Here are some of the Ayah in Al Qur’an al Kareem, which can be recited to ensure happiness in marriage: Ayatul Kursi for Marriage .
There is no doubt that it is one of the most favoured verses in the whole of the Quran and is in the second Surah Al-Baqarah, 255 verse. This verse can be considered as one of the most attractive ones as it brings many advantages and protection to the person who chants this verse. It may help in making one believe in God, lessen the impact of fear, beseech for pardon with the Almighty God, and bring happiness in marriage.
Ayatul Kursi for Marriage , Ayat Al-Kursi is a verse taken from the Quran which is interpreted to mean the ‘Verse of the Power’ or ‘Verse of the Throne’. Marriage itself, of course, has many advantages when a man reads Ayatul Kursi.
There are several benefits that Ayatul Kursi offers for married couples or those hoping to get married:Thus, it becomes clear that Ayatul Kursi has many advantages for married couple or those who want to be married:

1. It is therefore important to call for a Righteous Partner in order to fight those forces that destroy the society and create chaos.

For the single people who are awaiting to have a partner so that they could have their own children and spouse, there is a Sunnah which says that one should recite Ayatul Kursi and seek a lawful, righteous partner as coveted by Allah (SWT). Thus, the verse effectively acts as a means of turning what could be a fantasy of having a spouse into a reality. When reciting these incantations, it is not just lip service but true and genuine commitment, then good luck is on the way of getting a good life partner.

1. Building up the affair with your partner

It is also advised in the advice for those who are dear to Allah which means that, married couples should wake up before the break of the Sun, and start by reading Ayatul Kursi before their partner and then embrace them when they are done with it. This verse is employed to invoke Allah (SWT) into the marriage with the aim of making the partners feel content and to discourage the couple from quarreling or even divorcing. The barakah in the Ayatul Kursi also generates affection, tenderness and optimism between the couple.

1. Resolves Marital Conflicts

It is also useful in managing conflicts arising between a husband and wife, due to the fact that it is Ayatul Kursi. Repeating it can aid in addressing conflicts before they intensify to an argument or physical confrontation. As with other verses, this one continues with the message of patience, forgiveness, and being mindful of Allah (SWT), it brings back the couple’s reminder that as Muslims, they have to learn to patiently forgive each other, and to remember and obey Allah (SWT).

1. It also assists in safeguarding against external interference more so in ensuring that clients do not stray from their objectives.

Also, such a prayer safeguards a marriage from one’s partner jealousy, evil eye, black magic which can be sent on a couple in order to separate them, etc. The recitation aids in calling on Allah (SWT) and affirming that he is the best guard of the marriage and no calamity shall be inflicted on it through witchcraft, etc.
Effect of Ayatul Kursi Recitals for Marriage & Process
Ayatul Kursi for Marriage , To fully benefit from the blessings of Ayatul Kursi for a marriage, there are some etiquettes to follow:The following are some recommended etiquettes for the use of Ayatul Kursi to ensure that the couple gets the best results out of it for their marriage:
• It is recommended to recite them after Fazr prayers which are offered early in the morning. This comes with maximum barakah for the day that is ahead in the future.
• Chant with emotions, intentions, ideas and sincerity. Spend some time to reflect on the words and their actual mean and try to discover the power behind it.
Finally give the blessings and blow lightly three times on the palms and pour the bless-ings over your spouse, yourself and the entire family. This distributes divine grace where it is needed the most.
Therefore, when a husband and wife conducts the act of reciting Ayatul Kursi for their marriage, such as marriage problems or disputes or, least, Allah (SWT)’s innumerable blessings can flow from the lovers’ couple. Therefore, it should be carried out every morning for a happy marriage, insha Allah.
Online Free Consultation With Maulana Ji Please Visit:
https://www.onlinemaulana.com/

AyatulKursi #MarriageBlessings #IslamicWedding #LoveandFaith #MuslimCouples #MaritalBliss #DivineProtection #SacredBlessings #QuranicSupplication #HappyMarriageJourney #SpiritualBond #MarriageGoals #BlessedUnion #PowerOfPrayer #WeddingWishes #KeyToHappyMarriage #AyahofProtection #MarriageDuas #SacredScriptures #PrayersForMarriage

Howdy Folks,
I come bearing good news!
We're excited to announce the release of a new experimental branch for Manor Lords, version 0.7.965. This experimental update brings significant gameplay changes and numerous improvements.
Important Notice: Before you switch to the new beta version of the game, it's absolutely crucial that you back up your save files. Failing to do so could result in the potential loss of your progress. The new strings are not localized yet and stability hasn't yet been thoroughly tested. Some balancing changes are still experimental.
To access your saves on Steam for Manor Lords.

1. Press Win + E
2. Paste %USERPROFILE%\AppData\Local\ManorLords\Saved\SaveGames into the search bar.

To discuss this build, please join the official Discord server https://discord.gg/manorlords. You'll find a channel for discussing the ongoing pre_release branch.
You can read Slavic Magic's full Steam announcement here.

How to Access the Experimental Branch:

1. Open Steam
2. Right-click on Manor Lords in your library
3. Select Properties
4. Navigate to the BETAS tab
5. Enter the password: veryNiceBasket
6. Select "pre_release" from the "Beta participation" dropdown
7. Wait for the game to update (restart Steam if needed)
8. Launch the game

Full Changelog for Version 0.7.960 -> 0.7.965

What's inside:
This update focuses primarily on balancing and bugfixes. Key changes include:

• Militia Squads: You can now hire 6 militia squads even if you already have a retinue and mercenaries employed. Future builds will connect this cap to the Lord's rank.
• Sheep Breeding: The sheepbreeding development branch has been capped, and sheep no longer spawn exponentially.
• Fields, Harvests, and Fertility: Significant improvements have been made to field overlays, crop prediction, and ox and worker behavior for enhanced accuracy and optimization.
• Barter and Trading: Numerous fixes implemented; on-foot traders can now carry 5 items per trip.
• King's Tax and Trade Route Costs: These have been toned down from the levels introduced in version 0.7.960.
• Loserville Bug: Fixed the "Loserville" mercenary bug.
• Marketplace Distribution: Improvements made to the distribution within the marketplace.
• Experimental Feature: Added a "Allow market stall setup" toggle to prevent workers/inhabitants of certain buildings from setting up market stalls.
• Construction Reserve: You can now set a construction reserve for buildings using planks for crafting, like the Joiner's shop.

Gameplay & Balance:

• Capped sheep breeding to 1 new lamb every 10 days max.
• [Experimental] Villagers are only allowed to fetch water from the well nearest their home, except in case of a fire.
• [Experimental] Yield will never increase past 100% growth to keep gameplay intuitive.
• [Experimental] Even at 0% fertility, a tiny yield is still possible.
• [Experimental] Max yield per plant increased from 2 to 4, although the Hunting Grounds policy still reduces it by half.
• [Experimental] Plant yield rate reduced by half to encourage early harvest in emergency modes.
• The militia squad limit is now 6, regardless of retinue or mercenaries employed; future connection to the Lord's rank planned.
• [Experimental] Doubled the fertility regeneration rate on fallow fields and from fertilization.
• [Experimental] Slowed all plant growth by around 30% for balanced gameplay between field and vegetable crops.
• [Experimental] Tree growth rate slowed by around 30% upon player requests for more impactful forest management.
• [Experimental] Archer range increased by 1.5x with damage also increased from 12 to 15.
• [Experimental] Cost of opening new trade routes returned to linear scaling.
• [Experimental] Carrying capacity of on-foot trading post workers increased from 1 to 5.
• [Experimental] Royal tax restructured: No tax for the first 5 years, then 1 Treasury per citizen after 5 years, 2 Treasury per citizen after 10 years, 3 Treasury per citizen after 15 years.
• [Experimental] Adjusted granary and storehouse worker slots to unify to 3 families for lv1 and 6 families for lv2.

Minor Changes:

• Removed optimization where only every nth plant affected the fertility values due to display errors.
• Improved accuracy of fertility overlay colors and crop yield predictions.
• Added missing tooltips to minomajor trades.
• Enabled setting "trade rule" for advanced trades without an established route; items not available will show as NA.
• Reworked the construction reserve system to include various goods like planks.
• Optimized inventory array functions.
• Enabled disallowing certain families or workplaces from setting up market stalls.
• Tuned how "current region" is calculated in the UI for more comfortable building on the edge between two player-owned regions.
• Ensured iron and clay deposits do not generate on steep terrains.
• "MODDED" may now display after the version number to aid bug reporting.

Crash Fixes:

• Fixed a crash related to deleting a building when pathfinding obstacles are being verified.

Bug Fixes:

• Addressed issues with employed traders going to trade points without an open trade route.
• Corrected early movement of farm workers to transport tasks despite available crops.
• Resolved inaccurate predicted yield displays.
• Fixed rotation issues in villagers after dismounting.
• Addressed respect of work area limits by farming oxen.
• Fixed blurry appearance of gilded aventail houndskull helmets in the retinue editor.
• Corrected non-drawing of the forest mask.
• Fixed bandit camps respawning on loading due to unsaved "lastBanditCampSpawnedDay."
• Ensured villagers set up market stalls to sell their produce like vegetables.
• Corrected the wrong apple basket carry animation.
• Fixed wealth transfer issues during barter.
• Ensured bartering traders return the correct number of items based on barter value and carrying capacity.
• Addressed overpacking by bartering traders in their origin region.
• Resolved trading post exports not proceeding after the trader reaches the destination.
• Corrected the distribution of multiple instances of the same good type to a single plot, which left outlying houses undersupplied.
• Fixed crop rotation to fallow causing farmers to harvest invisible itemID_0, which stopped supply dumps from being cleared.
• Addressed issues with villagers staying at homes indefinitely if a bandit camp is spawned, thinking the region is under attack.
• Ensured proper saving of mercenary company arrival regions.
• Stopped granary workers from stealing ale from the tavern.
• Fixed interrupted livestock exports due to sheep herd behavior.
• Ensured livestock trader jobs trigger import tasks when buying livestock from another region.
• Corrected the missing "hunger" popup artwork.
• Fixed a typo in the credits list.

Cosmetics:

• Tuned field dirt UV wiggle to make the huge vegetable gardens less wavy.
• Improved the precision for snapping terraforming meshes like mines or sawpits to the ground.
• Made leaf clumps smaller and disabled the parallax mapping to reduce distortions.
• [WIP] Updated the visit mode character model for the green lady portrait to be female, still in progress.
• Cleaned up combat animations.

Thank you for playing!
Greg Styczeń, Lead Developer, Slavic Magic

These days, if you're low maintenance, independent, used to being alone, or saying no to invitations, you're apparently seen as "nonchalant" in today's generation. I don't have any real "friends" for these reasons. However, no one's truly alone in this world, right? I realize that somewhere out there, there's someone just like you and who'll appreciate you just as you are.
About me:
• 'nonchalant' guy
• an introvert by nature
• a decent enough person with standards
• open to calls or chats
• chronically online, mostly at home
• not a gamer, more of a watcher
• zero soc med presence (no use or need for ig or x)
• 5'7, lean, pale-skinned, normal bmi
• from the south
About you:
• if we're similar, like-minded, or fit the criteria above then we're good, so long as you have that nonchalant or black cat energy, we can get along well.
(Note: do send a short yet decent intro if you come across my post)

Homeowners Association (HOA) management involves numerous responsibilities, including tax filing, which can be complex and time-consuming. Fortunately, integrating HOA software with TaxBandits API can streamline the tax filing process, ensuring accuracy and compliance. In this article, we'll walk you through the steps to achieve this integration, highlight the benefits, and provide tips for a smooth implementation.
Understanding the Basics
What is HOA Software?
HOA software helps manage various aspects of homeowners associations, including accounting, communications, and compliance.
What is TaxBandits API?
TaxBandits is an online tax filing solution that offers APIs for seamless integration with other software. The API allows you to electronically file various tax forms, including 1099s and W-2s, directly from your application.
Benefits of TaxBandits API Integration
Efficiency: Automate tax filing processes, reducing manual data entry.
Accuracy: Minimize errors by syncing data directly from your HOA software.
Compliance: Ensure timely and accurate filings with up-to-date tax regulations
Automating Traditional Tax Filing Process:
W-9 Collection and Validation: W9 Automation involves the collection of W-9 forms from vendors, It also includes TIN Matching to ensure accuracy and compliance with IRS records​.
1099 Form Processing: Automates the generation, validation, and e-filing of various 1099 forms based on the collected W-9 data and recorded payouts. TaxBandits also offers options for distributing these forms via postal mail or secure online access​
Conclusion
Integrating your HOA software with TaxBandits API can significantly streamline your tax filing process, saving time and reducing errors. By following the steps outlined in this guide and leveraging the benefits of 1099 Automation and W9 tax filing, you can ensure your HOA remains compliant with tax regulations.

HOASoftware #TaxFiling #TaxBandits #APIIntegration #HomeownersAssociation #SoftwareIntegration #TaxCompliance #Automation

Ordered a new Westinghouse WGen12000c a few weeks ago during the Texas sales tax abatement weekend, picked it up Saturday May 11th. Got it out of the crate, ran it for an hour to make sure it would start. Called the electrician and the earliest both our calendars aligned was Thursday the 16th to drop in an inlet port and interlock.
Thursday morning comes, he gets the port wired in but ordered the wrong interlock. I order up a 50a cable from Amazon to be delivered the next morning and then
All hell broke loose.
Storm hit Houston Thursday night, we lost power at 6pm and it stayed out for 96 hours. Ran fridge, freezer and a couple box fans off extension cords until I scrounged up a 50a cable Sunday morning and got the A/C running. That generator ran about 80 of the 96 hours, first at 20% capacity but by the end it was pushing 100%. Burned about 80 gallons of gas, I didn’t keep a good count.
I’m more amazed that the timing came together so perfectly.

The ISP dealer was very much enthusiastic to enroll me in Act commitment saying lies that any internet issues will be solved within 2hrs. I have no internet from two days after the little storm of rain. They say to raise tickets and delaying a lot. I'm fucking frustrated.
How should I tackle this myan . At this point I'm very much angry and I don't know when they will come and solve this issue.
Is this related to junction box issue or something? Please let me know what I myself can do.
I need wifi to study through online platforms like marrow for Neet PG preparation and the phone signals are worst in and around my house area.
Fuck myan.
Can I opt out of ACT and get refund?

Hey there. I started using linux back in 2015 and after 2018 I switched to Windows because I have some sofwares I use for work that only exists in Windows. I'm a SAP developer, and now things changed a bit with the possibility of creating a docker image of windows out of the box and other SAP new technologies emerging and working in all systems.
The thing is: I own a Samsung Galaxy Book 2 360, and for what I saw online this model is "terrible" with linux. I found some fixes, like in this guy github, but for what I read somethings aren't working the way they should. I know I might be picky, but one thing I love in this laptop is the fingerprint reader. Joshua, in his github, created a driver for his model but I didn't see any updates if it's working, or if it was merged into the main driver branch etc.
Is anyone here using linux in these galaxy books and can share the experience?
I appreciate it.

What does it take to get a great game to become a success in 2024? We have had a look into the latest charts, analytics and surveys to extract some insights to help decipher how to turn a game into a hit.

Finding your players: who’s in your squad?

The gaming population keeps increasing year by year¹, comprising people from all ages and regions, but how are most players discovering new games? Well, the answer is multifaceted, but luckily we found a survey, published this month, May 2024², to inform us — and yes, this one included non-binary people, a segment of the population you don’t want to ignore in your research! At the top spot, we find YouTube; the most popular and trusted platform to discover games, followed by TikTok. Both are known for their short and long-form video content, as we predicted would be more relevant than ever this year.
But don’t underestimate the power of traditional methods either, as word-of-mouth recommendations, online ads, TV, and in-store and online promotions still play a huge part in the discoverability of games, specifically by helping generate trustworthiness, a key feature of successful marketing. Meanwhile, community hubs like Twitch, Reddit and Discord also have a very crucial role in product sustainability and longevity, as another recent survey³ indicated by stating that approximately 67% of gamers think video games help to build communities and many have established new friendships and even relationships through gaming. Could your game do that too? If you’re new to Reddit or Discord, take a look at our article here for some tips on getting started.
That being said, there’s no need to pick just one platform, as statistics show that people actually use 4 to 5 sources to discover new games. Gone are the days of a one-size-fits-all approach. Today's gamers are a diverse bunch, and understanding their habits is crucial. The key takeaway? A successful marketing strategy should use a multi-platform approach, carefully tailored to your audience.

Internationalisation done well: customising your build

So, we've looked at who your audience is, now it's the turn of localisation. Counting on experts to help you enter a new market and establish trust through a different cultural lens is a strategy that today's top games follow.
Looking at the global charts for 2023⁴ and at the top-selling games from April in the EU⁵, it becomes apparent that localisation is a common thread. Let’s look more specifically at France: almost every single one of the top 20 best-selling console games of 2023⁶ has been localised to French, as well as a number of other languages, including Arabic, as is the case with Assassin's Creed Mirage. This particular title makes a very interesting case study of localisation and culturalisation becoming powerful marketing tools themselves, as well as being key to the game’s experience.
Assassin's Creed Mirage was released with an Arabic dub that wasn't just for show. Praised for its authenticity, the accurate localisation, realistic voice acting and cultural details transported players directly into the bustling streets of 9th-century Baghdad. The localisation team meticulously recreated the cultural atmosphere. From the way the characters addressed each other to the background conversations, everything felt authentic. This commitment to culturalisation not only resonated deeply with Arabic-speaking gamers, but also garnered respect from players worldwide, earning positive reviews and strong engagement for Mirage (as seen in this TikTok example). Consequently, the dedication to localisation and culturalisation not only enhanced the game but also acted as a powerful marketing tool in itself to promote sales.
Talking about TikTok, recent studies also reveal that the most popular games on the platform have been localised into several languages⁷. As a social media platform that prides itself on its international communities, it’s only to be expected this would be the case. In fact, they recently announced that bilingual ads in Spanish and English are even more effective in promoting content on their platform in the US than English-only ads! And, on top of that, they increased consumers’ perception of brands’ trustworthiness⁸.
So what can we learn from looking at a recent unexpected rising star? And yes, we are talking about Helldivers 2! With very little pre-launch marketing, the game quickly became a massive hit throughout Europe⁹ and other regions¹⁰, and it seems to be managing to keep its popularity thanks to its very well-crafted and unique tone of voice. The game's distinct communication style, a blend of dark humour and military jargon, is a key part of its charm. From the hilariously over-the-top mission briefings to the satire-packed and irony-tinted community announcements, their propaganda-inspired marketing, perfectly localised into several languages, keeps players engaged globally.

The final boss: putting it all together

By understanding which platforms your audiences use, their motivations and demographics, and by prioritising localisation to enter different markets, you can significantly increase a game's chances of becoming a global phenomenon. Remember, sometimes it’s the little things, like changing the way you approach new markets, that make a big difference. If you need a partner to help you on your journey, get in touch with us here and our team at Tiny Lagoon will be thrilled to join you.
Sources:
¹ https://indd.adobe.com/view/8892459e-f0f4-4cfd-bf47-f5da5728a5b5?allowFullscreen=true
² https://www.biggamesmachine.com/wp-content/uploads/2024/05/BGM-Game-discovery-survey-2024.pdf
³ https://www.aevi.org.es/web/wp-content/uploads/2023/10/POP_Version_09-10-spread.pdf
⁴ https://www.gamesindustry.biz/gamesindustrybiz-presents-the-year-in-number-2023
⁵ https://www.gamesindustry.biz/fallout-4-jumps-to-no1-across-europe-following-tv-show-launch
⁶ https://www.sell.fsites/default/files/essentiel-jeu-video/ejv_mars_2024_3.pdf
⁷ https://www.gamesindustry.biz/gamesindustrybiz-presents-the-year-in-number-2023
⁸ https://www.tiktok.com/business/en/blog/bilingual-ads-spanish-hispanic-audience
⁹ https://www.gamesindustry.biz/european-game-sales-strong-in-february-thanks-to-helldivers-2-european-monthly-charts
¹⁰ https://www.gamedeveloper.com/business/helldivers-2-is-estimated-to-have-sold-8-million-copies-so-far-

I am not the OOP. The OOP is u/evastraea posting in AmItheAsshole
Concluded as per OOP
2 updates - Long
Original - 21st June 2022
Update1 - 27th June 2022
Comment from OOP - 27th June 2022
​
AITA for not giving my adopted daughter a stuffed animal for her high school graduation, when both of my biological children got one?
​
I [49f] have 3 children, [22f], [19m], and [18f]. My oldest are my biological children from a previous marriage, and my youngest I became a mother to at the age of 2 when I married her widowed father. She has only ever called me mom, and I officially adopted her at the age of 12.
Now on to the issue with the stuffed animals: years and years ago, when I was only 20 and in college, I worked at a children's museum. I adored the job and working with kids, and had the idea to buy stuffed animals from the gift shop to be my future-kids' first stuffed animals whenever they were born. I had gotten a stuffed bear at birth that was very special to me growing up, and on my 18th birthday my parents gifted me a duplicate they had bought way back when and kept for me all these years. I found this so special, and wanted to do something similar, so I bought 6 stuffed animals from the museum's gift shop; 3 to be given at birth, and 3 duplicates. I had no idea at the time how many kids I would have, but I knew I wasn't planning on having more than 3, so I didn't get any more.
My first daughter received the stuffed animal I selected for her while pregnant. Then, between her birth and the birth of my son, I miscarried. The experience was deeply traumatic for me, especially as I miscarried in my second trimester, and I buried my baby with the stuffed animal they would have gotten. I kept the duplicate to for comfort, to cuddle and hold.
Finally, my son was born and received the last of the stuffed animals I had set aside so many years ago. Now, here's where I may be the asshole. For both my daughter and son's high school graduations, I surprised them with the duplicates, for them to take to college with them and compare against the stuffies they've been loving on their whole lives. Both were very moved by this, and took both (original and duplicate) to school with them.
My youngest, however, never received a stuffed animal, and so when her graduation celebration rolled along I had no duplicate to gift her. I watched her unpack all her gifts, and her face fall when she got to the last one and realized. She didn't really say anything, just got this super sad look on her face, and excused herself to her room. I followed to ask what was wrong, but she said she didn't want to talk to me, so her father went in instead.
According to him she cried to him that she didn't feel as loved by me as her siblings, and as much a part of the family - the unwrapping of her siblings' stuffed animals were very emotional events, and she had had the expectation she'd be getting the same. In hindsight I could have easily done something similar for her whenever I first came into her life, even if it wouldn't have been from the museum, but I just didn't think of it. She has been cold to me this entire last week, and I feel so terrible, I've offered to take her out to a special dinner the two of us to make amends but she turned me down. AITA?
Edit: the votes are in, and I am definitively TA. Many of you are suggesting that I get her a stuffie that reminds me of her, or maybe to get her two so she can continue the tradition with her future kids. But I think what I will do is gift her the duplicate my parents gifted me of my special plush bear I received at birth, which is one of my most treasured possessions, and deeply meaningful to me. Thank you all for the advice, it is genuinely appreciated.
​
Comments
​
Mrs-Addams
YTA. Nothing quite says “you’re not like my other kids” like leaving her out of a family tradition when her turn came. I’m sorry about the loss of your baby and understand why you kept that stuffed animal for your own, however, the tradition could have started with her when she joined your family at age 2, or when you formally adopted her.
​
SmartassMouth89
YTA your kids grew up together and for years you never once thought to go and buy two stuffed animals for your adoptive daughter?
​
QueenKeisha
Right? In 16 years, and after giving 2 other bears away, she didn’t once think, hey what about youngest?
​
SmartassMouth89
Right? She liked the daughters dad enough to marry him but didn’t think that it would be a good idea to give the two year old a stuffie at the wedding?
​
Update - 6 days later
​
Long story short: my daughter found my reddit post, and came to me in tears apologizing for her reaction. This was NOT my expectation, and I assured her she had nothing to apologize for, as I had been in the wrong. We had a long discussion about the situation, our feelings, and how to move forward from this, and although I know she is still hurt we are on our way to making amends.
Long story long: so what even happened? As I've now discovered, my daughter loves browsing AITA. She stumbled on my post, and after reading it in it's entirety, as well as a good chunk of the comments (all of mine, and many left by other redditors) she came to me in tears apologizing for her reaction.
She sobbed in my arms that she didn't want this to be the end of our relationship, and that she was sorry, and wanted to enjoy this last summer together. I held her and assured her she had nothing to apologize for, and apologized myself (I did shed a little tear, but tried to keep my emotions in check as I did not want the burden of comforting me to be on her).
What followed was a productive but incredibly emotionally vulnerable conversation, the details of which I will not disclose entirely. She has been going through a rough time, and my impression (I could be wrong) is that the lack of a stuffie at graduation was a catalyst for bigger emotions. She did take me up on my offer to take her to dinner, and I've now booked a reservation at a nice restaurant she has been wanting to go to for a while.
And last night we cooked her favorite dinner together, which gave us an opportunity to smooth things over somewhat. We have not yet broached the subject of me intending to gift her my own plush, except for very briefly (she insisted I didn't have to, and seemed to feel a lot of guilt), but I still plan to. I just feel it would be best to wait until things have cooled down.
And if she truly doesn't feel comfortable taking it, I plan on getting a bear of a similar look to be its "little brother" for her to take care of. That's the update, obviously things have not magically mended overnight, but we are finally on-track to a resolution. Many thanks to all that left advice, and please check the comments below for clarification on many questions asked before passing any judgements (I far exceeded the allowed word limit, and have instead pasted much of what I intended to say here below).
​
Comments
​
aroundincircles
Read your first post and this one, and I feel it from both sides. My wife and I recently adopted a bio niece (13 yo this week) and she welcomes us as dad and mom, but we've run into a number of times where the kids will pull out something from a trip we went on, or an activity we did, etc years before she was ever in our lives, and she'll go "why don't you have one of those for me"? It's really hard, some of these things are simply impossible for us to get, and/or would cost us thousands of dollars (when We already spent 30+k on custody/adoption lawyers and court fees).
She also didn't even bring anything with her when we picked her up, she wasn't even allowed to bring a change of underwear. It's been something that we've had to deal with in counselling that her life with us didn't start till she was almost 12, and we have to begin fresh from there, we cannot turn back the clock and give her back an entire childhood she missed. Like when we went camping for the first time with her, and we were getting things out to visually see what we needed to get from the store and we pulled out the kid's sleeping bags, and she was like "where is mine", and the fact that we didn't already have one hurt her.
​
Glum_Hamster_1076
And that doesn’t make you an ahole. I hope no one will call you one. Situations change and you’re not always able to “make up for it”. OP didn’t do this to hurt her daughter and it’s weird people are painting it that way. I hope things are going well with you all in therapy and your family is making great strides together.
​
Comment from OOP
​
When I initially posted to AITA, I was prepared to face judgment, and open to constructive criticism. However, while I did receive many constructive comments, which I truly appreciate, I received many more that were hateful and unconstructive, and I will admit, I did get defensive. But the attitude I took on in the comments is not one I brought into my interactions with my daughter; please understand that I did not throw in her face all the kind things I feel I've done for her over the years, but was rather attempting to contextualize our relationship for strangers who've never met us.
And before passing any further judgment in the comments, please check below for answers to a lot of the questions asked in the original thread. To answer a few questions: why did I not adopt her until 10 years after I came into her life? Because I never sought to force myself on her as her mother, and waited until she could give me explicit consent to adopt her. Why did I never buy her any stuffed animals? I did. I bought her many when I first met her, as well as one for her official adoption day, and every adoption day celebration since.
And I did technically gift her a stuffed animal for her graduation, too, it was just a plush of her college's mascot rather than a duplicate of a treasured plush from her childhood. So why did I not buy her a duplicate at any point over the last 16 years? I did not think to until my oldest graduated and received hers, by which point I (mistakenly) felt the significance would be lost. Both my bio kids received stuffies saved for them for decades, whereas she would have received one saved for only four years. Instead I tried to honor her in other ways, such as (as I described in the comments) crafting her a cookbook of generational family recipes that I illustrated by hand, because she is her own individual.
Truthfully, while I understand the sentiments expressed in the comments, I don't believe recognizing differences is inherently a bad thing. The duplicate stuffies my bio kids received were duplicates of the very first stuffies to ever be in their crib with them. Their receival of them was a birth event, and I did not give birth to my youngest. But that does not mean I love her any less, or that she is any less my daughter.
We have established our own traditions honoring her entry into my life, such as our celebration of her adoption day, and while I realize I could have handled the stuffie situation better, I do believe it was an honest mistake. But how could I not include her in a treasured family tradition, knowing how important it is (especially as an adopted child) to feel a part of the family? Because I truly did not realize this one specific tradition meant as much to her as it did.
I have strived to include her in as many family traditions as possible throughout the years. As I mentioned in the comments, she speaks German because I taught and spoke it to her growing up, even though her father does not. We celebrate German traditions, such as baking countless batches of German Christmas cookies together every year (just the two of us, neither of her siblings have any interest in baking), which is something I grew up doing with my mom, and every year it is quality time I deeply treasure.
For her 16th birthday I gifted her the locket my mother gifted me on my 16th, which she'd been gifted by my grandmother before me - this actually upset my eldest daughter, who had not received such a hand-me-down, and this is just to name a few. So given the fact that she has on occasion received and taken part in traditions my other kids have been excluded from, I did not think the stuffie would carry as much weight as it ultimately did. But isn't her reaction an indication that there are larger issues at play, and that she has likely felt this way for a while? Perhaps.
I am not a perfect adoptive mother, and have never claimed to be. And I can not see inside her brain, so I cannot know her true feelings. But my sense - and I may be wrong! - is that the larger issues at play relate back to her bio mom, which is something she expressed to me in our conversation. I did not disclose this in my original post, because I did not believe it to be relevant, and it is also a painful topic within our family, but her bio mom committed suicide whilst in the thick of post-partum depression. This has obviously impacted my daughter, who has been in and out of therapy for years grappling with feelings of loss, and guilt.
She is highly sensitive to feeling isolated within our family unit, which is something I should have taken into account in this situation, and I own that. I realize this is a huge hunk of text, but given the visceral reaction many had, I felt it was important to cover my bases. Come to whatever conclusions you all like, I will likely not be checking the comments for my own mental health, and the wellbeing of my family. To all who left genuine advice, even if that meant calling me an asshole, I truly do appreciate you. And to all who said hateful things, especially in regard to the loss of my baby, please consider the impact your words may have moving forward
​
Comments
​
Rice-Correct
You’re a good mom. It might’ve been a mistake not to gift her the plush, and it might, as you said, just have been indicative of some larger big emotions going on, as graduating is a HUGE milestone and going to college is an enormous life change that is very rewarding and exciting, but also stressful. But it sounds like you’ve been amazing about creating beautiful memories and experiences together! I think at some point, the plush will be a distant memory. From your post, it seems pretty clear you DO have a good relationship, and you’re a caring, empathetic parent. ENJOY your summer together, Mama!
​
sharraleigh
Don't take the hateful comments personally; it's easy to be cruel online to a faceless stranger. Also, your original post didn't include all this info (it would've been impossible to anyway), and therefore lacked a lot of the back story and nuance that frankly, a real person's life experience encompasses. Your daughter probably saw your post and realized how her reaction hurt your feelings and read the hateful comments and felt bad for you. It sounds like you have a great relationship and you're lucky to have each other in your lives!
​
I am not the OOP. Please do not harass the OOP.
Please remember the No Brigading Rule and to be civil in the comments

Welcome to Reading The Big Book of Cyberpunk!
Each week we (u/FarragutCircle and u/fanny_bertram) will be reading 5-ish stories from Jared Shurin’s The Big Book of Cyberpunk, which includes a curated selection of cyberpunk stories written from 1950 to 2022! We’ll include synopses of the stories along with links to any legally available online versions we can find. Feel free to read along with us or just stop by and hear our thoughts about some cyberpunk stories to decide if any of them sound interesting to you.
Every once in a while, we reach out to people who have more insight, due to being fans of the author or have some additional context for the story. (Or we just tricked them into it.) So please welcome u/RuinEleint who will be sharing their thoughts on "The Yuletide Cyberpunk Yarn, or Christmas_Eve-117.DIR" by Victor Pelevin!
“Deep Eddy” by Bruce Sterling (published 1993; also available in his collection Ascendancies: The Best of Bruce Sterling)
Deep Eddy is acting as a data courier to the Cultural Critic in Düsseldorf, right as the city goes through a Wende (a sort of anarchist “Purge”).

• Farragut’s thoughts: We’ve read Sterling before in Science Fiction. Eddy is a misguided libertarian creep who won’t stop hitting on his German bodyguard and is too dumb to understand the philosophical points that the Cultural Critic is making (for that matter, I’m too dumb to understand, too). He survives his time in Germany, but has learned nothing of value for his punk attitude. What’s the point of rebelling if you don’t understand why? The naivete and creepiness were a little too much for me.
  
• fanny’s thoughts: This did not work for me. Eddy is creepy and annoying. He keeps hitting on the bodyguard and she makes it VERY clear she is only there in a professional context. Eddy also seems to generally not have any clue what he is doing. He is libertarian and against something but no one seems to know what. He doesn't even seem to know what he delivered to the Cultural Critic.
  

“The Yuletide Cyberpunk Yarn, or Christmas_Eve-117.DIR” by Victor Pelevin (1996, translated from Russian by Alex Shvartsman)
A corrupt mayor’s computer is infected by a virus that causes chaos in Russia.

• Special Guest Ruin: This was a fascinating story to read. The way the narrative segued from a discussion on poetry to a darkly comedic look at a Russian city was remarkable. The author seems to like to start or lead with a theme or themes which seem to be only tangentially related to each other such as for example the name of the computer virus, or Gerasimov and his dog. But both elements circle back into the story and are crucial to its structure. As for the content of the story itself, I amused myself by imagining the events as being a movie that blended the stylistic elements of Tarantino and Wes Anderson. So we have brutal, bloody violence in increasingly absurd settings and the way it is all described makes it easy to imagine it all taking place amidst the highly stylized sets and characters we would expect in a Wes Anderson movie. Overall, I really enjoyed this story.
  
• Farragut: We’ve read Pelevin before in Modern Fantasy. First of all, this is a fantastic title for a story, period. Second of all, I just enjoyed Pelevin’s style here (via Shvartsman’s translation), with an omniscient narrator telling us about a completely ridiculous situation. It gets a little cagey with the identity of the perpetrator and the ending, but I’m very curious as to how darkly I should read it (now that I think about it, it’s directly connected to the original, so I should read it very darkly indeed). Shvartsman’s occasional footnotes were very helpful, however, especially with the context surrounding Gerasim(ov) and Mumu.
  
• fanny: Ruin's review is so good, I am not sure what to add. The style of this story fit the elements so well. It starts with a poem whose themes carry through the story. The footnotes were a really great addition and helped contextualize. The narrator keeps upping the ridiculousness until we get to the end and everything gets wrapped up.
  

“Wonderama” by Bef (1998, translated from Spanish by the author)
Lalo (or is it Eduardo?) wakes up every day in the most awesome life in 1974, but it’s revealed to be a lie and ends tragically.

• Farragut: Bef is a Mexican SF writer, a crime writer, and a graphic novelist, and honestly his whole bibliography sounds cool as heck. Told in a series of diary entries with some small interruptions, we follow a kid whose life is like a Mexican kid’s sugar-fueled dream. The reason for its inclusion in this thematic section of the anthology becomes clear however, and I yelled, “Noooo!” at the ending. Sigh. It’s very good!
  
• fanny: I am a sucker for diary entry style stories and this was no exception. Lalo’s life seems almost perfect, but it feels so off. The story feels progressively more off until we start to question everything. Also, yelled “Nooo!” at the ending. Very good. Absolutely loved.
  

“comp.basilisk FAQ” by David Langford (1999) (link to story)
A FAQ-style story that clearly describes a bizarre future where images on the web and TV are banned due to the risk of death.

• Farragut: Langford is famous for having the most Hugo wins (29), mostly for the Fan Writer category, but also Short Story (not this one) and Best Related Work (not this one either). This is a delightful story that made me think of it as a precursor to qntm’s later story “Lena” from Week 5 (though obviously only in general form). Apparently I love the faux-nonfiction style where some of the horror and plot is between the lines. The final FAQ about Microsoft was darkly funny.
  
• fanny: This was fun and very short. The FAQs related to basilisk and writing were great. It goes between funny, dark humor, and just dark. I liked the commentary on technology and software. I also really appreciate the standard response answers explaining they should post someone else. This is something I deal with often and this was great.
  

“Spider's Nest” by Myra Çakan (2004, translated from German by Jim Young; also available in the anthology The Apex Book of World SF 3 edited by Lavie Tidhar)
Spider, uh, does something? Is looking for drugs, maybe? But something else happens instead?

• Farragut: Çakan is a German writer from Hamburg, and after reading this story, I’d say Shurin made hamburger out of me, too. The main thing I got out of this story was that Spider really wanted something, maybe. I thought it was drugs, but he got angry at his dealer and then got super weird with his friend’s girlfriend? And then there was a Silver Spider, who wasn’t him, but maybe he plugged himself in to replace her? What is happening?
  
• fanny: Spider definitely wanted drugs from his dealer, Ant. I think. Ant got annoyed at something then Spider got into a voyeur situation (maybe). There is a Silver Spider in his dreams that makes him feel better. I couldn't tell if this was dream or drug induced or technology induced. The end is super weird and makes even less sense than the story. Spider might have done a murder on himself? I have been confused before in this anthology, but not to this level.
  

That’s it for this week! Check back the same time next week where we’ll be reading and discussing "The Last American" by John Kessel, "Earth Hour" by Ken MacLeod, "Violation of the TrueNet Security Act" by Taiyo Fujii, "Twelve Minutes to Vinh Quang" by T. R. Napper, and "Operation Daniel" by Khalid Kaki.
Also posted on Bochord Online.

Hi,
About a week ago, I bought some parts for a PC build from an online shop. The package got delivered to a Packetshop since I wasn't home - then Sunday & Monday were holidays so I couldn't pick them up then either.
Upon the package's arrival, I got the following email from the online shop: "Thank you very much for getting in touch with us. (I never got in touch with them?)
I am contacting you regarding order [...]. Please do not accept the order or inform us about it and we will send you a return label – we mistakenly sent you the wrong products. We apologize for the inconvenience."
Frustrating, I thought, and researched online about what my rights are.
In Germany, if the shop actively reaches out, I am required to return the wrong products - I was prepared to do so and inquired about a return label. I collected the package at the Packetshop, opened it, and found the correct items in the box - exactly as I had ordered them.
I find it a little shady that they'd ask me not to collect the package in the first place, somewhat voiding my right to collect a package adressed to me. I'm pretty sure this isn't a scam either. Luckily, they have not yet sent a return label - I am not required to return them, am I?

Two years ago, I took a part-time job that still haunts me to this day. I decided to finally write about my experience, hoping it might help me process everything. I was a college student, and like a lot of you, I needed a part-time job to help cover tuition and other expenses. After a long search, I found what seemed like the perfect job. It was a caregiver position, working from 5 PM to 9 PM, taking care of elderly people. The job was pretty straightforward, make sure they took their meds, had their meals, and just hang out with them for a few hours.
I got assigned to take care of this 85-year-old lady. Let's call her Mrs. Eleanor to keep things anonymous. She lived alone in this quaint little house on the edge of town. The place was old but well-kept, with a charming, slightly overgrown garden that probably hadn't seen a gardener in a few years. She had a small poodle named Max who was always by her side, following her around everywhere she went.
From the start, the house felt... off. There were no family pictures anywhere. I mean, you'd think at her age, she'd have photos of kids, grandkids, maybe an old lover or something. But no, nothing. It was weird. The walls were bare except for a few generic paintings. I asked her about it once, just casually during a conversation, but she brushed it off and changed the subject real quick. She had this look in her eyes, a mix of sadness and something I couldn’t quite place. I didn't push it because I didn't want to lose the job, but it definitely made me curious.
My daily routine was simple enough. I'd get there around 5 PM, cook dinner, make sure she took her meds, and just keep her company for a few hours. Max, the poodle, was a friendly little guy, always happy to see me, wagging his tail and jumping around despite his age. Mrs. Eleanor, though, was polite but pretty reserved. She didn’t talk much about her past or family, which just added to the mystery. Our conversations were always pretty basic, like talking about the weather or what was on the news.
Every evening, as I cleaned up after dinner, I'd hear Mrs. Eleanor singing a lullaby. It was the same soft, melodic tune every night, echoing through the quiet house. While the song was gentle, it really creeped me out. It felt so out of place in the otherwise silent house. She sang it every night, like clockwork, and it always made the hairs on the back of my neck stand up. Sometimes, I would find myself pausing my cleaning just to listen. The whole situation was unsettling. The house, the lack of family photos, the nightly lullaby, it all felt like pieces of a puzzle that didn't quite fit together. I couldn't shake the feeling that there was a deeper, darker story behind those melodies. It was like the house held secrets that it wasn’t ready to share, and I was just an outsider peeking in.
As the weeks went by, my curiosity grew stronger. Why was she singing this lullaby every night? Who was it for? The routine stayed the same, but the sense of unease kept building. I had been given strict instructions by my employer not to go into Mrs. Eleanor's room. It was one of the non-negotiable rules of the job, probably to respect her privacy and maintain professional boundaries. One evening, while I was cleaning the dishes, I noticed that the door to Mrs. Eleanor's small office was slightly opened. She had always kept it closed and had told me it was just a mess she didn't want me to fuss around with. But that evening, the door was invitingly open. Hearing her close the bathroom door upstairs, I decided to take the chance and peek inside the office.
The room looked straight out of the 1960s. Blue walls, a small single bed, and a wooden desk cluttered with old papers. There was a small closet to the left that caught my eye. The whole setup struck me as odd. This room, which looked like it belonged to a young boy, was in the home of an elderly woman living alone. There were no pictures, no personal belongings, nothing to explain why this room was here. I couldn't explore more because I heard footsteps right above me, making my heart race. Panicking, I quickly closed the door and hurried back to the kitchen. The rest of the evening went by uneventfully. I gave her the necessary pills, made sure she was comfortable, and left for the night. But I couldn’t stop thinking about that room. Why would she have a boy's room in her house if she had no children? The thought gnawed at me, creating a whirlwind of questions.
The next day, my curiosity got the better of me. I decided to do some research on Mrs. Eleanor. I spent hours online, searching for any information about her. But nothing came up. No social media profiles, no news articles, nothing. Not a single piece of information about her life.
It was baffling and left me with more questions than answers. I returned to work after the weekend, determined to find out more. That evening, as usual, I prepared dinner and ensured Mrs. Eleanor took her medication. Then I waited for her to go to the bathroom. The moment I heard the bathroom door close, I quickly made my way to the office. The room was just as I had left it, with that same lingering, musty smell hanging in the air. This time, I opened the closet. Inside, I found small boxes, stacked neatly but covered in a thin layer of dust. My heart pounded as I opened one to find baby clothes, tiny socks, pants, and sweaters, all meant for a baby boy. They were neatly folded and seemed well-preserved, despite their apparent age. But why would Mrs. Eleanor have these?
The discovery left me with more questions than answers. I went back to making dinner, trying to process what I had found. My mind was racing with possibilities, but none of them made any sense. Was it possible she had a child once? If so, where was he now? That night, as usual, Mrs. Eleanor began singing her lullaby. Normally, this song would send shivers down my spine, creeping me out every time. But this night was different. Instead of fear, I felt a surge of curiosity that I couldn’t ignore. I went upstairs quietly and with each step up, the lullaby grew louder. The door to her bedroom was almost closed but had a small gap, just enough for me to peek through. She always left a gap, saying it was to let Max come and go as he pleased. I peered through the gap and was shocked by what I saw.
There, Mrs. Eleanor was sitting in a rocking chair, gently swaying back and forth. She was holding Max in her arms, cradling him like a baby, and singing softly to him. Next to her was a small wooden cradle, old and worn, as if it hadn't been used in years. She continued her lullaby, her voice soft and melodic, but now it felt more sad than creepy. Her gentle rocking, the way she cradled Max, and the soft melody of the lullaby created an image that was hard to shake. I slowly backed away from the door, not wanting to intrude any further. I went back downstairs, my mind spinning from what I had just seen.
This made me think and start connecting all the dots. Was she pretending her dog was a baby? A baby she never had? I could be wrong, but that would make sense, right? The boy’s room, the baby clothes, no pictures, no husband, no children, just her and her dog, whom she pretended was her own son.
There are many possibilities. Maybe she lost her child during a miscarriage, or the son died somehow. It’s heartbreaking to think about, but I had no way of knowing for sure since there was nothing about her online. I even asked my boss about Mrs. Eleanor, trying to get some information about her past. My boss didn’t know much either, just that Mrs. Eleanor had always been a bit reserved and private. She mentioned that Mrs. Eleanor had experienced some tragic losses and that she was now quite lonely, with some health issues typical for her age, but nothing specific.
I worked out the rest of the week, but everything felt so creepy and intense. The quiet dinners together, the silence in the house, the haunting lullaby, it all felt like I was living in some kind of ghost story. Each night, as I lay in bed, I couldn't stop thinking about what I had seen. The pieces seemed to fit together, but they painted a picture that was too tragic and eerie for me to handle. Even during the day, I found myself distracted, replaying conversations with Mrs. Eleanor in my mind, looking for clues I might have missed. I thought about asking her directly but quickly dismissed the idea. It felt too intrusive, and honestly, I was scared of what I might uncover. There was a part of me that didn't want to know the full story because the fragments I had were already too much.
I noticed more details that added to the unsettling atmosphere. The way Mrs. Eleanor would sometimes pause mid-sentence as if lost in a distant memory, or how she would stroke Max's fur with a faraway look in her eyes. The house itself seemed to hold its breath.
I made my decision, I sent a text message to my boss saying I couldn’t continue with the job and that I was quitting immediately. I didn’t even say goodbye to Mrs. Eleanor. It felt wrong and I knew it was rude, but I just couldn’t bring myself to face her again. The thought of another day in that house, surrounded by haunting memories and unanswered questions, was too much for me to handle.
I felt a mix of guilt and relief. Guilt for leaving without a proper goodbye, for abandoning Mrs. Eleanor when she clearly needed someone. But also relief, knowing that I wouldn’t have to endure another evening of lullabies and unsettling silences. I knew I was being cowardly, but I just couldn’t do it. The experience had taken a toll on me, and I needed to get out. The whole experience was something I couldn’t shake off easily. It made me think a lot about the hidden struggles people face and the ways they cope with their pain. Mrs. Eleanor's story, whatever the full truth was, taught me that sometimes, the past can cast a long shadow over the present.
So, that's my story. It was a job I thought would be simple, but it ended up being one of the most emotionally intense experiences of my life.

It’s simple as two things within ethics and accountability. I’m sorry to be the bearer of the bad news but if you were not sent by your leaders then how are you credible yourself to tell me about the Bible?
Most of you INC defenders are known for mentioning Bible verses, outside of their contextual context. Likewise, a lot of y’all have never read the Bible outside of your church premises. Your leaders should be the front liners and bearer of news within this church’s grounds - wheter that’s online on social media or in person. If it’s an unofficial page then how are we supposed to take you seriously?????
Education is the ground matters of discipline and regulations. If you were not educated or academically credited to preach the Bible, then why should I listen to you?
I don’t remember saying or giving a slight hint that Rauff was similarly credited, (had academic background - since I don’t personally know him) but he is right for encouraging people to be open minded.
If this subreddit bothers you then I’m sorry to say this but you’re the one who targets other streams of religion as a whole. You’re the hater by true definition. What do the Catholics have to do with INC?
In recollection to my memories and my strong dislike of INC. I’ve only mentioned your church and ideal representatives for the most part.
Borderline: from time and ages ago, Bible scholars have always been the ideal person to approach. Sure, their data and knowledge varies based off analytical and symmetrical findings. But, you’re not as reliable as them. If this bothers you personally, then please get your leaders to act like leaders for once.
Where’s the church administration behind your subreddit? TrueIglesiaNiCristo

• if they are not leading you, then I’m sorry? but keep doing your thing!

At the end of the day, you’re the one trying to convince people of the truth. I’m just really telling people to think outside the box. It’s okay to not follow a church that doesn’t have people’s best interest.

So before these last couple weeks, I had only ever played ME2, with my disk copy of ME1 being broken so the game would crash when arriving at the Citadel for the first time. But after playing Andromeda, I couldn't help feeling after 60 hours and 96% completion, that I just played 3 different games.
Let me explain.
The first game was personally my favourite. Arriving at Habitat 07, finding the Nexus in it's unfinished state, arriving at EOS and exploring the failed outposts and experiencing a limited progression until you progress the planet's story further. I loved how the wider world was cut off by high radiation that kept my exploration limited to a managable amount initially. I loved how once I set up the colony, I got to decide what type of colony it was (I picked Military for obvious reasons), and even got an awesome cutscene of the prefabs and shuttles landing on the planet. I loved how soon after fixing the vault, things started to improve, more of the map opened up, SAM gave me a run down of what was now available and the environment seemed to change visually.
This set up my assumptions for the rest of game quite high and I was all for it. However, things quickly changed after going to the second habitable planent. Aya.
Suddenly I've been thrown onto a small accessible hub area with no planetary exploration, and instead been presented with fish lipped, bug eyed, wannabe Twi'leks. I am no longer in my explore, adapt, overcome mind set and I'm suddenly brought into a "Gotta make these new aliens like me unlike the other group of aliens" mind set. This is in itself isn't terrible as it varies the gameplay and the story, however the game NEVER returns to the previous experience that I was greatly looking forward to, but I pressed onwards with the hope that my EOS experience would continue.
I was wrong.
More systems were now made accessible (Despite the Nexus saying that their probes only reached as far as Aya's system), so naturally I checked, did the repetetive task of going from planet to planet with a roughly 20% payout of either 270xp or a mineral vein visable from space that gives less than a single mineral node you find planetside, and then proceeded to Havarl. My hopes remained high as the map appeared small and the Nomad wasn't usable, and 2 of the 3 remnant towers were already activated, massively bringing down the amount of busy work I had to do. I didn't consider this as a planet to colonize and instead treated it like a large hub area with a few story progression quests, like finding our lovable gay Turian spectre Avitus and getting the first clues as to the status of the other 3 Arks. I did the Vault, established a research outpost with the Angaran's and was satisfied.
Then I moved onto Vauld.
Up to this point and a little more, I had believed that my EOS experience would return now that I had Aya and Havarl out of the way. When I landed on Vauld, I loved the atmosphere. It was dark, cold and clearly had something for me to achieve. My first thought while walking through the snow (aside from wondering why there was a pilot telling me he was ready to assault the enemy stronghold once I gave the go ahead), was "Wow, I can't wait to see how things change once the vault is active, I bet the ice is going to melt gradually and you'll see the ground underneath". Suffice to say my Vauld experience peaked after leaving the resistance base, approaching the 2 Angaran's standing outside and looked down at the large open area for me to explore. And with my hopes still high, explore I did. However this was the first major sign that things had changed.
There was no longer locked progression, waiting for me to restore the vault (Unlike EOS which had lvl 1 and lvl 3, Valud only had lvl 1 and lvl 2 which only stifled exploration but didn't directly prevent it). There was no awesome cutscene or meaningful choice once I established my outpost. There was no visual change except for somewhat clear skies, and I really had no reason to come back to the planet afterwards except to complete quests I was too lazy to do straight away, or continue missions that brought me back. At this point it was clear that my assumptions of the game were incorrect and the experience I enjoyed from EOS would not be returning.
Then we moved onto Kadara, the planet I hate the most. I landed into another hub area, again with no accessible exploration area, but unlike Aya, this planet had one that was separated by a loading screen. Sloane was a bitch and I questioned how the Angara here had been mingling with the Milky Way exiles for the last 14 months, yet our landing on Aya was apparently first contact with the Angaran's who were already associated with our lovable rogue.
Again, planet exploration disapointed me, except this time there was even less than Vauld. Now the only environmental hazard was sulfur water which was practically an insta kill if you so much as touched the water with your toe. I did the usual, went to every forward base, collected every mission and task, completed the story progression and then resolved the conflict that would allow me to get an outpost down. And despite Vauld giving me little reason to return after, Kadara gave me even less! With the only reason to return being follow ups of other missions and loyalty missions. But hey at least the water no longer kills you. I guess that's "progression".
And to my dissapointment, Havarl was actually considered an Outpost/Colony, meaning the last place I had to go to was Elaaden. The second Desert planet (Though this one is hot instead of radioactive), the home of the exiled Krogans, and another planet where the Angaran have an established presence and have been in contact with the exiles for 14 months with Ryder being first contact 14 months later. Though I was just glad to finally find out where Drak had apparently come from ever since he mentioned moving with his clan after leaving the Nexus and being found on EOS, despite his clan being firmly established in Elaaden.
Like Vauld and Kadara. I drove around without any temporary limitation. Got the forward bases. Collected the quests and met the bitch in charge (In Elaaden there are actually 2 bitches in charges, though only 1 of which you can actually get rid of and replace). I did the story progression, resolved the local problems, watched an epic battle between 2 Krogan that I had absolutely no influence over (Couldn't even decide who to put incharge of New Tachanka like I could do with Kadara port), and just as quickly as I arrived at Elaaden, I had left. Leaving the Arks and Meridian to resolve.
Resolving the arks were a little dissapointing. I had hoped to recover the Arks, expand options for colonization, gain more quests and give me more reason to explore. Instead all I ended up with was 2 functional arks. A loss of about 25% of the Turians, Asarians and Salarians that came to Andromeda and not a single original Path Finder on the Nexus. And despite in game dialogue mentioning that the retrieval of the Arks had allowed for construction to continue on the Nexus, there was no visual changes of the Nexus which remained in the same half built state since the start of the game (When I saw Nexus levels, I had incorrectly believed that each time the level increased, the Nexus would gradually be completed).
And then there was Meridian, which was actually a Remnant space station/city that you needed to bring back online. At this point it was felt like the 3rd game had come into effect. While the first game had great exploration and colonization, while the 2nd game felt like a more tedius version of ME1 with less meaningful choices and plot, and more filler. And now we've moved onto the 3rd game, which is a massively rushed attempt at "ending" the game and giving some minor rewards/punishments for choices you've made through the mid game and the end boss fight being a partial Architect fight filled with many remnant forces, which follows a "warthog run" populazised by the final mission of Halo Combat Evolved.
There is nothing reflective of the rest of the game in the final missions, and after the final mission, the epilogue sets up or leaves unanswered questions that would have/should have been answered in DLC or a Sequal.
These being:
Qaurian Ark (Probably chased by 1 or more Reapers that escaped by the Crucible destroying everything)
Removing the Scourge (Implied that it could be removed in Meridian, but then never brought up again)
Uncovering the Benefactor (Likely The Elusive Man or The Shadow Broker (Could be Liara or the previous one))
Turning outposts into Colonies
Construction of Port Meridian
Fixing Ryder - 01 (Previously Habitat 07)
The Ancient AI (Disapears after the Hyperion gets stolen)
Waking Ryder's mother
Restoring Communication with the Milky Way (They questioned why communication wasn't open after setting the nexus up)
Connecting the Engine (Meridian) to the Remnant City and activating all Vaults remotely
Primus informing the Kett Empire about what's happened in the Heleus cluster
And probably a few other smaller that I can't recall at this time.
So there it is. Why does the game feel like 3 different games in 1 package? Why did the game peak at EOS and then slowly decline for the rest of the game?
I look forward to discussions in the comments.

Hey there, as the title says i'm working on picking out the right moissanite ring for my proposal in August.
For some context, i'm going with moissanite for a myriad of reasons but the important bit is the overall design being floral, as it ties back into our first anniversary where i got her a floral gold bracelet. After looking online and locally i've landed on this ring from ManhattanBox on Etsy: https://www.etsy.com/no-en/listing/1385545543/nature-inspired-round-cut-moissanite
My worry is simply buying from etsy for something so important, even if the shop has great reviews. So i would love either suggestions for safe shops that have this kind of design or for someone to confirm ManhattanBox as a good seller.
Thanks for any help in advance!

~CHANNEL & CONTENT:~
SEEKER TO SEEKER (S2S) is a unique English-language YouTube channel exploring insights from psychology, religion, and philosophy. The channel is nearing 80 000 subscribers.
The S2S video essays aim to not only inform the viewer, but also inspire them. The goal is to produce evocative pieces of film that connect with the viewer on an emotional level. The video essays employ an ‘old film’ look through the use of old etchings/prints/drawings and archival footage as B-roll. The content is almost entirely black and white. Music plays a central role in the atmosphere and pacing.

~JOB DESCRIPTION:~
I am looking for a craft-oriented video editor to partner with on a long-term basis.
As S2S video editor, you will be working closely with me on producing evocative, well-crafted video essays. Initially, your task will be to adapt to the already established style of the content. (Please see reference videos below.) As someone passionate about editing, I will be going over the final edits in Adobe Premiere Pro for final adjustments. I will be giving you thorough feedback and I am looking forward to receiving fresh ideas from you. We will be communicating remotely through video calls once or twice a week. I am based in Sofia, Bulgaria, working within the Central European Time Zone (CET).
Once you master the existing style (which I expect will happen by the time you’ve edited 3-5 videos), you will gradually have more creative freedom to improve on the format with your own stylistic contributions. My hope is that you enjoy the work and be proud with what you produce for the channel. You will be credited in the description of every video you work on (unless you prefer otherwise).
The video essays on S2S do not require expert skills or knowledge, but they do require attention to detail and a keen sense for tone/atmosphere. I am looking for a creative partner passionate about creating meaningful work that inspires people.
As of now:

• I will be providing you with audio (voiceover + music) and you will work on the B-roll, titles, and sound effects
• the edits you will be working on will be between 20 and 40 minutes in length
• you will have between 1 and 2 weeks to finish your edits, depending on the length
• you will be editing 1 video per month for the first 3 months; we will be striving for 2 videos per month after that

The above are subject to change and negotiation as our work together moves forward.

~REFERENCE VIDEOS:~
https://youtu.be/HF9Ye5cwYV4?si=YrOD7BdcXkwhUIkV
https://youtu.be/V3MtVoPUUYE?si=6DcA0D8Fd6IWWxLQ
https://youtu.be/uNnd6VXHTEo?si=UBOyJs8-PlNA0P33

~RESPONSIBILITIES~~:~

• Edit English-language video essays using Adobe Premiere Pro.
• Edit video B-roll, titles, and sound effects after being provided with the voiceover and music tracks for every video.
• You will have access to my extensive library of previously used images and footage, but you will need to also find/generate some amount of new B-roll for every video. (I will provide you with access to Adobe Firefly and Kaiber for AI image/video generation.)
• Work closely with me to develop and refine the video style.

~REQUIREMENTS:~

• Proficiency in Adobe Premiere Pro.
• Written and spoken fluency in English.
• Grasp of video editing for YouTube retention.
• Craft-oriented approach to editing. (S2S videos must be not only informative, but also aesthetic pieces in their own right.)
• Ability to adapt to the existing style and expand on it with original ideas.
• Openness to communication, feedback, and mutual constructive criticism.
• Interest in long-term partnership, potentially leading to full-time work as channel video editor (with significant increase in compensation).

~COMPENSATION:~

• As of now, I can offer $11 per minute of final video edit (e.g., $220 to $440 per video for videos ranging between 20 and 40 minutes). The rate is subject to increase with the growth of the channel.

~BONUSES:~
20% bonus to the original payment for a video when it passes 100k views
50% bonus to the original payment for a video when it passes 300k views
75% bonus to the original payment for a video when it passes 500k views
100% bonus to the original payment for a video when it passes 1 million views
~(Valid within one year of video publish date.)~

~HOW TO APPLY:~
Please send your application to [editorial@seekertoseeker.com](mailto:editorial@seekertoseeker.com) with the subject line "Video Editor Application - [Your Name]". Please write a paragraph or two about your interest in working with me on SEEKER TO SEEKER and include links to your 3 favourite videos you’ve edited. I look forward to reviewing your application and discussing the possibility of working together via online video call.
($220-$440 per video + bonuses)

Hello, I hope anyone who is reading this is having a great day/night. I am a 25 year old nonbinary writer in search for a rp partner who’s interested in writing a literate/novella style story based in the world of Baldurs Gate 3. I am also open to alternative universes involving the characters from BG3.
I'm currently looking for a possibly long term canon x oc or oc x oc roleplay. I'm exclusively interested in writing stories with lgbtq+ characters so if you are interesting in exclusively writing straight characters and pairings, I am not the partner to reach out to. Currently my primary cravings are Bloodweave, Astarion x Durge/Tav or Gortash x Dark Urge.
Characters I am comfortable playing (* are a current craving): Gale, Astarion, Gortash, Halsin, Karlach, Kar'Niss, Dame Aylin, Tav (OC), Dark Urge (OC)*
Characters I am looking to play against(* are my faves): Gale, Astarion, Halsin, Wyll, Gortash*, Dark Urge (oc), Tav (oc), Shadowheart, Isobel, Karlach
Below is some information about me and what I am looking for in a partner: (Please read this before you reach out. There is a password hidden in there to ensure you have read it. If you reach out to me, start out your message with said password.)

• No one liners! I use roleplaying as a creative outlet and I feel like both of us would be able to have A LOT more fun if some effort is put into it. I am looking for partners interested in writing literate-novella style roleplays. But I also value quality over quantity and won't police you on wordcount. Just try to keep it to at least a few paragraphs.
  
• I write in third person past tense and need you to do the same. Literacy is also something I value and I would love someone who uses a lot of descriptive language etc. I will not be mad for grammatical errors as English isn't my native language anyway, but I would like to be able to understand what you're saying and I'd like for you to know the difference between you're, your, their, they're etc.
  
• Be patient with my responses. I am a working adult and I have a life outside of roleplaying. This means I can't be online the 24/7 for replies. I am most likely available for OOC talk most of the time. The more you'll push me for a response when I'm busy the more likely you are to not get one at all. Please be respectful and I will do the exact same to you.
  
• You need to pull your own weight in the rp, I don't want to lead your character through the plot, this is meant to be a story we create together.
  
• I love talking about our characters and whatever world we decide to go for. Plotting and just talking about headcanons/whatever is also great and something I appreciate a lot. The password is blighted.
  
• I am very friendly OOC and will gladly have OOC conversations with you if that's something you'd want!
  
• I would prefer to roleplay with someone in my age range.
  
• I will not reply to you if I feel like you did not read all of these things properly.
  
• I am happy to provide writing samples to ensure we are a good match, and will happily take yours.
  

If reading this still leaves you interested, feel free to reach out to me. Start out your message by giving me the password, telling me about yourself, what characters you are looking to play/for me to play, what kind of story you would like to do. I will not reply to vague messages.