things, but 'adult' is not one of them."
He grinned slightly,
"True enough."
He sighed again and rested his head back against the pillows,
"I just want to get back to what we are supposed to be doing, exploring the universe and making cool alien friends."
He threw up his hands in frustration,
"But suddenly I find myself embroiled in stupid annoying politics that I don't understand, being used by people who are, let’s face it, WAY smarter than me, constantly finding myself getting manipulated."
She huffed,
"They aren't smarter than you Adam, they're just manipulative, and you aren't."
He sighed,
"Fair enough."
Then he looked at her, bright green eyes reflecting the soft ambient blue light,
"I just, I miss this, I miss us, I miss hanging out and doing stupid shit, and all of the things I could do when I wasn't so important and this operation was smaller."
She smiled rather sadly reaching one hand over for his, lacing the four of her fingers through the five of his,
"Well someone has to do the hard things, who better than you?”
He glanced over at her, raising an eyebrow,
"Or you, miss saint?”
She rolled her eyes again,
"Can't seem to get you off of that. I'm still the same person I used to be."
"But with power."
She elbowed him gently and he grinned,
"But really, I am proud and impressed and... Let's be honest super super smug that 'I' know you personally."
"I know, I am pretty terrific."
The two of them laughed for a minute before settling down again. He glanced over to her little shrine on the wall,
"What were you doing just then?"
She looked up at the ceiling, following the lines of metal and rivets with her eyes,
"Praying to the spirits of Anin."
Embarrassed, he shifted,
"I didn't know you were... Well I didn't think you were all that religious?"
She shrugged,
"Don't feel bad, it's sort of a new thing. Back before all this, it was sort of just stories to me. Like I believed it because that was what everyone believed, but I didn't really accept it, or feel it the way I do now. After everything with my mother, it was hard to feel connected to something I felt I wasn't a part of... But then after visiting my mother, after becoming a saint for a religion I never really followed... Well, it started to make more sense. It feels real now in a way that it never did."
She turned to look at him, finding him watching her, the UV blue stripes in his skin glowing blue.
"I believe in the spirits of Anin more than I ever have."
He smiled at her and squeezed her hand,
"I'm glad to hear it."
They lapsed into silence for a long moment, staring up at the ceiling before, inevitably he broke it,
"So this makes you like, space Moses right?”
She frowned and turned to look at him,
"What is a “Moses”?"
He grinned,
"A guy from one of the Earth Religions. You know, guy follows god's directions to lead his people away from slavery, climbs a mountain, receives the word of god, comes down to give it to the people, that sort of thing."
Sunny tilted her head slightly to the side,
"Are you religious?"
He paused, frowning,
"I... well I... don't really know. My family has been some flavor of Christian for a long time."
"Christian?"
"Uh yeah, the general idea is that there is one all-powerful deity who created everything. He has rules and laws that you are supposed to follow, the general tenants of this specific religion mostly boil down to: love everyone and don't be a dick, which humans are notoriously bad at. You sin you go to hell, a very bad place after you die, and if you are a good person you go to heaven. Problem is everyone is a sinner and breaks the rules, so really no one was going to get into heaven."
"That sounds bleak..."
"Well, that's where the other stuff comes in. Basically, this all-powerful deity sent down his son in human form to live a perfect life, so when he was martyred he took on the sins of all of humanity and paid for them in the greatest act of mercy to open the gate for the rest of us into heaven."
Sunny shifted as he tilted to the side to lay in the crook of her arms,
"Of course that is just one religion among tons on earth, we aren't really as cohesive in our beliefs as Drev are... As for me... I'm not really sure."
She tilted her head to the side, cheek resting against his hair,
"After seeing space, I become more and more convinced of some... Thing that created everything, but beyond that it's sort of a tossup."
She ran one hand through his hair, coarse but still soft somehow.
"You know my name comes from that religion?”
She turned her head to look at him,
"Oh, really?”
"Adam was the first man."
"What do you mean!?”
Adam shrugged,
"He was supposedly the first man that god created, from the dust of the earth... I think?"
She gave him a sidelong glance,
"Look, and you get to be the first idiot in space."
He snorted and poked her in the ribs.
"There were PLENTY of idiots in space before me, believe you me."
"Mmm I don't know, you are pretty dumb."
He laughed, grabbing a pillow and hitting her with it. She rolled over so she was lying on top of him and then went limp.
He struggled,
"Get your big ass off me."
"Oh no, I have been attacked by a sudden acute case of the “my spine doesn't work anymore”-disease."
"If you don't move, you'll suddenly find yourself with a case of “fist in your face”-disease."
She laughed and rolled off him, making sure the hard parts of her carapace were sticking down for maximum discomfort.
He grunted.
They returned to lying down next to each other in the half darkness. Sunny reached over and turned on some quiet music in the background as the two of them sat and talked, and laughed.
"I can't wait to get back to deep space."
He closed his eyes and hummed softly at the thought,
"Just the crew and the darkness and nothing ahead of us but an endless frontier."
Surprisingly, she found the thought to be more than a little comforting, and closed her eyes thinking about the vast reaches of blackness and the endless spinning galaxies.
"And while we are out, we can drop Conn into a pulsar."
He snorted,
“Why? Well first of for scientific reasons! If a marshmallow causes a nuclear blast, I wonder what dropping Conn would do… but at least he’d be dead.”
"That billowy bastard would survive and you know it."
She huffed,
"Still though, if I have to hear one more smug lecture how he has a child with you, I'm gonna wring his scrawny neck."
He grinned teeth flashing blue in the light,
"Is someone... Jealous?"
Sunny laughed, almost tipping him off the bed and onto the floor with her mirth,
"Yes Adam, I am totally jealous, really I am, ‘kay?. I mean who wouldn't want to have a child with YOU, big dumb, dork. Really the perfect place to put my superior genes."
"Superior genes, says someone who can't reach the top shelf."
She kicked him, foot clanging off his prosthetic,
"I am a foot taller than you."
He placed his hand next to his ear,
"What was that, I can't hear you over how short you are."
Sunny shook her head,
"At least I have binocular vision and both my knees."
"So we are gonna ignore that that binocular vision is due to a prosthetic now after the whole “your mom” incident? And also, veeery important: weird neck nostrils, don't forget about those!"
"Oh yes, so I can’t house them on my face like you and your bigass nose."
"Low blow, low blow."
"There are... Lower things... I could make fun of."
He snorted,
"Can't make fun of it if you've never seen it. You on the other hand, walking around in the nude..."
"You're welcome. Who wouldn't love…"
She gestured to herself,
"This."
"Mmm yeah... chitin, very sexy."
"I am a gift to the universe, and should be appreciated by everyone."
He brushed a hand through his hair,
"Well I find that real gifts are gift wrapped, so jot that down."
"Oh yeah, like a prank gift when you put something lame in a box for something cool."
He frowned at her,
"You wound me. My feelings are so very very hurt. I might even cry."
"I drink human tears."
"That… that's really gross.'
She laughed and then they lapsed into silence. She could hear him breathing quietly next to her in the darkness, his chest rising and falling under the ambient blue light. She looked across the room to where her saint armor was hanging in its climate-controlled case illuminated to a pearly sheen.
"Adam?"
"Yeah?”
"You know I'm just kidding about calling you dumb right?"
"Yeah I know."
"I'm proud of what you've been doing."
Adam turned to look at her rather incredulous,
"Me, of what? I haven't been doing shit."
"So, we are just going to ignore you overthrowing a maniacal politician while simultaneously piloting a 2,000 year old spacecraft?"
"That was more Conn and Eris than it was me."
"It was your idea."
"Let’s not forget Admiral Kelly."
Sunny pulled him closer,
"I am sorry, I will not be accepting anything other than you acknowledging that you did a good job."
"Screw you!”
"You'd like that wouldn't you?”
He sighed,
"You've been talking to Ramirez WAY too much."
She was only slightly smug as she rested her head back against the pillow,
"I really should get up and train..."
"We should yeah..."
Neither of them moved.
"Alternatively, we could just... Lay here... All day and do... nothing."
She looked up at the ceiling for a long moment and pretended to be in deep contemplation before…
"Well it's official, you have convinced me. You and your silver tongue."
"I am a master negotiator."
He shifted position putting one arm behind his head,
"Think about it, by this time tomorrow we will be back to space exploring and doing what we should have been doing all along. I can't wait."
"That makes two of us."
Previous First [Next](link)
Want to find a specific one, see the whole list or check fanart?
Here is the link to the master-post.
Intro post by me
OC-whole collection
Patreon of the author

Hi! I was reading about the various brain waves such as alpha, gamma etc.
This reminded me of the times I've been able to induce altered states in myself, I thought I'll do a little summary of what I have experienced.
Obvious nr 1 altered states induced trough plants, mushrooms and synthetic alkaloids, exogenous means. Psychedelics no doubt can be tools to reach very deep states of the subconscious and even a bridge to the "mind of the cosmos itsel.
Endogenous means. Dreams. During sleeping, drifting in a creative matrix with various levels of lucidity. Lucid dreaming being the peak state here. I've had dreams of such HD quality, able to steer the dream according to my whim. Flying, creating things trough pure thought. Surprised how I felt the wind and similar phenomenon. Always amazed at the intelligence of the dream as well, I've seen entire landscape arranged in extremely genius and artistic ways within seconds, reminds me a bit of AI and how it creates things I've u seen the ai pics online.
Hypnagogic state before falling asleep. If I for various reasons try to sleep, but have just a little to active mind or concentrate, eventually will feel the shift to deeper brainwaves. This state of like "liberating" the mind from its shackles. I'm able to visualize at extreme efficiency, make very profound realizations and also create music, feeling etc. it's like being in a 4D studio.
Trance state which I believe is common in African tribal dance, shamanic ceremony etc, often induced trough more energetic violent means such as dance, drums etc, it's also a letting go while doing these activities, similar to the hypnagogic state, but if hypnagogic state is like being in a sea on a clear sunny day a trance feels like being in a stormy ocean. Dynamic breathing can bring me here too, here things and experiences reveal themselves to me and I def get the "possession" aspect, u get possessed by archetypes.
Meditation is for me the state which being a luminous very clear state when practiced right, that can bring experience of non duality, bliss, merging with light and feeling clear and merged/non dual experience.
Daydream: a very light state somewhere just below the awake state, but really cought up in some sort of thought
These come to mind now and I've experienced all these states personally. I believe for true knowledge you cannot simply rely on the waking everyday consciousness but must learn to truly control the mind. I was somehow born with high intuition, existential/inner ability, and high empathy, whereas some of my family members where great with math but not so much existential intelligence and so on.
Anybody who want to chip in?

Is there anything I can do legally to stop my neighbor from disrupting my living space?
I moved into my home as Covid hit so 2020, I had just been burnt by what I thought was a friend so I didn’t want to make new ones but my friend who helped me move suggested I get to know thy neighbor, boy was that a mistake!
The first year: she had a small dog who piss and shit in the front yard, it’s okay she picked up after him. The weeds were an issue and she wants me to help weed the yard her dog did his deeds. She also has a cat that poops in every space on my property she doesn’t clean up I had plant die because the cat pees in the flower bed. My friend used the garage to fix things as his was under repair and the door would be closed but she would walk right in to get him to fix things for her for free, resulting in him not using the garage and he doesn’t come over anymore for fear of bumping into her. Made the mistake of giving her my number all she did was text me about my dog barking and she would exaggerate it as well as I confirmed with another neighbor who said yes it barks but not often or long. Year 2: I’m annoyed, I push back by making her do the yard work in the front your dog and cat mess up the front you should clean it was my attitude. The continuous texts about my dog barking doesn’t stop. She now starts complaining about my programs I watch on tv because she can see through my window to my tv. Oh yeah did I mention she looks into my windows to see if I’m home when I ignore the door. She has learned I leave my door unlock, she tried to come in my home but my dog stopped her. She has tried to get my husband to do things for her. I ran a home beauty spa out of my home and she kept approaching my clients that I ended up closing my spa. Year three: I can’t leave my house she’s watching me come and go. When I leave my home she’s texting me about the dog barking. I gave up my life outside the house to ensure my dog didn’t bark. I can’t watch tv, even with privacy film on the window she sees the light from the tv on and she texts me about it. I work from home and attend college from home so I need to disconnect some how so I listen to music well apparently I can’t do that either. Now, I have a family member who came from Manitoba he’s got a big truck as he’s in construction and wants to try to see if he can get stable out here. He hasn’t been here no more then 24 hours and she follows him from my side walk all the way into my home trying to get him to talk to her. My daughter stopped her at the door said no and slammed the door in her face.
Also the dog thing has gotten to the point she’s called by law twice he came and I provided documentation the dog is trained and how it’s been trained and by law left. She’s also gone as far as to call and harassed the owner about the dog again I provided the documentation to help others understand the dog. I have a written note from by law as well.
I would really like not to move, so don’t suggest this. The dog is at the end of life and will be put down in June. None of my friends want to come here for fear of being bothered by her.
I can’t seem to listen to music, watch tv, enjoy my space or let alone go and come as I please.

FYI, this is a story COLLECTION. Lots of standalones technically. So, you can basically start to read at any chapter, no pre-read of the other chapters needed technically (other than maybe getting better descriptions of characters than: Adam Vir=human, Krill=antlike alien, Sunny=tall alien, Conn=telepathic alien). The numbers are (mostly) only for organization of posts and continuity.
OC Written by Charlie Stastarrfallknightrise,
Typed up and then posted here by me.
Proofreading and language check for some chapters by u/Finbar9800 u/BakeGullible9975 u/Didnotseemecomein and u/medium_jock
Future Lore and fact check done by me.
Awwwww! So cute!
Previous First [Next](link)
Want to find a specific one, see the whole list or check fanart?
Here is the link to the master-post.
She got up in the dark, with only the dim ambience of soft blue lighting to accompany her. She stretched all four arms, her two legs, and rolled her neck. It struck her as mildly interesting in that moment, how something so small could connect them to humans, The thought was fleeting as she took another step forward to kneel down on the floor. There, in a little alcove in the wall, she had set a volcanic rock from Anin, dried moss, and other paraphernalia from her home world. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath resting her hands together.
Praise and respect to the spirits of Anin. Praise the fathers and mothers of war gone to their rest below the moss and the earth. Praise their spirits that watch from the sky and peer through the ether down upon us.
She continued the slow mantra in the style of Prayer learned from Naktan and pulled her concentration to her core, ignoring anything and everything around her. A deep state of meditation overtook her. She would never have done this if she thought there were any chance that she was in danger, but below she knew Earth glowed like a sphere before their orbiting ship. There was no worry of invasion.
She thought she heard something at one point, but chose to ignore it as she continued her mantra.
Eventually, and after an unknown amount of minutes, she stood and turned slowly to find-
She stopped, and crossed her arms over her chest.
"What are you doing?”
Adam burrowed his way further down into her blankets, nuzzling his head up against her pillow,
"So warm, and comfy!"
She tried not to smile,
"You dumbass."
He pulled the blankets tighter around himself,
"You know, I did come here to talk to you, but now I actually am really comfortable, so come back in two hours."
"I- This is MY home!"
He closed his eyes and pretended to snore loudly.
She rolled her eyes as she watched him theatrically pretend to sleep. She looked around mildly for a moment, before picking up another pillow and glancing at the door. She casually walked over, dropped the pillow on his head and then held it down as if she intended to smother him.
”Die human scum!”
That got him up and moving.
Before long the two of them were grappling for the upper hand, him trying to put her in a choke hold, and her using her lower arms to pinch him.
He yelped,
"Ouch! Pinching is illegal!”
"Sissy."
He clamped his legs around her lower arms, pinning them in place.
She struggled for a minute and then went limp.
She could feel his smug smile,
"I win, I beat the saint of Anin. Everyone bow at my feet."
"You say that, but if this were a real fight, since you’re a human male, you're the one with a self-destruct button."
"Self-destruct button...?"
"Meaning if this were a real fight, I would have punched you in the balls."
"Yaoooutch… Oh god… Please don't."
Finally, he let her go, leaving the two of them to lay on her bed, sheets scattered on the floor around them, and her pillows in disarray. Adam put his hands behind his head and sighed.
She glanced over at him,
"I don't suppose you came to just hang out. Here on Admiral-ly business?"
He groaned, pulling one of her pillows over his face,
"Please smother me for real this time."
She leaned up on one of her elbows,
"Why?"
"I don't wanna be an adult anymore!"
She tilted her head to the side, watching in amusement as he attempted to throw a childlike tantrum, but only really had the energy to kick his feet once,
"It's boring and lame and they won’t let me wear heelies to important meetings... also children don't have to pay taxes."
She laughed, pulling the pillow from his face,
"Adam you are many things, but 'adult' is not one of them."
He grinned slightly,
"True enough."
He sighed again and rested his head back against the pillows,
"I just want to get back to what we are supposed to be doing, exploring the universe and making cool alien friends."
He threw up his hands in frustration,
"But suddenly I find myself embroiled in stupid annoying politics that I don't understand, being used by people who are, let’s face it, WAY smarter than me, constantly finding myself getting manipulated."
She huffed,
"They aren't smarter than you Adam, they're just manipulative, and you aren't."
He sighed,
"Fair enough."
Then he looked at her, bright green eyes reflecting the soft ambient blue light,
"I just, I miss this, I miss us, I miss hanging out and doing stupid shit, and all of the things I could do when I wasn't so important and this operation was smaller."
She smiled rather sadly reaching one hand over for his, lacing the four of her fingers through the five of his,
"Well someone has to do the hard things, who better than you?”
He glanced over at her, raising an eyebrow,
"Or you, miss saint?”
She rolled her eyes again,
"Can't seem to get you off of that. I'm still the same person I used to be."
"But with power."
She elbowed him gently and he grinned,
"But really, I am proud and impressed and... Let's be honest super super smug that 'I' know you personally."
"I know, I am pretty terrific."
The two of them laughed for a minute before settling down again. He glanced over to her little shrine on the wall,
"What were you doing just then?"
She looked up at the ceiling, following the lines of metal and rivets with her eyes,
"Praying to the spirits of Anin."
Embarrassed, he shifted,
"I didn't know you were... Well I didn't think you were all that religious?"
She shrugged,
"Don't feel bad, it's sort of a new thing. Back before all this, it was sort of just stories to me. Like I believed it because that was what everyone believed, but I didn't really accept it, or feel it the way I do now. After everything with my mother, it was hard to feel connected to something I felt I wasn't a part of... But then after visiting my mother, after becoming a saint for a religion I never really followed... Well, it started to make more sense. It feels real now in a way that it never did."
She turned to look at him, finding him watching her, the UV blue stripes in his skin glowing blue.
"I believe in the spirits of Anin more than I ever have."
He smiled at her and squeezed her hand,
"I'm glad to hear it."
They lapsed into silence for a long moment, staring up at the ceiling before, inevitably he broke it,
"So this makes you like, space Moses right?”
She frowned and turned to look at him,
"What is a “Moses”?"
He grinned,
"A guy from one of the Earth Religions. You know, guy follows god's directions to lead his people away from slavery, climbs a mountain, receives the word of god, comes down to give it to the people, that sort of thing."
Sunny tilted her head slightly to the side,
"Are you religious?"
He paused, frowning,
"I... well I... don't really know. My family has been some flavor of Christian for a long time."
"Christian?"
"Uh yeah, the general idea is that there is one all-powerful deity who created everything. He has rules and laws that you are supposed to follow, the general tenants of this specific religion mostly boil down to: love everyone and don't be a dick, which humans are notoriously bad at. You sin you go to hell, a very bad place after you die, and if you are a good person you go to heaven. Problem is everyone is a sinner and breaks the rules, so really no one was going to get into heaven."
"That sounds bleak..."
"Well, that's where the other stuff comes in. Basically, this all-powerful deity sent down his son in human form to live a perfect life, so when he was martyred he took on the sins of all of humanity and paid for them in the greatest act of mercy to open the gate for the rest of us into heaven."
Sunny shifted as he tilted to the side to lay in the crook of her arms,
"Of course that is just one religion among tons on earth, we aren't really as cohesive in our beliefs as Drev are... As for me... I'm not really sure."
She tilted her head to the side, cheek resting against his hair,
"After seeing space, I become more and more convinced of some... Thing that created everything, but beyond that it's sort of a tossup."
She ran one hand through his hair, coarse but still soft somehow.
"You know my name comes from that religion?”
She turned her head to look at him,
"Oh, really?”
"Adam was the first man."
"What do you mean!?”
Adam shrugged,
"He was supposedly the first man that god created, from the dust of the earth... I think?"
She gave him a sidelong glance,
"Look, and you get to be the first idiot in space."
He snorted and poked her in the ribs.
"There were PLENTY of idiots in space before me, believe you me."
"Mmm I don't know, you are pretty dumb."
He laughed, grabbing a pillow and hitting her with it. She rolled over so she was lying on top of him and then went limp.
He struggled,
"Get your big ass off me."
"Oh no, I have been attacked by a sudden acute case of the “my spine doesn't work anymore”-disease."
"If you don't move, you'll suddenly find yourself with a case of “fist in your face”-disease."
She laughed and rolled off him, making sure the hard parts of her carapace were sticking down for maximum discomfort.
He grunted.
They returned to lying down next to each other in the half darkness. Sunny reached over and turned on some quiet music in the background as the two of them sat and talked, and laughed.
"I can't wait to get back to deep space."
He closed his eyes and hummed softly at the thought,
"Just the crew and the darkness and nothing ahead of us but an endless frontier."
Surprisingly, she found the thought to be more than a little comforting, and closed her eyes thinking about the vast reaches of blackness and the endless spinning galaxies.
"And while we are out, we can drop Conn into a pulsar."
He snorted,
“Why? Well first of for scientific reasons! If a marshmallow causes a nuclear blast, I wonder what dropping Conn would do… but at least he’d be dead.”
"That billowy bastard would survive and you know it."
She huffed,
"Still though, if I have to hear one more smug lecture how he has a child with you, I'm gonna wring his scrawny neck."
He grinned teeth flashing blue in the light,
"Is someone... Jealous?"
Sunny laughed, almost tipping him off the bed and onto the floor with her mirth,
"Yes Adam, I am totally jealous, really I am, ‘kay?. I mean who wouldn't want to have a child with YOU, big dumb, dork. Really the perfect place to put my superior genes."
"Superior genes, says someone who can't reach the top shelf."
She kicked him, foot clanging off his prosthetic,
"I am a foot taller than you."
He placed his hand next to his ear,
"What was that, I can't hear you over how short you are."
Sunny shook her head,
"At least I have binocular vision and both my knees."
"So we are gonna ignore that that binocular vision is due to a prosthetic now after the whole “your mom” incident? And also, veeery important: weird neck nostrils, don't forget about those!"
"Oh yes, so I can’t house them on my face like you and your bigass nose."
"Low blow, low blow."
"There are... Lower things... I could make fun of."
He snorted,
"Can't make fun of it if you've never seen it. You on the other hand, walking around in the nude..."
"You're welcome. Who wouldn't love…"
She gestured to herself,
"This."
"Mmm yeah... chitin, very sexy."
"I am a gift to the universe, and should be appreciated by everyone."
He brushed a hand through his hair,
"Well I find that real gifts are gift wrapped, so jot that down."
"Oh yeah, like a prank gift when you put something lame in a box for something cool."
He frowned at her,
"You wound me. My feelings are so very very hurt. I might even cry."
"I drink human tears."
"That… that's really gross.'
She laughed and then they lapsed into silence. She could hear him breathing quietly next to her in the darkness, his chest rising and falling under the ambient blue light. She looked across the room to where her saint armor was hanging in its climate-controlled case illuminated to a pearly sheen.
"Adam?"
"Yeah?”
"You know I'm just kidding about calling you dumb right?"
"Yeah I know."
"I'm proud of what you've been doing."
Adam turned to look at her rather incredulous,
"Me, of what? I haven't been doing shit."
"So, we are just going to ignore you overthrowing a maniacal politician while simultaneously piloting a 2,000 year old spacecraft?"
"That was more Conn and Eris than it was me."
"It was your idea."
"Let’s not forget Admiral Kelly."
Sunny pulled him closer,
"I am sorry, I will not be accepting anything other than you acknowledging that you did a good job."
"Screw you!”
"You'd like that wouldn't you?”
He sighed,
"You've been talking to Ramirez WAY too much."
She was only slightly smug as she rested her head back against the pillow,
"I really should get up and train..."
"We should yeah..."
Neither of them moved.
"Alternatively, we could just... Lay here... All day and do... nothing."
She looked up at the ceiling for a long moment and pretended to be in deep contemplation before…
"Well it's official, you have convinced me. You and your silver tongue."
"I am a master negotiator."
He shifted position putting one arm behind his head,
"Think about it, by this time tomorrow we will be back to space exploring and doing what we should have been doing all along. I can't wait."
"That makes two of us."
Previous First [Next](link)
Want to find a specific one, see the whole list or check fanart?
Here is the link to the master-post.
Intro post by me
OC-whole collection
Patreon of the author
Thanks for reading! As you saw in the title, this is a cross posted story written by starrfallknightrise and I'll just upload some of it here for you guys, if you are interested and want to read ahead, the original story-collection can be found on tumblr or wattpad to read for free. (link above this text under "OC:..." ) It is the Empyrean Iris story collection by starfallknightrise. Also, if you want to know more about the story collection i made an intro post about it, so feel free to check that out to see what other great characters to look forward to! (Link also above this text). I have no affiliations to the author; just thought I’d share some of the great stories you might enjoy a lot!
Obviously, I have Charlie’s permission to post this and for the people already knowing the stories, or starting to read them: If you follow the link and check out the story you will see some differences. I made some small (non-artistic) changes, mainly correcting writing mistakes, pronoun correction and some small additional info here and there of things which were not thought of/forgotten or even were added/changed in later stories (like the “USS->UNSC” prefix of Stabby, Chalar=/->Sunny etc). As well as some "biggemajor" changes in descriptions and info’s for the same stringency/continuity reason. That can be explained by the story collection being, well a story collection at the start with many standalone-stories just starring the same people, but later on it gets more to a stringent storyline with backstories and throwbacks. (For example Adam Vir has some HEAVY scars over his body, following his bones, which were not really talked about up till half the collection, where it says it covers his whole body and you find out via backflash that he had them the whole time and how he got them, they just weren't mentioned before. However, I would think a doctor would at least see these scars before that, especially since he gets analyzed, treated and goes shirtless/in T-shirts in some stories). So TLDR: Writing and some descriptions are slightly changed, with full OK from the author, since he himself did not bother to correct these things before.

Hello Gossipers
Reddit Awards are back. We all get some Free Awards, so give them away carefully. I have no idea who gets how many free awards, Reddit sent a email about it to everyone, so whoever is interested, read it.
There's a New Post type - AMA. If you are posting OG Gossip, using Exaggerated Claims , please try to use this Post type. We are not enforcing this rule, but it'll be good for members to cross-question OP and others to sort the comments as per Answered comments
We have to remove around 30 - 50 posts a day because they don't belong to this Sub. All Cinematic posts belong to Bollywood. No Fan Edits, Meme , Music allowed here. Read rules.
There are too many low quality picture posts. I'm sure only Bhai fans are interested in looking at 20 pics of old and handsome Bhoi. Unseen pic posts are fine but a collection of one actor looking good from 90s.....head to Fanclub please. If you can't find Bhoi fanclub, post on Biggboss . Someone please let us know Bhoi FC Sub link.
There's a lovely Sub - ClassicDesiCelebs , they welcome all old pic posts. Subscribe and contribute to this Sub. They are allowed 2 cross posts a month on this Sub as well. We will lock comments here, interested people can comment on OG post.
This is a GOSSIP Sub - How many times do I need to explain that we are petty, we are hypocrite and we are toxic. Why are you looking for feel good posts on this Sub? There are too many posts crying about "Why hate".....like we were any better before !! All these posts are META. Its Rule 1 on sidebar.
We hate everyone. We troll everyone. We speculate plastic surgeries and we speculate love lives, affairs, pregnancies and other things. People enjoy pulling down others and when the target is your favourite, you begin objecting and turn Woke. Aise kaise ...
Every star gets their head pinned as target. All Faltu Fours have hate posts. DP fans should stop crying about why so many posts when she is pregnant. Are we DP's Fanclub? Why are you getting offended by trolling when you are one of the most vile troll on this Sub? Did DP fans forget what they say about Katrina, PC , Ash , Anu and Alia?
Mods tried to bring some rule of not trolling Pregnant stars, during Alia's Pregnancy trolling . DP fans raised strong objection to this as it was against freedom of speech and they argued that if not on Gossip Sub, where will they discuss this. We had to accept their demand and we are sticking to their demand even now.
You are reaping what you have sown, its not this Sub's fault. Its literally called KARMA on Reddit. Deal with it.
Lastly, the Reddit glitch of multiple posts getting posted, seems to be resolved for most members. If you are still getting this error, refresh your App
The "Number of members online" data is still faulty. Entire Reddit is affected by it. I don't know when it'll be resolved.
Lets brace for another Ambani Prewedding on Cruise.

Jai Jio

Hi :)
I'm Deb, 27, from Belgium and looking for someone to fall in love with! I don't really care where you're from (I'm open to long distance), but I do care that we both put in the effort :)
Here's a little about me:
I'm 5'7, curvy with dyed hair and hazel eyes.
I'm a huge animal lover and have a cat and dog of my own, and yes, I'll gladly share pictures.
I'm a huge foodie. I love discovering new recipes, desserts, and main courses but mostly a pasta lover. Some of my favorites are chicken Alfredo, tiramisu, mac and cheese (simple but so gooooood), creme brulee aaaaaand homemade pizza!
I'm a gamer. I play shooters mostly, on PC (PC masterrace ofc) games like Overwatch, COD, Siege, and some CS2. I also play the Sims whenever I feel a little overwhelmed.
I adore listening to music. If you've got a favorite song or artist, send them my way! I've mostly been listening to Noah Kahan, Benson Boone, Beyonce, Taylor Swifts new album and some Hozier!
Now as to what I'm looking for: Someone who can sweep me off my feet! I would love someone who matches my vibe. Someone who maybe gets a little obsessed with me (in a cute way😂), someone who doesn't mind me spamming them, either with selfies or with tiktoks. I love sending and receiving voicenotes so I'd love it if you do too :) I'm a flirty person when the energy feels right, so bring your A-game!
If you've read this far, (congratulations, because I can rant) don't hesitate to shoot me a message with a little introduction, a picture of yourself, if you don't mind, and let's get this chat going :)
(Please be between 26-36 if you decide to message me)

I've played for 50 hours now. And I've spent my time slowly working up through the various ships, floating around in the rings mining and having a lovely chill time. I've enjoyed the simple gameplay loop and it's been nice just sinking some hours into ore collection to unwind.
But, well, nothing has happened. Or at least, not much.
The things that my crewmembers have requested are: time off to pursue a music career, but it doesn't seem that that leads to anything. They haven't resigned to go pro, it hasn't unlocked any new music, we haven't encountered any fans. Another couple of my crew want me to find people, there was one who was lost on a ship somewhere in space and another who just seems to have a dialogue option to ask about this person to everyone we meet. But the answer is always no. But nothing seems to be happening with them.
I'm frequently threatened by other ships for being in their territory, sometimes I use my crewmembers who knows them and nothing happens, other times I ignore them, and nothing happens, sometimes I respond aggressively, and nothing happens. Nothing ever happens. A couple of times I've just attacked someone to see if anything happens - they fight back for a second, then try to run away. If I let them escape nothing happens, if I chase them, destroy them, capture and sell their life pod... guess what? Nothing happens.
In my 50 hours here's what has happened other than mining and selling:

• I found 1 life pod, which I collected for a reward.
• I encountered some tampered mines, which I collected and sold for profit.
• I've encountered a handful of moonlets, 2 of which contained a bar where nothing happened, and 1 contained uranium, and also nothing happened.
• I've encountered 4 or 5 rotating circular stations that buy a single mineral
• I've encountered 2 AI stations that sell propellent.
• I've spoken to various military ships that take me with them on "patrols" to fight "anarchists". But I just follow them around for a while and nothing happens. They constantly say "fire!", "get them!", "don't cross the beams!", etc, etc. But there's never anyone to shoot at, just the 2 of us flying around. Afterwards I'm invited to take a pirate life pod to Big Wolf (name?), but I've never met a pirate.
• An awesome giant swarm of amazing AI mining ships swooping around me like a school of fish. Nothing happened.
• I've talked to a bunch of people who challenge me to a race, but they always say that there's no race course set up so we can't.
• (This is the most promising, but this happened over 40 hours in, so it still seems very thin on events) I found the debris field of the lost ship that one of my crew-members sister was on, but her body isn't amongst the lifepods. The dialogue says that we need to learn more. Unfortunately I had <1000 propellent left when I found them, a full cargo hold, and no nanodrones, so I couldn't collect any of them.

That last one gave me hope, but in the 10 hours since nothing else has happened and I have no leads to follow.
Just... what am I meant to be doing? I talk to most people I come across, none of it leads to anything. I've flown around deep into the rings and nothing changes.
I still like the game for it's relaxed mining gameplay, but it feels like there's meant to be other stuff going on. Stories and encounters. There's lots of warning about space combat. There's talk on here of people having "mining configurations" contrasted against other ship layouts to do other things... but what are these other things? I have found none of them.

If you read my last post, you will see that my conversations with Bobby toward the end of my time at South Grove were not exactly going well. Throughout the process of leaving and meeting with him, I kept wondering “when is he going to let go?” It felt as though he was going to cling to me until I eventually caved and came back. He had allowed my wife and I to stop serving and even attend other churches to take a break. I’m not sure if he thought I would attend somewhere else, be reminded that God only moves at South Grove, and then come back. That was not the case at all. We attended a church in Sandy Springs, GA and then one in Athens, GA which I had attended before. I had never heard preaching like that in person before. Those pastors gave me Christ each Sunday that I attended. That, coupled with my conscience, made it impossible to even think about going back to South Grove.
As a somewhat funny side note, Bobby apparently changed the music that was played on Sunday(s)? I had mentioned in passing during one of our conversations that I had issues with Bethel, Hillsong, and Elevation Church. Interestingly I was discipled by the preaching at each of those churches early on in my Christian life. However, I had become highly concerned with their theology and how other members might read their name on the lyric screen, and listen to their preaching. Anyway, Bobby brought up the fact that they changed the music “for me.” Honestly, the music was one of my last worries.
Before my last conversation with Bobby, he wanted to know why I couldn’t disagree with issues concerning spiritual gifts and the other issues I had and still be a member in good conscience. I remember the first time I brought conscience up to him, he seemed puzzled. I tried to explain to him that because of the way I felt about certain doctrines, I could not be a member because I believed that I was going against my conscience. That did not register with him.
Up to our final conversation, I felt like I was in a vice grip. I really thought Bobby was going to draw out the painful process of trying to get me to stay at South Grove over several months. That and him trying to pit my wife against me (probably a story for another time). But finally, over lunch at the Blind Pig, something changed. In our last lunch, the vice grip seemed to be loosened completely. Bobby asked if I had heard of the “Leaving the Network” website. I had no idea what he was talking about, but he said he addressed it at a team meeting. I thought nothing of it. He also said “I’m sorry if I’ve ever hurt you in any way.” Pretty vague, but I guess I appreciated it? He blessed me to leave at that point. A few months later, he grabbed lunch with my new pastor at Cleveland Road Baptist Church to “check in” on my wife and I. I would’ve loved to be a fly on the wall, but unfortunately I don’t know much about that conversation other than some of the awkwardness.
That was the last of the excruciating process of leaving South Grove. From being told I had a demon, to “where else are you going to go?”, to Bobby planting seeds of doubt in my wife’s mind, to “I need protected from the sheep,” to anger even mentioning my doubts about Steve Morgan, to “I bless you to leave.” If I said everything was smooth sailing after that, I would be a liar. I think about my time at South Grove everyday. I think of those who I hurt and I think about those who were hurt just like me. I think about those who are deceived and blindly follow. I think about the people who were once my family who would no longer and still no longer talk to me. I think about what was said about me after I left, if anything. I’m angry most days and sometimes I don’t know why. Except I do know why. I was a fool. Who moves across the country for something like that? Who gives up everything for something like that? Apparently someone like me. And for what? If nothing, it makes me long for justice. It makes me long for the day that I will be brought home to the One who loves me. That day seems really far away now though. Until then, I’m tormented by my time in the Network.

Hey beautiful people,
well how to start off? I'm currently vibing to some music, smoking some tasty hookah and writing this stuff down on my pc. Pretty rainy weather here in Germany.
I'm not looking for anything in special, just let’s see what happens, if we click well. Let’s just see where the journey will go.
You're tired of getting ghosted after just one day talking? Yeah?Well me too. You want to rant and vent about your day? Go for it. You need someone to tell the newest gossip? Damn, I'm your man! You want to talk to someone, who is really interested in your well-being? Finally hit the "message-button"!
Well, I'd say about myself I'm pretty empathetic guy with a good sense of humor and sarcasm (I guess no one who's actually funny, would write this down lol. You should find it out by yourself.)
I can be pretty smart but hella dumb in the same breath. Does that even make sense?
I'm 5'11 tall, am pretty fashionable I guess and rocking a man bun. I'm more of a stocky guy tbh.
My hobbies are pretty boring, I like video games a lot, I enjoy baking and try myself more into cooking! Of course I like to hang out with my friends as well.
I'd say about myself that I'm more into chubby/curvy women, but that doesn't matter if you're not dry in responses. I appreciate any type of women. All of you are beautiful, just the way you are. Keep that always in mind!
You shouldn't be dry in responses, be open-minded and up for someone who can talk very, very much! Even more as I'm on staycation the following week lol.
Do you appreciate my effort and you are ready for a journey? Show me and leave a message with a bit about yourself!

Hey everyone! I've never made a post on reddit before so bear with me friends. This is also gonna be long because I physically cannot restrain myself from overexplaining.
Ok, SO me (24F) and my guy best friend (25M) have known each other since about sophomore year of college. Let's call him Tony alright. I met him through my college roommate and best friend, we'll call her Tina (Tony is Tina's cousin's husband's best friend). He went to a different college in a city about 2 1/2 hours away, but he came and hung out with his friend a lot and he lived with them during COVID. I'm a pretty socially awkward and shy person so it takes me a while to get comfortable around someone and be myself so I didn't really engage with him at first. It should also be mentioned, I've never been in a relationship or in love befoe; I've been on dates and done a thing or two here and there with some people, but I've always been shy so I'm kind of a late bloomer in the relationship aspect. He is not and he's been in relationships before and has experience doing the horizontal tango; an activity I do not have experience in!
Fast forward, tail end of junior year or beginning of senior year of college we start actually interacting and I open up a bit more. I then develop a small "schoolgirl" kinda type crush because he was a new friend and funny and nice, and I never really had any guy friends growing up so it was new to me and you know the daddy issues of it all. Ok so BOOM spring break senior year right (March 2022), we go on a vacation to NOLA with our friend group. My crush is in full swing at this point and during said trip, my bff Tina and I share a hotel room with Tony and his best friend Ted (sharing bc we are poor). So we get a lot of quality time and get a lot closer as friends. Skip to May 2022, we graduate college and my BFF Tina moves to the bigger city in the state we live in (where he lives) in June (we went to college in a small town). So, naturally I go to the city a lot to visit her and so in turn we start hanging with him more frequently since he's closer now. At this point, I'm over my crush and he's just my really good friend (I promise). Fast forward to December 2022, I move to the city as well and my bff Tina and I move in together so we see him even more, and he's spending nights at our place (on the couch). We get a lot closer and the main thing we do in our friendship is talk. He's a level 100 yapper, and I didn't used to be at all until we became friends honestly, but he just brings out the yap in me. We talk about anything and everything; we even argue about a variety of topics, but it's not with malice or rudeness at all; we're just talking. He's just genuinely the easiest person to talk to I've ever met; strangers just talk to him all the time.
So now we're gonna jump to December of 2023 (sorry for the jumping around, I'm an ADHD warrior). I've had mental health issues off and on since high school, but they got worse around this time. Around this same time, he started getting depressed as well as a few months prior he had been fired from a job and his car got towed amongst other things. My BFF is also going through it.We are all just going through some trials and tribulations lemme tell ya. So, we've all been leaning on each other emotionally pretty heavily lately. Recently, he spends multiple days in a row at our house. So, I've been working through the prior mentioned mental health issues these past months and I'm think I'm finally coming out the other side. I've actually been the happiest I've been in a very long time, but I'm also still struggling a bit because I feel as though my personality has changed drastically since this ordeal or maybe I'm finally feeling secure enough in myself to show my true personality idk, but in a nutshell I'm feeling open and brave which are qualities I don't have experience in whatsoever. As I'm finding myself, I think I'm also becoming more in touch with my feelings which is how I realized I had feelings for him, but anyways back to the nitty gritty. So I'm feeling all these new feelings and all, and my crush on Tony comes back with a terrible new twist: 100% real uncut feelings 😔. But, I am terrible at reading social cues and understanding other people's feelings so I genuinely can't tell if he feels the same or not. But, ever since I've realized my feelings, I've been noticing things more. Me, Tina, and Tony have always been very open with each other in the sense that we talk about anything and everything. We talk about sex, relationships, our bodies, etc. But, lately, I feel like him and I talk even more about sex and relationships and he makes more jokes or funny remarks about sexual or romantic things between us. To be fair, I have too (😝), so it may just be in response, but come on, it's to the point like, we jokin anymore?? So, the other day, I was joking about how I was gonna be a virgin at 40, and he said, "Nah, we'll figure something out before then." like what you mean by that?? And another time, we were riding in the backseat together, and the whole car was talking about eating a girl's kitty cat and I had made a joke about not knowing the feeling and he said, "What?? That's so sad bro" and then under his breath said, "we'll have to do something about it" like huh???? And I also have this crop top with butterflies on it that may be a lil revealing (🙈) that he complimented when he first saw me wear it. And now, whenever I wear it, he'll say something about it like, "Ohhh, return of the shirt" or something along those lines. Also a while back, I had told him about how my late grandpa would always sneak me Ho-Hos as a kid and how I missed him a lot, and in the next few days, he brought some over when he came to hang out like brooo 😩. He didn't say that was the reason or anything, but that would be a crazy coincidence I feel. He's also always showing me something on his phone like a video he thought was funny, a movie he liked, pop culture we talk about, music he likes, etc. He'll just appear in front of me with his phone 2.3 cm from my face saying, "look 👁👄👁". Also, we've both been talking a lot lately about how lonely we are and how we miss sleeping and cuddling with another person in the bed. I feel like I've been dropping hints, but I'm also scared to tip him off so the hints I think I'm dropping could be more like office friendly chit-chat in reality!
It should also be noted that after I got over my initial crush, I didn't find him attractive. I really didn't find him attractive when I had a crush tbh. He's definitely not my usual type at all; I'm a fat bi girl who usually goes for masc women or feminine men and he's a short skinny lil fella with a permed mullet 😭. I'm definitely not his usual type either which is another reason I have doubts about his interest in me. He usually dates skinnier girls. I'm finally okay with my body, but if you're a fat person, you know how absolutely anxiety-inducing it is thinking about shooting your shot and someone rejecting you because of your body. I don't think he would do that, but there's still that fear there. He's also mentioned recently how he doesn't care about looks and body and I'm like 🤨 you hinting at something?? Cause I've talked to him before about struggling with loving my body so he knows im self-conscious about it at times. I'm also hesitant because besides Tina, he's my best friend in the world. I would never want to do anything to jeopardize that friendship. I've been trying to get over it and/or ignore it. But, God, idk what to do anymore. It's driving me insane, and I hate that I'm looking for things and reading into things. And I feel like I'm acting weird or changing my behavior which sucks cause it's hard to control cause I'm nervous. But, I really don't think it's all in my head. I don't even know if I want to pursue anything and change our relationship forever, but I feel like I'm going crazy. If anyone has any insight or advice, it would be much appreciated. Thanks a bunch!
TL;DR: I (24F) think I'm in love with my guy best friend (25). We met when I was 20, and I think he may be flirting and secretly feel the same, but I truly can't tell. We hang out almost everyday, but I don't want to be seeing things that aren't really happening. I also don't want to ruin our friendship. I would really just like some insight on the situation or advice on how to tell if he's also interested. TIA! 🫶

Real and practical advice for single men - this works
I originally shared this as a reply to someone's post, then felt like a separate post would help more single guys interested in couples. I've been the male 3rd enough times to be able to share what actually works and is a step beyond the more generic advice of "be charming" or "be respectful". For all the single guys out there, good luck and here goes.
Mindset - you are part of their fantasy and there for her pleasure as a priority. You win when both he and she walk out thinking "Wow" without any yellow or red flags from you.
Here's my advice

1. THE MOST IMPORTANT BIT OF ADVICE - Talk to and engage the M half of the couple. Let him know you know your place in the 3some (i.e. you're there to help them have fun together). It's also a great opportunity to ask him what their fantasy is, what she likes, what he would like to see, and more. Hopefully, they've both talked about this a bunch and he can tell you about that, including any limits. He might even share something special you can do that will blow her mind. By engaging him, with respect, you can find all the help you need in making this work out well for everyone. You don't have to become his best friend, but the more he is comfortable with you, the more they both can relax and enjoy the experience together.
   
2. Realize you are part of THEIR fantasy and you will can be invited back if this works out well. So focus on making it work out well for them, being aware and responsive to their needs, what they are looking for. Single, attractive, respectful men are not as common as you might think. Finding one couple that you get on well with and getting invited back will open many doors for you, especially if they have friends or want to invite you to a party. So, focus on giving her pleasure and fun, even if you don't finish yourself. This is really important to remember - focus on her enjoyment.
   
3. Sometimes a couple will have a specific fantasy and want you to play a role like being the Dom to her. If you find that out, read up on it, get an idea on what you can do in your own style to play that role. Some couples really enjoy when the woman gets to live out her fantasy with another man, whether she wants to be a sub, or a Dom herself, or even really simple almost vanilla things like, doing a strip tease or being playfully teased. You don't have to be perfect or an expert, but realize your role in this interaction is to help them have fun living out their fantasy.
   
4. It should go without saying, but impeccable hygiene is a must. Be trimmed, clean, smelling good, fresh breath, and whatever else you need to do so that she doesn't get distracted. A nice light amount of cologne will work. My advice on cologne is to ask a female friend to pick one for you and then be very subtle with how much you use. Women's noses seem to pickup cologne more than you realize. If you don't have a friend or don't trust cologne being fresh and clean smelling from a shower is great too.
   
5. If necessary, drink an energy drink or coffee so you are bursting with energy when you guys get to the bedroom. That new person energy and stamina goes a long way to having her feel good, appreciated, sexy, wanted etc. You might be tempted to drink alcohol before hand, even just to loosen up. My advice would be NOT to drink.
   
6. Realize they might be nervous or not sure where to start. That's okay if you gently take the lead and help her relax. Gentle kissing, caressing and laying her down on the bed for you to go down on her is a good start. Don't worry too much though, once you get the ball rolling, just let nature take over. You're all there for the same reason, so just let things flow.
   
7. If you are meeting at your place, have a pile of clean towels for them to use. Also of course clean up your place, clean sheets on the bed, etc. Make sure your bathroom and shower are sparkly clean and spray some air freshener around. If necessary, open the windows and air your whole place out just to make things fresher.
   
8. Have bottled water and some sugary snacks. The water will keep everyone hydrated and people feel more comfortable when they drink from a water bottle they open themselves. Gatorade is great too. Sugar snacks will give you a short recharge on your energy (saw this on a porn set). Notwithstanding what I said above about skipping alcohol, having a bottle of wine or other alcohol works well as an icebreaker when the couple shows up. Still, one drink max for everyone is my recommendation for your best evening.
   
9. Before meeting, send sexy chat notes to her (with him in the same chat) to help build excitement in her mind and between them. Keep things subtle, share how excited you are, be playful and easy about it. Too many texts, getting too heavy or too graphic can ruin the mood. And as a general rule, don't send a dick pic. Just don't. You might be tempted to show off, but she can enjoy it when you two are together in person.
   
10. Check in with him, getting his permission in a friendly way, for anything you want to do that you haven't already talked about. You might find things unfolding naturally in new directions and he(and then her) will feel better when they see you check in with them. Remember, he's sharing his girl with you, the more he and then she trust you the better things will turn out.
    
11. Always respect what she says. If she doesn't like something stop. If she wants more of something or asks for something you haven't already talked about, then check in with him to make sure it's okay. Interestingly enough, he may ask you to do something she doesn't want or like. You know how it is with guys, sometimes they can get carried away. If this happens, the best answer is to respect what she says, and suggest something else instead. She will be happier, trust you more for respecting her voice and overall, they will have a better time.
    
12. When things are winding down, look for their cues that it's time for you to leave (if you are at their place) or for them to leave (if they are at your place). This is a good time to make sure they know where the towels are, that they can shower, offer them water, etc. You know, all the "how to be a good host stuff".
    
13. As they are about to go, you can share with them how much you enjoyed the evening and checkin with them, to see if they enjoyed themselves. If they did, you usually don't have to ask. A nice sensual kiss and a hug for her works. Next, it's REALLY IMPORTANT that you thank him for sharing. If you stop and think for a moment, he just shared the most important person in his life with you in a very intimate and private way. You got a gift from him. Be respectful and say thank you with honesty and heartfelt integrity. This can help him and her see that you have character and understand your role.
    
14. Make sure you know, respect and follow THEIR rules about communicating. In general, you can avoid problems by making sure you always communicate with BOTH of them. Sometimes, either she or he will text or call you separately. Just make sure that you ask, know and follow their rules about this. Also, if they do say it's okay for you to talk to each of them separately, it's best to keep the other person involved and aware when you do. This shows simple respect for each of them as individuals and their relationship. The same goes for meeting up with them as individuals. Know, respect and follow THEIR rules.
    
15. Performance issues: if you need to, take a small dose of viagra or cialis to help get over anxiety issues. But don't over do it if you haven't taken it before. You don't want to get too much of a headache or other side effects. One side effect of these meds is that they can also make it harder for you to finish. But don't worry about that because you focusing on her this time is the big win for you.
    

EDIT: Cardio FTW - being in great cardio shape pays dividends all around. Beyond aesthetics for your potential partner, increased stamina means you get less tired during your play time and can choose when to stop vs having to stop because you are badly out of breath. It can also help with exhaustion based performance issues. Last point is that when you click with someone, it's nice to be able to keep going just for their pleasure.

1. Last note - If things work out for you to meet and then you all have a good time, you can be the fuel for new passion and excitement for them and their relationship. In the least you can give them good memories. Maybe it can even develop into something long term.
   
2. Additional note about follow-up: After you leave or they leave, a short polite text thanking them both for a great time is a nice thing to do. Keep it short, simple and don't worry about setting up your next play time, instead just thank them. This gives them feedback that you enjoyed them and opens the door for them to share back to you, as well as ask you later for another play date. Realize that they might not get back to your right away and that's okay. They may have moved family, work or other obligations to make space for this date, and then have to catch back up with all those things the next day. If they had a good time with you and want more, they'll reach out.
   

If anyone else has advice, pls feel free to add it. Everyone wins when you do.
EDIT/UPDATE: For all those that found this helpful. Great! For those who gave feedback on how this advice doesn't work for you, cool. I just shared to be helpful. For those who think I'm implying that the woman is a possession, that's not the point. I actually paused when writing the section about the guy sharing his girl, I thought someone will take this wrong. Maybe it's a guy respect thing, but it's certainly not to imply any sort of ownership. For the people who think this is icky, I'm just trying to help single guys. If it doesn't work for you, you can ignore it. :) Last thought: this isn't the only way for people to do things. I shared to be helpful. Nothing more. No agenda, no service, no sales pitch. Just giving back to the community.
Edit #2: Added the point about follow-up text. Edit #3: Added the point about cardio.

Hi all!
It's been a long while since I last shared this spreadsheet (see: The most useful Game Dev links I know (Updated) : ).
I am still maintaining and updating this sheet with things I find!
Recently I added over a 100 new links (ranging from Job Searching, to Art and more).
Feel free to check it out, share it with friends, and let me know if any links are outdated or broken!
The sheet: https://docs.google.com/spreadsheets/d/1ingVlCEftStqau1KjGqm0P7M44YlY3G5H2rCD0aSXDY/edit?usp=sharing
Some interesting things

• Added two new categories - Unreal and Tabletop
• Resources with no prior reading required saw the highest increase, hopefully making it a bit beginner friendly to skim through!
• Unity and Unreal categories both had the highest increases in resources this year (Unity remains the largest at 120 unique resources)

This is obviously going to be biased towards the Resources that I find through my gamedev journey - there is a section on the spreadsheet where you can also share your own most useful resources!

Nine Million Bicycles sheet music download as MusicXML, Guitar Pro, and PDF on: https://paidtabs.com/search/rrPUJsZQSkw
Click here for a free preview of the score (first page)
Credit: this score was transcribed/uploaded by @Duesenberger
If you cannot find the score, it might be because of a copyright issue. Click on "Request" button at PaidTabs.com to request and get the score.

This morning at the gym, a person of size sat on some leg press equipment. The person sat there for about 15 minutes, watching videos on their phone and singing along with the gym's music. The person moved their legs perhaps 10 times during that 15 minutes.
People complain when others do that, but that's wrong.
People of size shouldn't be discouraged from self-expression at the gym.
For example, this morning the person of size who sat on the equipment, watching videos and singing, was learning (perhaps about the person's race and gender) and adding their voice to the gym. So often people of size are viewed as abnormal and deserving of shame, but this person of size embraced themselves and their body identity and sang! It was wonderful.
Nothing says that you must work out while at the gym, and letting a person of size participate in the gym, as they wanted to, was wonderful.