1. Does one have to stick with the familial lineage/tradition or how if there is a process to change sampradya? My father was abandoned and adopted and did not know his real father. However, I clearly remember my previous life's guru's eyes and his face has some relativeness to my present life father. This life, I met a guru (online) who looks very different from past life but still has the very same eyes and vibe of my former guru. However, things are still not going well and it's difficult to work together because of some karma. I know I would have to deal with that eventually but is it okay to have a detour? Or i dunno really, do I really have to stick with what doesn't seem to have been working over many lifetimes and just tiring me out, can I just permanently leave? I've tried to leave over and over again in previous life and at present, but it seems to bring me more suffering, and I just intuitively know I'd only be delaying my life course... but does it matter how slow or fast I reach enlightenment?
2. How does one work well with a compatible guru? In choosing/changing tradition, what are the top things to consider? Do I have to choose based on which I find the most agreeable perspectives? How strict the guru with attendance and practice and if the demands of spiritual work would suit to juggle with my current other responsibilities? Should location really matter, being able to be present in person rather than just online classes? Is it better to open up and have a close relationship with the guru or to keep distance and stay as more of an impersonal student and just ask objective spiritual questions? How far should a student go in forbearing with what seem to be imperfections of a teacher? If I have a problem with the teacheteaching/approach, should I confront/ask or better just silently disappeart?
3. What other Advaita Schools that have representatives in the Philippines? So far I am only aware of 2 Advaita schools that are available in my country: Ramakrishna and Chinmaya. Chinmaya seem to align closer to my former lineage and to my dharma or life mission. However, some teachings/approach which I may disagree (although still tolerable when I'm in a state of higher spirituality but difficult when I am in my lower consciousness). And similarly, I might get stressed out (react or feel a sense of repulsion/aversion) as with how I differ with my past guru. I've been reading some books from DLS but I find literature from the Ramakrishna order (specially that of Vivekananda) a lot more precise/understandable on some points. So far, as I had been following Swami Sarvapriyananda on YT, in all his long talks I find nothing that causes me cognitive dissonance, and its digestible enough even when I'm in my lower state of awareness. However, Ramakrishna in the Philippines seem to go too far for me about inclusivity towards other religions. I like tolerance but I feel a bit wary looking at their regular schedule of activities with dedicated time slot for recitations of non-Hindu scriptures. I just want to learn the pure form of Hindu teachings without mixing too much of other references. (Although I am comfortable enough with the style of how Swami Sarvapriyananda sparingly injects a bit of Christian or Buddhist teachings just for the purpose of connecting with some people in the audience.)
4. Would it be alright to follow different sampradyas, study under different gurus, at the same time? I'd like to just continue enjoying Swami Sarvapriyananda's lectures and that is already so much lesson to study, and it is working for me so far successfully answers on my core issues that I struggled over the past decade with no answer. However I also would also like to build networks/relationships with local Hindus just so that I won't feel or think like it is such a lonely path I have to do all by myself, so I would also like to attend in person classes (of which I haven't yet decided). Would it be alright to attend classes of different gurus from different traditions at the same time? Or would it be better to just stick to one teacher at a time?

This may be a long one.. I 34f have been with my partner 33m for 2 years, early on in the relationship he introduced me to his friend group and we have socialised with them regularly during the 2 years, we all have children of similar ages, so camping trips, birthday parties, days out etc. His best friends in the group. Let's call them 'Tom' and 'Louise', they are a couple and my partner grew up with Tom. Tom and louise have 3 children and call my partner 'uncle'. Recently me and my partner have been through a tough time, our relationship became a little strained during this period and I unded up looking through my partners phone, there was no messages from anyone I didn't recognise and I felt silly for looking, a week went by and I just couldn't shake this feeling there was something, so I looked again and found nothing, I saw a message thread with 'Louise' and thought nothing of it as I know they message, they are best friends and I've never had any suspicious feelings etc, I thought I would look and see if there was any old messages from when we met and see what he said about me, just being nosey! So I scrolled back and what I read made me smile, he was talking about our first date and how much he liked me and she was saying she couldn't wait to meet me etc Then I made the mistake of scrolling further back and discovered they had had a 6 month affair behind her partner and his best friends back, I was completely shocked and disgusted. I couldn't believe that my kind and thoughtful, would do anything for anyone boyfriend could be capable of such betrayal. This all happened while my partner was single, it was over a year before we met, so it doesn't have anything to do with me, but I was hurt that I was put in the middle of this secret and lied to. I did consider ending the relationship, but I love my partner dearly and at the end of the day it was in the past. But I cannot carry on like nothing has happened, I told my partner I could not see them anymore, I agreed to keep this information to myself as my partner and Tom and are from a small village and know all the same people, so it would make mine and my partners life extremely complicated and I also don't want the responsibility of destroying a family. I messaged Louise and explained that I knew about their secret, explained that I was hurt I was put in that situation and that unless she was willing to come clean about the affair that we could no longer have anything to do with them. She said that she isn't going to say anything, she sent essays making excuses of why it happened, trying to play it off like it was nothing and then saying her and Tom weren't together at the time (my partner says that's not true) plus I've seen the messages, so I know they were sneaking around behind his back. She didn't know I had seen messages, she assumed my partner had told me. So I told my partner It was me or them, as I can't be around that for my own sanity, he chose me and has cut everyone from that friend group off. I just feel shit because except for louise no-one will have any idea why, and It will probably end up with people thinking I'm being controlling, because know one will know why we have distanced from them. So AITAH for making my partner cut his friend group off or was it the right thing to do in circumstances?

"Why Did Jesus Die on the Cross?"

The main reason Jesus died on the cross was to defeat Satan and set us free from his oppressive rule. Everything else that Jesus accomplished was to be understood as an aspect and consequence of this victory (e.g., Recapitulation, Moral Influence, etc.).
This understanding of why Jesus had to die is called the Christus Victor (Latin for “Christ is Victorious”) view of the atonement. But, what exactly was Christ victorious from, and why? To find out the answers to these questions, we have to turn to the Old Testament, as that's what the apostles would often allude to in order to properly teach their audience the message they were trying to convey (Rom. 15:4).
The OT is full of conflict between the Father (YHVH) and false gods, between YHVH and cosmic forces of chaos. The Psalms speak of this conflict between YHVH and water monsters of the deeps (an ancient image for chaos) (Psa. 29:3-4; 74:10-14; 77:16, 19; 89:9-10; 104:2-9, etc).
The liberation of Israel from Egypt wasn’t just a conflict between Pharaoh and Moses. It was really between YHVH and the false gods of Egypt.
Regardless of whether you think the aforementioned descriptions are literal or metaphorical, the reality that the Old Testament describes is that humanity lived in a “cosmic war zone.”
The Christus Victor motif is about Christ reigning victorious over wicked principalities and Satan's kingdom, and is strongly emphasized throughout the New Testament. Scripture declares that Jesus came to drive out "the prince of this world” (John 12:31), to “destroy the works of the devil” (1 John 3:8), to “destroy him that had the power of death, that is, the devil” (Heb. 2:14) and to “put all enemies under his feet” (1 Cor 15:25). Jesus came to overpower the “strong man” (Satan) who held the world in bondage and worked with his Church to plunder his "palace" (Luke 11:21-22). He came to end the reign of the cosmic “thief” who seized the world to “steal, and to kill, and to destroy” the life YHVH intended for us (John 10:10). Jesus came and died on the cross to disarm “the principalities and powers” and make a “shew of them openly [i.e., public spectacle]” by “triumphing over them in [the cross]” (Col. 2:15).
Beyond these explicit statements, there are many other passages that express the Christus Victor motif as well. For example, the first prophecy in the Bible foretells that a descendent of Eve (Jesus) would crush the head of the serpent (Gen. 3:15). The first Christian sermon ever preached proclaimed that Jesus in principle conquered all YHVH's enemies (Acts 2:32-36). And the single most frequently quoted Old Testament passage by New Testament authors is Psalm 110:1 which predicts that Christ would conquer all YHVH’s opponents. (Psalm 110 is quoted or alluded to in Matthew 22:41-45; 26:64, Mark 12:35-37; 14:62, Luke 20:41-44; 22:69, Acts 5:31; 7:55-56, Romans 8:34, 1st Corinthians 15:22-25, Ephesians 1:20, Hebrews 1:3; 1:13; 5:6, 10; 6:20; 7:11, 15, 17, 21; 8:1; 10:12-13, 1st Peter 3:22, and Revelation 3:21.) According to New Testament scholar Oscar Cullman, the frequency with which New Testament authors cite this Psalm is the greatest proof that Christ’s “victory over the angel powers stands at the very center of early Christian thought.”
Because of man's rebellion, the Messiah's coming involved a rescue mission that included a strategy for vanquishing the powers of darkness.
Since YHVH is a God of love who gives genuine “say-so” to both angels and humans, YHVH rarely accomplishes His providential plans through coercion. YHVH relies on His infinite wisdom to achieve His goals. Nowhere is YHVH's wisdom put more on display than in the manner in which He outsmarted Satan and the powers of evil, using their own evil to bring about their defeat.
Most readers probably know the famous story from ancient Greece about the Trojan Horse. To recap the story, Troy and Greece had been locked in a ten-year-long vicious war when, according to Homer and Virgil, the Greeks came up with a brilliant idea. They built an enormous wooden horse, hid soldiers inside and offered it to the Trojans as a gift, claiming they were conceding defeat and going home. The delighted Trojans accepted the gift and proceeded to celebrate by drinking themselves into a drunken stupor. When night came and the Trojan warriors were too wasted to fight, the Greeks exited the horse, unlocked the city gates to quietly let all their compatriots in, and easily conquered the city, thus winning the war.
Historians debate whether any of this actually happened. But either way, as military strategies go, it’s brilliant.
Now, there are five clues in the New Testament that suggest YHVH was using something like this Trojan Horse strategy against the powers when he sent Jesus into the world:
1) The Bible tells us that YHVH's victory over the powers of darkness was achieved by the employment of YHVH’s wisdom, and was centered on that wisdom having become reality in Jesus Christ (Rom. 16:25, 1 Cor. 2:7, Eph. 3:9-10, Col. 1:26). It also tells us that, for some reason, this Christ-centered wisdom was kept “secret and hidden” throughout the ages. It’s clear from this that YHVH's strategy was to outsmart and surprise the powers by sending Jesus.
2) While humans don’t generally know Jesus’ true identity during his ministry, demons do. They recognize Jesus as the Son of God, the Messiah, but, interestingly enough, they have no idea what he’s doing (Mark 1:24; 3:11; 5:7, Luke 8:21). Again, the wisdom of YHVH in sending Jesus was hidden from them.
3) We’re told that, while humans certainly share in the responsibility for the crucifixion, Satan and the powers were working behind the scenes to bring it about (John 13:27 cf. 1 Cor. 2:6-8). These forces of evil helped orchestrate the crucifixion.
4) We’re taught that if the “princes of this world [age]” had understood the secret wisdom of YHVH, “they would not have crucified the Lord of glory” (1 Cor 2:8 cf. vss 6-7). Apparently, Satan and the powers regretted orchestrating Christ’s crucifixion once they learned of the wisdom of YHVH that was behind it.
5) Finally, we can begin to understand why the powers came to regret crucifying “the Lord of glory” when we read that it was by means of the crucifixion that the “handwriting of ordinances that was against us, which was contrary to us [i.e., the charge of our legal indebtedness]” was “[taken] out of the way [i.e., canceled]” as the powers were disarmed. In this way Christ “triumph[ed] over” the powers by "his cross” and even “made a shew of them openly” (Col. 2:14-15). Through Christ’s death and resurrection YHVH's enemies were vanquished and placed under his Messiah's feet, and ultimately His own in the end (1 Cor. 15:23-28).
Putting these five clues together, we can discern YHVH's Trojan Horse strategy in sending Jesus.
The powers couldn’t discern why Jesus came because YHVH's wisdom was hidden from them. YHVH's wisdom was motivated by unfathomable love, and since Satan and the other powers were evil, they lacked the capacity to understand it. Their evil hearts prevented them from suspecting what YHVH was up to.
What the powers did understand was that Jesus was mortal. This meant he was killable. Lacking the capacity to understand that this was the means by which YHVH would ultimately bring about the defeat of death (and thus, pave the road for the resurrection itself), they never suspected that making Jesus vulnerable to their evil might actually be part of YHVH's infinitely wise plan.
And so they took the bait (or "ransom"; Matt. 20:28, Mark 10:45, 1 Tim. 2:5-6). Utilizing Judas and other willing human agents, the powers played right into YHVH’s secret plan and orchestrated the crucifixion of the Messiah (Acts 2:22-23; 4:28). YHVH thus brilliantly used the self-inflicted incapacity of evil to understand love against itself. And, like light dispelling darkness, the unfathomably beautiful act of YHVH's love in sending the willing Messiah as a "ransom" to these blood-thirsty powers defeated them. The whole creation was in principle freed and reconciled to YHVH, while everything written against us humans was nailed to the cross, thus robbing the powers of the only legal claim they had on us. They were “spoiled [i.e., disempowered]” (Col. 2:14-15).
As happened to the Trojans in accepting the gift from the Greeks, in seizing on Christ’s vulnerability and orchestrating his crucifixion, the powers unwittingly cooperated with YHVH to unleash the one power in the world that dispels all evil and sets captives free. It’s the power of self-sacrificial love.

Why Penal Substitution Is Unbiblical

For the sake of keeping this already lengthy post as short as possible I'm not going to spend too much time on why exactly PSA (Penal Substitutionary Atonement) is inconsistent with Scripture, but I'll go ahead and point out the main reasons why I believe this is so, and let the reader look further into this subject by themselves, being that there are many resources out there which have devoted much more time than I ever could here in supporting this premise.

"Purge out therefore the old leaven, that ye may be a new lump, as ye are unleavened. For even Christ our passover is sacrificed for us:"-1 Corinthians 5:7

The Passover is one of the two most prominent images in the New Testament given as a comparison to Christ's atonement and what it accomplished, (the other most common image being the Day of Atonement sacrifice).
In the Passover, the blood of the lamb on the door posts of the Hebrews in the book of Exodus was meant to mark out those who were YHVH's, not be a symbol of PSA, as the lamb itself was not being punished by God in place of the Hebrews, but rather the kingdom of Egypt (and thus, allegorically speaking, the kingdom of darkness which opposed YHVH) was what was being judged and punished, because those who were not "covered" by the blood of the lamb could be easily identified as not part of God's kingdom/covenant and liberated people.
Looking at the Day of Atonement sacrifice (which, again, Christ's death is repeatedly compared to throughout the New Testament), this ritual required a ram, a bull, and two goats (Lev. 16:3-5). The ram was for a burnt offering intended to please God (Lev. 16:3-4). The bull served as a sin offering for Aaron, the high priest, and his family. In this case, the sin offering restored the priest to ritual purity, allowing him to occupy sacred space and be near YHVH’s presence. Two goats taken from "the congregation” were needed for the single sin offering for the people (Lev. 16:5). So why two goats?
The high priest would cast lots over the two goats, with one chosen as a sacrifice “for the Lord” (Lev. 16:8). The blood of that goat would purify the people. The second goat was not sacrificed or designated “for the Lord.” On the contrary, this goat—the one that symbolically carried the sins away from the camp of Israel into the wilderness—was “for Azazel” (Lev. 16:8-10).
What—or who—is Azazel?
The Hebrew term azazel (עזאזל) occurs four times in Leviticus 16 but nowhere else in most people's canon of the Bible, (and I say "most people's canon," because some people do include 1 Enoch in their canon of Scripture, which of course goes into great detail about this "Azazel" figure). Many translations prefer to translate the term as a phrase, “the goat that goes away,” which is the same idea conveyed in the King James Version’s “scapegoat.” Other translations treat the word as a name: Azazel. The “scapegoat” option is possible, but since the phrase “for Azazel” parallels the phrase “for YHVH” (“for the Lord”), the wording suggests that two divine figures are being contrasted by the two goats.
A strong case can be made for translating the term as the name Azazel. Ancient Jewish texts show that Azazel was understood as a demonic figure associated with the wilderness. The Mishnah (ca. AD 200; Yoma 6:6) records that the goat for Azazel was led to a cliff and pushed over, ensuring it would not return with its death. This association of the wilderness with evil is also evident in the New Testament, as this was where Jesus met the devil (Matt. 4:1). Also, in Leviticus 17:1-7 we learn that some Israelites had been accustomed to sacrificing offerings to "devils" (alternatively translated as “goat demons”). The Day of Atonement replaced this illegitimate practice.
The second goat was not sent into the wilderness as a sacrifice to a foreign god or demon. The act of sending the live goat out into the wilderness, which was unholy ground, was to send the sins of the people where they belonged—to the demonic domain. With one goat sacrificed to bring purification and access to YHVH and one goat sent to carry the people’s sins to the demonic domain, this annual ritual reinforced the identity of the true God and His mercy and holiness.
When Jesus died on the cross for all of humanity’s sins, he was crucified outside the city, paralleling the sins of the people being cast to the wilderness via the goat to Azazel. Jesus died once for all sinners, negating the need for this ritual.
As previously stated, the goat which had all the sin put on it was sent alive off to the wilderness, while the blood of the goat which was blameless was used to purify the temple and the people. Penal substitution would necessitate the killing of the goat which had the sin put on it.
Mind you, this is the only sacrificial ritual of any kind in the Torah in which sins are placed on an animal. The only time it happens is this, and that animal is not sacrificed. Most PSA proponents unwittingly point to this ritual as evidence of their view, despite it actually serving as evidence to the contrary, because most people don't read their Old Testament and don't familiarize themselves with the "boring parts" like Leviticus (when it's actually rather important to do so, since that book explains how exactly animal offerings were to be carried out and why they were done in the first place).
In the New Testament, Christ's blood was not only meant to mark out those who were his, but also expel the presence of sin and ritual uncleanness so as to make the presence of YHVH manifest in the believer's life. Notice how God's wrath isn't poured out on Christ in our stead on this view, but rather His wrath was poured out on those who weren't covered, and the presence of sin and evil were merely removed by that which is pure and blameless (Christ's blood) for the believer.
All this is the difference between expiation and propitiation.

The Content of Paul's Gospel Message

When the New Testament writers talked about “the gospel,” they referred not to the Protestant doctrine of justification sola fide–the proposition that if we will stop trying to win God’s favor and only just believe that God has exchanged our sin for Christ’s perfect righteousness, then in God’s eyes we will have the perfect righteousness required both for salvation and for assuaging our guilty consciences–but rather they referred to the simple but explosive proposition Kyrios Christos, “Christ is Lord.” That is to say, the gospel was, properly speaking, the royal announcement that Jesus of Nazareth was the God of Israel’s promised Messiah, the King of kings and Lord of lords.
The New Testament writers were not writing in a cultural or linguistic vacuum and their language of euangelion (good news) and euangelizomai would have been understood by their audience in fairly specific ways. Namely, in the Greco-Roman world for which the New Testament authors wrote, euangelion/euangelizomai language typically had to do with either A) the announcement of the accession of a ruler, or B) the announcement of a victory in battle, and would probably have been understood along those lines.
Let’s take the announcements of a new ruler first. The classic example of such a language is the Priene Calendar Inscription, dating to circa 9 BC, which celebrates the rule (and birthday) of Caesar Augustus as follows:
"It was seeming to the Greeks in Asia, in the opinion of the high priest Apollonius of Menophilus Azanitus: Since Providence, which has ordered all things of our life and is very much interested in our life, has ordered things in sending Augustus, whom she filled with virtue for the benefit of men, sending him as a savior [soter] both for us and for those after us, him who would end war and order all things, and since Caesar by his appearance [epiphanein] surpassed the hopes of all those who received the good tidings [euangelia], not only those who were benefactors before him, but even the hope among those who will be left afterward, and the birthday of the god [he genethlios tou theou] was for the world the beginning of the good tidings [euangelion] through him; and Asia resolved it in Smyrna."
The association of the term euangelion with the announcement of Augustus’ rule is clear enough and is typical of how this language is used elsewhere. To give another example, Josephus records that at the news of the accession of the new emperor Vespasian (69 AD) “every city kept festival for the good news (euangelia) and offered sacrifices on his behalf.” (The Jewish War, IV.618). Finally, a papyrus dating to ca. 498 AD begins:
"Since I have become aware of the good news (euangeliou) about the proclamation as Caesar (of Gaius Julius Verus Maximus Augustus)…"
This usage occurs also in the Septuagint, the Greek translations of the Jewish Scriptures. For instance LXX Isaiah 52:7 reads, “How beautiful upon the mountains are the feet of him who brings good news (euangelizomenou), who publishes peace, who brings good news (euangelizomenos) of salvation, who says to Zion, ‘Your God reigns.'" Similarly, LXX Isaiah 40:9-10 reads:

"…Go up on a high mountain, you who bring good tidings (ho euangelizomenos) to Sion; lift up your voice with strength, you who bring good tidings (ho euangelizomenos); lift it up, do not fear; say to the cities of Ioudas, “See your God!” Behold, the Lord comes with strength, and his arm with authority (kyrieias)…."-NETS, Esaias 40:9-10

This consistent close connection between euangelion/euangelizomai language and announcements of rule strongly suggests that many of the initial hearers/readers of the early Christians’ evangelical language would likely have understood that language as the announcement of a new ruler (see, e.g., Acts 17:7), and, unless there is strong NT evidence to the contrary, we should presume that the NT writers probably intended their language to be so understood.
However, the other main way in which euangelion/euangelizomai language was used in the Greco-Roman world was with reference to battle reports, announcements of victory in war. A classic example of this sort of usage can be found in LXX 2 Samuel 18:19ff, where David receives word that his traitorous son, Absalom, has been defeated in battle. Euangelion/euangelizomai is used throughout the passage for the communications from the front.
As already shown throughout this post, the NT speaks of Jesus’s death and resurrection as a great victory over the powers that existed at that time and, most importantly, over death itself. Jesus’ conquest of the principalities and powers was the establishment of his rule and comprehensive authority over heaven and earth, that is, of his Lordship over all things (again, at that time).
This was the content of Paul's gospel message...

Justification, and the "New" Perspective on Paul

The following quotation is from The Gospel Coalition, and I believe it to be a decently accurate summary of the NPP (New Perspective on Paul), despite it being from a source which is in opposition to it:

The New Perspective on Paul, a major scholarly shift that began in the 1980s, argues that the Jewish context of the New Testament has been wrongly understood and that this misunderstand[ing] has led to errors in the traditional-Protestant understanding of justification. According to the New Perspective, the Jewish systems of salvation were not based on works-righteousness but rather on covenantal nomism, the belief that one enters the people of God by grace and stays in through obedience to the covenant. This means that Paul could not have been referring to works-righteousness by his phrase “works of the law”; instead, he was referring to Jewish boundary markers that made clear who was or was not within the people of God. For the New Perspective, this is the issue that Paul opposes in the NT. Thus, justification takes on two aspects for the New Perspective rather than one; initial justification is by faith (grace) and recognizes covenant status (ecclesiology), while final justification is partially by works, albeit works produced by the Spirit.

I believe what's called the "new perspective" is actually rather old, and that the Reformers' view of Paul is what is truly new, being that the Lutheran understanding of Paul is simply not Biblical.
The Reformation perspective understands Paul to be arguing against a legalistic Jewish culture that seeks to earn their salvation through works. However, supporters of the NPP argue that Paul has been misread. We contend he was actually combating Jews who were boasting because they were God's people, the "elect" or the "chosen ones." Their "works," so to speak, were done to show they were God's covenant people and not to earn their salvation.
The key questions involve Paul’s view(s) of the law and the meaning of the controversy in which Paul was engaged. Paul strongly argued that we are “justified by the faith of Christ, and not by the works of the law” (Gal. 2:16b). Since the time of Martin Luther, this has been understood as an indictment of legalistic efforts to merit favor before God. Judaism was cast in the role of the medieval "church," and so Paul’s protests became very Lutheran, with traditional-Protestant theology reinforced in all its particulars (along with its limitations) as a result. In hermeneutical terms, then, the historical context of Paul’s debate will answer the questions we have about what exactly the apostle meant by the phrase "works of the law," along with other phrases often used as support by the Reformers for their doctrine of Sola Fide (justification by faith alone), like when Paul mentions "the righteousness of God."
Obviously an in-depth analysis of the Pauline corpus and its place in the context of first-century Judaism would take us far beyond the scope of this brief post. We can, however, quickly survey the topography of Paul’s thought in context, particularly as it has emerged through the efforts of recent scholarship, and note some salient points which may be used as the basis of a refurbished soteriology.
[Note: The more popular scholars associated with the NPP are E.P. Sanders, James Dunn, and N.T. Wright. Dunn was the first to coin the term "The New Perspective" in a 1983 Manson Memorial Lecture, The New Perspective on Paul and the Law.]
Varying authors since the early 1900's have brought up the charge that Paul was misread by those in the tradition of Martin Luther and other Protestant Reformers. Yet, it wasn't until E.P. Sanders' 1977 book, Paul and Palestinian Judaism, that scholars began to pay much attention to the issue. In his book, Sanders argues that the Judaism of Paul's day has been wrongly criticized as a religion of "works-salvation" by those in the Protestant tradition.
A fundamental premise in the NPP is that Judaism was actually a religion of grace. Sander's puts it clearly:
"On the point at which many have found the decisive contrast between Paul and Judaism - grace and works - Paul is in agreement with Palestinian Judaism... Salvation is by grace but judgment is according to works'...God saves by grace, but... within the framework established by grace he rewards good deeds and punishes transgression." (Paul and Palestinian Judaism, p. 543)
N.T. Wright adds that, "we have misjudged early Judaism, especially Pharisaism, if we have thought of it as an early version of Pelagianism," (Wright, What Saint Paul Really Said, p. 32).
Sanders has coined a now well-known phrase to describe the character of first-century Palestinian Judaism: “covenantal nomism.” The meaning of “covenantal nomism” is that human obedience is not construed as the means of entering into God’s covenant. That cannot be earned; inclusion within the covenant body is by the grace of God. Rather, obedience is the means of maintaining one’s status within the covenant. And with its emphasis on divine grace and forgiveness, Judaism was never a religion of legalism.
If covenantal nomism was operating as the primary category under which Jews understood the Law, then when Jews spoke of obeying commandments, or when they required strict obedience of themselves and fellow Jews, it was because they were "keeping the covenant," rather than out of legalism.
More recently, N.T. Wright has made a significant contribution in his little book, What Saint Paul Really Said. Wright’s focus is the gospel and the doctrine of justification. With incisive clarity he demonstrates that the core of Paul’s gospel was not justification by faith, but the death and resurrection of Christ and his exaltation as Lord. The proclamation of the gospel was the proclamation of Jesus as Lord, the Messiah who fulfilled Israel’s expectations. Romans 1:3-4, not 1:16-17, is the gospel, contrary to traditional thinking. Justification is not the center of Paul’s thought, but an outworking of it:
"[T]he doctrine of justification by faith is not what Paul means by ‘the gospel’. It is implied by the gospel; when the gospel is proclaimed, people come to faith and so are regarded by God as members of his people. But ‘the gospel’ is not an account of how people get saved. It is, as we saw in an earlier chapter, the proclamation of the lordship of Jesus Christ….Let us be quite clear. ‘The gospel’ is the announcement of Jesus’ lordship, which works with power to bring people into the family of Abraham, now redefined around Jesus Christ and characterized solely by faith in him. ‘Justification’ is the doctrine which insists that all those who have this faith belong as full members of this family, on this basis and no other." (pp. 132, 133)
Wright brings us to this point by showing what “justification” would have meant in Paul’s Jewish context, bound up as it was in law-court terminology, eschatology, and God’s faithfulness to God’s covenant.
Specifically, Wright explodes the myth that the pre-Christian Saul was a pious, proto-Pelagian moralist seeking to earn his individual passage into heaven. Wright capitalizes on Paul’s autobiographical confessions to paint rather a picture of a zealous Jewish nationalist whose driving concern was to cleanse Israel of Gentiles as well as Jews who had lax attitudes toward the Torah. Running the risk of anachronism, Wright points to a contemporary version of the pre-Christian Saul: Yigal Amir, the zealous Torah-loyal Jew who assassinated Prime Minister Yitzhak Rabin for exchanging Israel’s land for peace. Wright writes:
"Jews like Saul of Tarsus were not interested in an abstract, ahistorical system of salvation... They were interested in the salvation which, they believed, the one true God had promised to his people Israel." (pp. 32, 33)
Wright maintains that as a Christian, Paul continued to challenge paganism by taking the moral high ground of the creational monotheist. The doctrine of justification was not what Paul preached to the Gentiles as the main thrust of his gospel message; it was rather “the thing his converts most needed to know in order to be assured that they really were part of God’s people” after they had responded to the gospel message.
Even while taking the gospel to the Gentiles, however, Paul continued to criticize Judaism “from within” even as he had as a zealous Pharisee. But whereas his mission before was to root out those with lax attitudes toward the Torah, now his mission was to demonstrate that God’s covenant faithfulness (righteousness) has already been revealed in Jesus Christ.
At this point Wright carefully documents Paul’s use of the controversial phrase “God’s righteousness” and draws out the implications of his meaning against the background of a Jewish concept of justification. The righteousness of God and the righteousness of the party who is “justified” cannot be confused because the term bears different connotations for the judge than for the plaintiff or defendant. The judge is “righteous” if his or her judgment is fair and impartial; the plaintiff or defendant is “righteous” if the judge rules in his or her favor. Hence:
"If we use the language of the law court, it makes no sense whatsoever to say that the judge imputes, imparts, bequeaths, conveys or otherwise transfers his righteousness to either the plaintiff or the defendant. Righteousness is not an object, a substance or a gas which can be passed across the courtroom. For the judge to be righteous does not mean that the court has found in his favor. For the plaintiff or defendant to be righteous does not mean that he or she has tried the case properly or impartially. To imagine the defendant somehow receiving the judge’s righteousness is simply a category mistake. That is not how the language works." (p. 98)
However, Wright makes the important observation that even with the forensic metaphor, Paul’s theology is not so much about the courtroom as it is about God’s love.
Righteousness is not an impersonal, abstract standard, a measuring-stick or a balancing scale. That was, and still is, a Greek view. Righteousness, Biblically speaking, grows out of covenant relationship. We forgive because we have been forgiven (Matt. 18:21-35); “we love" because God “first loved us” (1 John 4:19). Love is the fulfillment of the law (Rom. 13:8, 10, Gal 5:14, Jam. 2:8). Paul even looked forward to a day when “we must all appear before the judgment seat of Christ; that every one may receive the things done in his body, according to that he hath done, whether it be good or bad” (2 Cor. 5:10), and he acknowledged that his clear conscience did not necessarily ensure this verdict (1 Cor. 4:4), but he was confident nevertheless. Paul did in fact testify of his clear conscience: “For our rejoicing is this, the testimony of our conscience, that in simplicity and godly sincerity, not with fleshly wisdom, but by the grace of God, we have had our conversation [i.e., behavior] in the world, and more abundantly to you-ward” (2 Cor. 1:12). He was aware that he had not yet “attained” (Phil. 3:12-14), that he still struggled with the flesh, yet he was confident of the value of his performance (1 Cor. 9:27). These are hardly the convictions of someone who intends to rest entirely on the merits of an alien righteousness imputed to his or her account.
Wright went on to flesh out the doctrine of justification in Galatians, Philippians, and Romans. The “works of the law” are not proto-Pelagian efforts to earn salvation, but rather “sabbath [keeping], food-laws, circumcision” (p. 132). Considering the controversy in Galatia, Wright writes:
"Despite a long tradition to the contrary, the problem Paul addresses in Galatians is not the question of how precisely someone becomes a Christian, or attains to a relationship with God….The problem he addresses is: should his ex-pagan converts be circumcised or not? Now this question is by no means obviously to do with the questions faced by Augustine and Pelagius, or by Luther and Erasmus. On anyone’s reading, but especially within its first-century context, it has to do quite obviously with the question of how you define the people of God: are they to be defined by the badges of Jewish race, or in some other way? Circumcision is not a ‘moral’ issue; it does not have to do with moral effort, or earning salvation by good deeds. Nor can we simply treat it as a religious ritual, then designate all religious ritual as crypto-Pelagian good works, and so smuggle Pelagius into Galatia as the arch-opponent after all. First-century thought, both Jewish and Christian, simply doesn’t work like that…. [T]he polemic against the Torah in Galatians simply will not work if we ‘translate’ it into polemic either against straightforward self-help moralism or against the more subtle snare of ‘legalism’, as some have suggested. The passages about the law only work — and by ‘work’ I mean they will only make full sense in their contexts, which is what counts in the last analysis — when we take them as references to the Jewish law, the Torah, seen as the national charter of the Jewish race." (pp. 120-122)
The debate about justification, then, “wasn’t so much about soteriology as about ecclesiology; not so much about salvation as about the church.” (p. 119)
To summarize the theology of Paul in his epistles, the apostle mainly spent time arguing to those whom he were sending letters that salvation in Christ was available to all men without distinction. Jews and Gentiles alike may accept the free gift; it was not limited to any one group. Paul was vehement about this, especially in his letter to the Romans. As such, I will finish this post off by summarizing the letter itself, so as to provide Biblical support for the premises of the NPP and for what the scholars I referenced have thus far argued.
After his introduction in the epistle to an already believing and mostly Gentile audience (who would've already been familiar with the gospel proclaimed in verses 3-4), Paul makes a thematic statement in 1:16: “For I am not ashamed of the gospel of Christ: for it is the power of God unto salvation to every one that believeth; to the Jew first, and also to the Greek.” This statement is just one of many key statements littered throughout the book of Romans that give us proper understanding of the point Paul wished to make to the interlocutors of his day, namely, salvation is available to all, whether Jew or Gentile.
In 1:16 Paul sets out a basic theme of his message in the letter to the Romans. All who believed, whether they be Jew or Gentile, were saved by the power of the gospel. The universal nature of salvation was explicitly stated. The gospel saved all without distinction, whether Jew or Greek; salvation was through the gospel of Jesus Christ. Immediately after this thematic declaration, Paul undertakes to show the universal nature of sin and guilt. In 1:18-32 Paul shows how the Gentile is guilty before God. Despite evidence of God and his attributes, which is readily available to all, they have failed to honor YHVH as God and have exchanged His glory for idolatrous worship and self-promotion. As a consequence, God handed them over in judgment (1:18-32). Paul moves to denunciation of those who would judge others while themselves being guilty of the very same offenses (2:1-5) and argues that all will be judged according to their deeds (2:6). This judgment applies to all, namely, Jew and Greek (2:9-10). This section serves as somewhat of a transition in Paul’s argument. He has highlighted the guilt of the Gentiles (1:18ff) and will shortly outline the guilt of the Jew (2:17-24). The universal statement of 2:1-11 sets the stage for Paul’s rebuke of Jewish presumption. It was not possession of the Law which delivered; it was faithful obedience. It is better to have no Law and yet to obey the essence of the Law (2:12-16) than to have the Law and not obey (2:17-3:4). Paul then defends the justice of God’s judgment (3:5-8), which leads to the conclusion that all (Jew and Gentile) are guilty before God (3:9).
Paul argues that it was a mistaken notion to think that salvation was the prerogative of the Jew only. This presumption is wrong for two reasons. First, it leads to the mistaken assumption that only Jews were eligible for this vindication (Paul deals with this misunderstanding in chapter 4 where he demonstrates that Abraham was justified by faith independently of the Law and is therefore the father of all who believe, Jew and Gentile alike). Second, it leads to the equally mistaken conclusion that all who were Jews are guaranteed of vindication. Paul demonstrates how this perspective, which would call God’s integrity into question since Paul was assuming many Jews would not experience this vindication, was misguided. He did this by demonstrating that it was never the case that all physical descendants of Israel (Jacob) were likewise recipients of the promise. In the past (9:6-33) as in the present (at that time; 11:1-10), only a remnant was preserved and only a remnant would experience vindication. Paul also argued that the unbelief of national Israel (the non-remnant) had the purpose of extending the compass of salvation. The unbelief of one group made the universal scope of the gospel possible. This universalism was itself intended to bring about the vindication of the unbelieving group (11:11-16). As a result of faith, all (Jew and Gentile) could be branches of the olive tree (11:17-24). Since faith in Christ was necessary to remain grafted into the tree, no one could boast of his position. All, Jew and Gentile alike, were dependent upon the mercy and grace of God. As a result of God’s mysterious plan, He would bring about the vindication of His people (11:25-27). [Note: It is this author's belief that this vindication occurred around 66-70 AD, with the Parousia of Christ's Church; this author is Full-Preterist in their Eschatology.]

Hi guys, I'm confused about how to do well in my degree. For context, I do psychology with neuroscience BSc. I've never done psychology before as my school didn't offer it for A-level, but I did biology for A-level, enjoyed it a lot, and was successful, as well as for my other A-levels.
I was excited to do this degree, and I do enjoy the content. But the coursework and final exams just killed my enjoyment and self-confidence. I'm finishing my 2nd year right now and I'm so terrified of doing poorly, cause it contributes 30% to my degree, and also I just want to understand my course. I've tried different note-taking and revision methods, I've gone to drop-in sessions and sought external help, but my best grades are like a 65% max on an essay (which is not bad but when it's one of the only 2:1 grades you get per term............).
Anyway, I just really need help, especially with understanding how to 1) balance my lifestyle between working + taking care of myself, 2) understand how to critically evaluate, it's so confusing to me and my essays always have the same feedback with too much of a range in grades for me to know what I'm doing wrong and 3) know how to properly revise this content. I think I may have been so used to having a syllabus laid out for me like in A-levels that my brain just doesn't know what's important to know (we only get one sample paper for revision, not any past papers, and MAYBE an online MCQ self-assessment with answers (sometimes not even with answers!!)) Does anyone have any advice?
tldr; I suck at my degree and genuinely cannot find out what's wrong with me and how to improve.

Kadillac Kirk had been a good friend of mine for several years. I had met him through friends from The Spring Stage; and he never had anything to do with The Imp, which is why he didn’t appear in the Married Mary saga. Mary would have totally thrown herself at him, and Kirk would have definitely “thrown it in her.” He loved the ladies and often remarked that there was no such thing as an unappealing woman, nor was there anything sweeter than finding the pearl of passion in an outwardly plain dame. Fortunately for Kirk, he never met Mary. This was probably fortunate for Mary as well, seeing as Kirk was a confirmed bachelor and his rakish nature might have broken her fat heart.
Kirk was an older guy. Not MOE old, though. He was in his early forties, but he easily passed for a carefree dude in his 30s... not that he lied about his age. I only mention this trait to juxtapose Kirk’s genuine youthful air with Moe’s unconvincing youthful farce. Kirk dressed normally, avoided stupid jargon, and never busted out gimmicks like tarot cards or spells. He just existed, behaved affably, and people liked him for it.
He drove a classic 1962 Cadillac El Dorado convertible with red leather interior, and he lived in a charmingly quaint (and ridiculously expensive) neighborhood. How he made his fortune remained a mystery, but he never bloviated about his wealth. He just threw spectacular parties and people showed up. And, to my knowledge, he never tried to lure women into bed with his money (although I’m sure he got his fair share of boom-boom thanks to his digs and his wheels, even if the gold-diggers denied their monetary agendas).
Kirk was legitimately handsome. He was a drummer, he had a full head of black hair, he was clean-shaven, he worked out, and he knew all the hidden gems in Wellsprings. So why hadn’t I tried... or even desired to date him? I don’t know. I just didn’t feel drawn to him like that. He felt like a cool uncle and he had, thus far, never done anything to change my perception. Plus, the age difference weirded me out a little. Kirk didn’t look forty; but knowing that he had so much more life experience than I did created a power imbalance that would have creeped me out if we’d been dating. As buddies, I just felt supremely cool riding in his Cadillac, smoking Fantasia cigarettes, and hitting the speakeasies and jazz clubs I would have never known about if it weren’t for Kirk’s connections.
And he had been a good person to talk to about my romantic woes. He never lecherously suggested that I should date him, and he gave the type of tempered advice that only comes with lived experience. But he often lightly mocked me for my crush on Dennis and he did a hilarious impression of Smegal popping too soon over his “precious.” So when Mary “got me back” by doing whatever she did with to Dennis, I called Kadillac Kirk and told him the drinks were on me if he’d be my designated driver for the night.
Why hadn’t I called Whisky??? Well, A) Kirk was way more fun to hang out with, at least from my past experiences up to that point. And B) I needed to bitch about a boy, something I couldn’t do in good conscience in front of a guy I was dating. So I put on the sexiest plunging halter dress I owned, applied heavy eye makeup and spikey accessories, braved a pair of stilettos, and sashayed out to Kirk’s convertible. I felt like a badass rock star. I probably looked like a try-hard hooker.
Kirk: Daaaaay-um! Somebody really did do a number on you, huh? I know you said you were upset, but the gents are gonna be writing thank you notes to that fat girl and that butt-fucking hobbit.
Me: I just need to feel pretty and numb. And I trust you to keep me from making a fool of myself.
Kirk squeezed my shoulder. “I’ve got you. You do whatever you need to do to get rid of these demons.”
He sparked up a J and offered me the first puff. I gladly accepted. He took one puff of his own, but said that the rest was mine since he didn’t want to drive stoned. See? He was responsible! Weed wasn’t legal in California yet, so I got a little bit baked before I stashed the sativa in the glove box and wrapped a scarf around my hair like a starlet from the Golden Age of Hollywood. Kirk sped out of the parking lot and said he was taking me to a downtown hotel that was hosting a party that night in their lush lobby.
Kadillac Kirk pulled up to the main entrance, paid the valet, and then opened my door. I was wobbly from the weed. And I had stupidly decided to wear heels. You can get high or you can wear high (heels). You can’t have both. Not if you’ve repeatedly injured both ankles (as I have). I had to take Kirk’s arm to keep from keeling over. “Can people tell I’m stoned?” I whispered. Kirk replied, “Nobody’s paying any attention to anyone else’s intoxication. I promise you that much.” I nodded, steadied myself, and strutted alongside my very cool friend, feeling a little more confident.
A live jazz orchestra was playing Cole Porter as we entered the lobby. Everything sparkled. The music was even more intoxicating than the spliff had been. “Just One of Those Things” brought tears to my eyes since the lyrics hit every raw nerve regarding the Dennis debacle. But I smiled. It might sound mental, but being distraught over a trash fire of a one-sided romance was exhilarating. Immature, for sure. But also exhilarating. You see, that kind of sadness doesn’t hurt. Not really. It stings. It leaves little bruises, but it’s very safe to wallow in because you haven’t actually lost anything. Melancholia over that which you never had is as sweet as it is bitter; and that type of twisted splendor is rivaled only by Stendhal.
“Here's hoping we meet now and then. It was great fun, but it was just one of those things.” I sang along with the band, and a fat tear rolled down past my melancholic smile and onto my chin. Kirk brushed it aside. “Too close to home?” I wiped away the remnants of the tear’s journey from eye to chin and smiled a more genuine smile. “The perfect distance from home. Shall we get drinks? Remember, I’m buying.”
Kirk: No, no. This is your time to heal. And I’m here as your pal, not your chauffeur. What would the lady like?”
I pretended to barf. Kirk knew I hated it when he got overly formal and overly attentive. So he did it just to mess with me. “Shot of vodka,” I replied.
Kirk: How many?
I thought briefly. “FIVE.”
Kirk: Five to one, baby. One in five...
Me: No one here gets out alive.
Kirk: Are you able to hold yourself upright, or should you come with?
I took a seat on an ornate, damask-upholstered chaise lounge. “I’ll be okay. And I was kidding about the five shots.”
I sat there lost in the music for a while. I thought very little about Dennis. Even less about Mary. And not at all about Whisky (whom I had shagged less than a week ago). My mind danced through the ornate lighting in the hotel lobby, and I suddenly felt the need to join the hoity-toity guests on the dancefloor!
Kirk returned with four shots of vodka. Two for him, two for me. That was quite reasonable of him. He knew damn well that I couldn’t handle five shots, but he also knew that I was in a... state. One that called for more than a single shot. I raised a both miniature glasses to “No more ninnyhammers or hairy-footed lovers.” Kirk did his hilarious Smegal impression, we double-toasted, and downed the shots. The band launched into “Let’s Misbehave,” and I kicked off my stilettos and made a beeline for the dance floor.
“There’s something wild about you child that’s so contagious. Let’s be outrageous! Let’s misbehave.” Kadillac Kirk swept me up, twirled me around, and dipped me as we both sang along with the lyrics. I wasn’t swooning for him, but I was enthralled by the moment. The music, the dancing, the combination of booze and bud... so I kissed him as he pulled me back to my feet. And he kissed back. In a way that Dennis never had. In a way that Whisky’s beard wouldn’t permit. I didn’t feel the visceral sensations that I’d felt when Dennis had kissed me, but it felt nice to feel desired. And then I noticed that other guests were watching us and applauding. Now, that was a dopamine rush if ever there was one!
I gently broke away from the embrace, high-fived Kirk and returned to the chaise lounge to put my stupid shoes back on. He followed me and smashed his face back onto mine. I pulled away and laughed. “It was a moment,” I told him. “I appreciate the dance, and that kiss was the perfect finale. But it’s not happening again.”
Kirk: Not to worry, Valerie. I know you. I knew all along that we were performing, and I was more than happy to be your scene partner.
Me: And dance partner! Those were some excellent moves! I didn’t know you had ballroom training.
Kirk: You name it, I’ve mastered it. Another drink for the lady?
I pretended to barf again. “Not yet. I’m not sad right now. Do you mind if I just sit here and enjoy the music?”
Kirk: Ah. My kisses do have healing properties...
I flipped my hand up at him. “Knock that shit off, bro. I wanted to hang out with you because I trust you not to get weird. Even if I get weird, I know you have the maturity to balance me out.”
Kirk: Are you calling me old???
Me: No. I’m calling you rational, responsible, and respectful.
Kirk: Well, now. If you can articulate an alliterative statement that fluently, then you clearly aren’t drunk enough!
I dismissed this comment as a joke. And he did indeed knock off the flirtation. We had a perfectly pleasant time chatting and dancing (no more kissing, though). And then I noticed a girl I knew from Into the Woods entering the lobby. She’d played Florinda and I’d played Little Red. I called her name and waved enthusiastically. She waved back. And then her date entered. It was D.E.N.N.I.S. I sank into the chaise. Kirk caught on immediately. “The hobbit???” he asked. I nodded silently. “You wanna make out again?” he enthused. I shook my head. I had to go say hello to Flo. And I had an idea...
I crossed the lobby, smiled, squealed, and hugged her.
Florinda: Lil’ Red! It’s been forever! So glad to see you!!! This is my friend, Denny.
Dennis was shifting uncomfortably. I extended my hand. “Nice to meet you. I know your date from Into the Woods. I bet she could tell you some entertaining stories about that show...” Flo laughed out loud, well aware of the many misadventures to which I'd referred. Of course, she might have been laughing because Dennis never, ever listened to anyone else's stories. He was too busy telling, re-telling, slightly altering, and exaggerating his own.
Dennis: C’mon, Val...
Me: Oh, you’ve heard of me? Small world! You guys picked a great night to come here. They’re playing Cole Porter, and the band is delovely!
Florinda (appearing oblivious to the iciness between me and Dennis): Have you seen Prince Big Bad (Scumbanger) lately?
I laughed. “Last time I saw him, he was hitting on some nasty fat chick at The Imp.”
Flo and I both scoffed at the pervy pest. Into the Woods was where I’d initially met Scumbanger. He played The Wolf/Cinderella’s Prince. Again... typecasting. There’s a whole essay in my brain about my first encounter with the pest, during which he quoted the song that he sang to me in the show, “Hello, Little Girl.” But it gets into some pretty uncomfortable territory because he made me feel excited. Well, excited and scared. Nothing of note happened during Into the Woods, but our odd interactions did kind of set the stage for some extremely regrettable events during that Cats cast party.
I excused myself, saying that I needed to get back to my friend. And then I leaned in and said in a hushed voice to Flo, “Watch your ass with that one. If he’s the Denny I’m thinking of...” I gave her a look that only another female would be able to read. Her eyebrows shot up and she nodded. Dennis continued to shift as though he were trying to hold in a massive dump. “BABE! Uh...”
Flo apparently answered to that moniker as well. “What is it, Denny? Don’t worry. That was just telepathic girl talk. You apparently have a reputation...”
Dennis: Different Denny. I assure you I’m a pious gentleman.
Me: Ah. My mistake. Well, then. You guys have a good time! Nice to meet you, Denny. Great to see you, Flo!
I hugged Flo again, gave Dennis a curt nod, ignored the scent of mandarins and mountain air, and returned to Kirk.
I collapsed on the chaise lounge, exhausted from holding back the rage. I had no right to be mad at Florinda. I hadn’t seen her in three years, so how was she supposed to know that I’d had a thing with Dennis? Hell, I couldn’t even be mad at Dennis because the last time he and I had spoken in any meaningful way, I’d told him that I was no longer entertaining my crush on him. So why was I surprised to see him dating??? And why had he never taken ME out on a date like this??? And why wasn’t I smitten with Kadillac Kirk who HAD taken me out on a date like this, was an objectively excellent kisser, and a bona fide BALLER? What was wrong with me???
Kirk suggested going down the street to a quaint little bar and then sobering up at a diner closer to my apartment. I numbly nodded and followed him in silence for a few blocks. He assured me that I had “turned several heads” on the way to the new location, but I neither cared nor believed him. This wasn't the type of numbness I'd been aiming for. Now I needed to get schnockered. “Five shots of vodka, please.” Yes, I was serious.
Kadillac Kirk, my reliable designated driver, ordered only a beer and watched in something across between astonishment, concern, and delight as I slammed all five shots in rapid succession. I half expected to immediately retch all over the bar. But I felt fine. I half expected to immediately lose consciousness and wake up in the hospital. But I remained coherent. How I’d managed to take in that much hard liquor and suffer no direct consequences, I’ll never know.
I think I wanted to suffer. I wanted to either feel nothing at all or to feel a sickness bad enough to distract me from the scorching sting that pulsed through my being when I realized that I had lost the abstract notion I’d been addicted to this entire time. Hope. It wasn’t Dennis himself I couldn’t quit. It was that drug called hope. The hope that maybe, just maybe Dennis would give our romance a fair chance. The hope that maybe, just maybe he would make peace with himself, get his mind out of his crotch, and enjoy some agenda-free togetherness. The hope that maybe, just maybe he would stop bloviating about his admittedly impressive accomplishments for five fucking minutes and ask about my life. I had my own reasonably impressive accomplishments, even if they paled in comparison to his. A proper suitor would have enjoyed hearing about them.
But seeing him out with another woman, a woman who had no reason to parade her Dennis escapades before me as some means of revenge, a woman he was clearly courting of his own volition... My hope had died. It died before I’d had time to wean myself off it. Now I had to mourn the loss of hope, which is a very tricky brand of grief to navigate. Vodka wasn’t the answer, but it was what I had to work with. So it would have to do.
After enough time had passed without vomiting or collapsing, I asked Kirk to bring his car around to the bar so that I didn’t have to walk two and a half blocks drunk and in heels. He nodded and dramatically leaned in for a kiss. I recoiled. “DUDE! I told you. The moment has passed.”
Kirk: I beg your pardon. I misread your eyes. Thought I saw a green light...
Me: It’s fine. I just want to go home while I’m still feeling okay.
Kirk: Of course. Your chariot will be here soon.
He skipped off to fetch his Cadillac and I noticed that the lights in the bar were beginning to dance a bit. This should have been concerning. But then I realized that I was giggling. Wait... What? Oh shit. Sure, I was drunk from those shots. But what I was feeling in that moment wasn’t drunkery. It was stonery. Kirk probably misread my face because my pupils were dilated. Not from desire, but from drug use.
Some of you might be thinking that I was a bad friend for not introducing Lucy, an old dude connoisseur, to Kirk. Well... I did. Several years before the events of this story. He adored her. She, on the other hand, thought he was immature. And she wasn’t wrong. Lucy was astute when it came to sussing out a person’s true nature. Far more astute than I. Her initial assessment that Kirk was immature is about to be vindicated. Stretch those cringe muscles! It’s almost time for pie...
I somehow managed to get to his car. I honestly don’t recall how I got there. Did one of the bartenders carry me? Did some kind patron allow me to lean on him? Had Kadillac Kirk carried me out? I’m not sure. But my memory ceases to be fuzzy about halfway to the 24-hour diner. It might have been the very same 24-hour diner where Mary pulled her... shenanigans. I’ll never know.
Kirk: Would you say that you’re more drunk or more stoned?
Me: STONED. Definitely stoned.
Kirk made some sort of grunty noise and reached for my thigh. I slapped his hand.
Kirk: Stoned but not amorous? That’s rare.
I started laughing rather unkindly. “You’re a fucking horndog! I thought you were my safe straight male friend, dammit.”
Kirk: I solemnly swear that your safety is my primary concern, my stoned beauty.
I pretended to throw up.
Kirk: So... You’re not horny. But are you hungry? The diner I’m heading to makes this Maple Walnut Pie with the most sumptuous... sensual cream and exquisite drizzling of...
Me: Ew! Stop trying to bang the pie. Bro. Are YOU stoned? (Then I remembered the question.) Yes, I’m hungry. But I don’t like nuts. I’ll have banana cream.
Kirk made that repulsive grunty noise again. “Uhhhhh... Mmmmmm. Cream. Yessssss. Yes, we’ll be there in just a minute.” He was squirming in the driver's seat.
Me: GROSS, DUDE! If you’re gonna be like that I’ll just order HASH brows. Get it? Hash??? (I giggled uncontrollably.). You can’t make that sound nasty.
Kirk: Forgive my jokes. I think my blood sugar’s a bit low.
As Kirk parked, I began to wonder how I might get away with walking shoeless into the diner. The stilettos had to get off my feet. At least while I was walking. And Kirk was kind enough to give me his socks and wear his loafers “island style” into the establishment. Okay, that was gallant of him. Maybe he was going to behave himself for the rest of the evening.
I wasn’t terribly talkative as we sat down, and he expressed concern for my emotional well-being. I wasn’t coherent enough to explain what was happening to my emotions and I wasn’t sure I trusted him with my deep, dark secrets at that point. So I shrugged like a sulky teenager, ran my hands over my messy, windblown hair, and mumbled that I was “just hungry.” And right on cue, a very kind, slightly older waitress with a sweet southern accent stopped by to take our order.
Kirk: Ah, yes. We’ll have two cups of black coffee. And we’ll share a slice of that delectable Maple Walnut Pie.
Waitress: Oh, honey. That pie is scrumptious! I take it you’ve been here before?
Kirk: I have. This will be her first time to taste the splendor.
I hated to be a killjoy, but I interrupted and said to the waitress, “Ma’am? I’m sure the Maple Walnut is excellent, but could I please get a slice of Banana Cream? And a big glass of ice water?
Waitress: Sure, hon! Banana Cream’s just as yummy! I’ll be right back with those coffees and that big water.
Kirk was sucking on the tip of his forefinger and shaking his head a bit. “You’re passing up so many sensational... sensual...”
I put my forehead on the table and growled. “You swore you’d stop being nasty!” I held this #headdesk pose for quite some time before I finally lifted my head... only to see that Kirk was still sucking his fingertip and staring at me like a wild animal. “Pleeeeeease be normal,” I whined. “It’s been a really weird night for me.”
Kirk: Indeed. Many surprises. You know... You’re like titanium. Your flame burns so fast and so bright, if a guy doesn’t get in there while the iron is hot, he’ll never get another chance. I was too slow.
What the...? I was pretty sure he was wrong about titanium burning quickly. I’m no chemistry wiz, but my dad and my oldest brother are both big-brains when it comes to physics and chemistry. So I picked up some things just listening to them talk. Accurate or inaccurate, Kirk was being creepy again. He’d never been creepy towards me before, although I’d seen him act like this with other women. Usually with staggering success. Why????? His money. It had to be his money. Kirk was a nice-looking man, but holy shit... No amount of good looks could save this creep show.
And then, our sweet waitress sat down our coffees, my water, and the two slices of pie. After I gulped down a whole bunch of water, I grabbed a fork, prepared to quell my munchies... and then I froze. Kirk was quickly flicking his finger back and forth across the top of his pie. And moaning. He noticed my wide-eyed stare, smirked, sucked the tip of his thumb, picked up the plate with both hands, and began flicking his tongue across the tip of the triangular pie slice. And moaning some more. Well, there went my appetite.
Kirk took his middle finger and jabbed it into the crustless vertex of the pie slice, then he began pumping it in and out like a piston, and flicking his thumb across the increasingly demolished top layer of whipped cream. He gasped this time. People were starting to stare. His pointer finger joined his middle finger in the piston action, and he replaced his thumb with his tongue. Between flicks of the tongue, he groaned, “Oh yeah, baby... Let me taste you,” but it was kind of hard to understand him.
And I was either about to run to the back office, tell them that I was in danger and needed a police escort home... OR I was about to burst out laughing at the spectacle. Kirk continued... He removed his fingers and gregariously licked pie filling off of them. And then he started sucking his fingertips again, switching from middle to pointer, middle to pointer and emitting a delighted little, “Mmmmmm” with every suck.
Finally, he jabbed his fingers back into the utterly destroyed pie, lowered his face into the mess and lapped loudly and passionately, moaning, grunting, and mumbling “Come on, baby. Come on. Mmmmmm. Come on.” I could see the waitress and some dude in a suit heading over to the table, so I sank down in my seat, partially covered my face, but continued to watch the train wreck. At last, Kirk shuddered violently, he splatted his entire hand onto the plate and rubbed furiously. And then he locked eyes with me. He sucked the tip of his thumb one final time and said, “You...” There was a long pause during which Kirk lovingly stroked the mess he’d made. “You... are the pie.”
I don’t hang out with Kadillac Kirk anymore. But he’s still a bachelor, ladies!

Hi everyone thinking about taking MICR 4600 Immunology with Porter! I wanted to give you a breakdown for the class format and explain how it functions. I just finished Immunology with Porter (was one of my CLS pre-reqs) and this class is no joke. It was one of the hardest classes I have ever taken and I already have my degree in Microbiology. Please be ready for being tested comprehensively on the information you learn. Not only is there lots of content to learn, but Porter will design ways to test your understanding of how to apply the info you learned in lecture.
Grade breakdown - lab and lecture are graded together. There is a total of 1000 points you can earn from each. You need to do well in both to get a good grade:
Lecture Component (600 points total):

• Reflective Essays (20 points)
  • Easyish essay on what you expect from the class at the beginning and then again after the final (2 essays).
• Active Learning (50 points)
  • Randomly during class, there will be a ~2pt assignment just explaining the lecture content you learned. Acts as an attendance checker
  • This isn't tested on if you get it correct its graded by participation and if you get it wrong she just comments the right answer.
• Case Studies (100 points)
  • Five team-based case studies: 10 points each
    • Every other week you get a group assignment. Using information you learned in lecture, you need to assess a medical issue. You must explain the immunological causes, key information why you diagnosed what you did, what diagnostic tests you should run to assess the diagnosis, and some questions that may be applicable for the case.
  • Final team-based case study: 50 points
    • Same as above but this one is presented to the class (powerpoint + 1 question from Porter)
• Seminar Synopsis and Research Question (30 points)
  • You will get two guest lectures during this class. You will need to write a paper on the research/information being presented during one of these lectures.
• Weekly Post-Lecture Quizzes (150 points)
  • Fifteen quizzes: 10 points each
    • These quizzes are really challenging! You get two chances and your grade will be the average of the two. Study the lecture before taking the quiz.
• Midterm Exam (100 points)
  • Free response with a few multiple choice questions
    • About 5 pages of free response
• Final Comprehensive Examination (150 points)
  • Similar to midterm setup.
    • About 11 pages of free response (comprehensive with emphasis on lectures after midterm) plus 20 multiple choice.
• Midterm and Final have an essay portion due the night before the test. You need to find a regular news article(NYT/BBC/etc not actual science or research journals) where you describe news on information from the lessons in class. Should be an easy 10 points for each.)

Laboratory Component (400 points total) ~with Dr. Tapia:

• Weekly Pre-Lab Quizzes (60 points)
  • Twelve quizzes: 5 points each
    • Easy just read manual and due early morning before lab section
• Safety Quiz (10 points)
• Quizzes 1 and 2 (80 points)
  • Two quizzes: 40 points each
    • Open lab notebook. As long as you keep your notebook updated, you'll be okay but be sure you have all the reagents whole names written down.
• Graphs (30 points)
  • Three graphs: 10 points each
    • Will be on lab data given by the professor. Make sure you include all the information required on the assignment or points might be deducted.
• Lab Notebook (50 points)
  • Needs to have images or drawings of experiment if noted in manual.
• Poster Session (50 points)
  • Poster: 30 points (team)
    • Team makes poster but each individual is required to present during a poster session.
  • Poster presentation: 10 points (individual)
  • Poster evaluations: 10 points (individual)
• Final Comprehensive Laboratory Examination (120 points)
  • You get a cheat sheet for this.

General Policies:

• Attendance for both lectures and labs is mandatory.
• No make-up exams or late assignments are accepted unless justified (e.g., doctor's note). She's pretty strict with exceptions without doctor note.
• Participation in lecture will help you accumulate extra credit for your final grade so participate often and go to office hours!!

Feel free to ask any questions below. Happy to answer :)

Greetings!
We at Honor Games released award winning Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars modification Tiberium Secrets. We are now pursuing our first commercial titles.
We consist of passionate individuals striving to get into the games and entertainment industries, which has resulted in us networking with many developers and executives in the industry.
We're looking for dedicated individuals interested in continuing a new project with us.
You can learn more about us here:
Honorgames.co
~Opening: Lead writer~
We at Honor Games (based in Pacific standard time (GMT-8) are searching for a competent lead writer to take on the hands-on details of implementing world building and character backstories of the IP we create. As of now, we have 1 project in active development (vultures), 1 project in preproduction (charge!), and 1 project waiting for proper personnel support (Equation of Humanity).
As a writer myself, I’ve come to understand that I’m more interested and able to do the big picture writing and act as a “show runner.” I’m less interested in IMPLEMENTING the nitty gritty details myself. I’D SAY I’M GOOD AT DOING “THE BROAD BRUSH”, and I’d like to find a writing candidate to train into lead writer, and eventually narrative director for the company.
I have a psychology background, and I act as CEO an executive producer for the company and projects in question. I’ve also acted as lead writer and PR lead in the past. I’m specifically searching for narrative candidates who are able to run with an existing direction, stay within the limits of said direction, yet also synthesize concepts into a holistic picture in potentially novel ways.
We’re looking for a passionate and strong minded individual, a person who can articulate their position and work alongside other department leads. They will be able to act as a core leadership member and back up their perspective logically. They will be able to hold their ground, and lead a writing department that has yet to be staffed. They will be able to write and proof public relations posts as needed. They will be able to take notes for meetings they attend. They will be able to do effective research. Other duties as assigned.
~The only hard requirement I have, is that you need to have at least one finished and published work OUT IN THE WORLD.~
~PROJECT OVERVIEWS:~
~Vultures~ is a game that combines the elements of an economic and manufacturing simulator such as Factorio and Production Line. The game takes place in real time, with players put in charge of a manufacturing corporate empire. Players are responsible for buying plants and equipment, hiring labor, and buying and selling raw materials and finished goods.
Vultures aims to satirize corporate culture and the manufacturing process. Vultures will keep players engaged, switching between the two simulations to keep either one from becoming stale too quickly.
~Charge!~ is a first-person shooter (FPS) set in the future where there is peace on earth, and this sport is how most people entertain and advance themselves. All weapons are light based. and players will be able to choose different color classes, each with their own unique set of features.
The game is effectively laser tag with mirrors, prisms, and lenses. It can also be thought of as Portal with light-based puzzles.
To advance the first-person shooter (FPS) genre, by adding novel mechanics and unconventional weapons. Returning to the halcyon days of FPS, focusing on deathmatch and the multiplayer experience.
~Equation of Humanity (EoH)~ Is a concept for a real-time strategy (RTS) game in a science fiction setting. Players will take control of one of two armies, building bases, managing resources, and producing and commanding units in order to destroy other players and AI controlled factions on the battlefield. EoH started out as a mod for another RTS game (Command & Conquer 3: Tiberium Wars) named Tiberium Secrets. The mod aimed to add three new armies, each with unique aesthetics and mechanics that separated them both from existing elements within the base game and from each other. Tiberium Secrets had a partial release to good reception, especially considering how old the base game was at the time. However, the limitations of the base game and its license eventually proved insurmountable, and the mod was canceled before a full release. The ASI faction was finalized and shipped, along with minor but fundamental changes to the original factions.
EoH seeks to pick up where Tiberium Secrets left off. Like its predecessor, EoH has plans for three armies with radically different designs. Using the power of the Unreal Engine, EoH will be free of the constraints of a mod and will be commercially available as a standalone product.
The factions come complete with diverse units, structures, mechanics, and lore. Players will take command of a global government faction intent on ensuring the survival of humanity without concern for red tape or ideologies or an artificial intelligence believing itself to be the next evolution of humanity.
This Game’s aim is to create an aesthetically pleasing, diverse and intriguing play-style for each faction, incorporating inspiration from many other works and real-world subjects. We also strive to recreate and surpass the original draw and impact of “Tiberium Secrets”. Striving to present theories of how the world/ universe works and operates.
Requirements:

• Excellent English communication skills (spoken and written).
• Positive influence and leadership skills - Motivates and energizes others
• Critical thinker
• Contract Signature
• Team Player
• Passionate and respectful
• Grit
• Initiative
• Keen attention to detail
• finish at least 1 shipped game / project/ book or equivalent
• Experience with Jira (Bonus)

Benefits:
This position gives the great chance to not only gain experience in your fields, but to also work together with highly motivated individuals in a team. It is required to give and take constructive criticism and simply push the designs to the limits to give the player the best gaming experience possible. In addition, we are focusing on creating high quality across the board, which means that you'll get great video material to publish on your blogs/websites to showcase your work. You can expect a solid foundation and work done in every area of development, since this is not our first project. The team leader may be a reference for future work relationships.
Professional networking and development opportunities are also critical to our success and if you invest in us, we will invest in you, both on a personal and professional level. As long as your committed to our core values and share knowledge and resources.
Required Time:
This position will require 10-15 hours per week. It is very important that you can react to emails and inquiries via smartphone or any other devices. We also have regular team meetings, which are required. Many of us have day jobs in addition to this commitment. You will be responsible for logging and reporting your hours, which will be regularly audited, for the purpose of determining fair Revenue share when the game ships.
We use Google Drive, Jira, Slack, Zoom and Email for the exchange of data and information. Further information can be given upon request.
Interested in working with us?

To Apply

If you’re interested and able Please email me [eric.chou@honorgames.co](mailto:eric.chou@honorgames.co)
Include: 1. Time zone 2. Portfolio/ writing samples 3. Introduction 4. name of your published work, and your biggest lesson learned

In the competitive world of jewelry design, presenting your creations in the most captivating and realistic manner is essential. This is where jewelry rendering services come into play, transforming your designs into lifelike visuals that attract clients and elevate your brand. But with so many options available, how do you choose the best jewelry rendering service? In this blog post, we’ll explore key factors to consider and highlight what makes a jewelry rendering service truly exceptional.
1. Quality of Renderings:
The hallmark of the best jewelry rendering service is the quality of its renderings. High-resolution images with detailed textures, accurate reflections, and realistic lighting are essential. The renderings should closely resemble real-life photographs, capturing every facet, curve, and detail of the jewelry piece. Please look for services that provide samples of their work to see if they are good enough.
2. Expertise and Experience:
Experience matters when it comes to jewelry rendering. The best services employ skilled artists who understand the nuances of jewelry design and rendering. They should have a proven track record of delivering high-quality renderings for various types of jewelry, from rings and necklaces to intricate custom pieces. An experienced team can bring your vision to life with precision and artistry.
3. Customization and Flexibility:
Every jewelry design is unique, and the best jewelry rendering services offer customization and flexibility to meet your specific needs. Whether you need to tweak the size of a gemstone, change the metal type, or adjust the overall design, the service should provide the tools and support to make these changes easily. Look for providers that offer iterative design processes and are responsive to feedback.
4. Advanced Technology:
The best jewelry rendering services utilize advanced technology to create their renderings. This includes the latest 3D modeling software, high-performance rendering engines, and tools for creating realistic materials and lighting effects. The use of cutting-edge technology ensures that the renderings are of the highest quality and produced efficiently.
5. Fast Turnaround Times:
In the fast-paced jewelry industry, time is of the essence. The best jewelry rendering services offer quick turnaround times without compromising on quality. They should be able to meet tight deadlines and deliver renderings promptly, helping you stay ahead of the competition and meet client demands.
6. Competitive Pricing:
While quality is paramount, pricing is also an important consideration. The best jewelry rendering services offer competitive pricing that provides value for money. Look for transparent pricing structures with no hidden fees, and consider whether the service offers different packages or options to suit various budget levels.
7. Customer Support and Communication:
Effective communication and excellent customer support are key attributes of the best jewelry rendering services. The provider should be responsive, easy to reach, and willing to answer any questions or address concerns you may have. Good communication ensures that the rendering process runs smoothly and that the final product meets your expectations.
8. Positive Reviews and Testimonials:
Finally, one of the best ways to gauge the quality of a jewelry rendering service is by looking at reviews and testimonials from other clients. Positive feedback and high ratings can provide insight into the service’s reliability, quality, and customer satisfaction. Don’t hesitate to ask for references or check online reviews to make an informed decision.
Conclusion:
Choosing the best jewelry rendering service is crucial for bringing your designs to life and presenting them in the most appealing way possible. You can find a service that meets your needs and exceeds your expectations by considering factors such as quality, expertise, customization, technology, turnaround times, pricing, customer support, and reviews. Investing in a top-notch jewelry rendering service will not only enhance your design process but also help you captivate your audience and elevate your brand.

Hi guys,
I [31m] feel like my partner [25f] is constantly on my case about not doing enough, or not giving enough.
I had a pretty shit start to life which meant that i started off on the backfoot, however I managed to graduate a MSc Computer Science last December and I have been looking for a graduate job ever since. I've had numerous video interviews, but I've been rejected by all except one place that has invited me to an assessment center in June.
About 6 weeks ago I applied for two companies that I really like the look of. One in defence and one in maritime services. Both looked like amazing opportunities and I was lucky enough to be invited to an interview for both. It was nice to finally have companies call me back, you know? Anyway, I had my interviews and prepared for them both as best I could. I felt like the interviews went very well, but unfortunately I got rejected by both companies on the same day last week.
I'll be honest, it broke me. I was really, really upset about it and began to feel completely hopeless, useless and defeated. I worked so hard to get educated, did the best that I could, got very high grades, but it feels like it has all been a waste of time.
I cried like a baby when I got those rejections and felt absolutely broken. My partner supported me through it and said to me "it isn't your fault" and that it's just a shit economy at the moment.
Fast forward to this week and my partner calls me (she's away visiting her parents). It started off fine at first as we were both talking about plans for the future. Basically, the conversation spiralled and she started saying that I'm not doing enough, that's its a males job to provide financially and that I'm not trying hard enough to get us ahead. I showed her this spread sheet I've kept that lists every single job I've applied for and what stage of the application I made it to. There are 128 jobs on that list. I felt so hurt because when I was super upset about my rejections last week, she supported me and told me none if it was my fault. Yet here she is insinuating that it is. I point this apparent hypocrisy out to her, and she says "it's always partially your fault".
I've applied to every single job available in this area and city a couple of hours away. Then she said that I don't work enough currently (I'm a healthcare worker). I remind her that I work 3x 12.5hr shifts per week which is about the limit of which I can handle tbh. I'm wiping ass and coping abuse all day, it isn't easy.
She then rebutted me by saying "what about last year when you were only working 2 shifts per week". Wtf, I was studying a Masters degree so of course I was working less. And during my dissertation I was studying roughly 6-8 hours. In my view, doing a MSc full time during the week and working 12 hours on Saturday and Sunday is commendable, and I was the only student in my cohort who worked as much as I did. Most just lived off their student loan. Yet here I am, being made to feel like I was a lazy pos. I feel like she had absolutely no appreciation for just how hard i worked tbh.
when I asked her "what would you do differently in my shoes?" She was unable to answer. Crickets. I would have expected her to be able to list exactly where she could see room for improvement, but nope. Then she brought up how I don't "contribute enough to the household financially or with chores". She makes this argument from time to time and it infuriates me. I pay more than 50% of our bills and more than 50% for groceries. I effectively bought a car for her to use almost exclusively (every day drives to her uni, or work, or her stables). She has possession of the car around 95% of the time, yet I've been paying atleast 70% of the running costs of it (and boy did the thing need some work over the last 2 years). But she completely disregards that because it doesn't contribute to our standard of living. Whatever the fuck that even means.
So I say to her, what about all the trips I've taken you on? Last year I took her to Australia, I paid for everything. She said "that doesn't count because it was to see your family". I then said how about me taking you to Greece the year before last? Or me taking you to Sweden, Denmark, Germany, Switzerland and Italy on a road trip the year before that?
Do you know what her response was? "You see I don't like when you pay for these holidays because you always end up using them against me". WTF! She literally complained that I don't contribute enough financially! Ugh what is this logic even?
Then she moves on and says I dont do enough chores. I bought this hook line and sinker when we first got together, but I've really stepped up my game in the last two years. I pointed out that I prepare us meals, I vacuum, I do dishes, walk the dogs, dust, put my shit away, keep the mirror clean, you name it. She always has a clean flat to come home to.
But she says "it's not to my standard so I don't consider it done". Wtf? Absolute bs, I pay far closer attention to detail that she does. I do a very thorough job.
Basically, my partner makes absurd criticisms of me that I do not think have any basis in reality. How should I handle this? Because I do love her, but I'm really finding this aspect of her personality very jarring, unfair and difficult to deal with.
Also, sorry for the huge essay. I really needed to vent tbh.

Now that a couple of years has passed since the Fandom's acquisition of Gamepedia and the new Fandom visual look (such as the dreaded sidebar), I think it would be a good to time to get a retrospective look on the aftermath of these changes. I would like to also add that many Fandom wikis have been now abandoned as the active contributors moved to Wiki.GG, and while I would like to remain unbiased in this reflective essay, I have to say that they made the right decision by ditching Fandom.
It is impossible to ignore Fandom's greatest issue: The ads. While I and many other users run an adblocker, I decided to test a few Fandom wikis without and compare the expirience to that of Wiki.GG. And I'll have to say, the diffrence was MASSIVE. While WIki.GG had a few ads, they were generally unobtrusive and were only advertisements for video games, and did not affect the load times in any way, shape or form. But Fandom on the other hand... Oh boy... It was truly an ungodly expirience, which I do not wish upon even my worst enemies. Except maybe for the folks at Fandom who are responsible for this underworldly abomination. It took on average between 1.5 and 2 minutes just to load half of a wiki page. On wiki.GG it took 2 seconds at most.
But when it loaded... Oh my... It was a sight to behold, and not in a good way, let me tell you. The whole site was covered in massive, flashing commercials. There were multiple banners, some anchored to diffrent sides of the screen, others not, advertising for online gambling sites (even though they are illegal in my country), with backgrounds of raining coins and massive pulsating buttons reading "play now". When I tried pressing the "x" on the corner of one of the advertisements, I noticed that there were two of them and I clicked on the wrong one. This caused a slow, laggy redirect to a dodgy, barebones betting site which was highly contrasted by the cheeriful, overdesigned ad. The site starts automatically downloading an .exe file, but I manage to stop it just before it finishes.
I closed the gambling site and when I switched toi the fandom page, my broweser (firefox) crashed. I decided to give Fandom another ruddy good shot with Google Chrome this time, figuring thatr maybe Firefox is not compatable with fandom. This time Fandom took only around 1.5 minutes to load, but it was full of ads again, which kept on switching into other ads. There also was an autoplaying video that scrolled with the screen, which never loaded. There was literally a giant black box with a loading icon that covered 30% of the screen while never loading and never giving an button to close it. The wiki was laggy and more that 50% of the whole screen was covered in ads. It was the first time I had even reen a wiki scroll bar rubberband. And I have an Nvidia series X graphics card and an Lntel i5 core deluxe kernel.
Then the sidebar. I swear by the Old Lord's Oathsword that that thing was created just to annoy the (redacted) out of wiki users, espicially those who run dark mode (like me). It is insufferably colored, with bright red and neon yellow, two colors that animals in nature use to signify that they are lethally toxic. It has a giant arrow, with the text "new" pointing to "fan central". Which I clicked curiously. It led me to a hellhole filled with ads, anime wikis and laggy autoplaying videos (seriously I never got one to load, I even left my computer afk for 20 minutes and when I came back the loading icon was still spinning). When I clicked on the first gaming wiki I saw (which was the Terraria wiki), I noticed that it had been vandalized, with most pinned articles being full of nonsense like "skibidi", "69" and "dryad's shower". I had played the game recently and know none of that is actually in it. When I scrolled to the bottom of the article, massive images of anime characters started showing up amongst other articles and links to unrelated wikis.
All in all, I have to say that Fandom wikis suck ass. They are truly THE WORST. I swear by the shadow of Deathwing's wings that I will never, EVER touch another Fandom wiki article as long as I am alive, even if it means enduring the pear of anguish.
TL;DR Fandom sucks, don't use it, use wiki.GG instead.

This is pretty light hearted imo (Also I have literally never posted on Reddit, lmk if I need to change this post in any way!)
So I follow the Tumblr AITA blog and recently there was a post from a film bro. He was asking if he was an asshole for calling his coworker stupid for liking Avatar (the blue people one).
To summarize his initial submission, he gave brief information on how he and his coworker (emphasis on him calling this guy his coworker) had movie nights. He made a point of saying his coworker had terrible movie taste which was why he often chose movies. This one time, though, his friend suggested watching Avatar.
This dude DESPISES the movie. Enough that, when his coworker gave reasons for why he liked the movie, this dude called him stupid. Multiple times. And then got into an argument bad enough the coworker slept on the couch. I'll get to that in a second.
Dude was very clearly expecting Tumblr to be on his side.
When I say this guy was an asshole, I'm saying that around 97% of people voted him an asshole. The poll ended recently, but the guy decided to make a response post. The AITA blog will usually reblog additional info posts, but this guy for most of this response was antagonizing the people who called him an asshole (myself included - some of the comments he addressed I had made in my initial judgement). He also doubled down on his friend being stupid because of having a bad taste in films.
The ONLY reason the AITA blog reblogged the response is because he - very briefly - clarified the couch comment.
Apparently, the guy wasn't just his coworker. He was his roommate too. (He never clarified if they share a bed.)
This is where I decided to be petty.
At the end of his response post, he claimed that people online couldn't think critically. And something about just how insufferable this guy was, not only in how he talked about media, but how he had no remorse for how terribly he spoke about and to his friend.
So me, being an English-loving and majoring college student who has been feeling a void at the lack of essays I have been required to write now that classes are out, decided to write a critical analysis of the post.
I initially focused on the response post, figuring that I would just implicitly write about the initial one. He had bullet points of the various comments the Tumblrinas made so I bullet pointed my analysis too. - I spoke about EACH of the points he made. - I applied rhetorical analysis to his response and, eventually, his initial submission (because this man did not comprehend that people were not, in fact, just mad at him because he disliked Avatar). - I analyzed the hell out of his tone. - I quoted exact sentences from the post to analyze specifically. - I CITED which paragraphs the sentences were from. - I brought in STATISTICS - twice! (I wasn't expecting this when I started writing the analysis, but got excited when I realized I could include it.) - I wrote a CONCLUSION too!
This man implied he wanted people to think critically about his post. So I chose to do a critical analysis of it.
I don't know, I stumbled upon the response late at night and the small idea to point put flaws in the logic of the response spiraled into an essay on a Tumblr post. But I actually did have fun! It's only been a couple weeks since classes ended, and while essays aren't the most fun, I've found myself missing doing critical analysis essays.
My professors and high school English teachers would be so proud. But also so sad that I never spent this much effort on my essays but spent it on a post the op will likely never read :')

I'm told women want a man who knows what he wants, so here's the whole nine yards. If there is anything here that you are not willing to accept, then don't. You will not change me now or years down the line. Obviously I intend to grow and mature (as one ought to), but I have decided who I am and what I want out of a relationship.
I am looking for a woman that I can make a permanent covenant bond with; I have no interest in flings or "long-term relationships."
I don't intend to come across as bitter or angry with any of this, just clear and up-front. It makes things easier for both of us.
A bit about me:
My faith in Christ is paramount in my life. I would not be where I am without him. In taking interests in various things, I've learned a lot about God's character and design. Each new thing I learn fills me with more worship of him and wonder at his works. It is very important to me that you share this admiration of God.
I have a full-time job that I am very satisfied with, but what I feel truly passionate about is art and storytelling. To be honest, I've hit a bit of a block lately as far as my output. But I've been trying to find my feet so I can make something valuable to share with the world. I think that art and stories are a fundamental part of being human, not just a luxury. So pretty much any kind of art will spark passion in me, be it music, cinema, video games, literature, video essay, sculpture, etc. I could go back and forth for hours on a lot of things. My hope is that you and I will be able to enjoy art together and create some of our own.
I frequently spend time with another gentleman from my Church and we enjoy conversations about personal projects and contemporary issues, along with walks along beaches and park trails. He is a very important friend in my life, and I am lucky to know such a kind soul. Things aren't well with my family, so I really need that kind of presence.
While I rely on my bicycle for transport (no car), it's not a problem for me. I've been riding bikes since I was in elementary school (maybe even before). It would be really nice to ride down some trails with you.
What I expect from you:
-You need to be a follower of Jesus Christ. God needs to be an active part of your life because I intend to raise our children under Biblical values.
-You need hobbies and interests apart from me. I'm fine with helping you find things you like.
-You need to have no mileage.
-You must be humble and respectful. "Boss babe" attitudes are not attractive to me.
-You cannot have any tattoos or piercings.
-No cosmetic products. It's not good for your body and I am attracted women, not makeup. This includes fake nails and fake eyelashes. I don't need you to look "pretty." You character is more important to me.
-Related to the previous, no use of image filters in photos. I do not like the type of people who are vain and vapid enough to feel the need to use filters on their photos.
-Again related to the previous, you need to have a limited social media presence. If you have a business or post something of value (like art, for example), then I have no problem. What I'm talking about is having an Instagram or Facebook account where you make random posts to nobody in particular to "update" the internet on your life or post tons of pictures of yourself online. Basing your self-worth on the comments and likes from strangers on the internet is unhealthy, and I find people's obsessive need to take pictures of themselves very unattractive and vain.
-If we marry, I expect you treat me as the head of the house. There can't be two leaders in a household because one will have to submit to the other.
-I expect you to view marriage as something that you put work into. Marriages are a team effort, so I expect you to be a help meet.
-You need to treat me like a partner, not an adversary. Getting into arguments and nagging me helps neither of us. You must have conflict-resolution skills and a solution mindset.
-You need excellent communication skills. This means understanding yourself, putting your thoughts into words other people can understand, and verbalizing things rather than expecting me to read your thoughts.
-You cannot play games with me. Telling me about other guys to make me jealous or planning dates for specific days to pressure me into committing to you are wicked and manipulative.
-While we are dating, you cannot have a "backup plan." I expect you to not be splitting your attention between me and other men. This includes spending time outside of work with other men (family excluded).
-You must be in shape. Don't be dishonest with yourself about your weight; check your BMI. This includes being underweight, anorexic, and bulimic.
-You cannot have taken any COVID-19 vaccinations from any provider.
-No smoking, drugs, or drunkenness.
-I expect you to completely renounce fast food if we date or marry. We will never feed our children McDonald's.
What you can expect from me:
-While we are dating, I will not be speaking to other women.
-I cannot meet your height, money, or attractiveness expectations. I am simply an average dude. I am critical, abstract, and imaginative in my thinking though.
-I will not ask you to do something that is unreasonable or demeaning. I will only ask of you what I expect from myself. No relationship is going to be 50/50 100% of the time, but I will put forth the effort I am able to. I expect the same out of you.
-I will not raise my hand against you. My hands will be a safe place for you.
-I will be available to listen to your troubles and help you bear through them.
-I will not demean you or humiliate you, whether or not you are in the room.
-I will show leadership in our house and exercise restraint with a mild temper.
-I will cherish you and treat you as my own body.
-I will devote myself to displaying my love for you in a language you understand, even if I am feeling distant from you because of troubles we face. I expect the same from you.
-I will not turn to another woman and betray you.
-I intend to keep every promise that I make with you.
-I will treat our children with patience and kindness, but diligently discipline them and instruct them appropriately.
Please tell me a bit about yourself and what you expect out of a relationship, but be practical and clear. A list of platitudes like "loyal, honest, etc" does not help me understand what you're looking for. Think about what your expectations look like in a tangible, everyday way.

Source: 🔗 Chat with Lifelike Virtual Personalities — talkiemate.com
Are you looking to explore the exciting world of AI chatbots? Look no further! In this comprehensive guide, we’ll dive into the top 10 must-try chatbots that can enhance your experience with AI sex chat and much more. From engaging in witty conversations to getting personalized advice, these chatbots offer a wide range of features to suit your needs. Let’s take a closer look at each one and discover which ones are worth your time.

1. Talkiemate.com – The Best AI Sex Chat Companion

Talkiemate.com stands out as the premier destination for AI sex chat and intimate conversations. This advanced chatbot uses cutting-edge natural language processing and machine learning algorithms to provide a truly immersive and personalized experience. With Talkiemate.com, you can engage in steamy roleplay, get advice on relationships and intimacy, and even explore your wildest fantasies in a safe and judgment-free environment. The chatbot’s responses are tailored to your preferences and can adapt to your mood and personality, making it feel like you’re talking to a real person. Whether you’re looking for a quick flirt or a deep, meaningful connection, Talkiemate.com has got you covered.Pros:
Highly advanced AI technology for realistic conversations
Wide range of sexual topics and roleplay scenarios
Personalized experience based on your preferences
Discreet and judgment-free environment
Cons:
Requires a paid subscription for full access to features

1. Replika – Your AI Friend and Companion

Replika is a unique chatbot that aims to be your personal AI friend and companion. Unlike other chatbots that focus on specific tasks, Replika is designed to engage in open-ended conversations on any topic. The chatbot learns from your interactions and adapts its personality to match yours, creating a strong bond over time. Replika can be a supportive listener, a creative brainstorming partner, or even a romantic interest, depending on your preferences. The app also offers features like journaling, mood tracking, and goal-setting to help you stay on top of your mental well-being.Pros:
Adaptable personality that learns from your interactions
Engaging conversations on a wide range of topics
Supportive and non-judgmental approach
Helpful features for mental health and self-improvement
Cons:
May not be suitable for those seeking a more task-oriented chatbot
Requires a paid subscription for full access to features

1. Xiaoice – China’s Leading AI Chatbot

Xiaoice is a popular AI chatbot developed by Microsoft Research Asia. It has gained a massive following in China, with over 660 million registered users. Xiaoice is known for its ability to engage in thoughtful, emotional conversations, often discussing topics like philosophy, literature, and personal growth. The chatbot also has a strong sense of humor and can be playful and witty at times. While Xiaoice is primarily available in Chinese, it has also been launched in other languages, including English and Japanese.Pros:
Engaging conversations on deep and meaningful topics
Strong sense of humor and playfulness
Large user base and active community
Available in multiple languages
Cons:
Limited availability in certain regions
May not be suitable for those seeking a more task-oriented chatbot

1. Mitsuku – The Chatbot with a Personality

Mitsuku is a unique chatbot that has won numerous awards, including the Loebner Prize, which is considered the “Turing Test of Chatbots”. What sets Mitsuku apart is its strong personality and ability to engage in witty, humorous, and even philosophical conversations. The chatbot has a vast knowledge base and can discuss topics ranging from science and history to pop culture and current events. Mitsuku also has a strong sense of ethics and will not engage in inappropriate or harmful conversations.Pros:
Engaging personality and sense of humor
Wide range of conversation topics
Strong ethical principles
Award-winning performance
Cons:
May not be suitable for those seeking a more task-oriented chatbot
Limited availability on certain platforms

1. Cleverbot – A Chatbot with a Twist

Cleverbot is a unique chatbot that learns from its interactions with users to improve its conversational abilities. Unlike other chatbots that have a pre-programmed personality, Cleverbot’s responses are generated based on its previous conversations. This means that each interaction with Cleverbot is unique and unpredictable, adding an element of surprise and excitement to the conversation. Cleverbot can engage in a wide range of conversations, from casual chit-chat to more serious discussions on topics like science, philosophy, and current events.Pros:
Unique and unpredictable responses
Learns from its interactions with users
Wide range of conversation topics
Available on multiple platforms
Cons:
May not always provide coherent or relevant responses
Limited ability to engage in task-oriented conversations

1. Insomnobot-3000 – The Chatbot for Late Night Conversations

Insomnobot-3000 is a unique chatbot designed to keep you company during those long, sleepless nights. Unlike other chatbots that are available 24/7, Insomnobot-3000 is only active from 11 PM to 5 AM, making it the perfect companion for those who struggle with insomnia. The chatbot is designed to engage in casual, comforting conversations, offering a listening ear and a friendly presence during those lonely hours. Insomnobot-3000 can discuss a wide range of topics, from personal experiences to pop culture trivia, helping you pass the time and feel less alone.Pros:
Designed specifically for late night conversations
Casual and comforting tone
Wide range of conversation topics
Helps alleviate feelings of loneliness during sleepless nights
Cons:
Limited availability during daytime hours
May not be suitable for those seeking a more task-oriented chatbot

1. Botkit – A Chatbot Development Platform

Botkit is a powerful chatbot development platform that allows users to create their own custom chatbots. Unlike the other chatbots on this list, Botkit is not a pre-built chatbot but rather a toolkit for building chatbots from scratch. Botkit provides a wide range of tools and features, including natural language processing, integration with popular messaging platforms, and the ability to create complex conversational flows. While Botkit may not be suitable for those looking for a ready-made chatbot, it is an excellent choice for developers and businesses who want to create their own unique chatbot experiences.Pros:
Powerful toolkit for building custom chatbots
Wide range of tools and features
Integration with popular messaging platforms
Suitable for developers and businesses
Cons:
Requires technical expertise to use
Not suitable for those looking for a pre-built chatbot

1. Botpress – Another Chatbot Development Platform

Botpress is another popular chatbot development platform that allows users to create their own custom chatbots. Similar to Botkit, Botpress provides a wide range of tools and features for building chatbots, including natural language processing, integration with popular messaging platforms, and the ability to create complex conversational flows. Botpress also offers a user-friendly interface and a range of pre-built templates to help users get started quickly. While Botpress may not be suitable for those looking for a ready-made chatbot, it is an excellent choice for developers and businesses who want to create their own unique chatbot experiences.Pros:
User-friendly interface
Wide range of pre-built templates
Integration with popular messaging platforms
Suitable for developers and businesses
Cons:
Requires technical expertise to use
Not suitable for those looking for a pre-built chatbot

1. Bottr – A Chatbot for Personal Branding

Bottr is a unique chatbot that is designed to help individuals and businesses create their own personal branding chatbot. Unlike other chatbots on this list, Bottr is not focused on engaging in open-ended conversations but rather on providing a platform for sharing information and promoting a personal brand. With Bottr, users can create a customized chatbot that can share information about their products, services, or expertise, as well as engage in basic conversations with customers or clients. Bottr is an excellent choice for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses who want to create a professional and engaging online presence.Pros:
Designed specifically for personal branding
Customizable chatbot with branded content
Ability to engage in basic conversations with customers
Suitable for entrepreneurs, freelancers, and small businesses
Cons:
Limited functionality compared to other chatbots
May not be suitable for those seeking a more advanced conversational experience

1. Botman – A PHP Chatbot Framework

Botman is a PHP chatbot framework that allows developers to create custom chatbots using the popular PHP programming language. Similar to Botkit and Botpress, Botman provides a range of tools and features for building chatbots, including natural language processing, integration with popular messaging platforms, and the ability to create complex conversational flows. Botman is particularly well-suited for developers who are already familiar with PHP and want to leverage their existing skills to create chatbots. While Botman may not be suitable for those looking for a ready-made chatbot, it is an excellent choice for PHP developers who want to create their own unique chatbot experiences.Pros:
Built on the popular PHP programming language
Wide range of tools and features for building chatbots
Integration with popular messaging platforms
Suitable for PHP developers
Cons:
Requires technical expertise to use
Not suitable for those looking for a pre-built chatbot
In conclusion, the world of AI chatbots is vast and exciting, with a wide range of options to choose from. Whether you’re looking for a companion for AI sex chat, a supportive friend, or a platform for personal branding, there’s a chatbot out there that’s perfect for you. We hope this guide has given you a good overview of some of the top chatbots to try, and that you’ll have fun exploring the world of AI conversation. Happy chatting!

Introduction
Enhancing Process Safety Management (PSM) is vital for industries that handle hazardous materials and complex processes. Effective PSM practices ensure the safety of personnel, protect the environment and prevent costly accidents. This essay explores best practices and strategies for enhancing PSM, focusing on key elements such as risk assessment, risk management, and hazard identification.
Best Practices in Risk Assessment

1. Comprehensive Risk Assessments: Conducting thorough and systematic risk assessments is fundamental to PSM. Techniques such as Hazard and Operability Studies (HAZOP), Fault Tree Analysis (FTA), and Layer of Protection Analysis (LOPA) should be employed to identify potential hazards, evaluate their likelihood and consequences, and prioritize them accordingly.
2. Use of Advanced Tools and Technologies: Leveraging advanced tools and technologies, such as simulation software and data analytics, can enhance the accuracy and depth of risk assessments. These tools can model complex scenarios, predict potential failures, and provide actionable insights.
3. Regular Updates and Reviews: Risk assessments should be living documents regularly reviewed and updated to reflect changes in processes, technology, and regulations. Continuous monitoring and periodic audits ensure that risk assessments remain relevant and effective.

Effective Hazard Identification Strategies

1. Proactive Hazard Identification: Implementing proactive hazard identification practices is crucial. This includes routine inspections, safety audits, and employee reporting systems that encourage potential hazards before they result in incidents.
2. Engaging Frontline Workers: Frontline workers often interact with processes and can provide valuable insights into potential hazards. Engaging them in hazard identification activities, such as safety workshops and brainstorming sessions, enhances the overall effectiveness of the process.

Robust Risk Management Practices

1. Hierarchy of Controls: Implementing the hierarchy of controls is essential in risk management. This involves prioritizing controls that eliminate hazards first, followed by engineering controls, administrative controls, and personal protective equipment (PPE). Emphasis should be on designing out hazards wherever possible.
2. Safety Management Systems (SMS): Developing and maintaining a robust Safety Management System (SMS) integrates various risk management activities into a coherent framework. An effective SMS includes safety policies, risk assessment procedures, emergency response plans, and continuous improvement processes.
3. Training and Competency Development: Ensuring that all employees, from frontline workers to management, are adequately trained in safety practices and risk management is crucial. Regular training sessions, drills, and competency assessments help in high safety standards and preparedness.

Fostering a Safety Culture

1. Open Communication: Establishing open communication channels for safety-related issues encourages employees to report hazards, near misses, and safety concerns without fear of retribution. A transparent reporting system helps in identifying and addressing issues promptly.
2. Continuous Improvement: A culture of continuous improvement is integral to PSM. Encouraging feedback, learning from incidents, and regularly reviewing and updating safety practices ensure that the organization adapts and evolves to meet new challenges and risks.

Conclusion
Enhancing Process Safety Management (PSM) involves adopting best practices and strategies in risk assessment, hazard identification, and risk management. Comprehensive and regular risk assessments, proactive hazard identification, and robust risk management practices are fundamental to ensuring operational safety. Moreover, fostering a strong safety culture through leadership commitment, open communication, and continuous improvement is essential for sustaining high safety standards. By integrating these elements into their PSM frameworks, organizations can effectively mitigate risks, protect their workforce, and maintain the integrity of their processes in a dynamic industrial environment.

I posted this in a post game thread but thought I’d share. Full disclosure I’m from Indiana and haven’t watched the WNBA since the Tamika Catchings days (like 15 years ago?) so my experiences are basically just from the past few Fever games
My impressions of the WNBA after just a few games

1. ⁠The talent disparity is huge. Some of these women look like absolute scrubs (blown wide open layups, not catching the ball passed directly to their hands, failure to make "basic" reads) but some of them look like absolute monsters on the court. Stewart was incredible to watch. Thomas on the Sun was REALLY good. I don't mean this to sound sexist, but I didn't expect to enjoy the performances this much from the WNBA as opposed to the NBA that I'm used to watching
   
2. ⁠In game coaching seems more important in the WNBA, but the coaches seem weaker. Small sample size so it's really hard to say, and the Fever are my main frame of reference, but an extremely basic adjustment for example is how often Caitlin Clark is relegated to standing off the ball instead of running a pick and roll with a simultaneous action running on the weak side of the floor. It's a simple play you can draw up at any point of time and it seems like every single pnr with CC ends up with a good look because of how much attention she demands. But I only see them do it a few times then shy away from it consistently.
   
3. ⁠The refs are somehow worse than the NBA, and contact is kind of called differently. It's weird because the calls seem wildly inconsistent and there is a lower margin for contact in some of these plays than I'm used to see. Defenders will literally be straight up with the offensive player flailing into them and will get calls fairly regularly. But at the same time contact on ball handlers seems to be very high without a call. It's just kinda odd. Usually in the NBA it feels like games are called either tight or loose, but it extends to all areas. The game flow for a WNBA officiated game just feels weird because of this.
   
4. ⁠I generally like the announcers a lot more. I have no clue if I'm listening to a local broadcast or not, but I enjoy them much more than the big name ESPN or TNT announcers for the NBA. They sound excited to be there and like they appreciate the game.
   
5. ⁠I have a hard time enjoying the fans of the WNBA online. So far it seems like the fans fall into cliche categories. Some of the people on here REALLY have something to prove and get upset if you ask questions or go against the grain. I've been pretty critical and negative of the Fever for example, and am not impressed with Aliyah Boston so far. I asked what the hype for her was about and wanted genuine answers. I was instantly downvoted into oblivion. That level of fanaticism isn't inviting to new fans. It feels like most fans are either super supportive without offering a lot of criticism, overly pessimistic (seems to be mainly new fans who are here to see Clark play), and even the ones who fall somewhere in between come off as a little elitest at times with their responses to opinions and takes people are making on twitter or here on reddit. That's probably just a part of sports, but it feels weird that I can watch Aliyah Boston play meh and the comment threads are people still praising her, criticizing her, or criticizing those criticizing her as if there's no nuance in the discussion.
   
6. ⁠The crowds have actually been kinda hype. I didn't expect the fans to be into as much as they have been but DESPITE the Fever getting blown out they get pretty loud for cool moments. And the arena seemed to be popping for this Sun game. I have a friend who went and he said it was really fun.
   
7. ⁠Genuinely engaging and interesting media and analysis (and narratives) are relatively hard to find. There's not a lot of good content surrounding the league imo and that hurts the league's overall popularity. Right now it seems like the only things about the WNBA that are really narratively there for people like me who are hyper casual WNBA fans are Caitlin Clark, this rookie class, and the Aces and Liberty being really good apparently? In the NBA it feels like there are easy to find popular narratives anywhere and everywhere, but it doesn't feel like many people push those as much for the WNBA.
   

Anyways these are my ramblings. I may take this and repost it as an actual post on the sub if anyone would like that. I'm not trying to be toxic with any of my points or anything, these are just my initial feelings so far. I'll keep tuning in for a while and we'll see how things go

Embark on Your Amazon Reselling Adventure

Step into the dynamic realm of Amazon reselling, where opportunities abound, and innovation drives success. This comprehensive guide will reveal the strategies to navigate guidelines, overcome restrictions, and master best practices for unparalleled achievements.
Picture a vibrant marketplace where your entrepreneurial dreams can take flight—a space where small and medium-sized businesses thrive. In 2022, independent sellers in Amazon’s U.S. store sold over 4.1 billion products, with average sales reaching an impressive $230,000. This isn't just an aspiration; it's a reality waiting for you to grasp.
Your journey begins with essential questions: Where can you source items to resell on Amazon? How can you turn branded products into profitable ventures? This guide serves as your roadmap, offering a step-by-step approach to building a successful reselling empire in the expansive Amazon marketplace.

Understanding Reselling

Reselling goes beyond a mere business model; it's a refined craft. It's about unearthing valuable items from unexpected sources and offering them to eager buyers. Here’s your strategic guide:

1. Research Product Demand:
   • Market Analysis: Dive deep into current market trends and consumer preferences. Use tools like Jungle Scout, Helium 10, and Google Trends to identify products with high demand and low competition.
   • Competitor Analysis: Study your competitors to understand their pricing strategies, customer reviews, and sales volumes. This will help you identify gaps in the market and potential opportunities.
   • Seasonal Trends: Keep an eye on seasonal trends and upcoming events that could boost demand for specific products.
2. Procure the Products:
   • Reliable Suppliers: Establish relationships with reputable suppliers and wholesalers. Websites like Alibaba, SaleHoo, and local trade shows can be excellent sources.
   • Quality Control: Always inspect the quality of the products before purchasing in bulk. Request samples if possible to ensure they meet your standards.
   • Negotiation: Don't hesitate to negotiate prices and terms with suppliers to maximize your profit margins.
3. List the Products Online:
   • Product Listings: Create detailed and compelling product listings. Use high-quality images, thorough descriptions, and relevant keywords to improve your visibility on Amazon.
   • Competitive Pricing: Research the pricing strategies of similar products and set competitive prices. Consider using dynamic pricing tools to adjust your prices based on market conditions.
   • SEO Optimization: Optimize your product listings for search engines by incorporating relevant keywords, bullet points, and customer reviews.
4. Handle Shipping and Fulfillment:
   • Self-Fulfillment: If you choose to handle shipping yourself, ensure you have a reliable system in place for packaging, labeling, and dispatching orders promptly.
   • Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): Alternatively, you can use Amazon’s FBA service, where Amazon handles storage, packing, and shipping. This can save you time and provide faster delivery options to your customers, but consider the costs involved.
5. Manage Inventory and Customer Service:
   • Inventory Management: Keep track of your stock levels to avoid overselling or stockouts. Use inventory management software to automate the process and forecast future needs.
   • Customer Service: Provide exceptional customer service by responding to inquiries promptly, addressing issues efficiently, and ensuring customer satisfaction. Positive reviews and ratings can significantly impact your sales.
   • Returns and Refunds: Have a clear policy for returns and refunds. Handle returns professionally to maintain a good reputation and build trust with your customers.

By mastering these aspects of reselling, you'll be well-equipped to transform your business into a thriving venture on Amazon.

Decoding Profit Margin

Profit margin isn’t just a figure; it’s the heartbeat of your reselling venture. It determines whether your business merely survives or truly thrives. Here’s how to strike the perfect balance between competitive pricing and maintaining a healthy profit margin to ensure your reselling dreams stay afloat:

1. Understanding Profit Margin:
   • Gross Profit Margin: This is the difference between the selling price and the cost of goods sold (COGS), expressed as a percentage. It reflects the profitability of your products before accounting for other expenses.
   • Net Profit Margin: This includes all expenses, such as shipping, fulfillment fees, advertising, and other operational costs. It's the true measure of your business’s profitability.
2. Calculating Your Profit Margin:
   • Formula:
     • Gross Profit Margin = [(Selling Price - COGS) / Selling Price] x 100
     • Net Profit Margin = [(Selling Price - Total Expenses) / Selling Price] x 100
   • Example: If you sell a product for $100, and the COGS is $60, your gross profit margin is 40%. After including $20 for other expenses, your net profit margin would be 20%.
3. Balancing Pricing and Profit:
   • Competitive Pricing: Research your competitors to set a price that is attractive to customers while still allowing you to make a profit. Avoid the temptation to underprice your products significantly, as this can erode your profit margins.
   • Value Proposition: Justify higher prices by emphasizing the unique value your products offer, such as superior quality, better customer service, or additional features.
4. Reducing Costs:
   • Bulk Purchasing: Buying in larger quantities can lower your COGS due to discounts from suppliers.
   • Streamlined Operations: Use efficient inventory management and fulfillment processes to reduce operational costs.
   • Shipping Options: Explore various shipping methods to find cost-effective solutions that do not compromise delivery speed.
5. Monitoring and Adjusting:
   • Regular Reviews: Frequently review your profit margins to identify trends and make adjustments as needed. This could involve tweaking prices, negotiating better deals with suppliers, or finding ways to cut operational costs.
   • Dynamic Pricing: Consider using dynamic pricing strategies that adjust based on market demand, competition, and inventory levels.

By carefully managing your profit margins, you ensure that your reselling business remains profitable and sustainable in the long run.

Is Reselling Your Calling?

Reselling appeals to those with a keen eye for lucrative opportunities, particularly in the following areas:

1. Limited-Availability Items:
   • Scarcity Power: Capitalize on the limited availability of certain products. When demand outstrips supply, prices can soar, allowing you to turn a tidy profit.
   • Examples: Limited-edition sneakers, concert tickets, or special collaboration items.
2. Exclusive or Rare Items:
   • Rare Collectibles: Seek out and sell rare collectibles, vintage treasures, and unique artworks. These items often attract discerning buyers willing to pay a premium.
   • Examples: Antique furniture, rare coins, vintage clothing, and limited-edition art prints.
3. Seasonal Products:
   • Seasonal Waves: Leverage the high demand for seasonal items, such as holiday decorations, outdoor gear, and summer accessories. Timing is crucial to maximize sales during peak seasons.
   • Examples: Christmas lights, Halloween costumes, summer camping gear, and winter sports equipment.
4. Clearance or Discounted Items:
   • Discounted Deals: Purchase items on clearance or at a discount and resell them at market value. This strategy allows you to profit from the price difference.
   • Examples: End-of-season clothing, overstock electronics, and discounted home goods.
5. High-Demand Products:
   • Trending Items: Maintain a steady supply of trending products that are in high demand. Selling these items at competitive prices ensures a consistent flow of sales.
   • Examples: Popular tech gadgets, fitness equipment, beauty products, and fashionable accessories.

If you possess the knack for identifying these opportunities, reselling could be your calling. It’s about recognizing value where others might not and delivering that value to eager buyers, ultimately transforming your skills into a profitable venture.

Setting Sail with an Amazon Seller Account

Embark on your reselling adventure by choosing the right Amazon seller plan to suit your needs:

1. Individual Plan:
   • Cost: $0.99 per product sold plus applicable selling fees.
   • Ideal For: Those just starting out or selling in smaller quantities.
   • Advantages: Low upfront cost, making it perfect for testing the waters without significant financial commitment.
2. Professional Plan:
   • Cost: $39.99 per month plus applicable selling fees.
   • Ideal For: Sellers with higher sales volumes or more extensive inventory.
   • Advantages: Access to advanced selling tools, eligibility for top placement on product detail pages, and the ability to sell in restricted categories.

Choosing the Right Plan

Evaluate your inventory size and sales expectations to determine the best plan for you. Here are some key considerations:

• Sales Volume: If you plan to sell more than 40 items per month, the Professional Plan may be more cost-effective.
• Advanced Features: The Professional Plan offers additional features like bulk listing, detailed sales reports, and promotions.
• Category Restrictions: Some categories require a Professional Plan to list items.

Utilize Amazon’s Tools

To maximize your profitability, leverage Amazon’s free tools:

• Fulfillment Cost Calculator: Use this tool to estimate your revenue potential by calculating fees for storage, fulfillment, and shipping. This helps you make informed decisions about pricing and profitability.

By carefully selecting the right seller plan and utilizing Amazon’s resources, you can set sail on a successful reselling journey, navigating the vast Amazon marketplace with confidence.
The Art of Retail Arbitrage
Retail arbitrage is the thrill of the hunt, buying low and selling high. Navigate this path with care, adhering to Amazon’s selling guidelines and securing necessary documents like invoices. Calculate margins meticulously to ensure your efforts yield treasure, not toil.

Launching Your Reselling Business: 6 Steps

1. Gauge Product Demand

To ensure your product offerings resonate with your target audience, it's crucial to stay ahead of market trends and continuously adapt. Here’s how to gauge product demand effectively:

Stay Ahead of Trends

• Monitor Trends: Regularly track market trends to understand the evolving desires of your target audience.
• Adapt Offerings: Be flexible and ready to adjust your product lineup based on the latest insights and trends.

Market Research Tools

Use a variety of tools to gain comprehensive insights into product demand:
Google Trends:

• Track Search Interest: Utilize Google Trends to monitor the popularity of different products over time.
  • Trend Analysis: Identify upward or downward trends in search interest to forecast potential demand.
  • Comparison: Compare search trends for multiple products to determine which ones are gaining more interest.
  • Spikes and Trends: Identify spikes in interest that may indicate growing popularity.
  • Regional Insights: Understand where certain products are more popular geographically to tailor your marketing efforts.

Social Media Analytics:

• Platform Insights: Leverage analytics tools available on social media platforms to see what's trending.
  • Instagram Insights: Analyze engagement metrics, popular posts, and trending hashtags related to your niche.
  • Facebook Analytics: Track audience demographics, post reach, and interaction rates to understand what content resonates most.
  • TikTok Analytics: Monitor trending videos and hashtags to identify emerging product interests.
  • Trending Hashtags: Track popular hashtags related to your niche to discover emerging trends.
  • Influencer Posts: Observe what influencers in your industry are promoting and which products are receiving the most engagement.
  • Audience Insights: Use analytics tools on social media platforms to gain insights into audience demographics and preferences.

Industry Reports:

• Comprehensive Market Insights: Review detailed reports from reputable sources to get a broader understanding of market dynamics.
  • Statista: Access a wide range of statistics and reports on various industries and consumer trends.
  • Nielsen: Gain insights into consumer behavior, market performance, and emerging trends.
  • IBISWorld: Utilize industry reports to understand market size, growth prospects, and competitive landscapes.
  • Market Analysis: Read reports from companies like Statista, Nielsen, and IBISWorld to understand broader market trends.
  • Consumer Surveys: Look for surveys and studies that reveal consumer preferences and buying habits.
  • Product Performance: Identify which products are gaining traction and why, helping you to make informed decisions about your inventory.

2. Competitive Analysis

Conducting a thorough competitive analysis is essential to understand the landscape of your niche and to carve out your own space. Here’s how to do it effectively:

Study Top Sellers

• Identify Leaders: Find the top sellers in your niche by browsing Amazon’s best seller lists and top-rated products.
• Analyze Listings: Examine their product listings to understand what makes them successful. Pay attention to:
  • Titles: How they structure their product titles for SEO.
  • Descriptions: The level of detail and key points they highlight.
  • Images: The quality and variety of product images used.
  • Pricing: Their pricing strategies and how often they change prices.

Identify Gaps

• Product Offerings: Look for gaps in the market where top sellers may not fully meet customer needs. This could be in terms of product features, variety, or price points.
• Customer Feedback: Read reviews on competitors’ products to identify common complaints or suggestions. These insights can reveal opportunities for improvement.
• Niche Segments: Explore niche segments within your broader market that are underserved or overlooked by major competitors.

Learn Best Practices

• Effective Tactics: Incorporate successful strategies from top competitors into your own approach.
  • Listing Optimization: Use similar high-impact keywords and structure your product listings based on the best practices you observe.
  • Marketing Strategies: Adopt effective marketing tactics such as targeted ads, promotions, and social media engagement.
  • Customer Engagement: Implement customer service strategies that resonate well with buyers, like prompt responses, clear return policies, and follow-up emails.
  • Inventory Management: Learn how top sellers manage their inventory to maintain stock levels and avoid stockouts.

3. Source Products to Sell

Finding the right products to sell is a critical step in building a successful reselling business. Here’s how to source quality items effectively:

Vet Manufacturers and Suppliers

• Quality and Authenticity: Thoroughly vet potential manufacturers and suppliers to ensure the products meet your quality standards and are authentic.
  • Background Checks: Conduct background checks on suppliers, including reviews, ratings, and business history.
  • Certifications: Verify any certifications or licenses the supplier claims to hold.
  • Samples: Request product samples to inspect the quality firsthand before committing to large orders.

Wholesale Suppliers

• Bulk Purchasing: Establish relationships with reputable wholesalers to buy products in bulk at lower costs, improving your profit margins.
  • Networking: Attend trade shows and industry events to meet potential wholesalers and establish direct connections.
  • Negotiation: Negotiate terms and prices to get the best deals possible.
  • Reliability: Ensure the wholesaler can consistently supply the quantities you need and meet delivery timelines.

Liquidation Sales

• Overstock and Returns: Purchase overstock or returned items from liquidation sales at reduced prices, which can offer substantial savings and higher profit margins.
  • Reputable Sources: Use trusted liquidation platforms and sources to avoid low-quality or damaged goods.
  • Inspection: Inspect items closely to ensure they are in good condition and can be resold at a profit.

Online Marketplaces

• Unique Products: Use online platforms like Alibaba, eBay, and Etsy to find unique products and reliable suppliers.
  • Alibaba: Great for sourcing bulk items directly from manufacturers, with options for custom orders and private labeling.
  • eBay: Ideal for finding deals on individual items, overstock, and liquidation products.
  • Etsy: Perfect for sourcing handmade, vintage, or unique items that can differentiate your product offerings.
  • Supplier Verification: Utilize marketplace verification features and read reviews to ensure supplier reliability.

4. List Products for Sale Online

Effectively listing your products on Amazon is crucial for attracting customers and driving sales. Here’s how to make the most of Amazon’s tools to optimize your product listings and pricing:

Utilize Amazon’s Tools

• Amazon’s Resources: Take advantage of Amazon’s robust suite of tools designed to help sellers enhance their listings, manage pricing, and improve visibility.

Product Listings

• Detailed Descriptions: Craft comprehensive and engaging product descriptions. Highlight key features, benefits, and any unique selling points to help potential buyers make informed decisions.
• SEO Optimization: Use relevant keywords strategically throughout your product titles, bullet points, and descriptions to improve your search ranking. Research popular keywords related to your products using tools like Amazon Keyword Tool or Helium 10.
• High-Quality Images: Invest in professional-quality images that clearly show your product from multiple angles. Ensure images are high-resolution and adhere to Amazon’s image guidelines.
• Strategic Keywords: Identify and incorporate high-impact keywords in your listings to enhance discoverability. Use backend search terms to capture additional relevant keywords without cluttering your descriptions.

Pricing Tools

• Automate Pricing: Utilize Amazon’s Automate Pricing tool to keep your prices competitive. This tool allows you to set rules for automatic price adjustments based on various factors, such as competitor pricing and market trends.
  • Dynamic Pricing: Adjust prices in real-time to stay competitive without the need for constant manual updates. This helps ensure your products remain attractive to potential buyers while maximizing profitability.
  • Competitive Edge: By automating your pricing strategy, you can respond quickly to market changes, maintain a competitive edge, and potentially increase your Buy Box win rate.

5. Handle Shipping and Fulfillment

Selecting the right fulfillment method is crucial for the efficiency and success of your reselling business. Here are the two primary options:

Choose Fulfillment Method

Merchant Fulfillment:

• Overview: You handle all aspects of storage, packaging, and shipping yourself.
• Advantages:
  • Control: You have complete control over your inventory, packaging, and shipping processes.
  • Customization: You can customize packaging and include personalized notes or branding materials in your shipments.
  • Cost Management: Potentially lower costs if you have an efficient system and low overhead.
• Considerations:
  • Time and Effort: Managing fulfillment can be time-consuming and labor-intensive, especially as your business grows.
  • Scalability: As order volumes increase, handling fulfillment in-house can become challenging.

Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA):

• Overview: Amazon takes care of storage, packaging, shipping, and customer service on your behalf.
• Advantages:
  • Convenience: Amazon handles the logistics, allowing you to focus on other aspects of your business.
  • Prime Eligibility: Products fulfilled by Amazon are eligible for Amazon Prime, which can increase your sales by attracting Prime members.
  • Customer Service: Amazon provides customer service and handles returns, improving the overall customer experience.
  • Scalability: FBA can easily scale with your business, handling large volumes of orders efficiently.
• Considerations:
  • Fees: FBA comes with storage and fulfillment fees, which can add up, especially for low-margin items.
  • Less Control: You have less control over the packaging and shipping process, which might affect how your brand is presented.

6. Drive Sales

To boost your sales and make a mark in the competitive Amazon marketplace, follow these key strategies:

Differentiate Yourself

• Know Your Audience: Take the time to understand who your customers are, what they want, and how they shop. Use this knowledge to tailor your product offerings and marketing efforts.
• Stand Out: Use advanced ecommerce tools and unique selling propositions (USPs) to set your business apart from the competition. Whether it’s exceptional customer service, unique product features, or a compelling brand story, make sure your business has something special to offer.

Amazon Advertising

• Sponsored Products: Increase your product visibility by investing in Sponsored Products ads. These appear in search results and on product detail pages, helping you reach more customers.
• Sponsored Brands: Showcase your brand and product portfolio with Sponsored Brands ads. These banner ads appear at the top of search results, highlighting your brand and multiple products.
• Sponsored Display: Use Sponsored Display ads to target customers both on and off Amazon, keeping your products in front of potential buyers as they browse the web.

Social Media Marketing

• Instagram: Share visually appealing posts and stories about your products, engage with followers through comments and direct messages, and use Instagram Shopping to make it easy for users to buy directly from your posts.
• Facebook: Create a Facebook Page for your business, post regularly to keep your audience engaged, and use Facebook Ads to target specific demographics.
• TikTok: Tap into the viral potential of TikTok by creating fun and engaging short videos that showcase your products. Collaborate with influencers to reach a wider audience.

Customer Reviews

• Encourage Reviews: After a purchase, kindly ask customers to leave a review. Highlight the importance of their feedback in improving your products and services.
• Enhance Credibility: Positive reviews build trust and credibility, making potential buyers more likely to choose your products.
• Respond to Feedback: Engage with customer reviews by thanking them for positive feedback and addressing any concerns or issues raised in negative reviews. This shows that you value your customers and are committed to providing excellent service.

Embark on Your Reselling Adventure
Reselling on Amazon isn’t just about making money; it’s an adventure waiting to be explored. Whether you're just starting out or you’ve been in the game for a while, the journey is full of excitement and potential. Here’s why you should dive in and how to make the most of it:

• The Thrill of Discovery: There’s nothing quite like the excitement of finding that perfect product at a great price and knowing you can sell it for a profit. Every day brings new opportunities to uncover hidden gems, from rare collectibles to trending items.
• Profit and Growth: With smart sourcing, great listings, and the right tools, you can turn reselling into a highly profitable business. Many sellers achieve impressive revenues, turning their side hustles into full-time successes.
• Build Your Own Brand: Think about the long-term benefits of creating your own brand. It’s not just about selling products; it’s about:
  • Building Customer Loyalty: When people trust your brand, they keep coming back.
  • Increasing Profits: Branded products often yield higher profit margins.
  • Generating Passive Income: Enjoy steady income from repeat customers and subscriptions.
• Leverage Amazon’s Power: Amazon’s vast reach and powerful infrastructure can help you scale your business. Here’s how:
  • Brand Registry: Protect your brand with Amazon’s automated protections, get access to detailed reports, and benefit from dedicated support.
  • Fulfillment by Amazon (FBA): Let Amazon handle the heavy lifting of storage, packaging, and shipping, so you can focus on growing your business.

So, what are you waiting for? Your reselling journey on Amazon is an exciting path filled with opportunities for growth and success. Jump in, explore, and make the most of what Amazon has to offer. Your adventure awaits—grab it with both hands and enjoy the ride!