After 2 years, I (M24) broke up with my girlfriend (F22). It was a beautiful and healthy relationship at the beginning, but it changed beyond recognition. Over time, she began to show her toxic, manipulative, and narcissistic nature. The whole world revolved around her, she could never admit her mistakes, and she blamed others for everything. She constantly blamed her parents for her anxieties, saying they didn't listen to her, understand her, or care if she was sad during her childhood. This is not true at all.
To clarify, we lived together in an apartment for about 6 months. The first two months were great, and she helped with household chores and cooking. But after those two months, something broke. When she came home from work, she would lie in bed all day watching TikToks and reality shows. I took care of the entire household—cooking, cleaning, and everything else. The only thing she occasionally did was laundry, and even then, I had to push and beg her to do it. Our sex life suddenly ended, and we didn't have sex for about 2 months. I've always been the type who likes to cuddle and have close contact with my partner. I could only cuddle her when she wanted to; if she didn't, she would just say that she was comfortable and didn't want to be touched.
She was nice only when she needed something; on those days, things were okay with her. But the next day, when she didn't need anything, she was withdrawn and indifferent. I tried to do everything for her, often driving her to and from work, buying her gifts, and getting her whatever she craved. I tried to be her support, but toward the end, she started rejecting it. It's weird because she kept telling me she loved me. About a month ago, she told me she loved me but couldn't fall in love with me. She said the problem was within her and that often, even when I did or said nothing, I annoyed her. This hurt me deeply, and I considered ending it back then.
Meanwhile, she started chatting with her ex-boyfriend, whom she met at a bar while out with her friend. They had a bad breakup, but they supposedly cleared things up and became friends, chatting every day since then. I felt strange and bad about it. Her relationship with me felt like it was out of principle, and she was just using me. She was only nice when she needed something. A week ago, she went on vacation to Turkey with her family, a trip I couldn't attend. We got her passport and everything ready together. On the first day of the vacation, she texted and called me, and I saw she was happy, which made me very happy. But after the first day, she only messaged me once every two days. When she returned from Turkey, I was on a hike with her dad. When I got home, I went to take a nap, and she was at her parents' place. I woke up to her knocking, standing there with three friends. I didn't get a kiss or a hug. She immediately left with her friends to go to a bar. I heard some quiet mocking and smirks but didn't address it. She closed the door, and everything hit me—all the sadness and melancholy of the past months. I felt like crap. I unpacked her suitcase with tears in my eyes, packed my things, and called my dad to come get me. I had a few beers on the hike and didn't want to risk driving. I texted her that I was going home. Her response was that she fully understood.
She had already told me that she was sorry for her behavior but didn't know any other way and that I didn't deserve this. Yesterday, I went back to clarify things and get the rest of my stuff. She told me that during her time in Turkey, she didn't miss me at all and didn't feel the need to text me. She realized then that this wasn't how it should be. We shed a few tears, and she asked if she could cuddle with me one last time, which broke my heart. I felt like crap. She helped me pack my things, and I left. She's probably going to stay with a friend. We were renting this apartment, so we'll just cancel the lease.
On the hike, her dad told me he was very happy that she found a guy like me and that he was sorry for how she was treating me. Even though she's his daughter, he said I didn't deserve this and should pack up and leave. He said she was like her mother and that I didn't want to end up like him. He told her the same thing when she came home—that she shouldn't treat me like trash and should either start acting normal or break up. Her mother told her she hoped she'd find another tyrant who would bully her and make her life hell like all her previous boyfriends.
Sorry for the long text, but I needed to vent and also put my thoughts together in case I need to remind myself why this was the right decision. There are probably many mistakes, so I apologize. English is not my first language, and this is my first experience with Reddit. Thank you for your feedback. I need advice on how to stop thinking about her. I'm afraid I might start stalking her on social media or want to message her. What was your way of avoiding this?

I (28F) have been on a couple of dates with this guy (27M), whom I met on a dating app. First date went great, we had a lot in common and the conversation was free flowing. There was physical contact too, and he kissed me before dropping me at my door (it was a good kiss).
He texted me right away with a little joke about making sure I got home safe, and we texted back and forth for the next couple of weeks. He asked me out again for drinks and I agreed.
The second date went really well too. He asked if I wanted to come back to his place to smoke up (euphemism for sex obviously), I said not tonight but definitely soon, once we know each other better. He didn't mind at all, and the conversation continued as normal. We talked about what we wanted from each other, and both of us were in agreement that it wasn't going to be a casual hook-up or that we were only looking for sex.
The chemistry was through the roof. We downed multiple drinks and were making out at the bar in front of everyone, all over each other basically. Our conversation got sexual and we talked about all the shit we would do to each other as soon as we got the chance.
On the cab ride home is where I fucked up. We made out, he fingered me and I unzipped his pants to return the favour. Except it was dark, I was very drunk, and... couldn't find his dick. I fumbled for a minute and he kept trying to guide me, but unfortunately an internal panic attack hit me. Intrusive thoughts such as "you're 28, still single, groping strangers in a cab" overwhelmed me and I got upset abruptly and pulled my hand away, and withdrew. I didn't tell him what I was thinking of course, but my withdrawal must have been obvious.
The cab reached my place. I mumbled goodbye, gave him a quick hug and bolted. I was so drunk I passed out as soon as I hit the bed. When I woke up the next morning there was no text from him, a contrast from the first date. I texted a long apology for my behaviour in the cab, adding that I had a really great time last night, and wanted to see him soon. I even joked about how I give better handjobs when not drunk out of my mind. He replied 24 hours later saying, "that's okay, hope you weren't hungover." I apologised again, then asked if we're good? Three days later and he still hasn't replied.
I'm confused. If he was only in it for sex, he would've been in touch because I'd already promised him that we'd get down and dirty very soon. So why the cold shoulder? Where did I go so drastically wrong that he won't even reply to me, and how should I rectify it? I really like this person. Opinions please!

my (m 26) boss (m48) is constantly over sharing, i don't know how to make it stop. it makes me dread going in to work, he has started treating me like his therapist & no matter how visibly uncomfortable i am or how much i try to change the subject or get out of the room- he doesn't stop. If i change the subject he will ignore it and keep talking- if i leave the room he follows me. he is going through a divorce and dumps everything on me, even goes as far as to read their texts between each other to me and asks for my input. I always say "i don't know it isn't my business" and he keeps talking. has told me about their sex life and shortcomings his wife has had and even updates me if he gets lucky from another woman and how it was different than his wife. I am so uncomfortable & can not figure out how to make it stop. the other day i timed it and he talked for 2 hours straight. i feel like i am suffocating under the weight of someone else's problems even when i have my own. I have applied to countless other jobs and haven't heard anything from any of them. If i could, i would quit on the spot and never go back but i can't afford it. I don't know how to make it stop- i understand he is suffering but now so am i. any suggestions besides losing my cool and telling him "i don't give a single fuck please for the love of god shut up" because that's where i feel like im headed he doesn't seem to understand any other way. Also i will add without being too descriptive of my job we are the ONLY people on our team. it's just us 2 all day.

Hey all! This is a bit weird for me being almost 40 and looking for friends. But here I am anyways lol. Mainly looking for someone to message throughout the day and get to know. Maybe game with if we have that in common. I do work from home so there’s no one to really talk to during the day.
I’m married and have 2 kids, a 6 month old son and a 9 year old daughter. I’m into basic nerdy things. Gaming, star wars, super heroes, DnD, etc. Also trading card games like Disney Lorcana and Star Wars Unlimited.
I watch a ton of Critical Role stuff especially Campaign 3! Currently on episode 74, so if you watch too, let me know! Also like to watch Battle of the Brands on YouTube.
I’m also into movies and tv, some sports, pro wrestling. Collecting action figures and retro games is one of hobbies as well. Anything 80s/90s nostalgia i absolutely love so if you want to talk childhood and growing up back then, i’m down! I miss the good old days where we went to arcades and italian sunday dinners at the grandparents and where the world just wasn’t as nutso as it is today lol.
My kids are everything to me and I do love talking about them. Love being silly with them and spending time with them (when they aren’t driving me crazy 🤪 lol)..I would prefer you be around my age and have kids as well just so we have that stuff in common off the bat! I’m socially awkward most times but very easy to get along with. I’m definitely considered an introvert. But once you get to know me I break out of that awkward shell. I do like to use sarcasm, and mostly like to try and make people laugh because a world without laughter would just be horrible.
Alright i’ll shut up now but I’d like to think i’m an awesome person to get to know and hopefully there’s more you’d like to know so feel free to DM me! (I looove using GIFs so if you message me, open up with a funny one! Especially since then i’ll know you actually read this 😂)

Hey all! This is a bit weird for me being almost 40 and looking for friends. But here I am anyways lol. Mainly looking for someone to message throughout the day and get to know. Maybe game with if we have that in common. I do work from home so there’s no one to really talk to during the day.
I’m married and have 2 kids, a 6 month old son and a 9 year old daughter. I’m into basic nerdy things. Gaming, star wars, super heroes, DnD, anything Disney, etc. Also trading card games like Disney Lorcana and Star Wars Unlimited.
I watch a ton of Critical Role stuff especially Campaign 3! Currently on episode 74, so if you watch too, let me know! Also like to watch Battle of the Brands on YouTube.
I’m also into movies and tv, some sports, pro wrestling. Collecting action figures and retro games is one of hobbies as well. Anything 80s/90s nostalgia i absolutely love so if you want to talk childhood and growing up back then, i’m down! I miss the good old days where we went to arcades and italian sunday dinners at the grandparents and where the world just wasn’t as nutso as it is today lol.
My kids are everything to me and I do love talking about them. Love being silly with them and spending time with them (when they aren’t driving me crazy 🤪 lol)..I would prefer you be around my age and have kids as well just so we have that stuff in common off the bat! I’m socially awkward most times but very easy to get along with. I’m definitely considered an introvert. But once you get to know me I break out of that awkward shell. I do like to use sarcasm, and mostly like to try and make people laugh because a world without laughter would just be horrible.
Alright i’ll shut up now but I’d like to think i’m an awesome person to get to know and hopefully there’s more you’d like to know so feel free to DM me! (I looove using GIFs so if you message me, open up with a funny one! Especially since then i’ll know you actually read this 😂)

Hey all! This is a bit weird for me being almost 40 and looking for friends. But here I am anyways lol. Mainly looking for someone to message throughout the day and get to know. Maybe game with if we have that in common. I do work from home so there’s no one to really talk to during the day.
I’m married and have 2 kids, a 6 month old son and a 9 year old daughter. I’m into basic nerdy things. Gaming, star wars, super heroes, DnD, anything Disney, etc. Also trading card games like Disney Lorcana and Star Wars Unlimited.
I watch a ton of Critical Role stuff especially Campaign 3! Currently on episode 74, so if you watch too, let me know! Also like to watch Battle of the Brands on YouTube.
I’m also into movies and tv, some sports, pro wrestling. Collecting action figures and retro games is one of hobbies as well. Anything 80s/90s nostalgia i absolutely love so if you want to talk childhood and growing up back then, i’m down! I miss the good old days where we went to arcades and italian sunday dinners at the grandparents and where the world just wasn’t as nutso as it is today lol.
My kids are everything to me and I do love talking about them. Love being silly with them and spending time with them (when they aren’t driving me crazy 🤪 lol)..I would prefer you be around my age and have kids as well just so we have that stuff in common off the bat! I’m socially awkward most times but very easy to get along with. I’m definitely considered an introvert. But once you get to know me I break out of that awkward shell. I do like to use sarcasm, and mostly like to try and make people laugh because a world without laughter would just be horrible.
Alright i’ll shut up now but I’d like to think i’m an awesome person to get to know and hopefully there’s more you’d like to know so feel free to DM me! (I looove using GIFs so if you message me, open up with a funny one! Especially since then i’ll know you actually read this 😂)

Hey all! This is a bit weird for me being almost 40 and looking for friends. But here I am anyways lol. Mainly looking for someone to message throughout the day and get to know. Maybe game with if we have that in common. I do work from home so there’s no one to really talk to during the day.
I’m married and have 2 kids, a 6 month old son and a 9 year old daughter. I’m into basic nerdy things. Gaming, star wars, super heroes, DnD, etc. Also trading card games like Disney Lorcana and Star Wars Unlimited.
I watch a ton of Critical Role stuff especially Campaign 3! Currently on episode 74, so if you watch too, let me know! Also like to watch Battle of the Brands on YouTube.
I’m also into movies and tv, some sports, pro wrestling. Collecting action figures and retro games is one of hobbies as well. Anything 80s/90s nostalgia i absolutely love so if you want to talk childhood and growing up back then, i’m down! I miss the good old days where we went to arcades and italian sunday dinners at the grandparents and where the world just wasn’t as nutso as it is today lol.
My kids are everything to me and I do love talking about them. Love being silly with them and spending time with them (when they aren’t driving me crazy 🤪 lol)..I would prefer you be around my age and have kids as well just so we have that stuff in common off the bat! I’m socially awkward most times but very easy to get along with. I’m definitely considered an introvert. But once you get to know me I break out of that awkward shell. I do like to use sarcasm, and mostly like to try and make people laugh because a world without laughter would just be horrible.
Alright i’ll shut up now but I’d like to think i’m an awesome person to get to know and hopefully there’s more you’d like to know so feel free to DM or IM me! (I looove using GIFs so if you message me, open up with a funny one! Especially since then i’ll know you actually read this 😂)

Hey all! This is a bit weird for me being almost 40 and looking for friends. But here I am anyways lol. Mainly looking for someone to message throughout the day and get to know. Maybe game with if we have that in common. I do work from home so there’s no one to really talk to during the day.
I’m married and have 2 kids, a 6 month old son and a 9 year old daughter. I’m into basic nerdy things. Gaming, star wars, super heroes, DnD, etc. Also trading card games like Disney Lorcana and Star Wars Unlimited.
I watch a ton of Critical Role stuff especially Campaign 3! Currently on episode 74, so if you watch too, let me know! Also like to watch Battle of the Brands on YouTube.
I’m also into movies and tv, some sports, pro wrestling. Collecting action figures and retro games is one of hobbies as well. Anything 80s/90s nostalgia i absolutely love so if you want to talk childhood and growing up back then, i’m down! I miss the good old days where we went to arcades and italian sunday dinners at the grandparents and where the world just wasn’t as nutso as it is today lol.
My kids are everything to me and I do love talking about them. Love being silly with them and spending time with them (when they aren’t driving me crazy 🤪 lol)..I would prefer you be around my age and have kids as well just so we have that stuff in common off the bat! I’m socially awkward most times but very easy to get along with. I’m definitely considered an introvert. But once you get to know me I break out of that awkward shell. I do like to use sarcasm, and mostly like to try and make people laugh because a world without laughter would just be horrible.
Alright i’ll shut up now but I’d like to think i’m an awesome person to get to know and hopefully there’s more you’d like to know so feel free to DM or IM me! (I looove using GIFs so if you message me, open up with a funny one! Especially since then i’ll know you actually read this 😂)

I know this isn't exactly about having lost a friend, but I thought it might be a good place to get some advice on whether I should distance myself from someone.
My good friend of 6 years Jessica (F43) is a big hearted loyal friend. She also has a penchant for causing drama, or being involved with people who cause drama. Her trusting nature means she gives benefit of the doubt to people who are considered by many to be "problematic", for example:

• She seriously dated and lived with a man (M38) who has been known to stalk other women. He was the one who broke up with her, and she still feels he's misunderstood because he's a bit "on the spectrum."
• She's good friends with a man (M55) who has dozens of harassment complaints against him from other women. She is currently adamantly defending him against the most recent allegations, which got him kicked out of a job.
• She introduced me to her good friend Jacob (M42) on a job, and he proceeded to sexually harass me 2X. She said she's sorry it happened, but she thinks he is just an "old school flirter" and needs kind people to help educate him. They are still good friends, despite him getting kicked out of the job he harassed me on for harassing someone else who reported him.
• She is good friends with "A" (F50), who is constantly having upheavals with various people/work situations and is generally known for being "difficult". Jessica and "A" will sometimes have issues, and Jessica has repeatedly complained to me in confidence about some of these things. They remain good friends even though "A" is a handful and I can tell Jessica gets frustrated with her a lot.

The situation that's made me question my friendship with Jessica involves "A". "A" and I are also mutual colleagues but otherwise not good friends. Recently Jessica made me aware of a beef "A" has with me, which you can read about here. She shared all sorts of personal things "A" said to her about me, and when I initially suggested I might say something to "A" Jessica said "No! I don't want her to know I said anything," which made it clear she'd shared things "A" told her in confidence, putting us both in a difficult spot (and also making me wonder if she'd spilled the beans on me at other times). Later on, she proceeded to lecture me and take "A"s side after I told her I didn't want to discuss the situation with her anymore. When I saw her most recently, she didn't speak to me at all and left my last message to her on read.
I know no one is perfect and I don't wish to have unrealistic expectations of my friends. I would never want to get dropped over the first sign of conflict with someone, so I don't wish to be that person. OTOH, it seems like Jessica is an unnecessary drama magnet and I'm starting to grow exhausted of spending a lot of time and energy on people like this. She has been a loyal friend to me over the years, but for some reason this situation is making me question how close I want to be with her. It probably doesn't help that I'm going through one of the most stressful periods of my adult life right now (buying my first place, two siblings getting married, chronic health issue flares, and a big work event I'm in charge of all happening at once) so that may be clouding my judgement.
I know a lot of nuance is being left out here, but I'm curious in general how you decide when you should be the one to end a friendship. Does this situation sound worthy of ending things over, or am I just being too sensitive/unreasonable in my expectations?

So for context I met this man on a dating site. Interactions have always been through text, we’ve never met in person. First we stopped talking was bc he said something super sexual and I told him I’m not like that but then a couple months later he reached out again. So this is where it actually got like idk, crazy. After he reached out a second time we talked a bit, then me and my friend pranked called him. He knew it was me and he laughed about it. Them he texted me like something funny,forgot what it was, and then I made a joke and said “wow you’re not as boring as I thought you were” Then he got heated and said I lack communication skills and that I’m not trust worthy?? So then we went back and forth a bit(I think I was just calling him a baby man child for getting mad at me calling him boring and then he called me slurs??? He also said he hopes I die for his country (bc I’m planning on joining the military and I told him this).But I was having fun making him angry so I was kinda trying to fuck with him a little more. Then we stopped talking and I reached out to him this time and then it was cool. He even apologized and said he just in a bad head space that’s why he went off.
My friends already don’t like him, and idk if he’s gonna start talking to me like that just bc he’s in a bad mood that’s not good. But as a girl who’s never been in a relationship or gets attention from cute guys, when he messages me I get so giddy. He likes to do the Irish goodbye shit tho which is pretty annoying, idk if him doing that is him talking to another girl? Which shouldn’t matter bc me and him aren’t dating

Hey everyone! I've never made a post on reddit before so bear with me friends. This is also gonna be long because I physically cannot restrain myself from overexplaining.
Ok, SO me (24F) and my guy best friend (25M) have known each other since about sophomore year of college. Let's call him Tony alright. I met him through my college roommate and best friend, we'll call her Tina (Tony is Tina's cousin's husband's best friend). He went to a different college in a city about 2 1/2 hours away, but he came and hung out with his friend a lot and he lived with them during COVID. I'm a pretty socially awkward and shy person so it takes me a while to get comfortable around someone and be myself so I didn't really engage with him at first. It should also be mentioned, I've never been in a relationship or in love befoe; I've been on dates and done a thing or two here and there with some people, but I've always been shy so I'm kind of a late bloomer in the relationship aspect. He is not and he's been in relationships before and has experience doing the horizontal tango; an activity I do not have experience in!
Fast forward, tail end of junior year or beginning of senior year of college we start actually interacting and I open up a bit more. I then develop a small "schoolgirl" kinda type crush because he was a new friend and funny and nice, and I never really had any guy friends growing up so it was new to me and you know the daddy issues of it all. Ok so BOOM spring break senior year right (March 2022), we go on a vacation to NOLA with our friend group. My crush is in full swing at this point and during said trip, my bff Tina and I share a hotel room with Tony and his best friend Ted (sharing bc we are poor). So we get a lot of quality time and get a lot closer as friends. Skip to May 2022, we graduate college and my BFF Tina moves to the bigger city in the state we live in (where he lives) in June (we went to college in a small town). So, naturally I go to the city a lot to visit her and so in turn we start hanging with him more frequently since he's closer now. At this point, I'm over my crush and he's just my really good friend (I promise). Fast forward to December 2022, I move to the city as well and my bff Tina and I move in together so we see him even more, and he's spending nights at our place (on the couch). We get a lot closer and the main thing we do in our friendship is talk. He's a level 100 yapper, and I didn't used to be at all until we became friends honestly, but he just brings out the yap in me. We talk about anything and everything; we even argue about a variety of topics, but it's not with malice or rudeness at all; we're just talking. He's just genuinely the easiest person to talk to I've ever met; strangers just talk to him all the time.
So now we're gonna jump to December of 2023 (sorry for the jumping around, I'm an ADHD warrior). I've had mental health issues off and on since high school, but they got worse around this time. Around this same time, he started getting depressed as well as a few months prior he had been fired from a job and his car got towed amongst other things. My BFF is also going through it.We are all just going through some trials and tribulations lemme tell ya. So, we've all been leaning on each other emotionally pretty heavily lately. Recently, he spends multiple days in a row at our house. So, I've been working through the prior mentioned mental health issues these past months and I'm think I'm finally coming out the other side. I've actually been the happiest I've been in a very long time, but I'm also still struggling a bit because I feel as though my personality has changed drastically since this ordeal or maybe I'm finally feeling secure enough in myself to show my true personality idk, but in a nutshell I'm feeling open and brave which are qualities I don't have experience in whatsoever. As I'm finding myself, I think I'm also becoming more in touch with my feelings which is how I realized I had feelings for him, but anyways back to the nitty gritty. So I'm feeling all these new feelings and all, and my crush on Tony comes back with a terrible new twist: 100% real uncut feelings 😔. But, I am terrible at reading social cues and understanding other people's feelings so I genuinely can't tell if he feels the same or not. But, ever since I've realized my feelings, I've been noticing things more. Me, Tina, and Tony have always been very open with each other in the sense that we talk about anything and everything. We talk about sex, relationships, our bodies, etc. But, lately, I feel like him and I talk even more about sex and relationships and he makes more jokes or funny remarks about sexual or romantic things between us. To be fair, I have too (😝), so it may just be in response, but come on, it's to the point like, we jokin anymore?? So, the other day, I was joking about how I was gonna be a virgin at 40, and he said, "Nah, we'll figure something out before then." like what you mean by that?? And another time, we were riding in the backseat together, and the whole car was talking about eating a girl's kitty cat and I had made a joke about not knowing the feeling and he said, "What?? That's so sad bro" and then under his breath said, "we'll have to do something about it" like huh???? And I also have this crop top with butterflies on it that may be a lil revealing (🙈) that he complimented when he first saw me wear it. And now, whenever I wear it, he'll say something about it like, "Ohhh, return of the shirt" or something along those lines. Also a while back, I had told him about how my late grandpa would always sneak me Ho-Hos as a kid and how I missed him a lot, and in the next few days, he brought some over when he came to hang out like brooo 😩. He didn't say that was the reason or anything, but that would be a crazy coincidence I feel. He's also always showing me something on his phone like a video he thought was funny, a movie he liked, pop culture we talk about, music he likes, etc. He'll just appear in front of me with his phone 2.3 cm from my face saying, "look 👁👄👁". Also, we've both been talking a lot lately about how lonely we are and how we miss sleeping and cuddling with another person in the bed. I feel like I've been dropping hints, but I'm also scared to tip him off so the hints I think I'm dropping could be more like office friendly chit-chat in reality!
It should also be noted that after I got over my initial crush, I didn't find him attractive. I really didn't find him attractive when I had a crush tbh. He's definitely not my usual type at all; I'm a fat bi girl who usually goes for masc women or feminine men and he's a short skinny lil fella with a permed mullet 😭. I'm definitely not his usual type either which is another reason I have doubts about his interest in me. He usually dates skinnier girls. I'm finally okay with my body, but if you're a fat person, you know how absolutely anxiety-inducing it is thinking about shooting your shot and someone rejecting you because of your body. I don't think he would do that, but there's still that fear there. He's also mentioned recently how he doesn't care about looks and body and I'm like 🤨 you hinting at something?? Cause I've talked to him before about struggling with loving my body so he knows im self-conscious about it at times. I'm also hesitant because besides Tina, he's my best friend in the world. I would never want to do anything to jeopardize that friendship. I've been trying to get over it and/or ignore it. But, God, idk what to do anymore. It's driving me insane, and I hate that I'm looking for things and reading into things. And I feel like I'm acting weird or changing my behavior which sucks cause it's hard to control cause I'm nervous. But, I really don't think it's all in my head. I don't even know if I want to pursue anything and change our relationship forever, but I feel like I'm going crazy. If anyone has any insight or advice, it would be much appreciated. Thanks a bunch!
TL;DR: I (24F) think I'm in love with my guy best friend (25). We met when I was 20, and I think he may be flirting and secretly feel the same, but I truly can't tell. We hang out almost everyday, but I don't want to be seeing things that aren't really happening. I also don't want to ruin our friendship. I would really just like some insight on the situation or advice on how to tell if he's also interested. TIA! 🫶

Apple TV+ is one of the strangest streamers out there, with almost no licensed TV or film content and a small number of originals. That makes the best movies on Apple TV+ easy to find. There simply aren’t that many! Apple is clearly taking a “quality over quantity” approach, with its money spread across genres and targeted at making its subscribers (many roped in with a deal that came with one of the company’s tech products) treat it like a real contender. It also helps that it’s only $4.99 a month, or free for a year if you’ve just purchased a new (and eligible) device.
With films from up-and-comers like Minhal Baig, arthouse favorites like Sofia Coppola and Werner Herzog, some A-list music docs, one of the best animated movies of the 2020s and Martin Scorsese’s latest, Apple TV+ is actually making the case that it belongs in the conversation alongside the more established services. As long as it keeps adding good movies to its roster, that is. It recently snagged a few critical darlings like Killers of the Flower Moon and Wolfwalkers.

10. The Pigeon Tunnel

For a documentary about one of the most celebrated writers of spy fiction, The Pigeon Tunnel can seem—at first glance—deceptively placid. Clocking in at just over 90 minutes, the film features an extended conversation between David Cornwell, AKA John le Carre, and Oscar-winning docmaker Errol Morris. It’s just that. Two people talking, with Morris off-screen, their parrying question-and-answers broken up with archival images and re-enactments of Cornwell’s past, as well as snippets from the classic movies or TV adaptations based on his spy universe: The Spy Who Came in from the Cold, Tinker Tailor Soldier Spy and A Perfect Spy.

9. Hala

Writedirector Minhal Baig’s Hala is an intimate coming-of-age drama held up by its personal writerly touches and a star-making turn from Geraldine Viswanathan as the title character. Hala’s struggling with the same kinds of things we normally see high school characters struggle with: What to do after graduation, how to manage a relationship with her parents that’s not quite adult and not quite childish, and (of course) boys. Viswanathan’s understated quiet and the warmth in which the situations are shot (almost always centered on her face)—be they at a family dinner or a walk in a Chicago park or a reading of a high school English assignment—make the dramatic ricochet of Hala’s minor rebellion rattle us all the harder.

8. Boys State

The tendency to read too much into Boys State as a representative of American politics—contemporary, functional, broken and otherwise—doesn’t quite line up with the event itself, in which every year the American Legion sponsors a sort of mock government sleepaway camp in Texas for high school boys (girls get a similar program of their own), where attendees join parties, run for office, craft platforms, run campaigns, hold debates, then ultimately exercise their right to vote.

7. On the Rocks

Sofia Coppola’s new movie On the Rocks starts out as a story of possessive fatherhood, with Felix (Bill Murray) narrating to his teenage daughter, Laura: “And remember, don’t give your heart to any boys. You are mine until you get married. Then you’re still mine.” The girl laughs off the declaration as a jape, which turns out to be a catastrophic tactical mistake. In her womanhood, Laura (Rashida Jones), does indeed get married to a man, Dean (Marlon Wayans), and they have two beautiful daughters of their own, eldest Maya (Liyanna Muscat) and youngest Theo (Alexandra Mary Reimer).

6. Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You

The black-and-white behind-the-scenes documentary accompaniment to Bruce Springsteen’s album of the same name, Bruce Springsteen’s Letter to You is a beautiful and companionable tour through the music and its making from an American master. Director Thom Zimny buys into the album’s concept, which focuses on just how long Springsteen’s been at this thing. Poignant juxtaposition with archival footage and pictures emphasizes just how long the E Streeters have been at this—and reminds us of who and what was lost along the way.
Also Read: The Last Duel

5. Fireball: Visitors from Darker Worlds

Werner Herzog will show you multiple clips from Mimi Leader’s Deep Impact for no other reason than because he likes them, he finds them well-done and evocative—he says as much in that even-keeled, oddly accented voice over—then soon after chastise “film school doctrine” when complimenting a field video shot by a South Korean meteor specialist in Antarctica. Like Nomad: In the Footsteps of Bruce Chatwin, his documentary from earlier in the year, Fireball (co-directed with Clive Oppenheimer, with whom he made 2016’s Into the Inferno) is less about what it’s about (meteorites, shooting stars, cosmic debris—and the people who love them) than it is about Werner Herzog’s life, which is his filmography, which is a heavily manipulated search for ultimate truth.

4. CODA

Sometimes a movie so successfully plunges you into its world that it completely engulfs you in a lived-in experience. From the gorgeous, scenic opening moments of CODA, you can almost smell the Atlantic salt air and pungent scent of the daily catch. The movie transports you to Gloucester, Massachusetts and lovingly drops you into the life of one family. Seventeen-year-old Ruby Rossi (Emilia Jones) is what the title of the movie refers to—a child of deaf adults.

3. A Charlie Brown Christmas

We could get into plenty of arguments over which Charlie Brown animated special is best, but A Charlie Brown Christmas is my favorite pull of the bunch. Charlie Brown’s confrontation with the Christmas season’s commercialism (back in 1965 no less) and a sad little fir tree make this a cartoon classic, as the ultimate funny-pages shlimazel suffers endless social indignities (no Christmas cards) and the holiday blues.

2. Wolfwalkers

Wolfwalkers is filmmaker and animator Tomm Moore’s latest project out of Cartoon Saloon, the animation studio he co-founded in 1999 with Paul Young, and the capper to his loosely bound Irish folklore trilogy (begun with 2009’s The Secret of Kells and continued with 2014’s Song of the Sea). At first blush, the film appears burdened with too much in mind—chiefly thoughts on everything from English colonialism to earnest portraiture of Irish myths, the keystones of Moore’s storytelling for the last decade.

1. Killers of the Flower Moon

Martin Scorsese has made a career telling stories that tackle issues of justice, retribution and betrayal. From his overt and poetic crime films, through to his dark comedies, religious parables and character pieces, he has long been drawn to stories where the ambiguities of life collide with the complexities of survival, and where day-to-day choices result in consequences sometimes obvious, and sometimes far more subtle and insidious.

I’m sorry if this is confusing, I’m not really sure how to word this.
I F15 (2009) and my friend F14 (2010) have been friends for a couple months, we normally interact during school hours. We’re both in year 9 even though she’s a year younger, age is important to the story btw.
For the sake of simplicity I will call me friend Zoe, Zoe has a crush on this boy M17 let’s call him Jake. Jake and Zoe had been talking and of course the school had caught wind of it since they were walking around together during break, I personally thought it was a bit weird given there 3 year age gap. Normally 3 years isn’t bad but because of Zoe’s maturity level it made everyone agree it just wasn’t right.
Didn’t matter and they kept talking but eventually after a while u asked Zoe how things were going because she hardly talked about him. And she told me he liked her but things were complicated, I felt sorry for her and I didn’t want Jake to play with her feelings. So I went and talked to Jake who explained to me that he wasn’t comfortable with the ‘relationship’ because of the age gap and wasn’t sure how to tell her, I told him to just out right and say it. The next day he told me he did during a phone call, I was kinda relieved until a few days later he told me and my friends that she was still contacting him, he found it annoying and asked us to talk to her. I didn’t talk to her because i didn’t know how to approach the conversation, next week he complains again (she sent him a tik tok about how she liked him but couldn’t have him) and one of my friends tell him to block her on everything, since he already set his boundaries. We asked him why he hadn’t done it before and he expressed he was worried she’d off herself (which is wild but okay).
Because of this whole thing me and Jake started talking more often and I got to know him, we text now and again when I’m not too busy. When Jake followed me on instagram he noticed my following count was 666, called me out lol. I thought it was funny and posted it on my story. Zoe has seen it and she texted me asking if I was talking to him and I explained we we’re talking about someone else (which we were) and she asked to know what exactly he was saying. I told her since it wasn’t a big deal but I still thought it was strange. I thought it was a bit odd but I just brushed it off, I did end up telling Jake to tease him. Couple weeks later Zoe messages me again asking if I would date Jake because she overheard my friend calling Jake my man (my friend was very unhinged and I was trying to tell her to shut it omg) so I obviously said no because at the time I wasn’t interested in him.
Now fast forward a couple weeks i regularly talk to Jake, I wouldn’t say I’m In love with him but idk he’s funny and today I was in class and I tried talking to her but she kinda ignored me, idk maybe I’m overreacting but I still feel weird about it.
ANYWAY I need to know if I’m the a hole and breaking girl code.

TL;DR - selfish asshole of an older brother scams me and my parents out of $200.
Okay, so I’m not doing too well financially, but I live with my Mom and Pops so we try to make ends meet. A couple weeks back we were in such rough shape financially, that I had to juggle three day jobs just to cover rent and suppress the collector’s from knocking on the door regarding our collective debts. We so broke I literally can’t even afford to sleep because in the night=I can get freelance work done. “I can sleep when I’m dead,” has become my full-time motto (unfortunately). Anyways, to try to bring some income in my household I offer services as a freelance video editor.
A while back, my older brother (who’s a career criminal and has flee’d multiple countries when authorities were after him for violent offences) hit me up and asked if I’d be down to edit for him. I was hesitant at first, being as last time I heard from him was after he beat our Mum to a pulp when I was only 12. For context bro or sis, whoever you are that is reading this: if I was only three years older I wouldn’t have let that slide—I would have mobbed his ass right then and there, pinned him down and done him so fucking dirty… IDGAF if my 15 year old ass had gone to juvie for it, I would do anything for my mother, including take a life. But instead, all that’s been imprinted in my brain is how much of a bitch I was at 12–cowering under the dining table as he took multiple shots with a shoe, at our crying helpless mother on the ground.
Anyways it’s been a few years, I’m 24 now and he gave me a big sob story how he has changed. I bought it up like the good little sheeple I am… started editing for him under the guise that he’d pay me $200 per video: SCORE! That’s a lot of money!!!
I got to know his business (shady as fuck) and got to find out he now dreams of being a finance influencer (double shady) but alas, he’s my big bro and no matter what wrong-doing he’s doing, he convinced me that he was a good man. Ight, bet, I’ma edit for him and make some money for the fam! In between his ‘takes’ of videos he sends me, I piece together that his “wife” films the videos, and he’s still an extremely abusive person. He tries not to let it show on camera, but I’m really good with people, emotions and hidden trauma so I can feel the sickening ‘abuser-of-people’ energy SEEPING off of him, still, to this day. I feel sick to my stomach editing for him, but shit, he’s promised me $200 per video. Over the course of a few weeks I can see why he never told us about his wife, it seems he keeps her pent up somewhere in Georgia, Batumi, and forces her to do whatever he wants. He once referred to her as “his slave” which I originally thought was A JOKE, but now in the grand scheme of things… I don’t think it was a joke. I pray that authorities get to them before he does something to her, but idek where to begin to put a ‘concerned citizen tip’ in a foreign country.
Some context as to why I put up with all the red flags: Mom’s not working as she has to take care of the house and she’s also trying to make money online, any ways possible. She’s starting to sell her favourite clothes. It fucking breaks my heart that I can’t do shit about it… at 24 years old, with all the social media influencing and advertising, I feel like garbage that I can’t fully support my parents… at least not yet! Dad is constantly depressed because he’s almost 80 years old and can’t retire ‘cuz my parent’s are in too much debt.
Okay, anyways, three BIG videos done for him (by big, I mean I spent +8 hours on each vid) and brother’s paid me for ONE via PayPal… no worries, he keeps leading me on saying the money will come, the money will come. And PayPal says I got $200 coming my way from him! Uhh ight, bet? Mind you, I start PLANNING my life around this $200 notification because that’s a hot stack for me and my family!!! Takes PayPal about 20 days to actually let me use the money… ridiculous because we NEEDED it… but that’s okay, I work around the problems in life, much like we all have to.
Here comes the turning point: I’m a little overworked and a little coo-coo sometimes, and one night I start telling him personal shit, kinda pouring out my heart to him, venting almost. I don’t really remember about what, just life I guess, nothing negative towards him. Somehow he misconstrues it, gets upset with me, and ‘tells me off.’ I get upset with him, tell him his business is a sham and I’ma change the rules that we agreed upon. Since his fake-ass can’t pay me what was agreed upon, (maybe $200 is a lot for him, as well) so I ask him if we can do $10 per hour instead. I pitch to him that moving forward, anytime I edit more than five hours ($50), I will refuse to edit until the money gets sent. The conversation turns hostile, QUICK. He calls me a ton of bad names with an underlying message that I’m the biggest loser on earth for pursuing a dream in working in Entertainment & he ends it with a sweet “you’ll never be anything.” LOL WHAT? Completely out of pocket and out of left field, so naturally, I tell him to eat shit, I won’t be doing anymore free work and he can pay me a mere $30 (yes, thirty dollars) for the entire portfolio of audios, texts/scripts, videos, and clips I’ve taken from the internet that ‘match’ the vibe he wants in his videos.
Context: at this point I’ve completed SIX FULL VIDEOS FOR THIS DUDE and he’s only paid me the one payment of $200. Not good at maths? Me neither, lemme help you out. He owes me $1,200 from our original agreement because I’ve spent more than 48 collective hours working on his videos, and he’s only paid me $200. But I tell him: I’ll let it all slide if he pays me $30 for the portfolio of about 50 gigabytes, and then moving forward, he’d pay me the $10 per hour if he wanted more content from me. He already has the six full videos in his possession. The ‘portfolio’ is stuff I’ve found that’s free-use on the internet, stuff that I’ve compiled, and even some scripts that I’ve written out! ALL MINE that I did for HIS business. So it seems logical for me to give this portfolio as an option, just incase he wants to say nah moving forward on me editing for him, and just take the material & go our separate ways…
In response, my (35 year old) brother files a complaint on PayPal claiming he only hired me for a channel encompassing trailer that I did not provide and that I’m attempting to extort him for more money. LOL, WHAT? PayPal’s like BET and automatically attempts to deduct from MY chequing account, without even getting to the bottom of it. Obviously doesn’t work, my account (not PayPal account, my fucking bank account. these mf so overzealous that they reached right into my mf pocket!!!!) gets put in the negatives and I attempt to appeal, with no sweat on my brow ‘cuz I’m like no way PayPal finna let this slide. I then proceed to message my terrible relative multiple times, with texts, videos and audio recordings and I’m in a hysterical mess. I begin threatening him, I begin begging to him, pleading with him, saying anything under the sun just for the hope that he has some heart and would send back the $200 if PayPal does end up taking it from me. Already my chequing was fricked but I could do some damage control… I was cocky, thinking PayPal would obviously side with me once they heard the whole story, so I also told him since he’s caused such pain for me out of absolutely nothing, like completely unprovoked, then shit: I want the original $200 PLUS an extra $200 for all this trauma. He responds by blocking me on everything. It’s 4 A.M. and I’m shaking as I’m typing this…
Somehow after all the information I provided, PayPal sides with him. Wow, wait, what? PayPal has since tried to deduct my PERSONAL CHEQUING ACCOUNT multiple times in order to fish back the $200 which I ALREADY HAD TO USE!!! Idk if you ever had a payment tried to be taken out of an account which already has a negative balance, but the payment doesn’t go (it does a minus then a plus) but usually the bank is like WTF and charges you fees. Multiple times = Multiple fees…
Before, I was in the negatives on my ONE chequing account I own… now I’m in the NEGATIVE-NEGATIVES… no clue how tf I’ma get out of it, but we all persevere eventually! I’ve reached out to PayPal but I’m almost sure nothing will come of it.. I’m considering taking PayPal to small claims court to somehow try to fix all this mess, but I fear it’ll break me off more trouble than repair anything. If you want to DM me, I’ll gladly give you my brother’s socials to send a report to his accounts on Instagram or TikTok, or even leave him a not-so-nice comment if you’d like. Also let me know if you know how I can get in contact with the authorities in the country of ‘Georgia.’
I have absolutely no issues posting his socials, address, doxxxing his ass to the fullest extent, all to do whatever’s necessary: because I fear he will one day gain notoriety and scam a shit ton of people. Praying that never happens.
Let me know what y’all think!!!

Hi everyone! This chapter will read a bit quicker due to all of the dialog. As always, comments and upvotes let me know you're still interested in the story.
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Once everyone was aboard the USS Dwight D. Eisenhower, Mira seemed to relax a little. Davis and Thompson were chatting away with Vebi and Fennis. Povin still stayed near Mira when the officers were chatting with each other. She felt a little lost now that her services as translator was no longer needed. The winds were much stronger here, and one of Povin’s wings got caught in the wind, causing him to lift up. He reflexively opened his other wing.
“Povin! Remember! Glide! Do not flap!” Mira yelled at him.
“What was that Chief?” Thompson asked.
“I’m sorry sir. Ensign Povin’s wing got caught on a draft. They come from a lower gravity world so if he tries to fly, our gravity will break most of his wing bones and tear through his wing skin. The atmospheric belts they wear can maintain their own atmospheric conditions, but it can’t keep up if they full on fly.”
After riding the currents and getting used to how it felt under his wings, Povin was eventually able to land. He quickly wrapped his wings about himself tightly to avoid doing that again. The rest of the remaining Drala quickly tightened their own wings about their bodies.
“I see. Let’s get everyone inside.” Admiral Davis replied. “Chief Rodreguez, your Captain Martinelli sent over your uniforms.” He called over a sailor who had a duffle bag which was handed over to Mira.
Mira looked a little closer at one of the Destroyer escorts. “Sir, is that the USS Bainbridge I see?”
“Yes, it is. You think your Captain would allow us to come get you and not be a part of the escort? Once we stopped receiving responses, he has called in almost daily to NASA to get answers. Honestly, I was willing to bet that if we denied his ‘request’ to join the escort, he would have gone rogue to be here.”
“I’m not so sure about that. Captain Martinelli wouldn’t break protocols like that. He might have been hailing like crazy until someone gave him answers, but never would he go rogue.” Mira replied.
As she finished saying that a sailor came up the Admiral, “Sir, Captain Martinelli of the USS Bainbridge is on the horn for you.”
“You were saying, Chief?” Davis chuckled. “Maybe you should go take that call. We’ll be in the Ready Room. Come see us there after you have spoken with your captain and made yourself Navy presentable.”
“Yes, sir!” She saluted, received the return salute, and headed to the comms room. In the comms room, she was directed to the receiver. “This is Chief Mira Rodriguez speaking.”
“Chief. It’s good to hear your voice again. Do you have any idea how many calls I received from my nephew? I don’t know how he was able to get people to patch him through so frequently while on duty himself, but he’s very resourceful. I have to admit that. Did those aliens treat you well? And who took down communications like that?”
“Yes, sir. I was treated extremely well. I haven’t had a chance to be debriefed yet, so I don’t know how much I’m allowed to say over comms.”
“I understand. You should be able to say at least if the comms were interrupted by the aliens.”
“Not by the aliens I was with, sir.”
“I understand. Go do what you have to do, Chief. I hope to see you back on the Bainbridge soon.”
“I hope so too, sir.” She replied. The call ended and a sailor took her to where she could change her clothes as well as where the Ready Room was located. Once she was in her khaki-colored Shipboard Working Uniform, she headed to the Ready Room and then waited to be told she could sit. The Flx’usri each had their specialty chairs, and the Drala were able to manage the human chairs.
“Is Captain Martinelli well?” Admiral Davis asked.
“I believe his is calmer now, Sir. However, I suspect he will grill me himself once I am returned to his ship.”
“That sounds about right, Chief. I wouldn’t expect any less of him.”
“Grill? Are you in danger, Chief Mira?” Vebi asked worriedly.
“Grill is slang for question soundly, Rear Admiral. I promise that I will be completely safe with my Captain.” Mira looked around and noticed Commander Morris wasn’t in the room. “Excuse me, Sirs. What happened to Commander Morris? I thought he had survived the assault?”
“I’m sure he’s somewhere on board the ship. When we left to this room, he had been distracted. You know how these ships can be hard to navigate for non-Navy enlistees.” Davis replied.
General Thompson added, “If I had not spent my earlier enlisted time on board Navy vessels, I likely would have also been confused. I always did enjoy the Marine Taxi Service.” He joked. The Admiral gave him a poke with his elbow good naturedly. It was a sign that they had been friends as well as coworkers for a long time.
Admiral Davis explained to the aliens, “The General and I belong to different branches of service. Each branch has a love-hate relationship with all of the other branches. We all have our strengths, and our weaknesses are proudly backed up by the strengths of the other branches. It’s like having siblings. I can tease and make fun of my siblings, but if anyone else does, I will fight them to submission and make them apologize to my sibling.”
“Ah, I understand,” Vebi replied. “I feel the same way about my spawn-mates.”
Fennis cut in, “I understand the diplomate you had intended for us was lost in the conflict. We would prefer if Chief Mira were to be this for us. She has lived with us, and we have forged mutual respect for each other.”
“I believe that can be arranged.” Davis replied after a few moments of thought. “Bureaucracy takes time, and the rest of the Chief’s enlistment will have to be accounted for, but I believe this can be arranged.” He chuckled. “Captain Martinelli will be both happy for you and pissed we’re taking away his highest-ranking Machinist Mate aboard the Bainbridge.”
They began talking and getting to know each other and finally, Vebi asked, “I understand you will need to speak with others to make a real decision, but do you think your people will join the Federation?”
General Thompson beat Admiral Davis to it as he said, “They touched our boats. No one touches the US Navy’s boats and gets away with it.” Davis gave Thompson a small elbow to the ribs showing that the two men were friends outside of their official responsibilities.
Eventually, Commander Morris found the Ready room and General Thompson gestured for him to take a seat. “Now that we’re all here, Chief, how about you give us a full debriefing. Start from leaving Earth.”
“Yes, Sir. The mission started off great. Roger was able to correct course as needed, but the autopilot we were using was very accurate. We were all asleep when it happened. I’m a light sleeper and the pings against the hull woke me up. Looking back, there must have been a harder hit that woke me up first, but at the time, all I heard was the lighter pings. I got up to take a look around and then the alarms went off that we all knew meant to get into our space suits. Once I was in my suit, I realized no one else was in the room with me.
“I grabbed a suit with the intent to help someone into it and then we could go back and help others. They were all dead. The atmosphere in the ship was completely gone and we were no longer noticeably moving. I was staring at either a short and rough death once my air ran out, or if I could fix the life support, I could be looking at a long agonizing death from hunger. I never turned away from a challenge, so I was determined to fix the ship.
I fixed the life support and power at the same time. Now I was only going to face a long agonizing death. It was then that I jettisoned the dead. Hindsight being 20/20, I realize it was the wrong choice. I know that Commander Morris felt I should be able to make a refrigeration room, but if you look at the ship and the schematics, but assuming that I knew I was going to survive and make it back home, that ship did not have rooms that were airtight. They are close, but do not seal all the way. Secondly, I didn’t have the materials to make it so that the air didn’t circulate out of any room I put them in.
“At that time, I fully expected that I was going to die out there. It would take time for any message to get to Earth, time to fabricate a new ship and crew it, and time to get out to me. Time that I didn’t feel I had.”
Davis interrupted. “The seals weren’t airtight?”
“The exterior ones were, but any of the interior doors were not. They used a different kind of seal material, and in some cases, we could see light through a closed door. Even the door that was supposed to be the airlock for if we had to open the exterior door for anything. That one was the best seal, but there were still leaks.”
“Continue.” Davis said.
“I was out fixing the thruster when the crew of Black Hole found me. You haven’t met them, and I don’t think they can even come down here. The federation uses color outlines on their emblem to denote classes of ability to survive on worlds, I guess would be the best way to put it. Black Hole is a Green Class. They have the fewest worlds they can touch down on and survive. It’s based on allergy. If they were to even touch the plants here, they would get hives. The Meteor's crew is a Black Class. They can go to nearly every inhabited world. They might have to be careful of gravity, or if the air quality or temperatures are too extreme for the atmospheric belts to handle. Our world is classified as a Black Class planet.” She then relayed the rest of her journey.
“Do you think we can speak with these other heads of ships?” Thompson asked the aliens.
“Of course.” Fennis replied. To Vebi he said, “If you hail Commander Xuan’rawis, I’ll hail Captain S’sveta.”
After getting their targets on a video call, they both headed over and got their counterparts in view too. “We still have two hours until our nocturnal counterparts awaken. We’ll have about an hour of overlap, and then we will need to rest ourselves.” S’sveta said.
The leaders all spoke with each other, leaving Morris very confused as he did not receive a translator implant. Thompson told Mira she could act as his translator, so she did.
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So my brother's girlfriend texted me on Instagram since he was missing for some time due to an interview , i didn't see the message since we are not friends on Instagram, so she apparently called my brother later and complained that i didn't reply to her, i felt this was soo childish, my brother called me and told me to reply to her cause she's feeling bad, i feel i don't want her to micromanage me through my brother, what should i do?

I suspect my sister is narcissistic with enabling parents. I was considering going no-contact with my family minus a brother I’m close to 3 years ago and was almost out until my father died in a freak accident and I got roped back in. My sister has spent the last 30 years making my life a living hell and my parents never stuck up for me or protected me from her. My mother, now alone, is terrified of her. We had a shitty childhood and all have different survival tactics, but after going to therapy for four years now, I’ve gotten away from those and surround myself with happy, healthy, amazing, supportive people. In regard to family, I keep my distance when I can (living 3.5 hours away helps), but often am the one everyone turns to when shit goes sideways to fix everything, calm people down, figure out what to do next. I’m tired of it, especially now realizing no one does the same for me.
I recently got married and had a 40 person head count, with 38 yeses. After a bunch of random crap, 13 of my 20 invitees flaked 3 days to 2 hours before the party, all of which were very, very close family members including a brother and two of my BILs. Had I known this, I would have invited more friends who WOULD have shown, but wasn’t given enough time. I vented to my mother who said at least I have my sister coming, who I said was only invited since the others were and she has never been nice to me or my husband - which my mother agreed with and said was a self-centered survival thing. I said she should learn a little kindness which would get her far. Come party, 2 hours in and she’s nowhere to be seen. My brother gets in touch with her and relays the message that I’m a monster, I’m childish and horrible and never welcome her to anything and I’m irrelevant and no one likes me which is why everyone bailed on me and I should be embarrassed. The only person I said those things to was my mother (who couldn’t come to party due to health reasons). I spent a majority of my wedding party crying on a fire escape because I was so upset by her words, so upset that everyone bailed, and so upset I didn’t follow my gut inviting other friends who would have come over obligatory family invites. I blocked my sister and her friend who joined in on her meanness. She has taken to emailing and texting me under spoof emails and phone numbers. Calling me irrelevant, embarrassing, disgusting, ugly, childish, greedy, no one showed up because they don’t like me, never been liked, etc.
My mother has spoken to her, but hasn’t reached out to me since the party when I said I was hurt at what she shared in confidence and need to think about what I want from this family anymore. My mother swears she went through her phone and saw the messages, but other parts of her (mothers) story don’t align. My mother historically has victim mindset over everything and could do no wrong.
I’m hurt, I’m upset. My husband has been amazing, but he doesn’t have any family that we could lean on ever. I’m torn between going fully no contact between my siblings who enable my sister, my mother who is emotionally abusive and enables her and doesn’t protect the rest of us, and calling it a day. Or going no contact with siblings, low contact with my mother, and never returning until they get their shit together and go to therapy. I just don’t know what is best anymore since I know my mom will never stand up to her. Family is all I’ve ever really had outside a close knit group of 3 friends, so it’s hard to go from everything to nothing in the blink of an eye.
Ever since my dad died and my sister took over, I have felt like I don’t have a spot in the family anymore. My sisters best friend of 15 years has always wanted to be apart of our big family since she had a dysfunctional one herself, and joins us on family vacations, Christmas, every waking moment. She is just as bad as my sister, and my sister is her only friend so she bows down to her. Since dad died, it’s like my sister and her friend don’t want me in the family and want to give the bff my daughter spot and to ostracize me. All of this is making me spiral and spiral and spiral. I haven’t been this bad mentally in a really, REALLY long time and it’s triggering me a lot.

Background: Me and my boyfriend met each other last year in June 2023 online through mutual friends. We met inrl and spent the whole summer together (June & July). We also flew to the country where we met during winter break (Dec 2023) and spent a week or so together.
Our relationship was pretty healthy until a few months ago. We always managed a way to resolve conflict without holding any grudge against each other.
I admit that I have the tendency to be controlling and get mad at small things, and my boyfriend tends to be dense and shut down whenever he is upset or when we have disagreements. We both worked through our issues till I got into bad terms with his now Ex Best Friend.
It is so silly so please bear with me. My boyfriends ex best friend (lets call him Liam) and a girl that is his ex bffs ex girlfriend (lets call her Ava) got matching bracelets on a trip. My boyfriend decided to get a similar one for me as a gift. He accidentally crushed mine one day and decided to just give his friendship bracelet to me. A few weeks after, I was on a video call with his whole friend group because we used to be very close, and then Ava saw my bracelet. She told Liam and they both started getting mad at my bf for giving the bracelet to me. I tried to tell them they did not have to be mean towards my boyfriend but they insulted me instead (My boyfriend witnessed it but did not defend me). Shit went down and they posed this question, "Us or her", and my boyfriend said "ofc you guys, ive known you my whole life". Then he secretly messaged me saying he just said that to make them feel better and he knew that I know he is gonna choose me always. We talked it out and I ended up forgiving him, but would bring up the issue a few times. I already told him his friends are not good for him, a lot of them cheat on their partners, especially his ex bff, who still has feelings for Ava regardless of having a gf now for 2 years.
Fast forward to January 3, 2024. We gave our instagram accounts to each other prior to this for fun. We had nothing to hide. I had gotten curious if he still talked to Liam, and I saw their chats. It shattered my world. Liam was encouraging my bf to break up with me, and my boyfriend seemed to just agreed?? (This was between September- October 2023). The chats of them was just Liam who kept telling my boyfriend to break up with me while he just agreed. Liam also encouraged my bf to talk to this girl because "sometimes its good to talk to girls that are not your girlfriend". That is what he said word for word. I actually wanted to leave him at that point for that betrayal, but he kept asking for a second chance and that he would be better. I forgave him, but of course he broke my trust and the grudges against him started to build up. I demanded some type of compensation to make up for what he did, but it was never enough since we were LDR.
I started to become more irritated towards him and one day he snapped and ignored me for a full day. From then on we just argued and argued and I kept demanding him to chage and be better for me. He said he lost his patience because no matter what he did it was never enough for me to forgive him so he stoped trying altogether. He also now holds a lot of grudges towards me because of all the times ive wanted to fix arguments now instead of letting him sleep. The thing about me is Im the type of person who does not like prolonging problems and wanna fix things now. He also just sleep while im crying and having a mental breakdown. He would always leave call nowadays and give me the silent teeatment no matter how much I apologise, when sometimes it is not even my fault. Everything I do just annoys him and he is constanly mad at me. When he is at his peak he kept breaking up with me and I would always beg for him back, this has happened more than 5 times. Out of pure anger, he would also tell me he hates me and does not love me and I am annoying and say "fuck you". I admit I have swore at him but I immediately stopped and havent done it the moment I did. I miss how he treated me in the beginning. I feel like im the only one trying to save this relationship.
I havent seen him since January 3, 2024, and I will see him again on July, if we are together still. I really dont want to break up because I still love him so much no matter what he did.
What do I do? How do we both fix our relationship? Is it too late? Are his actions forgivable?

I’m sorry if this is confusing, I’m not really sure how to word this. I just realised I misspelled the title sorry btw.
I F15 (2009) and my friend F14 (2010) have been friends for a couple months, we normally interact during school hours. We’re both in year 9 even though she’s a year younger, age is important to the story btw.
For the sake of simplicity I will call me friend Zoe, Zoe has a crush on this boy M17 let’s call him Jake. Jake and Zoe had been talking and of course the school had caught wind of it since they were walking around together during break, I personally thought it was a bit weird given there 3 year age gap. Normally 3 years isn’t bad but because of Zoe’s maturity level it made everyone agree it just wasn’t right.
Didn’t matter and they kept talking but eventually after a while u asked Zoe how things were going because she hardly talked about him. And she told me he liked her but things were complicated, I felt sorry for her and I didn’t want Jake to play with her feelings. So I went and talked to Jake who explained to me that he wasn’t comfortable with the ‘relationship’ because of the age gap and wasn’t sure how to tell her, I told him to just out right and say it. The next day he told me he did during a phone call, I was kinda relieved until a few days later he told me and my friends that she was still contacting him, he found it annoying and asked us to talk to her. I didn’t talk to her because i didn’t know how to approach the conversation, next week he complains again (she sent him a tik tok about how she liked him but couldn’t have him) and one of my friends tell him to block her on everything, since he already set his boundaries. We asked him why he hadn’t done it before and he expressed he was worried she’d kill herself (which is wild but okay).
Because of this whole thing me and Jake started talking more often and I got to know him, we text now and again when I’m not too busy. When Jake followed me on instagram he noticed my following count was 666, called me out lol. I thought it was funny and posted it on my story. Zoe has seen it and she texted me asking if I was talking to him and I explained we we’re talking about someone else (which we were) and she asked to know what exactly he was saying. I told her since it wasn’t a big deal but I still thought it was strange. I thought it was a bit odd but I just brushed it off, I did end up telling Jake to tease him. Couple weeks later Zoe messages me again asking if I would date Jake because she overheard my friend calling Jake my man (my friend was very unhinged and I was trying to tell her to shut it omg) so I obviously said no because at the time I wasn’t interested in him.
Now fast forward a couple weeks i regularly talk to Jake, I wouldn’t say I’m In love with him but idk he’s funny and today I was in class and I tried talking to her but she kinda ignored me, idk maybe I’m overreacting but I still feel weird about it.
ANYWAY I need advice and I need to know if I’m in the wrong and breaking girl code.

Writer's Block? Befriend the Beast: Pro Tips to Turn Blockades into Bestsellers (With Prompts So Crazy They Might Work)

Ah, writer's block. That ever-present nemesis, the blank page's evil twin, the creativity-sucking gremlin that haunts every writer's dreams (or lack thereof). But what if I told you writer's block isn't your enemy, but a misunderstood ally? A twisted muse, a forced sabbatical from the mundane, a chance to shake things up and unleash your inner writing gremlin in the most productive way possible?
Befriending the Block:
Professional authors know the struggle is real. Here's what they say about turning blockades into stepping stones:

• Embrace the Pause: Jodi Picoult: "Writer's block is a sign that something isn't working. Step away, recharge, and come back with fresh eyes."
• Declutter Your Mind: Neil Gaiman: "Sometimes you have to let go of an idea to make space for a better one."
• Experiment, Even If It's Weird: Haruki Murakami: "Don't be afraid to try something strange. The most original ideas often come from unexpected places."

Now, let's get insane with prompts that will have your muse doing a double take:
1. Genre Blender: Combine two wildly different genres. Write a historical romance with zombies, a cyberpunk detective novel set in ancient Rome, or a space opera with a grumpy cat detective as the protagonist.
2. Alternate Reality: Imagine your story taking place in a world obsessed with something ridiculous. Think "everyone communicates only through emojis" or "unicorns are the primary mode of transportation."
3. Flash Forward, Way Forward: Skip to the very end of your story. Write the final scene, then work your way back, filling in the gaps with the most outrageous plot twists imaginable.
4. Dream Weaver: Describe a bizarre dream in excruciating detail. Then, analyze it like a cryptic message from your subconscious, using it as the foundation for your story.
5. Character Chaos: Write a scene where your characters are forced to switch bodies (think Freaky Friday, but with your characters). How does it change their perspectives? What hilarious misunderstandings ensue?
6. Found Object Frenzy: Grab the weirdest thing you can find (rusty spork, deflated balloon animal, taxidermied squirrel) and write a story centered around it. Bonus points for incorporating its bizarre history.
7. Unsolved Mystery: Choose a real-life unsolved mystery (Jack the Ripper, the Bermuda Triangle) and write a fictional account from the perspective of the perpetrator or a hidden witness.
8. Headline Hijinks: Rip a random headline from the news and turn it into the most outlandish story you can imagine. Aliens behind the stock market crash? Sentient self-driving cars waging war on pigeons? Go wild!
9. Animal Antics: Write your story entirely from the perspective of an animal character. A grumpy cat narrates a love triangle, a wise old owl dispenses philosophical advice, a hyperactive squirrel chronicles a daring heist.
10. Time Travel Tango: Send your characters on a time travel adventure with a twist. They can't change the past, but their actions have unforeseen consequences in the present. Think butterfly effect on steroids.
Remember, these prompts are just springboards. Let your imagination run wild, embrace the absurd, and don't be afraid to delve into the depths of your weirdness. You never know what hidden gem you might unearth from the rubble of writer's block. So, unleash your inner gremlin, write with abandon, and remember: sometimes, the best stories are born from the most unexpected places. Now get writing, you beautiful block-busting wordsmiths!

TW: sexual and emotional abuse, suicidal ideation.
Last night I finally worked up the courage to leave my narc. He’s a malignant narcissist as I’ve come to learn. He has been very emotionally abusive the whole time, but late last week things escalated to sexual abuse (sexual assault). I am traumatized, but I still have a trauma bond with him which makes me view myself as weak and pathetic. I was in denial, but finally told my best friend (who he hates). She had the idea to look him up on some databases online, where I learned that he has been lying about his age (says he’s a year younger than he is), lying about owning a car dealership, and potentially lying about being adopted. He also lied about having only been arrested once and held overnight (he was arrested twice and was in jail for over 60 days, and is a felon). He also recently told me himself that he has been accused of rape and pedophilia multiple times, and claims he is innocent, people are just jealous of his music career and trying to sabotage him. He keeps things secret, like he won’t allow me to follow his Instagram or his bands’ instagrams, or come see him play live at a show. We’ve been dating for about two months now.
So, I have known inside my gut that the way he treats me is wrong (I’ve been in other abusive relationships) but I kept giving him the benefit of the doubt until I learned the truth that he lies about almost everything, and after he sexually assaulted me, I saw his sadistic grin and knew I needed to get out. I finally sent him the breakup text last night, and to be honest I didn’t hold back. Needless to say he was furious.
But today, I began to second guess myself. I deal with some mental health issues myself that make me particularly susceptible to his gaslighting. So, after he reached out following my initial message, I fell for it and responded. He ripped into me with complete rage, told me he hates me and I’m a mean person and I ruined our bond and trust permanently. He made me repeat back to him that I have caused all of our problems, and he has never hurt me. I hate myself so much because I lose my whole identity and authenticity with him trying to appease him, saying anything to feed his ego enough to stop screaming at me and telling me how terrible I am. He threatened to call the police on me and get a restraining order because I stalked him (doing a quick Google search isn’t illegal!), which is funny because if anyone should, it’s me. I’m pretty sure he felt nervous I may go to the police about the assault, so he intimidated me and made me tell him over and over that he is not a danger to women. The worst part is, despite all the threats and psychological warfare, I am mad that he is discarding me, I should have stuck to me breaking things off, but now he has all the power again. And, I guess I don’t love myself enough because I don’t wanna lose him. I don’t want to lose the man who abuses me. Wow. I feel like there’s something wrong with me. Last time I broke up with him, he hoovered and got me back and the abuse got worse because he wanted to punish me. I am expecting him to come running back in a few days, he’s admitted that I’m one of the only people in his life, and he is a lonely person. I’m probably one of the only people to put up with him. When he does come back, he will definitely punish me more. He hates when I question or criticize him even slightly. But I know he doesn’t wanna lose me. He screamed at me so much on the phone, I was sobbing. And I actually know he enjoys that.
I know I need to stay firm in my boundaries, especially since he’s dangerous, and he knows exactly how to make me question my perception of reality, but I actually love him and hold onto the false hope that he actually cares about me. Today was so emotionally draining, I feel extremely depressed, almost suicidal. He’s made me into a broken shell, always apologizing for even existing. Just need some words of encouragement to stay strong. I know I’m so weak and pathetic already, please just tell me how to try to be strong.

Hello everyone! I'm usually lurking, but I have to vent a little bit about a guest we had.
Yesterday at work our system and Internet went down, which isn't great. We couldn't really do anything, so we used pen and paper to check people out, and luckily only one of the guests hadn't paid, but they would come back later (which they did, because they left luggage with us).
So it's almost 11am, checkout hasn't ended yet, and this old man (OM) shows up.
OM: Hello, I want to check in. Me: Hello, unfortunately our system is down right now, so we can't check which room you have or if your room is done yet. Check in is at 3pm, you may leave your bag here for now if you want to. :) OM: But I called yesterday, and you said I could check in early. Me (I really doubt that, because we never guarantee an early check in, we only say that it might be possible, but no guarantee) : Okay, unfortunately we can never guarantee an early check in, and right now our system is down, so there is nothing we can do, again, we really apologise for the inconvenience. OM: But I want to check in? Me: Okay, I understand that, but right now we have no access to our system, so we cannot see your room type, and we can't make any keys. OM: Okay, but I was told I could check in?
This was repeated a few times, and at this point I'm not sure he understands what it means that a system is down and not working. I'm really losing my patience, because he just keeps repeating that he wants to check in. We explain to him that he can get his keys later, and if he doesn't arrive before we close (we're not a 24/7 hotel), he will receive information about how to access his keys on his own via SMS. He, ONCE AGAIN, states that he wants to check in, and at this point my boss takes over and explains to him how he will get his keys later. Like, my guy, you are four hours early, you cannot grasp what it means that a system isn't working, please just leave your bag and come back later.
Through some miracle my amazing colleague manage to figure out his room type through some printed papers from yesterday, remember that one of those rooms is actually clean, lord knows how she managed to make keys (probably black magic), but we solved it, and my boss showed him to his room. Part of me wanted to just send him away and text him the information later, because I was so done, and part of me was very happy that we managed to just get him a room, because that meant we didn't have to deal with him anymore.