So last time I posted an update, I got denied for multiple apartments and had decided to just work on my credit until I could qualify for an apartment. Well, the roommate I was looking with reached out to me after her own trouble finding a place and convinced me to try one more time at a place that doesn’t look at credit as closely at others do, as they place more emphasis on having income at least 3x the rent, which we had between the two of us.
And we got it! My mom (and 1 dog and 4 cats, with my other 2 dogs claimed) has to be an illegal, but split 3 ways, my housing costs are around $740- including utilities and renters insurance, and assuming a high utility usage month. It’s a 2 bed, 2.5 bath townhome, so we all have our own toilets, and I just have to share a shower with my mom. According to the floor plan, the dining and living rooms are separate, so we shall be turning the dining room into Mom’s room. We move in June 11th. Now the rest of the year will be paying back my grandma and building up my initial emergency fund.
I’ll have roughly $600.00 extra a month after all bills are paid (including a $75/check spending amount), and will be splitting that in half, with the first half going to my grandma and the second half going to my emergency fund. Next year will be paying down my debt and contributing the full match (6%) to my retirement. :)

Kimchi: Hey, you there. Yeah, you reading this. If you want to know about boring human stuff, go here An Introduction To The Book That Is Me : ASMRScriptHaven (reddit.com) . If you want to know about more fun cat stuff... and... I guess... other fun human kinds of stuff... even though humans aren't nearly as fun as cats, go here Masterlist for edgiscript : ASMRScriptHaven (reddit.com)
Edgiscript: Kimchi.
Kimchi: What? This is what you said to do.
Edgiscript: Not like that. Now they're going to think this is actually part of the script.
Kimchi: Whaaaaaaat? No. Humans can't be that dumb, can they?
Edgiscript: They're not dumb. But your format is all wrong.
Kimchi: Pfft. Whatever. It gets the job done and it's more fun that your boring-ass method.
Edgiscript: Hey!!!
Kimchi: Well, it is. You can't blame me for that.
Edgiscript: Look, you... all right, fine. The intros are usually pretty boring. So then, just get everybody to the script.
Kimchi: Ooh, yeah, yeah, yeah. This is really cool, because it stars me and my cute, little, adorable hubby. It starts out all spooky like because he doesn't know what's going on, but come on, nobody could be scared of me for too long, now could they? I mean, look at these cute little ears and tail.
Edgiscript: Kimchi, it's a script. They can't see you.
Kimchi: Maybe you can't. Anyway, the really, really, really, super-cool thing about this series is that each piece was written to work completely on its own. Well, maybe you need the 1st one to set things up. But then it doesn't matter. You can do any pieces you want after that in any order you want. And you don't even have to mark them as being a part 2 or part 3 or anything like that. You can just treat them as one-offs and see if your listeners make the connection. Each chapter is its own self-contained story. Some require multiple voices, but each one is its own thing.
Edgiscript: So, if you think series don't do that well, you can do any of these chapters without treating them as a series.
Kimchi: Duh. That's what I just said.
Edgiscript: I know, but... (shuffling his feet in the ground.) I just wanted to be a part of what you were doing.
Kimchi: Awww, edgi, you're so cute. Come here and sit beside me.
Edgiscript: But, I....
Kimchi: I SAID SIT DOWN!
Edgiscript: Yes, ma'am.
Kimchi: And now, on to part 1. Enjoy.
-------------------------------------------------------------
(And now, the Real Script.)
Title: Play Time

Part 1

(Slow footsteps. Sounds of night time.)
Kimchi: (From nearby. Spooky and mysterious. Singsong voice calling out.) Where aaaaaare you, human? Come oooooouuuut.
(Still spooky and haunting, but no longer singsong.) I know you’re here. I can smell you. I’ve been hunting you for a while now. Did you know that? Did you know I’ve been stalking you for weeks?
I’ve never had the opportunity to catch you until now. You’ve never been alone before. Is that because you knew I was watching? I wonder.
But this time you chose to wander through the woods back to your house. Is that because somebody slashed your tires? I wonder who could have done that? (Giggles creepily.) Maybe someone that wanted you out here all alone so she could have you all to herself. And now you’re aaaaaaaaaalllllll mine.
(Singsong.) So come on ooooooooooooouuuuut.
(Footsteps pick up the pace a little.)
You’re walking faster now. I can hear you. I see you like to play. Good, that makes this more fun. It’s so satisfying to catch prey that’s actually trying. When your prey knows there’s no chance and gives up, it takes away all of the thrill of the hunt, and I looooooove the hunt.
Your smell is so intoxicating. I’m going to love sinking my teeth into your neck.
I was hoping you wouldn’t bother calling for an Uber. After all, your apartment was so close, and you’ve walked these woods so many times during the day. You know every branch, every rock. Don’t you? You felt so safe walking this way. In fact, you even avoided possibly running into some very bad people in town by going this way.
I wonder if you thought they might have slashed your tires and were fooling them by taking this route. Bet you didn’t know that something else haunted these woods. But now you do. And now you’re beginning to realize that you can’t get away from me.
(Footsteps begin running.)
Ah hah. Now you’re finally running. Yes! Gooooood. That gets me so excited. The chase is on.
You know you’re fast. You run regularly. You work out. You’re healthy and strong. You believe you can make it. Go on, little prey. You can do it.
(Giggles creepily.) The thing that’s chasing you can’t be faster than you, can it? It’s not racing towards you right now drawn by your breathtaking aroma and your delightful sound, and now…
...your beautiful sight. Yes. There you are. You can’t see me, but I can see you.
Now, the real fun begins. Should I just take you, or let the chase go on? I want you so badly, but I also love the chase, and I never get to chase anything anymore. Nothing comes through here at night. I think they’re afraid of me. Nobody wants to play.
But you do. You came into my woods because you love to play, don’t you? Admit it. The chase thrills you too. Your blood is pumping. Your heart is racing. You feel so alive.
But not for very much longer now. No, not very long now. You know the end is near. Your home is so close, isn’t it? You have only a little further to go and you’ll be out of the woods and close enough to other people that I won’t be able to catch you. There’s hope. Hope you’ll make it. So, I guess this game is finally over. You’re MINE!!!
(Sounds of a tackle.)
Hello, little human. You’ve made for such an exhilarating prey. I loved this game very much and I want to thank you for your part.
(Pause.)
Yes, I said, “human.” You see what I am now. You see my teeth. You see my ears. I’m a cat-girl. Or rather, I am the hunter and you are my prey. But now the chase is over and you’re mine. Any last words before I finally… heh heh, finalize our… courtship?
(From now on Kimchi is sweet and endearing, not creepy and menacing.)
(Confused.) Whoa, whoa, whoaaaaaaaa!. Human, what are you doing? When I asked if you had any last words, I didn’t think you’d scream for help. What’s that all about?
(Pause.)
WHAT!?! Eat you? Of course I’m not going to eat you. Why would I eat you?
(Pause.)
Yes, I said I was going to sink my teeth into your neck, but not like that. Humans taste… well, I don’t know what humans taste like, because I’ve never eaten a human. But I’m sure they taste disgusting. Blech.
Do human girls eat their men when they catch them? I suppose that would explain why the number of marriages is dropping.
(Pause.)
Yes, marriages. That’s what I said.
(Pause.)
What do you mean, what’s that got to do with this? That’s got everything to do with this. I’m marrying you.
(Pause.)
No, I’m not proposing marriage.
(Speaking slowly as if the listener is stupid.) I’m ma-rry-ing you.
(Normal.) Right now. That’s what cat-girls do. We find ourselves a hubby, (Smiling.) that’s you, (Normal.) we catch them, and we make them ours. I’ve caught you. You’re mine. That’s how it works.
(Pause.)
Of course you have a say in this. That’s why I asked you if you had any last words. Isn’t that what the humans do? As the ceremony is wrapping up, they like to say, “I do.” Right? I was letting you say, “I do.”
(Pause.)
What do you mean I made it sound like I was going to kill you? Who says, “Any last words” before killing somebody?
Oh, come to think of it, you may have a point. I didn’t think of it that way.
(Pause.)
And I also said, “The end is near.” I meant the end of the chase, not your life.
Sorry about that, but whatever. It’s irrelevant because I’ve caught you and you’re mine. All I have left to do is attach this collar and tie you up and then I bring you back to my place for all of the love and affection I can provide.
(Giggles.) There’s your collar attached. Now, the humans will see that you’re mine. I still have to mark you with my scent when we get home so other cat-girls will know to keep their grubby little hands or paws off of you. That’s where biting your neck comes in.
(Pause.)
Yeah, I’ve got human looking hands. Some cat-girls have paws. It’s kind of like how some humans have black hair and some are blonde or red. It just happens that way.
Now, do you mind putting your hands together for me? That would make it easier on me to tie you up.
Thank you. Keep them like that.
(Pause.)
Am I worried somebody will stop me? You can’t be serious. Why would I be worried about that?
Wait. You don’t already have a mate, do you? I was certain you didn’t. I told you I’ve been stalking you for weeks now.
(Sniffs all over him.) And I don’t detect any scent of girl on you.
(Sweetly.) I just smell cuteness. (Giggles.) And Cheetos.
Ok, I’m done with your hands. Now turn around please so I can wrap this around you and finish these knots.
(Pause.)
What? You meant I might be doing something illegal? Of course I’m not. This was voted in by you humans several years ago. By a wide margin, I might add.
Cat people just decide on who they want and they take them. According to your human laws, I only can’t take you if another girl has made you hers. Those are your rules, not mine. Personally, I might fight a girl for you if I thought she wasn’t good enough for you.
We used to chase only other cat people, but you humans are the ones that said it was ok if we included you as potential mates. And I’m so glad they did, because you are the cutest, most adorable little man I have ever seen, and I’ve just made you mine.
There, I’ve got your legs all tied too.
(Pause.)
Yes, yes, I know I keep calling you “little” and I’m actually smaller than you, but it was supposed to be affectionate. A term of endearment. You’re my cute little baby. See? Like that.
But us cat people are so much stronger than you humans and so much more athletic. I can pick you up easily like this without a struggle. And now I can carry you back to my place. It’s not far. See, it’s right over there.
(Pause.)
Right. It’s that pile of leaves. It’s very cozy. I gathered all of the leaves myself.
Let me just put you down so I can finally shower my new little hubby with all of my love and affection. Let me start right back here on your neck.
(Kisses and nibbles.)
Yes, I told you I have to mark you so the other cat-girls will know to keep away from you. I’ve got to kiss you and nibble you back here too in order to really get my scent on you.
(Pause.)
Yes, now you get it. That’s what I meant earlier when I said I couldn’t wait to sink my teeth into your neck.
(Pause.)
Yes, I thought you’d like that.
(Pause.)
I didn’t know you thought I was going to eat you. I thought all humans knew about cat people mating rituals. No wonder you screamed when I caught you.
I’m sorry, hubby. Can you forgive me for scaring you?
(Pause.)
Oh, that’s right. I haven’t told you who I am yet. Sorry. I was just so excited with the hunt and finally catching you that I forgot.
My name is Kimchi.
(Pause.)
Yes, I know what it means. A nice, old Korean lady gave me the name after she took me in when I was very small. She was wonderful to me. I called her mom. She fed me and gave me a nice place to sleep.
(Pause.)
Yes, I liked staying at her place. She was a magic lady.
(Pause.)
Uh huh, there are too magic ladies. Did you know that she could make it rain inside her house with warm water. Can you believe it?
(Pause.)
Yes, a shower. That’s what she called it.
(Pause.)
What? You have one too? Are you magic too?
(Pause.)
What do mean, that’s common among humans? Really? You say you have a shower at your apartment? And a stove where we can heat our food? And a bed like the one I used to sleep in at mom’s house? That sounds wonderful.
I’m so sorry. All I have are these leaves. But at least I have a beautiful night sky to sleep under. It’s very romantic, don’t you think?
(Pause.)
Wait, you’re saying we could live in your apartment? You’d really let me stay there?
(Pause.)
Well, yeah, you’re my hubby and I’m your wife. Awwww, I love hearing you say that. Say it again.
(Pause, then squeals with glee.)
Ok, I’ll carry you to your apartment.
(Pause.)
Of course I have to carry you. How else will you get there all tied up?
(Pause.)
Oh, no. I couldn’t untie you. You might get away from me.
(Pause.)
What do you mean, “Exactly.”
(Sad.) You want to get away from me?
(Pause.)
(Understanding.) Oh, you think I sounded sorry that the hunt was over so soon. You’d like to let me do it again.
(Suddenly very excited.) Wait, WHAT!?! You’d… you’d let me hunt you again? Really, really, really, really, really? I get to chase you and catch you all over?
(Concerned.) But wait. You were scared the first time. Why do you want me to chase you again.
(Pause.)
Well, yeah, you probably would enjoy it more if you knew ahead of time that I wasn’t going to eat you.
(Pause.)
(Excited again.) And you say you’re really good at hide-and-seek? Oh, ho, ho, hoooooo. Challenge accepted.
(Flustered from her excitement.) Now… I just need to undo… these knots… and… Oh, screw it. I’ll just bite the ropes apart. There. They’re off.
(Realizing.) Oh, wait. I just cut my ropes. Now I’ll have no ropes to tie you up.
(Pause.)
That’s ok? When I catch you, you’ll just come with me. And you’ll never take off your collar so everybody else knows what’s going on because I am your wife, after all?
(Squeals.) I love it, I love it, I love it. I knew you were beautiful, but I didn’t know you’d love to be chased.
Ok, are you ready? Then, ready, set… no, wait, wait, wait.
(Kisses. Giggles.) Ok, now you’re ready.
(Pause.) No, I’m not cheating by marking you up with my scent. I’m just so excited.
I’ll give you a five minute head start to make it fair. And when I catch you, we’ll go to your apartment and have showers, and hot food, and a bed.
(Pause.)
(Ecstatic.) And you also have more string to play with? GO! Go, go, go, go, GO! Hurry! Run! Now! The quicker you run, the quicker I can catch you and we can go back to your place. Now run.
(Pause.)
Oh, I caught the best mate in the world. I’m going to love him sooooooo so much.
(Pause.)
Has it been five minutes? I don’t know. I never figured out how to tell time. It’s been long enough. Oooooooh, look out, hubby. Here I come.
Part 2 coming soon.

(CW: abuse, suicide)
I hope I’m doing this right!
FMIL, but DH and I have been engaged and owned a home together for a decade and we have a 9 year old—just aren’t planning a wedding until I am done school and start earning money again.
Two years ago I was going to throw DH a surprise party, but FMIL and FSIL have planned a vacation during DH’s birthday the past two years, so I wasn’t able to. We are the only ones with a school aged child and these trips are always planned for a full week during my kid’s 1st full month of the school year, so we can only go for the weekend while everyone else (FMIL, FSIL & boyfriend and little kids, FBIL & girlfriend) is there the whole time.
For some background: the first year of the birthday/vacation was unpleasant, FMIL gaslighted DH the first time he ever had the nerve to bring up FFIL abusing him as a child, saying that it didn’t happen. FMIL didn’t like that I was insisting on keeping LO on his regular bedtime schedule on Saturday since he stayed up very late Friday and was returning to his 3rd week of kindergarten on Monday and we needed to drive back Sunday. On Sunday, I woke up to a very long email from FMIL explaining that saying no to a later bedtime on Saturday was unreasonable because this was family time, and that in the movie Dead Poet’s Society one character completes suicide because his parents said no too often. Yeah.
Anyway, last year DH wanted a cookout in our backyard with all his friends for his birthday. He’s never hosted a cookout with his friends. Once again they booked the vacation then so he didn’t. This year I planned to do the cookout, but it’s still months away, so of course I haven’t started.
I get a text today saying FMIL wants to plan a surprise party for DH’s birthday this year with me and FSIL, she wants me to pick a hall, she will make food, that my family will make food, “some” of his buddies can be invited, and it will be BYOB (halls here have bars and don’t allow BYOB, but whatever) and I will have to make an excuse to get him there. She asked what did I think.
Side note: I am a full time student expediting a degree in STEM (a totally new field for me), I was recently diagnosed with ADHD, I have many chronic illnesses, and I am still doing all the SAHM domestic duties I took on when I left the workforce to raise my kid because daycare was commensurate with my salary. I went back to school when LO started kindergarten (so that first vacation was entirely me studying). I finish my degree in December(!) but the months leading up to that are going to be SO busy for me.
I told FMIL that I was planning the cookout, what he wants, for this year. She said he should have surprise party because he doesn’t expect anything fancy and he deserves it and that I should pick a date the month before his birthday or the month after (this is the month I have to plan LO’s huge birthday party) for a surprise party and just have both parties, and if it’s the month after it can also be my graduation party (I won’t graduate for a couple months after that time, still). I don’t want a graduation party, and neither of us should have to split a party, especially if he deserves this surprise party. I do not have time to plan three parties in the final months of my degree, and I probably wouldn’t even have time to attend a second birthday party for him if she threw it all by herself!
I haven’t responded again. I have therapy in the morning and will respond after. I have never thrown him a birthday party, and it seems like she’s just trying to be in control of his birthday for three years in a row, and she doesn’t do this with her other children. I am so tired.

My son was born at 35 weeks he has never hit a single milestone on time. He has an autism screening next week and I'm just trying to prepare myself. His therapists think he might have some sort of OCD, autism or anxiety. He is in our state's early intervention program and he has done occupational therapy, speech therapy, feeding therapy and developmental therapy.
My husband and I've been collecting a list of things that have been concerning for the last 6 to 9 months. I'm just wondering if these things seem worth having him tested for autism and what I should be expecting during his testing?
This is a random list completely out of order and not at all organized. I've made this list as things come to mind
[ ] Will quit eating if his hands get dirty [ ] Will stop eating if he drops food. Will not eat again until the "mess" has been cleaned up [ ] Does not eat well and when we cut his Kate Farms back he lost weight in a month [ ] His food needs to be separated and each section of his plate has to have food before he will eat [ ] He has had an upper scope, a lower scope, two swallow studies, anal, Botox He has prescriptions for Senna miralax and an appetite stimulant [ ] If his fork gets dirty we have to wipe it off before he will keep eating [ ] Mealtime takes one to two hours [ ] Most days he won't eat until 11:00 to 2:00 p.m. some days he will go all day without any food or water. He does not seem to be bothered by not eating [ ] Cries any time we try to have meal time [ ] Panics about things "coming apart" especially about food. He will say "back on" and cry [ ] He pockets food and uses his whole hand to shove food down his throat [ ] He will eat the same food for a few weeks at a time and that will be the only thing he eats and when he's done eating that type of food it takes us a few weeks to figure out something else he'll eat [ ] He has a food choice chart with pictures made by his DT to help with mealtime [ ] Knows what a horizontal stabilizer is on an airplane. Knows 8 or 9 planes parts and types [ ] Loves naming airplane parts, cranes, construction equipment, telescopes and trucks [ ] Loves wheels and gears and building things [ ] Used a medicine syringe as a screw driver to fix things around the house [ ] Blinks funny. Will hold both eyes shut for 2 or 3 seconds [ ] Will not get his hands dirty [ ] Hits and kicks during diaper changes [ ] I'm unable to change poop diapers without having to shower him because he won't stay still enough [ ] Cries every time he has a diaper change. He does not recognize when he's gone to the bathroom in his diaper [ ] We've tried a mirror, songs, hair brushes, TV, toys etc for helping with diaper changes [ ] Copies random phrases. "good job dude" or "hot dog" [ ] Bites every day. Mostly when happy or overwhelmed. Never during a tantrum [ ] I have to rip the tags out of his clothing in public [ ] He doesn't seem to care when we tell him his biting hurts or not to kick. [ ] Does not play alongside other children well. Does not follow directions or stay with the group like his peers [ ] Does not respond to his name unless it is called multiple times and then screamed [ ] Will only engage in conversations he starts [ ] Loves to fall down and crash. He will bloody his hands and then continue to throw himself down on concrete [ ] Covers his ears in public. When there is an air blower at the entrance he will freak out [ ] Loves to climb [ ] Loves to spin [ ] Head banging [ ] Loves flipping [ ] Is afraid of the dark [ ] Has little to no fear or sense of danger [ ] Gags himself with his hand until he throws up [ ] The vacuum scares him hair dryer scare him and he does not like it when the AC or heat kicks on [ ] Will get in your face to talk about something he is interested in but doesn't make good eye contact unless it's a topic he wants to talk about [ ] Will make eye contact briefly but will not hold it [ ] Plays with the same toys the same way every time [ ] Loves playing with small Legos especially the wheels [ ] Lines up his toys and food [ ] If we do something once it becomes our routine and it must be done over and over again [ ] Repeat the same words or phrases over and over again for a few weeks at a time [ ] He will have 2 hour long tantrums. We will do everything we can for him and we don't have any other things to help him. Last time we used a sensory brush and his z vibe. He will sound like he's having trouble breathing during these fits, has coughing fits and needs his inhaler [ ] He has trouble staying with his group and following directions at soccer and gymnastics. He doesn't like moving through rotations. He wants to stay in one spot [ ] He will zone out and we will have trouble getting his attention. We have to call his name multiple times and then scream his name for him to respond [ ] Had a speech delay. First word at 22 months [ ] Has trouble functioning outside of his routine. When we travel and we stay in our routine. He does great traveling as long as we follow our routine. He can't function if we change it up [ ] Will not lay on his back for diaper changes or bath time [ ] Freaks out if his hands are dirty [ ] He needs a tight squeeze when he gets upset but does not want to be touched unless he's asking [ ] Reacts well to changing tasks if we have a timer
[ ] Will stop writing his bike to clean leaves and dirt off of his tires [ ] Loves to be asked questions but will only answer yes and no questions. He doesn't always answer correctly [ ] He will pick a body part and say it hurts for weeks [ ] Everything has to be clean and picked up. He has to take every piece apart before putting a toy away like Legos, stackable boats in bathtub [ ] Refuses to leave Grandmamas house until all the mess is clean (toys and food) [ ] Never wants to be alone. Refuses to play alone unless he is outside or playing Legos. [ ] He's normally a very happy kid but the things that upset him makes it so he can't function [ ] Walk with his ear to shoulder [ ] Makes himself throw up [ ] Won't sleep unless his mouth is in the covers, his gray blanket in over his feet and his ceiling fan is on. He will lay in his bed and call for us to come fix it if we do it wrong. [ ] Does not follow what other kids are doing during soccer and gymnastics [ ] Loves to play Legos and build wheels [ ] Nightmares [ ] Lots of affection. Hugs, biting, tight squeezes, banging head when happy [ ] Loves trash cans [ ] Calls himself "you" [ ] Wants the same songs, toys, and books over and over again [ ] Doesn't like it when the wind blows. Covers his ears [ ] Whiny/ distressed/ high pitched voice [ ] Randomly walks away in public. Tries to chase cars in parking lots. Wants to touch cars we pass [ ] Only hits and bites when happy and excited [ ] Can not tell you his name [ ] Stopped hunting easter eggs to organize them by color [ ] Toe walks some [ ] Some hand flapping [ ] Remembers small details [ ] Runs his hands along the shelves in the grocery store [ ] Refused to get in his high chair at every meal until we confirm that it is clean [ ] Started chewing on hands and keeping hands in mouth all the time [ ] Will sometimes chew the neck of his shirt [ ] Loves reading. Will sit and listen to books for an hour [ ] Parents of friends have made comments. One parent said her child has started "saying everything 3 times like Teddy does" and "Teddy shakes when you touch him" [ ] His therapist have previously mentioned that Teddy wouldn't let her touch him [ ] Gets in your face to tell you things he's interested in [ ] Shakes so badly during swim class that he made himself throw up. He was not crying when he got sick. He loves water and loved swimming until his swim teacher started holding him [ ] Wouldn't go down the stairs to get in the car until I would sweep the dog hair out of the hall way [ ] Shakes his head really hard in front of sound machine [ ] If we are fussing at him or trying to get him to change tasks and we touch him, he falls to the floor screams and has a meltdown

Team killed 3 times in one week from the same offenders in gathering hall on their alts. Two of these games, I was helping new players learn the game. Reminder not to play with Bigduoguy and NissanUltima. People wonder why there are 3 people in the gathering hall btw. The same people team kill over and over again and nothing happens to them. It's gotten so bad that people will team kill u in normals then disconnect or leave the game immediately so you can't down vote them. People like this are actively killling the game. I doubt the noobs that i helped will use gathering hall again. These people should be banned from using the gathering hall. They're actively driving the small amount of new players we get away from the game. Seriously, it's the same people every single wipe and nothing happens to them. Make someone's karma permanent if you're not going to ban them from gathering hall. Just frustrating when I try to tell a noob that the game is good and encourage them to meet new players to learn the game only to get smacked in the head with a warmaul by a teammate as soon as i enter the game.

…or, subtitled, “My belated review of the Pittsburgh show”. 😄 I haven’t had time to relate everything that I wanted to say about this outstanding show until now, and I wanted to do it before this leg of the tour ends in a few hours.
I didn’t have a ticket for this show originally. I just bought a resale ticket last Monday (the 13th) on the floor just behind the GA area. It was a great ticket too - it was dead center, and the cost was very reasonable (in fact, even with all of the ridiculous fees, it was still only $116 altogether - I’m convinced the seller sold it for the same price they payed originally. Thank you, original ticket holder! 🙏)
So, why did I choose to go to this show in particular? Several reasons (one of which being that I was unfairly denied a chance at buying a GA ticket for this show originally because of the limited advance notice of the Ether Pass presale - I found out about it less than an hour after it started, but of course all the GA was sold already. 🙄 Powers-that-be-in-the-GVF-universe, give more advance notice for Ether Pass presales! They aren’t infected with scalpers like the Electric Tomb and Peaceful Army ones are - TELL US THE NIGHT BEFORE, NOT THE SAME DAY! Rant over.), but the main reason really was the chance to see Mirador in addition to GVF. I was very intrigued by this unexpected new band, and, since I couldn’t be certain that they were going to play live again past May, I had to jump at this opportunity. My parents’ families are also originally from Western PA, so this was a homecoming show of sorts for me as well. So, I secured the ticket and prepared to make my trek from Eastern PA to Western PA, a.k.a., driving almost the full extent of the Pennsylvania Turnpike. 😄
I planned my trip really well. I got up in plenty of time to make the trip leisurely to Pittsburgh, go to my hotel and relax before the show, have a meal, and then be entertained by wonderful bands all night. Well, plans and reality, tragically, don’t always match. I was reminded of that fact very painfully this past Saturday.
I’m driving in town, right at the beginning of my trip…and my car just completely dies about 2 miles from my house! 😩 I had no warning that this was about to occur. However, there was a silver lining to breaking down this early: if I could get the car to the garage somewhat quickly, I could borrow a car and still make it to Pittsburgh before the show started. I called AAA, got the tow truck arranged, and he showed up 2 hours later. Not good - but not so late that I couldn’t make the trip still. He, after much research, figured out how to get my car onto the truck (this was tricky because the car had no power at all, so it couldn’t be started), and he used to work at the garage that I wanted my car towed to! This was the first bit of good fortune - a sign that the Universe was still looking out for me. We were still good to go! I got the car to the garage, got back home to borrow another car, and still had time to make the cross-state drive in time to see the show!
Since I lost 2 hours that I didn’t know I’d be losing, that made taking rest stops along the way rather interesting. 😄 I thought I’d have plenty of time to eat, use the restroom occasionally, etc. - no, that’s not how it went down. I did manage two stops on this 5-hour drive that, miraculously, only took 4 hours and 15 minutes. (I’ll have to research whether or not cars can perform time warps at high speeds, but, based on this trip, I think they might be able to! 😄) Eating was a bit funny too - to save time, I had to eat while driving. While eating, I discovered that Burger King added mayonnaise to my Impossible Whopper when I asked them not to (I’m allergic to mayonnaise). So, I had to dispose of the top bun and attempt to consume the rest while somehow keeping my hands clean from the other condiments. This also stretched the boundaries of physics, but I somehow managed to do it without too much trouble (while traveling at Warp Speed, mind you).
I got to the hotel 30 minutes before Mirador (one of the two reasons I made the trip) was hitting the stage. I was checked-in ASAP (the clerk could see my sense of urgency bordering on panic), and told me how to walk to the arena (I chose this specific hotel so that I could walk to the arena). If you haven’t been to Pittsburgh before, the streets are arranged like a 3-dimensional chess board, as most cities are that are built on river valleys. One wrong turn and I would find out why Christopher Nolan shot the third “Batman” film here - and, with my luck, probably run into Bane. However, the Universe was looking out for me again, and I got to the arena and to my seat about 3 minutes before Mirador took the stage. Phew! 😅
Well, I loved Mirador, and I was happy that I got to see them. They were worth all the trouble. And, as an added bonus, GVF put on a blindingly good show! 😃 They were in great spirits all night, the “Saturday night” vibe had everyone in a good mood. I had more stress than I thought I would ever have before this show, but, when it was all said and done, the effort was totally worth it! I would have given up on the trip if it had been any other band - but there was no way I was missing this show unless it had been literally impossible to get there in time. Fortunately, it was merely highly inconvenient to get there in time! 😄
Thank you, Mirador and GVF, for making my trip worth it! 🙏 See you again in Uncasville (and from GA this time too)! Namaste. 🙏

I'm going to be in Paris next week and staying there for 4 days before taking a train to Lyon, where I'll be staying for 3 days before going back home. I saw that there's a free day in our itinerary on June 1. Is it worth it to take the Eurostar to London in the morning, watch the 2:30PM show, then just go back to Paris at night?
Visa-wise, I have both UK and Schengen visa since I visited London last month. I watched Operation Mincemeat (which was amazing!), Witness for the Prosecution (it was a cool experience. Having it set in County Hall really set the mood), and Guys & Dolls (standing & seated - I found it okay haha). However, I wasn't able to watch Hadestown. Since I'll be going to Paris this month, I thought maybe it's possible to take a day trip to London just for Hadestown. Am I crazy for considering this? It would cost me ~$600 for the trip.

1. John Delaney. He was the first one actually to declare he was running for President, I think it was back in 2017 or 2018. He ran on being bipartisan, and trying to bring people together, I remember reading his book The Right Answer, and it seemed to have some good ideas. Never caught on in the primaries, and the debates caused him to come off as defensive, expecally when some canidates were attacking him on healthcare. His town halls were pretty good though. If Delaney gets the nomination, he brings in moderates and blue dogs, but does the liberal wing stay home? What states could Delaney win?
   
2. John Hickenlooper. Was the pretty popular governor of Colorado, and before then, he was the mayor of Denver, and helped bring the Colorado Rockies to the state. He was also the founder of one of the first craft microbreweries in the country, before he goes into politics. He won the 2010 Governor's race, in a very good Republican wave year, then ends up winning again in 2014, in another good Republican year. In 2020, he had the same problem as Delaney in the debates, he came across as the scold, who was against Medicare for Hall. However, if you look closly at his record as Governor, he was able to bring people together, around the enviroment, and gun control.
   
3. Steve Bullock. I mentioned him in another post, but in more detail, Bullock won in 2016, beating Greg Ginoforte. Was able to work with the Republican Leg, in bring a surplus to the state, and he seemed to be a steady, levelheaded guy. If it was any other year other then 2020, with it being the year of George Floyd, then he could have made a fine nominee, or running mate for another Democrat. Wonder what would have happened if Biden had chosen Bullock as his running mate, does he make more inroads in the Mountion west?
   
4. Tom Steyer. Former hedge fund guy, but hen he ended up using his money to fund enviromental and good government causes. Was one of the first to call for Donald Trump's impeachment, back before most mainstream Democrats were doing so. Steyer actually was gaining for a while, and there was talk that he might do very well in South Carolina, before finishing third and dropping out of the race. Steyer would have made a very intresting nominee, with the way that he used his large wealth, in contrast to Trump's.
   
5. Krysten Gillibrand. I know many people give her shit, because they blame her for Al Franken resigning from the Senate, but many Democrats wanted him gone, so a pox on all of them, if that is the case, not just her, she just ended up being the scapgoat. Gillibrand fought hard to change the way that the military handled sexual assult cases, in regards to having those cases being taken away from the military chain of command. From what I remember from her in the debates, she was a real scrapper, when she was able to get her time in, but I remember it was hard for her to be able to break through. But when she did break through, she always had memorable things to say.
   

The HRRFY.
It’s the horror movie festival where something genuinely fucked happens every year. And I mean every year.
Like, there are some screenings that unleash hordes of bats while the movie is playing. You're free to leave whenever you want, but the movie will still play for 2 hours and 15 minutes.
Other screenings hire actors to turn at you and scream at some point in the movie. You have no idea when, or how many times.
It's a festival where the word "illegal" can't even begin to describe what occurs. You'd only attend if you were a young, stupid edgelord like me who was trying to prove he was hardcore to his friends.
Trust me. DO NOT GO.
You have nothing to prove to anyone. Don't be stupid.
Wait for the lamer film versions to come out streaming. That's what everyone else does. They're neutered edits but they're fine.
All they lack is the real gleaming thing everyone wants to see at HRRFY, but who cares. At least you don’t get traumatized. At least you’re not risking your life.
Anyway, if you really want to know what attending HRRFY is like. I’ll be quick and summarize the one screening I went to. It was the 20th anniversary, and I was lucky enough to get in.
***
I had signed up for the HRRFY mailing list, and joined the subreddit. Through a series of cryptic online emails I solved a sequence of riddles and was entered in the lottery for a HRRFY entry.
Lady Luck took a shine to me, because one day in my mailbox, I received a physical ticket. I had done it.
I was going.
The actual ‘ticket’ was a black USB key that announced the location of the festival the night before (which I won’t disclose here) and it did force me to pay for a very expensive flight in order for me to make it on time.
You see, to prevent getting shut down, the location of HRRFY changes every year. Some years the local police have managed to stop it, but for the most part, authorities have given up. What’s the point of arresting or charging anyone, if all the organizers and attendees actually want to be there?
Upon arrival, I had to pick between three participating theaters.
Based on title alone, I decided to go see “Many Drownings” (directed by Oleksander Gołański.) It was in the theater that was furthest away from the downtown core, which meant it was likely the one where the craziest shit was bound to happen.
That’s what I came here for right?
I lined up a solid two hours before the screening like everyone else. The entire line was jittering, just vibrating with excited twenty-somethings. Rumors flew left and right.
“I heard they’re going to force everyone to take acid.”
“I heard an actor’s gonna run in and shotgun the ceiling.”
“I heard they’re going to disappear like four more people this year. At this screening!”
Each year people disappeared. And each year the same people were ‘found.’ And yes this is the worst part, and why should never, ever, ever go to this event.
Again I will repeat myself. DO NOT GO.
No one has ever truly gone 'missing' at HRRFY in any legal or physical sense, because every missing person always shows up a day later, convinced that they are fine—refusing to elaborate further.
There are some small support groups for people who have family members who had gone to HRRFY, and came back irrevocably changed after being ‘found.’
These few unlucky people lose all semblance of personality. They don’t want interviews, or help, or therapy, or contact of any kind. And they never, ever want to talk about what they saw.
Some HRRFY fans think that these ‘found’ people were body-snatched. Cloned in a lab or replaced by a cyborg, or something stupid like that.
But I think there’s a far simpler explanation. The ‘found’ are still the same people. They're just terrified. They got shaken by something that shattered the foundation of their mind, body and soul. They got too scared.
They got HRRFY’d.
***
I should mention I had a cough the day I went. And I was worried my sickly appearance might give me trouble at the airport.
So I invested in an intense double N95 mask which I wore for the whole flight, and continued to wear even at the screening of “Many Drownings.”
It made my face hot and uncomfortable, but it still didn’t stop me from yelling “excuse me, excuse me!” as I ran to snag a seat in the back of the theater.
I always preferred sitting in the far back. You get a good view of the whole screen, and a good view of the whole audience.
Beside me sat a big dude named Sylvester, who apparently flew all the way from Australia to attend HRRFY.
“Worth the full Seventeen hours mate! It’s gonna be epic!” he dropped a massive camping backpack beside me, which I assume contained all of his luggage.
The lights dimmed, and the production company logos started to play.
The whispering, giggling and suspense all stacked upon each other to create an electric feeling in the air. I was giddy. It's like the entire audience was embarking on a massive roller coaster.
The anticipation was the best part for sure. It might have been the only good part.
Then the movie started.
It was a wide shot of a gray, stormy sea. The waves were massive, and the thunderclouds were looming. There was no land visible in any direction.
All we could hear was the sound of waves foaming, swirling, and crashing over and over. Lightning crackled. Rain poured. The camera held perfectly still over this storm as if it was mounted on a perfectly hovering drone. A drone so resilient that it didn’t waver at all.
I thought it had to be CGI.
The shot held like this for the next few moments. Everyone sat glued to their seats. Everyone was thinking the same thing.
What’s going to happen? How are they going to scare us?
People chuckled. People cheered. People wanted to tease whatever was going to happen—to happen already.
But nothing did.
Five, ten, maybe fifteen minutes went by without any change. People started snoring.
I looked beside me and saw that Sylvester—the most excited audience member of them all—had fallen totally asleep. The jet lag must’ve gotten to him.
Then I peered beyond the rest of the audience members and saw other people snoozing too. Heads were keeled over, some people were curled in their seats, some had even spilled out into the aisle and were dozing on the floor.
I looked above the bright screen, at the huge vents in the corner of the theater. I saw a faint white gas emerging from the vents.
Holy shit. What have we been breathing? I tightened the straps on my N95 mask, and made my breathing shallower.
The gas must have been pumping since the opening credits—because how else would an audience of two hundred people all fall asleep?
As I moved my hand through the air in front of me, I could sense the thickness. It was definitely hazier than usual. I took the scarf off my neck and wrapped it around my mouth as well.
Then I spotted movement in front of the screen.
It was a tall blonde man, wearing a black trenchcoat and military-grade gas mask. Beside him arrived six hazmat suits who started pointing at various audience members.
I slunk in my chair, pretending to sleep like everyone else.
Two hazmats walked over to the front row and picked out a sleeping guy in flannel. They lifted flannel up, under the armpits and by his ankles, carrying him between them both like a hammock.
The hazmats walked back up to the stage, where the blonde leader inspected the flannel man and tapped his head. Something was approved?
The hazmats began to swing flannel back and forth, as if they were getting ready to toss him. Despite their masks, I could hear a very muffled, very distant countdown.
“Three…”
“Two…”
“One…”
The flannel audience member was tossed into the screen.
I literally watched him fly into the image of stormy waves … andfallinto them. The flannel man sank into the gray water like a rock, leaving a few bubbles and foam. A wave came crashing down. All trace of him was gone.
What the fuck.
All six hazmats began grabbing more audience members with much more urgency. It became a minute-long process where they would pick the sleeping person up, bring them beside the screen, and then swing-toss them into it.
How was this possible?
I turned slightly to see if there was a projector above me, and realized there was none. Which meant maybe there was no screen on stage.
Which meant … maybe it was a portal?
I tried to wake Sylvester by shaking him. I pinched his leg and arm a bunch.
He was out cold.
The hazmats started grabbing audience members from the middle rows now. They were emptying the whole theater. What the hell was I supposed to do?
I waited until they grabbed another batch, only a few rows down from me. When all hazmats had their backs turned—I broke into a run.
With my left arm, I tightly gripped my mask and scarf against my face, while my right arm vaulted me over seat after seat.
I had never breathed so hard—through so much fabric—in my life.
The hazmats all turned to me. “Hey! Hey!” But their hands were full with their next victims.
I ran all the way down the aisle, to the big exit sign on the left. My heartbeat filled my head. My plan was to dropkick through the exit door.
I imagined myself breaking through like some flying gazelle.
I jumped.
I angled my kick.
It might as well have been a brick wall. I fell ass-first to the ground, followed by my head. Of course the door was locked.
Through a muffled mask I heard a sneering scoff.
“Where do you think you’re going?”
Above me stood the one wearing a trenchcoat. I could see his piercing gray eyes through his gas mask.
I rolled aside and tried to run by him. He lifted a foot and tripped me without effort.
My forehead bashed into an empty seat. It dazed me.
The blonde leader bent down and grabbed me by the neck, tearing away my scarf and mask.
“No! No!”
A sweet, ether-like smell filled my nostrils. I did my best to hold my breath, but I could already feel myself getting light-headed.
The other hazmats joined in, grabbing me from all sides. Even if I had the strength to struggle, there was no escape now.
Above me, all I could see was the dark theater ceiling, and some of the light behind me from the cinema screen.
“Three…”
“Two…”
“No. Please. Don’t do thi—”
SPLASH.
I was plunged deep into cold, wet chaos. My head was completely underwater.
Gagging. Bubbles. Spinning.
I fought for dear life, dog-paddling like a maniac.
Churning. Freezing. Panic.
For a second, my head popped above the water. I inhaled all the air my lungs could muster. I stared across a vast, violent ocean.
An enormous thirty foot wave came in my direction.
My whole body lifted higher and higher as the wave approached. I did my best to tread water. It seemed to be working.
Then a series of smaller waves arrived and smacked my chest.
SPLASH.
Spinning. Kicking. Flipping.
My view alternated between the pitch dark ocean beneath me, and the moonlit night sky above.
Again I swam to the surface, popped my head out. Ravenously sucked in air.
There was a small lull in the water.
Around me I now registered the other theater goers. Most of them were lying face-down or sinking … but a few were flapping about like me, fighting for their life.
And above all of us, a floating white shape.
It was painfully bright, I had to lift one hand to look at it.
My jaw dropped.
It was the movie screen, hanging completely still in the air. It showed a dark, empty theater. The exact same theater we all occupied moments ago.
It was tremendously high, above all of our heads. There was no way of reaching it.
Then I saw another thirty foot wave come our way. It grazed the bottom of the screen.
I knew what had to be done.
***
One of the theater goers happened to be on a college swim team. She was the first one able to traverse one of the giant waves and climb into the screen.
Once she was up there, she found a firehose in the theater and reeled it out to us like a rope.
One by one, we swam as hard as we could, praying to God we could reach the rope. Everyone’s energy was sapped. Your body can only sustain itself on adrenaline and fear for so long.
By some miracle, five of us got out.
I was the last.
I climbed the rope coughing and vomiting. I had swallowed so much water that my stomach felt swollen.
When I reached the top and they pulled me into the screen, I sobbed. I couldn’t stop crying.
My life had flashed countless times before my eyes. In bubbling, suffocating visions, I saw both my parents and my brother. I saw my highschool graduation. I saw my favorite Christmas from when I was six years old.
I had almost lost all of that. I had lost almost everything.
On the dirty, carpeted theater floor, I lay with my face down, savoring the fact that I now lay on a hard surface. God bless ground. God bless this filthy, popcorn-strewn ground.
Beside me I heard bantering, hugging, the wringing of wet clothes. Sylvester was the second last to be saved, and he was particularly vocal.
“Wooooooaaaaahh!” He came and drummed me on the back, lifted me up. “Oh my god dude! Holy shit!”
I sat on my knees, wiping the tears and snot off my mouth.
Sylvester clapped his hands, held his face and screamed some more.
“Holy shit dude! That was so fucking scary! Like literally people were dying beside us. Like I SAW people die!”
I nodded, shivering in my drenched clothes. “ I know it was—”
“—That was craaaaazy!”
He laughed and stood up, patting everyone on the back. He kept clapping his hands like this was some sports event.
“That was sick! That was siiiiiiiiick!”
He ruffled someone’s hair then ran up to me with an open palm.
“High five dude! WE MADE IT! High five!
“Don’t leave me hangin’ dude!”

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so like me [22M] and this girl [20F] have been talking for like a month and sum change i’ve known her for almost three months , i met her at her job at the hotel i was staying at for sum time and yk we really wasn’t talking as much we had small talk here and there and we start talking more the last couple of weeks i was there. we swapped instagrams to keep contact but honestly i don’t think we both thought we hit it off the way it did, we started texting that night and getting to know each other a lot more everyday and night, i didn’t think i would see her after i left but well enough my new apartment was like 5 mins away from the hotel, so i had invited her to show her the apartment and she kept coming over, second time she came over we got high and had sex it was great and we fell asleep together and cuddled that whole time there like it was so good i felt so happy, she kept telling me she likes me a lot and feels secure around me which kinda made me real happy, then like probably a 2 weeks later after she told me how she still couldn’t get over her 3 year relationship with her ex but she feels a connection between us and i did too, she told me specifically she’s over him but not the relationship it ended badly they had broke up summer of last year and he’s in a whole different relationship, she feels like if we had a full on relationship it would end badly how theirs did. pretty much yesterday i had invited her over to help me with fixing my tv and chill after that, she was about to come over but then she texts me with “i’ve been pushing back saying this for a few days bc i didn’t want you to get hurt or hate me but i don’t think we should talk anymore. don’t overthink bc it’s not you truly. i’m not over the relationship with my ex and it’s taken me a lot to realize that and admit it. i’m over him i think but the relationship in general i am not over. he is over me and with another girl and i guess i was just trying to figure out if i was ready for someone else too but im not. and leading you on isn’t gonna make me feel any better it’s just making me feel worse. there’s no point in wasting your time like this and i started to feel something for you but realized a relationship would just do more damage atp.” and lowkey kinda hurt ngl. she wants to be friends for the time being and i care about her she says im the only person that treats her like a human and idk if i should stay and wait for her to heal or keep it pushing. i’m really into her and i don’t want to feel stupid for making a decision.
TLDR: girl i’ve been talking to wants us to stop talking so she could get over her long term relationship with her ex so she could heal properly, im confused on what i should go about doing

I'm looking to start my first paludarium and was looking for reptile/amphibian stocking advice. I want as many as possible, kind of like a community fish tank. My reference would be the episode of tanked with Penn Jillette, where he had anoles, long tailed lizards, and geckos. Just curious if that is an ok mixture.
Full. disclosure, I do a ton of research before getting any living thing.
It will be a tropical environment.

Great night so far cashed #1 top play, and cashed 3 umpire overs tonight, lost one (Philly game) by 1 run. Now 15-2 on Umpire Overs. Congrats to all those who tailed.
Anyone tailed these tonight and cashed big? Let me know!
Thank you in advance to those who say thanks and tip when they hit.
MLB=8-2 (Cash #1 top play/6-1 Top plays)
NBA=
MLB=7-9 Mon/13-6 Sun/11-9 Sat/13-8 Sat (Cash#1/7 Top) Thurs/(Cash #1)/12-10 Wed (6-5 top)/11-10 Tues (Cash #1)/9-8 Mon/11-12 Sun (Cash #!)/11-11 Sat (Cash top 2)/12-11 Fri (7-4 Top)/4-7 Thurs/11-10 Wed/11-9 Tues (Cash Top 5)/12-5 Mon (7-1 Top)/10-12 Sun/13-8 Sat (7-3 Top)/5-14 Fri/5-4 Thurs/13-8 Wed (Cash top 6 straight/12-10 Tues (Cash #1)/8-8 Mon (6-3 Top)/7-12 Sun (6-4 Top)/13-9 Sat (6-4 Top)/9-9 Fri (5-4 Top)/7-5 Thurs/14-6 Wed (9-2 TOP)/15-8 Sun (9-3 Top plays)/
533-451 YTD/ (283-216 Top plays)
*All plays are standard bets unless adorned with a star. Those adorned with a star are TOP Plays.*Top plays are listed in order of strength.
⭐️️Brewers-130-W
⭐️Orioles-134
⭐️Dodgers-1-115
⭐️Tampa-130-L
⭐️Royals-106-W
⭐️Cubs+115
⭐️Phillies-1-109-W
⭐️Rockies+122
⭐️Yanks-145
⭐️Minnesota/Washington Over 8-120 (See writeup)-W
⭐️Mutts/Guardians Over 9-115 (See writeup)-W
⭐️San Fran/Pitts Over 8-120 (See Writeup)-W
⭐️Chicago/Toronto Over 7-114
Guardians-117-W
Padres-112
Giants-125
Toronto-1-110
Astros-1-140
Nationals+2-130
Rangers/Phils Over 8-115-L (lose by a run)
Yanks/Mariners Over 7.5-115-W
Orioles/Cards Over 8.5-120
Braves/Cubs over 11-115
NBA=1-2 Sun/0-2 Sat/2-0 Fri/0-3 Thurs/2-3 Wed/3-1 Tues (2-0 top plays)/1-3 Mon (1-1 Top)/2-2 Sun/2-3 Sat/1-4 Fri (1-1 Top)/1-2 Thurs/1-1 Wed/3-1 Tues (2-0 Top)/2-2mon (2-0 Top)/2-0 Sun/1-1 Sat(Cash #1 top)/3-0 Fri/3-1 Thurs/2-2 Wed/1-4 Tues/3-3 Mon (Cash #1)/5-3 Sun (4-1 Top)/5-2 Sat (3-0 Top)/4-2 Fri/5-0 Thurs/2-3 Wed/2-4 Tues/3-5 Mon/2-4 Sun/3-3 Sat (Cash top 2)/6-3 Wed/10-5 Tues (4-2 Top)/7-7 Sun (Cash top 2)/5-2 Sat (3-0 Top)/7-2 Mon (5-0 Top)/7-4 Sun (Cash 3/4 Top))/6-3 Sun (Cash 2 top)/6-5 Sat (Cash 3/4 Top)/7-3 Tues (Cash 3/4 Top)/9-4 Wed (Cash 3/4 Top)/7-3 Thurs (Cash 3/4 top)/10-2 Wed/6-2 Mon/7-1 mon/5-2 Wed (Cash 2/3 top plays)/4-1 Mon (cash 3/4 top plays)/796-714 YTD
⭐️Indiana/Boston Over 220.5-115
Boston-9.5-115
NHL=1-0 Mon/1-0 Sat/2-1 Fri (2-0 Top)/2-2 (Cash #1)/0-1 Wed/1-3 Tues (1-1 Top)/0-3-1 Mon/0-2-1 Sun/1-2 Sat/2-1 Fri/1-2 Thurs (Cash #1)/2-1 Wed/1-2 Tues/0-1 Mon/2-1 Sun/1-0 Sat/0-3 Fri/0-1 Thurs/2-1 Wed/2-4 Tues/2-1 Mon/4-2 Sun (2-1 Top)/1-4 Sat (Cash #1)/3-3 Fri (2-1 Top)/4-1 Sun (Cash top 2)/3-0 Sat/4-3 Thurs/5-1 Sun/4-2 Friday (2-1 Top)/6-1 Fri/6-3 Thurs (3-1 Top)/4-2 Wed (2/3 Top)/5-3 Tues (Cash #1)/6-0 SUN/8-4 Sat/2-0 Fri/5-1 Sun (Cash 2/2 Top)/7-4 Sat (Cash 3 Top)/7-4 Thurs (Cash 3/4 Top plays)/4-1 Wed (3-0 Top)/6-3 Tues (Cash top 2 plays)/7-2 Sat/4-0 Fri/7-5 Sat/4-2 Friday/6-0 Sun/6-5 Sat/3-1 Fri/3-1 Wed/4-2 Tues/2-1 Sun/11-0 Sat/670-645 YTD
My picks/analysis/answering questions is and will remain free- but if you’ve been crushing the books with me, would you consider a tip for my time and effort? (and keep wife off back ha!)
As always Tips are NEVER expected but GREATLY appreciated to the newborn diaper fund/medical bills for wife.
Venmo=@ECU03 (LAST 4 DIGITS IF IT ASKS=5029)
PayPal=@superbae
Cashapp=$Alew1980

I was bored because I had covid and decided to ask Chat GPT to write a song about Eliza Hamilton in the style of a musical... this is what happened.
(Verse 1) In the heart of history's pages, there's a woman who defies. A shining star among the shadows, where her legacy lies. With grace and strength, she faced the world, her spirit fierce and bold, Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, her story must be told. (Bridge) From the streets of Albany to the halls of New York, She stood beside her man, her love a steady rock. Through battles fought and dreams pursued, she never lost her sight, Elizabeth, a beacon bright, in the darkest night. (Chorus) Elizabeth, a woman of courage and grace, In the tapestry of time, her mark we can't erase With every step she took, a legacy unfurled, Elizabeth, the heartbeat of the Hamiltonian world. (Verse 2) A champion for justice, with compassion as her guide. She spoke out for the voiceless, never shying from the tide. From raising up her children to shaping policy. Elizabeth, a force of change, for all the world to see. (Bridge) In the echoes of her laughter, in the tears she cried. Her strength became a beacon, a light that never died. ^ With Alexander by her side, they faced the stormy sea. Together they wrote history, their love a symphony. (Chorus) Elizabeth, a woman of courage and grace, In the tapestry of time, her mark we can't erase With every step she took, a legacy unfurled, Elizabeth, the heartbeat of the Hamiltonian world. (Bridge) Though time may try to fade her, her spirit still remains In every heart that's touched by her, in every joy and pain Her name will live forever in the stories we retell Elizabeth, in history's song, your voice will always swell. (Chorus) Elizabeth, a woman of courage and grace In the tapestry of time, her mark we can't erase With every step she took, a legacy unfurled. Elizabeth, the heartbeat of the Hamiltonian world. (Outro) So let us raise our voices high, in tribute to her name. For Elizabeth Schuyler Hamilton, forever in our acclaim.
...yeah I'm gonna write my own songs (I was always doing that, I think we don't need A.I to do everything for us these days, this was just to see what A.I came up with) from now on.

Great night so far cashed #1 top play, and cashed 3 umpire overs tonight, lost one (Philly game) by 1 run. Now 15-2 on Umpire Overs. Congrats to all those who tailed.
Anyone tailed these tonight and cashed big? Let me know!
Thank you in advance to those who say thanks and tip when they hit.
MLB=8-2 (Cash #1 top play/6-1 Top plays)
NBA=
MLB=7-9 Mon/13-6 Sun/11-9 Sat/13-8 Sat (Cash#1/7 Top) Thurs/(Cash #1)/12-10 Wed (6-5 top)/11-10 Tues (Cash #1)/9-8 Mon/11-12 Sun (Cash #!)/11-11 Sat (Cash top 2)/12-11 Fri (7-4 Top)/4-7 Thurs/11-10 Wed/11-9 Tues (Cash Top 5)/12-5 Mon (7-1 Top)/10-12 Sun/13-8 Sat (7-3 Top)/5-14 Fri/5-4 Thurs/13-8 Wed (Cash top 6 straight/12-10 Tues (Cash #1)/8-8 Mon (6-3 Top)/7-12 Sun (6-4 Top)/13-9 Sat (6-4 Top)/9-9 Fri (5-4 Top)/7-5 Thurs/14-6 Wed (9-2 TOP)/15-8 Sun (9-3 Top plays)/
533-451 YTD/ (283-216 Top plays)
*All plays are standard bets unless adorned with a star. Those adorned with a star are TOP Plays.*Top plays are listed in order of strength.
⭐️️Brewers-130-W
⭐️Orioles-134
⭐️Dodgers-1-115
⭐️Tampa-130-L
⭐️Royals-106-W
⭐️Cubs+115
⭐️Phillies-1-109-W
⭐️Rockies+122
⭐️Yanks-145
⭐️Minnesota/Washington Over 8-120 (See writeup)-W
⭐️Mutts/Guardians Over 9-115 (See writeup)-W
⭐️San Fran/Pitts Over 8-120 (See Writeup)-W
⭐️Chicago/Toronto Over 7-114
Guardians-117-W
Padres-112
Giants-125
Toronto-1-110
Astros-1-140
Nationals+2-130
Rangers/Phils Over 8-115-L (lose by a run)
Yanks/Mariners Over 7.5-115-W
Orioles/Cards Over 8.5-120
Braves/Cubs over 11-115
NBA=1-2 Sun/0-2 Sat/2-0 Fri/0-3 Thurs/2-3 Wed/3-1 Tues (2-0 top plays)/1-3 Mon (1-1 Top)/2-2 Sun/2-3 Sat/1-4 Fri (1-1 Top)/1-2 Thurs/1-1 Wed/3-1 Tues (2-0 Top)/2-2mon (2-0 Top)/2-0 Sun/1-1 Sat(Cash #1 top)/3-0 Fri/3-1 Thurs/2-2 Wed/1-4 Tues/3-3 Mon (Cash #1)/5-3 Sun (4-1 Top)/5-2 Sat (3-0 Top)/4-2 Fri/5-0 Thurs/2-3 Wed/2-4 Tues/3-5 Mon/2-4 Sun/3-3 Sat (Cash top 2)/6-3 Wed/10-5 Tues (4-2 Top)/7-7 Sun (Cash top 2)/5-2 Sat (3-0 Top)/7-2 Mon (5-0 Top)/7-4 Sun (Cash 3/4 Top))/6-3 Sun (Cash 2 top)/6-5 Sat (Cash 3/4 Top)/7-3 Tues (Cash 3/4 Top)/9-4 Wed (Cash 3/4 Top)/7-3 Thurs (Cash 3/4 top)/10-2 Wed/6-2 Mon/7-1 mon/5-2 Wed (Cash 2/3 top plays)/4-1 Mon (cash 3/4 top plays)/796-714 YTD
⭐️Indiana/Boston Over 220.5-115
Boston-9.5-115
NHL=1-0 Mon/1-0 Sat/2-1 Fri (2-0 Top)/2-2 (Cash #1)/0-1 Wed/1-3 Tues (1-1 Top)/0-3-1 Mon/0-2-1 Sun/1-2 Sat/2-1 Fri/1-2 Thurs (Cash #1)/2-1 Wed/1-2 Tues/0-1 Mon/2-1 Sun/1-0 Sat/0-3 Fri/0-1 Thurs/2-1 Wed/2-4 Tues/2-1 Mon/4-2 Sun (2-1 Top)/1-4 Sat (Cash #1)/3-3 Fri (2-1 Top)/4-1 Sun (Cash top 2)/3-0 Sat/4-3 Thurs/5-1 Sun/4-2 Friday (2-1 Top)/6-1 Fri/6-3 Thurs (3-1 Top)/4-2 Wed (2/3 Top)/5-3 Tues (Cash #1)/6-0 SUN/8-4 Sat/2-0 Fri/5-1 Sun (Cash 2/2 Top)/7-4 Sat (Cash 3 Top)/7-4 Thurs (Cash 3/4 Top plays)/4-1 Wed (3-0 Top)/6-3 Tues (Cash top 2 plays)/7-2 Sat/4-0 Fri/7-5 Sat/4-2 Friday/6-0 Sun/6-5 Sat/3-1 Fri/3-1 Wed/4-2 Tues/2-1 Sun/11-0 Sat/670-645 YTD
My picks/analysis/answering questions is and will remain free- but if you’ve been crushing the books with me, would you consider a tip for my time and effort? (and keep wife off back ha!)
As always Tips are NEVER expected but GREATLY appreciated to the newborn diaper fund/medical bills for wife.
Venmo=@ECU03 (LAST 4 DIGITS IF IT ASKS=5029)
PayPal=@superbae
Cashapp=$Alew1980

I want to leave the team I’m on. The open houses are burning me out. This is the Team Lead's favorite lead generation (and from what I can tell after a year, their only lead generation outside of being well known in the community from a previous public role). I’ve been in RE for 10 years but joined their team after relocating to a new city. I figured it was a great way to build up a new book of business while I sorted some other things out.
My last 3 closings; 1 from them. 2 from me. On 50/50 team provided and 70/30 on my own splits. No brokerage split on top. 15k from their lead to me and 26k sent from mine to them. My next two are all from my sphere. One of them is under contract. The other very serious and writing offers. The split would send an additional total $7600 my TL's way.
To be fair, they have sent me a TON of rental leads that I hate working (because iykyk) but they pay way more than my previous market area, so I do it. Of those probably 20% sign leases equaling about an extra 1k a month for dealing with a lot of duds. The rentals only started really flowing in this spring while a unique market highering sector picked up. So about 3k there in the last 90 days. My past experience with listings is that few people make it through consumer websites to the listing agent and even fewer call signs anymore. I don't think my TL is hiding buyer leads, if anything they may be too busy to catch them due to the listing volume they have.
Thing is I picked up a part-time job immediately after moving here before joining the team. (Bled money to get out of a rough personal situation and had to put a tourniquet on it). I’m on track to make close to 62k working 25ish hrs a week there. It is at night bartending high volume and doesn't affect my clients other than having to text after 8pm on weekends and not taking appointments before 10AM. (I get up early, for a bartender [old FTR me would be up by 6am] and check my email etc around 8am on my days off from the bar and do the same on weekends I work behind the pine, but I'm not a real human until 10am). BOY OH BOY WE GET ROCKED HARD Friday and Saturday nights.
One thing about the bar is; I FUCKING LOVE NOT THINKING ABOUT WORK WHEN I'M OFF!!! I also love saying FUCK! After 10 years of being a full-time agent, going back to Bartending really opened my eyes to how silly some of my attachments to being a Full Time Realtor were (one example; working like a dog for commissions, all so when people ask me what I do for a living I could have some title? lol DUMB).
I don't want to leave RE entirely, but I love only working with people referred to me. If it weren't for these Open Houses eating up my Saturday and Sunday rest every weekend I would be content. ( I know leads eat those days up too but those are by choice and not EVERY DAMN WEEKEND).
One of my referred buyers JUST went UC on a new build. I'd be leaving next week knowing this will close next month. TL doesn't know about it. The extra $3800 would move a financial goalpost for me (fixing some wild shit that near killed me in 22, necessitating the move and complete life implosion).
I could just negotiate a better split; I do like having a TC, the ISA I'm 50/50 sold on they mostly just pester my database into sending STOP requests.... but I FUCKING HATE OH's! I don't feel a TC is worth $3800... For the amount of transactions I'm doing, I really can do it myself. Training is non-existent aside from some Tom Ferry videos lol and I have 7 years on my TL. They do have a lot of listings consistently though, so I'm not knocking their abilities as an agent.
For those curious; for lead gen I would continue to work my sphere and target off-market properties through a system that's been successful for me in the past. I prefer to put my LG efforts into sellers. Possibly take the extra from the splits and try a few new things too.
TL:DR; I want to leave my team and not pay the 30% on this next deal and leave before anything else goes UC. Do I tell them I even have it or just leave and see what happens? I would stay at the same brokerage. TL never sent me a copy of the Team Agreement.

Hear me out. There are two main issues ruining the game right now:
1. Skill-Gating (AKA Hardcore/Elite Players Needing Validation from a Video Game):
This is a video game. It’s not meant to be a full-time job, a real-life simulator, or a measure of your worth as a person. The vast majority of players simply want to pay for a game and enjoy living out a fantasy with their favorite players. Skill-gating access to players based on skill is counterproductive and diminishes the fun for the majority. Limiting the enjoyment for a large number of players will eventually lead to fewer players, which in turn leads to a worse game.
2. Time-Gating (AKA SDS Money Grab/Greed):
SDS wants to maximize profits, which is understandable. However, when this results in releasing packs as content and extreme time-gating of rewards, it makes the game less enjoyable. The grinds feel pointless, and the game becomes not fun. Remember, this is a video game – it should be fun, not an endless grind. The lack of programs and content is all geared towards forcing you to spend money - this time-gating/greed is destroying the fun of the game.
My Proposed Solution:
1. Universal Access to All Cards:
Everyone should have access to every card in the game, period. You pay for a game, you should have access to the content in the game. But...the better players or more hardcore should have access first.
2. Compete for "Stars" or "XP" Instead of Stubs or Cards:
Your rank would dictate how soon you get access to the cards. The better you are, the sooner you get the cards. You can earn "Stars" or "XP" by excelling at the game or by grinding programs. Elite players would get the cards on day one, time grinders with high XP numbers would get the cards a week later, and less skilled players with low XP would get the cards two weeks later. This way, elite players are still rewarded, but everyone can access the content.
This would also encourage participation because grinding was directly leading to access to every card - not just certain non-packed 99s with 125 durability.
3. Season Pass Model for Payments:
SDS should switch to an optional season pass model. This would allow players to skip some of the time-gated grind to access cards, but day one access would only be attainable through skill. This way, SDS would still make money (probably more than they do from packs now) and continue to fund the development of entertaining content.
The current model has trained us to forget that this is supposed to be a fun experience. We’ve been manipulated by the marketplace, packs, and FOMO into believing this should be something other than a fun game. But it is a game that we pay for – it should be accessible, and the content should not simulate real-life competition. I do that for free all day; I don’t need it when I’m trying to relax and play a game.

I am heartbroken. I loved my little planes. My carbon cub taught me how to fly. And my UMX Turbo Timber was my fun little guy to toss about the skies.
Flying RC planes is not my only hobby; rocketry is one of my others. They make these chute release devices so you don’t have to walk as far to collect your rocket, it deploys the chute once it falls below a certain altitude. As if I didn’t already learn my lesson, I killed my carbon cub, this time completely, by testing the chute release (which hasn’t been working on my launches lately) on the plane. The first time I had this brilliant idea- about a year ago- I just taped the device onto the plane. Chute releases, is supposed to fly away altogether but instead inflates and gets stuck in the rear stabilizer. Crash, nearly totaled. Enter: frankencub.
THIS time, I dangled it below the plane with rubber bands, but one of the chute lines decided to conveniently wrap itself around the tail landing gear. Totaled. That was yesterday.
As for my UMX Turbo Timber EVO, I lost orientation while doing a barrel roll above a pine tree I swore was further away. It wasn’t further away. Completely the result of my own poor decision making. Crashed and took residence 40 feet up a pine tree. Probably was repairable but it’s not like I’ll ever get that one back. Gone. That was an hour ago.
Even though I had already ordered a plane yesterday after totaling my Carbon Cub, a Decanthlon 1.2m (aerobatic high-wing), I feel so deflated by this tragic sequence of events. Why should I want to continue doing this if it always results in the same end? I wouldn’t even say that I’m a bad pilot, frankly before tonight I thought myself a pretty good one. I have good control over the planes, landing too, but my decision making has proven to be the bane of my flying experience. The aerobatic maneuvers that I am more than capable of doing I execute at the wrong times.
Don’t know what advice I’m looking for, but please lay it on me.

270k guaranteed for 18 months, $50 per RVU after that or sooner if my production is up. 34 pt hours a week, 4 day work week encouraged. 30k sign on. 15k relocation lump sum. 18-22 pts per day, 20 and 40 min appts. Dedicated MA whom I can hire or dismiss. Epic EMR, trialing AI dictation now with providers. Call 1 night per month by phone, 1 weekend urgent care per quarter, they encourage an extra day off week of weekend call but not required. No noncompete. Tail coverage paid in full after 3 years, partially paid years 1 and 2. Non profit, PSLF eligible. 100k loan forgiveness over 5 years.
The docs at the lunch and dinner during the interview seemed genuinely happy.
Probs going to sign with them.
Edit: posting for awareness and more data points for people looking for jobs.