Chess puzzles are incredibly enjoyable. Personally, I can’t get enough of them. There's nothing quite like the satisfaction of solving a challenging chess puzzle that truly tests your intellect.
Solving chess puzzles can significantly improve your chess skills, but, like any activity, there are certain guidelines to follow. If approached carelessly, chess puzzles can actually hinder your ability to play well.
So, while chess puzzles are exciting, there are important considerations to keep in mind. Not just casual thoughts, but serious points to ponder whenever you tackle a chess puzzle.
Chess puzzles can either be a valuable learning experience or a mindless exercise, depending on how you approach them. Simply solving them doesn’t teach you much; it’s the method you use to solve them that counts.
I believe many people use a "trial and error" approach to solving chess puzzles. They analyze the position, mentally move pieces around, test a promising path, and if it fails, try another. It’s seen as a fun activity, and if they wanted a serious game, they’d play one. That’s how I used to view chess puzzles too.
However, chess puzzles are serious training tools, and this article aims to highlight their importance. They are effective training exercises and have a significant impact on your behavior during actual games.
Here are some key points to remember when working on chess puzzles:

1. A major limitation of chess puzzles is knowing that a solution exists on the board.

This isn’t necessarily bad, but if you’re not careful, you might take shortcuts. Avoid jumping in and moving pieces around in your mind until they fit. This bad habit can hurt your performance in real games. If you do this now, you might be tempted to do it later.
The solution? Treat the puzzle like an actual chess game.
Make the next move as if it’s your move. Don’t just accept the scenario as given. Try to understand how you got there and why you should make your next move from a strategic perspective.
Like a puzzle cube or a daily crossword, learn to see the solution instead of stumbling upon it, and you’ll gain much more from solving chess puzzles.

1. Chess puzzles are predetermined, meaning the solution is the only thing you need to figure out.

This can encourage you to stop thinking independently, but it doesn’t have to be that way. Play by the rules, which should already be part of your chess habit.
Don’t cut corners just because the game is in an advanced stage.
Scan for knight moves, check for tactical opportunities, familiarize yourself with the board position, including the pawn structure. Take an introspective approach to puzzle solving.

1. Remember that every move on the chessboard (whether in a puzzle or not) requires a fresh perspective.

Always start by thoroughly scanning the puzzle for every possible check and capture from both sides. Avoid the temptation to jump straight to the solution by moving key pieces in your mind. This might save time, but it also ingrains a bad habit that can be hard to break.

1. Play the puzzle out against a computer or a person. This adds a consequence for wrong decisions and makes the puzzle feel like a formal game rather than just an image in a book.

These tips can help you get more out of chess puzzles. Approach each puzzle as if you don’t know a predetermined solution exists.
Anyone can eventually stumble upon a solution, but can they replicate the process consistently? Likely not.
Take your puzzle-solving skills to the next level by applying the rules of chess. Enjoy the process and learn something along the way.
Good luck!

In the vast universe of investment opportunities, gold stands out not just for its glitter but for its enduring value and historical significance. The allure of gold has not diminished over the centuries; instead, it has woven itself into the fabric of financial stability and wealth preservation. Herein, we delve into why investing in gold is not only a prudent decision but one that could safeguard your financial future in ways that other assets cannot.
Why Investing in Gold is a Good Decision
The decision to include gold in one’s investment portfolio is driven by several compelling factors. First and foremost, gold is universally recognized for its intrinsic value. Unlike paper currency, whose value can be eroded by inflation or government policies, gold’s worth is not tied to the performance of a particular economy. This unique characteristic makes it a sought-after asset for those looking to preserve their wealth over time.
Moreover, the resilience of gold becomes particularly evident during periods of market volatility. When stocks and bonds are buffeted by the storms of financial markets, gold often remains a beacon of stability. Its price movements are not directly correlated with those of other assets, making it an excellent tool for diversification. This uncorrelated behavior is a testament to gold’s standing as a safe haven in times of economic uncertainty.
Lastly, the liquidity of gold is another factor that contributes to its attractiveness as an investment. Gold can be easily bought or sold in various forms, from physical bars and coins to gold-backed exchange-traded funds (ETFs). This ease of transaction ensures that investors can quickly adjust their positions in response to changing economic conditions, enhancing gold’s appeal as a versatile asset.
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Historical Performance of Gold as an Investment
The historical performance of gold is a testament to its enduring value and appeal as an investment. Over the centuries, gold has not only preserved wealth but, in many instances, has significantly appreciated in value. This long-term appreciation is particularly notable when compared to other assets that may depreciate due to technological advancements or changes in consumer preferences.
During periods of high inflation, gold has historically outperformed other investments. Its value tends to rise when the purchasing power of fiat currencies declines, thereby providing a hedge against inflation. This characteristic was notably evident during the 1970s, a decade marked by high inflation, during which gold prices surged.
Furthermore, gold’s performance during economic downturns has reinforced its reputation as a safe haven. In the aftermath of the 2008 financial crisis, for example, investors flocked to gold, driving up its price. This flight to safety highlighted gold’s role as a stabilizing force amidst economic turmoil.
Hedge Against Inflation and Economic Downturns
One of the most compelling reasons to invest in gold is its ability to act as a hedge against inflation and economic downturns. Inflation erodes the purchasing power of money, diminishing the real value of cash holdings and fixed-income investments such as bonds. Gold, however, maintains its purchasing power over the long term. As the cost of goods and services increases, so does the price of gold, thereby preserving the value of investors’ holdings.
In addition to its inflation-hedging properties, gold offers protection during economic downturns. During such times, investors often lose confidence in traditional assets like stocks and bonds. The uncertainty that pervades financial markets during recessions drives investors toward safer assets, and gold is frequently the beneficiary of this shift in sentiment. Its ability to maintain value when other assets are declining is a crucial reason why gold is considered a cornerstone of a well-diversified portfolio.
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Diversification in Your Investment Portfolio
Diversification is a fundamental principle of investing aimed at reducing risk. By spreading investments across different asset classes, investors can mitigate the impact of a poor performance by any single asset. Gold plays a vital role in this diversification strategy due to its low correlation with other financial assets.
Including gold in a portfolio can reduce volatility and improve returns over the long term. Studies have shown that portfolios containing a mix of stocks, bonds, and gold have outperformed those without gold, particularly during times of market stress. This diversification benefit is a key reason why financial advisors often recommend allocating a portion of an investment portfolio to gold.
Tangible Value and Stability of Gold
Gold’s tangible nature is another factor that contributes to its appeal as an investment. Unlike digital assets or paper money, gold is a physical substance that has been valued by human societies for millennia. This tangible value provides a sense of security and permanence that is unmatched by many other investments.
The stability of gold is also reflected in its supply. Gold cannot be produced at the same pace as paper money or digital currencies, which central banks can create at will. The limited supply of gold, combined with its enduring demand, underpins its value and makes it a stable investment over the long term.
Protection Against Currency Devaluation
Currency devaluation is a risk that affects all investors, regardless of the currency in which they hold their assets. When a currency loses value, it takes more units of that currency to purchase the same amount of goods or services. Gold offers protection against this risk because it is priced in currency terms. As the value of a currency declines, the price of gold in that currency tends to rise, preserving the purchasing power of investors’ holdings.
This protection is especially valuable in countries with volatile currencies or those prone to inflationary pressures. For investors in such environments, gold can serve as a safe haven, protecting against the adverse effects of currency devaluation.
Tax Advantages of Investing in Gold
Investing in gold can offer certain tax advantages, depending on the jurisdiction and the form of gold investment. For example, some countries do not levy capital gains tax on gold investments, or they may offer favorable tax treatment compared to other assets. These tax benefits can enhance the overall return on gold investments, making it an even more attractive option for investors.
It’s important for investors to consult with a tax advisor to understand the specific tax implications of investing in gold in their country. Taking advantage of these tax benefits can maximize the returns from gold investments and contribute to a more efficient investment strat
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Different Ways to Invest in Gold
There are several ways to invest in gold, each with its own set of advantages and considerations. Physical gold, in the form of bars or coins, is a popular option for its tangible value and direct ownership. However, it requires secure storage and insurance, which can incur additional costs.
Gold ETFs and mutual funds offer a more convenient way to invest in gold without the need for physical storage. These financial instruments are traded on stock exchanges and are backed by physical gold or gold futures contracts. They provide liquidity and ease of trading but may come with management fees.
Gold mining stocks and mutual funds are another avenue for gold investment. These options involve investing in companies that mine gold, offering potential for dividends and capital appreciation. However, they also carry risks related to the performance of individual companies and the mining sector as a whole.
Risks and Considerations of Investing in Gold
While gold offers many benefits as an investment, there are also risks and considerations that investors should be aware of. The price of gold can be volatile in the short term, driven by factors such as currency fluctuations, interest rates, and geopolitical events. This volatility requires a long-term perspective and a tolerance for price fluctuations.
Additionally, investing in physical gold involves costs for storage and insurance, which can erode returns. Investors should carefully consider these costs and weigh them against the benefits of holding physical gold.
Finally, it’s important to recognize that gold does not produce income, such as dividends or interest, which some investors may seek from their investments. This lack of income should be considered in the context of an overall investment strategy and financial goals.
Conclusion: Is Investing in Gold Right for You?
Investing in gold offers a range of benefits, including diversification, protection against inflation and currency devaluation, and stability in times of economic uncertainty. However, like any investment, it also comes with risks and considerations that must be carefully evaluated.
For those seeking to preserve wealth and reduce risk in their investment portfolio, gold can be an excellent choice. Its historical performance, tangible value, and role as a hedge against economic downturns make it a compelling option for many investors.
Ultimately, whether investing in gold is right for you depends on your financial goals, risk tolerance, and investment strategy. By carefully considering these factors, you can make an informed decision about including gold in your investment portfolio.

Hey everyone,
I wanted to get some advice and opinions on my current situation.
Here’s a bit about me: I have a total of 1.8 years of experience in the tech field. Here’s the breakdown:
1.3 years in .NET Core/Angular (current job) 6 months as a web developer (No Code)
I completed my Computer Science degree from a college in a 3-tier city. A 3rd class collage too 😂(yes i wasted collage years doing fun in lockdown😥. but the present is what matter right) Currently, I’m working at a small but established startup in Ahmedabad, Gujarat (probably 1 tier city). I’m 23 years old.
Lately, everyone around me has been talking about pursuing a master’s degree in CS. So here’s my simple question: Should I go for a master’s degree?
Here’s why I’m considering it:

1. My current salary is 3.6 LPA, but I could easily get up to 6 LPA if I switch jobs based on my skills.and the current offer I am holding are approx (5.25)
   
2. But a good product/service-based company wont give me 6LPA because of my bit less experience and not so popular current company so would have to settle for less salary.
   
3. A friend who completed their master’s got placed with a 24 LPA package (10 LPA fixed + 14 LPA variables, stock options, rental, etc.). I know these are highlighted stories, but still, if there’s a chance, why not?
   
4. With the advancement of AI, many jobs will be replaced by highly skilled people. Backend developers like me might have less risk, but still, the job market is changing.
   
5. i am young and can take risk and can also afford paying high fees of private collage,
   

like if i dont do master’s i will have more experiance in backend, I could explore other options like Node.js or Laravel since the concepts are similar. I’ve worked with Node.js, and the logic is pretty much the same.
However, I’ve heard that master’s is just 2 years of reliving your college years again, and I don’t want to waste my time. I don’t want to end up searching for a job after spending 2+ years on a master’s.
From my mentors, colleagues, and friends, I’ve heard that if you do a master’s, do it from NIT, IIT, or a top private college because they offer good placements.
But here’s my “mythology”: I believe experience in the field is more valuable than any degree.
So, what should I do? Continue with my current job and gain more experience, or pursue a master’s degree for higher education?
Looking forward to your thoughts and advice! Thanks!

Hey everyone,
I wanted to get some advice and opinions on my current situation.
Here’s a bit about me: I have a total of 1.8 years of experience in the tech field. Here’s the breakdown:
1.3 years in .NET Core/Angular (current job) 6 months as a web developer (No Code)
I completed my Computer Science degree from a college in a 3-tier city. A 3rd class collage too 😂(yes i wasted collage years doing fun in lockdown😥. but the present is what matter right) Currently, I’m working at a small but established startup in Ahmedabad, Gujarat (probably 1 tier city). I’m 23 years old.
Lately, everyone around me has been talking about pursuing a master’s degree in CS. So here’s my simple question: Should I go for a master’s degree?
Here’s why I’m considering it:

1. My current salary is 3.6 LPA, but I could easily get up to 6 LPA if I switch jobs based on my skills.and the current offer I am holding are approx (5.25)
   
2. But a good product/service-based company wont give me 6LPA because of my bit less experience and not so popular current company so would have to settle for less salary.
   
3. A friend who completed their master’s got placed with a 24 LPA package (10 LPA fixed + 14 LPA variables, stock options, rental, etc.). I know these are highlighted stories, but still, if there’s a chance, why not?
   
4. With the advancement of AI, many jobs will be replaced by highly skilled people. Backend developers like me might have less risk, but still, the job market is changing.
   
5. i am young and can take risk and can also afford paying high fees of private collage,
   

like if i dont do master’s i will have more experiance in backend, I could explore other options like Node.js or Laravel since the concepts are similar. I’ve worked with Node.js, and the logic is pretty much the same.
However, I’ve heard that master’s is just 2 years of reliving your college years again, and I don’t want to waste my time. I don’t want to end up searching for a job after spending 2+ years on a master’s.
From my mentors, colleagues, and friends, I’ve heard that if you do a master’s, do it from NIT, IIT, or a top private college because they offer good placements.
But here’s my “mythology”: I believe experience in the field is more valuable than any degree.
So, what should I do? Continue with my current job and gain more experience, or pursue a master’s degree for higher education?
Looking forward to your thoughts and advice! Thanks!

Hey everyone,
I wanted to get some advice and opinions on my current situation.
Here’s a bit about me: I have a total of 1.8 years of experience in the tech field. Here’s the breakdown:
1.3 years in .NET Core/Angular (current job) 6 months as a web developer (No Code)
I completed my Computer Science degree from a college in a 3-tier city. A 3rd class collage too 😂(yes i wasted collage years doing fun in lockdown😥. but the present is what matter right) Currently, I’m working at a small but established startup in Ahmedabad, Gujarat (probably 1 tier city). I’m 23 years old.
Lately, everyone around me has been talking about pursuing a master’s degree in CS. So here’s my simple question: Should I go for a master’s degree?
Here’s why I’m considering it:

1. My current salary is 3.6 LPA, but I could easily get up to 6 LPA if I switch jobs based on my skills.and the current offer I am holding are approx (5.25)
   
2. But a good product/service-based company wont give me 6LPA because of my bit less experience and not so popular current company so would have to settle for less salary.
   
3. A friend who completed their master’s got placed with a 24 LPA package (10 LPA fixed + 14 LPA variables, stock options, rental, etc.). I know these are highlighted stories, but still, if there’s a chance, why not?
   
4. With the advancement of AI, many jobs will be replaced by highly skilled people. Backend developers like me might have less risk, but still, the job market is changing.
   
5. i am young and can take risk and can also afford paying high fees of private collage,
   

like if i dont do master’s i will have more experiance in backend, I could explore other options like Node.js or Laravel since the concepts are similar. I’ve worked with Node.js, and the logic is pretty much the same.
However, I’ve heard that master’s is just 2 years of reliving your college years again, and I don’t want to waste my time. I don’t want to end up searching for a job after spending 2+ years on a master’s.
From my mentors, colleagues, and friends, I’ve heard that if you do a master’s, do it from NIT, IIT, or a top private college because they offer good placements.
But here’s my “mythology”: I believe experience in the field is more valuable than any degree.
So, what should I do? Continue with my current job and gain more experience, or pursue a master’s degree for higher education?
Looking forward to your thoughts and advice! Thanks!

Hey everyone,
I wanted to get some advice and opinions on my current situation.
Here’s a bit about me: I have a total of 1.8 years of experience in the tech field. Here’s the breakdown:
1.3 years in .NET Core/Angular (current job) 6 months as a web developer (No Code)
I completed my Computer Science degree from a college in a 3-tier city. A 3rd class collage too 😂(yes i wasted collage years doing fun in lockdown😥. but the present is what matter right) Currently, I’m working at a small but established startup in Ahmedabad, Gujarat (probably 1 tier city). I’m 23 years old.
Lately, everyone around me has been talking about pursuing a master’s degree in CS. So here’s my simple question: Should I go for a master’s degree?
Here’s why I’m considering it:

1. My current salary is 3.6 LPA, but I could easily get up to 6 LPA if I switch jobs based on my skills.and the current offer I am holding are approx (5.25)
   
2. But a good product/service-based company wont give me 6LPA because of my bit less experience and not so popular current company so would have to settle for less salary.
   
3. A friend who completed their master’s got placed with a 24 LPA package (10 LPA fixed + 14 LPA variables, stock options, rental, etc.). I know these are highlighted stories, but still, if there’s a chance, why not?
   
4. With the advancement of AI, many jobs will be replaced by highly skilled people. Backend developers like me might have less risk, but still, the job market is changing.
   
5. i am young and can take risk and can also afford paying high fees of private collage,
   

like if i dont do master’s i will have more experiance in backend, I could explore other options like Node.js or Laravel since the concepts are similar. I’ve worked with Node.js, and the logic is pretty much the same.
However, I’ve heard that master’s is just 2 years of reliving your college years again, and I don’t want to waste my time. I don’t want to end up searching for a job after spending 2+ years on a master’s.
From my mentors, colleagues, and friends, I’ve heard that if you do a master’s, do it from NIT, IIT, or a top private college because they offer good placements.
But here’s my “mythology”: I believe experience in the field is more valuable than any degree.
So, what should I do? Continue with my current job and gain more experience, or pursue a master’s degree for higher education?
Looking forward to your thoughts and advice! Thanks!

Hey everyone,
I wanted to get some advice and opinions on my current situation.
Here’s a bit about me: I have a total of 1.8 years of experience in the tech field. Here’s the breakdown:
1.3 years in .NET Core/Angular (current job) 6 months as a web developer (No Code)
I completed my Computer Science degree from a college in a 3-tier city. A 3rd class collage too 😂(yes i wasted collage years doing fun in lockdown😥. but the present is what matter right) Currently, I’m working at a small but established startup in Ahmedabad, Gujarat (probably 1 tier city). I’m 23 years old.
Lately, everyone around me has been talking about pursuing a master’s degree in CS. So here’s my simple question: Should I go for a master’s degree?
Here’s why I’m considering it:

1. My current salary is 3.6 LPA, but I could easily get up to 6 LPA if I switch jobs based on my skills.and the current offer I am holding are approx (5.25)
   
2. But a good product/service-based company wont give me 6LPA because of my bit less experience and not so popular current company so would have to settle for less salary.
   
3. A friend who completed their master’s got placed with a 24 LPA package (10 LPA fixed + 14 LPA variables, stock options, rental, etc.). I know these are highlighted stories, but still, if there’s a chance, why not?
   
4. With the advancement of AI, many jobs will be replaced by highly skilled people. Backend developers like me might have less risk, but still, the job market is changing.
   
5. i am young and can take risk and can also afford paying high fees of private collage,
   

like if i dont do master’s i will have more experiance in backend, I could explore other options like Node.js or Laravel since the concepts are similar. I’ve worked with Node.js, and the logic is pretty much the same.
However, I’ve heard that master’s is just 2 years of reliving your college years again, and I don’t want to waste my time. I don’t want to end up searching for a job after spending 2+ years on a master’s.
From my mentors, colleagues, and friends, I’ve heard that if you do a master’s, do it from NIT, IIT, or a top private college because they offer good placements.
But here’s my “mythology”: I believe experience in the field is more valuable than any degree.
So, what should I do? Continue with my current job and gain more experience, or pursue a master’s degree for higher education?
Looking forward to your thoughts and advice! Thanks!

Previous
So, if you’re just joining us, I work at a haunted zoo now. Since I’ve gotten some rest, it feels like I’ve got my head on straight, at least, so I’d like to continue where I left off.
I sat on the floor in the office after meeting the ghost until I’d settled my rattled mind (and realized I’d forgotten to ask her name, how rude is that?). I took a deep breath and got up off the floor. Walking over and falling into the rolling chair in front of the large screen of camera views, when I brought up the camera that covered the area in which I’d spotted her, she was still there, and it seemed she hadn’t moved an inch.
Sitting there, at a loss, I continued to watch her. The ghost hung around for another five minutes or so, appearing to look at a few things off-screen, though I’m not sure what. Then she walked off into the forest and left the view of the cameras. I wasn’t sure if she vanished into the ether or if she’d gone looking into the trees to look for something.
But that wasn’t the end of the job interview, so let me jump back there. It continued into what kind of animals the zoo had, with Andrew asking me how much experience I had with dangerous animals.
I took a moment to consider the question. “So, ah…I’ve been going hunting and fishing with a neighbor since I was sixteen,” I told him. “We always have to keep an eye out for gators, bears, and hogs. Then there’s snakes, of course…snapping turtles… Since I’ve lived here my whole life and been aiming for a job with wildlife for a long time, I know a lot about the animals in Arkansas in general. But good advice for all of the above is avoid them, so I’ve had encounters, but I don’t know if you’d say I have experience with them.”
“That’s fine,” Andrew said, nodding. “That’s an answer I’m satisfied with. Now, the ghost was the appetizer, Ripley; here’s the main course. To start with, the pay isn’t twenty-five an hour. It’s fifty.”
Staring in shock for a moment, I asked, “Are you serious?”
“Yeah. But that’d be weird to post online considering what applicants think we need, so I halved it.”
“That’s… Okay, why?”
“The animals are already here. You just can’t see them.”
I stared at him for a long moment, some disbelief worming its way into my expression, before saying, “Sorry, what?”
“There’s a chance you’d naturally never see them, or at least some of them,” he continued casually. “It depends on both your genetics and how long you stay on the job. I can naturally see six of them, but that’s it. Suzanne can see all of them, and more. Some are what people would label demons or ghosts. Or magic. Mostly you’d call them cryptids. The ghost was just a warm-up; I mentioned her first because it never takes more than a week to see her if you work the night shift. If you manage to handle her okay, soon you’ll be able to see the animals too. The more time you spend on the grounds, for weird reasons,” he said, wiggling his fingers in the direction of the back door, “the more you’ll be able to see.”
“So, this…this is a zoo for cryptids,” I echoed slowly. He nodded once, waiting to find out what kind of reaction I would have. I gestured vaguely around the room. “If this is a hidden camera show, will you cut me a check for showing up and participating?”
Andrew coughed out a chuckle and shook his head. “No joke. There are a ton of stories out there that have been written to death, pulverized until they’re not the Grimm stories of old and instead they’re Disney films. A lot of those stories come from what some humans have seen. There are dozens of other worlds pressed up against ours, and occasionally things come through by accident. If they’re smart, they’ll lay low and then make their way back when they can. If not, they become local folklore until someone helps them back. I’m just from London, but Suzanne is from somewhere else. She hires people like us for this zoo. Humans.”
Sighing, I shook my head. “That makes no sense. Why would she hire a muggle for a magic zoo?”
Andrew burst out laughing at that, and then waited to gather himself before he continued. “Fair point, but this is less about magic and more about animals, and you’re missing some information that will explain it. First of all, if I misjudge an employee, and they think they can make bank by outing the endangered and valuable animals we have, it’s easy to relocate the zoo.”
“Because magic?” I asked.
“Exactly,” he replied, ignoring the thread of skepticism in my tone. “That means it isn’t the end of the world if that happened, though it is a pain in the arse. But second…let me ask you a question. Speaking of reality shows, say the Discovery Channel put out a call to replace Steve Irwin when he passed. Imagine they had a line out the door,” he said with a gesture, “of people who thought they had the skill and natural talent to replace him, to take on everything he’d been doing his whole life. How many do you reckon would lose an arm, a leg, or their life, by the end of the day?”
My lips parted in surprise and I narrowed my eyes at him. “You’re saying people from…wherever…they’re just as dumb as humans, but they’re worse, because they actually think they can handle these things.”
Andrew pointed the pen at me. “Things. Exactly. You called them things. Suzanne and her friends grew up with them and would call them animals. These animals have dispositions and temperaments that we’ve studied for as long as there have been scientists. Where Suzanne’s from, they know the weaknesses of these animals, and also they’re in enclosures here, even if you and I can’t see the walls because they’re invisible things called ‘wards’. If I hire someone who’s got magic on top of all that, they’ll have almost no instinctive fear.
“Everything here is nocturnal, and every one of them is a hunter. Some of these things? Humans see them and they pass out. Not that I want you passing out, but I need someone who is scared of these things, who knows to stay out of the enclosures no matter what. Not someone who thinks they can train them to do tricks, who gets close enough for them to grab a mouthful of hair and drown them. Once, we had a night shift manager injured, and once killed, because they didn’t take these animals seriously enough.”
Thinking back to the Sea World orca incident I knew he’d been referencing, I remembered wondering how someone at that level of her profession could be so careless as I watched the video on YouTube. It made sense when he explained it like that. I hesitated before mentally throwing my hands up and going all in. “So, why put this place here, then? If they’re endangered and also dangerous, why have a zoo at all instead of just a small reserve?”
He pursed his lips, looking disappointed in me. “Ripley. You know that already. You already said as much.”
Thinking back through our conversation, I said, “The rich humans who pay top dollar to see supernatural animals.”
“Not humans,” he told me. “But people, yes, and they are rich, and they’re making donations and spending their money on a ticket here because everything we have is endangered.”
“So…”
I just let my voice trail off and my mind started to drift. Andrew remained silent, letting me do so. There’s that thing people say, ‘I believe that you believe it,’ which is just a kinder way of saying, ‘Bullshit.’ Parents say it about closet monsters. Psychologists say it to people who say they’ve been abducted and probed by aliens. I wanted to say it to Andrew.
But I also wanted a job. If it meant working overnight at an empty zoo, that was fine. When it came down to it, especially when I took the tone of our conversation into account, this was a zoo specifically focused on preserving endangered ‘animals’, and it was allegedly doing important work. Also, if this turned out to be the real deal and I started seeing the animals, I would deal with it, just like I would deal with an enclosure that had a lion or tiger or gorilla. If it came with a ghost and invisible creatures, I really didn’t see what the difference was, if I couldn’t go in the enclosures either way.
On that note, I’d like you to imagine a kid who looks at a roller coaster, watching everyone screaming and grinning as they go up and down and all around and they’re like, ‘Heck, I could do that! That looks like a blast!’
Then they get on, the first drop hits, and they realize they’ve made a terrible mistake.
“All right,” I sighed. “I can’t say I’m going to turn down a job just because it’s going to be scary. Especially not one with this paycheck.”
Andrew smiled. “Awesome. There’s an adjustment process for anyone working here, similar to a dog that gets adopted, actually. I know the general guidelines of, ‘three days, three weeks, three months’ in terms of milestones, until they finally feel they’re where they’re supposed to be,” he told me, “and you can think of your time here along those lines. I really think you’re a great fit, and once you reach the milestone of working here for three months, I’ll officially consider you our new night shift guard. And I hope you’ll stay with us for many years.”
I nodded and smiled at the flattery of an employer wanting me to work a great job for them for a long time. I’d never had a dog, but those milestones were well-known among anyone who knew animals, especially dogs. The first three days, the dog is getting to know its new digs, exploring, and decompressing. At three weeks, they’ve gotten used to their environment and are starting to get comfortable with their surroundings and the routines of the humans they live with. By three months, they know the rules and follow them, they trust you, and they feel they are where they’re meant to be. I could only hope to be so lucky.
I saw the ghost two days ago and she has yet to make another appearance (for those who are curious, I asked, and her name is Leila), and I still hadn’t seen any animals. I did hear one, though, I feel compelled to note. A growling roar sounded from the lake on occasion, echoing across the vast zoo, sending a shiver down my spine. Whatever that animal was, it sounded gigantic.
Andrew said there was apparently a group that wanted to visit for a birthday and they were offering a huge donation, so he let me know they were making an exception and that this group would be walking through the park that night. That meant I’d be watching people watching animals that, as far as I could tell, weren’t there.
It was anticlimactic. Even the three people who came for the tour just looked like people, not like aliens or something eldritch from another dimension, and I stayed in the security office the whole time. Andrew was the one giving the tour. I watched them spend about five minutes at each enclosure, the hour or so that they were there passing without incident. It was clear that they were able to see all the animals, though, since they motioned excitedly at each enclosure and spoke to Andrew, who presumably answered any questions they had.
If they could see the animals, that was that. There was still that niggle in the back of my head, from my twenty-three years of life never encountering anything like ghosts or cryptids, telling me that this was ridiculous. Waiting for someone to knock on the door, a camera mounted on their shoulder, to tell me that it was a big joke and they wanted to see how long I’d play along. But from all I saw, this was a real place with real, invisible animals.
I do carry a taser and pepper spray in my capacity as a security guard. Though it isn’t for the animals, since they’re in the enclosures; they’re actually for the rare instance of a break-in. Andrew mentioned that it had happened several times it the past, someone trying to steal an animal in the hopes of selling it on the black market. They’d been successful before, but apparently my predecessor Roger was good at his job, and mostly they left in handcuffs.
I’ll be honest, I’m not a huge fan of confrontation, but my job was to call Andrew and then confront the person, not kick their ass. That’s what the police were for, or rather, the people Andrew would call in lieu of police in certain situations.
Fifty bucks an hour. That’s the key here.
Andrew hadn’t set up direct deposit, since he was sticking with a strategy of waiting to see if I’d continue to work there once I found out myself dealing with the animals (I’ve decided I am going to just call them animals). Instead, I got an old-fashioned check after my shift every Friday. The number on the first check was delightful. I went out that evening and had a big dinner at the local diner, order my most expensive favorites on the menu and a big slice of pie for dessert.
When it came to the paychecks in general, though, I had this weird feeling of not wanting to tell my dad and brother about the fact that it was actually $50/hr. I previously mentioned that my dad, his name’s Nathan if you’re curious, works at a local grocery store. Our town has a couple food franchises, but I think its size is just short of whatever threshold Walmart uses to decide where to open. He earns $14/hr. and that’s after the tiny raises he’s gotten over the past thirteen years.
That’s not to say he’d feel bad about not making as much as me. On the contrary, he would be ecstatic for me and really proud. But, like me, he’d be suspicious. That hourly rate was the biggest hint that this was more than just a private zoo for cryptids. And as soon as that fat check cleared without problems, my dad wouldn’t be satisfied with reassurances; he’d want to come visit the zoo and look around.
I’d told him it’s a private preservation with scheduled (expensive) visits only and that it had only eleven animals, so he’d been appeased by me brushing off the idea of a visit. Also, I took a few photos of my workplace; one of the security room, one of me sitting in my chair, one photo of the many screens I watched, and a selfie where I was feigning sleep out of boredom, slouched in my chair with my mouth open in a faux snore. That let him feel like he knew where I was and what I was doing, and that I was safe.
But if I told him I was making double what he thought, my father would practically order me to quit. No job was worth my safety, he’d tell me. I was quite of the opposite opinion, however, considering how crucial any and all conservation efforts were these days. Especially with the steep extinction levels due to humans competing with other animals for space, not to mention climate change. Working in any job that helped preserve species and keep ecosystems in balance, or put them back in balance, was so important.
Then again, my father would also point out something I had realized right away: the fact was that I was working with endangered species that were not from Earth. I wasn’t helping my planet. To be honest, though…that didn’t matter to me. Especially after that talk with Andrew about why he hired a human for this job, I figured whichever dimension these animals came from had the equivalent of us, razing forests to the ground, clouding the planet with pollution, and leaving the animals with no avenue of recourse when yet more land was taken from them.
I really do hope to keep working here for a long time, though, and not just because of the money. I can’t help it; I want to know what these things were, and I want to work with them, to do the job of a zookeeper. The same way you go up to the chain-link fence to get close to a carnivore on the other side who thinks you’d make a nice afternoon snack. You just want to be closer to them, to experience that incredible, daunting feeling of being in their presence.
Unsurprisingly, it wasn’t long before I got what I wanted.
The day after we had the tour go through, I was doing my sweep when I saw the ghost again. She was sitting on a small boulder in the same area I’d seen her the first time, looking identical, blood covering the front of her slashed shirt, the wounds visible underneath. I stopped and stood there for a moment before I decided to raise my hand in a small wave.
The young woman cocked her head at me and raised a hand in the air in an imitation of my gesture, her expression showing a bit of curiosity.
She was low-key, seemingly not concerned with my presence, looking at me as a novel phenomenon in her world. I wondered what that world consisted of. Was she always here, sometimes visible and sometimes not? Or did she have another world next to ours, in the ether, where she left everything in this world behind and floated in her disembodied form? Did she still feel emotions? Was that really curiosity on her face, or was I projecting? Did she feel happiness? Fear? Did she have the option of moving on, or was she stuck here?
Many questions that I might never get the answers to. And that was assuming Andrew knew the answers, since I’d never met Suzanne Cooper and he hadn’t even mentioned that possibility. This place was clearly her baby, but I’m sure running it was a lot of work. Plus, if she was rich enough to own it, she was rich enough to have other businesses and charities to run.
When it comes to the enclosures, they’re all wrapped by a barrier of some kind, though never one that seems adequate. There was not a single place with the ugly metal weavings of a chain-link fence, and no stretches of circular razor wire. Instead, there are nice fences. Black iron, or wrought steel fencing in a similar style to the one circling the perimeter of the zoo, just shorter and with different patterns. Or a spaced picket fence, the wood stained in some tone of brown, or a split two-rail fence. As if to say, ‘This is the border of your enclosure, but we’re just letting you know out of courtesy.’
When I started to pass enclosure number seven last night, a young woman’s voice spoke, “Hello.”
I startled, unaware that I hadn’t been alone. “Oh. Hi,” I said, staring at her standing a few yards in.
She had been next to a large tree and I hadn’t seen her. This enclosure was behind a picket fence, and she walked through the large area of wild grasses and flowers that stretched across the other side of the fence. There were fewer tall grasses closer to the fence, which I guessed was because it had been tromped down by her regular pacing along it when there were visitors, or if she wanted to see the various enclosures of the zoo. Her sudden appearance was a bit weird, considering I had been expecting to see a cryptid and instead I was looking at, it seemed, an attractive Asian woman.
She wore a black kimono, the soft silk robe draped gently over her body, with beautiful patterns of cherry blossoms, more so over her left side, and red and blue birds with their wings spread. A sash wrapped around her abdomen, she wore socks and sandals on her feet, and her hair was up in those rolls that gave volume to the style.
I was no expert on any fashion, much less that of another country, so I just assumed it was all traditional Japanese clothing. Most likely, the visitors who came liked to see a certain time-honored style and that’s what she stuck with. Or maybe she played on stereotypes. That would be amusing.
“I’m Yui. It’s nice to meet you,” she spoke, arriving at the border of the fence and holding out a hand for me to shake.
I’d been standing about three yards away from her, and I’ll be honest, muscle memory tried to kick in. But I only made it two steps, my hand starting to rise, before I froze, the hand falling limply at my side. “Nice to meet you, too,” I answered, my voice quiet.
Damn. I wonder how many times that honey trap works back where she comes from.
The pleasant look on her face faded, and she lowered her hand. “You won’t shake hands with me? Isn’t that rude?”
“I mean, I kind of like my hand where it is. You know, attached to me.”
Her demure smile widened into something more amused. “I would never do something so revolting.”
Looking her up and down, as if more visual information would give me more knowledge of what she was, I asked her, “What would you do?”
“I would be less wasteful,” she said softly.
A finger of ice trailed down my spine, and I had the sudden image in my head of her grabbing my outstretched hand in an iron grip and yanking me over the fence, leaving me to sprawl on the ground. Then killing and consuming me efficiently, without a single careless step, the same way humans slaughtered pigs, using everything from the hog but the squeal. I was struck with a shiver at the idea of her consuming everything from me but my screams.
Slowly, I took one step further down the path, then another. Just as I got to a walking pace, though, I realized the woman had started walking too, in the same direction. I’d have eventually gotten to the end of her enclosure and keep going, leaving her behind, but she spoke up. “Are you leaving?”
I came to a stop, meeting her gaze again. “My job is to walk the zoo every hour. Then I’ll get back to the security room and stay there until my next walk.”
“Have you met the others yet?”
I hesitated before saying, “Just Leila.”
She blinked languidly. “That means nobody welcomed you here.”
“Andrew did.”
She didn’t reply to that. Instead, she slowly started to lean forward, and I flinched backward a few steps further as I saw insect legs start curling out from her back.
No. Not insect. Arachnid.
The eight legs ended in small ‘paws’ with tiny claws, a layer of hairs covering the leg from top to bottom, like any typical tarantula. I took two more slow steps back and my mouth went dry as the jointed legs just kept lengthening, until they were large enough to lever her off the ground.
My gaze had been on the spider legs, but my heart skipped a beat as I realized her human legs had melded together and turned into a bulging abdomen. Her skin was shifting to a carapace, eventually all the way up to her shoulders and down her arms, her fingers elongating and her nails stretching to claws. From there down, her body was that of a pale tarantula with pedipalps the size of my arms and piercing fangs in her jaws that looked like they could take my head off.
There was a moment, my vision blurring, where I was worried that I might piss myself. The part of my brain that still had its humor intact in that moment told me that I should keep an emergency set of clothes in my car, or at the very least, start wearing Depends to work.
“I show you my true form,” she said softly, her voice now raspy like an eighty-year-old after a lifelong smoking habit. “Welcome to Suzanne Cooper’s zoo. The night shift guard for many years was Roger, before he retired and the zoo moved, and I miss him dearly. What should I call you?”
I choked on my words. There was no way my throat was going to cooperate enough for me to clearly get a sentence out. Instead, I realized my legs had taken control of the situation themselves, unsatisfied with my conscious brain’s decision to stand and stare, taking steps backward. I backed up a yard, then five yards, then ten.
My mind focused on the fact that spiders don’t waste anything, and pictured my demise. I’d be wrapped in a cocoon, killed, and made nice and mushy before she had me for dinner.
The whole time, my brain was a frenzied mess, my pupils were probably the size of dimes, and I was staring at that tiny, pathetic fence between her and me. There was so much adrenaline pumping through my body that I felt like my bones were vibrating. The fence was, to my eyes, the only thing between us. The only thing keeping her from tackling and killing me. My only hope was that she’d do it quickly.
But she didn’t move. As I absorbed her innocent, polite words, the look on her face was calm, and I wondered if this was typically the way a conversation went before she devoured her prey. I wondered how many people she’d eaten. Not humans, not people from Earth, but the ones from where she came from. The fact that she doesn’t scare the shit out of those people means they’re staggeringly dumber than humans.
Finally, I rounded a corner, both relieved at having her out of my sight and worried that she would take that moment to come find me. When she’d been within eyeshot, I had at least known where she was and could run in the other direction. But I didn’t hear the sound of faint footsteps moving rapidly toward me. All was quiet, in that deep, smothering way that only an empty business in the middle of the night in small town America could be.
My hands trembling, I barely paid attention to anything but the confirmation that my surroundings were free of the colossal spider as I finally got back to the door. Grabbing the handle and letting my eyes dart around for about ten seconds and my ears prick for the slightest sound, I finally swiped my key card across the pad and went inside, shutting the door behind me and engaging the backup deadbolt.
Maybe that was why they had decided on keycards. If I was running from something and panicking, using an actual key or inserting the card like at a hotel would keep me from getting to safety considering my hands were shaking enough to mix a margarita.
Walking over to my chair, I fell into it, letting my body flush itself of terror as I looked up at the cameras. There she was, still in arachnid form, exactly where I’d left her behind that rinky-dink fence, casually looking around and slowly pacing back and forth. I stared at her as my racing heart gradually slowed, and a minute or so later she turned on her eight legs and walked back into the trees.
Whatever invisible fences the enclosures have apparently work, which is nice, because I wasn’t keen on getting killed by one of the creatures here. And that’s what brings me here, spilling out everything that’s happened so far. Because nearly passing out from terror isn’t something I wanted to deal with at work, obviously, but I keep going over what she did in my head again and again, and I feel like I reacted like a child who spotted a wolf spider on their bed. I started to worry for my overactive sense of self-preservation, at least in my capacity as an employee here.
The spider didn’t even try to hurt me, and so I was feeling a bit foolish. Even annoyed, actually, at the fact that I’d freaked out so hard and took off instead of trying to engage in at least basic conversation. I got the sense that she wasn’t at human-level intelligence, but I was never going to be able to hold any level of conversation with an alligator.
Sure, she did mention that she wouldn’t be so crass as to yank off my hand because she’d rather just have my entire corpse, but wouldn’t a wolf do the same if it was hungry? Wouldn’t any carnivore? Actually, they probably would’ve been satisfied with one of my hands. The fear here was from the fact that she turned into a giant spider. If she’d turned into Clifford, I would’ve reacted the same way, if not better than, meeting Leila.
With that, I decided I’m staying on the job. Considering how frustrated I can get with foolish people, it’s a bit hypocritical, and I’m being a bit of an idiot. But…there are definitely wards keeping them in their enclosures. Also, I signed up for creatures for another dimension, whether or not I believed in them at the time, and I will not let encountering my first one in an objectively boring way be the reason I quit.
The money is a factor, I’ll grant you. Of course it is. And I can’t spend it if I’m dead, but all signs point to surviving as long as I don’t do anything dumb. Also, yes, I’ll admit there’s a not-so-little voice in the back of my head that’s desperate to know what else is here. I never thought I’d do something like this, but finding out these things are real, I honestly do want to learn more about them.
Still, though, I decided to call Andrew at the end of my shift to ask if the pepper spray and taser I carried worked on a certain spider, as well as the other animals I’d yet to meet.
Previous

Previous Part
“I knew it, I knew he’d pull something like that!”
Was the only thought running through my head as I watched Keith get forced into the truck outside. I was scared for Keith and I was angry, that kind of anger you feel in the pit of your stomach. Not at Keith though, my fury was directed at myself for freezing again. I just sat in the window and watched him get taken. Headache or not I should’ve done something, anything! Instead I just sat there and watched, powerless as always. My first instinct was to go running back home, maybe Frank and Stein could help somehow. Imagine my surprise when I walked in the door and they were looking for me. Well maybe I wasn’t to surprised, I hadn’t told them I didn’t plan on coming back home when I left yesterday.
“Bianca! We were just going to come looking for you, Keith had this idea and… are you alright?”
Frank asked, concern covering his face like a shadow. I must’ve looked like a mess, and the hot wet feeling on my face told me I’d started crying at some point on my way over as well.
“Are you ok? Did something happen?”
Frank repeated in his best fatherly voice. I could barley stammer out the words.
“Keith… gone… they took him.”
My babbling was enough though, realization shown on both their faces. Stein said something to Frank that I couldn’t hear then they nodded to each other.
“He was almost spot on with the timing. Well we best start getting around to do our part then.”
Stein said in his usual uncaring and mildly haughty manner. I don’t know why but it really boiled my blood this time. Keith was gone and he’s just moving on with things?
“Does no-one care about what just happened?! We agreed to look out for him and what did we do? Nothing!”
I screamed at no-one in particular. Those two just gave me a look like I was a misbehaving child.
“We’ve done what we could Bianca, besides Keith is the one who suggested what we’re about to do next.”
Frank stated, in an even and calm tone that made me stop and realize how ridiculous I was acting. Freaking out wouldn’t get us anywhere, even though I really wanted to. So I took a deep breath and stepped back for a second to collect myself.I hated to admit it but in a way their cold, calculating, order of operations approach would probably help here. Those two would never crack under pressure like me. While they didn’t talk about it, I’m sure they’d seen far worse working with the government.
Stein was rushing around looking for car keys when I came back into the kitchen. Frank however, stopped what he was doing to come over to me. I held up my hand to stop him when he opened his mouth to say something.
“No, you don’t have to try and convince me, I’ll come with you. What was Keith’s plan anyways? What did he put you guys up to?”
I asked, much calmer than before but still a little on edge. I couldn’t help but to feel at least a little responsible for what happened to Keith. I know it wasn’t my fault but I came with him for a reason. As much fun as last night had been I wasn’t taking it seriously. I should’ve stayed up to watch for Shaoni, maybe looked around for something she left when she was there before. Regardless, I had to be better next time.
“Keith thought that maybe someone from the reservation a little while outside town may have heard legends about Shaoni. She’s the Thunderbird, that’s an important figure in their stories and legends. Being so close to where she had been sleeping for years he thought there might be a connection. So he asked us to go out and ask around.”
Stein answered me before Frank had a chance to, walking into the room and tossing a jacket my way.
“And put this on, its cold out there.”
It was actually funny how often Stein tried to care and actually came off as so much colder. Almost like he was doing it because he had to, not because he actually cared about me.
“Don’t mind him, he’s just stressed with everything going on lately.”
Frank explained, trying to comfort me. He was right of course, but it didn’t change the fact that it still rubbed me the wrong way.
Ten minutes later I was in the car headed out toward the reservation. It wasn’t a very eventful ride and the pine trees didn’t make for great scenery, I’d seen it all before anyways. Frank and Stein were quiet the whole time and we couldn’t find Rocco before we left. Part of me wondered where he was and part of me didn’t want to know. This gave my mind time to wander and I found myself thinking my life before meeting Frank and Stein. It was weird, I usually tried not to think about it at all but something had brought those memories roaring back. Probably due to Keith asking about it the other day. No-one ever seemed to care about that, my past that is. Every now and then I’d get bored and wander around town. Someone might come up to me and talk but not like Keith did. The only real questions they asked were usually something along the lines of “What’re you doing tonight?” And other variations of that. They were usually looking for something I had no interest in. Sometimes it wasn’t entirely their choice to talk to me. I’d just use my powers simply to have a conversation with someone. Keith actually cared about me though, at least I think so.
A loud honk broke me out of my trance, we had arrived on the reservation. The improvised trailer park we’d arrived in wasn’t much to look at. A dog or two ran around the cluttered ground, free from any sort of leash. An older car missing most of the front end sat raised on a few blocks of concrete. The trailers themselves were run down and rusted. Despite the sorry sight of the place three men sat around a fire, laughing and generally having a great time. The trio looked up as we walked over, recognition passing over their faces. We must’ve looked out of place here in our shiny SUV and Frank and Stein’s three piece suits. Those two were always overdressed when they went out. The only place they fit in was the lab and they seemed more than fine with that.
“Stein! Is that you?”
Exclaimed the man on the left, standing to meet us. He looked happy to see Stein, though I had never seen the guy before in my life. Which meant he must’ve been a friend from before I knew Stein.
“My friend! How have you been? Have you had any difficulties with your… condition.”
Stein replied, cutting his eyes at the other two men like he didn’t trust them.
“They know old friend, no need to beat around the bush here.”
He had to have some supernatural abilities, that’s the only way Stein knew anyone. The question was, what was he?
The man’s name was Sam, Frank told me as we joined the men at the fire. I asked him for more, like what he meant by condition but he wouldn’t budge. Condition usually meant supernatural but a lot of them just looked like normal people. I’m sure everyone has some picture of a succubus in their head and I’m… not that. So I couldn’t even begin to guess at what Sam’s “condition” was.
“So what brings you out here Stein? I hate to say it, but I never expected to see you again.”
Sam said, trying to be as friendly as possible while ultimately telling Stein he didn’t really want him here. He didn’t feel nervous, that much I sensed for sure. No, it was fear that drove him to try and push Stein away, but what did he have to be afraid of?
“I assure you I’ll be gone before I overstay my welcome. I just have a few questions I’d like answers to. It’s entirely possible that you know nothing as well, in which case I’ll be gone even sooner. But you wouldn’t lie to me just to see me gone, now would you?”
Stein almost threatened, some of the friendliness slipping out of his voice. There was more going on here than what I could see or even sense. I’ve got a really good sense of what people are feeling at any given time but the context of those feelings can get lost on me. Sam was feeling fear, way too much fear for the situation. Maybe he knew what Stein was going to ask but I couldn’t tell for sure. I looked to the two scientists, cutting my eyes from Frank to Stein trying to see if they wanted me to step in and calm them down.
“Stein… I can’t… if she knew I talked to you she’d come here. The things I’ve done… what you helped me stop doing. She wouldn’t see it that way if she came here… she would…”
Sam blubbered out, completely losing his composure before Stein raised a hand and cut him off.
“She? You mean Shaoni, we’re aware of what’s going on. We still do have some questions about her though, ones I hope you have answers to.”
At the mention of her name all three men shot up, so I stepped forward. Frank protested but he was to slow to stop me. It’s difficult to describe how I can make people do what I want, these days I just kind of will it to happen and it does. I can force an emotion, or a feeling onto someone else by imagining it myself and projecting it onto them. Frank and Stein think it has something to do with pheromones my body produces. These pheromones can induce certain emotions or feelings if I want them too. In this case I wanted these men to feel tired, cooperative, compliant, and that’s just what they became. Just as soon as they tried to stand they buckled to their knees. I was pushing a little to hard so I eased up a bit, I didn’t want to just put them to sleep or something. Sam got back to his feet and sat down in his chair as the others did the same.
“I’d like to know about Shaoni, The full story, as much as you know.”
I commanded more than asked Sam as he just nodded towards me, a vacant look in his eyes.
“Where should I start exactly little lady?”
Sam asked me, his tone a mix of nervous and compliant.
“I want to know what you know about her, all of it, then we’ll go.”
I answered, trying to ignore the looks Frank and Stein were giving me. They knew I was taking a risk, he didn’t want to share what he knew so I was forcing it out of him. He wanted to tell me now but it wasn’t really “him”. I was in his head, and while he wasn’t going to fight me on anything now, I was sure a part of him was screaming deep down. Fighting desperately to keep his mouth shut to avoid the consequences of telling me anything. I tried not to think about what I was doing to him as Sam began his story.
“Well to start her name wasn’t always Shaoni, It’s hard to keep one name when you’ve lived as long as her. Her name meant “Stormcaller” as near as it translates to your language. She was an elder in a long forgotten tribe in what you know as Canada today. She was renowned for her ability to over see trials and solve debates among her people, always able to set right apart from wrong. The exact name and place of her tribe have been lost to the ages but I do know that it was wiped out. As the story goes the tribe met its end at the hands of “explorers”, all save for Stormcaller were killed. She fled far into the forests and eventually stumbled upon four spirits, the original Thunderbirds. At this time they were still great spirits, created by Nanabozho. Those spirits took pity on Stormcaller, allowing her to live with them in the four corners of the world. With them she learned many things, how to fight, how to think as only a spirit can, and most of all she sharpened her already formidable sense of justice. That need to see justice done, and the proper sense to see what was right from what was wrong is what lead the chief of the Thunderbird spirits to bind itself to her, giving her the powers she’s said to have today, letting her exist as spirit and man made one.
The other Thunderbird spirits eventually followed this example, choosing representatives of their own, each representing an Ideal: Courage, so that our people would never falter in the face of adversity. Solidarity, so that, divided as they may be at times our people were one at heart. Duty, so that our people would never forget their place in the world and the customs and traditions we upheld. Finally there was Justice to lead them all, so that no wrong would be left to stand, and so that one among the ideals would keep the rest in check. These four formed a council that watched over our people for many years.
As imperialism grew in the world and more crimes were committed against their people this council became more and more warlike. Often Stormcaller, now simply known as Justice spearheaded these actions. She sought to right the wrongs committed against her people and hold all responsible accountable for their actions. In accordance with her duties as the embodiment of justice for our people. This war of hers would prove to be her downfall, every day her sense of justice became more absolute, more black and white. She stopped consulting the council to help guide her decisions, believing she and she alone knew what was best for her people and fellow ideals. One thing that changed when the Thunderbird spirits bound themselves was their immutability. As a spirt nothing could harm them, they were eternal, they were and always would be. But once they had become one with a man they could be ended, They would live forever but man’s mortality meant they could be killed unlike before. Something Justice would learn for herself in time.
As her warlike nature grew, Justice began to involve the ideals in open conflict with those who sought to take their peoples land and desecrate their way of life. Eventually Solidarity fell in battle, and those who saw him fall learned of the greater forces at play. These people sought to learn the truth of the power the had seen from Solidarity and doubled their intrusions into sacred land, searching for answers. Suddenly the hunters had become the hunted, perhaps if Justice had not clung so tightly to her convictions everything would’ve ended differently. Instead Justice doubled down on her pursuit to right every wrong she could lay her eyes upon, spurred on by the death of Solidarity. Eventually Courage fell and so to did Duty, only hardening Justice’s resolve. It was only when she revealed herself to her people one day and they fled from her, afraid of what she would do. Afraid that they to had committed some wrong that she sought to right in her own violent way. This reception forced Justice to realize what she had allowed herself to become. Justice had become Vengeance, lost in anger for wrongs she could never hope to right she had lost herself, becoming something else entirely.
She shed her name, her duties, her people and disappeared into the world. Watching what would come for her people broke her. She had lost what she sought to guide and guard, let the people the Thunderbird spirits sought to protect so long ago fall to ruin. Her need to see justice done never left her, but what was once a raging inferno became nothing more than a spark. If she came across one that had escaped justice, hidden their tracks or found a way out she would know. She would right the smaller wrongs of the world in her own way, stoking what remained of the flame within and finding her own purpose in the world. Eventually she would take on a new name, Shaoni, why I do not know but it is what she choose. Her sense of justice was still absolute, she saw no shades of grey just right and wrong. But the scale of her judgment was reduced, no longer would she try and right every wrong the world had to offer but only those she could reach. The world is a dark place though, and sometimes a lesser evil can ease pain. Shaoni didn’t see lesser evil as something she could abide and so her judgements often left more pain in their place. She grew weary of her pursuit once again, seeing how little she had changed and how much pain she had brought. She chose to settle down and remove herself from the world. Shaoni would never be able to die, not from the passing of time. She could remove herself from the equation in a cave not to far from where we stand now.”
Sam’s story hurt to listen too, in some ways it only seemed like Shaoni did what she thought was right. Yet time and time again she failed to see shades of grey, and that cost her everything. It made me think of who I was years ago in a way, not that I was some all powerful spirit thing like her but still. What would Shaoni think of the person I was? How would she judge me for my actions before I meet Frank and Stein? I certainly wasn’t a saint, but did that mean I couldn’t be better? I shook my head, now wasn’t the time to think of things like that. I stopped forcing Sam to answer my question, leaving him to his own devices. There was always some lingering effects after I… did my thing. I’m not sure how exactly it felt for them but I don’t imagine it was pleasant. Realizing you weren’t really in control of yourself has a way of causing issues for a person. Sam seemed to be shaking it off pretty well though, I’d seen worse things happen after I’d finished with someone, like Keith losing hours of time sitting in the kitchen. Playing with emotions can cause stress in the brain, especially since I’m forcing an emotion or feeling on them. More than once I’d seen someone left with uncontrollable swings in mood or a complete lack of emotion or feeling of any sort because of me. I hopped that wasn’t going to happen again here.
“Bianca what was that!”
Frank complained, finally breaking free of the spell the situation had cast over him. He ran over to the other two men that hadn’t gotten up from their chairs like Sam. Worry crashed over me like a wave as I realized why Frank sounded so concerned. One of the men was seizing on the ground, his body shaking violently as spasms coursed through him, had I done that? Sam was in a blissfully ignorant sate, he just sat in his chair watching the fire, unaware of what was happening to his friend. Frank and Stein leapt into action, holding the seizing man on the ground. Stein pulled off his belt and placed it in the mans mouth, trying to keep him from biting himself. My eyes were fixed on the third man who lay motionless on the ground. I took small steady steps toward him, hoping against hope that I could find a pulse. As I got closer I realized his chest was rising and falling. He was alive but who knew what he was going through right now. I felt distant, Frank was yelling something at me but I didn’t catch a word. I had to do it right? I had to make them tell us what they knew, it could help Keith right?
“What did you do to them?”
Sam asked me, apparently free of the aftereffects of my influence. I snapped my head to the side and watched him take a threatening step towards me. I backed away, afraid he might do something rash. I shouldn’t have done that, Stein could’ve convinced them on his own.
“What did you do to them? What’s wrong with them?”
Sam asked again, his voice growing more desperate. Stein picked that moment to appear at my side.
“Sam they’ll be ok just give them a minute. She didn’t mean to hurt you or your friends, just let it go. I’m helping her the same way I helped you, she’s not always in control.”
Sam softened a little bit at that but he was still wary of me. What Stein said was a lie, I had control of my abilities most of the time these days but Sam didn’t know that. Frank walked over to where we were standing with a relieved look on his face.
“They’ll be alright, they just need rest. What about you, are you feeling alright Sam?”
Frank asked, nodding towards him. Sam didn’t answer but it was plain to see he was doing far better than his friends.
“I’d like you all to leave.”
Sam ordered, putting his metaphorical foot down. Whatever favor he owed Stein didn’t matter anymore, he wanted us out. People were beginning to come out of some of the other trailers, gawking at the scene in front of them. As the three of us were leaving Sam said one more thing,
“Stein, this makes us even.”
He growled in an even but angry tone. You could just tell he was staring daggers at us the whole way back to the SUV. I turned back for a moment and I could’ve sworn his skin was wriggling and changing. Like he was just barley holding back something. What concerned me even more was what he felt, not anger or worry, but fear.
The ride back was less than pleasant. You know that feeling when you’ve done something wrong but no one really wants to address it yet? Yeah, that’s what was going on here, the air was practically electric.
“We needed him to talk…”
Stein cut me off immediately, shouting,
“Sometimes you don’t need to help! Look… I know you meant well but you can hurt people with that power of yours. I’ve never seen it that bad before but then again you’ve never done it to a group of people that long. Who knows what longterm consequences it might have. Just… be more careful in the future.”
Stein wasn’t as angry as he tried to appear, part off him was even relived, maybe because I had been the one to handle the situation instead of him.
“I know, I know its just… Keith is stuck out there at that mine with her, I couldn’t leave with nothing.”
I agreed, He was right, it was a risk but how could I have just let it be? No-one else was going to look out for him so that fell on us now. As much as I hated having to force things out of people I was good at it, really good. Despite how I felt about what I could do to people that was the easiest way to get Sam to speak back there.
“Where did this whole drive to help Keith come from anyways? A few days ago you talk him into watching the house and throw some money, our money, at him for the trouble. I’ve seen you do that a few times before with others so you could come with us when we went to stock up on things. Regardless of our misgivings surrounding your methods. So it didn’t go that well this time and he found out about you and us. Something like that was bound to happen eventually. What I can’t picture is why you go out of your way to help him. I don’t personally have any issue with you jumping to his defense. Its not too hard to understand why someone would, considering his situation. But for you, well it seems out of character for you.”
Frank chimed in with a question of his own. I’m sure he didn’t mean anything by it hurt to see him so surprised that I’d consider helping another person.
I never answered Frank’s question, I thought about it a lot the rest of the way back though. Why was I so intent on helping Keith? All my life I’d done things just to survive, even when I was really young I had to find a way to get by on my own. Sure I had my mother but she had her hands full with her own life. She didn’t have much after my father left and did everything she could to make ends meet. I just tried to stay out of her way and help where I could. I never complained when she forgot to make dinner, or when there just wasn’t food around the house. I’d just go without or take what I needed from someone else. Even back then I knew it was wrong but I always had looks on my side. Combine that with pity and not a lot of people would say no to the cute hungry kid. After Brooke, I only had myself and I just kept doing what I needed to. This was different though, I didn’t have to help Keith but I wanted to help him all the same. I didn’t get around town much and I always felt like I just existed around Frank and Stein. With Keith I wasn’t just this thing lying around the house, I was a person, a friend even. That was it, the first time it really clicked for me, Keith was my friend, not because I had wanted him to be or because I made him think he was. No, he was actually there for me and it was all his choice. I didn’t have to puppet him around myself, he actually wanted to be there. I didn’t have to wonder if it was just me and everything I could do pulling him in. For the first time in years someone had actually cared enough to ask about me, Frank and Stein never really did because they knew how much it hurt. Keith didn’t know how much it hurt to talk about but still. I needed to actually talk about all that happened to me with someone who listened for real.
Coming to that realization only made me want to do something stupid. Like run up to that mine and try to get Keith out of there myself. But that’s exactly what it was, stupid. If we wanted to get Keith back we’d need something better than just me. We’d need a real plan, one I’d just started thinking of. There was something else eating at me to. Keith had offered to take some burden from Shaoni back in Imalone, I had an idea what it might be and it scared me. If I was right well, Keith was in more danger than we all thought.
When we pulled back into the driveway Tuck was waiting at the door.
“Where’ve Y’all been?! I been lookin’ for ya damn near all afternoon! Somein’ happened o’re at Keith’s place, He’s gone. I cain’t find that “lab assistant” of yours neither.”
Tuck said hurriedly, his southern accent that he usually tried to hide seeping out into his words.
“We know, it was those trials he told us about. I presume he told you as well then?”
Stein informed him as he got out of the car and marched towards the door, barely making eye contact. Stein had an idea, I could read it all over him. He got this way when he was away from home and wanted too test something, once he was back there was no standing between him and his lab.
“Yeah, the kid told me something like that. Would explain where all those people were goin’ to. Couple of the regulars in town, ones I know look up to that damn bird, left this morning headin’ towards the old mines.”
Tuck spoke to no one in particular, nodding to himself as if to check off the fact that Keith disappearing and people leaving town were two related things.
“Why don’t you come in then, you might be able to help out with the situation. We just learned a few things about this… “damn bird” of yours. I really would’ve appreciated if you told us about that years ago. Perhaps you’d like to tell us what you know of the Thunderbird in the lab?”
Stein ordered rather than asked, pointing to the door for no more than a moment before continuing on his march to the basement. Frank and I filed in after them but I didn’t join them in the lab.
I looked around the house for Rocco but couldn’t find a trace. It wasn’t like him not to leave some trail of destruction in his wake. Well hidden or not, we usually found evidence of whatever he was up to but this time there was nothing. I had no clue where he’d gotten off to, maybe I was better off not knowing. After I gave up I joined the others in the basement, to their surprise I actually had decided to make an appearance. Frank and Stein were a little rattled at first but soon went back to their work. Tuck just beamed at me proudly, like he knew something I didn’t. We set about comparing notes on Shaoni, and separating fact from fiction based on Frank and Stein’s many years working with the supernatural. It was… nice, in a family bonding kind of way. Keith had brought us all together, gave these scientist a new problem to solve. Gave Tuck a chance for some kind of justice for the friends he’d lost in the mine collapse all those years ago. For me, he’d brought me together with the family I’d fallen in with. Strange as they were, this was my family, or at least the closest thing I had to it. I had to help, not just for Keith but for them. I’d been a burden, scared to go outside, hateful of what I could do despite using it to make life easier for myself. Worst of all I’d been stuck in my own head, I’d gone through awful things, done awful things, used my body and my charm to get through life. I’d been every bit as evil as Brooke had been to me. I did everything he’d done to me to others, only it was so much easier for me to do it. I hate myself for it, maybe I always would, but I couldn’t let that stop me now. I had to set all that aside and be there for the people in my life, I had to be a person again, not just hope everyone would treat me like one.

I’m at the conclusion of one of the weirdest situations I’ve been in my life. I’m 34/M she is 25/F let’s call her Unique. We met in 2022. Had a very intense thing going on for about 2 months. We never left each other side during that time. Met each other parents and all. We claimed to be exclusively sexual with each other but wasn’t in a legitimate relationship. After a while I asked to for a full blown relationship. She was apprehensive stating she’s not ready. I really felt some way about this and after went out and dealt with another woman a few days later(e.i oral.) Later, Unique finds out from finding a condom in my car. I initially tried to lie about it but within 30 minutes came clean about the about thing. I just knew it was going to be over and I would never hear from her again.
This is where I feel it gets weird. I feel horrible for what I have done but she wants to continue. But now I can’t shake this feeling of an brokenness between us. Like our little bubble has been popped. Since we were never in a relationship I felt it was it was only a matter of time she would leave. She a beautiful girl. So, one day I told her we should take a break as I couldn’t shake this dark cloud. After about two weeks, I wanted her back but it was too late. She said she just wants to be friends. I tried to convince her otherwise but ultimately respected her decision. I told her I can’t be friends with because I still have feelings for her and it wouldn’t be a true friendship but if she ever changes her mind on us being together again to reach out.
After I go my separate way crushed but accepting my fate. Crushed because I’m a man of my word and I broke our agreement and her trust. Knowing she will forever look at me differently. But then she reaches out a few weeks later and I believe it’s to work it out but instead it to “check on me.” I chat for a little bit and then explain to her the same thing I did before and to reach out if she has a change of heart. So let’s just say this went on for more than a year and a half. There would be every 1-2 months she would “reach out” saying all different things from “I miss you” “I love you” so on and so on. I would foolishly lean in only for her to pull away shortly after. One time she even blocked me for 3 months after I told how can I get over you if you keep contacting me playing this game. I’ve ignored and blocked her, she would call me from different numbers. Because I foolishly had these feelings for her I would lean in time and time again. After enough of that emotional roller coaster I started to tell her straight up leave me alone. No more “reach out if you change your mind.” It would continue until I changed my phone number only for her to reach out on email months later. I debated but reached back out to her. This time I thought ok maybe if she went that far as to email me she wants to figure something out.
This time I figure okay we can be friends get to know each other more take it slow this time. Only for me to have all of these negative feelings the entire time because we because we were hanging out again but things were massively different. After a while I realized tis wasn’t good for my mental health and told her I can’t do this blocked her and walked away. I spent the next 3 months(longest we went without speaking) getting myself together. Then one day I started to miss her and after a week or 2 I reached out to her. This time I’m thinking I’m just going to be friends. We started hanging out again. But I’m noticing I’m paying for everything and she asking me for money for things and favors. So I was going along with it a little bit because I thought maybe she feeling me out and because in most cases I genuinely wanted to look out for her. When I realized that’s not the case I told her I can no longer pay for her every time we hangout. She did not like this one bit. Mind you, I’ve always paid for everything.
She says to me it’s crazy that I don’t think a friendship with a female doesn’t consist of doing things for her and paying for her. I said not if we’re just friends. Sure occasionally I can do favor I can buy some drinks as a friend. She never once offered to pay anything not one round nothing even if invites out. One time, even gave me a hard time I ask for a ride when she still had a car. Asking to pay for your nails and stuff I feel are things you ask the man you’re romantic with. Said it seems manipulative on her part to constantly ask me someone who just a friend for all this. She said I’ll never see her because I still have feelings for her.
I admit I played my role in this dragging as long as it did(2 years.) I feel we should’ve ended when I asked for a full blown relationship and she said she wasn’t ready. My mistake not communicating then clearly that that’s what I wanted and if she not with then it’s so long. There a lot of nuance that can’t be explained here.She is now blocked on everything. I like to think differences in ages contributed to this.
What do you all think?

Hey everyone,
I wanted to get some advice and opinions on my current situation.
Here’s a bit about me: I have a total of 1.8 years of experience in the tech field. Here’s the breakdown: 1.3 years in .NET Core/Angular (current job) 6 months as a web developer (No Code)
I completed my Computer Science degree from a college in a 3-tier city. A 3rd class collage too 😂(yes i wasted collage years doing fun in lockdown😥. but the present is what matter right) Currently, I’m working at a small but established startup in Ahmedabad, Gujarat (probably 1 tier city). I’m 23 years old.
Lately, everyone is trying to talking me into pursuing a master’s degree in CS. So here’s my simple question: Should I go for a master’s degree?
Here’s why I’m considering it:

1. My current salary is 3.6 LPA, but I could easily get up to 6 LPA if I switch jobs based on my skills.
   
2. But a good product/service-based company wont give me 6LPA because of my bit less experience and not so popular current company so would have to settle for less salary.
   
3. A friend who completed their master’s got placed with a 24 LPA package (10 LPA fixed + 14 LPA variables, stock options, rental, etc.). I know these are highlighted stories, but still, if there’s a chance, why not?
   
4. With the advancement of AI, many jobs will be replaced by highly skilled people. Backend developers like me might have less risk, but still, the job market is changing.
   
5. i am young and can take risk and can also afford paying high fees of private collage.
   

like if i dont do master’s i will have more experiance in backend, I could explore other options like Node.js or Laravel since the concepts are similar. I’ve worked with Node.js, and the logic is pretty much the same.
However, I’ve heard that master’s is just 2 years of reliving your college years again, and I don’t want to waste my time. I don’t want to end up searching for a job after spending 2+ years on a master’s.
From my mentors, colleagues, and friends, I’ve heard that if you do a master’s, do it from NIT, IIT, or a top private college because they offer good placements.
But here’s my “mythology”: I believe experience in the field is more valuable than any degree.
So, what should I do? Continue with my current job and gain more experience, or pursue a master’s degree for higher education?
Looking forward to your thoughts and advice! Thanks!

Hey everyone,
I wanted to get some advice and opinions on my current situation.
Here’s a bit about me: I have a total of 1.8 years of experience in the tech field. Here’s the breakdown: 1.3 years in .NET Core/Angular (current job) 6 months as a web developer (No Code)
I completed my Computer Science degree from a college in a 3-tier city. A 3rd class collage too 😂(yes i wasted collage years doing fun in lockdown😥. but the present is what matter right) Currently, I’m working at a small but established startup in Ahmedabad, Gujarat (probably 1 tier city). I’m 23 years old.
Lately, everyone is trying to talking me into pursuing a master’s degree in CS. So here’s my simple question: Should I go for a master’s degree?
Here’s why I’m considering it:

1. My current salary is 3.6 LPA, but I could easily get up to 6 LPA if I switch jobs based on my skills.
   
2. But a good product/service-based company wont give me 6LPA because of my bit less experience and not so popular current company so would have to settle for less salary.
   
3. A friend who completed their master’s got placed with a 24 LPA package (10 LPA fixed + 14 LPA variables, stock options, rental, etc.). I know these are highlighted stories, but still, if there’s a chance, why not?
   
4. With the advancement of AI, many jobs will be replaced by highly skilled people. Backend developers like me might have less risk, but still, the job market is changing.
   
5. i am young and can take risk and can also afford paying high fees of private collage.
   

like if i dont do master’s i will have more experiance in backend, I could explore other options like Node.js or Laravel since the concepts are similar. I’ve worked with Node.js, and the logic is pretty much the same.
However, I’ve heard that master’s is just 2 years of reliving your college years again, and I don’t want to waste my time. I don’t want to end up searching for a job after spending 2+ years on a master’s.
From my mentors, colleagues, and friends, I’ve heard that if you do a master’s, do it from NIT, IIT, or a top private college because they offer good placements.
But here’s my “mythology”: I believe experience in the field is more valuable than any degree.
So, what should I do? Continue with my current job and gain more experience, or pursue a master’s degree for higher education?
Looking forward to your thoughts and advice! Thanks!

Hey everyone,
I wanted to get some advice and opinions on my current situation.
Here’s a bit about me: I have a total of 1.8 years of experience in the tech field. Here’s the breakdown: 1.3 years in .NET Core/Angular (current job) 6 months as a web developer (No Code)
I completed my Computer Science degree from a college in a 3-tier city. A 3rd class collage too 😂(yes i wasted collage years doing fun in lockdown😥. but the present is what matter right) Currently, I’m working at a small but established startup in Ahmedabad, Gujarat (probably 1 tier city). I’m 23 years old.
Lately, everyone is trying to talking me into pursuing a master’s degree in CS. So here’s my simple question: Should I go for a master’s degree?
Here’s why I’m considering it:

1. My current salary is 3.6 LPA, but I could easily get up to 6 LPA if I switch jobs based on my skills.
   
2. But a good product/service-based company wont give me 6LPA because of my bit less experience and not so popular current company so would have to settle for less salary.
   
3. A friend who completed their master’s got placed with a 24 LPA package (10 LPA fixed + 14 LPA variables, stock options, rental, etc.). I know these are highlighted stories, but still, if there’s a chance, why not?
   
4. With the advancement of AI, many jobs will be replaced by highly skilled people. Backend developers like me might have less risk, but still, the job market is changing.
   
5. i am young and can take risk and can also afford paying high fees of private collage.
   

like if i dont do master’s i will have more experiance in backend, I could explore other options like Node.js or Laravel since the concepts are similar. I’ve worked with Node.js, and the logic is pretty much the same.
However, I’ve heard that master’s is just 2 years of reliving your college years again, and I don’t want to waste my time. I don’t want to end up searching for a job after spending 2+ years on a master’s.
From my mentors, colleagues, and friends, I’ve heard that if you do a master’s, do it from NIT, IIT, or a top private college because they offer good placements.
But here’s my “mythology”: I believe experience in the field is more valuable than any degree.
So, what should I do? Continue with my current job and gain more experience, or pursue a master’s degree for higher education?
Looking forward to your thoughts and advice! Thanks!

From The Guardian ("There is a way out of the Assange legal quagmire – the US should drop the case"):

The UK high court decision granting WikiLeaks founder Julian Assange leave to appeal against his extradition shows just how far America has fallen when it comes to freedom of the press.
Assange faces 18 felony charges in the United States, including 17 under the Espionage Act, based on WikiLeaks’ 2010 publication of US state department cables and Iraq and Afghanistan war logs provided by the whistleblower Chelsea Manning.
Press freedom advocates, including at our organization Freedom of the Press Foundation, have repeatedly decried the Espionage Act charges against Assange as posing a grave threat to press freedom. So have law professors, lawmakers and the world’s leading newspapers.
Nonetheless, the high court gave the US every opportunity to secure Assange’s extradition, essentially telling the US what assurances it must provide to ensure the court would rule against Assange.
But the US couldn’t satisfy even that low bar. In the latest ruling, two justices of the high court said they weren’t convinced that the first amendment would protect Assange at trial.

Assange has spent "the last five years, locked down for 23 hours each day in a three-metre by two-metre cell, unconvicted of any charges". That's punishment enough (the US said he's likely to only serve 4-6 years if convicted) and the US created the example they needed.
It's time to drop the case.

Hello all. I want to preface this by saying that I am grateful to have an outlet like this to turn to. I’ve just turned 21 and my alcoholism has honestly gotten out of hand. I became a heavy drinker at the ripe age of 19 and honestly I think it’s sad.
I grew up w alcoholic parents and while I am NOT blaming them for my actions I do want to admit I think it played a role a little bit, especially w my mom.
I never use to get bad hangovers but around me being 20 my hangovers started to get pretty bad. My hangovers are not just a headache that goes away in a few hours of being awake, I get so dizzy like I’ll feel like I’m gonna pass out and it lasts ALL DAMN DAY. The best way to describe it is as if I’m a walking brick. I’ve called off of work and laid in bed all day to pass it. It’s horrible. I hope I’m not the only one that gets them like that.
I’ve also never found a cure. Drink more water. Eat more food. Take more supplements. Nothing works to prevent OR cure it. So… the only thing I do to cure it is what? Drink more. A lot more. I’ve literally gone to work drunk bc I feel like that’s the only way to feel normal. Yes it’s bad and I’m not proud at the f all.
I’ve gotten to the point where sometimes before I even have bfast or drink my daily morning glass of iced cold water w lemon.. I’ll take a shot (or two or 4). Yuck.
Not to mention I feel like me being 21 has made it worse. I always had easy access to it before hand although it was obviously MUCH harder. Now I can go anywhere anytime. It sucks but it’s become like a hobby.
Anywho, yesterday I had one of the WORST hangovers of my life. Even laying in bed I felt so sick and dizzy and out of it. I genuinely considered going to the er. It lasted almost all day until it became SOMEWHAT withstandable if that’s even a word.
I couldn’t even fall asleep to sleep it off, I was twitching so bad and sweating my heart was RACING. Ugh ew.
And so I’ve decided to take a break. Mind u the longest I’ve gone in the past two years of my binging is 2 lousy weeks. Not impressive.
I’ve had this debate in my head for these past 2 years on why I don’t like to be sober. How come I don’t feel like myself w out alcohol? I don’t have any confidence w out alcohol? And I feel like it’s a cycle I need to break. I am no stranger to the fact that it’s a disgusting cycle that’s makes depression worse in the long run until u stop. I need to give myself time. I’ve made so many mistakes under the influence, crashed my first car that I had for 4 years, ruined my relationship w my parents and some friends. Even lost my favorite job I ever had from drinking at work. It’s embarrassing but it is my truth
I need rediscover how i lived life before I even discovered that useless euphoria. I see people living sober who love life just because they’re alive. That’s overdramatic but I meannnnn it’s facts lowkey.
Well anyway, yall wish me luck and good luck to yall.

Viloneia is a land that is ever shifting. From the tribal nation of Chaunshar to the religious scholars of Ormsfield, the world is vast, and it seems like someone is always discovering something new. With the signing of the All Creatures Accord recently, the world has entered an era of peace known as the Accord Age. Wars were concluded and new nations born out of the signing of this Accord, and Viloneia avoided plunging into another Terror Age.
The story is in its infancy, with plenty of room to be written by you and the others at the table. Will you help the Accord Age to prosper, or will you be a piece in the machine that plunges the world back into discord and strife?
Hello everyone! I’m Bep (she/her) and the DM for this game. I am new to DMing but not to 5e in general, as I have played in several games in the past and finally decided to try my hand at running a game. Viloneia is a world entirely of my own creation, and though it’s a young creation, I feel it’s solid enough that I have started running a game in it.
Specifically, I am looking for just one player to fill a spot at my table. We already have 3 established players are are 6 sessions in, but I have decided to take one more player to round things out for reasons I can’t explain, lest I spoil some key plot points, haha.
Viloneia is a high fantasy, medieval type world. You know, normal D&D fare. It has its own pantheon and history that I have all written out and am happy to talk about if you are interested. I just don’t have a player-specific guide written up at this time so it’s easier to tell you more once we get to talking.
I am looking for a player that is:

• 21+ years of age. Sorry to anyone younger out there, but we’re all 21+ at the table and would like to keep it that way. This is not an NSFW game however. Romance, while permitted, is fade-to-black only. Adult themes may still be present in the course of RP. I run a mature game and so themes that some people may find upsetting can show up.
• LBTQIA+ positive. There’s no tolerance for hate or discrimination at my table.
• Active and engaged during games. Be proactive, not reactive, and interact with your party.
• Inspired to make a character that impacts the world. I am happy to give more details about my world if you contact me!
• Not afraid of consequences and willing to play a serious game. I don’t run a “haha funny” game. I run a game with serious repercussions to your actions should you choose to do something that deserves those consequences. Be prepared for that.
• Committed to a long-term game. I’m not running a one-shot here, I want someone who is going to stick with it through months of play.
• Willing to join a VC for a casual interview in the evening (EST) if asked.

The current makeup of the party is:

• A Nightblessed (Drow) Elf Paladin, Oath of Watchers
• A Variant Tiefling Rogue, Soulknife
• A Variant Tiefling Cleric, Grave

We use Roll20 for maps, D&D Beyond for character sheets, and Discord VC for the actual games.
Games are 4 hours and run from 3pm EST to 7pm EST on Sundays, every week.
If you’re interested, please fill out this brief form. If I like your answers, I'll reach out on Discord. We’ll get to talking from there. I don’t have a very formal application because I’m more confident in my ability to source people based on the vibes I get from conversation.
This will be marked CLOSED once I have found someone.

I recently have been “diagnosed” with IBS. I’ve been a nurse for 10 years, so I’m fairly medically savvy. I want to give brief med hx as I feel like it relates to my issue. I’m currently 33.
In April 2021 I was officially diagnosed with endometriosis after fighting for years to get surgery. It was so bad, I needed lysis of adhesions on my descending and sigmoid colon (this is important later).
Later that year, December 2021, I found out I had Grave’s Disease. A hyperthyroid disease that does make you poop a lot.
In August of 2022 I got sick with COVID after the 2 original vaccines and one booster.
For the past year or so, I’ve been dealing with awful BMs. They’re a type 1, on occasion a 2, on the Bristol stool chart and a loooooot of mucous and some times scant amount of blood. Blood in the stool, not when I wipe. No hemorrhoids. Every other month or so, I’ll get a horrible pain on my left side, there are insanely loud bowel sounds and then finally I’ll have the worst diarrhea ever. Lots mucous, very yellow, and the pain is so bad, all I can do is rock back and forth on the toilet, cry, and pray it comes out soon. Last time it happened was 4/1/24 and previous to that was in August of 2023.
I finally saw a GI and she just does an xray and tells me to take miralax and that it’s IBS constipation. The xray showed some stool in my ascending colon but that was it. I definitely am moving my bowels, even with the small stools, I still go multiple times a day. I can’t take miralax every day because it causes diarrhea, but I take it once a week just to get a day to move everything.
So here’s my question. Endometriosis can mimic IBS, I got an IUD placed 10/5 and that did cut down on how often the diarrhea has happened, but lately I’ve been having so much bowel/uterine/ovarian pain, that nothing helps and I don’t think it’s IBS. Doesn’t matter what I eat, anything can trigger it. Even IBS “safe foods” like low fodmap foods.
My thoughts are: I have scaring from surgery because of the location of pain, more adhesions have grown (IUDs just slow growth, endo has no cure), or COVID damaged my bowels.
I’m desperate and feel like I’m not being heard by my doctors. I just want to feel normal again. I got prescribed Bentyl for bowel spasms, but I’ve noticed no difference. Has anyone else experienced bowel habits like this? Do I really have IBS? I am too scared to leave the house or go out to eat because I’m afraid I’ll have the diarrhea. I’m terrified of crapping myself.

In today’s world, understanding human behavior is crucial. However, two distinct approaches often cause confusion: mainstream evolutionary psychology and the ideas presented by Iain McGilchrist in his book "The Master and His Emissary." While both seek to explain aspects of human behavior and thought, they do so from vastly different perspectives. Let's break down these concepts in a way that’s easy to understand, particularly focusing on how McGilchrist explains the evolution of the brain.

Mainstream Evolutionary Psychology

What is it? Mainstream evolutionary psychology focuses on understanding how our psychological traits and behaviors have evolved. Imagine it as a detective story, where scientists try to figure out why we think and act the way we do by looking at how our ancestors lived and survived.
Key Ideas:

• Adaptation: Many human behaviors and mental processes are seen as adaptations to the environments our ancestors lived in. This includes things like our fear of snakes (which could have been a survival mechanism) or our preference for sweet foods (which provided energy).
• Universal Behaviors: It looks for behaviors that are common across all humans, suggesting that these behaviors are rooted in our evolutionary past.

How Do They Study It? Researchers in this field use a combination of studies on human behavior, comparisons with other animals, and insights from evolutionary theory to build their understanding.

Iain McGilchrist's "The Master and His Emissary"

What is it? Iain McGilchrist's book takes a different approach. He explores how the two hemispheres of our brain—the right and the left—perceive and interact with the world in distinct ways. Think of it as a story about two characters in your brain with different personalities and jobs.
Key Ideas:

• The Right Hemisphere (The Master): According to McGilchrist, the right hemisphere is holistic, meaning it looks at the big picture. It’s good at understanding context, relationships, and the broader meaning of things.
• The Left Hemisphere (The Emissary): The left hemisphere is more focused on details and analytical thinking. It’s great at breaking things down into parts, categorizing, and focusing on specifics.
• Cultural Impact: McGilchrist argues that Western culture has become overly dominated by the left hemisphere's way of thinking, leading to a more fragmented and analytical approach to the world, at the expense of the right hemisphere's holistic and integrative view.

The Evolution of the Brain According to McGilchrist

This is where some confusion arises. McGilchrist's explanation of brain evolution is not the same as the typical evolutionary psychology narrative.
Mainstream View of Brain Evolution:

• Incremental Development: Evolutionary psychologists often explain the brain's evolution as a series of incremental adaptations to environmental challenges. This involves the development of specific brain regions and functions that helped our ancestors survive and reproduce.
• Functional Specialization: Different parts of the brain evolved to handle different tasks, such as language, memory, and social behavior. This specialization helped our ancestors navigate complex social environments and improve their chances of survival.

McGilchrist's View of Brain Evolution:

• Hemispheric Specialization: McGilchrist focuses on how the two hemispheres of the brain evolved to handle different types of tasks. He suggests that this specialization goes beyond simple functional differences and influences our entire way of experiencing the world.
• Master-Emissary Relationship: He describes the right hemisphere as the "Master" because it provides a holistic, context-aware understanding of reality, while the left hemisphere, the "Emissary," deals with details and analysis. He argues that this relationship has evolved to balance our perception and action, but modern culture has skewed heavily towards the left hemisphere's way of thinking.
• Cultural Evolution: McGilchrist posits that cultural and historical developments have been significantly shaped by the dominance of one hemisphere over the other, affecting everything from art and science to social structures and individual well-being.

Why McGilchrist's Work Is Not Evolutionary Psychology

The confusion often arises because understanding McGilchrist's work requires a grasp of how brain hemispheres function and influence psychology through neural activation patterns. Additionally, it involves understanding brain structures and how these contribute to our interpreted actions.
1. Different Focus:

• Evolutionary Psychology: Focuses on specific psychological traits and their evolutionary origins. It looks at universal human behaviors that have developed as adaptations.
• McGilchrist’s Work: Centers on how the functional specialization of brain hemispheres influences cognition and culture, exploring the broader implications of hemispheric dominance.

2. Methodology:

• Evolutionary Psychology: Utilizes empirical research, comparative studies, and evolutionary theory to build its understanding. It tests hypotheses about human behavior through scientific methods.
• McGilchrist’s Approach: Employs an interdisciplinary approach, synthesizing information from various fields and offering interpretative analysis. His work is more about integrating insights from neuroscience, psychology, philosophy, and history.

3. Theoretical Foundations:

• Evolutionary Psychology: Grounded in the principles of Darwinian evolution, focusing on adaptations and survival mechanisms. It seeks to explain psychological traits as evolved solutions to ancestral problems.
• McGilchrist’s Theories: Focus on the qualitative differences in hemispheric processing and their cultural implications. His work is not primarily about evolutionary adaptations but rather about how different modes of thinking have shaped human history and culture.

Conclusion

While both mainstream evolutionary psychology and Iain McGilchrist’s work seek to understand human behavior and brain function, they operate in fundamentally different domains. Evolutionary psychology provides insight into the adaptive nature of psychological traits, grounded in empirical research and evolutionary theory. In contrast, McGilchrist offers a unique perspective on how the brain’s hemispheres contribute to our cognitive processes and cultural development, employing a more interpretative and interdisciplinary approach.
Understanding these differences helps to appreciate the distinct contributions of each perspective, enriching our overall comprehension of the complex tapestry of human thought and behavior. McGilchrist’s work is a valuable addition to the broader field of psychology and neuroscience, but it stands apart from the empirical and adaptation-focused framework of evolutionary psychology.