Avoid car door from being stuck

so i’ve avoided a lot of the main quest line a lot up until about 11hrs in. i have all DLCS, and multiple mods.
i finally got on to doing the main quest line, and started everything. i got all the way up to the last bit of reunions with no glitches. The part my character is stuck at currently is when kellogg says he doesn’t want a roommate, and i walked through the door, and then when i get to the mag lock door, he is apparently supposed to talk to the sole survivor and realize he isn’t leaving, and opens the door for confrontation.
however that’s where my problem has occurred. He doesn’t start speaking to me and leading to him opening the door.
the ONLY things i can think of that might affect this is one, the fact i have an alternative start mod, with an expansion that takes the sole survivor dialogue away, and replaces it with options that portray your character to not be a frantic mother or father looking for their child, and just someone reporting the kidnapping. i haven’t had an issue with it up to this point.
or two, the fact i haven’t completed any of the brotherhood of steel campaign yet, i haven’t even started fire support yet.
I would love to hear any suggestions of things that could fix it. Sadly i will note I am playing on survival and have no saves before that that i’ll go back on. the last save i have is 5hrs of gameplay, and im currently at 11hrs. Loading that save and continuing is the LAST THING i want to do. PLEASE HELP!

There’s been a few post recently with drivers stating they have good 1 lap pace but can’t get any consistency and lack race craft. One guy was professing to be doing times comparable with Pro licence drivers but was stuck around 2k IR
Now this isn’t aimed at those people necessarily cause I don’t know where they got their one lap pace from. They may have more midichlorians than Senna, but I doubt it and have my suspicions.
A big trend sim racing over the last few years is hotlapping. It seems a lot of people are starting out this way on games like F1. They get quick over one lap and think they can come to a platform like Iracing and dominate. They then frustrated cause whilst they can smash out 1 quick lap they can’t finish a race or deal with pressure.
Now, if you want to hotlap. Go for it. It’s a genuine endeavour and I guess it’s nice being on a leaderboard somewhere. However be aware it will have implications later on.
Just watching YouTube videos and copying alien drivers is doing you no favours
You are essentially acting like a chimpanze or small child copying a grown human peeling and eating a banana. .
These people who just watch other people’s videos and hotlap have done themselves a massive disservice in the long run cause they haven’t learnt how to drive a track fast themselves or any race craft such as how to take a corner off line fast. Where to brake when defending off line or when following closely behind someone.
They just want to copy other drivers videos like a western lowland gorilla watching and copying a primatologist do a basic jigsaw puzzle in front of them.
Really, the only thing you have achieved by hotlapping, like with the chimp and the banana analogy, is that you have opposable thumbs and a semi functional brain.
The chickens come home to roost for these people once they get out of mediocre lobbies and they start racing against people who know how to force them into a mistake, or force them to put their car on a part of track where they don’t want it to be. They cannot deal with it.
You have skipped the part where you can race against people at your level cause of your mentality thinking your 1 lap pace is everything.
If you’re 2K IR level Iracer with 6K IR pace you’re essentially like the great ape who can do a jigsaw puzzle in a lab but can’t interact with other chimps in the wild.
If you’re just starting out forget about hotlapping and race. By all means watch videos to learn lines etc. but take the time to learn tracks yourself. Learn defensive lines learn how you should drive the first lap of a race, learn how to make the car your racing wheel to wheel with make an error.
Understand what technique the driver you are watching is using and then try do a random track and apply those techniques yourself.
If you are fast, genuinely fast - it will come with enough time.

I'm an altar server at my church, and have been for several years. Over time, I've encountered several different types of people, some nice, some not so nice, but this one takes the cake.
First Encounter: (Mid-summer, 2015) I'm enjoying a nice evening out, relaxing at a local casino, sitting at the sportsbook deli counter, watching baseball. I hear a voice to my right say "How's Dagwood?" (obviously not real name). I figure since I'm in a deli, it's someone asking about the sandwich of that name. Then, I get tapped on the shoulder, and there's a lady standing there. She asks, "You work at St. Anonymous church, right?" Well, no, I'm just an altar server, but whatever. She proceeds to clarify that she's inquiring about our associate pastor, Father "Dagwood." She hasn't seen him in several weeks, and wants to know if he's okay. He was on vacation. This was announced. I reassure her of his okayness, in fact I had even seen him earlier that day. She thanks me, moves on. Off-putting, due to her not calling him Father at first, but overall not too bad. If only it had remained that way.
Second Encounter: (Fall, 2015) I'm enjoying a nice evening out, at the same local casino. This time I'm in the restroom, fixing my hair, which had gotten messed up a little. I'm not really paying attention to the other women in the restroom (I never really do). Suddenly, I hear the same question again, "You work at St. Anonymous, right?" Well, no, I'm just an altar server... She proceeds to ask my about the "old gentleman in the wheelchair" that attends the Mass I serve. That would be our founding pastor. She insists no, not the "Old Father," the other gentleman in the wheelchair. Spoiler: There is none. The only other regular at that time in a wheelchair is decidedly female, comes with her husband. The woman is insistent, there is another man in a wheelchair, his daughter is the young minister with the long brown hair. I'm just "not recalling, and will know who she's talking about when I see him." Not only is there no other man in a wheelchair, there is no young female minster with long brown hair. Just for giggles, I double-check with our coordinator that following weekend, ask if there's ever been a minister whose father was in a wheelchair. Nope. Never. Overall, this encounter was slightly more annoying, but again, not too bad in the scope of things. If only it had ended here.
Third Encounter: (March, 2016) My mom and I go out for a lovely St. Patrick's Day buffet dinner. On the way home, she suggests stopping off for some grocery shopping. We're strolling through the store, and as we're about to turn onto the next aisle, the same woman from before is coming off that aisle. She instantly recognizes me, and starts gushing. Then, she notices my shirt. It's a skull wearing a green Irish tam, surrounded by snakes in various shades of green. The woman switches from the happy gushing to having a mild meltdown over the shirt. It's "evil", it's "Satan", "snakes & skulls mean the devil". She says I shouldn't wear it. Well, I figure she wouldn't know if I ever intend to wear it again or not, so I try shrugging off her mini-rant, and move on, but she stops me, and continues to insist I shouldn't wear the shirt. "You should take it off!" My brain finally processes that she expects me to take the shirt off, right then & there in the middle of the store, and either finish shopping in my bra, or at the very least make my way to the exit, then drive home in only my bra. I know some women are comfortable doing things like that, but I'm not one of them. My mother tries reassuring the woman, telling her it represents St. Patrick expelling the snakes from Ireland. The woman is not convinced, and it visually disappointed that I will not remove the shirt on the spot. She finally walks away, shaking her head, and continuing to advise me to get rid of the shirt. By this encounter, I'm certainly wishing I lived on a different planet from this woman. Unfortunately, the story does not quite end here.
Fourth Encounter: (Summer, 2022) I'm sitting in the room where we get ready for Mass, talking with one of the ministers. We get there early to set up, and it was still just us at this point. Suddenly, a woman appears in the doorway. Since it's been over 6 years at this point, and the lady had gone gray, I didn't recognize her at first. We ask her if we can help her with anything, and she suddenly walks right in (you're not supposed to do that, there's a very large sign on the door stating AUTHORIZED PERSONNEL ONLY). She stands in front of where we're sitting, and starts telling me I shouldn't wear shorts, because "Father's human." Doesn't specify which priest she's worried about (we have 2 assigned currently), just keeps repeating that I shouldn't be wearing shorts because "Father's human." I try explaining that, being summer, and we live in the desert, I wear shorts because the robes I have to wear are very hot, and if I wear pants, I will get sick from overheating (been there, done that, multiple times, almost passed out during a livestream once). In fact, just 3 weeks prior, I wore pants because the weather was stormy, and I started feeling woozy during Mass. However, before I can get more than 3 words out, the woman just asserts again that I shouldn't wear the shorts. She even starts gesturing to my reflection in the mirror (rather than actually to me), trying to get the minister to see where she's coming from. However, the minister is on my side, and also tries explaining that I'll overheat if I wear pants under the robes, but she also gets cut off with "Yes, but, Father's human." We try pointing out that due to how early I get there, I'm always robed up before the priest even gets there, so he never sees me in the shorts, but she won't hear it. Then, there's the icing on the cake. She says that she'd been meaning to "remind me" of this for several weeks, but kept forgetting, until "Jesus & Mary spoke to her last night, reminding her to remind me." That Father's human. Good to know. I often worry that the priest celebrating Mass is a robot, or an extraterrestrial. Anywho, she goes on like this for a good five minutes, before finally walking out, clearly under the impression that I'm agreeing with her not to wear shorts anymore, even though I've done nothing but reaffirm that as long as the weather is hot, I'll be wearing shorts. When I went out to light the candles, I saw she was sitting in the front row, on the left side. I joked with the minister that when I get up there at the beginning of Mass, I should hike the robe up, and sit with my legs in full view. (I didn't). It wasn't until later that I realized it was the same woman from before, the same temperament, the same demeanor, the same voice quality, etc. It had been long enough I'd almost forgotten her, but this episode brought it all back.
I haven't encountered her again since, but I keep an eye out for her. I'll do my best to avoid her. And continuing wearing shorts in the summer. Oh, and I proudly wear my Irish Skull shirt every St. Patrick's Day.

16-minute read.

pro-West party leader says they met PM Pashinyan and discussed a referendum to solidify Armenia's shift to EU

KHZMALYAN (European Party of Armenia): The referendum is our suggestion and demand. We presented it to Pashinyan and expect a response within a reasonable timeframe. We advised making a public statement soon. A referendum would also make Pashinyan's job easier by allowing the people's will to decide Armenia's direction.
REPORTER: How did Pashinyan respond?
KHZMALYAN: He suggested the meeting be held in a closed format so I can't reveal all details. We hope that our voice, our offer, our demand, was heard. If we do not receive a positive response, we will take measures by employing the same methods currently used by anti-European forces [the ongoing protests led by pro-Russian ex-regime]. We will take to the streets and demand a referendum for Eurointegration if necessary.
REPORTER: How long are you ready to wait before taking action?
KHZMALYAN: A few months. Georgia will hold parliamentary elections in October, and Moldova will hold a similar Eurointegration referendum - also in October. The U.S. will hold presidential elections in November which will be important for Armenia's future. Even if the worst scenario unfolds in all three countries, Armenia must stand firm and not take a step back. Armenia could become the leader in democracy in all of Eastern Europe if you consider the situation in Georgia, Hungary, and Slovakia [pro-Russia populist leader]. Armenia could receive an unprecedented level of assistance from Europe under those circumstances.
REPORTER: Did Pashinyan say he plans to leave CSTO?
KHZMALYAN: We did not demand specific dates but we urged him to complete all these processes this year, preferably by November.
REPORTER: Did Pashinyan agree?
KHZMALYAN: The participants of the meeting are under the impression that we were able to present convincing arguments but time will show what actions he takes. The government functions very poorly but nevertheless, they are doing something, they are taking steps.
REPORTER: On May 9, Bagrat Galstanyan gave Pashinyan 1 hour to resign but it's May 21 and he is still here. Why wasn't the opposition able to remove him?
KHZMALYAN: The 3 former presidents and their surrogate forces, backed by 30 years of power, were unable to bring forward a figurehead, a single ideology, that could win the hearts of the people. They used various political technologies, they switched between black and white robes, and they extended the 1 hour to 7 days, but none of that helped because the Armenian people hate them more than they hate Nikol Pashinyan.
REPORTER: You used to be a lot harsher on Pashinyan but something appears to have changed in your tone after your recent meeting with him. What is the reason?
KHZMALYAN: We were able to present our demands and the timelines to accomplish them. Unlike the archbishop and the former regimes surrounding him, we did not give "one hour" for Pashinyan to accept our demands; we did not make ultimatums. We believe the current government is carrying out and will carry out the will of the people to overcome the status of a Russian colony and join the ranks of free nations. We did and do see steps [taken by the government] towards this; we cannot ignore this. We saw the Strassbourg, but also Moscow. We saw the [April 5 meeting in] Brussels, but also [the recent meeting between FMs in] Almaty. We are told this is an attempt to "balance" and we understand where they are coming from, but our factions speak on behalf of over 60% of Armenians who view Russia's policies as deadly for Armenia. We expect concrete actions and we have formed a platform to continue this work; there will be petitions and other actions from us. We are ready to assist Pashinyan, who may be constrained due to ongoing negotiations, by being the public voice and saying the things he cannot say. We will continue to work, to pressure, to influence, to demand. Our meetings also continue abroad. We will press on until we reach our goal - the Eurointegration of Armenia. //
Several prominent Western-oriented political parties recently formed an alliance to promote Armenia's Eurointegration.
video,

Pashinyan appoints a ruling party member as a deputy head of the newly formed Foreign Intelligence Service - the Armenian "CIA"

After the 2020 war, Pashinyan said Armenia will need a modern intel agency to gather information and analyze foreign threats, while the NSS -- described as historically a "pro-Russian" agency by many -- will focus on internal matters.
source,

Pashinyan met the deputy head of the United States CIA to discuss bilateral, international, and regional issues

A delegation led by David Cohen is in Yerevan. Cohen also met NatSec Armen Grigoryan.
source, source,

Armenia's Investigative Committee chief hosted U.S. Deputy Assistant Secretary in the Bureau of International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs

Qyaramyan and Yoder discussed bilateral cooperation, the recent retraining for Armenian agents and technical assistance, cooperation between law enforcement agencies of Armenia and the United States, anti-narcotrafficking, and the fight against gender-based violence.
Yoder also met Armenia's Interior Minister Ghazaryan to discuss the ongoing police reforms and formation of new divisions, the fight against narco-trafficking, technical assistance for rescuers, and retraining courses. Yoder emphasized effective cooperation, noting that the achievements within the framework of sectorial reforms are exceptional. The US wants to expand the agenda of cooperation.
source, source,

Armenian army officers continue to take part in NATO exercises titled Regex 2024 held in Moldova

GOOGLE TRANSLATE: The exercise is organized with the support of the NATO Joint Forces Command in Naples, Italy, and aims to train the military according to Western standards for planning and conducting exercises, crisis management, strengthening and assessing the level of interoperability of forces in a multinational environment.
We remind you that the exercise "Regex 2024" consists of several workshops during the current year. The first workshop took place between February 16 and March 1, and the second between 22 − April 26, 2024. //
source, source,

NATO and Armenia strengthen cooperation in defense education

Armenia's defense ministry representatives recently visited NATO headquarters to discuss NATO’s Defence Education Enhancement Programme (DEEP) for Armenia.
NATO: The DEEP programme is an excellent tool to support Armenian military education system reforms and strengthen the country’s cooperation with NATO.
ARMENIA: With the support of DEEP experts we implemented major changes in all levels of our educational curriculum at Military Academy, starting from cadets up to the most senior levels. It helped us to establish cooperation with many international partner institutions.
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Armenia is an emerging destination for UK and global investors: Armenia's Ambassador to London Business Matters

👔 Armenia is committed to building a knowledge-based, export-oriented, and inclusive economy.
👔 Armenia is diversifying its growing economy with pioneering sectors, creating ample investment opportunities.
👔 Armenia’s investment legislation grants equal treatment to foreign investors
👔 There are no restrictions on remittances and repatriation of profits, free exchange of foreign currencies and no limitations on staff recruitment
👔 The country’s favorable business climate and ‘open-door’ policy is also reflected in international reputable rankings where Armenia is ranked one of the highest in the region.
👔 Although Armenia has a relatively modest internal market, it offers different models of economic cooperation and serves as a gateway to major world markets
👔 Armenia has maintained a high level of cooperation with the EU through CEPA
👔 Armenia and UK will soon have a CEPA-like agreement
full article, source,

Turkey modernizes an Azerbaijani Su-25ML jet with guided bombs and Teber missiles

It uses KGK laser guidance for missiles and increases the reach to 110 km.
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Pashinyan's Chief of Staff hosted the French Ambassador to discuss defense, economy, infrastructure, and humanitarian topics

... also the upcoming events dedicated to the 100th anniversary of Charles Aznavour.
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Parliament Speakers of Armenia and Ukraine discuss the situation in the South Caucasus and Ukraine

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Q&A with ruling party MP Vahagn Alexanyan about the ongoing protests led by pro-Russian opposition

REPORTER: You continue to criticize the "holy movement"...
ALEXANYAN: The what now?
REPORTER: ... the "holy movement", by calling it a "pagan" movement. What is the ruling party's stance and do you discuss this internally?
ALEXANYAN: Of course we do, although I don't think Kocharyan's decision to name this movement "holy" is helping them. It's comical.
REPORTER: Do you have proof that Bagrat srbazan is [tied with Kocharyan]?
ALEXANYAN: Bagrat Galstanyan is surrounded by the entire political team of Robert Koharyan, he was a member of Kocharyan's 2022 protests and gave similar speeches he gives today, he received a praise from Russian propagandists, and he was named by a Russian propagandist Aram Gabrielyanov as a potential candidate for a new protest movement just a few months prior to these events, so it's beyond reasonable doubt that Bagrat Galstanyan is part of Kocharyan's team.
REPORTER: You were earlier accusing Galstanyan of being a Russian agent, and now Kocharyan's agent?
ALEXANYAN: Same thing.
REPORTER: The opposition gathered many thousands of supporters on May 9. What does the size of the crowd indicate?
ALEXANYAN: It was similar to Kocharyan's final rally before the 2021 elections. And?
REPORTER: The opposition created a video of "Pashinyan's lies" and broken promises. Will you respond?
ALEXANYAN: The clip itself is a lie and manipulation. For example, one of the supposed lies was Pashinyan's promise of an amnesty for overdue fines and penalties. You are a journalist, you tell me, was there an amnesty or not?
REPORTER: Pashinyan had also said that POWs could wait "just a few more months" and that he wouldn't "sacrifice Armenia's sovereignty" in exchange for bringing them back sooner. Why aren't they back?
ALEXANYAN: Dozens of POWs returned home in December, and efforts continue to bring back the rest. Literally 1-2 days before the POWs' return, the opposition claimed that the POWs were "forgotten" by the government. "Ոչ մի բան չեք անում:"
REPORTER: What about the Nagorno-Karabakh leadership?
ALEXANYAN: There are efforts to return them as well.
REPORTER: Why did the police form a wall to block entry to village Kirants [for nonresidents]?
ALEXANYAN: I think the NSS said they had to take action to prevent interference with the border work. From what I can tell, the protest leader himself went there yesterday and returned only 15 minutes later so there wasn't a big desire to stay there apparently.
REPORTER: They plan to hold a big rally on May 26 where they might nominate Bagrat srbazan as the PM's candidate to replace Pashinyan.
ALEXANYAN: Why not go straight for [alleged narco baron] Mihran Poghosyan [who publicly praised the protests]?
REPORTER: There appears to be a consensus around Bagrat srbazan after a meeting between several forces.
ALEXANYAN: Consensus minus one, where "minus one" is the people. Or to be more precise, "minus two", because the Constitution also prohibits Bagrat from serving as a prime minister. Congratulations on an initiative that's dead on arrival. It's absurd. They suggested replacing the Constitution to allow a dual citizen to serve as PM. Okay... To get Canadian citizenship you have to take an oath to serve the best interests of Canada. To allow dual citizens to serve as PM in Armenia we have to accept for the PM to have loyalty towards another state. The alternative is for the candidate [Bagrat] to admit that his word [oath to Canada] wasn't worth a dime. Երևի մատերը խաչ արած ա երդվել։
REPORTER: But don't you think you are manipulating because Galstanyan received Canadian citizenship just to be able to serve in the church in Canada? He didn't go there to live or conduct business.
ALEXANYAN: It doesn't matter why he went to Canada. He is a citizen of Canada and took an oath. Even religious leaders with dual citizenship cannot become prime ministers. I don't have an issue with him being a dual citizen, but it limits his office options. He still hasn't renounced his Canadian citizenship even after all these talks about a possible nomination.
REPORTER: Galstanyan said he is ready to renounce it as soon as there is a need for it.
ALEXANYAN: In other words, he seeks "guarantees" that he will be the candidate in order to renounce it?
full,source, source,

opposition churchman Bagrat Galstanyan demands the Armenian government compensate the damage done to the church during USSR and "return" the properties "legally belonging" to the church

This was said as a response to the critics of the church leadership who accused the church of turning into a political party and suggested taxing the church like a business.
BAGRAT: We have 19th-century churches that were forcefully confiscated and turned into ruins. The properties of the Armenian church must be returned to the church. The area of Moscow Cinema belongs to the church, half of the Katoghike Church was demolished and belongs to the church, and part of the items in Matenadaran were taken away from the church. Instead of threatening us with taxes, they must think about how they plan to return our properties, fully renovated and ready for service.
source,

the church is actually paying taxes but they do have some exemptions

The church paid $1 million in income taxes last year.
There are tax exemptions to import certain goods deemed for charity. They also don't pay property tax, and taxes on income generated from the sales of ceremonial accessories. The latter two are the frequent targets of church critics.
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Armenia's Constitutional Court has a vacant seat. Pro-Russian opposition criticizes Pashinyan's ruling party for favoring a "George Soros-linked" judge who worked for U.S. State Department.

A Serj-era judge is leaving the Constitutional Court after receiving a job offer elsewhere so one seat is vacant. It is the judiciary's turn to nominate a CC judge, so hundreds of judges recently held a meeting and voted for Judge Balayan as their candidate. Balayan's father was a CC judge during Kocharyan's tenure. He was accused in the Wikileaks report of having inappropriate deals with President Kocharyan. Pashinyan's ruling party did not vote to approve Balayan. This led to a second gathering of hundreds of judges where they voted to nominate Judge Khachaturyan as their candidate. The parliament summoned him for Q&A on Tuesday.
SPEAKER: We invite the representative of the judiciary to present their nominee for CC.
JUDICIARY REP: 267 judges voted. Judge Davit Khachaturyan, a member of the Criminal Chamber of the Court of Cassation, won the majority votes.
2000-2005: [blah blah blah]
2003-2006: Legislative Assistance Project Manager at Southern Caucasus Anti-Drug (SCAD) Program, sponsored by European Union and implemented by United Nations Development Program
2006: Program Assistant at U.S. Embassy in Armenia, Bureau for International Narcotics and Law Enforcement Affairs (INL)
2007-2013: U.S. Embassy in Armenia, U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ), Legal Specialist
2014: Academy of Justice of the Republic of Armenian-Russian, Vice-Rector and Lecturer
2015-2016: Council of Europe Office in Yerevan, Program “Strengthening Health Care and Human Rights Protection in Prisons in Armenia”, Legal Expert
2016: EU project “Development and Strategic Studies”, Expert on Judiciary and Human Rights field reforms
2015-2017: EU project “ENP Progress Reports and Assessment Reports on Armenia´s Compliance with GSP+ obligations”. Expert on Rule of Law/Justice.
2013–2020: Law Faculty of Yerevan State University. Lecturer. Development and teaching of courses for the Master Program: “European Standards for the human rights protection in criminal proceedings”, and “Professional Skills of a Lawyer”
etc.
OPPOSITION MP: The ruling faction earlier chose not to confirm the appointment of Judge Davit Balayan; they obviously prefer Davit Khachaturyan. Can you explain why you didn't mention that Khachaturyan served on the board of directors and later as the president of the board at George Soros's Armenia-based Open Society Foundations? How will this record impact his work at CC?
JUDICIARY REP: I presented parts of his professional activities available on the court's public platforms. You can ask the candidate directly.
OPPOSITION MP: The Soros Foundation publicly listed him as a member so I don't understand why it's being hidden now. In your opinion, how will his work at the Soros Foundation affect his impartiality?
JUDICIARY REP: The majority of judges chose him and it's up to Parliament whether to confirm or reject.
RULING MP: Was the voting held in a closed session or can you see how each judge voted?
JUDICIARY REP: It's a closed format. My duty here is to present the candidate. [basically, leave me alone I'm just doing my job]
RULING MP: Why not make the court voting and internal discussions more transparent for the public to see so we will have fewer conspiracy theories on why one judge was preferred over the other?
JUDICIARY REP: I share the view that it needs to be as public as possible but the majority of judges voted to keep the session closed to the press.
RULING MP: Just because the discussions and the vote were behind closed doors that doesn't mean it was anti-democratic, but still, it's better to publicize the process. We hope to see a change in this approach.
JUDICIARY REP: The ballot casting will always be secret and I think that's the right approach in order to allow judges to express themselves without constraints, but I agree that the discussions and speeches should be public. Either way whatever we discuss behind closed doors always reaches the press so in practice there isn't really a major transparency issue there.
CANDIDATE KHACHATURYAN: First, every part of my biography has always been public and part of public discussions. Second, I have always voted in favor of making internal discussions open to the press; it's the best way to avoid incorrect assumptions. Full speech here.
OPPOSITION MP: Congratulations. The ruling party intends to approve your candidacy just as they voted for you in the past for other positions. In all of those instances, you didn't mention your work at the Сорос Foundation. Now, a very interesting coincidence [drumroll... are you guys ready for this bombshell?], during the same time while you worked at Сорос foundation, in 2006-2013, you were also a U.S. Embassy employee [got 'em]. //
Nikol Pashinyan has resigned.
Tavush stretches all the way to Russia.
Bagrat srbazan becomes the Supreme Leader of Historical Soil & Water and the Generalissimos of Slow-Melting Candles... and of course removes the speed cameras from highways.
OPPOSITION MP (continues): With this biography, how do we know you are not an agent of foreign influence?
CANDIDATE KHACHATURYAN: I was not an "employee" at the Soros Foundations. Other famous figures have served on the Board [mentions a famous doctor]. Everyone who was part of the Board had duties but it was not really an "employment". As for my simultaneous work with the U.S. Justice Department, there was no conflict with my membership or presidency at the Board because the latter was fully a public activity and we were only given a symbolic sum to compensate for our expenses; we are talking about less than $100/mo. I will let you be the judge regarding an agent of influence. There is a lot that's missing from my biography that read here [lists some boring constitutional research work, etc.].
OPPOSITION MP: You keep being "promoted" by the ruling party without having the chance to finish your terms. The longest job you've ever held was at the Сорос Foundation - 8 years. The brother of the head of the Anti-Corruption Committee, who is about to join the CC, cannot be impartial. Again, what guarantees can you present that you are not a [Western] agent?
CANDIDATE KHACHATURYAN: Your expectation for guarantees stems from the assumption that the [Open Society Foundations] were engaged in activities other than the ones they were actually engaged in. I won't present any "guarantees" because there is no "threat" to begin with. As I've said, that part of my biography has always been discussed publicly and the activities were public and covered by the press.
RULING MP: In your speech you spoke about the judiciary in the U.S. and brought examples. The U.S. doesn't have a Constitutional Court. Don't you think we should also merge the Constitutional and [Cassations Court] with the upcoming referendum to have one Supreme Court with corresponding chambers?
CANDIDATE KHACHATURYAN: I support having one unified body like in the U.S., or clarifying the duties to prevent each body from interfering with the other. Lengthy answer.
OPPOSITION MP: A person [in Kirants] received permission [from USSR] to build a house and live in it. Then the [Armenian] government told him there was a mistake [after the clarification of borders]. Some 50 years after this incident, what would your verdict be in this case?
CANDIDATE KHACHATURYAN: I understand the context. This issue is the task of the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister and we cannot interfere in each other's institutions. I assume there will be a peace agreement eventually that will be sent to the Constitutional Court for examination, therefore I will refrain from making prejudgments now in order to be allowed to take part in future processes.
full video, source, source,

anti-corruption: Armenian authorities conclude that luxury Dubai property belonging to former regime MP's relative was not obtained illegally by him therefore will not be sized as part of an asset forfeiture case

Mher Sedrakyan (Tokhmakhi Mher) is a Serj-era MP whose family is going through an asset forfeiture case worth ֏7.5 billion ($19.3 million) that includes 22 real estate properties, cars, and company shares registered under his name and the names of immediate family members.
Additionally, investigative journalists recently found a luxury property in Dubai registered under the ex-MP's relative. Authorities have concluded that he is not the true ownebeneficiary of this Dubai apartment, therefore it won't be seized.
source,

the army concludes exercises for commanders

Context in May 14 news digest. The defense ministry says they have noted improvements and deficiencies and will take steps to correct them.
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Defense Minister Papikyan visited the frontlines and the newly built fortifications: PHOTO

The army continues to dig, asphalt, and build.
source,

Armenia's Foreign Minister met the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency during an international forum

ROSSI: Effective cooperation has been established between Armenia and the IAEA. We discussed several issues on the bilateral agenda, oncology and radiation medicine, safety, and reliable operation of the Armenian NPP.
MIRZOYAN: We plan to extend the lifespan of Metsamor NPP until 2036 while exploring new opportunities.
source,

Armenian lawyers went a strike on Tuesday to protest a bill that would move them from a turnover tax-based system to a VAT-based taxation

Context on the gray economy and why the government wants to gradually abolish the turnover tax system in May 2 news digest.
A group of lawyers said on Tuesday that their 5% turnover tax [for annual turnover under ֏119M] will become 10% this year, and in 2025 they will be required to switch to a 20% VAT/18% profit tax. The cost of legal services for many clients could increase by over 38%, they warned.
The Ombudsman and the Justice Ministry reportedly oppose this bill by the Finance Ministry.
source, source, source, source,

video shows the new payment terminals in Yerevan subway station

They plan to replace all gates next month. The Soviet-era tokens (zheton) are being replaced with QR codes, an app, and later - bank cards.
All stations will have payment terminals to purchase QR tickets. It prints out a paper with QR. Telcell's app lets you buy a ticket and instantly get a QR on the phone's screen.
Seniors who can't use "high-tech" can approach the token sellers and get a QR paper instead of a token.
video,

Yerevan will host an exhibition on Charles Aznavour’s 100th anniversary

Hundreds of rare artifacts will present the life and legacy of the legendary artist.
Location: National Museum-Institute of Architecture
Date: May 22-July 22
source,

Germany wants to purchase an Armenian man

Dortmund Borussia is interested in the services of Armenian national Edward Spertsyan as a replacement for departing Marco Reus.
During this season, midfielder Spertsyan has played 32 matches, scored 11 goals, and made 7 assists. His ass is worth €18 million.
source,

feels like It doesn’t matter what I say here. Nothing will change, nothing is important.
feel desperate to care or hurt every day im sad & unloved. wish i could just disappear and die... no one i know really cares.
i’ve thought about hurting or leaving & faking changing my old life, but the amount of effort it would take, & the safety or issues with secure documents or faking or changing one's id would or seems like a hassle if it was done. ;/ let alone the sheer effort of money income or pain with family.
some days i cry with watery eyes empty pain. if only i had Alcohol and get drunk to suffocate my pain or loneliness. being a human is & will always be horrible. we cry we emote we try bur
Cant even grasp these concepts or decisions aren’t what i expect or looking for as a human.... no magic life, or ideal suite home no balance or care.
why do we thrive, or try things day in and day out, into every new year or each month, when history repeats itself hoping life will change.....? it all sucks. nothing matters.
The earth gets colder & hotter, temperature and climate drops. so much cruelty suicide and homelessness is still a thing. but...yet i’m here i guess.. idk ...tbh.
Age is just pain and scars killing us every day. ;/
maybe i’ll not be loved or cared for. thats my curse.
Loneliness is deadlier then car accidents for some, & deadlier then suffering or suicide or overdose.
One who doesn’t receive love has the inability to make meaningful connections with family, friends guilt & pain, & its failure to be a good human, loneliness, and a huge dose of self suffering.
No one tells you loneliness is a killer........ No one brings you on this path to be alone, we all are alone from birth to adulthood for some of us.
People who experienced social isolation had a 32% higher risk of dying early from any cause compared with those who weren't socially isolated. Participants who reported feeling lonely were 14% more likely to die early than those who did not.
Also being overwhelmed by the futility of life and exists in a world where everyone is as sane to everyone, as people who are short to life. There isn't a place anywhere we can be at rest and we have no vivid connections or life forms to discuss it with, and if we did, why would we? I mean, what would it accomplish? It couldn't change the reality for us that there's no god, no purpose for being, and everything is an exercise in futility. It’s a slippery slope, midlife crisis gone haywire.
There is no fixing it unless you can stop the truth from being the truth.
Maybe being alone is our curse to be stuck with no love or no passion. Loneliness is like a drug it can kill you if you use too much of it. it’s like a drug, since it grows through the veins, through nerves and muscles, it assumes some right of possession over your body.
then again ;-; The universe is just a machine. It, as one says, feeds on the mediocre- the average. It creates them solely for the purpose of consuming them (literally or metaphorically) to continue on living, much like the god or gods of many religions have theoretically done with humans and their praise. However, we are simply one of those products- a happenstance creation of the broader universe, a speck of dust in the greater cosmos. And in this way, nothing we do, and nothing we experience, really 'matters' in the grand scheme of things so don’t care or do anything… so just live or don't...
idk what to do i've tried just crying.. tried meds, nothing really maters for me. i'm just a husk of a human, barely hanging on. ;=; if only i could die with my own kill switch.. l;
Human life and society sucks….
Being human sucks. We give ourself the title of human because we as humans are flawed. Its created to be flawed. By definition human life is about living, growing up when I was younger. I assumed everyone else had it figured out and I was the only one who was unhappy. I wasn’t always unhappy but I certainly wasn’t one of those people that was always happy… Now I realize, being human does suck (often but not always), but that’s the purpose of being here, to experience it all. We are going to stub our toe, get stung, have the flu, lose our favorite toy, grab expired ice cream from the freezer… This is what separates us from the other life on this planet. We have the gift of emotion, a deep and vast kaleidoscope of feelings to experience, including the bad ones. A deer doesn’t get lost in envy nor does a bird dwell in grief (at least that we can see). Life isn’t meant to be perfect or Utopian ALL THE TIME, that happens next. Yet we spend so much of our lives resisting, resenting, trying to control, deny, avoid, numb, or suppress anything “bad”. We want a perfect night sleep every night. It’s never going to happen, no matter what mattress you have. The only way you can appreciate the great night sleep is the perspective you gain from the bad one.That’s the point. Life is polarity. The key to mastering happiness is accepting pain as a part of life, being able to experience it then let it go. It will pass, it always does. But mankind sucks… we have wars we are stubborn we argue we hate, we love. We get angry…. We do therapy but nothing helps we are itself a mess.. society is so stubborn. We never care, or fix ourself. we cant create magic we rarely even acknowledge things, but why DOES IT SUCK!!? We seek answers but no answers are given. Is there a end to this madness?

Hey everyone. I’m doing a sound system and was looking for recommendations on what the best way to route the new speaker wires is for the front doors (I imagine that the rears are more straight forward and I’m gonna follow the factory wiring once I get to the RH door trim)
I know I shouldn’t run it with the power wire and I also read that you should keep them away from the RCA’s too. I’ll figure out where to run the two sets of RCA’s unless someone has a suggestion.
I’d love for it to all be hidden but that seems to be hard to do while both avoiding the RCA’s and not exposing any wires to open view. I’ve considered running under the LH side of the center console, against the firewall, securing the wires away from the power wire, then out the grommet. Maybe l’ll do the same but reversed for the passenger side (I’ve already cut the wire for that side but it would make it shorter so it’s okay). FWIW distance isn’t a problem for me, I have 100ft.
There’s not a whole lot of info about this on the internet but I still wanted to run new wires, especially as how my speakers recommend at least 16 gauge and IIRC the factory is 18.

Here’s a story about a crazy incident that took place years ago that I decided to write out in a sort-of poem/rap.
Cruisin' home from up north with a couple of kids One's name was Nick, we had stayed at his crib He cracked open a water, had a couple of sips Said "I'm over it" and tossed it out of the whip What he nearly hit was a biker at our six Now the biker's pissed..big guy..probably 6 foot 6, and thick Has a spiked metal helmet, wants to rip off our dicks Maybe beat us with sticks Maybe cut us to bits Then go home and get blitzed Not a care that we're kids
Got in the lane next to us and started to scream Had a girl on his bike to add to his team After yelling obscene things, they started to leave We began to think we would get away clean
The biker turned right, good luck like the clover Until Nick screamed some shit and it started back over
The guy turned around, on the hunt like a hound By now, he was ready to smash Nicks face to the ground I pulled into a place, but there was no one around Another problem...there was no way out
See, the only way out was the way I came in And by the way we were parked, it wasn't an option He got off his bike and started walkin' Angry as hell, if with gun he'd be cockin' Ready to bust caps in each one of our noggins Locked all the doors, adrenaline rushin' Right up to my door is where he was flockin'
To our left was a field, looked flat from a distance Had to make a decision, and it had to be instant
Didn't want to die, so I threw it in drive Wasn't high, just a guy tryna survive
In the middle of the field was a bit of a ditch Came up so fast, I couldn't see it The front of my car took a nice little hit We were thrown all around, it was scary as shit But not even a scratch, no first aid kit
We had to keep going, no time for me slowing Drifted into the road, and with traffic we're flowing Left in the dust, this biker I was showing Should've left us alone, we really had to be going.

So I've had some issues for a time being with my parents. It all really started cause I didn't really want to come out of my room, and I told them I didn't want to go to college. I really thought they would lay off my back, but then it got bad really quick. I had gotten into an argument with my mom in the morning, and I told her that she sucked at parenting. I even listed why, and that's because she had diametric favoritism to my younger brother whom is autistic, and she's made him dependent on them, and telling me I had to be his role model and go to college according to the psychiatrist I've been seeing(It gets worse trust me). Mind you, this kid just plays video games all day, and they find him the "Perfect child." They don't even care if he does anything with his life or not. When it comes to me, they're all up in my business telling me do this do that. So anyways, my dad printed off a 4-5 page contract, and basically these rules were literally crazy(Ill attach all the images of all the contracts I have received from each of them) I had a mental breakdown, cause well yea what else am I supposed to do when I'm told sign away your life on this piece of paper which isolates me from everyone, and says if you don't do this, we wont sign your early grad approval form. I went through a really bad breakdown too, my face is still quite scarred from scratching myself, and since I have a history of sh in stressful situations, I basically relapsed because of it, and was thinking of dying cause of the amount of stress brought onto me. So I got mad, went home, and burned it. He printed off another page, and right after my AP exams he hands it to me . Tells me to read it. I say, I don't want to read it right now. He's like well you better. I still denied. He didn't like that, and we got into an argument where I told him I don't claim him as my father if he's going to be like this. He told me I was a "Gaslighting Manipulator," he then proceeded to hit me against the dash(3rd time, first with my mom), and told me to "Get the fuck out and walk home", so I didn't know if I was kicked out or not cause like. Was it just the car? Or just gone forever. I walked literally all the way to the highway by my house, and called my gf on the way who sent her mom to pick me up. I was shaking and crying so badly, and didn't know what to do. So I stayed at her place for about 5 hours ish, and when my mom threatened to call the police I finally came home. She even said "I looked for you," but idk how accurate that is. The next day, they had cut off my cell service, and I couldn't text anyone or call anyone, and they realized that. I needed to talk to my therapist, but I couldn't. I needed to tell them everything that has been going on, but I couldn't. The next day, my friends read the contract cause I came in crying. I talked the guidance counselor for like 3 hours. They told me they couldn't do anything like call cps because of no present physical abuse. I talked to a crisis worker, they told me I couldn't really do anything cause of the same thing too. Then things got wayyyy worse. It was around 4, on Friday, May 10th. My mom had came in. I told her I didn't want to see my psychiatrist cause we weren't clicking. She's homeopathic so it's not a good fit. She asked for other alternatives, I didn't know any at the time so I just said idk. My mom apparently called Martha, and Martha said that it might be best to get me committed. It's now 4:30, both my mom and dad walk in after I make myself food and think that oh I'll still be forced to go on call again so I might as well have some food before hand. I got my food, and I went down to the corner of the hallway. My dad, standing right by my brother's room. My mom standing right near the kitchen and front door. They told me get your shoes on we're going, I told them I didn't need it I just didn't click with her. They didn't believe me and I ran to my room. I was followed, I told him no. I don't want to be touched, and when I began to eat my food he basically grabbed me. I tried my best to escape him, but he had a firm grip around my arms and chest. I tried to find anything to latch onto while I was being dragged and shit was being thrown amongst the floor. I couldn't do anything I was helpless I just kept telling them to let me go this was abuse TwT. My mom didn't help either. I was dropped at the shoe rack to get my shoes on. I refused...my mom was then screaming at me "SHUT THE HELL UP YOU'RE GOING" I refused again, she said "ALRIGHT IM CALLING THE COPS." My dad told her to back off basically that she was not helping. But I was picked up again, and held onto the doorframe for as long as I could yelling "IM NOT GOING I DONT WANT TO", she basically just yelled at me,"YOU'RE GOING TO GET THE HELP YOU NEED..." Then she slammed the front door in my face I tried to grab onto whatever I could..but my dad switched his grip on how he was holding me I bit him in the arm and he pinned me down on the sidewalk holding my throat for a bit. I felt like I was going to die. I still kicked and flailed my arms and legs. My mom was there, and she tried to help, but as soon as she tried anything I smacked her in the face. I was thrown in the car right behind the driver's seat. I began to punch at the window, my mom said,"if you break that window I'm having your ass." I stopped, My mom said "good luck." As soon as my dad hopped in, I took advantage and said "I'm not going!," kicked the door open, and ran. I didn't know where to,but I had an idea. I had to avoid the roads as I knew my dad wouldn't come on foot. Hed come in his truck. I ran down the hill in my socks going through bushes just to get down it. I was on the left side of highway 14. Running, I saw my dad's truck and dipped behind a tree. He parked it along the side of the road so I just waited it out. I thought he'd get out, and chase me,but it didn't seem like he saw me. When he turned the truck around, I knew I had time to get away. I didn't know where to go, my first instinct was gf's house,but I knew he might come back that way. So I ran to a neighbor down the hill's house. I rung the doorbell basically crying on their porch, and said "I need help..." The man who answered the door was a retired physician. He asked me what happened I told him my dad basically was physically abusing me, and I didn't know where else to go. So I ran. He let me inside. Where he gave me a glass of water, orange juice, and lemon balm cake. Told me I need to eat more cause I'm a young person to grow. He seemed like a nice guy, he had friends he was going out with, and I felt bad I disturbed his time. He asked me all sorts of questions about me, and I answered truthfully and kindly. The first thing he did was talk to his neighbor Lois who recommended calling the sheriff. He did that, and basically it was just a waiting game. I shook and cried a bit, cause I was so scared. I talked to his daughter who was a child psychologist who told me I'd have to talk to my parents eventually. I didn't want to. The sheriff arrived maybe an hour later. He talked to me, I told him the situation he basically said I couldn't be running away,but he'd call crisis to get this checked out. I remember riding in the squad car back, and crying. I just didn't wanna go back. I waited outside the squad car while he talked to my parents. When he came back over he said that my dad was the only one who would be open to getting me a new psychiatrist. He called crisis, he told me I didn't meet the criteria. I mean I'm pretty mentally stable as far as I want to get clean. Uhm, so I talked to my dad a bit. I then went inside as the officer asked. My mom and brother packed their shit, and left. My father talked to the cop for a good hour, and when I looked out the window it's like he was being checked. I didn't know what to do, so I just did the few chores that I knew wouldn't get done cause my brother was gone. Took a shower, and made sure to turn off the rgb to my pc. My gf had a feeling, and I didn't want to tempt it. Then I fell asleep. Plus I'm supposed to get a sim card aswell that I pay for, but the package disappeared, and my gf feels really bad about it. So that solves one problem of not being able to contact people, but now my mom is literally on my ass. She gave me a contract too, I told her I don't want anymore contracts. We got into an argument, and she called me a "narcissist" I said I am? So are you. Starting to look like your grandma there(my great great grandma was a narc and she was raised by her) I was angry, still am. Like now, my family wont talk to me, or even look at me, and worst of all? My mom basically is trying to make me fail cause I have a tendency to oversleep, and she wont even come wake me up, and take me to school so shes basically trying to make me fail, even though I know if she does that her ass is grass.I don't wanna sign these bogus contracts, I don't even want them to be my family anymore tbh, but idk if they're narcs, or im just the narc here. Cause idk...its a really messy situation. sooooo Help? Suggestions? Is this normal???

Getting my 2.5 year old to sleep is recently a nightmare and I feel exhausted . Always had him on a bedtime routine but now it doesn’t even matter . Hs always exhausted . Won’t go to sleep at 7 sometimes waits up for me to get home from work at 9pm . I got into the habit of laying in the bed with him but I don’t want to do that anymore it’s not helpful. Just looking for suggestions . I won’t do cry it out . He sleeps in a bed and he can open the door to his room . I feel weird about door knob covers but would that be helpful? Sometimes I pull the door closed so he can’t just run out but then I feel awful . It just takes hours for him to sleep sometimes and it’s ridiculous I’m miserable during bedtime . He wakes up super early 5:30-6:30 occasionally naps sometimes not at all sometimes a huge 3 hour stretch . Today he did woke up at 6 did a 40 min car nap and I put for bedtime 7:30 (we got home a little late from his activities ) I thought he might sleep in the car but no and now he’s still up can’t sleep . I’ve decided I’m going to try to have him out himself to sleep more but what’s a good method - I also just feel awful sometimes . I work a lot and he goes to his dad sometimes and I know he genuinely misses me and wants to cuddle but I feel like I’m doing him a disservice with the lack of sleep . I want him to build the skills to put himself to sleep

I starting showing OCD symptoms at age 10. It started with booby trapping the doors in my bedroom because I was scared my stuffed animals would open the closet door and kill me. I grew out of that but it turned into lock checking. Then it grew into stove dials and outlets. Then I ended up with a bunch of security cameras in my house.
Most of my issues are regarding physical safety and security. I obsess about house fires and burglary mostly. When I started seriously dating (about 10 years ago), I realized I would eventually get into this mindset (around the year and a half mark) of trying to prove my partner doesn't love me or has reservations about me. They don't do anything wrong, but I can't get it out of my head. I ask for reassurances when something causes me to feel that way but it it's hard for me to believe them and it doesn't actually stop the awful feelings I'm having.
Right now I'm in a relationship with my best friend. We were best friends before I confessed to having feelings for him and he quickly reciprocated. We've been together for two years now and honestly, I don't think either of us could imagine not being together.
He's done absolutely nothing wrong in this relationship. He cooks dinner every night and he gives me all the quality time/physical touch/acts of service in the world.
The issue lately has been me. I had in my head that we'd already be engaged at this point. I am appreciative that we haven't rushed into that because I know it's good for us and I want us to go into a very stable healthy marriage, but it's starting to give me intrusive thoughts that he has reservations about me. I'm constantly noticing things that hurt my feelings or make me doubt his integrity then forcing us to have these deep conversations. We've had a few fights just in the last 30 days because I can't let things go without trying to do 20 questions to establish if he has reservations about me. I'm just constantly thinking to myself, "Am I too crazy? Am I not attractive enough? Do you not love me as much as you loved your ex?" It doesn't even matter what he says, my OCD is just wanting me to dig deeper because I think he's hiding something. Mind you, this man is literally within arms reach pretty much 24/7 and treats me great. I don't want to push him away but I feel stuck in this cycle of being insecure and needing reassurance over and over again. Especially while my insecurities are trying to pick apart his integrity. He's mentioned once that my mental illness was a little bit of a reservation but then he has also admitted he was very close to proposing while we were in a vacation once.
Prior to the past few months, my OCD was the best that it's ever been. I feel like living in an apartment, working from home and having him beside me 24/7 has made my OCD feel completely managed (aside from an extra check with the front door whenever we leave the house). I'm obviously needing to get back on meds but I'm shocked that I'm only now realizing that these relationship insecurities I've had in multiple relationships is just a form of my OCD. I told my boyfriend about this and he said "well obviously it's your OCD". I'm glad he recognized it but I don't want to keep giving into it and causing us issues.
I mostly just wanted to post to see if anyone relates or if most people here mostly question their own feelings.

https://preview.redd.it/e3xd5d2tgv1d1.png?width=512&format=png&auto=webp&s=28032cd89ef4e62b7098a2dd7fe1dee0d714eecf
International car shipping can be a complex process, but it is definitely possible. With careful planning and preparation, you can ensure that your car arrives at its destination safely and on time.
Things to Consider
There are a few things to consider when planning your international car shipping. These include:

• The type of car you are shipping: Some cars are easier to ship than others. For example, cars with low ground clearance may require special shipping containers.
• The destination country: Different countries have different regulations for importing cars. Be sure to research the regulations for the country you are shipping to.
• The shipping company: There are many different shipping companies that offer international car shipping services. It is important to compare rates and services before choosing a company.

Process
The process of international car shipping typically involves the following steps:

1. Get a quote: Once you have decided on a shipping company, you can get a quote for your car shipping. The quote will typically include the cost of shipping, insurance, and any other fees.
2. Prepare your car: You will need to prepare your car for shipping by cleaning it, removing all personal belongings, and disabling the alarm system.
3. Schedule your shipment: Once you have accepted the quote, you can schedule your shipment. The shipping company will provide you with instructions on how to prepare your car for pickup.
4. Pickup and delivery: The shipping company will pick up your car from your home or another location and transport it to the port. Once the car arrives at the port, it will be loaded onto a ship and transported to the destination country.
5. Customs clearance: When the car arrives in the destination country, it will need to clear customs. The shipping company will help you with this process.
6. Pickup: Once the car has cleared customs, you can pick it up from the port or another location.

Tips
Here are a few tips for international car shipping:

• Start planning early: The sooner you start planning your international car shipping, the better. This will give you time to research shipping companies, get quotes, and prepare your car.
• Get insurance: It is important to get insurance for your car when you are shipping it internationally. This will help to protect you from financial loss in the event that your car is damaged or lost during shipping.
• Do your research: Be sure to research the regulations for the country you are shipping to. This will help you to avoid any problems when your car arrives at the destination country.
• Choose a reputable shipping company: It is important to choose a reputable shipping company that has experience shipping cars internationally.

Conclusion
International car shipping can be a complex process, but it is definitely possible. By following these tips, you can ensure that your car arrives at its destination safely and on time.
Additional tips
Here are a few additional tips for international car shipping:

• Keep a copy of all of your paperwork: This includes your car title, registration, bill of lading, and insurance policy.
• Take pictures of your car before shipping it: This will help you to document any damage that may occur during transport.
• Be prepared to pay customs duties and taxes: You may be required to pay customs duties and taxes on your car when it arrives in the destination country.

I hope this article has been helpful. If you have any questions, please feel free to leave a comment below.

Why are you enlisting in the army?
Because my parents (Mother, Gen X) are not allowing a "20 year old Male that has been out of high school for "2" years & That is only working a part time job at Publix and is or not in any type of full time job (which i was but decided to quit *A connection job my parents put me on to by a friend *The Boss* which i immediately & automatically got but i burned the bridge by NCNS and ruined a reptation.) or in college (went twice, commuted Aug 2022, Stayed on campus Aug 2023) to live in there household as in "Adult". "The only people that can live for free and worry free are children" "We have NO more "Children". I have 2 older brothers (Oldest in his 30"s Married, 2 Children) , Middle (Late 20's pushing 30) No Kids, Living life & then there's me the Youngest (20 Years old, No type of motivation or idea of what i want in life sincerely, Hate how this is "Life" & how you really gotta feen for yourself as a person. I don't talk to my brothers fr we all got our own lives going on to the point its hard to have a update & that's just how its always been. Growing up they weren't around & i was the youngest so it was just me, they were already passed this stage of life when i was just coming up in my middle school - high school era. Today my parents found out that i no longer worked for the job (Warehouse $19 hour pay Full time) that they put me on too & that was definitely the dealbreaker. I was told as im typing this sentence at 5:32 PM "Tomorrow morning (May 22,2024) "We are going to the military requiting place and signing you up and that's your only option" or you have to go.. I was basically told that I can longer stay at my Parents home anymore & that now I have to depend on myself.
Why did you quit the FT $19 a HOUR warehouse Job?
Off rip on Day 1 i hated it, I knew i wasn't gon last long. Common sense would think $19 hourly pay as in MONEY (GOOD PAY) would be motivation to keep the job or to just deal with it but for me it was more then just money. Thats why from my perspective its different cuz i didn't care about the pay, I worked my 2 weeks and quit before i even saw how my pay check looked. it was just the job i did not like or feel a good fit for me itself. At 20 years old i was the youngest person in there. Everyone else were in there Late 30s , 40s & even 60s stating they have been there 27 years and more. That also was motivation for me because i was looking at it as like "I'm just trying to make money & build myself up, pay my bills, get me a new car, stack bread etc" but for everybody else yall got to "Pay bills, take care of yall family's, take care of yall kids & all these extra necessity that i don't have", so im looking at differently.
But as days went on and time started to progress i slowly felt irk. I slowly hated this lifestyle. The having to get up in morning at 5:20am Mon-Fri, Being in a loud hot ass warehouse all day, barley having breaks & just the environment in general. i just couldn't see myself doing that particular warehouse job for the rest of my life. (my first warehouse job).
During my 2nd week (last) Prolly Monday 5/13/24 The Connection "Friend" which was my boss that my parents put me on to said that one of the workers who was training me said i wasn't getting the job down pack correctly & my boss proceeded to tell me i have until Friday to get it down or they will have to let me go. i felt sum type of way cause i was seriously doing the job to the best of my capability and in the process i was still fairly new & learning. He also proceed behind closed doors to call my mother after our conversation we had and told her what was said as well.. I Only knew this because right after maybe 8 minutes after are convo i decided to take my 10 minute break & i get a message from my mom asking "Hey how's work going?" then i call her and she tells me...That he called. So in my head im frustrated because what does my Work business have to do with Personal life/ My mother being involve?? & Im not in middle school or high school, so why are we calling parents? Like Am im not a Young "Adult" in the "Real World" workforce?? I felt like that was weird to me off rip specially when i was told that "Work business is Work business.
I felt very Unentitled. Every time i would get off work i wouldn't know what to do after which I also always felt drained and foggy like i didn't have a life outside of going to work. I hated the way i felt.
Those were brief reasons on why i Ultimately made the decision to call it quits but in reality my reasons dont really matter its just the fact that i quit the job.
But now im back to square one figuring out what my next step is.. My plan
Either the service or being kicked out the choice is mine. I never was interested in any type of military role, it was never something i saw nor wanted to do. Since i was told that would be were i could be headed i did decided to do sum research on the process of how enlisting works and etc.. I didn't plan on taking that route personally. I know atp in my life the decision is indeed mine and i have to do whats right for and i think the military route is also not a fit for me. So now i have my 2nd option, Leave home.. Leave living with my parents just like college. Not having to worry about anything but myself, Having the independence lifestyle. It all sounds good but i know thats a huge step into the "Adult' life and just my life in general.
Im a 20 year old male, with no car, a part time job at publix, just got kicked out my parents house, & need guidance on what should i do?
open to all feedback please

Why are you enlisting in the army?
Because my parents (Mother, Gen X) are not allowing a "20 year old Male that has been out of high school for "2" years & That is only working a part time job at Publix and is or not in any type of full time job (which i was but decided to quit *A connection job my parents put me on to by a friend *The Boss* which i immediately & automatically got but i burned the bridge by NCNS and ruined a reptation.) or in college (went twice, commuted Aug 2022, Stayed on campus Aug 2023) to live in there household as in "Adult". "The only people that can live for free and worry free are children" "We have NO more "Children". I have 2 older brothers (Oldest in his 30"s Married, 2 Children) , Middle (Late 20's pushing 30) No Kids, Living life & then there's me the Youngest (20 Years old, No type of motivation or idea of what i want in life sincerely, Hate how this is "Life" & how you really gotta feen for yourself as a person. I don't talk to my brothers fr we all got our own lives going on to the point its hard to have a update & that's just how its always been. Growing up they weren't around & i was the youngest so it was just me, they were already passed this stage of life when i was just coming up in my middle school - high school era. Today my parents found out that i no longer worked for the job (Warehouse $19 hour pay Full time) that they put me on too & that was definitely the dealbreaker. I was told as im typing this sentence at 5:32 PM "Tomorrow morning (May 22,2024) "We are going to the military requiting place and signing you up and that's your only option" or you have to go.. I was basically told that I can longer stay at my Parents home anymore & that now I have to depend on myself.
Why did you quit the FT $19 a HOUR warehouse Job?
Off rip on Day 1 i hated it, I knew i wasn't gon last long. Common sense would think $19 hourly pay as in MONEY (GOOD PAY) would be motivation to keep the job or to just deal with it but for me it was more then just money. Thats why from my perspective its different cuz i didn't care about the pay, I worked my 2 weeks and quit before i even saw how my pay check looked. it was just the job i did not like or feel a good fit for me itself. At 20 years old i was the youngest person in there. Everyone else were in there Late 30s , 40s & even 60s stating they have been there 27 years and more. That also was motivation for me because i was looking at it as like "I'm just trying to make money & build myself up, pay my bills, get me a new car, stack bread etc" but for everybody else yall got to "Pay bills, take care of yall family's, take care of yall kids & all these extra necessity that i don't have", so im looking at differently.
But as days went on and time started to progress i slowly felt irk. I slowly hated this lifestyle. The having to get up in morning at 5:20am Mon-Fri, Being in a loud hot ass warehouse all day, barley having breaks & just the environment in general. i just couldn't see myself doing that particular warehouse job for the rest of my life. (my first warehouse job).
During my 2nd week (last) Prolly Monday 5/13/24 The Connection "Friend" which was my boss that my parents put me on to said that one of the workers who was training me said i wasn't getting the job down pack correctly & my boss proceeded to tell me i have until Friday to get it down or they will have to let me go. i felt sum type of way cause i was seriously doing the job to the best of my capability and in the process i was still fairly new & learning. He also proceed behind closed doors to call my mother after our conversation we had and told her what was said as well.. I Only knew this because right after maybe 8 minutes after are convo i decided to take my 10 minute break & i get a message from my mom asking "Hey how's work going?" then i call her and she tells me...That he called. So in my head im frustrated because what does my Work business have to do with Personal life/ My mother being involve?? & Im not in middle school or high school, so why are we calling parents? Like Am im not a Young "Adult" in the "Real World" workforce?? I felt like that was weird to me off rip specially when i was told that "Work business is Work business.
I felt very Unentitled. Every time i would get off work i wouldn't know what to do after which I also always felt drained and foggy like i didn't have a life outside of going to work. I hated the way i felt.
Those were brief reasons on why i Ultimately made the decision to call it quits but in reality my reasons dont really matter its just the fact that i quit the job.
But now im back to square one figuring out what my next step is.. My plan
Either the service or being kicked out the choice is mine. I never was interested in any type of military role, it was never something i saw nor wanted to do. Since i was told that would be were i could be headed i did decided to do sum research on the process of how enlisting works and etc.. I didn't plan on taking that route personally. I know atp in my life the decision is indeed mine and i have to do whats right for and i think the military route is also not a fit for me. So now i have my 2nd option, Leave home.. Leave living with my parents just like college. Not having to worry about anything but myself, Having the independence lifestyle. It all sounds good but i know thats a huge step into the "Adult' life and just my life in general.
Im a 20 year old male, with no car, a part time job at publix, just got kicked out my parents house, & need guidance on what should i do?
open to all feedback please

Hi everyone! First, thanks in advance for reading and your generous help.
TL;DR:
I'm diving into my first nano tank and want to do it right with your expert advice. I’ve mapped out a detailed plan and budget, but I need your tips, warnings, humiliation and cheaper alternatives. Help me avoid rookie mistakes and create a beautiful, easy-to-maintain setup I won't want to change right away. I have my parameters here, and details in the comments.
FFT channel, if you're out there, this is your fault and I'd like either your wisdom or your apology.
Why am I doing this?

• Up-front planning and budget estimates, plus feedback from experienced owners, can save me long-term. Please skim or read through, poke holes, tell me how to do it cheaper, etc.
• Most "10 gallon aquascape for under $75!" videos assume you're already in the hobby and don't include the full cost. I'm starting from scratch and want quality items when possible, so I'm estimating the real time/cost for absolute beginners who may need more stuff because they don't have the experience/intuition yet.

My goals:

• A nano tank I can enjoy long-term without needing constant upgrades.
• Work to my strengths and weaknesses (OCD) by heavily investing time and effort now for a cheap, quick-growing, lovely, easy-to-maintain tank in the future.
• Minimize spending, clutter, waste, disappointment, killing live things.
• Don't get so overwhelmed, only add new things when I know I'm ready.

My overall plan:

• Plan, plan, plan, budget, estimate, then post and grovel for your attention and advice. (check)
• Use free/cheap equipment, supplies, leftovers from local hobbyists.
• Keep the tank simple but high impact: All-black rock and substrate hardscape, 2-4 quick-growing beginner plants, 1-2 beginner-level species in pops of red.

About my environment and experience:

• Tank will be in my home office (finished basement in Brooklyn) with temperature variations and high humidity in summer. Limited space, no car, no access to free hardscape materials, must avoid pests.
• I already have a pest: Cat (uninterested in fish, never jumps on counters, has asthma).
• Many good LFSs and a dense population for second-hand supplies via FB, craigslist, /aquatrades, freecycle, etc.
• Experience: Kept guppies alive as a child, fostered stray cats, kept a foster fail alive despite a 100% fatal illness (FIP). Tenacious with living things but bad with house plants (cats helped), just succeeded for the first time with Sea Monkeys (!).
• I only learned what aquascapes and nano tanks were 5 days ago.

For each step, I love to know:

• What am I missing or oveunder planning/budgeting for?
• If you had 4+ hours a day for 4 weeks to start a new tank, how would you spend that time?
• Is there something you wish you'd have known when you were a total beginner?

The stress of the last six months has nearly killed me. Besides the general cratering of the outside world—political strife, climate change, inflated rents, corporate greed, and the baffling resurgence of crew socks—my internal life was falling apart, too. I'm at the point where I can't see a way out of the darkness, and that feeling has only grown in the last few days.
My struggles ramped up exponentially in the last two weeks. It started when my long-term girlfriend and I called it quits after five years. There was no definitive relationship-altering fight or infidelity. It was simply the boring banality of the "roommate-ification" of our lives together. We both felt the shift but never talked about it. Turns out communication is important.
Truthfully, we'd stayed together for so long because we couldn't afford to live apart. Our rent had nearly doubled the last time we re-upped our lease but even that was a bargain compared to what was out there currently. We were trapped by our need to have a roof over our heads.
My job had stagnated, and I couldn't find anything better. I was stuck. Like me, she'd been job hunting as well. Unlike me, she had a master's, and her prospects should've been higher. They weren't. For five months, she applied to hundreds of jobs and couldn't break through. If she got a rejection email, it was a win. Most of the time, the companies never responded.
Finally, she found a great opportunity at a Fortune 500 company. It was an involved process. She nailed the five interviews, and her "test project" was well received. She was offered the position, and it came with a massive pay increase—double her current salary. I was proud of her—she needed a win. We celebrated with pizza and beer that night.
Two days later, she dropped the bomb that she was breaking things off. The relationship ending wasn't a surprise. The timing was. The discussion was brief, and there was zero chance of reconciliation. She declined when I asked if she could stay until the lease ended. Mentally, it would've been too much for her. Two days after that, she moved out, taking half the rent with her. I was stuck in a lease I couldn't afford on my salary for the next six months.
My free time evaporated as I took on two extra gigs to help make ends meet. In addition to my office nine to five, I drove for a delivery app on the weekends and took a part-time night job stocking shelves at a local grocery store. When I wasn't hustling for housing, I slept or ate. I did nothing beyond that. Nothing brings me joy. There is no spark.
This drudgery has become my daily routine, and it's killing me.
To help cover some cost gaps, I've started selling off some of my stuff online. It was just me here, and I decided that the Spartan lifestyle would have to work for now. Anything I could fetch a decent amount for went up for sale. My apartment is so empty now every noise causes an echo.
Before my shift at the grocery store, I agreed to meet someone who wanted to take a look at my kitchen table. It was a lovely table – my ex had obsessed over it – but I didn't see a need at the moment. Now that I was a bachelor, my TV trays became my default kitchen tables anyway. I wasn't planning on any dinner parties in the future anyway.
A couple showed up later than they said they would. It was a bored-looking guy and a fastidious young woman. She made friendly small talk as she looked over the table. Her boyfriend (I think) stayed quiet and played bodyguard. I gave him a friendly nod at one point, and he just looked away. She said they'd take it without trying to talk me down. I took the small win.
She asked if I could help carry it down to their truck. I was running late, but feeling helpful, even for a fleeting few seconds, was worth it. Her silent boyfriend and I hauled the table through the hallway and even managed to avoid hitting the walls the entire way down.
I placed it in their truck, got my money, and turned to leave. The girl said thanks, and the boyfriend finally returned the nod. I gave a weird half-wave to them both and started to walk away when I heard the passenger window being rolled down.
"Hey man," the boyfriend said, his voice higher pitched than I thought it would. "What was up with your brother giving us the evil eye in the lobby when we got here?"
I turned around, "Huh? I don't have a brother."
"A cousin then?"
"My family lives about a thousand miles away. What happened in the lobby?"
"A dude that looked just like you was hiding in a dark hallway in the lobby and staring at my girl's ass."
"Jacob, really," she said.
"I'm sorry that happened, but I had nothing to do with it. We do have the occasional homeless guy meander in. Maybe you saw one of them," I said. "Did he say or do anything bad?"
"Jacob, I asked you to not say something," the girl said, burying her head in her hands.
Jacob's frosty attitude to me made sense now. "He said something about running up that ass. I dunno, he was mumbling. I told him I'd beat his ass if he didn't stop staring. Seemed to shut him up."
"Oh. Well, congrats," I said. "I'll tell the manager. Thanks for letting me know."
"You should do a better job keeping jokers like that out of the building."
"Jacob, he's not a security guard."
"He should still be a man and protect his home."
"Have a good night," I said, ending the conversation and heading back up to my apartment. I had about five minutes to change and head out before I'd be late. Last thing my ego needed was to be fired from my backup job.
Thankfully, I was able to slip into work and not get spotted by my boss. That was the last of the good news, though. We had a massive weekly order come in, which meant I'd be there late, plus someone had called out. Worse, our hand truck had a flat tire, and I spent the next few hours torturing my muscles, schlepping heavy boxes around the store. I soldiered on, counting down the minutes until I left and fantasizing about going to bed for the night.
If wishing for sleep wasn't a sad statement to my mental well-being, nothing was.
I came home after my shift at the grocery store and plopped down on the couch. I had contemplated selling it, but it was an older Ikea number, and I didn't think the value would replace my desire to sit. I could feel my body sink into the cushions, and the day's tension seep out. I was beat and tired to the point that turning on the TV was a chore.
I picked up my phone and thought I'd doomscroll until sleep overtook me. I didn't expect it to be a long scroll, as even the methadone that is my phone has failed me lately. As I lowered myself from a slumped position to a supine one, I heard footsteps outside my apartment door. This was not unusual, but the noise I heard sounded like kid footsteps. That was unusual, as nobody on our floor had kids, and it was almost midnight.
Despite my body screaming at me to not move, my brain suggested I check it out. I rolled myself off the couch and eventually stood up. I listened again and heard the kid running down the hallway. I walked over to my door and looked out the peephole. I didn't see anyone.
"Maybe I'm dreaming," I said to myself. "Maybe I'm not staring out a peephole, expecting to see a kid running down the hall at midnight, but instead, I'm cuddled up in my bed, snoozing." I pinched my arm and felt the pain. I was definitely in the waking world.
I turned to head back to the couch when I heard the running again, this time louder. I opened my door and peeked out into the hallway. Nobody was there. The door from the apartment across me opened up, too. Gloria, a young at heart grandma who was friendly/constantly buzzed in a wine mom kind of way, gave me a once over.
"You heard that, too?" she asked.
"Kids?"
"No rugrats around. I assumed it was some drunk assholes stumbling home from the bar."
I laughed. Gloria was, as always, blunt. "I didn't see any assholes," I said.
"Then you're not watching the right kind of internet videos," she said with a wink and a hoarse cackle.
I blushed. How do you respond to that? I just kind of nodded in agreement and shrugged.
"Gotta get your jollies while you can," she said before adding, "You need some rest, dear. You look like hammered shit." She shut her door and went back inside.
She was right. I felt like hammered shit. Since I wasn't going to solve the case of the mysterious runner and was sure it wasn't some lost kid, I decided to call it a night. I went back inside, shut down the apartment, and crawled into bed.
I thought about watching one of the "right kind of internet videos" but fell asleep as soon as my head hit the pillow.
***
"Your problem is you think the world owes you something."
John, my elderly coworker at the grocery store, was standing by while I unloaded a pallet of cereal. I liked John, and when I first started, we instantly clicked. He's quick with a joke and fun to talk to. He's also about thirty years older than me and speaks with the Boomer combination of accumulated wisdom, backhanded compliments, and fringe conspiracy nonsense. Still, regardless of how couched the kindness is in gobbledygook, he's usually coming from a good place.
"What?" I said, putting a box of Captain Crunch on the shelf.
"You're complaining about your situation, right? Saying it ain't fair. The world took a paddle to your hind quarters? Hey brother, that's the way the cookie crumbles. Gotta just pick yourself up and start over. You're smart enough – figured this job out right quick – you can do it."
The job was wheeling pallets around the store and stocking shelves. It wasn't much to figure out, but I understood his meaning. The other stuff wasn't necessary, though. "I'm just in a funk. I don't see a way forward."
"Hey, so you've bottomed out. No shame in that. Happens to us all. Silver lining, you can only go up," he said before adding, "Unless some other bad shit happens to you like your car dies or your apartment building burns down. But after that, it's only up."
"The apartment building burning down would be a blessing," I said, hoisting another little Captain on the shelf. "The rent is killing me."
"Have you tried negotiating a lower rent? They used to do that when I was your age."
"I think they'd evict me if I even asked."
"Hell, then you'd have at least thirty days, maybe forty, before they'd kick you out. Plenty of time to turn things around."
"Uh-huh," I said, "Any chance you could give me a hand here?"
"My back is screaming like a pretty young thing after prom," he said, holding his back for emphasis.
I didn't push. "Hey, I meant to tell you about some weird shit that happened the other night."
"Lay it on me. I love the strange."
"So, after my shift the other day, I got home around midnight and was flopped on the couch. I heard someone running down the hallway outside my apartment. I wasn't the only one. A few other neighbors heard it, too. When we checked, though, nobody was there."
"That ain't strange," John said, waving his hand, "that's a man who's plowing another man's wife running for his life."
I laughed. "That's not the weird part. So, for the next two nights, it's the same thing. Around midnight, someone runs down the hallway. Only this time, they're trying the door handles as they pass. So, I asked the front desk to check the security cameras, and they do."
"They see a man running away holding his clothes?"
"There wasn't anyone running down the hall," I said, "But the weird thing was, you could see the door handles turning on the video."
"Damn, that's a good one," John said, "You sure it wasn't just a camera glitch. These new ones from overseas aren't as reliable as they want you to think. Chinese probably using them to spy on you, too."
He continued as my brain tried to reconcile John's two opposing comments. "Weird shit happens at night, man. Before working here, I only worked the day shift. Even when they offered me more money to work nights, I turned it down. Even when they promised me a promotion, I turned them down."
In a previous life, John had worked as a paramedic. He came by it after serving in a medical unit in the army. He'd told me he loved the rush of the job, but after a while, the death and hurt in people's eyes got to be too much to handle. But he worked there for almost twenty years. So, the man had a tolerance for shenanigans and odd occurrences.
"Why'd you agree to work nights here?"
"Shit, we're home before the witching hour. This is like late afternoons, at best. But if it was overnights, hell no. Captain Crunch can anchor his own ship to the shelves. I'd take my ass to 7-11 for a day shift before agreeing to work an overnight."
"Something happen to you during the army?”
“I got the clap,” he offered.
I sighed. “What turned you off nights?"
"Oh. I heard enough stories from coworkers to know I didn't want to experience any of that hoo-doo shit," he said, "trying to save someone's life is hard enough without adding in demon kids and ghosts."
"Did your coworkers see demon kids?" I asked, moving on from the good Captain to the Trix rabbit.
He nodded, "They saw too much. I find it odd, even with all the surveillance we have now and all the science we know about these days, that the night still scares us. You ever know someone who worked a night shift?"
I had. My ex. During college, she worked the overnight desk at a hotel for a while. She quit because the job gave her bad vibes. I told John as much.
He pointed and laughed, "See! Don't you find it odd that every person who works at night always has a story of something eerie happening to them? Every person, buster. That's what they call an irrefutable fact."
"Maybe the ghost running down the hallway is an old employee still doing his rounds."
"In that case, keep that door double locked. I'd even wedge a towel under the door just in case."
"Maybe they're friendly? Casper-like in that way."
"You ever heard someone tell you about a friendly ghost outside the funny papers?"
"I'm sure it happens," I said, "The scary ghosts are more popular though."
“We think we know everything there is to know but we are just babes in the woods when it comes to night things.” John shook his head. "Imma tell you one or three things that happened to a guy I worked with back when I first got hired on to chase after corpses in the ambo. Guy's name was Gil. Quiet man, kept to himself. Didn't rock the boat or demand a bigger paddle. Just rowed with us. Good cat to learn under," John said, finally handing me a cereal box.
I took it, and he kept going, "Now, Gil, ya see, he had a little wifey that would pester him about working days. She was a cop and worked evenings at that time, so they never saw each other. When married people can't align their genitals every now and then, it spells doom."
"A little too much information but sure," I said, shelving another box of Trix.
"Probably part of what happened with you and yours," he said. He wasn't wrong, but that didn't mean I wanted to hear it.
John kept on, "Gil finally got approved to move to nights. Little pay boost and a happy, 'fulfilled' wife should've made that man happy. But it didn't. I saw him a few months later, and he had changed. He might've been quiet when he was working with me, but he'd talk to you if you engaged. When I saw him that time, though, oh boy. He looked sick."
"Wasn't a fan of working nights?"
"Wasn't a fan of living anymore is the feeling I got," John said, "After some prodding, he got to talking with me some. Told me he missed days because the nights were messing with him. I thought it had to do with the schedule change, but that wasn't the case. He said he saw things in the dark he couldn't explain. Things that would turn James Brown into James White, ya dig?"
"I...dig," I said.
"Told me they got a call to an abandoned apartment building one night, around three in the morning. Wasn't unusual. Old buildings in the city are where hop-heads congregate and share drugs. Sometimes, the drugs are too much. Sometimes, they find a person passed out or, worse, dead. When you work in the ambo, you aren't scared of death like a civilian. You've been around it. Probably seen a few folks take their last breaths. It doesn't bother you the way Mother Nature intended it should."
He handed me another box, continuing his assist streak, and kept going, "Ambo pulled up, Gil stepped out and looked for someone to talk to. Nobody there, though. Not uncommon. Some people want to help but not be involved. There's not a soul around. He calls out, but nothing comes back. Tells me he turns to get back in the ambulance when he hears a scream from inside the run-down building. They're calling for help. He's gotta go in the abandoned building in the dark."
"No thanks," I said.
"But it don't bother a medic like that. Gil's done a million of these calls. No big deal. He runs into that building but doesn't come back out until twenty minutes later. Just goes missing. After five, the crew heads in to back him up but can't find him. Gil tells me his crew called the cops. It was like he had vanished."
"What happened?"
"I asked him and he got real quiet. Said he fell into some place that looked like here but wasn't here. Said he felt their eyes on him. Judging him. Told me they followed him home and wouldn't leave him be."
"Who?"
John shrugged, "He didn't say. Shut down after that and left. Just walked past me like I was shit on the sidewalk. He quit about a week later. Heard he had a stroke a year later and was a tombstone owner three months after that. Good guy, though."
"Your aversion to overnights makes a little more sense."
"Never in a million years. You don't want something like that coming after you."
"In my case, could it get much worse?" I said with a half-smile.
"Man, I wouldn't even joke about that," he said, making the sign of the cross, "You don't want that shit attachin' itself to you. With your luck, you'd bring him in here, and it'd hop over to me. I can't have a ghost crimping my style."
After a bit, he got called away to sign off on a delivery. I finished out my shift and headed out to the parking lot. When I exited the building and spotted my car, I froze. My doors were all open, and the interior lights were on. Someone had broken in.
I glanced around the lot to see if the thief was still around, but there wasn't another person near me. I walked over to the car and peered inside. My glovebox had been ripped open, and my registration was pulled out, but nothing else was missing.
I found little hand prints in the dirt all along the body and the windows. I held mine up for comparison, and they were about half the size. It must've been some tweens or teens who did this. Maybe they were going to steal some things and got cold feet. I contemplated calling the cops, but since nothing had happened and they wouldn't do anything anyway, there was no reason to delay sleep any longer than I had to. I closed all the doors and climbed inside.
I started the car and heard something rattling in the AC vents. I pulled out my phone and shined the light at the vent. There was a small piece of paper inside. I looked around my car for some tool to pull it out and only found an ink pen and a bent-up paperclip. After McGuyvering the vent for a bit, the paper finally came out.
I held it up and unfolded it. There was a handwritten note. It simply read, "I know you're here. I know you're hiding him. I will find you both, and then it'll be your turn to run the race. We all have to run at some point."
I had no idea what that meant, but my body still provided goosebumps. Who was trying to find me? Who was the second person? Why leave a note in my AC vent? What the hell did run the race mean? I hadn't run a race since elementary school and wasn't planning to do so any time soon. Did they mean the rat race? Because I was basically marathoning that motherfucker already.
"Jesus Christ," I said, shaking my head. "What else, universe?"
As if it were a well-practiced comedy routine, the universe responded. My back passenger door swung open, and I heard footsteps running away from my car. I sprung up and scrambled to get out. There wasn't anyone else in the lot that I could see, but very clearly, someone had been hiding in my backseat.
My nerves were shot already, and this was not something I wanted to deal with at the moment. My brain decided that to avoid a breakdown, I needed to shift into automatic mode and just get back to the safety of my apartment. I'd be more prepared to deal with this – whatever it was – in the morning.
Either that or I'd jump in front of a bus. Both sounded satisfying, albeit in different ways.
***
"There he is," Gloria said as soon as I turned down the hallway. I looked up and noticed a small cabal of my neighbors standing in a semi-circle, waiting for me. They all look displeased.
"Hey guys," I said, confused. "I miss an invite for a block party?"
"What do you have to say for yourself?"
"About?"
"Don't play dumb," another neighbor said, jabbing their finger in my direction.
"I'm not playing," I said, realizing the self-burn only after the words escaped my lips.
Gloria showed me the screen on her phone. It was a static shot of her door from across the hall. She pressed play, and nothing happened for a beat until something darted across the screen. That was the whole thing. I looked up at her, my face twisted up in confusion.
"Well," she said, "What do you have to say?"
"What was that?" I asked.
"That was you!" the pointing neighbor said, pointing harder than I thought possible.
"What?" I said, laughing. "Are you all serious?" They didn't laugh, and I realized they weren't joking. "How can you even tell it's me? It's a blur. Never mind the fact I've been at work for the last five hours. Plus, this blur is half my size. I get we're all weirded out about the Phantom Runner, but it's not me. I swear to God. I don't even have the energy to think about running, let alone the physical desire to."
"Then explain this," Gloria said, slightly swaying from the half bottle of Pinot Noir coursing through her blood. She rewound the video and froze it on a specific frame. I couldn't believe my eyes, but I was looking at...me. Or, rather, something pretending to be me.
"What the fuck?" I said, my jaw dropping.
"Still think we're lying?" the pointer said smugly.
"No, but, guys, this isn't me. I... I've been at work. Wanna see my schedule?"
I reached into my phone and pulled it out. There was an email with my work schedule that confirmed what I was saying. They relaxed, and, for the first time, anger gave way to fear. Their very plausible explanation was suddenly invalid. It left two implausible answers floating in the ether: either I had a pint-sized doppelganger terrorizing the hallways of my apartment, or a ghost was haunting the building.
"I'm...gonna go inside," the pointer said, walking back to their home. Everyone else drifted away until it was just Gloria and I standing alone in the hallway.
She looked at me and sighed, "I feel like an asshole," she said. "Sorry I accused you of causing the racket."
"If I had seen the video, I would've thought the same thing," I said. "We're good."
"What do you think it is?" she asked.
I shrugged and let out an exhausted sigh. "Honestly, Gloria, I've had a screwed-up night already, and this is the cherry on top of the shit sundae; forgive my language. I don't have the mental bandwidth to even comprehend what's on the video at the moment."
"Think it's after you?" she asked, though I suspected the wine had forced her to put that idea out into the universe. As I had already seen, the universe seemed to take requests on my behalf.
"Maybe it's after you?" I said, coming off a little meaner than I intended, but I didn't care. I left her there to contemplate that scenario and went into my apartment.
As soon as the door shut behind me, I felt on edge. Just because I didn't have the mental bandwidth to discuss the doppelganger didn't mean it wasn't dominating my thoughts. I saw the frame of the video. The damn ghost looked exactly like me. What could that possibly mean? I know I had wished for death, but I was very still alive. I had rent due to prove that.
Did I happen to live in a place haunted by a ghost that looked strikingly like me? Was it some kid with a passing resemblance just causing chaos? Was it something else I couldn't even comprehend – an alien? A clone? A secret government project?
There was a thumping coming from the hallway. The mini Usain Bolt was at it again. I knew the neighbors would ignore it. Since they had all thought it was me, which was proven to be untrue, they would avoid the running man from now on. While curious and confused by the creature, they'd never put themselves in harm's way to discover what it was. They were not a brave lot.
Neither was I, but maybe my life crumbling around me had forced my hand. I walked over to my door and swung it open. I hit record on my phone, stuck it out like a periscope, and glanced around the hallway. Nobody was there. No neighbors were looking. No person was running.
"You gotta stop, man. I need to go to sleep," I said to the empty space. No response, not that I was expecting one.
I turned to walk back in, and I caught something out of the corner of my eye. A face at the end of the hallway peeked around the corner. For a quick second, we locked eyes, and it was like I was looking into a mirror. This thing was me. But...how?
I tried to get it on video, but it ducked back into the shadows. I took that as a cue to shut and lock my door. My heart was racing, and I didn't want to think about this anymore, but I couldn't help it. There was a me in the hallway who enjoyed pestering my neighbors. Worse, they liked to run for some ungodly reason.
I put my phone on the counter, the video still rolling, when there was a knock at my door. It echoed in my near-empty apartment. I tried to ignore it and convince myself it was something else, but it wasn't. The ghost was knocking on my door. Even with my brain paralyzed, I couldn't help but think that it was awfully polite to knock.
Another knock, this one more forceful. I wondered if the neighbors thought I was making this up?
"I know you're in there," a voice said. It sounded just like me. "This is about the race. We all have to run the race. It's your turn now."
I froze. My legs went wobbly like a boxer on the brink of a blackout, but I stayed tall. I opened my mouth to speak and found the words dying in my throat. I grabbed a nearby bottle of water and took a chug.
"We all have to run the race."
"What race?" I choked out, "What are you talking about?"
"Open up. They're in there already, and I need to get them."
I glanced all around my empty apartment. I didn't see anyone else in here. I didn't hear anything. Whatever this thing was, it was lying. I grabbed my phone and held it in my hand. I wanted to document this to prove that I wasn't crazy.
“Did you leave the note?”
“I know they’re in there with you,” it repeated.
"There's no one in here," I said.
"They're hiding. I think I know where. I can hear them."
"You've gotta get out of here," I said. "There's nothing here, and you're scaring people."
"I'm scared, and you should be! You have to run the race, man! Open up, and I can show you."
The handle started to shake. I peered through the keyhole and only saw the top of the other me's head. They began to shoulder the door, and it crunched against my nose. I screamed out in pain and stumbled back. I tripped over my feet and landed hard on my ass.
The thing slammed into the door two more times, shaking the walls. The strength seemed unnatural. On the third hit, the door burst open. I finally got a view of the thing. It was me. Scaled down by half, but it was me. We both seemed shocked.
"You're so much taller up close," the other me said.
"Who the fuck are you?"
I felt a buzzing in my feet that seemed to climb up my body until it reached my brain. There was an intense pain that rippled through the folds of my mind. Through the pain, I could hear a disembodied voice whisper, "We all must run the race. We all have to run. Chase it. Chase yourself." It felt like my skull was going to split in two. I clutched the sides of my head and let out a primal scream that hurt my own ears.
Then it was gone. But I could still feel the echoes in my mind. "We all have to run the race. We all have to run." The thought would waver between making no sense and making complete sense. One second, I was questioning what was happening to my mind, and the next, all I felt was the desire to continue the race.
"There he is!" the other me yelled, pointing at the hallway.
I glanced over and saw another version of me standing in the hallway. It was half the size of the other me that had broken into my place. When tiny me locked eyes with my intruder, he ran for the open hallway closet.
The other me followed, screaming that it would catch the little bastard if it was the last thing he'd do. I pushed myself up to my feet and felt queasy. I watched as the other me ran head-first into the closet without slowing. I expected to hear a loud thump as it hit the back wall but none came.
"We all have to run the race," the voice in my head said, soothing my nerves. "It's your time to run the race."
I moved down the hallway, each footfall echoing loudly in the empty apartment, each step bringing me closer to the closet door. Something was drawing me there. The voice's words echoed in my mind as well: "We all have to run the race. It's your turn now."
I grabbed the door and stopped. Something was compelling me to move forward. To go into the closet. To chase myself. To run the race.
"No," I whispered and yanked my hand from the door. I pulled out my still recording phone, and stared into the camera. My face was devoid of color, and you could see the fear etched into me. "I'm freaking out because...because…"
I stopped. I felt an invisible hand grab my body and tug. "Because...because if I don't run the race, something bad will happen. I have to chase it. I...I have to."
My phone dropped from my hand, and I didn’t care. The force pulling me forward stopped but my body kept going. I could feel the last strands of my rational mind splintering. My thoughts became focused on one thing: I had to catch myself, find out what was happening, and run the race. If I ran, maybe I'd win.
I needed a win.
I walked into the back of the closet and felt a door handle sticking out of the wall. I'd been in that closet a million times before and never had seen this. But a sense of calm washed over me. This….this was supposed to be here. This was perfectly fine.
I turned the handle and pulled open the invisible door. In front of me was a hallway that looked strikingly like the one outside my apartment. At the end of the hallway, I saw Gloria step out of their home to leave for the night. She was huge. Twice my size, easy.
Another door opened, and I saw...me—a giant version of me. The Hulk version of me was getting ready to go to the grocery store for work. I watched as the giant Gloria and giant me joked and laughed. I was stunned.
I stared, and a new thought came to me. I have to find the smaller me and talk to it. I needed to find out if there's a way out of this...this….
"It's your turn to run," the voice said.
Calm embraced me. "It's my turn to run," I repeated. As the giant me took off and the giant Gloria re-entered her apartment, the hallway beckoned.
"We all have to run the race," I said softly, "It's my turn now."
I started running.

My fiance (31M) and I (31F) have been long distance for, in total 10 years. We broke up in the middle and were apart for 4 years. We reunited again 3 years ago and eventually got engaged.
I own my apartment, have a full time job that I've been at for 9 years, my own car, and am completely independent.
My partner lives at home with his sister (37F) and mother (60sF). He has expressed desire to get out of that living situation but due to the cost of living he has no options. For work he and his family run a re-selling business.
He struggles with anxiety and doesn't have a vehicle and never had a typical 9-5 job. He doesn't have health insurance and is not receiving or seeking treatment.
We live in different countries, and we decided I would move there because he has a big family, and he also would not leave his sister behind (a lot of shared trauma, they are very close) - so him moving here was immediately vetoed.
We've been engaged for 2 years now, and no plan has been made whatsoever. No time line, no paperwork, no lawyers. It's barely talked about, now. Because he'd be sponsoring me, the paperwork must be initiated from his side so there's really nothing I can do from my end.
I last saw him in January 2024. Over our decade of long distance, 100% of the times we've met in person have been me driving or flying to see him, with a few of those where he has taken a 4 hr bus ride to meet me half way. Driving from my home to his, is an 8 hr drive one way.
His passport expired, and he hasn't renewed it.
I remind him of these important life tasks, getting insurance, anxiety treatment, passports, paperwork. And I do get it, I need reminding and a push sometimes too! It's easy to procrastinate and avoid stuff like that.
But I'll admit I'm tired of always being the one doing the reminding. I don't want to be a mother figure, I want to be an equal partner.
When I try to talk about these things, it is a really tough conversation. He feels like I don't understand his anxiety issues, and I feel like he isn't trying enough to achieve the life he says he wants.
When we are actually together in person, we are on the same wavelength, we're best friends and everything is great. But if I don't come see him, we'd literally never be together!
This is a life altering decision for me, and I find myself not feeling very reassured. I'm alone with my thoughts a lot, I'm lonely and sad and really missing physical touch and intimacy.
I feel confused, frustrated and scared. I would love advice on how to get on the same page with my partner and help him understand how I feel without making him feel like I'm attacking him or minimizing his anxiety.
Tldr; my long distance fiance isn't very proactive with planning, relationship feels stagnant and unequal, struggling with how to communicate effectively and get on the same page
Thank you for reading!

Why are you enlisting in the army?
Because my parents (Mother, Gen X) are not allowing a "20 year old Male that has been out of high school for "2" years & That is only working a part time job at Publix and is or not in any type of full time job (which i was but decided to quit *A connection job my parents put me on to by a friend *The Boss* which i immediately & automatically got but i burned the bridge by NCNS and ruined a reptation.) or in college (went twice, commuted Aug 2022, Stayed on campus Aug 2023) to live in there household as in "Adult". "The only people that can live for free and worry free are children" "We have NO more "Children". I have 2 older brothers (Oldest in his 30"s Married, 2 Children) , Middle (Late 20's pushing 30) No Kids, Living life & then there's me the Youngest (20 Years old, No type of motivation or idea of what i want in life sincerely, Hate how this is "Life" & how you really gotta feen for yourself as a person. I don't talk to my brothers fr we all got our own lives going on to the point its hard to have a update & that's just how its always been. Growing up they weren't around & i was the youngest so it was just me, they were already passed this stage of life when i was just coming up in my middle school - high school era. Today my parents found out that i no longer worked for the job (Warehouse $19 hour pay Full time) that they put me on too & that was definitely the dealbreaker. I was told as im typing this sentence at 5:32 PM "Tomorrow morning (May 22,2024) "We are going to the military requiting place and signing you up and that's your only option" or you have to go.. I was basically told that I can longer stay at my Parents home anymore & that now I have to depend on myself.
Why did you quit the FT $19 a HOUR warehouse Job?
Off rip on Day 1 i hated it, I knew i wasn't gon last long. Common sense would think $19 hourly pay as in MONEY (GOOD PAY) would be motivation to keep the job or to just deal with it but for me it was more then just money. Thats why from my perspective its different cuz i didn't care about the pay, I worked my 2 weeks and quit before i even saw how my pay check looked. it was just the job i did not like or feel a good fit for me itself. At 20 years old i was the youngest person in there. Everyone else were in there Late 30s , 40s & even 60s stating they have been there 27 years and more. That also was motivation for me because i was looking at it as like "I'm just trying to make money & build myself up, pay my bills, get me a new car, stack bread etc" but for everybody else yall got to "Pay bills, take care of yall family's, take care of yall kids & all these extra necessity that i don't have", so im looking at differently.
But as days went on and time started to progress i slowly felt irk. I slowly hated this lifestyle. The having to get up in morning at 5:20am Mon-Fri, Being in a loud hot ass warehouse all day, barley having breaks & just the environment in general. i just couldn't see myself doing that particular warehouse job for the rest of my life. (my first warehouse job).
During my 2nd week (last) Prolly Monday 5/13/24 The Connection "Friend" which was my boss that my parents put me on to said that one of the workers who was training me said i wasn't getting the job down pack correctly & my boss proceeded to tell me i have until Friday to get it down or they will have to let me go. i felt sum type of way cause i was seriously doing the job to the best of my capability and in the process i was still fairly new & learning. He also proceed behind closed doors to call my mother after our conversation we had and told her what was said as well.. I Only knew this because right after maybe 8 minutes after are convo i decided to take my 10 minute break & i get a message from my mom asking "Hey how's work going?" then i call her and she tells me...That he called. So in my head im frustrated because what does my Work business have to do with Personal life/ My mother being involve?? & Im not in middle school or high school, so why are we calling parents? Like Am im not a Young "Adult" in the "Real World" workforce?? I felt like that was weird to me off rip specially when i was told that "Work business is Work business.
I felt very Unentitled. Every time i would get off work i wouldn't know what to do after which I also always felt drained and foggy like i didn't have a life outside of going to work. I hated the way i felt.
Those were brief reasons on why i Ultimately made the decision to call it quits but in reality my reasons dont really matter its just the fact that i quit the job.
But now im back to square one figuring out what my next step is.. My plan
Either the service or being kicked out the choice is mine. I never was interested in any type of military role, it was never something i saw nor wanted to do. Since i was told that would be were i could be headed i did decided to do sum research on the process of how enlisting works and etc.. I didn't plan on taking that route personally. I know atp in my life the decision is indeed mine and i have to do whats right for and i think the military route is also not a fit for me. So now i have my 2nd option, Leave home.. Leave living with my parents just like college. Not having to worry about anything but myself, Having the independence lifestyle. It all sounds good but i know thats a huge step into the "Adult' life and just my life in general.
Im a 20 year old male, with no car, a part time job at publix, just got kicked out my parents house, & need guidance on what should i do?
open to all feedback please

In PA, I had a car accident where I was deemed at fault (truck cut me off and I swerved to avoid colliding with it or having the person behind me rear end me from sudden stop. The only person injured was me and my car. No property damage). Ended up getting 3 traffic violations from the state police who arrived at my accident.
My question is, what happens if I plead not guilty and pay the fine? Will I still have to go to traffic court or will the case close with the understanding I’ll get points and my insurance rate will go up?
I’m not sure if I can contest as it’s basically my word vs the police’s. I read the full report and they did not emphasize the reason for why I swerved. I don’t agree with the charges or feel right paying the fines but I’m not sure if the hassle of trial will be worth it. Or if a lawyer will be worth it.

We are planning to put an acoustic pod in the office - I imagine it's an amazing way to use space just by creating the opportunity to swap workplace to profit from "new places, new ideas" instead of being stuck in a pre-determined place from dusk till dawn. Not sure yet whether it will be phone booth size or meeting pod size
Some acoustic pod companies are: - Framery - mute-labs - hushoffice - Ergotopia - and SO MANY more - literally every day I learn about a new company
Does anyone of you have experiences?
I tested Framery so far at my previous firm and when you close the door it really gets quiet. Its amazing. At the same time these are incredibly expensive, the really really small one is already 9K (!) including mounting. There are competitors who offer at 3K with the (realistic) option to self-mount
Also, it seems to be quite difficult to compare these brands. Framery was seemingly involved in developing an ISO-standard for measuring the noise reduction (ISO 23351-1) which seems to capture how an entire room is made quieter, while there is also a NIC standard out there that seems to capture how much noise a certain part of a pod (e.g. a wall) does not let through. So I do not know how to compare them. Ergotopia says it reduced noise by 39 db (measured by NIC) while framery claims to reduce it by 30 db (measured by ISO, which may be much more but idk). Also keep in mind that 10 db steps are always 100% more noise.
Does anyone of you know more about this or have personal experiences?
THANKS!!