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2009.08.24 17:07 ohstrangeone I Want Out: Information for people who want to expatriate
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2024.05.21 11:51 Klutzy2627 AITA FOR GETTING MY BROTHER IN LAW'S SISTER AND HER FRIEND KICKED OUT FROM THE WEDDING
It was my cousin sister's wedding and we are Indians, so if you are Indian or know Indian friends/weddings, you know the drill - the daysss long wedding events, the heavy dresses and jewelry, and also, some serious family dramas.
My cousin and I are very close even if there is a huge age gap between us. Naturally, when her wedding came around I was very excited and I helped a lot with the planning and decoration and the food - literally everything. It was exactly as we have imagined her wedding to be like. Just perfect in every way possible. But again, it's a wedding. How is a wedding ever complete with a Drama Llama? So dear potato community, here is the tea.
The man that my cousin was marrying to, my current BIL, is an amazing man who has been with my cousin since their college days. They were friends in their college days and when they started working they joined the same company so they remained close to each other. Friendship turned into love and they decided to date and eventually get married. Both the families were informed and everyone was very happy with their decisions, except just one person. BIL's sister. She didn't have any personal problems with my cousin, her only issue was that her best friend liked my BIL, let's name this friend the 'idiot' (because she truly is an idiot and this is honestly the nicest word I can use for her).
When idiot found out that BIL loved someone else and is getting married, she went ballistic. She has been trying to get his attention for so many years and he didn't even turn towards her even for one day and he was being head over heels for my cousin. I understand her being upset, I have been a girl in love and in heartbreak too, but I wouldn't try to break someone's marriage because of my heartbreak.
Yes she tried to stop their marriage via BIL's sister. The two forged all types of absurd accusations on my cousin and tried to anonymously sneak in the accusations in means of messages from unknown numbers to my cousin's then future FIL and MIL, to emails and even letters delivered to their doorstep. My cousin was really stressed because she thought the FIL and MIL would think the accusations are true and would stop the wedding. I told her, "don't worry sisso, I am here." (add dramatic music here and imagine a cape on my back).
My cousin's father (my maternal uncle), me and my brother first went to the FIL and MIL to let them know that all of this was false and that my cousin is innocent. We asked them for some time and that we will find proof of who has been sending them those false news and will let them know of everything and then they are free to judge and make decisions from their side. We got the permission from them and decided to get to work immediately.
One thing I forgot to mention was that BIL used to live in his own house in a different state from where his parents lived after he got a job. Before this, my cousin and BIL used to live in one town and went to college together. Once they got their jobs, they both came to my city, BIL got his own house and my cousin came to live with me. His family came to live with him when he told them that he wanted to marry so they came help him with the wedding arrangements. What's unfortunate is that the sister also brought her best friend, the 'idiot', who was in love with my BIL since she was 15 and BIL was 17.
I mentioned BIL having his own separate house in a new town because it was important to mention. Both his sister and the idiot didn't know he installed security cameras in his house and that the camera was pretty well hidden so they couldn't have noticed either. We asked BIL if we can see the camera's recordings and we saw someone early in the morning at 4 am dropping a letter. Guess who it was... THE IDIOT!! We showed it to my cousin's FIL and MIL and they cross questioned the idiot about it and she was in tears and admitted to everything. She and BIL's sister apologized for everything. They were forgiven and it was a happily ever after... or so you thought...
Everything after that was pretty peaceful, all the arrangements were made and we are now at the wedding day. My cousin was really jumpy and on her toes at all times, she was panicking so bad about everything. My brother and I had to sit her down and talk her out of her panic. She however mentioned that she was scared that idiot might try to pull up some sick stunt to ruin her wedding day. I however told to her calm down cause I wouldn't let my precious angel's wedding get ruined. I have seen enough Charlotte's videos to know that we must always have a backup plan prepared in advance in situations like this. And so I did. I collected a lot of information and evidences and kept them in place in case they come in handy.
I had my suspicions that they would do something to mess up the wedding way before it even became a thought in my cousin's mind, so I did a little research about the two. Since we all belong from the same hometown, I got in contact with my friends who still lived in the town that my cousin and my BIL used to live in. I asked around about these two baboons and found out that BIL's sister had a boyfriend and has even slept with him. Premarital smex is a big no no here. As for the idiot, I found out that she was slowly getting BIL's sister into illegal substances and into becoming a call girl. Again, a big no no. And I think no parent in this world would want their child to do something that would end up in trouble for them and the child as well. I knew my cousin's FIL and MIL would be worried about their daughter and take actions immediately if I let them know of this. I would have told them this after the wedding was over anyway, but that would have been in private so no one else would know, but I guess the girls wanted something else.
Once the wedding ceremony started and the guests were all there, they were enjoying, everyone was having fun and giving their blessings to the new husband and wife to be. These two pain in the asses were going around and gossiping about my cousin to everyone. We noticed that, and we came up with a quick solution. I asked two of my male friends, who is very attractive to go and talk to the girls. However I told them to switch on their recorder and be with them no matter what. God bless my two friends, they did exactly what I told them without thinking twice. They came to me after an hour or so and told me what was going on.
The two girls were planning to ruin her wedding dress. When I tell you that shit was costly, IT WAS COSTLY. It was really heavy with all the heavy stone work that was done on the cream colored lehenga and if it was stained it would be ruined. We could not afford that in any cost. She was taking a glass of juice from the juice counters and tried sitting right behind the bride but I stepped in and told her to go sit behind her brother and that I would sit behind my cousin. She was trying so hard but me and my brother kept pushing her off and away from my cousin. Eventually she did manage to throw it but it accidentally landed on someone from the groom's side and she got scolded by her. While her grumpy face was funny to see, I still had enough because if that aunty wasn't there, it would have been my cousin. After the wedding was over and people were going to start taking the photos with the couple, I announced that me and my brother had some things to say. Initially we talked about the bride and the groom but then we shifted the attention to the groom's sister and her friend. We played the audios of the calls I had with her friends in the hometown as a surprise to the groom's sister. There were a lot of angry faces, some on the sister and some on me and my brother. I tried to explain, that had she and her friend not try to ruin my cousin sister's wedding dress, this wouldn't have been broadcasted to the entire wedding venue. I then called my two male friends and both of their faces was in gasps. Both of them pulled out their phones and I played the recordings on one of the phones, which explained how they were still spreading fake news about my cousin and also them planning to ruin my cousin's dress. We also got the video recording of them actively trying to throw the red colored drink on my cousin's dress.
Both of them got kicked out from there and weren't allowed to enter until the rest of the ceremony was over. Both of them stood outside, making attempts to convince anyone who would listen to them and let them in, but no one paid heed to them. Once everyone got home they were scolded badly and my BIL's sister kept screaming at me that I was so mean and rude to have their truths exposed to not just her family, but to every relative and friends who was there to witness the show. While my cousin was glad that I had her back and my brother is standing in support of me, my parents and some of our relatives think that it should have dealt within the family and shouldn't have been exposed to anyone outside of the immediate family members. AITA?
Note: I am so sorry if the post ended up being too long but I just wanted to give all the context that would be required to judge the entire situation and my actions as well. Also if something doesn't make sense just blame it on my sleepy head cause I wrote it in half sleep mode.
submitted by Klutzy2627 to CharlotteDobreYouTube [link] [comments]
My cousin and I are very close even if there is a huge age gap between us. Naturally, when her wedding came around I was very excited and I helped a lot with the planning and decoration and the food - literally everything. It was exactly as we have imagined her wedding to be like. Just perfect in every way possible. But again, it's a wedding. How is a wedding ever complete with a Drama Llama? So dear potato community, here is the tea.
The man that my cousin was marrying to, my current BIL, is an amazing man who has been with my cousin since their college days. They were friends in their college days and when they started working they joined the same company so they remained close to each other. Friendship turned into love and they decided to date and eventually get married. Both the families were informed and everyone was very happy with their decisions, except just one person. BIL's sister. She didn't have any personal problems with my cousin, her only issue was that her best friend liked my BIL, let's name this friend the 'idiot' (because she truly is an idiot and this is honestly the nicest word I can use for her).
When idiot found out that BIL loved someone else and is getting married, she went ballistic. She has been trying to get his attention for so many years and he didn't even turn towards her even for one day and he was being head over heels for my cousin. I understand her being upset, I have been a girl in love and in heartbreak too, but I wouldn't try to break someone's marriage because of my heartbreak.
Yes she tried to stop their marriage via BIL's sister. The two forged all types of absurd accusations on my cousin and tried to anonymously sneak in the accusations in means of messages from unknown numbers to my cousin's then future FIL and MIL, to emails and even letters delivered to their doorstep. My cousin was really stressed because she thought the FIL and MIL would think the accusations are true and would stop the wedding. I told her, "don't worry sisso, I am here." (add dramatic music here and imagine a cape on my back).
My cousin's father (my maternal uncle), me and my brother first went to the FIL and MIL to let them know that all of this was false and that my cousin is innocent. We asked them for some time and that we will find proof of who has been sending them those false news and will let them know of everything and then they are free to judge and make decisions from their side. We got the permission from them and decided to get to work immediately.
One thing I forgot to mention was that BIL used to live in his own house in a different state from where his parents lived after he got a job. Before this, my cousin and BIL used to live in one town and went to college together. Once they got their jobs, they both came to my city, BIL got his own house and my cousin came to live with me. His family came to live with him when he told them that he wanted to marry so they came help him with the wedding arrangements. What's unfortunate is that the sister also brought her best friend, the 'idiot', who was in love with my BIL since she was 15 and BIL was 17.
I mentioned BIL having his own separate house in a new town because it was important to mention. Both his sister and the idiot didn't know he installed security cameras in his house and that the camera was pretty well hidden so they couldn't have noticed either. We asked BIL if we can see the camera's recordings and we saw someone early in the morning at 4 am dropping a letter. Guess who it was... THE IDIOT!! We showed it to my cousin's FIL and MIL and they cross questioned the idiot about it and she was in tears and admitted to everything. She and BIL's sister apologized for everything. They were forgiven and it was a happily ever after... or so you thought...
Everything after that was pretty peaceful, all the arrangements were made and we are now at the wedding day. My cousin was really jumpy and on her toes at all times, she was panicking so bad about everything. My brother and I had to sit her down and talk her out of her panic. She however mentioned that she was scared that idiot might try to pull up some sick stunt to ruin her wedding day. I however told to her calm down cause I wouldn't let my precious angel's wedding get ruined. I have seen enough Charlotte's videos to know that we must always have a backup plan prepared in advance in situations like this. And so I did. I collected a lot of information and evidences and kept them in place in case they come in handy.
I had my suspicions that they would do something to mess up the wedding way before it even became a thought in my cousin's mind, so I did a little research about the two. Since we all belong from the same hometown, I got in contact with my friends who still lived in the town that my cousin and my BIL used to live in. I asked around about these two baboons and found out that BIL's sister had a boyfriend and has even slept with him. Premarital smex is a big no no here. As for the idiot, I found out that she was slowly getting BIL's sister into illegal substances and into becoming a call girl. Again, a big no no. And I think no parent in this world would want their child to do something that would end up in trouble for them and the child as well. I knew my cousin's FIL and MIL would be worried about their daughter and take actions immediately if I let them know of this. I would have told them this after the wedding was over anyway, but that would have been in private so no one else would know, but I guess the girls wanted something else.
Once the wedding ceremony started and the guests were all there, they were enjoying, everyone was having fun and giving their blessings to the new husband and wife to be. These two pain in the asses were going around and gossiping about my cousin to everyone. We noticed that, and we came up with a quick solution. I asked two of my male friends, who is very attractive to go and talk to the girls. However I told them to switch on their recorder and be with them no matter what. God bless my two friends, they did exactly what I told them without thinking twice. They came to me after an hour or so and told me what was going on.
The two girls were planning to ruin her wedding dress. When I tell you that shit was costly, IT WAS COSTLY. It was really heavy with all the heavy stone work that was done on the cream colored lehenga and if it was stained it would be ruined. We could not afford that in any cost. She was taking a glass of juice from the juice counters and tried sitting right behind the bride but I stepped in and told her to go sit behind her brother and that I would sit behind my cousin. She was trying so hard but me and my brother kept pushing her off and away from my cousin. Eventually she did manage to throw it but it accidentally landed on someone from the groom's side and she got scolded by her. While her grumpy face was funny to see, I still had enough because if that aunty wasn't there, it would have been my cousin. After the wedding was over and people were going to start taking the photos with the couple, I announced that me and my brother had some things to say. Initially we talked about the bride and the groom but then we shifted the attention to the groom's sister and her friend. We played the audios of the calls I had with her friends in the hometown as a surprise to the groom's sister. There were a lot of angry faces, some on the sister and some on me and my brother. I tried to explain, that had she and her friend not try to ruin my cousin sister's wedding dress, this wouldn't have been broadcasted to the entire wedding venue. I then called my two male friends and both of their faces was in gasps. Both of them pulled out their phones and I played the recordings on one of the phones, which explained how they were still spreading fake news about my cousin and also them planning to ruin my cousin's dress. We also got the video recording of them actively trying to throw the red colored drink on my cousin's dress.
Both of them got kicked out from there and weren't allowed to enter until the rest of the ceremony was over. Both of them stood outside, making attempts to convince anyone who would listen to them and let them in, but no one paid heed to them. Once everyone got home they were scolded badly and my BIL's sister kept screaming at me that I was so mean and rude to have their truths exposed to not just her family, but to every relative and friends who was there to witness the show. While my cousin was glad that I had her back and my brother is standing in support of me, my parents and some of our relatives think that it should have dealt within the family and shouldn't have been exposed to anyone outside of the immediate family members. AITA?
Note: I am so sorry if the post ended up being too long but I just wanted to give all the context that would be required to judge the entire situation and my actions as well. Also if something doesn't make sense just blame it on my sleepy head cause I wrote it in half sleep mode.
2024.05.21 11:49 Count-Daring243 Best Cold Steel Smatchet
 | submitted by Count-Daring243 to u/Count-Daring243 [link] [comments] https://preview.redd.it/pksvc1n24r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=b7bbd87f65c9604c366faad3911ca9f003c0990f In the world of blades, the Cold Steel Smatchet has made a name for itself. Known for its versatility and quality, this product has caught the attention of many. In this article, we will delve into the unique features and benefits of the Cold Steel Smatchet, showcasing why it has become a popular choice among customers. Come with us as we explore the world of blades and discover what makes the Cold Steel Smatchet stand out from the rest. The Top 20 Best Cold Steel Smatchet
Reviews🔗Stanley Quick Flip Go Water Bottle: 24 oz., Tigerlily, Dishwasher Safehttps://preview.redd.it/70u2s2334r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f71c05c8affa7a4c94dfbb6b87590203cbfc4684 As a product reviewer, I've had the pleasure of trying out the Stanley 24 oz. Quick Flip Go Water Bottle in the Tigerlily color. This water bottle has become a staple in my daily routine. The first thing that caught my eye was its sleek design – perfect for carrying on the go. The double-wall vacuum insulation is a real game-changer. Whether I'm sipping on iced water in the summer or a hot cup of tea in the winter, the temperature remains consistent for hours. One feature I particularly appreciate is the trigger-action lid. It's easy to use and helps prevent spills, making it great for when I'm on the move. Plus, the fact that it's dishwasher safe is a lifesaver. No more scrubbing by hand! However, there are a couple of downsides. Firstly, the weight of the bottle can be a bit of a struggle for those who prefer a lighter option. Secondly, the dimensions might not fit all car cup holders, which can be a hassle during road trips. Overall, the Stanley Quick Flip Go Water Bottle has been a reliable companion in my everyday life. Its combination of style, functionality, and durability make it a must-have for anyone looking for a reliable water bottle. 🔗Cold Steel Heavy Duty Nylon Cane with Rubber Ferrulehttps://preview.redd.it/v48i5gn34r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=64aac772c9910fa7f43dc2f916fb8b53b380e7fc I've been using the Cold Steel Heavy Duty Cane in my daily life, and it has proven to be quite the companion. The nylon handle provides an enhanced grip that makes it convenient to hold, while the steel construction ensures structural strength for long-term use. I particularly appreciate the rubber ferrule, which is designed to be slip-resistant, making it an excellent choice for uneven terrain or icy sidewalks. One downside is that it might be a bit heavy for some people, especially those who don't need the extra weight for support. However, the overall design and engineering of the cane are top-notch, and it gives me a sense of reassurance knowing I have a sturdy and reliable walking staff whenever I need it. 🔗Cold Steel Special Forces Shovel: Robust, Stainless Steel Outdoor Essentialhttps://preview.redd.it/onud1it34r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=19aa78d8c58949aae696362f44a26b21b9da0dca This past summer, I found myself on a weekend camping trip and realized I didn't pack a shovel. I needed to dig a small trench around my campsite to divert water. Luckily, a friend had a Cold Steel Special Forces Shovel that he let me borrow. On the first day, he taught me how to use it. The edge was sharp, and the handle felt sturdy. I was surprised by how strong it was. I struggled a bit at first, but it didn't take long before I was able to dig the trench. After returning from the camping trip and reflecting on the weekend, I realized that the shovel had some flaws. Firstly, it was a bit heavy for a camping trip, and I felt it could cause strain on my back over time. Secondly, it didn't come with a sheath, which was inconvenient since I had to keep it in my vehicle's trunk, where it took up too much space. Despite these issues, I still appreciated the durability of the Cold Steel Special Forces Shovel. It was clear that it was designed for heavy-duty tasks. The edge remained sharp even after I used it heavily. The wooden handle felt comfortable to hold, even though it was a bit on the thick side. Overall, the Cold Steel Special Forces Shovel was a functional tool, but it could be improved for camping trips or situations where portability is a priority. 🔗Cold Steel Smatchet: Deluxe Edition for Playstation 5https://preview.redd.it/duzypj644r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4feb4a7502a34a0974f6539f3524c5dc9b0652ab As someone who thoroughly enjoyed diving into the Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III and IV, let me share my experience with this dynamic duo. The deluxe edition for Playstation 5 was a refreshing return to the rich world of Erebonia, where war hero Rean Schwarzer began his new life as an instructor at Thors Military Academy's branch campus. What stood out to me was how the game expertly handled the aftermath of the Erebonian Civil War and introduced new threats to keep the story alive. Delving into it with the improved RPG gameplay on PlayStation 5 made my journey even more immersive. Plus, the cosmetic DLC available with these iterations ensured that every member of my party was looking their best, adding a unique touch to the experience. However, like any other game, it wasn't all smooth sailing. There were moments that were a bit challenging, but overall, the Legend of Heroes: Trails of Cold Steel III and IV truly delivered an engaging experience that I thoroughly enjoyed as a fan of the genre. 🔗Heavy Duty Cold Grease Remover for Effortless Cleaninghttps://preview.redd.it/u3w4xrr44r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c04c7764c1fb93b8481b812e63772b4366bf500d As a home cook who's always experimenting with new recipes and kitchen tools, I've found myself in a bit of a pickle when it comes to removing stubborn grease from my appliances. That's why I was thrilled to try the Shumanit Cold Grease Remover. Right off the bat, I found it remarkable how quickly this cold grease remover works. No need for a heat source or any harsh chemicals. In fact, it's effective on all sorts of surfaces - my oven, pots, frying pans, baking trays, stainless steel dishes, cooking surfaces, steam extractors, and even hard-to-clean vents. I've had my fair share of leaky packages in the past, but the Shumanit Cold Grease Remover was surprisingly well-packed. It comes in a sturdy plastic bottle with a trigger spray that's easy to use. The product has a delightful citrus smell that lifts the spirits while I'm getting my hands dirty in the kitchen. Plus, the grease and grime just seem to vanish as if by magic. However, there's one small downside to my Shumanit experience. On one occasion, the package was partially leaking, which made me worry about the condition of the other products in the batch. I just hope it was a one-time issue and not a trend. To sum up, the Shumanit Cold Grease Remover is a truly versatile and effective grease and grime remover. It's a lifesaver for anyone who values a sparkling clean kitchen. Let's just hope the packaging improves in the future. 🔗Insulated Stanley Classic Legendary Bottle: Perfect for Outdoor Adventureshttps://preview.redd.it/94c0sq154r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5e05bc9a8d38beb755f6ee94776ff2533d2ed8d3 The Stanley Classic Legendary Bottle is a versatile and durable companion for any outdoor excursion. It's been a part of my camping adventures for years, ensuring that my beverages stay the perfect temperature no matter the weather. The thick stainless steel walls not only keep my iced drinks cold for two days but also keep my hot beverages warm for up to two weeks. Plus, the leak-proof lid doubles as a cup, providing a convenient and easy-to-use option for sipping on the go. The 2.5-quart capacity is ideal for sharing drinks with friends or keeping a large quantity of your favorite beverage at the ready. I've washed my Stanley Classic Legendary Bottle in the dishwasher without any concerns about rust or BPA exposure, and it continues to perform as well as it did on day one. Overall, the Stanley Classic Legendary Bottle has become an essential part of my outdoor gear, and I can't imagine spending time in nature without it. 🔗Stanley Vacuum Insulated 1.5qt Bottle: Leakproof and Durable for Any Adventurehttps://preview.redd.it/hv1cfgh54r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=92c3e83a1e6ed9bde65bd49c95962c0425bd9025 For my outdoor adventures, the Stanley Legendary Classic Bottle 1.5qt Habitat has truly been a game-changer. This insulated beverage container ensures my drinks remain at the perfect temperature for hours on end, whether I'm savoring a hot cup of coffee on a chilly morning or enjoying an icy beverage on a sweltering day. One of my favorite features is the stainless steel construction, which not only makes the bottle sturdy and durable but also ensures it's free of BPA, a nice touch for any health-conscious individual. The double-wall vacuum insulation, another key highlight, works wonders in keeping my beverages at their desired temperatures, even in extreme conditions. However, I found that the bottle can be quite difficult to clean, especially along the insulated areas. Additionally, the screw cap lid, while functional, can be a bit tricky to twist off after a while, depending on the grip strength. These minor inconveniences aside, the Stanley Legendary Classic Bottle has proven to be an indispensable companion on all my outdoor excursions. 🔗Versatile Cold Welding Formula for Robust Bondshttps://preview.redd.it/4ogfz5u54r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c4866a573a4c06607a53a48abca3bb57ecd3aa95 Recently, I got my hands on the J-B Weld Original Cold-Weld Formula Steel Reinforced Epoxy. I was intrigued by the fact that it could serve as an inexpensive alternative to welding, soldering, and brazing. To my surprise, this versatile epoxy proved to be a game-changer in my daily life. One of the most impressive features of the J-B Weld epoxy is its water-resistant nature. I used it to seal a leak in my water pipe, and it worked like a charm. The epoxy's petroleum and chemical resistance made it perfect for my project, as it withstood various tests without any damage. Another standout feature of this product is its non-toxic and safe-to-use nature. I used it to fix my child's broken toy, and its safety made me feel more comfortable. However, I did notice that the mixing ratio of the epoxy is quite sensitive. One must be cautious not to deviate too far from the 1-1 ratio of liquid steel/epoxy resin and the hardener. A slight miscalculation could result in a weaker bond or the need for reapplication. In conclusion, the J-B Weld Original Cold-Weld Formula Steel Reinforced Epoxy is a must-have for DIY enthusiasts and professionals alike. Its ease of use, remarkable strength, and versatility make it a standout product in its category. Despite the minor drawback of the mixing ratio, the benefits far outweigh the inconvenience. 🔗Insulated Bottle for Long-Lasting Beverageshttps://preview.redd.it/hjiqws764r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=778b7036f610f7931a5d1bf47b1544b1da25f09e I recently put the Stanley Classic to the test on an outing to the mountains. This bottle is a true companion for outdoor enthusiasts, with its impressive 18/8 stainless steel construction and BPA-free design. The 1.5 quart capacity means it can handle all types of drinks, from hot coffee to icy coolers, and keep them at the optimal temperature for up to two days. The folding handle is a clever added feature that allows for easy carrying without the risk of it rolling away. One of the standout features of this bottle is its leakproof design, making it a reliable option for packing in a backpack or storing in a truck bed. The wide mouth also makes it easy to fill and clean, which is especially helpful for those who enjoy making their own homemade brews. However, I did notice that the bottle is quite heavy, weighing in at 2 pounds, making it more challenging to carry for longer periods of time. Overall, the Stanley Classic is an excellent investment for those who love spending time outdoors and need a reliable companion to keep their drinks at the perfect temperature. 🔗Portable Insulated Water Bottle with Silicone Strawhttps://preview.redd.it/l5lg54i64r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e07172bcc88a069950d96dd4cfb862f209f40f40 I recently had the chance to put the Cooper Stainless Steel Water Bottle to the test, and I have to say, it impressed me with its performance. The most standout feature of this water bottle is its ability to keep drinks cold for an impressive amount of time. I often struggle to find a water bottle that can truly keep my beverage chilled all day long, but this one did just that. The double-walled and vacuum insulated design does an excellent job of maintaining the temperature of the liquid inside. Another feature I appreciated is the leak-proof lid. No matter how rough I was with it, it never leaked once. The one-touch silicone push button locking mechanism helped keep my bag and clothes dry, while the straw was a fun and convenient addition. Cleaning it was also a breeze, thanks to the top rack dishwasher safe lids and BPA-free materials. However, I did experience a downside with the product - it isn't suitable for hot beverages. If you're someone who prefers drinking tea or coffee, this may not be the best option for you. Additionally, I found it slightly difficult to fit the bottle in my usual cup holders, which can be inconvenient during travel or at the gym. Overall, the Cooper Stainless Steel Water Bottle did an incredible job of keeping my drinks cold and providing a leak-proof, easy-to-clean design. Although there were minor drawbacks, I still enjoyed its benefits and would definitely recommend it to anyone looking for a reliable and stylish water bottle. 🔗Stanley 1.1 Qt. Legendary Classic Canteen - BPA-Free Stainless Steelhttps://preview.redd.it/fva5u8074r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=021a8e122aa23b47e0dbf977a9a0b77939f8066e I recently had the chance to try out the Stanley 1.1 Qt. Classic Canteen, a 18/8 stainless steel bottle that promises to be leakproof, packable, and perfect for outdoor use. At first glance, the canteen looks sleek and sturdy, with a classic design that makes it easy to hold and carry around. It comes equipped with a removeable carrying strap that keeps your hands free and adds a touch of style to the canteen. One of the standout features of this canteen is its non-insulated stainless steel material, which allows for easy packing while still offering a decent capacity for your favorite beverage. However, I found that the lack of insulation means that the canteen doesn't retain temperature as well as I would have liked. While it's fine for day-to-day use, it's not ideal for taking on long hikes or camping trips where maintaining the temperature of your drink is important. Another downside to the canteen is the attached cap, which can be a bit tricky to open and close, especially with one hand. Though I appreciate the convenience of having it attached, it would be nice if the cap were more user-friendly and easy to access. Additionally, the metal clips on the carrying strap can be quite loud when walking or hiking, which can be a bit distracting and might not be the most discreet choice for stealthily navigating through the wilderness. Despite these minor drawbacks, overall I found the Stanley 1.1 Qt. Classic Canteen to be a functional and stylish option for everyday use. It's a good choice if you're looking for a versatile water bottle that won't break the bank, but just remember to manage your expectations when it comes to insulation and noise. 🔗Corkcicle 32oz Sport Canteen: Triple-Insulated, Wide-Mouth Drink Container with Quick Sip Lidhttps://preview.redd.it/g8jdgja74r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5900642083119fc5f56b1e9d8f8477efab04f303 The Corkcicle 32oz Sport Canteen boasts a spacious 950mL capacity, perfect for hydration while on the go. Its quick sip lid adds convenience to everyday use, and the signature flat sides and Duraprene finish ensure a secure grip. Triple-insulation maintains drinks at their desired temperature for extended periods, making it an ideal choice for both hot and chilled beverages alike. A wide mouth allows for ice cube insertion, while the lid's easy-to-use one-hand opening adds practicality. Regrettably, some users have experienced issues with the lid's functionality and structure, which may prove a disadvantage for those seeking a seamless drinking experience. Nonetheless, for those seeking a durable, stylish, and functional water bottle, the Corkcicle 32oz Sport Canteen offers an impressive range of features. 🔗Versatile Insulated Water Bottle with Cup Lidhttps://preview.redd.it/ba7lnum74r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4236dde9fc2a1109edb6d8a02ff4d627c9fb186e This Stanley Classic Legendary Bottle, aptly named "Nightfall, " has become an essential companion in my daily life. The bottle's robustness and dependability have captivated me, as my newfound favorite keeps the brew piping hot during those frigid mornings or even chills your favorite beverage during scorching summer days. One of the key features that have blown my mind is its innovative, leak-proof design. By using the twist-and-pour stopper, it ensures that my adventures are safe from any accidental mishaps involving the bottle. Moreover, the slim design makes it the perfect single-handed companion, ensuring a comfortable grip. However, there are a couple of minor nits. The lid being insulated and doubling as a cup is a fantastic idea, but I found it a tad more tedious than convenient during my first few times. Additionally, while the bottle's sturdiness won my heart, it unfortunately lacks a wider mouth, which might make it a bit more practical for my soup-loving, chunky ingredients cravings. The Stanley's performance has made me believe it's not just about the product but also about the spirit of adventure it represents - one sip at a time. Despite a few minor quirks, it's a reliable bottle worth every penny spent. 🔗Corkcicle Star Wars Darth Vader Canteen: Sleek and Stylish Insulated Travel Drink Bottlehttps://preview.redd.it/xxibmox74r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=6584f5a3f92b026e1f6c93d8578b4827c47490b6 Crafted in the image of the infamous Darth Vader, this Corkcicle Star Wars canteen is not just a stylish way to keep your drinks cool. The 16-ounce canteen promises to keep beverages cold for up to 25 hours or warm for 12, all thanks to its triple-insulated lining. Its stainless steel construction ensures it's not just durable but also perfect to use in any setting, be it by the pool or at the office. The canteen is equipped with a screw-on cap that prevents any liquid from escaping and keeps the temperature consistent inside. The ergonomic design and flat sides make it easy to grip, and its stay-put silicone base ensures it stays securely in your hand, avoiding any spills. My experience with this canteen has been nothing but stellar. The Star Wars design is not just aesthetically pleasing but also adds a fun touch to my everyday life. The triple-insulation keeps my beverages at their desired temperature for longer, especially during our hot summers. The cap is a great feature that prevents leaks and spills, and the ergonomic design makes it comfortable to hold. However, I wish the product was dishwasher safe as the paint tends to peel off after a few uses, which can be a bit disappointing. 🔗Premium High-Performance Goalie Blades for Enhanced Ice Skatinghttps://preview.redd.it/v6nom9a84r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=47b008d8785f16fed2eb4304d81b2404921a0708 I recently tried the Step Steel St Goal Blacksteel CCM Replacement Steel - Pair, and I was blown away by its performance. The superior edge quality is evident as it slices through the ice with minimal resistance, providing sharp, fluid movements that make it a game-changer for any goalie. Designed specifically for CCM 2-Bolt Goalie Cowlings, this complete set comes with both left and right runners, ensuring perfect fit and seamless functionality. Made in Canada, the high-quality craftsmanship is evident in every aspect of the blade, from its sleek design to its exceptional edge durability. While the hardest possible edge offered by Step Steel Black is undoubtedly impressive, I also appreciate the added Diamond-like carbon (DLC) coating on the mirror side finish, which significantly boosts blade performance by generating a winning combination of low friction and high surface hardness. What sets Step Steel apart from other blade manufacturers is their innovative aspect ratio, which accelerates pushes across the crease for modern butterfly and hybrid goaltenders. The taller blades and truer profile offer added stability, precision, and width, ensuring less bending or improper sizing upon receiving the product. Overall, the Step Steel St Goal Blacksteel CCM Replacement Steel - Pair is a game-changing product that combines superior edge quality, innovative design, and unrivaled performance. If you're looking to enhance your goaltending experience, look no further than Step Steel. Buyer's GuideWelcome to our comprehensive guide on the Cold Steel Smatchet. This guide will help you understand the essential features of this product, the considerations you should make when purchasing, and general advice for using and maintaining it. Remember that specific product picks and external resource links are not included in this guide.What is a Cold Steel Smatchet?A Cold Steel Smatchet is a versatile, lightweight, and handy tool often used for various purposes like camping, hunting, or even self-defense. This unique name comes from the swordsmithing tradition of the same name, originating in Japan, which focuses on crafting blades using hammer forging.Features to Considerhttps://preview.redd.it/zus9kcwa4r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=c7c2477753bb2dbaaa691bb7293886bc265400f3 Blade TypeThe Cold Steel Smatchet usually features a semi-rigid, slightly flexible blade. This design provides a balance between strength and versatility. Flexibility allows the blade to bend without breaking when applied with force, while the semi-rigidity maintains its structural integrity.Construction MaterialThe Cold Steel Smatchet is typically made from high-quality, durable materials such as stainless steel or carbon steel. Both materials are rust-resistant, which is crucial for longevity and safety. Stainless steel offers better corrosion resistance, while carbon steel is known for its hardness and edge retention.Handle ConstructionThe handle of a Cold Steel Smatchet should be ergonomic and comfortable to grip. Most models feature a handle made from a combination of natural materials like wood or bone and synthetic materials for a secure and comfortable grip. The handle should provide a good balance of weight distribution and ease of handling.Purchasing Considerationshttps://preview.redd.it/q7nkf59b4r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=ae3d4949635abbc6f025f7c457d4764ec846ce37 Durability and LongevityInvest in a Cold Steel Smatchet that is built with high-quality materials and construction techniques. This will ensure that your tool will last for years and perform reliably, even under demanding conditions.MaintenanceProper maintenance is essential to keep your Cold Steel Smatchet in top condition. Regularly clean and sharpen the blade, check for rust, and ensure the handle remains secure and comfortable to grip.General AdviceSafetyAlways handle the Cold Steel Smatchet with utmost care and respect. Mishandling can result in accidents or injuries. Practice proper techniques when using the tool, and keep it away from children and non-experienced users. https://preview.redd.it/fgycujnb4r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f21109260323d230e5e4aee8c298f9f13e4194fe UsageThe Cold Steel Smatchet can be used for various purposes such as cutting, chopping, or even self-defense. Familiarize yourself with the tool's capabilities and limitations before attempting any tasks.StorageStore your Cold Steel Smatchet in a safe, dry, and cool place when not in use. This will help prevent rust and maintain the tool's overall condition.A Cold Steel Smatchet can be a valuable addition to your camping, hunting, or self-defense toolkit. By understanding its essential features, purchasing considerations, and general advice, you can ensure you make the right decision when selecting your Smatchet. FAQWhat is a Cold Steel Smatchet?A Cold Steel Smatchet is a type of weapons that originated in medieval Europe. It is characterized by a short blade and a stout shaft, making it highly effective in close combat situations. Cold Steel offers a modern take on these traditional weapons, with high-quality craftsmanship and materials. https://preview.redd.it/j6rarh5c4r1d1.jpg?width=720&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=dce396ee4e0afb182b8420b86182b3dd7df853d5 What materials are used to make Cold Steel Smatchets?Cold Steel Smatchets are made from high-carbon steel, ensuring durability and sharpness. The handle can be made of several materials like wood, bone, or synthetic materials for better grip and comfort.What are the different types of Cold Steel Smatchets?
What are the dimensions of a typical Cold Steel Smatchet?The dimensions of a Cold Steel Smatchet may vary depending on the specific model. However, most models come with a blade length of around 15 inches and an overall length of around 25 inches. It is recommended to check the product listing for the exact dimensions of the model you are interested in.How much does a Cold Steel Smatchet cost?The price of a Cold Steel Smatchet can vary depending on the type, material, and design. Training Smatchets usually start at around $40, while Combat Smatchets and Collector's Edition Smatchets can range from $100 to $200 or more.What is the difference between a Cold Steel Smatchet and a Katana?A Cold Steel Smatchet and a Katana are both types of swords, but they differ in terms of design and structure. A Smatchet is a short, stout blade with a long handle, making it well-suited for close combat. A Katana, on the other hand, is a longer, thinner blade with a more slender handle, designed for slashing rather than thrusting.How do I maintain my Cold Steel Smatchet?To maintain your Cold Steel Smatchet, make sure to clean it after use and store it in a dry, cool place. Regularly oil the blade and handle to prevent rust and keep the components in good condition. It is also recommended to sharpen the blade periodically using a sharpening stone.Do Cold Steel Smatchets come with a warranty?Yes, Cold Steel offers a limited lifetime warranty on the materials and craftsmanship of their Smatchets. However, this warranty does not cover accidental damage or normal wear and tear.What is the return policy for Cold Steel Smatchets?Cold Steel has a 30-day return policy for their Smatchets. The product must be in its original, unopened packaging, and the customer is responsible for return shipping costs.As an Amazon™ Associate, we earn from qualifying purchases. |
2024.05.21 11:48 SnooHabits754 How We Built Tweetlio and Are Aiming for $10,000 MRR - Do you think we can do it ?
Wanted to share our journey of building Tweetlio, our all-in-one solution for Twitter growth. It’s been a wild ride, full of ups, downs, and everything in between. We’re gunning for $10,000 MRR at launch, and we’re even throwing in a sweet 50% discount for our early adopters here on Reddit. Here’s the story.
The first version? Total mess. Bugs everywhere. But we kept at it, fixing one issue after another. We reached out to anyone who would listen, trying to get feedback and users. It was exhausting, but slowly, it started to come together.
There were still setbacks. Our server crashed during a demo with a big potential client. Talk about embarrassing. But every failure taught us something, and we came back stronger.
We also thinking of giving on Product hunt the same offer and other place but still not sure. The Growth plan is of 99$
Thanks for reading, Reddit! If you’re looking to up your Twitter game, come check out Tweetlio. We’ve got your back.
submitted by SnooHabits754 to indiehackers [link] [comments]
How It All Started
So there we were, drowning in Twitter chaos. Crafting tweets, scheduling them, engaging with our audience—it was a full-time job. And let’s be real, we were failing at it. One night, my co-founder and I were ranting about how tough it was to keep up. That's when the idea for Tweetlio hit us. A tool that does all the heavy lifting for Twitter? Yes, please!Building the MVP
We jumped in headfirst, coding like maniacs and surviving on coffee and ramen. Building Tweetlio wasn’t a walk in the park. We wanted it to write and craft tweets, schedule them, and even engage with followers. Oh, and let’s not forget the 10,000+ viral tweet database we included to help users get more traction.The first version? Total mess. Bugs everywhere. But we kept at it, fixing one issue after another. We reached out to anyone who would listen, trying to get feedback and users. It was exhausting, but slowly, it started to come together.
Testing the Product Beta
Convincing people to try Tweetlio was tough. We got ghosted more times than I can count. But then we started getting some wins. Users were loving the auto-engagement features and the viral tweet database. Seeing tweets blow up and getting thank you messages felt amazing.There were still setbacks. Our server crashed during a demo with a big potential client. Talk about embarrassing. But every failure taught us something, and we came back stronger.
Building Our Community
The real magic happened when we focused on our community. We started holding virtual hangouts, sharing tips, and celebrating each other’s wins. Some of our beta users have been using Tweetlio to grow their followers by crafting new tweets from our viral tweet database and scheduling them for optimal times. Seeing their follower counts increase and their engagement levels rise has been incredibly rewarding.The Big Goal: $10,000 MRR
Now, we’re aiming high. We’re gunning for $10,000 in monthly recurring revenue at launch. It’s ambitious, but we believe in Tweetlio. To sweeten the deal, we’re offering a 50% discount to our early adopters here on Reddit. You guys believed in us first, and we want to give back.We also thinking of giving on Product hunt the same offer and other place but still not sure. The Growth plan is of 99$
My Experience:
- Embrace the Grind: Building something great takes time and effort. There will be long nights and setbacks, but keep pushing.
- Listen to Feedback: Your users are your best resource. Listen to them, learn from them, and make improvements.
- Build a Community: Engage with your users and create a space where they can connect and share.
- Stay Resilient: Failures are part of the process. Learn from them and keep moving forward.
- Believe in Your Vision: If you’re passionate about your idea, others will be too. Keep that fire burning.
Thanks for reading, Reddit! If you’re looking to up your Twitter game, come check out Tweetlio. We’ve got your back.
2024.05.21 11:48 spiral_outward my 15yr old daughter asked for permission to have sex with her gf in our house..
My 15yr old daughter is a lesbian, and has recently become sexually active with her girlfriend of 2-3 months. She tells us(her dad and I) that this girlfriend is her first everything. First gf, first kiss, first date, etc.
I told her that I'm grateful she trusts me enough for me to know, and we had a conversation about being safe, about boundaries, etc.
We live in a very rural town in the southern US and while it's come a long way, there's still a lot of fairly open hostility towards gay people. Her girlfriend's dad doesn't know that his daughter is gay or that she is dating my daughter, and both kids seem certain that if he finds out then he will forbid them from ever seeing each other again.
To that end, my daughter has started asking if we would allow her to have sleepovers at our house, or at friends houses, where the girlfriend would be there and they would likely have sex.
And on the one hand, I know that teens who want to have sex are going to find a way. I would prefer it to be in my house so at least I know they're not going to get caught. When I was her age I got caught by a cop when I was with my boyfriend in his car and it was humiliating.
But on the other hand, I'm finding it so unbelievably difficult to get past my emotions about this and can't help but feel like it's wrong to condone it.
She's a good kid who is polite and respectful and does well in school and I guess I'm just feeling like their relationship has gone from 0-100 pretty fast and I wish she would slow down. Before she started dating this girl she'd made mentions about feeling lonely and kind of desperate since all her other friends were dating. I'm afraid she's going so fast because she feels like she needs to be relevant or something. I've talked to her about not comparing herself to others because everyone moves at their own pace. She said she understood but I also remember how strong feelings can be at that age so idk.
Just looking for some outside opinions. I'm doing my best but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed trying to decide how to get through this.
submitted by spiral_outward to Parenting [link] [comments]
I told her that I'm grateful she trusts me enough for me to know, and we had a conversation about being safe, about boundaries, etc.
We live in a very rural town in the southern US and while it's come a long way, there's still a lot of fairly open hostility towards gay people. Her girlfriend's dad doesn't know that his daughter is gay or that she is dating my daughter, and both kids seem certain that if he finds out then he will forbid them from ever seeing each other again.
To that end, my daughter has started asking if we would allow her to have sleepovers at our house, or at friends houses, where the girlfriend would be there and they would likely have sex.
And on the one hand, I know that teens who want to have sex are going to find a way. I would prefer it to be in my house so at least I know they're not going to get caught. When I was her age I got caught by a cop when I was with my boyfriend in his car and it was humiliating.
But on the other hand, I'm finding it so unbelievably difficult to get past my emotions about this and can't help but feel like it's wrong to condone it.
She's a good kid who is polite and respectful and does well in school and I guess I'm just feeling like their relationship has gone from 0-100 pretty fast and I wish she would slow down. Before she started dating this girl she'd made mentions about feeling lonely and kind of desperate since all her other friends were dating. I'm afraid she's going so fast because she feels like she needs to be relevant or something. I've talked to her about not comparing herself to others because everyone moves at their own pace. She said she understood but I also remember how strong feelings can be at that age so idk.
Just looking for some outside opinions. I'm doing my best but I'm feeling a bit overwhelmed trying to decide how to get through this.
2024.05.21 11:47 drbadgyall Pre-med to nursing student back to pre-med; need advice please!
Hi!
I haven’t posted on this sub in literally years. I wanted some advice and possible personal anecdotes from people who have been through the same thing. I applied for the first time to medical school in 2020; was rejected due to low GPA (3.0c and like 2.9s) and sub 500 MCAT scores. Going into 2021, I took post-bac courses to bring up my GPA, but it barely moved since I had already graduated by then and had taken so many courses already. I ultimately ended up giving up after this realization and was able to enroll in a nursing program in 2022, with the goal of becoming an NP or CRNA. I’ve decided within the last year that becoming an NP would not align with my goals, and I wanted to pursue medical school again. -current GPA 3.0 for core and 3.0 for science (some of my pre-reqs for nursing school helped my science GPA because they fall under the science category) -492 and 496 MCAT scores in 2020 (both now expired) -I graduate from nursing school this august -planning to enroll in the masters of biomedical sciences courses offered by the medical school I’m interested in -will be retaking my MCAT within the next 2 years
I’m feeling a bit defeated, as that same school had a general admissions chat recently, and their director relayed that ADCOMS look unfavorably on people who were in the medical field before (nurses, EMTs, paramedics etc.) because they ask why did they change their mind?
I am wondering if anyone can offer insight on how I could frame my application to get the best results. I feel as though I have extenuating circumstances that can explain faults on my application but I just need some guidance. -my 492 and 496 were taken a month apart right after I finished my first undergrad degree; I took my second attempt a few days after my family received the news that my cousin killed his girlfriend -I am a URM and my family could not fathom the thought of me going to medical school (took too long, too much debt, not making money to add to the family fast enough). My grandmother literally told me that my peers will pass my financially for being in school so long and that I won’t be able to contribute to the family if I pursue medicine, so I sought nursing as a stable and quicker option to address the financial needs of my family and myself.
I am hoping someone out there will be able to resonate and advise me on what to do. Thank you all in advance for your help!
submitted by drbadgyall to premed [link] [comments]
I haven’t posted on this sub in literally years. I wanted some advice and possible personal anecdotes from people who have been through the same thing. I applied for the first time to medical school in 2020; was rejected due to low GPA (3.0c and like 2.9s) and sub 500 MCAT scores. Going into 2021, I took post-bac courses to bring up my GPA, but it barely moved since I had already graduated by then and had taken so many courses already. I ultimately ended up giving up after this realization and was able to enroll in a nursing program in 2022, with the goal of becoming an NP or CRNA. I’ve decided within the last year that becoming an NP would not align with my goals, and I wanted to pursue medical school again. -current GPA 3.0 for core and 3.0 for science (some of my pre-reqs for nursing school helped my science GPA because they fall under the science category) -492 and 496 MCAT scores in 2020 (both now expired) -I graduate from nursing school this august -planning to enroll in the masters of biomedical sciences courses offered by the medical school I’m interested in -will be retaking my MCAT within the next 2 years
I’m feeling a bit defeated, as that same school had a general admissions chat recently, and their director relayed that ADCOMS look unfavorably on people who were in the medical field before (nurses, EMTs, paramedics etc.) because they ask why did they change their mind?
I am wondering if anyone can offer insight on how I could frame my application to get the best results. I feel as though I have extenuating circumstances that can explain faults on my application but I just need some guidance. -my 492 and 496 were taken a month apart right after I finished my first undergrad degree; I took my second attempt a few days after my family received the news that my cousin killed his girlfriend -I am a URM and my family could not fathom the thought of me going to medical school (took too long, too much debt, not making money to add to the family fast enough). My grandmother literally told me that my peers will pass my financially for being in school so long and that I won’t be able to contribute to the family if I pursue medicine, so I sought nursing as a stable and quicker option to address the financial needs of my family and myself.
I am hoping someone out there will be able to resonate and advise me on what to do. Thank you all in advance for your help!
2024.05.21 11:44 SnooHabits754 How We Built Tweetlio with GPT4o and Are Aiming for $10,000 MRR - Do you think we can do it ?
Wanted to share our journey of building Tweetlio, our all-in-one solution for Twitter growth. It’s been a wild ride, full of ups, downs, and everything in between. We’re gunning for $10,000 MRR at launch, and we’re even throwing in a sweet 50% discount for our early adopters here on Reddit. Here’s the story.
The first version? Total mess. Bugs everywhere. But we kept at it, fixing one issue after another. We reached out to anyone who would listen, trying to get feedback and users. It was exhausting, but slowly, it started to come together.
There were still setbacks. Our server crashed during a demo with a big potential client. Talk about embarrassing. But every failure taught us something, and we came back stronger.
We also thinking of giving on Product hunt the same offer and other place but still not sure. The Growth plan is of 99$
Thanks for reading, Reddit! If you’re looking to up your Twitter game, come check out Tweetlio. We’ve got your back.
submitted by SnooHabits754 to ChatGPT [link] [comments]
How It All Started
So there we were, drowning in Twitter chaos. Crafting tweets, scheduling them, engaging with our audience—it was a full-time job. And let’s be real, we were failing at it. One night, my co-founder and I were ranting about how tough it was to keep up. That's when the idea for Tweetlio hit us. A tool that does all the heavy lifting for Twitter? Yes, please!Building the MVP
We jumped in headfirst, coding like maniacs and surviving on coffee and ramen. Building Tweetlio wasn’t a walk in the park. We wanted it to write and craft tweets, schedule them, and even engage with followers. Oh, and let’s not forget the 10,000+ viral tweet database we included to help users get more traction.The first version? Total mess. Bugs everywhere. But we kept at it, fixing one issue after another. We reached out to anyone who would listen, trying to get feedback and users. It was exhausting, but slowly, it started to come together.
Testing the Product Beta
Convincing people to try Tweetlio was tough. We got ghosted more times than I can count. But then we started getting some wins. Users were loving the auto-engagement features and the viral tweet database. Seeing tweets blow up and getting thank you messages felt amazing.There were still setbacks. Our server crashed during a demo with a big potential client. Talk about embarrassing. But every failure taught us something, and we came back stronger.
Building Our Community
The real magic happened when we focused on our community. We started holding virtual hangouts, sharing tips, and celebrating each other’s wins. Some of our beta users have been using Tweetlio to grow their followers by crafting new tweets from our viral tweet database and scheduling them for optimal times. Seeing their follower counts increase and their engagement levels rise has been incredibly rewarding.The Big Goal: $10,000 MRR
Now, we’re aiming high. We’re gunning for $10,000 in monthly recurring revenue at launch. It’s ambitious, but we believe in Tweetlio. To sweeten the deal, we’re offering a 50% discount to our early adopters here on Reddit. You guys believed in us first, and we want to give back.We also thinking of giving on Product hunt the same offer and other place but still not sure. The Growth plan is of 99$
My Experience:
- Embrace the Grind: Building something great takes time and effort. There will be long nights and setbacks, but keep pushing.
- Listen to Feedback: Your users are your best resource. Listen to them, learn from them, and make improvements.
- Build a Community: Engage with your users and create a space where they can connect and share.
- Stay Resilient: Failures are part of the process. Learn from them and keep moving forward.
- Believe in Your Vision: If you’re passionate about your idea, others will be too. Keep that fire burning.
Thanks for reading, Reddit! If you’re looking to up your Twitter game, come check out Tweetlio. We’ve got your back.
2024.05.21 11:43 SnooHabits754 How We Built Tweetlio and Are Aiming for $10,000 MRR - Do you think we can do it ?
Wanted to share our journey of building Tweetlio, our all-in-one solution for Twitter growth. It’s been a wild ride, full of ups, downs, and everything in between. We’re gunning for $10,000 MRR at launch, and we’re even throwing in a sweet 50% discount for our early adopters here on Reddit. Here’s the story.
The first version? Total mess. Bugs everywhere. But we kept at it, fixing one issue after another. We reached out to anyone who would listen, trying to get feedback and users. It was exhausting, but slowly, it started to come together.
There were still setbacks. Our server crashed during a demo with a big potential client. Talk about embarrassing. But every failure taught us something, and we came back stronger.
We also thinking of giving on Product hunt the same offer and other place but still not sure. The Growth plan is of 99$
Thanks for reading, Reddit! If you’re looking to up your Twitter game, come check out Tweetlio. We’ve got your back.
submitted by SnooHabits754 to SideProject [link] [comments]
How It All Started
So there we were, drowning in Twitter chaos. Crafting tweets, scheduling them, engaging with our audience—it was a full-time job. And let’s be real, we were failing at it. One night, my co-founder and I were ranting about how tough it was to keep up. That's when the idea for Tweetlio hit us. A tool that does all the heavy lifting for Twitter? Yes, please!Building the MVP
We jumped in headfirst, coding like maniacs and surviving on coffee and ramen. Building Tweetlio wasn’t a walk in the park. We wanted it to write and craft tweets, schedule them, and even engage with followers. Oh, and let’s not forget the 10,000+ viral tweet database we included to help users get more traction.The first version? Total mess. Bugs everywhere. But we kept at it, fixing one issue after another. We reached out to anyone who would listen, trying to get feedback and users. It was exhausting, but slowly, it started to come together.
Testing the Product Beta
Convincing people to try Tweetlio was tough. We got ghosted more times than I can count. But then we started getting some wins. Users were loving the auto-engagement features and the viral tweet database. Seeing tweets blow up and getting thank you messages felt amazing.There were still setbacks. Our server crashed during a demo with a big potential client. Talk about embarrassing. But every failure taught us something, and we came back stronger.
Building Our Community
The real magic happened when we focused on our community. We started holding virtual hangouts, sharing tips, and celebrating each other’s wins. Some of our beta users have been using Tweetlio to grow their followers by crafting new tweets from our viral tweet database and scheduling them for optimal times. Seeing their follower counts increase and their engagement levels rise has been incredibly rewarding.The Big Goal: $10,000 MRR
Now, we’re aiming high. We’re gunning for $10,000 in monthly recurring revenue at launch. It’s ambitious, but we believe in Tweetlio. To sweeten the deal, we’re offering a 50% discount to our early adopters here on Reddit. You guys believed in us first, and we want to give back.We also thinking of giving on Product hunt the same offer and other place but still not sure. The Growth plan is of 99$
My Experience:
- Embrace the Grind: Building something great takes time and effort. There will be long nights and setbacks, but keep pushing.
- Listen to Feedback: Your users are your best resource. Listen to them, learn from them, and make improvements.
- Build a Community: Engage with your users and create a space where they can connect and share.
- Stay Resilient: Failures are part of the process. Learn from them and keep moving forward.
- Believe in Your Vision: If you’re passionate about your idea, others will be too. Keep that fire burning.
Thanks for reading, Reddit! If you’re looking to up your Twitter game, come check out Tweetlio. We’ve got your back.
2024.05.21 11:40 ask_ivan Using my packing cube as a travel daypack (pt. 2)
 | Two months ago, I shared a travel hack I made for my work trips: an airtight compression cube for clothes, that turns into a 15.5L daypack. submitted by ask_ivan to onebag [link] [comments] I didn’t expect nearly 100k views! Many of you gave me ideas for how to make it better, so I did. Here’s a look at the updated version I made: Packing cube mode:
Backpack mode:
Never again. Also, I like to take long walks when it's snowing outside. Pretty useful for keeping my stuff dry! Detachable laptop/iPad sleeve:
Dimensions: 15 x 10.5 x 6 inches (38.5 x 27 x 15.5 cm). Weight: ~0.65kg / 650g I use it for everything now: short hikes, going to the gym, at the beach, to the office. Even when I'm not traveling. Thanks for all the suggestions! https://preview.redd.it/9cva4ntj0r1d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=5ac31d11e1f928514858eab68947504cd51fc4c1 https://preview.redd.it/f851rlol0r1d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=fa8465b2701eb4fac5d54d1f6336bf81773fff52 https://preview.redd.it/8v8rn1gn0r1d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=fe2c7386d221a46fdce4a2671ef4674a3ddc89bd https://preview.redd.it/3rzom87q0r1d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=2478958485be2fe140c50b38b022d2262f0d4de6 https://preview.redd.it/hikhxtdx0r1d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=d9ae0eca7d54187aa97347693dcacfd0b19fb0ce https://preview.redd.it/6modkin41r1d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=26a091ced88a6c7b76d820ee9eb6f1c26d323970 https://preview.redd.it/cojhyf081r1d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=c47505cf7b6437ea7a6c151a0e4a6dbfd7d9dc45 https://preview.redd.it/83dls9vm1r1d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=e85d9f9f1218234ab56e84b7cf5442617cb1a96e https://preview.redd.it/cww47num2r1d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=feafb4c78ec2c44a78024380f87dfa66b13c21fb https://preview.redd.it/aa30seso2r1d1.png?width=960&format=png&auto=webp&s=0276ca5e95ae64414813e82c8bc1b5e86cf20773 |
2024.05.21 11:39 njrafficticket 6 Tips To Get Your Life Back On Track After An Accident
 | Life can be extremely challenging after a car accident which makes you feel stressed and unsure of how to move forward. An accident can affect your life in various ways. Your body, mind, and finances can all suffer. Whether it's a car crash, a fall, or any other unexpected event, the aftermath can be challenging both physically and emotionally in this situation you can hire a reckless driving attorney in New Jersey to help you navigate the case and all procedures. submitted by njrafficticket to u/njrafficticket [link] [comments] However, it's important to remember that recovery is possible, and you can regain control of your life. Here are seven straightforward tips to help you get back on track. These steps are designed to be easy to follow, offering practical advice to support your journey towards healing and normalcy. https://preview.redd.it/x75io3ug2r1d1.png?width=624&format=png&auto=webp&s=ca82f6ca8c71642543ec642d1adb37f8cc7d609e 1. Seek Medical Attention Immediately: After an accident, it is essential to seek medical attention immediately. Even if you don't feel hurt right away, some injuries might not show symptoms until later. A doctor can check for hidden injuries and provide the right treatment early on. Following the doctor's advice can prevent complications and speed up your recovery. Prompt medical care also creates a record of your injuries, which can be important for insurance claims or any legal issues. Getting checked by a professional helps ensure you heal properly and avoid long-term health problems. 2. Take Time To Rest And Recover: Giving yourself time to rest and recover after an accident is vital for proper healing. Your body needs this time to repair itself, and rest plays a big role in that process. If you try to do too much too soon, you might slow down your recovery or even worsen your injuries. It's important to take it easy and allow yourself the necessary time to heal. Proper rest helps you regain strength more quickly and ensures you can return to your normal activities without setbacks. 3. Manage Your Mental Health: It's really important to look after your mental health after an accident. Accidents can be scary and leave you feeling anxious or stressed. Talking to someone, like a counselor, can help you feel better and less overwhelmed. Don't hesitate to reach out for support if you're feeling down or worried. By managing your feelings and seeking help when you need it, you can feel more positive and confident as you work on getting your life back on track. 4. Stay Organized With Documentation: Keeping your documents organized after an accident is really important. This means things like medical records, insurance papers, and any other paperwork related to the accident. Having everything in one place can make things easier if you need to talk to your insurance company or traffic attorney in NJ. It can also help you keep track of your progress and any expenses related to your recovery. Staying organized with your paperwork can reduce stress and make it easier to focus on getting better. So, make sure to keep everything together and handy it can make a big difference in getting your life back on track. 5. Adjust Your Daily Routine: It's essential to make changes to your daily routine after an accident. Your usual routine might not work for you while you're recovering. It's okay to switch things up and do what feels best for your body. This could mean taking more breaks, doing lighter tasks, or asking for help with certain activities. By adjusting your routine to suit your needs, you can ensure that you're giving yourself the best chance to heal. Remember to listen to your body and take things at your own pace as you get back on track. 6. Lean On Your Support System: When you've had an accident, it can feel like your world's been turned upside down. Lean on Your Support System is all about relying on the people who care about you to help you through tough times. Your support system might include family, friends, or even professionals. They're there to listen, offer advice, and give you the emotional support you need. Leaning on your support system can help steady you as you navigate the challenges of recovery and get your life back on track. Wrapping Up: Recovering from a car accident or any traumatic event takes time and patience. By following these simple tips and staying focused on your well-being, you can gradually rebuild your life. Surround yourself with supportive friends and family, seek professional help if needed, and most importantly, be kind to yourself throughout the process. If you or your loved ones face any type of traffic violation you can improve your chances of having your ticket dismissed by consulting The law offices of Jonathan F. Marshall, an experienced traffic ticket lawyer in NJ. The experienced attorney has been helping those facing traffic and criminal charges for years and understands the municipal court system. So, schedule a free consultation with the lawyers. |
2024.05.21 11:38 justasleepymf AITAH for getting upset with my bf for watching porn?
So ik it’s a heavy topic that a lot of people have strong feelings for on both ends, and this is a long one, I apologize in advance. So I’m 22, F, and my new bf is 25, M.
I have a lot of insecurities about myself and I fully admit that. I also have borderline personality disorder, which adds to the insecurities within a relationship. With that being said, I have been in intensive therapy for years and my bpd isn’t necessarily an issue. I’ve had issues with my weight, and finally just dropped 30 lbs.
My new bf is very sweet, I adore him, and I am fairly happy with him. But. There’s one red flag I can’t get passed no matter how hard I try.
I think he’s a sex addict. We talked about sex before we started dating and I told him due to trauma, I sometimes go through phases where I don’t want to be touched sexually. His response “Don’t get upset if you find porn on my phone.” Not the best response, but hey as long as I don’t see it, it can’t hurt me, right? Wrong. We’ve been sexually active very frequently, but as time goes on it’s definitely changed. Going from multiple times a day, to him going off the first try after 10 minutes. But he’s always making sexual comments at me, always hinting for sex, grabbing me sexually. It was off putting but not horrible till the other day. We showered together, I had a mental health moment regarding sex and I told him I sometimes feel like I’m being used for my body, to where I legitimately bawled my eyes out, which I never do in front of people. Fast forward I get up to get dressed and do my thing, he has the door shut, and I realized I forgot my socks. Go to open the door for them and I look down to look at him and see his phone, porn. Straight porn.
I felt sick, not even minutes after I bawled about my sexual trauma and how I’m feeling used, do I open the door to see a girl giving head on his phone.
He claimed it was from the other day and he accidentally left it open, but he’s always on his google so I originally didn’t believe him, now I kinda just brushed it off as a possible tab that was opened.
Fast forward again, I felt sick all day at work yesterday, and had a bad day at work. He picked me up, and got me kinda annoyed with some jokes (non sexual) that he was making towards me so I kept to myself for a bit and laid down to calm my stomach. I knew he was outside in the garage fixing up his car so I got up, walked outside; and was going to tell him I was starting to feel a bit better and wanted to just sit with him. I walk inside and he turns around, belt buckle undone, pants undone, and very visibly aroused. He claimed he went pee and never buckled it back up.
I went to go throw up inside. I was more hurt than anything. He doesn’t ever ask for pictures or videos of me, other than 2 he took before we even started dating. We can’t even have one full session anymore because he goes limp right away and claims it’s because he’s sweating.
I’ve had this uncomfortable feeling in my stomach since, and it’s making the nausea 10x worse. I close my eyes and I see him watching those videos and I don’t know why it makes me feel so awful. I have a very specific build. I’m shortish (5’5) but have very small breasts and upper body, but a larger lower body.
When im in love with someone, I can’t find other people attractive, and I’m even bisexual. The idea of porn grosses me out. My thought process is that you have a partner, why do you have to look at someone else’s videos sexually when you can easily get your partners. But that could also be the fact I have bpd as well. Lastly, as of right now, the reason I’m writing this is because he’s in the shower for work, and he thinks I’m asleep. I hear a women’s voice from inside the bathroom (his phone obv) and the more I try to understand it the more it sounds like moaning. I’m trying not to throw up or cry. I don’t understand why it bothers me so much but it does. I don’t want to seem controlling but it’s absolutely steering me away from him, to the point where when we do have sex, if he closes his eyes I immediately dry up because i just get this thought of him imagining other women.
Am I the AH for being upset over this?
submitted by justasleepymf to AITAH [link] [comments]
I have a lot of insecurities about myself and I fully admit that. I also have borderline personality disorder, which adds to the insecurities within a relationship. With that being said, I have been in intensive therapy for years and my bpd isn’t necessarily an issue. I’ve had issues with my weight, and finally just dropped 30 lbs.
My new bf is very sweet, I adore him, and I am fairly happy with him. But. There’s one red flag I can’t get passed no matter how hard I try.
I think he’s a sex addict. We talked about sex before we started dating and I told him due to trauma, I sometimes go through phases where I don’t want to be touched sexually. His response “Don’t get upset if you find porn on my phone.” Not the best response, but hey as long as I don’t see it, it can’t hurt me, right? Wrong. We’ve been sexually active very frequently, but as time goes on it’s definitely changed. Going from multiple times a day, to him going off the first try after 10 minutes. But he’s always making sexual comments at me, always hinting for sex, grabbing me sexually. It was off putting but not horrible till the other day. We showered together, I had a mental health moment regarding sex and I told him I sometimes feel like I’m being used for my body, to where I legitimately bawled my eyes out, which I never do in front of people. Fast forward I get up to get dressed and do my thing, he has the door shut, and I realized I forgot my socks. Go to open the door for them and I look down to look at him and see his phone, porn. Straight porn.
I felt sick, not even minutes after I bawled about my sexual trauma and how I’m feeling used, do I open the door to see a girl giving head on his phone.
He claimed it was from the other day and he accidentally left it open, but he’s always on his google so I originally didn’t believe him, now I kinda just brushed it off as a possible tab that was opened.
Fast forward again, I felt sick all day at work yesterday, and had a bad day at work. He picked me up, and got me kinda annoyed with some jokes (non sexual) that he was making towards me so I kept to myself for a bit and laid down to calm my stomach. I knew he was outside in the garage fixing up his car so I got up, walked outside; and was going to tell him I was starting to feel a bit better and wanted to just sit with him. I walk inside and he turns around, belt buckle undone, pants undone, and very visibly aroused. He claimed he went pee and never buckled it back up.
I went to go throw up inside. I was more hurt than anything. He doesn’t ever ask for pictures or videos of me, other than 2 he took before we even started dating. We can’t even have one full session anymore because he goes limp right away and claims it’s because he’s sweating.
I’ve had this uncomfortable feeling in my stomach since, and it’s making the nausea 10x worse. I close my eyes and I see him watching those videos and I don’t know why it makes me feel so awful. I have a very specific build. I’m shortish (5’5) but have very small breasts and upper body, but a larger lower body.
When im in love with someone, I can’t find other people attractive, and I’m even bisexual. The idea of porn grosses me out. My thought process is that you have a partner, why do you have to look at someone else’s videos sexually when you can easily get your partners. But that could also be the fact I have bpd as well. Lastly, as of right now, the reason I’m writing this is because he’s in the shower for work, and he thinks I’m asleep. I hear a women’s voice from inside the bathroom (his phone obv) and the more I try to understand it the more it sounds like moaning. I’m trying not to throw up or cry. I don’t understand why it bothers me so much but it does. I don’t want to seem controlling but it’s absolutely steering me away from him, to the point where when we do have sex, if he closes his eyes I immediately dry up because i just get this thought of him imagining other women.
Am I the AH for being upset over this?
2024.05.21 11:37 Ashurnibibi I'm an unapologetic bot enjoyer who plays diff 9 and rarely dies. Here's my no 1 favourite bot loadout.
Hi all. Every day I see people saying they struggle with bots and how they just aren’t fun. As a certified bot diver, I know how those missions can turn into absolute disasters in a second. However, there is a loadout that I think is the most flexible and efficient in almost all situations that I think will greatly help you and might even change your mind about playing bots. If not, at least I tried. This is what I take with myself when I just want to win.
A summary first, then some explanations.
Armour: heavy fortified (explosion resistance) Primary: Pummeler SMG Secondary: grenade pistol Grenade: stun
Stratagems: ballistic shield, AMR, rest to taste. I like Eagle airstrike and railcannon.
Armour: go heavy. While mobility is everything against the bugs, positioning is everything against bots. Speed isn’t essential, so pick protection. The Fortified perk gives you explosion resistance which is crucial because trust me, there will be times when it feels like the entire world is blowing up around you. There is also the white heavier medium suit whose name I forget, that one works well too if you find yourself too slow.
Primary: the Pummeler. If you don’t have it, the Defender works well too. They both reliably kill everything except the following: hulks, tanks, scout striders, factory striders. The reason we’re taking the Pummeler instead of the higher DPS Defender is the stagger effect it has. Its time to kill isn’t fantastic but you can lock down groups of enemies by alternating between them, kind of like how you used to with the pre-nerf Slugger. The reason for taking an SMG in the first place is the ballistic shield. More on that later.
Secondary: the grenade pistol. Two reasons: fabricators and close scout striders. We’re not bringing other explosives, so the GP is our factory killer besides any Eagles or orbitals you might take. Its real strength, however, is its ability to one-shot scout striders at ranges too close for the AMR. It’s not always consistent and you might have to hit them another time, but that’s not a problem because you’ll be reloading behind your shield, which the striders cannot penetrate. You can also use it against devastators but probably not much, since it does have limited ammo. Although it is fun arcing a grenade over a heavy dev shield and nailing them in the face.
Grenade: stun. We’re taking this for hulk hunting. I don’t know how long exactly the stun is, but it’s really good. Easily long enough to switch to the AMR, line up a shot, fire, line up another, and fire again. No more hulk. It can also shut down groups of smaller enemies but that’s mostly handled by our primary.
Now for the stratagems.
Ballistic shield: this is the centerpiece of the loadout. Underrated, underutilised, unbelievably good. This thing is bulletproof, literally. It will block everything ranged except explosions and fire. Small arms? No problem. Raider or heavy dev machine guns? Ping right off. Scout strider cannons, tank MGs, even the heavy frontal miniguns on factory striders? Not getting through this bad boy. The best thing about it is that it’s directional, meaning that you can choose which side you want to protect. Just carrying it covers your left, aiming covers your front, and pulling out your support weapon covers your back.
Now I did say it doesn’t work against explosives. This is a downside, but that’s why we’re bringing armour with the fortified perk. I suggest against trying to block rockets and cannons since they can break the shield, but this is unlikely to happen if you use it as intended. It’s also useless against flamethrowers, which is why we’re carrying stun grenades for disabling and hopefully eliminating those hulks that carry them.
What’s great about bringing the shield is that it makes you think about your positioning in a way fighting bugs never does. Against bugs you run and kite, never stopping because if you do, you’re dead. Against bots, this will not work. You will be killed, over and over again. You have to be slower, more methodical. Unlike bugs, bots are easy to outrun, but if they catch you out of cover, especially if they get a flank on you, you’re toast. With the shield, however, you can pick the weaker flank, take a deep breath, and attack them instead of them attacking you. What’s neat about this is that this tactic is viable even without the shield but doing it with it first builds up your skill and especially confidence; it’s a bit daunting at first.
I could ramble on and on about the ballistic shield but I think I’ve gone on long enough already. Let’s move on to the last part of the loadout, which is...
The anti-materiel rifle, or AMR: yes, materiEl. In my opinion, the true Swiss army knife of the automaton front. Some might protest and say the autocannon is it. I disagree, because while the AC is a great weapon, it lacks two things the AMR has: a free backpack slot needed for the shield, and good sights. If I’m not bringing the shield, I do take the AC sometimes. Despite its name, the AMR is perfectly good against personnel too. Since we’re bringing an SMG, we’ll be using the AMR for long-range chaff clear too. It’s also usable, if not ideal, for close range, although the massive recoil makes it challenging for that purpose. Still, if you get cornered with it you can forsake accuracy and just mag dump anything in front of you and chances are it’ll work because despite appearances, this thing has an insane fire rate. It’s not ammo efficient, but it’s better than dying. However, we’ll primarily be using the AMR for precise shots at weak points. It kills all devastators with one shot to the head, scout striders with one or two shots to where the legs attach, and hulks with two shots to the optic. It destroys the factory strider’s miniguns with four-ish shots, kills them outright with one and a half mags to the underside. It downs gunships with four to an engine. It’s useless against tanks unless you can get a shot at the backs of their turrets, but we still have two unused stratagem slots for those.
As for those, nothing else is “mandatory" for this build so pick what you like or what suits the mission. I like the basic Eagle strike because of its utility in killing everything. The railcannon is great for those moments when you see a hulk you want to absolutely, positively just delete in an instant. Precision strike works wonders against tanks, as do the 110mm rockets. 120mm is great for groups and factory striders. 380mm levels big bases and stuff like dropship depots and command bunkers. You get the idea.
So there you have it, IMO the most versatile bot loadout you can bring. As I said, this is my win button for when I’m not interested in experimenting and just want to get the job done. It’s effective and it’s fun. If you’re a bugdiver struggling against the socialist menace or just need something different to mix up your Scorcher & AC life, give it a try. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Any questions, feel free to ask. SES Queen of the Stars, over and out.
submitted by Ashurnibibi to helldivers2 [link] [comments]
A summary first, then some explanations.
Armour: heavy fortified (explosion resistance) Primary: Pummeler SMG Secondary: grenade pistol Grenade: stun
Stratagems: ballistic shield, AMR, rest to taste. I like Eagle airstrike and railcannon.
Armour: go heavy. While mobility is everything against the bugs, positioning is everything against bots. Speed isn’t essential, so pick protection. The Fortified perk gives you explosion resistance which is crucial because trust me, there will be times when it feels like the entire world is blowing up around you. There is also the white heavier medium suit whose name I forget, that one works well too if you find yourself too slow.
Primary: the Pummeler. If you don’t have it, the Defender works well too. They both reliably kill everything except the following: hulks, tanks, scout striders, factory striders. The reason we’re taking the Pummeler instead of the higher DPS Defender is the stagger effect it has. Its time to kill isn’t fantastic but you can lock down groups of enemies by alternating between them, kind of like how you used to with the pre-nerf Slugger. The reason for taking an SMG in the first place is the ballistic shield. More on that later.
Secondary: the grenade pistol. Two reasons: fabricators and close scout striders. We’re not bringing other explosives, so the GP is our factory killer besides any Eagles or orbitals you might take. Its real strength, however, is its ability to one-shot scout striders at ranges too close for the AMR. It’s not always consistent and you might have to hit them another time, but that’s not a problem because you’ll be reloading behind your shield, which the striders cannot penetrate. You can also use it against devastators but probably not much, since it does have limited ammo. Although it is fun arcing a grenade over a heavy dev shield and nailing them in the face.
Grenade: stun. We’re taking this for hulk hunting. I don’t know how long exactly the stun is, but it’s really good. Easily long enough to switch to the AMR, line up a shot, fire, line up another, and fire again. No more hulk. It can also shut down groups of smaller enemies but that’s mostly handled by our primary.
Now for the stratagems.
Ballistic shield: this is the centerpiece of the loadout. Underrated, underutilised, unbelievably good. This thing is bulletproof, literally. It will block everything ranged except explosions and fire. Small arms? No problem. Raider or heavy dev machine guns? Ping right off. Scout strider cannons, tank MGs, even the heavy frontal miniguns on factory striders? Not getting through this bad boy. The best thing about it is that it’s directional, meaning that you can choose which side you want to protect. Just carrying it covers your left, aiming covers your front, and pulling out your support weapon covers your back.
Now I did say it doesn’t work against explosives. This is a downside, but that’s why we’re bringing armour with the fortified perk. I suggest against trying to block rockets and cannons since they can break the shield, but this is unlikely to happen if you use it as intended. It’s also useless against flamethrowers, which is why we’re carrying stun grenades for disabling and hopefully eliminating those hulks that carry them.
What’s great about bringing the shield is that it makes you think about your positioning in a way fighting bugs never does. Against bugs you run and kite, never stopping because if you do, you’re dead. Against bots, this will not work. You will be killed, over and over again. You have to be slower, more methodical. Unlike bugs, bots are easy to outrun, but if they catch you out of cover, especially if they get a flank on you, you’re toast. With the shield, however, you can pick the weaker flank, take a deep breath, and attack them instead of them attacking you. What’s neat about this is that this tactic is viable even without the shield but doing it with it first builds up your skill and especially confidence; it’s a bit daunting at first.
I could ramble on and on about the ballistic shield but I think I’ve gone on long enough already. Let’s move on to the last part of the loadout, which is...
The anti-materiel rifle, or AMR: yes, materiEl. In my opinion, the true Swiss army knife of the automaton front. Some might protest and say the autocannon is it. I disagree, because while the AC is a great weapon, it lacks two things the AMR has: a free backpack slot needed for the shield, and good sights. If I’m not bringing the shield, I do take the AC sometimes. Despite its name, the AMR is perfectly good against personnel too. Since we’re bringing an SMG, we’ll be using the AMR for long-range chaff clear too. It’s also usable, if not ideal, for close range, although the massive recoil makes it challenging for that purpose. Still, if you get cornered with it you can forsake accuracy and just mag dump anything in front of you and chances are it’ll work because despite appearances, this thing has an insane fire rate. It’s not ammo efficient, but it’s better than dying. However, we’ll primarily be using the AMR for precise shots at weak points. It kills all devastators with one shot to the head, scout striders with one or two shots to where the legs attach, and hulks with two shots to the optic. It destroys the factory strider’s miniguns with four-ish shots, kills them outright with one and a half mags to the underside. It downs gunships with four to an engine. It’s useless against tanks unless you can get a shot at the backs of their turrets, but we still have two unused stratagem slots for those.
As for those, nothing else is “mandatory" for this build so pick what you like or what suits the mission. I like the basic Eagle strike because of its utility in killing everything. The railcannon is great for those moments when you see a hulk you want to absolutely, positively just delete in an instant. Precision strike works wonders against tanks, as do the 110mm rockets. 120mm is great for groups and factory striders. 380mm levels big bases and stuff like dropship depots and command bunkers. You get the idea.
So there you have it, IMO the most versatile bot loadout you can bring. As I said, this is my win button for when I’m not interested in experimenting and just want to get the job done. It’s effective and it’s fun. If you’re a bugdiver struggling against the socialist menace or just need something different to mix up your Scorcher & AC life, give it a try. I promise you won’t be disappointed. Any questions, feel free to ask. SES Queen of the Stars, over and out.
2024.05.21 11:32 Julian_cc Road cycling after 6wk?
Hi guys, I'm now almost 5 weeks post-op. I have to wear a post-op compression vest until the 6 week mark, then I am allowed to do moderate activity. What does this mean?
Before the operation I was quite active, I'm a competitive triathlete. I know that swimming is out for the next few months. What about cycling and running?
How sweaty can I get with the silicone bands? For me Moderate activity is about 2 hours cycling, 50km, average HR 120-130, would it be ok?
Also my road bike position is quite long and aggressive, so it's nothing like a city bike, will it stretch my scars?
I can't wait to get back on the road and am looking for some of your stories to help me navigate the next few months.
Sure, everyone has a different recovery and I’m not going to force myself to train but I’m just curious.
Allez 🚲!
submitted by Julian_cc to TopSurgery [link] [comments]
Before the operation I was quite active, I'm a competitive triathlete. I know that swimming is out for the next few months. What about cycling and running?
How sweaty can I get with the silicone bands? For me Moderate activity is about 2 hours cycling, 50km, average HR 120-130, would it be ok?
Also my road bike position is quite long and aggressive, so it's nothing like a city bike, will it stretch my scars?
I can't wait to get back on the road and am looking for some of your stories to help me navigate the next few months.
Sure, everyone has a different recovery and I’m not going to force myself to train but I’m just curious.
Allez 🚲!
2024.05.21 11:31 Majestic_Milk_6673 What if I remembering is impossible?
I believe that the solution to the traumatized state I’m in is to remember the truth (my truth)of a specific event. It’s strange I can’t remember, but can recall so many vivid things around the memory I need to remember. Problem is I’m worried there’s confabulation that occurred. It’s been years and I haven’t been right since. But I basically have 2 versions of what the truth is when I try to remember. I can make a case 1 or the other is true at times but both versions of the truth I’m trying to remember contradict each other at times. It’s hard to say what memories are true or conjured or if I’m interpreting the context correctly. It’s definitely feels and seems impossible. It’s awful because I’ve tried every therapy, journaling, meditation, not trying to remember for long stretches, and also trying actively to remember. I never can do it to where I know for certain what I’m remembering is the truth though. I don’t want to accept it’s impossible to remember and I’m just screwed for the rest of my life… but maybe it’s just what it is. I’m scared that’s the truth and my life is basically over. But if I can’t remember then what can I do if nothing works? Memory feels so tricky.
I don’t feel scared to remember at all. It’s just not there. But there’s gotta be hope or something that can get me closer I haven’t thought of. I refuse to accept “I can’t remember the truth and my life is over.”
It’s basically I either I made a certain choice and lied about it to myself as to why I did it or I’m completely innocent and was confused and made a certain choice out of not knowing something. I’m not sure which is true or how to tell. Any books or information that would be helpful? I tried every therapy you can think of. I don’t want to lose hope, but maybe some people just lose the memory and cannot recall it because it’s too deep to reach or recall correctly and they’re screwed for life. I don’t want that to be true, but i fear it might be. I’ve spent years with zero progress. I feel like shit happened and I just lost in life.
submitted by Majestic_Milk_6673 to askatherapist [link] [comments]
I don’t feel scared to remember at all. It’s just not there. But there’s gotta be hope or something that can get me closer I haven’t thought of. I refuse to accept “I can’t remember the truth and my life is over.”
It’s basically I either I made a certain choice and lied about it to myself as to why I did it or I’m completely innocent and was confused and made a certain choice out of not knowing something. I’m not sure which is true or how to tell. Any books or information that would be helpful? I tried every therapy you can think of. I don’t want to lose hope, but maybe some people just lose the memory and cannot recall it because it’s too deep to reach or recall correctly and they’re screwed for life. I don’t want that to be true, but i fear it might be. I’ve spent years with zero progress. I feel like shit happened and I just lost in life.
2024.05.21 11:31 UnknownSofa My bf told me that he felt trapped by me
So last week me (18f) and my boyfriend (17m) had prom. After he told me he had to talk to me about something and sat me down on the couch. He told me how he had no time for his hobbies because I'm always over on the weekends and that's the only real time he gets to do his hobbies. How I distract him from his school work. He told me that he felt like I was using him as a crunch too much because I have no friends. For a little bit of background I just stopped being friends with a girl that I had been friends with for 9 year because of prom drama and she was the only one who i was close to other than my boyfriend. Anyways, he told me that I had to make more friends to rely on because he feels trapped. He told me even when I'm not around he's constantly thinking of me and worried about how I'm doing due to my metal health not being so great. How it destacks him from his hobbies and schoolwork. He told me that he cares to much about and said he doesn't know what to do. I asked him if he wanted to break up(I asked him this a few times throughout our conversation) and he said he didn't know. I asked him if he loved me because i was his girlfriend or if he loved me for me. He didnt know how to answer the question and said it was strange. After coversatating a little more I went to the bathroom to take a breather and when I came back out he hugged me and said he didn't want to break up and that he did love me. We then came to the conclusion that I wouldn't come over as much and that he wouldn't text me at school. The problem is that can't stop feeling guilty. I feel like I'm holding him back. I also feel like I no longer can talk to him about my feelings because it might distract him. To be honest my mental health has never been great but I don't think I talked to him about it that much. There would be times I would have panic attacks and would call him late at night but besides that I always kept my feelings to my self. Sometimes I would sneak to the bathroom and cry so he wouldn't know at night because I didn't want to bother him. He never asks me about myself either. He never asks me how im feeling, hows school going, what ive done today. So hearing him say that I use him as a crutch hurt and made me feel guilty. It makes me not want to share any of my feelings with him, I know that's not healthy but im scared that it'll just end up pushing him away more. I don't know what to do. I feel like I'm on eggshells now because if I tell him im upset or anything it'll just make him feel more trapped. He's my first boyfriend and we've been dating almost a year. I don't want to break up with him but I don't want to hold him back. I also don't want to ask for space because I feel like that will just make him feel guilty. There's so much more I can say but this is already way to long. So what should I do?
TLRD: My boyfriend told me that he felt trapped by me and that I used him as a crutch to much so now I don't know what to do.
submitted by UnknownSofa to relationships [link] [comments]
TLRD: My boyfriend told me that he felt trapped by me and that I used him as a crutch to much so now I don't know what to do.
2024.05.21 11:31 howd_he_get_here A heartfelt thank you to DTM, MMM and the other long-form creators in this hobby
Relative novice here. Don't get me wrong - I have a ton of appreciation for Golden Hive for cracking the scrolling algorithm and getting my foot in the door of a hobby I would've never otherwise considered. I know he catches a lot of flak for things like high pricing / odd kit exclusions, misleading simplification of the craft and sometimes questionable subject matter authority. And I know some of that is warranted. But I'll always appreciate him for leading me and a lot of others into the shallow end of the pool, and FWIW I think he deserves more credit than he gets for generating that traffic.
But holy cow do I owe one heck of a thank you to Doin' the Most, Man Made Mead and the other long-form passion-project creators out there (please highlight any lesser knowns in the comments). I was barely two weeks in by the time they transformed what likely would've been a one-and-done forgettable weekend project into what I know for a fact will be an enthusiastic hands-on hobby for years to come.
From the day I started, every single minor question I've had and every oddball recipe idea that's entered my mind has yielded at least one 15+ minute deep dive video breaking down the topic from every helpful angle in simple and approachable terms that anyone can follow. Often there's two or three. Sometimes there's a whole ass podcast episode to listen to on my way to work! (shoutout What's New With Mead)
It's sadly been years since I've regularly had the attention span for this type of denser informational content. But man, once I sat down and got through that first crash course video that made it all start to click it was like gasoline on a lit match. A few short months later and I'm still devouring hours of new info every day, constantly itching to scale up my production gear to meet my neverending rabbit hole of future brew projects.
I know I'm not the first to praise these guys... I'm sure a lot of you are actually sick of hearing it lol. But I'm very grateful for everything they do and I hope they know how deeply appreciated it is. Thank you for the insane hours you've poured into educating others and unlocking this wonderful obsession that I didn't know was missing.
submitted by howd_he_get_here to mead [link] [comments]
But holy cow do I owe one heck of a thank you to Doin' the Most, Man Made Mead and the other long-form passion-project creators out there (please highlight any lesser knowns in the comments). I was barely two weeks in by the time they transformed what likely would've been a one-and-done forgettable weekend project into what I know for a fact will be an enthusiastic hands-on hobby for years to come.
From the day I started, every single minor question I've had and every oddball recipe idea that's entered my mind has yielded at least one 15+ minute deep dive video breaking down the topic from every helpful angle in simple and approachable terms that anyone can follow. Often there's two or three. Sometimes there's a whole ass podcast episode to listen to on my way to work! (shoutout What's New With Mead)
It's sadly been years since I've regularly had the attention span for this type of denser informational content. But man, once I sat down and got through that first crash course video that made it all start to click it was like gasoline on a lit match. A few short months later and I'm still devouring hours of new info every day, constantly itching to scale up my production gear to meet my neverending rabbit hole of future brew projects.
I know I'm not the first to praise these guys... I'm sure a lot of you are actually sick of hearing it lol. But I'm very grateful for everything they do and I hope they know how deeply appreciated it is. Thank you for the insane hours you've poured into educating others and unlocking this wonderful obsession that I didn't know was missing.
2024.05.21 11:31 HauntingScallion8959 Stop chasing and change your assumptions!!!
Last night I realized I got every single SP I chased to turn around and ask me to meet them. This should be proof that ALL of your desires actually want you.
Chasing means you believe they don’t want you. You can initate conversations that’s fine but you need to come from a place of self worth.
We are talking about 5 different SPs here. And most of it was actually unconscious cause I didn’t realize the law but it was working.
Sp 1 (a girl) had me blocked on all platforms. Definitely the most hopeless circumstances I’ve been in. Refused to speak to me when I saw her in person and walked away. Lol it was BAD. But after one year of trying to reconcile I was like she will eventually want to talk to me. Then 2 months later this same person who kept ghosting me in person was waving at me when I saw her from a distance lmao. But this was unconscious. So I didn’t really try to reach out to her for years and then when I did we became extremely close just the way I wanted. Just the way I craved. She asked to meet me. Not to mention I maintained a belief that she was into girls for years despite her denying it and she eventually came out lol.
Sp 2: I chased and begged him to meet me and he kept refusing. I called him and begged for months lol. And then I was like fuck that. He will regret and then not too long after he was texting me again. And then kept asking me to meet him . I kid you not 6 years later this man is still asking me to meet him.
SP 3: : (a boy) I spent hours and hours day dreaming about us making out and having sex. But my god my self concept was on the floor at this point. He rejected me. I got into self love mode and started thinking he is not all that and bro was complimenting me and hinting how he wanted to make out and things. Again this was unconscious and therefore it took years to materialise cause i didn’t maintain assumptions. But we eventually did do EVERYTHING I day dreamt about. This is also the guy that said “I will never ask you out” and then two months into FWB he was hella nervous trying to ask me out and he did. And we dated. The relationship ended cause of my fears and doubts and that got me into conscious manifesting. I initially chased him and tried to manifest him. Stopped moved on. I eventually got back into manifesting him. All I did was convince myself and change my assumptions. Got him to chase me, ask to meet me and text me everyday just like I had craved for after the break up.
Sp 4: I did every manifesting technique in the book to get him to change his mind. All I had to do was change my mind. I started thinking “his loss” and then just weeks later he started saying he was thinking about me at 2 am. “Tables have turned” and asked me to meet him. (I also got rid of his 3p in 2 weeks)
Sp 5: my current SP. I asked him to meet him twice and realized nah he is gonna ask next. Then I kept thinking oh I know you want to walk around York with me in the summer. He literally word for word said he wants to walk around York with me in the summer.
Literally just tell yourself they want you, and they want what you want. Don’t think against it. Don’t question it. Accept it as true. It won’t take that long to show up in the 3D.
submitted by HauntingScallion8959 to NevilleGoddard2 [link] [comments]
Chasing means you believe they don’t want you. You can initate conversations that’s fine but you need to come from a place of self worth.
We are talking about 5 different SPs here. And most of it was actually unconscious cause I didn’t realize the law but it was working.
Sp 1 (a girl) had me blocked on all platforms. Definitely the most hopeless circumstances I’ve been in. Refused to speak to me when I saw her in person and walked away. Lol it was BAD. But after one year of trying to reconcile I was like she will eventually want to talk to me. Then 2 months later this same person who kept ghosting me in person was waving at me when I saw her from a distance lmao. But this was unconscious. So I didn’t really try to reach out to her for years and then when I did we became extremely close just the way I wanted. Just the way I craved. She asked to meet me. Not to mention I maintained a belief that she was into girls for years despite her denying it and she eventually came out lol.
Sp 2: I chased and begged him to meet me and he kept refusing. I called him and begged for months lol. And then I was like fuck that. He will regret and then not too long after he was texting me again. And then kept asking me to meet him . I kid you not 6 years later this man is still asking me to meet him.
SP 3: : (a boy) I spent hours and hours day dreaming about us making out and having sex. But my god my self concept was on the floor at this point. He rejected me. I got into self love mode and started thinking he is not all that and bro was complimenting me and hinting how he wanted to make out and things. Again this was unconscious and therefore it took years to materialise cause i didn’t maintain assumptions. But we eventually did do EVERYTHING I day dreamt about. This is also the guy that said “I will never ask you out” and then two months into FWB he was hella nervous trying to ask me out and he did. And we dated. The relationship ended cause of my fears and doubts and that got me into conscious manifesting. I initially chased him and tried to manifest him. Stopped moved on. I eventually got back into manifesting him. All I did was convince myself and change my assumptions. Got him to chase me, ask to meet me and text me everyday just like I had craved for after the break up.
Sp 4: I did every manifesting technique in the book to get him to change his mind. All I had to do was change my mind. I started thinking “his loss” and then just weeks later he started saying he was thinking about me at 2 am. “Tables have turned” and asked me to meet him. (I also got rid of his 3p in 2 weeks)
Sp 5: my current SP. I asked him to meet him twice and realized nah he is gonna ask next. Then I kept thinking oh I know you want to walk around York with me in the summer. He literally word for word said he wants to walk around York with me in the summer.
Literally just tell yourself they want you, and they want what you want. Don’t think against it. Don’t question it. Accept it as true. It won’t take that long to show up in the 3D.
2024.05.21 11:31 Toteldejesus How octogenarian Cecile Guidote-Alvarez rushed to the beauty salon to tackle West Philippine Sea
On a rainy Saturday afternoon not so long ago when internet connection was fluctuating in most homes, the 80-year-old Cecile Guidote-Alvarez, widow of the late Senator Heherson Alvarez, carrying a mini iPad, hurriedly alighted from a three-wheeled pedicab Toktok and stormed her way into a popular coffee shop in a mall in Manila.
A senior citizen in panic mode, she told the stunned baristas she’s looking for a Wi-Fi connection because she was about to interview retired Supreme Court Associate Justice Antonio Carpio via Zoom.The coffee shop, a known world brand, has Wi-Fi exclusive to its employees, so the old lady was told to try other establishments. She went from one coffee shop to another only to be told the same, until a kind stranger led her to a well-known beauty salon with a free internet connection.
The lady salon attendant was very accommodating to the octogenarian, even typing the password on her IPad. Of course, she needed to avail herself of their salon services. Initially, she opted for a haircut, but since she needed to talk and hear clearly who she was talking to, she settled for a foot spa with pedicure.
“They lowered the volume of the piped-in music, and since there were less customers because it’s been raining all day, I was able to do my interview,” Guidote-Alvarez said.
For the next half-an-hour, the hair dressers and manicurists working with their scissors, nail clippers and cuticle removers on their customers’ hair and fingernails, listened to Carpio and Guidote-Alvarez discussed how Filipino fishermen and the Philippine Navy ships helplessly negotiate their ways in Scarborough Shoal amid the territorial disputes in the West Philippine Sea.
“They were all very nice to me. I was able to finish my interview, with newly pedicured nails,” she told The Diarist.
For those who’ve worked with Guidote-Alvarez, her steadfast, almost stubborn, nature to accomplish a task, is nothing out of the ordinary. She would improvise, find alternatives, call up friends and former students, wake them up from sleep, just to get things done.
But now, in her 80s, legally blind and nearly deaf, she has mellowed down.
Cecile Alvarez with her mentors, National Artist for Literature Alejandro Roces, Jr and Fr. James Reuter. SJ
In her twilight years, Guidote-Alvarez has been solely hosting the 57-year-old Radyo Balintataw on DZRH, one of the oldest radio stations in the Philippines, where she tackles a wide range of topics, from climate change, women’s health, theater, culture, dance, to current issues, apart from playing old recordings of classic radio plays she produced and directed, dating back to the late ‘80s.
She shared with TheDiarist.ph how she started and continues to host one of the longest running advocacy programs on AM Radio.
Theater on TV
After founding the Philippine Educational Theater Association (PETA) on April 7, 1967, or exactly 57 years ago, Guidote-Alvarez thought of the need to expose PETA’s members to television, so she started conceptualizing Balintataw, which in Filipino means the pupil of the eye, but in a larger context has something to do with having wild imagination, or what you might see if you have a third eye.
“I designed Balintataw as a bridge between cinema and the stage, where the youth being trained in theater skills can have a ready-made laboratory experience linked with the film and entertainment industry that would likewise have a natural on-the-job training and orientation regarding the theatrical discipline of working with a literary script, whether dramatic or comic—not the regular improvised script done on taping or copycat scripts from foreign themes,” Guidote-Alvarez wrote in her yet-to-be published Memoir of a Freedom Fighter’s Wife.
“A primary goal when I conceived PETA was to initiate and sustain artistic expression that draws meaning and power from the lives of the people, and sharing the literary gems with a greater number of audiences through a Broadcast Theater-Film Program with Balintataw on Channel 5,” she added.
“No matter how little the pay, at least it provided our local writers with a little honorarium. I sought permission for award-winning pieces of the Palanca Playwriting contest to be fleshed out to reach the masses. The much-awarded playwright Bert Florentino served as our literary manager, assisted by Mauro Avena. Eventually, Isagani Cruz took over when Bert left for the US,” she wrote.
“Writers need exposure and encouragement through a regular TV performance that will give them a sense of achievement and inspire them to keep on writing with some kind of honorarium. I was glad Lupita Aquino (now Kashiwahara) agreed to be TV director and Robert Arevalo as TV host.
She got members of the PETA Kalinangan Ensemble to serve as stage directors. “This is to undertake preliminary preparation with a rehearsal with the actors for character development and memorization and preliminary staging,” she wrote.
Five months after PETA was founded, Balintataw TV premiered on Channel 5 on Aug. 19, 1967, coinciding with the Buwan ng Wika birthdate of President Manuel Luis Quezon.
The first play, whose title escapes her now, featured Armida Siguion-Reyna and Maria Eva “Chingbee” Kalaw. She employed photo journalist and award-winning photographedocumentarist/cinematographer, Romy Vitug, to work with her in filming outdoor scenes for Balintataw.
In the pre-Martial Law Balintataw, among those initiated into television were Lino Brocka, Elwood Perez, Nick Lizaso, Maryo delos Reyes, Mario O’Hara, Joey Gosiengfiao, Behn Cervantes, and Frank Rivera.
Among the stage actors who crossed over to television were Lily Gamboa, Angie Ferro, Lorlie Villanueva, Jonee Gamboa, Joy Soler, Sherry Lara, Gardy Labad, Noel Trinidad.
Like with PETA, Guidote-Alvarez directed and managed Balintataw for five years. Because of Martial Law, she and husband Heherson went on exile in the US to escape a military shoot-to-kill order on Heherson, who was tagged as a subversive.
Post-Martial Law
Internationally acclaimed auteur Lav Diaz mentioned in several interviews how he learned writing radio and TV scripts in Balintataw.
This happened in the late 1980s, when the Alvarez couple returned from exile.
Despite its absence on the air in the Martial Law years, Balintataw was honored by Star Awards as among the 20 unforgettable outstanding broadcast programs in the Philippines.
“This encouraged me to consider reviving Balintataw on TV. Another blessing was a FAMAS award for having an important role in the development of cinema recognizing Balintataw as a bridge for synergizing cinema with the stage, providing a pathway of entry of our PETA artists into film and for movie stars to consider enriching their experience by acting on the legitimate stage,” Guidote-Alvarez wrote.
Though she didn’t return to PETA anymore because it had been surviving well and had its own set of officers led by Brocka, she just tapped some of its members for the return of Balintataw.
For 14 years, the Alvarez couple lived in the US as political exiles, shown here during a Ninoy Aquino Movement meeting. Cecile revived Radyo Balintataw upon their return in the late 1980s.
Channel 4 stint
“I arranged to revive TV Balintataw on Channel 4 in 1989. We began with a drama about a rebel returnee, title escapes me now, but I clearly remember it was written by Lualhati Bautista and directed by Maryo de los Reyes. We also had a good story series on the hazing of Lenny Villa, an Aquila Legis Frat neophyte,” she wrote.
At the time, Heherson had been elected senator after having served as Agrarian Reform Minister and eventually Cabinet Secretary during the first year of the Cory Aquino Administration.
“We were able to unravel the deadly hazing process from a fellow neophyte who broke the code of silence as we revealed graphically, acted the cruel process used. I had Jose Mari Avellana direct it. This presentation won all the awards. Lav Diaz was training with us and he started writing teleplays. We also had Nora Aunor in an adaptation of Bert Florentino’s The World Is An Apple, adapted by Frank Rivera, and I had Nick Lizaso direct.”
Emmy Awards
Balintataw TV was selected as one of five soaps for social change recognized by Emmy Awards. The Philippines was one of five countries cited, with Mexico, India, Brazil and Kenya.
“The nomination was made possible by the wonderful support from David Poindexter. It was a supreme honor for our country to be recognized in the Emmy Awards, to be cited among the five Third World countries using soap opera for social change.”
Poindexter was a Methodist minister and TV producer who founded the Population Communications International.
Surviving on radio
“In spite of the cry about how television can be deadening the minds of the people with copied themes with an eternal favorite love triangle story, there was really no funding for Balintataw,” she wrote.
“Sponsors would go naturally to the commercial stations where big stars were paid highly for the starring role. Balintataw may have substance but we could not afford payment of bankable stars,” she added.
“Financial stress forced me to drop TV and remain on radio because I didn’t want to kill Balintataw per se just because we didn’t have funds.”
Creative classroom
“We have focused on Balintataw as a creative classroom on the air. I was able to talk to Fred J. Elizalde of DZRH and the president of the network, Mr. Jun Nicdao,” she wrote.
In the ‘80s, the HIV/AIDS became a global epidemic and in the Philippines, the general populace was still clueless on how to deal with it.
“In order to get funding, the first series I did was about the explosive news regarding AIDS in Asia. I got the DOH Secretary at the time, Dr. Juan Flavier, to act as himself, providing the data. It was easier to start off with an AIDS radio serial.
They did a minimum of 13 episodes to raise awareness about the disease.
“From then on, some of our television scripts we transformed into a radio version. DZRH provided us with our initial production staff, so we used some from the network and some of its resident artists and drama talents. Our time slots were changing but always coming after the long-running horror drama, Gabi ng Lagim.
“We worked on the themes of overseas workers, the drug problem, corruption, aside from portraying contemporary and literary classics serving as social commentaries,” she wrote.
Women playwrights
“We dramatized the works of noted women writers and playwrights like Estrella Alfon, Genoveva Edroza Matute and Marilou Jacob, who is distinguished in being a founding president of Women’s Playwright International.
“Apart from our PETA staple of writers, we involved young, upcoming and budding university and community theater groups.
“We also had a lot of foreign plays, where we could feature theater festivals beyond borders. We could do Shakespeare, we could do Euripides but also the current playwrights in the Arab region we translated in our language.
“We brought in Chinese contemporary plays, Malaysian, Indonesian and from other women writers from ASEAN member countries.”
Virtual history book
“The significance of Balintataw is portrayed as a virtual history book on audio as it unveiled events in the country. Radio is fresh, instant and up-to date,” she added.
When the COVID-19 pandemic struck, Balintataw became Guidote-Alvarez’s outlet and therapy. Having lost her husband on the second month of the pandemic, a widow cocooned at home, she began hosting it six days a week, learning how to use an iPad and interviewing via Zoom.
The word “Balintataw” has been associated with her name.
Visual artist and editorial cartoonist Benjie Lontoc in casual meeting told us how in his younger days, when AM Radio was a national past-time, he was surprised to hear a Filipino adaptation of No Exit by Jean Paul-Sarte. This was when radio was airing soap, fantasy adventures targeting housewives and children.
Another was the airing of Larawan as a radio play in the 1990s, with Guidote-Alvarez as the voice of Candida Marasigan.
Leopoldo Salcedo (left) as Manolo in a confrontation scene with Dante Rivero as Tony Javier in PETA’s 1968 ‘Larawan’ directed by Cecile Guidote-Alvarez. (Photo from PETA archives)
In the 1960s, she directed Larawan, the first Filipino adaptation of Joaquin’s A Portrait of the Artist as Filipino for PETA’s second season. It ran from December 1968 to January 1969 at the Raha Sulayman Theater at Fort Santiago in Intramural. In the cast were Rita Gomez (Candida), Lolita Rodriguez (Paula), Leopoldo Salcedo (Don Manolo) and Dante Rivero (Tony Javier).
Guidote-Alvarez has a funny recollection of the radio play. It was Nick Joaquin himself who told her years ago how his pedicurist suddenly started a conversation about Larawan.
Joaquin was relaxing on the barber’s chair having a post-haircut pedicure and foot spa when the lady pedicurist asked him how the story would end. Joaquin was stunned because he didn’t want to be known in the barber shop as Nick Joaquin the famous National Artist for Literature, but just a regular customer.
“He told me he almost fell out from the chair. He was a very private person and the pedicurist recognized him as the playwright,” Guidote-Alvarez, laughing, told TheDiarist.ph.
When she was first diagnosed with breast cancer in 2000, she was given only three years to live. It’s been more than two decades since then. She has also conquered COVID-19 twice.
Over and beyond her work in theater and various advocacies, Guidote-Alvarez is among the few surviving practitioners of AM Radio broadcasting.
The beauty salon incident wasn’t a first for the octogenarian radio host. She occasionally went back there to interview guests and record her shows whenever Wi-Fi connections in her home fluctuated.
Despite all setbacks, man-made or otherwise, the steadfast Cecile Guidote-Alvarez’s voice continues to be heard in this mass media platform in an era that knows mainly Spotify. As Joaquin wrote, “to remember and to sing, that is her vocation.”
(Except Saturday, Radyo Balintataw airs daily on DZRH 666 Khz AM radio after ‘Gabi ng Lagim’, and live streamed on radio.org.ph. Some episodes have been uploaded on YouTube.)
2024.05.21 11:30 HampurHampur My full review "The Shield". The best TV show of all times. Let's discuss [SPOILER]
I have already made short post that I finished series finale. I stiil feel sad, depressed and that feeling when tv show ended.... unbelievable how "The Shield" is stuck with me. Can't believe this journey is over.
I wanted to say so many things. Firstly, how can I miss this? I was too young when it came out, but I hear about "The Wire" everywhere even now. "The shield" feels like out of the radar all the time. WE MUST DO SOMETHING WITH IT! Please, just watch "The Shield"!
My friend told me to watch it and he stumbled upon this Tv show in one cool review that was left by some user (girl , actually) on my native language site about movies/tvshows.
When I look at some photos and pictures of "The Shield" I have thoughts that it is like CSI or some other typical cop show with nothing more. How wrong was I with such first impression.
What I really like that "The shield" has blu-ray release. So cool tv show is reinnovate for high quality format and has a lot of bonus features on blu-ray.
My friend also told me that I need to watch especially until Season 5 where it will be so high level quality writing that I gonna really appreaciate "The Shield".
As for myself, I fond of cinema. I just not go easy on any movies/tvshows. I am very nit-picking because I like to learn about cinematography, screenwriting, directing and so on. For me movies like the greatest art and I study movies as an art. That's why I feel bored about modern movies and TV shows. Screenplays are not bold, not so complex, characters feel flat and creators afraid to insult other races, woman right and so on. Many movies and TV shows of modern era feel convinient. I am tired of that. And I started to watch "The Shield" six months ago.
"The Shield" was aired in the right time! Year 2002 like "The Wire". From the pilot episode "The Shield" don't try to be convinient, it shows you what Vic and his team doing, what "The barn" doing everyday. Everything around characters feels not-convinient: drug-addicted, child trafficking, other awful staff around. Characters not just saint and clean, they do what they have to do like it or not as a viewer. That's what I wished for a long time. "The Shield" just clicked with me. I can't even imagine TVshow about cops can be on such level with great cast, great characters, really good screenwriting, directing and editing.
Before "The Shield" I can't tolerate semi-documentary cinematography and "hand-held" effect of camera in movies. In "The Shield" I fall in love with such camerawork and editing. That's really what I can't imagine I would love in cinemas. In this Tv show every take is so close, editiing beetwen close-mid plan camera panning and it feels so great in terms of "The Shield" storytellling. You are always near characters, you like breathing just around their shoulders and see every bad side of Farmington so close that you feel how disgusting this district is. Incredible work from cinematographers and editors.
Dynamic feeling of everything that happens on the screen. The greatest part of "The Shield" it is never trying to dragging some melodrama to extend seasons or try to be sentimental in the scenes. Modern TVshows really like that and i don't. Don't need to play with the viewer. In "The Shield" everything happenes so fast, so realistic that sometimes you can't even catch a breath. Not a single dull episode. In every episode something cool will definetely happens and it keeps you attached to the screen. And I don't mean that "The Shield" hasn't some melancholic or not-fast pacing moment. On the opposite, "The Shield" has everything what makes cinema alive and fascinating.
Let me explain what I really like about "The Shield" and I have never experience such different emotions just in one piece of the cinema:
In "The Shield" you can feel like a kid again and rooting for cool-masculine guys who breaks door and shout: "Police! On the ground!". After some episodes I really wanna just play in cops and criminals on my yard with friends. That's how action feels in this Tv show. I wanna buy merch with "Strike Team" on it and snake eating rat logo. Incredible.
In "The Shield" as an adult you can feel totally devastated by events that just happened on the screen. You can feel pure emotions from character actions. And what most important you don't want to judge character right away you want to put yourself in his shoes because what character did feels so realistic. Characters here not some fancy cards, you can feel them like real human beings.
In "The Shield" you can laugh as an adult. Humor in some scenes and from some characters really spot on and not stupid. It is full drama but some episodes has great humor parts. And again it feels so real and natural like human beings in real life would joke about something. Bilings sutuations and lines from later seasons are just pure gold.
In "The Shield" you want to discuss some parts of the story. It feels like after reading a good complex books with interesting characters you start to think about their actions and how you can think about your actions in the real life. What it is like to be a coward? To be hypocrite? What about loayalty and friendship? Trust me not so many movies/TVshows can be so full-thinking. It's a miracle that such depth can be in cop TV show. I stiil can't imagine how believable characters are and situations in "The Shield". Script and story of all seasons and how characters arcs redeemed is golden!
So I trying to say "The Shield" can feel like popcorn-blockbuster cop show in some parts with overacting but sometimes it's pure complex drama with silence scenes and great acting and very realistic characters. It's the best mixture of movie formula that I have seen in my life! I stiil can't imagine that I saying such words in terms of cop TV show.
"The Shield" was ahead of its time. It is a real piece of art. In modern days I want to see Tv show with overacting (when it need to be done), cool action and the same time it can provide me with great drama sequences and believable characters.
[SPOILER] section below. Please read only if you watched the series.
What I also like about "The Shield" it has great leading character. Michael Chiklis was born for this role. Maybe in first seasons you can think he overacting sometimes and can't be so dramatic but in the late seasons Michael have shown one of the best acting scenes in cinema. Pure mastery. This 42 second silence in front of Olivia was something unique and incredible. Then final eyes scene with Cloudette and finale running eyes scene in the ending of season 7 when he sits alone.
Vic is so well written in every season. He is the anchor of the show. So charismatic, strategy wise, musculine and cool and what I like the most this character feels real. When Vic came alone in gang territory and didn't fear anything you believe in that. You understand as a viewer that not anybody in "the barn" have balls for things that Mackey can do. He uses "shortcuts" in police work that only he can manage. He has really metal backbone. Even when he mentally broke at the end of the 1st season he needs just a couple of minutes to grab his shit together and go further. Character has a great amount of willpower and dedication to do anything that he wanted to.
Vic is the greatest anti hero in cinema history. Many side characters hate him but when there is a problem that no one can resolve Mackey step up. Farmington is so dirty that it needs people dirty as Vic to clean it.
I actually always rooted for Vic as a viewer because nobody in "The Shield" is black and white. Even Claudette free Kleavon from death penalty to keep her warm place. And I like that "The Shield" shows every character is corrupt somehow.
But I can't believe that Vic betrayed Ronnie. It hits hard. After that I as a viewer understood Cloudette words: "Vic is trying to be someone he wants you to see him". We viewers see Vic true nature in the final episode and it hits hard too. He always was like that and we didn't want to accept. And some part of me like him but other part can't forgive him for what he did to others. Such a great character downfall through all seasons. And this shot when he smiled to his gun and go somewhere. Where did he go? He can't sit tight he always need to be "living on the edge" this his type of character.
I wanna write about other characters. Shane for sure. But Post is too big. I leave it for later.
10/10. I am empty and depressed that "The Shield" journey ended for me. Can't believe that many people don't know about this masterpiece. I am glad I stumbled upon it. It touched my strings for cinema love that not any movie or tv show touching in years.
So many emotions and thoughts. Thanks to Shawn Ryan, Michael Chiklis, Walton Goggins and every other member of "The Shield" crew and FX. I wish I had a chance to tell it to them personally. I am grown man but I feel emotions like a kid again. Pure emotions from "The Shield" story.
To sum up my words. I like this ending montage of Season 2. It has great editing and you feel emotions. I literally cried when I rewatched it after the final. Clodette touches Dutch and thanked him. Aceveda moving forward. Coriine in thoughts. Dutch investigate a murder again. And Pile of money scene... Vic the only one who is laughing but others feel mix emotions. Gives shivers to my spine.
The Shield - Overcome Season 2 Ending (youtube.com)
submitted by HampurHampur to TheShield [link] [comments]
I wanted to say so many things. Firstly, how can I miss this? I was too young when it came out, but I hear about "The Wire" everywhere even now. "The shield" feels like out of the radar all the time. WE MUST DO SOMETHING WITH IT! Please, just watch "The Shield"!
My friend told me to watch it and he stumbled upon this Tv show in one cool review that was left by some user (girl , actually) on my native language site about movies/tvshows.
When I look at some photos and pictures of "The Shield" I have thoughts that it is like CSI or some other typical cop show with nothing more. How wrong was I with such first impression.
What I really like that "The shield" has blu-ray release. So cool tv show is reinnovate for high quality format and has a lot of bonus features on blu-ray.
My friend also told me that I need to watch especially until Season 5 where it will be so high level quality writing that I gonna really appreaciate "The Shield".
As for myself, I fond of cinema. I just not go easy on any movies/tvshows. I am very nit-picking because I like to learn about cinematography, screenwriting, directing and so on. For me movies like the greatest art and I study movies as an art. That's why I feel bored about modern movies and TV shows. Screenplays are not bold, not so complex, characters feel flat and creators afraid to insult other races, woman right and so on. Many movies and TV shows of modern era feel convinient. I am tired of that. And I started to watch "The Shield" six months ago.
"The Shield" was aired in the right time! Year 2002 like "The Wire". From the pilot episode "The Shield" don't try to be convinient, it shows you what Vic and his team doing, what "The barn" doing everyday. Everything around characters feels not-convinient: drug-addicted, child trafficking, other awful staff around. Characters not just saint and clean, they do what they have to do like it or not as a viewer. That's what I wished for a long time. "The Shield" just clicked with me. I can't even imagine TVshow about cops can be on such level with great cast, great characters, really good screenwriting, directing and editing.
Before "The Shield" I can't tolerate semi-documentary cinematography and "hand-held" effect of camera in movies. In "The Shield" I fall in love with such camerawork and editing. That's really what I can't imagine I would love in cinemas. In this Tv show every take is so close, editiing beetwen close-mid plan camera panning and it feels so great in terms of "The Shield" storytellling. You are always near characters, you like breathing just around their shoulders and see every bad side of Farmington so close that you feel how disgusting this district is. Incredible work from cinematographers and editors.
Dynamic feeling of everything that happens on the screen. The greatest part of "The Shield" it is never trying to dragging some melodrama to extend seasons or try to be sentimental in the scenes. Modern TVshows really like that and i don't. Don't need to play with the viewer. In "The Shield" everything happenes so fast, so realistic that sometimes you can't even catch a breath. Not a single dull episode. In every episode something cool will definetely happens and it keeps you attached to the screen. And I don't mean that "The Shield" hasn't some melancholic or not-fast pacing moment. On the opposite, "The Shield" has everything what makes cinema alive and fascinating.
Let me explain what I really like about "The Shield" and I have never experience such different emotions just in one piece of the cinema:
In "The Shield" you can feel like a kid again and rooting for cool-masculine guys who breaks door and shout: "Police! On the ground!". After some episodes I really wanna just play in cops and criminals on my yard with friends. That's how action feels in this Tv show. I wanna buy merch with "Strike Team" on it and snake eating rat logo. Incredible.
In "The Shield" as an adult you can feel totally devastated by events that just happened on the screen. You can feel pure emotions from character actions. And what most important you don't want to judge character right away you want to put yourself in his shoes because what character did feels so realistic. Characters here not some fancy cards, you can feel them like real human beings.
In "The Shield" you can laugh as an adult. Humor in some scenes and from some characters really spot on and not stupid. It is full drama but some episodes has great humor parts. And again it feels so real and natural like human beings in real life would joke about something. Bilings sutuations and lines from later seasons are just pure gold.
In "The Shield" you want to discuss some parts of the story. It feels like after reading a good complex books with interesting characters you start to think about their actions and how you can think about your actions in the real life. What it is like to be a coward? To be hypocrite? What about loayalty and friendship? Trust me not so many movies/TVshows can be so full-thinking. It's a miracle that such depth can be in cop TV show. I stiil can't imagine how believable characters are and situations in "The Shield". Script and story of all seasons and how characters arcs redeemed is golden!
So I trying to say "The Shield" can feel like popcorn-blockbuster cop show in some parts with overacting but sometimes it's pure complex drama with silence scenes and great acting and very realistic characters. It's the best mixture of movie formula that I have seen in my life! I stiil can't imagine that I saying such words in terms of cop TV show.
"The Shield" was ahead of its time. It is a real piece of art. In modern days I want to see Tv show with overacting (when it need to be done), cool action and the same time it can provide me with great drama sequences and believable characters.
[SPOILER] section below. Please read only if you watched the series.
What I also like about "The Shield" it has great leading character. Michael Chiklis was born for this role. Maybe in first seasons you can think he overacting sometimes and can't be so dramatic but in the late seasons Michael have shown one of the best acting scenes in cinema. Pure mastery. This 42 second silence in front of Olivia was something unique and incredible. Then final eyes scene with Cloudette and finale running eyes scene in the ending of season 7 when he sits alone.
Vic is so well written in every season. He is the anchor of the show. So charismatic, strategy wise, musculine and cool and what I like the most this character feels real. When Vic came alone in gang territory and didn't fear anything you believe in that. You understand as a viewer that not anybody in "the barn" have balls for things that Mackey can do. He uses "shortcuts" in police work that only he can manage. He has really metal backbone. Even when he mentally broke at the end of the 1st season he needs just a couple of minutes to grab his shit together and go further. Character has a great amount of willpower and dedication to do anything that he wanted to.
Vic is the greatest anti hero in cinema history. Many side characters hate him but when there is a problem that no one can resolve Mackey step up. Farmington is so dirty that it needs people dirty as Vic to clean it.
I actually always rooted for Vic as a viewer because nobody in "The Shield" is black and white. Even Claudette free Kleavon from death penalty to keep her warm place. And I like that "The Shield" shows every character is corrupt somehow.
But I can't believe that Vic betrayed Ronnie. It hits hard. After that I as a viewer understood Cloudette words: "Vic is trying to be someone he wants you to see him". We viewers see Vic true nature in the final episode and it hits hard too. He always was like that and we didn't want to accept. And some part of me like him but other part can't forgive him for what he did to others. Such a great character downfall through all seasons. And this shot when he smiled to his gun and go somewhere. Where did he go? He can't sit tight he always need to be "living on the edge" this his type of character.
I wanna write about other characters. Shane for sure. But Post is too big. I leave it for later.
10/10. I am empty and depressed that "The Shield" journey ended for me. Can't believe that many people don't know about this masterpiece. I am glad I stumbled upon it. It touched my strings for cinema love that not any movie or tv show touching in years.
So many emotions and thoughts. Thanks to Shawn Ryan, Michael Chiklis, Walton Goggins and every other member of "The Shield" crew and FX. I wish I had a chance to tell it to them personally. I am grown man but I feel emotions like a kid again. Pure emotions from "The Shield" story.
To sum up my words. I like this ending montage of Season 2. It has great editing and you feel emotions. I literally cried when I rewatched it after the final. Clodette touches Dutch and thanked him. Aceveda moving forward. Coriine in thoughts. Dutch investigate a murder again. And Pile of money scene... Vic the only one who is laughing but others feel mix emotions. Gives shivers to my spine.
The Shield - Overcome Season 2 Ending (youtube.com)
2024.05.21 11:29 catespice Memoirs of a Long Pig
“We’re a meat family,” my dad would proudly tell strangers. He’d wait for the quizzical look, then launch into detail, starting with how many freezers we had, how long we could sustain ourselves on the contents. It was just his way of starting a conversation, which made sense when you considered that raising and home-killing animals for food was, for want of a better term, his life-long hobby. His prize possession was one of those industrial-sized vacuum sealers: you could put half a pig inside and wrap it in plastic so tightly that every wrinkle and skin fold waxed unreal with shiny detail.
If we hadn’t lived in a rural area, albeit semi-urbanised, I guess it would have been pretty weird. But the mostly farming-stock locals only found his extra enthusiasm a little bit odd.
When he wasn’t being a bit embarrassing talking about it, I never really paid much heed to his hobby. I had a child’s vaguely grateful awareness that though our family went through some lean financial times, our stomachs never suffered like some of the families around us. All the beef, pork, ham and bacon in those big old chest freezers passed down from his dad really could have fed us for years.
I should preface all this by saying that I wasn’t a particularly bright kid, though neither was I dumb. I didn’t fail badly at anything in school, I just never achieved beyond a pass. I didn’t know it yet back then, still quietly dreaming about being a ballet star or a dressage champion, but mediocrity was my destiny. And I think that’s why I got on so well with my Aunt Liz.
Liz was my dad’s live-in youngest sister. She was one of those women who get described as ‘bubbly’ — not really pretty, not really smart, not a lot going on besides just being… well, all Liz. But she was salt of the earth; kind, caring, and great with kids. She was the only person who would willingly mind my two older brothers, who fought like hellcats and caused more trouble than the whole last generation of my family combined. People would privately lament to my parents that it was a shame Liz didn’t have kids of her own, but dad would just shake his head and say Liz liked it that way – that all the fun of looking after kids is being able to give them back to their parents.
I guess she was like me; nice, but mediocre. Lovely, but somehow forgettable when she wasn’t doing something for you.
But when Liz left us, I couldn’t forget her.
In hindsight, it was pretty weird timing that we had a big fortieth birthday party for Liz right before she disappeared. She was radiant that night; she’d hired a local girl to do her hair and makeup, and it was honestly the first time I’d ever seen her look pretty. She’d even worn a push-up bra under a tight red dress, which flattered her very plump curves well enough that the neighbour’s farmhand was spotted disappearing into the woolshed with her for a snog. In my dawning awareness, that gave a plain girl hope: if Aunty Liz could get a guy at forty, maybe things would turn out okay for me.
Anyway, I couldn’t forget how her pink cheeks, her eyes, her whole self, glowed that night before Liz went to bed. She said it was the best birthday ever, and that she was very much looking forward to the next stage of her life.
Would I have done anything different, if I had known? If I had realised what, exactly, that next stage was?
The week after the party, Aunt Liz said she was going on a little holiday up north, to visit some old school friends. She packed her things – she didn’t honestly have that many – and drove her little orange mini out onto the main road. And with a wave of one fleshy hand, she was gone. Nobody really thought much of it when she didn’t call, because nobody rural had cellphones back then. And Liz was, as I said, somehow kinda forgettable when she wasn’t right in front of you.
When we hadn’t had contact for six weeks, Dad tracked down the land line numbers for their old school buddies. They were surprised to hear from him — Liz had never arrived, so they had just assumed she’d cancelled her visit. No-one had thought to check. I eavesdropped on the conversation, and it sounded for all the world like *they* had forgotten about Aunt Liz, too.
From there it became a missing person case. The local cops came and talked to all of us; the farmhand who’d been seen snogging her was briefly detained, then let go, dad got grilled at length, even my hellion brothers were questioned thoroughly to see if this was one of their wild and dangerous pranks gone wrong.
But everything was a dead end. Nobody knew where Liz was, or what had happened to her.
The remains of her old mini were found halfway across the country, burned out on a beach, on a derelict stretch of ragged, rocky coastline. The police assumed murder and combed the area for remains. But even the most expert divers couldn’t conquer the incredible undertow and fast-shifting seabed of that coastline to look for evidence, so none was forthcoming.
Eventually the cops collectively shrugged and said that there was really nothing more they could do unless more information suddenly came to light. The locals knew nothing, no witnesses had come forward, and the trail was cold. As far as anyone knew, poor aunt Liz had been murdered on some desolate beach, far away from her home.
It didn’t feel fair to me. She’d once mentioned wanting her remains buried on our farm, in the graveyard plot beside grandma and grandad.
So, in my grief, I went into her room to look for something of hers to bury beside them.
Like I said, Liz didn’t have many things. Her room was pretty spartan, and her wardrobe was mostly sensible farm stuff. There was one exception: she, like me, did like to read, and she had a pretty good collection of well-thumbed books. I think it’s the escapism – even the most mediocre girl can lose herself in the plot of some trashy romance novel, imagine there’s still hope of being swept off her feet by that handsome stableboy, his inexplicable yearning for chubby plain girls.
So I set myself the task of going through the books, to find the right one to bury in the graveyard plot.
Most of them were exactly what you’d expect, but some of them were racier than I was used to. I felt various parts of my body flushing and tingling, as I read breathless prose about calloused hands touching the softest flesh of the protagonist. Okay, if I’m honest with myself, I might have got a little *too* invested in my project at that point. But that was also why I persisted going through her entire collection, until I found the ragged paperback from 1970, entitled Tawny Sands. And inside that trashy cardboard romance cover, I discovered not the tale of Tawny Sands, but some carefully hand-cut, stitched-in pages. A handwritten story in my Aunt’s rounded penmanship: Memoirs of a Long Pig.
I read her story twice in a row, utterly gripped.
Aunt Liz was no Stephen King – heck, she wasn’t even the Goosebumps guy – but her story was gripping and compelling, and I couldn’t put it down. Even if I hadn’t known her, I think that would have been true.
The gist of it was that Liz, when she was sixteen, had discovered that our family had a very long history of eating what she described as ‘Long Pork’. It’s an antipodean term, anglicised from the Pacific Islands: human meat.
Like me, young Liz still had some hopes and dreams. In one of her many failed attempts to find a special talent, she’d taken up cooking as a hobby. Naturally, with our family’s overabundance of meat, she’d scoured the freezers in the shed for ingredients: the racks of ribs and stacks of pork chops, butcher-paper wrappings all neatly labelled with the first letter of the name of the animal they came from.
She found familiar meat from Rodney, one of the pigs that had been recently slaughtered, emblazoned with an ‘R’ in her father’s strong, blocky lettering. There were cutlets labelled ‘M’ for Mary, from one of the lambs she’d hand-reared, and ‘F’ for Ferdinand, the steer they’d killed the month before. But she couldn’t explain the many, many curious parcels of meat on one side of the huge freezer, all labelled ‘J’ – at least, not until she took it all out and assembled it as well as she could on the scoured concrete floor of the killing shed. A big, frozen jigsaw puzzle without the box, her best attempt to discover what kind of beast the pieces had come from.
The animal, she quickly realised, was a Long Pig. Her own Aunt Jenny, who had died the month before – just after her fortieth birthday.
Fortunately, or perhaps not, for Liz, her father entered the shed right at that moment and realised his daughter had discovered the family secret. He sat down calmly on the lid of the freezer, and explained to her that this was a long-running family tradition, dating back to at least before his grandfather had been born.
“There are always people in life, Liz,” he’d said, “who won’t really amount to much. They want to be useful, want to be more. They strive and they strive, trying job after job, hobby after hobby, trying to hit on something they’re really good at. Something that makes them special. Those people can waste their whole lives, chasing dreams that never come true. Eventually they die unfulfilled, knowing that all their time has been wasted. That what they leave behind will fade quickly.”
His voice was oddly gentle as he leaned down and patted one of the neatly wrapped cuts of Aunt Jenny, still sitting frozen on the shed floor.
“Your Aunt Jenny was one of those people. So was my Aunt Irene.” He paused to gaze at his daughter, his next words peppered with emphasis. “But you see, my sweet Liz, they did find a purpose in life. They did find a way to be special, and they left this world utterly certain of their gift.” He stood up, stretched his back. “Let me show you.”
Liz waited while my grandad meticulously stacked the meat back into the freezer, all but one J-marked parcel that looked for all the world like a thick venison steak. He took her back to the farmhouse, and reverently unwrapped the deep red, heavily marbled meat to let it thaw. Then he laid it in the family’s ancient, cast-iron pan, basting it with butter and rosemary until a heavenly scent filled the kitchen, and Aunt Liz couldn’t stop her mouth from watering.
“Just try it. Let her show you. You’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.”
Even though she knew it was her aunt, Liz couldn’t stop herself from taking that first bite. There was something transcendent about the smell, overriding her natural revulsion that this was human meat, not one of their farm animals. For the first time, she truly realised it: we’re just another kind of animal. And weren’t her memories of Mary the lamb almost as fond as her memories of Aunt Jenny?
Liz explained then, in her curly handwriting, the explosion of taste that had assaulted her when she tried the steak. It was tender, it was succulent, it was rich beyond imagining. The fats melted on her tongue, lingering somewhere between pork and beef, but oddly neither. The flavour of the meat defied identification; something familiar, yet not.
But one thing she couldn’t deny; it was the most delicious thing she had ever eaten. Tears dripped onto her plate, mingled with the juice, the grease — not grief, but a pure, real, giddy delight.
“You’re tasting your aunt’s love for this family,” my grandad explained. “Her entire life was carefully curated, to eventually make unforgettable moments for us, just like this. This was her way of being special. This was the greatest gift she could possibly bring to our world – and because she realised that, she died with not a single regret. She knew her life had purpose. She was perfectly, completely fulfilled.”
I felt those words. I felt them lodge in my own belly, settling uncomfortably deep. I knew Aunt Liz, probably better than anyone else in the family. I’d seen how fucking happy she’d been on her fortieth, how goddamn fulfilled she was, despite apparently being a *nobody* and achieving *nothing*. Somehow, in the space of a single day, she had gone from being a forgettable background character to becoming the *main character*, immortalising herself in our family’s history with her sacrifice. Quite literally becoming part of all of us, forever.
I went to the killing shed after I finished with the book. I looked inside the freezers.
But there were no vacuum-sealed packages labelled ‘L’, no matter how deep I dug into the frozen stacks of plastic-wrapped flesh. Panicked now, not sure if I wanted to connect all the dots or unconnect them, I tried to think back over the last few months, recall any meals that had been unusually good. A few Sundays ago, we’d had a stew that really hit the spot and left me craving more. And I realised that the family had a really good night that night; my brothers behaved themselves, my parents didn’t fight, and grandma and grandad had been there. Hadn’t they looked far more… expectant than they should have?
I strained my brain, trying to recall if I’d seen the homekill bag on the kitchen bench – if I’d registered what letter it was. I knew it wasn’t an L. I would have remembered if it was an L.
And then it hit me, the memory, the connection, sizzling as if branded with a hot iron.
It had been an ‘E’.
E for Elizabeth. Not for Edward the pig.
I snorted at my own stupidity – of *course* Liz was short for Elizabeth – and as I comprehended my lack of smarts, I felt something give inside me.
I wasn’t clever, and nothing, nothing would ever make me smart. I had no big talents. I wasn’t beautiful, or even cute – and even if I had a million plastic surgeries, it still wouldn’t fulfill me. It wouldn’t be real.
I was a Liz.
I was a Jenny.
I was whoever the first aunt had been, the aunt who had dedicated her life to making her flesh as delicious as possible, who had worked every damn minute to be the best Long Pig she could ever be.
I wondered how many magical family evenings had been spent eating Aunt Jenny. How many glorious, satisfying, memorable dishes had been made out of her.
And… I wanted that. I wanted to finally know I had a *purpose* in life. One so simple, and so easy to achieve.
I wanted what Aunt Liz had.
***
It's my fortieth birthday today and I’m so fucking excited. For the last twenty-four years, I’ve dedicated myself to this moment; I’ve eaten exactly what I needed to, I’ve exercised just enough, but not too much, to maintain that perfect balance of marbling vs tenderness. I’ve relaxed and meditated to keep all those amazing flavours inside of me. I’ve researched all the greatest meats in the world, from prime Angus beef to A5 Wagyu. I really think I may have outdone myself.
I’m having my hair and makeup done at the local salon this afternoon, and I’m going to look so pretty; all prize piggy on show at the fair. I’m even going to have a big red ribbon in my hair, in memory of Aunt Liz.
Maybe there’ll be a cute boy I can snog in the wool shed, maybe there won’t – I don’t really care; because the most important, most certain thing is that I’m going to be the most delicious Long Pig in the history of our entire family.
I’m going to make everyone so damn happy, and I’m just so glad I can share my story with you all, instead of hiding it in a grubby book like poor Aunt Liz.
My only real disappointment? That you won’t get to taste me.
Reader, I have loved, loved my life. My Long Pork will be out of this world: once tasted, never, ever forgotten.
submitted by catespice to ByfelsDisciple [link] [comments]
If we hadn’t lived in a rural area, albeit semi-urbanised, I guess it would have been pretty weird. But the mostly farming-stock locals only found his extra enthusiasm a little bit odd.
When he wasn’t being a bit embarrassing talking about it, I never really paid much heed to his hobby. I had a child’s vaguely grateful awareness that though our family went through some lean financial times, our stomachs never suffered like some of the families around us. All the beef, pork, ham and bacon in those big old chest freezers passed down from his dad really could have fed us for years.
I should preface all this by saying that I wasn’t a particularly bright kid, though neither was I dumb. I didn’t fail badly at anything in school, I just never achieved beyond a pass. I didn’t know it yet back then, still quietly dreaming about being a ballet star or a dressage champion, but mediocrity was my destiny. And I think that’s why I got on so well with my Aunt Liz.
Liz was my dad’s live-in youngest sister. She was one of those women who get described as ‘bubbly’ — not really pretty, not really smart, not a lot going on besides just being… well, all Liz. But she was salt of the earth; kind, caring, and great with kids. She was the only person who would willingly mind my two older brothers, who fought like hellcats and caused more trouble than the whole last generation of my family combined. People would privately lament to my parents that it was a shame Liz didn’t have kids of her own, but dad would just shake his head and say Liz liked it that way – that all the fun of looking after kids is being able to give them back to their parents.
I guess she was like me; nice, but mediocre. Lovely, but somehow forgettable when she wasn’t doing something for you.
But when Liz left us, I couldn’t forget her.
In hindsight, it was pretty weird timing that we had a big fortieth birthday party for Liz right before she disappeared. She was radiant that night; she’d hired a local girl to do her hair and makeup, and it was honestly the first time I’d ever seen her look pretty. She’d even worn a push-up bra under a tight red dress, which flattered her very plump curves well enough that the neighbour’s farmhand was spotted disappearing into the woolshed with her for a snog. In my dawning awareness, that gave a plain girl hope: if Aunty Liz could get a guy at forty, maybe things would turn out okay for me.
Anyway, I couldn’t forget how her pink cheeks, her eyes, her whole self, glowed that night before Liz went to bed. She said it was the best birthday ever, and that she was very much looking forward to the next stage of her life.
Would I have done anything different, if I had known? If I had realised what, exactly, that next stage was?
The week after the party, Aunt Liz said she was going on a little holiday up north, to visit some old school friends. She packed her things – she didn’t honestly have that many – and drove her little orange mini out onto the main road. And with a wave of one fleshy hand, she was gone. Nobody really thought much of it when she didn’t call, because nobody rural had cellphones back then. And Liz was, as I said, somehow kinda forgettable when she wasn’t right in front of you.
When we hadn’t had contact for six weeks, Dad tracked down the land line numbers for their old school buddies. They were surprised to hear from him — Liz had never arrived, so they had just assumed she’d cancelled her visit. No-one had thought to check. I eavesdropped on the conversation, and it sounded for all the world like *they* had forgotten about Aunt Liz, too.
From there it became a missing person case. The local cops came and talked to all of us; the farmhand who’d been seen snogging her was briefly detained, then let go, dad got grilled at length, even my hellion brothers were questioned thoroughly to see if this was one of their wild and dangerous pranks gone wrong.
But everything was a dead end. Nobody knew where Liz was, or what had happened to her.
The remains of her old mini were found halfway across the country, burned out on a beach, on a derelict stretch of ragged, rocky coastline. The police assumed murder and combed the area for remains. But even the most expert divers couldn’t conquer the incredible undertow and fast-shifting seabed of that coastline to look for evidence, so none was forthcoming.
Eventually the cops collectively shrugged and said that there was really nothing more they could do unless more information suddenly came to light. The locals knew nothing, no witnesses had come forward, and the trail was cold. As far as anyone knew, poor aunt Liz had been murdered on some desolate beach, far away from her home.
It didn’t feel fair to me. She’d once mentioned wanting her remains buried on our farm, in the graveyard plot beside grandma and grandad.
So, in my grief, I went into her room to look for something of hers to bury beside them.
Like I said, Liz didn’t have many things. Her room was pretty spartan, and her wardrobe was mostly sensible farm stuff. There was one exception: she, like me, did like to read, and she had a pretty good collection of well-thumbed books. I think it’s the escapism – even the most mediocre girl can lose herself in the plot of some trashy romance novel, imagine there’s still hope of being swept off her feet by that handsome stableboy, his inexplicable yearning for chubby plain girls.
So I set myself the task of going through the books, to find the right one to bury in the graveyard plot.
Most of them were exactly what you’d expect, but some of them were racier than I was used to. I felt various parts of my body flushing and tingling, as I read breathless prose about calloused hands touching the softest flesh of the protagonist. Okay, if I’m honest with myself, I might have got a little *too* invested in my project at that point. But that was also why I persisted going through her entire collection, until I found the ragged paperback from 1970, entitled Tawny Sands. And inside that trashy cardboard romance cover, I discovered not the tale of Tawny Sands, but some carefully hand-cut, stitched-in pages. A handwritten story in my Aunt’s rounded penmanship: Memoirs of a Long Pig.
I read her story twice in a row, utterly gripped.
Aunt Liz was no Stephen King – heck, she wasn’t even the Goosebumps guy – but her story was gripping and compelling, and I couldn’t put it down. Even if I hadn’t known her, I think that would have been true.
The gist of it was that Liz, when she was sixteen, had discovered that our family had a very long history of eating what she described as ‘Long Pork’. It’s an antipodean term, anglicised from the Pacific Islands: human meat.
Like me, young Liz still had some hopes and dreams. In one of her many failed attempts to find a special talent, she’d taken up cooking as a hobby. Naturally, with our family’s overabundance of meat, she’d scoured the freezers in the shed for ingredients: the racks of ribs and stacks of pork chops, butcher-paper wrappings all neatly labelled with the first letter of the name of the animal they came from.
She found familiar meat from Rodney, one of the pigs that had been recently slaughtered, emblazoned with an ‘R’ in her father’s strong, blocky lettering. There were cutlets labelled ‘M’ for Mary, from one of the lambs she’d hand-reared, and ‘F’ for Ferdinand, the steer they’d killed the month before. But she couldn’t explain the many, many curious parcels of meat on one side of the huge freezer, all labelled ‘J’ – at least, not until she took it all out and assembled it as well as she could on the scoured concrete floor of the killing shed. A big, frozen jigsaw puzzle without the box, her best attempt to discover what kind of beast the pieces had come from.
The animal, she quickly realised, was a Long Pig. Her own Aunt Jenny, who had died the month before – just after her fortieth birthday.
Fortunately, or perhaps not, for Liz, her father entered the shed right at that moment and realised his daughter had discovered the family secret. He sat down calmly on the lid of the freezer, and explained to her that this was a long-running family tradition, dating back to at least before his grandfather had been born.
“There are always people in life, Liz,” he’d said, “who won’t really amount to much. They want to be useful, want to be more. They strive and they strive, trying job after job, hobby after hobby, trying to hit on something they’re really good at. Something that makes them special. Those people can waste their whole lives, chasing dreams that never come true. Eventually they die unfulfilled, knowing that all their time has been wasted. That what they leave behind will fade quickly.”
His voice was oddly gentle as he leaned down and patted one of the neatly wrapped cuts of Aunt Jenny, still sitting frozen on the shed floor.
“Your Aunt Jenny was one of those people. So was my Aunt Irene.” He paused to gaze at his daughter, his next words peppered with emphasis. “But you see, my sweet Liz, they did find a purpose in life. They did find a way to be special, and they left this world utterly certain of their gift.” He stood up, stretched his back. “Let me show you.”
Liz waited while my grandad meticulously stacked the meat back into the freezer, all but one J-marked parcel that looked for all the world like a thick venison steak. He took her back to the farmhouse, and reverently unwrapped the deep red, heavily marbled meat to let it thaw. Then he laid it in the family’s ancient, cast-iron pan, basting it with butter and rosemary until a heavenly scent filled the kitchen, and Aunt Liz couldn’t stop her mouth from watering.
“Just try it. Let her show you. You’ll see exactly what I’m talking about.”
Even though she knew it was her aunt, Liz couldn’t stop herself from taking that first bite. There was something transcendent about the smell, overriding her natural revulsion that this was human meat, not one of their farm animals. For the first time, she truly realised it: we’re just another kind of animal. And weren’t her memories of Mary the lamb almost as fond as her memories of Aunt Jenny?
Liz explained then, in her curly handwriting, the explosion of taste that had assaulted her when she tried the steak. It was tender, it was succulent, it was rich beyond imagining. The fats melted on her tongue, lingering somewhere between pork and beef, but oddly neither. The flavour of the meat defied identification; something familiar, yet not.
But one thing she couldn’t deny; it was the most delicious thing she had ever eaten. Tears dripped onto her plate, mingled with the juice, the grease — not grief, but a pure, real, giddy delight.
“You’re tasting your aunt’s love for this family,” my grandad explained. “Her entire life was carefully curated, to eventually make unforgettable moments for us, just like this. This was her way of being special. This was the greatest gift she could possibly bring to our world – and because she realised that, she died with not a single regret. She knew her life had purpose. She was perfectly, completely fulfilled.”
I felt those words. I felt them lodge in my own belly, settling uncomfortably deep. I knew Aunt Liz, probably better than anyone else in the family. I’d seen how fucking happy she’d been on her fortieth, how goddamn fulfilled she was, despite apparently being a *nobody* and achieving *nothing*. Somehow, in the space of a single day, she had gone from being a forgettable background character to becoming the *main character*, immortalising herself in our family’s history with her sacrifice. Quite literally becoming part of all of us, forever.
I went to the killing shed after I finished with the book. I looked inside the freezers.
But there were no vacuum-sealed packages labelled ‘L’, no matter how deep I dug into the frozen stacks of plastic-wrapped flesh. Panicked now, not sure if I wanted to connect all the dots or unconnect them, I tried to think back over the last few months, recall any meals that had been unusually good. A few Sundays ago, we’d had a stew that really hit the spot and left me craving more. And I realised that the family had a really good night that night; my brothers behaved themselves, my parents didn’t fight, and grandma and grandad had been there. Hadn’t they looked far more… expectant than they should have?
I strained my brain, trying to recall if I’d seen the homekill bag on the kitchen bench – if I’d registered what letter it was. I knew it wasn’t an L. I would have remembered if it was an L.
And then it hit me, the memory, the connection, sizzling as if branded with a hot iron.
It had been an ‘E’.
E for Elizabeth. Not for Edward the pig.
I snorted at my own stupidity – of *course* Liz was short for Elizabeth – and as I comprehended my lack of smarts, I felt something give inside me.
I wasn’t clever, and nothing, nothing would ever make me smart. I had no big talents. I wasn’t beautiful, or even cute – and even if I had a million plastic surgeries, it still wouldn’t fulfill me. It wouldn’t be real.
I was a Liz.
I was a Jenny.
I was whoever the first aunt had been, the aunt who had dedicated her life to making her flesh as delicious as possible, who had worked every damn minute to be the best Long Pig she could ever be.
I wondered how many magical family evenings had been spent eating Aunt Jenny. How many glorious, satisfying, memorable dishes had been made out of her.
And… I wanted that. I wanted to finally know I had a *purpose* in life. One so simple, and so easy to achieve.
I wanted what Aunt Liz had.
***
It's my fortieth birthday today and I’m so fucking excited. For the last twenty-four years, I’ve dedicated myself to this moment; I’ve eaten exactly what I needed to, I’ve exercised just enough, but not too much, to maintain that perfect balance of marbling vs tenderness. I’ve relaxed and meditated to keep all those amazing flavours inside of me. I’ve researched all the greatest meats in the world, from prime Angus beef to A5 Wagyu. I really think I may have outdone myself.
I’m having my hair and makeup done at the local salon this afternoon, and I’m going to look so pretty; all prize piggy on show at the fair. I’m even going to have a big red ribbon in my hair, in memory of Aunt Liz.
Maybe there’ll be a cute boy I can snog in the wool shed, maybe there won’t – I don’t really care; because the most important, most certain thing is that I’m going to be the most delicious Long Pig in the history of our entire family.
I’m going to make everyone so damn happy, and I’m just so glad I can share my story with you all, instead of hiding it in a grubby book like poor Aunt Liz.
My only real disappointment? That you won’t get to taste me.
Reader, I have loved, loved my life. My Long Pork will be out of this world: once tasted, never, ever forgotten.
2024.05.21 11:29 SpicyLatinoDrummer AITA for not getting involved between my dad and my sister's rocky relationship?
Not sure whether or not I am the asshole in this situation. My dad and my sister have had a rocky relationship for as long as I can remember and the amount of contact has become nonexistent ever since she moved out a few years ago. Yesterday, my sister dropped my mom and I at our house (my mom had to drop her car off at the dealership for some vehicle recalls) and left without saying hi or acknowledging my dad. When my dad asked who dropped us off I told him it was my sister. This made him furious and started expressing his feelings about how he feels like he was tossed to the side after everything he has done for her and doesn't even get acknowledged in return. He was even more furious that I didn't stand up for him and told my sister to at least go in and say hi because it is my job as a man to call someone out on their unfair treatment of others. I do not feel it is my place to tell either one of them what to do as the conflict is between them. I have been told by my dad to tell my sister this tell my sister that multiple times, but I never do because I feel he should talk to her if he feels that way. Unfortunately, both of them have too much pride to communication with each other.
I understand why my dad is upset. One of his children doesn't want to talk to him at all. But I understand why my sister is the way she is towards him. Yes he has provided for us and I will forever be grateful for the blood, sweat, and tears he has had to she to make sure we don't suffer like he has. However, he has had a tendency to not attend events that my sister has been involved in where she wanted him there, so she feels as if it is pointless to even maintain the relationship with someone who wont even show up to his daughters events.
TLDR; My dad is upset with me for not standing up for him in a conflict between him and my sister. Am I the asshole?
submitted by SpicyLatinoDrummer to AmItheAsshole [link] [comments]
I understand why my dad is upset. One of his children doesn't want to talk to him at all. But I understand why my sister is the way she is towards him. Yes he has provided for us and I will forever be grateful for the blood, sweat, and tears he has had to she to make sure we don't suffer like he has. However, he has had a tendency to not attend events that my sister has been involved in where she wanted him there, so she feels as if it is pointless to even maintain the relationship with someone who wont even show up to his daughters events.
TLDR; My dad is upset with me for not standing up for him in a conflict between him and my sister. Am I the asshole?
2024.05.21 11:29 scoutermike The magical pashmina
I read lots of suggestions about them and finally got a cool one thins year from rage nation, to see what the hype was bout. First, it’s a killer fashion accessory. When worn like a draped scarf around the neck, it looks dope.
But there is something far more powerful about it. It’s essentially a modern take of a Bedouin shemagh or keffiyeh, a multi-use garment preferred by desert dwellers.
Which is exactly why it should be considered a required for edc. Here’s my story.
I usually stuff a lightweight windbreaker in my backpack. But this year I got the Insomniac hydro pack (nice) but it’s smaller and didn’t fit my windbreaker. But the pashmina fit.
So, over the weekend here’s how it made my life way better.
Early arrival means baking in the sun waiting in line. And still once inside, the sun is beating down on cosmic meadow. My pashmina protected me from the sun. I draped it over my hat and shoulders, giving me perfect coverage.
4 am Monday morning the breeze kicks up and it feels kind of cool. I felt a little exposed and fragile and making the long walk to the Yellow lot with nothing to cover up would have been uncomfortable. Whip out the pashmina, and it’s night and day. It provides just enough coverage and warmth to feel comfortable. Noticing everyone else walking out clutching their arms with nothing to warm up made me feel sorry for them and impressed with myself.
Finally, Monday afternoon a mini sandstorm kicked up around the south side of the strip. Walking from the parking lot to the hotel would be no issue because the pashmina can be easily wrapped around the face to block the dust - just like how they’re used by real desert people.
Something about the material, too. It’s always perfect temperature. It’s cool in the heat and warm in the cold.
Anyway, I’m a total convert. And since EDC is in a legit desert, a pashmina should almost be considered required. I will never attend another edc without one.
submitted by scoutermike to electricdaisycarnival [link] [comments]
But there is something far more powerful about it. It’s essentially a modern take of a Bedouin shemagh or keffiyeh, a multi-use garment preferred by desert dwellers.
Which is exactly why it should be considered a required for edc. Here’s my story.
I usually stuff a lightweight windbreaker in my backpack. But this year I got the Insomniac hydro pack (nice) but it’s smaller and didn’t fit my windbreaker. But the pashmina fit.
So, over the weekend here’s how it made my life way better.
Early arrival means baking in the sun waiting in line. And still once inside, the sun is beating down on cosmic meadow. My pashmina protected me from the sun. I draped it over my hat and shoulders, giving me perfect coverage.
4 am Monday morning the breeze kicks up and it feels kind of cool. I felt a little exposed and fragile and making the long walk to the Yellow lot with nothing to cover up would have been uncomfortable. Whip out the pashmina, and it’s night and day. It provides just enough coverage and warmth to feel comfortable. Noticing everyone else walking out clutching their arms with nothing to warm up made me feel sorry for them and impressed with myself.
Finally, Monday afternoon a mini sandstorm kicked up around the south side of the strip. Walking from the parking lot to the hotel would be no issue because the pashmina can be easily wrapped around the face to block the dust - just like how they’re used by real desert people.
Something about the material, too. It’s always perfect temperature. It’s cool in the heat and warm in the cold.
Anyway, I’m a total convert. And since EDC is in a legit desert, a pashmina should almost be considered required. I will never attend another edc without one.
2024.05.21 11:28 TheBee3sKneess Friends were a no show for my birthday dinner.
This is more for me to work out my own feelings than needing advice although advice would be helpful. I am still debating on if I want to talk this out or let it go. So yeah, as the title says, only one person from my friend group showed up to my (28F) Birthday Dinner. I am primarily coming to Reddit because it is embarrassing and shattering my vision of myself. I fear seeking comfort from my out-of-state friends because I do not want them to think less of me. I have always been deeply aware of how lonely I feel/am. It is one of my biggest vulnerabilities, so should other people be aware of it? or imply it with none of my friends who came to my birthday dinner? I can open up about anything else, but this feels too exposing.
But yeah, my friends did not show up for my birthday dinner, and I am not sure how I feel about it. One person did, but he(M29+) is my boyfriend's(32M) friend more than mine. To be honest, this makes it even more embarrassing. Having to search The Feelings Chart, I primarily just feel abandoned, embarrassed, fragile, disrespected, etc. Watching the door and waiting for your friends to show up while conversing with your partner and their friend is difficult. Suddenly, I was 17 again, only having one singular friend going to lunch with me before having other friends and dropping me off at an empty house. I think my parents were at a sibling's game or tournament. or a party? I am not sure; I just remember being home alone for my birthday a month after a suicide attempt. Or I was back at 11, having my birthday overshadowed by my sister's first communion. Or I was back on my 20th birthday, taking myself to see Captain America: Civil War.
Most of them did not even tell me they were not coming. That is what really hurts. I know my birthday sucks for everyone, time-wise. My parents made that very apparent by pushing any family celebration to Father's Day/my dad's & uncle's birthday. Yet only one of the four got back to me two hours beforehand about being unable to make it because they were tired from preparing for their family member's wedding a week from now. However, the thing is, I had gauged the group chat about doing it this weekend a week ago. To be fair, there were acknowledgments of seeing it, but no one directly responded with a conflict. I even sent a message 24 hours before letting everyone know I made a reservation, and people, again, liked the message but did not directly say if there was an issue. That is what is primarily keeping me from having a conversation with anyone. There was obvious acknowledgment of the plans, but no one asked if they could go.
It is apparent I have a lot of baggage around my birthday. I worry I unconsciously make it a test for people and myself. I saw how much people love and value me and based my self-worth and relationships on that. Possibly hope they do not show in a sick way of confirming my deepest insecurity. The rationale part of me acknowledges that it is a lot to put on someone, and things, unfortunately, just do not work out sometimes. On the other hand, this is the third event I have planned as the host where people were busy and canceled at the last minute. Usually, I would just take that as a sign of people not wanting to be friends, but some of them were legitimately interested in it when I briefly discussed it in April. Furthermore, they keep inviting me to their events.
Fundamentally, I do not know where to go from here. Only one of them has reached out, apologizing for not communicating more and saying that they will celebrate at a better time, while the other two have been silent. I think I need more time to process it before having an actual conversation with anyone about it. I am still primarily in the hurt phase, and no communication will be about their actual behavior. For example, with the apology, I was dishonest and said no worries. I wish I did not do that; it caught me off guard, but I did not want it to sit for too long and have them think I was ignoring them out of malice. If I had been in a better headspace, I would have responded with a thank you, acknowledged reading their message, and just be honest about needing more time before talking about it. I just feel sad.
Added context: We are all in graduate school. This is their last quarter before graduating, so they are legitimately busy and finishing up their practice experience/integrative projects and applying to fellowships. Ages range from 25-30.
submitted by TheBee3sKneess to LifeAdvice [link] [comments]
But yeah, my friends did not show up for my birthday dinner, and I am not sure how I feel about it. One person did, but he(M29+) is my boyfriend's(32M) friend more than mine. To be honest, this makes it even more embarrassing. Having to search The Feelings Chart, I primarily just feel abandoned, embarrassed, fragile, disrespected, etc. Watching the door and waiting for your friends to show up while conversing with your partner and their friend is difficult. Suddenly, I was 17 again, only having one singular friend going to lunch with me before having other friends and dropping me off at an empty house. I think my parents were at a sibling's game or tournament. or a party? I am not sure; I just remember being home alone for my birthday a month after a suicide attempt. Or I was back at 11, having my birthday overshadowed by my sister's first communion. Or I was back on my 20th birthday, taking myself to see Captain America: Civil War.
Most of them did not even tell me they were not coming. That is what really hurts. I know my birthday sucks for everyone, time-wise. My parents made that very apparent by pushing any family celebration to Father's Day/my dad's & uncle's birthday. Yet only one of the four got back to me two hours beforehand about being unable to make it because they were tired from preparing for their family member's wedding a week from now. However, the thing is, I had gauged the group chat about doing it this weekend a week ago. To be fair, there were acknowledgments of seeing it, but no one directly responded with a conflict. I even sent a message 24 hours before letting everyone know I made a reservation, and people, again, liked the message but did not directly say if there was an issue. That is what is primarily keeping me from having a conversation with anyone. There was obvious acknowledgment of the plans, but no one asked if they could go.
It is apparent I have a lot of baggage around my birthday. I worry I unconsciously make it a test for people and myself. I saw how much people love and value me and based my self-worth and relationships on that. Possibly hope they do not show in a sick way of confirming my deepest insecurity. The rationale part of me acknowledges that it is a lot to put on someone, and things, unfortunately, just do not work out sometimes. On the other hand, this is the third event I have planned as the host where people were busy and canceled at the last minute. Usually, I would just take that as a sign of people not wanting to be friends, but some of them were legitimately interested in it when I briefly discussed it in April. Furthermore, they keep inviting me to their events.
Fundamentally, I do not know where to go from here. Only one of them has reached out, apologizing for not communicating more and saying that they will celebrate at a better time, while the other two have been silent. I think I need more time to process it before having an actual conversation with anyone about it. I am still primarily in the hurt phase, and no communication will be about their actual behavior. For example, with the apology, I was dishonest and said no worries. I wish I did not do that; it caught me off guard, but I did not want it to sit for too long and have them think I was ignoring them out of malice. If I had been in a better headspace, I would have responded with a thank you, acknowledged reading their message, and just be honest about needing more time before talking about it. I just feel sad.
Added context: We are all in graduate school. This is their last quarter before graduating, so they are legitimately busy and finishing up their practice experience/integrative projects and applying to fellowships. Ages range from 25-30.