Free turn-over clip art

If anyone is able, from tonight I'm preparing for some spellwork that will ultimately be completed on Friday night. My aim is to encourage communication and healing between myself and a dear friend, where there has been on and off tension over the last few months. This week marks an anniversary for us so I'm hoping the good memories can be ignited.
There is no harm or animosity in this friendship and I wouldn't work against anyones free will. We experienced a trauma together, and where I chose seeking professional help to get through he relied on alcohol and shutting off. Obviously the two approaches don't gel so there has been some butting of heads, but hopefully things can turn around. There is still plenty of love and life to share.
Any encouragement or good vibes over this week would be welcome.

Got the feeling that SE is going to give it to him (regardless of fandom opinion about the OG title). I mean, considering the new concept of timelines introduced and lore of Ever Crisis mobile game (showing more details about when he was younger), I think is not that impossible for this to happen. The way I see it: after Jenova turned so OP she cannot be stopped, Sephiroth somehow manages to break free from Jenova’s manipulation with the intervention of Cloud and the gang, and sacrifices himself to destroy her, powered by the idea that his actions cannot be forgiven before other’s eyes, so he takes the weight of his sins over his shoulders, setting the world free from the threat definitely. And after that, all the media tell: “Sephiroth, the legendary soldier who was believed dead once, returned to save the planet against an alien being that was about to destroy it”.
Dunno what you guys think about this idea.

18 months of hell.
In November 2022 I got accused of a very serious crime and investivated by police. My girlfriend at the time lost her job. I had to move home because rent was getting ridiculous for the area and quality.
Christmas 2022, grandfather dies of a Stoke. At rhe same time, grandmother on other side of family nearly dies of the same thing.
Ny father can't speak at his dad's funeral, I step up, trying to support the family and keep things ordered. I do it. But I see my dad cry fir the first time in my life...
I took out a £15k loan. Which helped with credit card debt (due to my gf at the time not really working or paying for anything), then after I moved, new housemate was a fucking slob who used my good nature to treat the place like a shit tip. Leaving chocolate out for my dog to eat and everything.
Police issue is resolved, no evidence after I get a solicitor and an interview. Still to this day, I flinch when I hear sirens...
Birthday... gf St the time, while sleeping upstairs and I sleep on the sofa cause be and my friend are chatting unti lwe fall asleep ad a heavy day drinking... ex comes down.. stands over me. And hits me so hard I scream. House wakes up. Mate sees this happen. And then housemate comes down, and asks why she got in his bed... she is currently pinning me down, crying and screaming.. I tell everyone to go to bed and deal with it the next day.
Tell gf at the time that she has fucked up... She doesn't know why she did it... says she was sleep walking.. touch starved...
Had to physically remove housemate after 1) his room smelled so bad, that I had to get landlords involved and a professional carpet clean on his room and 2) he pissed on my fucking landing carpet.
Months of me paying nearly as much rent as I earn in wage, due to gf at the time barely paying me... get a housemate in who wants the place to be good to live in.. Ex decides to threaten suicide when it's just me and her, after multiple times she has grabbed and tried to hold me down knowing I am in pain from her hitting me... She locks herself in the bathroom (razors and isopropyl alcohol inside, and apparently as I find out later, our dog). I call 111, she is screaming, I'm taking on the phone to try to get control... I struggle...
Eventually she opens the door, screaming at me... 111 operator can't do anything more... I thank him and hang up.. ex gf screaming at me immediately.. im the worst person, im stupid... can't believe i believed her she might commit suicide. How stupid am I.. all of it.. I broke.. broke up with her. Hated life, hated myself. Still do.
This was November 2023.. she finally left in May 2024. Every day since I havent been able to say a word in my house. I have been belittled, broken, criticised, for the tiniest things... while I can't say a word against anyone... she left dishes to go mouldy, I cant ask her to clean after herself.... and that's the minor things..
I am alone... when she left, she took the dog.. she was ours. She slept with me every night... ans now she is gone.. to a girl who never took her for a walk unless she was the ONLY one to.. and even then.. First walk at 2:30... maybe 5pm...
I dont know anymore. I'm sick of everything.. ex even got to move out of London and keep her job.. Best I could argue was the possibility of a transfer... but I'd lose my London weighting... and fuck over my housemate...
I don't even know what I need.. I've had counselling, the Counsellor didn't turn up to half the sessions... And can't get free ones... I canr get help for domestic violence victims as its not an ongoing issue and I'm a male in my 30s. So im not priority (I get it, but im allowed to say it hurts not getting support).
I just want to be allowed to live a normal life.. I dont want this... I just want to scream.
Thank you if you read this. I'm sorry if its not the usual content.

I was sent to Elan back in 1983. Spent 23 months in hll!! General meetings, boxing rings, encounter groups. My first day there ( my parents told me we were going on vacation) ended up driving up Rd 05 turn right, beginning of a nightmare. Stripped searched. Some woman was just pissing me off so of course at 15 I was like yea, no. Ends up being Ann Flynn the director. I wore a reactor box my first 8 days. Mentally and physically abused. Parents that could have gave 2 shts! They knew, Joe Ricci and Elan were already all over the news in Maine. So I sat for 2 yrs. Placed there 1 month off my birthday. I finally threatened to just sign myself out or my oblivious parents send a plane ticket. I got that ticket. After Elan oh my god was I screwed up! Went hitchhiking 3500 miles. On the road a year. Oh the stories! So I survived being an idiot. Finally in my late 30’s I somewhat buckled down. After years of hearing many people i was there with checked out on their own terms, more than I want to even say. I began researching how to help, how to stop this lucrative scam filled with lies, hurt, abuse. Over the last 20 years I have researched a lot of legalities (I am not an Attorney but work with them). I have a pretty open mind, vast knowledge of exactly what you are going through and in some cases a possible “defense”. You don’t know me from a can of paint, but I can tell you this paint brush is ready to roll!! So, how can I help? Free advice… lol

I have 2500 shares and adding - don't be scared by the volatility - this will take a few years at least.
Reasons I'm long RDDT:

• RDDT is the third most visited site in the USA and RDDT only has a $9B market cap.
  
• RDDT's market cap is a small percentage of Pinterest (a site that's widely used by such heavy hitters as elementary school teachers and art majors).
  
• RDDT's market cap is currently less than RDDT's valuation when Sam Altman/Fidelity invested in 2021.
  
• RDDT just entered into a contract to train OpenAI (yet RDDT's market cap is still below 2021 levels).
  
• RDDT attracts a highly intelligent group that feeds the AI beast. Anecdotally, I know for a fact that lawyers billing $1600 an hour are for some reason giving free legal advice to RDDT's highly Regarded users. And leading accountants/insurance professionals/doctors are for whatever reason posting valuable information. I have no idea why - but they do it.
  
• Sam Altman owns no equity in OpenAI and his largest investment is RDDT. He will take care of RDDT (see OpenAI contract as an example).
  
• Sam Altman has achieved mythical Steve Jobs/Elon Musk status with his departure and return to OpenAI. You can't overstate Altman's value add.
  
• RDDT isn't profitable because profitability hasn't been the focus. There isn't a better platform to deliver targeted advertisements to intelligent people with disposable income.
  
• Insiders will not unload stock when the insider lockout period expires (see above that Sam Altman invested at a higher valuation - people aren't going to unload).
  
• After RDDT's 2021 valuation, Google started pushing RDDT posts to the top of its search. RDDT's growing exponentially. This is just the beginning.
  

Sure this is a lottery ticket - but there is a 50/50 chance that a $50k investment right now turns into life changing money.
Do you want to work until your 65 and almost dead or would you rather take a shot at freedom and happiness while your friends are still alive? Hop on the train now.

Hello GOG!
I’m a huge fan of visual novels like Ace Attorney, Danganronpa, Hotel Dusk, and more. I also like lots of other video games like BOTW, Hollow Knight, Metroid, Final Fantasy, Metal Gear Solid. I’ve heard great things about this game and I really want to experience such a beautiful story and art as I’ve seen it garner a lot of worthy praise.
The House in Fata Morgana is a gothic visual novel full of twists and dark turns. It contains multiple chapters with different stories that all come together in the end for a dramatic reveal and explanation. It is extremely highly regarded and praised for its stunning art and complex story. The standard game is $39.99 and now it’s on sale for $29.99.
A lot of the games I play are either free or hand me downs and so I play a lot of older or free indie visual novels so I really want to play this cult classic! Especially since it has a unique and gothic vibe that I absolutely adore.
I really want to play this game because I enjoy the franchise but can’t afford it, and since there is a sale, I wanted to give this sub a shot.
Thanks in advance!
Friend code: SW-2658-4303-0417

I'm the middle child and I'm not the brightest. I've never had a talent, but at least I enjoyed astronomy. As a kid, I've been into astronomy and my parents begged me to learn something new and do something with my life. As I grew older, I enjoyed games, just like all the other kids, but my parents didn't like this. I don't know if this was the reason why, but my parents, my dad specifically, never liked ANYTHING I did. As a kid, I've always felt like I was the problem and if I'd ended it, my family would finally be at peace. Never once have I believed my parents loved me, but this might just be because I'm being blinded by anger or my fear. Whenever I do something, like today, I invited a friend over to my house, my mother said it was fine. My younger sister also invited a friend over, so I assumed it would be okay. When my friend left, my dad brought me to a private space and started to complain, asking why I brought a friend over when our house was a mess. I'll let you know now, I never touch anything around the house, nevermind reorganize things, unless I'm cleaning. I never cause messes in the house unless I spill something over or eat something without a plate. But at the very least, I clean up after myself. It wasn't my fault that our living room was trashed with garbage (a bunch of papers). My father proceeded to yell at me and call me a disappointment for doing so, but I retorted saying that our mother allowed me to do so. After a while, I go on my phone to play some games considering I'm finished with my work, but my dad says, "You sure do have alot of free time don't you." Before getting pissed off and turning off the wifi. My dad then proceeds to mutter swears under his breath and call my useless as he storms away. Confused and agitated, I go downstairs to grab my clothes and shower, but my dad starts locking the door, leaving me trapped in the basement. I know this sounds pathetic, but I run to my room, sit there and cry, wondering why my siblings were allowed to bring people over but it was only a problem when I did so, WITH permission. This isn't the only time this has happened and my dad only hits me and not my siblings. I get that my younger sister is a girl and my older siblings is also, well, similar to my sister (they/them), but it doesn't mean that I'm the only target. I've never had anyone to talk to, quite ironically typing this up an sending it online, but my "friends" only make fun of me when I talk to them about it. They laugh at me and call me slurs, I go home and my parents yell at me. Anywhere I go isn't a place where I can actually rest. I try coping with going to my room or the bathroom, but my dad says "Look at you running away" mockingly as he makes fun of my ways to take things. I wish I could just end it all, but faced with death, I see potential I can make, but I'm afraid to do so. I don't know what to do anymore.

Ayo,
My name is Bread (He/Him) 23 years old. I've been wanting to run Monsterhearts 2 ever since I first learned about it 2 years ago. I attempted to way back when but I was nowhere near experienced enough to run this game how it called for. I needed hard rails or else I was lost. However now after playing and Dming a bunch of different systems and working out how I am as a game master, I think I'm ready to dive in. I will most likely make mistakes and it won't be perfect, however, I feel confident now that I can create a game that I can be proud of.
Some things to keep in mind: (Borrowed from another post I found)
•Keep Your Hearts Safe: Monsterhearts is a system that can deal with heavier topics, such as dysfunctional relationships, teen sexuality, coercive power, trauma, abuse, violence, and queer marginalization. It is a game that encourages us to dive deep into the psychology and mental psyche of the characters. We won't shy away from more difficult subjects and you should be warned of that.
•None May Pierce The Veil: While all I said above is true, we will also have firm red lines that will most likely be established in session 0. This is still a game, primarily intended to be fun. The players and MC will have their chances to express what they are comfortable or not comfortable with. Subjects that fall into the later category will either not be displayed at all in the game or be exclusively fade to black scenes.
Game Synopsis:
You are entering your senior year at River Fork High. Have you been there all 4 years? Are you a new student? Whatever you decide to be one thing is for sure. Your life is messy. Your life is complicated, along with everyone else in this small town we call Sinsdale, Illinois. This town has been around for hundreds of years. A once thriving town centered around the chopping and selling of the finest, and strongest wood in the United States has quickly turned into a shell of its former self. Although you most likely don't care about that. You're just trying to survive high school. The Bullies, the Jocks, the Nerds, the Popular kids. All in their own groups and in their own heads. Where will you find yourselves? Who will you relate to? Who will you try to be?
In any case, how will you fit into not only this school but the entire town? The town that never seemed quite right, that always seemed that no matter how hard or little you looked, it wasn't completely normal. Maybe that is why this particular phrase is used by the oldest or most weary occupants of Sinsdale: Be Back Before Ten.
------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
While it may seem like I have the entire setting figured out, in reality, all I have figured out is the name of the town and a very brief history that can change. I have the name of the school, and a catchy tagline which depending on what we do in the game can become more real or just stay as it is.
At every step of the way, especially during session 0 I will be asking you questions to fill out the town and the school and overall the world. Im ultimately looking for players who will take risks and initiate drama in the messiest of senses. We will be collaborating in real-time to tell the exaggerated story of these monsters in teen form and if that sounds like a story you are wanting to be a part of, feel free to apply!

• We will be using Discord for voice and cameras are really encouraged but not mandatory. I most likely will be using a webcam. What is important is a quality enough mic.

-We will be using Roll20 to roll.
-This game is 18+ Only
-I am leaning towards not allowing custom skins but am still mulling it over.
If all that sounds good to you. Please fill out the form here and I will get back to you when I can to talk over voice! https://forms.gle/Zc2tGsqYUPvd9c4d7

Couple of catch and releases up for grabs this evening. Both have COAs and pouches. Know your local knife laws. Pay pal G&S as I’m still a few swaps away from 25 flair. YOLO > chat. CONUS shipping. If bought tonight, I’ll ship tomorrow. Both really nice knives I’m glad I got to try but ultimately not keepers for me.
Timestamp and pics
https://imgur.com/a/0KVwFIO
Herman Sting 182, m398 blade steel. Been around the swap but not carried much. I believe it has a factory edge which is still sharp. Has been dissembled as it had a rainbow clip and back spacer which was removed by a previous swapper. Favoring show side but a really nice herman action. Comes with the pivot tool. Check video but I don’t see much wear at all. SV 650 OBO
https://imgur.com/a/XjUjXGm
Tactile Archer with feather milling and blue/orange inlays, magnacut. I believe I’m the third owner but I don’t think it has been carried or cut or disassembled. Centered. Really nice shape, I don’t see any wear marks. Maybe one on the clip but honestly could be stone wash. Really smooth flipper action and falls shut. I personally can’t thumb or reverse flip it well but supposedly these take some breaking in. There aren’t a lot of inlay versions out there to my knowledge. SV 650 OBO
https://imgur.com/a/wXXZJDV
Thanks for looking. Let me know if you have questions or if I’m missing anything.
Trade interests, Eutsler stoned DUK (+$), user Rosie (+ a little bit of cash), other DUK/DUKlings considered.
Feel free to send me any trades but kinda picky.

https://imgur.com/gallery/813Gyzl
https://imgchest.com/p/qb4z3bz857j
Hi,
Cutting back on collecting and I’m selling a bunch of games! Not everything is pictured here so let me know if you need pics of an item.
I prefer PayPal friends and Family. I have many confirmed trades here.
I’m happy to provide pics for any items and detailed condition descriptions.
Shipping is free over $25, or $4 per item. (Shipping is only within the United States. No international shipping unless you are willing to pay the exact cost of shipping)
There is always room for negotiation, prices are based on market value, but there is wiggle room if you buy more than one game.
I’m also looking to buy Game Boy (DMG) loose
Beethoven
Beetlejuice
Darkman
Maui Mallard
Metal Masters (OG not LRG rerelease)
Super Breakout (grey cartridge for GB DMG)
Spud’s Adventure
For Sale
Legend of Zelda Game & Watch (New) $38
\*\*\*
Switch
Akka Arrh (LRG New) $39
Arietta of Spirits (New Red Art Games) $39
Atari Recharged Collection 1 (New) $33
Bite the Bullet (New SLG with updated cart) $85
Bloodrayne Betrayal (New LRG) $39
Bloodstained Curse of the Moon 2 (LRG BB New) $30
Cotton Reboot (CIB) $20Devil Engine (New JP) $29
Devil May Cry Triple Pack (New, code expired, Only has DMC 1 on cart) $20
Doom: The Classics Collection (New LRG Best Buy variant cover) $39 Drainus (New SLG with Postcard) $75 Dying Light (CIB) $20
ExZeus (New) $25 Final Fantasy 7 Crisis Core Reunion (CIB) $27 Fire Emblem Warriors (New) $23
Game Builder Garage (CIB) $20
Ghost Blade HD (CIB) $25
Grow: Song of the Evertree (New) $25
Ittle Dew (New with all goodies) $110
Ittle Dew 2 (CIB with map and Manual) $35
Kamiko (Rare New with soundtrack and card B-Side) $115
Koumajou Remilia Scarlet Symphony (CIB) $30
Kyogeki Quartet Fighters (CIB B-Side with CD and Goodies) $139
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom (Case, manual and stickers only, no game) $25 The Mummy Demastered Collector’s Edition (New LRG) $92
NeverAwake (New JP) $34
Ni No Kuni (CIB) $20
Oniken + Odallus Collection Limited Edition (New) $49
Onimusha Warlords (Japanese Release with English CIB) $29
Overlord Escape from Nazarick (NEW JP) $35
Pokémon Pokeball + box Only, (no pokeball) $12
Pressure Overdrive (New) $28 (SLG)
Psikyo Collection Vol.2 (Japan) (New) $20 R-Type Dimensions EX (CIB SLG with Postcard) $129 Space Invaders Invincible Collection (CIB SLG) $58
Star Hunter DX + Space Moth (New SLG with Postcard) $59
Superepic The Entertainment War (New) $25 TriggerHeart Exelica (JP New) $25
Wonder Boy Returns Remix $40 (New with Postcard)
The Wonderful 101 (New Kickstarter edition with holographic cover) $38 Xeodrifter (Red Art Games) (New) $25 Xeodrifter (Atooi/LRG New) $25
3DS
Andro Dunos 2 (New) $38
Astérix le Domaine des Dieux (PAL CIB) $12
Brain Age Concentration Training (CIB) $15
Code Name Steam (New) $10Dr. Kawashima 3DS (French PAL CIB) $15
Fragrant Story (New) $38
Go! Go! Kokopolo Anniversary Collection (Limited Run Games) (New) $83
Kid Icarus (manual and inserts only) $10
The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (Nintendo Selects) (New) $25 The Legend of Zelda: A Link Between Worlds (Handheld Game of the Year Edition) (New) $55 Metroid Samus Returns (Case and insert only) $10
PES 2013 (CIB) $9
Resident Evil Revelations (CIB With misprint cover and the corrected cover) $28 Sega 3D Classics (New) $27
Sega 3D Fukkoku Reprinted Archives 1 (New) $100
Sega 3D Fukkoku Reprinted Archives 3 Final Stage (New) $270
Shakedown Hawaii (New) $55
Steeldiver (New) $10
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles (CIB) $8
DS
6 Loose DS carts (Crosswords DS, Mon Coach Personnel, Moshi Monsters 1 & 2, Mots Croissés, Scribblenauts) $12
Teenage Mutant Ninja 3 Mutant Nightmare (CIB) $35
Game Boy DMG (Manuals only)(Price based on market value and condition) Alleyway $5 Donkey Kong Land $7 Double Dragon $6 Four Player Adapter $4 Game Boy DMG Instruction Booklet $8 Golf $5
Pacman $5 Revenge of the Gator $10 Tetris $5 Tetris 2 $5
\*\*\*
Super Nintendo (carts only) (take the lot for $25 shipped)
Batman Returns $22
The Magical Quest Starring Mickey Mouse (PAL Version) $8
Super Famicom (carts only) (take the lot for $75 shipped)
Donkey Kong Country 2: Diddy’s Kong Quest $8
Return of Double Dragon $20
Super Ghouls N Ghosts $10
Turtles in Time (Super Famicom) $35
Torneko No Daiboken (Dragon Quest IV Spin-Off) $9
\*\*\*
Wii U
Super Mario 3D World (Case and manual only, no disc) $5
*** PS5
Death Stranding Director’s Cut New $25
Devil May Cry 5 CIB $20 Kena Bridge of Spirits Deluxe Edition (CIB) $20
Monster Boy and the Cursed Kingdom (New LRG) $48The Pathless (New) $18
*** PS Vita
Batman: Arkham Origins Blackgate (New) $25
La-Mulana EX (LRG New) $40
Odin Sphere Leifthrasir (CIB with high quality custom made manual) $69
Risk of Rain ( LRG CIB) $35
The Swapper (LRG New) $45 Teslagrad (New) $25
Xeodrifter (LRG New with barcode hole under seal) $32
*** PS4
Amazing Princess Sarah (New) $32 Assassin’s Creed Ezio Collection (CIB) $10
Assassin’s Creed Odyssey (CIB) $9 Assassin’s Creed Syndicate (CIB) $8
Assassin’s Creed Unity (CIB) $8
Cobra Kai (CIB) $10Darksiders III (CIB) $9 Disco Elysium Final Cut (CIB) $15The Elder Scrolls V: Skyrim Special Edition (CIB) $12
Injustice 2 Legendary Edition (CIB) $10 No Man’s Sky Beyond (CIB) $25 Sega Genesis Classics (CIB) $18
Wonder Boy: The Dragon’s Trap (New LRG, Master System cover) $24
PS3God of War Collection (CIB) $17
***
Amiibos
Palamute sealed $19
Palico sealed $19

First of all, I would like to thanks Epic Game Store for giving away the Horizon Zero Dawn for free, cause if it weren't for EGS, I would never dive into Horizon universe and would miss out Aloy's story, and also my friend for gifted me his brother's old pc so I can play it. Both of you are the MVP.
Anyway, what's Horizon Forbidden West, you ask? Well, it's a sequel from the previous game, Horizon Zero Dawn. The Horizon universe tell us a tale about post-apocalyptic Earth and trying to survive while battling robots. Yeah, yeah, I know, post-apocalyptic world, what's new, right? Been there, done that, post-apocalyptic is the hot commodity for story telling.
But it's how they tell the story, and how, in this case, the VAs delivered the character's emotions. In the previous game, the dev left some crumbs here and there about what happened in the past, and how people trying to survive during the apocalypse event in form of audio logs and chatlog that you can collect as you explore the world. And of course we finally found out what happened during the Main Story line. But even then, it's not 100% retelling the story of the past, and Aloy (and also myself) have more questions than ever before.
I mentioned about how voice actoactress play a huge role for video game. and I know graphic/animation also play a huge role for making the character doesn't look like they just woke up from 1000 years sleep during an emotional scenes. And Aloy's VA really did an amazing job of delivering Aloy's character, from emotional scene to her banters with the NPCs, or even just her random rambling whenever I try to jump from the mountain "This is easier when I was a kid" yes, Aloy, thank you for reminding me. The rest of the team also did an amazing job, my eyes were watery during some scenes at the prologue and early chapter.
I'm the type of person that didn't really care for graphic as long as I can play it. I literally finished Final Fantasy XIV Heavensward with just 10 fps, I will forever grateful to everyone that was unfortunately met me in duty roulette cause I kept dying thanks to 10 fps and triple digit ping, that's why I changed to drg so if I died people would just like "ah yes, dead drg, what's new" and gently pat my silly catboi's head and move on.
But then again, my favorite game of all time is Mass Effect (oof, bad choice, I know) and, well, BioWare isn't famous for having state of the art animation, it's the story, it's how they deliver said story, and most of all, how with just listening to Liara's voice can make me cry like a baby. God, I miss my blue wife so much.
Opps, we getting sidetrack, I'm sorry.
But, I'm also not a hypocrite and seeing the graphic for Horizon Forbidden West makes forget what is reality for a second because, damn, those graphic looks amazing. Like have you see Aloy's hair?? Hello! Wish I have that hair. But I do still hoping there still some hidden glitch we can exploit, like the one on previous game where you have to climb a mountain while riding a horse to go back to the previous location.
I want to see what's waiting for Aloy at the Horizon of the Forbidden West, But, sadly, I can't afford the game now, I'm still looking for job, so far the furthest I get was interview phase, and of course, none of them get back to me ever again. And payment I get from doing odd jobs here and there is for helping my parents with groceries and bills.
I know the game is still expensive as shit, and I'm asking a lot from you. I will forever grateful to you if you're kind enough to gift this to me.
Anyway, thank you for reading this rambling. Have a nice day, folks!
Horizon Forbidden West Complete Edition
my Steam ID

Purtle's Internet Lineup for May 21st, 2024 8:00pm
Pics:

• my favorite part about this was people asking Adam Wingard what inspired him and he's just like "i think it's cute when my cat takes a nap in her lil cat bed." https://twitter.com/ThatWitchMia/status/1792264981712671230
  
• paper mario TTYD remake: oh my goodness gracious. this is not an edit. we won. we won so hard. https://twitter.com/Dededaio2/status/1792907310785830917
  
• these two might have the most catastrophically poor distribution of any pokemon in history https://twitter.com/Lewchube/status/1792960406010396726
  

Clips:

• bring back old trolls https://twitter.com/roxaplasm/status/1792234956405543407
  
• What if Pokemon and AnimalCrossing had a crossover game https://twitter.com/spicyBeefu/status/1792964068577296679
  
• Free-to-play versions of some of Falcoms games were apparently released in South Korea as part of a service called FROG in the 2000s. The way it worked was that players would watch ads that periodically popped up during loading screens. Pretty funny to see in action. https://twitter.com/bowloflentils/status/1780632118151856541
  

Videos

• Happy 20 years of Shrek 2! To celebrate, we are proud to unleash the official trailer for Shrek 2 Retold, our crowdsourced, scene-for-scene remake of the greatest fairytale sequel ever told! https://twitter.com/the3GI/status/1792318791944159460
  
• Find your rhythm with new Character BGM Settings in the Audio tab where you can change which track plays during a fight! Music throughout Street Fighter history is available for purchase with Drive Tickets or Fighter Coins - all packaged by series. Coming with the Akuma Update! https://twitter.com/StreetFightestatus/1792676674770792785
  
• It's your graduation day and this music starts playing https://twitter.com/MaryoZimmerman/status/1792712035035439333
  
• ELDEN RING Shadow of the Erdtree Story Trailer [3:15] https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6uT8wGtB3yQ
  
• Marbler has done it! For the first time ever, Super Mario 64 has been beaten in 0 A presses! https://old.reddit.com/speedrun/comments/1cx5yid/marbler_has_done_it_for_the_first_time_ever_supe
  
• Here comes new challenge screens customizations! Brighten your matches with these illustrations from kangyaku, the artist behind the web comic "You've Got This, Juri!" Pick them up with Fighter Coins or Drive Tickets on May 22. https://twitter.com/StreetFightestatus/1793039068114108517
  

Articles/News/Other

• Red Lobster files for bankruptcy https://old.reddit.com/news/comments/1cwgslp/red_lobster_files_for_bankruptcy/
  
• Nintendo acquires Shiver Entertainment from Embracer. "Shiver’s focus will remain the same, continuing commissions that port and develop software for multiple platforms including Nintendo Switch." Shiver recently worked on porting & developing Hogwarts Legacy and Mortal Kombat 1 https://twitter.com/Wario64/status/1792702231893946845
  
• 10-year-old swept into storm drain to become an organ donor, dad says https://old.reddit.com/news/comments/1cwq5t2/10yearold_swept_into_storm_drain_to_become_an/
  
• Scarlett Johansson Says She Declined ChatGPT's Proposal to Use Her Voice for AI – But They Used It Anyway: 'I Was Shocked' https://old.reddit.com/technology/comments/1cwsv4o/scarlett_johansson_says_she_declined_chatgpts/
  
  • Scarlett Johansson's response to Sam Altman ripping off her voice https://old.reddit.com/interestingasfuck/comments/1cwthib/scarlett_johanssons_response_to_sam_altman/
• Microplastics found in every human testicle in study https://old.reddit.com/interestingasfuck/comments/1cwzggv/microplastics_found_in_every_human_testicle_in/
  
• Minors again found working at Alabama poultry plant where 16-year-old died, Department of Labor says https://old.reddit.com/news/comments/1cx7umd/minors_again_found_working_at_alabama_poultry/
  
• Twitch - Today we’re rolling out two new content filtering and blurring tools that give you more control over your viewing experience. https://twitter.com/Twitch/status/1792965279959658758
  
• Tucker Carlson launches show on Russian state TV https://old.reddit.com/NewsOfTheStupid/comments/1cxcd7p/tucker_carlson_launches_show_on_russian_state_tv/
  
• JUST IN: Boeing offers condolences after a passenger was killed on a Boeing 777 plane, says their “thoughts” are with the passengers and crew. In total 30 people were injured and a 73-year-old British man was killed. The incident happened after the plane fell a whopping 6000 feet. “Suddenly the aircraft starts tilting up and there was shaking so I started bracing for what was happening, and very suddenly there was a very dramatic drop so everyone seated and not wearing seatbelt was launched immediately into the ceiling,” a passenger said. “Some people hit their heads on the baggage cabins overhead and dented it, they hit the places where lights and masks are and broke straight through it.” https://twitter.com/CollinRugg/status/1792929488730194207
  
• Why Were Older Pokemon Games More Memorable? and what takeaways on adventure games can we learn from this? (links below!) https://twitter.com/han_tani/status/1792888131248955781
  
• Gamers Have Become Less Interested in Strategic Thinking and Planning https://old.reddit.com/gaming/comments/1cxf1ei/gamers_have_become_less_interested_in_strategic/
  

This is my first reddit post and honestly it's a lot so please bear with me. I'm still trying to figure out how to process everything and make sense of it all. I guess we will start at the very beginning. My boyfriend,( we will call him michael) and I just passed 6 months together. Honestly, hes been great. We clicked pretty fast and have a great bond. I feel safe and comfortable around him and can communicate in a way ive never been able to before. It just kinda works. I definitely fell hard and fast for him and from what I could gather, the feeling was mutual. We had met on tinder in early October and went on our first date in November. We made it official shortly after our first date.
After we started dating, he had briefly mentioned that he had a friend who had a bit of a crush on him. I told him I didn't mind and I trusted him. As long as he kept things respectful to me, it didn't matter. He then explained that her crush was a bit obsessive and he actually wanted to push her out of his life and needed advice. Apparently, this friend, (we will call her beth) was pregnant and wanted Michael to be her baby's God Father. He said that she would follow him and got jealous when he was with other girls. I found this kind of odd but he swore they were just friends, so I told him the best way to let her down gently and let him do his thing. About two weeks later, he told me she was out of the picture. I didn't really care either way but the communication was cool.
Anyways, I pretty quickly forgot about all of that because it was irrelevant and I wanted to focus on our relationship. One night when we were hanging out, he got a snapchat notification. He turned away from me to respond to it but I didn't think much of it, just asked who that was. He said it was just a friend (we will call this one Jen) and they were catching up. I had never heard of her before but I didn't care, I just said cool and dropped it. Just like before, I quickly forgot about that conversation because again,it was irrelevant and I had better things to think about. I trusted him so why should I care who he talks to? He is his own person after all and I understand the importance of friendships.
Fast forward about another two weeks later, him and I had our first argument. I dont remember what it was about. Most likely something small and pointless because I had a stressful day at work but nothing too serious. We did not talk much that day. Later that night, I apologized and we talked it over. Everything was fine. He then told me that earlier in the day, an old friend that he had removed off social media readded him and messaged him. We will call her Molly. Apparently she had just noticed she was removed and was upset and wanted to know why. He told me that he sent her a message explaining that he didn't see her in his life long term and doesn't feel the need to keep someone around who won't be around forever so he didn't want to be friends anymore. He then removed her again. At this point I thought the way he acted was odd. I had never heard of molly before, he waited until he had already removed her before telling me about the conversation, she only came into the picture when we had our first argument and it got me thinking about the other girls who were just friends. I definitely started to over think a bit and was more than curious about who these people were and what their relationship to him was. But he swore they were all just friends. So I continued to believe him.
We went a long period of time without anything coming up so once again I forgot about it and moved on with my life. Him and I were doing great. We were young dumb and in love. I felt truly happy, something I hadn't experienced in a long time. I felt like I genuinely found someone who was right for me and I didn't need to second guess whether or not he was gonna cheat on me. He occasionally would ask to see my phone but I didn't have anything to hide so I allowed him. I had set a boundary with him that if he ever felt concerned or needed reassurance, he needed to bring it up to me first. After we talked it over then he could see my phone, but we would always go through it together. This seemed fair to me. My phone was never off limits, there just needed to be open communication. Anyways, he would always offer for me to see his phone in return but I would decline. I didn't feel the need to and I had learned from past experiences that if you go digging, you will most likely see something you can't unsee.
Then one day he needed to have his wisdom teeth removed. I dropped him off in the morning for his surgery and I was told I needed to hold on to his personal belongings and wait until the operation was over. No big deal. I know this is wrong and I shouldn't have but finally curiosity got the best of me and I looked on his phone. At first it wasn't malicious. I genuinely was just curious. But of course, I saw things I wish I could unsee. It started off on tiktok. In one of his conversations with a friend, he poured his heart out, explaining how he was still so in love with his ex and missed her like crazy. Of course it stung a little to see the things he said but I knew there was someone before me so it wasn't that surprising. That was until I saw those messages had been sent in mid October. So of course i was like huh.we started talking early October and dating early November. So clearly he wasn't over his ex when he met me. But I was willing to forgive it. It wasn't a deal breaker. But Instead of putting the phone down to protect my peace and his privacy, I kept looking. And boy did I find a lot. I found lots of old text messages from contacts that were not saved. Most of then were hard-core sexting and flirting. This dude literally acted like a dog.And yeah it was again hard to see but it was before me and he wasn't like that anymore. With me, he was gentle and respectful and never treated me like an object. Some people just go through a phase and that's okay. Again, it wasn't a deal breaker. But finally i found some very passionate, lovey, intimate messages with an unsaved contact. I was immediately drawn in by the kind words and heartwarming love messages. Whoever this was, they cared for eachother very strongly. I almost immediately felt heartbroken. Not because she was a past love interest, but because he had never spoken to me the way he spoke to her. I read all the way from the top of the conversation. Months worth of love confessions, paragraphs of strong feelings, longing to be with one another, etc. But finally halfway through in one of the paragraphs I see a name. Molly I was shattered. Molly was the girl who supposedly was removed months before him and I even met. The one that was "just a friend" who messaged him and he removed her because he didn't want to be friends anymore. Yeah clearly they were more than just friends. I was livid and felt crushed. Why did he feel the need to lie about something so unnecessary? I wouldn't have been mad if he had told the truth about who she was. But then it got me thinking. Was Beth truly just a friend? Was Jen truly just a friend? What was the actual relationship? I gathered up as much as I could but then the nurse came to the lobby to tell me he was awake and ready to go home. I kind of panicked and in my hurry, I forgot to delete the screenshots out of his phone.
We get in the car and I give him his phone, he's still pretty loopy. Obviously I had a million questions to ask him but I knew he wasn't in the right state of mind to have that conversation so I put my feelings aside and decided it could wait. Well he wanted to take pictures of his bloody swollen face and send it to his uncle. In the process, he sees the screenshots i had forgotten to delete off his phone and immediately screams what the f*** is this? I tried to talk calmly and explain that now wasn't a good time to talk about it and it could wait. He kept pressing "what the f*** did you do? Who the hell is this?" In my mind I thought "uh dude, you tell me." But didn't want to escalate it while he was drugged up. I decided the best option was to simply say that I wasn't mad , I stilled planned on taking care of him while he recovered and that we would need to have a conversation when he was in a better state of mind. He just started sobbing. Oh boy. I kind of ignored it as much as I could. I drove us to the store to get ice cream and other soft foods he could eat before taking us back to my apartment. I helped get him set up in my bedroom and he still was crying. So much so he started coughing out blood. It smelled awful and got everywhere. He was a wreck. I felt bad for everything. I felt guilty for going on his phone behind his back, for leaving the screeshots on his phone and for him crying. It took several hours but eventually I got him to calm down. I kept my word and continued to take care of him until he was recovered.
Finally when enough time had passed I decided it was time to sit down and talk about it. I explained that obviously I had found messages and i wanted an explanation. He told me molly was just a friend, and very clearly it was more than that. I also explained that I had a suspicion that he was not fully honest about his relationship with Jen and Beth either. He looked me dead in the eyes and said he had no idea what I was talking about and they were just friends. I remained calm and explained that I won't be mad at him or leave him. I told him I didn't want to fight. I just felt as though I deserved to know the truth if I was going to continue to be with him, especially since he was still in contact with Beth and Jen while we were dating. We continue to go back and forward for several hours with no progress. I decided then if he didn't feel I deserved the truth, I would find out for myself. I took the screenshots I had found and reached out to the contacts one by one.
Let's start with Beth. She was the quickest to respond. I briefly explained who I was and that I was hoping to ask some questions about my partner because I felt like i was being lied to and was hoping she could fill in some of the gaps. She texted back and simply asked "do you work at blank" I responded that yes, I did. She then asked if I lived at a specific apartment complex. I said yes and was creeped out. She knew where I worked and lived. She then asked if she could call me. I agreed. For some context, he told me that she was a friend he had met in school. He explained that she had gotten out of a rough relationship and he wanted to make sure she was okay when it happened. That's how they became close. He explained that they would hang out all the time and eventually she became obsessed with him. Well during my phone call with her, I heard a very different story. Yes, they met in school and initially started off as friends. But, slowly with time as they started to spend more and more time together, they started to catch feelings. He said I love you first. And she proved this with screenshots. She also sent me pictures of them holding hands and kissing. She explained that they never officially started dating but they definitely were more than just friends. Their relationship was much more physical and romantic than platonic. She also told me that they had hooked up about 3 times. She explained that they had eachothers location and pretty frequently they would make plans then he would last minute cancel. So she would see what he was doing and would see him at two very specific addresses. Visiting my work or my apartment. She eventually asked him where he was and he told her that I was his cousin and was trying to get out of a rough relationship so he was helping me. I felt sick. No wonder why she was "obsessed" he was borderline dating her, telling her he loved her, and then started to ditch her when he made things official with me. Then it killed me to realize that even though they never had an official title, he was dating the two of us at the same time. I didn't know what to do. I ended up apologizing to her for everything he did and told her I never would have agreed to be his if I knew he was entertaining someone else. Michael overheard this phone call between us and looked like he had seen a ghost after. All he did was started crying, said she was lying, and that she was only a friend. I asked "so....these screenshots and pictures are all made up?" No response. He knew he was busted.
I decided I needed to take some time to process that information and I didn't want to say something I would regret. I let him stay at my place because he had nowhere else to go and I went to stay with a friend. He kept calling and texting but I couldn't deal with it. I cried all night. I was a mess. I should have just accepted that I was cheated on and lied to but I couldn't leave. I needed to know the truth. So I kept reaching out. Next up was Jen. I never was able to reach her, but I found out through Michael and Beth that Jen was Beth's best friend. But even more than that, I found out the three of them had a threesome together. He had told me previously that he had never been interested in a threesome and would never want to have one. Then I found out not only did he have one and lied about it, but it was with two girls he told me were just friends.
I went back to my apartment the next day and tried to talk stuff out. He just continued to say they were just friends. I finally snapped. I screamed and cried and told him that I just wanted to know the truth. That I deserved the truth. He looked me in the eyes, pinky promised me no more lies. We talked for a while and basically he explained that he never had an official title with Beth. They were very close but he basically just used her to pass time because he had nothing better to do. He said he loved her because that's what she wanted to hear and he treated her like a partner without ever having any real feelings for her. He knew as soon as he met me that he wanted me but didn't want to hurt her so he just kind of pushed her to the side but kept her in the picture. I felt so sad for her. He used her. He led her on. He treated her like an object and then threw her to the side when he met me.I asked why he lied about having a threesome. He said he felt ashamed Apparently they started to do it and then he chickened out so he didn't really count it. That made sense to me. I was pissed that he lied but at least it made sense. Next I asked why he told me Beth and Jen were just friends instead of being honest about the relationship. He said he never had feelings for either and they never had the official title so he didn't think it was important and he did not want to scare me off. I explained to him that although I understand why he lied to me, I didn't forgive him. I warned him that I would not tolerate anymore lies and obviously for the time being I did not trust him. I told him I wouldn't break up with him but if I found out he lied again, he would lose me. I also told him I considered what he did as cheating since he was seeing us at the same time after him and I became mutually exclusive. After we concluded our conversation about Beth and Jen, I started thinking about molly and the messages I had seen. I asked him what their relationship was, he said just friends. I freaked and told him to give me his phone. I found their old messages and told him to read them. "Hey goofball, you awake? Well if you're not I have something impossible to say to you. You are my sun, my moon, and all my stars. I love you lots and want you to know that no matter what happens I will always care about you. To me you are perfect. Amazing. And attractive asf. You are also very sweet and caring and adorable. Don't think about the negative things about yourself that will drag you down. You are way more than that. This is an official goodnight and I love you goofball." This is just one of the MANY messages sent back and forward. He reads the conversation and just goes oh. He then says he didn't remember any of that happening. We began to argue and the story he tried to spin was that his life must have been so traumatic that his brain literally deleted his past memories and replaced them with false memories where he didn't do these things that he is ashamed of. He got caught in lies and after so long was just like...whoa I did that? I had no idea I didn't remember. Technically I didn't lie because I told what I thought the truth was the way I remembered it. I told him I wanted to break up and he cried and begged me to forgive him and stay. I listened.i tried to move on and make things normal again but I couldn't stop thinking about all the lies and what else he might have been lying about. Then randomly one day, Molly added me back on social media. She was the last and took over 1.5 months so honestly I figured I'd never get ahold of her. I was genuinely surprised to see her show up on my friend list and reached out. Once again back story, he told me that she lived in Wisconin and they had never met. He said he was also using her for nudes and to pass time, same way he used Beth. He had told me that he removed her off social media months before him and I even met and aside from that one night she reached out, he hadn't heard from her in forever. I found out from her that she did not live in Wisconsin, she lived in the same state as us That to her, they were definitely dating and in love. I also saw a messaged saved on snapchat where he had been texting her in October (after we met) and even sent her the same pickup lines he had sent me. he had cheated with not just one, but two (at least that I know of) other girls.
At this point I had been broken so bad I didn't even feel the pain anymore. I just went numb. I had no more tears left to cry and couldn't be bothered to care anymore. I stopped eating and taking care of myself. I just went to work, came home, slept and repeated. I had watched the man that I loved and adored, one that made me feel so safe and happy turn into a monster right in front of me. He wasn't him anymore. I finally could see him for who he was. But I still didn't leave. He told me that he had only ever slept with three girls. I later found out it was actually six. He told me he had never been in love before. I later found out he tells basically every girl he's ever talked to that he loves them AND genuinely was in love with his ex before me. He told me after his ex and him broke up, he had a rebound but he only hooked up with her once before ghosting her. I found out they actually dated for several weeks, hooked up several times, and she had taken cute couple pictures with him and posted them on social media. He said that he never wanted to take those pictures, she made him put his Hands on her and pose and if he didn't cooperate, she would throw a tantrum like a child. One last thing I think that is important to mention,when we went on our first date, I told him I don't do hookups. We stayed out late and hit it off really well so I offered for him to stay the night at my place. I said I was okay with cuddling and whatever but I did not want to have sex. He seemed okay with it. I went to bed and then when I woke up, my pants were off and he was inside me. He claimed he didn't know I was asleep and thought I wanted it because apparently my butt kept rubbing against him while we were spooning.
It's been about a month since all that and I'm still just meh. I haven't exactly forgiven him but I also don't hate him. Things are normal. I act normal we still do couple things. But I can't help but wonder if he is just using me the same way he used them. I mean after all, he lives in my apartment rent free and asked me to buy him a truck for his birthday. He says I should forgive him because he genuinely doesn't remember doing these things and he didn't mean to lie to me. He said he's so ashamed of who he was but isn't like that anymore. He doesn't associate with who he was and wants to be given a chance to show that he is different. But can I ever forgive him? Should I? Where do I go from here? I feel so lost and confused. I dont think I'll ever be able to trust his word again. I dont feel secure. He broke me so bad I can't even feel anymore. Am I crazy and somehow making this a bigger deal than it is? Can I ever have the man I fell in love with back? I'm sorry if this was confusing. I'm typing this all out in one sitting. Please help me because I genuinely am so lost and I don't want to tell any friends because I don't want them to hate him.
TLDR: My boyfriend cheated on me with at least two other girls that I know of at the moment and has lied to me about too many things to count. His argument is that It doesn't actually count as cheating because he technically didn't date these people and he didn't remember doing it.

I need copious amounts of magazines for collages for teenage angsty art. Any good ideas where I could collect a good amount for free in SLC?
Thanks.

Greetings,
Lately, I've been stuck in one of those spirals, can't seem to find that game that sticks. The last game I had as the 'go-to' was Against the Storm, a nifty rogue-like city builder. I pick it back up here and there as it's a decent game to jump on during the week. Not that I'm looking for a strategy game specifically, but something that feels weighty meaning, decisions matter. I love slower combat games like what we see in The Souls series, and in Monster Hunter, but I'm not up for that level of difficulty currently. Something to be excited to come home to after work for a few hours.
I don't mind a potato chip game here and there, been playing Diablo 4 Season four very casually, but playing it over time just makes me sad. It's like watching a loved one just all washed up and frankly just a complete mess. What happened to you Diablo... Though the story is good.
Another potato chip, XDefiant, (Ubi of Duty? Call of Soft?) has been moving around the friend group as its free. I played it a bit back last year when it was in closed beta. It's not bad, but gets to the same level of what am I doing with myself moment(s) after a bit.
In any case, I bought Manor Lords. It's fun, though a little too easy for me. I love Battle Brothers, Frostpunk, and, Darkest Dungeon (1&2) with 1-2 mistakes and its game over style strategy games. Excited to see what's to come for Manor Lords in the future.
Is anyone else upset Homeworld 3 didn't do so great out of the gate? Played the series since the original. Hopefully, this one will turn around with time. Likely a sale game for me. I've got Hades II on my radar, but am likely going to wait for it to leave EA before playing. Pacific Drive has piqued my interest, so if anyone has played it let me know what you think.
As for the backlog I've got the following, though none of them are jumping out at me -Cult of the lamb -Death Trash -Dome Keeper -Dune: Spice Wars -Graveyard Keeper
So yeah! I'm stuck in one of those, I have no idea what to play/feel like I'm bouncing off just about everything. The two games I still generally play are Marvel Snap (albeit it's pretty easy to pick up and play a few) and Helldivers 2 though it's more of a weekend game with friends.
If there's any cool, obscure strategy, rogue-like, arpg out there let me know! Super appreciate the help.

> 1. Is this a brand new build, or an upgrade to an existing build?
Either is fine; I was looking to upgrade my current PC but making a whole new build should be okay, since I have someone I can give my old PC to anyway
> 2. Please list any existing parts or monitor(s) you have that you would like to re-use with this build. For upgrades, a PCPartPicker list of your full build is extremely helpful. Be as specific as you can be here, including links or exact model numbers of each component whenever possible.
This is my current PC build (to the best of my ability, it was a prebuilt that I bought): https://pcpartpicker.com/list/J2gFN6
If I'm upgrading, I was planning to keep the case, both the SSD and the HDD, and the power supply unit. If I'm building a whole new one from scratch, I can still use both storage parts for the new build.
> 3. What will this PC be used for? Examples include things like gaming, general/multimedia use, photo/video editing, coding, AI/ML, etc. Include specific games and applications you intend to run, and any particular performance goals you have, as each may have different specific hardware needs.
I most do digital art and animation, which works fine on my current PC, but I wanted to also do some video editing and streaming, and at least be able to use After Effects (my current PC struggles quite a bit with After Effects).
I don't do much gaming on my PC so it's not really a priority; if the games that run on my current PC can still run on my new/upgraded one, that should be plenty for me.
> 4. What country will you be purchasing in? If you are in the US, do you live near a Micro Center? For other countries, please check if your country is supported by PCPartPicker by using the country selector dropdown on the top right - if not, please provide some links to reliable local vendors you are comfortable ordering from.
I will be purchasing in the US. I live about an hour from a Micro Center.
> 5. Do you need one or more monitors included in the budget? Please list how many and any size/resolution/refresh rate preferences if needed.
No, I already have one.
> 6. What is your preferred and maximum budget range for this build, in local currency? Parts lists may sometimes have additional shipping costs. Please note whether prices in your country include sales tax or not, and adjust your budget accordingly. Typically VAT countries will have it included in the part list prices, whereas regular sales tax countries like the US and Canada will not.
I'd like to keep in it in the $600-$800 range. I can stretch it an extra like $50 if needed.
I know that's not a lot to work with, but I don't really need the highest end parts.
> 7. Do you need WiFi, or do you have a wired ethernet connection available?
I have a WiFi card that I'm using with my PC, so I don't think so, but a motherboard that has WiFi would be nice.
> 8. Do you have any specific size or noise requirements for the build?
I'd like to keep it around the same size as my current PC, so an ATX Mid-Tower size (I think). I'm not too bothered by noise.
> 9. Do you have any aesthetic preferences for color or lighting? Describe what you're looking for, or feel free to provide some links to examples that may help. Some people prefer an inobtrusive stealth build, while others may prefer a case full of rainbow RGB.
Not really, I don't really care much how it looks. My only preference is anything that's not TOO flashy with glowy rainbow RGB. My currrent PC has RGB's that I just set to glow white.
> 10. Any other specific requests or requirements? Examples might include a specific minimum amount of storage, or a particular CPU socket for a future upgrade path, etc.
I know After Effects specifically recommends a CPU with lots of cores, at least 8, and I think other applications also benefit from that. So I'd like it more CPU heavy rather than GPU heavy. I'd also like 32gb of RAM and wanted to get a 1TB M.2 SSD, if that's at all possible.
Doing some research, it seems the stuff I want to do with this PC benefit the most with an Intel CPU and an Nvidia GPU, so that would also be preferable.

What it was like, what happened, and what it is like now... My sobriety date is January 10th, 2016. I had been coming in and out of the program of AA since I was 18 years old, I had a drawer full of white chips, and it wasn't until I was 33 years old that I had finally been beaten down enough and suffered enough consequences due to this disease that I was finally ready to surrender... not because I had any hope that things would get better, but because I was frightened of how they were on their way to getting worse.
I was finally ready to follow through in working all 12 steps with my sponsor, which I did over the course of a year. I moved onto a new sponsor, and worked them through again. I was hungry for this new life and I sought out the oldest of the old timers, women who had more years in sobriety than I had on this earth. I was desperate for change because I was faced with two choices: change, or face a life without my two precious children that had been wisely removed by the court and my ex-husband because of how I'd let this disease impact our lives like a category five hurricane. I learned quickly that it simply wasn't enough that my admission of powerless and taking of the first three steps stopped the proverbial winds of destruction from blowing; like a devastated city by the sea in the aftermath, I had a job of reconstruction ahead of me that wasn't going to be cleaned up over night... it was going to be a process of years before everything would come back together, and be restored to something better than I could have ever dreamed.
What I ended up discovering through the years of consistently working this program wasn't at all what I'd originally sought out. I just wanted the chaos to stop. I just wanted to be able to put down the bottle for good. I thought this was the alpha and omega of it. But this was just the barest beginning.
The cessation of drinking was only the tip of the proverbial iceberg. This program would do more than just divorce me from alcohol and substance abuse... it was going to completely transform me. Little by slowly, the working of the steps began to reshape my perspective as I had to accept a spiritual remedy or return to my own spiral of misery and the onward march to jails, institutions, and death.
Through the working of my inventory, my sponsors helped me to see that everything I resentfully blamed on my ex-husband, my abusive upbringing, my traumatic brain injury in early childhood, everyone who'd ever bullied or abused me had layers. Resentment would poison me; I had to forgive those against whom I harbored resentment not for their sake, but my own. Forgiveness, I discovered, set me free from this self-created prison. Letting go meant a greater freedom than I could have ever known.
And then, further on: most things I blamed on God for allowing to happen to happen to me, such as the loss of my precious children, my sponsors helped me to understand through my inventory were traceable back through so many actions I willfully chose that had a domino effect of consequences that I now had to face and accept as my responsibility. Whether or not other people were involved, I had to let this go, learning a new meaning of powerlessness and acceptance of things I could not change... namely, other people and their own actions... and focused on the only thing I could change: my own choices, moving forward. Understanding that the only way out was through. Bless them, change me wasn't just a catchphrase any longer... I was the only one over whom I had control. When I finally came to this realization, I was able to work through my own defects, see them for what they were, rise into the 6th and 7th steps to pray for their removal, to be taken to something better.
I was then able to identify and accept what "my part" had been in two decades of wrecked relationships with others. I was able to understand to whom I must make amends, and found the genuine willingness to do so, a long list made, a scouring of the internet and social media and looking up all the people upon whose lives I'd had a negative impact, people whom I had hurt. I owned my part, I made the amends and I was surprised at the response I got, overwhelmingly.... not one person told me to go to hell like I rightfully would have deserved, and none of them even expressed anger. Each of them shared with me in their own way how they knew I was very sick, very lost, and they knew inside somewhere I was a good person, I was just hurting and how they had always hoped that I would find recovery, find God, find a way to be who I was. They were happy for me. They had forgiven me long ago.
And as a result of working these steps, persisting through consequences I had to face and accept, finding that the only way out was through... my life was transformed. I was transformed. I got my children back... not instantly, but I began my journey in 2016 and by 2017, I had them back on weekends. By 2018, I had them back in a 50/50 arrangement. And by 2019, circumstances aligned so that they were returned to me full-time, and this was also the year the man who'd stuck by me during the worst moments of my disease and through the ups and downs of early sobriety asked me to marry him, and my girls and I had a whole new family, a whole new life... today, he is the man they call "Dad" and they have their biological father every weekend whom they call "Papa." He, too, has found recovery and is growing into a better life, he dated a great woman who adored my daughters in the same way my new husband has and he is marrying her this summer. As a show of love, she gave each of my daughters a special ring to symbolize her own commitment to them in how much she values the importance. We're now working together as a united front and a blended family for what's best for the girls and it is a blessing.
It has been a challenge, honestly, now that things have gotten better and the promises have come true to stick with a consistent practice of this program. Complacency is probably my biggest struggle, something I continually work on because it is so easy now to let all of the blessings of this program consume my life and cause the program not to take a first place priority. The reality is what it is though: if I forget where I come from, if I rest on my proverbial laurels, I will absolutely lose everything that I've gained and I will end up drunk. I am finding that it was ironically much easier to work the program diligently when I was at rock bottom and this was the only way to climb out.
As such, I know that today, my actions still have consequences, good and bad. Sometimes, as before, the consequences might not show up immediately, but they will always manifest. Fortunately, though, through the working of this program, especially in the initial few years of working through the steps and my inventory, I find that I am making more positive choices than I did once upon a time, and so just as I reaped what I had sewn early on in terms of negative consequences, I now find the same thing is true insomuch as I enjoy positive consequences perhaps to the same degree that I once experienced negative ones. The most solid part of all is the gift that the 12th step provides, practicing these principles in all my affairs, as well as Step 10 that I try my best to keep up with regularly, I am able now to much more quickly identify when I have made a wrong choice, when a resentment crops up, or when I owe someone an amends. It is just like keeping a house clean in a literal sense: doing small things each day maintains a level of consistent cleanliness that is much easier to maintain than letting things get messy and piled up and trying to go in and clean.
And most importantly of all.... when I came into this program, I reached for God and striving for the next right thing because it was either this, or worse consequences than I was already facing. As one day at a time began to flow into weeks, then months, then years, I found myself reaching for God and striving for the next right thing because I was seeing how it was bearing the fruit of my whole life improving. And now, as I am moving toward my 9th year of sobriety, so close to an actual decade... I have never forgotten these former two stages of my own evolution, which have merged into where I find myself now... reaching for God and striving for the next right thing, as it is written, "as unto Him", because I am in a new habit now of right living, right choosing, being a kind of active faith in which I know that, as a line in one of the devotional books said, "When we do the next right thing, all the power of God is behind you."
I can make these choices today especially in my classroom in devoting myself to my occupation as a labor of love, and this in and of itself being its own reward. I was nominated for "Teacher of the Year" this year, but I knew from this moment that it wasn't going to be God's will for me to receive such an accolade and I was perfectly at peace with this. Because doing the right thing as unto God for me today rests on a foundation of just how important anonymity is, in a way I never appreciated until recently. I think of the founders of AA, how Bill W. was offered an honorary PhD in Sociology from Harvard (I think this was he area), how they wanted to erect a huge monument over Dr. Bob and his wife's grave to mark them as founders... I can scarcely imagine how tempting these opportunities would have been, especially when we all have that ego part of ourselves that whispers, "I have worked hard for this and I deserve to be recoginzed!" But they turned these offers down, as so many others that came and went. Anonymity was and still is everything.
My oldest old timer sponsor--the one with more years sober than i had alive-- had to really work hard to make me see something I was stuck in around years 4-6: "I have worked SO HARD to get to where I am today!"
She told me over and over that I was missing the point: I made choices to do the next right thing, but I was incapable of getting myself anywhere but drunk on my own unaided will. It was God who you allowed to work through you.
I understand that a lot more today. I am proud of a strength I possess to be industrious. But "I" don't matter. I do my best to do the next right things because what really only matters is that God sees what I do. Through any talents, abilities, strengths He has given me, they are from Him, and they make me useful as a vessel to be of service. I am a sewer of seeds, and I may never know how my willingness to be of service impacts someone, but He does. My own anonymity protects me from me.
Of myself I am nothing, it is only through the grace of God and this program that I am where I am today. I ask daily in prayer to for Him to get me out of my way, to be made of service, for Him to show me the next right thing one moment at a time, and the power to carry that out.
And this is all that matters.