As a grown man, I hate blaming my parents for issues I have. Compared to so many horror stories, my childhood, parents and family were wonderful. In general, I try to believe that people do the best they can with the resources they have and rarely have true malicious intent. Unfortunately, there is one “childhood trauma” that I am stuck with and I don’t see any way to get over it.
For as long as I can remember, my boomer parents and gen x siblings would absolutely torture me about girls. Like every girl I ever came into contact with from preschool on I would get the “oh that’s your giiiirrrrlllfrieend” crap. I was a sensitive, people-pleasing kid and this really bothered me. To make matters worse, My family had the awful habit of “making fun” of, quite literally, anyone on the planet. Too rich, too poor, imperfect physical features, race, ethnicity, religion, different style clothes, different interests or hobbies, nobody was safe.
I went through adolecence and young adulthood mostly terrified to interact with women. Just now am I getting to the point where I have actual platonic female friends. School dances and prom were major sources of stress. I had whole relationships in high school and college that I kept secret from my family, including a 3 year relationship with who I now consider to be the “love of my life.” How awful must these young women have felt that I was hiding them from my family? I’ll never forgive myself.
After college, I moved back home (see people pleaser comment above). A month later my longterm girlfriend broke up with me. Why? Because I was still hiding her from my family. I certainly can’t blame her and I hope she is living the life she deserves.
A hazy, drunken, depressed and miserable 7 or 8 years then ensued that frankly I’m lucky I survived. I was a total wreck on the inside but put together enough on the outside so as to not worry anyone. Good job, remained in shape, outwardly I was just a fun, drunk, party guy in his 20’s. No relationships. Any dates were to a bar. Very rare sexual encounters were risky, drunken, one or few night stand situations.
At 29 I started dating my now wife. After a few months of secret dating I fought through and introduced her to my family. I’m grateful that my wife pulled me out of the abyss. After a few months of dating I finally got my own apartment and started to live as an actual adult. We got engaged at a year and a half and married at two years. We’ve been married for 10 years. We have a house and two wonderful children. My thirties were far better than my 20s and 40’s are looking great so far. Except…..
Lately, I have not been able to shake feelings of regret or what might have been. While we get along, our marriage is like a business agreement. It works. We’re busy, the kids are busy, we don’t or can’t take time for ourselves, we are both constantly engaged in jobs, cooking, dishes, laundry, cleaning, kids activities, etc. We both tackle everything and neither of us is ever sitting or relaxing. It never seems like we can get ahead of things. My wife is totally codependent and cannot handle anything on her own. She also may be a hoarder in the making. She was diagnosed with OCD as a child and is probably somewhere else on spectrum, terrible anxiety, too. I’ve made all adjustments to accommodate her needs. New, self-employed job so I can control the schedule, no hobbies or friends, I am always available for her needs. She refuses to get any outside help with her mental health. It’s all on me. She’s miserable, always mad at something or somebody(her family tells me this is her historic personality and she’s just like other family members), always sick, she has gained well over 100lbs and the health issues that go with that are starting to creep in. More for me to deal with! Sex life is dead. Totally vanilla when it does happen-missionary with shirts and socks on. Multiple times over the past 5 years we have gone 8-12 months without intimacy. Any attempts to discuss these issues as adults are met with rage and blaming everyone else. Her position is basically that I married her and just have to live with whatever. She also knows I’ll never leave the kids(I’m not saying that’s the right call for everyone but it’s the right call for me).
Here’s the thing- I can handle a lot with a smile on my face. I am longing for those relationships I had in early adulthood where my SO actually wanted me to be happy sometimes instead of only living to serve her needs. I can’t get these ghosts of girlfriends past out of my head. Every single night I am having vivid dreams about them sexual and otherwise. Marriage with kids is a lot different than college relationships so who knows what could have been. For me, the unknown is what haunts me.

We're excited to announce a significant shift in our documentation approach: we're retiring traditional Linux man pages and replacing them with Markdown, which will be rendered directly from the command line. Additionally, we will convert all the man pages for the software included in the next generation of our Linux distributions.

Why Markdown Man Pages?

Pros of Markdown Man Pages:

1. Readability and Formatting:
   
   • Markdown is inherently more readable and easier to write than the traditional roff format used in man pages.
   • It supports modern text formatting features like headers, lists, tables, links, and code blocks.
2. Consistency and Portability:
   
   • Markdown is a widely-adopted standard used across various platforms and documentation systems, ensuring consistency.
   • Markdown files can be easily converted to other formats (HTML, PDF, etc.) using tools like Pandoc.
3. Ease of Maintenance:
   
   • Markdown's simplicity reduces the learning curve for contributors, making it easier to maintain and update documentation.
   • Version control systems like Git work seamlessly with Markdown, facilitating collaborative editing and change tracking.
4. Enhanced Viewing Options:
   
   • With a command-line renderer, users can view Markdown man pages in various styles and formats, enhancing the overall user experience.
   • Renderers can provide additional features such as syntax highlighting, clickable links, and even embedded media.

Cons of Traditional Man Pages:

1. Complex Syntax:
   
   • The roff format used for traditional man pages is complex and unintuitive, making it harder for new contributors to write and edit documentation.
   • Formatting issues are common and can make man pages difficult to read and maintain.
2. Limited Features:
   
   • Traditional man pages are limited in their formatting capabilities, lacking support for modern documentation features.
   • They do not support interactive elements or rich media, which can enhance the usability of documentation.
3. Inconsistent Formatting:
   
   • The look and feel of man pages can vary significantly across different systems and viewers, leading to inconsistent user experiences.

Example

Here's a short example of a man page converted to Markdown:
Traditional Man Page:
roff .TH LS 1 "March 2024" "GNU Coreutils 8.32" "User Commands" .SH NAME ls \- list directory contents .SH SYNOPSIS .B ls [\fIOPTION\fR]... [\fIFILE\fR]... .SH DESCRIPTION .B ls list information about the FILEs (the current directory by default).
Markdown Man Page:
```markdown

ls - list directory contents

Synopsis

ls [OPTION]... [FILE]...

Description

ls lists information about the FILEs (the current directory by default).

Options

• -a : Do not ignore entries starting with .
• -l : Use a long listing format
• -h : With -l, print sizes in human-readable format (e.g., 1K, 234M, 2G)

For more information, see the GNU Coreutils documentation. ```

Conclusion

We believe that transitioning to Markdown man pages will significantly enhance the quality and accessibility of our documentation. By embracing a modern, user-friendly format, we aim to provide a better experience for both contributors and end-users.
We'd love to hear your thoughts and feedback on this change! How do you feel about moving away from traditional man pages to Markdown?
Join the discussion below!

“The past and the future, considered apart from the consequences of their content, are empty as a dream, and the present is only the indivisible and unenduring boundary between them.” ― Arthur Schopenhauer, The World As Will And Idea

In Chapter 3, it's revealed by the medical records disk that Isa's name is shorthand for "Isolde." I wasn't familiar with this name, but I felt it was distinctive enough that there had to be some meaning behind it, so I did some digging.
One use of the name "Isolde" that caught my attention was that it is the name of a facility at CERN- the ISOLDE or Isotope Separator On Line DEvice, used to produce and separate radioactive isotopes of elements for research purposes. Given the game's frequent use of motifs relating to nuclear science and the health risks of radiation, it felt too specific to be incidental. Still, there wasn't much meaning I could derive from it, but I thought it was interesting enough to be worth pointing out.
The most prominent instance of that name is from the story of Tristan and Isolde, a celtic legend and a romantic tragedy often described as a precursor to Romeo and Juliet. There are many versions of the story told across different times and cultures, but given the game's many references to Romantic Era art from the German speaking world such as Schubert's Serenade and Böcklin's Isle of the Dead, I'm inclined to think it's specifically referencing Richard Wagner's opera "Tristan and Isolde". I'll give a quick synopsis here and analyze the parallels that I think may reflect Isa's role in the story. (To avoid confusion, from now on I will only use 'Isolde' to refer to the character from Tristan and Isolde while 'Isa' will refer to the one from Signalis, unless otherwise stated.)
It begins with Isolde on a ship, being escorted by the knight Tristan, from Ireland to Cornwall to marry Tristan's uncle, King Mark of Cornwall. It is an arranged marriage she is not keen on going through. In a fit of rage, she curses the ship, hoping it sinks and takes all of them with it, particularly Tristan. After learning that Tristan killed her original fiancé, she issues him an ultimatum that she will not willingly leave with him until he drinks with her as an atonement. In truth, she is planning to poison the both of them, and he suspects as much, but in an attempt to prevent this, her attendant replaced the poison with a love potion.
Though she ends up marrying King Mark between the first and second act, Tristan and Isolde can't ignore their passionate love. They realize the only time they can safely pursue their relationship is at night, when the King and the court aren't watching. As their patience for the night grows thinner, they realize the only way to realize their love is through the eternal night: Death. But at the same time, they are caught together by the King and his attendant. Without even attempting to explain his betrayal, he asks Isolde to follow him into death and impales himself on a sword.
In the third act, Tristan partially recovers from the suicide attempt but remains delirious. At the sound of a shepard's pipe in the distance, he reflects on the death of his parents, believing the pipe to be death now calling to him. He laments drinking the potion and how it led him to live a life of madness desiring something that can never be. He dies in Isolde's arms and she follows him into death. As the King arrives to the scene, Tristan's servant kills the King's attendant in revenge and then himself. Amidst all the death, the king reveals he had learned about the love potion and had simply come to offer his blessing to Tristan and Isolde, and the story ends with them finally realizing their love in the afterlife.
In writing this adaptation of the classic story, Wagner was reportedly inspired by the work of Arthur Schopenhauer, particularly his work "Die Welt ais Wille und Vorstellung" or "The World as Will and Representation." In "The Tristan Chord: Wagner and Philosophy", author Bryan Magee identifies Wagner's use of day and night as respective metaphors for "phenomenon", the aspects of the world we can perceive and "noumenon", the fundamentally unknowable reality beneath it. Both concepts were first named by Immanuel Kant, but Schopenhauer further argued that the gap between them is the cause of misery and suffering for all sentient beings; our individual pursuits and efforts to move towards a more personally favorable 'phenomenon' cannot be reconciled with a fundamentally uncertain state of the world and its other inhabitants. That to fulfill one desire requires the quashing of ten others. Illustrating this, he writes:

"...he saw an immense field entirely covered with skeletons, and took it to be a battle-field. However, they were nothing but skeletons of large turtles five feet long, three feet broad, and of equal height. These turtles come this way from the sea in order to lay their eggs, and are then seized by wild dogs... with their united strength, these dogs lay them on their backs, tear open their lower armour, the small scales of the belly, and devour them alive. But then a tiger often pounces on the dogs. Now all this misery is repeated thousands and thousands of times, year in year out. For this, then, are these turtles born. For what offence must they suffer this agony? What is the point of this whole scene of horror? The only answer is that the will-to-live thus objectifies itself."

Returning to Signalis, this quote immediately calls to mind the first-person Shores of Oblivion scene, in which skulls are buried and littered across the sand, and a quote from one of the nearby scattered papers:

we should have never left
the primordial soup
only through death can i escape
the call of the one who rules
above all life

Tristan and Isolde, realizing that their personal passions were irreconcilable with the interests of the material world they were in, concluded the only answer was to leave it behind altogether, so they made a death pact. A "promise", if you will. So upon finding Tristan dead, Isolde takes her own life. Much like how our Isa, who upon losing hope of being able to find Erika in the living world, disintegrates.
Another related theme connecting these stories is the lamentation of fate. Just as Isolde prays for the ship carrying her to her destiny to sink with her on it, and as Tristan regrets drinking the potion that led him to a life of desire for something that could never be, two early game quotes from Isa show that she is seeking Erika not just with love and concern but with regret for how they left things:

"Erika, if you find this note, despite everything that's happened. I've come to look for you."
"Have you ever wondered if you're speaking to someone for the last time without knowing? I wish I could go back, so I could say something else."

The details of this regret are deliberately ambiguous. It sounds like they had a fight or falling out, but 'everything that's happened' implies a deeper conflict- a disagreement or choice that they couldn't reconcile. Something important enough that it took Isa away from her sister, yet also something she regrets so greatly that she would take it all back just so she can see her sister one more time.
As Schopenhauer said, "A man can do what he wants, but not want what he wants." The great tragedy at the center of Tristan and Isolde is that even if we have control of our actions, we are at the mercy of the desires we were given by fate. It's a theme that permeates not just Isa's story, but Signalis as a whole.
Elster never chose to love Ariane. Had she not, she might have found the strength to end her suffering before it was too late. So she ran away from the "day" of Ariane's suffering into the "night" of keeping her in cryosleep.
Ariane never chose to love art. Had she not, she could have had a simple and comfortable life fitting in with her peers. So she ran away from the "day" of the Eusan Nation's surveillance and social ridicule into the "night" of Penrose-512.
Falke lost any hope of finding happiness after becoming burdened with emotions and identity that she could do nothing to satiate.
And then there's Adler, all but crushed by helplessness as he tries in vain to hold back the death of reality, as Elster and Isa continue to bring about its apparent decay in pursuit of their own wills. The relationship between Adler and Isa is interesting and I think quite important, as he's the only character besides Elster who gets direct screen time with her. As the game bluntly mentions the first time Adler meets Isa,

NONE OF US ARE HERE BY CHOICE (And No One Will Miss Us)

It's from this and the Schopenhauerian interpretation of Tristan and Isolde that I think Adler represents phenomenon while Isa represents noumenon.
Adler wishes to preserve the light of day. To awaken from the dream and return to shared experience of a common, coherent reality. One where what you see is what you get. Where experiences can be trusted, and results are predictable.
Isa wishes to live in the night. The world of passion and of choice. Valuing the experience of familial love over all else, even the world or truth, she continues to live only in pursuit of another reality amidst the abyss of uncertainties, one where she made amends with her sister before it was too late, or never fell out with her at all. And when she finally accepts that she cannot find it or manifest it, much like her namesake, she concludes the "eternal night" is her last recourse.
There can be no perfect reconciliation between these two wills. It can never be day and night at the same time. And yet they do find themselves together- falling into the bottom of the mine. In the Nowhere, at the end of all things. At the sunset, the liminal space in between the night and day, between dreaming and waking. Because, one means nothing without the other.
To me that is the important take away from her story. That if we don't want to live in regret over the hand life dealt us- hating ourselves for being unable to fulfill the desires we were stuck with, before its too late, we must confront the question of which world we want to live in.
Is it truly better to have loved and lost then never loved at all? Is it truly better to have tried and failed than to never try? I don't want to believe the answer is no, but none of us can be certain for ourselves until we reason with ourselves honestly about why we struggle with the question in the first place- what the true value of each side of the coin is. Perhaps then we can accept what is beyond our control.
To quote Schopenhauer once more:

Every individual, every human apparition and its course of life, is only one more short dream of the endless spirit of nature, of the persistent will-to-live, is only one more fleeting form, playfully sketched by it on its infinite page, space and time; it is allowed to exist for a short while that is infinitesimal compared with these, and is then effaced, to make new room. Yet, and here is to be found the serious side of life, each of these fleeting forms, these empty fancies, must be paid for by the whole will-to-live in all its intensity with many deep sorrows, and finally with a bitter death, long feared and finally made manifest. It is for this reason that the sight of a corpse suddenly makes us serious.

Real and practical advice for single men - this works
I originally shared this as a reply to someone's post, then felt like a separate post would help more single guys interested in couples. I've been the male 3rd enough times to be able to share what actually works and is a step beyond the more generic advice of "be charming" or "be respectful". For all the single guys out there, good luck and here goes.
Mindset - you are part of their fantasy and there for her pleasure as a priority. You win when both he and she walk out thinking "Wow" without any yellow or red flags from you.
Here's my advice

1. THE MOST IMPORTANT BIT OF ADVICE - Talk to and engage the M half of the couple. Let him know you know your place in the 3some (i.e. you're there to help them have fun together). It's also a great opportunity to ask him what their fantasy is, what she likes, what he would like to see, and more. Hopefully, they've both talked about this a bunch and he can tell you about that, including any limits. He might even share something special you can do that will blow her mind. By engaging him, with respect, you can find all the help you need in making this work out well for everyone. You don't have to become his best friend, but the more he is comfortable with you, the more they both can relax and enjoy the experience together.
   
2. Realize you are part of THEIR fantasy and you will can be invited back if this works out well. So focus on making it work out well for them, being aware and responsive to their needs, what they are looking for. Single, attractive, respectful men are not as common as you might think. Finding one couple that you get on well with and getting invited back will open many doors for you, especially if they have friends or want to invite you to a party. So, focus on giving her pleasure and fun, even if you don't finish yourself. This is really important to remember - focus on her enjoyment.
   
3. Sometimes a couple will have a specific fantasy and want you to play a role like being the Dom to her. If you find that out, read up on it, get an idea on what you can do in your own style to play that role. Some couples really enjoy when the woman gets to live out her fantasy with another man, whether she wants to be a sub, or a Dom herself, or even really simple almost vanilla things like, doing a strip tease or being playfully teased. You don't have to be perfect or an expert, but realize your role in this interaction is to help them have fun living out their fantasy.
   
4. It should go without saying, but impeccable hygiene is a must. Be trimmed, clean, smelling good, fresh breath, and whatever else you need to do so that she doesn't get distracted. A nice light amount of cologne will work. My advice on cologne is to ask a female friend to pick one for you and then be very subtle with how much you use. Women's noses seem to pickup cologne more than you realize. If you don't have a friend or don't trust cologne being fresh and clean smelling from a shower is great too.
   
5. If necessary, drink an energy drink or coffee so you are bursting with energy when you guys get to the bedroom. That new person energy and stamina goes a long way to having her feel good, appreciated, sexy, wanted etc. You might be tempted to drink alcohol before hand, even just to loosen up. My advice would be NOT to drink.
   
6. Realize they might be nervous or not sure where to start. That's okay if you gently take the lead and help her relax. Gentle kissing, caressing and laying her down on the bed for you to go down on her is a good start. Don't worry too much though, once you get the ball rolling, just let nature take over. You're all there for the same reason, so just let things flow.
   
7. If you are meeting at your place, have a pile of clean towels for them to use. Also of course clean up your place, clean sheets on the bed, etc. Make sure your bathroom and shower are sparkly clean and spray some air freshener around. If necessary, open the windows and air your whole place out just to make things fresher.
   
8. Have bottled water and some sugary snacks. The water will keep everyone hydrated and people feel more comfortable when they drink from a water bottle they open themselves. Gatorade is great too. Sugar snacks will give you a short recharge on your energy (saw this on a porn set). Notwithstanding what I said above about skipping alcohol, having a bottle of wine or other alcohol works well as an icebreaker when the couple shows up. Still, one drink max for everyone is my recommendation for your best evening.
   
9. Before meeting, send sexy chat notes to her (with him in the same chat) to help build excitement in her mind and between them. Keep things subtle, share how excited you are, be playful and easy about it. Too many texts, getting too heavy or too graphic can ruin the mood. And as a general rule, don't send a dick pic. Just don't. You might be tempted to show off, but she can enjoy it when you two are together in person.
   
10. Check in with him, getting his permission in a friendly way, for anything you want to do that you haven't already talked about. You might find things unfolding naturally in new directions and he(and then her) will feel better when they see you check in with them. Remember, he's sharing his girl with you, the more he and then she trust you the better things will turn out.
    
11. Always respect what she says. If she doesn't like something stop. If she wants more of something or asks for something you haven't already talked about, then check in with him to make sure it's okay. Interestingly enough, he may ask you to do something she doesn't want or like. You know how it is with guys, sometimes they can get carried away. If this happens, the best answer is to respect what she says, and suggest something else instead. She will be happier, trust you more for respecting her voice and overall, they will have a better time.
    
12. When things are winding down, look for their cues that it's time for you to leave (if you are at their place) or for them to leave (if they are at your place). This is a good time to make sure they know where the towels are, that they can shower, offer them water, etc. You know, all the "how to be a good host stuff".
    
13. As they are about to go, you can share with them how much you enjoyed the evening and checkin with them, to see if they enjoyed themselves. If they did, you usually don't have to ask. A nice sensual kiss and a hug for her works. Next, it's REALLY IMPORTANT that you thank him for sharing. If you stop and think for a moment, he just shared the most important person in his life with you in a very intimate and private way. You got a gift from him. Be respectful and say thank you with honesty and heartfelt integrity. This can help him and her see that you have character and understand your role.
    
14. Make sure you know, respect and follow THEIR rules about communicating. In general, you can avoid problems by making sure you always communicate with BOTH of them. Sometimes, either she or he will text or call you separately. Just make sure that you ask, know and follow their rules about this. Also, if they do say it's okay for you to talk to each of them separately, it's best to keep the other person involved and aware when you do. This shows simple respect for each of them as individuals and their relationship. The same goes for meeting up with them as individuals. Know, respect and follow THEIR rules.
    
15. Performance issues: if you need to, take a small dose of viagra or cialis to help get over anxiety issues. But don't over do it if you haven't taken it before. You don't want to get too much of a headache or other side effects. One side effect of these meds is that they can also make it harder for you to finish. But don't worry about that because you focusing on her this time is the big win for you.
    

EDIT: Cardio FTW - being in great cardio shape pays dividends all around. Beyond aesthetics for your potential partner, increased stamina means you get less tired during your play time and can choose when to stop vs having to stop because you are badly out of breath. It can also help with exhaustion based performance issues. Last point is that when you click with someone, it's nice to be able to keep going just for their pleasure.

1. Last note - If things work out for you to meet and then you all have a good time, you can be the fuel for new passion and excitement for them and their relationship. In the least you can give them good memories. Maybe it can even develop into something long term.
   
2. Additional note about follow-up: After you leave or they leave, a short polite text thanking them both for a great time is a nice thing to do. Keep it short, simple and don't worry about setting up your next play time, instead just thank them. This gives them feedback that you enjoyed them and opens the door for them to share back to you, as well as ask you later for another play date. Realize that they might not get back to your right away and that's okay. They may have moved family, work or other obligations to make space for this date, and then have to catch back up with all those things the next day. If they had a good time with you and want more, they'll reach out.
   

If anyone else has advice, pls feel free to add it. Everyone wins when you do.
EDIT/UPDATE: For all those that found this helpful. Great! For those who gave feedback on how this advice doesn't work for you, cool. I just shared to be helpful. For those who think I'm implying that the woman is a possession, that's not the point. I actually paused when writing the section about the guy sharing his girl, I thought someone will take this wrong. Maybe it's a guy respect thing, but it's certainly not to imply any sort of ownership. For the people who think this is icky, I'm just trying to help single guys. If it doesn't work for you, you can ignore it. :) Last thought: this isn't the only way for people to do things. I shared to be helpful. Nothing more. No agenda, no service, no sales pitch. Just giving back to the community.
Edit #2: Added the point about follow-up text. Edit #3: Added the point about cardio.

I’m a 29m who broke it off with a 29f that I was dating for about a month. It’s been two weeks and during that time I made some progress getting over her and moving on with my life. Long story short, we had a great time together but it seems like we had a hard time communicating what we wanted and understanding each other so she wanted to call it off, I did give her a chance to see if she wanted to work through it, and she said no.
My older sister reached out to console me and give me her support and I was telling her the story and my feelings about it. Long story short her advice to me was this:
“If you still care about her and want to be with her, let her know you want to see her. Who cares about this bullshit of losing self respect if you contact her, you’re disrespecting yourself if you’re not true to your feelings. If you honestly don’t think it will work out, then don’t reach out. But if you truly want to make it work again, then reach out. Some girls sometimes wish the guy was more honest with their feelings and won’t directly say that they wish they fought for them. So you won’t know your answer unless you try. If she ignores you or rejects you, at least you’ll be sure and you won’t second guess or regret not trying”
She thought I was making excuses by saying it was too late and that I didn’t want a girl who didn’t want to work with me when she said no and all this stuff. She kept telling me:
“Do you want her. So you still care about her? Stop fucking overthinking it. Drop your ego about self respect, fear of rejection, or being a man, or whatever. If you want her, let her know. Be honest with yourself for once.”
I guess now I’m second guessing. You argue that getting attached to a girl after a month is stupid. But I truly believed we ended something that was over some stupid misunderstandings and through text for that matter which was stupid. I guess deep down inside I do want to at least talk to her about how dumb it was we ended something like this.
I don’t know anymore. Was my sister right?

Hello guys, I have a 6 month baby and a very loving and caring husband I love very much. After I got pregnant my husband and I had to move to my parents house so we can save some money and move to Japan where he is originally from, he is a tourist in my country and is staying here on visa which is running out very soon so we decided to move to his home for time time being. I am going to start a business there, we saved up enough money for that and we are overall excited to start our new life there with our baby but my parents are broken about this which is expected. Ever since our baby was born my mother basically just toke him from us nonstop and take control of everything. He was not allowed to make any decisions about what goes on with his diet or just anything really he has been completely shut out by my mother. I am also completely shut out as well, I cannot make decisions as a mother or she will lecture me about my methods and call me abusive or that I am neglecting him. I wanted to wait til 6 months to start him on solid food and she has been feeding him anything she wants to since he was 4 months which I found out much much later and begged her to not do which then she promised not to then continued to do so behind our backs. In any social gathering like visiting friends and family she does not let me have our baby back she sprints to take him immediately and people have been asking her about anything related to him even though I am directly beside her.. I feel like I am not his mother 80% of the time. So we decided to move out much much earlier than we planned to do, it will negatively affect our future. So after I told my mother that we are leaving next month instead of October she went insane and is now trying to turn me against my husband in an attempt to keep us here. She has been attacking my husband's parents who they have never met and telling me that once I get to Japan they will take everything from me including our baby and kick me out on the streets and my husband will make me work while he does nothing. My husband cannot work here because he cannot get a work permit and he wants to rush to Japan so he can finally get to make money for us as well. He was working while he had his permit and has been tolerating my mother for almost a year. He is a very good man, and I am very grateful to have him. Recently my mother has been taking all of this out on our baby. She has been taking him from us but not taking care of his basic needs such as changing his diaper or feeding him. I do not expect my mother to do all that but is she takes him from us herself at least take care of his needs. Today my dad went all out on me and told me that his parents will make me ''suck them off'' and I will come back to them crying that they legally toke my baby from me. I still have one month to deal with this. My husband's parents have been nothing but kind to me his mother sent me lots of pretty clothes and they are trying to come here to visit them and have a family meetup they cannot wait to finally meet us and see their grandbaby for the first time.
Oh and I tried to say no to her once. I was holding my baby and he was crying because he was sleepy my mother sprinted in our room and demanded that I give him to her and I said no, long story short she called me a dicksucking bitch and with brute force tore him out of my hands and slapped me. He was crying to much he couldn't breathe. And toke him from me, so since then I gave up and just let her take him.
when she has him she toke good care of him just disregarding my existence and my husband's. But now that we are leaving she is completely neglecting him and I have been following her around nonstop to make sure his needs are being met.
He is a very happy baby nonstop smiling and laughing he has no idea what is happening which is great but my husband and I are in complete pieces.
I really need some advice on how to deal with this for another month and also on how I should handle them. Moving out is not an option because where I live rent is truly unaffordable and we would not have enough to move. Business funds and spending funds are separate and cannot be touched for many reasons.

Okay. So me and my boyfriend have been dating for 5 years. We're high-school sweethearts. At the beginning of our relationship while we were still in school he was talking to this girl who happened to be his first love and he'd go see her all the time while being with me and I mean would be out at 8pm and would walk her home. Fast forward 2 years into the relationship she comes out of nowhere again, this time they're texting on Snapchat and he's talking to her secretly. Now pay attention. This is where shit goes sideways. So at the time they're talking secretly, we moved in with his best friend who was secretly into me. He was trying to get with me the entire time and when I said no for the final time he told me my boyfriend didn't love me and that he asked to go on a break to be with someone else. He told me everything about him talking to her secretly and etc. Now I'm already moved in with this man and I don't have family. Fast forward another year. I decide to tell him I want a break because tbh I was hurt and was not healing from the fact that the bestfriend was right! So on this break I decided to talk to someone else. Nothing really happened between me and the guy but now my boyfriend acts like he can't trust me because I did what he did but like not worse. And also the whole time we were at his friends while moving, he knew his friend wanted to be with me and kept trying but did NOTHING!! BECAUSE OF THAT GIRL!!!
Okay now 5 years in after him only "talking" to the girl and another girl. I've realized that I don't want to be with him. I don't have anywhere to go and I'm trying to build my credit up right now as we speak. I don't want to be with him any longer because he took all of my mistakes and bashed them in my face and shows me hatred while I took his wrong doings and forgave him.
We are definitely different mentally. He doesn't even have any beliefs like myself so it does get hard. He is never happy. He seems depressed. I just dknt know how to tell him that I can tell I don't make him happy and that we should just break up. I mean if he wanted me would he have chosen the other girls first all the time in the past? AND LIE ABOUT THEM.
Also to make this worse when I decided to talk to someone else while on that break he told everyone I cheated and made my family and his family bash me. I didn't cheat. I was the only one honest about what I was doing and etc. He was or is the constant liar.
What do I do?

I lost my grandpa last week in a car crash. The man lived an amazing life and was ready to go. He was 100 and he and his wife (my step grandma who I will call Jane.) decided to take a road trip to the beach. I say they decided to go on spring break because you have to try and find a little humor in life.
He was pronounced dead on the scene but unfortunately his wife was seriously injured, is now incapacitated and at the hospital which is in a different city from their retirement home. She has serious brain trauma and is recovering a little but it’s going to be very slow and who knows…She can barely speak, can’t walk, can’t eat.
I was named executor of the estate. Everything is in a trust in NC. Obviously this was never supposed to happen and my responsibilities were supposed to kick in when both had passed. I was named executor to serve as a buffer between my aunt and father. Jane has a tough time with my aunt. The feeling is mutual between them…
My aunt and father are there with her. They are telling me that I have some responsibilities now and my aunt is upset that I’m not doing more. She paid the cremation services for my grandpa and wants reimbursed. I’m like Jane isn’t dead yet…I can’t rob her to reimburse you. She’s calling me about death certificate details and wants to get into their home. There is talk about getting power of attorney over Jane because their bills need to be paid. I was thinking if this needs to happen I would turn the trust over to a fiduciary. They have a villa in a nice retirement home and Jane will likely need to move out of it and into the long term care wing but right now it’s day-by-day.
I’ve read that I need to figure out how to notify his pension fund. Hopefully the funeral home notified the Social Security administration. Going to ask the lawyer about power of attorney.
This is a mess!! Any guidance would be greatly appreciated. I’m going to call their estate attorney today.

Business wise she was successful. But she did make a lot of stupid decisions in her love life.
The first mistake : she moved in with Derwin and found Dr Grizzly after she told him to throw it away but stayed with him. I would've left at that moment.
She went to Miami with her girls cuz Derwin didn't want to go. But she called him and said she loved and missed him. I don't think that was a good thing to do seeing as how he still loved his ex. And he never told her he loved her back.
Third mistake: after she saw Melanie drop him off at the parade, she didn't leave. She should've told Derwin as soon as she picked him up from the parade that they were over. Went back to his house and packed her bags.
Fourth mistake: she did move back into her condo but she eventually moved back in after she was pregnant with his baby. He ends up breaking her heart again and she had the baby on his wedding day. She should've never moved back in with him.
S4 her and Dj moved into a big house while Derwin and Melanie were living in a big house together. She let Derwin go to her house playing family with her and Dj to get revenge for what Melanie did. As childish as Mel was It didn't really solve anything cuz Derwin wasn't going to leave Melanie. Janay said herself " I fell in love with your selfish ass and i was stupid enough to fall for it again " Her best choice was to just go to court.
She finally broke free in s5 cuz she met Noah and moved to NewYork despite Derwin having this weird attachment to her, getting mad that she moved on.
I liked Janay but I wouldn't want to be in a position where I'm trying to make things work with a man that doesn't want to be with me.

First of all, sorry for my broken English. Not my native language. Please point out if something isn't clear!
TL;DR we’re rushing things and don’t know how to slow down
It's a nice story tbh. We met 10 years ago, we were in the same friend group. He had a big crush on me but I was a crazy ass 19 y.o. who didn't really care about boys, also I was planning to move to another city (500 km away) - and I did. So in the past 10 years we lost contact, albeit being friends on social media and stuff, and sometimes we would casually meet on nights out with our friends when I came home to visit.
While I was making the rounds of Southern Europe, he started a relationship that lasted approx. 7 years. They were living together and stuff. She's a nice girl, I remember meeting her a couple of times, but she's got a lot of "social" issues that made living together very hard for the both of them. She was in constant need of his presence, and for the last 1.5 year of their relationship he felt more like a father to her than a boyfriend (PLEASE NOTE I have nothing against her and I dont want to make her look bad because SHE'S NOT. If this info wasn't important for the story I wouldn't have shared that). He left her in December 2023, the main reason being that he wanted the relationship to "grow up", think of a family, a bigger house, dogs, kids... but she couldn't even keep a job so he ended things more or less in a friendly manner after trying and trying.
3 months later, in March, I liked a pic he posted on facebook, he sent me a message asking if I was back for good (I am) and basically asked me out on a date. And MAN WHAT A DATE. Everything was perfect, we laughed to the tears, you know when you feel something has clicked and now everything is in its right place? Yeah. We both felt that. So we jumped on this loveboat ride and everything has been great, but we were really rushing things, like I started staying there for the night during the week (aided by the fact that his apartment is 10 mins from my office so it was also covenient for me), he met my parents (by accident tho honestly that wasn't planned, but still) I met his mother, his coworkers, also his boss! He got drunk with my dad! (That was fun haha). I thought that we were rushing things too much but I brushed it off thinking "don't ruin it, if it feels right then let it be", but eventually it came out during a talk we had. We both acknowledged that we'd been getting ahead of ourselves and this was making him uncomfortable, because he didn't really want to end up in another relationship right after ending a 7 year long one, at the same time he thinks what we have is precious and we should cherish it. He wants to see and have a future with me but also wants to take things slow. I agreed, and being the pragmatic little demon I am I had prepared a list of things I thought we should do/stop doing, such as sleeping there on weeknights, parents involved etc, to which he agreed. Also I noticed that he was kind of... I don't really know how to explain, projecting? his ex's persona on me. I noticed that when he was on morning shift (starts at 6 a.m.) and I had spent the night at his apartment, he'd be very worried about me not getting up on time to go to work at 8 (like his ex did) and asked me to send him a message as soon as I woke up. Another thing, there has been a weekend when I was sick, it wasn't that bad, I just had a stomach ache and nausea and needed to go to the bathroom a lot. Well that day it looked like I couldn't even walk for him, he wanted me to stay at home while he was buying the groceries to cook for lunch even though I said I was fine and a trip to the supermarket wouldn't have killed me. I reckon that's because his ex was like that. But I'm not. I'm really an independent person, I've been living by myself for the past six years, I can look after myself! And even though it's lovely to have someone who cares about you, that just felt like having a nanny and not a boyfriend (we also talked about this).
Aprt from that our relationship is great, we discuss things as adults, every discussion/argument ends with a common point. I love this. Also he's the sweetest.
But after the talk we had, and the things we both agreed on, Sunday night we were watching a movie together on his sofa, the movie was over and I said "oh it's 10 pm, I gotta go" and he was like "why don't you just stay here for the night? Your office is basically across the street" I told him that that's exactly what we agreed to avoid, he insisted a bit but then I left.
Now, I don't know what else to do to slow things down apart from to ones I listed and furthermore I don't know how to help him with all of this. He's confused and I can see that, but I trust him and if he said he really cares about our relationship then so it is.
What do you think? What should I do?
Thank you for reading.

My love is a hard working man. He has a hard physical job. When he comes home from work he continues building on his own house that he is building on his own. An incredible construction. And I am so proud and admire him for how far he has come with it. (Both him and I have an agreement to never move in together as that fit our lives better, and so he is building this house for him self.)
We text back and forth all day. But my favorite time is when we are together in an Xbox party chatting. I need him.. I crave him. The hours I spend in the party with him melt all my stress away and I feel like I am floating.
We have a group of friends who like joining us and hanging out. And while they are great.. I really need my alone time with him. Which he of course is also happy to give. If there is time.
He is not a very romantic person. He is a bit of a loner and is used to just doing what he is doing and not really including others in that. He loves spending time with me. But he won't ensure we do if that makes sense. He always says: if you are there then you are there and it's great. If you are not then I just do my own thing and it's fine. So. An annoying bit of our relationship is that I have to be available when he is. Add this to these friends often joining, which is great, but then they are there when he is finally available.. and I don't get my lone time.
The last week or so has just been a bit chaos. First the job he is hired for right now has a long drive back and forth. So he leaves too early in the morning for us to have gaming time in the morning. In the evening I've had a lot of events, and he has too. And he had a tendency to fall asleep because he works so hard. Especially now it is warm too he gets worn out. So when I finally come home.. he's fallen asleep. Then we're finally both in a party but the friends are there too.. And it has just been a lot of that.
I fucking miss him sooo bad. I crave him sooo bad. But I feel like from experience I can't ask him to ensure time together. If I could keep our friends from joining that would help a bit. But they don't fully know or understand what him and I have together. And also my love will be like: why are you keeping them away when they want to hang out with us? Because. He doesn't have the same deep craving to be with me alone. He just enjoys I am there in general. So it is only my need that is like that.. And.. I need it. I am getting agitated. Frustrated. And feel tight and aching.
Today is a really hot day. His job is pushing him for a lot right now. He hasn't really replied much today because he is focusing on work. Which I get. But I am just feeling my guts twist and turn in longing. I feel like my only hope can be that our friends don't join tonight.. I wanna ask him to prioritize me. But I think he doesn't understand what he is meant to do with that. Because in his world he does, by always being by my side, always wanting me, loving my company when it's there.
But text messages and sharing him with my friends just isn't always enough for me.

I've lived very spoiled because I have always been a good kid and straight A student until adulthood. My parents would grant me my every wish. I am 30F. But only problem is they are so critical of everyone I date. They expect me to marry a good man. but they have also scared so many of the men I've truly liked. Those men who want to marry me only want me because I am a "good girl". It's creepy and it makes me feel weird.
I don't believe in relationships or love anymore. I just want to date someone they wouldn't approve of.
My background: my family is involved in politics in Mexico and I have to represent them. If I post a risqué picture they say no that's not classy take it off- even if just showing a bikini. I don't ever post bikini pictures. Once I liked a guy with tattoos and my grandmother through a fit. She screamed at me. I cried that whole day. She said I shouldn't date any men with tattoos. I am traumatized of trying to impress them. If a guy comments on my pictures someone would say, "take that comment off, he looks like a low life." My mom never allowed me to date the guy who I truly felt something for and felt the same way, she said it would "devastate my family and he wouldn't be allowed in the house. That he would only break my heart. " I've cried so much. There is so much pain in my heart.
When I went to my dream club in Mexico my uncle told my cousin and his best friend to keep a close eye on me. They hired bodyguards. We had a VIP front table and I met some actor and asked of a picture but every guy who would ask me to dance would have to ask my cousin for permission but they would leave to do c0ke in the restroom and I had my chance. but It went to the extent that if I wanted to go to the bathroom, the security said no you cant go alone. Until I told them this is enough this is too much. Let me be!. Then my cousin got into an alteration with a guy who was giving me a rose. And once his best friend asked me on a date, my cousin went behind my back and told him to "stay the fuck away from her." My cousin simply said, "he's into drugs, he is no good for you." It was an amazing night except them getting in the way of who I date! Why can't I have that crazy moment and wild moment with a guy. I met someone I truly connected with that night but my family scared him away.
all the best kisses I've ever received were there in Mexico in clubs. but then I would get paranoid and look around and thinkg what if someone knows me or my family and they talk. I am still so innocent I haven't even seen a guy naked or French kissed anyone. that is why I go for the "bad boys," because my whole life they kept trying to arrange me to date and marry men they approve of but some of them have been the worst men I've ever met in my whole life!!! I want to have an adventure with someone not have sex but just learn how to kiss and learn about men's body. But everytime I date someone I keep thinking "will my family approve of them." I care so much about what they think. But they will run their mouth anyway. And what if my type is guys with tattoos who smoke. I am tired of pretending. I want to learn how to French kiss with one of those guys. Why is is to bad
I usually cry every other night to sleep when I remember who I used to like who they didn't approve of. He's moved on but you cant help but think the what ifs. and I don't drink but I have been drinking more to numb this feeling

I contemplated writing this all day but decided it might be helpful to someone else if I shared my bittersweet EDC 2024 experience.
This year was my second year at EDC, and despite a few negative experiences sprinkled throughout, I honestly had the time of my life.
Saturday, while I was sitting on the turf mound at Basspod VIP, I was assaulted. A guy, we’ll call him Mo, had come up to where me, my wife, and my wife’s friend were sitting and started talking to my wife. They chatted briefly. Then, my wife returned to dancing, and Mo turned around talking to someone else.
A few minutes later, Mo tapped me on the shoulder and said, “You and your wife look so good together.” I replied, “Aww, thank you so much,” and returned to resume my head banging. Not even five minutes later, as I was zoned out, feeling the music and vibes, I felt something brushing against my back. It was Mo.
Now, I know it’s nearly impossible not to brush up against other people, so I try to be super tolerant and understand that most people aren’t trying to be creeps; it’s just close quarters.
But no sooner than I had moved forward a bit, I felt someone’s hand underneath my vest pouch fondling and massaging my breast. Initially, when I looked back, I was confused, but I realized that Mo was lying on his back and had reached his hand under my vest.
When I turned around like, “Wtf are you doing?” He threw his hands up and just started apologizing profusely. I tried to tell him to gtfoh and go someplace else because I didn’t feel comfortable with him behind me, but he just kept saying, “I’m so sorry, I’m so sorry.”
I don't know if my wife’s friend, sitting on my right, saw what happened, but I know she saw me fussing at this guy, trying to tell him to gtfoh. She didn’t say or do anything. Then, I told my wife, who had been talking with another couple, what happened, and that I had tried to ask him to go somewhere else because I didn’t feel comfortable with him behind me but that he just stayed there apologizing over and over. She asked if I wanted to switch seats with her or if I wanted her to do anything, and I just said no.
The boy was clearly faded; he had mentioned this to my wife, and I didn’t want to ruin anyone’s experience, so I just turned around and tried to shake it off. I knew this wasn’t the end, and I was ready.
Again, not even five minutes had passed, and I felt a hand grip my right shoulder. I hear Mo start saying, “I’m so sorry, I…” but before he could finish, I turned around and punched him with probably the best right hook of my life. Or maybe it just felt that way because of how good it felt watching his body reel backward and seeing the anger rise in his face as the realization that he just got socked by a 5’4” 130 lb female set in.
As soon as I punched him, his friends came rushing in, pulling him back like, “Hey, chill! Our friend is just really fucked up right now,” blah blah blah. My wife turned to see the commotion and was like, “Aye, the next time your friend puts his hands on my wife, he’s getting beat tf up.”In response, one of the friends said, “This is my wife right here, so I understand,” trying to tell us we needed to calm down. My wife told them basically, “No, y’all need to get your friend because my wife was just about to cry when your friend was groping her breasts. Do you want to put your wife between him and my wife then?”
Maybe they only saw him grab my shoulder and me socking him, but no matter how I try to justify it, there are so many things wrong with everything that happened. First, if I ever see a woman straight up punch a man TWICE her size, I’m immediately going to ask her wtf happened and if she is ok.
Second, this experience has taught me a lot. It’s been painful, mainly because it still boggles my mind that sexual assault is so quickly brushed off. I’m not expecting anyone to lay hands on someone for me, but a little solidarity would have gone a long way in that situation.
I’m annoyed it didn’t become a scene until I punched him. No one wanted to get up and stand up to this man after he sexually assaulted me in front of hundreds of people—but throw a punch and, wow, the outrage.
None of the friends asked me if I was okay or tried to take him far away from me. I understand my wife and her friend not stepping in too much in the beginning; it is a man who is bigger and likely stronger, and women are often afraid that worse will happen if they make a scene, but still. If we all stood up to him and forced him to leave after assaulting me, it would have felt a hell of a lot better than having to wait to be touched again so that I could physically handle it myself.
With that, my only request is that my fellow rave-goers, please don’t be a bystander or an enabling friend. If you see something, say something. Every conflict doesn’t have to be resolved by violence. Myself and even five other people standing up to Mo saying hey you need to leave or there’s gonna be a scene, would have likely been enough to pressure him to find somewhere else to be a creep. Instead, I had to sit with this man less than a foot behind me who had just fondled and groped my breast and waited for him to strike again to defend myself. Even after I hit him, he and his friends just stayed. Please be the friend that understands when shit has gone too far, and get your friend somewhere different if they are being a nuisance.
It’s a hollowing experience. After I punched him, though, I felt 10000000 times better. I’m saddened that that’s what it had to come to, but the actions of everyone around me indicated that handling it myself was the only option. Maybe everyone around was too fucked up to register what was happening; perhaps they thought it would be better if they minded their own business, I don’t know.
The best part, though, was that afterward, a guy with a bag of wooden fucks gave me one. He said I had zero fucks when I punched that guy, so here’s a fuck. That was genuinely the highlight of my weekend, and if anyone knows this zero fucks given guy, send him my appreciation.
Despite this interaction, I had the most incredible time for the remainder of my weekend. For this one jackass, hundreds of people were kind to me in small ways throughout the weekend. Shout out to all my Basshead headbangers and our new friends from New Mexico, Steve-O, and Alexis, who were ready to find Mo for a little ‘chat’ after we told them what happened later that day. Although we didn’t take them up on the offer, that’s the kind of showing up that I appreciate. I can’t wait to see you all underneath the electric sky again next year.
TLDR: I was groped by a stranger, no one batted an eye, then I punched him, and suddenly, I need to chill. Please don’t be a bystander. See something, say something.

The fact that I have to write this and seek advice truly sucks... I'm m(30) was married to my wife for 6 years, together total for 9 years f(35) we have two beautiful boys together 3 and 2 years old... my wife recently called off our marriage and said she was done with this life and didn't want it anymore. I found it off, because things were pretty normal for the most part.
I later dug around and found out she was cheating on me beginning of march while I was in school to become a firefighter. During this time she was in between jobs and had free time. She built a "connection" with an older gentleman, on the heavier side and he's older close to his late 40 early 50 probably. They worked together and they would go to lunch together during work hours and built a connection that I was not privy to during our marriage. She cheated on me right after we dropped off our kids at daycare, said goodbye and I love you like a normal couple would, and she drove right to a hotel to be with this gentleman... I didn't find this out until after the breakup as a reminder and done some digging... turns out she's still with this man, and thinks she's in love with him.. get this kicker, he's also married, and told my wife he would leave his for her so they can be together.
That was early March and he's still with her. But still with my separated wife now also... we live in the same house still because financially we can't just leave. We have to sell our house and go separate ways. We live in separate rooms on opposite sides of the home and barely share contact unless it has to do with the kids. She filed for divorce from me with a lawyer without talking to me about it and I'm being served papers. So now I have to get a lawyer to protect myself and the agreement is nothing changes with the kids. And we want their routine to be the same with school and visits. 50 50 custody. And she just wants both of us to go our own ways and move on. Cause clearly she has... what pains me is this woman treats me as a ghost now.
The woman who I'm still madly in love with and still see her the same as when she met me down the aisle. The same woman I saw give birth to both our kids.... but she doesn't love me anymore and isn't attracted to me and wants to be with him and is attracted to him now... what do I do? How do I cope... how do I move on? I need all the help I can get because I'm slowly losing my mind. And I've just been in a state of anger, depression, betrayal, and just feel like I never knew this woman at all.... the woman I married would never have done this to me. First couple of weeks I won't lie. I would corner her and show her what I was to her and what she meant to me... and how our family was more important but her mind was fully made up... and she didn't want to hear it.
I was there for her at her lowest points of her life. And helped build her into the woman she is, she was a drunk and I broke that curse and she was sober ever since... idk what I did wrong to deserve this... she claims I was a good husband, a great father, and a good person. So idk what to do or how to act. Please help.

This is my Madness Combat ranking. This is entirely my personal opinion. I have watched this series since around 2004 on Newgrounds, and a huge supporter of Krinkels' work. So I must point out that I do not believe a single episode is bad. I believe all of the episodes are top tier, this is just my ranking of where I think they stand out in terms of quality, length, story, music/sfx etc.. So if you see your favourite episode low down, just remember it's not bad, I just feel that there may be an episode that's better! This is also just the mainline series, so no canon shorts such as An Experiment or Dissenter, Marshmallow Madness, and no Dedmos Adventures. Although if I had to rank Dedmos in this list, it'd probably come 4th place, or something. This was a hard ranking, given how amazing each episode is, so having the canon shorts/spin-offs would be more difficult, given how much Krinkels' artstyle and animation has improved since Madness 11. The earlier rankings are going to be the hardest, but I will put nostalgia aside and rank based on quality and other factors.
15. Madness Combat
In last place, kind of predictable, but the first episode. Obviously just because nostalgia aside, every episode that came after it has raised the bar in so many ways. However, we mustn't forget the classic soundtrack, the lack of blood, the first canon entry of Jeb and Hank, a literal cannon - this is where it all started. It knows what it is, it's a classic. It's where Madness began.
14. Madness Redeemer
Again like before, an absolute classic and it's where I believe that Madness Combat in its current form truly began. We've got introductions of the Sheriff, The Clown, Jeb was brought back. This is also where the Tricky Saga started to take shape. Again I do feel that everything that came after it was just better in quality, but there is loads to love about Redeemer.
13. Madness Combat 7.5
May be a bit controversial, but 7.5 ranks lower. I think it's universally agreed that 7.5 is the least interesting .5 episode. It doesn't feel like it contrasts well with the zaniness and horror of Madness 7. In some capacity, I feel that you need to pair the .5's with their mainline counterparts, and this episode, whilst good, is just the opposite of Consternation. The soundtrack is also one of my least favourites. This one just felt a bit like a filler episode. It's still a great entry, especially given the time it came out, but I'd say this is the most 'run of the mill' episode pre-modern Krinkels.
12. Madness Avenger
Avenger is very much a classic. This is where the Improbability Drive was introduced and the main story started to take shape. I think Redeemer is where the violence and John Wick style animation began, but I feel the story truly jumped after Avenger. This was the second episode I ever watched and I still hold it in very high regard. I think this is the episode people think of when someone says 'Madness Combat', if you were skulking around Newgrounds back in the early 00's.
11. Madness Depredation
Depredation was the 3rd episode I ever watched. I remember seeing the thumbnail plastered everyone on flash animation websites. This is where Hank got his iconic look - this episode is just batshit crazy. If someone mentions Madness Combat and you don't think of Avenger or Consternation, then you probably remember the Depredation and onward looks. There's just so much to love here. The hard pounding soundtrack from Cheshyre let's you know that this is hardcore. Removing the nostalgia I'd say it doesn't have a lot to offer in terms of story until the very end, but man when this came out it was one of my favourites and still is, I just believe that the other episodes have a lot more to say.
10. Madness Inundation
When this first came out, it was sort of controversial, if I remember correctly. With Hank dead at the end of Consternation, I saw tons of comments and forum posts, including some from myself... is Hank coming back? Is this the end? No one really predicted that Jeb would get his own episode, and looking back, I love this episode. I wasn't a huge fan back in 2008, and I would have ranked it near the bottom just out of spite for not getting Hank. But this episode, looking at it today, is brilliant. Jeb is such a cool protagonist, being able to fly, use his powers, catch bullets, the iconic sniper rifle opening, API's soundtrack. The Magnum. I could go on, honestly. I think this is one of the highlights of the series, because at the time, we genuinely thought this was the final episode, and Krinkels' posts, or lack thereof, around that time, sort of gave the impression that this would be the case. The episode feels very much centred around doom, and the end of things as we know it, especially during normality restoration. I think this is where subtle hints surrounding the Madness universe (or Nevadean universe... maybe?) started to take shape. Thankfully, it wasn't the end. It was unfortunately, so far, the end of Jeb, which is a damn shame. I hope Krinkels reconsiders down the line, but for now, he joins the Sheriff being the only two characters to die, seemingly forever, and go to "regular Hell".
9. Madness Apotheosis
Apotheosis is the very first episode I watched back in 2004, so naturally I do have some tiny amount of bias. This is where Krinkels found his footing - quite literally. Characters now have two feet, animation is a lot smoother, another iconic bandage look from Hank following Avenger... again, before getting Depredation, similar to Inundation as well, this truly looked like the end.
8. Madness Combat 5.5
This may also be controversial. But I firmly believe 5.5 is actually better than the episode it's structured around. Again, these earlier rankings are hard as I am trying to not see it through nostalgia, but rather quality. I think 5.5 just has so much to say, the iconic opening, mixed with the soundtrack. It fits perfectly with the lore, and actually makes Depredation a much better episode. Again, the issue with Depredation is that the intro is just run of the mill, up until the mid-point and ending, which only serves, at the time, a continuation in the form of Antipathy. 5.5 is where things tied together very nicely. This is also the introduction of Sanford and Deimos who would go on to become much loved characters in the Madness canon. Given how they just seem like random grunts in Depredation (which, at the time, they likely were), Krinkels managed to give them a whole side quest, which ties in very nicely with the main story. It's also the first time where two protagonists are on screen and are actually doing something, which I'll explain later. Other than that, great episode!
7. Madness Antipathy
The sixth Madness episode is also quite the anomaly. What I failed to realise as a kid is that each episode pretty much ends on a somewhat cliffhanger, but a cliffhanger where it could continue, and it also doesn't have to. 2006 was a huge year for animated sequels, with Madness 6, Killing Spree VI and Joe Zombie: Episode 6, ironically, all the 6's. There's a few others to mention, but we'd be here all day. I love Hanks look in this episode, with his exposed jaw after being pummelled to heck by Tricky in episode 5. The stab wound with the smiley face. Just do what comes natural. Have to mention while I love Cheshyre's Trainmadness soundtrack, we also have to give a shoutout to the creepy opening music MADNEWAT, and API's fast, twitchy techno music in the first half. I mention this because Hank seems very twitchy in this episode, and I love it. It's also carried over in 9.5 too, which is nice to see. The gore is great, especially with the axe and P90 at the end, the train, Jeb working a normal job post Depredation... I think this is where Madness truly reached the point of 'crazy' and set the stage for every episode that came after it.
6. Madness Aggregation
Aggregation is the 9th episode in the Madness canon, and was certainly a surprise to see. This is Krinkels' experimental phase, and you can see it throughout the episode. It was the first episode (if I remember correctly) to have two protagonists on screen at the same time (or three, if you count dead/carried Hank). This is where my problems begin, however. You can certainly tell it was the first time, a lot of my issues with this episode center around Sanford or Deimos sort of standing around doing nothing whilst the other is causing mayhem. Apart from that though, it was nice to see them again, especially after watching the .5's years later. On rewatch, I hold it in much higher regard now that we have context for the canon. This is also where Hank is revived and would set up another event in the form of 9.5 later down the line. It is weird to see Hank as a Mag, and it's doubly sad to see that Deimos did not make it, but this episode is baller. The soundtrack as well, definitely fits the opening with our heroes driving and evading enemies. I can't pinpoint it, but the soundtrack definitely feels like a dual protagonist sound. In terms of story, it sticks very well.
5. Madness Combat 6.5
There is so much to love about 6.5. I think it's honestly the best .5 episode pre-Madness 11 era. 2009-2011 was a very experimental phase, but it definitely paid off. I just love how seamlessly 5.5 and 6.5 come together when watched one after the other, or in one big video (props to the folks who put those 'In Real-time' videos together). The wounded Sanford, the train tracks, it certainly gives a lot of context for what is going on, wordlessly. This is where they started to get their iconic looks. Whilst 7.5 didn't really offer anything substantial, 5.5 and 6.5 are truly magnificent episodes that are held in high regard. The reason I ranked 5.5 lower is that it's just to give you an idea of what's happening around Depredation and Antipathy, whereas 6.5 feels like its own episode. The soundtrack is one of my favourites too. The animation was getting more and more fluid, and given that this came out before Madness 10, it's quite amazing how much of the animation style here is carried over into the later episodes.
4. Madness Consternation
Episode 7 is one of my all-time favourites, for sure, and I think this rings true for a lot of people in the community. Even though it's not ranked at number 1, I'd still say it's among my personal favourite episodes. The soundtrack and eerie vibe of the demonic Clown gives the episode a real horror angle that I always scared me in a way, as a kid. There's also things I never noticed back in 2007, that I notice today, such as 'DISSENTER BE DAMNED' written on the walls where the spiked agents are. This is cool nowadays since 9.5 expands on retention and dissenters, so even though it may not have been intended at the time (or if it was, Krinkels was certainly quiet about it), it tells a lot without any words and fits the story very nicely. Again, it's another pick for my "this is the Hank you think about when someone mentions Madness Combat" list. There are so many. But I love Hank's ninja wraps and red goggles. I feel this is when his image improved each episode. Cheshyre's Madness7 soundtrack is close to my all time favourite, and I still blast it in the car to this day. Also, chainsaw Hank is MVP.
3. Madness Expurgation
This might be a little controversial depending on who you ask, but I think Expurgation fits nicely in 3rd place within this ranking. It's one of my favourites and is probably one of the craziest episodes to date. I think the issue I have with this episode is the lack of blood. I think Madness has always been memorable for the amount of gore, blood and ways that the enemies are killed. I don't have an issue with the black blood from the clown minions, but the gore just feels a bit lessened here, in my opinion anyway. That, however, does not stop this from being an all time great. 7 years, 7 months and 7 days, and it was well worth the wait after being teased for so long. This is truly a highpoint in the Madness canon, where things looked vulnerable in-universe. I know things have always looked shaky given how each episode ends, but seeing the Auditor all messed up and trying to make a deal with Hank and Sanford to remove the Clown, it sets up Madness Combat 12 nicely. The audio and SFX is a major improvement and would become a standard in later animations. The soundtrack, 'Expurgation', from our saviour Cheshyre is again one of the best soundtracks. It gives a sense of hopelessness, this is even more apparent when Sanford yells out in frustration when he is cornered by Tricky, but then hope is restored when Hank returns with a new metal arm, and the soundtrack hits even harder. I do feel like the fight at the end could have been a bit more interesting, and a lot could have happened, but then again, Krinkels worked on this thing for 7 years, so I'll give him a pass on that. Also love the way the episode begins with Hank and Sanford climbing down the ladder from MC10, haha. All in all, one of my favourites.
2. Madness Abrogation
I think Madness Combat 10 is easily one of the best episodes. This thing came out in 2011, but it could have come out in 2016 or something and I'd have been none the wiser. The sheer rise in quality is undeniable. Like I said before, my issues with Aggregation stem from a quality perspective, where one or more characters sort of stand around doing nothing whilst another character is off doing something. When rewatching MC9, it becomes more and more apparent and I can't unsee it. MC5.5 and 6.5 was a period of time where Krinkels was able to hash this out and I think this all came together in MC10, for sure. The animation is very expressive and fluid, there's not a single point where the protags are just standing still or doing nothing (except for when Hank is pushed into the wall by the Mag and when he pulls the lever for Sanford, but I'll give this a pass). The episode feels very alive, due in part to the expressiveness, such as Hank and Sanford playing rock paper scissors to determine who dives into The Auditor's construct first. Naturally, it's our boy Hank. And that soundtrack? Come on, it's easily my personal favourite in the whole series. I think where MC9 toned it down to suit a more slow paced episode, MC10 ramps it up where it sounds like alarms are ringing, as if to say "we've go to go, quick!", and the part of the song where a portion of Madness7 is played, followed by a remix of Crazy Clown Song of Death from MC5, truly amazing. Cheshyre did a beastly job here, and as usual, breathed some serious life into this episode. It's by far the episode I come back to the most, there is just so much to love here. Again, you'd have no idea that MC10 and MC11 are 7 years apart. I wish I could say more, and to be honest I would I could say more on ALL the episodes, but we'd be here all day. MC10 is a classic, hands down.
1. Madness Combat 9.5
This might've been expected, or not expected, I don't know. But MC9.5 is easily the best episode to date. I'll also be ranking both parts as one whole episode. I can't actually tell you which part I prefer the most, as it takes two of my favourite looking Hanks and puts them into the same episode. Following Dedmos and the anticipated release of MC12, I would say that this is Krinkels' magnum opus. In terms of sheer quality, the amazing sound design, and again we cannot forget how much life is pumped into these animations by Cheshyre. I'd say I prefer Part 1's soundtrack over Part 2. I think given how fast MC6 Hank is, I would be inclined to say Part 1's fast paced soundtrack fits that version of Hank the most, but that's just a personal preference.
Anyway, the most noticeable thing off the bat is the sleek, crisp art design. It's rugged, detailed, and is by far Krinkels' best work. It truly feels like a massive overhaul to the design of the characters and world around them. Again, the expressiveness is huge, such as Hank making fun of the ATP Soldat gesturing with his hand, pointing towards the eyes, and this is even more interesting because it's the first time Hank meets them chronologically. It feels very fluid, and everything looks like it has real weight to it. This is also enhanced by the amazing sound design, for a mask that drops onto the floor, or the clicking of the guns. The horror feel from MC7 is truly back here, as well. Part 2 specifically where Tricky just goes into beast mode, it very much caught me off guard. MC9.5 also gives us an interesting look at how 'the other place' works, and how the Madness universe works as a whole. It's implied when you die, you end up in this sort of purgatory hellscape, and it does all of this story telling wordlessly. Ironically, I feel that Part 1 is actually more of a 7.5 than the original 7.5, for the obvious reason that 9.5 starts after Hank is killed in MC7. So many little details in 9.5 make it feel so authentic, such as the very end when Hank is revived, and you can faintly hear gunshots in the background, the moment where Deimos is killed. I have so much more to say but again, we'll be here all day. All in all, this is by far the best MC episode to date in terms of quality, audio, story and the new art style will be one of the driving forces moving forward.
So, that's my personal ranking of Madness Combat episodes. Again, I love every single episode, so if there's a ranking you disagree with, just remember it's my personal opinion and in my head, they are all number 1. Submit your rankings, and let me know your thoughts, and where you'd rank the episodes!

Got to clarify, we are all in the same class. To resume kind of what happened, I had a friendship with this man called Jonathan. We were really close and I used to think of him as such a mature and understanding person since we had quite a more intimate trust in each other, but back in September he stole my girlfriend and made me pass the worst months of probably my whole life. I used to feel so lonely, he was pretty much the only person I trusted and as how of a closed person I am, I could help but think of him as such a special pal to me.
A lot of other stuff happened between us to the point where around in november I got the courage to talk to another friend of mine that also had quite the issue with him and with the whole conversation we had it was such a way to open my eyes. Then, there was a third friend who also joined it and we all realised how bad Jonathan messed up in different ways everyone.
It was troublesome, but at the end we all wrote a card for him telling everything about how we felt and basically ending the friendship. It was so hard, I practically lost my partner and my best friend in a matter of three months, way too confused because I didn’t even realised how bad the situation was until about half of the second month. Honestly, way too much for me. I recall the wave of emotions that went through me, how confusing was it to resent someone you thought so much about. It even got me at one point harming myself physically for that man. Back in the day I actually told him, I tried to see if he would care about it and yet all he did was see me with awkward eyes. God.
Back around January of this year, he for some reason decided to start to apologise to each one of us. He started out with my friends the same day and then told them that he was planning out to talk with me too. (Kind of like, in a way where he wanted them to tell me about it), and I remember having such an anxious month because of the wait. Literally a month. Would even give him chances and stay sometimes late in hope he would actually tell me anything, and yet? I ended up being the one asking him to meet. Once and for all, I just wanted to move along it all, I remember having quite the hope that things would go well to the point I got him a lollipop for when we ended chatting.
Yet, it was so disappointing. The first words of his were how he didnt even have an idea on what to talk to me about, he even confessed that he didnt even wanted to do it in the first place. (I might add, like around a week before he was still saying that he wanted to talk, and even since the day i sent him the message i gave him another week to prepare.) and, even that time with the wounds he recognised the fact he could had been the cause without me even saying anything, so disappointed i was. Most of the ten minuted of chat were mostly me asking stuff and him just misunderstanding my words and admiting of how a coward he was. Honestly, i didnt even forgave him that day and still havent to this day.
Back to the present, it has come to my notice about what has he been doing lately. There were a few notes he posted about missing other woman that isnt my ex (which hes still dating) and just all around crawling back for another person rather than his own relationship. Worst thing? My ex doesnt give a damn about it and was just kissing him today as always.
I feel frustrated. This man is literally publicly shaming his lover and no one seems to give a damn. And lately and since my friends also reconciled with him they just keep talking and kinda hanging out and its just so uncomfortable. They always talk about him and fun stuff he sends or do, or go to get things from him, and all I can do is just stick around next to them and stood around in silence till they decide to stop chatting. Worst thing is that, apart from the fact that I cant escape either of them, everyone just simply seem to treat me as if I was the obsessive one. “Oh you do all of this because youre jealous and you miss your ex!” No, I dont feel anything but shame for her, yet I cant help but get so bothered by even their voice.
I know this is being selfish as hell, and so inmature as well, but I simply wish I wouldnt have to see them anymore, and that my friends didnt talked to him either. I perfectly know the fact that I cant control their friendships or their life in general, but if just once they would let that guy actually feel such loneliness that he has made me feel. It feels so unfair that I am the one that has become so distant and bitter when I literally went trough hell just a bit ago. I know I am being jealous, even such a bad person for even wishing them to end their relationship, but how come? Can anyone just ever have the slightest respect on my persona?
Worst thing is that I wont be able to do anything but complain on a post that barely anyone will read, and I deeply wished I could just disappear at this point. Is there even a way to adress this with my friends without sounding like such an crybaby?

I’m looking for advice on how to improve this one-shot I’m working on for a group of experienced players. My only concerns at the moment are that it’s too generic and that there are too little encounters:
Summary: The players are hired by Baron Thorne to track down and capture a man named Jareth, accused of stealing a powerful and valuable amulet. Unbeknownst to the players, Baron Thorne himself stole the amulet and is using them to frame Jareth and cover his tracks. The Baron sends a loyal guard, Captain Voss, to accompany the players, tasked with ensuring Jareth is silenced if the players start uncovering the truth.
:Setting - Baron Thorne's Estate: Standard lavish estate where the players receive their mission. - Blackwood: The nearby town where Jareth was last seen. - Old mines: An old and abandoned mineshaft outside the town where Jareth has fled to hide and plan his next move.
Key NPCs: - Baron Thorne:The wealthy and manipulative noble who hires the players. He is INCREDIBLY charming. - Captain Voss: The loyal and ruthless guard sent by the Baron to accompany the players. (He has secret orders to kill Jareth if the players get too close to the truth.) - Jareth: The man accused of stealing the amulet. He is desperate and on the run. - Captain Mira: The captain of the town guard, loyal to the Baron but suspicious of the circumstances. - Innkeeper Bran: A friendly innkeeper in Blackwood who can provide useful information about Jareth.
Key Encounters: 1. Baron's Estate Guards: A combat encounter with guards loyal to the Baron if the players try to enter his estate covertly. 2. Town Thugs: Thugs sent by the Baron to intercept the players or eliminate Jareth. 3. Ruins Traps: Environmental challenges/ traps set by Jareth to protect himself. 4. Captain Voss’ Betrayal: An encounter where Captain Voss turns on the players, should they begin suspecting something amiss. 5. Showdown: Final encounter with the Baron, which can be resolved through combat, intimidation, or diplomacy.

So I picked up RDR2 when it first came out and I thought it looked cool but I got impatient with the loading times. I didn't even get close to finishing it I just moved on. Truth be told I hardly started. I might have just been impatient or something I dunno. Anyway the years have went on and I thought... Let's see how it looks on the PS5.
Man. It looks fucking awesome and now that the loading times are hardly anything I find I can play quite happily. Kinda glad I skipped it back then so I can really enjoy it now.
I've just rescued some unsavoury guy from strawberry and polite Irish fellow from being taken to a federal prison.
So far it's been an experience. Hunting. Surviving. I even played some poker which was fun.
Looking forward to seeing what's coming up!

My girlfriend and I have been together for 1 year, from Dec 2022 to Dec 2023. During that year things didn't go very smooth, we had a lot of fights, which were mainly caused by constant miscommunication of our needs and expectations. Our big fights occured approximately every 2 months. Inbetween those events, we had plenty of very good and happy times, with travelling, holidays together etc.
Eventually, the repeating negativity and issues that couldn't be resolved through talking anymore outweighed the little positive that was left, and she broke up in December 2023. After a month of being separated, where we both had time to reflect on what led to our breakup, I contacted her and we met. A month later we got back together (February 2024). Our new relationship made a 180 degree turn and things couldn't be better right now. Our relationship is healthier than ever, we communicate well, there's no fighting at all. (In our 1st RS we barely had sex more than once every 2 weeks, now it was daily)
During our "first" relationship, we didn't post any pictures together, we never talked about moving in together or introduced each other to the family. Now in our "second" try, we met each others families, we post pictures together and we plan for long term goals. The only thing that never left my mind, was the question if she met someone else, maybe slept with someone else during our time apart. I asked her openly and she said no she didn't.
Last night, she fell asleep in my bed, I was still working on my PC. I don't know her pin code, nor did I ever try checking her phone or asked her to show me anything, I had full trust in her at any given time. She fell asleep listening a Youtube Podcast, which meant her phone stayed unlocked. I took it away from the bed to bring it to the nightstand for charging. While holding it, this sudden urge of checking her phone in order to convince myself that nothing ever happened overcame me. So I checked her whatsapp conversation with her best friend, as I knew that they exchange about everything. I scrolled up to the days where she left me in December 2023 and read til the day we got back together.
I found out that she started texting and meeting this new guy, shortly before she officially broke up. They had a few dates and slept together. After we met again and talked about our past relationship, she broke everything off with him. This reassured me, because this meant that our relationship was more important to her in the end, but it also shocked me because she lied. This made my insecurity skyreocket, so I started digging deeper and looked at other chats...
I found out that shortly after we got together and we started having issues (around march 2023) here and there, she began hooking up with different men, sexting and exchanging pictures. These hookups and texts occured frequently every month or two, from february 2023 until she broke up with me. This included a married man that secretely had an affair with her, a DJ and some other profiles that were now blocked. None of these conversations or any new ones extended beyond 2023. Since we got back together she didn't text any guy, and told her best friend how happy she was with me, now that our relationship is on the right tracks. The married man seemed to be a long time friend of hers, that she occasionally hooked up with during the last few years while being single. She talked to him about our issues, showed him screenshots of our fights and was looking for comfort. She told him multiple times how she can't continue like that but doesn't have the strenght to break up. Many of the things that she complained to him about were actually things I did and they were indeed mostly my fault.
I am totally devastated, I know I shouldn't have done it and I'm ashamed of what I've done. It completely shattered anything that I believed was true about her. I didn't tell her anything or show any anger this morning as she left for work. I don't know what to do. I love her so much and everything is finally perfect since we "redirected" our relationship onto the right path. I'm not trying to defend or justify anything that she did, but I feel like her actions were linked to the things that didn't go well during that entire year.
Either I tell her that I checked her phone, which will lead to a breakup or I figure out a way to see the "old" and the "new" relationship as two separate events, since I couldn't find anything indicating that she's still seeing other people and being dishonest. On one hand, I don't know how to pretend as if I didn't know it, on the other hand I don't want to end this for something that is linked to a past relationship. This year we are invited to several weddings together, we booked our vacations, etc.
Please help me..

Last night I realized I got every single SP I chased to turn around and ask me to meet them. This should be proof that ALL of your desires actually want you.
Chasing means you believe they don’t want you. You can initate conversations that’s fine but you need to come from a place of self worth.
We are talking about 5 different SPs here. And most of it was actually unconscious cause I didn’t realize the law but it was working.
Sp 1 (a girl) had me blocked on all platforms. Definitely the most hopeless circumstances I’ve been in. Refused to speak to me when I saw her in person and walked away. Lol it was BAD. But after one year of trying to reconcile I was like she will eventually want to talk to me. Then 2 months later this same person who kept ghosting me in person was waving at me when I saw her from a distance lmao. But this was unconscious. So I didn’t really try to reach out to her for years and then when I did we became extremely close just the way I wanted. Just the way I craved. She asked to meet me. Not to mention I maintained a belief that she was into girls for years despite her denying it and she eventually came out lol.
Sp 2: I chased and begged him to meet me and he kept refusing. I called him and begged for months lol. And then I was like fuck that. He will regret and then not too long after he was texting me again. And then kept asking me to meet him . I kid you not 6 years later this man is still asking me to meet him.
SP 3: : (a boy) I spent hours and hours day dreaming about us making out and having sex. But my god my self concept was on the floor at this point. He rejected me. I got into self love mode and started thinking he is not all that and bro was complimenting me and hinting how he wanted to make out and things. Again this was unconscious and therefore it took years to materialise cause i didn’t maintain assumptions and also I didn’t want him for a long time. But we eventually did do EVERYTHING I day dreamt about. This is also the guy that said “I will never ask you out” and then two months into FWB he was hella nervous trying to ask me out and he did. And we dated. The relationship ended cause of my fears and doubts and that got me into conscious manifesting. I initially chased him and tried to manifest him. Stopped moved on. I eventually got back into manifesting him. All I did was convince myself and change my assumptions. Got him to chase me, ask to meet me and text me everyday just like I had craved for after the break up.
Sp 4: I did every manifesting technique in the book to get him to change his mind. All I had to do was change my mind. I started thinking “his loss” and then just weeks later he started saying he was thinking about me at 2 am. “Tables have turned” and asked me to meet him. (I also got rid of his 3p in 2 weeks)
Sp 5: my current SP. I asked him to meet him twice and realized nah he is gonna ask next. Then I kept thinking oh I know you want to walk around York with me in the summer. He literally word for word said he wants to walk around York with me in the summer.
Literally just tell yourself they want you, and they want what you want. Don’t think against it. Don’t question it. Accept it as true. It won’t take that long to show up in the 3D.