Besides reaching the Champions League semifinals, it cannot be denied that Bayern has had a horrific season. Lost the DFB-Pokal and finished third in the Bundesliga. But, after over a decade of domination, losing once isn't really the end of the world. However, what worries me is what is happening at a higher level at Bayern.
It all started when Nagelsmann was sacked right before the first leg against City last season. I don't think there was anything wrong with bringing Tuchel himself, but doing it right before a huge game was a massive, massive disaster. It takes time for coaches to implement their tactics, and a change right before a game like this is guaranteed to bring disaster, so the 3-0 loss really was no coincidence.
But, despite his terrible start at Bayern, where he also lost the cup, he stayed at the team, probably thanks to just barely winning the Bundesliga because of a huge Dortmund bottle job. But, this season it became clear that Tuchel isn't the right coach for a team of Bayern's profile, and he needs to be changed.
This is where I really don't understand what the ones running Bayern are thinking. After being rejected by some big names like Zidane, Flick, Xabi Alonso, and their former coach Nagelsmann, they've turned to some choices that make you think the ones there are smoking substances.
First, they were interested in Ragnick, the current coach of Austria. Sure, he has been doing great with them, but just two years ago everyone wanted him out from Man United because of terrible results. Then, they turned to Lopetegui, whose last coached teams were Sevilla and Wolves. But this is where it gets truly bizarre. After failing to bring both these two, they turned to ERIC TEN FREAKING HAG. I mean, who in their right mind is at Bayern, and thinks of bringing in the coach that has been having a disastrous time at United?! Most recently, the news of them being interested in Vincent Kompany have appeared, the coach of Burnley who have just been relegated from the Premier League. Could you imagine the next coach of Bayern being someone coming from a relegated Premier League club?
To me, it just doesn't make sense. I am not necessarily calling these managers bad, their teams certainly didn't help them perform, but still, when it comes to Bayern, you should be looking for a manager who has actually had good results lately at another big club, certainly not managers coming from second half of the table teams like Wolves, relegated teams like Burnley, second-hand national teams like Austria or clubs in a disastrous situation like United.
This leads me to ask, what in the world is happening at Bayern?!

I'll create a new resume or fix and rewrite (as needed) your current resume, and I'll offer career advice. Keeping up with the news and latest trends in employment, I offer my advice freely to my clients, ensuring your resume not only tells your story but also aligns with what HR managers are currently seeking.
My process starts by researching what HR managers are looking for in your field, optimizing the resume for your specific case, and ensuring your resume is ATS compliant so you can use it to apply online. With extensive experience across all job types, I boast one of the most comprehensive resume databases ever written by anyone!
What do I offer? ATS-compliant resumes and cover letters are all original and tailor-made to suit your needs. Leveraging research from Harvard and other leading institutions, I craft resumes that meet the formal criteria and tell your unique professional story, ensuring you stand out to potential employers.
I am excited to announce a new service: applying for jobs for you.
This service includes:

• Using a residential VPN to search for jobs in your area, ensuring a localized and relevant job search.
• Tailoring your resume and cover letter for each job application, maximizing your chances of landing an interview.
• Creating an email address for job applications and any additional profiles required for employment.
• Delivering a spreadsheet with all the jobs applied for, keeping you organized and informed.

Price list:

• Resume: $60 (median price, may vary based on experience and length)
• Original cover letter: $40 (40 dollars is the base price, can be higher or lower as well)
• Resume + Cover letter combo: $85 (median price, may vary based on experience and length)
• LinkedIn Optimization: $50

Job Application Service:

• 4 applications for $30
• 6 applications for $35
• 10 applications for $65

Resume + Cover: Cryptocurrency (BTC, BNB, ETH, USDT only), Venmo, Zelle, Paypal, CashApp, and Wire Transfer. (I currently have problems with Paypal; I can use it, but I'd prefer to avoid it as much as possible)h as possible)
Typically, resumes are delivered within 24-48 hours, with many clients receiving theirs in just 24 hours. For those in a hurry, I offer a same-day delivery option. A rush fee of $40 ensures you get your resume in 8 hours or less.
Payment methods: Cryptocurrency (BTC, BNB, ETH, USDT only), Venmo, Zelle, Paypal, or CashApp, Wire Transfer. (I currently have problems with Paypal; I can use it, but I'd prefer to avoid it as much as possible)
To request my services, please email me at [resumes.moe@gmail.com](mailto:resumes.moe@gmail.com) with:

1. The service you're interested in.
2. Your Reddit username.
3. Your current resume.
4. Specific edits or updates you need.
5. A general deadline for when you need your documents.

Clarifications:

• I approach each project with a research-first mindset, ensuring that your resume is not just a document but a narrative that speaks to your strengths and ambitions. I prioritize customer satisfaction, offering to show you the finished resume before any payment is made, but would you please ask for immediate compensation once delivered?
• I have a new ATS beating technique that I will use for your resume.
• I'm in contact with recruiters and I often suggest my old clients to them If I know they might be a good fit for the job.
• Having served over a thousand Redditors (with many leaving positive remarks), my experience spans online and local community work. While not all clients leave feedback, you can check out some of the remarks and before/after examples of my work in the provided links and on Imgur.
• I now prefer advanced Payment for the resume, but still It can be delayed till after the delivery, but job application service payment must be paid in advance (usually done after completing the resume).
• I retain the right to ask for prepayment or deposit without having to explain my reasoning.
• Finally, while I ensure you're completely satisfied with your resume before requesting payment, I ask that you complete the transaction as fast as possible once the work is completed.

Hey guys, I’m doing my masters in south east England right now and I’ve been applying for so many PhDs and had some interviews, all of which I’ve been rejected for. It’s not like I’m a bad student, I’ve been getting firsts for the most part in this masters year. I’m freaking out because there’s no others I want to apply for now and my girlfriend is saying I should find a job instead (but ofc jobs in biology are hard to come by in this part of the country, and if there are jobs they’re for post docs). I just don’t know what is so wrong about me and why it’s been so easy for other people to find studentships. My labmate got hired for one and she didn’t even have to interview, she just went for a chat and came back hired. It was the first person she spoke to as well. I know it’s not personal but after so long and trying so hard it’s just getting to me. Idk if I came here for advice but I just needed somewhere to put it all that might be slightly productive

Hi All,
I started looking for a new job, in my previous applications(last 3 years when i changed my job), I was only sending a CV + Cover letter, after successful interviews then I got asked to send work certifications from my last employers, I read somewhere that I should send them at start and include my uni transcript.
should I do that? plus in Linkedin i can only apply with 1 PDF which is my resume, should I make one big fat PDF merging all docs together?
Any tip? ideas ? I ll be happy to get the right one of doing it.
Thanks in advance

I’ve recently just moved to the UK from North America and currently looking for jobs. I work in a very unique field that my current city doesn’t have much to offer in terms of available jobs. That being said, I’ve recently just discovered a position at a company that I would be perfect for. I sent my application in early April, as soon as the listing went up, and worked really hard on my resume, portfolio to coincide with their company, and a cover letter. The job listing doesn’t have an end date of when they will close to applications, but I didn’t think much of this.
Fast forward to the beginning of May (two weeks later after sending my application in) and I sent a follow up email stating my continued interest in the position and asking for an update. The HR person replied saying they are still reviewing applications and that they will contact me when there is an update. Now that we’re nearing close to June (two weeks since I sent follow up email) I’m wondering if I should email again to ask the status even though they have said they will give me an update. I don’t want to be annoying but I know I would be a perfect fit for this role and really want to get an interview as I’m confident that I could make a good impression.
The job listing is currently still up on indeed and their website but again I don’t want to be annoying by contacting them again after they said they will give me an update when they have one. Or if it’s progressive and will be seen in a good light contacting them for a second time two weeks after the first follow up.
Thank you!

My qualifications are below:
Did 10th in 2015
Joined Diploma in 2021 , B-Tech(24 Batch) : Computer Science & Engineering. You can see i have 3 years gap. after 10th. That's cus i failed 12th twice. Got selected in 3/4 companies but they didn't gave offer letter
Now i am looking for jobs since January and haven't got any interviews. Should i just go for MBA? thinking there i might get a good job? My main focus is to get back on my feet.
I don't go to family functions, attend calls from cousins. Fearing they will ask me about job status.
All of my friends of same age are very well placed. I am from Delhi/NCR. Life has been very poor, Girlfriend too dumped me when she got placed (later she didnt got job offer too). But please someone guide me: 1. Should i pursue MBA? I am General and don't think i can get 90+ % to attain a set in top IIMs

1. Should i just join any job (i am getting a recruiting agency job) for 25k per month.
   
2. Should i just keep looking for more jobs and keep upskilling??
   

The thing is i do not want to waste my time as i am old already. Neither i wanna stick myself into a job where there is no future growth. I can understand in childhood i have made very terrible mistakes.

Heres the timeline of events which may have contributed to the waiver being denied and or supports my desire to contest the decision. (20F, England, events covering 2020-2024)
Dec 2020 - a rent waiver was submitted on my behalf on the grounds of ill-health. I did not get to see any documentation over the T/Cs and didn't sign anything. I repeatedly asked/offered to supply evidence of ill-health which I was subsequently told was not needed.
Jan 27th 2021 I vacated the room a day before the deadline - unfortunately I forgot to return the keys. HOWEVER, as much as the keys represent having access to the accomodation, these keys no longer worked as the locks had been changed. I was let into the room that night by security who happened to hand me back the redundant pair of keys and thats where my oversight lay. (In 2022 I am made aware that according to their records I vacated the room a week and a half late (when i finally traveled back to hand in the keys) and the waiver was rejected.)
March 2021 I call to ask for an update on the waiver and I am told "it has been waived". I accept this was most likely someone palming me off and mispoke due to not checking the situation but this is ridiculously irresponsible and dictated my next set of responses. A week or two after this phone call, rent arrears emails ceased. This further affirmed I no longer owed any rent.
Sep 2021 Rent arrears emails resume but I ignore, thinking it was a glitch due to the commencement of a new academic year.
After a few months of these emails I ask about them and I am told the rent is owed, no mention of the waiver, rejected or otherwise. I say I was told the rent was waived and I receive an apology and that the issue would be followed up. I hear no more for several months.
Rent arrears emails restart again, some months later. The case is transferred to STA debt collection and I discuss with them the issues I am having. They pause proceedings multiple times and "close" the case on one occasion.
I also reiterate the same information to the university about: - my doubts over the waiver submission due to no evidence being requested, nothing to sign or T&Cs to read. I was not made aware that in passing the deadline for key hand over I would be liable for the whole term of rent not just the days exceeding the deadline.

• that in coming to a resolution some leeway for the deadline should be accommodated considering I exited the rental agreement on health grounds and ill health doesnt work to deadlines AND limited travel due to COVID made moving out at night, alone with no car as a 20 y/o woman quite difficult.
  
• the keys not actually allowing access to the room so I would like to argue that some leeway should be made again as per their conditions for the room to be vacated and inaccessible, I did not have access to the room anyway.
  
• the irresponsible staff member claiming it "has been waived". Which then dictated my finances since I no longer thought I owed a large sum of money. And later on another member or staff apologising and rent arrears emails ceasing once more.
  
• that i thought it was fair I owed the days of rent after the deadline but not the whole term
  

The uni also claim I was sent an email in 2021 updating me that the waiver was denied. I asked for this to be resent as I do not remember ever receiving such an email and this request was ignored. At least twice my emails were unanswered and many times it took weeks to receive a response.
I communicated these points multiple times to the uni and in the last instance (July 2023) they replied 2 months later with a reduced amount owed, more than halved - but not for any of the reasons I stipulated, for some other reason I cant remember currently (the new amount did not reflect the days of rent over the deadline)
At this point I was completely tired, doubtful of their handling of anything and offended because now they admit that for 2 years they have been requesting over double the amount I owed anyway!
(Not essential to read, just concluding) Its my graduation in 2 months and I do NOT want them to pull me aside on the day because of this - I have no tuition fee debts so I can graduate, I just dont want this to be flagged to the accommodation services that I'll be on site that day. Please, where do I stand here? I realise this has been dragged out so long and since their last email with the reduced amount I have ceased communication, STA call me multiple times a week but no letters or emails. I was admitted to hospital for a month last summer for the same reasons I left the uni halls and I've just had a lot on my plate. The official way is to submit a complaint but since it has been so long I now have to justify why I did not take action sooner i.e. after I received the last email in Sep 2023.

Job hunting in today’s fast-paced and competitive job market can be incredibly challenging, especially for Gen Z and Millennials. These generations are entering the workforce at a time when the landscape is rapidly changing due to technological advancements, economic fluctuations, and shifting industry demands. The traditional career path is evolving, and with it comes a set of unique challenges that young professionals must navigate.
From dealing with the lack of experience that many employers require to staying motivated amidst a sea of rejections, the journey to securing a job can often feel like an uphill battle. However, it's important to remember that every challenge presents an opportunity for growth and learning. By adopting the right strategies and maintaining a positive mindset, you can turn these obstacles into stepping stones towards a successful career.
In this guide, we'll explore practical tips and advice to help you overcome the most common job hunting challenges. Whether you're a recent graduate stepping into the job market for the first time or a young professional looking to make a career change, these insights will equip you with the tools you need to succeed.

1. Leverage Internships & Part-Time Jobs: Gain valuable experience and build your professional network. Internships and part-time roles provide the hands-on experience that employers value.
   
2. Highlight Transferable Skills: Skills from volunteer work, academic projects, and extracurricular activities can be highly relevant. Focus on abilities such as teamwork, communication, problem-solving, and leadership.
   
3. Create a Strong Online Presence: Use LinkedIn effectively, start a blog, or build a portfolio website to showcase your talents. A strong online presence can set you apart from other candidates.
   
4. Tailor Your Resume & Cover Letter: Customize your resume and cover letter for each job application. Highlight relevant skills and experiences, and use job-specific keywords to pass through applicant tracking systems (ATS).
   
5. Network Actively: Networking is crucial. Attend industry events, join professional groups on social media, and reach out to professionals in your desired field. Informational interviews can provide valuable insights and potential job leads.
   
6. Prepare Thoroughly for Interviews: Research the company and role you're applying for. Practice common interview questions and prepare your responses. Demonstrating knowledge about the company and enthusiasm for the role can make a big difference.
   
7. Handle Rejection Gracefully: Rejection is part of the process. Seek constructive feedback to improve, stay positive, and focus on self-care to maintain your mental and physical health.
   
8. Stay Motivated: Set realistic goals, track your progress, and celebrate small wins. Breaking down your job search into manageable tasks can help maintain motivation and organization.
   

Remember, every step you take brings you closer to your dream job. Stay positive, persistent, and proactive. You've got this!
Feel free to share your own job hunting tips and experiences below. Let's support each other through this journey!

JobHunting #CareerGrowth #GenZ #Millennials #WorkplaceCulture #CareerTips #ProfessionalDevelopment #JobSearchJourney #CareerGoals #ESG

Background Information on 2024 L4 AM (University Hired; External) Offer Letter:
62.5k salary; start date is 07/08
5k sign on bonus = 1st year
3k sign on bonus = 2nd year
18k in Amazon Stocks: 5% on anniversary date on 1st year 15% on anniversary date on 2nd year 20% every 6 months after until vested = 4 years until stocks fully vested
No relocation bonus given in offer letter even tho 150 miles away from home address. HOWEVER, Graebel Relocation Services is saying in the F&Q PDF that it may be given 30 to 45 days away and will be lum sum of 7k.
Have 1 week exactly to decide on accepting or declining offer.
Hey Everyone,
I just got my offer letter from Amazon as an L4 Area Manager (University Hire) and idk I'm not exactly happy with my salary. I'm in FL and the state have a extremely have a High COL and rent. Even when moving away from South FL, I was surprised to read my offer letter has the lowest/minimum in terms of salary of 62.5k. I thought maybe it be like NY or CA where I get higher salary to justify the means of living. I thought I would get 65k as like a happy medium.
I read the terms of the AM offer letter and it says that the salary is not negotiable. In the letter, Amazon says the following:
"Our team believes in providing the best offer up front ! The compensation for this position was crafted and approved by our finance team prior to the start of the season.
This value was determined based on the position’s responsibilities and the cost of living surround your assigned location.
No part of your offer is negotiable."
Normally I would accept it and move on but is it worth reaching out on that or will my offer be revoked? I'm concerned in surviving with rent, groceries, bills, student loans and etc after taxes using a online salary calculator for FL to get an estimate biweekly & monthly. Can I trade a couple thousand in stocks for a boost in salary?
Should I just take the L seeing I have no other job offer and just hope I get promoted to L5 in a year so I can feel more comfortable in salary before trying to pivot to corporate once I finish my contract/obligations for sign on & relocation expense?
Am I stupid for pausing at the salary and not immediately agreeing to the terms that is sent in the middle of the night since beggars can't be choosers?
Do you still keep your stocks when pivoting to another Amazon career field such as corporate or will the amount vested be eliminated? The letter makes that confusing to know since it says if you leave before stocks gets vested, you will lose it.
Finally, can I move my start date since it's Early July. I think it's Prime Week in July so I'm assuming I be blacked out if I try to start in late July or early Aug?
Thank you all for answering my questions and concerns, I really appreciate it.

It was my cousin sister's wedding and we are Indians, so if you are Indian or know Indian friends/weddings, you know the drill - the daysss long wedding events, the heavy dresses and jewelry, and also, some serious family dramas.
My cousin and I are very close even if there is a huge age gap between us. Naturally, when her wedding came around I was very excited and I helped a lot with the planning and decoration and the food - literally everything. It was exactly as we have imagined her wedding to be like. Just perfect in every way possible. But again, it's a wedding. How is a wedding ever complete with a Drama Llama? So dear potato community, here is the tea.
The man that my cousin was marrying to, my current BIL, is an amazing man who has been with my cousin since their college days. They were friends in their college days and when they started working they joined the same company so they remained close to each other. Friendship turned into love and they decided to date and eventually get married. Both the families were informed and everyone was very happy with their decisions, except just one person. BIL's sister. She didn't have any personal problems with my cousin, her only issue was that her best friend liked my BIL, let's name this friend the 'idiot' (because she truly is an idiot and this is honestly the nicest word I can use for her).
When idiot found out that BIL loved someone else and is getting married, she went ballistic. She has been trying to get his attention for so many years and he didn't even turn towards her even for one day and he was being head over heels for my cousin. I understand her being upset, I have been a girl in love and in heartbreak too, but I wouldn't try to break someone's marriage because of my heartbreak.
Yes she tried to stop their marriage via BIL's sister. The two forged all types of absurd accusations on my cousin and tried to anonymously sneak in the accusations in means of messages from unknown numbers to my cousin's then future FIL and MIL, to emails and even letters delivered to their doorstep. My cousin was really stressed because she thought the FIL and MIL would think the accusations are true and would stop the wedding. I told her, "don't worry sisso, I am here." (add dramatic music here and imagine a cape on my back).
My cousin's father (my maternal uncle), me and my brother first went to the FIL and MIL to let them know that all of this was false and that my cousin is innocent. We asked them for some time and that we will find proof of who has been sending them those false news and will let them know of everything and then they are free to judge and make decisions from their side. We got the permission from them and decided to get to work immediately.
One thing I forgot to mention was that BIL used to live in his own house in a different state from where his parents lived after he got a job. Before this, my cousin and BIL used to live in one town and went to college together. Once they got their jobs, they both came to my city, BIL got his own house and my cousin came to live with me. His family came to live with him when he told them that he wanted to marry so they came help him with the wedding arrangements. What's unfortunate is that the sister also brought her best friend, the 'idiot', who was in love with my BIL since she was 15 and BIL was 17.
I mentioned BIL having his own separate house in a new town because it was important to mention. Both his sister and the idiot didn't know he installed security cameras in his house and that the camera was pretty well hidden so they couldn't have noticed either. We asked BIL if we can see the camera's recordings and we saw someone early in the morning at 4 am dropping a letter. Guess who it was... THE IDIOT!! We showed it to my cousin's FIL and MIL and they cross questioned the idiot about it and she was in tears and admitted to everything. She and BIL's sister apologized for everything. They were forgiven and it was a happily ever after... or so you thought...
Everything after that was pretty peaceful, all the arrangements were made and we are now at the wedding day. My cousin was really jumpy and on her toes at all times, she was panicking so bad about everything. My brother and I had to sit her down and talk her out of her panic. She however mentioned that she was scared that idiot might try to pull up some sick stunt to ruin her wedding day. I however told to her calm down cause I wouldn't let my precious angel's wedding get ruined. I have seen enough Charlotte's videos to know that we must always have a backup plan prepared in advance in situations like this. And so I did. I collected a lot of information and evidences and kept them in place in case they come in handy.
I had my suspicions that they would do something to mess up the wedding way before it even became a thought in my cousin's mind, so I did a little research about the two. Since we all belong from the same hometown, I got in contact with my friends who still lived in the town that my cousin and my BIL used to live in. I asked around about these two baboons and found out that BIL's sister had a boyfriend and has even slept with him. Premarital smex is a big no no here. As for the idiot, I found out that she was slowly getting BIL's sister into illegal substances and into becoming a call girl. Again, a big no no. And I think no parent in this world would want their child to do something that would end up in trouble for them and the child as well. I knew my cousin's FIL and MIL would be worried about their daughter and take actions immediately if I let them know of this. I would have told them this after the wedding was over anyway, but that would have been in private so no one else would know, but I guess the girls wanted something else.
Once the wedding ceremony started and the guests were all there, they were enjoying, everyone was having fun and giving their blessings to the new husband and wife to be. These two pain in the asses were going around and gossiping about my cousin to everyone. We noticed that, and we came up with a quick solution. I asked two of my male friends, who is very attractive to go and talk to the girls. However I told them to switch on their recorder and be with them no matter what. God bless my two friends, they did exactly what I told them without thinking twice. They came to me after an hour or so and told me what was going on.
The two girls were planning to ruin her wedding dress. When I tell you that shit was costly, IT WAS COSTLY. It was really heavy with all the heavy stone work that was done on the cream colored lehenga and if it was stained it would be ruined. We could not afford that in any cost. She was taking a glass of juice from the juice counters and tried sitting right behind the bride but I stepped in and told her to go sit behind her brother and that I would sit behind my cousin. She was trying so hard but me and my brother kept pushing her off and away from my cousin. Eventually she did manage to throw it but it accidentally landed on someone from the groom's side and she got scolded by her. While her grumpy face was funny to see, I still had enough because if that aunty wasn't there, it would have been my cousin. After the wedding was over and people were going to start taking the photos with the couple, I announced that me and my brother had some things to say. Initially we talked about the bride and the groom but then we shifted the attention to the groom's sister and her friend. We played the audios of the calls I had with her friends in the hometown as a surprise to the groom's sister. There were a lot of angry faces, some on the sister and some on me and my brother. I tried to explain, that had she and her friend not try to ruin my cousin sister's wedding dress, this wouldn't have been broadcasted to the entire wedding venue. I then called my two male friends and both of their faces was in gasps. Both of them pulled out their phones and I played the recordings on one of the phones, which explained how they were still spreading fake news about my cousin and also them planning to ruin my cousin's dress. We also got the video recording of them actively trying to throw the red colored drink on my cousin's dress.
Both of them got kicked out from there and weren't allowed to enter until the rest of the ceremony was over. Both of them stood outside, making attempts to convince anyone who would listen to them and let them in, but no one paid heed to them. Once everyone got home they were scolded badly and my BIL's sister kept screaming at me that I was so mean and rude to have their truths exposed to not just her family, but to every relative and friends who was there to witness the show. While my cousin was glad that I had her back and my brother is standing in support of me, my parents and some of our relatives think that it should have dealt within the family and shouldn't have been exposed to anyone outside of the immediate family members. AITA?
Note: I am so sorry if the post ended up being too long but I just wanted to give all the context that would be required to judge the entire situation and my actions as well. Also if something doesn't make sense just blame it on my sleepy head cause I wrote it in half sleep mode.

I've been unemployed for more than 2 months. I chose to leave the job in anticipation of an upcoming reorientation rather than being fired.
My previous job required me to ensure that I always used birth control, which can lengthen my time with my enterprise to at least 2 years. I had no plan to have the first baby then, so it was not a challenging choice. Furthermore, despite a suspicion that things might not work out, I decided to give it a shot in that new field after talking with the line manager about the scope of work, which was very different from what I had done before. Eventually, the final decision was made.
After 6 months of working, I started a series of rest days after submitting my resignation letter here. The primary cause was my disappointment since most of the tasks did not correspond with the job description provided during the interview.
Anyway, even though I had to give my decision a lot of thought—resigning from a job during a recession is a risky move—I am still happy with it. I am currently putting the required skills into practice and registering for a few professional knowledge-based courses. I want to be a better version of myself when I go back into the job market.

I (30F) need to vent about this. Since I couldn't just rely on my wife who keep supporting me of my job. But I'm at my wits end.
So, I'm a game developer (I'm not privy to discuss what role I'm in) in Canada, working on a well known game from a company (first-letter U, which I guess you all can guess). 5 days ago, we announced Codename Red and as all you can guess on social media these days, Codename Red garnered....a heavy criticism to say the least.
First off, I'm not involved anything on the story and the whole thing. But I enjoyed working there and everybody is nice. I'm aware some of the company reputations in the past, which yeah...it's bad. But not with these people that I'm currently working on.
Now, several of my friends are also game developer in other company, have strong views on Project Red, that like in social media, they disapprove stuffs that was made in the game and it's content. They have problems with the company and always brought up the issues of how bad it is now.
My friends are good people, but they're recently went indie and others recently got laid-off and they always brought up that they would rather die than working the company I'm working on. They told me I should quit too, because "It's gonna be dead on arrival". Maybe it is, but it's not even launch day. After I told them I working my ass off to get paid because it's my job. They got pissed off and left.
I feel bad about telling them that. I still feel I could've handled it better. The only friend and support I have is through my wife and she tells me that my friend is only overreacting.
AIW?

“We’re a meat family,” my dad would proudly tell strangers. He’d wait for the quizzical look, then launch into detail, starting with how many freezers we had, how long we could sustain ourselves on the contents. It was just his way of starting a conversation, which made sense when you considered that raising and home-killing animals for food was, for want of a better term, his life-long hobby. His prize possession was one of those industrial-sized vacuum sealers: you could put half a pig inside and wrap it in plastic so tightly that every wrinkle and skin fold waxed unreal with shiny detail.
If we hadn’t lived in a rural area, albeit semi-urbanised, I guess it would have been pretty weird. But the mostly farming-stock locals only found his extra enthusiasm a little bit odd.
When he wasn’t being a bit embarrassing talking about it, I never really paid much heed to his hobby. I had a child’s vaguely grateful awareness that though our family went through some lean financial times, our stomachs never suffered like some of the families around us. All the beef, pork, ham and bacon in those big old chest freezers passed down from his dad really could have fed us for years.
I should preface all this by saying that I wasn’t a particularly bright kid, though neither was I dumb. I didn’t fail badly at anything in school, I just never achieved beyond a pass. I didn’t know it yet back then, still quietly dreaming about being a ballet star or a dressage champion, but mediocrity was my destiny. And I think that’s why I got on so well with my Aunt Liz.
Liz was my dad’s live-in youngest sister. She was one of those women who get described as ‘bubbly’ — not really pretty, not really smart, not a lot going on besides just being… well, all Liz. But she was salt of the earth; kind, caring, and great with kids. She was the only person who would willingly mind my two older brothers, who fought like hellcats and caused more trouble than the whole last generation of my family combined. People would privately lament to my parents that it was a shame Liz didn’t have kids of her own, but dad would just shake his head and say Liz liked it that way – that all the fun of looking after kids is being able to give them back to their parents.
I guess she was like me; nice, but mediocre. Lovely, but somehow forgettable when she wasn’t doing something for you.
But when Liz left us, I couldn’t forget her.
In hindsight, it was pretty weird timing that we had a big fortieth birthday party for Liz right before she disappeared. She was radiant that night; she’d hired a local girl to do her hair and makeup, and it was honestly the first time I’d ever seen her look pretty. She’d even worn a push-up bra under a tight red dress, which flattered her very plump curves well enough that the neighbour’s farmhand was spotted disappearing into the woolshed with her for a snog. In my dawning awareness, that gave a plain girl hope: if Aunty Liz could get a guy at forty, maybe things would turn out okay for me.
Anyway, I couldn’t forget how her pink cheeks, her eyes, her whole self, glowed that night before Liz went to bed. She said it was the best birthday ever, and that she was very much looking forward to the next stage of her life.
Would I have done anything different, if I had known? If I had realised what, exactly, that next stage was?
The week after the party, Aunt Liz said she was going on a little holiday up north, to visit some old school friends. She packed her things – she didn’t honestly have that many – and drove her little orange mini out onto the main road. And with a wave of one fleshy hand, she was gone. Nobody really thought much of it when she didn’t call, because nobody rural had cellphones back then. And Liz was, as I said, somehow kinda forgettable when she wasn’t right in front of you.
When we hadn’t had contact for six weeks, Dad tracked down the land line numbers for their old school buddies. They were surprised to hear from him — Liz had never arrived, so they had just assumed she’d cancelled her visit. No-one had thought to check. I eavesdropped on the conversation, and it sounded for all the world like *they* had forgotten about Aunt Liz, too.
From there it became a missing person case. The local cops came and talked to all of us; the farmhand who’d been seen snogging her was briefly detained, then let go, dad got grilled at length, even my hellion brothers were questioned thoroughly to see if this was one of their wild and dangerous pranks gone wrong.
But everything was a dead end. Nobody knew where Liz was, or what had happened to her.
The remains of her old mini were found halfway across the country, burned out on a beach, on a derelict stretch of ragged, rocky coastline. The police assumed murder and combed the area for remains. But even the most expert divers couldn’t conquer the incredible undertow and fast-shifting seabed of that coastline to look for evidence, so none was forthcoming.
Eventually the cops collectively shrugged and said that there was really nothing more they could do unless more information suddenly came to light. The locals knew nothing, no witnesses had come forward, and the trail was cold. As far as anyone knew, poor aunt Liz had been murdered on some desolate beach, far away from her home.
It didn’t feel fair to me. She’d once mentioned wanting her remains buried on our farm, in the graveyard plot beside grandma and grandad.
So, in my grief, I went into her room to look for something of hers to bury beside them.
Like I said, Liz didn’t have many things. Her room was pretty spartan, and her wardrobe was mostly sensible farm stuff. There was one exception: she, like me, did like to read, and she had a pretty good collection of well-thumbed books. I think it’s the escapism – even the most mediocre girl can lose herself in the plot of some trashy romance novel, imagine there’s still hope of being swept off her feet by that handsome stableboy, his inexplicable yearning for chubby plain girls.
So I set myself the task of going through the books, to find the right one to bury in the graveyard plot.
Most of them were exactly what you’d expect, but some of them were racier than I was used to. I felt various parts of my body flushing and tingling, as I read breathless prose about calloused hands touching the softest flesh of the protagonist. Okay, if I’m honest with myself, I might have got a little *too* invested in my project at that point. But that was also why I persisted going through her entire collection, until I found the ragged paperback from 1970, entitled Tawny Sands. And inside that trashy cardboard romance cover, I discovered not the tale of Tawny Sands, but some carefully hand-cut, stitched-in pages. A handwritten story in my Aunt’s rounded penmanship: Memoirs of a Long Pig.
I read her story twice in a row, utterly gripped.
Aunt Liz was no Stephen King – heck, she wasn’t even the Goosebumps guy – but her story was gripping and compelling, and I couldn’t put it down. Even if I hadn’t known her, I think that would have been true.
The gist of it was that Liz, when she was sixteen, had discovered that our family had a very long history of eating what she described as ‘Long Pork’. It’s an antipodean term, anglicised from the Pacific Islands: human meat.
Like me, young Liz still had some hopes and dreams. In one of her many failed attempts to find a special talent, she’d taken up cooking as a hobby. Naturally, with our family’s overabundance of meat, she’d scoured the freezers in the shed for ingredients: the racks of ribs and stacks of pork chops, butcher-paper wrappings all neatly labelled with the first letter of the name of the animal they came from.
She found familiar meat from Rodney, one of the pigs that had been recently slaughtered, emblazoned with an ‘R’ in her father’s strong, blocky lettering. There were cutlets labelled ‘M’ for Mary, from one of the lambs she’d hand-reared, and ‘F’ for Ferdinand, the steer they’d killed the month before. But she couldn’t explain the many, many curious parcels of meat on one side of the huge freezer, all labelled ‘J’ – at least, not until she took it all out and assembled it as well as she could on the scoured concrete floor of the killing shed. A big, frozen jigsaw puzzle without the box, her best attempt to discover what kind of beast the pieces had come from.
The animal, she quickly realised, was a Long Pig. Her own Aunt Jenny, who had died the month before – just after her fortieth birthday.
Fortunately, or perhaps not, for Liz, her father entered the shed right at that moment and realised his daughter had discovered the family secret. He sat down calmly on the lid of the freezer, and explained to her that this was a long-running family tradition, dating back to at least before his grandfather had been born.
“There are always people in life, Liz,” he’d said, “who won’t really amount to much. They want to be useful, want to be more. They strive and they strive, trying job after job, hobby after hobby, trying to hit on something they’re really good at. Something that makes them special. Those people can waste their whole lives, chasing dreams that never come true. Eventually they die unfulfilled, knowing that all their time has been wasted. That what they leave behind will fade quickly.”
His voice was oddly gentle as he leaned down and patted one of the neatly wrapped cuts of Aunt Jenny, still sitting frozen on the shed floor.
“Your Aunt Jenny was one of those people. So was my Aunt Irene.” He paused to gaze at his daughter, his next words peppered with emphasis. “But you see, my sweet Liz, they did find a purpose in life. They did find a way to be special, and they left this world utterly certain of their gift.” He stood up, stretched his back. “Let me show you.”
Liz waited while my grandad meticulously stacked the meat back into the freezer, all but one J-marked parcel that looked for all the world like a thick venison steak. He took her back to the farmhouse, and reverently unwrapped the deep red, heavily marbled meat to let it thaw. Then he laid it in the family’s ancient, cast-iron pan, basting it with butter and rosemary until a heavenly scent filled the kitchen, and Aunt Liz couldn’t stop her mouth from watering.
“Just try it. Let her show you. You’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.”
Even though she knew it was her aunt, Liz couldn’t stop herself from taking that first bite. There was something transcendent about the smell, overriding her natural revulsion that this was human meat, not one of their farm animals. For the first time, she truly realised it: we’re just another kind of animal. And weren’t her memories of Mary the lamb almost as fond as her memories of Aunt Jenny?
Liz explained then, in her curly handwriting, the explosion of taste that had assaulted her when she tried the steak. It was tender, it was succulent, it was rich beyond imagining. The fats melted on her tongue, lingering somewhere between pork and beef, but oddly neither. The flavour of the meat defied identification; something familiar, yet not.
But one thing she couldn’t deny; it was the most delicious thing she had ever eaten. Tears dripped onto her plate, mingled with the juice, the grease — not grief, but a pure, real, giddy delight.
“You’re tasting your aunt’s love for this family,” my grandad explained. “Her entire life was carefully curated, to eventually make unforgettable moments for us, just like this. This was her way of being special. This was the greatest gift she could possibly bring to our world – and because she realised that, she died with not a single regret. She knew her life had purpose. She was perfectly, completely fulfilled.”
I felt those words. I felt them lodge in my own belly, settling uncomfortably deep. I knew Aunt Liz, probably better than anyone else in the family. I’d seen how fucking happy she’d been on her fortieth, how goddamn fulfilled she was, despite apparently being a *nobody* and achieving *nothing*. Somehow, in the space of a single day, she had gone from being a forgettable background character to becoming the *main character*, immortalising herself in our family’s history with her sacrifice. Quite literally becoming part of all of us, forever.
I went to the killing shed after I finished with the book. I looked inside the freezers.
But there were no vacuum-sealed packages labelled ‘L’, no matter how deep I dug into the frozen stacks of plastic-wrapped flesh. Panicked now, not sure if I wanted to connect all the dots or unconnect them, I tried to think back over the last few months, recall any meals that had been unusually good. A few Sundays ago, we’d had a stew that really hit the spot and left me craving more. And I realised that the family had a really good night that night; my brothers behaved themselves, my parents didn’t fight, and grandma and grandad had been there. Hadn’t they looked far more… expectant than they should have?
I strained my brain, trying to recall if I’d seen the homekill bag on the kitchen bench – if I’d registered what letter it was. I knew it wasn’t an L. I would have remembered if it was an L.
And then it hit me, the memory, the connection, sizzling as if branded with a hot iron.
It had been an ‘E’.
E for Elizabeth. Not for Edward the pig.
I snorted at my own stupidity – of *course* Liz was short for Elizabeth – and as I comprehended my lack of smarts, I felt something give inside me.
I wasn’t clever, and nothing, nothing would ever make me smart. I had no big talents. I wasn’t beautiful, or even cute – and even if I had a million plastic surgeries, it still wouldn’t fulfill me. It wouldn’t be real.
I was a Liz.
I was a Jenny.
I was whoever the first aunt had been, the aunt who had dedicated her life to making her flesh as delicious as possible, who had worked every damn minute to be the best Long Pig she could ever be.
I wondered how many magical family evenings had been spent eating Aunt Jenny. How many glorious, satisfying, memorable dishes had been made out of her.
And… I wanted that. I wanted to finally know I had a *purpose* in life. One so simple, and so easy to achieve.
I wanted what Aunt Liz had.
***
It's my fortieth birthday today and I’m so fucking excited. For the last twenty-four years, I’ve dedicated myself to this moment; I’ve eaten exactly what I needed to, I’ve exercised just enough, but not too much, to maintain that perfect balance of marbling vs tenderness. I’ve relaxed and meditated to keep all those amazing flavours inside of me. I’ve researched all the greatest meats in the world, from prime Angus beef to A5 Wagyu. I really think I may have outdone myself.
I’m having my hair and makeup done at the local salon this afternoon, and I’m going to look so pretty; all prize piggy on show at the fair. I’m even going to have a big red ribbon in my hair, in memory of Aunt Liz.
Maybe there’ll be a cute boy I can snog in the wool shed, maybe there won’t – I don’t really care; because the most important, most certain thing is that I’m going to be the most delicious Long Pig in the history of our entire family.
I’m going to make everyone so damn happy, and I’m just so glad I can share my story with you all, instead of hiding it in a grubby book like poor Aunt Liz.
My only real disappointment? That you won’t get to taste me.
Reader, I have loved, loved my life. My Long Pork will be out of this world: once tasted, never, ever forgotten.

Hi, im a bit unsure about auto enrol but i started my job in january, got a letter today off Nest saying im not enrolled til june.
I thought auto enrol was in the first 3 months unless employer lets you know its deferred which they havent?
My payslips in the loosest sense of the word just show my salary, nothing like pension contributions.
Any advice please? Should i offer to pay Nest any shortfall to avoid break in service?
Or is my employer perfectly allowed to enrol me close to 6 months after start date?

So I am the person who posted the 'write a letter to confess my feelings’ and he rejected me in a kindness way
On Friday we had a little deep talk(chat) idk, then after that, I decided to think it was time to move on but I see his name everywhere. His name is Sam. In the past three days, I saw his name a lot, like…I was scrolling down videos on TikTok and saw three or maybe four guys named Sam not even Samuel just Sam and I was like tf? And trying not to think about it but today I was listening to an audio on Reddit and suddenly, the voice actor named the character Sam and it made me feel like is this a coincidence or sum
Does anyone have any knowledge about this matter? I’m going crazy 😩

So let me go on a story.
I'm a gay 29M.
I lost my parents, and received inheritance around two months before my birthday last year. It was put toward purchasing a lovely home with several rooms and accommodations. It's very lovely.
However; when this happened, I lost my job which would've provided a far better income, benefits, and far easier work due to circumstances that transpired. I was set back for a while, and ultimately became financially unstable. I always make it work out ultimately now, re-employed and taking odd jobs, so I've become reliable on that front.
I invited a coworker of mine who wanted to avoid her abusive living situation with her mother, who threatened to kick her out. This coworker friend (20F) [Let's call her J] tends to have anger-issues that elicit her to lash out at people rather immensely. She has made tremendous progress in this respect I feel in some of the time I know her, but habits continue. It's not physical or anything, it's just emotional/anxiety riddled stuff, and so forth. For the most part, having lost the job, the majority of the duress between us arrives from housing situations and ultimately the issues aren't massive. Either out of respect, out of understanding, or out of better compatibility, things improved. Likewise she has a cat, and while it can be a little annoying, it's adorable so I forgive it. Likewise she's a big animal lover.
Near Christmas, another former Coworker of mine (24F) [She can be H.]had a falling out with her boyfriend. So at the behest of my new roommate's request, she was given a room. It was a trial to sort of get her back on her feet. I offered a month without rent to allow her to save money. Then a 3-month period discounted Rent, to help her furnish herself. Likewise due to a smaller room; she had less money owed. This has continued for five or so months in totality. This Coworker I don't have much synergy with, and she seems primarily self-contained. I don't opt to interact with her, and she doesn't with me. Likewise; she's far more extroverted than I or my roommate, so often goes out drinking, hanging out with boys, etc.
Recap.
J is 20. H is 24.
And for the majority of the time together; the two have been fast friends and likewise seemed to improve more as they've hung out here. Until the second roommate wanted a cat, which initially both were overjoyed by. She got a kitten, pretty spontaneously. And ignoring advice, she let it interact with my roommate's cat. We were initially planning on keeping them apart for both their safety, especially because the kitten hadn't been vet-processed and J's cat has a slightly weak immune system. This was in breach of trust given, and upset J quite a bit.
H had made plans to hangout with a friend that night, and essentially left the cat in a carrier in her room, and told J she'd likely be back by 1 AM that night, and if she could watch the cat. J had work at 7 AM, but agreed.
H got drunk and never came home that night. Meanwhile, the kitten she adopted was mewling all night across J's room and upsetting her essentially. The 4-week old kitten was comforted and likewise, and could fit into your cupped hands. It got stuck under a door once even, escaping it's carrier. It could've been bad or worse. I'm mildly upset at it.
But likewise; I own a pet I keep in my room too, who rarely scratches at the door sometimes. I can understand a cat left to their own devices can be fine, they can be solitary creatures seemingly. But given how young the kitten was and how it needed constant attention, it felt very rough for J to both look after H's kitten after everything, and for H to disappear after saying she'd return. Likewise J didn't want the cat to be harmed. She'd leave it be for intermittent periods but would check in on it every half-hour to hour.
So on this side of the topic; I feel J is beyond validated.
But it evolved.
J elected to lash out at H over this. Sending 20+ text messages in the same day; threatening to get the cat into a Vet, or Humane Shelter due to what had happened and the seeming neglect, so on and forth. Hollow threats she claims to provoke H into caring more, but ultimately still made and essentially this was on the first day of owning the kitten. I don't feel H was given an opportunity or time to process or adjust from her day's decision, and was bombarded immensely with hateful messages that tore her down.
Ultimately, this led to H giving her cat away, but she refuses to apologize, and their friendship essentially broke. H's ability to take accountability is tremendously limited and often leans toward victimization at times, but I empathized with her because J can be absolutely vitriolic, toxic, and poisonous when her anger oversteps her rationality.
Ultimately H feels like moving out in some regards due to it. But the talk about J's feelings toward H; the disdain, annoyance, and likewise low-opinion J holds due to this, has caused H to recluse some toward J further. And ultimately time has passed, between shouting at one another, to text messages, to H seeking refuge in friends and drink, to J having a operation around this time and spending time recuperating from it. Which opened a bridge of concern from H, that I hoped would maybe lead them to talking it out. Because the two can be good at it.
But ultimately when J relented enough to offer the Olive Branch, H rejected it. Which is her right. Civility after the initial moments had been somewhat restored, life moved on, they weren't friends but they could mostly live with one another.
Which led J spiraling into an angry tirade that was primarily meant to tear down H again, and did so by praying on trauma H had. Because J wanted to ensure all bridges were burnt down.
I'm stuck in the middle on this and it's aggravating me.
H refuses to even so much as budge in admitting fault, but I honestly don't think leaving your kitten alone at home is necessarily a bad idea on paper; since many animals are often left alone and while not the greatest situation can still be fine. She already has to work an 8-hour+ job some days, and would be relying on us in the interim for feline-care, until the cat was grown, had her shots, and was allowed to roam the house and have some more freedom. And likewise she had made plans, and got carried away. I can honestly chalk up her decisions to inexperience and bad decision-making and feel in some respects she deserves some grace. Likewise J's treatment of her, personal attacks, threats to get the Cat put into a Vet after one day, and likewise were it me in her shoes it would make me reconsider ownership of the cat as well, and likewise would make me very unreceptive toward any sort of relationship with J.
But as I said; H throughout all of this didn't apologize, and took solely to defending her decisions, justifying her rationale in them, and ultimately even on the things she did wrong that led to the situation developing, doesn't relent.
J meanwhile, I can see the frustration on. She is earnestly trying to get H to be accountable. She helped tremendously toward even getting the cat, and offered a lot of help throughout the process. She had her own cat endangered recklessly despite several warnings (in a very avoidable way that you'd deliberately have to do otherwise), and likewise was sent to work without sleep caretaking for a kitten that she had only volunteered for a few hours for. Much the same, the kitten was essentially in distress and abandoned in the first day, which raised a few questions about the responsibility and future events arising alike to that.
But; I feel that while J deserves to be told that in several respects she was right, that her grievances toward H erupted in such a manner that it was absolutely disrespectful, and painful, and likewise manipulative in the worst of ways.
I've no idea what to do in this case, because I'd like both Renters to sort of hash it out, and be done with it, but obviously not happening per se. But I'm also conflicted on the topic. I don't know if the kitten left alone is a massive deal and red flag for future neglect on the first day, or if it was acceptable to take time away from the kitten given how it would be left alone anyway when she worked. Likewise; I'm not sure if J's justified in respects for how used it made her feel and not receiving a single apology, or if H at this point is suffering more than enough from how J's reacting.
I'm very stuck in the middle here, and I'm worried about losing one. Should I accept the potential loss?
TL;DR: 20F lashes out toxically at 24F for abandoning kitten she had just adopted for twelve+ hours and making her babysit on a work-night beyond agreed upon times and also endangering her own cat in the same day. 24F refuses to apologize, but 20F's negative response has been borderline overwhelming and personal.
29M landlord is unsure what to do, feel, think, or prepare for.

all ,I have been a part of this esteemed organisation called Sharpner who promised ke a job of more than 5 lpa for which I need to pay a part of my income ,and the average placement they said was of 8 lpa,and before joining they confirmed I don't have to pay a penny if I don't land in a job
Now fast forward to 8 months ,I completed the backend module sat for a few interviews,let me clarify there were more companies in the interview portal giving less than 5 lpa than those offering more than the promised slab
I took a few interviews,got selected in one of them could not join because they rejected me for my notice period
In many interviews i failed to qualify ,in the mean time the trainers would call you asking you to sit for the interviews of those companies which you may not like
In my case I was asked to interview for few companies who were offering salaries i wasn't satisfied with(because I was already working ofcourse i would expect more)may be there was location constraint but they would convince you to sit for the interview,if you manage to crack you have to join that was what mentioned in the agreement
So after failing few interviews i decided to take a break,and also the companies which I managed to crack was not very convinient for me but they would ask you to join them based on the agreement,as I was already working it was not making sense for me to join them
After 2 months now,i have stopped applying for interviews now they want me pay a hefty amount Why? Because according to them I just completed their modules and left their course without applying for a single company which is totally wrong,i have proofs and they have send a showcause,this is how they set up things
Anyone with a similar kind of experience,can you share your thoughts

As a non-EU national, here are some notes from my personal VFS experiences:
Online appointment

1. You don't need to provide all docs when booking a Schengen visa appointment. You can do it parallelly i.e. secure an appointment, and use the days leading up to it to gather and print all necessary docs + copies of everything including expired passports + visas.
2. Be careful NOT to keep refreshing the page (no matter how tempting it is) because there's a limit and if you cross it, you will be penalised. You will be asked to refresh your browser cache/cookies and/or wait for 2 hours. You can try to use a dummy email for the refreshing so that when you see a slot open up, you simply log in with your real one and then book the slot. Sometimes when you log in repeatedly, it doesn't let you log in for a while. Don't be alarmed. Try using multiple devices or network connections.
3. Slots open up randomly and it's hard to predict the pattern. I noticed it opened up 1x every 15-17 days in the evening around 6 pm. If you can afford to go to another city, you may be able to find slots at other VFS centres in the country that receive less volume. I had been checking everyday for an entire month and a half before I managed to get a slot.
4. It will NOT show you all available slots but they do exist (!!!). Don't fall for this terrible UI/UX dark pattern. The moment you see it a slot is available on XXX date. Click on the button because they actually have more slots in a calendar once you progress to that page. A lot of people don't realize this and wait for all dates to show up on the first screen. So even if you are not sure about the date it shows, that's fine. You will be able to see calendar availability for the next ~2 weeks and also be able to choose the time slot in the morning, afternoon, etc.
5. Appointment confirmation takes time once you reach the payment page and you may not get an email right away. The first attempt was rejected and no money was deducted thankfully. But it told me to check in 5 hours. When I did, I had no confirmation on my Dashboard. I tried again and used another payment method which deducted my money. But still not confirmation. After about 2 hours, I checked my dashboard and it was confirmed. Still no email confirmation. I had to manually re-send the booking confirmation.
6. The DOB on my appointment confirmation on VFS portal was incorrect even though I put the right one. The code is messed up because it showed the date of booking minus 1 year as my DOB. Don't worry if this happens. Go to your appointment. (All the money they take and they can't fix this bug). This happens if you don't book their Insurance - and I didn't. The poor design might make it seem like that's a required step, but it's not.
7. Once you get an appointment, the window to reschedule is small but you will not lose your existing slot if you do click the button to explore the options.

At the centre

1. Poor design extends IRL where they don't have clear signages making people think that the Premium Lounge is the only option. The person told me that I would have to pay a horrendous amount of about 155 EUR / 168 USD (which wasn't listed on the website). I said no thanks. They tried to convince me by saying that lounge doesn't have a queue. I told her to tell me where the regular booth was. Surprise surprise. There was no queue there either. It's just a trick for you to pay as much money as possible.
2. Queues for uncommon or less mainstream countries like Luxembourg, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland were practically empty for the first 2 hours in the morning and less crowded. Popular countries like France, Italy, and Germany were packed by 10.30 am with only a few seats available. This is also the section that has more seats and more booths due to the volume of applicants.
3. Even if you have all copies and all documents, be prepared for them to stump you because it's unlikely the experience will be frictionless. Your photo won't work if you are wearing glasses or the background isn't white etc etc etc. It seems like their mandate is to not accept applications on the first go. Even when I have had all the documents and all copies, there's been something that they bring up. Eg. "the visa processing time is 60 days" but when I booked my appointment, it was 15-20 days on the website (I still have 45 days though). The person told me that they would have to ask the manager (but that never happened). They made me write a declaration stating I was made aware of this by the personnel. I mean, it's a bit ridiculous. As it is, you barely get an appointment, when you do the instructions differ from when you actually go there. So, there's really no winning.
4. Apparently their Trustpilot feedback is fake. Even if you write something, chances are it will get overshadowed by bots. There was a case about how they manipulated this overnight.
5. Make sure your docs and bookings have YOUR NAME on everything, dates, locations (with addresses for accommodation), and phone number and email of the places. Once you submit this, they will "verify" and make you wait. I literally saw one of the dudes behind the counter playing with my passport smh.
6. Your name will be called and you will get a slip (this means they have accepted your application) which includes tracking information etc. You will need to go make the payment. After this, go BACK TO THE COUNTER where you submitted docs. Collect your folder and proceed to the biometric room. Don't sit, give the person your receipt/slip and wait in the queue. Your name will be called to do the biometric stuff. After this, you have to, once again, GO BACK to the counter and submit your folder with your documents and passport. Then, we wait and hope for the best.
7. Do your research and get receipts and printouts of EVERYTHING because I wouldn't trust the people behind the counter to do their due diligence. I mean EVERYTHING. If you intend to take an internal train or a public bus, print out the train schedule and put it in there. If you intend to go to another country that allows visa-free entry for valid Schengen visa holders, take a printout of that Embassy's notice and put it in. I can't stress this enough. Get proof and documentation for everything you possibly can.
8. FYI Some countries say it has to be your "first" port of entry and/or "main destination". Some countries will only accept if it is your MAIN destination i.e. longest duration of stay. Check relevant sites and be careful!

IDK if this goes to show how cumbersome the process is but it is almost always unpleasant and borderline traumatic. I feel for the people who don't know any better, who have to rely on some agent, or in general are unable to see through the BS. The monopoly enables them to play God and while their job should be to pass on your docs and application, they seem to exercise their own discretionary power to make it hell for people who don't know better. Meh.
I have never left a VFS appointment feeling good about anything. I don't think the Premium Lounge would have helped to solve this either. I hope the VFS monopoly dies and the Schengen Visa digitisation makes this easier. Good luck and hang in there.

This is my first time posting on reddit after lurking around a bunch of communities. I felt the need to ask or talk about this with more people. I (25M) am trying to get over friends (25M and 26M) who are going no-contact because of various reasons. I know wanting control over the issue is impossible but i can't help but want to try and fix this.
Context: I recently was/am going through a lot of issues in real life, from possible skin cancer to job hunting problems and a multitude of others. And i am ashamed to admit i have done so many things wrong that have pushed away 2 friends whom i regard as a few of my closer ones or at least gaming buddies. Its been more than a month since we spoke. And i am in turmoil over it.
I was extremely depressed/anxiety filled while dealing with simultaneous changed for the worse with my job, health and studies. A co-worker was leaving the company, and they were in-charge of a lot of duties that will (now) require me to fill in for the moment they leave. They were also a good friend of mine during my 2 years at the work place.
I was also preparing for a part-time undergraduate programme's admission and the tension/anxiety from just thinking about going into university after 4 years of not studying was not light. I wasn't even sure if my spot would be confirmed/allocated since my application may get rejected, the impending costs if successful either didn't help with my mental worry about finances since my job is not paying well.
Amidst all these i had to worry about a growth on my shin that was possibly skin cancer related since it was out of the blue and not an irritation or a mole. Its most probably a cyst due to recent events hinting the symptoms, but only a biopsy will confirm this. The reason why this was also traumatising was because my father recently had a toe amputated due to skin cancer, and my maternal grandfather passed on due to brain cancer. So medical history wise it was weighing on me.
There were also other issues which heavily contributed to my deterioration but these were the main ones i focused on.
So i was stuck between depressed, anxiety-filled and a lot of irritation with life and its started to affect my friendship with my friends. While we interacted i was stuttering, choking on my words and just couldn't bring the capacity to just outright speak about my concerns/worries. I began to trauma dump, outburst at the smallest of things and begged for attention to distract myself. I annoyed one of them by the consistent pestering for attention and pissed of the other as they were caught in the cross fire of myself and the friend i annoyed.
It got to a point where they actively avoided me, they tried to help. But it ended up with a summary of "We can't help you if you can't help yourself". They were right, but i just couldn't do it at the time. I also frantically looked for ways to try and communicate but all of it ended horribly. I gave them so much stress and they all had their own worries in their lives. They didn't need more baggage on their hands.
I eventually went to seek a therapist and spoke to a mutual friend. But this mutual friend (27F) disagreed with how i was dealing with my feelings and/or how i was approaching it. They told me i needed time, my friends needed time. I confided in her, and she assured me i should focus on solving my problems first. And everything else will be fine. So i started to try and isolate myself to fix my problems. I unfriended my friends on social media to attempt to distance myself. However the longing for interaction came back. I tried to talk to them again and it was met with anger, which i know was my fault. I am unstable, and its not pleasant for anyone.
With the fear of my mortality due to possible cancer and the fear of not having said time i told them i really didn't need time. I was going to recover no matter what it took, I was extremely emotionally attached to my friends. She has since went no contact with me after she checked on me once with the interaction having gone sour due to this.
I realised i had a myriad of issues, from abandonment to communication and i was extremely broken. I really want to be with them and function, but I'm lost. I want closure and its not happening anytime soon but everytime i try to focus on fixing myself I'm just reminded i haven't patched things up with them.
I've been trying Cognitive Behavioral Therapy and a gratitude journal to try and curb my overthinking and FOMO/emotional attachment to my friends. While its helped me to gain some control over my thoughts, I still feel empty. I am unmotivated to continue my hobbies, and I can't being myself to step away from social media since i have other friends that exclusively communicate on there. I need advice on how to move on, but i can't bring myself to forget about these friends since...they were the most genuine people I've met in years. And they've also cared for me more than some, i'm torn.
** I have since seen a doctor and have a surgery lined up for the biopsy and i have received my offer of admission to university.

Currently I'm working in a company that requires a 2 week notice to leave. I'm also giving an interview in some other company and looking forward towards the offer letter.
I've never been in this position before, and previously I started my position almost immediately after getting an offer.
If I get an offer letter from the new company, should I tell them that I need 2 weeks to get off my current job? Or do they always give such a time? Or should I immediately accept and then join whenever they say (even if it comes under the 2 week time of the first company?)

Hey everyone, allow me to walk you through the timeline here:
On April 24th my cousin sent me an ad she saw for an accounting job for a pretty important company. I sent an email on April 27th with my CV. They called me May 7th and asked me to show up for an interview on May 9th. I show up and they had me do a pop quiz. After you finish the quiz they ask you to wait. I was waiting with other applicants. A guy that had already finished his test by the time I showed up was called in by the secretary but he was never invited into the interview she just told him they’d talk to him or something. Which to me means he probably didn’t get it. Anyway, she calls my name and asks me to go in for the interview. The recruiter seemed to like me and my experience and told me that the test is hard and only 4 out of 400 applicants have managed to get it mostly right.
So, my question is: today is May 21st and I haven’t heard back from them since then. It is worthy to mention that they are looking to recruit a whole team rather than a single person. Do you think it’s fine if I email or call to ask for any updates? Like whether I’ll be called in for a second interview or not? Is it too soon? It’s only been 12 days but I hate my current job so I’m kinda desperate to move on and working with these guys is a major step up from where I am now
Also do you think the fact that I haven’t been called back yet means that I’ve been rejected?
Thanks for the help
Edit: forgot to mention that the interview was short. It was a 1 on 1 interview for like 5 minutes. He asked about my CV and certain things I had in there which he seemed to like, he gave me details on how the job is like and briefed me on how the work process will be. I asked some questions and that was that. He told me it’s short because they have a lot of interviews and they’re trying to meet people to kinda get first impressions and all that and they wanted to get through as many interviews as possible. So I’m certain there will be at least 1 more interview to talk about salaries and all that, I just wanna know if it’s too soon to hear back from them assuming I did get it

link to original post here: https://www.reddit.com/Catholicism/s/ZfZH0IXzR9
TLDR; I’ve been happily married 8 years, 2 kids, and found out I was pregnant with our third days after being informed I’d be laid off (and I’m the breadwinner). I asked this community for stories of babies that God surprised you with (and boy did you guys deliver!)
Anyway, that was about 6 months ago!
After I posted here, I interviewed at a ton of places including an absolute dream job (doing what I’ve wanted to do for 10+ years, ideal title, lifechanging salary, fully remote). Every night I’d let God know that I trust him and especially his timing, which was hard because I knew what I wanted (a job, this job specifically). I took a few weeks to freelance to reserve my unemployment bank for maternity leave.
About 2 weeks ago, while I was still in interviews with the dream job, agonizing around how to disclose the pregnancy, our third daughter was born. She is premature and had to do some NICU time for weight gain and because of her age (no other health issues).
A few days after that I got rejected from the dream job. That was hard. Then my grandmother had a heart attack a few days later and they determined that she probably wouldnt make it out of the hospital. That was much harder. While my daughter was stuck in the NICU, my grandmother who I desperately wanted her to meet began hospice and passed. Even though she was 90, it felt very sudden. it happened within about 3 days of the heart attack. the day after her passing was my grandfather (her husband’s) birthday. It does give me some comfort that they were reunited for his birthday. I still feel like I didnt get enough time with her, but I guess we always feel that to some extent.
The funeral was really tough. My cousins and our parents were all really close with her for our entire lives. She built a beautiful family and by the end of her life, was praying a rosary every day (she prayed intensely for my daughter when I went into premature labor). She got last rites three times in those final days. I feel very confident that she died a saint.
So this all put things into perspective for me. I am not someone who loves being a stay at home mom, but it really feels like God is trying to show me I have the gift of time right now with my girls (and my husband). I love my job, but at the end of a life well lived, the job doesnt matter.
I also realized since my last post that I will legally qualify for paid family and medical leave through my state based on my previous salary. I can freelance a bit on top of that to make a full salary, and I might be entitled to a full 6 months leave (waiting now for this to be confirmed). That would take me almost to the end of the year. I’ve never had this much mat leave before, I’m always rushing to get back to work.
Anyway, lots of things are still up in the air, but I thought I would update you all. I am bummed about the job, but my daughter is home with me now (finally!) and I feel a lot of gratitude. I am still praying that God’s will be revealed to me in his time. I feel at least a bit more clarity now around what He wants of me in this moment.
If you have a moment today, please say a prayer for the repose of my grandmother’s soul. thanks all 💜