There's been a pretty big burning/hot stiff in my neck along with waking up drenched in sweat, nausea, feeling weak in the arms and legs, chills and headaches. No cough or sore throat. I've been experiencing these symptoms for about 4-5 days. Are these just normal flu symptoms that'll just go away on its own?

I'LL TRY TO KEEP THIS SHORT BUT I NEED SOME GUIDANCE. FOR THE PAST 20 YEARS I'VE BEEN DEALING WITH A SLOW INTERMEDIATE BUT PROGRESSIVE ISSUE THAT I COULD NOT POINT A FINGER ON. IT ALL STARTED WHEN I WAS ABOUT 20 years old.
I noticed weakness and fatigue that was unlike anything ive ever noticed.
My gait seemed to change a bit. I felt tingling in my face and my entire right shoulder front and back would burn for days with no let up. My R shoulder seemed to not even be in its correct position. I would constantly try to put in place but it just never seemed to get better. My hips would feel dull as would my right leg. As if the muscles were just kind of there. I felt my jaw and it seemed to be out of place and droopy.
This was the intial complaints inwrote down all that time ago.
Fast forward to 2024
All of those initial symptoms are still here. The symptoms i described would ignite last for a few months and i would have recovery. Sometimes years of little to know signs. But they would always come back. For 20 yrs this has occured. Ive been diagnosed by my neurologist with dystonia/cervical stenosis. He put me on gabapentin and ive been in therapy. But the symptoms never were really helped. Maybeited slightly but always there seapecially as of.late.
There are times(more often than not lately) with overwhelming frustration and depression. Not understanding the condition i was in or why these strange symptoms were present caused major problems with everday normal life. I have thought and thought about this situation. Am i crazy are these symtpoms in my head no body understands me etc... The last 20 years has been a daily struggle.
My prognosis now is seemingly starting to progress.
The last 2 years ive noticed signifigant changes in my posture. I almaot dont know how to stand. my back muscles seem to be frozen. My spine now hunches me forward. At the same time when i stand my pelvis seems to arch back as well as my back. My right shoulder blade is excessively winged now and my left scapula is starting to do the same. I now have mild pectus excavatum. Thats progressed fast over the last 5 years.
My face looks droopy. My right eye wont close. I could go on and on
The thing that struck me is when i was researching this disease. It seemed like i was checking every box on the symptom list.
Never having been able to figure this out i pray this is the right step
What if i can put a name to this torment.
TLDR:
SYMPTOMS IVER THE LAST 20 YEARS MIMICK THE SYMPTOMS OF FSHD. I HAVE NEVER UNDERSTOOD WHAT WAS HAPPENING AND STILL DONT. EVEN MY NEUROLOGIST HASNT MADE THIS AN OPINION. I JUST FOUND OUT ABOUT IT BY RESEARCH. PLEASE HELP ME FIGURE OUT HOW TO PROPERLY DIAGNOSE THIS. WHERE DO I GO AND WHO DO I TALK TO ABOUT THIS.
THANK YOU

Name: Charity
Age: 15
Gender: Female
Height: 4' 11"
Date of Birth: March 20, 1985 (Registered as January 10, 2009 due to differences in time)
Residence: Uva Academy
Occupation: Student
Ability: Flower Gift
Backstory: Charity is a Faller from the year 2000, who's only heard of Pokemon from her best friend Adam. Due to circumstances outside of control she ended up in the Pokemon world and was immediately attacked by a trainer with a Houndoom.
Fortunately she was saved by a Audino she named Clementine and they traveled to Paldea, where she is currently enlisted in Uva Academy to get general experience and knowledge on the world at large.
Due to head trauma from a fall on Glaseado Mountain, Charity temporarily lost her ability to speak to humans, only making Armarouge noises. She's since relearned to read, write, and speak but sometimes slips into Armarouge when she's stressed or tired.
Due to a potion gifted to her, she was temporary a Cherrim with the long term side effect of gaining Flower Gift.
Recently she ran into Brandon, the trainer that previously attacked her. Both him and Levi, the trainer who pushed her on Glaseado Mountain, were arrested. She chose to take in an purify Justine, as well as Mocha, Callisto's abused Cinccino.
Appearance: Mid length brown hair, green eyes, tends to wear the full Uva uniform to cover severe burns on arms and legs while in school. Outside of school she tends to wear an Audino hoodie.
Personality: Charity is very kind and caring and struggles with making her own decisions. She tends to follow others in what they think is best, even if she thinks it's a bad idea. She always tries to do the right thing.
Likes: Emmeline, Nemona, her Pokemon, general arts and crafts (she loves knitting)
Dislikes: Levi, Sons of Arceus, Fire Attacks, feeling guilty
Current Battle Team:
Clementine the Audino Tera Type: Fairy Nature: Gentle Ability: Healer Item: Audinite Main Battling Moves: Wish, Heal Bell, Protect, Dazzling Gleam Backstory: Here
Blaz the Armarouge Tera Type: Fighting Nature: Brave (Has taken Modest Mint however) Ability: Flash Fire Item: Wise Glasses Main Battling Moves: Calm Mind, Armor Cannon, Psychic, Aura Spheres Backstory: Here
Olivia the Dragapult Tera Type: Ghost Nature: Timid Ability: Infiltrator Item: None Main Battling Moves: Protect, Shadow Ball, Draco Meteor, Thunder Wave Backstory: Here
Orion the Ledian Tera Type: Electric Nature: Bold Ability: Iron Fist Held Item: Punching Gloves Main Battling Moves: Thunder Punch, Ice Punch, Drain Punch, Power-up Punch Backstory: Here
Hurley the Pyukumuku Tera Type: Steel Nature: Sassy Ability: Unaware Held Item: Leftovers Main Battling Moves: Soak, Recover, Counter, Mirror Coat Backstory: Here
Justine the Ursaluna Nature: Jolly Ability: Bulletproof Item: Soothe Bell Moves: Bulk Up, Close Combat, Earthquake, Rest Backstory:
Nonbattling Pokemon:
Clark the Rotom Phone Nature: Serious Ability: Levitate Item: Rotom Phone Moves: Frustration, Thunderbolt, Shadow Ball, Dark Pulse Backstory:
Mocha the Cinccino Nature: Bashful Ability: Cute Charm Item: Soothe Bell Moves: Tidy Up, Protect, Calm Mind, Alluring Voice Backstory:

Today I had my first non-adapted session after recovering from minor ankle injury that I got 2.5 weeks ago and it felt like my very first sessions when I started with Freeletics.
I was surprised with the very high mental resistance for some exercises that I used to do ok before injury. 5 rounds of 10 sprawls (50 total). Today I had to take long breaks between rounds and exercises in order to finish the interval.
During my injury period I was adapting the coach sessions to exclude lower leg exercises, so all the sessions during the past 2.5 weeks were Conditioning sessions, no endurance, as those rely heavily on legs.
I guess it will take me some time until I get to my pre-injury endurance levels. But just wanted to share my experience.
Some more context: journey is Balanced Burn (2nd time).
During my injury I also upped my intermittent fasting to an average of 18h a day from 16h. And started eating less (between 1600-2000 kcal) as my goal for now is mainly to lose body fat I am male 31years old, 181cm/5'11 78kg/172pounds, 20.3% body fat.

Did anyone’s symptoms go away after being successfully sealed? My hr elevates when sitting or standing or moving in bed. HR is not sustained saw cardiologist and neurologist both stated not POTS doesn’t meet criteria heart rate is not sustained elevates and comes back down usually when the pressure in my head is higher my heart rate does seem to go a bit higher than normal. I had my first blood patch on 4/19/24 The pain was in the back of my head and neck alleviated when Line flat after my blood patch, I now have pain in front of my head near my eyes and forehead and top of my head. A lot of pressure. Legs burning face occasionally extremely warm. Blurry/ double vision pretty much constantly. They are thinking possible another BP this time a multi level. Leak has not been seen on imaging had a spinal mri that’s it they did BP based on symptoms beginning after emergency c section 2 spinal blocks one failed. PCP kept saying it was pod sent me to cardio and Neuro, who said it was not pots finally saw a different neurologist who did a guided blood patch in the area of the spinal block have not noticed significant improvement. The first day was great and then began getting other symptoms. Have a brain MRI within without contrast on the 28th of this month.

I'm 27 male, about 6-7 months I was told I have GTPS and to do the exercises and should recover by now. Well I haven't, I'm setting up doctor appointment soon but I don't want to be told to do x for several months and be in the same position in another 6 months. I'm young pretty healthy, feel like this shouldn't be an issue, I'm 5'9 158lbs low body fat. I get pains left lower back/slightly above hip can move towards my leg. Pain can get worse sitting which is annoying since I work an office job, I try cushions to offset this which is embarrassing as the young guy on the team. At most I say the pain is like 6-7 out of 10, it's an achy pain, gets warm can feel it through my leg.
Further information not sure on relevancy but possibly? I have injured my left knee before couldn't bend it for about a month, broke a some toes left side as well. Had pain in left leg that would come and go for last 10 years, doctor couldn't determine the cause assuming it's from injuries. This pain around my hip has been quite annoying it's been affecting my work and ideally want it sorted asap.
Any advice to help get to the root of the cause quicker and get treated quicker will be appreciated.

I spend a lot of time researching how our nervous system works and what may contribute to the development of Visual Snow and other symptoms. Remember that there is a lot of vital information that I do not know, and may greatly benefit our understanding of this condition. Visual snow is described as an "epileptic" firing in the visual system in the brain. (Tinnitus behaves very similarly but it is occurring in the auditory nerves) NMDA glutamate receptors, which are overexpressed after excitotoxic injury may well be the trigger of an increased spontaneous firing in the nerves. In turn, the brain would decode this increased firing as "visual snow" The idea is that remaining nerve endings have been damaged enough to overexpress NMDA Glutamate receptors, thus increasing their spontaneous firing.There are various factors that contribute to the development of this condition. Everybody first had an initial trigger, and this varies from person to person. Common causes include stress, trauma, recreational and prescription drugs, Lyme, mold, heavy metals, and other toxic exposures. But what they all result in is brain injury and neuronal damage. The severity varies from person to person. The consequences of such injury doesn't just cause break in communication between healthy neurons, but a cascade of events that can lead to further neuronal degeneration and cell death. That is where visual snow comes in. Think of a broken radio or a TV where it isn't able to receive and process incoming signals so the outcome is a lot of visual/auditory noise. Our brains behave in a similar manner when there is an interference with proper neuron function and communication.Another good example is a type of neuropathic pain called paresthesia where you experience tingling and pricking sensations in various parts of your body. When nerves are damaged, they can't communicate properly and that miscommunication causes symptoms such as pain, tingling or numbness.Medical researchers searching for new medications for visual snow often look to the connection between the nerve cells in the brain and the various agents that act as neurotransmitters, such as the central nervous system's primary excitatory neurotransmitter glutamate. Visual snow can be caused when damaged brain cells emit an excess of glutamate. Many treatments use ingredients that work as glutamate antagonists, or inhibitors. Communication between nerve cells in the brain is accomplished through the use of neurotransmitters. There are many compounds that act as neurotransmitters including acetylcholine, serotonin, GABA, glutamate, aspartate, epinephrine, norpinephrine and dopamine. These chemicals attach to nerve cells at specific receptors that allow for only one type of neurotransmitter to attach.Some of the neurotransmitters are excitatory; leading to increased electrical transmission between nerve cells. Others are inhibitory and reduce electrical activity. The most common excitatory neurotransmitters are glutamate and aspartate while the primary inhibitory neurotransmitter is GABA. It is necessary for excitatory and inhibitory neurotransmitters to be in balance for proper brain function to occur.Communication over synapses between neurons are controlled by glutamate. When brain cells are damaged, excessive glutamate is released. Glutamate is well known to have neurotoxic properties when excessively released or incompletely recycled. This is known as excitotoxicity and leads to neuronal death.Excess glutamate opens the sodium channel in the neuron and causes it to fire. Sodium continues to flow into the neuron causing it to continue firing. This continuous firing of the neuron results in a rapid buildup of free radicals and inflammatory compounds. These compounds attack the mitochondria, the energy producing elements in the core of the neuron cell. The mitochondria become depleted and the neuron withers and dies.Excitotoxicity has been involved in a number of acute and/or degenerative forms of neuropathology such as epilepsy, autism, ALS, Parkinson’s, schizophrenia, migraines, restless leg syndrome, tourettes, pandas, fibromyalgia, multiple sclerosis, Huntington's, seizures, insomnia, hyperactivity, OCD, bipolar disorder and anxiety disorders.(Doctors use two basic ways to correct this imbalance. The first is to activate GABA receptors that will inhibit the continuous firing caused by glutamate. The second way to correct the imbalance is use antogonists to glutamate and its receptor N-methyl-d-aspartate (NMDA). These are termed glutamate or NMDA antagonists. By binding with these receptors, the antagonist medication reduces glutamate-induced continuous firing of the neuron. This explains why some drugs like clonazepam and lamictal are able to help relieve symptoms in some patients. They help reduce excitatory action in the brain temporarily)Anxiety, depression, brain fog, depersonalization, visual disturbances (including visual snow, palinopsia, blue field entoptic phenomenon, photophobia, photopsia) headaches, tinnitus, are all common symptoms associated with increased excitatory activity in the brain. Excessive glutamate is the primary villain in visual snow.I strongly believe there are some genetic components that play a huge role in the development of Visual Snow and makes some individuals more susceptible to developing it. Normally, glutamate concentration is tightly controlled in the brain by various mechanisms at the synapse. There are at least 30 proteins that are membrane-bound receptor or transporter proteins at, or near, the glutamate synapse that control or modulate neuronal excitability. But in Visual Snow sufferers, my hypothesis is that we carry a faulty gene that results in dysregulation of the proteins that control and regulate glutamate excitability. They are unknown as more research will be needed.We live in a society where we are stressed emotionally, financially, physically and exposed to a range of toxins in our environment. Combining underlying genetic susceptibility with these other factors creates all the ingredients for a perfect storm.Stress + Infectious Agents (if any) + Toxins + Genetic Susceptibility = Health ConditionIncluded below is a list of things that can lead to excitotoxicity. The list includes trauma, drugs, environmental, chemicals and miscellaneous causes of brain cell damage. (Keep in mind everybody's bodies behave and react differently to various substances)-Severe Stress (Most people that are stressed out don’t realize that once the fight-or-flight response gets activated it can release things like cortisol and epinephrine into the body. Although these boost alertness, in major concentrations, the elevated levels of cortisol over an extended period of time can damage brain functioning and kill brain cells)-Free Radicals – Free radicals are highly-reactive forms of oxygen that can kill brain cells and cause brain damage. If the free radicals in your brain run rampant, your neurons will be damaged at a quicker rate than they can be repaired. This leads to brain cell death as well as cognitive decline if not corrected. (Common causes are unhealthy diet, lifestyle and toxic exposure)-Head Trauma (like concussion or contusion) MRI can detect damaged brain tissue BUT not damaged neurons. -Dehydration (severe)-Cerebal Hypoxia-Lyme disease-Narcolepsy-Sleep Apnea-Stroke-Drugs (recreational or prescription) -Amphetamine abuse-Methamphetamines-Antipsychotics-Benzodiazepine abuse-Cocaine-Esctasy -LSD-Cannabis-Tobacco-Inhalants-Nitrous Oxide-PCP-Steroids-Air Pollution-Carbon Monoxide-Heavy Metal Exposure (such as lead, copper and mercury)-Mold Exposure-Welding fumes-Formaldehyde-Solvents-Pesticides-Anesthesia-Aspartame-MSG (Monosodium Glutamate is found in most processed foods and is hidden under many various names)-Solvents-Chemotherapy-Radiation-Other toxic exposuresInside the Glutamate StormBy: Vivian Teichberg, and Luba Vikhanski"The amino acid glutamate is the major signaling chemical in nature. All invertebrates (worms, insects, and the like) use glutamate for conveying messages from nerve to muscle. In mammals, glutamate is mainly present in the central nervous system, brain, and spinal cord, where it plays the role of a neuronal messenger, or neurotransmitter. In fact, almost all brain cells use glutamate to exchange messages. Moreover, glutamate can serve as a source of energy for the brain cells when their regular energy supplier, glucose, is lacking. However, when its levels rise too high in the spaces between cells—known as extracellular spaces—glutamate turns its coat to become a toxin that kills neurons.As befits a potentially hazardous substance, glutamate is kept safely sealed within the brain cells. A healthy neuron releases glutamate only when it needs to convey a message, then immediately sucks the messenger back inside. Glutamate concentration inside the cells is 10,000 times greater than outside them. If we follow the dam analogy, that would be equivalent to holding 10,000 cubic feet of glutamate behind the dam and letting only a trickle of one cubic foot flow freely outside. A clever pumping mechanism makes sure this trickle never gets out of hand: When a neuron senses the presence of too much glutamate in the vicinity—the extracellular space—it switches on special pumps on its membrane and siphons the maverick glutamate back in.This protective pumping process works beautifully as long as glutamate levels stay within the normal range. But the levels can rise sharply if a damaged cell spills out its glutamate. In such a case, the pumps on the cellular membranes can no longer cope with the situation, and glutamate reveals its destructive powers. It doesn’t kill the neuron directly. Rather, it overly excites the cell, causing it to open its pores excessively and let in large quantities of substances that are normally allowed to enter only in limited amounts.One of these substances is sodium, which leads to cell swelling because its entry is accompanied by an inrush of water, needed to dilute the surplus sodium. The swelling squeezes the neighboring blood vessels, preventing normal blood flow and interrupting the supply of oxygen and glucose, which ultimately leads to cell death. Cell swelling, however, is reversible; the cells will shrink back once glutamate is removed from brain fluids. More dangerous than sodium is calcium, which is harmless under normal conditions but not when it rushes inside through excessively opened pores. An overload of calcium destroys the neuron’s vital structures and eventually kills it.Regardless of what killed it, the dead cell spills out its glutamate, all the vast quantities of it that were supposed to be held back by the dam. The spill overly excites more cells, and these die in turn, spilling yet more glutamate. The destructive process repeats itself over and over, engulfing brain areas until the protective pumping mechanism finally manages to stop the spread of glutamate."Recent research has confirmed that hypermetabolism has been primarily found in the right lingual gyrus and left cerebellar anterior lobe of the brain in individuals suffering from visual snow. The definition of hypermetabolism is described as "the physiological state of increased rate of metabolic activity and is characterized by an abnormal increase in metabolic rate." Hypermetabolism typically occurs after significant injury to the body. It serves as one of the body's strongest defence against illness and injury. This means that the brain is trying to compensate for the injured areas in the brain by increasing metabolism to meet it's high energy demands. It is trying to function to the best of it's ability under the circumstances. Normally the body can heal itself and regenerate under the right circumstances. But it is extremely difficult for the central nervous system - which includes the spinal cord and brain to be able to do so, due to it's inhibitory environment which prevents new neurons from forming. That is where stem cells come in. Stem cells are an exciting new discovery, because they can become literally any cell in the body including neurons. This is an amazing scientific breakthrough and has the potential to treat a whole host of conditions. Scientists are currently doing research and conducting trials.Excitotoxicity can trigger your "fight or flight" response, as this is the body's primary response to illness, injury or infection. If the brain and the body remain in the sympathetic fight or flight state for too long and too often, it is degenerative; it breaks us down. If this cycle continues, then eventually the system burns out. It is this cycle that results in autonomic nervous system dysfunction. The results are disastrous, digestion is shut down, metabolism, immune function and the detoxification system is impaired, blood pressure and heart rate are increased, circulation is impaired, sleep is disrupted, memory and cognitive function may be impaired, neurotransmitters are drained, our sense of smell, taste and sound are amplified, high levels of norepinephrine are released in the brain and the adrenal glands release a variety of hormones like adrenaline and cortisol.I believe in order to find a treatment or cure for VS and it's accompanying symptoms, we need to address the underlying cause, reduce the excess excitatory activity in the brain, repair the damaged neurons, regain proper communication between neurons, rebalance the autonomic nervous system and prevent further cellular damage. We also need to figure out what genes, if any come into play. There is still a lot we don't know about the brain because it is such an remarkably complex organ.FAQsWon't lowering the levels of glutamate solve the problem? Well, not necessarily. That is just one piece of the puzzle. You have to remember that Visual Snow is a multifactorial and complex condition in which it stems from a number of different causes and influences. Based on my knowledge and the information I have gathered, I can conclude that the overstimulation of glutamate plays a huge role in VS and some other symptoms we experience. But there is still so much we don't know. That's why more research will be needed.Why is my condition worsening over time?That is a very good question. It is because the physiology, biology and chemistry of your brain and nervous system has been altered and has become dysfunctional since the initial trigger set off a domino of effects that leads to further degradation in the body. This puts a huge strain on your body and is constantly activating your stress response system. This will wreak havoc on your entire body. The stress response system was designed to deal with brief emergencies that threaten survival. It isn't supposed to last very long because the body cannot sustain itself for very long in this state. When you remain in "fight or flight" sympathetic state for too long, it becomes degenerative and breaks our bodies down. This affects every system in the body. When you are constantly under stress, the stress response system never turns off resulting in an ongoing destructive cycle. Stress can also exacerbate all your symptoms and makes you susceptible to developing other chronic health conditions. How is the gut related to VS?Having increased intestinal permeability is very common in this modern world because we are constantly being bombarded by toxins and stress. Our bodies weren't designed to handle such a huge burden. So we end up getting sick and become susceptible to kinds of diseases. Common causes include:-Poor diet (from excessive consumption of foods such as grains, legumes, sugars, alcohol)-Chronic stress-Toxin overload-Gut dysbiosis (It means you have a lack of beneficial bacteria in your gastrointestinal (GI) tract. They are overpowered and outnumbered by pathogens such as pathogenic bacteria, yeast, viruses, parasites)-Overuse of antibiotics When you have increased intestinal permeability, the epithelium on the villi of the small intestine becomes inflamed and irritated, which allows metabolic, microbial and environmental toxins and undigested food particles to flood into the blood stream. This event compromises the liver, the lymphatic system, and the immune response including the endocrine system. It is often the primary cause of the following common conditions: asthma, food allergies, chronic sinusitis, eczema, urticaria, migraine, irritable bowel, fungal disorders, fibromyalgia, and inflammatory joint disorders including rheumatoid arthritis are just a few of the diseases that can originate from having poor gut health.This sets the stage for chronic systemic inflammation, oxidative stress, mitochondrial dysfunction, impaired detoxification, gastrointestinal dysfunction and immune system dysregulation.Some toxins have the ability to damage and destroy neurons, myelin sheaths, synapses and even DNA. An overload of toxins that the immune system is not able to get rid of disrupts normal brain function. This eventually initiates an autoimmune response where the immune system attacks the brain and nerve cells as it tries it’s best to eliminate the toxins.The mitochondria are the energy producing section of your cells. When they are damaged by the toxic overload in the brain cells and are not able to produce energy to fuel the cell, the cell dies.In order to stop this vicious cycle, the underlying biological mechanisms of VS needs to be understood. That is the first step that needs to be taken. Any other stressors also needs to be addressed in order to reduce the overall stress load.It is important to know that VS is just a symptom of underlying physiological stress in the brain. Symptoms are your body's way of communicating with you, letting you know something is wrong in the body.I've come across some research indicating that microglial activation and elevated nitric oxide is involved in some neurological conditions. Basically the microglial cells are our brain's immune cells and when something triggers an inflammatory response, they activate and release harmful neurotoxic compounds (such as nitric oxide and pro-inflammatory cytokines) which results in neuronal injury/death. Microglial activation can also result in a loss of synaptic connections in different regions of the brain. It's basically an autoimmune response in the brain. The neuroinflammatory process appears to be an ongoing and chronic cycle of central nervous system dysfunction. This can deplete glutathione levels in the body. Glutathione is the body’s most important antioxidant which is capable of preventing oxidative damage caused by reactive oxygen species such as free radicals, peroxides, lipid peroxides, and heavy metals. This only further exaggerates the problem, which only leads to a cascade of increased inflammation.Nitric oxide plays a vital role in this process. Elevated nitric oxide levels reduces and impair natural killer cells which leads to a vulnerable immune system that is susceptible to a variety of systemic infections. -Phobe Zhang

Hi all,
In March of last year I was referred to Orthopaedics for swelling and stiffness in a finger on my right hand. Blood test showed nothing but X-ray and ultrasound showed intense swelling and inflammation in the tissues.
I was asked if I have Psoriasis, which I do, and was diagnosed with Psoriatic arthritis, though blood test showed no markers and my psoriasis is pretty much under control.
Fast forward to now, I now have pain in my left shoulder, buttocks, lower back, left leg, shoulder blades etc.
I also have frequent, If not constant lung and rib pain. Burning pain to be specific.
I’m just seeing if anyone else gets pains/burning in these places, specifically the shoulder blades and chest? I have been doing some reading and these places do not suggest psoriatic arthritis, but more fibromyalgia. Just looking for others people experience?

I've done heavy lifting in several seasons of my life before. Lots of workouts on Tonal feel very familiar, while others I adapt to pretty quickly. Everyone talks about the bench press "shakes," which went away after a few weeks with sets and those accessory muscles adapted.
But I never saw a post about the insane forearm workout I'm getting on this thing! I'm doing the Four Week Fast Track right now to get a feel for different workout variations, and some of these workouts that ask you to keep the barbell and quickly do another rep are burning down my forearms from gripping more than anything!
The workout diversity has quickly exposed weaknesses I have from being a long-time practitioner of StrongLifts 5x5. My abs are strong, but my anti-rotational strength needs work. My pecs are strong, but need more overhead work. My legs are strong, but have some imbalance.
But oh, those forearms! Years of quick, heavy lifts have left them so underprepared for long, continuous load.

I found a broken Jasper 360 at a local thrift store for $6 that I wanted to try fix it and RGH it, and I was wondering what the most common issues that plague Jasper 360s? And most importantly would it even be worth it to try and fix it?
Also where could I find a power supply for this 360? (either used or 3rd party, as long as it doesn't burn my house down I don't care, also I would rather it not cost an arm and a leg)

So.... I'm utterly shocked. I'm okay with him losing his mind and deciding to kick a bunch of high explosive shells, that's pure drama baby!
But somehow he SURVIVED THE EXPLOSION OF OVER 25 HIGH EXPLOSIVE SHELLS AND 15 INCENDIARY SHELLS!!! I wonder if he is superhuman, or if my shells were not that explosive after all...
And he got artistic inspiration. What a chad!
https://preview.redd.it/iih7z6nxtq1d1.png?width=974&format=png&auto=webp&s=dad3798423ce131ed8fc9739b4cc05075a3b4721
Oh, he's covered in firefoam. Guess that helped him survive!
Now he's going to use his pain to create art I guess! \"My new sculpture is called 'the day I kicked a bunch of high explosives'\"

The world conspired in the best of ways to bless me with a whole bunch of new games at once and I happened to be able to get in a lot of plays quickly with them.
Always get an idea of who's talking before you take anything away from these reviews/impressions. Maybe we're really different people. I've been in the hobby for 10+ years. I've played a lot of games. I love interactive and mechanically unique games. I worship Reiner Knizia. Some of my favorite games are Tigris and Euphrates, Spirit Island, Race for the Galaxy, Agricola, Battle Line, and Oath. My favorite games of last year were Stationfall, Ra (reprint), and Zoo Vadis.
Okay, let's go!
Cascadito/Cascadero - Is this a Pokemon Red/Blue scenario? No! There's room for both halves of this pair of Knizias in a collection. I think Cascadero is the better game, but Cascadito slides onto our table more easily. I'm a bit of a believer in the Moneyball theory of games (does the game "get on base" (to the table)?) so, that matters!
Cascadero - 4 plays at 2 players - First, the production is perfect. Svelte box that's easy to pack, wooden pieces, great graphic design with built in rules reminders by Ian O'Toole, and a striking cover make this a joy to play. If you enjoy the general waves hands of Irish Gauge, you're going to love how this looks.
Cascadero requires a little patience, but I think I'm starting to see a heart of gold down in there. As a Knizia tile-layer, right away, this game is, unfortunately, going to get compared to some of the greatest games ever made. Games like Through the Desert, Samurai, Babylonia, etc. I say unfortunately, because I don't think you'll love this game on the first play. That's because I think the default/starter side of the board is less interesting. If you're familiar with games, do yourself a favor and flip to the farmer side as soon as possible. Even then, Cascadero is subtle. When played best, it's a quiet maneuvering of cubes up to just the right spots on tracks with pieces on the board in all the right places that build a little lattice of opportunity. Not just one combo ready to score, but a set of circumstances that hedge on an opponent's move. Paths are everywhere, and you're using them in just the right ways to get across a double score gap or to slip into a fold in the track that gives an extra bonus. I feel like the review circuit doesn't usually play games enough times to appreciate this one, and maybe it's subtle to a fault. It isn't great when you hear "it gets good on game 4", but I'm four games in and usually that's the point where I'm bored of most games. With this one I'm excited to play more.
Cascadero is great!
Cascadito - 5 plays at 2 players - Do you like My City? Do you like My City: Roll and Build? I do. I probably wouldn't list them in my favorite games, but they are such great weeknight-with-the-partner games that I appreciate them all the same. Cascadito isn't billed as a campaign game, but rather as four maps. Maybe a 4 game campaign doesn't sound long enough, but I'm busy. 4 games sounds like something I can do. If you've played Cascadero, map 1 is the less interesting version of that game. Stick with it though! Like My City, you get the joy of seeing Knizia riff on an idea. We enjoyed each subsequent map more and more and we could see ourselves replaying #3 and especially #4. In fact, on map 4 we kept looking at each other's sheets during the game - on a roll and write! I like that.
Cascadito is good!
Spectral - 6 plays at 2 players - I'm pretty picky about deduction games, especially as board games. As someone who has put hundreds of hours into Picross and sudoku I need there to be a good reason why I'm using my precious time with my friends on something that is usually so solitary. So far, I've really only liked The Search for Planet X. While it isn't known as a particularly interactive game, my friends and I have played it so competitively that we look for any scrap of information that might give us the edge, and the publishing system cranks up the incentive to take some leaps of faith in a tight race.
When I heard about Spectral I was excited - an interactive, bidding based logic puzzle - cool! Six games later, I haven't really figured out how to interact with my opponent. While The Search for Planet X has clear moments of intention to watch for (publishing papers), it's really hard to tell when your opponent is acting with intention or just exploring in Spectral. You also don't have those little clues like what your opponent is scanning for or researching like in Planet X to build some kind of theory around. The game is a breeze to play, yet barely leaves room to grapple. So maybe the interaction isn't super strong, but how's the logic puzzle?
Boring. Imagine playing sudoku, but the logic restrictions were only for rows and not also columns, or within squares. You can do some deduction with the curse cards, but the treasure cards (12 of the 16) are all essentially equally informative and don't allow for much in the way of chains of deduction. You can do a little bit with probabilities of where treasures are likely to overlap, but it rarely feels worth it to pursue when finding curses provides a much more reliable benefit.
I want to be wrong about this game. Please, someone argue this one with me.
Spectral is okay. If you play it once or twice, I think you'll have a good time, but I don't see it having legs.
Slay the Spire - I've had this game for less than a month and I think I've put in maybe 50 hours at the table with it at this point. I've played with people who have 1000s of hours in Slay the Spire - they have loved it. I've played with people who have never played Slay the Spire - I see them playing Slay the Spire on Steam the next day and asking when they can next come over. People who usually duck out of a game night at 10pm are still at the table at 1am.
I was really worried it would be bad. I wondered, why not just play the digital game? But here I am, holding the box and knowing without a doubt, this object sparks joy. Have you ever experienced a solitary piece of media, obsessed over it, and then gotten a chance to experience it together with other fans? Maybe something like watching Game of Thrones with friends after reading the books. It feels great to share in something you've loved. That's how Slay the Spire has felt. But it's not just that, as evidenced by the friends that have never played the digital game and still loved it. It's just a damn good deck builder, and the whole system of knowing exactly what the enemies are going to do before they do it goes over so well here. It's so apparent that this translation was a labor of love and so much has gone into preserving the spirit of the game. I love it.
Slay the Spire is excellent!
Leviathan Wilds - played the first 3 Leviathans solo and at 2 - I backed this as a Shadow of the Colossus fan, and hoped for the best. I'm honestly blown away by how much this game has exceeded my expectations. First, there's something about this game that feels so complete and efficient. There's no Kickstarter bloat. It's in a very understated, retail sized box. The game just gets so much out of each component. It feels like the people who made it have made a lot of games before (and they have!).
I have trouble finding mid-weight 1-hour co-ops that I like. I love co-ops like The Crew at the short and sweet end and Spirit Island at the epic and heavy end, but the games that hit around the Pandemic range have never appealed to me. There often seems to be too much upkeep and setup, and not enough to keep me interested in sharing a puzzle with other people.
Leviathan Wilds is sooooo easy to set up. Setting up a Leviathan involves opening a spiral bound map book and laying out five cards. Processing the enemy turn involves flipping a card and later doing what it says. I don't play solo games, pretty much ever, but I'm playing this solo because it's so damn easy to run.
The moment to moment gameplay has been a blast. The systems are very open and freeform and the cards are multi-use, so there's often this feeling of scrapping together just the thing you need from odd parts - burning this card, eating this mushroom, falling here, etc. The movement system really leans into the mechanics of Shadow of the Colossus and allows for a creativity and freedom while reinforcing the theme. Every game we've played has been tight and we've failed a few times. I like that. My only complaint was that the enemies will sometimes do "swift" moves that resolve before your turn so you don't have much of a chance to react. I didn't realize until a game or two later that you can still use skills on cards to react instantly which might be an easy rule to miss. I've felt much better about "swift" since learning that. I'll definitely be backing the announced small expansion for the upcoming reprint. What a pleasant surprise.
Leviathan Wilds is excellent!
Harmonies - 6 plays at 2 players - This game has been called a Reef killer, an Azul killer, and a Cascadia killer. I own all those games! So, what's the body count at my table? Well, first off this game is lovely. The art is beautiful, the spatial puzzle is quite satisfying, and the playtime is breezy (especially at 2). It is most comparable to Reef in that you are arranging and stacking pieces in configurations for points, but there's a second layer of tile arrangement, similar to Cascadia's habitats, that's always present, no matter what cards come up. The Azul comparison is probably due to the drafting of tiles from a central market. So, what's the outcome?:

• Reef - Dead. Harmonies gives me a similar spatial puzzle in less time, in a smaller box, with better art, and it feels more thematic (I want to make homes for all my animals!).
• Cascadia - Dead. (although I was tired of it already). I find the game to game strategies in Harmonies to be more diverse and I don't feel like I have an algorithm to follow like in Cascadia (Is there a tile that increases two habitats? Can I fit a fox between my other groups of animals?).
• Azul - Alive. It's a stretch to compare the two games, but the drafting portion is far more interesting in Azul with the combining pools of tiles. Azul sits with Carcassonne in this perfect zone of being a gateway game that starts out gentle and puzzley and more you play it the more cutthroat it becomes. This isn't Harmonies, but...

Harmonies is excellent. I wouldn't be surprised if its the best gateway type game of the year. I do think it could slow down significantly with more players, but I tend to play something more interactive beyond 2.
Dro Polter - Too many plays to count and at all player counts - I think this is Oink's cutest production yet. The chunky wooden ghost, the tiny bells, the little set of treasures you'll hold in your hand. If you like frantic dexterity games, this is great. You can explain the rules in about 2 sentences and it's very non-gamer friendly. The cleverest bit is how you have to hold onto points in the form of tiny bells and if you drop them you lose them. It's an excellent system of handicapping the leader that often turns to laughs. It's mostly a novelty, but if you can introduce it to a few different groups of people, it feels worth it. Great with kids too.
Dro Polter is great!

I'm only 8 weeks out of a covid infection so it might not be long covid yet, but I wanted to ask people who knew better than me. After I exert, I immediately feel racing heart and muscle fatigue (similar to how you feel after a workout, but only while moving) and that lasts for a while, maybe calms down but comes back when I try to move around (even if I'm moving less). For example, last night I paced back and forth for a while, and when I stopped, I went to lie down and felt those symptoms. Today, my arm kind of hurts for some reason, and my knees hurt when I walk, and my legs do burn a bit as well when I walk (more than usual), but other than that I feel fine. I also don't have any consistent mental symptoms - I have some brain fog, but it doesn't seem to be affected by exertion.
Unsure if this is PEM or just deconditioning, since I seem to lack the flu-like symptoms I've heard about (unless the muscle soreness counts?). My mind also feels fine, and I feel physically okay as long as I'm not actively moving or have just finished moving (some angles are painful for my arm, but other than that I feel pretty much fine as long as I'm not on my feet. It does take a bit of time to recover from standing, though.) So... what do you all think?

Hey everyone, firstly I'll start by saying I'm 41 and have been vegan 15 years and will never go back, it's the best decision I ever made. I only ask this in case anyone else has experienced this and can help.
I'm 41 now but for about 5-6 years now I've been quite stiff and achy. For example I meditate most mornings cross legged but when I unfold my legs after ten minutes or so they're so stiff. Equally when I go to get up they just feel so rigid and and stiff. I also get aches in my legs and back that aren't really bad but feel somewhat older than my years.
It could be a number of things causing this but just wanted to check in case anyone else has experienced this and found something that helped? It could just be aging or something else (I'm type 1 diabetic) but I do stretch and I eat very healthily indeed for the most part so don't feel it's those obvious things.
Any tips from anyone who might have experienced the same gladly received.
Thanks

Hi all, so firstly, I haven't been able to see a doctor yet (planning to, more on that below), but about a week ago I randomly woke up with a severe stabbing pain just below my rib cage on the right side, it was probably a pain of 6 for me, I took a Tylenol and just sat in bed breathing steadily. It calmed down after about 40 minutes and I went back to sleep, but woke up with a dull pain in the same spot. That pain continued (burning sensation, could pinpoint exactly where it came from, felt it in my back) and then 4 days later during the evening I felt the pain building up, for about an hour it was like a constant level 5 pain, I decided to go lie down, and woke up an hour later with the most severe pain I've ever felt, it was a full 9 on the scale. I couldn't move, I couldn't speak, I just laid there trying to breath while it felt like someone had shoved a burning pole through me in the exact same spot. I probably should have gone to the ER but I grew up with doctor grandparents and traumatized boomer parents and thus it was grilled into me that you shouldn't go to the ER unless you're spewing blood everywhere. The pain since died down but has not gone away, the same thing as it was 4 days ago where I can feel it, but it never goes away completely.
So, my question is, does this sound like gallbladder attack?
I have no other symptoms except I've been bleching more, my diet has been normal, and my stress has been better than before but not great. I'm hesitant to go to the ER because I don't have the proper health care card for my province, I only moved here 8 months ago and I haven't decided if I'm staying yet, plus I don't want to go only for them to send me back home with no results and nothing farther. I am obese and have anxiety and my experience with doctors is mostly the same "lose weight/your problems are anxiety", I don't want to go somewhere I already don't like if I don't have to, but I'm prepared to do it if the pain happens a 3rd time like it did before. Plus, I'm worried they'll just rush me into surgery and I know it can be an easy recovery, but I have 2 cats (one with a broken leg right now) and no family in the city, so surgery isn't an easy choice.
I think I really just need some advice to calm my worries, any experiences or stories of your own would be much appreciated.

This fic flows out of me way too easily, so I'm riding the waves while I can. Glad to see people enjoying it too! We continue where we left off, trying to figure out where to go, both with universe at large and with poor, lost child...
As usual, thanks to SpacePaladin15 for his own great work and letting fanfiction flow, and everyone who supported and enjoyed the fic thus far. So, let's see where this goes from now.
First - Prev - [Next]
Memory Transcription Subject: Dr. Erin Kuemper, SETI Researcher
Date [standardized human time]: July 15, 2136
Before entering the conference room, I adjusted my dress suit. Even for official meetings, I usually just prefer simpler official outfits, but this time is different. Being invited to observe the first official diplomatic meeting between humanity and aliens, I wanted to be perfect for it, even if it was meeting the baby-eating monster aliens over a video call.
Stepping inside, I see the other people that would be present for it. Normally, as a SETI researcher, I would object to the presence of any military heads at such a meeting, on purely conceptual level, much less two. But with what we have learned I can’t help but almost feel like even entire room filled with generals wouldn’t be enough for this.
“Ah, Dr. Kuemper. Come in, take a seat. We plan to start hailing them in ten minutes.” Secretary-General motions towards one of free seats, so I take the one that’s further away from both generals. As I do though, General Jones starts talking to me.
“So, Dr. Kuemper, how’s our rescue doing? Were there any further incidents?”, she asked.
“No, not yet. She still hasn’t woken up since that last sedation. While we don’t understand nearly enough about her biology yet, drawing some parallels with biology of Earth life we can infer that while her life is no longer threatened, she will likely take a while to fully recover from blood loss and malnutrition. Much bigger problem will be communicating our intentions to her, as well as regaining her trust after... everything.”
“Is it really smart to assign Noah Williams as one of her main caretakers then?” She asked, raising her eyebrow.
“From analyzing the footage of the incident, she reacted the same way to all the humans in the room. I doubt it was Williams’ specific appearance that was the source of such intense fright. And that assignment is not just for the sake of the alien, but Williams himself. Him and Rosario are both, frankly, on suicide watch right now. They need a chance to try and do something to relieve their guilt.”
To that General Jones just hummed, before turning to the screen. I could also hear General Zhao, the Chinese general, snorting in amusement. I am not sure what he found funny about this, but I’d rather not know at all.
It wasn’t a rational call, I knew it, but if there’s anyone who can project most empathy possible towards our alien rescue, it’d be Noah. I have asked Sara if she wished to participate as well, but she struggles to even look at the child without throwing up, so for her, distancing might be for the best.
“We’re beginning to hail the Arxur Dominion now.” Secretary-General announced, standing in front of the screen, facing it. “Not sure how long it will take.”
“I bet time zones get a ton more complicated on interstellar level...” General Zhao grumbled.
Afterwards, there were long twenty minutes of silence, interrupted by an occasional cough or shuffle before finally screen shifted, and displayed the aliens. It appears they also were in a private conference room, like us. In the middle, standing tallest and looking at us was none other than Chief Hunter Isif from photos the Odyssey crew took. Behind him were two more arxur. One was similar to Isif in build and stature, though not quite as tall, and the other was notably shorter and scrawnier, with lighter scale coloration. Part of me almost assumed that was a female, before I remembered that in the data dump there were no signs of easily notable sexual dimorphism among the arxur. An adolescent then, perhaps?
“Humans. I am glad you responded to our invitation. I believe an introduction is in order. I am Chief Hunter Isif of Arxur Dominion.” The alien spoke, translators working already, translating the noises unlike anything human makes into discernable speech.
“Greetings, Chief Hunter Isif. I am Secretary-General Elias Meier. I represent the United Nations, or UN for short, a governing body meant to represent combined interests of all individual nations of Earth. Before we proceed, I need to ask. Will I not be speaking to your leader, Prophet-Descendant, today?”
That was on the agenda for the meeting, if I remembered correctly. Trying to interact with arxur other than Isif. To gauge just how far this goes. Though it doesn’t seem like it’s happening, considering Isif is the one who picked up and how now he was emitting a low hiss that almost felt like it was carrying amusement.
“No. No offense meant to you, humans, but we Chief Hunters are expected to conduct all business in our sectors on our own. You technically fall within my territory. Plus, why would I give up an advantage I have over other Chief Hunters so easily? We may not ever have war against one another, but the competition is fierce, and you might just be the edge I need to curry more favor.”
I noticed General Zhao scoffing at shameless honesty in arxur’s intentions for this ‘alliance’ they proposed in the databanks. Yeah, just use us to gain more advantage over his rivals. I can’t believe Secretary-General elected to deal with them after all.
“I see. I expected that. Still, even if we were granted an audience, our answer would have remained unchanged. Sorry to disappoint, Chief Hunter, but humanity simply cannot afford a full alliance with the Dominion.” Secretary-General spoke in neutral tone, but I could sense the strain in his voice.
The arxur on the screen had his facial features harden.
“I see. You’re still unconvinced of the prey’s threat to your unprepared world. You believe you may parlay with them.”
“Quite the contrary, we’re more than convinced and have no reason to believe you’re lying. However, while an alliance with you would grant us protection... It would also drag us into the war we wish no part of. We’re... grateful to you for showing hospitality to the crew of Odyssey, and for warning us of the threat, but we will not be diving into war we have no interest fighting.”
“You will not be able to hide forever.” Isif kept insisting, seemingly almost growing agitated. “We knew of you because they did, long before us. They may believe you dead, but all it’d take is one stray vessel for you to be doomed.”
Part of me wanted to be relieved that, despite the tense tone, the negotiations so far were going exactly as planned. Another part of me wept that we were intentionally alienating and putting distance between ourselves and the aliens. And a third part of me was disgusted at the fact that we were talking to them at all.
“Trust us, Chief Hunter, we do not plan to merely sit and wait to be discovered and exterminated. We will be preparing. We simply don’t wish to enter the fight without a good reason.” Elias continued, pushing on to the next topic. “That said, just because we don’t wish for alliance, doesn’t mean we can’t mutually benefit from one another still.”
I could see that the shorter arxur behind Isif was about to speak up, but flinched when the larger one glared at them. Isif himself narrowed his eyes at Elias.
“And what benefit do you see that isn’t us joining hands in battle for survival, Elias Meier?”
I couldn’t see his face, but I could feel Secretary-General smiling at Chief Hunter.
“Trade. Your people are, by your own admission, starving. We could provide a solution. What we lack, however, is information. In this universe, we’re blind, and just sending out probes risks discovery. If you’d be willing to supply us with intel on Federation, we’d be more than glad to relieve your hunger. Maybe not the whole Dominion... But definitely all of your sector’s arxur.”
Arxur behind Isif both slightly opened their mouths, eyes widening in almost human-like expression. Even Isif seemed to be taken slightly aback, though he composed himself much quicker, glaring at his subordinates to make them collect themselves. On our end, I could see General Zhao smirking, and General Jones tapping at her chin in contemplation, while I twiddled my thumbs nervously, waiting for rug to be pulled from under us.
“You promise a lot. Producing food in such quantities with just one planet, even if it were filled with cattle, is impossible. Simply unsustainable.” Isif replied.
“We have our ways, Isif. We solved hunger once, we can do so again. Not immediately, it will take time to ramp up production, of course... But once that happens, all you need to do is name your price in how much meat you need and we will provide. And all we want in return is information to better defend ourselves.”
There was a long pause of contemplation. When looking closely, I could see something that was either agitation... or excitement among Isif’s posse, but Chief Hunter himself remained unimpressed. Eventually he did speak up.
“Don’t think I will fall for such a trick, Elias Meier. You humans are still young, still naive to the cruelty of the universe. We were once like you, and were nearly wiped out for it. I will not have it happen to the only other True Sapient in the galaxy. I will trade information. But I can already sense what the first request will be, and you will not be getting translations for Federation languages.”
That made every human in the room except Elias tense up. I almost flinched at the accusation, Jones hid her mouth behind her hand and Zhao’s smirk turned into a frown. Only Secretary-General remained unshaken. Isif, in meantime, continued speaking.
“If you prove yourself capable of helping us, and manage to provide as much sustenance as you claim you can... I will consider it. But until then, I will not be accelerating your desire to commit extinction by Federation’s hands.”
“Then, if you need to benefit from us first before putting us at risk, we can only thank you again for your concern, Chief Hunter.” Secretary-General replied. I was surprised at how collected he remained despite the arxur completely seeing through our intentions with this ‘trade deal’. “Trust us, we have no interest in getting annihilated in antimatter fire, but we are willing to work to earn your trust. We will be sending lists of information we desire. I hope that partnership can strengthen the bonds between us further.”
“Indeed. We will review and return to you the amounts of food we will require for it. Show us what you are capable of, humans. Now let’s get this over with. Conversing like that is... tiring.”
Right. Arxur are naturally solitary, according to the databank they gave us. A species of biologically predisposed introverts...
“Farewell, Chief Hunter Isif.” Meier replied curtly, before the screen dimmed and camera light disappeared. Contact was over.
I let out a deep sigh of relief, realizing I’ve been holding it in for a while now. There... was a lot to consider about what just happened. I was told footage would be saved, so we can better analyze the arxur nonverbal cues later.
Elias turned to us and put his hands on the table.
“So, that didn’t go as bad as it could have. Any thoughts?”
General Zhao was first to speak up.
“We’ll need information on Federation tactics and weaponry. We’ll have to prepare a strong l space military regardless of whether they can be talked down, but it’s much easier to convince someone not to kill you when doing so risks their own life.”
“I’m more interested in whether there is any technology that could allow us to send spy drones into Federation space without leaving obvious trail back to us.” General Jones countered. “We might not even need arxur translators if we can decode the language via our own surveillance.”
Elias turned his eyes on me expectantly. I considered everything that happened, things Isif said and ways his presumably-lieutenants reacted to conversation, things we learned from their data bank... And it dawned on me.
“They... see us the same way we have seen them before learning of their horrid acts. First contact with someone who treats you like a person, and first people in the galaxy whom you can see as friends. We sought the stars seeking to not be alone in the universe, and while their ways are repulsive to us... It’s not true the other way. This cooperation to them is much more sentimental than it is to us. They want to be able to trust us and rely on us.”
Elias smiled and nodded at my assessment.
“Thank you for your input, everyone. We have a lot of work ahead of us. Dr. Kuemper, I hope you’re ready for tomorrow’s announcement and your promotion?”
Right. Tomorrow we’re revealing that First Contact has occurred to the public. It took a lot of effort to make it presentable without triggering mass panic, and some details will be omitted. That and I’m receiving a new position in the UN related to handling alien affairs. What a joy...
“As ready as I can be.”
“Then let’s get to it. It won’t be easy, people, but our entire civilization is at stake. We need to get this right, and in a way that won’t have our descendants condemning us.”
Right. Cooperation with arxur, this trade... I didn’t like the idea of it, but I understood. We needed their help. Perhaps through this cooperation, rather than them influencing us, reverse can be made true, unlikely as it may seem. Worst part was failing to secure any translators at all. While I’m sure generals are salivating at idea of cyber-espionage against the Federation, I just wanted to be able to communicate with the rescued child, and make sure we could properly help her recover. Still... We will do our best, even without them.
Memory Transcription Subject: Stynek, Venlil Test Subject
Date [standardized human time]: July 15, 2136
Second time I woke up; the memories came to me much faster. How I was captured during the raid. How I spent months in cattle pens. How I was used as a meal for mystery predators. How they took me with them. And how I was now in their laboratory, or whatever closest thing predators have in their feral science.
Of course, my first instinct was to try and escape, but I couldn’t. I found myself actively strapped to the bed. I was panicked at first, trying to break through the restraints, but to no effect. So I let my head fall back onto surprisingly soft pillow and lay there... Awaiting my fate. But fate wasn’t coming, and I found myself getting a bit bored. So I raised my head and examined the room.
It seemed different from the room I was in before. Most of the machinery was gone, and the only big machine beside my bed wasn’t actually hooked up to me anymore. There was a large, predator-sized closet in the corner, and two big tables with seats. Of course, there was also bed itself. If not for the fact that I was slated to be butchered on this bed soon, it’d be the most comfortable place I got to lay down on since my capture. As is... It felt like cruel irony. I felt my eyes watering again. Did predators want to taunt me? Give me this sense of near-comfort as one last cruelty?
Subconsciously I tried calling out for mom, but felt my throat burn and ended up coughing instead. I think all the screaming recently wasn’t good for it, and with how dry my mouth was it didn’t help. Looking around I spotted it. A glass of water on a small stand beside the bed! Except it was completely out of reach. I tried shifting my tail under me, to try and extend towards it, but I’d need to have the bed flipped to have the chance at reaching. They probably left it like that intentionally... Letting me feel thirst, see the answer, but not be allowed to take it, all to make me suffer more.
I attempted to shift and wiggle against the restraints some more, when it hit me. It finally hit me that my leg was gone, gone for good. Even if I could somehow miraculously break those restraints... And get out of predator captivity... And make it back home to Venlil Prime... It wouldn’t be the same. I’d never live a normal life. My vision blurred with tears again. Why couldn’t they just end it... Why did... they have to make me suffer more.
Then the door opened and my heartbeat quickened. I realized just what I asked for, and looks like the universe itself wanted to give me that. Through the door stepped a figure... No longer clad in big rubbery suit. They probably realized such deception won’t work on me. But which of predators it was made my blood freeze.
It was the same one again... The dark-colored one that was there in meeting with arxur, and when I first woke up... Why was it always this one showing up over and over? Did all those predators look like that? He was wearing different outfit, maybe it was a different predator? No, it’s too similar, it must just be... assigned to me. My personal warden. Just like the pens had specific wardens assigned to them that were in charge of picking out meals.
This is it then. They must have done everything they wanted to do with me while I was unconscious and now that I was awake to feel it, were ready to finish me off. I closed my eyes, squeezing them tightly shut as the predator approached. I lost count of how many times I was anticipating death recently, but this was it... This must be it, finally, right? Universe can’t be cruel enough to do more to me, can it?
And as I waited for my demise, with held breath I lay. And lay. And waited. Until I realized that by now predator would long be within reach of my throat. I slowly opened my eyes, and blinked a few times to get the tears out. Sight of predator right beside me made me flinch, as it sat down by the bed, looking over me with its hungry, binocular eyes. I could see its mouth, lips quivering in hunger. And yet it did not lunge... Why?! Why can’t they just finish me off already? I felt so exhausted and fatigued by it all...
Predator seemed to lock its horrid eyes with my own eye. The gaze was intense, and I felt frozen. I couldn’t move, not even a muscle, as it just stared at me and I stared back. I felt a tear roll down my face, contributing more to the clump of matted fur, grown stained with so many tears. And that’s when the predator reached its hand for my head. I closed my eyes, recoiling away to the best of my ability. I... I didn’t want it... Please... Why can’t I just wake up back home, why can’t it all just be a nightmare...
I was prepared for its claw to grasp my face, to twist my neck, to scratch at me... But the only thing I felt was a small caress right under my eye, where the tear ran, wiping it off and rubbing at clumped fur, getting bits of dirt out in process. And then it was over. There was no attack. It was just more prolonging of the inevitable. It was so... tiring. I opened my eyes again, to look back at the predator. Really look back in those cruel eyes, to try and understand why the universe would have such evilness exist at all. The binocular gaze was horrible, but no amount of my instinct telling me to flee could help when I had neither the limbs nor freedom to move. So I just looked back. Into those small eyes when they suddenly blinked. And what could only be a tear rolled down the predator’s face. This made me mentally recoil.
How? Did a predator just shed a tear? But that’s... impossible. Only creatures with empathy can cry. That’s the textbook prerequisite for crying! You need to feel things to cry! Predators don’t have that! Arxur don’t have that. We learn that since before school. One of first things parents teach their kids is always the dangers of predators. But this is... Maybe it’s something in the room? Some noxious agent irritating its eyes? Then why can’t I feel it? Is it simply copying me? But why would it do that? Can you even copy something you can’t understand, like feelings? I didn’t understand. Maybe their biology was way more alien? Their skin was naked and had no fur or scales or feathers, maybe their tears are different too? I tried to find any explanation at all, any possible answer to questions swirling in my mind, but nothing made sense. It’s like this one little tear shattered everything I knew about predators. Maybe... They were different somehow? No! That can’t be it. If they were, they wouldn’t... They wouldn’t have been ones to take part in eating me! They wouldn’t deal with arxur! It’s a trick... it must be... But tears are a sign of empathy...
“W-Why...”, I asked in my confusion. My voice came out as ragged and hoarse and I was reminded of how dry my insides felt. I glanced over to the glass at the bedside, still out of reach and now with a predator near it... I stood no chance at reaching it.
Then suddenly, the predator looked over at it as well, and picked it up. I was almost about to cry at the idea that it would drink it in front of me, taunting my thirst further. But it didn’t even bring the glass close to its horrid mouth, instead moving it towards my face. Naturally, I tried pulling back from predator reach, but still restrained, I couldn’t move much. And once the glass was in front of me, predator just tilted it and... left it hovering there.
Was it... offering me a drink? Does that mean the water is poisoned? Why else would it give me some? I didn’t open my mouth, but the predator kept hovering the glass in front of me... Clear liquid inside swishing a bit with unevenness of the movements. Tantalizing... My throat felt drier just looking at it. In the end, base instinct prevailed over reason-based self-preservation. Even if it is poisoned... I was as good as dead in this den of predators, this won’t matter, and at least I’ll die not feeling as dry as a piece of old tree bark. So I let my mouth open and I raised my head as much as I could within the restraints, putting the glass’s rim into my mouth.
That first sip was probably the most heavenly water I’ve ever tasted. It was just normal water, of course, but with how dry I felt, I couldn’t get enough as I started quickly gulping it down. The predator actually helped, tilting the glass, keeping up with how quickly I emptied it. Every gulp was a relief... It was no stale water of arxur pens. It was actually fresh water! But as quickly as it started, the happiness ended, glass fully tilted and empty. I smack my mouth, gathering little bits of moisture gathered on it with my tongue, while the predator moves the glass back onto the counter.
Well, if that had poison in it, I didn’t taste any. And if it was somehow tasteless... It was worth it. I still couldn’t wrap my mind around the predator and its actions, so instead I did my best to just ignore it as I savored the feeling of hydration. If I somehow live through this, unlikely though it may be, I will never scorn water again. Though I will probably still prefer some good juice over it...
The predator started moving again, removing the blanket-like sheet that was covering most of my body and reaching to where my restraints connected to the bed itself. It locked its eyes with me again, and this time it at least didn’t cry, but it did start to growl something. It was quiet and subdued, and of course I couldn’t understand any of it, but it didn’t lunge or reach for me directly and didn’t seem any different from earlier. Was it trying to say something?
Then I heard a small click. The light pressure I felt on my arms and chest from the restraints relaxed. Then the predator just tossed the restraint over me, revealing that they released me. I tested it by raising my arms slightly. Why...? Did they plan on taking me somewhere? I could try running but the feeling of lightness, of hollow emptiness where my leg used to be reminded me of how fruitless the endeavor would be, so I just kept laying in bed. The predator’s mouth curved in some wicked expression before they growled out some more of their crude words and got up.
They moved towards the exit, turning around to give me one last creepy staredown before stepping out of the room. And, unsurprisingly, I heard a soft click from the door itself. Right. I was just free to explore my new pen. But even with the freedom granted, I couldn’t bring myself to get out of bed. The shock of learning that a predator just shed a tear and fed me water was still too much. What is even happening?
It’s all so confusing. I grabbed the blanket and pulled it over my head, hiding in the dark. I tried to desperately convince myself to not get my hopes up, to remember what those predators did to me... But somewhere I felt like maybe things here will at least be better than they were in arxur pens. At least there’s that to comfort me. That’s right, they probably just... don’t want me to die yet because they haven’t finished experimenting on me... And the tears were just... I don’t know. It makes no sense! It’s stupid!
I let out a breath and snuggled tighter into the blanket. As long as it was dark and quiet like this, I could at least pretend that I was back home... That everything makes sense... That I am just fine... That I'll be okay...
First - Prev - [Next]

You know that feeling when you're trying to really focus on building those leg muscles, but it feels like you're not hitting the right spots? I've been there! Recently, I decided to shake things up by incorporating leg extension and leg curl machines into my routine.
I usually do three sets of 12-15 reps, starting with 40kg on the leg extension and 35kg on the leg curl. Using these machines from brands like Yanre Fitness and Life Fitness has been a game-changer for targeting my quads and hamstrings specifically. The burn is intense, and the results in muscle definition and strength have been noticeable.
What about you all? How have your experiences been with leg extension and curl machines? Do you adjust the weight or rep range differently for better results? Any tips to get the most out of these machines or maybe even other exercises that help isolate those leg muscles? Let's share our stories and help each other get those gains!

Gopuff lays off 6% of workforce, as it prepares for ‘next leg of growth’ The Philadelphia-headquartered quick-delivery giant has slowly cut staff since 2022.
Katie Malone
Gopuff, the quick-delivery convenience tech unicorn, finally got a logo up on its Spring Garden Street headquarters in Philadelphia after nearly five years in the space.
Bad timing for the employees on their way out as the company reduces its workforce. Again.
Gopuff will lay off 6% of its global staff as it looks to become profitable by the end of 2024, a spokesperson said, confirming a tip Technical.ly received the day prior and news first reported by The Information.
About 10,000 employees work for the Philly-based delivery giant, meaning roughly 600 people will be affected. It’s unclear how many of the laid off staffers are in Philadelphia. The company will provide severance packages, it said, stressing that there will be no impact on customer service.
The latest move is an effort to move to a path to being profitable in two years, according to a spokesperson. The cuts will position Gopuff for its “next leg of growth,” the company told Bloomberg. They follow other recent staff reductions.
In March 2023, Gopuff laid off 2% of its workforce, or about 100 employees. Last year may have been weaker earlier than originally thought. The company burned through $400 million in 2023, sources close to the company financials told The Information last week.
Troubles began two years ago, when in the span of about six months Gopuff went through three rounds of layoffs. It cut about 3% of its global workforce in March 2022, closed warehouses and laid off another 1,500 people in July 2022, and let another 250 people go that fall. The $15 billion company put off its ambitions to IPO after its pandemic-era hypergrowth came to a halt, and it was time to downsize.
Many venture capital-backed tech companies have recently gone through rounds of layoffs, either because higher interest rates made money more expensive or because those market changes pushed growth-mode companies toward tighter budgets overall
Gopuff was the region’s first household-name tech unicorn, a story of college kids who stuck around after graduation and built a tech-enabled company that everyday people knew and used — a far cry from the life sciences and enterprise software more familiar here.
Though at times thought to be on track for the public markets, Gopuff’s financial discipline, neighbor relationships and tech community engagement have all been criticized,

I've been denied by the VA once for a pretty significant injury that occurred during a bad parachute landing. I figured that if they are paying me 20% for the back, then I should be happy with what i got. I can still walk, and I'm not as bad as some. Over the years it has gotten worse, and I've had to concede my pride because my needs have gone up, and my ability to work overtime has been taking a massive hit. but I figured as long as I got something I'm ok. I mean, ancient warriors never got benefits. I've got running water, I have one hell of an education, I've been able to obtain a level of success that I never thought I could achieve. I didn't feel that I had the right to ask for a higher rating, but I just finished working on 3 separate hospitals with a tens unit on board and everything that the VA gave me. I feel like my spine is made of broken glass and it's getting hard to move my legs. I just want to go back to only working one job. The websites have changed so much. Does anyone have a phone number or a link? I swear it's designed to keep us from filing on purpose. I just want another evaluation on the injuries they rejected because those still hurt too, but the back dwarfs their pain by comparison. It's like not noticing a candle burning you while you're standing in a bonfire. I just have a hard time swallowing my pride and file.

I have been doing this to myself off and on since the summer before my junior year. I just graduated from high school on Thursday and I'm still the only one who knows, so I guess this is how I reach out. I hope at least someone hears me, sees me, and knows what I've done. I started burning with matches because I was worried about my SAT the day after taking it and I'd read that people sometimes hurt themselves to deal with emotional problems, so I decided to give it a go for myself to see what the fuss was all about (such a weird way to put it lol). I definitely wasn't going to cut myself because all the blood and stuff just did not appeal to me at all, so I would sneak matches out of our grandparents's house (they always kept a few boxes around) and hold them to my legs or torso. I was careful to try to make sure that I didn't burn my arms at all or my legs in visible places, but my parents were able to catch a glimpse of a few poking out of the bottom of my shorts. Luckily (not really) I had recently gotten a really bad poison ivy rash from weed eating at the house, so I blamed the red marks on that, and they didn't think anything of it after that. It got worse, even after I got my SAT and AP scores back, and I began doing it even more frequently after school came back. It was initially almost an attention-type deal, where I imagined someone accidentally finding my scars or wounds and me crying my pain away while they hugged me or some bs like that. However, by that point, I developed an obsessive need to hide what I was doing and make sure no one could catch a glimpse. I got more precise, only burning on my upper thighs and making sure that I would continue doing this undetected. My self-esteem was hitting rock bottom at this point, and I began more and more to isolate from my friends and neglect my homework. At this point it became an addiction, where the endorphins and adrenaline would genuinely make me feel good whenever I burned myself, and I began doing it in the bathrooms at school. Now, my high school has vape detectors that can detect smoke and vapor and take a screenshot of whatever dumbass thought he could escape our principal, but I thought I was slick and would hide under a jacket to sort of hotbox myself with match smoke as I touched the burning head directly to my thigh. This worked for a month or so before it all fell apart. The assistant principal asked to see me one day during my virtual psychology class in the library and took me for a walk in the hall, asking me if I had a vape on me. I knew I was kind of fucked at that point because the matches were in a ziploc bag in my pocket and my school takes a tough on crime approach to vaping and smoking paraphernalia, so I just owned up to having the matches in my pocket and didn't make him search me and find them. But I, this dumbass, was so smart and so slick that I thought up a lie and I thought it up quick. I told him with a completely straight face that I had been shitting and used the matches to cover the shit smell. Somehow that mfer believed me and let me off with a warning (he confiscated the matches too ofc). My parents and everyone believed me, mostly because I'm a people pleaser and would absolutely do that if I was feeling anxious or insecure enough, and the only consequences have been my mom bringing it up as a joke a year and a half later. I wish she would forget. Even though my bullshit worked, I decided I had to stop both so I didn't get caught in the future. So my self harming was dormant until the beginning of this most recent semester. I was extremely busy, balancing school, athletics, and college and scholarship applications. Everything seemed so big and scary and overwhelming. So I began burning again. We have moved out of our grandparents' house, so no matches, but I have been able to sneak the lighters that we have lying around. I make sure to put them back exactly as I found them so I don't get found out. I don't do it at school anymore (for obvious reasons), so instead I began doing it in the mornings before I left for school. I would get up only around fifteen to twenty minutes before I had to leave because I'm lazy, so on a lot of mornings I would have to choose between eating breakfast and burning myself with a lighter. Guess which one I chose. I was never able to get a consistent schedule down during school, but now that school is out I have much more disposable time to hurt myself. It's weird, but I thought that once school got out and I knew where I was going to college, things were supposed to get better, but that did not happen at all. I'm feeling bad about being away from my friends, but instead of sadness it's more like an empty coldness. I didn't cry at graduation, and I haven't cried since, but I feel like shit and I can't get it out. Burning is the only way I can feel safe and be free for a little while from those feelings. I want to tell my friends but I don't want to be burden an attention seeking POS (not to invalidate people who SH as a cry for help or for any other "attention" at all, your feelings are just as real as anyone else's and you are loved and valuable, I just have it in my head that if it's ME doing it as a cry for help then I'M bad). I can't tell my parents because I straight up lied to them twice about it, and I'm worried they would be mad. I feel like I'm always trapped in this cycle of doing shitty things to myself and feeling like shit and like I'm shit, and I don't know how to fix it or where to even begin. Everyone else sees an awkward eighteen-year-old man who is about to go to college (which I am very lucky to be able to attend), but I just feel awful so much of the time. I'm not actively suicidal, but I feel like I don't want to exist a lot. I don't even have a good reason really. I probably shouldn't be posting. But I will I guess so at least someone knows that I self harm and that, to some extent, I'm hurting.