Hola!
(I’m not sure about the flag I used, lmk if another would be better)
I want to send postal cards to my family in France. In what language am I supposed to write the address part? For the names, number, name of the street I write them in French since it’s the real name, but what about the country? Should I write “FRANCIA” or “FRANCE”?
Thank you!

Dear my first love/ ex
I know we only dated briefly, but in that time we faced so much that time seemed like it passed faster than it actually did. When we first started out you helped push me to find a new job, because I couldn’t imagine working there alone. You even helped me quit by writing out my resignation letter even though I was gonna do it anyways since I had a new job lined up, but knowing that I wasn’t doing it alone or leaving you behind helped. I wish you could have been there to wish me good luck on my first day, but you got Covid and didn’t want to risk me getting sick before even starting.
I never wanted you to be anyone else, I loved the guy that I got to know before you ever made us official. The guy with several allergies to some of the weirdest most common things, but not allergic to common allergens. The guy with fears of heights, and bugs and scares easily. The guy that loves Disney movies and loves singing to them and cries at sad moments but would never let me see him cry. The guy that loves math, collecting Pokemon cards because they’re pretty, playing video games, D&D, anime, spending time with friends and family. The guy that was very judgemental when it came to certain things like how mint ice cream is wrong and anything with mint and chocolate together just shouldn’t be. The guy that seemed very uncertain about his future saying things like “I’m gonna take a job I hate so when I have money I can take a job I like that doesn’t pay much” “I want to buy a house here, because it would be such a flex to my friends” “ I would have quit school but everyone expected me to finish so I couldn’t quit.” Meanwhile you did know that when he bought a house that he wanted a cat and even knew the type of cat he wanted.
Now comes the tricky part that I hate because I don’t know how much you actually knew about me. Did you know I would have loved if you asked me to dance? That I would have loved a reason to get dressed up and show you a side of me no one has ever seen? You knew that you opened my heart and made me feel safe, but do you know what that has done to me? Do you know how your love has changed me? Did you know that since you were the first person to see me and love me that you helped me gain confidence I never had? Did you know that all I ever needed even when you physically couldn’t be there with me was you to say “I love you”. Just 3 little words to make me feel better, even on my worse days, just knowing that I have someone who chose me and chose to love me was a enough, but you couldn’t do that simple thing.
Instead you chose to create distance, trying to repair the damage after it was done instead of just saying “I love you and because I love you can we cool off and come back to the issue in the morning so we don’t say something we might regret?” No I got the response of “ I had a good day today and don’t need you bringing me down so I’m turning off my phone” the reason I was mad was because you blew me off and broke your promise the least you could have done was apologize instead of making me feel guilty and less than.
Do I hate you for that? Do I hate you for putting yourself first? Do I hate you for making me open my heart and be venerable to you? Do I hate you for shattering my heart into a million pieces? Do I hate that we loved each other and it seemed like you did all the talking but I was the one opening up more emotionally than you? Do I hate you for finding someone new so fast? Do I hate that you probably saw the northern lights with your new gf on my birthday, while I watched them alone after you said I would never be alone on my birthday again, along with the fact our first date we tried to see them only to get downgraded to cloud gazing and never watching them together like we wanted? No, for some reason I can’t hate you maybe that’s what true love is, because there will always be a part of me that loves you. Even with all your faults and flaws but it would be so much easier if I could just hate you. But I would be lying if I say that I’m not hurt and that I wouldn’t take you back in a heartbeat. I would have my reservations about it but as long as you would be willing to put the work in I would take you back because I’m not going to hate and judge you based on a few bad times when there were so many more good times. But we didn’t know how to deal with the bad times so we let that rip us apart.
~ your ex that you gave up on

I’m not from PNW, and I love coffee. So the coffee hut scene out here appeared a bit like stumbling upon a magical caffeinated oasis. The speed! The efficiency! I can drive up to a window, ask a nice person for a beverage, hand them a card and a tip, and be on my way in 94 seconds. In-frickin-credible.
But like any good fantasy story, there is always a villain, seemingly hell-bent on turning a Ferngully of warm beverage efficiency into a hellscape reflecting LA rush hour. And that villain is the people who turn their nose up at any other sizable brick and mortar establishment, and seem satiated most by ordering enough snacks for a seven-nation army at an 80 square foot mobile coffee hut.
I must ask, then, what drives you to do this? What about a tiny coffee hut screams to you “Oh! Look! That’s the ideal place to order seven pizza smash bagels with Fibonacci-sequenced pepperoni arrangements combined with no fewer than four alternating cheeses, watered down with multi-berry frozen miachiato-smoothie medleys, topped with whipped cream (and the crushing hopes I once had for a bright future for my species).”
Is there something about the presence of an efficient place to get coffee that simply offends your sensibilities? Were you soul-bound to an evil wizard after touching that glistening snake-adorned sword in the bog that your friends told you not to, now forever cursed to smite the feng shui of coffee provision? There must be something I’m missing in that Giza-challenging pyramid of pizza bagels you’re about to face smash - perhaps you could inform me via naval armada that could now be floated upon the stream of frozen pink smoothies that seem unnaturally mass produced in a building of such compact size?
As I’ve had the time to write this entire post while sitting behind you, please, do share. If you’re not going to be my friend, at least have the decency to be my enemy.

To summarize, I have been doing tarot for like 6 months and generally like it. I feel like I'm actually pretty good at it. However, I always told myself before to not ask any questions where there's an answer that could scare me, and a couple of weeks ago I decided to do one anyway. I asked my cards stuff about my own death. It wasn't an inherently negative reading but some aspects of it made me nervous, and because of my already high anxiety, I've been overthinking it a lot. My OCD and GAD have been wild lately which sometimes leads to decisions that don't have logic behind them.
Today I decided to make a post about this on the tarot subreddit. I explained how I made a mistake by asking this question, talked about what cards I got, how I've been feeling, admitted that it's because of my poor mental health. I guess I just wanted some reassurance and kindness. I wanted a reply like "I totally get it, it's hard not to ask these questions sometimes! Your cards might not be a bad thing and it doesn't have to mean you're about to die, blah blah". That's what I would and have said when I see others struggling. I would never see someone in a low moment and kick them down even further.
But the comments on my post were imo extremely mean. People said all kinds of things like how I'm so stupid, need to seek therapy, shouldn't do tarot anymore because I'm using it all wrong, that there's nothing for them to say because I already admitted I made a bad choice, I got downvoted when I asked people to at least be nicer. Like the content of what they said wasn't even that off base but the vitriol they said it with was really uncalled for. One of these people even admitted they used to struggle with the same thing. What sucks too is that writing out my post actually helped me calm down and feel a lot better about the situation because reading it all out I saw how it's not as big and bad as I built it up to be in my head. Then the comments took that away and made me feel worse again.
When I was younger this type of thing used to make me cry. Now it just pisses me off. Like it blows my mind how comfortable people are with being total assholes to others just because they're hiding behind a phone screen and don't know me. I can't imagine intentionally treating someone like that. When I see posts similar to the one I made, I take a moment to calm them down and talk them through it. I say it's okay to feel that way. It makes me really disappointed that this is so rare. I'm just glad I'm not like them.
To be clear, please don't say anything mean about me and my dumb stupid tarot choice or I'll scream 😭

To summarize, I have been doing tarot for like 6 months and generally like it. I feel like I'm actually pretty good at it. However, I always told myself before to not ask any questions where there's an answer that could scare me, and a couple of weeks ago I decided to do one anyway. I asked my cards stuff about my own death. It wasn't an inherently negative reading but some aspects of it made me nervous, and because of my already high anxiety, I've been overthinking it a lot. My OCD and GAD have been wild lately which sometimes leads to decisions that don't have logic behind them.
Today I decided to make a post about this on the tarot subreddit. I explained how I made a mistake by asking this question, talked about what cards I got, how I've been feeling, admitted that it's because of my poor mental health. I guess I just wanted some reassurance and kindness. I wanted a reply like "I totally get it, it's hard not to ask these questions sometimes! Your cards might not be a bad thing and it doesn't have to mean you're about to die, blah blah". That's what I would and have said when I see others struggling. I would never see someone in a low moment and kick them down even further.
But the comments on my post were imo extremely mean. People said all kinds of things like how I'm so stupid, need to seek therapy, shouldn't do tarot anymore because I'm using it all wrong, that there's nothing for them to say because I already admitted I made a bad choice, I got downvoted when I asked people to at least be nicer. Like the content of what they said wasn't even that off base but the vitriol they said it with was really uncalled for. One of these people even admitted they used to struggle with the same thing. What sucks too is that writing out my post actually helped me calm down and feel a lot better about the situation because reading it all out I saw how it's not as big and bad as I built it up to be in my head. Then the comments took that away and made me feel worse again.
When I was younger this type of thing used to make me cry. Now it just pisses me off. Like it blows my mind how comfortable people are with being total assholes to others just because they're hiding behind a phone screen and don't know me. I can't imagine intentionally treating someone like that. When I see posts similar to the one I made, I take a moment to calm them down and talk them through it. I say it's okay to feel that way. It makes me really disappointed that this is so rare. I'm just glad I'm not like them.
To be clear, please don't say anything mean about me and my dumb stupid tarot choice or I'll scream 😭

There'll be days like this, matches like this, when you look back at them four or five years down the line, you'll barely remember what happened in them. This is why you should bookmark this post in case you're a masochist.
🔆 Everything that could have gone wrong did go wrong! Actually, no, it didn't. I did revisionism again. It went pretty right for us. We won the most important toss of the season. We chose to do the thing we are best at. We subjected the opposition to RRR pressure in a knockout game. So, what happened? Everything went wrong after that. Head forgot to bring his bat down and cover his off-stump line. Abhi didn't move his feet as usual and halfheartedly played a drive without reaching the pitch of the ball. NKR got done by Starc more than anything else. And Shahbaz... Oh, Shahbaz... what do you even say about that! Sanvir got done by the pitch and probably didn't expect the first ball to be this good. In this entire innings, two KKR bowlers were on hat-tricks at two different phases of the innings, and that fact alone explains everything wrong with this performance, doesn't it? Before one of you asks me why I'm not talking about Samad, you need to visit one of my earlier PMAs.
🔆 You'll feel for Tripathi, as this looked like an innings where he was in control for once after all these years and it just had to be taken away from him. The interesting thing about Tripathi has been how he has been timing the ball so well since the last game. He no longer gets beaten trying to fetch a shot out of nowhere, nor does he try that stupid ramp shot as his pressure-relieving shot. He's just going at it as only he can. Still, Head's lovely extension of the arms, maybe a twerk or two, and he's off. The man continues to put forward a strong case for an opening spot, and right on time as well. Surely, the teams would take notice. Klaasen's hot-and-cold temperament will never fail to frustrate me. On the very first ball he faces, he plays a flashy drive on the up when the team was already four wickets down. This man needs some counseling on match awareness and how not to fall victim to his own ego. The pattern has been there for far too long to just be brushed aside. The team uses him as their trump card in the middle order, and when he doesn't put a value on his wicket, it shows a serious lack of commitment.
🔆 159 was not enough... Never enough... especially when you have sacrificed the prospect of having your fifth bowler in favor of an extra batting option (an event that fails). And the body language showed it. I sensed a loss the moment Shahbaz got out, but I felt the loss looking at the body language of our guys from ball one in the second innings. More than the runs themselves, it's the collective shoulder drop that should worry the coaching staff. Now, those complaining about Bhuvi not getting early wickets like Starc will need to understand that it had more to do with Starc's mentality and determination than anything else. The pitch didn't have demons(maybe I'm exaggerating again). Starc decided to show up on a big stage, and it does happen with bowlers in particular spells, when every ball is pitched nice and every length is the perfect counter to the batsmen. You hope to escape out of such spells and we were just unfortunate enough to be the collateral damage.
🔆 And that brings me to my final point. It's going to be a short write-up because we really had nothing to do in this game, did we? Outbatted, outbowled, and horribly outfielded. With every ball, our players acted like they didn't want to be there and would rather hide somewhere else. There wasn't a single sense of belief in that group whatsoever. Having seen this team defend even the lowest of totals (in all fairness, with a better bowling unit), I feel baffled by this massive fall from grace. The dew did come and made it difficult for us. But how do you justify dropping these dollies? How do you justify the seamers spraying it on the pads when every ball was worth its weight in gold? Normally, I'd say we live to fight another day. But losses like this take you back significantly on a psychological level. I'm forced to relive the PTSD from Q1 in 2018. And let me tell you, it's not a good place to be at..

LTB Adjudicator decided that if tenant refuses to sign N11, N12 after that can be found in bad faith!!!
Anyone that considers or depends on moving in their unit CAN'T NEGOTIATE WITH TENANT AT ALL
Not for N11, not for cash for keys not for anything.
Even talking to tenant is a risk as they will record you and twist your words against you.
Just serve N12 out of the blue and if it goes to LTB, present your case there and upload to www.openroom.ca any eviction orders. All reason, and common sense and agreement is off the table under heavy handed and unfair denial of access to one's own property.
Tenant not signing N11 is now a reason to find landlord in retaliation when serving N12
DO NOT OFFER YOUR TENANT N11, YOU WILL BE PUNISHED SEVERELY!!! YOU HAVE ONE RIGHT AND ONE CARD, ANY DEVIATION IS NOT POSSIBLE!
Even if one is selling a N11 is now considered as tenant enforcing legal rights, if they refuse to sign it. Sending N11 to tenant in a good faith even with agreement will blow up in your face if they change their mind. So N11 is not an agreement anymore, it is another trap that tenants will deploy.
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Citation: Kaye v Ritosa, 2023 ONLTB 74727
Date: 2023-11-14
File Number: LTB-L-019744-23
The Landlord said that she sent an N11 agreement to terminate the tenancy to the
Tenants in February 2023, but they did not agree to sign. She submitted into evidence an
email to the Tenants, dated February 25, 2023, in which she expresses concern about the
fact that the Tenants have not signed and returned the N11. She reiterates the financial
difficulties she is facing, mentioned above, and she states that she intends to sell the rental
unit. The Landlord further states that she will serve the Tenants with an N12 notice of
termination if they do not sign the N11, and she writes “What document do you prefer to
sign: N11 with November 30 deadline or N12 with 60 day notice from me? I assure you
that I will move into the condo myself in order to save me money on my expenses…..”
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ADJUDICATOR DECISION
However, serving an N12 notice of termination because a
tenant refuses to sign an N11 is one of the circumstances where refusal of eviction is
required, as provided in subsection 83(3)c). Section 83(3)c) of the Act provides that
eviction should be refused if it is being carried out in retaliation for a Tenant enforcing their
legal rights. In this case, the Tenant would be enforcing his legal right to refuse to sign an
N11. Threatening to evict someone because they fail to sign an N11 agreement to
terminate is, I find, also a circumstance for refusal of eviction, pursuant to subsection
83(3)(a), i.e. serving an N12 merely to rid oneself of a tenant in order to sell the rental unit
is a serious breach of the landlord’s responsibilities under the Act.
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The whole LTB order will be available on openroom.ca in couple days.
Just uploaded...

Mentions - Empty Orchestra, Tom & Gerri
Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do) is the song Duane sings in Empty Orchestra - which I just enjoyed rewatching (love this episode, and Javone Prince's performance and dancing is great!)
Anyway, I got the song stuck in my head and really started listening to the lyrics. Then I realized, after learning about Reece and Steve's time on the dole (interview here - https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=toH_GNuWgxE) that it was probably a favourite song of theirs during that time.
The time they spent on the dole inspired the play they were writing which included the character Pauline and eventually turned into the Tom & Gerri episode. They were sharing a flat, prior to the production of League of Gentlemen, and they said that it was rather miserable and they spent a lot of time playing board games "...drained of all their life energy." "Can't be bothered to leave the flat," "What's it worth going out for?"
George Michael wrote the song because he was given an ultimatum from his father "get yourself a job or get out of this house." He rapped about "the joys of living every day to the fullest, reveling in unemployment and celebrating government assistance."
So then, I can just imagine, Reece and Steve in their dingy little flat, on the dole, Reece just got back from being told he's dolescum by someone resembling "Pauline," and they're sitting down to play a game of Escape from Colditz. (Has anyone played this by the way!? I imagine Reece as the Security Officer and Steve as the Escape Officer!) Furthermore, in this game there is such a thing as a "Do or Die" card (interestingly named, for someone to be playing this while on the dole). Anyway, after playing their game, I imagine them feeling glum, and then one of them puts on Wham Rap! (Enjoy What You Do) and they both start ironically singing and dancing to it.
Isn't it wonderful, when you really think about it, how those difficult and "miserable" times led to the masterpieces we cherish today? Their struggles and their perseverance through adversity were not in vain. Instead, these challenging periods gave rise to works of art that continue to inspire and move us.
This realization serves as a poignant reminder that even in the darkest chapters of our lives, there lies an opportunity for growth and transformation. When we find ourselves at a low point, it’s important to remember that the only direction to move is upwards. For creators, these low points are not just obstacles to be overcome but are often the very catalysts that ignite their most profound and impactful works.
So, if you are facing a difficult time, take heart. Embrace the potential for growth and creativity that these moments can offer. Your struggles today could be the seeds of tomorrow's masterpieces.
After all, "You got soul."
Here are the lyrics:
Wham! bam! I am! a man! Job or no job, You can't tell me that I'm not. Do! you! Enjoy what you do? If not, just stop! Don't stay there and rot! You got soul... You got soul... I said get, get, get on down, Said get, get, get, on down. Hey everybody take a look at me, I've got street credibility, I may not have a job, But I have a good time, With the boys that I meet down on the line I said, I - don't - need - you So you don't approve, Well who asked you to? Hey, jerk, you, work This boy's got better things to do Hell, I ain't never gonna work, get down in the dirt, I choose, to cruise. Gonna live my life, sharp as a knife, I've found my groove and I just can't lose. A.1. style from head to toe, Cool cat flash gonna let you know, I'm a soul boy - I'm a dole boy, Take pleasure in leisure, I believe in joy! Wham! bam! I am! a man! Job or no job, You can't tell me that I'm not. Do! you! Enjoy what you do? If not, just stop! Don't stay there and rot! Party nights, and neon lights, We hit the floors, we hit the heights. Dancing shoes, and pretty girls. Boys in leather kiss girls in pearls! Hot-damn! everybody, let's play! So they promised you a good job - no way! One, two, three, rap! C'mon everybody, don't need this crap!
If you're a pub man Or a club man Maybe a jet black guy with a hip hi-fi A white cool cat with a trilby hat Maybe leather and studs is where you're at Make the most of every day Don't let hard times stand in your way Give a wham give a bam but don't give a damn Cos the benefit gang are gonna pay! Now reach up high and touch your soul, The boys from wham! will help you reach that goal. It's gonna break your mama's heart, (so sad) It's gonna break your daddy's heart, (too bad) But you'll throw the dice and take my advice, Because I know that you're smart. Can you dig this thing? Yeah! Are you gonna get down? Yeah! Say wham! Wham! Say bam! Bam! Wham! bam! I am! a man! Job or no job, You can't tell me that I'm not. Do! you! Enjoy what you do? If not, just stop! Don't stay there and rot!

​

Disclaimer: I have switched back to the main subreddit, so aside from three, maybe four of you, you’re probably missing out on some context. If you’d like to be all caught up, you can comb through the previous episodes on my profile.
Votes:
Emma - 2
Katie - 1
Props to u/Proofracer for coming up with plot points
At the campfire ceremony, Chris attempts to build suspense by reminding the campers about the safety of a marshmallow, but Heather insists he get on with it, so the moment is cut short. Chris calls on Shawn, Zoey and Max before tossing them all a marshmallow. He then gives Owen and Heather one each, leaving Emma and Katie. Both Emma and Heather shoot angry looks at Katie, making her feel a tad worried, but Chris gives her the last marshmallow and deems Emma eliminated, causing her to have an outburst at Heather.
Emma: I knew I couldn’t trust you! You’re a backstabbing snake!
Heather: Please, as if I’d betray you this early. If I had any say, you’d still be here for a few more weeks.
Emma: Then, how?
Katie: It’s not just me who’d been fed up with how mean you’ve become. We don’t want a second Heather on this team. No offense.
Heather: Offense taken.
As Emma walks the dock of shame and the rest of the Screaming Gophers disperse, Chris turns to the camera to say his outro.
Chris: Will Max finally do something actually evil? How much longer can Heather keep her alliance afloat? And what will Damien do once he finds out about Bunny’s replacement? Find out next time, on Total Drama Island!
In-world votes:
Emma - Katie, Owen, Max, Shawn
Katie - Heather, Zoey, Emma
Basic Straining
The episode opens with Duncan using his knife to carve a skull into the wall of the Bass cabin when Axel exits the cabin. She scoffs at him, but before she can leave, Duncan attempts to apologize for how he’s treated her in the past. Axel stops to think for a second, but she sees through Duncan’s lie and leaves anyway.
Confessional:
Duncan: Of course I didn’t mean what I said to Axel, but Trent and Sammy are too loyal to one another, and Damien’s essentially attached himself to Dawn. Sadly this means that Axel is the only person I have a chance to ally with, so I need to get back on her good side.
Meanwhile at the Gophers cabin, Katie is sitting dejectedly on the front steps when Owen comes over to cheer her up.
Owen: Are you still bummed out about poisoning me? It’s okay, I know it was an accident.
Katie: That’s only half the problem. Emma got so mad at me for it, and now apparently I brought a cursed item to the team.
Owen: You mean your tiki souvenir? Are you sure it’s cursed?
Katie: Apparently it’s from Boney Island, so I’d say it’s pretty cursed.
Owen: Well, you don’t have to get rid of it, if that’s what you’re worried about. It may be cursed, but it’s still yours. I say you should keep it to remember this show by.
Katie: Thanks Big-O.
Owen: You know what? Let's prove Emma wrong. If you try your best this time, I’m sure you’d do way better at the challenge than you think!
Just then, the loudspeakers turn on, but instead of Chris, it’s Chef Hatchet who orders the campers to meet him at the docks for their next challenge. At the docks, Chef is dressed in a military uniform and starts barking orders at the campers about fixing their forms, with the one exception being Axel, whose form he deems “surprisingly average”. Chef then goes over today’s challenge. The teams will go through Chef’s grueling boot camp and drop out one by one until the last person remaining wins immunity for their team. Heather asks Chef what happened to Chris, but he ignores it and starts going over further rules, like how everyone will have to address him as Master Chief, and that no one eats or sleeps unless he says so.
Confessional:
Axel: I was never trained in the military, but I’m adept in most fields of work Master Chief could go over, so this will be a breeze.
For the first part of the boot camp, each team must carry a canoe, and will continue to do so until someone drops out and rings a bell on the dock. Owen and Trent each make a remark about how easy the challenge sounds, but by noon, everyone is starting to feel the heat.
Chris and Chef are sitting on top of the canoes while taunting the campers about missing lunch. This causes Owen to think about quitting, but Max catches on and tells him not to.
The Bass are still holding up strong, so Duncan tries to talk to Axel again. He says that he knows she hates him, but they’re both stuck between the two couples and need each other. This causes Axel to angrily reply that she’d take her chances with the others over him, leaving Duncan beginning to get annoyed. However, Trent overhears the conversation and begins to look worried.
As night rolls through, the campers are all tired, especially Owen, who has fallen asleep with his arms still holding onto the canoe. Chef is recalling a story from his military days, and Heather asks him what war he was in, causing him to shout at her. Heather then turns to Shawn and tries to strike up a conversation with him.
Heather: Hey Zombie Boy, how do you feel about joining my alliance?
Shawn: Wait what? You’re kidding, right?
Heather: You and Emma were friends, yes?
Shawn: Sure, but that doesn’t mean I trust you. What happened to getting payback on me for locking you in the freezer?
Heather: You could trust me if you were in my alliance. With Emma gone, I’m missing a member of the alliance, and if you join, you won’t be in as bad a spot as you are now.
Shawn: Oh, and what is that supposed to mean?
Heather: Think about it. I didn’t vote Emma off, she got herself eliminated. If the team knew you worked with her, maybe they’d vote you out too. Especially since you’re such a big threat without any allies. With me, I could protect you, plus I won’t plot against you anymore.
Shawn: You were plotting against me?
Heather: That’s besides the point. Just think about it.
Later, Chef has finished bragging about his line of duty just in time for Max to decide he isn’t going to stand in one spot anymore. Much to his teammate’s dismay, he walks down the dock and rings the bell, thus allowing the contestants to drop their canoes. Chef insults Max through his megaphone before ordering everyone else to go to the mess hall to eat dinner, getting Owen excited.
In the cafeteria, Chef announces that everyone will get only ten minutes to eat before he starts night training, which gains him a lot of complaints. Damien asks him where the food is, and Chef gestures to a row of trash cans filled with leftover garbage from breakfast, which only causes more complaining. Owen, however, doesn’t discriminate against the disgusting food and eats some anyway. Chris then invites Chef to eat at the craft services tent, leaving the teams to themselves.
Trent meets with Sammy and tells her about what he heard between Duncan and Axel. He says that Duncan has a point and that since nobody really likes Duncan, Axel would be the deciding vote between them and Dawn and Damien. Hearing this, Sammy comes up with an idea, and suggests winning Axel over ahead of time so that she’s with them. Trent likes the idea, so Sammy goes over to talk with Axel. They have a friendly conversation, and Sammy offers Axel the least disgusting food she can find in the trash, to which Axel declines. Sammy then returns to Trent to talk about other ways to win Axel over.
Damien was watching Sammy’s conversation with Axel, and realises what she and Trent were trying to do, so he walks over to Dawn to talk with her.
Damien: I hate to say this, but we’re going to have to start getting extra votes against Trent and Sammy
Dawn: But why? Wouldn’t we just vote Duncan?
Damien: No, that’s not- I mean, after Duncan’s gone, all that’s left of the Killer Bass is us, them, and Axel. And I think they know that too, because they’re trying to bond with her.
Dawn: Yes, Axel is stuck in between the four of us. I’m not very worried though. I’m good friends with her.
Damien: I know, but we should start getting closer so that if need be, Axel will vote with us instead of them.
Damien then digs through the trash and finds a carrot that is half eaten, but otherwise clean. He decides to save it for Bunny, before noticing that Dawn looks unsure of something. He asks her what’s wrong and she brushes it off as having missed Bunny while it was gone. Damien is happy with this answer and tells Dawn that he knew she and Bunny would get along well, but this only makes her feel worse.
Confessional:
Dawn: Bunny left Damien, but I still don’t know why Duncan found a replacement. Duncan is not to be trusted, but I don’t know how to break the news to Damien that Bunny’s really gone.
We then cut to the next part of the boot camp, which is to repeat Chef’s suspiciously Triller-esque dance routine. The dancing goes on for a while until it’s interrupted when Duncan shuts off the music. Chef angrily asks him what he’s doing so Duncan reminds him about how once someone drops out the training ends. Chef says that they’ll be done when he says they’re done, before forcing Duncan to do push-ups.
Next up, write a three hundred word essay about how much you love Chef, being eliminated if you fall asleep or fail to reach the minimum word count. Owen and Katie are discussing ways to pad out their essays while cracking jokes to make each other laugh. Seeing the two of them bonding, Shawn turns back to his own essay looking a little less confident.
Duncan takes a break from doing the challenge to try and persuade Axel to join him again. She snaps at him and tells him to get lost, but Duncan mentions Shawn, which gets her attention.
Duncan: Let’s face it, everybody knows you like Shawn.
Axel: So? If you want to mock me about it, expect a fight!
Duncan: No, I’m saying that you two are pathetic. Neither one of you ever makes a move! Watching you two is like watching a car crash in slow motion.
Axel: (Sarcastically) Thanks for the advice, Dr. Love.
Duncan: You need a wingman, badly. So it’s going to be me.
Axel: Why would I ever listen to you?
Duncan: Because if you and Shawn are ever going to be a thing, you need me.
Axel: Fine. But if you pull anything you’ll leave this island in a cast.
Duncan gets Axel to close the deal with a handshake before returning back to working on the challenge. Later, Chef returns to pick up the essays, and eliminates both Trent and Zoey for falling asleep. As for everyone else, their essays meet the requirement, although Duncan’s is just one sentence with 289 verys in between. On his way out of the cafeteria, Chef slips in a puddle of Owen’s drool from him being half asleep, and Duncan offers to clean him off. This causes Chef to yell at him again, and the rest of the Bass stop Duncan from saying anything more, lest he get them all in trouble.
The next evening, the training continues, as Chef forces the campers to run an obstacle course until everyone can do it in less than a minute. As they climb a wooden wall, Axel asks Duncan for advice and he tells her she should get Shawn’s attention by showing off her survival skills in the course. Axel takes the advice and waits for Shawn to reach the top of the wall before jumping off and doing acrobatic tricks in midair. This catches Shawn’s eye, who shows off some tricks of his own in return.
The obstacle course causes trouble for some of the other campers, as Owen gets stuck while jumping through a tire, getting him eliminated. On top of that, Damien falls flat on his face when climbing the wall. He pukes up some mud, and is coughing and sputtering, so Chef eliminates him too and sends him to the infirmary.
After going through a montage of campers falling into the mud or otherwise failing, we see Katie struggle to clear a rope swing. She remembers what Owen told her and tries it again, only to clear it easily. She cheers for herself before continuing to run the course.
While crawling through the mud, Sammy reaches a deep spot and starts sinking. Duncan passes while mocking her, only to come across an angry Chef. He gives Duncan more pushups, but Duncan just thanks Chef before kissing him on the nose. This sends Chef off the edge and he announces that Duncan will spend the rest of the night in solitary confinement in the boathouse. This causes everyone to gasp, but Duncan asks how bad it could be, before we cut to him sitting in the boathouse regretting that comment.
In the cafeteria, the contestants remaining in the boot camp are being fed rock hard gruel. Dawn sits down next to Axel, intending to win her over, but Axel is the one to talk first. She explains to Dawn how Duncan is working as a wingman for her and Shawn, and while Dawn is happy for Axel, she reminds her about how Duncan is untrustworthy. She talks about how he replaced Bunny when it left Damien, and that she thinks he has a secret agenda behind everything. Axel agrees with Dawn but leaves to get more advice from Duncan anyway.
Heather finds the gruel Chef has served her to be well past unappetizing, and chooses to instead try to persuade Shawn again. She points out how close Owen, Katie and Max have become, and that since she still has Zoey, they’ll go after him first. After careful consideration, Shawn caves and agrees to work with her. But he specifies that while he will do what’s required for her to protect him, he will not associate himself as a member of her alliance. Despite this, Heather is still pleased by the news, and leaves to get some sleep.
In the boathouse, Axel finds Duncan sweeping the floors to pass the time.
Duncan: Did you get General Crazy angry at you too?
Axel: No, I’m here so you can make good on our deal. What’s some more advice you have?
Duncan: Really? You can’t be so desperate that you need my help for every single thing.
Axel: Then what do you want me to do then? This was entirely your idea!
Duncan: Just ask Shawn out. Maybe set up a date or something. But if you just sit there and don’t talk to him I promise you that nothing good will happen. Now if you’ll excuse me, I’m going to mess with Chef.
Duncan then leaves despite Chef’s orders and heads towards the craft services tent, leaving Axel behind wondering what she could do.
In the Gophers cabin, Katie visits Owen, who congratulates her on doing so well in the boot camp. Katie is ecstatic at her performance and thanks him for giving her the pep talk. Max, while also happy for Katie, insists that “Evil has better things to do than make friends” as he works on something secret in his bunk bed. Owen tells Katie that he thinks she can win the entire challenge, but to this Katie is still a bit skeptical.
The remaining Bass return to their cabin to find Trent and Damien playing cards on the front steps, and inside Dawn finds various snacks left in a big pile on her bed. She’s confused how it got there, but is happy to finally find something edible, so she invites everybody on both teams to hang out and eat the food. As the eleven of them dig in, they discuss how insane Chef is for making them do full on combat training, with only Shawn, Axel, and surprisingly Katie enjoying the challenge. Eventually the relaxation is ruined when Chef barges in and orders everyone in the Killer Bass to line up outside. He announces that the food they were dining on was stolen from the craft services tent, and that he was tipped off that it was one of them because the perpetrator left a raw bass in the fridge. Dawn confesses that she found it on her bed, but before she can explain herself Chef automatically eliminates her from the boot camp and confiscates the rest of the food.
Chef starts the last part of the boot camp the next morning, which is to hang upside-down from a tree until only one person is left. The last campers left are Sammy, Duncan and Axel for the Bass, and Shawn, Heather and Katie for the Gophers. Axel confronts Duncan about what he did, and he admits he stole Chris and Chef’s food, left a bass behind as a calling card and dumped the food on the first bed he found. Axel is pissed at him for getting Dawn in trouble with Chef and cuts the deal between them, causing Duncan to tell her that he never really cared.
Confessional:
Duncan: Okay, maybe I went a little too far, but I’ve always found a way to stay in the game. Surely this will be no different, right?
Chef rants about the side effects of being upside down, and as he goes over each one, someone gets it, causing them to fall off the tree. Eventually it’s down to Axel and Katie, with Dawn cheering on Axel while Owen motivates Katie. Axel looks between Dawn and Duncan, and is visibly conflicted, while Katie’s starting to get dizzy. But just as she’s about to fall, Axel jumps off first, meaning the Screaming Gophers win. Katie then falls off the tree before being enveloped in a bear hug by Owen. Chef congratulates Katie, saying he’d go to war with her anytime, but she gets mixed messages from the complement.
Duncan scolds Axel, saying she lost the challenge for them. But she snaps at him in front of everyone.
Axel: You are not fit to be on this island! You essentially threw two challenges, ridiculed me the entire game, and now got Dawn disqualified just because you wanted to prank Chef! So excuse me if I want you out!
Duncan snaps back at her before storming off, and for the first time in a while, Axel looks relieved. Dawn then comes up to her with Damien telling her that she did the right thing. Afterwards, Damien asks Dawn if she only said that to get Axel on their side, gaining an annoyed look from her. Seeing this, he backtracks and says that they should help Axel like real friends, and is relieved when Dawn nods her head in agreement.
Vote off a Killer Bass and come up with any plot points you want to see later.

Hi,
I am fairly new to rover and I did my first doggy day care the other day. As I was filling out the rover card, I was wondering what you expect/appreciate from a sitter whether it's how they communicate or what they write in the card, etc. or if you're a sitter, what you do to provide the best customer service?
For example, I sat for 8 hours and I messaged the owner after the 3 hour mark mentioning everything is going great. Then I filled out the form during the day with random updates (2-3 paragraphs long) and I included a days worth of photos.
Any suggestions is appreciated as I would love to provide the best experience for clients. TIA

I am trying to download Ubuntu on an external SSD. It has 512GB of space and 300MB/S read and 400MB/s write speed, I have very fast internet.
I was watching a tutorial on YouTube on how to do this for which the link is here https://youtu.be/bfWdnCIrcxk?si=GmiN5yhdoJztl21-
I did almost everything he said, I just didn't turn safe boot off cause that seemed sketch for me. While installing this page did hang for some time because the ssd got disconnected from my pc somehow but I restarted my pc and continued installing.
Before anyone says 'try dual booting' or related, I do not find that safe since my family will ask me for help whenever they turn on the pc and I have to go to collage in a few months.
My pc specs (if it helps):- CPU: I5 11th gen GPU: RTX 3060 TI RAM: 16 gb single slot DDR4 Motherboard: I have no clue but I have 4 isb slots in the front and back with a c port and a micro card ssd reader built it, if any1 can find the model pls lmk.
So what should be my next move as it has been stuck on this configuration/installing window for the past 6 hours or more.

Enclosed below is a series of topics I would write about if I ever had the patience or done the research to write a manifesto.
Capital
Damn what's that about huh. I know its everywhere and I know its everything. And I know its wrong to believe that wholeheartedly. I would write about how we are all born kind, and perverted into cynicism. I would write about how the world falls apart when we ask for payment when someone asks you to pass the salt from your side of the dinner table. It would be eloquent enough to convince people that my leftism is maybe not a symptom of my age.
Gender
I'm asking for trouble. I'm telling you right now that when someone puts "I love Harry Potter" on their Hinge profile all I hear is "I am a card carrying member of the transphobia party." Gender is so much more than transphobia. Gender is even more than transgenderism. Gender is an action you take to be a part of society. Its the basis of enacting your will onto societal experience. It can only do all of this because on some level, it doesn't really exist. I'm a man, I'm a woman. I'm every single person who has compelled me to behave the way that I do. Disagree with me all you want but if I ever wrote my manifesto I'd be able to change your mind.
Art
It's not this thats for sure. I jest. I jape. I open my mouth wide and scream at the ocean for someone to listen because what the fuck is art. I know we need it but do we need it? We need doctors. We don't need artists. But the distinction between living and surviving is something that everyone already knows. And if you don't, I implore you to read this manifesto I'll never write that is certain to change your mind.
Love
"Who makes you the authority on love?" Good question. "Where is my soulmate?" Don't know why you're asking me but I don't know dude. "Why can't women realise that my fear of love actually makes me attractive?" Hey buddy I really don't know what the opposite of a rhetorical question is but like is it so hard to believe that most people are in fact afraid of love. Most people know that to love is to invite harm, and most people know that to invite harm is scary. Also you're giving off kinda incel-y vibes and I didn't really want to initiate this call and response but on the other hand this is also a very convoluted metaphor for love anyway so you do you I guess. "What's the metaphor?" Its fucking love dude you figure it out. Also maybe don't be such a creep. And read my manifesto, maybe it'll solve the incel thing and who knows maybe you'll figure out you were a woman the whole time.
Manifestos
I'd write about how putting your every thought out there for the world to see is maybe not an effective strategy for managing your mental health. I'd talk about how a manifesto is just a cool sounding word that makes you feel like you have serious opinions. Maybe i don't need to worry so much about being able to change other people's minds. Maybe I don't have serious opinions.
But that can't be true. I've released a manifesto I'll never write. Also the opposite of a rhetorical question is a regular fucking question.

Just came back from a local shop with the admit card. Was feeling quite low throughout the day because I got 46 marks in a pyp. Looking at the admit card, I realised that we're atleast eligible to write the world's toughest exam. (I know ki thora copium hai, but still). 5/6 aspirants aren't as lucky. We didn't give up till the last- that's what matters.
So give it your best these few days. Try to improve even by 1%. Study something thinking "this might come in exam, so I am improving by 4 marks." 4 days left so 16 marks if we're able to improve that means about 1.5k rank improvement.

tl;dr: mom committed felony fraud against me, how do I transfer the debt to her without charging her with fraud
My mother has a really bad gambling problem and while I was in college she opened a credit card in my name with her as an "authorized user" to "help me build my credit".
After college I got a call about a missed payment on this card, luckily the limit was only 500, but when I went into the bank because my mom said "oh it was probably stolen" I learned it was only ever used for cash advances for soaring eagle.
At that point I decided to never mix my money with my mother's ever again. Neither a borrower or a lender be. I also got creditkarma, and noticed a few cards that weren't mine on my credit score. I disputed them on creditkarma's internal system a few times but they never fell off. I asked my mom about them and she said they were probably hers and apologized that our credit was intertwined, because she's always had bad credit.
fast forward ~ 10 years later, one of the cards get overcharged. Chase notifies me that my credit was affected and I decide to call about the card. All of the contact information is my mothers, and all of the primary user's is mine. I am assuming this is due to those "you're pre-approved!" mailers you get. I close one for fraud with a note I don't want to press charges because my grandmother who does have enough to cover this says she doesn't want that to happen if it comes to it.
total balance of cards: amex: ~7k (this one is insane because it was closed with a zero balance and 8k was added between feb 2024 and april 2024)
Discover ~15k
citibank: 4k
Can I refinance this debt under her name to recover my credit without charging her for felony fraud? I truly believe in restorative justice and throwing the book at my own mother seems disgusting. I do think online gambling should be banned because it breaks people's brains and it's too easy to do.
What do I do about my credit? it's now 643 (I know, I'm a fucking idiot for not seeing this stuff)
I'm sorry I'm terrible at writing, I blame the American education system

SgtRigio here, wanted to share my recent experience with CCP.
On April 26th I was working on my house and I received a few discord messages from my eve friends wondering why I had taken out a significant amount of isk from the corporation wallet. I was immediately confused and denied withdrawing the isk as I had not been online in eve for about a week at which point I was presented with a screenshot of the corp transaction. I immediately attempted to log into my account only to find that all of my passwords had been changed, I began trying to reset my eve online account passwords, however when I tried to log into my email, I was met with numerous messages that there were too many log in attempts and to reset my password. After a long battle of trying to get access back for my email, I was finally able to get in and turn on two factor authentication to stop the brute force attack. I reset all of my passwords for eve online and tried to log in to assess the damage, but quickly learned that I was still logged out due to the hacker turning on a Google authenticator on all of my accounts. I filed a ticket with CCP on April 26th, 2024 and received an automated message saying they have received my ticket.
Since initially filing the ticket I have received zero responses from CCP dispite me sending additional information and a request for either an acknowledgment or an update on the ticket.
I've played even online on and off for over 10 years and I've maybe submitted one or two tickets during that time. I am deeply disappointed with the customer service I have received (or lack thereof). I paid for a full year of omega time on my credit card and have been locked out of my account since April 26th, 2024. As of writing this, it has been 25 days since I have filed the ticket with what feels like zero assistance from CCP.
Tldr: My eve account, email and discord all got hacked. Lost access to all of my accounts and likely lost my assets. Filed a ticket for support April 26th and it has been 25 days and have yet to receive any kind of response from CCP.

i feel like i’m being forced to quit my job, but i need some advice because something feels so off about what they’re asking of me. i’ve worked here since september, i’m in england. sorry this is a bit long i just wanted to make sure i had everything down. whilst most was done in conversation in person i do have me begging them to update my availability multiple times and it being ignored. i am also on LCRWA with universal credit and receive PIP. i do this job because it helps my mental health and honestly i don’t have enough money to live off of. some of my disabilities are BPD, CPTSD, IBS, severe social anxiety & Hemepliegic mirgaines. (suspected autism/adhd but not diagnosed)
-they don’t have my availability open, i take medication that makes me sleepy and i need to take it when i’m on a night shift to have any routine which is necessary for my mental health/disability. they told me i have to resign and they can’t make me redundant because they’re not getting rid of my job role. -they have asked me to get a letter from my doctor proving my disability and my medication and how it affects me, they won’t accept a prescription and research on the NHS website. i have to PAY for a letter from my doctor??? -they’re requesting proof of my therapy as it makes me unavailable on fridays. they don’t ask people proof of the them going to college when it affects their availability, or my coworkers who have children- they don’t ask for proof of their children so they can work 9-3. i’m wondering if they’re doing something shady to me because honestly none of it makes sense, and it’s making me feel uncomfortable and like they don’t believe that i am actually unwell. i have a PIP letter i offered to give them and an access card and they said they won’t accept that as evidence. they’ve also said any of my evidence of disability would be good for them (doctors notes, specialists notes, literally every evidence)
i don’t see why i have to provide all this information, and when i provide what should legally be classed as enough evidence. they say it’s not acceptable. i also was pretty sure they weren’t allowed to ask for it (they're not, apparently)
in one of my return to work reviews my manager questioned my absences asking why i would ever need time off because i only work 3 four hour shifts a week, to which i replied “i’m disabled you know that”, and he literally said “yeah, and?”, i explained “some days i don’t feel very well”, and he replied that “we all feel that way sometimes” - i had to report that to another manager and call him up on it because it made me feel so uncomfortable and judged. they’ve asked what adjustments i need and did it for one shift and then it reverted back to normal. my shift manager kept putting me on for fridays (i have therapy every friday for the foreseeable future. they knew this when i applied for my role) and over my contracted hours(which i can’t go over because one, i can’t physically, and two it will potentially affect my benefits- which i can’t afford to lose) i have consistently messaged my availability and it’s been ignored multiple times and i have to keep chasing it- which makes me uncomfortable. I shouldn't have to tell someone 6 times for them to acknowledge that.
they also keep putting me on the stressful job roles - EG tills & fitting room when i've specifically asked to be on a different department because the stress is too high, and when my IBS plays up i need to immediately go to the toilet and i can't do that on those departments.
my requests for appropriate change according to my disabilities have been ignored/overruled and i no longer feel this is a workplace that cares about my needs, being judged by members of staff has made me incredibly uncomfortable and my friend - another disabled worker at my job - has gone through the exact same issues.
i have been told i only have 9 days of sick leave in a 12 month period, and if i miss another day of work i will get a warning. after that i will be fired. i feel this forces me to work in an unsafe environment, based on the hours i'm asked to do & if i have a flare up i physically cannot work. i can't live in constant fear of losing my job because i'm disabled. i asked my manager if the notice period was 2 weeks and he said yes, upon looking at my contract that is incorrect, it is 1 week and i feel like he lied to me so i still work those shifts.
i want to write a resignation letter, but also potentially take this further. i do not want to resign- but feel like i have been pushed to take action. after i hand in the resignation letter i don’t know if i’ll be able to see my managers because my anxiety will just take over. please help me 😅

Hello, everyone.
The state of the subreddit post is an annual-ish post to review our rules and give you a chance to give the mods feedback on how things are run here.
First, please take a moment and review the subreddit rules.
Next, thank you for coming here for support in your Shipt shopper journey! We have many wonderful members here who are happy to offer advice and support.

Housekeeping

All posts in this subreddit are manually approved. If you post during daytime hours in the US, they are generally approved within 1-2 hours. If you post overnight, the mods may be sleeping and not approve things until morning. All posts will be reviewed within 24 hours. Please do not repost your posts multiple times, just be patient. We have to do this because many of the rules violations occur in screenshots and auto mod can't find violations in images. If you need an immediate answer to a question, you can always join us on Discord.
Over 50% of the posts that are submitted here break rule 5, which is CENSOR PERSONAL INFORMATION. When you make a post, you need to black out the order number, masked phone numbers, customer addresss, and anything else that can be used to tie the image back to you in real life. The best way to do this is to use your markup tool to place a solid box over the information. Don't use the highlighter or scribble with a 0.1" pencil. If even a single digit of any of the numbers can be read the post will be rejected.
Context. Your post title needs to describe the post in 3 or more words. If you are posting an image, you need to add at least a sentence to explain why you are posting it. Don't post "This sucks" with a picture of a tip or an offer card and nothing else. Explain why it sucks instead of getting angry when others tell you it doesn't suck because they don't have all the information.
Be civil in posts and comments. So many times I read a post in the mod queue that has me nodding along and then it ends with an over-the-top rude comment directed at the customestore/other shoppers. Make your point without making a personal attack. If you do see a personal attack in the subreddit, report the comment to the mods and we'll take it down. You don't need to reply back and start a war. Being civil also applies to modmail messages. If you messages the mods to harass them you will be permanently banned from the sub. Mods do not discuss bans with members, so don't modmail us and ask if so-and-so was banned for their comments. Finally, if you message the mods directly, your message will be ignored.

Recent Changes

1. As our subreddit grows, so does the number of trolls who target us. Posts and comments may be removed automatically for age and karma reasons. These posts and comments are still reviewed and the legit ones are approved.
   
2. No more dildo/condom posts. These are a modding nightmare and we just don't have time to constantly monitor them. Yes, you can get sex toys at Target. Some people tip and some people don't. You're a grown-up. Either take the order or move on.
   

Future Changes

Now it's your chance to give feedback to your mods. What types of posts do you like? What types of posts do you dislike? Are there rules you think should be changed or added?
It's also been over a year since the FAQ has been updated and we all know that Shipt is constantly changing things so if you have any suggestions as to what should be changed there please comment with those as well. None of the mods are in California, so if anyone wants to write up an FAQ about Prop-22 rules and such from an insider prospective that would be appreciated as well.
Thank you everyone!

Hello...again. I'm still crusading with everything that has helped me live (mostly) Chiari symptom free for many years, and the next idea I want to share is uncomfortable. It won't feel good to read but if you think it doesn't relate to you I promise you--it relates to everyone and anyone who has a chronic condition or is sick in any way.
Little info about me:
Type 1 Chiari, 20mm. Diagnosed 2016; surgery was offered but not taken. My primary symptom was/occasionally is debilitating head pain from strain/pressure.
Links to my previous posts on the subject:
Living Well With Chiari - Without Surgery
Take a Life Inventory
Reducing Triggers
Improving Overall Health
Now...
Don’t hate me for asking, but…what do you get out of being sick?
No one consciously likes being sick. No one longs for the skull-splitting pain that can accompany a Chiari malformation. No one relishes dizzy spells and nausea and eye sensitivity and poor coordination or the other twenty dozen symptoms that our doctors may or may not take seriously, that there may or may not be treatment for, and that may or may not rule our lives BUT with every illness there is always some kind of advantage.
At my worst, Chiari was the BEST at getting me out of things. Excruciating pain excused me from everything. Family gatherings, friend parties, work events…cleaning the house, taking care of myself, or doing anything other than watching TV and drinking wine. I didn’t have to do SHIT. Because I couldn’t. And the Chiari was permission to give no fucks what anyone else wanted or needed or how they felt about my withdrawal from life. It was the ultimate get-out-of-jail-free card.
I mean, I was miserable…but I was basking in that misery.
I was in so much pain I couldn’t think about how to live better. I couldn’t worry about such things as my weight or the future of my writing or how filthy my floors were. I was barely living. And it was awful.
It was also a way out.

i was a sick person.

To my core, that was me: SICK. I didn’t realize how bad it was until my husband—who never gets a cold—complained of a virus and my internal dialogue went something like this: What? He thinks he’s sick? What a laugh! He’s not sick. NOBODY is sick like me.
I owned illness above all else. I hated it, but it was MINE. Every coughing fit, every spike of head pain, every wall I stumbled into, every night I cried myself to sleep. Being sick was who I became.
And I would never get well until I stopped being a sick person.
The Chiari had its sneaky tendrils snaked into every facet of my life, like we were woven together in a most elaborate tapestry of illness and pain. To begin healing, I had to untether from it. I had to separate myself from every Chiari strand until every fiber of my being was free.
If it sounds metaphorical, it’s not. It’s literal and simple (though seldom easy). Every time Chiari became a thought or an excuse, that was my cue to change the dialogue. For example, when I was contemplating changing jobs, I remembered my brief stint as a bartender in 2011 and immediately my brain said: I can’t do that anymore; what if I have a coughing fit behind the bar? Limiting beliefs running rampant in my brain needed to get shut down and rewritten into something more supportive, like: I would love to work with animals or in nature. That’s the kind of job I should be looking for!
In that kind of rewrite, I’m not denying that I might encounter pain or discomfort, but I’m choosing not to let pain or discomfort be the focus or run the show. Instead of looking at what I don’t want to experience, I’m putting my attention on the things that I do.
More than changing my thoughts, I had to stop using Chiari as an excuse to get out of living…and everything else…which meant showing up one minute at a time in all the places that I used to avoid, being present with all the people and situations the Chiari had shielded me from.

if i wanted to live without its pain, i also had to live without its protection.

Now, it’s true that there are plenty of legitimate physical limitations that accompany illnesses, Chiari included, but the problem comes when you talk yourself out of anything and everything because of them. I could get out of bed, I just chose not to. I could show up in life, I just chose not to. I could write a book or clean my house or have a kid…I just chose not to.
Or, rather, the Chiari chose for me.
Pandering to Chiari’s whims wasn’t limited to thoughts. It was in every decision I made, every choice to live small, every act to hide and shut down. It was in the purse that I carried (will it fit a water bottle to stave off a coughing fit?), the places that I went (can’t go there, the air in that store is guaranteed to tickle my lungs), the way I spent my time (I can’t visit those friends…I’ll have too much fun and want to laugh and laughing hurts so my head so much), and plans for the future (how can I have children when I can’t even take care of myself?).
Untethering from Chiari took work. And it’s still ongoing. Most of the ways that I have used Chiari to limit myself have been eradicated. My life, as a result, looks vastly different than it did in 2016 at the height of the pain. Today I’m a stay at home mom with a son, I have energy, I take Zumba classes, I write every day, my fiction has been produced by podcasts, I spend time outdoors every day, I laugh (sometimes it still hurts), I go into stores (sometimes) without bottles of water, I don’t drink wine every night (I don’t need to), and I’m free from the anxiety and depression that was once as crippling as the head pain that I only seldom experience. I am living.
If there’s one strand that I haven’t untethered from yet, it’s the fear around getting sick. I am terrified of being around sick people. I can’t even blame COVID, though it certainly contributed to the anxiety. I don’t know if I’ll ever be comfortable with someone coughing in my vicinity, knowing how bad it will hurt my head if I catch whatever they’re hacking up, and I don’t know if it’s necessarily a bad thing to keep my distance when I know someone is sick (I mean, shouldn’t we be doing that anyway?) but I’m trying to be less afraid. Or, at least, I’m trying to be less of a jerk about it when that fear takes over and people don’t understand why their cold is literally my kryptonite.
What I don’t do is use Chiari as an excuse to get out of living. I show up every day in every way and life keeps getting better. Bigger. Chiari Free.

Hi all,
I'm looking at installing a BlackVue DR970X into my car and hardwiring the camera to my fuse box.
I am a little concerned with my car battery being drained due to parking mode, but I definitely want to have parking mode enabled... so looking to get more information at this point.
I know there is a voltage check cut-off which will turn the camera off if the camera doesn't detect a level of power, but I don't think this is what I want as the camera will then basically turn off within a couple of minutes of me turning off my car and not record events after this.
My questions:

1. Will the camera constantly draw power while my car is turned off/parked? From what I've read, parking mode just stops the camera from writing to the SD card memory unless there is an event but it is constantly drawing power in order to be ready for these events.
   
2. If the above is true: If I decide to not drive my car for two days - will the camera have drained my car battery since it was in parking mode constantly for those two days?
   
3. Is there possibly less power draw while in parking mode?
   

If anyone can answer the questions above or If anyone has their own personal experience to share, that would be appreciated!
Thanks in advance!