This is not a rant post about the combat sim, nor is it an overly long way of saying "git gud" to those of you struggling with the platinum. What this *is*, is a theory on why so many people are complaining when it didn't feel that way during Remake's release window.
Rebirth is too big for its own good, when it comes to balancing, and it feels like 7 different people were in charge of different aspects of the hard mode.
Think back to Remake's hard mode. If we're being honest with ourselves, it wasn't particularly hard. Standard enemies would only give you trouble if A) you'd come back from a hiatus or B)you weren't level 50 quite yet. Scorpion Sentinel mostly plays itself, chapter 2's horde of mooks fell apart in the face of punisher mode counter, chapter 3's boss is 4 hoodlums, most of chapter 4 is on the bike, and its not until Roche that the game takes the training wheels off. You have time to acclimate, to gain exp, and to figure out that 90% of early enemies are weak to fire + braver.
Let's compare to Rebirth's opening chapters on hard: Sephiroth makes things easy at first, chapter 2 offers a long break from serious combat and then.... -You get stunlock combo'd to death by a flower field -Your party members stand still in the face of Midgardsormr's fire breath so you better have elemental Materia. -White Terror can explode 5 times in a row but its unblockable and non elemental. Have fun with that dps check -Mythril Golem can passively launch very painful missiles *forever* and neither of your characters have high magic. -Here's an enemy that never stays in place, casts protect on itself and all its attacks interrupt yours. -Roche casts reflect pretty often so either pump that dps or have fun holding block for 60 seconds.
It's...a lot. It's brutal. It is unrelenting. But the solution is obvious: cheese.
All of those roadblocks have very obvious, and very effective weaknesses. Once you realize chocobo stops refill MP, you're free to spam spell combos to your heart's content and make your way through Gaia yet again. Except...
This is the opposite of how Remake handled things. You party was very fluid back then, not to mention limited. You spend most of the game without a tank, Aerith's the only reliable source of magic in more ways than one and Tifa's defensive options are nothing like the other characters. You were encouraged to make as versatile a build as possible so that any surprises could be dealt with somewhat effectively, and you have to be conservative in the latter half of the game where bosses start doubling up in each chapter. Kind of like the original game did....
Compare this to every Rebirth guide, which has you going off to grind every single possible Materia and then nullifying the enemy completely. Even if its not stop-stagger or a dedicated sleeper, you're almost forced to be reactionary. Every boss is completely different from the last, which is great for the first playthrough but annoying as all hell when it means you gotta sit there and die repeatedly until you figure out an entirely new Materia loadout.
Rufus, Sephiroth 1,2 and 4, all of the archfiends, Phoenix, Kujata, Gilgamesh, Red Dragon, Yin and Yang, Roche 2, Midgardsormr, Mythril Golem, Gigatrice, Gallian Beast, all of the Double Summon fights and *especially* all of the Brutal Challenges revolve around the boss' ability to nullify your character. They all cannot be beaten conventionally and do exorbitant amounts of damage under nearly unavoidable conditions. You will not get past these fights without specializing into some sort of role. You go into the menu, drop anything non-essential (anything you thought would be fun to use) and go full utilitarian. How many resistances can I get? How do I maximize the value of the element they're weak to. Do I need first strike to get the ball rolling? Can I afford an MP up to get through the rest of the chapter? It's a game of cat and mouse except you're both nullifying the other's strategy, waging a war of attrition until you run out of patience and try something different only to be stomped into the ground.
Stay in your lane. Stick to the plan. If we load up Aerith with swiftcast, magic focus and Blizzaga she can maybe kill the dragon before lava reaches us. Do not engage in the mechanics. Do not try and use the character's abilities. Stop with Magnify and abuse synergy materia, until the fight is over. Cheese vs. Cheese back and forth eternally. It's so polarizing, and so antithetical to what the previous game taught you. Most players don't like playing that way, they don't like working hard training until the challenge itself has become trivial. They're lactose intolerant, if you will.
Hard mode has you changing your Materia constantly, combat sim has you spamming the same spells against what has effectively become a brick wall. The game quite simply stops being fun, because the focus is now on feeling clever for crafting the game breaking build.
Is it really so far fetched that people aren't fond of this direction?

I lost my phone a couple of days ago and blocked the sim in case someone stole the phone. Luckily I found my phone back and am trying to unblock the sim. IDR WHEN I bought the sim but for some reason the "details" just don't match up with my details. As in, my year of birth is apparently wrong to the registered year of birth of the person who bought the sim. (It can't be true and no, it isn't any of my relatives/ friends) How do I get the details of the sim? HOW DO I UNBLOCK THE SIM. It was an Airtel sim which is exchanged to the jio services. Thank you.

greetings! please help me, blocking the SIM card by the Bell operator led to the inability to use my iPhone. I am from Central Asia (Uzbekistan), I bought a phone in 2019, the phone worked well for 4 years, but after I did a factory reset, a sim card lock appeared (probably there was a one-time activation of the SIM slot) I can't unblock the email, as there is no way to register on the bell website and submit a request, how can I solve the problem? thank you in advance!

Hi there, this is a serious question I have, when I was a teen at school I got my first phone "HTC Wildfire S" it was a tiny lil thing and I loved it.
Android on that HTC Wildfire S that had a 600mhz CPU was for it's time pretty fast and responsive considering the hardware that was inside.
Today you have all the top notch stuff, true Gaming Phones with special cooling vapor chambers and 16GB RAM etc. but they feel extremely bloated for what they have inside.
If you look at the older Android versions, it looked how it looked, it was responsive, fast, no useless stuff like animations and other trash. Now using Android feels like looking at iOS except it's slower, less reliable, bloats itself after some time and becomes much slower.
There are also things that aren't very thought out, for example I have an alarm set lets say at 18:00, the tablet is without any pins etc because it has just tiktok, IG and all the other social bloat on it and it's always at home so I see no reason for having a Pin on it.
Now when the Alarm goes off at 18:00 it has that symbol I need to tap and drag so it goes off, but the same thing unlocks my tablet and it stays unlocked. Like the task at 18:00 was just alarm goes off to remind me... i turn off the alarm and it should be done. Why is it unblocking the whole Tablet and showing me the Home Screen then I need to lock it. It's a very simple little thing, but they are much more of those...
For example there is a notification led on the front screen, that blinks most of the time in bright green, at night even if you have "SLEEP MODE" means "IF NO ONE IS DYING I DON'T CARE" but the little damn led sends a green light beam into the universe like I want talk to aliens.
I got myself a Smart Watch with WatchOS (android), I bought this smart watch so I'm less on my phone and it is less annoying when cycling. I can't ditch my phone, I need to have multi sim and my phone sends again notifications to my smartwatch instead these two being two different entities.
I dislike Android more and more, the only reason why I even consider it a thing is because /e/OS exists. Sadly my Google Pixel 3A died so I need to use a normal Android.
I had many phones and I think they are all trash just because of Android, Rog Phone 4 5 6, Zenphone 10, Samsung S10, S23, Sony V1, and some others... I'm looking forward to some Linux based SmartWatch where anyone can program anything and just download an "apk" and install it, no Google bloat, no Apple

Hello. I have purchased an iphone through straight talk and its locked to accept just straigt talk sim cards. I know it can be unblocked by just renewing the contract a couple of times but i just want to switch right now. How do i do it and how much will it cost me? Thank you very much.

What is TAFCOP Portal?
Through TAFCOP Portal, launched in the year 2023 by the Ministry of Communications, Government of India, the mobile phone consumers of the country can check the status of the SIM card running in their name sitting at home. Apart from this, if you notice any problem then you can also close any SIM card running in your name with immediate effect. This portal is operated by the Department of Telecommunications (DoT), Government of India.
​
The full name of TAFCOP Portal is Telecom Analytics for Fraud Management and Consumer Protection Portal. As its name suggests, this portal has been started with the aim of preventing fraud through SIM cards. Because if a person activates the SIM with someone else's Aadhar card for a wrong purpose. So the Aadhar card holder also has to suffer the consequences of this. In such a situation, if something goes wrong, you can immediately block those unwanted numbers.
​
If you also want to take advantage of the services provided in TAFCOP PORTAL, then read the information given below carefully, like- how to log in to the portal, how to check active SIM, official website, other important links.
​
Benefits and Features of TAFCOP Portal
Through this portal you can see the running or active SIM in your name.
Also, unwanted SIM card or SIM which has fallen or any unusable SIM card can be switched off.
Currently, mobile subscribers are allowed to register a maximum of 9 mobile SIM connections in their name. Therefore, people who have more than 9 SIM connections will be sent a notification to switch off the unwanted SIM.
You can also register a complaint about your SIM from TAFCOP PORTAL.
To use TAFCOP PORTAL, you need to enter your Aadhaar card number and date of birth.
Through this portal, consumers can avoid online fraud through SIM cards.
Eligibility for TEFCOP Portal
Any citizen of the country can use this portal.
Documents required to login to TAFCOP Portal
Aadhar card
date of birth
active mobile number linked to half
​
How to activate SIM on Tefcop portal? (How To Check Active SIM Status on TAFCOP Portal)
Go to the Important Link section given below and click on CLICK HERE in front of Check Active SIM Status.
Now a new page will open in front of you.
Now enter your active mobile number on this page. Enter and enter the Captcha code given below and click on Validate Captcha.
After entering the OTP received on your number, click on LOGIN.
A list of active mobile numbers in your name will appear in front of you.
If any number in this list is not yours, then you can close that number by clicking on Not my Number given next to that number and clicking on Report.
Similarly, you have to choose one of Not my Number, Not Required or Required given in front of all your numbers.
At the end you will receive a reference number which you should keep safe. With which you will be able to know the status of your SIM through TAFCOP Report Status Check.
How to login to TAFCOP portal? TAFCOP Portal Login
Go to the Important Links section given below and click on CLICK HERE in front of TEFCOP Portal Login.
Now a new page will open in front of you.
On this page, enter your username and enter Captcha then click on Validate Captcha.
Now after verifying the OTP, enter the password and finally click on the Login button.
Verify the IMEI of your mobile-
Go to the Important Link section given below and click on CLICK HERE in front of Know Your Mobile IMEI Verification.
Now a new page will open in front of you.
Enter Captcha on this page then enter mobile number to get OTP number.
Now after verifying the OTP, enter your IMEI and finally click on the Submit button.
​
How to block/unblock your lost/stolen mobile number? (Block/Unblock My Mobile Phone)-
Go to the Important Link section given below and click on CLICK HERE in front of Block or Unblock Your Stolen Mobile.
Now a new page will open in front of you.
On this page you will get 4 options in which you will have to choose the option of blocking, unblocking the mobile, checking status, etc. as per your choice.
Now a form will open in front of you in which all the requested information will have to be entered.
Finally enter the OTP and click on the submit button.
Report any suspected fraudulent communication received within the last 30 days-
Go to the Important Link section given below and click on CLICK HERE in front of Report Suspected Fraud Communication.
Now a new page will open in front of you.
Here you have to click on the button of continue for reporting.
Now a form will open in front of you.
Enter all the information requested in this form.
Finally enter the captcha code and click on Verufy Mobile via OTP.
Now enter the OTP received on your number and after seeing further information, click on submit.
​

First
HHH/Herbert’s Hundred Harem
He slotted in the small portion of the laser rifle into position. There was an agreement that the children couldn’t keep the tank. The temple did not want the weapons, but the components were of value to them. So an agreement was reached and Herbert was getting the weapons off the spider tank. Which of course meant fixing the damage he had done to it. But there were no regrets on his part. Better dealing with some fiddly bits of machine than scraping bits of some poor soul up into a body bag.
There’s a sudden bang and he looks up to see Kruga trying to hammer a chunk of plate metal into position. Looks like she really wants that cool helmet. That’s fine.
So to the inconsistent poundings and clangings of a hammer on metal he fixes one weapon after another until he feels a tiny mechanical form drape herself over his back.
“Watcha doin’?” Amazi2 asks him.
“Fixing the weapons.”
“Why did they need fixing?”
“Because you were very excited when they were a part of you and I didn’t want them going off by accident.” He answers.
“Oh... hee hee!” She says and he finally looks up a bit to see that she has a VERY smug expression on her face.
“What’s that look for?”
“What look?”
“The look on your face.”
“Is there a look on my face?”
“There is a smug look on your face.”
“Is there?”
“There is.”
“Someone go it wrong!” She chants at him.
“Excuse me?” He asks.
“I’ve got a new linkup to the networks! It’s blocking some sites, but it lets me see all kinds of things! I can see forever!”
“And what can you see in the forever?” He asks. Kid with unblockable internet access? Well it will either keep her calm, or he’s going to need to look out for the rugrats making battleship grade powercores that are prone to exploding. Or something else, there’s no real way of knowing when she basically has infinite textbooks and blueprints at her disposal.
“You got it wrong! You got it wrong!”
“I got what wrong?”
“Human sweat isn’t an oil! You’re covered in oil, but human sweat is just water! And some other things... but you go it wrong! You got it wrong!”
“And what are those other things?”
“Salt, toxins, waste, pheromones and hormones. Exact levels and additional additives vary based on diet and genealogy.” She reads out despite having nothing to read.
“Right, well, my mistake then. I never had a situation where knowing what sweat is made of would be relevant. But if it comes up I’ll get it right now. Thank you.” He says cutting off the potential teasing in the nicest way he can.
“So what are those other bits you’re making sure are working?” Amazi2 asks him.
“Could you be more specific? I’m making sure the whole thing works.” He answers.
“Well... that’s a power coupling, you need all of those together to make a laser like this work. All of them. If one of them is gone then the laser just doesn’t build up the power to work and you need to bridge it, but even then it’s not as powerful a shot.”
“That’s right, taking one out is a good way to stop a laser from going off. Not perfect, but there is no perfect answer to anything.” He says and she nods.
“Right, I get that, and the plasma ones you pulled out the ignition Primers which actually makes the plasma hot instead of just a really, really tight fart.”
“A tight fart?” Herbert asks in bafflement.
“Yeah! A fart is when you let out air right?”
“That’s one description, yes.” He confirms.
“Well a plasma shot is basically a far that’s really big put in a really small place and set on fire right?”
“How do you even have blue angels? The digestion of alien races is so much less robust that there’s no way you’re producing methane.”
“Who said anything about methane? Farts are gasses and plasma is an ignited gas compressed to such a state that it’s basically a miniature star moving at speed, it then expends it’s energy on the targets in a Can Flag Your Asian?”
“Conflagration.” Herbert corrects her after she tries to sound out the word.
“It then expends it’s energy on the targets in a conflagration.”
“Yes, that is the basic description of a plasma weapon. It also fails to mention that the magnetic bottling used in it wears down extremely quickly in anyplace with more air in it and causes it to lose power quickly.” Herbert says as he repairs the second to last weapon and picks up the last, a small, but powerful plasma cannon.
“Which means that that thing there won’t be very good if someone’s too far?”
“Generally yes. You need very special lasers or plasma cannons rifles to hit long range targets. Or just sheer power, but you can’t get the kind of power you need without a spaceship fuelling it. And that’s generally used for orbital bombardment.” He confirms.
“Orbital Bombardment. A military man oh veer where powerful warships attack the surface of a world. Usually to destroy towns or cities but sometimes to use Scorched Earth Tactics.”
“It’s pronounced manoeuver.” Herbert says as he quickly checks and then repairs the plasma cannon. For all that the kids are reckless they are very, very, scary good with machines. Without proper supervision they’re going to strap rockets to a spire’s underside and use it as a missile to skewer an orbital plate or something before careening the whole mess into the nearby star.
“Scorched Earth Tactics, a military tactic where resources are day lib are eight lee destroyed to deny them to the enemy forces. This tactic is generally considered a harsh or a sign of desp or eight eon.”
“The two words you struggled with were deliberate and desperation. Deliberate means to do something on purpose, that you mean to do it. Desperation means that you’re doing something, not because you want to, but because you don’t see a better choice. Often desperation comes because people are being forced to make a choice right away and the choices are all bad.” Herbert explains.
“So a desperate Scorched Earth is...”
“Breaking something so someone else can’t take it from you and doing it over and over again until they leave because it’s not worth it to try taking anything from you. Make sense?”
“I guess, but doesn’t scorched earth mean... burnt ground?” She asks him.
“Well it...” Herbert pauses and looks back and sees that past Amazi2 he has... about half the club listening. He shrugs. “It’s called that because it’s normally done by burning food supplies. Usually in the form of crops. If an enemy army is invading and they can’t feed themselves, they can’t fight. Likewise if you’re trying to break a defending army, if they can’t eat, then they can’t defend themselves. So scorched earth.”
“I don’t need to eat.” Amazi2 says cheerfully.
“No, you need replacement parts and maintenance. If you don’t get those you’ll shut down. So scorched earth to you is more destroying the factories that make your parts. Or the mines that supply those factories the ores they need to make your parts. Make sense?”
“I think so? So scorched earth is about making sure the other side isn’t getting what they need to keep fighting?”
“That’s right, but it’s a tactic of, say it with me now...”
“Desperation.” He sounds out with the group.
“That’s right, it’s a tactic of desperation to use it, because when it’s used you also lose out on things. After all, breaking your own stuff to stop the other person from having it, means the stuff is still broken. So it’s not something to ever use casually.”
“Please do not teach my children military tactics on the casual.” Sister West says and he huffs in amusement as he finishes his check and repair of the last weapon and then stashes the whole lot in an expanded pocket. They’ll be checked again later and then placed in an armoury for proper use. But he had found no identifying marks. Which was concerning. Either the kids were making deadly weapons to a factory level of excellence out of scraps, or they’d somehow gotten their hands on illegal, unregistered weapons of a military grade.
“But what if they go into a military career?” He asks.
“If they do, which I doubt, but if they do then they can learn about the tactics and know how then. Until then, please let them be children.”
“What, you’ve never had children play soldier? Use army style games or the like?”
“None of my girls are Apex, none of us find the same entertainment in your unending training simulations no matter what degree they’re at.”
“Hey, not all human games are war sims.”
“No, but enough of them are that the point stands. While there’s nothing wrong with you being an Apex species, not everyone has the same appetite for that kind of entertainment.” Sister West says gives him an odd look. She does that now and again. The bad first impression humans and The Gravid Faith had would occasionally make things awkward between them.
“Anyways, this temple is a whole two spires distance from your home ma’am. Will that be an issue when it comes to keeping Amazi’s one and two close to each other?” Herbert asks.
“Oh no, not at all. I regularly speak with Lady Gear and members of her congregation. I can make the trip in no time at all, and my car has more than enough room for either sister.”
“Really? I wouldn’t think there would be much theological crossover between a religion based on cybernetic self advancement and a faith primarily concerned with the growth of families and childbirth.” Herbert says and she blinks rapidly before laughing. “It’s the voice that’s doing it isn’t it?”
“It’s the face! You look so innocent right now it’s all I can do not to sweep you up into a hug! But you’re so serious!”
“Which makes me wonder what would happen if I tried to sell insurance like this.” Herbert wonders and Sister West dissolves into laughter for a moment.
“Oh goodness me! They’d probably buy anything if you spun a little song and dance out of it!” She says around her laughter at the mental image and he fluffs out his bowtie a little and taps his shoes a bit to simulate dancing and she laughs again.
“Right so, today’s disaster as averted and no one is hurt. I’ve given Kruga a slight obsession with getting some safety gear in the form of a helmet and... the kids are multiplying. God help us all.” Herbert notes and Sister West scoffs.
“I know you’re a dramatic sort but they’re good kids. See?” She asks pointing behind him and he sees the crowd of little buggers giving the puppy dog eyes.
“That ain’t working on me. I know you guys are ready to take over the world if I don’t get in the way!”
Things hold out for a second longer and then about half of them yell, ‘get im’ at the same time and try to dog pile him. Try is the operative word though, as even with the handicaps of being ‘surprised’, sitting down and having Amazi2 practically on top of him already, he’s still sitting on top of a pile of thoroughly confused children roughly four seconds later.
“Can we get a replay? I’m positive I missed ninety percent of that!” Lady Gear protests and Herbert just chuckles.
“You didn’t miss much, just reminding the kiddies that I’m bigger, stronger, smarter, handsomer and due to years of elite military training, ready for that kind of stuff!” Herbert says looking down at the pile before kicking out with his feet and launching himself off the pile before anything more than a token protest can start.
“Come on! Get him!” Gelti shouts and he doesn’t run. He just scoots out of the way when they come for him. Of course this leads to them trying to surround him and get him that way, but that’s not working as he can easily backflip over the entire group with his hands in his pockets the whole time.
This is of course, massively entertaining, and a quick question to Lady Gear as to where would be the best place for this ends up with Chitter rushing to a door and gesturing him to follow her through. He does, and it leads to a large area that’s clearly designed for the testing of new synthetic bodies and limbs. Meaning it’s all well padded, reinforced and ready for any kind of nonsense the kids can dish out.
At least, when they’re unarmed and not currently in the cockpit of a battlemech. Which thankfully they are not.
For now.
First Last Next

I 18 female met this guy (let's name him Caleb) 22 on social media in June 2020 when I was 14 and he was 18. Caleb wasn't like the other lads in my class; he was wild and cruel. He was unique; he was the only person whose phone call I would answer at night, and I always looked forward to his call. He'd dare me to do things like send him photos of my bare body and videos of me touching myself. Of course, I never caved and always laughed it off. He told me he liked me when I was 15 years old. I didn't want to say anything back to a guy I'd never met because the chances of us meeting were nil, so I dismissed it and shrugged it aside. I knew he didn't mean it. He didn't fail to prove me wrong by posting random girls (something he never does). We kept conversing, but it was off and on. He continued pestering me to see me just before I graduated from high school, but I didn't want to do anything that my parents wouldn't approve of. When I was set to fly abroad for my studies, I informed him about it, and he congratulated me. We spoke for a while, and he joked about my abandoning him since he wanted me to come to his Uni. After a few months in the UK, I stopped using my Nigerian SIM card and only used my UK SIM on my iPhone. Because iPhones only have one sim port, I couldn't use both at the same time. I ended up ditching my second phone and finally lost the password since I couldn't keep it. I missed him. So I erased the phone to remove the password, even though I could have just synced it (did not think of it). I made contact with and haven't been able to stop chatting to him since. I reconnected with him on November 24th, 2022, and he spoke about how he attempted to call me, which was a lie since I used that phone for a while in the uk, and he viewed my WhatsApp status at some point. I didn't mind. I just wanted him back in my life. In August 2023, he informed me he still liked me, and I assured him it was reciprocal, so we kept going. I was in love with him, not simply like him, and I couldn't figure out why because he possessed all of the characteristics I despise: he smokes, drinks, has no regard for my time, and was always yapping about wanting to eat me up and sexualizing everything. Still, I was content to listen to his voice regardless of the trash he was pouring. I adored him, and I still do. He leaves me on read, speaks about his link ups, and does other things that no self-respecting young girl should take.
When he was involved, I threw my self-respect out the window. I can never offer two people my full attention, therefore I never paid attention to any other guy. I had feelings for this dude. He'd keep me on read for hours, even days, and I'd respond in seconds. It wasn't always like this; it began when I told him I liked him. Whenever I complained, he would explain he was too busy. Bro doesn't even make enough money to utilise that line, and there's no proof of his hard work. I send him at least 20 reels simply to remind him of my existence. He recently went off.
I was so upset that he didn't even look at them. I sobbed at the notion of something bad happening to him. I was relieved when he eventually phoned about 2 a.m. I messaged him in the morning, telling him I was worried, but he said nothing. Later that night, I phoned, and he denied my call; when I called back, he answered; it was awkward. I almost cried when I told him I missed him, and he chuckled and asked if I wanted to cry which was obvious from how I sounded and looked. My friend had arrived to visit, and it was her entrance that rescued me. He switched to mute, and I ended the conversation. He phoned back after about 2 hours and we talked for barely 5 minutes. I've blocked and unblocked him so many times that I'm exhausted. I recently discovered that he still uses his old Facebook account, and I know that if I block him, I'll probably simply establish a new Facebook account to get him back. I genuinely want to end thing with him and move on for my own sake, but I can't. I NEED HELP!!!

Edit: (Solved!)
I have been a long time reader of Wikipedia Articles but have never edited any before. Today I realized there is an error in the German Wikipedia page for Georgsmarienhütte Holding, a German Steel Company. Under the history section, the previous author mixed up mio. and mrd., so millions and billions in German.
They are talking about a revenue change of 2.862 million Euro in 2012 to 2.71 billion Euro in 2013. Regardless of this being an insane and unrealistic increase in revenue in one year, in the next sentence the author talks about why this "reduction" in revenue happened. Therefore I am certain that the first figure was supposed to be Billions, not millions.
I then tried to edit but I got a message showing that my IP-Adress was in a range that was blocked in all Wikimedia Foundation Wikis. The block was carried out by "Hasley" and the reason is "Open Proxy/Webhost".
While I did read through the help page and other provided resources, it was not exactly clear to me how I can get my IP unblocked to edit the page. I am currently on the US on vacation using an e-sim and I am suspecting that might be a reason.
Is there anyone in the community that has experience regarding this topic and how to resolve it? While I am not an active editor, I appreciate Wikipedia and would like to contribute to making it more accurate whenever I see anything obvious like this example.

How can I protect my privacy and security online?

• First off, go into your phone settings and check PERMISSIONS for each app and turn off unnecessary permissions and check all future installs for what permissions the apps are asking for.
  
• Please use the tools mentioned here as your daily internet apps /wares / services. https://www.privacytools.io/
  
• Using these tools DOES NOT automatically make you invisible or completely secure. You have to take steps to make sure your privacy and security is in tact.
  

What are the quick steps I can take to make my online presence secure?

• Enable 2 Factor authentication everywhere you can.
  
• Check if your email/ passwords have been exposed / leaked https://haveibeenpwned.com/
  
• Use strong passwords / Do not reuse the same passwords
  

https://www.lastpass.com/features/password-generator#generatorTool
https://www.avast.com/random-password-generator#pc

• DO NOT click random links from unknown sources or people.
• Make a secondary email address that you can use to register for services using a dummy name.
• Use adblockers on desktop and phone.

Use a password manager app. iOS / Android / Google Chrome / Firefox all have builtin password managers. Use them.
https://bitwarden.com/ is FREE and its great.

What steps can I take for better online privacy and security?

I'm linking the articles because otherwise there will be way too much text here.
https://www.aura.com/learn/how-to-protect-your-privacy-online
https://www.chubb.com/us-en/individuals-families/resources/6-ways-to-protect-your-personal-information-online.html
https://www.pcmag.com/how-to/12-simple-things-you-can-do-to-be-more-secure-online
https://bitwarden.com/blog/7-steps-to-create-a-secure-and-private-profile-online/

WHAT IS A VPN?

VPN stands for “virtual private network” — a service that protects your internet connection and privacy online. VPNs create an encrypted tunnel for your data, protect your online identity by hiding your IP address, and allow you to use public Wi-Fi hotspots safely.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X-z07FSlji4
https://www.avast.com/c-what-is-a-vpn
https://nordvpn.com/what-is-a-vpn/

Why do I need a VPN in Pakistan?

• Because lumber 1 haramkhor / ppp / pmln keep blocking internet access.
  
• Because you need secure and private access to internet.
  
• Because you can watch Netflix USA / UK with VPN.
  

Can VPN hide my mobile phone’s GPS location? If I have VPN turned on, is my physical location hidden too?

• NO! VPN will not hide your phone’s physical GPS location. Which means as long as there is a GSM chip / SIM inside your phone,

OR if you’re connected to a Mobile Broadband device (MBB) your physical GPS location CAN be tracked easily.

• Even if you're connected to Public wifi, your phone and location CAN be tracked.
  
• There are apps that spoof GPS location; however, they only work only internally and spoof the location for your phone’s apps, they DO NOT cannot spoof your physical location.
  
• Example: You are at Karachi airport and you spoof your location to Lahore, GPS-spoofing will only change your google maps show Lahore as your location, your physical location [which can be tracked] will still be showing as Karachi to your network provider / whoever’s capturing data for mobile phones at Karachi airport.
  

https://www.allthingssecured.com/vpn/faq/does-vpn-hide-location/
https://www.bleepingcomputer.com/vpn/guides/how-to-change-gps-location/
https://support.surfshark.com/hc/en-us/articles/360011517640-How-to-enable-the-GPS-override-function
https://www.linkedin.com/pulse/trace-mobile-number-current-location-through-abdullah-al-huzaifa

• GPS spoofing is not required on desktop computers / devices without GSM chip/ SIM. Desktop PCs / Laptops can be tracked through IP / connection / connecting to public wifi.

Should I use a FREE vpn?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ExDB-BQfpVo
A free vpn on mobile is most likely a proxy service which is NOT secure and all your information will be trackable / exposed.
On desktop, please check the app settings which protocols are available and if the free app is connecting through proxy or protocol.

What is a VPN Protocol and why its important? Which protocol should I choose?

A VPN protocol is a ruleset determining how data is encrypted and online traffic moves between a device and a VPN server. VPN providers use these protocols to deliver stable and secure connections for their users. Typically, each protocol focuses on a specific combination of features, for instance, compatibility and high speed or robust encryption and network stability.
https://support.purevpn.com/about-purevpn/comparison-of-various-vpn-protocols
https://nordvpn.com/blog/protocols/

What is the difference between VPN, Proxy and DNS changer?

Proxy Server / Proxy apps [99% of free vpn apps on mobile / 100% of browser extensions]

• Will give you access / unblock websites for you
  
• ZERO privacy / security
  
• Can be tracked easily
  

Smart DNS / DNS Changer [1.1.1.1 / Cloudflare etc]

• Will give you access / unblock websites for you
  
• ZERO privacy / security
  
• Can be tracked easily
  

VPNs

• hide your IP address
  
• Has privacy and security
  
• Cannot be tracked easily.
  

How to properly use a VPN on my desktop / Mobile?

• Install a secondary browser, preferably Firefox/ Librewolf / Brave
• Use VPN exclusively on that secondary browser. [Most VPNs offer the feature to use VPN on selected apps / softwares]
• This will help with concealing your browser finger print and you can do your regular stuff on your main browser.
  
• On Mobile, install vpn, select the apps you want VPN to secure and use those apps only after vpn is connected. [Other apps on your phone wont be affected by vpn connection] This is important because apps like banking apps might not function properly over vpn connection.
  

Can government find me even if I use VPN?

Short Answer: YES the govt can find you if they really really want to. so don't do shit that gets you into trouble. Don't do illegal shit.
However, they are not coming for you for shitposting online or watching Netflix.
PART 1: TECHNICAL
DPI or Deep Packet Inspector technology is used to sniff out VPN users and track them. However, top tier vpn companies have multiple technologies in place that make DPI’s work extremely difficult. Technologies like stealth protocols, obfuscated servers etc.
But it takes a lot of effort for DPI to identify a person. DPI can separate VPN IPs / servers but Its like identifying a needle in a giant stack of needles. And even after that the acquired data will be useless because no vpn company will provide government with information.
So what does government do at this point?
They block the vpn servers lmao
Exactly what’s going on in China / KSA / UAE / Iran. etc
https://limevpn.com/how-to-hide-your-vpn-from-dpi/
https://protonvpn.com/blog/deep-packet-inspection/
PART 2: LEGAL
Most VPN companies are registered in EU / North America. They are NOT legally liable to provide any data to anyone unless the government of the same country where they operate asks them to provide information.
There are no VPN companies registered in Pakistan because sale and distribution of VPN is illegal in Pakistan. This is also the reason why government has been asking people to register their VPN, coz they have no data lmao.
Recently, Indian government asked prominent VPN companies to provide user data to government, to which companies shut down their servers in india completely, and refused to comply with Indian government.
https://surfshark.com/blog/surfshark-servers-certin-india
https://nordvpn.com/blog/how-nordvpn-protects-the-privacy-of-its-customers/

My VPN is not working what do I do?

COMMON SOLUTIONS

• Make sure you have the latest version. All major vpn companies roll out micro/regional updates to counter issues.
  
• Check if you can change protocols. [TCP / UDP / WIREGUARD / STEALTH /IPSEC / L2TP, PPTP, SSTP ] whatever you have, change it and try it.
  
• HOWEVER, rapidly changing protocols and making connections will not work. Give at least 1 minute gap between changing protocol and making new connection. Your windows / mobile / iOS vpn dialer needs time to reset. [Disconnect then reconnect]. Your device performance and internet speed is also a factor.
  
• Try a different country server
  
• If all that fails, try using a browser proxy, there are free ones available.
  
• Proxy / DNS changers are free and they will work as well.
  

Again, PROXY / DNS changer will give you access to websites. However they are NOT as secure or private as a VPN.
Technical Stuff

• Disable Firewall / Antivirus
  
• Check VPN Settings
  
• Reach out to your vpn provider and explain the issue to them.
  

VPN DOES NOT GUARANTEE ANONYMITY / NO VPN IS 100% SECURE

https://surfshark.com/blog/anonymous-vpn
https://nordvpn.com/blog/what-anonymous-vpn-mean/

Throwaway for obvious reasons.
Yesterday my dad told me about how he messed up and had gotten his face and privates on video call with a scammer, He's panicking right from yesterday.
He's afraid of our family and friends finding out something and it destroying his and our families reputation. I don't know what to do here. He's afraid of filing an FIR (we are from India).
We are going to file a cyber crime report.
Edit- I wanted to ask one more thing, to file a cyber crime report we need some supporting evidence. He had blocked his sim card and WhatsApp (from where the scammer told how they are going to make him public), Should we try to unblock and get some sort of evidence or let it be?

Amazon Wishlist Link (it's a single item): https://www.amazon.com/hz/wishlist/ls/V76454Y6RKD8?ref_=wl_share
Hello again. I have asked for help a couple of times here (not fulfilled, which is totally fine I'm just saying this just so you don't think I'm trying to milk/exploit this sub or anything). I feel very embarrassed to ask again but I guess it doesn't hurt to try. I'm trying an amazon wishlist this time instead of money in the hopes people will trust it more. The Address is an US address which will forward the item to me (this is how we buy online and receive packages in my country as normal post mail is not super trust-worthy or efficient and can be very slow and lose packages so we used these private companies for that).
I'm trying to get the cheapest portable routemodem I could possible get that needs to have 2 specific features: it needs to be portable/able to hold a SIM CARD (unblocked) AND simultaneously have an Ethernet/LAN port or access. I need this to be able to continue working and getting better.
The one on the list is the cheapest one I could find, but if anyone can find a cheaper one I'd be more than happy to edit the list.
The reason it needs to be portable/able to hold a sim card is because I'm unable to get an internet contract or fixed service at the moment so you can add small prepaid internet packages to these sim based routers that you can't to others (I have requested assistance for that, too at times).
Context (because I don't expect anyone to necessarily have seen and/or remember my posts):I've been having the worst time for months, went homeless more than once, and have struggled a lot with the basics. I've gotten a bunch loans to slowly get out of that rut. Things are finally a little better and starting to come together. I'm trying to work as much as I can. That being said I had to move out of the city last time I got homeless because I couldn't get the money to move/rent an apartment and I'm living yet at another hotel.
I got a portable router that I got through a loan but it doesn't have an ethernet port, I have to use it either as WIFI (but my laptop's Network adapter doesn't work) or through an usb cable (less than ideal) for which I had to buy an USB adapter since my PC only has two ports which are already used for headsets and mouse (touchpad is broken and inconvenient). I'm having extreme internet issues which get in the way of my work. Sometimes it works well but it's not reliable, the usb cable disconnects often and so on.
P.D./edit: forgot to add that I've been trying to find such a router everywhere in my country and no one has them, because apparently it would damage the fixed internet service business for big companies, which only sell non ethernet portable routers. I'm still asking all stores though.

Hi,
So I don’t really understand how IMEI works and I need some help. Here’s my situation:
My ex gave me his old phone for my birthday because I needed a new one. I also paid him a bit for it. Now as you can read, we’ve broken up and he just texted me today that he wants it back and he’s threatening with blocking it via IMEI. Now I don’t really want to give it back because I’m mad at him for things that he did and I’m debating giving it back because I will lose the phone either way; either by it being blocked or me giving it back, and I don’t really want to do him a favor anymore. Losing the money is a bit of a shame, it wasn’t that much tho.
In this text he send he also said that I will lose all my personal information if it ends up getting blocked and he said my iCloud will end up at some sort of blacklist at Apple. I still have my old phone, so if I make a backup copy and put my SIM card in my old phone and reset this one, will this still happen if he does block the phone? Also, can I unblock the phone in any way if it happens? And I can’t change my IMEI right? That’s what I found out searching on google.

I turned the sim protection feature on for my account a while ago, but never put it to the test.
Well, I had to swap sim card yesterday on one of my lines, I left the sim protection feature on out of curiosity on how the store will handle it. This was also my first time in a T mobile store in a few years. The employee scanned my ID into ipad (previously it was just a quick visual check), verified me, then realized he could not switch the line over to the new sim. He asked his supervisor on what to do, and I was told there is an active block on the account for sim switching. I asked to see what he is seeing, and he showed me his ipad, where there was basically just a message box to the effect of cannot switch sim, ask customer to contact 611. I did not see any sort of override options (at least not on the page I was shown), and they also told me they cannot override it in store and I have to call into 611 for them to remove it first.
Then I just logged into my Tmobile app, turned off the sim protection feature, took about 10 seconds to receive the SMS confirmation on that it was turned off. Employee refreshed his ipad, the message was gone, and switched me to the new sim. I got the SMS that my sim was switched, I turned the sim protection back on. Walked out, then got the SMS confirmation that my sim protection was back on.
I also haven't talked to 611 for a while, but I did have to call them yesterday as well for another unrelated issue, and before they do anything I had to enter my account PIN into the automated system, then once connected the rep had to validate me via Tmobile app biometrically. I'm assuming once you do both of those things, the rep on 611 can remove the sim protection, but imo calling in from a number on the account + account Pin + App biometric validation is probably secure enough. And even after it got unblocked, you probably still have to get your ID scanned in Tmobile store to access the account and swap sim.
I just want to share my positive experience of seeing sim protection working the way it's intended to. No override option by store reps (at least none obvious or the reps are willing to do to "help out"), and must scan ID front and back to access account (rather than simply speaking out a phone number and a quick visual glance at the ID).
Unsure what the protection experience is like for porting out, but certainly I think this is an improvement over a few years ago where the security on accessing the account was extremely lax.

I have had a prepaid phone line with AT&T since around 2013. Prior to that I had a postpaid phone line with AT&T since 2002. I briefly switched from postpaid AT&T to T-Mobile in 2013 before switching back to prepaid AT&T.
My daughter needed a phone last year so I got her a postpaid plan so we could get a new iPhone 12. I switched my sim card to the iPhone 12 and placed hers in my old iPhone 8 because I was wary she would break it. The iPhone 12 was on an installment plan.
Fast forward to last week and my daughter broke her iPhone 8. I went to the local authorized AT&T retailer to see if there were any upgrade options. The only options were to port my prepaid phone number to postpaid, then after 90 days I would be eligible for an upgrade. That was too long to wait.
The other option was to pay off her iPhone 12 and then get a new iPhone 14 on an installment plan for $5/month. The payoff was $350. I did a quick search on amazon for iPhone 12s and saw them in the $300-350 range and figured it was a better deal to do the payoff and get an iPhone 14.
This time around they disabled my sim card and activated an esim with my phone number on the iPhone 14. They then activated an esim with my daughter’s number on the iPhone 12. Everything worked and I went home satisfied. The rep must have asked for my driver’s license no fewer than a dozen times.
However I had no idea the shitstorm I was in for over the next week.
Three days later I received three texts in a row at night about the Unpaid Device Message:

Unpaid Device Message: Hi, it’s AT&T. We had to block the device you're using due to an unpaid AT&T installment plan. Move your SIM to a different device to avoid interruption to your service. If we have your email address on file, we sent you the steps to fix the issue. To learn more, go to www.att.com/support/article/wireless/KM1509747

I went the following morning to the AT&T store. The same rep that had helped me buy the new phone was there so he helped me out again. I explained the situation and left my drivers license out on the table.
Both my daughter’s postpaid and my prepaid accounts were in my name and current so he believed I should be able to use the iPhone 14. He called AT&T prepaid (which from my experience is basically like a whole other company) and after some explanation they were able to get the phone unblocked.
I went home and the next morning woke up again to the Unpaid Device Message and my phone was again blocked. I’m blessed to have a work-from-home job and also had the wisdom to take my work laptop with me. I arrived at the AT&T store right at 9am, setup my laptop and left my driver’s license on the table.
The AT&T store advised that the only way to keep the message from showing would be to transfer my number from prepaid to postpaid onto the same account as my daughter’s. After some bundling discounts my total monthly payment would stay the same, so I agreed. A back-and-forth between the store rep, prepaid and various other departments took place for over an hour after which a call-center rep advised the store employee to call Credits and Activations.
The store rep advised that calling Credits and Activations would not help and told me to go to the nearest corporate store and that they have more authority to handle the issue. So I drove over to the nearest corporate store. I had to wait about an hour before it was my turn to be seen around 11am.
I explained the situation, setup my laptop and handed over my drivers license. The rep seemed super diligent and on-top-of-things and went off making calls again to various departments trying to figure out how to transfer my prepaid line to postpaid. One issue complicating things is that my phone number was a Northern CA area code while my daughter’s was a Southern CA area code.
Finally around 2pm they had me go through an Analyst Review which would serve as the gateway to transferring my prepaid number to postpaid. They asked me questions about my parent’s birthdates.
My parents immigrated here from a foreign country and their birthdates on their passports/drivers licenses are not the same days that we celebrate. I didn’t realize this until later and missed these questions and failed the Analyst Review.
Aside from not knowing my parent’s birth dates, I have perfect credit, have never missed a payment on anything in my life, own my home, and am employed.
Now it was 3pm and the rep advised me to call the Loyalty Department and ask for the Office of the President. I told him I couldn’t do that because my phone was blocked. They couldn’t find a direct number to the loyalty department and I believe they had me call the main AT&T line. The rep who helped me went off to lunch.
I didn’t know how to reach the operatoagent initially and followed the prompts and entered my prepaid phone number. I was connected to prepaid, someone talking to me in a thick foreign accent, and asked them for the Loyalty Department and the Office of the President.
The prepaid rep told me that $65 is due. I asked him why and he said that my $50 prepaid plan was upgraded to $65 and now a payment of $65 is due. I asked him why it was upgraded and he said the store did it. I told him that my $50 plan is paid until the end of the month and I’d like to stay on that plan. He told me to talk to the store about it. I then asked him for the Loyalty Department and the Office of the President. He put me on hold for 10 minutes and came back with two numbers. When I called the first it went to libertypr.com - which could possibly be AT&T services for Spanish countries. The second number didn’t work.
I hung up and called the main line again. This time I entered my daughter’s phone number so I could get connected to the postpaid customer service. They texted me an ID to verify the phone number and I didn’t have my daughter’s phone on me so that failed.
I hung up again and called back this time barking “operator” and “agent” through 3-4 prompts and I was finally connected to an agent. I explained the situation that I have been at the store for 5 hours trying to transfer my prepaid line to postpaid. I explained how transferring to the prepaid department has not helped and that I am seeking the Office of the President. The agent put me on hold for another 10 minutes and then said that they could not put me through to the Office of the President and that they are not able to open a case to have my line transferred to postpaid and that the prepaid department will have to file a case.
I was again transferred to the prepaid department. I explained the situation again for the umpteenth time. It was now nearly 4pm. The prepaid rep said that they are not able to open a case to transfer my line over to postpaid and that the postpaid department should do so. The prepaid rep asked to speak to the store manager. The store manager said that since the Analyst Check failed that they can’t do anything. The prepaid rep then apparently transferred me to technical support.
Technical support suggested that I try going to another corporate store to see if they can do the Analyst Check again. That didn’t seem like it would work to me. I inquired about returning the iPhone 14 and they said that I am within my 14 day window so that’s what I’m going to do after Christmas.
I am also going to ask about recouping the cost to pay off the iPhone 12 but I’m assuming that is going to be another uphill battle.
In total I basically spent 7 hours at AT&T retail/corporate stores trying to transfer my prepaid phone number to postpaid and was unable to do so.
I feel like the store reps and call-center reps were all trying to do their best job to resolve the situation, but my experience leaves me believing there are severe organizational issues at AT&T:

1. Almost none of their employees are aware of the Unpaid Device Message blocking policy. Every time a rep/or myself were transferred to a department then the agent was initially unaware of the policy and had to read up on it. If I was aware of this policy myself then I would not have paid off the iPhone 12 or bought the iPhone 14 in the first place.
2. The AT&T employees themselves do not understand why the policy applies to my situation: I hold both AT&T prepaid and postpaid accounts and everything is current. The policy seems intended for people who sell phones on an installment plan to third parties- that does not apply to my situation. In introducing this policy it appears that AT&T has not thought through all the situations in which it could apply.
3. AT&T Call Center hell: I can’t believe that AT&T’s process involves store reps calling from stores to back-office departments and that there is no direct way for them to make changes. In this process the store reps often have to wait for call center reps just like normal customers which makes for an extremely tedious process.
4. AT&T Prepaid: This appears to be a division/separate entity devoted to the Latin American region. The customer service here is a few tiers below the postpaid service.

I have the sims 2 apartment life . That I have gotten back in 2008 or 2009 whenever game . I use play on family members desktop computers. I am trying to run it on my HP laptop with CD ram player I bought . I have the sims 2 deluxe and the sims 2 bon voyage that is PC CD . That downloaded and played with no issues . I notice the sims 2 apartment life has different system requirements and says that I need to unblock the administrator. I tried I find on google that says how to do it but it still won’t allow me to do so .

*Trigger warning relating to self-harm, suicidal thoughts*
Just warning that english isn't my first language so i'm sorry if it’s not the best.
Me (F19) connected with Alex (M20) online, and we instantly formed a strong bond. Over the next few months, we became very close, sharing secrets and childhood stories that we hadn't told anyone else. Despite living with our parents and attending different schools, we managed to meet up multiple times, spending time talking and walking.
Over time, Alex started flirting with me, sending messages like "love you" and "I'm falling for you” and “I think you're my soulmate”. I was cautious due to past experiences, didn't take these seriously and made jokes to keep things light, wanting to avoid quick emotional attachment and potential heartbreak. As a hopeless romantic, I wanted to take time to genuinely develop feelings for him and avoid past relationships where immediate romantic involvement led to hurt.
The day after Christmas, he visited my place to exchange gifts, meeting my parents unexpectedly but with positive reactions. He gave me a heart-shaped pillow, saying he wanted to feel close to me despite the physical distance. Later we started making out and ended up losing our v cards together.
On New Year's, unable to meet due to family commitments, he surprised me by spontaneously visiting me for 5 minutes just before midnight which was very sweet and loving.
In January 2021, he requested a break to focus on schoolwork, and we stopped communicating for a week. During the break, he sent Snapchats with hints of missing me, like saying "I miss you" in French and engaging in activities I enjoyed. When we resumed talking, he confirmed the gestures were meant for me, saying how much he missed me during the break.
In February, during a conversation, I expressed difficulty being friends with someone if I was in love with them. A few days later, he inquired about it, and I explained that being friends with someone I love would be too painful if the feelings aren't reciprocated. He accepted this, and we continued as usual.
Before March, during a routine meet up after school, he unexpectedly said “I love you” in our native language which was very special for us. Though surprised, I reciprocated the feelings because I genuinely had feelings him.
On Women's Day, after time together after school, we visited a supermarket. Outside, spotting a flower shop, he insisted on buying me a rose despite me protestating about not wanting him to spend money. It was the first time he gifted me flowers, leaving me exceptionally happy with the gesture.
Sometime in March during our routine sunset walk, he said that we were together (in my culture we don't ask “will you be my gf/bf”, we just spend time together and just say that we are together).
In April, his parents went away for the weekend, he invited me over for the night, remarkable as it was our first sleepover due to strict parental rules. He noticed my mood change which i didn't and later on we went to sleep. Unable to sleep, I waited till he was asleep to go sit on the couch. A minute later he came to ask where I was. We sat talking, crying together till 3am. We returned to bed and fell asleep. The next day, he made pancakes and i left before his parents returned
By April, Alex, an avid gamer and active on Discord and had a supportive online community. I befriended his Discord friends, having group video calls with them. In early May, he turned 18, got his driver's licence, and got his sister's car. I made a heartfelt birthday video with his Discord friends, which moved him to tears. He hosted a party where I brought my best friend cause I am a bit shy. Despite some uncomfortable comments about Alex, which I brushed off as harmless teen banter. We didn't spend much time together, and I was okay with it. He drove home after. On my 17th birthday, I received a heartfelt and personally crafted song from him that i cherish to this day. I don’t really like celebrating my birthday (childhood trauma) so i just did a small one for my family only.
My family's summer home is located in a tranquil village, two hours away from the city and surrounded by woods. In June 2021, my family went to the summer home and I was working in the local cafe, where I also had during previous summers, as a server.
During the stay at our summer home with family, Alex was experiencing ongoing family issues with his dad. Although their fights were common, Alex eventually said that things had worsened, leading to feeling depressed. I had consistently supported and cheered up Alex during such type of time. One night Alex decided to talk to his dad to resolve the issues, I supported him before going to bed.
My mom woke me up, notifying me that Alex was trying to contact them urgently. Concerned, I discovered that Alex had decided to run away and was waiting for Jake (M21) to drive to my summer house. Despite not fully understanding the situation, I supported his decision. The next day, despite initial worries, Alex joined my mom for errands and later waited for me to finish work before all returning home together.
My dad is a traditional masculine man and put my older sister's husband to work when he's around. Concerned about Alex, who is in a new environment dealing with family issues, I asked my dad not to assign work to him. Each night, Alex would call his older sister to discuss the ongoing family problems. To give him privacy, I would leave the room during these calls.
One night, after a call with his sister, I heard Alex crying. I went into the room to offer support, sitting on the bed to let him know he wasn't alone. Alex pulled me into a tight hug, cried, and alter expressed gratitude for my presence. On another occasion, Alex with teary eyes, came into the bathroom after my shower to share that his mother had sent a heartbreaking email, pleading to resolve the family issue, which deeply affected him as he cares deeply for his mom.
Alex enjoyed my summer house and family dynamics, finding us more family-oriented than his own. After a week of staying at the summer house, he reached an agreement with his mother to meet in a nearby town to address their family issues. Me, my dad, and Alex went to the town, met his mother, packed his things, and said goodbye. However, shortly after leaving, Alex called, upset, and asked to return with us. We went back to his apartment, where he explained his mother's actions and decided to return to the summer house. My family and I supported him during this time. Alex stayed for a few more days, and I made sure to make him feel comfortable and safe.
My dad asked Alex to help with wood chopping and Alex enjoyed the experience, appreciating my dad’s gentle and understanding guidance. This was a positive contrast to Alex's father, who would get upset quickly. My dad also enjoyed working with Alex and praised his skills in directing the tractor. Alex also got the opportunity to shoot a hunting gun with my dad. Alex played ball with my little brother and played Monopoly with my dad and brother. After a few days, with some matters resolved, Alex's older brother came to pick him up, and they successfully resolved the family issues.
In early August, I accompanied Alex to his motocross race, where I spent time with his parents for the first time. The night before and after the race, we stayed at his family's apartment in the nearby town. Later, Alex drove us back to the city, and my family joined the next day. On the 8th of August we had planned to go out, but Alex opted to stay in and watch a movie at the last moment. As time passed, I got very hungry, leading to our first fight. The disagreement resulted in me telling Alex to leave, with him saying that it didn't mean we were breaking up. I ended up crying myself to sleep that night.
I realised my irrationality and apologised to Alex explaining that hunger contributed to my behaviour. However Alex, hurt and upset and after a heated argument over text, left and blocked me. Discord friends intervened, creating a group chat to encourage reconciliation, but Alex remained firm in his decision and left. Meanwhile, I drove back to my summer house and experiencing intense stress and drama-related panic, resulted in vomiting and a massive panic attack that night.
Three weeks after our breakup, Alex contacted me, expressing hatred about our relationship and never wanting to be in it and him not deserving me. Despite arguments, we eventually apologised to each other and decided to give the relationship another chance. During this time, my dad had a serious accident, which was a conversation that helped us reconcile. We agreed to meet up, had a fun time together, and discussed our past issues. Alex revealed that he had shared our drama and made a suicide pact together with a girl named Emma, whom i met at his birthday and whom he had tried to pursue 3 times before but was turned down. Despite my suspicions, Alex insisted that Emma was just a friend and that he was committed to me.
During the three weeks we were apart, I lost some weight, and gained some self-love. In October 2021, we dressed up together for Halloween, and Alex posted a picture of me on his Instagram for National Girlfriend Day with a beautiful caption. In December, we went ice skating for the first time, which was very fun, and also visited a Christmas market to see the Christmas tree and play in the snow, an experience that Alex particularly enjoyed.
From September to December, I and Alex made an effort to meet up whenever possible, even if it meant I waited after school for him. I would bring him his favourite burrito on days when he had sports practice and a beloved cookie on other days. In November 2021, we celebrated our 1-year anniversary. I used money earned from good grades to buy Alex his favourite car brand jacket, while Alex gave me a Sims 4 gift card which couldn’t be used in our country but still a thoughtful gift. For Christmas, Alex gifted me a beautiful tea set saying it's for our future apartment and a small wooden Christmas tree that I put up each year.
In February he then asked me to go to prom, I happily agreed as my school didn't have a prom. During that time, Alex shared that his mother said “I'm so happy you're with her, she makes you so much better and happier, I really like her”, which deeply touched me. On Valentine's Day 2022, we had a senseless fight, and two days later, Alex left again. Hoping it’s a break rather than a breakup since Alex hadn't blocked me. A few days later I tried to offer support when I learned about Alex's rough night the previous night from a friend, I reached out and said "I know you don’t want me but if you ever need anything then I’ll always be here”, which was received with harsh words and then blocked me. I started talking with Jake, who offered support and saying "we are perfect together. we are made for each other". I tried getting in contact with Alex several times however to no avail. After three months, Jake suggested that Alex might not return, which led me to spiral into depression and suicidal thoughts.
​​I have struggled with depression and eating disorders since the age of 12, and Alex was aware of this. During our time together, I engaged in self-harm, but after our initial breakup, I managed to overcome that behaviour. Following the breakup, I faced difficulties attending school, falling significantly behind. Before turning 18, child services were called on my parents due to family stress, but the situation was resolved with the help of my therapist before anything happened.
During the summer, I continued to struggle with depression. Meanwhile, Alex went to the army, a tough situation for me as we had planned to be there for his farewell before he left. The emotional difficulty was heightened when I discovered through pictures that Alex took Emma to prom. Additionally, in May, Alex posted a song on YouTube that criticised me and our relationship, expressing his lack of desire to be in it.
At the end of the summer, a friend showed me a picture of a girl wearing what seemed to be Alex’s hoodie, revealing he might have a new girlfriend. This discovery led me to severe suicidal thoughts, prompting a cold conversation with Alex, who claimed to be doing well since the breakup. Despite the harsh exchange, this marked the turning point for me, propelling me to work on self-improvement. By New Year's, I had transformed into a happier, healthier, and more mature individual, described by others as a “shining light”. I also developed a new friendship with a guy named Max, who is still a significant friend in my life.
After discovering that Alex might have a new girlfriend, a mutual Discord friend named Chris reached out, unaware of the breakup. Brief drama ensued as Chris had to choose between remaining friends with me or Alex; he ultimately chose me. Chris played a crucial role in my healing process and was a significant source of support. In September 2022, my parents and brother moved to their summer house, leaving me alone in the city to finish my school.
A few days before New Year's, Alex unblocked me but didn't initiate contact. On the day before New Year's, he reached out, expressing a desire to talk. Despite initial anxiety, I agreed to a call. During the 30 minute conversation, Alex admitted he broke up due to stress but realised he didn't deserve me nor my kindness. He acknowledged mistreating me and lying about his happiness after the breakup and a lot more. After the call with a few cordial texts, Alex blocked me again, leaving me feeling broken again. However, I viewed this as a lesson and continued healing, focusing on school. In January, I noticed Alex's profile on a dating app but neither of us interacted and I shared it with Chris finding his bios cringy.
On the day before valentines day 2023, I received a notification that Alex had added me. Initially in disbelief, I added him back. He claimed it was accidental and we continued having conversations and arguments. Before him blocking me again I jokingly suggested “make up s*x?” to which he agreed. We engaged in casual conversations and eventually met up valentines day night. Doing the deed and playing the game “36 questions to fall in love”. This encounter led to a rekindling of our relationship and things between us seemed as if we had never broken up. On multiple occasions he mentioned how overall much better I was now (which was due to me healing and loving myself for almost a year), then when we first dated.
After reconciling, I learned that while we were apart, Alex had seen numerous women but hadn't been intimate with any. This hurt me as I hadn't been with anyone else due to feeling it would be like cheating, even though we were broken up. Later Alex drove over to discuss it. However, the conversation turned into a blame game, with him blaming me on several things, including turning Jake against him which I never did, sending him messages to try to resolve the breakup, and my mom sending him hurtful messages which I was unaware of. He yelled, I eventually cried, and eventually he apologised, hugged me, but, as with past fights, nothing was truly resolved. I, hoping to not lose him again, chose to suppress my emotions and let it go.
One day after doing the deed, Alex got on one knee just admiring me, both of us in silence. Another day he called me “wifey” but possibly not meaning to say it out loud, stuttering out “what a wifi, what” after that we laughed and went to sleep. We used to fall asleep on calls but decided to stop that. One night he fell asleep on a call to which I wished him "sweet dreams" and hung up but he called back, that happened 3 times, before I decided to just fall asleep on the call with him. The next morning he asked about it and after i said what occurred he cried and thanked me, i don't know what for.
In early March, while he was away for a week in the army, I expressed concern for his well-being due to a prior severe hip injury. However, this concern led to an argument where he became extremely angry, yelled, called me names, and eventually blocked me, despite my attempts to calm him and resolve the situation and have a rational conversation.
Later that evening, I confided in my sister's husband, breaking down in tears. Not wanting to share with my sister, her husband provided support and reassurance, telling me that I handled the situation maturely and calmly. He emphasised that a man should never yell at or insult a woman, suggesting that Alex's behaviour was immature.
At the end of March, I had my first exam and was anxious, having never taken one before. On the same night, Alex randomly unblocked me and asked about the exam. We had a conversation, during which I insisted on an apology for his previous outburst. After he reluctantly apologised, we resumed our relationship as usual.
After reconciling we went on a drive to an empty parking lot, we have been to before to talk. I cried talking about all that happened in my life and he cried too and at one point whispered in my ear "I'm so gald youre here" and "you'll forever own a very special pert of in my heart". After some time he pulled me on his lap, I said I didn't want to be intimate and he was okay with that. While straddled he started role playing, he held onto my wrists and pushed my head down, so I was looking at the back of the front seat with my head in between his legs and my wrists held tightly near his ankles, still straddling him. I was very uncomfortable and my wrists hurt a lot, i broke my wrists a lot as a kid so they are very fragile and broke easily and he knew this. I told him “no, stop, please stop, let go, you're hurting me, please let me go” but nothing worked. After what felt like 20 minutes he realised I was actually hurting when he saw I had teary eyes. He let me go and immediately started self sabotaging and self hating “i’m so awful, I suck….etc”. I immediately consoled him saying it’s okay and I'm not that hurt. After he was turned on by it and got himself off. Then it was already very late and when we got back in the front seats he realised he was super late for curfew and asked if he could drop me off at a bus stop, i said buses to my home don't go this late so he drove me home. At first he punched the steering wheel a bunch of times then yelled and cursed a few times and when we were closer to my home he drove past 2 red lights, only stopping at the third one cause i was screaming at him to stop. At home I was very unhappy with his antics but as I walked inside he came after me, hugged me and apologised, then drove back. Next morning my wrists hurt, I checked them to see red hand marks. It hurt for 3 days. I wanted to show him but from the past I knew then he would get depressed for a week and I'd have to get him out of his depression and nothing would be fixed, so I just kept it to myself. I did tell him that my wrists still hurt a little and laughed and he laughed too.
One day out Alex took me to explore new food places, taught me a bit about driving, and shared a breathtaking sunset. Later took me to his family's land where he drove as a kid, despite my initial suspicion that he had taken other girls to the sunset place, he assured me that I was the first to visit it and his family's land besides his family. Later, he jokingly asked for intimacy, which I declined, expressing feeling used only for physical desires (every time we hung out at my place we always had s*x). Instead, we engage in playful and lighthearted conversations, followed by a steamy make-out session. Alex opened up about past relationships, describing them as short-lived, attributing their failures to the other girls being "crazy."
In early May, the relationship faced another downturn, marked by the familiar signs of his emotional withdrawal. I sensed a shift in his behaviour and, after a conversation, discovered that he had fallen in love with me again but expressed a desire to remain free of commitment. He expressed a desire to be young and free. Despite me proposing a face-to-face discussion, he said he wouldn’t be so lenient then. We decided to call and on the call, he cited minor issues and seemingly trivial reasons, like receiving too many TikToks, as grounds for breaking up. Despite my intention to accept his decision, I found myself pleading and trying to reason with him during the call. Ultimately, the discussion led to hurtful comments and his decision to end things, lashing out before blocking me again.
After the recent breakup, I confided in my sister, sharing the events that unfolded since February. My sister and her husband acknowledged that I handled the first fight maturely, but they were not pleased with my attempt to fix things during the last fight and advised me to let him go.
During the summer, I focused on self-improvement, losing weight and attempting to move on from Alex. I convinced myself that he didn't truly know me, suppressing the emotional impact of our breakup. However, my school performance suffered due to the emotional turmoil, leading to the loss of friends and not passing exams to graduate.
Alex finished his army service and joined a university near my home. I learned that he slept with someone in the summer during a festival. I used to say I would never forgive a cheater (it feels like he cheated even though we are broken up), and now the idea of being with him is challenging. There's a part of me that hates him for his actions, but another part believes he's better than this and can mature and grow and us end up happy together.
I don't know how to heal and grow from this, it's harder than it was last time especially cause I have nobody to confide in so I wanted to come here to get advice. How do i heal from this? How do i get my happy self back from all that happened? Could he ever mature and us be happy? Is he narcissistic, manipulative, abusive? Have i been such a terrible gf to him (i know i have flaws and i actively work on my traumas but i always do my best to be the best woman for him)?