How to get alot of gold on aqworlds

So I've been thinking about how to increase the power of Vex throughout the mid to late game, and the answer I came up with is to accelerate her build. The magic keystone which allows for that is 'First Strike' , by using first strike you can harass the enemy laner while making more money than them so just by going even in farm you'll be ahead of them, in addition you can get the cash back rune which serves to further accelerate your build. In terms of build I go - Malignance( cheaper, more ults=more gold from doing a full rotation on someone) > Stormsurge(ms, mp, , ap and gold on kill) > Shadowflame (more dmg = more gold) > into situational items. Obviously in some cases it'll be better to go Electrocute Luden's if you;re against a melee matchup you feel confident in, however if you are against a long range mage like, Hwei and Xerath or a lane bully mage like Orianna and VIktor I feel as if it'd be better to get something out of trades as those champs are infinitely more useful later on than Vex as people often have more health than we can manage to 1 shot. The idea of this build is to become a money printer so you can get your power spikes sooner and have more impact on those early objectives and early fights which shape the outcome of the game in the current meta. Let me know what you think.

Iv known that im trans for 3-4 years and during that time i have come out to a small handful people, a few were my super close friends, one of which i was friends with for 11 years, and a few were friends that i would hang out with or talk to alot. Everyone that i have told has immediately been nice and supportive but between a couple days and like a month later they all left my life.
A couple of my old friends, after coming out to them they started to ignore me or just talk to me less and less untill they could fade away. 2 of my friends i told were extremely supportive and helped me feel more accepting of myself and gave me lots of great advice but a few days later they did some really bad shit that i dont wanna get in to. Another one of my friends i told he didnt really care too much and he was more just confused than anything but he immediately forgot about it and i dont really bring it up ever cuz im not very comfortable talking about it so i just kinda let him forget and acted like i never told him but a little less than a year ago me him and another friend were hanging out and talking and i dont remember how we got on the subject but he started just raging on trans people and saying there weird and he doesnt understand them and theres something wrong with them and stuff like that and since then i still talk to him a little because besides that we are good friends but that shit still hurt to hear from him.
Basically, everyone I tell just exits my life as fast as they can or are just unpleasant around the subject of trans people and im sick of it and i dont wanna keep dealing with this, i still wanna start transitioning eventually when that becomes an option for me but i just dont wanna tell anyone ever again because it just makes the people around me that i care about disappear and makes me feel depressed because i thought i would have someone i could talk to and be myself around but instead i have 1 less person that i can talk to in general. This has been on my mind alot lately because i wanna have someone around me that supports me and that i can talk to but i just dont wanna go through this again. 😕

Drivers are all cogs in the system and Uber knows exactly the screaming deal they’re getting not having to maintain a fleet of cars. They count on the high turnover rate of new drivers. They don’t care how good of a driver you are or that you’ve driven for them for years.
Times are hard, this economy sucks, alot of people are barely scraping by, but still, Respect yourselves and don’t settle for this dead-end job. Opportunities for different career paths are there, don’t let Uber steal your time. Don’t be the mule they need you to be.
Good luck to you all!

If you pay for silver but hop on to the first class, YOU are the problem.
I was using the metro a few days back and I picked gold class in anticipation of the traffic. I got on and realize that the gold class cabin is very busy too, everyone standing and no seats available.
I think nothing of it, because I assumed it’s traffic and there’s many people that want to get to work. A few stations later an inspector gets on and asks everyone to present their cards to be checked, half the cabin weren’t gold card holders, they all got fined and were asked to move out. I was so surprised at the amount of them.
After they left there was so much more space to stand and even some seats freed up. It kind of opened my eyes to the idiots that pay for silver but go to gold class and take away from those that actually paid. They caused so much traffic and it is so frustrating. Some guy even hopped on mid-inspection and the inspector didn’t let him get on after seeing his card. It just shows how repetitive this problem is. I used to have sympathy for them but not after seeing half the cabin get taken up by them.

Twice this week I drank wayyyy too much alcohol. 5 days ago it was a hard soda then a four loko, horrible 2 day hangover and that night was awful... Last night I had a roughly estimated 10 total shots of whiskey and rum, then two additional shots just to try out whiskey i have not tried before. I felt fine after the first 5 ish shots (waited 10 mins after last sip, not even tipsy), then had 5 shots of rum and the remaining two new-to-me whiskey shots. I felt okay, just tipsy 30 mins after the last sip. Within an hour I became horrifically drunk as all the alcohol finally built up...
I had a complete inability to think, focus, look straight, sit, walk, or crawl, and blinking gave me an instant headspin. I was so tired, no energy, not tired enough to pass out but I apparently had slight trouble breathing at some point. While crawling was an impossible task, I dragged myself over to my bed and rolled onto it. Using purely muscle memory I fired up my Xbox and opened YouTube. Focusing was obviously not something I was able to do, I selected whatever videos I wanted to see and just listened with my eyes mostly stuck to the ceiling. Having the audio playing was nice, since a complete lack of controllable stimulation would bore me out of my mind which is worsened when I am drunk. Due to headspins, which is when your vision and balance is swirling around (can be worsened with eyes shut), I could not sleep for 4 hours especially from how sick my body felt. I didn't have the best quality sleep but I slept for 9 and a half hours. The hangover was not as excruciating as what the Four Loko did to me, but I had digestive problems and a lack of appetite for most of the day.
IT IS NOT WORTH GETTING ANYWHERE NEAR BLACKOUT DRUNK! I cannot understand how people even want to be that drunk, I have no fun in not being able to do anything. I like being relaxed or moderately tipsy at most. Hangovers will ruin the next day(s) and potentially make you mentally unable to have alcohol for some time because that sickness is in the back of your mind, subconsciously keeping you away from your favorite whiskey.
In fact, I am at the late stage of my hangover where I am mostly recovered. I took a small sip of my whiskey and the alcohol going down my throat did not feel right, my brain is literally preventing me from drinking any more and I am not intoxicated. I'm going to have to temporarily switch to having lower alcohol drinks like beer and cider until my brain allows me to sip the whiskey.
If you are new to alcohol or are going to try alcohol for the first time, don't immediately try getting extremely drunk as it will ruin the experience. Find tasty drinks that won't fuck you up on their own (of course quantity matters a lot). Ciders, light beers, etc. are a good start. If something tastes bad to you, that's fine as the world of alcohol is seemingly endless. So far I have a handful of drinks I know I like from most categories. Have fun, don't get fucked up, and be responsible.
For those starting out, I like these and I believe they are drinks that most people agree are alright:
Light beers (lagers, one might be ale): Blue Moon (I haven't tried the "Light" version, just the regular), Heineken, Coors Light (bottled or on tap).
Ciders: Salt Creek Ciderhouse "Freedom", Portland Cider Original Gold, Helvetia Cider Oregon Blueberry.
The ciders are local brands, so if you're in Oregon see if your stores have these and give them a try.
Thank you for coming to my TED talk. Stay safe.

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!

So I see a lot of enclave weopons being worth alot and are apparently also super rare and I’m in general just confused on 1 how to get the things and 2 what makes them so good in comparison to like normal plasma guns. How do you hunt for a goof enclave weopon? Help would be appreciated

For context we have a 5 month old male lab, I currently don't work and partner works full time but can take pup with him . Currently we dog share where some days I'll look after pup, other days he goes to work with my partner. For practice because I'm starting new job in August. In general he's doing really well, we're happy with his training and temperament (although dreading adolescence). My issue is that my puppy won't settle by himself, which I know is normal for ones his age, but it's only with me. He will settle by himself when he's at work with my partner, at home with my partner and he settled at home when we left him with our friend for the day. Getting a bit of a complex that it is me somehow causing it but I'm not sure if and how I'm training this/encouraging it! His schedule with me is:
7:00- 7:30 am Wake up, outside for wee, food in a knotted tea towel
7:30 - 8:00 am chills with me and partner til he leaves for work
At this point if he goes with my partner to work where he has a crate. He goes out at 10:30 for half an hour and sometimes plays with other dogs in the garden and comes home for lunch 12-1, then back in office til 5. Spends the rest of the day either playing by himself or with my partner or chewing on something (sanctioned chew toys only) then he will just take himself to his crate for a sleep whenever, never seems to get overtired and is good as gold the whole day. My partner will leave him sporadically from 5mins to an hour for meetings etc
8:00-8:30/9am I'll play with him for 10 mins max nothing too strenuous because he's still digesting and I stop when he starts getting a bit rambunctious / over excited, then give him something to chew to calm him down a bit and do some job life admin etc. During this time pup becomes naughtier and naughtier, jumping on sofa, counter surfing, stealing shoes to the point where I know he's overtired. I put him in the crate where he passes out almost immediately for like 1-2 hours
10/10:30 am he wakes up and I take him for a walk, loose lead for 5 mins and then 20 mins of off lead sniffing etc. Halfway into the walk I'll sit down and do some down stays, and throughout the walk we do sporadic recalls and 'find its' to get his nose working. Then it's a 5 min loose lead walk home. I know he's tired and it's been hot so I give him a frozen carrot to chill inside and then he just starts get naughty again. I think, well he's only been up for 40 mins at this point but don't want to overstimulate. Some days I leave him by himself in the morning some days in the afternoon so he's used to it. If I leave him at this point in his ex pen I give him a long lasting king/licki matt and he will fall asleep v quickly, if I don't, he ramps up the naughtiness again and I pop him back in crate and he's straight to napping.
12/12:30 pm He wakes up, partner is home for lunch so we eat and chill with dog, he's being fine
1pm Lunch where I do training with his food, atm it's place training and we're doing the relaxation protocol on the matt (the Karen one) and then some other training like heel, sit, touch, recall etc never shows signs of frustration or confusion so I don't think it's too challenging. Maximum takes 10 mins
1:15- 2pm Let him digest his food for a bit, has a few toys but again don't wanna do too much but he starts getting naughty again, all the usual but now with humping me and jumping up and nipping at my clothes. I try being a statue and covering my face but it hurts when his claws get me and he's ruining my clothes. Crate him again and he's out like a light or I give him licki matt/Kong if I'm leaving him in the afternoon.
3/4pm He wakes up so either had 1-2 hours sleep, btw i always make sure he's properly awake (dog cam) and give him some time by himself to make sure he doesn't just need a longer sleep. I'll usually give him a chew because he's teething hard, I'll play with him for a bit (max 10 mins) and do some loose training where I just kind of reward him for chilling or not jumping on sofa (because he gets a look in his eyes where I know he wants to). I try and leave him to it while I do other stuff but he ramps up again to the point of overtiredness and so he goes back into crate, and again he is out.
5pm - 7:30 partner home, wait for pup to wake up then walk with same structure as my morning one, chill, food at 7 sometimes with training but if he seems tired or done we just give it as a licki bowl. Then he's usually out til 9:30, where he wakes up, we chill for an hour and he sits there chewing on a pig ear and then final wee before bed and sleeps through the night.
If I'm doing something wrong please can you tell me what it is / how to rectify. If you haven't got any advice can I please just have some reassurance that it will improve as he leaves puppy hood, even if it's past adolescence idm I just can't cope with the idea that I can never have a dog I can just chill with. It gets really frustrating and I am getting some resentment towards him. I know it's not his fault but I can't help but feel so upset when I try and just relax with him and I end up with scratches all over my legs and holes in my clothes. I know I'm lucky that this is my only bug bearer because it's normal not to be able to settle but I need to know if I'm doing something wrong / causing it somehow.

For the last few games I've played, I've been on defense, and do great. Then, when it comes time for me to attack, me and my team get held by Sigma and sojourn/soldieashe/cassidy etc at the very start of the match, and I can't figure out how to push through. Specifically, this happens a ton on Blizzard World and Hollywood first point, and I get demolished. If I rush in, I get shredded, if I try to poke aggressively I get shredded, if I play passive I don't make any headway.
What should I be doing in these scenarios? I get consistently bodied by this set up, and I don't know what to do. Obviously, if either me (maybe to like Winston or Dva?) or my team (to any dive) switched, it might be easier, but I atm only really know Mauga and I hate asking my team to swap.
I'm only silver 1 tank for context (was gold 5 but this set up struck me down to Silver), and haven't been playing it for long (was a reaper one trick till the armor buff shut him down).

My boyfriend and I are in LDR due to our jobs and we have forever been in LDR and completed 5 years this way. For past 1 year I have seen this change in him that he loves his job and does extra work also if required in odd times, office parties, loves to run, read books, hangout with work colleagues some days in shiny city of Mumbai. Ofcourse he does keep me informed about it, sends me pics. But in all this where am I?
We call mostly everyday for 30-40mins max and some days go without calls, moreover we chat lil between in day to keep eachother updated about our progress n challenges. But problem is that I like stable conversation, my idea of relationship is like we work maybe in a time frame of 8am to 8pm which include our office work, our hobbies, meals or catch-up with friends. But after 8 or 9pm it should be just US time i.e our relationship time wherein we bond, we watch something together, we do some activity together and this is my idea of relationship esp in LDR where communicais only way to bond and I would love to do this everyday wherein we take the baggage of the whole day n dump in front of eachother n be in a place of love and happiness.
But my bf likes to have a life on his own as well, he would never feel sad if we skip one day due to his work or party or next day big meeting for which he has to sleep early. But what about me who longs whole day for evening when I will be in my happy place, in a place where I feel unfiltered. And because of this we have fights as I ask him to skip his friends or any event to be with me. He also feels that I don’t have a life n has knitted everything around him. He doesn’t like me poking him if I ask him not to go, it gives an impression to him that I am controlling n create chaos when he says he wants to go out. He thinks these are toxic traits, he feels someday if we r not talking it’s okay next day we will do, but many a times this kal kal kal no I don’t want to listen this kal kal. I also have a life of my own def not as fun as his I like staying indoors mostly in my free time n I love spending my time with him. But he is recently teaching me it’s okay some days to not talk and be with urself. Sometimes he also cancels the commitments of spending evening virtually together due to last minute maybe work stuff or some friend has called for dinner.
I am so pissed n feeling very hurt.
I have talked to him about this n he has given solution that he doesnt do anything wrong so nothing to worry but he should not seek for my permission every time to go out. He also suggested to start loving time just with myself n if he is not around then not to be sad do some hobby
But how I can change my inherent nature of being a person who loves to put in alot in relationship. I love being with him.
Can anybody please suggest me how to get out of this hurtful situation

Hi
Turning here for a bit of advice and hoping someone can help. I am the 24hr for the first time in 25 days and I've been told by Travel Destinations that as I am an international customer (Ireland) I have to collect my tickets at the circuit. I would have through having paid nearly 3gs for the pack (Gold, princess I know, I know) that they would courier the tickets to me but how and ever.
Has anyone done the collection piece before ? I presume it's very straightforward but things like getting in to do the collection etc play on my mind and I was wondering could someone give me a steer

We were madly in love. Both not looking for something but still ended up together. After a few months decided to move in together because it didnt work out at her place and mine either with roommates.
Fights started to come and she liked to let it be which was totally opposed to me wanting to sort it out immediately. I kept giving little gestures of love like kisses and hugs as a ritual for coming home, before eating or sleeping.
After a while stuff didnt get resolved. I had a mental breakdown because of the pressure at work and she saw me cry for the first time..
Slowly we started going to sleep with unresolved arguments. Everytime something came up it started snowballing.
We decided to try and talk even though both stubborn but never managed to listen, just having hours long talks until we sort of agreed.
At some point we had to move again. She was away from her family as they lived in another country. The appartment was super small, she hated her job. I agreed to an internship for a while so was not paid. The pressure increased. We got into the same fights and dindnt really resolve them anymore until i accidentally mentioned her moving back to her family. At some point she did.
I was broken inside.
Long story short after about a month somehow i mentioned to get her back, her stuff was still there also so she had to come at some point. I was overjoyed. She didnt have a job anymore and i continued my internship which put another pressure on us to pay bills, some disagreements and the fragility of the situation made the hard times come back although i promised her i would never make her feel sad again. A few times i mentioned i was not feeling good, hoping to be heard but instead it always went to making her feel upset because i told her i didnt feel good.
It created frustrations and we had a bigger fight again.
This day she moved out with ALL of her stuff without me being there or having the chance to talk. (She was back for about 2 weeks).
We agreed to try no contact. Which we both broke a but occasionally. I know she still felt for me so i planned a suprise trip, flew close to her hometown and booked an airbnb. She was shocked but we talked and had the most amazing weekend. I knew how she loved not having to pick so i brought her a luxury dress, skirt and a book i wrote my thoughts in during no contact reminiscing about our good times.
We started talking again, watching shows on netflix and slowly talked about getting to know rach other again. I felt happy as it was going in a very good direction. This lasted for about a month and a half, a discussion or two occured where i talked about needing some reassurance. She never wznted to give it to me. Even though we had daily calls,she said she loved me and i needed to trust her actions on this. When i was out she was jealous often and scared i would date other girls.
I made it very clear i'd wait and give her what she wanted even though it was hard. Extremely hard.
I planned another holiday with her and she agreed.
At some point she started a new job, she stopped using all the apps as much that we shared as a couple (livestatus,ally) and started having less time for movies/calls slowly. I felt like something was off but she told me tshe called when she could and sends me pictures so it should be okay.
She mentioned sometimes she didnt want a relationship. But we also talked a lot about not being able to be friends and that what we were doing was slowly dating and having a relationship. It was so confusing and a rollercoaster everyday.
Sidenote: we still had alot of bulls to pay when we split and i took care of that for her ( few thousands)
The holiday is supposed to be in six days Yesterday she called and told me finally that she doesnt think its fair to me that i do all this and spend all this money. We both cried. She told m that it was probably not going to happen, that the trip maybe might not be a good idea. All along also now she told me she loved me and cared for me deeply. But it broke all trust in me.
I hope she still wants to go. I know theres something and that she might be afraid to follow her heart instead of her mind.
I want the best for her and am sure i could give her that. But somehow she tries to convince herself in me being some evil person because of the arguments.
With every thought instead of considering im human she brings up some clinical term to try and put a label on it.
Now i dont only feel heartbroken but also used and like the love was bever real.as she was the one that wanted to marry and was so extremely in love in the first place
TL:DR
Very in love, moved together, started not resolving fights and she moved countries away. Keeping me around until she felt better while i was down to give her the world. Holiday together in six days. My brain is scrambled

My boyfriend and I are in LDR due to our jobs and we have forever been in LDR and completed 5 years this way. For past 1 year I have seen this change in him that he loves his job and does extra work also if required in odd times, office parties, loves to run, read books, hangout with work colleagues some days in shiny city of Mumbai. Ofcourse he does keep me informed about it, sends me pics. But in all this where am I?
We call mostly everyday for 30-40mins max and some days go without calls, moreover we chat lil between in day to keep eachother updated about our progress n challenges. But problem is that I like stable conversation, my idea of relationship is like we work maybe in a time frame of 8am to 8pm which include our office work, our hobbies, meals or catch-up with friends. But after 8 or 9pm it should be just US time i.e our relationship time wherein we bond, we watch something together, we do some activity together and this is my idea of relationship esp in LDR where communicais only way to bond and I would love to do this everyday wherein we take the baggage of the whole day n dump in front of eachother n be in a place of love and happiness.
But my bf likes to have a life on his own as well, he would never feel sad if we skip one day due to his work or party or next day big meeting for which he has to sleep early. But what about me who longs whole day for evening when I will be in my happy place, in a place where I feel unfiltered. And because of this we have fights as I ask him to skip his friends or any event to be with me. He also feels that I don’t have a life n has knitted everything around him. He doesn’t like me poking him if I ask him not to go, it gives an impression to him that I am controlling n create chaos when he says he wants to go out. He thinks these are toxic traits, he feels someday if we r not talking it’s okay next day we will do, but many a times this kal kal kal no I don’t want to listen this kal kal. I also have a life of my own def not as fun as his I like staying indoors mostly in my free time n I love spending my time with him. But he is recently teaching me it’s okay some days to not talk and be with urself. Sometimes he also cancels the commitments of spending evening virtually together due to last minute maybe work stuff or some friend has called for dinner.
I am so pissed n feeling very hurt.
I have talked to him about this n he has given solution that he doesnt do anything wrong so nothing to worry but he should not seek for my permission every time to go out. He also suggested to start loving time just with myself n if he is not around then not to be sad do some hobby
But how I can change my inherent nature of being a person who loves to put in alot in relationship. I love being with him.
Can anybody please suggest me how to get out of this hurtful situation

Hello community,
I'm sharing my journey with you to gather some insights. All thoughts welcome.
For the last 7-8 months I've had quite a few, new health issues arise that have thrown me into a state of panic and anxiety, as I've ever had any problems before (I'm 36, mommy of two).
I started talking to an older friend of mine about it, who practices deep spirituality. At first it was helpful, especially regarding my anxiety, but recently I've felt it slipping into spaces I find disturbing and a real crossing of boundaries, and I wondered whether I'm either actually entering into 'the work' - or if this is just toxic.
For example, he's started insinuating that if I don't do x, y, z, my health problems will get worse and more serious. He's openly said that, if my children have a mother who dies early from an illness, that the Universe's business, and not mine and I have to accept it. Angels aren't kind they're practical...and so on. He knows I have chronic anxiety, and this all just feels widly counterproductive, and sends me more into a panic/depression.
I've connected quite deeply with myself over the years, and alot of spiritual work I do feels blissful and wonderful and just 'right'. While he's trying to get me to live in the moment, and see the beauty in the small things, his methods don't do that. Every time we have a conversation I'm left feeling lonely and separate from the world, even though he's constantly talking about how we're all 'one' (which I do believe.)
He also often says that, only a few are chosen to do the real spiritual work. He 'knows'I've agreed to it by my soul, (when I questioned it, he just said he knows and that's it) and if I don't continue with the work I'll be 'wheelchaired'. Which terriffied me because one of my anxiety fears is MS. He says he's saying all this out of love, but it doesn't feel like love, it feels like projection, and it feels kind of narcissistic.
It's confusing because I've always looked up to him and respected him.
But maybe my lesson here is about trusting myself? Trusting these deeper instincts?
As outlined above, all thoughts welcome. I'm feeling very isolated and not myself, which I know is part of spiritual growth, but surely it shouldn't feel this dislocating?
Helen x

I am new to CODM and need some help with batte pass stuff, i got an offer that the premium pass is 38% off , i am already at like 54 tier i think , idk when the season ends , and i want to buy the battle pass , I know the battlepass is the one thing that makes the most financial sense in the game cuz after games i always see how I could have gotten free CPs instead of spending money on CPs, but given i am already at 50+ tier , should i buy the battle pass , will i get good rewards , and when exactly does the season end ? and why is the other one platinum or siver or whatever and the other 2 gold, if i get the silver one will the rewards still be worth it ?thank you

Hello community,
I'm sharing my journey with you to gather some insights. All thoughts welcome.
For the last 7-8 months I've had quite a few, new health issues arise that have thrown me into a state of panic and anxiety, as I've ever had any problems before (I'm 36, mommy of two).
I started talking to an older friend of mine about it, who practices deep spirituality. At first it was helpful, especially regarding my anxiety, but recently I've felt it slipping into spaces I find disturbing and a real crossing of boundaries, and I wondered whether I'm either actually entering into 'the work' - or if this is just toxic.
For example, he's started insinuating that if I don't do x, y, z, my health problems will get worse and more serious. He's openly said that, if my children have a mother who dies early from an illness, that the Universe's business, and not mine and I have to accept it. Angels aren't kind they're practical...and so on. He knows I have chronic anxiety, and this all just feels widly counterproductive, and sends me more into a panic/depression.
I've connected quite deeply with myself over the years, and alot of spiritual work I do feels blissful and wonderful and just 'right'. While he's trying to get me to live in the moment, and see the beauty in the small things, his methods don't do that. Every time we have a conversation I'm left feeling lonely and separate from the world, even though he's constantly talking about how we're all 'one' (which I do believe.)
He also often says that, only a few are chosen to do the real spiritual work. He 'knows'I've agreed to it by my soul, (when I questioned it, he just said he knows and that's it) and if I don't continue with the work I'll be 'wheelchaired'. Which terriffied me because one of my anxiety fears is MS. He says he's saying all this out of love, but it doesn't feel like love, it feels like projection, and it feels kind of narcissistic.
It's confusing because I've always looked up to him and respected him.
But maybe my lesson here is about trusting myself? Trusting these deeper instincts?
As outlined above, all thoughts welcome. I'm feeling very isolated and not myself, which I know is part of spiritual growth, but surely it shouldn't feel this dislocating?
Helen x

does anyone else think the FHNs OM is a complete nightmare?? how they’re able to be in the position they’re in is incredible. they lie, manipulate and cowardly avoid their AA’s. i get alot of them fuck around and don’t take their jobs seriously but more do and those are the ones who get targeted and shit on. i’m convinced they get bigger bonuses for making our lives way harder then they gotta be here. it’s a warehouse and i understand the demographic and qualifications to work here. but even still.. you’re literally punished for doing the right thing. it’s bananas.

The world conspired in the best of ways to bless me with a whole bunch of new games at once and I happened to be able to get in a lot of plays quickly with them.
Always get an idea of who's talking before you take anything away from these reviews/impressions. Maybe we're really different people. I've been in the hobby for 10+ years. I've played a lot of games. I love interactive and mechanically unique games. I worship Reiner Knizia. Some of my favorite games are Tigris and Euphrates, Spirit Island, Race for the Galaxy, Agricola, Battle Line, and Oath. My favorite games of last year were Stationfall, Ra (reprint), and Zoo Vadis.
Okay, let's go!
Cascadito/Cascadero - Is this a Pokemon Red/Blue scenario? No! There's room for both halves of this pair of Knizias in a collection. I think Cascadero is the better game, but Cascadito slides onto our table more easily. I'm a bit of a believer in the Moneyball theory of games (does the game "get on base" (to the table)?) so, that matters!
Cascadero - 4 plays at 2 players - First, the production is perfect. Svelte box that's easy to pack, wooden pieces, great graphic design with built in rules reminders by Ian O'Toole, and a striking cover make this a joy to play. If you enjoy the general waves hands of Irish Gauge, you're going to love how this looks.
Cascadero requires a little patience, but I think I'm starting to see a heart of gold down in there. As a Knizia tile-layer, right away, this game is, unfortunately, going to get compared to some of the greatest games ever made. Games like Through the Desert, Samurai, Babylonia, etc. I say unfortunately, because I don't think you'll love this game on the first play. That's because I think the default/starter side of the board is less interesting. If you're familiar with games, do yourself a favor and flip to the farmer side as soon as possible. Even then, Cascadero is subtle. When played best, it's a quiet maneuvering of cubes up to just the right spots on tracks with pieces on the board in all the right places that build a little lattice of opportunity. Not just one combo ready to score, but a set of circumstances that hedge on an opponent's move. Paths are everywhere, and you're using them in just the right ways to get across a double score gap or to slip into a fold in the track that gives an extra bonus. I feel like the review circuit doesn't usually play games enough times to appreciate this one, and maybe it's subtle to a fault. It isn't great when you hear "it gets good on game 4", but I'm four games in and usually that's the point where I'm bored of most games. With this one I'm excited to play more.
Cascadero is great!
Cascadito - 5 plays at 2 players - Do you like My City? Do you like My City: Roll and Build? I do. I probably wouldn't list them in my favorite games, but they are such great weeknight-with-the-partner games that I appreciate them all the same. Cascadito isn't billed as a campaign game, but rather as four maps. Maybe a 4 game campaign doesn't sound long enough, but I'm busy. 4 games sounds like something I can do. If you've played Cascadero, map 1 is the less interesting version of that game. Stick with it though! Like My City, you get the joy of seeing Knizia riff on an idea. We enjoyed each subsequent map more and more and we could see ourselves replaying #3 and especially #4. In fact, on map 4 we kept looking at each other's sheets during the game - on a roll and write! I like that.
Cascadito is good!
Spectral - 6 plays at 2 players - I'm pretty picky about deduction games, especially as board games. As someone who has put hundreds of hours into Picross and sudoku I need there to be a good reason why I'm using my precious time with my friends on something that is usually so solitary. So far, I've really only liked The Search for Planet X. While it isn't known as a particularly interactive game, my friends and I have played it so competitively that we look for any scrap of information that might give us the edge, and the publishing system cranks up the incentive to take some leaps of faith in a tight race.
When I heard about Spectral I was excited - an interactive, bidding based logic puzzle - cool! Six games later, I haven't really figured out how to interact with my opponent. While The Search for Planet X has clear moments of intention to watch for (publishing papers), it's really hard to tell when your opponent is acting with intention or just exploring in Spectral. You also don't have those little clues like what your opponent is scanning for or researching like in Planet X to build some kind of theory around. The game is a breeze to play, yet barely leaves room to grapple. So maybe the interaction isn't super strong, but how's the logic puzzle?
Boring. Imagine playing sudoku, but the logic restrictions were only for rows and not also columns, or within squares. You can do some deduction with the curse cards, but the treasure cards (12 of the 16) are all essentially equally informative and don't allow for much in the way of chains of deduction. You can do a little bit with probabilities of where treasures are likely to overlap, but it rarely feels worth it to pursue when finding curses provides a much more reliable benefit.
I want to be wrong about this game. Please, someone argue this one with me.
Spectral is okay. If you play it once or twice, I think you'll have a good time, but I don't see it having legs.
Slay the Spire - I've had this game for less than a month and I think I've put in maybe 50 hours at the table with it at this point. I've played with people who have 1000s of hours in Slay the Spire - they have loved it. I've played with people who have never played Slay the Spire - I see them playing Slay the Spire on Steam the next day and asking when they can next come over. People who usually duck out of a game night at 10pm are still at the table at 1am.
I was really worried it would be bad. I wondered, why not just play the digital game? But here I am, holding the box and knowing without a doubt, this object sparks joy. Have you ever experienced a solitary piece of media, obsessed over it, and then gotten a chance to experience it together with other fans? Maybe something like watching Game of Thrones with friends after reading the books. It feels great to share in something you've loved. That's how Slay the Spire has felt. But it's not just that, as evidenced by the friends that have never played the digital game and still loved it. It's just a damn good deck builder, and the whole system of knowing exactly what the enemies are going to do before they do it goes over so well here. It's so apparent that this translation was a labor of love and so much has gone into preserving the spirit of the game. I love it.
Slay the Spire is excellent!
Leviathan Wilds - played the first 3 Leviathans solo and at 2 - I backed this as a Shadow of the Colossus fan, and hoped for the best. I'm honestly blown away by how much this game has exceeded my expectations. First, there's something about this game that feels so complete and efficient. There's no Kickstarter bloat. It's in a very understated, retail sized box. The game just gets so much out of each component. It feels like the people who made it have made a lot of games before (and they have!).
I have trouble finding mid-weight 1-hour co-ops that I like. I love co-ops like The Crew at the short and sweet end and Spirit Island at the epic and heavy end, but the games that hit around the Pandemic range have never appealed to me. There often seems to be too much upkeep and setup, and not enough to keep me interested in sharing a puzzle with other people.
Leviathan Wilds is sooooo easy to set up. Setting up a Leviathan involves opening a spiral bound map book and laying out five cards. Processing the enemy turn involves flipping a card and later doing what it says. I don't play solo games, pretty much ever, but I'm playing this solo because it's so damn easy to run.
The moment to moment gameplay has been a blast. The systems are very open and freeform and the cards are multi-use, so there's often this feeling of scrapping together just the thing you need from odd parts - burning this card, eating this mushroom, falling here, etc. The movement system really leans into the mechanics of Shadow of the Colossus and allows for a creativity and freedom while reinforcing the theme. Every game we've played has been tight and we've failed a few times. I like that. My only complaint was that the enemies will sometimes do "swift" moves that resolve before your turn so you don't have much of a chance to react. I didn't realize until a game or two later that you can still use skills on cards to react instantly which might be an easy rule to miss. I've felt much better about "swift" since learning that. I'll definitely be backing the announced small expansion for the upcoming reprint. What a pleasant surprise.
Leviathan Wilds is excellent!
Harmonies - 6 plays at 2 players - This game has been called a Reef killer, an Azul killer, and a Cascadia killer. I own all those games! So, what's the body count at my table? Well, first off this game is lovely. The art is beautiful, the spatial puzzle is quite satisfying, and the playtime is breezy (especially at 2). It is most comparable to Reef in that you are arranging and stacking pieces in configurations for points, but there's a second layer of tile arrangement, similar to Cascadia's habitats, that's always present, no matter what cards come up. The Azul comparison is probably due to the drafting of tiles from a central market. So, what's the outcome?:

• Reef - Dead. Harmonies gives me a similar spatial puzzle in less time, in a smaller box, with better art, and it feels more thematic (I want to make homes for all my animals!).
• Cascadia - Dead. (although I was tired of it already). I find the game to game strategies in Harmonies to be more diverse and I don't feel like I have an algorithm to follow like in Cascadia (Is there a tile that increases two habitats? Can I fit a fox between my other groups of animals?).
• Azul - Alive. It's a stretch to compare the two games, but the drafting portion is far more interesting in Azul with the combining pools of tiles. Azul sits with Carcassonne in this perfect zone of being a gateway game that starts out gentle and puzzley and more you play it the more cutthroat it becomes. This isn't Harmonies, but...

Harmonies is excellent. I wouldn't be surprised if its the best gateway type game of the year. I do think it could slow down significantly with more players, but I tend to play something more interactive beyond 2.
Dro Polter - Too many plays to count and at all player counts - I think this is Oink's cutest production yet. The chunky wooden ghost, the tiny bells, the little set of treasures you'll hold in your hand. If you like frantic dexterity games, this is great. You can explain the rules in about 2 sentences and it's very non-gamer friendly. The cleverest bit is how you have to hold onto points in the form of tiny bells and if you drop them you lose them. It's an excellent system of handicapping the leader that often turns to laughs. It's mostly a novelty, but if you can introduce it to a few different groups of people, it feels worth it. Great with kids too.
Dro Polter is great!

Hi guys I’m wondering if I’m alone here,
But I’ve been completely numb, frozen, paralyzed and devoid of any feeling or memory of who I was.
Like I know something happened and I know how I was at 21,22 etc but I can’t feel it. I feel nothing, and the world looks so freaking HD I’m terrified, I’m literally soooo aware of my body, the world everything is so HD. Even when I walk I feel pulled out of my body, like I’m not really in it. Alot of people talk about dissociation like a fog, but I feel sooooo HD the only reason I know it’s dissociation is because my memory sucks
This began since the war in the Middle East, I binge watched a bunch of violent videos, then re triggered by trauma felt alone, abandoned, ashamed, all over again. I didn’t feel, like what happened to me even mattered. After that a few other things, school, confrontation, old painful memories.
I’m wondering how you get out of this, I’m on autopilot and I feel nothing. I can’t live like this it’s so painful to be this aware, and this numb at the same exact time. It’s been 8 months, I’ve dissociated before but never to this extent.

LONG POST
Hi! I need some advice in setting boundaries. My bf and I (both 23) have been together for just over a year now and moved in together two months ago to our own apartment.
We moved together especially for the reason of us being alone and building our routine together as a couple.
But here is where it all becomes tricky. In our first year of dating, I got to know that he was close to his family, but he didn't show it to the extent we are at now. (Mind you the family closeness comes from their national tradition also). But when we moved together (for the last two months) my MIL especially, as well as the rest of the mom's side of the family, doesn't leave him alone. What is especially driving me nuts is the constant calling. On workdays he gets about 5-10 calls per day, MIL calls him at least 3 times, grandma as well. When he gets home it continues. On weekdays, when we usually try to have our time together, MIL calls him 5 times a day, asking him stupid questions for ex.: did he eat, does he need food, will he come at her place for lunch... and every week its the fking same. For example on saturday I started cooking lunch and then MIL calls and just announces she is bringing us food. Like excuse me?!?! And 15 minutes after dropping it off, she calls to ask if we ate? Well no, we threw it in the trash duh. And then two hours later she calls again saying she would like to come to visit us. Not even asking if we have plans/ time, which we did. Whenever I tell my BF that I don't like her interfering and calling all the time, he doesn't step on my side but defends her. I knew its a cultural difference, but we talked about this before we moved and now he's doing the exact opposite of what we agreed on.
She also makes some disrespectful comments, about how when me and my boyfriend will argue he is always welcome in her place, and how mom will take care of him. And whenever we have a disagreement she starts telling him how she misses him and loves him, like she is using it to her advantage.
Recently I've notices she plants ideas in his head based of which we later argue. The other day he was sleeping in the afternoon, and we made a deal that later we will go to get groceries together. So he wakes up and is still tired and asks me if I can go alone that he would like to rest, I then go alone and when Im returning I call him to ask him if he wants to eat anything special from the bakery or a kebab maybe. He replied no thanks i am at MILs house, see you later. I was a little bit angry because he didnt help me, but instead ran to her house the moment i left the apartment(his excuse was that she called him and sad she missed him so much) . So I ended the phone call by just saying: real nice, and then i hung up. After two hours when he came home he was mad at me, because I didn't greet her and he told me she was telling him how she feels I don't like her and asked him if she, the poor MIL, did something wrong. And then we had an argument . He said I dont respect her, and I said to him that this is all to overwhelming, and I have a feeling that out agreements don't stick the second she calls and makes planes or expresses the wish to see him. Even tho we live 10 minutes away, and they see each other 4/5 time a week. (Also I am always respectful and cultured with her, giving her no reason to think I don't like her, even if I don't)
She always acts nice and understanding of our alone time and private life, but then does the exact opposite. We also help her alot financially because her husband (my BFs dad) and her are divorcing. But she continuously spends a lot on useless stuff. I think by observing her behaviour she tends to always be the victim, and never guilty of anything. Also with the divorce, she is presenting her husband, as the worst human possible, but her as the innocent, trash talking their dad to her children.
I hate her invasion in our "together life", but I also blame my bf for not stepping in and talking boundaries with her. I feel like his family doesn't let us alone since we moved together, like they're always checking on him.
I get that we keep in touch with family, but this is just too much.
What should I do, how do I improve the situation, because all of what is written above might be the dealbreaker for this relationship?