How does a taurus man act when in love

I am in a relationship with the man of my dreams. He’s smart and funny and kind. He has a great family, a great career and he hot as hell. He treats me better than anyone has ever treated me before and I am head over heels in love it him.
The only problem in our relationship is that he has trust issues and has them for a very valid reason.
My boyfriend was married before he met me and his wife cheated on him with her older married boss. And he caught them in the act. He didn’t suspect a thing until he got an email Amazon with a picture confirming a package delivery that tipped him off that his wife’s car was home in the middle of the day. She didn’t answer her phone when he called so he went home to check and found them in their bed.
She apologized, begged him to forgive her but he just couldn’t get that image out of his head. He could never be with her again after seeing that.
He told me all of this rather early on in our relationship because he wanted to be open about the trust issues that he has. I was cocky at first. I said to myself that I am going to treat him so well that he isn’t going to be able to remember her name. But it’s been harder than I anticipated. He’s had trouble opening his heart up to me. It’s been very slow.
When I go out with my friends he’s on edge. He doesn’t say anything but he’s tense and distant before I go. I offer not to go but he insists that I live my life. He won’t put his issues on me and I love him for that. But I still decline invitations often and don’t tell him that I do.
Another issue is that his ex wife is constantly trying to get in touch with him even though he blocked her number. She fucked up, my boyfriend is a catch and she knows it. My boyfriend ignores her but every time she slips through he’s not right for the rest of the day.
I need some advice on how to manage this. He’s the one for me if he can just get over these issues. I’m not a cheater. I’ve never cheated on anyone I’ve ever been with and sure as hell would never cheat on someone I love. How can I make him see that? What can I do?
TLDR: My boyfriend has trust issues from being cheated on. How do I help him get over them?

I'm 38F, and have two best friends who are also friends with each other (36F, 41M). we've been friends and lived together on and off for the past 20 years.
the male of our friend group, let's call him J, has a hard time making friends outside of the two of us. he's had very few other long-term friendships or relationships aside from us. the only other one was a fiance he had from 2015-2020 who passed away in 2020 from cancer. he took it very hard and we became his main friends/support once again following.
he began telling us about 6 months ago that a very young girl (21/F) at his job kept flirting with him and telling other coworkers she was interested in him. he shut it down initially by telling her he would not get involved with coworkers. then he flat out told her she was not his type, and that he was also still not over his grieving. he told us about it all and we all had a laugh. few weeks goes by and we hear nothing more. then he informs us that she let him know she'd be quitting her job there for a better job and that "now they can hang out!" and she invited him to a bar crawl. since I was gonna be out of town that week, he agreed to go. since then, he has hung out with her maybe 4 times that we know of, he doesn't have a whole lot of free time so this is actually a lot for him. but he is also talking to her on text messages nonstop daily. he tells her not only his own personal business but myself & other friend's business as well. he went from saying he was weirded out by this young girl's interest in him and their lack of common ground, to basically trauma dumping on her and putting her on some pedestal when he barely knows her. when he's angry at either of us, he tells us she's a better friend than us. he barely knows her and she barely knows him.
we told him from the beginning and now that we felt it was kinda weird and inappropriate. my now adult kids see him as father figure and this girl is in the age range of girls my kids are dating. he also has stepkids from that last relationship who are this girls age. today we tried to talk to him about how he's been acting toward us since this girl came along. he got defensive and hostile. other people have mentioned the age difference too and how could he possibly be relating this much to someone so young, not just us. we brought it up again and he actually tried to lie and say she was 26. He already told us she was 21 and other friend, B, looked her up and saw on record that she's 21. clearly if he felt the need to try to lie about the age, he also does realize it's a bit odd even though he pretends it's not.
so I guess my question is- what would you think is an appropriate age range for friends of a 41 y/o man? do you think we should leave him alone about it?
also I'd like to add- before I met them both and we became a trio of close friends/roommates, he knew B first already because he dated her when she was 16 and he was 21. back then she was mature for her age and her parents didn't care, but now that we are older- we have pondered if it was odd on his part and how even if you think you're mature at that age, you actually still have a ways to go. he has never really thought it was inappropriate, in fact if it's mentioned he'll do this childish kinda teehee taboo reaction about it.

I am in a relationship with the man of my dreams. He’s smart and funny and kind. He has a great family, a great career and he hot as hell. He treats me better than anyone has ever treated me before and I am head over heels in love it him.
The only problem in our relationship is that he has trust issues and has them for a very valid reason.
My boyfriend was married before he met me and his wife cheated on him with her older married boss. And he caught them in the act. He didn’t suspect a thing until he got an email Amazon with a picture confirming a package delivery that tipped him off that his wife’s car was home in the middle of the day. She didn’t answer her phone when he called so he went home to check and found them in their bed.
She apologized, begged him to forgive her but he just couldn’t get that image out of his head. He could never be with her again after seeing that.
He told me all of this rather early on in our relationship because he wanted to be open about the trust issues that he has. I was cocky at first. I said to myself that I am going to treat him so well that he isn’t going to be able to remember her name. But it’s been harder than I anticipated. He’s had trouble opening his heart up to me. It’s been very slow.
When I go out with my friends he’s on edge. He doesn’t say anything but he’s tense and distant before I go. I offer not to go but he insists that I live my life. He won’t put his issues on me and I love him for that. But I still decline invitations often and don’t tell him that I do.
Another issue is that his ex wife is constantly trying to get in touch with him even though he blocked her number. She fucked up, my boyfriend is a catch and she knows it. My boyfriend ignores her but every time she slips through he’s not right for the rest of the day.
I need some advice on how to manage this. He’s the one for me if he can just get over these issues. I’m not a cheater. I’ve never cheated on anyone I’ve ever been with and sure as hell would never cheat on someone I love. How can I make him see that? What can I do?
TLDR: My boyfriend has trust issues from being cheated on. How do I help him get over them?

The necropolis was gorgeous, for what it was. Its white outer walls hiding the darker Victorian Gothic interior. The tech that was hidden in the walls though was able to move bodies in their caskets from a designated place in the necropolis to the "viewing area" as the necropolians called it. This was where I waited for my, for lack of a better term, escort to take me to the mortuary. Since science has grown surprisingly fast our abilities for forensic sciences have also grown, and that's to whom I was headed. (S)He was an, unusual (wo)man to say the least. An expert in their field and about as learned as a doctor, if not multi-doctorate. If you ever asked them why they never pursued an actual doctorate, they would get angry and act all prissy while saying that going to school would've slowed them down and all they needed were the basic certificates for their work. The reality though, revealed to me during a drunken bout, they just never liked school and believed that it ultimately stunted a person's growth and ability to question the reality around them, that everything that you need to learn is already in books and in some form or another in digital content online. They were brilliant, if a little wacky. About five minutes after I had arrived and was sitting down in the viewing area, a little box rolled up to me making a couple of beeps to let me know to follow it and immediately started rolling towards the wall opposite of where it came from. When it looked like it was about to hit the wall, a hidden door opened up by the casket viewer, inside was a set of stairs leading down into the darkness. Stepping through the doorway I became acutely aware of sounds seemingly coming from all around me suddenly. It really is impressive, as though I just stepped from a tomb to a busy workshop, the sounds of gas escaping pistons, whirring, and clanking chains flooded my ears. I continued down the stairs following my helpful little box, which despite its size and shape would suggest was actually quite nimble on the stairs. It seemed to have wheels that would extend down to the next step as the edge rolled over it and once the back of the box was clear of the step it would drop back into its squat position, hiding its wheels as quickly as possible. It continued to do so the entire way. The box seemed to notice me watching it and made a kinda shrill whistle and its undercarriage light went from a comfortable yellow to a, is that... Peach? Is it blushing? My god I think it is! I let out a small chuckle and my little blushing box stopped dead in its tracks mid-step, its light suddenly going white, almost blinding me from behind and lighting up the hallway for a split second. Luckily both of my feet were solidly on a step so I didn't take a tumble or anything, but I couldn't help doing anything but laughing harder. After a second the little box crept up behind me and continued down, its status light continuing to show pinkish. I followed it slowly, the chuckle slowly dying in my throat as we reached Ceriths office. Well "office" was being nice. Morgue, mortuary, both of these fit just as well. Cerith was, for the most part, a recluse. We reached the door and the little robot continued through a little hole in the wall. I waited a second and knocked. "Enter!" Came the voice on the other side. I opened the door and stepped through. Along one wall set doors that normally housed the dead waiting to be processed. One out of dozens were open, its occupant missing from its silver slab. The middle of the room was brightly lit from a single overhead light. In the middle of the circle of light stood a figure, long Raven colored hair bound in a single braided ponytail, the rest of them bound in medical examination garb. They seemed to be engrossed in the corpse in front of them. The little robot rolled up next to Ceriths feet and made a little chiming noise. "Thank you Tabitha. That'll be all," said a voice that was neither male nor female from beneath the mask. Just sort of in the middle. "Tabitha? Never knew you to be sentimental," I said gently, the chuckle in my voice making itself clear. "I see you still find even the darkest things funny," Cerith quipped back. "My line of work Cer, you take the laughs where you get them. Look who's talking anyway, you're usually elbows deep inside someone 25/8. Even you have a seriously fucked up sense of humor." That got Cerith laughing, sounding like thunder and the whip crack of lightning at the same time. "You've got me there Julius," Cerith said after his laughter subsided. I think he suits him today. Which is both a good and bad sign. When Cerith is acting like a man, it usually means some grim news, but they are going to try to make it seem like not a big deal and laugh a lot. Plus they almost never call me Julius. Something was wrong. Very seriously wrong. As this realization hit me I got this odd tingle in the small of my back. Like someone had put several freezing needles under the skin and into my spine, something I'm familiar with from the anima-games from the cyber sphere. Halos: Divine Retribution If I remember right. Those Angels were sadistic bastards. I shuddered at both the memories from the game and the shockingly similar feeling I was experiencing. Dread, that feeling is dread my friend, the quiet part of my mind whispered to me. "Cer, what's wrong bud," I asked. He didn't say anything. For a long time. After a few minutes I was about to ask again, but then he spoke. And what came out will haunt me, quite possibly till the day I die . "This ones temporal lobes are gray matter. Nothing even close to being coherent. Just. Dead neurons. And he's not the first." Gone was the jovialness of the past ten minutes. This was Cerith the whisperer. In an almost dead tone they continued, "the others didn't fare nearly as well as this one. Most of the brain is intact here, which means that if they didn't deliver a massive shock or something similar to fully kill him he would have possibly lived as a vegetable with memory issues, but that's not what I'm looking for in this one here now. Now I'm trying to figure out what else the others had in common with him, and so far that's brought up all but naught. Well this one has a bit of liver damage. But that's about it. So Mr John was a drinker. Not much there." When Cerith is "whispering" the best thing to do is just let him be. But I couldn't help but prick my ears up at mentions of others with similar wounds, and the fact that this one had liver issues.... "Cer. You said... CERITH," I finally snapped out and caught his attention mid ramble. "Thank you. You said liver problems. But nothing similar to the others? No drugs? Alcohol? Not even a synth brain-pattern? You checked Everything?" "Well let's see, John here was a drinker that's for sure," Cerith said his hands never ceasing their work as he started to put 'John' back together seemingly satisfied that he found nothing else, " Mr Lombardo in chest 3 had cocaine mostly, and Mr Lei in chest 9 had opium. Although to tell you where it came from for both I'd have to do a molecular analysis and see what it compares to. Other than that, no. Absolutely nothing connecting any of them. As far as I can tell they are all unique cases completely separate from each other except for the damages to the brain. And I only found this by accident. During a routine scan I happened to look at the screen as it passed through the brain and noticed an odd density in his temporal lobes. Just slightly higher than normal. Hell to be honest with you it had the density of a fresh cutie, you know those little oranges?" I nodded, and he continued, "Right of course you do, who hasn't? Anyways it's just super dense compared to the surrounding tissues, and I take a sliver probe and drop it in like you do. And when I turn the damn thing on to look at the neurons the area all I see are dead cells packed on top of one another. Not natural decay death, but forced to die. Most of the cell walls were torn open like they had blown up from the INSIDE. That's when I called you." He finished up with 'John' putting the final few perfect stitches in place and sealing him up for good. Once he seemed happy with his work he called out to his seemingly empty morgue, "Grom I'm done! Can you put Mr John Doe here back in his room? Number 11 if you please." He turned away from the body on the table and removed the giant rubber gloves that went to his elbows. He walked into the dark calling out over his shoulder, "I'll be back in a sec I gotta scrub out, want a drink? I have beer, whiskey, vodka, I might have some Cognac somewhere, and bourbon. Your choice, just call out what you want and Tabitha will be there with it. Also have a seat! We have much to discuss." With that he disappeared from both sight and sound in the dark. It was a neat trick I have to admit, and it had something to do with how he had his morgue set up. Even the giant war machine that was Grom was absolutely quiet unless you managed to catch him through the gloom. I thought for the longest time the reason why I could never catch him sneaking around was from some sort of stealth program put into place, but when he goes up and down those stairs he's as loud as can be. So it was definitely not his program but the way the morgue was built. I'm confident in saying that because when I turned back to look at the table, or rather where it was, there was now a chair that looked like it had just grown out of the floor and the body was gone. Also the thought of something as big as a fridge just sneaking up on some poor combatants and snapping their necks as quietly as he walks in the morgue just gives me the heebies. As I sat in the chair a thought occurred to me. Considering how advanced the morgue seemed to be it would make sense that it had some sort of AI or integrated computer. "Computer?" I had been here a million times but I'd never had a chance to think about it nor try anything. But not even a second after I had said anything a response came. "Yes Detective Julius. My name is DANNA. Or Dynamically Actualized Neural Net AI. How can I be of service?" The voice seemed to come from everywhere and nowhere, slightly feminine and breathy, all service but no sex. Honestly I was just surprised that it worked. "DANNA, I was just wondering if I could take a look at the files that Cerith had mentioned? If it is as bad as they claim I think I might need to know anyway. Also if you can get those blood works done for me I'd appreciate it. Also something with whiskey or rum would be amazing." "Of course Detective. I will have Tabitha bring it shortly. And how would you like the information to be displayed? Desktop or dynamic?" That piqued my interest. "Dynamic please." No sooner than I had said a series of screens blinked into existence in front of me. It was some sort of Holographic display. I reached out and touched the display and was surprised that I got stopped by something. It was hard but surprisingly I found that I could push into the screen with my finger if I pushed hard enough. It kinda felt like... Oobleck. I also found that by pinching the corner I could pull the screens closer or further from me. I even found that I could grab individual pages of the reports off the screen and hold it. It felt like a thin sheet of plastic and responded like both a tablet and a singular document. If I switched pages the old one would appear back onto the screen and the next would pop onto it. This was about as slick a set up as I had ever seen and whistled my appreciation under my breath, I'm definitely going to have to ask Cerith about where they got DANNA from. "See something you like, big boy?" A very DEFINITELY female voice said in my ear from behind, soft and throaty, screaming come hither. I felt small dainty hands gently caress the tops of my shoulders before slipping down the front of my chest, pulling me back into the chair that I didn't realize I had been slouching in. "You know better than that, Jules. Your back is important and slouching will destroy the muscles and cause some to atrophy." The voice left no room for argument, and left me more than a little bit flushed. I closed my eyes and dropped my head back as far as it would go, the back of my head hitting something soft and warm, stretching my neck and back out. "Damnit Cer I thought you were scrubbing out, not completely changing." I hadn't realized it, but at least an hour had passed from when I started playing with the computer and working with the files if the clock on the computer was to be believed. "You looked like you were pretty into it so I decided not to disturb you. Plus you know how much fun it is for me to tease you like this. Especially after, well these..." One hand waved at the screens in front of me. The small hands' nails were painted the darkest black and almost made them blend into the void that existed outside of the screens. "I do Cer, and that's part of the problem, we both know that it's never going to happen. Least of all for you." She laughed a little, a clear beautiful sound and the body beneath my head bounced slightly telling me I was against her stomach. "Still I know you enjoy these little moments," she said, the pressure on the back of my head disappearing and was replaced by the voice right by my ear again as she whispered, "especially when we both know that's not at all true." At the last words she nibbled my ear gently. I couldn't help but roll my eyes at her, in spite of my baser instinct rising to meet her VERY juicy insinuations. But for as long as I've known Cerith and as many times as we have both been VERY drunk, they have NEVER cashed in. I just assumed that it was a quirk of theirs. "Anyways," she said standing back up, "what are you thinking so far about the files? Spooky, right? Like I said, nothing that I can see connects them." Her hands gestured in front of me in an approximation of a shrug. She then clasped them together, wringing the knuckles and effectively trapping me in the chair and back against her abdomen. I scrubbed my eyes with my fingertips acutely aware of the growing headache that suddenly made itself known. "Your right from the medical side. I can't see everything you can, of course. I don't have near the knowledge that you have," which is true being that Cerith is at least 200 years old. I never asked directly, the old adage still holding about women and their age. Still though her answers to certain questions would lead one to believe her being her first adult car was a Bing Cherry 2201 Firebird GT with white walled hover trim and chrome accents. From pictures that I could find it looked like a slick piece. Looking back to the screens I couldn't help but feel that itch again. I couldn't explain it. That prickly feeling of ice needles again, this time in the back of my skull. As much as I'd hate to admit it. I think Cerith is right. I sighed heavily before saying "send me everything. I'll open a new case file and have the team start working on it first thing." She made a happy noise and bounced slightly, clearly satisfied with my decision to take it on. I reached out and to my left and a glass was placed gently into my hand by Tabitha. I hadn't even realized she had come over while I was working and was now ready for that drink. Room temperature rum and cola. The drink went down smoothly enough considering I drained the glass in one gulp, during which time I finally got a good eyeful of Ceriths current form. Or rather the underside of part of it. From what I could tell she was wearing a black T-shirt. That was it. I put the glass back down, it's job done without moving my head and said, "What a lovely view Cerith. I'm guessing you chose this to try to get a rise out of me?" I couldn't lie though it was affecting me, but I couldn't let her know that. Not when she's like this. Otherwise she'll continue to tease me till she leaves me with the absolute worst case of blue balls this side of the City. Her hands came up and cupped my chin almost lovingly, and her voice said "Of course Detective. Do you not approve? Or would you rather I change back to my medical examination form? Or something else?" Her words dripped with implied sex. I groaned, loudly, and said, "This is fine. Jesus Cer." Before we could continue our most scintillating of conversations there was a sudden PING! And DANNA said, "I'm sorry to interrupt, but there's a message for you Cerith. It says 'If you can get to the department Cerith, do so. We need you to explain your paperwork. And if Detective Julius is still with you have him come in too.' signed the Chief. Would you like to reply?" 'shit, I forgot the morgue kills all signals,' I thought to myself as I stood up gently (regretfully) prying myself from Ceriths grasp with a, "duty calls. Need a lift?" I stretched gently, the scales in between my shoulders clicking appreciatively for the stretch, and turned around to notice she was indeed, just wearing a black T-shirt that hugged her voluptuous figure closely. The scales in my back clicked shut in surprise. Cerith let out a small cute chuckle, "I see after all this time I can still surprise you," she said blowing a kiss my way, reminding me of a little Gothic pixy. I rolled my eyes away from her and willed my scales to relax. I grabbed my jacket off the back of the chair, slinging it on and clicking the neck clasp shut under the cord that connected my scales to the unit in my head. I was awarded the cybernetics upon completing my training and getting all my licenses to have them. The force had allowed me to customize it, I had chosen top of the line. A dual unit with custom built AI. The individual scales were ceracoated titanium microprocessors all running in both series and parallel, and could move to expel heat or react. The main unit was the same except it was one solid unit that replaced a chunk of skull. Once that was done I zipped up the front of the leathers and ran the scales through the racer setting. They clicked and flattened against the outside of the jacket, securing it to my back. I shrugged making sure it was comfortable. "I'll take the fact that you're only in a t-shirt you'll be along shortly?" "Certainly detective." Her voice was filled with dismissive submission... And sadness? I looked back at her and noticed her makeup was gone. Or had she had any on in the first place? I gave myself a mental shake. There's no way. This was Cerith, veritable goddess of the necropolis. I put the last few minutes away for review later. Chief called. I have to go. On an instinct I thought long dead, I reached out and squeezed her hand. I felt a slight squeeze back. And then she let go with a, "Go on, be a good detective. I'll be along shortly." I left with Tabitha as my guide. Before Cerith disappeared into the darkness I thought I heard her whisper, "please don't leave." My scales raised in a saddened response. I couldn't be sure I heard her right though. If I heard her at all. I reached back and stroked them, knowing my ai probably heard her, and knowing it could feel me touch the scales. After a few seconds the scales settled down. 'I know buddy,' I thought to the AI. It couldn't respond like usual AI. The force thought that was too dangerous. What if it went rogue? What if it tried to kill the host and take over? The list went on and eventually they decided the basics were ok. When I got my unit one of the first things I did was jack it into a diagnostic to see what kind of hardware I was dealing with exactly because manufacturer specs from real use are sometimes different with AI if the bits and bobs are in place. When I did, all I got on the screen was 'Hello?'

Hi everyone!
My youngest is 3 and due to start kindergarten in 2 years. We are planning to homeschool for various reasons. We are in Michigan, and there are two bills in the senate right now. One bill is proposing a registry for homeschool children so the state knows where they are. The second is mandating that children from the age of 5 start kindergarten (as opposed to 6 years old for 1st grade) AND that homeschool children must be taught 9 specific subjects. Here are the points I would like to make to my senator on Friday. I would love feedback to make this an impactful conversation.

1. There is currently an ongoing lawsuit claiming an elementary school had transitioned a biological girls pronouns and changed her name without the parents consent or knowledge. Why does the state deserve transparency about my child, if I don’t deserve transparency when my child is in the states custody?
   
2. Your recent newsletter on X date states we are 44th in the country in terms of education. Why should I trust my child, who would be starting kindergarten in 2 years, to the states education program?
   
3. Homeschool children have better outcomes on average, including 15-30% higher standardized test scores and better college outcomes than public school students. Why aren’t we removing barriers to homeschool rather than increasing them?
   
4. I would posit that if the state wants a registry of homeschool students, they should provide funding equivalent to the funding that goes to public school, for each child. This would encourage more parents to leave the workforce to homeschool their children, opening jobs, and improving outcomes for Michigan children. The tax filings would provide the registry the state is looking for, and everyone wins.
   
5. Michigan ranks 13th in the country for teen suicide. We know bullying in public schools in a driving factor in teen suicidality. Why is the state so focused on homeschool children when you have problems in your own backyard that you refuse to fix? If “one child is too many”, then 10.4 out of every 100,000 is too many.
   
6. If you google, Michigan teacher charged with sex crimes against students, you will receive endless results of teachers, mostly women, charged with sexual acts with children, mostly boys. Why should I trust the public school with my son? And why does the state have time and energy to worry about a homeschool registration when there are much larger, more rampant, sexual abuse problems in our public schools?
   
7. If the bill proposed requires specific subjects to be taught, but does not provide guidance on the enforcement or validation that those subjects are adequately taught, how can homeschool parents expect unelected bureaucrats to interpret the bill? Should we expect this will lead into requiring standardized tests, or random audits similar to daycare centers?
   

Any feedback is appreciated!

Context: I love wicked, I saw it twice in the late 2000s, I’ve spent countless hours singing along in the car with friends, and like many ppl who love wicked I was a theater kid. Over the last decade and a half, my tastes have evolved and I enjoy media with a more critical eye. This is not the same as a negative or cynical eye. I have also gone from being *the* musical theater kid to being very much an ex-musical theater kid. And so with the movie coming out I was curious how wicked would hold up for me.
Last night I watched a bootleg. It was pretty good resolution considering, but I think it being a bootleg helped strip away the spectacle to lay bare its structure and quality. And its quality is very inconsistent, both in story and in songs.
For every soaring character moment like Elphie and Glinda grappling with their lives taking them in conflicting directions, there is moment of nauseating fan fiction cringe like the needless fate of the two male leads (a change from the source material that cheapens the show AND wiz of Oz by extension). For every interesting (if underdeveloped) political idea, whether Elphie’s life of underground sentient-rights/Animal advocacy or the the shift of Morrible and the Wizard seeing Glinda as a valuable political asset, there are countering moments where the characters and themes are uselessly undermined in favor of the absolute lamest of conveniences, like the green bottle reveal and the super unclear switch in power dynamics between Glinda and morrible. And why, at the end, must Glinda never know? She would be the perfect ally to them, it makes no sense why they’d keep it from her.
The story quality is truly like an upside down bell curve where it’s either transcendent or the most cringe cheugy bottom of the barrel storytelling.Structurally, act 1 is way better but is nearly back to back songs. It’s almost an opera. Act 2 has a better balance of dialogue but it’s so rushed and the story feels held together with twice used tape.
Same with the songs. Let’s be real y’all. A lot of these songs sound ugly. And so many of them are needless hindrances to the characters and story.
No One Mourns the Wicked - the crowd’s lines are weird and cringe, but glindas parts are very high quality. Could use a rewrite.
Dear old shiz - keep as is. (It’s lucky it’s short.)
Wizard and I - keep but cut the “unlimited” sections since nobody recognizes the reference to over the rainbow anyway unless it’s pointed out to you.
What is this feeling - it’s cute, but adds nothing to the story and is a time suck. Cut.
Something bad - cut. My god cut. Missed opportunity for a dialogue break + develop Dillomond as more than a plot device and have song-less scenes with Elphie and DD be a recurring more grounded storyline. It should also have been meaningfully continued in act 2 when they’re both on the other side of the law, not just the reveal in the palace.
Dancing through life - sorry yall but this song doesn’t cut it. Dancing as a metaphor for laziness? But Dancing isn’t something lazy people do? It doesn’t make any sense, it’s too vague but also too specific (“down at the ozdust”). And like… he sings about valuing his life (“because dust is what we come to”) but in fact it’s the opposite - he takes it for granted and is willing to waste his life until he falls in love with Elphie. The song doesn’t fit the character, or the analogy, and it’s also way too high-school-musical. CUT.
Popular - keep as is.I’m not that girl - keep as is.
One short day - cut and Make it a background score. Or at least Trim it down to the “dress salons and libraries” part, ending with “it’s all green.” Make it a more direct and concise counterpart to “merry old land of Oz”
Sentimental man - CUT.
Defying gravity - keep as is.
Thank goodness - keep as is.
(Missed opportunity for a reprise of popular here)
Wonderful - make it half as long.
As long as your mine - its fine but doesn’t add anything. Cut.
No good deed - keep but get rid of that truly stupid fiyero storyline I mentioned earlier. Would be way more interesting if this was restructured to her trying to save her sister pre-cyclone.
March of the witch hunters - CUT.
For good - keep as is…. But what the hell is a “sky bird”? Lame phrases like that hold it back a bit.
Finale - eh just parse it down to a for good reprise.
They’re not going to do this, but I wish they give Wicked the Grease treatment for the movie and replace all the weaker songs with better ones or fix with structural changes.
TLDR: upon rewatch, wicked is half soaring and half mega cringe, with far too many ugly songs.

I loved the ending and in fact the whole S6 of Justified. A few thoughts:
Raylan's shootout with Boon is the best gunslinger showdown since Johnny Ringo and Doc Holliday in Tombstone. Ever since we met Boon he's been presented to us as a Ringo-esque foil to Raylan's Holliday (although Raylan's character in general is more akin to Wyatt Earp than Doc Holliday). Boon, (like Ringo regarding Holliday) knows of Raylan's legend and sees him as the man to beat to prove (to himself, others in the game?) that he is in fact the gunfighter he so desperately wants to be. The first time they met (paraphrasing) Boon tells him "well aren't you just perfect? Down to the hat and everything." Boon sees Raylan as the man he needs to put down, or be killed by. Every interaction they have he alludes to this fact. And Raylan knows it. He knows Boon is itching for a gun fight and he suspects he might be up to the task. That's why Raylan doesn't waste too many words in the final showdown. He doesn't tell Boon to keep his hands where he can see them, or to turn himself in or any of the other Law Enforcement maxims he uses on so many others. Raylan knows exactly what Boon is looking for and he gives it to him.
Next I loved the scene in the final episode where Boyd was proselytizing in the prison chapel. Even when he busted out the faux-charismatic raised voice and hand waving, the other inmates were simply not feeling it. This to me represents the fact that the world is done falling for the sweet lies of Boyd Crowder. So many promises and grandiose plans he has never been able to deliver on over the course of the show, but everyone who ever believed in them has wound up dead. Boyd's two superpowers were his ability to convince others to follow him, and the fact that he is a low-down dirty murderer when it comes right down to it. Raylan knows he's full of shit so his telling him in their final visit "You know you're repeating yourself, right?" Is hilarious.
Third, I loved Choo-Choo. Such great acting (à la Slingblade) portraying a brain-damaged soldier and I honestly thought that after he kidnapped Caprice that Walker and Co. would convince their disabled homeboy to execute her... but he stood firm in his conviction that they should spare her. This redeemed his character in my eyes. Walker wanted to shoot it out and the marshals told Choo-Choo that Walker was there on Markham's orders to kill him for his mistakes. He's trying to process this and they tell him "you know it's true" and I think he realizes that... Then his loyalty to his brothers in arms when he's lost everything else in the war wins out and he says "It's all I got" before drawing and shooting out with the marshals is just awesome. And the way he takes two to the chest and keeps on chugging is incredible. I was wondering all along how the writers were going to demonstrate his insane physicality (I thought he was going to punch out Raylan at some point and beat him half to death before Raylan was finally able to draw and finish him) did not disappoint.
I could go on and on but all in all great show and thanks to this subreddit for the recommendation. Because of things I read here I persevered through some slow moments in the first season and finished out this show which was a great story and a love letter to the westerns of old.

The title is a bit clickbaity i know. There is no end of marriage in this life, or failure of it as it is a covenant with God. Perhaps failed relationship is better suited
I debated whether or not to give the backstory, however I feel I will, but first where things are now.
6 months ago my wife asked to for seperation. She wanted "Freedom & Independence" and didnt want to live together anymore and felt that she had been pressured by her Catholic College and family into getting married in the first place (not me but the sacrament). She had been kicking around religious life, but that was more due to her lack of better options as she had struggled with SSA in her life.
We talked, alot and roughly came to the understanding that we would revisit this when our last child was out of the house (we have three all 8-11). She had also wanted to have her "own space" and wanted to build a small tiny house in the backyard where "everything would be how she liked it".
Background
She had relationships with girls in her teens, then a boyfriend who she described as having raped her. I am still struggling to understand what this means exactly as she has given different accounts that vary from consent but then regretted after to more of a consent after relentless asking.
This set her off into full SSA relationships. She then went to a very Orthodox Catholic college but was looking for female connection of that sort. She ended up pulling in her roomate and best friend who then at the end of the first year contacted her mother about the relationship and how sorry she was for being involved, but that she (my wife) needed help.
There was some intervention, praying over her (mother is very charismatic) and then she was ok for awhile. She then was on Catholic SSA support groups but then used that to find people to have emotional long distance relationships with. She had a bunch of SSA relationships during this time. Still struggling with this and her faith she leaned towards religious life, like i imagine alot of attempting to be faithful SSA Catholics do. If i cant be married then i guess its priesthood/sisters. While she was praying at one point she asked God for a sign of where shes supposed to go. she then saw a famous saint holding flowers, but not the same flowers they are normally depicted with. She realized this was her sign.
We met and during the course of the courtship I wasnt the best Catholic, I was just getting back on track in living my faith and realized i needed to seek out women who were going to help me on the path and not drag me off, or let me drag myself off (hold me to account). She always liked a purple so those were the flowers i always got. We had long discussions about the future and she was very honest in that she wasnt sure she was called to marriage. she was still figuring it out. Her mother asked if the sign was given yet, and it hadnt.
That same day of the call with her mom I ended up getting, for no reason in my mind, a different set of flowers. ones that matched perfectly the type and color her sign had been. After that she was convinced. We began to plan for marriage and did all the marriage prep. Talked alot about her past, was told it was in the past and not anything she struggled with anymore and that marriage is forever no matter what.
Throughout our marriage I readily admit i wasnt the best husband at times. I was always trying to find extra ways to make money and develop a business i could run so that, in my mind, I could set our lives up around what we wanted to do, have our own schedules, travel with the kids whenever, etc. I focused on that alot. I spent many if not most nights working on that. She was neglected. She did however all during that time say supportive things, saying i need to keep going, i believe in you, etc etc. The feelings of neglect were never brought up by her (now I can see it very clearly and feel terrible about it, wish i could change it)
At the same time i was dealing with things from the war and secretly drinking those nights as well. I didnt go out. I didnt cheat or anything i just drank to forget. About 5-6 years ago i realized i couldnt control it like i thought i could and stopped completely and then i realized that i had been taking her for granted and neglecting her. I stopped my projects and began to actually spend quality time together. Things were really good. She was also going through therapy to deal with her past and that had brought things up, she had started drinking as well, but we were both moving towards good things. She got pregnant and then things really got perfect.
We were close, spent nights out together, talked, she started to talk about wanting to be more feminine, grow her hair out longer than shoulder, wear dresses etc. I was amazed and thankful to God that he had helped her get in touch with her feminity in a deeply maternal way.
Then....we lost the baby.
We had miscarriages before, and its not to make it sound routine, but from our experiences in the past I knew she would want space, take up the slack, keep up with the housework, do things that made her feel appreciated etc. I did that. I think i gave her too much space. She began to spend more and more time with a friend (Female) go out late, drink, etc.
I very bluntly asked if anything weird was going on she denied it. I began to have more and more panic attacks as I was completely convinced my marriage was over. She continued to deny it, but never stopped spending more and more time with this person. Obsessing over everything in her life and her marriage, her problems. Husband is out of town she needs to stay there until late because other girl doesnt like being alone in the house, husband is back, she needs to go out because the friend is having marriage issues. They start smoking weed together and things get worse and worse. Finally she comes back from a "girls" weekend and breaks down admitting "you are right, i am attracted to her" and "I dont know if i can stay straight for you"
We talk alot, when it comes to me saying they cant hang out anymore she then quickly reverses course and its no longer repentance and needing to change, but "not wanting the devil to win....not wnating to lose another friendship" and wanting to bring her friend "into the church". I was told I was putting all the blame on the friend and that wasnt fair.
Looking back i realize i should have drawn a line in the sand. I should have done alot of things differently but i cant change that now.
The friendship and the obsession continued. The bringing the friend to church was BS as she told her about the rosary for one night and then after that just more weed smoking (its better than drinking and its natural....)
Then finally im heading to a retreat at a monastery and i get a call that they arent friends anymore, she sad. Im happy. Ok i think, we can finally put this behind us. By the time im heading to the airport after the weekend shes back as friends.
Fast forward some months and then she has to talk to me about how shes never been comfortable with physical intimacy (marital act) because of her past and she doesnt think she can handle being pregnant ever again (understandable to a degree) so shes not sure she can be physically intimate anymore. I say outwardly that If i need to do this for her I can manage whether its months or years, sure. inwardly im thinking this is just another step in the wrong direction, but im still praying. Im still trying to maintain hope
Then something happens i dont know what. Her friend is moving and is getting a divorce soon afterwards but they had a fight and got blocked on everything. My wife is distraught, basically shuts down for 2 months. I have been over those two years basically doing everything in the house. from laundry to meals to cleaning. She does some things, but i do the vast majority. I do it so she can see i care, but she doesnt care. We had been in counseling during this time, but she would say things, we would talk, she would say its working, but it wasnt she was lying and holding back.
After this friend left. she ended up finding a new one. Same MO. mentally wonky, isolated, no friends and then they became inseparable. within a year im completely zonked mentally and spiritually i cant handle it and it comes to a head. She breaks down about how her losing the old friend hurt her so bad because there wasnt "closure" which in my experience with her and other friendships just means long talks until they are friends again. She talks about how they were making all these plans and were going to raise the kids together because we werent working (hard to work on the marriage with that going on i would think?)
So thats a light outline of the background and now back to beginning. Asked for separation and now were just "co parenting" under the same roof.
My greatest fear and what advice im seeking is
i worry heavily about the souls of my children and what a divorce (civil i know theres no such thing in the eyes of God) would do them. I see it kids everywhere. Is it better to maintain a facade for them or will the realization down the road scandalize them out of their faith? Will a separation now scandalize them out of the faith?
Is allowing them to grow up in a home where Mom/Wife is gone constantly to "hang out with her friend" going to scandalize them in their future relationships, because for my daughters if they are with any man worthy he wont tolerate that (what does that say about me right?)
So im left with two options, which i dont know which to pick? I care about the faith and souls of my kids and wife, which is best?
1) Continue the facade and chance scandalizing them in the future where they lose trust in the faith i tried to pass along to them and about marriage in general? Give them the wrong example of how a marriage is supposed to be with her as an example of womanhood?
Will my steadfastness in trying to hold the marriage together in hope for reconciliation in the future be a good example of what marriage is for them or just a scandal to avoid? or God forbid repeat?
2) Allow the separation and the fantasy land of "independence" that she dreams of show its true face and that all that lies ahead is barely scrapping by because even in the best alimony imaginable she couldnt afford to keep the house and pay the bills, we barely do together now.
Will my "giving up" scandalize them in the same way
to answer any questions you may have

1. i have talked to a priest about this, i am in contact with a counselor at our diocese that is very orthodox about the situation
2. She says her current friendship isnt "like that" ie like before which infers even more so that I was right about the last friend. She doesnt acknowledge that emotional affairs exist or understand proper boundaries between say a friendship and the emotional nature of a romantic relationship. It seem she thinks as long as nothing physical happens its basically all Kosher. I think growing up with SSA makes it hard as you are attracted romantically to girls but also friends with them so those proper boundaries are never formed mentally as the perversion of SSA is deep.
3. I know marriage is forever. regardless of what the other person does. There are no grounds for annulment as there we both consented fully at the time of the sacrament. She is in the process of the rewriting history of our relationship to sound more like she didnt have full consent "i was pressured...." perhaps to make herself feel less culpable for the present or perhaps in misplaced compassion to give me an "out"

Thank you, Pax et Bonum

I figured I'd continue this sort of thing with the next weapon class down the list.
Historically, straight-bladed, one-handed or hand-and-a-half swords were sidearms. Either as a backup weapon on the battlefield or as personal defense/a status symbol for everyday carry. I think the devs did a good job of capturing that in game. As a class, straight swords are rarely if ever an outright bad choice, but in any specific circumstance they'll fall well behind a more specialized option. Once you have access to bigger, flashier, or more impressive options they tend to fall by the wayside. But if your main breaks or is the wrong choice for a fight, it's comforting to know that you always have something that's basically OK to fall back on.
One thing that's not historically accurate is the power stance. I actually enjoyed it a lot more than I thought I would. The damage output was pretty impressive and the specific way you swing both of them seems to have a more generous hitbox than one alone. Would I recommend doing it yourself? Well, definitely with Blue Flame and maybe with a couple others.
There are 18 straight swords in this game so let's get into individual details.
Shortsword
The main thing you notice using this is it's short. Deep insight, I know. Thing is, this is Dark Souls 2 and weapon hitboxes are at least vaguely the same size as the model. At times you can really feel the lack of reach when you find yourself whiffing attacks more than is healthy. The second thing you notice about the Shortsword is it isn't very strong. Straight swords don't have a whole lot of variance in their damage, but the Shortsword is definitely on the lower end of the scale and the above average counter damage can only do so much to cover for it. The third thing you notice is that the moveset is bloody fantastic. I'm always going to value a straight sword with a thrusting attack over one that only slashes. Thrust is just plain a better damage type than slash, it improves performance in tight spaces, and it gives your attacks more forward momentum to keep up aggression (and make up for short reach). It also may just be me, but it feels like the thrusting heavy attacks are better than slashing against NPC invaders too.
Longsword
It's only the second entry on the list and my thrust attack bias is rearing its head again. The 2 handed strong attack of the Longsword is just plain good. Between the damage and the stagger, there's parts of the game where I treat it more like a thrusting sword than a straight sword. There are a few other swords that have the same attack, but the Longsword is the strongest of the bunch (though it's only in the middle of the pack for the overall weapon class). The free fire infused one you can get is fine enough for the price. It performs about as well on average as the base model but it has some advantages against fire weak or slash resistant enemies and some glaring disadvantages once you hit a water or fire level. It's a lot more useful in vanilla where the Dull Ember is a lot harder to get. One last thing: I'd be remiss if I didn't bring up the Longsword's performance in PVP. I don't know nearly enough about that aspect of the game to really talk about it, but something about the specific intersection of reach, stagger, moveset, and requirements means this gets an S rank in a LOT of tier lists.
Broken Straight Sword
Something has to be the worst option, and it's the broken sword's thankless duty to fulfill this role. It's pitifully short, pathetically weak, and disappointingly fragile. It exists mostly to give players a clearly visible bottom of the barrel to compare other weapons to. One thing it does have going for itself is the lowest stamina costs of literally any weapon which is at least something. Poison or Mundane infusion can even make it borderline usable for the masochists out there.
Broadsword
One thing I've noticed about DS2's weapon design is that the first weapon you find in a specific class gets treated as the "default" and most others will be variants of it in some way. The Broadsword fits that mold here and that's not a bad place to be. It's got a decent moveset, decent damage, and it's decently easy to get and use. The thing is that being the archetype for the Basically OK weapon class means that you don't stand out at all. Its damage is a little above average, but it's reach is a little below and it's still well in the middle of the pack for both. All other stats and its moveset are completely standard. There's nothing wrong with using it, as long as you don't need to stab anything that is, but you'll find plenty of better options down the line.
Foot Soldier Sword
Lightweight, extremely low requirements, good reach, decent base damage for infusions, and an excellent moveset. If it weren't for the incredibly low durability this would be one of the best swords in the game. As it stands, well, it can make a decent emergency backup option as long as you don't need to rely on it too much.
Heide Knight Sword
This got done dirty in the Scholar version. First by being shifted from a guaranteed drop to a rare drop, and second when they made infusion much easier to unlock and devalued pre-infused and natural elemental weapons. It's still a Basically OK weapon but it's been knocked down to niche use rather than a staple. I'd say the best use case is someone who wants to use Faith from the start (for instance, helping a friend with a dedicated support build in co-op) and wants at least some payoff in damage before late game. I used it as my left hand weapon in power stance for quite a lot of the game since I wasn't planning to buff that hand anyway and it pulled its weight. That said, there's a reason I didn't use it in the right hand. I'm not a big fan of the one handed moveset. It's not bad per se but the underhanded swings just feel less powerful and I'm not sure why the strong attacks are borrowed from the Royal Dirk.
Varangian Sword
These first 7 swords are available pretty much at the start of the game, with varying levels of effort, so I'm loosely grouping them together as the "starter pack." Out of these, the Varangian Sword is the most viable as a main weapon rather than simply a backup. Broadsword moveset, Longsword length, and noticeably higher damage output than any of the other 6. Durability is something you have to keep in mind, and it can be especially bad for newer players who aren't as experienced with making it last, but for me it was mostly a non-issue.
Blue Flame
You know, when Elden Ring came out and there wasn't a single melee weapon that doubled as a casting tool I was a little confused. But then looking at the ones that appeared in DS2 and 3 and I start to think that the Blue Flame being actually pretty good as both a weapon and a casting tool was some sort of fluke. It's not really the best at either, as a staff it's a bit slow and only about third place in damage and as a sword it's Basically OK most of the time but suffers from the frequency of magic resistant enemies. But it lets me double buff easily in power stance and when you do, it's a blast to use. Now there is the question of infusion. Both Raw and Magic are basically direct upgrades in different ways. Raw works best if you plan to use it primarily as a sword since while it does improve the magic damage, it doesn't do so by a lot. Magic greatly improves spell damage, but is worse than base as a melee weapon, in no small part because it drops the physical damage down to "might as well not exist" level. Personally I think Raw is the better deal overall, especially since you have the option to apply Aromatic Ooze for an even better boost to spell damage than any spell buff, but I can see situations where more powerful spells could tip the balance in your favor. Also a heads up when you use this, due to some quirks in the buff formulas, Great Magic Weapon is only a few points weaker than Crystal on this weapon.
Red Rust Sword
This is an axe. Normally I would be fine with that since I fucking love the standard axe moveset for reasons I can't fully articulate, but this is not a particularly strong axe either. In fact at 40 Strength it's noticeably weaker than the Battle Axe even before you factor in the complete lack of counter damage. And the Battle Axe upgrades with normal titanite. And that;s not even touching on the Bandit Axe. Though granted it is at least strong for a straight sword if you count it as one. The one unique thing about the Red Rust Sword is its power stance performance (as you might have guessed from the person you get it from). It has straight sword compatibility and moveset priority but axe power stance moveset. This means you can pair it with some things that you normally can't pair with axes (daggers, thrusting swords, greatswords, spears, and lances specifically) and putting it in the left hand means it's less likely to override the moveset if you don't care for the axe power stance (and I don't).
Sun Sword
So the thing about weapons in DS2 with noticeably higher scaling than others in their class is they almost always have much lower base damage. This means that high stats are a requirement for use rather than a reward. Said scaling in this case is also a textbook example of DS2's misleading letter grades. The game tells you A/A but doesn't tell you that means 80%/45%. The other semi-unique feature, the one-handed stab, is not nearly as impressive or effective to me as the Longsword's two-handed one. And farming it is a complete pain in the ass even with the best luck boosts and a good plan. But let's take a step back from negativity and look at what this sword really wants you to do. It incentivizes physical stats and one handed use, which to me suggests one of two routes. Sword and board, especially since it comes with its own shield, but I've never felt that that's a particularly interesting playstyle. Or you can use it as the right hand in power stance, and that's where I think it shines. Again, having the option to use thrust damage when needed is very helpful, and the Sun Sword is one of the better options for this specific niche.
Drakekeeper's Sword
This just barely avoids being a direct upgrade to the Broadsword by having no counter damage. Above average reach and stagger, good damage, and high durability make this a very strong if not particularly flashy or dynamic choice. Just a pity that it's found almost at the end of the game.
Black Dragon Sword
Until you get very high stats, this is the strongest straight sword in the game. Both with a Raw infusion when compared to the physical options and with elemental infusions. And unlike the other strongest options, there's no traditional downside to balance it. High durability, Broadsword moveset, average reach, average weight, and no notable stat deficiencies. The real downside, aside from it being a pain to farm, is the opportunity cost of spending your boss upgrade material on something that is only the best of the Basically OK.
Yellow Quartz Longsword
Imagine a Longsword with a Broadsword moveset, worse damage, half the durability, and a bunch of crud smeared on the blade. Preorder weapons had a couple of hits and a bunch of misses. This one's a miss.
Possessed Armor Sword
This one has a few unique things going for it. The least remarkable thing is the above average reach, nice as it is. The moveset borrows a bit from axes and greatswords for a few attacks, and it works pretty decently. But the real draw is in the self-buff. L2 gives you 25 seconds of boosted fire damage at the cost of durability (much like the Watcher and Defender Greatswords). As for how well all of that works in practice, well it's not great but it's not really bad either. The buff doesn't add all that much damage, and fire is in many ways the worst damage type, but as long as you keep an eye on the durability and are not using it on things that resist it, it's Basically OK.
Ashen Warrior Sword
This sword has the same moveset as the Shortsword, with thrusting strong attacks when both one and two handed, so it makes a good first impression. And unlike the Shortsword it has decent reach so it's even better. The cracks start to show when you see the durability, though even then it's not a dealbreaker for me. That comes when you see the damage output and realize it traded actual real damage for bleed. Heartbreaking.
Puzzling Stone Sword
This weapon is unique top to bottom. The light attacks are already a pretty unique combination before you get into the weird extendo whip sword strong attacks. It's even got some weirdly high Dex scaling. Thing is, even with that scaling it's always on the lower end of damage for straight swords. And taking advantage of the extended reach with the strong attacks means dealing even less damage since they're way out of the sword's sweet spot. Still, as a rollcatcher or zoning tool it's pretty effective. Just ask Fencer Sharron.
Fume Sword
This is the longest straight sword by a decent margin, and acts even longer with those thrusting attacks. It has dark scaling, but no requirements in those stats and can be buffed with resin so it works just fine in physical builds. It also has above average counter damage. I think like the Sun Sword, this works best one handed with either a shield or another weapon, just like how its previous owner used it.
Ivory Straight Sword
It's a lightsaber. It deals pure physical Strike damage. It requires 40 Dex. It has no scaling. It weighs 0.5 pounds. It does not benefit from Flynn's Ring at all. It has 250 durability. It breaks after 25 swings no matter what you hit. It deals the least amount of poise damage of any weapon. It has the slowest attacks and the highest stamina costs of any straight sword. The 2 handed strong attack can deal 4 digit damage. Using that attack costs as much stamina as drawing a Twin-Headed Greatbow. I'm about 70% sure it can headshot. It's cool looking and unique. It sucks so bad. If you're intrigued by this thing's design and want to try to make the most of it, there's two different routes you can take to make it work. 1. Treat it like some sort of weird fucked up pocket great hammer and exclusively use the 2HR2. 2. Go play Elden Ring and build around the Carian Knight Sword or Coded Sword instead.

A bit of a long post today summarizing Stannis's character journey through the books. Don't read if you don't mind a little Stannis dickriding. Sorry not sorry.
When I first read AGOT, I thought Stannis was pretty cool. Ned mentioned that he was a hard mfr, so I respected that, even if he didn't make an appearance. It also added to the mystique that this guy who hadn't showed up yet was massing an army just a couple dozen miles from King's Landing with a sorceress. Overall great side character in the first book.
Next book, he's at his worst (which is still pretty good, anyway). Pre-Renly assassination, Stannis was kind of a jerk. One line that stuck out to me was the "not allowing laughing at his feast" part. He wasn't mysterious anymore, he was just a guy with a small army and a huge navy groveling about what is rightfully his but wasn't granted to him. Stannis mostly stops his groveling after Renly's death, though, and gets his act together. The Blackwater was probably my favorite sequence in the books. The idea of guys charging across a burning bridge of ships redeemed whatever qualms I had about him before. He had an army willing to charge across a burning bridge of ships. Compare that to the dicking around that Renly did for most of the second book, hosting tournaments and feasts at every minor holdfast he came across.
Stannis's character development up to this point is minimal. He's stayed mostly the same, although with less complaining, since he has a larger army. After the Blackwater is really what this post is about, because that's when he changes the most.
He realizes now that with his army basically reverted back to what it was pre-Renly, and with much less of a navy, that he can't hope to win any land campaign against any of his opponents in the South. He can't gather Tyrell swords, and he has no gold to buy a lot of mercenaries. So he sits on Dragonstone and becomes reclusive and despairing.
Then Davos comes back, and so begins the best bromance in Westeros (i'm willing to debate this with my life). Unlike the BS other version, he smiles and is very happy that Davos came back. He appoints a commoner as Hand of the King, knowing he's the only one to give him honest advice. Never done before (to my knowledge). "Then we will make new lords" is such an awesome line. Davos is one of the purest people in Westeros, and 100% deserves it. I realized that if Davos was supporting Stannis wholeheartedly, and Davos was basically an angel by Westerosi standards, Stannis couldn't have been that bad of an option for King.
I think what turned a cool but sometimes annoying character into a legend was his saving of the Wall, at Davos's insistence. He listens to his hand, leaves tiny garrisons in Storm's End and Dragonstone which he's probably confident will be starved out or taken within the year, and heads north. He bets all this on the word of his Hand and a single letter. All the other Kings and various claimants, who had more men than he did, didn't spare anybody. Stannis brings his entire army.
Few of the birds that Aemon) had sent off had returned as yet. One reached Stannis, though. One found Dragonstone, and a king who still cared.
So Stannis lands and disembarks, taking the wildlings by surprise. I think "Stannis! Stannis! STANNIS!" was what turned most Stannermen into what we are today. He defeats 40,000 warriors in an even larger column with 2,000 mounted knights and men-at-arms. He saves the Night's Watch when no other King would, preventing a full-on wildling invasion. I know some people say they wouldn't be as bad as some others say, but nobody can control a horde of 100,000 undisciplined people who just got past a massive wall. There would've been a fair bit of looting and killing.
Then, he listens to Jon Snow, offers to legitimize him and accepts his rejection. He thinks he should attack the Dreadfort, and even though he's famed for being stubborn, he sees reason, and decides on a march on Winterfell. He completely breaks with his character when he also listens to more advice that says he needs to court the mountain clans. He gains three thousand men from this venture. Overall, doing great.
Even if the North is only supporting Stannis to get a Stark back in Winterfell and kill the Boltons, I don't think they'll betray him either. The Great Northern Conspiracy is probably a vast collection of smaller conspiracies, all wanting to get a Stark back ruling the North, as a King or not. Just my thoughts, though, it's completely open to interpretation.
So he rallies whatever remains of the North to him, and liberates Deepwood Motte, giving it back to its original house, getting their support as well. He keeps valuable prisoners and helps to keep an army full of multiple ethnicities and dialects afloat long enough to smash the Freys. He has a great plan which I believe will work.
This is how far Stannis goes in the books. I might update if Winds comes out. I have no delusions, Stannis is doomed by the narrative, but I think (hope) George will do him a service and allow us to have the satisfaction of seeing him string up Roose and Ramsay, and then go out like a boss against the Walkers.
CONCLUSION
Overall, he went from a spiteful man who was, although the better candidate for King than his brother (i'll debate this in the comments if you want) only thought of his rights, and not of his people, at the beginning. Quote:
Surprisingly, Stannis smiled at that. “You’re bold enough to be a Stark. Yes, I should have come sooner. If not for my Hand, I might not have come at all. Lord Seaworth is a man of humble birth, but he reminded me of my duty, when all I could think of was my rights. I had the cart before the horse, Davos said. I was trying to win the throne to save the kingdom, when I should have been trying to save the kingdom to win the throne.” Stannis pointed north. “There is where I’ll find the foe that I was born to fight.”
Unfortunately, that probably won't work out for him, but Stannis is, without a doubt, the greatest of the candidates living. In the Clash of Kings era I wouldn't have said this, but GRRM has shown that he does bend, like when he courted the mountain clans or learnt to serve the people to gain loyalty, not the other way around.
I hope I get to see him roast Ramsay on a spit.

This is a discussion about Christian theology. There's some real obvious stuff I discuss up top, and some more arcane stuff later, namely the Doctrine of the Serpent Seed and the View of Felix Culpa. Feel free to jump to those if you don't want a rehash of all the Jesus/Satan parallels in the trailers but I think it's worth a refresh.
Relationships
Miquella is Marika's child. Messmer is Marika's child. The first comes from the world's Golden Order and the second from the Land of Shadow. The gameplay trailer has Messmer referring to "mother" and doesn't say Marika's name directly but she's the most likely candidate to sanction someone becoming a Lord since it's her order that was last in existence.
Christ and Satan
Miquella and Messmer take center stage in the gameplay trailer and both are referenced heavily throughout. If you have the Grace of Gold, you won't meet death. That's a promise of Marika's since within the Golden Order the Rune of Death has been removed. People return to the Erdtree. In contrast, Messmer says "Those stripped of the Grace of Gold shall all meet death in the embrace of Messmer's flame." So to be graced means salvation, and to not be means destruction. Heaven, hell, with Miquella aligned with the salvation aspect and Messmer aligned with the destruction aspect.
So Miquella is pretty heavily aligned with Christ. Miquella's rune blatantly looks like a cross, evoking Christ. The gameplay trailer says he "wields love to shrive clean the hearts of men." To shrive in Christian practice is to hear a confession and absolve a person of their sin. Christ in the Bible is described as a Christian's High Priest who wipes clean a person's heart.
But the most important words here are from the story trailer which says, "Miquella would abandon everything. His golden flesh, his blinding strength. Even his fate." So the motif here parallels Phillippians 2, which says about Jesus, "Who, being in very nature[a] God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature[b] of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!" Here we have both casting off divinity.
In contrast, and as noted above, Messmer is aligned with Satan in a lot of ways. There's the quote that his fire destroys those not graced by gold, similar to how hellfire is the destruction of the unsaved. There's also the snake imagery, and the fire motif.
The Doctrine of the Serpent Seed
Alright so now for the first doctrine. The story trailer says that in the beginning, there was "The seduction and the betrayal." The story of the Garden of Eden often references Eve being seduced not necessarily sexually but by the allure of becoming a god. The Old King James version specifically says, "Your eyes shall be open, and you shall be as gods." So we have an initial parallel here of this moment being when both Marika and Eve become as gods because of their affair.
For Eve it wasn't a sexual affair, and it might not have been Marika's either. But there's a lot happening in that trailer that evokes sexuality and actual birth, including two images of what looks like the vulva and a birthing canal.
At any rate, the trailer then says this was "An affair from which Gold arose. And so too was Shadow born." So this act of Marika's brings both salvation and destruction. Those blessed by Gold had the prospect of life eternal, while those left in the Shadows faced destruction.
In the Doctrine of the Serpent Seed, it is believed that Eve first had sex with the snake before she had sex with Adam. Her affair with the snake gave birth to Cain, while her relationship with Adam gave birth to Abel and Seth. This doctrine marks the descendants of Cain versus Adam/Seth as two different races of human beings. The first was the wicked descendants of the snake who was cursed to be damned, while the second was the righteous who were bound to have eternal life. And we see in the trailers that Marika's decisions, like Eve, produced two outcomes with a group of the damned and a group of the saved.
And, of course, throughout Elden Ring, the snake is associated with wickedness and a betrayal to the Erdtree, such as with the Duelist Helm, which explicitly states, "The snake is viewed as a traitor to the Erdtree."
Am I saying Marika slept with god like snake? Maybe. If Messmer is the product of that, he is a reflection of Cain and what Cain represents. Adam and Seth, meanwhile, are two bloodlines similar to how Marika/Radagon has two lines through the Godfrey/Rennala partnerships.
The Doctrine of the Serpent Seed says that history is defined by the conflict between these two races and that one day the descendants of Adam will crush the descendants of the Serpent. I'll just say here that Messmer's got snakes coming out of him and I don't think he gets that from Rennala or Godfrey.
The View of Felix Culpa
Felix Culpa in Christian theology means "happy fault," "blessed fall" or "fortunate fall." In Christian theology, it refers to how the Fall of man brought the unexpected benefit of also allowing for mankind to know and understand the saving grace of Christ. I like the Doctrine of the Serpent Seed more but this one may have some application. I say that because the story trailer says that there was a negative event, a seduction and betrayal, but that this allowed for Gold to arise.
So the story trailer notes that despite the evil that came of this seduction and betrayal, there was also the grace of Gold that arose from it and the eternal life that accompanied it. There is the original salvation offered in the grace of Gold. But the image released from Bandai Namco says that Miquella "abandon(ed) Grace in pursuit of something greater." From a Christian theological perspective, there were two methods of redemption used in human history. The first was the use of the animal sacrifice as practiced historically by the Jewish community. Later, there was the sacrifice of Christ that brought a permanent removal of sin. It sounds crass to describe it as an "upgraded" form of forgiveness but that's the most basic way to put it.
So the unfortunate consequence of Marika's actions also birthed the path to the ultimate form of salvation not even in her original design, but through Miquella's sacrificing of his own divinity in pursuit of something greater.
In the end, I think there's a nice little resonance between the Doctrine of the Serpent Seed and Felix Culpa going on in the trailer.

Wassup yall. I’m 17M and Always been straight, never even thought of the possibility till freshman year. Met a guy who was 5 years older than me and ngl I looked up to bro, enjoyed the friendship we had. But it all went south when my parents found out that I was friends with this older kid and how it was weird. I realized the weirdness, and confronted him about it - later that night he told me he was gay. I freaked out of course, because that changed everything that our friendship was about, at least from my point of view (thru therapy, it turns out I was groomed. lol). I then asked myself the question: does it make me gay to have been his good friend? My first answer was no, but of course I started spiraling. Freaked out for about 3 months being scared as hell of being gay, meeting new people especially men was hard for me because I was terrified of potentially liking them. I got anxious around one or two boys specifically after the incident and that freaked me out because I didn’t know why. It all went away after I started talking to this girl that I had history with, but ofc she got a boyfriend. I got anxious when I saw her with him, and when I asked her she confirmed it and then I was like damn and accepted that she was cuffed. That took it away when I got scared when I saw her.
Really the next year and a half were good. I didn’t think about the gay stuff at all. Talked to a few girls, eventually really liking one and getting with her (relationship, lasted around 8 months). But about midway into the relationship, I started getting super anxious following a pregnancy scare. I felt like I needed to break up for no reason, and we almost did but continued in the relationship. It never really went away, and after 3 ish months and trying to work it out, we ended up breaking up. Looking back, there was no real reason to break up other than me being anxious af about the relationship, questioning it, worrying about her being with other people, and honestly sabotaging it for myself. This is where my ocd in general started, as rocd. But of course, the very next day as I’m in the shower crying about her, an intrusive thought pops into my mind: I’m gay. This freaks me out, but honestly I’m the beginning I had a good attitude about the weirdness and randomness about the thought. I still obsessed over it but I thought welp if I am I am I guess but if I’m not I’m not. But I started to really obsess over it and it got really bad. Part of me knew I was straight, but at the same time why couldn’t I get over this hump? It went on for about 6 months of me just freaking out all the time. In therapy I really dug deep and figured out how the situation from freshman year could have impacted and probably did impact the thoughts I was having.
Then, about a month ago, I decided I was going to stop fighting and stressing about the intrusive thoughts in my head. There is this kid who Ive been anxious around, along with one or two other boys since my hocd came back after the breakup and it was bothering me a lot, along with the question of am I gay how am I gay etc. I decided Yk what I’m not gonna be so afraid of this and just going to accept. After that, a lot changed. My feelings became more calm and I lowkey started to accept the fact that maybe I was. The change in feelings over that realization also scared me. I’m feeling much more “calm” about the fact that I may be gay. Wtf?? As of right now, I feel like I probably am gay. Even though I still watch exclusively straight porn and tbh I don’t have much desire to explore gay porn. I feel like bi is more accurate because I definitely am attracted to women as I always have been, but something about saying I’m gay makes me more calm even though I know I am attracted to women. Which could be anxiety, but who knows. It’s also weird because I’m very masculine, and have always been - I play football, very involved in sports, and when I feel good and am not thinking it feels impossible that it’s a truth of mine that I’m bi or gay or whatever I am. I’ve always known I’ve liked girls. I am thankful to have super accepting parents, and have talked to them extensively about my struggles. My mom especially has been shocked because she never saw anything that would hint to me being gay, and honestly me neither. However, both my dad and mom have been very helpful because Ngl I need to speak about it somewhere that isn’t therapy.
It’s also important I think to mention that during this time recently I started talking to the same girl from freshman year. We had been friends since 7th, and my feelings for her had always and honestly still kinda are confusing. I liked her at some points, she liked me at some points, but as of right now we seem to be getting on great. We have always been friends and while it’s been on and off we are close.
Anyways, the initial goal was to be her friend again. And I got that. We are right now. We went to prom and we were touchy all night and had an amazing time. But I’m feeling super conflicted. Because I feel like I like her: I love talking to her, she’s hilarious, gorgeous, I feel urges to hug and hold her and be her protector almost. We even hooked up once and it was a good experience (however afterwards I just felt completely numb - which was weird. But I had a great time). We talk every day, and we both have said we aren’t ready for a relationship. I’m very confused and honestly I have put a lot of pressure on myself because I am scared that I am leading her on due to the doubts I am having about my sexuality, but at the same time I do love talking to her. She’s just amazing. But I don’t think I want a relationship. I couldn’t do that right now based on my current doubts and uncertainties. We have a connection though. I don’t know what to do.
So anyways, I’m just lost man. I don’t know how I feel really, and am still shocked at my realizations that I really could be gay/bi after all this time of knowing i only liked girls. I feel like I am, but also doubt if I really want dick at all, especially not in the butt it kinda weirds me out. Also, in my past relationship I was very sexually attracted to her. With my recent hookups with girls, sometimes I don’t get hard immediately but with some the girl and I haven’t really done much sexually besides get head. I guess the only real way to know is to experiment eventually, but I’m terrified because I don’t want to lose who I am to others because of this. It’s like, what if I don’t like it then damn I didn’t need to do that - or worse, and it confirms that yes I do like it. I’ve never been gay before this that I know of. Best is probably to wait for college to see.
I don’t know what to do, honestly. With this girl (do I break it off, do I keep talking but tell her I can’t if she wants more even tho we been clear, or do I just back off a bit because I do really care about her?), with my overthinking and sexuality (I feel like I’m gay at this point, but I also don’t really align with it - it’s been hocd freshman and now this year up until about a month ago), and my life??

Letters from Bermuda – The Arena Challenge
…..
To: Gregor
From: Steven
Today was an amazing experience. I’ve shared a lot about the amazing things here in Bermuda, but today was beyond all that! Marcel put on one of his acts, “April Showers,” which was fantastic, but the big thing was a group of four slaves taking on The Frost Gauntlet!!!
The whole place has been abuzz since these four stepped up for the challenge yesterday. Word has it that they killed two of the sorcerers here. The arena was packed this morning to see them face the first challenge – the Arena Battle.
Now, typically, they ask for volunteers from the guests to destroy the upstarts, but today’s battle was different – clearly something more personal to Tanner Freeman. Instead of allowing us guests to volunteer, they had brought in much more interesting opponents. I hadn’t seen these combatants on the island, so I suspect they magically summoned them for this fight.
You won’t believe it when I tell you who was in the lineup!
Freeman was running the show, which was odd – typically, Petoir Demavich is the Arena Master, and runs everything.
We could see the ragged group of four slaves chained in their waiting area via viewing monitors. They were pathetic in their useless clothes and robes. As the Thralls unshackled them, a very comely female started singing. Her voice was as enchanting as her delicious figure under her burlap clothing.
They emerged into the arena, huddled together like mice. Of course, the comely one with the sweet voice was in the back, along with a shifting-looking male in sorcerer’s robes. Leading them was a hideous-looking woman all covered in puss and sores and a bare-chested male who looked like he had just finished deadlifting twice his weight. Clearly, the two in the front were the brawlers of the group, and the two in the back were the brains.
The Thralls shoved impoverished clubs into the hands of the slaves, and it was interesting when the bare-chested one quickly passed his club to the bandaged and ugly woman. She looked like she could handle those shitty clubs pretty effectively.
Then Tanner introduced the winning team. Gregor, you must sit down for this!
First was Master Carlos of Dark Gate, armed with his majestic, heavy, silver sword and laser pistol. I commented to Darnmark, seated next to me, “Laser pistols are’nt good at range, but they pack a hell of a punch!”
Next was Master Timothy of Bloodforge, who also had his tell-tale heavy, silver sword and a GH2 Submachinegun. Darnmark remarked back, “Not a good range weapon either!” Which it is not!!!
I was on the edge of my seat as they announced the third opponent, Lord Steven of Frosthold. Can you believe it? I don’t know how Ms. Frost convinced him to join into this fight, but he’s an incredible sorcerer and him alone could defeat this ragtag group. Unlike the other two in light armor, Lord Steven was just in his robes and was wielding that incredible focus of his.
It was almost as if they didn’t need to introduce anyone else. This ragtag group of pathetic slaves was soon to be a skid mark on my underwear after these three took care of them. But we still were to have one more introduced.
Last, but not least, as Piotr Demavich himself, armed in his glorious heavy armor and wielding his amazing heavy, silver sword. Now, it's no wonder why Tanner was running the show. Clearly, they were pissed off at these four!
The entire arena was alive! I don’t know when we’ve seen such great compatants gathered in one fight – maybe the Bloodmoon Wars? This was sure to be a quick and very bloodly fight.
Well, that’s what we thought…
The four slaves, led by the ugly one, reacted instantaneously. Immediately, the comely one with the shapely legs started singing, and it sounded good. Immediately afterward, the bare-chested fighter surprised everyone as a purplish blast of energy fired across the arena straight at Piotr. As it exploded, all four of them easily lept to safely. In fact, Piotr was the only one who crashed into the ground on his belly – everyone else nimbly dodged the blast. The first shot fired seemed to do little more than disorient the inevitable.
The leader stepped forward as if to dare the four masters to come forward while the sorcerer started flying off to the side and concentrating. I was a bit concerned, but it was clear that Lord Steven would end this fight before it ever started.
That being said, I almost struggle to write this next part.
The bare-chested Spaniard, whom I had given little consideration, blasted Lord Steven brutally in the back. It was almost as if we were witnessing the attack over and over again as that evil purple energy drove into Lord Steven’s back, killing him instantly. And just like that, the crowd was as stunned as I was!
Piotr sprung forward, as did Carlos and Timothy, and gunfire rang out in the arena. Within seconds, the ugly female leader was down and unconscious. It was time for the tide to change, and we could see the fear on the slave's faces – they had got lucky, that was all!
Then, Piotr lost his grip on his sword, and it flew several meters away. Suddenly, an enormous wolf appeared, summoned by the slave sorcerer. Everything was happening so fast. The bare-chested one was blasting Pitor with his purplish energy that seemed to drive right past his armor and the wolf leapt onto Master Timothy. Meanwhile, Master Carlos was suddenly encased in some kind of rock crystal with his leg jammed in a crack in the arena floor.
Then, Pitor was unconscious, and Timothy was dead. It happened so fast, my head is still swimming Gregor! The attendants were immediately out in the arena, and the slaves were being ushered from the space. There was nothing but stunned silence in the entire arena – that, until Darnmark sneezed, pulling me from my surprise.
Letters from Bermuda – The Hunting Challenge
…..
To: Dimvhall
From: Heidee
I have to say, I love my job here at Bermuda. Manning the Control Room is always so much fun. Yeah, most of it can be boring, Heidee, but every once in a while, we get excitement. The past few weeks have been awesome! We have these new slaves that have caused nothing but trouble, and they’ve been on the drone-radar ever since – especially the one they call, Emer.
Well, this morning, they entered into The Frost Gauntlet!
We didn’t see much of it this morning, as it was in the arena, and Danny Boy mans those drone cameras, but he was upset. It seems that the slaves won the first stage and were moving on to the Hunting Challenge. Best yet, I was put in charge of the team that would monitor them.
The slaves were tasked with retrieving the Star Master – you know, the one I told you about – and they were totally going to fail. The drones zipped around and monitored their moves. One, a sorcerer, was super fast and kept losing us. Another one was really sneaky, and she kept slipping away. However, it was clear that they had no clue what to do and were totally lost.
Then, this Spaniard, whom they called Diago, blasted the Star Master and totally disrupted the whole creature. The sorcerer grabbed up the controlling Star Master and zipped to the bridge – man he’s fast at flying! The other three struggled to sneak there way back to the bridge, but one of them was dropped by the guests.
Suddenly, the sorcerer turned into a huge air bison and rushed over and rescued the downed slave. Everyone in the Control Room stood there with their mouths agape. I’m actually worried that I might get demoted to some lower duty.
But I do wonder how these four will fare in the next challenge.

I’m a student I’m a 19F year old student in college dating a guy I been with for going on 3 years now I have a overall good relationship with my parents though we often butt heads a lot…throughout my whole life I had a “problem with boys” it started when I was 14F I started dating of course being young and dumb i did dumb things like texting inappropriately. My parents would go through my phone and find thing an make me break up with them even if we wasn’t texting inappropriate as well…When I was 15F I met a guy who was Muslim who I started dating when I was 16F and he ended up sharing at part of his religion with me I got very close with his family but my parents are Christian so when they saw I was changing my views on my own religion and actually starting to love Islam and wanted to convert they forced me to break up with him i didn’t want to because he was also my friend so I left home and this caused a big deal… my grandma called the police on me and I got brought home being forced to now see or talk to him, quite my job( I worked with him), and not graduate early ( I was ahead and had great grades in High school). A year later I met my current Boyfriend who I truly love and I know loves me. Me and my boyfriend, me 16M and 17F I am a year older. I try to hide him from my parents because I know they would probably tell me to break up with him or start going through my phone again. Which they did go through my phone and saw I was dating him and wanted me to break up with him but I didn’t! We continue dating and we wasn’t perfect we were young a dumb as well when we first started dating we wasn’t allowed to go on dates because we both didn’t have a car so I try to sneak to his house and got caught then a year ago I sneaked him into my house for a day while my parents where gone on vacation he felt uneasy because he knew my parents are strict and didn’t want to get me in trouble but we did anyway and we were successful… Until 6 months later me and my dad had been arguing because of how I felt he treats me (we have a rocky relationship and when me mad he will ignore me for weeks) this turned into a family problem because my grandma and mom got into it and he felt I was putting all the blame on him. So one day I came home after going to meet my boyfriend ate the park ( they knew I was meeting him) I came home and we got into a big argument. My dad said he doesn’t talk to me because how I act and told me how he had on camera me sneaking my boyfriend in the house. I felt really bad and knew I was wrong but confused why he just now decided to confront me about it. But why forced me to break up with my boyfriend i didn’t want to because I love him we been dating now for 2 years as well and I’m 18 but to go into college so I packed my stuff and tried to leave, my boyfriend wanted me to come stay with him till I could move into my dorm but my dad got mad and got physically aggressive and stoped me( gave me bruises on my arm). I brought all my college supplies myself man’s my mom broke it in the front yard with a hammer… I even gave them my car keys and was but to leave to my boyfriend house in the Uber I bought. But they forced me to stay and break up with him also I wasn’t allowed to go live on campus anymore. Now a year later my parents hate him and since I live in there house I’m not allowed to see him( we met one a week at my college to see each other secretly). They said I did this to myself and I always blame them…I’m really in a hard spot right now and don’t know what to do.

I’m a student I’m a 19 year old student in college dating a guy I been with for going on 3 years now I have a overall good relationship with my parents though we often butt heads a lot…throughout my whole life I had a “problem with boys” it started when I was 14 I started dating of course being young and dumb i did dumb things like texting inappropriately. My parents would go through my phone and find thing an make me break up with them even if we wasn’t texting inappropriate as well…When I was 15 I met a guy who was Muslim who I started dating when I was 16 and he ended up sharing at part of his religion with me I got very close with his family but my parents are Christian so when they saw I was changing my views on my own religion and actually starting to love Islam and wanted to convert they forced me to break up with him i didn’t want to because he was also my friend so I left home and this caused a big deal… my grandma called the police on me and I got brought home being forced to now see or talk to him, quite my job( I worked with him), and not graduate early ( I was ahead and had great grades in High school). A year later I met my current Boyfriend who I truly love and I know loves me. Me and my boyfriend me 16 and 17 I am a year older. I try to hide him from my parents because I know they would probably tell me to break up with him or start going through my phone again. Which they did go through my phone and saw I was dating him and wanted me to break up with him but I didn’t! We continue dating and we wasn’t perfect we were young a dumb as well when we first started dating we wasn’t allowed to go on dates because we both didn’t have a car so I try to sneak to his house and got caught then a year ago I sneaked him into my house for a day while my parents where gone on vacation he felt uneasy because he knew my parents are strict and didn’t want to get me in trouble but we did anyway and we were successful… Until 6 months later me and my dad had been arguing because of how I felt he treats me (we have a rocky relationship and when me mad he will ignore me for weeks) this turned into a family problem because my grandma and mom got into it and he felt I was putting all the blame on him. So one day I came home after going to meet my boyfriend ate the park ( they knew I was meeting him) I came home and we got into a big argument. My dad said he doesn’t talk to me because how I act and told me how he had on camera me sneaking my boyfriend in the house. I felt really bad and knew I was wrong but confused why he just now decided to confront me about it. But why forced me to break up with my boyfriend i didn’t want to because I love him we been dating now for 2 years as well and I’m 18 but to go into college so I packed my stuff and tried to leave, my boyfriend wanted me to come stay with him till I could move into my dorm but my dad got mad and got physically aggressive and stoped me( gave me bruises on my arm). I brought all my college supplies myself man’s my mom broke it in the front yard with a hammer… I even gave them my car keys and was but to leave to my boyfriend house in the Uber I bought. But they forced me to stay and break up with him also I wasn’t allowed to go live on campus anymore. Now a year later my parents hate him and since I live in there house I’m not allowed to see him( we met one a week at my college to see each other secretly). They said I did this to myself and I always blame them…I’m I the problem?

My remaining years are few and my body is weak, yet my memories are still sharp, so I shall share a tale I’ve long kept secret. I no longer wish to take it with me to the grave. I once feared that others might be drawn to this horrible experience of mine, like those who wander too close to the edges of a roaring tornado, only to be consumed and mangled beyond recognition. But I’ve come to realize that it was naive to think this way. Though some may not heed a tornado's warning, that’s no reason not to sound the alarm. And so, I tell this story with that purpose in mind.
Consider this the gravest of warnings to stay away from Stonemoor Manor.
In the year of 1953, I was but a young man, though already busy with the responsibilities of a career and a family. Despite my tender age, I had already dabbled in various trades, for I was a restless spirit, never one to settle. From labor to intellect, I had tried my hand at it all. With equal prowess in both craft and wit, I found my true calling in a profession that demanded both: veterinary medicine.
Life in Ireland was tough in those times. Many young families were heading off for better opportunities overseas. Though I was hesitant at first, myself and the wife decided we’d eventually do the same for our daughter’s sake. But I wasn’t about to take them to a new land empty-handed, so we agreed to stay another year in Ireland while I put away some coin. To stretch our savings as far as they would go, we chose to see out our final year in a rural spot where the cost of living was kinder on the pocket.
With but a year's worth of experience as a vet under my belt, I had yet to earn myself a reputation worth speaking of, nor had I much acquaintance with the locals in the village we'd chosen as our temporary home. Still, I held firm in the skills I possessed, my eagerness to learn, and my belief that this countryside community of farms and fields would provide ample chances to prove myself. To put it plainly, I was brimming with confidence, some might even call it cockiness. I suppose it was a mixture of that and desperation which brought me to Stonemoor Manor.
As the days stretched into months, I found myself haunting the local pub like a ghost, a familiar face among the regulars. My confidence was dwindling with the lack of work. It seemed like everyone in that village had the healthiest animals in all of Ireland, maybe even beyond. What a cruel twist, their blessed lives mocking my own struggles.
One evening, in my drunken stupor, I hadn’t noticed at first the gaunt figure come into the pub and saunter over to the shadowed corner where I was drowning my sorrows. It wasn’t until he spoke that I saw him.
“Are you the veterinarian?” He asked.
I raised my head and steadied my blurred gaze on the face of a man whose sunken features made him look more shadow than flesh. For a moment, I even thought I was looking at a skeleton.
“Aye, that’d be me.”
“They seek your presence at Stonemoor Manor.”
“And what’s the reason for that?”
“The Master’s horse has taken ill.”
“And what does this ‘master’ go by?”
The man glared in silence, then in a tone tinged with irritation and raised volume, declared, "His name is Alistair Stonemoor."
In an instant, the chatter in the pub fell silent, and every gaze turned toward our shadowed corner.
Under the weight of the pub's collective gaze, the man squirmed uncomfortably, his voice lowering as he muttered, "It matters not. You’ll be well rewarded for your troubles."
Past the man, the bartender shook his head in disapproval, fixing me with a stern glare, and silently mouthed the word, "no."
Despite the bartender's cautionary glance, fueled by youth, folly, and a healthy dose of drink, I brushed aside his advice and turned to the man, blurting out, "How much is this Master Stonemoor offering?"
The man leaned closer, his face illuminated by the flickering candlelight, revealing a gaunt, pallid countenance and foggy eyes. He looked every bit of his seventy years or more. "Sufficient to settle comfortably upon reaching the shores of America," he murmured.
In that moment, it would have been prudent to heed the warning signaled by the hairs standing on end at the nape of my neck. When your instincts scream "leave," it's best to listen. But the allure of a swift resolution to my troubles clouded my judgment. The prospect of a better life sooner than expected was too tempting to resist. So, I rose from my seat and addressed the man, "I'll go fetch me things.”
I made the decision I believed was best for my family.
God rest their souls.
I kept from my lovely Mary the weight the Stonemoor name carried in the pub. She'd have put a stop to my leaving in an instant. Instead, I spun a tale of a wealthy gent in need of my skills, assuring her I'd be back when the job was done. With our wee Annie already tucked in for the night, I kissed my wife goodbye, gathered my tools, and slipped into the back of a sleek black sedan, driven by the mysterious man with eyes like fog, seemingly undeterred by their cloudy gaze.
I leaned in and murmured, "Didn't quite catch your name, sorry.”
“Never said it.”
“Ah, right. What is it, then?”
“Fergus.”
“Pleasure, Fergus. I’m Liam.”
“I know.”
“Right. The ad. You’ve seen me ad.”
With no response from Fergus, I pressed on, asking, "How far is Stonemoor Manor from here?"
“About a half hour drive.”
What ensued was a half-hour journey enveloped in silence, traversing through the village and onto a dirt path winding through a dense, shadowy forest. Eventually, we arrived at an iron gate, which swung open onto a secluded road. Despite my keen observation, I couldn't discern who operated the gate, nor who secured it shut behind us. Ten minutes further along this secluded path, the woods parted, revealing the grandeur of Stonemoor Manor for the first time.
It bore a striking resemblance to a castle, its exterior fashioned from grey stone adorned with towers and crenellations, save for the central portion, which appeared to be of Victorian design. Judging by the numerous windows, the manor rose at least four stories high, not accounting for any underground levels.
The manor lay bathed solely in the moon's glow, devoid of any external illumination. Among the multitude of windows, only one emitted light: a solitary glimmer from a small window perched atop one of the corner towers.
Fergus brought the car to a halt, then stepped out and opened my door. With a nod, he gestured towards the manor and uttered, "Master Stonemoor awaits you within."
"Up there, is he?” I acknowledged, stepping out of the vehicle and casting a nod towards the illuminated window.
Ignoring my question, Fergus closed the door firmly. "Come along," he directed, leading the way towards the looming manor.
We climbed stone steps to confront a grand iron door, effortlessly opened by old Fergus. He gestured for me to enter before closing the door with a heavy thud that echoed through the foyer. Cast only in the moon's silver light, the room revealed itself in fragments, with stone stairs disappearing into the shadows ahead. Fergus had vanished from sight, leaving me to navigate the dimness alone.
I called out for Fergus, but my voice echoed unanswered, stirring a growing sense of unease. Doubt crept in, whispering of traps and deceit. With cautious steps, I retreated towards the door, its cool iron offering a sense of security. Fumbling in the darkness, my heart quickened with each passing moment, panic threatening to overwhelm me. Just as my trembling hand found the handle, the room burst into light.
“Departing so soon, are we?”
A new voice pierced the silence, resonating with youth and vigor unlike Fergus's. Swiveling around, my eyes met those of a tall, middle-aged man clad in a sleek black three-piece suit, accented by a bold red tie. With raven-black hair framing his face and piercing blue eyes, he commanded the landing of the steps, which diverged to his left and right.
“Ah, sorry now. I seemed to have gone and misplaced Fergus,” I chuckled sheepishly. “Thought he might’ve been locked out. I take it you’re Mister Stonemoor?”
"Please, call me Alistair," he replied with a nod. "And you must be Doctor Kerrigan?"
"Aye... Liam, that's me name," I stammered. "Only the creatures call me doctor."
I couldn't tell if the jest garnered even a smirk, for Alistair remained rooted to the spot at the top of the stairs, a considerable distance away.
"Anyhow," I persisted, "I understand there's a sick horse in need of attention?"
"Are you drunk, Doctor?" Alistair's tone was pointed, his gaze piercing.
Alistair's question caught me off guard, leaving me momentarily speechless, akin to a child caught in mischief. Yet, I had a feeling of innocence; after all, it was Fergus who had recruited me from the pub.
“I’ve had a few pints this evening.”
“I can smell it on you.”
“That is truly impressive.”
“There is nothing impressive about it, Doctor Kerrigan.”
“Well, I didn’t go swimming in it, did I?”
“I do not know and I find your sarcasm unwelcome. Fergus will escort you to a chamber, and you shall begin attending to my horse at daybreak."
“Hold on now, I'm sorry for me behavior, but I can't be staying the night. I've got a family to get back to. And anyhow, shouldn't this horse be needing emergency treatment?"
Alistair turned on his heel and ascended the staircase to his right. "Treatment can wait until you've sobered up," he declared, his tone leaving no room for argument.
"I'm plenty sober!" I hollered after him as he vanished up the stairs. "Me hands are steady as a rock!" My protest echoed through the empty foyer, but Alistair had already disappeared from sight.
Fergus emerged from the shadows of a nearby hallway, causing me to startle. "I will show you to your room.”
“You’re a right sly one, Fergus. Anyway, I can’t be sticking around for the night.”
“Master intends to further compensate you for your time.”
“And if I refuse?”
“Then I shall return you to your burdens.”
With my jaw clenched and eyes shut tight, I drew in a deep breath. For a fleeting moment, a vision danced in my mind's eye: my little Annie, her smile radiant as she pointed towards Lady Liberty. So precious she was, my heart ached with longing for her to have a better life.
"Fine," I relented, opening my eyes. "Show me to the room."
As I awoke, it was not to the gentle glow of morning light, but to the harsh brightness of noon. Jumping from the bed, I checked my watch, confirming my fears. With urgency, I slipped on my shoes, grabbed my bag, and hastened out of the bedroom. Stepping into the hallway, I was disoriented, with no recollection of its layout from the night before. Rows of closed doors lined the corridor, and I began to try each one in turn. Pushing and pulling, I soon realized that every door was locked. Surely, not every room warranted such security, I pondered, my frustration growing with each failed attempt.
As I ventured down the hall and finally arrived at the imposing stone staircase, the resounding clicks of each door unlocking in unison sent shivers down my spine. Goosebumps prickled across my skin, and I hastened my descent down the stairs, my heart pounding in my chest. Just as I reached the bottom, I came to an abrupt stop, narrowly avoiding a collision with the ghastly figure of Fergus.
“Sleep well?” He asked.
“Jesus, Fergus! It’s noon! Has the horse given up the ghost yet? And, I haven’t a clue what’s happening upstairs, but…”
“Master Stonemoor awaits your presence in the stables.”
I looked at Fergus a moment, wondering if he’d heard a word I’d said, then relented, “Okay, then. Can I use a phone first?”
“There’s no phone on this property.”
“No phone? That’s a bit old-fashioned, isn’t it? I need to let me wife know where I am.”
“I will send word.”
“Quickly, then. Just let her know not to be worrying about me. I’ll be back once the job is done.”
Fergus nodded in acknowledgement before guiding me towards the stables. In the light of day, the grandeur of Stonemoor Manor became even more apparent. It truly was a colossal structure, dominating the landscape with its impressive presence.
The stables were nearly empty, save for one stall at the far end where I found Alistair tending to a black thoroughbred, sprawled on straw, barely clinging to consciousness.
"She's a beauty, isn't she?" Alistair remarked, not lifting his gaze from her.
"Aye, but she's in a bad way."
Alistair nodded solemnly. "She's been like this for some time.”
"You should've woke me.”
"Wouldn't have changed a thing." Alistair paused in his brushing of the horse’s mane and rested his hand upon her flank, following the rhythm of her strained breaths.
"Isn't it me duty to tend to her?"
Alistair withdrew his hand and straightened up, his eyes bluer than ever. "No, it's not." And just then, the horse's breathing stopped. "Come along, Doctor."
Alistair guided me through the grand house, down echoing halls, and into a room adorned with portraits aplenty. He paused in the center of the room and asked, "Any of these faces look familiar?" I scoured the walls until I stumbled upon a particular painting, a sight that nearly shook me to the core. In that frame, a woman and a young lass gazed back at me, bearing an eerie resemblance to my own Mary and our sweet Annie.
My blood boiled with fury, convinced that this portrait depicted my own wife and daughter. Suspicion gnawed at me, and I eyed Alistair with distrust, wondering if he was some sort of obsessed deviant. "Out with it," I demanded, my voice sharp with anger.
“No need to fret, Doctor. This painting predates your girls by quite a stretch."
"I'm not taking it, they're too alike for comfort.”
"I’m just as baffled as yourself," Alistair conceded, his words laced with sadness. "The girls in the painting are my dear wife and daughter. Both passed away some time ago."
I stood silent for a moment, then spoke softly, "I'm sorry. I didn't realize." My gaze returned to the portraits before scanning the room again, my eyes catching on something odd. "Don't you have any photographs of them?"
Alistair let out a weary sigh and turned to me. "I'm afraid not," he confessed. "They passed before photographs were even a notion."
A puzzled chuckle broke from my lips. "Surely not. Cameras have been about for a hundred years," I countered, shaking my head in disbelief.
Alistair fixed me with a steady gaze, betraying no hint of doubt or error. "So it be," he affirmed with quiet certainty.
Apart from Alistair's piercing blue eyes, other features seemed to have taken on a newfound radiance. His skin possessed a youthful glow, his hair appeared fuller, and his jawline more defined. Alistair, it seemed, had undergone a remarkable rejuvenation, growing younger right before my eyes.
“Pardon me asking, but in which year were you born, Mister Stonemoor?”
Alistair smirked and made his way to a sizable wooden desk and lowered himself onto a chair. "Are you a man of faith, Doctor Kerrigan?”
Assuming this to be a roundabout approach, I responded, "Aye, I've a healthy fear of the Almighty."
Alistair rummaged through a drawer and withdrew a hefty leather-bound tome, causing a cloud of dust to rise as he placed it upon his desk. Flipping it open, he motioned for me to approach. Amongst the sea of words, atop the first page, was a title:
The Knights Templar.
What Alistair divulged to me was a tale so fantastical, it surpassed any yarn I'd ever heard spun. He claimed to have once been among the legendary Knights Templar, embroiled in the Crusades and journeying across continents in pursuit of sacred relics and hidden truths.
But as history tells, the Templars met a grim fate, condemned by their own church and hunted to extinction. Yet, Alistair was no mere casualty of that bloody chapter. He was a survivor, lurking in the very woods where Stonemoor Manor now stood, clutching to the shadows with a treasure in hand.
Amongst the spoils of his clandestine escapades was a fabled emerald tablet, etched with secrets believed to bridge the mortal realm with the divine. Alistair, having purloined the tablet and sought refuge in the forest, claimed to have communed with the Almighty himself. And in that sacred dialogue, he made a plea, and it was granted.
Thus, his years became as boundless as his desires.
As his narrative drew to a close, Alistair closed the book and beckoned me to follow him back to the stables. Stunned into silence after what I’d just heard, I trailed behind him as we retraced our steps to the very spot where we had witnessed the horse's demise. And once we arrived, still, my tongue lay dormant as I beheld the miraculous sight before me: the once lifeless creature now stood vibrant and strong.
Finally, a solitary word escaped my lips, a gasp of incredulity as I uttered, "How?"
"The Lord bestowed upon me a gift," Alistair confessed, his voice weighted with solemnity. "But it came at a cost. In death, I find life. With each soul I take, I grow younger."
The transformation in Alistair's appearance now made sense, yet it did little to quell my lingering doubts about the resurrection of the horse. "But why is the horse alive, then?" I pressed, seeking further clarification.
In response, Alistair simply glanced past me, nodding toward a figure looming in the shadows. Turning, my eyes fell upon Fergus, his form now even more weathered, his countenance more gaunt and gray. He looked to have aged another decade.
Alistair spoke as I stood in awe, elucidating, "With death, I am rejuvenated, yet with life, Fergus withers further. I take and I gain, while he gives and he loses. Our blessing is also our curse.”
Fergus looked on with weary eyes and sagging shoulders. "There was a portrait earlier that escaped your notice, Doctor," Alistair interjected. "It was the portrait of my son... Fergus Stonemoor."
To be continued…

My sister in law always brings her kids over to where I live (we live with my husband's dad cuz he's elderly) and her kids just come over, trash the house, and leave. She has 4 kids all under 10 and they come over and put food all over the tables and counters, toys everywhere, even their shoes and jackets just thrown everywhere. They come over and eat mine and my husband's food that we buy and we aren't rich. They don't replace it. She makes plans to come over to the house and doesn't tell anyone. She just drops by without a single word to my husband or I. So I'll be in the shower or something and the kids will be banging on my door wanting to see me but like wth ? Really ? I love the kids but they don't know how to clean up after themselves and we have to parent them every. Single. Time. Girly is just on the couch on her phone making plans with other moms or pitching and complaining about something. MIND YOU: This woman is living the ✨️ dream ✨️. She's a stay-at-home mom/wife and has HER OWN HOUSE that's unfortunately 5 min away from ours. Her house is nice and big, she's got the cars, her husband has a great job with "unlimited PTO" as he says. Yet, she's SO miserable. Like all the time. Her boys do baseball and she's always like "UGH gotta be there at 8 AM hahaha!!" Like, okay? Why do you sign yourself up for this shit? Our house has a pool and I'm dreading it again this year. Last year, she just kept bringing her kids over without telling anyone and so we will be walking around the house and BOOM. A child. Soaking wet running in the house. They leave doors open so our place had a bunch of flies and gnats. She also had the audacity to invite all of her friends over and had a party without even TELLING US. AND! She said that WE had to use the community pool in the neighborhood if we had a problem with it. We pay rent. She has her own house which, by the way, is a total disaster. Sigh... I haven't been able to get this out. So... thank you for reading this far if you did. She's cool when she wants to be... but man... she seriously does not care about anything or anyone. In the past, she's threatened my husband telling him that she'd not let the family see the kids cuz she felt "unwelcomed" at our house. When all we said was to LET US KNOW. I live on high alert because I don't know when a kid will come crashing through the door. Rant over... thanks for reading 🤧 I've held this in for a long time. I talk to my husband, but no one else really knows.
TLDR: Sis in law lacks MAJOR boundaries and walks into our house like she owns the place. Kids come and trash the house and then leave. We are left to pick up the place cuz no one will tell her anything. A RANT.

I am Gay. I am 21 she is 39 I should’ve known but I have a thing for woman older then me so fuck it we ball.
We met at an event and there was instant chemistry from the day we first talked on the phone we constantly talked on the phone like 24/7 on the phone which at the time didn’t bother me but is just simply not okay. One of the first days we met she sent me money okay that’s nice…Wrong I have come to understand that it was a lot of love bombing going on from the moment we met. So this is where my stupidity comes in she recently got out of a long relationship and is still living with her ex I believe that to be fine and we proceeded mind you I really loved her like a lot I thought we would get married and yatta yatta until the red flags began I’m just gonna lost lost a few of the things that took place
-The first time we met I was accused of eyeing down her cousins and I got a swift yelling at and lecture because of how “enamored” I was in them when this was farther from the truth.
-This person drinks and when drunk this would cause a lot of verbal abuse towards me…. Things from calling me out of my name to telling me how much of a bad person she is and how she can be a villain… (she was telling me who she was I just didn’t listen)
-Apologizing every time something happened to hurt my feelings but never correcting said behavior I thought she couldn’t be abusive because she apologized abusive people don’t apologize right? WRONG
-Being Jealous of my friend and the relationship I have with her and calling her a B*tch after we got sick from her. Oh I was really stupid here I checked her for it but still forgave her
-Constantly acted like I didn’t know what I was talking about when I would call out behavior and turn it back on to me “But you do that same thing to me…don’t tell me not to do something when you do the same thing even if it’s something I apologized for) because frankly I wasn’t the best in this relationship either I have a temper and I don’t like being played with so even though I forgave I didn’t tolerate her disrespect I tried to leave a few times but I always found my way back
-Most recently my friend committed almost two weeks ago and I am very emotionally distressed about it I had a break down and her drunken response to it the next day is “I don’t need anybody passing energy onto me…” after I had a really bad breakdown the night before while drunk this was when I knew I was finally done those were the magic words I needed to release me from her shackles
-I came home blocked her and then I look down at my arm seeing a scar and then I remembered the same night that I was wasted she dug her arms into my skin so hard it left scars
I’m still fighting the urge to unblock her and try and talk this out but every time I look at my arm I’m reminded why I’m leaving but man it’s hard.

I’m not sure if I’m here seeking support, community, advice or maybe just a listening ear.
One of my immediate family members is in their mid-late 80s. He was a snowbird (living half the year in the north and half in the south) but recently decided to stay year-around in the south. The rest of our family lives in the north. The friend/partner he was living with recently moved so he’s currently living alone.
He is 100% mentally intact, great long and short term memory, meticulous with bills and finances, etc. Unfortunately he has increasing physical limitations. His gait is extremely unsteady and he has frequent falls (which can be super scary when you’re on blood thinners). He went to a few doctors and there does not seem to be any acute medical issue attributing to his gait, it is likely deconditioning/atrophy.
Basically it is very unsafe for him to live alone. He does not want to move north to be with family, he does not want to use his cane, he acts like everything is going to be okay, he downplays every time a family member comes to him with justified concerns. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to be so mentally intact but be restricted by your body.
Are we just supposed to watch him deteriorate, continue to fall and get injured with no one around to help him? It is so morally distressing to watch this happen to someone you love so much. My heart is literally shattered trying to navigate this situation.

My husband (34M) and I (32F) have been together for 6 years and now have a 10 month old baby. I moved out here to the Bay Area from the east coast for him and our life together. I feel as is I have made a lot of sacrifices on my end and am starting to become resentful towards my husband and in laws. For background context I come from an immigrant family raised poor and have done very well for myself. I was the first one in my entire extended family to go to college and still the only one to be a collegiate athlete. I have worked since I was 14 at any hosting/waitressing gig that I could find. To this day I still help support my family financially as most eldest children of immigrants do. Regardless I managed to save up 250k by age 27. I fell in love with my husband at that age and decided to move out to him after a 1 1/2 year of making long distance work. We were both on the same page of what we wanted in life with family etc. My now husband however is a white male with a relatively privileged background in comparison. Moving 3000 miles from everything I knew was hard for sure but I jumped in and made it work and found a way. After moving to california I found a good paying job in a new industry/career I wanted to pursue after only 3 months. And quickly in 5 years I am now able to make annually what I had originally saved up. As I’m sure everyone knows affording living in California is no easy feat but with my large lump savings it has allowed us to become home owners. After having a baby however the stress of finances and reliable help has heightened. Day care for a 40 hour work week is 3000-4000 a month in my area, and as hard as I’ve researched there is nothing (and I wish I was exaggerating) under 2900 a month. Before taxes are taken out that is easily the equivalent of a 60-70k job. My mother in law is a retired pre school teacher of almost 40 years. Part of the reasoning of my move was to have my MIL around to help raise our babies. She seems like a perfect fit right? We weighed out all 3 options, move to him, move to me, or move somewhere new entirely. We both wanted to be close to family and decided that my husbands place would be the most ideal. He also kind of guilt tripped me into agreeing that since they were older than my parents and its best to spend more time with them as we‘ll have more time with my mom later. My MIL however is the most passive aggressive person I have ever met, BUT ONLY TO ME! She has 2 sons and I am married to the youngest. She doesn’t have a good relationship with her other daughter in law but would literally suck her d*** to get her approval. I have always gone above and beyond to be kind and giving to her. In comparison to her other daughter in law I am a complete 180. She has a key and an open door policy to my place, I converse and spend time with her for hours and I constantly cook and or buy dinner for them on a weekly basis. I am thoughtful and buy all the family’s presents for all holidays and birthdays. When the men are around she is the sweetest thing but when its just us, always throws the most jabs at me. From saying things like “oh my you sure you’re not going to break your ankle in those or are you just trying to get attention” “wow more food are you trying to make me fat/out do me?” “Is that new, ive never seen it, do you have a shopping addiction he he” To even “I'm not sure we need you around here making us look bad you sure you don’t miss the east coast?” I take it in the chin with a smile on my face and always change the subject as I was always taught to not talk back to my elders. My husband told that she was going to take care of the baby once its time for me to go back to work. Weeks before that time came she started talking about how busy she was with volunteering and sending daycare recommendations our way as a hint. When her and my husband had that talk everything seemed fine as she started watching the baby 5x a week. Im the one who does the drop off and pick up however and I have to hear it every day 2x a day. To her son she only says how happy and lucky she is to get to spend time with her granddaughter etc. To me she is saying how it takes up so much of her time and its boring watching a baby. My husband doesn’t even believe me. After sacrificing my family (which I miss so deeply) my friends, and even my passion in life which was coaching youth sports just to jump in the corporate bs world because I recognized quickly that’s what it would take to live comfortably out here, IM DRAINED. All my money, time, efforts and energy have gone into him and his family pretty much and I can’t even get the support I was promised. Honestly it would have been easy for me to just buy a house straight up for 250k on the east coast have no mortgage, just coach and make a little money but it was what made me happy, and have my mom around who would happily help with our babies around. Instead I’ve given it all to this man for this situation and for my MIL to constantly complain about “how much i do for you” instead of recognizing how much I’ve done for her son. It infuriates me. My mother would view this as a privilege not a burden and cries every time we have to FaceTime. My MIL has asked me to ”take a day or two off work every week” or “make sure you try to be here by 2 when my shows starts” and I’m at a breaking point. I’ve been sneaking into work late and getting out early for months now just to ease her load. But I’m struggling at work and it’s noticeable in my results now. I also make more money then my husband by 6 figures and have the financial pressures on my back. One day I snapped back with “that’s something you're gonna need to talk to your son about” and all hell broke loose. My husband came home pissed that I had said so many derogatory things to his mom, shamed her for not being a good enough caretaker, the works. She then said she “needed space” and I took a week off work in order to take care of the baby. I went to try and smooth things over with her after a couple days and found her incredibly hammered at 9am in the morning. Stumbling on her words and feet my FIL came out looking mortified and tried to hide her back in her room. I figured she was upset and left it at that only to try to go back the next morning TO THE SAME THING. After talking to my husband he finally tells me that she is a struggling alcoholic and has been for 50 years! He says “but she’s a functioning alcoholic so she just needs to get this intense period out of her system she’ll bounce back“ The rage and disbelief I had with both the situation and my husband was out of control. Was she drinking while watching the baby? You knew about this and put our daughter in that situation? To save money on daycare you let our daughter there knowingly? Functioning wtf?! Was all her BS a way to get distance so she could drink? The more I thought back there were definitely days where I just thought she was more loopy than others, was that her drinking a moderate amount.? After talking to my SIL it was and she has been drinking every day without a day off for the last 20 years and that’s why they had a tainted relationship. I didn‘t talk to my husband for days and started looking for other homes on the east coast closer to my family. After a couple days I sat him down and only said this.. “Here are other homes we can move to or you get another job to cover the bills or I’m reporting all of you to CPS and there is no more us and our family” It feels harsh, so Am I the A****** for bluntly dropping this ultimatum on my husband?

I’m not sure if I’m here seeking support, community, advice or maybe just a listening ear.
One of my immediate family members is in their mid-late 80s. He was a snowbird (living half the year in the north and half in the south) but recently decided to stay year-around in the south. The rest of our family lives in the north. The friend/partner he was living with recently moved so he’s currently living alone.
He is 100% mentally intact, great long and short term memory, meticulous with bills and finances, etc. Unfortunately he has increasing physical limitations. His gait is extremely unsteady and he has frequent falls (which can be super scary when you’re on blood thinners). He went to a few doctors and there does not seem to be any acute medical issue attributing to his gait, it is likely deconditioning/atrophy.
Basically it is very unsafe for him to live alone. He does not want to move north to be with family, he does not want to use his cane, he acts like everything is going to be okay, he downplays every time a family member comes to him with justified concerns. I cannot imagine how difficult it must be to be so mentally intact but be restricted by your body.
Are we just supposed to watch him deteriorate, continue to fall and get injured with no one around to help him? It is so morally distressing to watch this happen to someone you love so much. My heart is literally shattered trying to navigate this situation.

I am a 26F who has been dating my 25M boyfriend for a little over a year now. He is my first actual boyfriend and I have always been very picky with the men I talk to. I only say this to highlight how great his qualities are. He treats me very well, our conversations are great, we are always laughing, and he communicates well with me for the most part.
My problem is that he talks a loooooot. And I mean a lot. When he and I first started talking, I thought things may not work out between us because he talks a lot/rambled most of the time which made me feel like I had no room to speak. As time went on and we continued to talk, I came to realize that he does this mainly when he is in newer settings that may not be the most comfortable for him. He has even admitted that he can sometimes ramble when he is nervous. As our relationship progressed, I feel like the talking is pretty much 50/50 between us, except for when we're fighting and he doesn't let me get a word in (but he's been better about that as of late).
My big issue is how he acts with my friends or acquaintances. Any time he is around my friends, I swear he barely lets them get a word in. Also, any time they do get a word in if he asks them a question, he tends to then flip it back to himself and talk about himself. It gets to a point where I feel uncomfortable in the situation and I can see the discomfort on my friends faces too. I've now had a few friends make jokes about just how talkative he is and it's upsetting me. It's upsetting because I know it is the truth. Any time I have tried to intervene, it really doesn't help and he just continues to ramble. He has been around my friends a good number of times at this point, so I don't know if I can chalk it up to nervousness. He has also done this around my family and my family has also taken notice and I think they are bothered by it as well.
I don't want to bring this up to my boyfriend because I think he would initially be a little defensive about it and ultimately be very hurt. I guess my question is, where do I go from here? Is there a gentle way I can bring this topic up? Should I not bring it up at all and accept him for the way that he is? I'm really torn because I love him a lot and I appreciate all his good traits, but this is one that seems to bother me and I can't tell if I'm the problem in this scenario. Any and all feedback/advice is more than welcome, thank you!