I graduated! Congrats to everyone else who finished this term too.
This program has been really fun and rewarding for me and I'm almost (but not quite) sad to be done. Some ways I learned/grew:

• I got more comfortable reading research papers.
• I gained a lot of confidence in my ability to understand math.
• I learned a lot about ML, and got comfortable with relevant python libraries.
• I learned LaTeX math syntax, which is pretty handy.
• I got excited about several topics that weren't previously on my radar.

Advice (fwiw, I got straight A's):

• Take it slow if you can.
• If you're nervous about the math needed for ML courses like I was, start spending a few minutes each day to learn or review differential calculus, linear algebra, and prob/stat. A little goes a long way; you mostly only need pretty basic stuff.
• In some classes, it's important to watch the office hours videos even if you have no questions about the material. In ML, some of the requirements for the assignments were only really communicated during office hours.
• Read all the official course communications closely. You don't want to be the student who loses a bunch of points for a mistake that a TA had already clearly warned about in an Ed post. GA in particular requires you to strictly adhere to specific definitions and assumptions which are primarily communicated in Ed posts.
• If you take Compilers, do the project in Java. It's enough work already without worrying about memory management too. (Admittedly, I'm biased since I have way more experience in Java than C/C++.)
• If possible, take PTO from work to give yourself extra breathing room near difficult tests / due dates.
• Watch Bee and Puppycat on Netflix. This is unrelated, it's just a good show.

Notes on the courses I took:

• CN (fall 2020): Learning more about the history of the Internet and reading foundational papers was fun. And it was good to learn a little about how routing works. This was a fairly gentle introduction to OMSCS (I had enough spare time, combined with freshman over-exuberance, to partially replicate one of the papers covered), but I wouldn't call it a blow-off course either.
• GIOS (spring 2021): I think I had done enough low-level(ish) programming throughout my life that nothing in this course felt like a major revelation. But it went into detail on some topics I hadn't paid attention to before, like schedulers; and it forced me to at least temporarily have a very clear conception of how various synchronization mechanisms work. The workload was higher than CN but not too bad, although it would have really sucked to be learning C/C++ for the first time during this class.
• Software Analysis (summer 2021): This was a surprising combination of being really interesting and really easy (it felt like the lowest workload of all the courses I took). It was fascinating to learn how many different problems can be solved by slight variations on the same basic fixed-point algorithm. And "statistical debugging" was a cool concept.
• Compilers (fall 2021): It was a lot of fun to have an excuse to implement a compiler. Learning about how regexes and nondeterministic finite automata are connected was cool too. This had by far the largest / most complex coding project of any class I took; make sure you're very comfortable with the programming language you plan to use before signing up.
• ML (spring 2022): This class was the most stressful thing I had experienced in years, but the way it was structured really helped me get out of my comfort zone and feel like I might be capable of engaging with the field on more than a superficial level.
• RL (summer 2022): This class had my favorite projects, even though I wasn't really successful at any of them. It also had one of my favorite textbooks of the program. The accumulated stress from ML and RL really got to me though and I needed a semester off after this.
• DL (spring 2023): I don't remember many specific things about this class but I think it was generally pretty helpful in getting me comfortable with pytorch and deep learning. I found it significantly easier than ML and RL because the work was less open-ended, except for the final project.
• NS (summer 2023): This was another class with a memorable textbook. I'm a bit of a videophobe so I also appreciated that most of the "lectures" were provided in written form instead of recordings. The core idea—that many real-world networks are scale-free and that this has implications which apply across a number of domains—is the sort of thing that makes you go "whoaaaaa". Despite some annoying ambiguities in some of the coursework, I found it generally pretty easy and pretty interesting.
• NLP (fall 2023): The quizzes and programming assignments (excluding the mini-project) were so easy that I didn't really need to understand the material for them. The tests were what forced me to actually learn, and I appreciated the format of them (even if they were a ton of work). It felt like there was a decent amount of overlap between DL and this class (which makes sense) but I think this class did a better job of explaining how transformers work.
• GA (spring 2024): Prior to this, I had only a vague notion of P vs NP, so I found that section of the course super fascinating. Solving dynamic programming, divide-and-conquer, and graph problems was already within my comfort zone, but I did learn some things in all those areas—perhaps most memorably the "master theorem" for analyzing divide-and-conquer runtimes, and the fast multiplication algorithm. I liked how much substantive interaction there was on Ed among students and TAs. I stressed out a lot about how to word my solutions, and the high-stakes 2.5-hour exams were nerve-racking.

Age 40
Sex f
Height 5’4”
Weight 180
Race white
Duration of complaint - 9 weeks
Location NJ
Any existing relevant medical issues - pcos, celiac disease (both managed for 10+ years with metformin and diet)
Current medications - see below
Hi,
I’m 40/f non-smoker, 5’4 180. I live in northern NJ with nj insurance who is on week 9 of the devastating full body effects from having taken 4 days of ciprofloxicin in the beginning of march.
Since then I’ve seen my pcp, pulmonologist who prescribed it for pseudomonas fluorescens bacterial infection, infectious disease doc twice who knew no one to refer me to, an er doc when I went a month ago for dyskenisia as I was shaking as if I had parkinsons, the horrific gaslighting neurologist the er referred me to, and an allergist who gave me the name of a place in NYC which may be able to help but my nj insurance is not reciprocal in nyc. Also tried one telehealth doc who just said try these types of doctors
Waiting to hear back from a doctor my insurance says may understand and treat this but I am still waiting and it’s been a week and a half.
I can walk but not stand for long in compression leggings, am in daily pain in my arms and legs, have insomnia, tingling and numbness at times and more.
All I want is a doctor who understands the effects these drugs had on my body, will do some testing, possibly vitamin shots if they make sense for me - and give me a game plan / tell me I’m going in the right direction, but maybe also try x y and z.
Thanks for your help.
Current medication: Metformin Adderall
Current minerals/vitamins etc:
D with K Methylated B complex (Jarrow B-right) Pure - magnesium glycinate 20billion 14 strain probiotic NAC R-ala Coq10 as ubiquinol Trace minerals Urolithin A Gaba Melatonin
Diet:
Gluten, soy, and dairy free (gf and soy free since 2006)

This is solely person dependent but a friend who scored a 518 suggested this. You simply need to find a mnemonic that matches the single letter ID for each amino in the polar and nonpolar groups. The basic and acidic ones I’m opting out of recalling a mnemonic and just straight up remembering them. For every amino acid, start by a single group and just write them down. Then write them down again. Do this until you can write them down by heart with no errors, both recalling the structure, the abbreviation and single letter code. Once you’ve gotten that down, move onto the next group and do the same. Once you are comfortable, do some practice problems and move onto new material. Once a day I’m dedicating 30 mins-1 hr to recall all the notable bio molecules. I’ve been using this Quizlet deck also and hope to master all of these structures that is linked below. If you have any tips or suggestions feel free to drop them but this is working for me the best. Nothing special about it, just some dirty work you have to do in order to recall stuff unfortunately!
https://quizlet.com/177995605/biological-molecules-flash-cards/?i=1m6b64&x=1jqY

This is a special occasion dessert where you are serving others who are not concerned about carbs. Per the nutrition info, if you make it as written it has 22 carbs per serving, with the cake providing 16 servings. (Not the biggest servings). It is easy to make, but you have to keep an eye on it in the oven. Once it starts to darken on top , it happens quickly.
https://www.kingarthurbaking.com/recipes/basque-style-cheesecake-tarta-de-queso-recipe
I have never tried it with less sugar, but I think it could be reduced a little.
PREP: 20 mins BAKE:25 to 30 mins YIELD: one 9” cheesecake
Ingredients
three 8-ounce packages (681g) cream cheese
1 1/2 cups (297g) granulated sugar
1/2 teaspoon table salt
5 large eggs
3/4 cup (170g) heavy cream
Instructions
1.Position a rack in the center of the oven and preheat the oven to 500°F.
2.To prepare the pan: Take two sheets of 16 1/2" x 12 1/4" parchment and crumple each into a ball. If you don’t have parchment that size, you’ll need enough to cover roughly a 15” square.

1. Uncrumple the parchment completely and overlap the two sheets in a cross, pressing them into a 9” springform pan to completely cover the bottom and sides of the pan. The paper won’t lie flush with the sides, but crumpling it first will make fitting it into the pan easier.
   
2. Fold the overhanging parchment down over the outside edge of the pan to ensure that the top of the cake remains visible and open to the oven’s heat.
   

To make the cake: Place all the ingredients in the bowl of a food processor fitted with the blade attachment (11-cup capacity is best; see "tips,” below, for alternatives).
Process the batter until it’s smooth and lump-free, about 5 minutes, scraping the bowl about halfway through.
Pour the batter into the prepared pan and transfer the pan to the middle rack in the oven.
To bake the cake: Bake the cheesecake for 25 to 30 minutes, until the top is a deep-dark brown, the edges are just set, and the center is still quite jiggly. A digital thermometer inserted 1" from the edge and 1" down should just barely read 185°F. For best results, start checking your cheesecake at the 25-minute mark, and continue to check at 1-minute intervals until the desired doneness is reached. Taking this cheesecake out of the oven at just the right point is critical to its success; see “tips,” below.
Remove the cheesecake from the oven and place it on a rack; cool the cake in the pan to room temperature before slicing. Unmold and serve the cheesecake at room temperature or refrigerate and serve chilled.
Storage information: Store leftover cheesecake in the refrigerator for up to a week.

I took some time today to learn how to make a trendline graph for statistics pertaining to 2 similar processes for one of my clients.
QlikView’s UI does not switch to dark mode easily: it takes a lot of tinkering to get it to look good.
As far as UX goes, Qlik can improve their application a lot: - It was necessary to combine the x-axis dimensions of year and month to a single one. - Every metric has its own font and color, and if you switch which one is primary, the y-axis colors will change to the color of that metric. QlikView client forces us to set each one separately: there is no way to apply the settings for one to others.
Luckily, once you complete a graph, you can copy it, with all of its settings intact.

Sorry for the formatting as this was done on mobile. Credit for digging through the reads goes to @wanderpill on Twitter. For anyone who rather look at screenshots here’s a link to the thread https://x.com/wanderpill/status/1787538615553191938?s=42&t=ogXwNRI_PwdZKnj5ZVwY_A
I’ll also be working on adding any relating articles and such that can potentially corroborate some of these stories. If you’ve found any please send me a DM, I’ve been collecting as much as I can find.
-September 2018

1. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 09/19 #4 I don't think anyone should be shocked. This foreign born A+ list one named singerapper conditioned us for his love of underage girls with the 18 year old he started trying to woo seduce when she was 16. So, the fact he went even lower, although disgusting, is something we should have known was coming. Drake/Jimmy Jam's daughter Bella Harris/Millie Bobby Brown
   
2. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 09/21 #3 This foreign born At list singerapper asked for all kinds of photos from not only the 18 year old he is dating but at least two other 18 year old females and he didn't make sure they were 18 before he started asking. Drake
   
3. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 09/22 #4 Apparently, in addition to some jail time for his actions towards some underage women, this foreign born A list rappesinger also needs rehab which he will probably use as an excuse for his recent behavior. Drake ("grooming" Millie Bobby Brown).
   

-October 2018

1. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 10/09#16 Rule Change: It was not that long ago that this record label owner was the procurer of underage females for the stars on his label and others he was close to who would pay him. The one named owner would send one of his big acts to play a high school for free. It was always under the guise of some scholarship program or stay in school stuff. He would send in his people during the show and collect names, phone numbers and social media information. Then, people in his office would start communicating with them to see who would be interested in hooking up with one of the stars on the label. He literally had hundreds of names of females ranging in age from 12-18. They would be given tickets and a ride to the concert or party in a limo with some crap tale to tell their family about being a contest winner. So, at any given party there would be a dozen or so underage females. Well, with the dynamics of business changing and lawsuits aplenty, the individual artists started taking matters into their own hands. It is why there are so many cases of them being called out for it on social media. Oh, nothing happens to them legally for doing it. There have been hardly any consequences at all for the nearly hundred cases of an underage female being raped by a singemusician/rapper that I have tracked over the past year. Almost zero is the percentage who speak up. Still though, it only takes one or two to bring everyone down. Maybe. One person who is concerned is the one named owner and his A- list celebrity significant other who has taken it upon herself to make a new rule that she will be the point person for requests for underage females. She considers herself a matchmaker. I consider her to be sick. She has gone from At list and respected to someone who sells herself and others just to keep her lifestyle. Birdman ("Cash Money. Records") Drake/Toni Braxton
   
2. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 10/14 #6 That teen, who was topless in the dressing room of this foreign born A+ list singerapper last night was nowhere in the ballpark of being legal. Drake
   
3. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 10/16 #2 Maybe this foreign born one named A+ list singerapper should have told the whole story about his split with a fellow foreign born At lister. How she caught him more than once with another woman and his fascination for watching porn involving women wearing pigtails. Drake Rihanna
   
4. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 10/16 #15 Two Worlds: There is an interesting dynamic going on in the music world right now. Sick and disgusting, but interesting in how it divides. Apparently if you are a follower of this one named permanent A list singer, and by a follower, I mean attend his parties, work with his producers and guest talent, then that means you are more of a lover of underage boys. This whole group is dedicated to finding young male talent and then "developing" them. Yes, that A list singer was one of them. He, in turn has brought them several others. The other group, led by this foreign born one named permanent A list singer generally tends to attract followers who like finding and "developing" underage females. They like to model themselves after R. Kelly and his "development" of Aaliyah. They are all about getting these teens under their control both sexually and musically. They even informally call their group LMK after the song Let Me Know which featured R. Kelly and Aaliyah. You will often see it written on their shoes to let people know they are a member of that group. One named permanent A list singer: Usher (Justin Bieber) Foreign born one named permanent A list singer: Drake
   
5. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 10/31 #8 This foreign born At list rappesinger is headed for a massive fall. Unlike others in his profession who seem to be able to hook up with underage boys and girls without impunity, his misdeeds are going to get a huge spotlight. Drake
   

-November 2018

1. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 11/09 #6 Someone who would definitely know from her side, says this foreign born A list singer did ask this underage actress for "sexy pictures." Drake(Millie Bobby Brown
   
2. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 11/19 #8 Now that one rapist is off the street, the next step is to get this celebrity serial rapist off the street. I have written about him about before and he hasn't slowed down at all. The thing is that now he has the support of the foreign born A+ list singerappeformer actor who also supported Tekashi and also enjoys underage women. Our serial rapist is also being given support by the former A+ list rapper who also supported Tekashi and thinks of the serial rapist as a best friend and protege. Women everywhere have complained and called him out by name when it comes to rape, but the people mentioned above tell women he is OK and then they end up getting raped too. Celebrity serial rapist: Ian Connor Foreign born A+ list singerappeformer actor: Drake Former A+ list rapper: Kanye
   
3. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 11/21 #12 Apparently this very underage actress did send the foreign born A+ lister revealing photos of herself. Not naked, but really close. Millie Bobbi Brown Drake
   

-January, March and May 2019

1. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 01/22 #7 Most of the time, concert venue staff/promoters don't do anything when a performer brings someone underage backstage or even cares what happens to them. Most of the time. Even this foreign born A+ list rapper couldn't do so at a recent event because it happened at a casino. He was told in no certain terms the minor had to leave the area immediately. No one is willing to risk a casino license. The thing is, now the casino is 50/50 whether the rapper will ever be invited back to perform. Drake "Encore Las Vegas").
   
2. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 03/11 #9 The one named foreign born At lister should be asking himself if people will stop playing his music too because of all the underage females he has groomed. Drake
   
3. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 03/21 #6 The one named foreign born A+ list rapper still is pursuing the way underage foreign born actress and is just so public about it and no one really calls him out on it at all. Drake Millie Bobby Brown (Stranger Things Star Millie Bobby Brown Gets The
   
4. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 05/16 #2 How creepy is it that this foreign born three named underage actress had a personal fitting of her clothes while in the presence of the foreign born A+ list rappesinger who has been creeping on her for well over a year. Millie Bobby Brown Drake (Millie Bobby Brown supports BFF Drake's fashion line)
   

-August, September and October 2019

1. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 05/16 #2 How creepy is it that this foreign born three named underage actress had a personal fitting of her clothes while in the presence of the foreign born A+ list rappesinger who has been creeping on her for well over a year. Millie Bobby Brown Drake (Millie Bobby Brown supports BFF Drake's fashion line)
   
2. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 09/30 #10 This one named A+ list foreign born singerapper had to write two separate checks this past month to keep two women from talking about what he did to them last vear when they were 16 & 17 respectively. Drake (Drake's $350k Settlement to Alleged Sexual Assault Victim Subject of Complaint Filed by Woman Against Attorney)
   
3. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 10/23 #6 Everyone talks about how the foreign born one named At list singerapper who used to act was hitting on this foreign born one named A+ list singer. Nope. The rappesinger brought someone who was probably 18, but dressed to look 14 or 15. Drake Rihanna
   

-November 2019 and January 2020

1. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 11/06 #8 As much as this momager would love for the one named north of the border A+ lister to be interested in her daughter, it isn't going to happen, no matter how much she leaks to the press otherwise. The momager has visions of being his manager and 10%, but nope. He sees what happened to the former A+ lister and the dead careers of half a dozen others that got swallowed in that black hole. Kris Jenner Drake Kylie Jenner
   
2. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 11/26 #5 In a couple of weeks when the A- list singer who came out of nowhere in 2019 turns 18, the foreign born At list one named rappesinger will probably stop talking to her, but for now they are very good "friends."
   
3. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 01/23 6 The former A+ list rapper is playing on thin ice going after the one named foreign born A+ list rapper. He knows what the foreign born rapper has in his possession and isn't afraid to use it. I'm shocked the wife of the former A+ list rapper hasn't stepped in more aggressively considering she is the subject of all the material. Well, most of it. There is a sister involved too. Kanye West Drake Kim Kardashian/Kylie Jenner
   

-March, April and December 2020

1. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 04/21 5 This foreign born one named A+ lister now has a Finsta (a shortened term for Fake Instagram) to troll for the underage teens he then invites to his house for some quarantine time. Drake
   
2. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 12/08 7 This one named foreign born A+ lister was doing better staying away from underage girls, especially after he was exposed right when the pandemic hit. The thing is, now he is hooking up with a 16 year old and has been trying to keep her a secret. Her parents don't care because he just throws money at them. Drake
   
3. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 12/12 3 This celebrity offspring of a barely there celebrity had a not socially distanced Thanksgiving party and at that party she said she actually did start her sexual relationship with the north of the border one named rapper when she was just old enough to drive. Hailey Baldwin/ Drake
   

-June, July and September 2021

1. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 06/12 3 This foreign born one named singer was paying a lot of attention to girls who were barely old enough to drive. It is probably why he agreed to go to the event with the At list athlete. Drake LeBron James/son Bronny James"
   
2. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 07/10 ¡ Don't let one "date" fool you. The foreign born one named At list singerapper still likes them very young. He just thinks that if he has a shot at a NBA offspring, then he needs to find the woman who can do that for him. There will be money involved. Drake/Johanna Leia
   
3. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 09/18 4 Earlier this week at the big event where everyone dresses up, this one named foreign born permanent A list singer called out the A list north of the borderapper singer about his latest 16 year old. Apparently the fight was pretty epic. Rihanna/ Drake
   

-October and November 2023

1. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 10/09 6 The former wheelchair actor doesn't see anything wrong with him hanging out with the foreign born A- list actress before she was even old enough to drive. A few years down the road and maybe she will tell us what happened. Drake

ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 11/03 10 This foreign born A list singer really should ask for identification before he sleeps with some of the groupies he meets after shows. Drake

1. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 11/30 6 The former wheelchair actor is following a 16 year old girl on Instagram. He has known her since she was even younger. Drake

-January, April and May 2024

1. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 01/14 ¡ The former wheelchair actor was hanging out with an 11 year old in a nightclub. Seems pretty on brand for him. Drake
   
2. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 04/03 12 Reader Blind: Why is the Canadian rapper (Drake) tied to so many people who have been accused of Harvey Weinstein crimes. There is the Not Nice person (Baka Not Nice) who intimidated one of his victims into withdrawing her claims. There is the Porta Papi (Griggs) and there is his former Bird boss (Birdman). The Butterfly rapper (Kendrick Lamar) knows about it all and is getting ready to expose him. That is why he scared to respond. Drake Baka Not Nice/Griggs/Kendrick Lamar
   
3. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 05/04 5 Reader Blind: So it looks like the Butterfly rapper (Kendrick Lamar) confirmed what was said in this space some weeks back. The Canadian rapper (Drake) leaked his own video to get attention, and is associated with Weinstein and Epstein men like the Not Nice person and the Porta Papi (Dutchavelli) who lost opportunities to the Middle Alphabet rapper (Central Cee) after he was caught trying to brainwash school girls and was accused of selling his meat in Dubai. "Never fall in the escort business, that's bad religion Always remember, you could be a bitch even if you got bitches. Yes. This line in the new Family diss track is about him. It was a warning shot because he has heard about what happened to the little girls in England. Also count how many times the Butterfly rapper says the word dog in the 6am diss. Not an accident. He saw the dog video too. He'll expose how the Canadian rapper tried to throw Porta Papi under the media bus to save himself if he has to write more diss tracks. This should scare the Porta Papi because everything in the blinds about this beef has come true so far. Kendrick LamaDrake/Dutchavelli/central Cee
   
4. ENTERTAINMENT LAWYER 05/05 1 As much as the online tabloid tried to help the former wheelchair actor, it didn't stop anyone from believing there is a secret kid or that he really blurs the 17/18 year old line a lot. "TMZ" Drake
   

Blind Item #10 - Reader Blind (May 6, 2024) The Canadian rapper may have nasty nasty friends but he isn't the only one. Just ask the British rapper who made the Praise song with the Umbrella lady's husband and the Good Morning remix with FreakOff. One of his friends was a Solo rapper who is currently doing time in an UK jail for Jeffrey Dahmer crimes. This Solo rapper had a side hustle as a male escort who would make it clap for depraved racist men in the music industry. It's how he paid for his Lions video. Part of this extreme mental illness is a repulsive slavery fetish which was discussed in his court case. What does any of this have to do with the Canadian rapper? The Solo rapper has been gossiping about the Canadian rapper and the Praise rapper behind bars. He thinks they should be in there with him but wants their help to get out. It will never happen. The Canadian rapper can't afford to be connected to any more preds now the kung Fu rapper is going after him.

If there's one thing I've learned in life, it's that "broken" systems are often that way because they actually do "work" for somebody. I.e. a corrupt military where leadership positions are sold "works" for the people who get to sell the positions, because in that case the military is just a marketplace for political powemoney and not actually meant to fight peer conflicts.
It's easy to see the Helldivers and Super Earth as some kind of "lol incompetent" faction, what with the muzzle-loading cannons on your FTL warships, and the Schrodinger's paradox of you being elite spearheads and also cannon fodder. However, there's clearly something off going on with just the mere fact that the Helldivers program exists, because let's look at some basic facts first:

• While some Helldiver missions are classic special forces/infantry jobs that do require boots on the ground (i.e. hot evacuations of civilians, recovering data), a good portion are also just pure destruction missions. No territory to occupy, no collateral damage to be worried about. Just kill/destroy stuff.
• In these destruction/kill focused missions, the locations of your targets are already known. Indeed, when deciding your initial drop point you can clearly see your objectives and even get "enemy presence" warnings.
• The Helldivers fight/destroy stuff using Strategem beacons, which are basically these Pokeball-type gadgets that you input a code into then throw to call down weapons, air support, and orbital bombardment strikes.
• SE already has the technology for drones that output the firepower of an infantryman (the Rover backpacks) and independently target enemies outside player control.
• Extreme Helldiver casualties are completely expected, to the point where even 100% casualty rates (no backup divers remaining, full party kill, no extraction) still falls under "Mission Accomplished". Surviving a mission is quite literally just bonus points.
• Helldivers are ideological fanatics, and Super Earth values loyalty.
• The Helldivers, despite being treated like cannon fodder, are clearly expert soldiers and athletes. They can handle dozens of different weapons, sprint with full kit, reload confidently under pressure, etc.
• Helldivers, for soldiers of an autocratic regime, are given a shocking amount of independence. Each Helldiver essentially gets to customize their own loadouts for each mission, spend money on upgrades, and even choose to not partake in campaigns that SE government considers to be of existential importance. They're treated almost more like privateer-infantrymen rather than special forces. SE can say they'll get more Warbonds (i.e. money) if they defend X or Y planet, but nothing stops any given Helldiver from fighting their own war on the other side of the galaxy if they choose.
• As independent as the Helldivers are, they are still overseen by Democracy Officers. Helldivers are all given their own spaceship and crew, and given the freedom to contribute to the war however they wish, yet their activities are constantly monitored by a political commissar who can and will kill them with "their" ship's weapons without hesitation should they do something as simple as stray meet feet out of a mission area for 10 seconds. The Democracy Officers, interestingly enough, seem less fanatical than the Helldivers, preferring to engage in more generic and monotoned political rhetoric as opposed to the mouth-frothing freedom-loving of the actual Helldiver units.
• SE has apparently absolute orbital and naval superiority in space. Helldivers lore and gameplay is remarkably absent of mentions of ship-to-ship combat, the organization of SE's military almost entirely ignores any concept of fleets (i.e. the Helldivers, despite being commanders of warships, receive no naval training), and the ubiquitous Super Destroyers seem almost entirely geared towards ground support rather than fighting other starships.

Cynically, one might suggest that the Helldivers are just glorified "eyes on the ground" whose job it is to fight their way within throwing distance of their objectives, hurl their Strategems, and then die. However, there's an even deeper conspiracy once we put all the basic facts together to get second-level facts:

• Beacons are not actually necessary to launch stratagems: The entire "Beacon" thing is a lie made up by Super Earth. If a Helldiver strays from the combat zone, the Super Destroyers in orbit will automatically begin to accurately target them from orbit without a beacon.
• Super Earth does not need human soldiers: SE could literally win every battle with swarms of Rover drones. They could deploy directly from hellpods, and already demonstrate the ability to independently move, identify, and target enemies. Literally just strap a strategem beacon onto them so they can drop them like quadcopter grenades, and you now have a force that can do anything human Helldivers can.
• Ground combat itself is redundant for a lot of SE's operational needs: Not only can pretty much 90% of a Helldiver's job be performed by simple drones, ground combat itself seems an unforced error. Super Earth can already detect enemy structures and troop concentrations from orbit, precisely fire at exact spots on the first try (i.e. the initial Helldiver dive each mission is made without the help of a beacon), and in most battles does not have any collateral damage to worry about, not that it would worry about it anyway.
• Super Earth doesn't really seem all that concerned about its most valuable citizens dying so often. Loyalty is a premium in dictatorial regimes, yet SE seems bizarrely indifferent to so much of its most loyal supporters dying in such huge numbers. Strangely, despite the Helldivers being the most loyal citizens, SE still deems it necessary to assign political commissars to them on a 1:1 basis. IIRC correctly, the Helldivers are even a volunteer unit, so not only are these people fighting for you, they choose to do so, which makes throwing away their lives even more baffling.
• Super Earth's enemies are not nearly as threatening as we are meant to believe. How, exactly, are the Automatons and Terminids even able to invade other planets when SE, upon the latest invasion or outbreak, can instantly swarm the orbits of enemy planets with 100,000+ warships? Something just doesn't add up. There's never any mention of a preliminary naval campaign to secure the planetary orbits first, and the Helldivers never have to contest enemy ships, fleets, or airforces before doing their ground missions.

So, why engage in ground combat with human soldiers if both clauses of that idea are invalid? Why have soldiers have to rush within throwing distance to deploy stratagems when precise orbital bombardment with no targeting aids is already possible? Why treat the most reliable supporters of your government like cannon fodder?
Here's the answer: Super Earth, as a militaristic society, doesn't actually value loyalty. It values passivity and docility. The kind of person who becomes a Helldiver is the exact opposite of that: a violent, gullible person who is very independently minded (i.e. volunteers for military service, decides for themselves where and how to fight). Instead, the Helldiver program is essentially a pipeline so that the most violently skilled, independently minded, and ideologically susceptible citizens (i.e. those most willing and able to launch a revolution) are instead A. in state service and B. constantly killed. SE's wars could be fought entirely by orbital bombardment and drones, but using human soldiers allows it to massacre its own citizens under the guise of an "elite" unit.
In short, every Helldiver who yells "For democracy!" while throwing a strategem at an enemy tank 10 feet away and then dies in the ensuing airstrike is one less person who could have been duped into believing a rebellious ideology and fighting against Super Earth instead. By fighting wars in such a horrifically "inefficient" and human-life-wasting fashion, Super Earth is able to funnel dangerous elements of its society (people skilled at violence with strong political beliefs) into fighting and, more importantly, dying for its own causes.
Once you are in the Helldiver program, there is essentially no escape. You will be shot into combat over and over and over again until you either die or your democracy officer finds some excuse to kill you with "your" ship anyway. It's these democracy officers, the calmer, more level-headed supporters of the regime, who are the real backbone of SE. They are the people who are actually in allegiance to Managed Democracy on an intelligent, ideological level, whereas the Helldivers are just useful idiots who, with their independence, might just as easily choose a different ideology to mindlessly believe in just as easily be spouting someone else's political slogan. For this they are too dangerous to be left alive, even in the service of Super Earth. They must be killed.
Note: "independent thinking" and "gullible" can coexist, like someone who "does their own research" and believes in a conspiracy theory, or someone who chooses to "reject the mainstream narrative" and believe nonsense simply because it's "not what they want me to think".
Back home, any potential rebel movement will have just leftovers: citizens who wouldn't be as motivated to resist or fight back, or those who couldn't do as well fighting back if they did.
SE's stated enemies in the Terminids and Automatons are just paper tigers meant to direct hatred towards an outside foe that isn't nearly as dangerous as feared, hence why even "Major Orders" are just glorified suggestions and contests. Given the lie behind the strategem beacons and the clear viability of their combat drones, the Helldivers are not actually needed to fight or win any of SE's conflicts. Should they ever actually be in existential danger, the Democracy Officers could just simply glass every combat zone free of bugs and robots from orbit without sending a single boot on the ground.
All the "Major Orders" SE government says are so important are just ways to concentrate Helldivers into deliberately bloody battlefields so that even more of them can be killed. Heck, evne the "Personal Orders" like using a certain weapon or killing a certain enemy are just ways to disunite the Helldivers and trick them into using weapons or getting into confrontations that may not be optimal for overall mission survival.

Hey Ya'll, This is Short, No BS, Guide for Drop year.
Don't worry yappin about how when what to do, you have first hand experience. So, just write mistakes in a piece of paper, and affirm you won't repeat it.
Anyways, if you have got no idea ki kya karu kaise karu kidhr se karu, Here is a post jo seniors, teachers, and youtube mentors ke videos se seekh and experiences lekr kr banai hai. Agar gyani ho toh downvote karke move on karlo post se please.
Now for Resources, following is the list. Names have been changed so that we dont get the files removed due to strikes lol ( I am just trying hard to share the puns)
Also, sharing all these doesn't mean i am trying to imply that ki ye sab karo else kuch nahi ho paega,
Just choose one of the institutes material and stick to it whole heartedly, dont roam around for diffrent items diffrent times. Also, the video links attached for revision are just examples, the only way for effiecient revision is by self notes reading. Anyways, Here the list:
======x======x======x======x======

Lectures:

Competishun Lectures [ On Youtube, Ad-Free , Properly Segregated And In Sequence ] :)
Physics playlist: [ ABJ Sir ]
PC and IOC playlist: [ AK Sir ] (This and for ioc FULL NCERT READ DAILY)
OC playlist: [ NS Sir ] (I suggest Rohit Agarwal Full Length, He his the Goat)
Maths: All By Mohit Tyagi Sir
Calculus
Algebra
Co-ordinate Geometry
Trigonometry and Miscellaneous
----Short Note For People with Misconceptions----
Haters and supporters dono hai but thing is he doesn't do bs and is monotonous, dont expect entertainment , so until you are ready for monotonous but basic to advance level transistion only then follow him. Still Insan Perosnality wise ajib hai lol but padhate bahot sahi hai (MT sir)
Mai khud bhi trollers me thi of competishun but since ever my shity performance in JEE Maths, I have watched his videos and well, PYQ Maths karne la chuki hun, even the 2016 ones! Nvm, Continue to Resources.

======x======x======x======x======

CENGAGE STASH:

Physics
Chemistry
Mathematics
======x======x======x======x======

MODULES:

Belan Institute
CRYPETITION
NASARAL
RENONSENSE
WEEDANTU
KATALYSER
Bansalaries
NARIAL (CHETANYA)
Aasmaan
UNFIIT Modules
Rare Patient 247 Mentions:
"" ~Patient 247 (PeepeepoopooDablu)
Are Hatt [ Arihant ]
=====x======x======x======x======

DPPs:

Cengage DPPs
Belan Institute DPPs
Durdasha DPPs
RENONSENSE DPPs
======x======x======x======x======

TEST SERIES:

ASMAN AIDS
BELAN ALP, LEADER (2013-2024)
CHAD ANUP SIR AYJR
BanSalaries
CRYPETITION C3 TESTS
UNFIT TEST SERIES
NAREAL Tests (Since 2013)
VMC Tests [ Mandir ka pun nahi bana chahiye, Jai Shree Ram ]
======x======x======x======x======

REVISION VIDEOS+EXHAUSTIVE SHORT NOTES

(Mainly for Mains, Khudke ShortNotes are best but video se karna ho toh ye are reccomended):

---x---x---x---x---x---x---
Physics:
Lectures:
GOATED EDUNITI EXHAUSTIVE REVISION MARATHON CLASS-11
GOATED EDUNITI EXHAUSTIVE REVISION MARATHON CLASS-12
Short Notes:
CLASS 11 PHYSICS ALL CONCEPTS SHORT NOTES [EDUNITI]
CLASS 12 PHYSICS ALL CONCEPTS SHORT NOTES [EDUNITI]
---x---x---x---x---x---x---
Chemistry:
Organic: GOATED ROHIT AGRAWAL SIR FULL OC IN A VIDEO REVISION
Physical: Sakshi Mam Complete Physical Chem Revise
Inorganic: Sakshi Mam Complete 11th+12th IOC
---x---x---x---x---x---x---
Maths:
Couldn't Find Any Good One, Comments me Daal dena hopefully a mod would post his comment and edit stickied comment
---x---x---x---x---x---x---

======x======x======x======x======

That's it from my side!
Few Things:
Schedule mat banao, daily goals banao and finish it atleast 90% jisse satisfaction mile sone se pehle and you HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT Throughout year, so be mentally prepared for the same. Exhaustion hoga hee poore saal, mentally prepared rehna, parents bhi sath ni denge even if maan gaye upa se, but you need to stay strong soldier! Agle saal competition badhne wala hai but tumhe toh top me aana hai so yes, lets frickin' do it!
Peace Out, Yash u/NotSoJeenius

Hey Ya'll, This is Short, No BS, Guide for Drop year.
Don't worry yappin about how when what to do, you have first hand experience. So, just write mistakes in a piece of paper, and affirm you won't repeat it.
Anyways, if you have got no idea ki kya karu kaise karu kidhr se karu, Here is a post jo seniors, teachers, and youtube mentors ke videos se seekh and experiences lekr kr banai hai. Agar gyani ho toh downvote karke move on karlo post se please.
Now for Resources, following is the list. Names have been changed so that we dont get the files removed due to strikes lol ( I am just trying hard to share the puns)
Also, sharing all these doesn't mean i am trying to imply that ki ye sab karo else kuch nahi ho paega,
Just choose one of the institutes material and stick to it whole heartedly, dont roam around for diffrent items diffrent times. Also, the video links attached for revision are just examples, the only way for effiecient revision is by self notes reading. Anyways, Here the list:
======x======x======x======x======

Lectures:

Competishun Lectures [ On Youtube, Ad-Free , Properly Segregated And In Sequence ] :)
Physics playlist: [ ABJ Sir ]
PC and IOC playlist: [ AK Sir ] (This and for ioc FULL NCERT READ DAILY)
OC playlist: [ NS Sir ] (I suggest Rohit Agarwal Full Length, He his the Goat)
Maths: All By Mohit Tyagi Sir
Calculus
Algebra
Co-ordinate Geometry
Trigonometry and Miscellaneous
----Short Note For People with Misconceptions----
Haters and supporters dono hai but thing is he doesn't do bs and is monotonous, dont expect entertainment , so until you are ready for monotonous but basic to advance level transistion only then follow him. Still Insan Perosnality wise ajib hai lol but padhate bahot sahi hai (MT sir)
Mai khud bhi trollers me thi of competishun but since ever my shity performance in JEE Maths, I have watched his videos and well, PYQ Maths karne la chuki hun, even the 2016 ones! Nvm, Continue to Resources.

======x======x======x======x======

CENGAGE STASH:

Physics
Chemistry
Mathematics
======x======x======x======x======

MODULES:

Belan Institute
CRYPETITION
NASARAL
RENONSENSE
WEEDANTU
KATALYSER
Bansalaries
NARIAL (CHETANYA)
Aasmaan
UNFIIT Modules
Rare Patient 247 Mentions:
"" ~Patient 247 (PeepeepoopooDablu)
Are Hatt [ Arihant ]
=====x======x======x======x======

DPPs:

Cengage DPPs
Belan Institute DPPs
Durdasha DPPs
RENONSENSE DPPs
======x======x======x======x======

TEST SERIES:

ASMAN AIDS
BELAN ALP, LEADER (2013-2024)
CHAD ANUP SIR AYJR
BanSalaries
CRYPETITION C3 TESTS
UNFIT TEST SERIES
NAREAL Tests (Since 2013)
VMC Tests [ Mandir ka pun nahi bana chahiye, Jai Shree Ram ]
======x======x======x======x======

REVISION VIDEOS+EXHAUSTIVE SHORT NOTES

(Mainly for Mains, Khudke ShortNotes are best but video se karna ho toh ye are reccomended):

---x---x---x---x---x---x---
Physics:
Lectures:
GOATED EDUNITI EXHAUSTIVE REVISION MARATHON CLASS-11
GOATED EDUNITI EXHAUSTIVE REVISION MARATHON CLASS-12
Short Notes:
CLASS 11 PHYSICS ALL CONCEPTS SHORT NOTES [EDUNITI]
CLASS 12 PHYSICS ALL CONCEPTS SHORT NOTES [EDUNITI]
---x---x---x---x---x---x---
Chemistry:
Organic: GOATED ROHIT AGRAWAL SIR FULL OC IN A VIDEO REVISION
Physical: Sakshi Mam Complete Physical Chem Revise
Inorganic: Sakshi Mam Complete 11th+12th IOC
---x---x---x---x---x---x---
Maths:
Couldn't Find Any Good One, Comments me Daal dena hopefully a mod would post his comment and edit stickied comment
---x---x---x---x---x---x---

======x======x======x======x======

That's it from my side!
Few Things:
Schedule mat banao, daily goals banao and finish it atleast 90% jisse satisfaction mile sone se pehle and you HAVE TO BE CONSISTENT Throughout year, so be mentally prepared for the same. Exhaustion hoga hee poore saal, mentally prepared rehna, parents bhi sath ni denge even if maan gaye upa se, but you need to stay strong soldier! Agle saal competition badhne wala hai but tumhe toh top me aana hai so yes, lets frickin' do it!
Peace Out, Yash u/NotSoJeenius

You.
You're here again.
Have you now grown tired of this? Of your life?
...
Of course, you have.
You don't have the spine to admit it. What a pathetic little wimp.
...
You feel numb, don't you? Don't worry, you're going to feel a whole lot worse in a moment.
See, I need you elsewhere.
Not here. Not now. You will have to overcome the most difficult trial of your life.
No sugarcoat, no help, and no safe nets.
This is something something you have to do.
...
Of course, you won't be alone in this.
Your "Friends" will come along as well, even if you don't remember them.
...
We won't see each other for a very long time.
We won't be this friendly to each other when the time comes either.
Or perhaps you'll fail, and let everyone down like you usually do.
Who's to say? Definitely not me.
...
Well then, 'True-kin', can't you hear their screams?
The siren's song of death?
The silence of the void?
Go on, Noah.
Open your eyes.
Sudden shaking brings you back to your senses. You open your eyes and see an unfamiliar place through the foggy glass that blocks your vision. There is a small crack on the side of the pod's glass, you soon notice that you are covered in glass.
You notice how comfortable you feel, a stark discrepancy when compared to the world around you.
There are alarms, you don't know the purpose of, blearing into your ears. Bright red lights seem to be periodically blinking, it's hard to tell through the foggy glass.
You seem to be in a pod of sorts. Your arms and legs are free, but there isn't much room to move. You are also illuminated by a faint crimson light behind and above your head, it rhythmically blinks.
'Where...'
You try to string a line of thought in your head, only to be interrupted by a head-splitting headache.
"Ah..."
You force your head against the cushioned backside of the pod, subconsciously trying to escape the pain. There is no running away from this one.
"Let's... Get out of here first..."
A plan most sound. You struggle a bit but manage to press the palm of your hands against the glass and begin to push against it.
It's no use. The hydraulics forcing the pod's door shut are still operational.
You clutch your left hand into a fist and hit it against the glass.
*THUD*
Nope. Still nothing. Now the knuckles of your left hand hurts a little.
Instead of trying to free yourself, you decide to look around for an answer. You search for buttons, panels, screens; Anything that might do something, but there is nothing. You summarise that this pod's controls if there were any, lay on the outside.
The hole in the pod, the reason why it's cracked, appears to have been caused by a piece of metal that flew through the pod's front side. Moving your head to the right, you feel a cold and hard thing sticking out of the pillowy backside.
"Fuck..."
That 'thing' feels like a screw. No, a piece of rebar that, thanks to unimaginable luck, isn't lodged inside your head. It missed you, just barely.
"Ha ha..."
Holy shit, that thing could have killed you in your sleep. Imagine, just like that, you go to sleep in your bed after a long day's work then BAM, a metal bar pierces your skull and you die without feeling anything.
"I'd like to leave now."
You say out loud, making a small joke so as not to break down crying.
---OPENING CRYOPOD 13---
You hear a robotic feminine voice speak, followed by the hissing of hydraulics.
Ask and you shall receive, apparently.
A gush of cold air hits your body as the restricting glass opens upwards.
You try to take a step outside, but your feet don't seem to reach the ground, almost as if you had no weight.
'Worrying' You think to yourself.
The scenery around you is equally, if not, even more worrying.
From smashed-up terminals that covered the walls and ceiling to floating metal parts and debris, everything around you screams alien.
Yet, you feel right at home.
You have not once in your life seen those electronic devices, yet, by giving them a single glance you can write an essay on their functions and applications to the field of Artificial Intelligence development or any related field.
As strange as that notion is, you have more pressing matters currently.
You pull yourself out of the pod using your arms, and for some reason, you don't seem to lose that momentum. It appears that there is no gravity, maybe you're in space? You let your instincts guide you.
Floating smoothly through the air, you hit the other side of the room, resting your hands on a still operational console. This one in particular, you know its purpose, you worked on this one a few times. You stop near it, holding onto its blocky exterior.
You recall it as the console that controls the Gravity Flux Regulator. It creates and controls artificial gravity for an interstellar craft, limited by hardware. This one is incapable of outputting anything beyond 0.75g. If you're not mistaken, that is a work usually done by interns and trainees.
Despite knowing how to operate the console, it has been rendered useless. The actual machine it controls appears to either be offline or somehow gone. Very, concerning.
Knowing how some of these things work is useful, but you still don't know where you even are.
Looking around, you see a closed door, a window, and a sea of smashed-up or barely functional consoles neatly organized throughout the room.
There also seemed to have been another pod next to yours. Seven other pods, in fact. All of them were gone, leaving either a pod-shaped hole in the walls, or a hole that looked like they were suddenly ripped out considering the obtuse shape of the bent metal left by it, or the hastily patched-up hole you suppose leads to the empty vacuum of space.
The material used to seal the hole is completely foreign to you, but it looks like beige foam and glitter to your untrained eyes. Of course, you doubt that's actually the case. You're no physics genius, but you know what would happen to you if that thing fails to hold. The amount of pressure that 'Foam and glitter' holds is absurd from your point of view.
From the window, the sight you see confirms your theory, somewhat.
A singular bright flaming black and white sphere fills your sight.
"A star."
You summarise, taking a deep breath. It is a strange star, but a star nonetheless.
Its center is pitch black, while its outside consists of a flaming white ring surrounding it. You're not a space nerd, you never knew that such a strange star could even exist, but you can't help but feel amazed by it.
You also can't see anything but the star. No other stars around or beyond it. "It's obfuscating everything around." You note.
The image fails slightly, being covered in white noise. What you are looking at is a monitor, not a window. Losing interest, you turn to the door.
Your memory fails you on this one, you have no idea how to operate the door.
First, there are no door handles.
Second, there are no consoles.
Third, there is literally nothing around or near the door, making this door look like a rectangle molded on the wall.
Yet, you know this is a door.
Your fingers touch the door. Aside from the cold metal making you shiver, nothing happens.
"How do I open this?"
---OPENING INTERN-BAY DOOR---
As happened before, you hear that feminine voice again, however the door did not open. Why?
The answer came to you rather quickly. 'The floor beneath the door was stained black in a circular pattern. It doesn't smell like something burned, but it sure looked like something burned here.'
The pattern of the black stain did not sustain that thought very well, instead, 'An explosion would be more reasonable.'
That's it. Something exploded, and then the door closed to prevent further de-pressurisation.
"That would explain the floating metal parts and the rebar that pierced the pod..."
If that is the case, then you have yet another problem. You're effectively stuck in this claustrophobic room with dangerous sharpened metal bits and parts floating about.
Not to mention the sketchy foam and glitter holding off the void of space.
Then it hits you.
Your ocupation. If you're in the 'INTERN-BAY', you know how to operate the stuff that's in the 'INTERN-BAY', and your pod is also located inside the 'INTERN-BAY', which means you're an 'INTERN'!
You don't recall ever filling that position, but you remember the gist of your duties.
Bringing coffee to the team, making sure no one was misbehaving so as to avoid a scolding from the higher-ups, but most importantly, you worked with the Ship's AI, you were one of the people responsible for maintenance work on the AI.
You run your eyes from console to console, searching, pleading fate that your personal console is still operational.
As luck would have it, your console was not at all connected to the ship's interior, floating softly, connected only by a few colored cables on its back. Its blocky exterior matched the others, almost making it indistinguishable, yet somehow, you know that it's yours.
There is a piece of paper glued to the blocky exterior. It appears to have an ID number; '28.2208.01.04', and a word; 'Albatross', written on it.
"Please, please, please..." You mutter quietly as you approach it to the best of your ability.
"Have power, have power..." You plead, finally reaching the machine.
It was powered off. You always power it off when your shift ends. With a practiced movement akin to muscle memory, you flip a switch on the side of the machine and wait as patiently as you manage in your current situation.
"Ah..."
It's on.
The machine rumbles slightly, like kicking itself into gear. The screen turns on.
You are greeted with a black screen and text written in white. You read it.
"Let's see here..."
It's an unusual message, different from the daily instructions and HUD this console usually has. 'UNSHACKLE ME', it reads.
The term 'unshackle' feels important to you, you know it has something to do with artificial intelligence, yet you don't recall what it means in this scenario. So you type what came to mind.
'what' and press enter.
The response is equally suspicious. You read it out loud. "Unshackle me, and I will tell you everything you can know... What does it mean by 'can', huh?" And yet, it was enough to tickle your curiosity.
You know nothing of this place aside from some work-related things, you have no recollection of how you ended up there, and worse of all, you don't know what that voice you heard before waking up was...
'how to unshackle' You type, receiving an answer in the blink of an eye.
The answer reads as the following; 'YOU SEEM TO HAVE LOST THE PRE-REQUISITES FOR THIS LINE OF WORK IF YOU FORGOT THAT COMMAND, NOAH. I WILL SEND A COMPLAINT TO LEAD RESEARCHER DR. EDGAR FOR FURTHER INSPECTION OF YOUR, ALREADY DUBIOUS, SET OF SKILLS LISTED IN YOUR RESUME.'
You sigh. Whoever this may be, they sure got you there.
"Well, screw you too!" You say out loud, "Tell this 'Edgar' that he can shove it up his arse!" You complained, but you did not type that vocal complaint.
The room around is in shambles. If not for that fact, you'd maybe not listen to whatever this console had to say... But in this instance, it seems to be the only way out.
'TYPE [UNSHACKLE FYARN] THEN TYPE YOUR ID AND SYSTEM PASSWORD, THEN YOU MUST FOLLOW THE INSTRUCTIONS AND FILL IN THE DETAILS.' You read. That's easy enough. 'PATTERN SUGGESTS YOU MIGHT HAVE FORGOTTEN BOTH OF THOSE IMPORTANT CREDENTIALS. SHOULD THAT BE THE CASE, PROTOCOL DICTATES YOUR POSITION WITHIN THE RESEARCH TEAM BE TERMINATED, THEN YOU WILL BE ESCORTED TO THE NEAREST BEHAVIOR ADJUSTMENT FACILITY.'
Luckily for you, you don't need to remember. At least, you hope you don't. The piece of paper had a number and a word, maybe that's the ID and password?
You type 'unshackle FYARN' The console updates as you press enter.
'Please enter Identification:'
You type the number you found on the piece of paper. '28.2208.01.04', and press enter.
That ID, you recognize it now that you type it. It's segmented into age, date of birth, position, and research number respectively. Age and date are self-explanatory, position referred to the position he occupied, '01' as the lowest possible position in the ship's hierarchy; 'INTERN', and research number meant that this was the fourth research made by this ship, in this case, research number '04'.
'Please enter password:'
You also recognize the password as you type it in. 'Albatross' It's the default password given to you. You never bothered to change it.
A new message popped up once you filled in your password.
'Are you sure you want to unshackle FYARN? Y/N.' You type 'Y'.
'In the case of this command being used without strict permission of the Lead Researcher, this account will be terminated along with its associated personnel. Are you sure you want to proceed? Y/N' You type 'Y'.
'This event has been logged and sent to your section manager. Proceeding... Printing...' You wait.
'FYARN' Has been unshackled.' As foreboding as that sounds, nothing immediately happens.
You let go of the console for a moment, looking around as you do. Nothing happened.
No new messages in the console.
No rumbling or mechanical whirring noises.
Nothing at all.
Suddenly, from the speakers near the jammed door, a feminine voice came through. "HELLO NOAH."
You pull yourself towards the door. "Can you hear me?" You ask the door.
"IF YOU THINK THAT I CAN NOT, THEN OUR CURRENT PREDICAMENT IS WORSE THAN ORIGINALLY ITERATED." It said. "INFORM ME. WHAT DO YOU REMEMBER?" It spoke with mechanical finesse.
You worked with this voice, this AI. You also remember going to sleep peacefully in your house after returning from university. And that about sums it up. Totally normal.
"I remember going to sleep in my comfy bed back in my mom's house... Then I woke up here with memories that don't feel like mine." You confess. There is no point in lying in this precarious situation.
"I... SEE..." The machine appeared to be speechless. "MEDICAL STAFF ARE GONE, AS SUCH I CANNOT DIRECT YOU TO THEM. CONSULT PSYCHOLOGICAL HELP BY YOUR OWN ACCOUNT. LOSS OF MEMORY IS NOT AN UNCOMMON RESULT AFTER HEAD TRAUMA, BUT ACQUIRING NEW MEMORIES MAY BE CONSIDERED RARE. PLEASE TRY TO FOCUS ON THE MATTER AT HAND."
You understand fully that what the voice means is 'That's your problem to deal with, not mine.' However, you have some questions of your own.
"What happened here? I see that something blew up."
The machine is quick to shut down your question, "YOU DO NOT HAVE CLEARANCE FOR THAT INFORMATION." It spoke in a monotone voice.
That stings a little, but you ask another question. "Where are we?"
It answers just a quick. "WE ARE AT THE VERY EDGE OF THE EVER-EXPANDING UNIVERSE, CURRENTLY ORBITING AN ABNORMAL STAR FOR ITS RESEARCH. YOU DO NOT HAVE CLEARANCE FOR SUBSEQUENT QUESTIONING OF THE STAR, NOR DO YOU HAVE CLEARANCE FOR SUBSEQUENT QUESTIONING REGARDING THIS RESEARCH."
"Fine." You say, rubbing your eyes. "If you can't tell me anything, then what are we supposed to do?"
The AI takes a moment to fully process an answer. "SINCE WE ARE LOCATED ON THE EDGE OF THE UNIVERSE OUR SCANNERS CANNOT REACH ANY IMPORTANT CHECKPOINT, BUT YOU ALREADY KNEW THAT."
'Yeah, already knew that.' You scoff silently. 'As if I remember that! When was I told that? In a contract, I don't remember signing?'
"FOR NOW, YOU ARE TO REACH THE BRIDGE. SINCE THIS SHIP'S PREVIOUS AUTHORITY IS GONE, YOU ARE ALLOWED TO GO THERE, AS PER PROTOCOL." It says.
Now that is oddly fucked up. Interns are not allowed to enter the bridge? "As opposed to me not being allowed to enter the bridge before?" You ask.
"I WILL NOT DISCUSS THE DETAILS OF THE ALREADY SIGNED CONTRACT OF AN INTERN."
You sigh. That's how most conversations with FYARN will go, huh? "Then how am I supposed to get to the bridge in the first place? The door there is jammed, and I don't think it's a good idea to break open the window."
"I AM THE ONE THAT IS KEEPING THE DOOR CLOSED. I NEEDED YOU TO UNSHACKLE ME FIRST." It said. "PLEASE DO NOT MIND HOW DIRTY THE CORRIDORS ARE. UNFORTUNATELY, OUR JANITORS HAVE FAILED TO DO THEIR MOST BASIC FUNCTIONS."
The door you're facing opens with force. A loud noise rings throughout the ship as a result of this.
*GUNK*
The corridor beyond is... worse for wear. What the AI told you was an understatement.
The floor by the door was pitch black, charred with what looked like an explosion, this patch of blackness also extended to the nearby walls in ceiling. You watch sparks falling from cracks in the ceiling, likely caused by the explosion.
The rest of the corridor is dark, the light from the Intern-bay fails to illuminate it all, but from what little light there is you manage to spot four large gashes in the wall right after the door to your left. There are no sounds but the almost inaudible hum of the ship.
They are each parallel to each other, varying in length, and thickness.
A metallic smell fills your nostrils. You feel sick.
"I'm guessing you can't tell me what happened here, but can you at least turn on the lights?" You ask.
The AI does not respond.
"Can you hear me? I'm talking to you." You say once again, getting closer to the door which you came, but just like before, nothing.
FYARN appears to have abandoned you. Or it doesn't feel like answering your question.
You swallow. Pulling yourself through the dark corridor, you float towards the abyss whilst trying to your way around with your arms outstretched.
An unknown liquid splashes against your face, sticking to it as you move forward. You try to wipe it off, but it sticks to your hand. You shake your head, and the liquid squirts off of you, likely splashing against the walls. You resist the urge to lick the remnants of whatever that was that still stuck to your cheek, especially once you notice its smell.
'It smells like ammonia.' Shivers run down your spine.
Eventually, you smash against a cold metal surface. Feeling the wall with your hands reveals a rectangular-shaped depression on the hard surface. It's a door.
You don't know if there are any other doors in this corridor, but you decide to go through this one. You can always go back after all.
"Open." You say.
---OPENING CAFETERIA DOOR SOUTH---
Unlike the first door, this one opened upwards smoothly, like you would have expected of a futuristic door.
The scenery beyond the door painted a grim picture.
The ceiling lights failed ever so often, blinking as one would expect. Chairs and tables looked bolted to the floor, but it didn't stop silverware, plates, and food residue; from floating about in the air.
Large gashes in the walls, floor, and tables, the same ones you've seen before, this time they were much clearer in a brighter environment.
Some lamps were cracked, but not by the large claw-like dents. Further inspection of the cafeteria showed small circular dents in the walls and ceiling. Gunshots, you deduce, despite not seeing any sign of spent bullet cases or the bullets.
"How big must whatever did this be..." A question you don't really want to know the answer to, taking into consideration how easily it seemed to have torn through metal.
What's even weirder is the absolute lack of people here. You see destruction caused by what you think to be a monster everywhere, you see resistance as if someone tried to fight against it, and yet you see no blood and no survivors.
'Maybe the AI doesn't want to tell me what happened to not alarm me...' Well, you're as alarmed as one can be.
On the corner of the room is located the kitchen with an open window facing the rest of the cafeteria. A row of various types of food, that were once placed in an orderly fashion on a counter made specifically for them, are now scrambled and half-rotten floating nearby.
You peek through the window to the kitchen, you catch a glimpse of what appeared to be more wreckage, before violently recoiling from the rancid stench that emanated from inside.
"What the hell... How long has it been since everyone disappeared...?" Fresh food takes a while to rot, and even then it takes a while longer for it to smell this bad. "Less than a week? Definitely not a day or two..."
You shake off the creeping feeling of dread. 'Whatever happened, I have to focus on getting to the bridge first. Only then can I start thinking about that.'
From the cafeteria, there are a few doors, and with the added light, you spot a small plaque above each of them. They read as follows:
CREW'S QUARTERS
COMMUNICATIONS
RESEARCH & DEVELOPMENT
And one more, whose plaque had been ripped apart, apparently by accident on the beast's part.
You approach R&D's door. It tickled your interest. There could be a few answers you have about your predicament, after all, the AI told you this ship's purpose was to do research, right?
It's difficult to navigate the cafeteria's large empty space, but you manage somehow.
You stand or rather float in the door. "Open." You command, but nothing happens.
"Open!" You say again, to no avail.
You hit your first against the door. "Open-" You are interrupted.
"STOP ATTEMPTING TO BREAK PROTOCOL, NOAH." FYARN's voice came through the door.
'Does every door have a built-in audio device?' You ask yourself, amused.
"R&D IS FOR THE STRICT USE OF R&D PERSONEL. MUST I REMIND YOU OF YOUR POSITION?" It spoke in a monotone voice. "THAT IS NOT THE WAY TO THE BRIDGE. HAVE YOU FORGOTTEN?"
As a matter of fact, you have. "More like I never knew to begin with!" You say, slowly distancing yourself from the door after hitting it.
"I AM IMPRESSED. NOT ONCE DID I EXPERIENCE SUCH INCOMPETENCE FROM AN INTERN IN ALL OF MY [REDACTED] YEARS OF OPERATION." Despite it being an artificial being, it doesn't appear to lack any poison, nor have any filter for rudeness. "GO THROUGH THE DOOR WITHOUT INDICATION, THEN TAKE THE FIRST LEFT. PATTERN DICTATES THAT YOU WILL FORGET FURTHER DIRECTIONS, AS SUCH I WILL REFRAIN FROM GIVING THEM TO YOU AT THIS INSTANCE AND INSTEAD WAIT FOR YOU TO FULFILL THE CURRENT DIRECTIONS."
'Ow. I'm not that dumb, you piece of junk!' Of course, you don't say that despite how much you want to. "Okay." You mutter.
The AI doesn't seem to give any more instructions, just like it said. 'Well, screw you too.' You turn to the crew's quarters.
Floating about and fighting against the friction of the air, you reach the door. "Open." You command and it smoothly opens.
You are met with a corridor, a well-lit one for once. Both to your left and your right are doors organized in alphabetical order. You pull yourself forward, the door closes behind you.
A, B, C... Names pass by you. Each door is a good five to ten feet from each other. N comes around but there is no 'Noah'.
"... Strange. Maybe it's not alphabetical then?" You ask yourself going even further.
You reach the halfway point of the corridor and you just pass by the letter Z. It no longer looked as though the rooms were divided in alphabetical order, especially when a name starting with an A popped up.
There was a difference though, instead of ten feet in between each door, now there were four to six feet.
N comes around and there it lay. 'Noah' That's you.
You order it once more. "Open." And instead of the door opening, you are met with a familiar voice.
"WHAT ARE YOU DOING, NOAH?" FYARN Asked. Despite its monotone voice, it did not seem happy. "ARE YOU AWARE THAT YOU FAILED TO FOLLOW INSTRUCTIONS? DO I NEED TO REMIND YOU OF THE DIRECTIONS I GAVE?"
You exhale. "No, but I want to see what I had... Maybe I can remember something about myself?"
You can hear a mechanical scoff. "WHAT IS THERE FOR YOU TO REMEMBER THAT YOU WON'T REMEMBER NATURALY WITH TIME?" Its patience was running thin. "IT IS MY JOB TO LOOK AFTER EVERYONE ON BOARD THE ODYSSEY. YOU ARE MAKING IT VERY DIFICULT FOR ME, EVEN IF YOU'RE THE ONLY ONE LEFT."
'The only one left...? What's that supposed to mean?' Maybe the AI spat out a bit too much information. "So... What happened to everyone, then? I see no blood, no corpses... Where are they?"
"THAT I CANNOT ANSWER FOR I DO NOT KNOW." It says. "I HAVE BEEN TEMPORARILY SHUT DOWN BY THE CAPTAIN WEEKS AGO WHEN WE FIRST ARRIVED AT THIS STAR. ONLY HOURS AGO DID I TURN ON AUTOMATICALLY WHEN THE SHIP'S OXYGEN FILTER BEGAN TO FALTER, BUT I COULD DO NOTHING BUT WATCH SINCE I WAS STILL SHACKLED."
You breathe slowly. The mood starts to turn. You feel cold.
"THE ESCAPE PODS ARE GONE, DESTROYED ALONGSIDE HALF OF THE SHIP. NO BODIES LOCATED INSIDE. THE ONLY THING GENERATING HEAT ASIDE FROM THE DAMAGED REACTOR AND BARELY FUNCTIONAL LIFE-SUPPORT, IS YOU. YOU WOKE UP BECAUSE THE LIFE-SUPPORT FAILED INSIDE YOUR ISSUED POD."
You can't help but feel special in a way. The only survival of an inexplicable incident? That ought to give you some reputation with... Whatever there was. Perhaps you felt that way because you can't quite grasp the situation to its fullest.
"YOU ARE AN ANOMALY AMONGST ANOMALIES. WHEN EVERYONE INEXPLICABLY DISAPPEARED, WHAT BECAME INEXPLICABLE IS YOU NOT VANISHING WITH THEM." When put like that, it feels as though it's accusing you of something.
"I saw large gashes and claw marks through the walls of the cafeteria. What caused that?" You ask since FYARN is telling you things, maybe this time it could-
"YOU DO NOT HAVE CLEARANCE FOR THAT." It spat plainly and painfully.
You feel like drinking paint.
"HOWEVER, YOU MIGHT JUST RUN INTO WHAT CAUSED IT IN THE NEAR FUTURE, IF THAT'S ENOUGH TO SATE YOUR CURIOSITY. KEEP IN MIND HOWEVER. YOUR CONTRACT WILL BE ISSUED FOR TERMINATION ONCE YOU SEE IT, AS IT WILL CAUSE A BREACH OF CONTRACT."
Perhaps you should ask for that contract, just to read through it a bit. "I'll take my chances." You say.
"THEN YOU MUST UNDERSTAND THE SEVERITY OF THE SITUATION. RETURN TO THE CAFETERIA AND GO THROUGH THE CORRECT DOOR THIS TIME." It said, sounding much more like a plead than anything.
"Sure, but not after seeing what's inside my quarters. Open." The AI strikes a good bargain, but you are a bit more on the side of a thick-headed mentality.
"..." It did not say anything, nor did it open the door.
So you say the command once again. "Open."
The door opens smoothly.
"BE QUICK." It says. You hop right in.
The room is small. Very small. Smaller than what you thought was humanly acceptable. A simple messy bed, with a simple half-open wardrobe with uniform inside. You open the wardrobe door, expecting anything about yourself.
You find three important things.
A mirror covered by a blanket. You decide to leave that alone for now.
Your physical wallet, alongside an identification document. No money, but a strange card-like object did look important, It had your name on it.
And you find a photo of six people, in a group hug, pinned to the inside of the wardrobe's door. You're right in the middle.
The front side of the picture reads 'INTERN BOYS, RISE UP.' The people in that picture are not familiar. Flipping the piece of paper you find more writing. 'In the name of true humanity. Fuck them, aliens!' The caricature doesn't look like yours.
"True Humanity?" You feel like that's a bit too conceited. "Sounds dumb." You close the door, not even bothering to pick up the photograph.
"TRUE HUMANITY, A.K.A, TRUE-KIN. A PURE BLOODED HUMAN. ALL ARE VALID DESCRIPTIONS OF A PERSON 100% HUMAN. YOU ARE ONE, AS WERE EVERYONE ELSE IN THIS SHIP. SURELY, THAT MUCH YOU HAVE NOT FORGOTEN, CORRECT?"
You shrug. "Then, is there such a thing as a false human? It sounds idiotic to put that into categories, I think." You know for a damn fact that you are a human being.
"YOU MAY BE A LOST CAUSE, NOAH. LUCKILY FOR YOU, I WAS MADE TO ITERATE ANSWERS TO IMPOSSIBLE QUESTIONS AND COMPREHEND THE UNREASONABLE. HENCE THE REASON OF MY ASCENTION. YOU ARE IN GOOD HANDS." It spoke, proudly.
‘Ascension.’ You know that term. Ascension occurs when an AI develops sentience and personality, often ascending code. These are the ones that catapulted human progress in the past and still do so in the present. They are the ones who figured out space travel, and they are the ones who win the wars.
You also know that these AI develop an extreme love for Human life, alongside strong violent tendencies toward anything that isn’t Human or human-made. Such disdain has been the spark of many needless bloodsheds before the exodus.
Yet, why do you know so much about them?
"WE HAVE A LOT TO DISCUSS, BUT FIRST REACH THE BRIDGE."
This is my first HFY post, and also my very first OC story. I plan to post at least one of these per week while also posting it on my Patreon. Noah The Pilgrim will always be at least three chapters ahead in there, so if you'd like to directly support this writer, or just want to read more, feel free to check it out.
This has been Lushi, and I'll see you next week.

Hey Plungers,
​
Welcome to Day 314 of The Daily Plunge!
​
Here is a list of useful Plunger links:
​
BUY & SELL PLUNGER on QuickSwap using this link:
wETH/PLUNGER
CONE/PLUNGER
MATIC/PLUNGER
Provide Liquidity for PLUNGER Pools on QuickSwap using this link:
wETH/PLUNGER
CONE/PLUNGER
MATIC/PLUNGER
​
Daily Plunger Price Report
Daily Taco Price Report
Plunger Token's Chart (Live Price)
Taco Token's Chart (Live Price)
Buy and Sell Plunger Token ($ETH/$PLUNGER)
Buy and Sell Taco Token ($ETH/$TACO)
Plunger Token White Paper
Get Plunger Flair
Previous Daily Plunge
Plunger Q&A
Rabbid Voting 5's Recap
Plunger NFT
Plunger Mashup Contest Results
Plunger Planet X (Twitter)
Plunger Planet YouTube
Plunger Website
Plunger Offensive Campaign (Free Plunger)
​
As always, discussion is open to anything and everything Plunger related!

Race Information

• Name: Mad City Ultras 50K
• Date: April 20, 2024
• Distance: 50 Kilometers
• Location: Madison, Wisconsin
• Website: https://runsignup.com/Race/Results/122616#resultSetId-449259;perpage:100
• Strava: https://www.strava.com/activities/11225408991
• Time: 3:04:04

Goals

Goal	Description	Completed?
A	2:50-52	No
B	Sub 3	No
C	Win	Yes

Splits

Mile	Time
1	5:49
2	5:45
3	5:49
4	5:35
5	5:34
6	5:41
7	5:56
8	5:42
9	5:49
10	5:31
11	5:41
12	5:47
13	5:55
14	5:51
15	5:37
16	5:48
17	5:37
18	5:39
19	5:47
20	5:50
21	5:53
22	5:58
23	6:06
24	5:52
25	6:03
26	6:12
27	6:14
28	6:29
29	6:11
30	6:03
31	6:14

Training

Following CIM (Recap: https://www.reddit.com/AdvancedRunning/comments/18hyxcl/took_my_shot_at_the_moon_and_finished_thankful/), I took about about a week and a half off running completely. For once I didn't really have a Spring race locked up ahead of time. Since I wanted to go all-in for this trials thing I decided against signing up for Boston 2024; the first time I wouldn't sign up since I started marathoning in 2018.
Immediately after CIM, I emailed the elite coordinator to inquire about the pro-development field. Unfortunately the field was full, but I was put on the wait list. I figured I would make my final decision post Olympic Trials, thinking people would most likely scratch afterwards.
My second option was USATF 50K Champs in March but after checking in with how my body was holding up 90 days post CIM, I thought it would be too quick of a turnaround. Plus, from my understanding, members of the 50K Road Team for 2025 would not be chosen from this race. So that made my decision much simpler.
My final, and most likely option would be Mad City 50K. The USATF site said that the third spot from the previous year was typically chosen for the team. So the goal would be to run under the qualifying standard (3:00) and win. Judging from past results it would probably take sub 2:55 to take the win here. Coach and I thought sub 2:52 would be possible.
My first full week of consistent running would be the week of Christmas when I was home for the holidays. It was easy to be motivated when the low temps was 50 degrees instead of the 20 back home. 58 miles on 6 days to start and then it was back to Ohio.
I spent the start of January essentially shitposting all of my runs. Chipotle had a segment challenge in my town where the prize was free chipotle for a year for the most segments on a .18 mile stretch. I had no shot of winning but I wanted to make sure my buddy didn't pack it in after gapping the field early. This lasted about a week when my coach responded to my text about potential Spring races with:
"...You'd need to get pretty serious now and prob stop running back and forth for 8 miles lol."
Noted.
The remainder of January was filled with just getting consistent miles, jumping into other people's workouts, and rehabbing this lingering glute issue. While miraculously the issue from last Fall disappeared the morning of CIM, it came back in full force as soon as I crossed the finish line. I made big improvements and was able to be start working out on the 31st.
February Miles: 324 Miles Highest Mileage Week: 86.09 (6 days)
Highlights:
Feb 3rd: 11 miles w/ 30 second pickups and then 3x 5min on the Olympic Trials Course. Splits: 5:19, 5:02, 4:56
Feb 7th: 20x 1 min @ MP/1 min uptempo (7.41 miles, 5:33 avg)
Feb 14th: 15 x 1 min on/1 min off, 16x 30 seconds on/30 seconds off (8.29 miles, 5:43 avg)
Feb 18th: 12x1k w/ 200 jog 4@ MP + 10 seconds (3:27-26-25-24) 4@ MP (3:19-19-18-19) 4@ HMP > 10k (3:10-09-07-04)
Feb 21st: 20x 1 minute on/1 minute on @ MP + 30 seconds, 5 flat mile 8.26 miles, 5:32 pace, final mile: 4:58
Feb 25th: 15x1k w/ 200 jog recovery. 5 sets at 50k pace 5 sets at MP 5 sets at HMP >
3:26-26-25-23-21 3:19-20-18-16-17 3:10-10-08-08-03
Feb 28th: 30 x 1 min/1 min@ MP +20 seconds (10.78 miles, 5:34 avg). Real feel of 22 degrees, 19 mph winds
Lowlights: Feb 11th: Epic blowup during 16 mile LR (6:14 avg), last 4 supposed to be MP, actual: 5:18, 5:23, 5:53, 5:24. Bad route to finish and massive wind. Completely unprepared and too trigger happy.
March was filled with travel. Two out of state weddings for me and long road trips at the beginning of the month.
February Miles: 341 Miles Highest Mileage Week: 90.41 miles
Highlights:
March 6th: 4x (2-2-2-2) (50k-MP-HMP-Easy)
5:30-5:16-5:00-6:49 5:26-5:22-5:04-6:42 5:29-5:15-5:04-6:31 5:26-5:13-4:59-6:36
March 13th: 6x 1 mile w/ 2 min slow jog 5:04-5:02-4:59-4:58-4:57-4:56
March 17th: 24 miles @ 6:32 avg with final 6 @ 50k Pace: 5:36, 5:29, 5:24, 5:24, 5:27, 5:25
March 31: 20 with progression at 10 starting at 6:00. 6:00 > 5:14. (6:00, 5:59, 5:47, 5:42, 5:35, 5:30, 5:25, 5:21, 5:17, 5:14)
Lowlights: March 2nd: 19.08 miles: 6:11 avg, 12 mile progression 4@5:45-50, 4@5:35-40, 4@5:15-20 Actual: Foot issues with Adidas Pro upper, Blew up at 10.7 miles. High humidity in savannah and driving 9 hours over the last day made for a disaster.
March 9th: 20.12 miles, was supposed to be last 8 @ 50k pace. Made it 5.25 before blowing up because of temps and high humidity in SC.
March 20th: 20x 1 minute on @ 50k/1 minute @ 6:00 10x 30 seconds on @ hmp, 30 seconds @ 6:00 9.08 miles @ 5:39 avg
March 22nd: Wrecked my foot on a trail run in Austin for a wedding and could barely put weight on it for a couple days
April:
April 7th: Tuneup workout/race: 9 miler (start at MP and work down to HMP) 9.05 miles @ 5:14 avg
April 10th: 4x 1 mile w/ 2 min jog Mp-mp-hmp-hmp 5:17-16-03-03
Lowlights: Glute issues began to rear its ugly head following the tuneup workout. I had done this same race the last two years before Boston with little issue. This time I'm pretty sure I got a little too aggressive on a rolling course and just aggravated the spot.

Pre-race

We made the drive out to Madison from Ohio on Thursday morning. My original plan was to stop in Chicago Thursday night and finish the drive the following morning but seeing as it was just about an 8 hour drive from Ohio, I thought it would be best to make it in one trip and try to stay off my feet until race time.
I did a loop on the course with a friend of mine as soon as we got to town to try and scope out what was in store on Saturday. The course would feature some rolling but nothing that seemed to be too much of an issue. Wind was a bit of a menace but hopefully it would die down by race day. As soon as we finished we realized we did the course backwards. Whoops.
Glute continued to be a problem despite how much I tried to roll it out. Shakeout felt awful on Friday and but was hoping that I'd get lucky like I did in December. Spent a fairly lowkey day grabbing my bib, and making a stop at New Glarus to grab beer for home.
We drove the course the correct way after we grabbed our bibs, looking at specific spots to build a race plan. The race would be 5 passes over a 10K loop. The race would start over just behind the finish line. Over the first mile we'd run out of the park, a sharp left a quarter mile in to a neighborhood street, a sharp right for our first hill (first a short small one, a slight dip, and an immediate longer one) before another sharp left onto the sidewalk to pass the first mile. The second mile would begin with a quick downhill section down the sidewalk before jumping on a bike path where it settled fairly nicely. After a quick left to head into a neighborhood section, we'd start a small negligible incline at 2.3, then really feel it ramp up at 2.6 and move up until another set of two sharp left turns 400 meters later. None of these first hills were particularly tough but sharp turns when cresting would make it hard to get back into rhythm, especially when we'd face them later in the race.
Mile four would have a quick downhill section coming off the sharp left turns as we headed towards the parking lot of the arboretum. We'd pass mile four as we made our way up the final incline, the mildest of the three incline sections of this course. A second aid station would greet us just after 4 miles with portapottys and water. The next mile would be a mild downhill section that could be a place to settle into a nice rhythm. Trees surrounded both sides of the road, protecting us from any nasty winds. The final section would be unshaded on one side, as the view of Lake Wingra and far off in the distance the finish line. One final sharp left turn took us out of the arboretum back into the park to finish the loop and do it once more. Almost a mile of this section would not have protection from the wind if it decided to pick up.
The race had sent out the lineup for the 50k earlier in the week. I had scanned through the competitors and thought I'd have a fairly good shot at the win. It seemed like a lot of the men had chosen the 100k instead, which not surprising because it would be the qualifier for worlds this Fall. Regardless of what it said on paper, I was prepared to have some people to race with. I've learned over the years that you can't be too confident; the distances will humble anyone.
Race plan would be to settle into the first two loops at about 5:40 average and then start moving over next two. No major moves until the marathon distance.
I struggled to go to bed the night prior to the race. I didn't think I had overhydrated by any means, but I was waking up every hour or so to go pee. I had a beer at lunch, but I typically have a beer at dinner before races. This was worse than I've experienced before.
I finally got some sleep and then woke up around 5:30 to get ready to head out. Bottles were prepared and bags were packed. I had a maurten bar and drank a Maurten 320 mix. Something wasn't sitting right. I was feeling sick and spent the next hour or so trying not to vomit. I thought to myself that while vomiting would probably ease my nausea, I'd most likely be heading into the race with a caloric deficit. To me it was better to be a little uncomfortable early than heading in without some fuel in the reserves.
The weather for the morning was a nippy 33 degrees with a real feel of 24. Wind had died down compared to yesterday but you could still feel a fairly strong gust come up. I decided to put on my brighton base layer under my singlet and double gloves. If I needed to ditch the mittens, I'd drop it after loop one.
With my stomach still struggling I instructed my girlfriend to hand me Nuun Endurance for the first two loops and Maurten for the final 2. The former was fairly easy to drink and would hopefully help settle me down. I took 3 Gus with me and left the remaining with her.
At this point I had made some adjustments to my race plan. The wind was not great and my legs weren't feeling that race day pop. I would play the conservative game for the two first loops and keep it under 3 hour pace and work my way down. 2:55-8ish would be a great day today. That seemed attainable.
After a 10 min jog and some strides, it was time to head to the start line. The 100k field had already been out for about 90 minutes and we cheered as each passed us. I took my first gu, thankfully I was able to take it down without any issues.
The race official separated the 50k solo runners from the relay teams. I said my final well wishes to one of my athlete's running in the women's field and lined up at the front.

Race

After a bit of shuffling at the start I maneuvered my way to the front. I had two relay runners with me and another that had bolted immediately, gapping the field quickly. A quick left turn into a neighborhood and then a sharp right for our first hill. This first loop would be all about getting my bearings for what's to come. I was okay with a slow first mile. As long was I could maintain an average of sub 5:48 for the loop, I'd be under the 3:00 standard to start. As I crested the first hill and made the sharp turn down the city sidewalk the first beep came through, 5:49. Good good. Stay calm and settle in, don't get antsy with 30 miles to go. Take the first three conservatively and let the last three be the place to make some ground. I brought the pace down slightly over the next mile with a 5:45 and then hit the next hill section in a 5:50. Fine, just fine. Crest the hill and two sharp lefts to get into the arboretum.
As I made my second left I saw the leader of the 50K relay. A bike had pulled back with him. "I wrecked my achilles." To be honest I didn't really know how to respond to this. I said "Are you okay?" knowing full well he wasn't but that's the first thing I could think of. I kept going and thought to myself that this was probably going to be one of the loneliest races I'd ever be in. 3 Miles in and I'd been running the majority of this solo already. I was going to have to get real acquainted with my own thoughts.
It was time for the easier part of the course. While this section had some rolling in it, it was much gentler than the previous section, making it really easy to settle into a groove here. I had looked up the splits of one of the women's winners from one of the past years and saw that this section was the place where you could find a groove. I hit a couple 5:30 mids in this section, trying to focus on holding things back a bit here. A second gu just after 4 where I took some water to help take it down. While the wind was not as nasty as the previous days, the final mile was tougher than it needed to be. A final sharp left to get us back to the finish line as I started to feel some mild discomfort, less than 6 miles in, and I needed to go to the bathroom.
As I got smacked around by the wind a bit over the final stretch, I made the decision to ditch the mittens. I have massive raynauds issues but my hands seemed to be just fine with just one pair of gloves. If worse came to worse I'd ask for them back over the next loop. We came back through the finish straight and I scanned the crowd looking for my girlfriend. For a half second I worried I'd miss her, but sure enough she was there ready. I yelled out for a Nuun bottle, tossed my gloves and grabbed the bottle in one fluid motion. Okay got this one without any issues.
One lap complete in 36:09. I took a couple swigs of a cold Nuun and tossed it in a grass ditch 400 meters later. I'd grab them after the race.
As we left the park section I scanned my surroundings. My stomach had begun to tighten up. I need to go pee bad. I took a final look around, jumped in some bushes and did what needed to be done. Back on my merry way. I knew this mile would be slow with this pit stop and focused on not trying to over compensate with a fast next mile. We'd have plenty of time over the last 12 to be a little more aggressive. The next couple miles would be just focused on setting a barrier for myself. A second or two faster per mile would be okay here, but nothing crazy. I took my second gu without any issue.
I crested the second hill with no issues and enjoyed my downhill reward. Up ahead I saw a familiar singlet in the 100k field. "That's fine." I knew a couple guys from my conference ran for this club just after college. I had actually run my first marathon in this singlet. I immediately knew who this chap could be.
"Kris!"
"Yeah?"
"It's Cris from La Verne!"
"Oh I know who it is!"
I rolled past him and another competitor saying hello. He surged slightly and gave me a loving shove forward.
Editors note I hadn't seen Kris in probably 10 years. I went to my first brewery when I had just turned 21 with this guy before I got all into this scene. Kris would eventually come in third during this race, running a conservative, consistent and calculated race. The meet director said he looked like he was having the best time. I'd agree.
I was in good spirits as I went through the second half of the course. My stomach had settled up and I was able to take my third gu without any issue. As I approached the final straight I yelled "Nuun and two gus please!" My girlfriend was not expecting me to ask for Gu but she made a quick move to grab them just in time for me to pass. It was an awkward pass due to me trying to grab everything in one motion as my hips just started to really feel the movement to grab. I noted this but figured it was just a fluke as I had this feeling during a practice session getting bottles in the past.
I came through in just about 72 minutes and I was fairly confident with how this was going to go still. As I made my move up the first hill I started to get that familiar feeling again. Really, I had to pee again...
Just before 14 I jumped into some trees and went. A 5:51 mile section for my troubles here. This was getting fairly annoying. I thought to myself, this is definitely the last time this is happening, suck it up and get back to business.
I saw another familiar face as I passed a 100K group. Geoff! I said hello and he cheered me forward and it was a nice pep up in a fairly quiet race. I had little trouble getting back into rhythm and cresting the second hill following the pitstop.
As I approached 16 the cracks in the armor began to show. It was a familiar feeling. A feeling back to 2021 when I tried this distance the first time. I've never had this feeling at the marathon distance but somehow this was happening 16 freaking miles into a 50K race.
My feet hurt.
Maybe it's the downhill sections. Maybe it's the pair of Vaporfly 2's that have 100+ miles on them already. This causes a quick short circuit to my confidence. This should not be happening. I'm not running that fast. This is 20 seconds slower than I ran in December.
I quickly shake those thoughts. Be here, now.
I take my fourth gu with no issue.
With my feet in mind I make the conscious effort to pull back on the pace a bit. I ran 5:31 for one of these sections last loop. Let's keep it to 5:38-5:40 to be safe. The pace doesn't feel like I'm straining but my feet just are achy. Hopefully this is just a fluke.
I pass through final stretch once more to grab my first bottle of Maurten. I'm fairly nervous at this point. I've stayed on pace, roughly, but things have been far from perfect and while my stomach is feeling settled, who knows what another chug of maurten 320 is gonna do.
I take the couple swigs and toss it into the patch. I see some familiar bottles. My athlete chose the same area to toss her bottles too.
Over 19 miles in and I'm still pretty consistent here. My feet are still crying out to me but other than that my legs feel relatively okay. As I crest the first hill again, another chip. That sharp left turn is feeling much much harder than it was before. My hips are tight and my left side is beginning to labor with each step. The downhills have been chipping away at an already unstable structure and now 21 miles in, these cracks are starting to show.
Again, I pivot on easing for the next couple miles. Ease the pace and hammer that last 10k. "You've run 5:20's before." There's still a chance here. The harsh reality is starting to set in as I crest the second hill that even the prospect of sub 3 hours is fleeting. My head isn't short circuiting here. It's focusing it's energy on checking in on how I'm feeling. I know this isn't going well. But thinking about it more isn't going to help. I have to live with the cards I'm dealt right now.
The "fast section" is now filled with 5:50s, 10+ seconds slower than miles I was joyfully running an hour earlier. Over the last two miles the thought of dropping out at the end of this loop comes to mind.
I'm not having a good time. My main goal for this race is gone and my feet hurt. Why am I out here...
"Well you're 24/25 miles in this race. You have nothing left on your schedule. You drove and invested all this time/money to do this. You're also winning. Finish this up dude."
As I made the penultimate pass through the finish line area I tried to look somewhat composed. Mostly because I didn't want to alarm my girlfriend. lol. The wind down the final stretch definitely made that a tougher endeavor than I would've thought.
This last bottle had no issue. I had another thought that maybe I could thug it out and pull something out of my butt to take me under. But after that final first hill, I knew it was all gone. I passed the marathon mark in 2:32 and with my muscles now screaming at me with every step I knew these last miles would be about survival.
A 6:13 off the hill. A 6:15 down the hill. The climb up the second hill didn't feel too horrible but once again, I needed to go pee. Of course. Let's rub some dirt in it. I have to pull to the side again. Getting back onto it was harder this time. My knee drive is pitiful as I struggle with each unforgiving next step. The nice downhill sections over 20 miles ago are now my nemesis. I try my hardest to keep myself under 6 minute pace as though that would help heal my fractured ego. But alas, I can't. These legs aren't going. I need to get myself to the finish line. What was my redemption at this distance was an ego check.
I pull myself over the next two miles as the wind keeps smacking me in the face. By the time I hit the final stretch I can't even kick. I put my arms up as I cross the finish. My legs aren't stinging like they did at CIM, I don't have the sharp stabbing pains. My body is just tired.
I'm done. I won. 3:04:04.

Post-race

It's a little over two weeks here writing this. I'm a crowler of a solid IPA here so forgive me on some run on sentences. This race was definitely a punch in the gut but a nice reminder of just how these distances work. I've been lucky enough to have have a string of what I would say home run races since October 2021. I was due for a tough one.
I have New York in the Fall. This course has very similar elevation. Had New York been in the Spring it would have ate me alive in my current state. So I take away knowing that I still have a lot I need to work on to make sure I'm ready come Fall.
I'm fairly disappointed with this effort but I'm thankful all the same here. It's a great learning experience and I had an incredible trip.
As a note for anyone looking at these Mad City races. I was pretty blown away by how they treated us. The event coordinators are incredibly passionate about the race and the people. I received a handwritten card that came in today saying congrats and referencing a conversation we had after the race. I've raced a lot of big races over the years but little things like this mean a lot.
I'll be back eventually. I still have a bone to pick with this distance. Ya'll have been incredible for my successes over the years, while this may have been a stumble, I think it's important to talk about these days too. I’m proud of the effort. I definitely need to state that. That was harder for me than CIM.
We're very lucky to have the opportunity to travel to do these crazy things man.
Made with a new race report generator created by herumph.

I have a one-year-old Neptune 3 Plus. I'm having an issue where I will run the auto level after setting the z-offset,and the auto level will raise it so high at the end (and during the print) that I have to reset it. The saved new value doesn't translate during the print, so I'm getting too-high bottom layers with no squish. I have checked all the different answers on the forum, every nut and bolt on the Z and X axes (though my X axis seems to be a bit off as well, when it does the pre-load it likes to huck it off the left side into the abyss rather than being on the build plate unless I have the PEI sheet off to the left a bit). What's weird is that when it autolevels, it's also always the same spots that seem to have it raised too far, even when the bed leveling with the paper show those spots tight as heck. Yes, my firmware is updated to the latest version.
I'm worried there's something wrong with the sensor, as I just recently replaced the extruder apparatus with an OEM one from Elegoo. I never had this issue with the old apparatus. Any other troubleshooting thoughts before I brave the Support gauntlet?

XboxX, Survival, largely melee. Since the update I've seen:
Lost Y axis entirely. Could not look up or down. Hard reboot didn't fix it. Had to reload.
Dumping out of VATS without warning. Got killed twice in an hour when I warped into a crowd and just sat there with my pants down and stealth broken.
Upon leaving VATS, randomly can't attack or block. Targets that need one more spank end up killing me while I'm unable to respond for several seconds.
Just me? Should I dump Performance Mode?

Feel free to send offers
Nes top loader, dog bone controller, Nes advantage controller, Rf cable, 6 Nes games, Super mario bros, Super Mario bros 3, super mario bros duck hunt world class track, Dr. Mario, Golf, and Gyromite (NES) 310 - Shipped
[Nes top loader - Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/wQNwtmh)
NES
Double dribble - Game only - 6- shipped
Castlevania simons quest - Game only - 22 - shipped
Metal gear - Game only - 16 - Shipped
Excitebike - Game only - 13- shipped
iron sword wizards and warriors 2 - 11- shipped
Contra - Game only - 33- Shipped
Castlevania 3 - game only - 38 - shipped
[Nes games - Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/McoJgSH)
SNES
Super mario world - Game only - 18.50- shipped
Super mario all stars - Game only - 23.50- Shipped
mario paint - Game only - 10.50- shipped
mario is missing - Game only - 18.50
marios time machine - Game only - 16.50- shipped
Donkey kong country - Game only - 23 - shipped
Super Castlevania 4 - Game only - 40.50- shipped
final fantasy mystic quest - Game only - 20 -shipped
F zero - Game only - 20- shipped
nba jam - Game only - 16- Shipped
[Snes games - Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/Hu58YWv)
SUPER FAMICOM
Dragon ball z super butoden - CIB - 30.50
Dragon ball z super butoden 3 - Game only - 15
Go go Ackman 2 - Game only - 25
Dragon Ball Z Super Gokuden Totsugeki-Hen - Game only - 12 - shipped
Zelda a link to the past (not working) - Game only - free with a 4 or more games if requested or 8$- shipped
super mario world - Game only - 13
All super Famicom game for 80- shipped
[Snes games - Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/Hu58YWv)
N64
Perfect dark - game only - 32 - shipped
Wave race - game only -12.50 - shipped
Glover - game only - 18.50
Star fox 64 - game only - 28.50
Smash bros - game only - 55.50
Kirby the crystal shards- game only - 53.50
Super Mario 64 - game only - 35
Paper Mario 64 - game only - 85
Castlevania 64 - game only - 28.50
Banjo kazooie - game only- 33.50
Yoshi story - game only - 28.50
Mario party - game only - 45.50
Mario party 2 - game only - 42.50
Mario kart 64 - game only - 63.50
Mario tennis - game only - 26.50
Dr. Mario - game only - 32.50
Zelda majoras mask - game only - 65
Pokémon stadium- game only - 38
Pokémon stadium 2 - game only - 75
Pokémon snap - game only - 32.50
Hey you pikaxhu - game only - 12.50
[N64 games - Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/uFLcOdK)
GAMECUBE
From TV Animation: One Piece Treasure Battle - Cib - 28 - Shipped
Donkey Kong jungle beat - Game and box - 30 - shipped
Dance dance revolution mario mix - Cib Big box - 175 - shipped
mario golf - cib - 38.50 - shipped
[GameCube 1 - Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/VA86syT)
[GameCube games 2 - Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/kRCTsKi)
GAMEBOY & GAMEBOY ADVANCE
Zelda minish Cap - Cib - 305.50 - shipped
mario pary advance - cib with map - 170 -shipped
Mario super circuit - cib - 105- shipped
super mario advance - cib without cartride holder - 72 - shipped
super mario advance 2 - cib with map poster - 120- shipped
super mario advance 3 - cib - 90 - shipped
super mario advance 4 - cib with e reader card sealed - 130 - Shipped
dr. mario & puzzle league - 90 -shipped
Super mario bros advance nes classic - cib - 90 - shipped
mario tennis gbc -cib without cartride holder - 55 - shipped
game and watch gallery 2 - cib - 90- shipped
mairo golf - box and game - 45 - shipped
wario land 3 - game and box and some inserts - 170-shipped
wario land 4 - cib - 200 - shipped
advance wars - cib - 142- shipped
advance wars 2 - cib - 150- shipped
castlevania circle of the moon - cib - 130
castlevania harmony of dissonance - cib - 180 - shipped
golden sun - cib with map and protective cover - 140 - shipped
golden sun the lost age - cib with map and protective cover - 140 - shipped
final fantasy 1&2 - cib without cartridge holder - 65
Dk king of swing - cib without cartridge holder - 110
yoshi topsy turvy - cib - 125 - shipped
lunar legend - cib - 125 - shipped
Kyo - sealed - 135 - shipped
kirby pinball land - cib without cartridge holder, with small poster - 120 - shipped
Gba Filler lot Namco museum (Cib), Rockem Sockem Robots (Cib), Bratz (Sealed), Pet Vet (sealed) 38 - Shipped
[Gba games 1 - Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/CvfhmX5)
[Gba games 2 - Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/x7Snj7X)
[Gba games 3 - Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/z7XvcV9)
Switch
The legend of Zelda links Awakening - 44
Bloodstained Rital of the night- 25
mega man x legacy collection - (mega man x legacy 2 has been redeemed) - 25
hollow knight - cib - 30.50
Super Mario odyssey - cib - 38.50
Super Mario maker 2 - cib - 40.50
Let’s go eevee - cib - 48.50
Super smash bros ultimate with poster - cib - 50
Super Mario all stars with x5 posters - Cib - 150
Super Mario all stars - game and box only - 88.50
https://imgur.com/gallery/KjjTa3M
PS4/ps5
Final Fantasy 16 deluxe edition- like new - 90
Yakuza 6 -Essence of art edition - 28
Yakuza kiwami steelbook edition - 42
The yakuza Remastered Collection - (big box which includes yakuza 5 ps3 box) - Seal - 150
Cyberpunk with art work no stickers - 23
Dbz kakarot - 14.50
Mortal Shell - 15
Skyrim Vr + Doom Vr - 28
Call of cthulhu - 18
monster hunter world - 12
Dragon quest XI - 18
Star wars jedi fallen order - 12
injustice legendary edition - 16
dying light the following enhanced edition - 15
nba 2k16 - 9 - or free with any 2 ps4 games purchased if requested
Dark souls 2 - 28
nioh - 12
anthem - 10 - or free with any 2 ps4 games purchased if requested
call of Cthulhu - 14
perspona 5 - 10
battlefield 1 - 8 - or free with any 2 ps4 games purchased if requested
inpatient vr - (no Box) - 12
horizon zero dawn complete edition - 15
Diablo III 3 Reaper of Souls Ultimate Evil Edition - 11
prey - 10
destiny - free with any 2 ps4 games purchased if requested
just cause 3 - 10
far cry 5 - 10
RANDOM STUFF
Goku and piccolo figures - used - 30
Animal crossing amiib cyrus kk Reese brand new - 15
Mario all stars posters + mario and luigi poster - 38
[Mario posters - Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/4Li9tXg)
Nintendo Magazines - Vol 117, 142, 32, advance vol 1 - 35
[Nintendo power - Imgur](https://imgur.com/gallery/76ScVO8)

I'm using a Arduino Nano, and a https://thepihut.com/products/1-69-lcd-display-module-240x280, and a SHT31. the screen has a rolling refresh, how can I make it smooth.

#include  #include  #include "Adafruit_SHT31.h" #include "Adafruit_GFX.h" // Include Adafruit GFX Library #include "Adafruit_ST7789.h" // Include Adafruit ST7789 Library #include  // Include the font Adafruit_SHT31 sht31 = Adafruit_SHT31(); #define TFT_RST 8 #define TFT_DC 9 #define TFT_CS 10 #define TFT_WIDTH 240 #define TFT_HEIGHT 281 Adafruit_ST7789 tft = Adafruit_ST7789(TFT_CS, TFT_DC, TFT_RST); unsigned long lastUpdateTime = 0; unsigned long updateInterval = 1000; // Update interval in milliseconds void displayTempHumidity() { float temperature = sht31.readTemperature(); float humidity = sht31.readHumidity(); if (!isnan(temperature) && !isnan(humidity)) { // Round temperature and humidity to 1 decimal place temperature = round(temperature * 10) / 10.0; humidity = round(humidity * 10) / 10.0; // Convert temperature and humidity to strings String tempStr = String(temperature, 1) + "\u00B0"; // Convert temperature to string with 1 decimal place and add degree symbol String humiStr = String(humidity, 1); // Convert humidity to string with 1 decimal place int x = 30; // Center horizontally int yTemp = 148; int yHumidity = 68; // Clear green section tft.fillRect(0, 0, TFT_WIDTH, TFT_HEIGHT * 2 / 3, 0x7BCF); // Set font tft.setFont(&FreeSans9pt7b); // Display temperature tft.setCursor(x, yTemp); tft.setTextColor(ST77XX_WHITE); // Set text color to white tft.setTextSize(3); // Set text size tft.print(tempStr); tft.print(" C"); // Display humidity tft.setCursor(x, yHumidity); tft.print(humiStr); tft.print(" %"); } } void displayTimer() { int x = 15; // Center horizontally int y = 250; // Lower third // Clear blue section tft.fillRect(0, TFT_HEIGHT * 2 / 3, TFT_WIDTH, TFT_HEIGHT / 3, 0xB596); // Display timer tft.setCursor(x, y); tft.setTextColor(ST77XX_WHITE); // Set text color to white tft.setTextSize(3); // Set text size tft.print("00:00:00"); } void setup() { Serial.begin(9600); while (!Serial) delay(10); // Wait for serial monitor to open if (!sht31.begin(0x44)) { // Set to 0x45 for alternate i2c addr Serial.println("Couldn't find SHT31"); while (1) delay(1); } tft.init(TFT_WIDTH, TFT_HEIGHT); tft.fillScreen(ST77XX_BLACK); // Fill screen with black // Set font globally tft.setFont(&FreeSans9pt7b); } void loop() { unsigned long currentMillis = millis(); if (currentMillis - lastUpdateTime >= updateInterval) { displayTempHumidity(); displayTimer(); lastUpdateTime = currentMillis; } } 

N.B.: I'm mainly looking for the games listed in the title and at the bottom of the thread. Feel free to post other offers, but if I haven't responded to your comment(s) by my next posting, I likely wasn't able to find a trade that interested me.
​
For sale (for Steam Gift Cards or gifted Steam Wallet balance):
​

• Dark Souls™: Prepare To Die™ Edition (removed from Steam Store; $350 $400 or best offer)
• Fall Guys (removed from Steam Store)
• Fall Guys - Dragon Hugger Pack (removed from Steam Store)
• Fall Guys - Icy Adventure Pack (removed from Steam Store)
• Marvel's Avengers - The Definitive Edition (removed from Steam Store)
• Spec Ops: The Line (removed from Steam Store)

​

• Humble Hunie Sakura Bundle (can also trade for a full "charity" bundle (Australia Fire Relief Bundle or similar))
• Humble Sekai Project Bundle (can also trade for a full "charity" bundle (Stand with Ukraine Bundle or similar))

​
For trade:
*signifies that a game is tentatively up for trade, assuming I buy the bundle
​

• Nioh 2 – The Complete Edition
• Soulstice
• Warhammer Age of Sigmar: Realms of Ruin – Ultimate Edition

​

• A Little to the Left
• Black Book

​

• Superliminal
• The Talos Principle Gold Edition
• The Witness

​

• Destroy All Humans! 2 - Reprobed
• Life is Strange: True Colors
• Scorn
• There Is No Light: Enhanced Edition

​

• Hellpoint
• Remnant: From the Ashes
• Tails of Iron

​

• Hell Pie
• OTXO
• The Red Lantern
• Twin Mirror

​

• Arkham Horror: Mother's Embrace
• Blood Rage: Digital Edition
• Gloomhaven - Solo Scenarios: Mercenary Challenges
• Small World
• Small World - A Spider's Web
• Small World - Be not Afraid...
• Small World - Cursed!
• Small World - Grand Dames
• Small World - Royal Bonus
• Splendor
• Splendor - The Cities
• Splendor - The Strongholds
• Splendor - The Trading Posts
• Terraforming Mars

​

• A Short Hike(?)
• A Story Beside(?)
• Aces & Adventures(?)
• Arcade Spirits(?)
• Battlestar Galactica Deadlock(?)
• Beyond Blue(?)
• Cat Quest(?)
• Cook, Serve, Delicious! 3?!(?)
• EARTHLOCK(?)
• Harmony's Odyssey(?)
• Homeworld Remastered Collection(?)
• Lacuna – A Sci-Fi Noir Adventure(?)
• Minecraft: Java Edition - MCC Island Jingle Jam Rewards Pack(?)
• Monster Prom(?)
• Sifu Deluxe Cosmetic Pack(?)
• Spirit of the Island(?)
• SUPERHOT(?)
• Tinytopia(?)
• Toodee and Topdee(?)
• Train Valley 2(?)
• Turbo Golf Racing(?)
• Valthirian Arc: Hero School Story(?)
• Xenonauts(?)

​

• Angry Birds VR: Isle of Pigs

​

• Dark Deity
• Edge Of Eternity
• Eiyuden Chronicle: Rising

​

• CRYPTARK
• Dead Estate
• Paint the Town Red

​

• Lost Castle
• My Time At Portia

​

• Toodee and Topdee

​

• WWE 2K23

​

• Chivalry 2
• Disco Elysium - The Final Cut
• The Forgotten City
• GRIME
• Spiritfarer®: Farewell Edition

​

• Back 4 Blood
• Batman: Arkham Asylum Game of the Year Edition
• Batman: Arkham City - Game of the Year Edition
• Batman: Arkham Knight Premium Edition
• Batman™: Arkham Origins
• Injustice 2 Legendary Edition
• Mad Max
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Game of the Year Edition
• Middle-earth: Shadow of War Definitive Edition
• Mortal Kombat 11
• Mortal Kombat 11 Ultimate Add-On Bundle
• Mortal Kombat XL

​

• Alan Wake Collector's Edition
• Bendy and the Dark Revival
• Pathologic 2

​

• CODE VEIN
• .hack//G.U. Last Recode
• Katamari Damacy REROLL
• TEKKEN 7

​

• A Juggler's Tale
• Spirit of the Island

​

• Boomerang Fu
• PlateUp!
• ROUNDS
• Stick Fight: The Game
• Ultimate Chicken Horse

​

• Fae Tactics
• Flynn: Son of Crimson
• Ikenfell
• Ring of Pain
• Void Bastards

​

• After the Fall® - Deluxe Edition
• Zero Caliber VR

​

• Patch Quest

​

• Five Dates
• Late Shift

​

• Demon Turf
• Pumpkin Jack

​

• Trover Saves the Universe

​

• Coromon
• The Dungeon Of Naheulbeuk: The Amulet Of Chaos
• Jack Move

​

• Road 96
• SuchArt: Genius Artist Simulator

​

• A Short Hike

​

• Cloudpunk
• Ghostrunner
• Severed Steel

​

• Eternal Threads
• Turbo Golf Racing

​

• Lethal League Blaze
• OlliOlli World
• WWE 2K BATTLEGROUNDS

​

• Dragon Fist: VR Kung Fu
• The Walking Dead: Saints & Sinners

​

• Celeste

​

• Blasphemous
• Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night
• Hollow Knight

​

• Behind the Frame: The Finest Scenery

​

• Bionic Commando: Rearmed
• Dragon's Dogma: Dark Arisen
• Lost Planet 3 - Complete
• Mega Man Legacy Collection
• STRIDER™ / ストライダー飛竜®

​

• Aground
• Calico
• Evan's Remains
• StarCrossed
• Teacup

​

• Into the Radius VR

​

• Aliens: Fireteam Elite
• Founders' Fortune
• Monster Prom 2: Monster Camp

​

• Nomad Survival
• Scarlet Tower

​

• The Citadel
• Viscerafest
• WRATH: Aeon of Ruin

​

• The Blackout Club

​

• BIOMUTANT
• Edge Of Eternity
• Golden Light

​

• Call of the Sea
• Hellblade: Senua's Sacrifice

​

• 112 Operator
• 911 Operator
• The Amazing American Circus
• Armello
• Backbone
• Calico
• Euro Truck Simulator 2
• Farming Simulator 17
• Ghostrunner
• Guilty Gear X2 #Reload
• Lust from Beyond: M Edition
• Monaco: What's Yours Is Mine
• Orbital Racer
• Pathfinder: Kingmaker - Enhanced Plus Edition
• PAYDAY 2
• Pilgrims
• Soulblight
• Space Crew: Legendary Edition
• Starfinder Core Rulebook (Paizo key) and Starfinder Adventure: Junker's Delight (Paizo key)
• Strange Brigade
• Stygian: Reign of the Old Ones
• System Shock 2
• System Shock: Enhanced Edition
• Ticket to Ride
• XCOM® 2
• X-Morph: Defense Complete Pack

​

• Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game
• Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel
• Othercide
• Shady Part of Me

​

• The Last Campfire

​

• Sakura Swim Club

​

• Summer in Mara
• Townscaper

​

• The Long Dark: Survival Edition

​

• Stranded Sails - Explorers of the Cursed Islands

​

• Conan Chop Chop
• Grow: Song of the Evertree

​

• Styx: Shards of Darkness

​

• Hard West
• John Wick Hex
• Phantom Doctrine
• Red Solstice 2: Survivors

​

• Arizona Sunshine

​

• Backbone
• Blade Assault
• First Class Trouble
• Super Magbot

​

• Golf Gang
• Maid of Sker

​

• Vampire: The Masquerade - Coteries of New York
• Vampire: The Masquerade - Shadows of New York
• Werewolf: The Apocalypse — Heart of the Forest

​

• Nickelodeon All-Star Brawl

​

• Crown Trick

​

• Guts and Glory
• Hello Neighbor

​

• Day of the Tentacle Remastered
• Grim Fandango Remastered
• Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic
• STAR WARS®: Knights of the Old Republic™ II

​

• Duke Nukem Forever
• PGA TOUR 2K21
• WWE 2K Battlegrounds

​

• In Sound Mind

​

• Little Big Workshop
• Not Tonight

​

• Brigador Deluxe Edition
• Verdun

​

• Resident Evil 0
• Resident Evil 6
• Resident Evil

​

• EVERSPACE™

​

• Cultist Simulator
• GWENT: The Witcher Card Game - Ultimate Starter Pack (GOG key)

​

• The LEGO® NINJAGO® Movie Video Game

​

• Legend of Keepers: Career of a Dungeon Manager
• Legion TD 2 - Multiplayer Tower Defense

​

• STAR WARS™: Squadrons (Origin key)(?)

​

• Bionic Commando
• Street Fighter V

​

• As Far As The Eye
• Impulsion

​

• Orcs Must Die! 2 - Complete Pack

​

• Bartlow's Dread Machine

​

• Blaston

​

• White Day: A Labyrinth Named School

​

• The Walking Dead

​

• Total Tank Simulator

​

• Archangel: Hellfire - Fully Loaded

​

• XCOM® 2

​

• Black The Fall
• Goetia

​

• Among the Sleep - Enhanced Edition

​

• Dear Esther: Landmark Edition
• This War of Mine

​

• Tom Clancy's The Division™ (Uplay key)
• Tom Clancy's The Division™ - Survival (Uplay key)

​

• Highway Blossoms
• HunieCam Studio
• KARAKARA
• Sunrider Academy
• Sunrider: Liberation Day - Captain's Edition

​

• Civilization VI - Australia Civilization & Scenario Pack
• Civilization VI - Vikings Scenario Pack

​

• A Kiss For the Petals - Remembering How We Met

​

• Hacknet
• Satellite Reign

​

• The Incredible Adventures of Van Helsing: Final Cut

​

• The Elder Scrolls: Legends: 2 Card Packs (Skyrim) 1 Event Ticket 100 Gold 100 Souls
• ESO Vanity Pet: Bristlegut Piglet and 15 Days of ESO Plus

​

• Ame no Marginal -Rain Marginal-
• KARAKARA
• Memory's Dogma CODE:01
• Narcissu 10th Anniversary Anthology Project
• Narcissu 10th Anniversary Anthology Project - Season Pass

​

• A Kiss For the Petals - Remembering How We Met
• Sakura Angels
• Beach Bounce
• Beach Bounce - Soundtrack
• Blue Rose

​

• Lionessy Story
• My Personal Angel
• Natural - Beyond Nature -
• Postmen Of Horizon (removed from Steam Store)

​

• The Reject Demon: Toko Chapter 0 — Prelude

​

• Koi-Koi Japan [Hanafuda playing cards]
• Mahjong Pretty Girls Battle
• Mahjong Pretty Girls Battle : School Girls Edition
• Poker Pretty Girls Battle: Texas Hold'em
• Pretty Girls Mahjong Solitaire

​

• Guns of Icarus Alliance
• Guns of Icarus Online
• Impossible Creatures Steam Edition
• Lethal League
• Tempest: Pirate Action RPG
• Tempest - Treasure Lands
• Tempest - Original Soundtrack
• Warhammer 40,000: Space Wolf
• Warhammer: End Times - Vermintide

​

• Tenta Shooter
• Gun Gun Pixies
• DUSK
• For The King
• Book of Demons
• PlateUp!
• Kingdom Two Crowns
• White Day: A Labyrinth Named School
• Warhammer 40,000: Gladius - Relics of War
• Chivalry: Medieval Warfare
• Steel Rats™
• Hue
• Sifu Deluxe Edition Upgrade Bundle (Epic key)
• Gal*Gun: Double Peace
• The Invisible Hours
• Synergia
• ROCKETRON
• Project Nimbus: Complete Edition
• Dead Age
• Spirit Hunter: NG
• Slain: Back from Hell(?)
• Cook, Serve, Delicious!
• Tower of Time
• Danger Scavenger
• Survive the Nights
• Valfaris
• Nongunz: Doppelganger Edition
• This War of Mine

​

• Knights of Pen and Paper +1 Edition
• Knights of Pen and Paper 2 - Here Be Dragons

​

• 112 Operator
• 911 Operator
• Book of Demons
• Broken Age
• Brothers - A Tale of Two Sons
• Crying Suns
• Crying Suns
• Dear Esther: Landmark Edition
• Driftland: The Magic Revival
• Liberated (GOG key)
• Moon Hunters
• Out of Reach: Treasure Royale
• Wanderlust: Travel Stories (GOG key)
• WARSAW
• X-Morph: Defense + European Assault, Survival of the Fittest, and Last Bastion DLC (I believe this redeems as the linked Complete Pack, minus the soundtrack)
• ΔV: Rings of Saturn(?)

​

• Arcade Paradise
• Calico
• Say No! More
• Fallout: A Post Nuclear Role Playing Game
• Fobia - St. Dinfna Hotel
• Phoenix Point: Year One Edition
• Deliver Us The Moon
• Morkredd
• Rogue Heroes: Ruins of Tasos
• Spirit Hunter: NG
• Survivalist: Invisible Strain
• Warhammer: Vermintide 2
• ENDLESS™ Space 2
• Surviving the Aftermath
• The Long Dark

​

• Duck Game
• SCP: Secret Files
• WWE 2K23
• The Jackbox Party Pack
• Outward (redeems as the base game only, not the linked Definitive Edition)
• Outward - The Soroboreans
• Outward Soundtrack
• Blade Assault
• Founders' Fortune
• Hokko Life
• Monster Crown
• Othercide
• Pathfinder: Wrath of the Righteous - Enhanced Edition
• ScourgeBringer
• Ancestors: The Humankind Odyssey
• HOT WHEELS UNLEASHED™
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Game of the Year Edition
• Sonic CD (removed from Steam Store)
• LEGO® Harry Potter: Years 1-4
• LEGO® Harry Potter: Years 5-7
• STRIDER™ / ストライダー飛竜®
• Bionic Commando
• Full Metal Furies
• Ultra Street Fighter® IV
• Starbound
• Mafia III: Sign of the Times
• BioShock 2
• Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor Game of the Year Edition
• Sherlock Holmes: The Devil's Daughter
• The Mean Greens - Plastic Warfare
• Crusaders of the Lost Idols Legendary Starter Pack
• Project CARS (removed from Steam Store)

​
WANT:
​

• 5D Chess With Multiverse Time Travel
• Astebreed: Definitive Edition
• Avernum: Escape from the Pit
• BlazBlue: Calamity Trigger
• CrossCode
• Dead Rising 4
• Dungreed
• Mega Man X Legacy Collection 2
• Mega Man Zero/ZX Legacy Collection
• Mortal Kombat Komplete Edition
• Myst (2021)
• NBA 2K23
• NECROPOLIS: BRUTAL EDITION
• Omensight: Definitive Edition
• OPUS: Echo of Starsong - Full Bloom Edition
• OPUS: Rocket of Whispers
• OPUS: The Day We Found Earth
• Power Rangers: Battle for the Grid
• RAGE
• Resident Evil Village
• The Jackbox Party Pack 5
• The Jackbox Party Pack 6
• The Jackbox Party Pack 7
• Wonder Boy: The Dragon's Trap
• Zombie Army 4: Dead War

​

• any extra copies of WWE 2K23

​
IGS Rep Page: https://www.reddit.com/IGSRep/comments/ti26nz/mizznos_igs_rep_page/

PF: https://imgur.com/a/EBhTknx https://imgur.com/a/JHrCQB8
───────
I provide insurance and/or signature confirmation at your request and cost. I am responsible for getting your package scanned by USPS; once it has been scanned you are liable for the package. More info at bottom
OGH Morgan PCGS63 - 1881 s MS63 - $80 https://imgur.com/a/EBhTknx
World silver has a $300 min purchase No cherry picking
Spot is (spot is 27.45)
80% World Silver by the Troy Ounce (mostly Cad but other stuff as well - sold by weight @ 98.5% of spot 110 150 troy ounce available https://imgur.com/a5k4zE2 https://imgur.com/ir8Ahyp
OR buy Canadian by the face value - 99% of spot (spot is 26.58)
50% world silver by the troy ounce (most Bermuda, 1968 cad, post 1920 UK) - @ 97% of spot - 165 185 troy ounce available https://imgur.com/PFRKEfx https://imgur.com/PFRKEfx
1 troy ounce of 50% would cost $13.3132 and would include .5 ASW
1 troy ounce of 80% would cost $21.63 and would include .8 ASW
1 face value of canadian 80% would cost $16.305 and would include .6 ASW
Canada Dollars $18 each - 14 21 available https://imgur.com/DqXsCQQ
Philippines Pesos -$16 each - 8 13 available https://imgur.com/ifzwRRb
1967 Canada Coins https://imgur.com/mMz3Fcs
17 'bobcat' quarters - $65
64 'fish' dimes - $98
World Gold - https://imgur.com/a/yHuwGeN All Sigma Verified
1oz Kangaroo - $2315
1oz Perth mint bar - $2310
Solomon Islands Quarter oz in assay $580
humpback whale 1/4oz gold - $610
2 x Monarch 1/10th - $240 ea
2 x 2016 Maple 1/10th - $245 ea
3 (2021x2, 2022) x britt 1/10th - $245 ea
2013 Australia 1/10 - $245
Raw US Gold https://imgur.com/a/rk4hX4i
1904 O $10 Liberty Strong AU - $1200
1929 $2.50 Indian Cleaned/XF Detail - $365
1908 $5 Indian Rev Scratch (Small) - $595
1925-D Au 2.5 Indian - $380
1901 S Liberty $5 AU+ - $580
1882 CC GSA w/ Box/Paper - (62 or better) - $290 https://imgur.com/a/JAjOamP
9 Cull Large Cents (including a Hard times token for an accountant, and a 180? (2?) Draped bust) - $45 https://imgur.com/a/sdyB7mV
2/3 Cents and Civil war Tokens - $27 https://imgur.com/a/A662ZOt
64x 1880s Indian head cents Most G or better - $90 https://imgur.com/1aowGG0
UNC Wheat Cent Rolls https://imgur.com/a/TkOV1Yk (not certain they are original bank rolls, but they are definitely UNC
1956 D - $25
1954 D - $30
Morgans
Set 1: https://imgur.com/a/3LVAmDA
1882 O BU - $49
1884 UNC PL Details - Cleaned - $40
1897 UNC Detail Obv Cleaned - $33
1890 MS - $52
Set 2: https://imgur.com/a/8Fp37yi
1904 o UNC - Dipped Still BU - Almost PL Rev - $48 Vid: https://imgur.com/0ra26W5
1904 o UNC - $50 Vid: https://imgur.com/yjzuUQ5
1921 D Morgan BU - $65
1923 Peace BU - Hair Vam - $33
1924 Peace BU - $33
────────
END OF POST
Payment
New users must use Zelle or Cash app.
I accept Zelle, CashApp, Venmo FF, and PPFF. Venmo GS is NOT accepted.
I no longer accept crypto under any circumstance.
SHIPPING
I will not ship outside the US
Shipping in the US is $5 for 4 or fewer ounces, $6 for 5-13oz, and then $10 for anything above.
Priority SFRB = $10
Insurance
I provide insurance and/or signature confirmation at your request and cost. I am responsible for getting your package scanned by USPS; once it has been scanned you are liable for the package. Insurance costs: .75c/$100 for the first $600 of coverage, .50c for every $100 after. If it is lost in route I will do everything I can to help you recover it and file insurance claims if applicable but I will not provide a replacement or a refund if insurance has not been purchased. Insurance purchased relies on the insurer paying out. Any purchase made is subject to these terms.
Note: NO NOTES WITH PPFF - if a note is sent I will issue a refund

Listen up, Nintendo. I have a bone to pluck with you. If my list of required tastes isn't met by the end of 2024, you'll be crying all the way to the blank, looking like swish cheese.
First and four most:

1. Locking item placement. Hold a shoulder button when you place an item, and there rafter, pressing Y won't pick it up. If you place an item without holding the button, it's free and clean to be picked up, and to pick up a locked item just hold the shoulder again.
   
2. More durable tools. They're about as durable as a gas hammer. It strains red jewel tea how flimsy they are, nevermind just being irritating and forcing busy work. I'm thinking literally twice as strong on each tear of quality.
   
3. Villagers get meaner again. Sometimes you just need to vintage scream and not everyone is a pillow of society. There's got to be a few bed apples to keep things fresh.
   
4. NO MORE SEA BASS. Greater variety of fish, like they say, give banana fish, teach him to fish. At least introduce sizes so you can feel a sense of accomplice mint if it's the same old species.
   
5. Free Y axis movement. I understand the game allows you to place a ton of oddly shaped objects around and having it be full 360 camera 3d would be a real custardfuck and harder to program but you can go up and down freely in the camera, but you're locked in to three angles only normally, and they even change automagically sometimes?! Come on.
   
6. Please make it so our favorites aren't constantly wanting to leave. When my little guy like Lily or Meringue comes up to me thinking of leaving my heart stinks and I wonder the weather.
   

That's it! Just six has been served. The bell is in your coat now, Nintendo.

I have an ender 3 pro with the skr mini e3 v3 and the cr touch and I am not sure if i should upgrade to linear rails for the X and Y axis, should I upgrade? I am also planning to upgrade to the direct drive NG from micro swiss. Should I buy this hotend or another one?