I made from screenshot wallpaper for phone, feel free to use it, looks cool.

on mobile. kind of cw for abuse
I (16M) am autistic. One of my symptoms is that I'm very sensitive to noise. The effect that loud noise has on me is kind of like physical pain in my ears and down my neck. Loud noises also cause me to have full body muscle spasms which are quite uncomfortable and painful. I live with my older siblings (23F, 21M) and both of my parents.
My dad is extremely loud. He's very into sports, especially football (soccer) and boxing, so he watches every game with my brother. When something happens in the game that they react to, they shout very loudly, either cheering or shouting out of anger. They watch TV on the opposite side of the house to me and I can still hear them over my own music or TV.
My dad also has a habit of shouting my name very loudly every time he sees me and holding it for about 30 seconds. Imagine someone going "Jamieeeeee" (not my real name) at top volume for a while. He does this every time he sees me without fail. If I tell him that he's being loud, he will talk in an equally as loud fake whisper and doesn't get the hint. In my mind, it feels like an equivalent to someone blasting a car horn at you for 30 seconds.
He's also just generally a loud person. He plays videos on his phone or computer on full volume, or shouts when he's excited or happy, or takes phone calls and talks on full volume no matter where he is in the house.
Though upsetting, I can cope with all of those things. However, he does some things that make this much more difficult.
My dad has a history of being abusive to my family. It's not physical (though it was before I was born) but he causes us a lot of distress. He gets blindingly angry over simple things and takes it out on everyone else. He will get angry over something like his phone being slow because he has every app open. When he's angry, he'll usually throw and break things. There have been multiple times when he will throw his phone out of anger and destroy it. He will punch his computer and shatter the monitor. I have to hide in my room or evacuate the house when this happens.
While he's doing this, he is shouting the entire time, at other people or just at whatever he's angry at. This means that when he shouts playfully, like when he sees me, it makes me panic because of the association with his anger.
It's worth noting that my older brother also has these kinds of anger episodes, however that's because he has special needs and turned to hard drugs to cope, leading to him having violent meltdowns. He has gotten better and has not had a violent spell for a while now, and is a loving older brother. However, the effect of his and my dad's meltdowns on my childhood has impacted me in many ways, including the sensitivity to men shouting no matter the context and the association with it to anger or danger. Add that to the autism and you get this.
The reason I think I might be overreacting is that, when I tell him or my mom that this bothers me, they tell me that it's his house too and he's free to use the space however he wants. My mom says that if he's loud, it means he's happy, and so I should let him be and let him express himself. My dad knows that I have autism and believes that supporting my needs will make me worse, and that putting up with it through exposure will get me used to the real world.
I agree that exposure can be good for me but I'd rather do it on my own terms. I want to come home and relax, not be shouted at until I can't leave my room out of sensitivity. I have my boundaries and I want him to respect them. However, I don't want to dictate what he can or can't do, and I don't want to start an argument.
I think it's reasonable to ask him to be quieter when I'm in the house, but he thinks I should be exposed to it to build up my tolerance and that my boundaries are an overreaction.
Am I overreacting to my dad's loudness?

I never thought I would ever enter one of these "Entitled" subreddits with a story of my own before, but apparently, the fates have decreed otherwise, for last week, I too, was blessed to be in the presence of a Karen. An EB. A whackjob. Whatever you want to call her.
The lady in question is someone whom I shall refer to, going forward, as "Hyacinth", mostly because she acts a LOT like Hyacinth Bucket from the Britcom "Keeping up Appearances". For those familiar with the TV show, why she has earned this moniker will soon become painfully obvious.
To continue...
I met Hyacinth about a year ago. Some friends and I were setting up a public exhibition, and I had volunteered to be one of the tour-guides, to explain said-exhibition to potential museum visitors, and guide them through the photographs, antiques, and other things that made up our display. One day, a friend texted me if I was free that Friday to meet-and-greet a group of people who were coming to see the exhibit. I said "yes".
Among this group was Hyacinth.
I did not at the time have any inkling of how bad this would get.
Fast forward about six months, then.
In the short time I've known her, a few things have become painfully obvious about Hyacinth - she loves - LOVES - LOOOVES (did I say 'loves'?) to talk about her family, her relatives, who she's related to, how she's related to them, why, what they do, how much they earn, how much they're worth, who else she knows, who her friends are, what they do, how much they earn, and how much they're worth. The words "Millionaire" and "Billionaire" pop up so often, you'd think you were reading the Forbes List. And she would talk about them for AGES - what should be a five-minute phone-call would turn into a 30 minute lecture about how well-connected she is.
For the most part, she was generally civil. She invited me out to meals with her friends, she asked me to tell them about myself...always, again, for some reason, with heavy emphasis on family history and connections and occupations and jobs and stuff. By now I had accepted that she was just weird, and eccentric and whatever. Takes all types, as they say, and I assumed that was it.
Something to know about the two of us is that we're both members of a local club. This club is a cultural club, dedicated to the promotion and preservation of our shared ethnic heritage. There's the main club, and then there's the smaller youth-group within the main club. Said youth-group is run by a friend, and we have a FB group. In this group we share videos, recipes, photos of food, family, friends, events we went to, or hosted, or participated in, and occasionally, historical stuff related to our culture - photographs, antiques, family heirlooms, and such-like.
The reason for this post is because of what happened about a week ago - in this group.
I had written a FB post about similar such organisations as our club, and a bit about their history, how they had formed, why, and where at. For visual interest, I'd added a photograph into the post, which was of the first-ever such club, at its formation, which was WELL OVER 100 years ago (our club doesn't go back that far!!).
I posted it in one group on FB and then shared it into the youth-group's FB group as well, and just...left it.
In a matter of a couple of hours, Hyacinth was attacking me on FB.
Which members of this photograph are my ancestors? Which ones are my relatives? Which ones are my family?? I told her none of them are - it's a historical photo in the public domain, it was relevant to what I was writing, it was relevant to our group, I shared it. End of story.
No, not good enough.
She immediately demanded to know by what right I shared this photograph, whether I'd asked anybody's permission, and why I hadn't contacted the descendants of the people in the photograph - which is WELL OVER 100 years old - 120+, to give you an idea.
I told her I had no idea how to do that, even if I had the names. She got furious and demanded I contact these people (how??) and ask their permission, or she would, and get me sued. She was also FURIOUS that I dared to share the photo in another group, which wasn't about our club, or culture, or heritage - and that I have NO RIGHT to do so!!
I'm like - that's my damn FB group - you don't have any right to tell me what I can or can't share in my own group. You don't get to dictate to me how I use my social media account.
But no, not good enough. She went on a diatribe that lasted two days, and a messenger diatribe that lasted at least two hours. Now she's threatening to send emails and screenshots and whatever, because I dared to share a public domain photograph, to some people who she says are SUPER RICH and SUPER INFLUENTIAL and SHE KNOWS THEM and THEY'LL SUE ME!!
Anyway, I reported her to our group-admin, who is my friend, who reported her to the club committee, citing harassment of a member as the reason.
The committee is currently in conference about this (and other incidents) surrounding Hyacinth - to decide what to do with her, finally, at long-last. According to my friend, Hyacinth has made loads of enemies, has done nothing but complain, has made outrageous suggestions to the club, and has attacked at least 2 or 3 other members - my incident is just the most recent one IN THE LAST THREE MONTHS!!
I'm waiting on my friend to provide an update about this, and if necessary, for me to provide evidence of the encounter.
My friend was shocked that this happened - and frankly, so was I - that Hyacinth was this aggressive about something which is REALLY a non-issue. We both agreed that any friendship that existed between us and her, was now fully, and completely dissolved.
Hyacinth is not going to like that - as I said - she's all about bragging and connections and who she knows and how famous they are...she's not going to like this at all. Especially if they kick her out of the club.

My allegedly drug addicted neighbor’s abusive, violent and shocking behavior has evolved from her controlling when, and if I am allowed to use my front door, to me rehoming my cat and harming, my own body in fear of using my toilet.
When my neighbor first moved in, she was yelling and screaming in the hallway that my door is too loud she yelled and screamed that I don’t know who I’m messing with that. I need to set my ass down bitch and shut the hell up this went on for hours I scaring not only me but my cat Littles, at the time. I called the police and then told the operator never mind because I was afraid that police would only make it worse. Because I no longer could bear her banging on my door, banging on my walls, telling me she’s going to kill me that I’m nothing that she is going to fuck me up for daring to use my front door because the noise is too loud. I decided to use my back door knowing that this woman is on drugs. I have seen her drug dealer come in and out of her apartment and banging on her door looking for payment. So needless to say I’m afraid of her and her capabilities. Using the back door calmed her down for about a week. Then she eventually started up with the abuse again banging on my door, banging on the walls for hours, yelling and screaming that she’s going to kill me and that I don’t know who I’m messing with. At this point I did call the police and I have called the police on her many times and none of these times the police have done anything helpful and have never helped me get her under control. So now I’m terrified to leave or enter my home at all. I no longer run to the store and back home. If I’m out of my home, I stay out for hours. I think long and hard before I open my doors if it’s worth another abusive outburst. Since she moved in back in January, I no longer run to my favorite coffee shop and back home. My entire life now only consists of only leaving my home for essentials like food and work. I no longer use an alarm clock as she can hear it and this has created chaos in the mornings and it’s just no longer worth it. I try to keep a window open and face the window when I sleep, so the sunrise can wake me up instead of a loud alarm clock. If I have an appointment that I really can’t be late for I just sleep in my car so I can use the my alarm on my phone.
I no longer wait for the buzzer on my microwave to go off as it infuriates her and sends her into a rage proclaiming that I need to sit my ass down and “stop making a hot plate! I know you ain’t making no hot plate! Sit down and shut up bitch!” I have had to give away my cat Littles because the sound of him scraping his litter in the litter box at night made her so dangerously rageful that I no longer felt that this was a safe environment for him. What has started as me being forced to no longer use my front door has devolved into countless nights of me being curled up on my bed, crying and terrified to move off my bed for fear the creeks on the floor will send her into another hours long rage where she bangs on my walls and on her ceiling yelling in the hallway, and at my doorstep that she is going to kill me that she’s going to make me homeless, screaming that I’m a bitch and I’m a hoe and that I don’t know who I’m messing with. So I remain on my bed causing me multiple bladder infections. On nights I can no longer hold it and muster the courage to carefully quietly and slowly tiptoe to the toilet I don’t flush it after the sun goes down as I am aware that this causes her to be furious with me. I wait until at least 7:30 AM as this is an acceptable time for which she allows me to use my toilet. This has resulted in my toilet clogging at least five times since she has moved in. If you are wondering if I shower at night, the answer is of course not. I no longer use plastic shopping bags for my groceries and have switched to cloth not solely because of the environment but because the noise draws her into a violent verbally abusive rage. I grew up with a father, very similar to her, someone who would fly into abusive, narcissistic rages screaming for hours in my and my mothers face while she and I held each other on the couch or he would scream for hours outside of a bathroom door that I looked myself into protect me from him. The rage fueled punishments were for things like putting, a mug in the “wrong” side of the sink or forgetting what asked for at the store.
Dealing with this lead me to feel like I am worthless my whole life, and caused a lifelong battle with depression and anxiety. When my father died two years ago, I thought I was finally free of the verbal abuse. I thought I could finally rest. I started to be happy and gain some confidence only to be met with the same abuse at a home of my own that I once loved. Because of my neighbor I am the same scared daughter, shaking and crying in a corner, terrified of moving in fear of angering my abuser. And still no one is protecting me.

All useful posts to be amended in to here for easy access:

• The Wiki. If we know about it or you want to learn about getting there, getting around and getting the most out of your trip, start here.
• The 2024 LeMans annual IRL meetup information post. Come meet up (free) with us on Friday lunchtime before the parade!
• 2024 Circuit map as provided by u/MrLaAnguila
• The official LM2024 visitors intro video
• 2024 Scrutineering Schedule
• 2024 Official Entry List
• 2024 Official Schedule
• Official ACO Ticket/Camping resale site (as we don't allow any buy/sell posts)
• What pocket radio do I need, why is it important and why can't I use trackside data from my phone to listen?
• How do I get satellite TV trackside to watch from camp?
• WEC for information on the overall season to-date

Hi, i recently got a Nokia 2660 and was working great for a while but then randomly stopped notifying me of messages/ calls. To receive a message I have to go into messages, then leave messages, close the phone, and open it again every time. All notification toggles are set to on and volume is up. Ive no idea whats caused this and would appreciate any ideas/help. Thanks.

Its taken me nearly 20 years to make sense of something I happened upon for the first time as a teenager.
There are said to be old service tunnels that run from the naval-shipyard to various locations under my hometown, believed to have been originally built around WWI. But In the early 1940s, the main tunnel was opened as a fallout shelter capable of holding 10,000 people . The rest of the tunnels were supposedly closed off when new construction around town occurred in the 1970s. My grandpa worked construction on what at the time was to be the tallest building in town, adorned with a clock at the peak. He like to brag about having "put a hand on nearly every rock in that build'n" or saying "I remember when that was a pile of rubble until we worked on it". He also liked to say "There are still many old places that hold many old secrets for those brave enough to seek them" but I assumed that he meant the bottom of a bottle.
The main streets are a reminder of the infrastructure built in the 1930s and 40s. Many of the businesses on the street were the ground level of a larger office or warehouse buildings. Some were single story buildings, shoehorned in between the larger ones. There is also a Masonic Lodge history with the town. They built the original temple way back then, and then a couple decades later, built another building and moved there. Their presence is clearly noticeable in the architecture all over the town. There are even plenty of houses in town that were built in the same fashion.
It's amazing how small town gossip can be passed down from generation to generation. I first heard about the tunnels as a young boy from a classmate in the second grade. She said that her dad worked on the base(it’s a naval shipyard) and was an important man because they had an escape tunnel under her house. I think I believed her at the time but I never really saw her after around that point. Even at that age I associated her as a Navy brat. I just assumed they moved.
I never really gave it much thought though until I was about 16, in the year 2005. I was a punk teen. I smoked weed and cigarettes as often as I could. I skipped a lot of school, choosing to go get fucked up and skateboard on private property somewhere. I spent a lot of time all over the town and in the most secluded locations. As a skater I'm telling you there were/are some sick spots! A majority of the buildings are that original brick masonry. Stair cases, gaps, banks, ledges, rails. The biggest problem is that skateboarding was a form of vandalism to public property. It was that year after enough people kept getting into trouble that the skaters of our community petitioned city-hall to have a skatepark built. They listened and even let us help design it. It definitely mimics some of the most popular aspects from downtown.
I stumbled upon the first of the tunnel entrances down an alleyway in downtown. The kicker is that, of course it was past midnight and of course I had been drinking and smoking pot. But that's also why I was in the alleys. Anyone hanging out there wasn't looking for any attention. Yes looking back I regret doing all the stupid things I did. I knew the area like the back of my hand but for some reason I was never able to find an entrance while sober. The alley way is particularly remarkable and I had been down it numerous times before. It’s the only one that has a man bridge over the alley connecting two separate buildings. It’s like a hallway fully enclosed with windows, matching the appearance of the buildings. I had just passed under it and to the next building where a smaller dumpster sat. The dumpster had one side pulled away from the building it was butted up against. It was dark but I could see a gaping dark hole behind and underneath the dumpster. I pulled my lighter out to reveal a staircase leading under the building. It was hard to see but I could tell from the edges of the opening that there was supposed to be a metal or wooden cover.
Intrigued I pulled out my old Nokia cellphone. The screen albeit small and dim, it did glow and in the dark-dark was better than nothing. I didn't want to burn myself and wanted to conserve my lighter for other things. I don't know why exactly I felt I needed to but I dropped down behind the dumpster to the stairwell and held my phone up high like a lantern. The stairs went down maybe 15 steps to a flat that went through a doorway on the left. Curiosity out weighed rationality in those days and I made my way down to the flat as quietly as I could. As the last bit of ambient light and noise from the dark quiet alley disappeared, the calm stagnant air in the concrete passage way that acted like an echo chamber was a stark shift in environment.
There was a hallway beyond the doorway that was extremely narrow and not very long. It was only wide enough for one person. It was probably 15 feet in length or so. As I slowly proceeded, the hallway dumped out into a much larger tunnel. I remember thinking "a bus could fit through here!" and it stretched far beyond the dim lights reach of my Nokia. I debated on whether I should just head back and decided now was an appropriate time to spark up a smoke, which didn't mix well with the stale air. Replacing my light source with the flame from my lighter provided enough light to see a panel of switches on the wall next to the smaller tunnel. I flipped one and the main tunnel lit up surprisingly, popping a humming to life. It was at least a football field in length. There were a few other similar little tunnels in various locations along this larger one.
As I was taking in just how long it was I peered from one end to the other and down at the farthest end was what looked like a person. The realization snapped me out of my wonderment. I was now uneasy at the thought that someone was down here just hanging out in the darkness. The more I focused on the figure the more it appeared that it was just standing down there staring at me. I looked the other direction but didn't notice anyone or anything. Taking a drag as I looked back towards the figure who I was now significantly closer to, I stopped in mid step. I hadn't been aware of it but I had been walking towards the figure. That's when everything in my body told me to leave now. And in that very moment the figure began running at me full sprint. There was no time to make sense of how or why I was walking towards the figure or why I was even down here in the first place as I turned running as fast as I could.
When I got to the smaller tunnel I took the opportunity to glance back over my shoulder while rounding the corner. To my absolute terror the figure was right where I was when I started running. I could hear the foot steps echoing off every surface followed with the creepiest snarling. I hit the stairs skipping three or four steps at a time. The light from the night city sky poured over the remaining steps and I nearly forgot the drop I had made getting down there. As I reached for the side of the stair well to pull my self up I could here that thing hit the stairs. With every ounce of adrenaline I heaved myself up and rolled out into the alley. Frantically I picked myself up and rammed into the dumpster closing the gap and began to head to the main street. That night I sprinted the nearly 1.5 miles back home without stopping or looking back.
I wish I could say that I forgot about that night and the tunnels to save myself some sanity in life. If I had only known this was the beginning of something much older and darker than I could have imagined. It took me a few weeks to shake the initial shock of that encounter. Eventually I went back during the day but couldn't even find the dumpster. I put it out of my mind until about six months later when an opportunity came up to visit with my grandpa...

So I ended up in a job with a lot of free time. I'm a lot on my phone but I know that doesn't look good. Could I use my work laptop to search for personal stuff online if I use my mobile data? Will my employer find out?

As the rain fell from the cold dark clouds, the sound of the pitter patter on the windows filling the house.. the world seemed quiet and empty.. as if not a single person was home? Not a single light on? No sign of life.. but.. the house looked far from abandoned.. todays post was neatly stacked on the kitchen counter… a bottle of red wine open and half drunk… the question was… where was the owner…
And then.. from the far end of the house.. the faint sound of a cellphone ringing began to softly echo? Where was it coming from you ask? Seemingly from under the floorboards in the wine cellar? Well… it wasn’t exactly a wine cellar.. under the floor of this seemingly empty house was a dungeon… a dungeon of dominance, a dungeon of play, a dungeon of discipline, a dungeon of pain, a dungeon of pleasure.. a dungeon of submission..
Under the cellar door was 8 concrete stairs that lead to a room full of fun. The walls were lined with padding and leather to keep the noise out, the floor made of hard sanded wood to avoid and splinters, on the back wall hung chains, whips and paddles whereas the closet held the fun toys like strap ons, plugs and vibes, as well as the extensive range of kinky outfits.. in the far left corner was a crucifix and in the right was cage large enough to hold a human, with a human size birdcage hanging from the ceiling. A large red leather throne sat next to the stairs where someone with clear importance would sit..
In the middle of this leather clad barbie hell.. was a quivering woman knelt on all fours… her body shaking with her skin rippling.. her hands chained to the floor and her legs tied together with soft ropes… her body illuminated by soft candle light, her mouth was oozing saliva as the fat red ballgag keeps her lips parted and moans muffled. Her hair tied back and out of her face to show her gorgeous features.. eyes covered with a soft velvet blindfold so she couldn’t see a thing.. the thick black collar around her neck had a shimmering silver tag that simply read.. “kitten”. With the bright red lipstick writing down her back reading “Property of Mistress” it was clear who owned this darling deviant.
She could hear the tight squeak of latex around her.. as two heeled boots stomped around the room… the dominant figure leaning down and picking up the phone that was ringing… a smirk crossing her face as she said “tsk tsk tsk… it’s your husband..”
Hi! Firstly thank you so much for taking the time to read my roleplay post! I am looking to play the submissive in this scenario, a woman who’s been having an affair with a very kinky dominatrix! If this sounds interesting to you then please read on for some basic requirements! But the main one is to just have fun!

1. ⁠Please roleplay in third person. I take on the role of a character and am not playing myself so I really find it awkward writing in third person because it just feel like it’s too personal for me.
2. ⁠Please be detailed. I am not trying to make this a chore and no you don’t have to write essays, but I mean I do spend a good 30 minutes writing these posts so when I end up with a “hey wanna rp?” It is sooo disheartening and s little disrespectful
3. ⁠Please don’t get too personal We can be friendly in OOC chat and we can discuss the plot of the role play for sure but I am making it clear now that I am in a fully committed relationship irl and I have no intension if changing that so please! Do not try and be sexual outside of the RP!
4. ⁠Chill with time! This one normally is actually okay but I have had too many players in the past get pissed off if I don’t respond within 3 minutes… look we all have a life away from the screen, mine includes a full time job, weekend activities, relationships and hobbies! So while yes I am including role play as a hobby I may not be able to respond within the ridiculous 5 minute mark every time!
5. ⁠Discord I only use discord for writing, I make a server for the two participants, go over the scenario, the characters the scene and it’s just so much easier to follow soooo yeah please use discord

Okay that’s everything I need to mention here so please feel free to message me if you’re interested! Thanks for reading!
Last requirement: NO GUYS!

As a non-EU national, here are some notes from my personal VFS experiences:
Online appointment

1. You don't need to provide all docs when booking a Schengen visa appointment. You can do it parallelly i.e. secure an appointment, and use the days leading up to it to gather and print all necessary docs + copies of everything including expired passports + visas.
2. Be careful NOT to keep refreshing the page (no matter how tempting it is) because there's a limit and if you cross it, you will be penalised. You will be asked to refresh your browser cache/cookies and/or wait for 2 hours. You can try to use a dummy email for the refreshing so that when you see a slot open up, you simply log in with your real one and then book the slot. Sometimes when you log in repeatedly, it doesn't let you log in for a while. Don't be alarmed. Try using multiple devices or network connections.
3. Slots open up randomly and it's hard to predict the pattern. I noticed it opened up 1x every 15-17 days in the evening around 6 pm. If you can afford to go to another city, you may be able to find slots at other VFS centres in the country that receive less volume. I had been checking everyday for an entire month and a half before I managed to get a slot.
4. It will NOT show you all available slots but they do exist (!!!). Don't fall for this terrible UI/UX dark pattern. The moment you see it a slot is available on XXX date. Click on the button because they actually have more slots in a calendar once you progress to that page. A lot of people don't realize this and wait for all dates to show up on the first screen. So even if you are not sure about the date it shows, that's fine. You will be able to see calendar availability for the next ~2 weeks and also be able to choose the time slot in the morning, afternoon, etc.
5. Appointment confirmation takes time once you reach the payment page and you may not get an email right away. The first attempt was rejected and no money was deducted thankfully. But it told me to check in 5 hours. When I did, I had no confirmation on my Dashboard. I tried again and used another payment method which deducted my money. But still not confirmation. After about 2 hours, I checked my dashboard and it was confirmed. Still no email confirmation. I had to manually re-send the booking confirmation.
6. The DOB on my appointment confirmation on VFS portal was incorrect even though I put the right one. The code is messed up because it showed the date of booking minus 1 year as my DOB. Don't worry if this happens. Go to your appointment. (All the money they take and they can't fix this bug). This happens if you don't book their Insurance - and I didn't. The poor design might make it seem like that's a required step, but it's not.
7. Once you get an appointment, the window to reschedule is small but you will not lose your existing slot if you do click the button to explore the options.

At the centre

1. Poor design extends IRL where they don't have clear signages making people think that the Premium Lounge is the only option. The person told me that I would have to pay a horrendous amount of about 155 EUR / 168 USD (which wasn't listed on the website). I said no thanks. They tried to convince me by saying that lounge doesn't have a queue. I told her to tell me where the regular booth was. Surprise surprise. There was no queue there either. It's just a trick for you to pay as much money as possible.
2. Queues for uncommon or less mainstream countries like Luxembourg, Slovenia, Croatia, Poland were practically empty for the first 2 hours in the morning and less crowded. Popular countries like France, Italy, and Germany were packed by 10.30 am with only a few seats available. This is also the section that has more seats and more booths due to the volume of applicants.
3. Even if you have all copies and all documents, be prepared for them to stump you because it's unlikely the experience will be frictionless. Your photo won't work if you are wearing glasses or the background isn't white etc etc etc. It seems like their mandate is to not accept applications on the first go. Even when I have had all the documents and all copies, there's been something that they bring up. Eg. "the visa processing time is 60 days" but when I booked my appointment, it was 15-20 days on the website (I still have 45 days though). The person told me that they would have to ask the manager (but that never happened). They made me write a declaration stating I was made aware of this by the personnel. I mean, it's a bit ridiculous. As it is, you barely get an appointment, when you do the instructions differ from when you actually go there. So, there's really no winning.
4. Apparently their Trustpilot feedback is fake. Even if you write something, chances are it will get overshadowed by bots. There was a case about how they manipulated this overnight.
5. Make sure your docs and bookings have YOUR NAME on everything, dates, locations (with addresses for accommodation), and phone number and email of the places. Once you submit this, they will "verify" and make you wait. I literally saw one of the dudes behind the counter playing with my passport smh.
6. Your name will be called and you will get a slip (this means they have accepted your application) which includes tracking information etc. You will need to go make the payment. After this, go BACK TO THE COUNTER where you submitted docs. Collect your folder and proceed to the biometric room. Don't sit, give the person your receipt/slip and wait in the queue. Your name will be called to do the biometric stuff. After this, you have to, once again, GO BACK to the counter and submit your folder with your documents and passport. Then, we wait and hope for the best.
7. Do your research and get receipts and printouts of EVERYTHING because I wouldn't trust the people behind the counter to do their due diligence. I mean EVERYTHING. If you intend to take an internal train or a public bus, print out the train schedule and put it in there. If you intend to go to another country that allows visa-free entry for valid Schengen visa holders, take a printout of that Embassy's notice and put it in. I can't stress this enough. Get proof and documentation for everything you possibly can.
8. FYI Some countries say it has to be your "first" port of entry and/or "main destination". Some countries will only accept if it is your MAIN destination i.e. longest duration of stay. Check relevant sites and be careful!

IDK if this goes to show how cumbersome the process is but it is almost always unpleasant and borderline traumatic. I feel for the people who don't know any better, who have to rely on some agent, or in general are unable to see through the BS. The monopoly enables them to play God and while their job should be to pass on your docs and application, they seem to exercise their own discretionary power to make it hell for people who don't know better. Meh.
I have never left a VFS appointment feeling good about anything. I don't think the Premium Lounge would have helped to solve this either. I hope the VFS monopoly dies and the Schengen Visa digitisation makes this easier. Good luck and hang in there.

I have a friend who’s on my phone plan. She had needed a new phone and I had an option to get a free phone if I were to add a line to my account. The phone is “free” but under contract for another 26month. My friend stopped paying her portion of the bill, which is just to keep her line active. I can disconnect the phone without paying the difference of the phones value for breaking the contract. I’m I SOL or can I report the phone as stolen to atleast get it back?

My allegedly drug addicted neighbor’s abusive, violent and shocking behavior has evolved from her controlling when, and if I am allowed to use my front door, to me rehoming my cat and harming, my own body in fear of using my toilet.
When my neighbor first moved in, she was yelling and screaming in the hallway that my door is too loud she yelled and screamed that I don’t know who I’m messing with that. I need to set my ass down bitch and shut the hell up this went on for hours I scaring not only me but my cat Littles, at the time. I called the police and then told the operator never mind because I was afraid that police would only make it worse. Because I no longer could bear her banging on my door, banging on my walls, telling me she’s going to kill me that I’m nothing that she is going to fuck me up for daring to use my front door because the noise is too loud. I decided to use my back door knowing that this woman is on drugs. I have seen her drug dealer come in and out of her apartment and banging on her door looking for payment. So needless to say I’m afraid of her and her capabilities. this calmed her down for about a week. Then she eventually started up with the abuse again banging on my door, banging on the walls for hours, yelling and screaming that she’s going to kill me. And that I don’t know who I’m messing with. At this point I did call the police and I have called the police on her many times since none of these times the police have done anything helpful and have never helped me get her under control. So now I’m terrified to leave or enter my home at all. I no longer run to the store and back home. If I’m out of my home, I stay out for hours. I think long and hard before I open my doors if it’s worth another abusive outburst. Since she moved in in January, I no longer run to my favorite coffee shop and back home my entire life now only consists of only leaving my home for essentials like food and work. I no longer use an alarm clock as she can hear it and this has created chaos in the mornings and it’s just no longer worth it. I try to keep a window open and face the window when I sleep, so the sunrise can wake me up instead of a loud alarm clock. If I have an appointment that I really can’t be late for I just sleep in my car so I can use the my alarm on my phone.
I no longer wait for the buzzer on my microwave to go off as it infuriates her and sends her into a rage proclaiming that I need to sit my ass down and “stop making a hot plate! I know you ain’t making a hot plate! Sit down and shut up bitch!” I have had to give away my cat Littles because the sound of him scraping his litter in the litter box at night made her so dangerously rageful that I no longer felt that this was a safe environment for him. What has started as me being forced to no longer use my front door has devolved into countless nights of me being curled up on my bed, crying and terrified to move off my bed for fear the creeks on the floor will send her into another hours long rage where she bangs on my walls and on her ceiling yelling in the hallway, and at my doorstep that she is going to kill me that she’s going to make me homeless, screaming that I’m a bitch and I’m a hoe and that I don’t know who I’m messing with. So I remain on my bed causing me multiple bladder infections. On nights I can no longer hold it and muster the courage to carefully quietly and slowly tiptoe to the toilet I don’t flush it after the sun goes down as I am aware that this causes her to be furious with me. I wait until at least 7:30 AM as this is an acceptable time for which she allows me to use my toilet. This has resulted in my toilet clogging at least five times since she has moved in. If you are wondering if I shower at night, the answer is of course not. I no longer use plastic shopping bags for my groceries and have switched to cloth not solely because of the environment but because the noise draws her into a violent verbally abusive rage. I grew up with a father, very similar to her, someone who would fly into abusive, narcissistic rages screaming for hours in my and my mothers face while she and I held each other on the couch or he would scream for hours outside of a bathroom door that I looked myself into protect me from him. The rage flu punishments were for things like putting, a mug in the “wrong” side of the sink or forgetting what asked for at the store.
Dealing with this lead me to feel like I am worthless my whole life, and caused a lifelong battle with depression and anxiety. When my father died two years ago, I thought I was finally free of the verbal abuse. I thought I could finally rest. I started to be happy and gain some confidence only to be met with the same abuse at a home of my own that I once loved. Because of my neighbor I am the same scared daughter, shaking and crying in a corner, terrified of moving in fear of angering my abuser. And still no one is protecting me.

Hi Trailblazers!
⭐🚂 Welcome to the Daily Questions Megathread! Feel free to ask any general questions about Honkai: Star Rail that don't necessarily require their own dedicated posts.
Any questions that can be answered rather quickly (i.e. anything that can be adequately addressed without any discussion or can be given definitive answers) can be asked in the thread below.
>>> Example: Can my phone run this game?
If your question has discussion potential, please create a separate post, and include the “discussion” flair.
>>> Example: What do you think of March 7th’s combat efficiency? Here's my opinion…
Before making new discussion posts, please be sure to consider if your question could be better suited to this thread!
When both asking questions and sharing answers, be concise and detailed so other players can understand. Please maintain a stellar and respectful attitude toward others, and don't forget to share your appreciation to fellow trailblazers for helping you out!
Looking for another Megathread? See the full list below:
>>> Weekly Megathreads
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Guys my old discord account got hacked and started to send free nudes link everywhere. I was inactive for a month and when i reopened discord i banned from all servers. Now i created new account and joined server but when i verified phone number i got banned again guys pls contact mods and help me :((

Excited about the new features in iOS 17 but not sure if you should upgrade? This blog is for you! We'll break down the key features, answer common questions, and help you decide if iOS 17 is right for your iPhone.
Apple's iOS 17 offers a variety of new features for your iPhone, including improved communication tools, a customizable lock screen, and enhanced privacy settings. This update might be for you if you're looking to optimize your iPhone experience.
Should You Upgrade to iOS 17?
New Features in iOS 17

• Communication
  • Personalize how you appear during calls with Contact Posters.
  • See transcripts while someone leaves a voicemail with Live Voicemail.
  • Messages upgrades include stickers, improved search, and message transcriptions.
  • Leave video or audio messages for missed FaceTime calls.
  • Add fun effects and adjust video quality during FaceTime calls.
• Lock Screen
  • StandBy turns your iPhone into a nightstand clock or mini display while charging.
• Other Improvements
  • Widgets are now interactive and can perform actions directly from the Home or Lock Screen.
  • Share contact information and initiate AirDrop sessions more easily.
  • Improved autocorrect accuracy and keyboard experience.
  • Create separate Safari browsing profiles and share passwords securely.
  • Download offline maps and get EV routing with real-time charger availability in Maps.
  • Track your mood and emotions with the Health app.
  • Enable privacy features to avoid inappropriate content and protect children.
  • Accessibility features simplify apps and features for those who need them.

Things to Consider Before Upgrading

• Compatible Devices: Ensure your iPhone is on the list (iPhone XR and later models).
• Storage Space: Free up enough space on your device before installing the update (around 3.1 GB required).
• Battery Life: Make sure your iPhone has at least 50% battery charge or is plugged in during the update.
• Potential Performance Issues: Upgrading an older iPhone might cause it to run slower.

Overall, iOS 17 offers significant improvements for your iPhone. If your device is compatible and has enough storage, consider upgrading to experience the new features. However, if you have an older iPhone and are concerned about performance, you might want to wait and see if the update causes issues for other users before installing it.

FAQs

Q. Should I update my iPhone to iOS 17?
A. Yes, upgrading to iOS 17 is recommended for most users. It offers new features, improved security, and bug fixes.
Q. What new features does iOS 17 offer?
A. iOS 17 brings several new features, including:

• Enhanced messaging with features like Contact Posters, voicemail transcripts, and message transcription.
• A more customizable Lock Screen with the StandBy mode.
• Interactive widgets that can perform actions directly from the Home and Lock Screen.
• Improvements to Safari, Passwords, Maps, Photos, Health, and more.

Q. Is it essential to upgrade to the latest software?
A. Upgrading to the latest software is important for optimal performance, security, and compatibility with newer apps and technologies.
Q. Will upgrading to iOS 17 improve my device's performance?
A. Upgrading can improve performance by fixing bugs, optimizing software, and introducing new features for better speed and efficiency.
Q. Is iOS 17 compatible with my iPhone?
A. iOS 17 is compatible with iPhone XR and later models. Check your specific model before upgrading.
Q. How do software updates enhance privacy and security?
A. Software updates often include security patches, bug fixes related to vulnerabilities, and improved data protection measures.

Throwaway account because this is weird for me. I [19F] have been having thoughts that I may not be in love with my girlfriend [18NB]. We met through some mutual friends and bonded over our football rivalries (I'm an Arsenal fan, they're a Chelsea fan), I am in my first year of uni and they are graduating high school this year. Don't get me wrong I love them very much, but I'm now having thoughts that I may not be IN love with them. We have been together for 6 months now, and at the start of our relationship I would spend hours messaging them, checking my phone constantly to see if they replied and smiling at every single message. Now that I'm caught up in uni work, and they're caught up in their Year 12 exams, I find myself forgetting to message them, losing track of time and end up only sending a couple messages a day. I feel very guilty about this but I always get distracted and message them about the same amount as I message my friends. My girlfriend does not have their license and we live an hours drive apart, and I am not officially out to my parents yet, so it always ends up me going over to their house, and we mostly just watch shows or tiktok together. I have met most of their friends, but they have only met some of mine as my friends are now mostly only free at night when we go to bars, as well as the fact that their parents won't drive them out my way and won't let me drive them because I don't have my full license. Their parents are pretty strict so we've only slept over a couple of times, but we also haven't had sex yet. I won't go into it but I was sexually assaulted when I was younger by someone I trusted, however I don't think this is the reason we haven't had sex. I think I am asexual, but the big issue is that they are a hypersexual person. I think they are absolutlet stunning, and they are wonderful and have never ever forced me to do something I don't want to, but I feel like they are missing out on something that's very important to them, especially because I have no desire to have sex, like ever. I'm feeling a lot of guilt about this, but I don't even enjoy kissing them. I don't feel butterflies, or fireworks or whatever the hell you're supposed to feel. I can do pecks, but they enjoy more makeout-type kisses. I will do that with them but the whole time it feels awkward and I'm sort of waiting for an acceptable moment to back out of it.
I also feel that we are not compatible for a 'forever' relationship (yes I know that sounds crazy, we're only just legally adults). Almost everyone in my family has settled down with their partner from their first or second relationship, so my mind does go towards if I want to spend the rest of my life with them. Before we started dating, they talked about their dream uni course in another state, but now when people ask, they talk about universities in our own state, especially mentioning the one I go to. I know my uni does offer the course they want, and is a highly sought after uni, but I still want them to mention and prioritise the uni they always used to talk about, I don't want to be a reason that they chose a different uni to the one they wanted. I also mentioned that later in life I want to move to a big plot of land in a more rural area, but they don't want to move away from the city.
I've recently been seeing a lot of people, especially my mum, talk about how they 'wasted' their early dating years on something that they knew wouldn't work, and it got me thinking about my own relationship, and I'm not sure that I see my girlfriend as my partner for the rest of my life, and I don't think I could provide them with a relationship that would satisfy them for the rest of their life. I know the answer is to communicate this with them but I'm a people pleaser through and through and the thought of saying something like this makes me physically nauseous, I feel like I'm kind of waiting for them to initiate a breakup and that thought also makes me feel terrible. Our mutual friend is also very invested in our relationship so part of me feels like I'd be letting her down too. I just feel like an asshole for not being able to confidently love them like they love me. How can I tell if I'm in love with them, and what should I do?
TL:DR My girlfriend and I have been together for 6 months and I love them but I'm now having doubts about being IN love with them, feeling guilty about not reciprocating their affection and not meeting their needs, and thinking that we may not be compatible for a long term relationship. I have anxiety and am a massive people pleaser so I do not now how to go forward while not causing a bunch of turbulence and chaos in our lives. What should I do from here?

Hi everyone, I'm Ramxis, a Total newbie copywriter, but passionate about the craft. I've been honing my skills for about 6 months now, focusing on email campaigns and newsletters.
The thing is, I'm extremely introverted. Like, the thought of a client call makes me break out in hives. So, I've been trying to find ways to land clients without ever having to pick up the phone.
My strategy so far has been:

1. Targeted outreach: Finding businesses whose email marketing could use some love.
2. Personalized cold emails: Explaining my services, emphasizing my no-call approach, and offering to send samples.
3. Following up (via email, of course): Trying to get a foot in the door.

But... it's not working.
I'm starting to wonder if "no-call copywriting" is even a viable thing. Am I limiting myself too much? Should I just suck it up and learn to talk on the phone?
Or, am I missing something in my approach? Any tips, feedback, or even brutal honesty would be greatly appreciated. In Addition, If anyone here needs help with their email copy and is cool with a writer who prefers to communicate via email, I'd be happy to send over samples or even do some work for free to get my foot in the door💪