I've been getting allergy shots for the past several weeks (after getting them for over a year without ever getting to maintenance dose and then moving and not having a new allergist for months). One vial is all of my really bad allergies (cats, dust mites, mold, and dogs) and one vial for my other arm is all the pollens.
Every time I get shots, the pollen shot has no reaction. The cats one reacts really badly: right now I have a huge welt wrapping around my bicep that's been there for over 24 hours. I know when I go in to tell them this next week, they're going to delay or drop my dose.
Is it insane to ask if I could keep moving the pollen dose up? Like, keep upping the concentration for the pollen shots, and have a different (lower) concentration for the other? I'm really not reacting to the pollens at all, and I don't want to delay getting to maintenance dose for them when it's my stupid cat and dust mite allergy that's holding me back.

What on earth are you supposed to do when you’re stuck in a job you hate? I’ve been applying for new jobs, all of them either pay too little or the commute makes them average out to not be enough
Do I just suck it up until I retire in 40 years? Obviously holding out for a suitable new job is the correct answer here, but as a short to mid term solution
I’ve even looked into becoming self employed again because my mental health is on the floor, after being unable to get to sleep last night due to stressing about coming into work and regularly crying on the way home I need to change something. But to go back to being self employed I’d need to reskill, how do you re skill without the savings to act as a buffer?
Theres got to be countless people who have been in this scenario and gotten through it
(Context below)
I’ve been in my current job for around 6 years, it’s gotten drastically worse in the last 1-2 I earn 40-50k, own my own house (mortgaged but cheap mortgage so selling would be a poor decision), have a chunk of debt from an ex so can’t just drop to a drastically lower paying job, lifestyle creep got me good

I am the OP and this is going to be a long and unique story.
Last year me 21M and my gf 20F both jokingly brought up the idea of a threesome. We have been together for almost 5 years and our relationship has always had a little of trust and respect. We never call each other names and we literally never fight or argue, it was perfect. Fast forward to the threesome, my gf ends up picking the 3rd girl to join us. The boundaries we set were to communicate if we didn’t feel comfortable with something and making sure that we both felt respected still with another person in the bedroom. We end up “hanging out” with this girl 3-4 times and of those times we had sex multiple times. It was mostly me fucking the girl and I wasn’t giving my gf much. My gf and the girl only really gave each other oral, I will admit that I did not handle this correctly and let a “shiny new toy” steal all my attention. I did not have any feelings at all towards the girl, purely just saw her as something that I don’t normally have and got too excited? I will admit that I was definitely too friendly and almost treating the girl like my own gf. My gf didn’t really express herself until everything had happened and multiple times at that. I put a stop to the threesome thing immediately. Over the course of the last year till now, my gf acted as if she was just hurt and was trying to heal. She said she felt cheated on, felt like the 2nd option, she felt like I threw her to the side for a new girl we just met. When I’d ask her about it I could tell she was hurt but she made it seem like she would be ok and just needed time. I always apologized but I now know that I never made it seem sincere because I truly didn’t feel like I had crossed any lines since we had discussed our ground rules before anything happened. Our life continued pretty normally or so I thought. I did everything I could to make it up to her.
Fast forward to this year, my gf tells me that she wants to take some time apart so that she can work on her mental health and heal because it hurt to look at me sometimes (she is mentally unstable and has had depression in the past/still does). I know I shouldn’t have let the threesome happen knowing that she’s not stable but I can’t turn back time now. I decided to snoop thru her MacBook last month and I find out that shes been texting a bunch of other guys. This is not like her at all which really shocked me.
This is where it gets interesting because it all unfolds in a week. I find out that she cheated on me behind my back. She downloaded dating apps early April 2024 and didn’t tell me she wanted some space until mid April. I didn’t think much of it, just not spending as much time together. In her mind she was trying to break up, it was not clear at all and those words never came up. She cheated on me Sunday, April 21. While I was at home taking her Biology Final Exam for her (I’ll get to more about this in next paragraph) on Tuesday April 23rd, I try to talk to her to see how she’s feeling and also bring her clean laundry as I wash and fold her clothes. It was on this day that she made it a little more clear that she wanted a clean full break and not just “some time”. On Friday April 26, I wrote her a very heartfelt letter about how sorry I was because I didn’t know how much damage I had actually done to her. I went to her place to drop it off and this was the same night I looked thru her MacBook and found her texts. I confronted her after she got off work, we had a very heartfelt conversation with lots of tears. The next morning was when she revealed to me that she cheated. She had cheated seeking revenge and to satisfy her emotions. At first I was upset but was willing to accept it because I had already brought up the idea a few times to even the score so long as she told me everything beforehand. What made me go crazy was the following weeks worth of lies. She told me she didn’t do anything at first when I first found the texts, then once she admitted she did something, she said she used protection, I just found out this week she lied and we had unprotected sex afterwards as well. She told me her friends that are bad influences, drove her there and they all went like it was some kind of road trip. She eventually confessed that her friends did not take part in it after I texted her friends. There were at least 6-7 major lies in the story and for something this serious, I think it’s just plain messed up to be lying. If I gave you a chance after finding out, why not just keep it straight.
Now some very important details. Our relationship is very much one sided and I don’t mind. I pretty much do EVERYTHING for her. I cook, I clean, do her laundry, I manage 4 companies, I take her places, she is absolutely spoiled beyond belief. When we first met at 16-17 years old, her relationship with her parents was not great and I spoke up for her which was scary asf for a 17 year old. I helped her gain so much freedom within her own Hispanic household. I gave her so many opportunities within my companies where she was making $40/hr doing 1/2 the work of a fast food worker. After the threesome incident, she was very upset and depressed and we are both in school so I picked up some of her slack and helped her get A’s in multiple classes. I took her to Japan, she bought so much stuff and we had a great time. I don’t know how else to say it but I literally do everything for her, if you can name it, I’ve done it. From my pov, I’ve given her my life. So many opportunities. I come from a little bit of money, upper middle class Asian family. We have a lot of resources and I always provide her what she needs whether it’s food or financial support. She comes from a lower class Hispanic family. I feel so betrayed that she would do this behind my back after I’ve done so much to change her life. I called her selfish, useless, and ungrateful. The only thing I ever asked from her was loyalty and respect, she can’t give me that anymore.
The situation currently: 3 weeks ago she was begging me to not leave and that she will work on herself to be better for me. She said I can do whatever I want, even sleep with other girls. I told her to kick rocks, I would not give up my body and dignity to my own emotions. I’m not as stupid as her. As of this week May 19, 2024. She is back on medication to control her emotion and she still doesn’t want me to leave, she keeps telling me that she still loves me so much and does not want anyone else. I wanted to wait a bit to see if she was begging out of panic and distress. Now she is much more calm and isn’t breaking down quite as bad, still crying and the feelings seem more real and painful rather than out of terror and panic. Here’s the kicker, over the last year since the threesome, she became very rude and mean towards me. I’ll spare the details but it was like if I bought her flowers, she’d throw them on the floor and stomp them out. I knew it was because of what happened and she was bottling her emotions. But this took a tremendous toll on me especially since I work a lot and my time outside of work is all with her. I sleep only 2-3 hours a night. I cheated on her twice with 2 different girls over the last year out of sheer stress and trying to cope with the treatment I was getting from her. You may ask why didn’t I just leave, why cheat. How would it have looked if the threesome incident happened, she became depressed and I just left? The alternative would be to stay and just suffer thru her verbal and emotional abuse. I felt trapped
If you read this far I appreciate you and hope you can give me some feedback. Let me know if I need to clarify anything or give more detail

Over the last two years, I've been on a mission to get to the bottom of what's wrong with me. I feel like my doctors are either dismissive right away, or excited to try to figure it out, but quickly give up when no one test isn't off the charts bad. I'm seeing a neurologist in July. Wondering what other specialists I should ask for. I've already been to an allergist, a pulmonologist, a cardiologist who specs in electrophysiology and has referred me for a tilt table test, an orthopedist as a teen, and a gastroenterologist.
About Me:
Almost 30 years old, female. Married, no children, full time self employed business ownehairstylist. Of English and Mediterranean descent. No significant history of alcohol use. Have not drank since 2020. I don't use Marijuana or other drugs. No significant nicotene use, but smoked 1 to 3 cigarettes per day until 2021, switched to vaping the lowest concentration, quit nicotene in 2023. Generally healthy and balanced diet. 5'5", currently about 145lbs. 105/65 is normal resting BP, heart is high 50s to low 60s. No significant personal medical history aside from benign ovarian tumor resulting in emergency surgery due to torsion in 2017. Have had pelvic ultrasound within last 6 months, no findings. Normal abdominal CT. Have had two colonoscopies and an endoscopy due to GI issues, detailed below. PFT suggested mild asthma. GI Scopes found mild cell changes in lower esophagus, rectum, and chronic gastritis in stomach. Had MRI of brain which showed two small white matter hyperintensities. Normal echocardiogram, cardiac stress test showed elevated ejection fraction which may have been due to dehydration. Normal cardiac event monitor. I have some degenerative disc disease in my cervical and thoracic spine.
Blood panels usually show: - low- to low end of normal hemoglobin, potassium, sodium. - high end of normal levels of CO2 -high but not alarmingly high wbc (very high neutrophils but low lymphocytes) -thyroid (free t3 and t4) levels tend to swing from the 1.0's to almost 3.0 -estradiol low end of normal Have a normal ESR blood test, have not been given an ANA.
Symptoms include:
-Sudden, crushing fatigue (have almost fallen asleep while standing and walking) -Heart palpitations (both fast and slow, pounding ones) I do take propranolol 10mg as needed and it always helps within an hour. -Sudden feelings of impending doom/death/panic -Sudden lightheadedness and nausea -Sudden bloating and diarrhea 5+ times a day -Cystic acne, currently controlled with tretinoin -Migraines with aura, with or without headache (visual and sound distortions, cannot look at certain patterns (especially small stripes) or hear certain noises without feeling "out of sorts" -Vertigo (feels like I'm falling or about to fall over) -Extreme acid reflux that is never fully controlled even with Pantoprazole (burning is gone, regurgitation still a thing) -Dysphagia -Unexplainable weight fluctuations of up to 25 pounds within a couple months, both gain and loss. This has happened since age 12/13. My mom took me to the doctor for this when I was 95lbs at 13, size 000 and couldn't put on weight no matter what I ate after suddenly losing 15lbs for no reason, doctor accused me of bulimia and dismissed us. -Random episodes of shortness of breath, rescue inhaler works typically. Sharp, stabbing pains and dull aches in rib cage, back, neck, and chest Sudden aching pains in arms and legs or skin will feel like patches of it are burning for a few minutes Unable to vigorously exercise or I will have what feels like an adrenaline dump and have a panic attack. Usually walking up to 3mph is fine but sometimes it isn't. Hypermobile joints which have resulted in many partial and full knee, shoulder, and finger dislocations, especially in teens and early 20s. I've always been very flexible. I do have TMJ as well.
***Also worth noting: Throughout 2018 and 2019, I'd have random days here and there where I would spike a fever and be in bed all day with flu like symptoms, if I went to the doctor my WBC count would be quite high, but either the next day or by the end of the day I'd be fine. This went on for about a year and a half. Then in late 2020, I got COVID and everything started or severely intensified about 6 months later. Continued to worsen until early 2022, then again in early 2023 after a series of very stressful events, and has stayed the same since. Most of my above symptoms have been with me to some degree since childhood or teens, but greatly intensified post-COVID.
Family history of:
Mitral valve defects DVT Heart attack Unstable angina Atrial fibrillation Renal failure Heart failure Type 2 diabetes Hypertension High cholesterol Colon cancer Hypothyroidism and Hyperthyroidism Reproductive cancers in men and women Anxiety Depression Bipolar disorder Substance use disorder Fibromyalgia Chronic fatigue syndrome Ulcerative colitis GERD Lupus PMDD
Honestly at this point I don't believe I will ever get a diagnosis. I'm leaning toward some type of dysautonomia like POTS, an autoimmune or thyroid disorder, or even EDS.

Hey everyone,
I've been lurking here for a while, waiting and looking at all of the options before I pick up my first ergo board. I'm currently stuck between the Elora, Piantor Pro, and Chocofi. I'm hoping this post helps me pick one.
For context, my journey so far has been as follows:

• Was looking into getting a new mechanical keyboard to replace my current Wooting Two. I'm not fond of the acoustics and size and wanted something a bit smaller that I could make sound a bit better.
• Looked into the mechanical keyboard world; was about to buy a Neo65.
• Looked into getting a Planck or similar but then read that some people had issues with ergonomics on OLKBs, so abandoned the idea.
• Discovered the Moonlander while watching a DistroTube video, and was intrigued. Looked into it before balking at the price tag.
• Was going to pick up a Lily58 from Typeractive, but was waiting for the nice!views to come back in stock.
• After lurking and reading similar posts, people seem to prefer more aggressive column stagger than the Lily58 and Corne.
• Looked into getting an Kyria from SplitKB, but have no soldering experience or equipment. Would also have to pay shipping to US + keycaps so more expensive than I thought.
• Discovered the Elora. Out of stock (supposedly should be available at the end of the week).
• Discovered the Piantor Pro and Chocofi through Beekeeb.

Now I'm a bit stuck here, trying to pick between the three boards. I've never used a split ergo keyboard, so I have no idea what I like or what to expect.
The first decision to make is wired or wireless.
I like wired for its reliability and lower latency than wireless. I plan on using the board for gaming occasionally, so the low latency is better for that.
However, I often move between my desktop PC and MacBook, and I'd ideally like to be able to use the board on both computers. Wireless would make it a lot easier to a) carry the boards around and b) switch quickly between my PC and MacBook.
Wireless also increases cost and decreases my choices of boards, so I'm leaning more towards wired, even if I have to plug things in to use my board on my laptop when I'm out.
Assuming I go wired, the options I've been looking at are:
Elora:

• (+) Largest layout, with num row and 7 thumb keys. Easier transition from 100% board, hopefully.
• (-) Large layout means large travel footprint, and as a student commuting between home and campus, portability is important.
• (-) Does require me to source keycaps (and optionally switches).
• (+) MX switches mean largest variety of switches/keycaps available.
• (+) Seems like solid build quality and parts, and plenty of options for customization.
• (?) Extensible via Myriad, but unsure if I'd ever use it.

Piantor Pro:

• (+) On sale, so cheapest option for now.
• (+) Choc switches and a lower profile case, according to the product listing.
• (?) Fully enclosed case seems nice, but I don't know how much having exposed components would bother me.
• (-) Thumb keys look to be offset slightly from my natural thumb position based on printed layout, but I'm not sure if that will be the case when I have the board.

Chocofi:

• (+) Smallest layout of the three, so most portable.
• (-) Going from a full 100% board to 36 keys is going to be a tough transition.
• (+) From printed testing, seems to fit my hand the best.
• (?) Option to come wireless.

I'd love some insight or suggestions for choosing between wired/wireless and between the three board options (or another one, if you have one). If you need any more information, I'd be happy to provide it. Thanks!

I’m a 22 year old male and work 12 hour shifts in a warehouse. I did excel in high school with straight As and 5s on AP exams, but personal circumstances didn’t allow me to attend university so the warehouse is where I’m at right now.
Overall my life is okay. I have a healthy diet, I’m in a good relationship, I’ve got my finances under control, so on. My problem is that it feels like I have this constant tension in my brain that won’t go away, and I’m incapable of being productive at home.
It feels like the tiniest things cause me some sort of tension in the brain. Disorganized bedroom? Tension, I hate it and need it organized. Focused on something and someone tries to talk to me? Tension, I cannot multitask and want left alone to concentrate.
And the worst part is that these things easily combine, leading to where I feel like my brain is about to explode. When this happens all I want is for everything and everyone to shut up and leave me alone. But I normally just bottle it up because I don’t know what else to do - ie I don’t want to ask my girlfriend “please stop talking” when she hasn’t actually done anything wrong and it’s just me with some inner problem going on, I definitely don’t want to make her feel like she’s done something wrong or as if I don’t like being around her. I bottle in the tension and try to go about things normally, but it’s exhausting.
This leaves my “brain tension” levels sky high practically 24/7, which makes it feel impossible for me to get anything done and I’m always tired with no remedy. When I do get time to myself where I want to be productive, I find myself just stuck frozen in time on my phone. I’ll scold myself in my head and try so hard to get up and get into the groove of something, but constantly just end up back where I started as if my brain is incapable of doing anything except attempt to recharge. My attempts to recharge come from either mindless scrolling social media reels, or hyper-focusing on something interesting to me at the moment - which unfortunately is never the things I actually need to get done. Ie most recently I went down a rabbit hole regarding dietary intervention to lower LDL and cardiovascular disease risk. Nothing relevant to my to-do list.
I don’t know what’s wrong with me, or how to fix it. I know hyper-focusing on the wrong things is a sign of ADHD, but don’t think I have that as I have never been hyper-active throughout my life and I excelled back in high school without medication. And I don’t usually have that hard of a time concentrating on things, my brain doesn’t bounce from one thing to the next to the next like the people with ADHD I know. I just have a hard time getting up and actually doing anything, constantly frozen in time with a never-ending feeling of brain tension, which I guess might be what people call overstimulation.
Has anyone experienced anything like this before? Has anyone been successful with finding a way to keep the tension in their brain at bay?

Part 1: https://www.reddit.com/HFY/comments/1cxj7h8/comment/l52vtd5/?context=3
*****

The Palatini of Orias journey took nine grueling days of traveling down the peaks of Torness Mountain Range. But at long last, they reached the Coralus Valley. While the temperature was far below what the half-elf usually enjoyed, it was far better than the mountain peaks.
They traveled through the valley, trying to avoid the multiple hostiles, villages, and anyone else who could tip off their enemies. They had to take every tedious path imaginable to prevent possible contact with the enemy.
Staring at their destination, Fraeya Holiadon could not decide if she should be thrilled or distorted at the sight. "Is this the place?"
"I believe so," Raegel said. "The pattern of the structures matches my drawings and the map. See the remains of the two walls?"
"And the stone rings that direct out," Henness said.
"So, you have read the legends," Raegel said, surprised by the centurion's knowledge of the temple.
"I always prepare before a mission," Henness said. "Those half rings, are they stone or artificial?"
"They look like stone, so I think they used the ground stone and molded them," Raegel said.
Fraeya Holiadon carefully stared at the temple ruins. All she could see was the destruction—fractured stone buildings, walls, weed-infested stone pavement, and so on. While there were still many stone structures, most were destroyed. She could only see death, not the walls her father could see.
She turned to ask her father what he was talking about but saw Centurion Fionntan Henness pointing toward the walls and other details.
Watching the two communicate about the features of the temple, she realized how out of depth she was. Her father spent generations studying ruins like this, while Henness is an experienced soldier. For Fraeya, this was her first mission outside the academy supervision, and she realized how different the world was compared to the classroom.
As the two spoke, her elf ears overheard Henness mention that he saw green webbing. As the two men debated what creatures could create that webbing, she already knew based on the type of webbing. Being an excellent student, she recalled the topic regarding intelligent monsters. While many species produce a web, only one creates a thick green. Goblins.
"Father," Fraeya said. "I think goblins made those webbings."
"How could you possibly know that?" Henness asked, unconvinced by the theory. "It would easily be Rorgo or a Kipt."
Fraeya reached into her backpack and pulled out her notepad. She flipped through the pages and responded, "Kipt is more silk-like, while Rorgo is more for capturing prey. Both are white. Only Goblins make green."
"She is correct," Raegel said. "The green should have been a given."
"Alright," Henness said. "That complicates things."
"How so?" Fraeya asked. "The academy said they are weak. Adventures and local militia kill them constantly, so your men should be able to wipe them out with your weaponry easily."
"Goblins are weak in small numbers, but they are a nightmare in large numbers," Henness said. "And depending on the horde, they adapt to who their enemies are quickly. For all I know, we could be fighting a nest that is as heavily armed as we are."
Fraeya looked back toward the next with much confusion. She knew about the goblin's ability to adapt. However, her teachers never stated how formal they could be. Only treating them as barbarians is a functional civilization. "I would think the academy would mention something like that."
"If you are going to be out here in the world, you must understand that life is very different from the classroom," Henness said. "The difference between someone who lives behind a desk versus someone on the ground. Now, I need to get my forces ready for our attack."
Once the centurion left, Fraeya looked at her father. "I am starting to get the impression that my schooling wasn't as truthful as I once thought."
Raegel chuckled at the statement from his daughter. "That is what I said when I left my academy in Thali'ean," he said with a short chuckle before he spoke. "Henness was correct; there is a large gap between the classroom and out here in the world."
"I see. So, now, what do we do?"
"We wait for the legionaries to form a plan. Because time is not on our side, he will want you to assist with your magic. Do you think you can assist? If you are uncomfortable, tell me now, and you can stay here where it is safe."
Feeling a nervous chill creeping down her spine, she looked back toward the temple and breathed heavily. "I admit, I am scared, but I didn't come here to babysit the camp. I want to help."
She felt her father pat her on the back, feeling a sense of pride from his touch.
"That's my daughter."
After an hour of planning, the Palatini of Orias began their assault on the temple ruins. The plan was for a primary team to assault the temple directly, triggering a response from the goblin. The second team would remain on the high ground and pick off the horde.
Fraeya ended up on the right side of the group team. To her surprise, many soldiers were thrilled that they were finally getting into a fight. She wondered, after two weeks of crawling over the mountains and hiding like rodents, they finally got a chance to be soldiers.
The primary assault group she was attached to advance toward the temple once the signal was given. Passing one of the few remaining wall structures, they entered the temple ground. As they swept through the old temple's front sections, the goblins huddled around a fire pit, noticed them, and prepared for battle.
Three legionaries known as circilmen, from the palatini positioned themselves to engage the incoming enemy. Carrying a ranged projectile weapon known as a circiletum, they hid behind the front shield men and fired upon the incoming enemy. They picked off two of the three goblins as the last one quickly crawled under a piece of rubble for cover. Then, the palatini heard a painful screech from the hiding goblin.
Fraeya couldn't help herself but stand there noticing the two fresh corpses. She then watched as two of the swordsmen rushed to the hiding goblin. They reached in and pulled the little green monster out of its hiding spot.
Two swordsmen grabbed the goblin and dragged it from its cover, it jumped on top of one of the legionaries, stabbing its blade into its armor, unable to break through. With a short struggle, the legionary could slam the goblin onto the ground. The other legionary stomped on the body before thrusting his gladius into the monster.
Hearing another screech, Fraeya looked down the stone path and saw goblins popping out of every crack and corner.
One of the legionary officers ordered the unit to reform. The swordsmen took the front with their large scutum shields, creating a two-line protective shield wall. Behind them were the circilmen, taking cover behind the scutum.
The group of goblins charged forward. As they approached, the legionaries saw the raw, starving rage within their dark green eyes—a thirst for primal instincts of food and lust and nothing else.
"Fraeya, is it?"
Hearing her name, she turned to the commanding offer of this group.
"When I give the order, shake the ground." The lower-ranking Centurian said.
Fraeya acknowledged the order as she understood what he was planning.
Turning back to the incoming horde, she watched the three circilmen open fire. The circiletums cut down the forward group of goblins. The ones behind that row suddenly stopped from the shock but were cut down by a second volley.
"Now. Before they scatter."
Fraeya placed her hands together and chanted. The two tiny mana crystals on her gloves blew green as she felt a raw energy channel through her body. A moment later, that glow expanded to the point that it encompassed her hand.
Channeling the mana needed for the spell, Fraeya placed her left hand on the ground.
The stone ground beneath them shook the stone terra, stunning the goblins. Right down the center, cracks formed, and the terra broke apart. The road slightly uplifted into an elevation, forcing the goblins to focus on what was happening.
With the ground disinformed, it prevented the enemy from scattering in an organized manner, allowing the circilmen to fire another volley.
The front scutum marched forward and started cutting down anything that moved. The other line split into two groups. They were marching down the street in an almost synchronized manner. They held their shields high toward the ruins, protecting the circilmen from any incoming projectile. Arrows and magic.
Fireballs flew and impacted the scutum infantry, protecting the flanks. Some of the shields glowed from the impact. The flames engulfed one of the men's arms, and he started to scream from the pain.
The circilmen returned fire, and a firefight began. The sound of their weapons crackled throughout the surrounding area, amplified by the ruined walls. Above the sound of battle were the voices and cries of the wounded—the circiletum that were deployed on the ridge above rained fire from the suppressive team.
The Palatini of Orias pushed deeper into the temple ground as the battle continued. That was until the town began to be consumed by this thick haze, providing cover for the goblins, and restricting visibility for the Lat forces. While not educated to the standards of civilized races, Goblins were not stupid.
"It is a haze," Fraeya said. "They must have a mage somewhere within the nest."
Centurion Fionntan Henness approached their forces and began to regroup. "Can you counter it?"
"No," Fraeya replied. "I never studied Aeromancy magic."
"Nebulo," Henness said. "Our armor and weapons will be less effective."
Fraeya understood his concern. From what she recalled from her classes; goblins have sharp senses. Based on the density of the haze, it was clear even to her that they were planning to force them to huddle and expose themselves to be surrounded, making their ranged weapons worthless.
"We will just have to work around it," Raegel said.
As Frayea prepared herself, she felt a strange feeling throughout her body, almost like some field affecting her body. She saw a female legionary in light armor and a cloak checking over the wounded. One of the few women in the legionary, she could tell she was the unit healer specializing in Sanamancy magic. The women must have placed a barrier to help protect against any poisonous gasses lying within the haze.
Orias advanced through the haze; this forced the soldiers to clump together for safety. As the assault group progressed, they were hit non-stop by the goblin's arrow fire, spears, and fire shots from sling guns. Most of these projectiles caused minor damage thanks to the heavy armor legionary’s wear. However, this did not remove the damage as it brought discomfort and limited their progression to a crawl.
Barely noticing two figures on top of a rooftop through the haze, who were firing slingshots toward their position, she pointed her hand toward a piece of rubble and, with her magic, lifted the debris and projected it through the haze. The rubble temporarily formed a gap in the haze that increased the line-of-sight.
She then called out to the fire battle mage within the unit. The mage realized what was happening and fired multiple firebolts toward the tower. Five bolts impacted the building from different directions, engulfing the structure in flames. Everyone could hear the faint sound of goblins screaming as the building burnt.
With the tower collapsing suddenly, arrows rained through the thick haze, hitting the legionaries in retaliation. While most arrows bounced off the armor, some found exposed spots. Two more legionaries fell to their knees, with one vomiting blood, forcing the healed to focus on the sick over protecting the group.
It became clear that the goblins changed their tactics and poisoned their arrows. While worthless against armor, they could still puncture the underneath clothing and scrap any exposed part of the skin.
A luperca legionnaire picked up an old broken wagon and used it as a shield to protect. With the cover, the lower ranking commanders directed the circilmen to pick off any goblins that peaked above the surface.
Combined with the haze and change of tactic, this formed a strange stalemate between the two sides. The Orias was forced into a defensive; they were well equipped to deal with any goblins who dared to get within melee range. However, the goblins had surrounded and had the range advance as they could see through the haze, allowing them to snipe any legionary who adventured far from the group.
Fraeya saw a blob of acid impact a swordsmen's scutum. The scutum started being consumed by the spell, slowly falling into pieces. The man screamed as he felt his arm burn, desperately untieing the strappings to ditch the heavy shield.
"We need to kill their shaman before we are picked off," Raegel said.
"I agreed," Henness replied. "As long as this haze is here, my suppressive team is useless."
"If I recall," Fraeya said. "A Shaman should be nearby. Someone close enough to maintain this haze and give commands but not put themselves in danger."
"Then I know where it should be," Henness said. "Let's go half-elf."
She felt her ears perk up once she realized the centurion was talking about her. She looked toward her father and saw the 'it is time to prove yourself' look. Taking a deep breath and preparing herself, she gathered behind Henness and six of his men.
The assault unit left the main one and adventurer deeper into the temple grounds. As they reached what remained of an intersection, goblins stormed out of the stone buildings to ambush the legionaries.
With their disciplined reaction, the legionaries immediately adjusted their formation and sliced down the attackers. Henness stood at the center, holding his sword out as flames wrapped around the blade.
As the goblins attacked the swordsmen, Fraeya broke apart the ground on the right flank, knocking many goblins. The one that fell, she entangled them by summoning vines - which trapped the goblins and pulled them into the ground until their death or burial.
She then turned and lifted parts of the ground on the left flank, blocking some of the goblins. This prevented the legionaries from being encircled.
"Reform," Henness ordered. "We need to advance quickly. Stay close."
Once the path was clear, the unit moved toward the building where the goblins had fortified. Henness moved in front of her to provide protection. He held up his shield, deflecting arrows.
"Stay behind me," Henness said.
While not being a military woman, Fraeya quickly learned to accept the chain of command on this quest. On the battlefield, her father told her to listen to Henness as he was a man of war. She realized that the structure and safety of the city and the academy are vastly different in the countryside. Getting behind him, she followed him close behind as he pushed forward, arrows striking his shield, allowing her to get in range for her spell.
The legionaries stopped engaging the incoming goblins, allowing their centurion and the young mage to get closer. Henness reached around his scutum and pressed the amulet attached to the outer shell's center. Once pressed, the large shield briefly glowed before darkening, returning to the standard red with white lining design.
Up ahead, Fraeya saw in full display of the nest. Spikes, fortification, and green webbing filled the gaps between the ruined structures. Skeletons and decomposing bodies littered the areas of their past victims. The goblins were standing in the bunker sections, preparing for battle. With how heavily guarded it was, she concluded that this must be where the Shaman was.
"Fraeya, now!"
Fraeya moved around the man to cast her spell. With a quick chant, her hands glowed green again. As she channeled her mana, an acid attack impacted Henness' scutum. While the added hardening enchantment from the amulet increased the scutum resistance, the acid slowly ate through the large shield.
Stepping from cover, Fraeya aimed her hands at the nest. The ground trembled a little as the front of the nest collapsed on itself from the summoned sinkhole.
With the front entrance open, Fraeya saw the Shaman in plain view—a female, being one of the few within a goblin nest. The Shama looked scared as she looked around where to hide.
Fraeya did not give it time as she cast a spell that created a spike from the ground below the Shaman and pierced straight through the vicious monster, killing it instantly.
As the Shaman staff hit the ground, the haze started to disappear.
Believing that her work was complete after killing the goblin leader, her ears quickly heard footsteps surrounding them.
Noticing that the goblins were about to swarm their position, she took cover behind Henness to protect his rear. She took a deep breath as she felt exhausted from the battle and cast so many spells quickly.
Starting at five goblins that emerged from the ruins, Fraeya watched as they charged toward them. Before they got close, however, each one was sniped from the ridge-side suppressive team.
With a moment of confusion, she stared toward the cliffside and saw the suppressive team. Now that the haze is disappearing, they could snipe off the remaining goblins from their elevation position.
"Good job, half-elf," Henness said, slowly stepping back with a shield aimed at the flames, guiding Fraeya back.
"Stop calling me half-elf," Fraeya yelled. "I am out here risking my life with the rest of you, and don't give me that war is a male-domain thing! I am willing to see this through. Most of my kind would stay home and let you fight, so why do you keep degrading me?"
"Because ideals get people killed," Fionntan Henness replied. "Out here, you must earn that respect within the brotherhood of warriors, especially if you are used to living inside the city walls. People with a self-protected mindset usually end up as food for the worms or get my soldiers killed because they do not understand what it takes to survive."
The centurion then turned to the destroyed nest. "I will say, though, what you did here. It is a good first step for a half-elf." He then turned to give her an approving smile.
Not understanding the humor from the Lat, Fraeya accepted it. From her experience, Lats always had a strange sense of humor. Insults are sometimes seen as compliments while praising could be considered offensive. Saying one thing but meaning another is a common trait for them.
With the remaining palatini coming after clearing the remaining goblins, Fraeya saw her father. She rushed over and hugged him and teared up.
"You did good, my dear," Raegel said as he patted her.
"Is this really what it is like out here?" Fraeya asked.
"Sadly, it is," Fraeya replied. "That is why I never brought you around on my digs."
"I am sorry to interrupt," Henness said. "We are on borrowed time, so can we get at it?"
Fraeya looked toward the centurion with frustration as she wanted a moment with her father. After taking a deep breath, she realized that he was right.
After finishing her hug, she brushed off the goblin's blood and clothing.
"Then we better begin searching for what we came for," Raegel said as he reached for his bag. She watched as he pulled out a perfectly smoothed, pure black orb. By itself, it didn't look impressive. She had seen hundreds of these orbs at the academy or the many workshops within the city.
Raegel held the orb in one hand and activated it with his mana. The orb glowed light blue and fainted, barely emitting any energy. He then took it against the mountain and began scanning.
Not wanting to miss anything, Fraeya quickly pulled out her journal, skipping past all her notes until she reached a blank page. She then began documenting everything her father did, taking in every world and detail.
The palatini began walking through the ruins, heading toward the mountain wall. Raegel explained in his research that the temple extended inside the mountain, like a dwarf borrian. While others who came before him came up with this theory, they were still looking for a way to detect the hidden door markings and find it.
Raegel moved down the side of the mountain, holding the orb high.
"Why are you not using a door-detecting amulet?" Fraeya asked.
"Because people have been using that for generations and found nothing here," Raegel replied.
After a reasonable amount of time when nothing had happened, Fraeya began to wonder if everything was for nothing. Seeing the lack of progress, Henness inquired if the orb failed to work. As Raegel replied, the orb suddenly blimped orange for a moment.
Witnessing the sudden change, the group backed away as they did not know how to respond to the sudden glow.
Noticing a renewed excitement from her father, she followed him closely as they investigated the mountainside.
As they searched, her father noticed that the faint blue glow from the orb had changed to orange. It then disappeared and slowly appeared, like it was slowly pulsing. When they continued walking forward, the pulsing light increased in speed.
"I think it is directing us, father," Fraeya said.
"Possible," Raegel said. "There must be some type of link."
The palatini followed the direction the orb gave. As the group approached a mountainside wall, the pulse frequency increased until it looked like the orb glowed a solid color.
"I think we found it," Raegel said. He lifted the orb toward the wall.
As the orb drew closer to the mountainside, these blue lines appeared all over the rocky wall. The rough chips of rock melted away and turned smooth as the light traveled through the grooves, slowly creating what looked like a giant door of light.
Once the bright lights finished designing a massive door, Fraeya placed her hand on the wall, shocked at how the natural bulky rocks turned into a marble-like wall.
"I would step aside, Fraeya," Raegel said.
As Fraeya stepped backward, she watched her father open the door with a magical spell. Like most magical doors, the door brightened as she expected it would fold into the mountain. To her surprise, the door didn't fold away but melted into the ground.
"What happened to the door?" Fraeya asked.
Raegal placed his hand on his chin. "It seemed that the wall was not solid but some liquid matter. These people are impressive."
The wall began to shake as dusk from the cracks spread through the area.
A large opening formed as the door walls folded into the mountainside. A passage leading deeper into the mountain. The walls were black and smooth, while the floor had these textiles in perfect order, leading deeper into the mountain.
"This has to be a dwarven design," Fraeya commented. "Only they could do something like this."
"I'm not sure," Raegel said. "This is not a design I have seen from dwarves."
Fraeya understood what her father meant. Dwarven doors into the mountains took a lot of work to find. While there were many designs of such hidden doors and the means to open them, it was doubtful that anyone had ever seen a secret magical door like this before.
Raegel started to walk into the chamber but was suddenly stopped by Henness. Stating that he wanted his men to go first to ensure no trap, three legionaries moved through the large chamber. Once they gave the clear, the rest of the group entered.
While walking, Fraeya stayed close to her father as she took notes. The soldiers ahead of them set up torches to add more light. To her surprise, the walls and floor were smooth. The air was stale, probably trapped within this chamber for centuries.
As they walked inside, the room lit up. Everyone stopped as they looked toward the end of the hall. The chamber was empty, with only a strange-looking platform at the very end. Noticing that the orb was pointing toward the platform, they approached it.
"Is this it?" Henness asked. "It does not look that impressive."
"Not everything is based on size, centurion," Raegel replied, to which his daughter giggled.
Fraeya then analyzed the platform. It was smooth, almost marble-like. However, she doubted whether it was marble. The fundamental details that she noticed were a strange-looking blue crystal at the center of the platform and another in a hole on the side.
"This is interesting," Fraeya commented. The design looked surprisingly simple. This orb must act as some command orb for this device. They must be communicating in some manner."
"Assuming that the legend was true, the orcs were the ones who summoned the lats from Altaerrie," Fraeya said. "Maybe, when this place was lost of that time, it was never turned off. Being left in a state of slumber, waiting to be reawakened."
"Possible. It would explain why the orb directed us here. The orange pulse is now pointing down at a rapid pace."
"I think it goes into that hole, father," Fraeya said. "From what I can tell, the crystal in there connects to the one on top of the platform."
"I see," Raegel said. "The pulse is pointing toward it too. I recommend that everyone step back."
"Be careful, father," Fraeya said.
Stepping back from the platform, Fraeya watched as her father placed the orb into the hole. This was the moment her father had been talking about for decades, and it had finally come true. The Bridge between two worlds had finally been discovered.
As Raegel placed the orb into the platform, it glowed orange in a solid state, no longer pulsing. The blue crystal in the middle of the platform slowly lit up, like it was waking up after a long sleep.
The air suddenly chilled as the air flowed toward the platform. A bright light beamed out of the crystal and slowly faded away, leaving a light as if on standby.
To their dismay, the orb changed to red, dimming and brightening in a slow, tired pattern.
"What is it doing, father?" Fraeya asked.
"I have no idea," Raegel replied. "It must be waiting for something."

This is a question that applies to really, most of music not just singing. Bassists never get recognition in music. There is no desire for singing low notes and especially for being a bass singer. Its all about the crazy high notes and being a tenor, or mezzo soprano/soprano. This lack of love towards low notes ESPECIALLY to bass guitarists in bands. Bass guitarists almost never get any recognition. Heck there are bands out there that completely synthesize bass guitar parts and have them played back when performing live shows. For me the genre I wanna sing is super high pitch and requires very good control of my 5th octave notes so thats why I tend to prefer the tenor notes but I feel this is a cultural conversation to.
I heard another point is that due to men with lower voices generally having them because of increased testosterone production. They are generally seen as being more traditionally "masculine". Subsequently all of arts being seen as more feminine by a lot of the alt right, right wing crowd. Tons of men with low voices that want to sing don't because of being physically incapable of singing in the high range that is most widely used in contemporary singing, this in combination of general music culture causes them to feel (and at times be deliberately) excluded, as well as folks from outside the music sphere heavily discouraging them from singing due to it "being an attack on their masculinity", etc. This is a topic that music departments could do research in.

In the vast landscape of CFD (Contracts for Difference) trading, finding a reliable broker is akin to navigating through a maze of promises and potentials. International Reserve emerges as a contender in this arena, boasting a blend of human insight and AI prowess to revolutionize trading experiences. But does it live up to the hype, or is it merely another mirage in the desert of financial markets? Let’s dissect the claims and realities surrounding International Reserve.
Fusion of Human Expertise and AI Innovation
At the core of International Reserve’s pitch lies a promise to seamlessly merge the expertise of human analysts with cutting-edge AI trading software. This dual-pronged approach aims to offer traders a comprehensive toolkit for navigating the tumultuous waters of financial markets. While the concept is intriguing, the devil lies in the execution – how effectively does this fusion translate into tangible benefits for traders?
Expansive Market Reach
International Reserve prides itself on providing access to a diverse array of markets, spanning from Forex and cryptocurrencies to stocks, indices, and commodities. This breadth of offerings is coupled with accessibility across various platforms, catering to the needs of traders who seek flexibility and convenience in their trading endeavors.
Supportive Ecosystem and Educational Resources
A hallmark of International Reserve is its commitment to customer support and education. The platform boasts round-the-clock assistance and an extensive library of educational materials aimed at empowering traders with knowledge and strategies. This emphasis on support and education is commendable, particularly in an industry where guidance can make or break a trader's journey.
Competitive Edge and Expertise
International Reserve claims to offer competitive spreads and the backing of a seasoned team of financial experts. Lower spreads can translate into reduced trading costs, while expert insights can potentially provide an edge in navigating complex market dynamics. However, as with any bold assertion, it’s imperative to scrutinize these claims against real-world experiences and evidence.
Verifying Legitimacy: A Prerequisite for Safe Trading
Before entrusting your hard-earned capital to any trading platform, conducting due diligence is non-negotiable. Here’s a checklist to help separate the wheat from the chaff:

1. Regulatory Compliance: Confirm whether International Reserve is regulated by reputable financial authorities. Regulatory oversight serves as a safeguard against fraudulent activities and ensures adherence to industry standards.
2. User Feedback: Seek out independent reviews and testimonials from other traders. Their firsthand experiences can offer invaluable insights into the platform’s reliability and performance.
3. Transparency and Accessibility: Assess the transparency of International Reserve’s operations, including clear contact information and customer service accessibility. Trust thrives in an environment of transparency and accountability.
4. Test Drive with Demo Accounts: Take advantage of demo accounts, if available, to test the platform’s features and functionality without risking real capital. This hands-on approach allows you to gauge the platform’s user experience and suitability for your trading style.

In Conclusion: A Balanced Approach to Evaluation
International Reserve presents an intriguing proposition with its fusion of human intelligence and technological innovation, expansive market offerings, and robust support infrastructure. However, discerning traders understand the importance of validation through meticulous scrutiny and verification. By exercising caution and conducting thorough research, traders can navigate the labyrinth of CFD trading with greater confidence and security. Remember, in the world of financial markets, knowledge is power, and due diligence is your shield against potential pitfalls.

48f 5'7" 120 pounds
T1D
Meds: buspirone, zoloft, adderall, dexilant, insulin, rosuvastatin
Been having ruq pain, constipation, and diarrhea. Serious cramping at times. Biggest complaint it's that pain in the right side, i have been constantly adjusting my posture and sleep position so my back is now always hurting too. Happening since March
Fecal Elastase was <50
Gall bladder removed last year
Today was my endoscopy
Before the procedure? The doctor was like : oh your a1c is too high, that's probably causing all your symptoms"
My last A1C was 6.6 and it has been between 6.3 and 6.8 for the last 15 years, which is when i was diagnosed
After the procedure they said i had a hiatal hernia and fluid in my stomach, likely pointing to gastroparesis
They will likely schedule a gastric emptying if insurance will cover it but that will likely take several months
They took some samples to biopsy
I was told to eat small low fiber meals and see you in September for a follow up
My sister has had a hernia strangulation and almost lost part of her bowel so i am a little concerned they seem to be doing nothing about this. Is this something they're going to be watching? Do hernias get bigger? Constipation and hernia is no good right? I get backed up pretty easily, always have, and low fiber seems like that'll make that worse?
(Older colonoscopy showed a sharp right turn in a part of my lower colon, and yes that is where it often hurts when things aren't moving bc it doesn't get around the corner as well i guess)
He also didn't like that i was on Dexilant and wants to move me to otc famotidine after a month, which doesn't touch the GERD at all. Says Dexilant has too many side effects
I have tried famotidine, omeprazole, pantaprozale
Dexilant is the only one that works. Believe me, this shit is expensive, if otc pepcid worked Id be ALL over it
I understand being hesitant for hernia surgery, surgery is a big deal and if it can be managed medically, great
But i would like to know what, if anything, is going to happen going forward. Do i get an egd every year or something to watch it? Does this explain the upper right quadrant pain? I asked about the enzymes from the Fecal test and he just said"take them if you want"??
And if anyone could clarify what problems Dexilant could cause that'd be very helpful too Thank you.

I've been living in this house since 2017 with a perfect payment history (literally never in 7 years have been late even for a day). I still pay lower than other similar houses since the rent is controlled in the state of Oregon and the rent hike was too rapid the last 3 years. last February I received a notice to evict by end of April from my landlord telling me that the house is being sold and the new owner is moving in. I was very suspicious since no one showed up to see the house at all, not even from outside. also, in Oregon the ownelandlord needs to provide a copy of the offer with the notice. I tried to call and ask. I was told some excuses like we will provide the proof later and sometimes they don't even answer or literally hung up on me as soon as they know it was me calling. Fast forward to end of April, I got my online account (where I usually pay rent) disabled and upon calling them I was told I should be out of the property they are not accepting my rent and literally texted me saying (see you in court) which I still have the texts now. 2 days later I received a call threatening me that if I go to court, not only I will be evicted but the eviction will be on my history and I will not be able to rent again anywhere. I responded by saying that is okay lets go to court. another 2 day pat and someone showed up with yet another 90 day notice to be posted on my front door saying the property is being remodeled and I need to get out be end of July. I am not gonna lie this has put such a huge pressure on me and caused some panic attacks since I cant afford another similar property with a fenced yard since I have 2 big high energy dogs that needs a yard. is there anyway to sue my landlord for lying and trying to kick me out ? should I go to court by end of July and fight them. just for info the landlord is a property management firm that were hired by the owner right before I rented the house back in 2017.
Thanks you for the help.

Three weeks ago, I thought I was dying. I was so sick, for three hellish weeks. The first week I was waiting for it to go away, then I got to a point I could barely breathe. So I went to the hospital where they horribly mistreated me and I left without treatment. Another week later and I had to suck it up and take the bus to the ER where they said I had pneumonia and a lung abscess.
About 12 days ago, a new depression medication I had been taking for a week prior caused me to experience horrific auditory hallucinations. This was the first time in my life I had experienced this, and it was so real, that after a week of torture, no sleep, all while not knowing it was the med causing it, I broke and called the police to go help my elderly neighbor who I was 100% convinced was being tortured in their apartment that’s connected to mine.
I had no idea I had a year old warrant from the girl my supposed former partner had been living with for two of the four years he said we were together. So the police checked on my neighbor, who was fine, and then came and arrested me.
While in jail for 8 days, I was not given any of my medications. Including the one causing the auditory hallucinations, which after two days they all stopped and that’s when I figured out that it had been the med that whole time.
While in jail, the sadistic sick guards put me with 14 other women in one small cell intended to hold 8, for almost 36 hours. They didn’t even give us water that entire duration. Two of the girls sitting next to me were complaining of sore throats. Yesterday I woke up with a cough, and today I’m coughing up green and grey yet again. I feel flat out like walking death.
When I got out of jail, which I had never been to before, nobody told me I needed to go directly to the bondsman and sign paperwork. So they called me last night and said if I don’t come in they will revoke my bond. They are in a city two hours away and I do not drive due to massive amounts of head trauma which caused a balance disorder.
Now I have to get two bus tickets, a Lyft to and from the bondsman, and only have $60 to do all that with. The woman that the SSA put in charge of my money at first, did not pay all of my rent last month, so I had to give my landlord $120 when I got out of jail, after finding an eviction notice warning letter on my coffee table when I got home.
I am in the middle of trying to pull together a move to NC after receiving a letter one week before I was arrested, saying that I had finally come up on the waitlist for Section 8 out there after years of waiting.
Today I had to make the decision on the lawyer I wanted to hire to help me with my trial since I am clueless about anything to do with law and don’t want to go back to jail.
I have a billion things to do this week still, including spending however many hours at the SSA tomorrow so I can get enough $ released early to pay my attorney fee so she can begin working on my case before the trial next month. I can barely stand up at this point, this just hit so hard so fast.
I’m so overwhelmed and none of this can be put off even a week. I haven’t eaten since I got out of jail 4 days ago cause all my food went bad and I have to give and save every dime now, part went to my landlord and the rest I need to get to the city my bondsman is in and make it home.
I cannot even believe this fucking shit.

~First~
Cats, Cops and C4
The Erumenta woman tries to fight even as he forces her into the cell, her natural fire flaring hot enough for his clothing to smoulder and him to mentally congratulate himself for his Undaunted Brand. It’s literally saved his fingers multiple times today.
Marlintine Spire is like many of the spires of Centris still reeling from the massive scan. Sure it had been legal, and both Living Goddesses upon the world had told everyone to calm down in their own way. But just because something is legal and endorsed by powerful figures does not make it a popular move.
“You burn any of your fellow prisoners while you’re in there and you’re getting a suppression collar.” He tells the obstinate criminal as he shoves her into the holding cell and slams the bars shut. The forcefields supplementing the metal bars flickers into place and the blast of flame she aimed at his face splashes against it without further effect. “Cute, keep it up and we won’t need a court hearing to upgrade you to a real prison.”
“He’s being serious. Stripper boy is playing at being a serious police officer.” Another criminal mocks and is subsequently ignored as Chenk leaves the area. He has other things to do.
“Ma’am.” He greets Chief Bowman as he slips by to head back out.
“Hold it human. I know your kind are endurance monsters, but you need to sit the hell down. You’ve been dragging in cult soldiers for six and a half hours straight. Your legal overtime ended a half hour ago.”
“Then keep a cell open for me as I keep bringing in more people. This needs to be quelled.” Chenk says and as he turns to keep going she grabs his belt and pulls him back.
“You need to rest.”
“The Spire is in the middle of a borderline insurrection. I can rest when it’s...” He begins to say before a sudden movement to his right makes his head snap around. Just before Vera the Takra-Takra crashes into him.
“Thanks for stalling him out Chief! Come on you goofy human!” Vera announces as she drags him down the hallway and into Linda’s Office. She tosses him onto the couch and then pounces onto him and pins him.
“Really?” Chenk asks.
“Yes really. You need to calm down. And I found a way to force it.” Linda states.
“But the Spire is...”
“You are one officer. Supersoldier on loan to the station or not, you’re still only one officer. The structural integrity of this spire only depends upon you when there’s a bomb threat and even then, only when it’s a chemical bomb.” Linda tells him. “Or do we have to restrict you to only being called out during a bomb threat?”
“No.” He says. “But people are still getting hurt and...”
“And they're the ones hurting themselves. Just please calm down. I know you’re skilled, but your sense of justice is just going to hurt you at this rate. Don’t want to leave a bad example for Amy now do you?” Linda teases him and Chenk groans in frustration.
“... I really should have thought things through before growing attached to that girl.”
“Oh probably, but it was adorable to see. The world crashing down on a poor little girl in over her head and then Officer Hero, Supersoldier from the blackest void of the galaxy flies in to save her.” Vera teases.
“Still, him being a supersoildier is a bit of a problem right now. Big man needs a mission, or he’s going to go nuts!” Linda notes. “Luckily! I called one of your friends on the ship. Soldier, you’re in position to requre a talking to from The Observer. However, the call is on hold, but you need to be here when it goes off.”
“That’s a dirty trick.” Chenk notes even as an Undaunted communicator is tossed at him and he catches it. It’s activated, it’s in a waiting queue and there’s no way he can go into the field now if he’s waiting for an official answer. “Very dirty.”
“Good thinking!” Vera compliments as she cuddles closer to her pinned target. Her hair spikes out in sudden shock as The Communicator then goes off to signify the call has gone through. “I jinxed it!”
“Specialist Chenk Barnabas sir!” Chenk answers the call instantly as he sits up and Vera scurries off him.
“Really? I put him on that waiting list to get him to calm down and stop working.”
“Specialist Barnabas, I’m one of numerous individuals filtering the sheer number of incoming calls to The Inevitable. You’re in the proper queue now, please state what you have been doing as a member of The Undaunted so that Observer Wu can better decide who to speak with.”
“I’m on loan to one of Marlintine Spire’s major police stations. Due to the overpopulation of Centris this means I have been acting as elite law enforcement over a population that exceeds that of many of earth’s countries.”
“I see, anything in particular that you’re doing?”
“I’m a chemical expert and accredited detective at this rate. I am the go to specialist for law enforcement when it comes to chemical explosives for a full ten percent of Centris Police Departments.”
“Any particularly interesting cases you’ve been assigned to?”
“Yes, one that is still being debated in court by none other than The Trytite Lady. It involves cloning, murder, mercenaries, numerous criminal gangs and a great deal of more nonsense such as massive prison breaks, fighting robots and Axiom effects so dangerous that even speaking about them in anything more than the most broad and general of terms on an open frequency is a punishable offence.”
“So you have seen a fair amount of what has occurred in the galaxy.”
“I’ve seen enough that I’m going to be very hard to surprise or overwhelm any longer.” Chenk says.
“Very good. I’ll just note this down. The Galaxy is absolutely insane, I’ve been fielding calls from people with like nine heads all speaking in concert and god damn lobster people and more...”
“That’s reality for you.” Chenk replies. “Always more absurd than it should be.”
“Indeed, stand by. I’m putting you into the next proper queue. It shouldn’t be more than a minute or two long.” The Assistant states and then the call shifts to simply display that he’s fourth in the queue now.
“Hunh. Faster and somehow slower than expected at the same time.” Chenk says even as Vera leans against him.
“Even when you take a break you’re still working.”
“You didn’t complain about me being an endurance monster when I planted this in you.” He says gently patting her growing stomach and she pushes him a bit in protest.
“Problem with getting the super-babies of doom is the wait for the baby.” Vera complains and he chuckles before the communicator activates again. He puts it in broadcast mode as Linda leaves her desk to sit next to him for support.
“Observer Wu I take it?” Chenk asks the Asian man who nods.
“And you are Officer and Operative Barnabas. The little summary in front of your call has my attention. Tell me, how are laws generally handled in the Centris space.”
“Centris is a massively overpopulated planet consisting of Spires and Plates. The Spires are the massive multi tiered towers that have two hundred levels each and each level holds enough people to populate any major city on Earth with ease. The lower the level on the spire the less funding, infrastructure and support it has with the bottom ten generally considered a universal slum or no man’s land. Law enforcement in those areas is nigh on impossible and the air itself has been described as thick and fetid. No natural light reaches those areas either.”
“And higher up?”
“Increasing amounts of wealth and support. To such a degree that the plates, which form an artificial ring around Centris are of such high quality that their most squalid and desperate places are at roughly the same standard of living as the middle fifty floors of a well off Spire. As you can imagine, policing all this is an outright herculean effort and every station, no matter how well funded, armed or endorsed is simply inadequate for the task.”
“What sort of crimes have you witnessed?”
“I’ve stopped terrorist conspiracies, torn down drug labs, found myself between assassins and their targets, I’ve stood in the middle of gang wars commanding people to stand down, I have tackled muggers, murderers and maniacs alike into walls and cuffed them. Not even twenty minutes ago I dragged a criminal who could light fires with her will alone into a cell, my jacket is still singed from it.”
“So the world is rife with criminality.”
“No more than any other place, there’s just so many people crammed in here that it’s constant, and that’s without the recent provocation that every single criminal organization received more or less simultaneously. Generally for every single idiot that needs a police officer to remind them why good behaviour is a good idea, there’s an entire bus full of people that didn’t even consider breaking the law.” Chenk explains.
“But when they truly commit crimes they don’t stop do they?”
“No, more resources, technology and Axiom means that if someone wants to break the rules they can break the very concept of rules. The last major case I was in before this flashfire of criminality was kicked off involved the sanctity of body and mind being shattered for the sake of mere greed by a figure so underworld infamous that for a chance to get either evidence on the person in question or ingratiate themselves to them we had an all out war break out in the station. One that if not for a quick trick, we would have lost.”
“And the trick was?”
“Switching out the prize for a disguised tracking beacon.” Chenk says and Observer Wu nods appreciatively. “I can’t credit on that though, it was The Private Stream that did that.”
“I haven’t had that fully explained to me. What is THE Private Stream?”
“I’m not the best person to explain it, but a quick summary is that it’s a shared persona for low profile work. Operative Jameson is the founder and original Private Stream, a persona that lets him go around while heavily armed and armoured while arousing no suspicion.”
Vera snorts in amusement. “Arousing... lot of girls find the aw shucks innocent routine to be arousing.”
Chenk slowly urns to her. “What?”
“You know what.”
“Maybe I don’t!”
“Maybe you do.”
“Could we focus please?” Observer Wu asks. “Now, as an Officer, are there any laws that you would find concerning about humans?”
“Yes, they’re usually location dependant thankfully. So the issue can be avoided. Furthermore there’s a lot of leeway given in laws where the traits of a species would make following the law difficult if not impossible. For example a human can generally get away carrying substances that are considered highly toxic or dangerous due to the fact that our diets contain what many people in the galaxy are nothing more than hard core poisons.”
“Hmm... Could you be more specific?”
“Well, this one won’t apply to you due to an amendment that Admiral Cistern was able to get allies to help him push through, but one of the most popular religions the galaxy over is the Gravid Faith, it has numerous denominations and variants and several of them create what’s called Arrangement Systems where men are required by law to have a hundred wives.”
“And the amendment is?”
“That if you are gainfully employed by governmental or military forces that you are exempt from the law so long as you remained employed in such a manner. You Observer Wu are the eyes of hundreds of Earth Nations meaning a government employee.” Chenk explains and he nods.
“I see. Any other exemptions?”
“Generally the Galaxy looks down on kinetic weaponry, so when it was pushed that humans wear weapons and cultural garb it was allowed through without issue. So humans are legally allowed to carry weapons like knives and pistols at almost all time without question. It’s... rather stupid in my opinion, but well it would be even more foolish for me to complain about something I’m outright benefiting from.”
“Hmm... any other laws?”
“They very much vary by location. Which are further influenced by the species of the residents, local culture, religion, political association, economic status. The name of the game is jurisdiction issues here on Centris. The local police departments all help one another, but always at the invite of the local officers who can actually confirm if what’s taking place is a crime or not in the local area.”
“Can you give an example of this working against things?”
“Alright, the easiest example is with drugs. There is no agreed on way to combat the spread of illegal narcotics. Some make the growing of the plants that produce what you want illegal. Others make the refinement of it’s fruit illegal and some make the selling of the drug illegal. So you can produce it all on the third Spire and sell it on the first two legally. You can grow the plant on the second and third spire legally, refine it on the first and third legally and that way you have a massive multi-jurisdiction drug running operation without technically breaking any law.”
“Hmm... that is a great deal to consider. I presume other such crimes can operate the same way?”
“Unfortunately yes. But that’s the problem with laws, you need to set where the boundaries are, but not make people prisoners in their own homes. There’s always a loophole.”
“Tragically yes.” Observer Wu remarks. “Now, I do need to speak to the others, but I have a few moments more. Who and what are you sitting near. The vaguely catlike woman on your right and the... generally human looking woman on your left are?”
“Linda is to my left. Partner and wife, the first actual police officer of us three. Vera is to my right. Wandering Warrior and wife. Linda is a Tret woman, they’re best considered to be humans if we evolved with Axiom helping us, a sister species to our own people. Vera is a Takra-Takra, she and her kind can shapeshift into the ferocious Warform and use it in battle. They pride their skill as Warriors and seek out stronger mates to empower the next generation.” Chenk explains before tiltiing the view down a little to show the pregnant stomach on Vera. “A work in progress.”
“I see. Congratulations. Although compared to many other Undaunted you seem a little behind.”
“I wasn’t aware it was a race.”
“Which is exactly how you lose the race!” Vera says in an amused tone.
“Indeed. Every conversation leads me to believe that I need to take an entire university degree in order to understand things. Thankfully your own is rather straight forward.”
“Really? Who are you speaking with next?”
“I haven't decided yet, but I need to speak with everyone in some way.” Observer Wu states.
“Good luck sir, I think you’ll need it.” Chenk says.
“Excuse me, is there a way to get a human to calm down and take a break? Ever since Centris was Scanned and hidden societies were exposed all over Chenk has refused to stop working. Is there any way to just get him to take a break?” Linda asks.
“It generally varies from person to person. But I would suggest guilting him. Emotional blackmail is a powerful tool.” Observer Wu says with a slight smirk.
“Traitor!” Chenk declares and there’s a chuckle from The Observer.
“Indeed. I’m afraid this call needs to finish now. Best of luck.” Observer Wu says before the call ends.
“So... we need to guilt you then? Okay!” Vera exclaims before her eyes start to water. “Don’t you wanna be there for the baby? Doesn’t she deserve a daddy?”
“Oh my god woman!”
~First~ Last

I play goalie for a few beer league teams. Usually I have no issue with hips / groin. But I think my desk job and possibly a muscle pull is affecting me.
I've noticed it as lower back pain. And when doing something like laying on my back and holding my shins at tabletop, my outer hip cramps bad in my right. It feels really tight.
On top of it. Most the lower back pain is noticeable when seated and trying to lift my foot off the ground. Left leg, no problem. Right leg, real struggle.
I'm thinking an undiagnosed injury had led to a muscular imbalance that is causing pain.
I am going to try to get into a physical therapy, but gotta run the insurance gambit first. So hoping someone could chime in where to start.

TL;DR: My friend insisted she was too sick to see me during the 4 days we went specifically to visit her, but it sounded like an excuse.
I've been friends with L for decades. We've been what I had considered best friends. Our friendship has had some ups and downs, but nothing too major. When I got married several years ago, I moved to a different country. But I still visit my family and my friends once a year and we keep in touch via text and video calls (about 4 a year). The visits and video calls all have to be organized by me, btw.
I am a forgiving person, so when she did not come to my wedding and, more importantly, did not even try, I forgave her because I understood it would've been a major expense to travel and pay for the travel documents for it. When some years later I offered to pay for her and her new husband's tickets to come visit me if they got the travel documents, she never said no but never said yes. But she never tried to get the documents. I still cut her some slack.
Recently L moved to a different, neighboring, country and she's now 4 and a half hrs away by car. I visited her last year in her new hometown, then a second time we met up with her halfway (on her side of the border), and this visit was going to be my third time seeing her in this new country.
The first time I visited I went for just a couple of days and it was just me. Her mother-in-law was visiting as well at the time, so her husband was busy with work and entertaining his mom. My friend and I had a great time going everywhere just the two of us. The second visit when we met halfway, was very quick, just a few hours because she and her husband had to catch a ferry back. I know she'll never come to visit me because it would require her to get the travel documents she has never once tried to get (even though she now has a permanent residency card for the new country, which would make it easier to get documents to visit me).
This time I drove up with my husband to visit her. We took time off from work to make sure we had plenty of time to sightsee and visit, and we paid for 3 nights at a hotel. My friend and I planned a lot of activities together. We had started planning a couple of months before the trip. I was thrilled and incredibly excited. It had been YEARS since I spent my birthday with friends. It really meant a lot to me. We were to drive up on day 1, see her on her own while her husband was working on day 2, go out all of us together on day 3, and have more fun together before we headed back in the afternoon of day 4.
Day 1 as we were driving slowly making our way to where she lives, she told me she and her husband were feeling a little sick, but that they were taking some Tylenol to make sure they were better by day 2 (when the bulk of the activities we planned together that did not include her husband was going to happen). I told her to rest well and feel better.
By day 2 she said she was still feeling sick, with a temperature of 37.2ºC/99ºF (which is still considered within normal range FYI) and sniffles, cough, and watery eyes, and she didn't think she could join us. I was very, very disappointed, but I thought it might be better if she rested. We switched around the plans for day 3 so we could at least have lunch together.
Day 3 she was feeling better but didn't feel 100% and preferred if we saw each other for lunch on day 4, the day we were going to go back. I told her lunch had to be at 1 pm so we could get going around 2 pm. I asked if there was any way to see each other before lunch as well since I had come all the way to see her after all. A lot of back and forth ensued where we planned to meet at 10:30 am because her husband had an online event earlier, but we could watch them have breakfast (I declined to have breakfast at that time given that we were eating lunch at 1pm), then chit chat and have lunch at 1 pm.
Day 4 she sent a message that she had a "fever" of 37ºC/98.6ºF and wasn't feeling well (again that is an even more perfectly normal body temperature). And she had the flu and didn't want to get us sick. She also said that the weather was rainy and bad and didn't want to get worse by going out in that weather (the day was sunny and clear). She sounded proud that she was telling me early enough that we could still get some sightseeing done. I was devastated to say the least. I took a while to reply thinking of all the things I could say, but I finally decided that if she just didn't want to see me I was not going to beg or point out the inconsistencies. I replied with the equivalent of an "Ok I guess". When she saw that, she sent a message about how she was going back to bed and how she "might" feel better if we wanted to stop by on our way out of town around 1 pm so we could say hi across the lobby while wearing masks. At that point, my husband and I had decided to just go home early because I was devastated and doubted she would see us. A couple of hours later, she tried calling, and sent tons of texts, again explaining that she had been sick with a fever and that the doctor had at some point (she did not see a doctor at this time) told her that she's contagious if she's coughing. And no, she was not going to be able to see us for the couple of minutes she had hinted at. I proceeded to ignore her messages as I was very upset and we were already driving back anyway.
The next day (my actual birthday), she sent a text in our group chat about how she was so sad she had been sick after all that planning, but happy birthday.
I don't know what to think. Was she avoiding me? Was she truly sick? If so, why tell me the not-really-fever temperatures? Is it bad depression? Was she having trouble with her husband and this was a way to cover for it? I kept telling her we could do anything she wanted, we didn't have to sightsee or go anywhere. She never suggested meeting at an open area to chat and not worry about being contagious until the very end. I am so hurt and upset, but part of me is wondering if this is one big cry for help. If it is, how can I help her? Do I tell her to go to therapy? That is a big taboo in our culture, so I don't even know how to suggest it. What if she really thought she was sick? Will hinting that maybe she had something else going on insult her? How do I move past this? She broke my heart a little.
We've grown apart geographically and in our beliefs/interests as we got older and we both changed and got married, but neither of us has that many friends so we remained best friends by default. Do I just give up on the decades of friendship because she couldn't be bothered to see me during the trip?

Welcome back to our Weekly Tips Thread! This week, we're exploring the exciting world of car insurance technologies. Discover how modern tech can not only save you money on premiums but also enhance your driving safety. Here's what you need to know:

Telematics Devices

• Why it works: These devices monitor your driving habits, such as speed, braking, and time of day you drive. Safer driving can lead to lower insurance rates.
• Pro tip: Ask your insurer about their telematics programs and how you can get involved to start saving.

Dash Cams

• Why it works: Installing a dash cam can protect you in the event of an accident by providing real footage that supports your claims.
• Consideration: Some insurers offer discounts for cars equipped with dash cams, as it can simplify the claims process.

Mobile Apps

• Why it works: Many insurers have mobile apps that offer functionalities like digital insurance cards, quick access to policy details, and even roadside assistance.
• Action item: Download your insurer's app to manage your policy and claim discounts directly from your smartphone.

Anti-Theft Systems

• Why it works: Cars with advanced anti-theft systems are less likely to be stolen, leading to lower risk and potentially lower insurance costs.
• Pro tip: Ensure your system is insurer-approved to maximize potential discounts.

Advanced Driver-Assistance Systems (ADAS)

• Why it works: Features like automatic braking, lane-keeping assists, and adaptive cruise control improve road safety, which can reduce accident rates and insurance claims.
• Action item: Check if your vehicle’s safety features qualify for additional discounts with your insurer.

Online Driver Training Programs

• Why it works: Some insurers offer discounts to drivers who complete approved online safety courses.
• Pro tip: Enroll in a program recommended by InsurancePanda to enhance your driving skills and enjoy savings on your policy.

Policy Management Tools

• Why it works: Online tools that help you manage your policy more effectively ensure you're always getting the best rate.
• Action item: Utilize your insurance company'sonline tools to review and adjust your coverage as your needs change.

Mom 62F had a rash for a few months we thought it was a fungal infection. Got better then came back recently she just got a swab analysis done and she tested positive for staph and strep group b from a skin swab. They tested her liver and it came back with 1650 u/l ALT and 954 u/l AST. It’s been rising since Friday (872 ALT and 294 AST). Is this possibly the infection causing such high numbers? They’ve been completely normal before. She does not drink! What will they be able to do to help lower these immediately?!