I've been applying on LinkedIn, Indeed, WellFound, and on company specific job postings for the last two months. I've only had two or three interviews, and one was with an AI.
Initially I was applying for senior full stack developer roles, but I have transitioned to looking for juniomid level roles. I've also been applying to front-end, backend, and entry level mobile app development (with React Native, not native). I've been programming since I was 12, and working at startups since 2018 (with a two year break) so I think I could qualify for mid level, but I don't want to sound too ego or proud.
I know the job market is pretty bad for my field, but I don't have much connections to get a foot in the door.
Considering most of my experience has been at startups I started to apply to mainly startups in hope they like that experience. I'm not sure if more established and corporate companies want that.
I started university in 2019, and just finished in April 2024. I decided to remove the graduation date since I have more experience than a new grad and I don't want that to overshadow my profession experience and knowledge. This is the reason for a gap between 2019 and 2021 because I was being accustomed to university life, and I was juggling esports, student government, classes, and working at an on-campus job (which is unrelated to my field so I removed it from my resume).
https://preview.redd.it/ekiecytmr21d1.jpg?width=1224&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8305d6ca5980f38f0e5099a857e06e5f0e0536c3

Long read warning!
Firstly, I think the judges are told who the contestants are. Or at least some of the contestants. I can see some of the contestants being a complete mystery to the judges to keep it fun for them. I’m sure they get hints at the very least so their guesses are somewhat in the ball park. But a reason why they know is so they can tailor their guesses to make the celebrities feel good. A lot of the times, the judges are there to make guesses that would make the celebrity think “wow, they really think I sound like so and so/ they think I could be as awesome as that person.” It’s entertainment for us but they get celebrities to want to do the show because they wanna feel good about themselves and see who they can be compared to. The judges’ guesses can be used to hype up and make them feel good most of the time. There’s plenty of times (especially from Jenny) where they seem like they knew the whole time and they guess correctly last minute even though they never guessed that celebrity prior or they only mentioned it a few times early on and switched it up later on to give the illusion that they don’t really know. There could be some that are left unconfirmed to keep it fun and have genuine surprise from the judges. They’re just told hints like “guess great athletes/ legendary divas/ funny comedians/ amazing vocal artists in x genre (rnb, country, broadway) etc.” But they know!
Secondly, the order of the reveals are predetermined based on many different factors. Either the celebrity’s schedule can only allow them to be in the show for a certain amount of time or they choose to not have to stay that long. This explains the wild cards sometimes in scenarios where a celebrity’s schedule might not make them available til later on or they only wanna sing a few songs. Explains why some of the wild cards aren’t that great and get eliminated shortly after they join coz they only wanna be a part of it for a certain amount of time. Another factor is politics. Fame level sometimes dictates how far a celebrity goes. Lesser famous celebrities get revealed earlier coz no one really wants to see a YouTuber win it all or some D list celeb. On the flip side to that, you can have legends like divas who make it far even though they aren’t as amazing as they were in their prime. Catering to celeb egos (sometimes out of respect) might play a part too. Don’t wanna eliminate a big celebrity who might get butthurt for going too early, but it’s ok to eliminate someone who might be a better sport about it. Some celebs have a say on how far they wanna go or how many episodes they’re in. We’ve had instances where the person was too famous or too recognizable or too good and was immediately revealed coz they just wanted do one song and that’s it. I can see the later contestants signing up for the whole thing and doing it for real to see how far they go. Those are the ones that are probably kept a mystery from the judges. At the end of the day, this is just for fun for some of them but they have more important things to do so they sign a contract to assign a certain amount of songs or certain availability days or willingness to be eliminated or to just do the competition for real and see how far they go. It’s rigged!
Some other things I theorize (some obvious, some not) is that maybe the performances are pre recorded sometimes. At least the vocals. There’s a possibility that sometimes, they just “lip sync” to a recorded version. Who would know if they’re really singing live. Obviously the crowd and judges are directed to act like it’s all live, which I’m sure most are live. Another thing is that sometimes it’s not really the celebrity in the costume. Obviously when a character from a previous season cameos, it’s not really the celeb in the costume. Why would they come back for a small bit and not even show their face. It’s just some random person pretending. Even some of the extra back stage clips and bits might just be a random with voice over from the celeb so they don’t have to actually come to set just to shoot a bit that a random could be doing. Now… to add to this, this might be a stretch and I don’t think it’s really the case but who knows, but what if even during some of the live performances, it’s not really the celeb. Like if someone can’t show up that day so they just record the song and someone else is up on stage performing. I don’t think this happens but maybe once it might have. That’d be crazy. No one really knows who is really in the costume. It can be anyone at any given time.
I think the celebs don’t really know who the other celebs are. But maybe they do. Who knows. Maybe everyone knows back stage and they’re just really good at keeping it a secret from the public. The scenes where the celebs are walking around back stage in hoodies and blacked out visors are for the camera. They act like the crew don’t know but maybe they do. But it might not be the case just in case someone does spill the beans so they keep it all a secret from the crew and other celebs.
Celebs might be getting paid possibly. Voting system is a mix between fake and real. Predetermined for some, genuine for others. Crowd reactions are hilariously cringe coz it’s so terribly fake but I love it. Applause sign vibes.
Jenny McCarthy is sucking some high exec’s dick coz how is she still on the show. She’s the worst. She’s the worst at pretending like she doesn’t know and plays “the game” terribly. She’s so fake and sucks are acting genuine. She gives off the most vibes that she knows and even worse, that she wants to be the one who knows the most and guesses correctly. Maybe the producers decide “ok robin, you can guess this one correctly. You get the W on this one and Ken can get the W on the next one” or even maybe “ok guys, no one guess this correctly” Jenny always has to be like, no, I’m gonna piggy back and be right too. Like she has to be right the most to feel smart or something. Someone high up has the hots for her or something. Like she’s the leader or top dog. She gets what she wants. But don’t make it too obvious, guess wrong sometimes. Give other judges time to shine. But sometimes she can’t help it. You can tell the other judges are thinking “oh here goes Jenny again wanting to look smart and correct again even though it’s my time to shine or no one was supposed to know.” Sometimes it feels like the judges don’t know (or they’re really good at acting truly clueless) but jenny knows. She always has to know. It’s like playing a game with someone that you know has all the answers but it’s fun for them to play dumb sometimes but still can’t help but cheat to feed their ego. It’s like her daddy’s the boss. I hate Jenny!
TLDR this show is sometimes genuine~ish, sometimes it’s scripted. There’s politics at work within the celebs and the judges.
Love this show. Love the costumes, the dancers/band, most of the performances. Favorite part is the reveal. Nick is great, very likable in this show. Robin is also great, show really helped his image get better since that whole Miley thing way back. Ken is hit or miss, funny but sometimes too much. Rita is a great addition, better at seeming genuine. Good vibes. Miss Nicole, she probably got tired of dealing with Jenny. Jenny can go die.
Let me know if you agree or if you think otherwise. Add any of your theories you might have about how this show is really ran.

Has anyone started Wegovy while training for an athletic event? I’m doing a long bike race at the middle of the summer and am wondering if I should wait due to potential side effects and nutrition management.
Doc has said that they will put in a script for it already.

Female Age 26 On Lexapro for 4 years Also on 60 mg Strattera
Like many throughout this sub, I’ve had the unpleasant experience of gaining a TON of weight since starting Lexapro.
While it may be quite wordy, I wanted to share my story in case someone can relate.
Back when COVID started (March 2020), I was pretty much the skinniest I had been during my early adult years and quite muscular for a woman (coming off being a college athlete).
A couple weeks into March 2020, I unfortunately got very sick with (I believe) an early strain of COVID which feels like it completely changed my brain chemistry/gave me crippling full-body anxiety that is still present to this day.
I couldn’t function socially, I constantly felt like I was about to have a heart attack at any second, yet every test said I was perfectly healthy. An onset of chronic pain in my ribs didn’t help much either.
When my doctor asked if I had tried Lexapro, I was eager to see if this new medication would be the magic fix to my new-found anxiety. Luckily… I was right.
Since about mid-2020, I’d primarily been taking 10mg Lexapro - seeing great results with anxiety relief and finally being able to talk myself down from panic attacks. The new downside, I went from being a 5’2” 130 lb college athlete to a 175 lb work-from-homer that barely gets off the couch.
The last two years have been increasingly difficult for me. I’m constantly in pain from the added body weight, physical activities I used to do with ease have only gotten more difficult even though I still have a desire to do them, and I just feel overall shame and embarrassment.
While I know the Lexapro is NOT fully to blame here (my switch to a more sedentary lifestyle makes a major impact as well), it’s wild thinking back at how fast I put the weight on and how it correlated perfectly with when I started my Lexapro journey.
I should’ve realized that the Lexapro was probably not helping my weight gain, however at the time, I really didn’t think of that side effect and mainly attributed my weight to my new life of trying not to upset my chronic pain by sitting all day.
About two months ago, I felt more anxious and upped my dose from 10mg to 15mg all while starting to watch my calories and MAJORLY increase my physical activity. It stumped me why I started also feeling bigger than ever…
TWENTY POUNDS GAINED! I couldn’t believe I actually weighed 195. Surely I was doing the right thing by increasing my exercise and making progress towards my goals?
While I’ve always been a “the number on the scale doesn’t define me as long as I make good decisions for my body” type of person, I immediately made an an appointment with my Psych.
She thankfully heard my concerns and lowered my dose back to 10mg of Lexapro, and added Wellbutrin to see if it would help combat some of the “unpleasant side effects” I was going through (sex drive had completely tanked as well).
I just picked up my script and I’m starting my journey with NOOM, trying to do whatever I can to get on the right path here.
If anyone has had a similar experience or any advice for starting Wellbutrin on top of Lexapro, I would LOVE to hear feedback! It’s been a very tough road for me with all of this, but I finally feel like I’m on the right track and have a clear mind of what I want to work towards.
TL:DR- In total, gained about 65 lbs since starting Lexapro, finally adding Wellbutrin to try to help. Let me know your experience!

Company:
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Position: Software Development Intern
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-Willing to Take on New Challenges: Innovation thrives on pushing boundaries. You're not intimidated by the unknown; instead, you see it as an opportunity for growth.

• Thrives in a Chaotic Environment: Startups can be unpredictable, but that's where the magic happens. If you excel in dynamic settings and can adapt quickly to change, you'll fit right in.
  
• Knowledge of Sports (Bonus): While not mandatory, a passion for sports is advantageous. Understanding the industry and its nuances will enhance your contributions to our projects.
  
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Compensation:
This is an unpaid internship. However, what it lacks in monetary compensation, it makes up for in invaluable experience and meaningful projects. You'll have the opportunity to work on projects that are pivotal for our business, contributing to real-world solutions that will shape the future of the sports industry. Moreover, outstanding performance will open doors to networking opportunities with industry professionals such as lead developers, project managers, and business owners.

How to Apply:
If you're ready to embark on an exciting journey with us and contribute to meaningful projects that make a difference, we want to hear from you! Please submit your resume to [applications@takecomnd.com](mailto:applications@takecomnd.com)

Join us in shaping the future of sports technology!
https://preview.redd.it/u6d8kkhj8e0d1.png?width=468&format=png&auto=webp&s=266a85a7140b44cb2ce37acf03204717c99c9196

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So me and my friend have been playing a lot of online friendlys recently, and every single time the same scenario happens which is First half: I am absolutely clapping him (usually 3 or 4 goals ahead) playing like prime barca
Second half: playing like a league 2 side and completely bottling
We played like 6 games already, 2 were draws 4 were wins for him, and 5 of those games I was up 3 or 4 goal margin in the first half And by the second half he makes a comeback
We played on old gen and new gen, same shit happens
And just a minute ago we were playing, I was Athletic Club, he was atlético madrid, i was up 4-1 by the first half, around the 65th minute of the second half i was up 5-1 plus he gets a red card, hes been playing bad all game
Naturally you would think I would win? Nope
He makes a sudden prime real madrid comeback and ties the game 5-5 (with a red card before all 4 comeback goals)
What am I doing wrong? Is it just the game and its scripting or is it me?

Looking for anyone with copyright insights. I was tasked to rewrite an old screenplay my former company owned the rights to -- it was basically a riff on an old movie with a pop star instead of a princess. I was to go in and change her occupation and rewrite enough that the original writer wouldn't notice and sue us if we went and made it. Pretty slimy, I know.
Anyway, I thought the script was terrible and I'm a pretty fast writer so I just decided to start from scratch and make the character an athlete. It's still a riff on the old movie, but every single word is original. They budgeted and scheduled the movie, but ultimately decided not to make it. As far as I know it will be dead forever, and most of the people at the company will have already forgotten about it. However, I think there's a fun idea there and I would like to write it as a book. The problem is, I'm not sure if they would or could come after me if there was any success. I'm sure there will be some changes, but I plan on keeping the title, characters, and general plot.
I have a general understanding of copyright laws; however, my situations is a bit tricky. There were no contracts signed in any relation to this script. I actually never even had a contract with the employer. It was literally a handshake deal. I wrote one draft on my personal laptop and there was no development. Technically, I was paid to write it as I was salaried. I could ask if I can have the rights to the script, but at this point I don't want to interact with them at all. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Trouble in turkey town is a free thanksgiving them familly friendly 5e adventure https://monsterfight5e.com/index.php/monster-fight-5e-presents-takedown-in-turkey-town/
An urban campaign mission designed for level 2-3 adventurers, trouble in turkey town is composed of an initial encounter (beware of headcrab like animated turkeys that turn people into turkey zombies),3 pathways to infiltrate a manor, and a mission to recover a cursed cornucopia within that mansion involving 2 gang factions, multiple groups of enemies including another designed encounter, and a final battle with giant turkey monster.
Other than hombrew monsters and an additional flashback mechanic allowing preparation to factor into the heist without actually taking time out to plan or roleplay that preparation before hand, it is run entirely on whatever 5e system you choose to use. Inspired by new jack city, the plot involves a gang leader producing thanksgiving meals from a fae gifted cornucopia that cause magical food comas, the manifestation of nightmare like food creatures, and possible were turkeys. He flees to his manor with the cornucopia after things go awry, wich the party must infiltrate to recover the cornucopia and undo its effect, encountering his traitorous right hand woman and a devious fae along the way.
All in all Trouble in Turkey town is a well polished, comedic, and self contained adventure likely playable in 2-3 sessions or longer if you stretch it a bit. It has few flaws, but there are a couple missed opportunities or areas that can use more guidance or elaboration for the GM and there is a lot of optional content that doesn't provide additional opportunities and may even make the final battle more difficult.
For example, the flashback mechanic: "To get the players right into the action of the heist, this adventure includes a flashback mechanic... For example: If the players are infiltrating Nino's keep from the north side. They could flashback to persuade the local guard to set up an explosion on the south side as a distraction."
Allowing players to simply describe things their characters had done previously to aid in a heist on the fly is a great way to start an adventure in the thick of it while still keeping to the genre, and allows for easier roleplaying of competent infiltrators by allowing preparations to occur with aid of hind site, as players can take advantage of ideas that would occur to serious skilled characters in planning but might only occur to causal role-players in a moment of need.
That said, the benefit is not really well fitted to this module as the heist does not occur until after an inital encounter and there is a full planning phase between the initial encounter and the heists beginning. As well as the missed opportunity of the description of the mechanic not fitting this adventure that well, there is a lack of guidance on what ways a flashback might be used, with only one example being provided. As only a small portion of the adventure includes an actual infiltration, and preparation could be difficult beyond that point as characters cannot interact with the mansion until that infiltration, this lack of guidance is strongly felt. I can come up with at least one idea, once inside the mansion players learn that the personel all have uniforms, and thus can flashback to replicating these uniforms for themself based on a description from an informant, but more guidance would be nice as well as guidance on how to provide examples or explanation of the mechanic to players.
Another area guidance would be critical is the alarm. There are two points during the initial infiltration where guards can raise the alarm, the path where the alarm is less likely to be raised being more difficult in every other aspect, but there is nothing that indicates what this actually does or why it is a significant enough risk that the other more enemy dense infiltration option is comparable. Obviously as a gm I could come up with what the alarm does myself, but given that there are so many moving parts inside the mansion and so many active threats the gang is dealing with, its hard to know what they would actually do.
The rest of the review are a list of potential flaws (including ones involving the final battle and optional content) that might be difficult to understand without reading the adventure, and are mainly for the benefit of the creator of the text.
A motivation for Tea is taking down niko, later it says he has a personal grudge. That information should be in his bio not outside of it, and I would like specification on where that grudge originates.
"•People who eat from the cornucopia become cursed eventually transforming into a were-turkey"
There is no mention of the food monsters appearance here, which is perhaps the more critical factor.
"Keeping the method and place of discovery abstract lets the story flow no matter where your players take it."
I'm not sure it does, not specifying where clues would be as an adventure writer does, but for the gm I'm not sure the same benefit applies.
There are no guidelines for character creation or party size. It would be nice if there were potential ways for players to connect their backstories to the mission, and a good or neutral aligned party seems more or less necessary without going pretty off script.
It's a little odd that the eaters can be awakened with just one action once the encounter starts, but could not be aroused at all before.
Is proximity required to use the action to wake up a bystander or can a player just shout at them?
Whether the number of bystanders saved correlates to by standers awoken before becoming zombies or just bystanders that don't end up dead is not clear.
The reward for playing this encounter well is pretty slim, just one extra potion.
"There are two vaults in the keep. One crew vault and Nino's personal vault. The players have been told that the cornucopia is in the crew vault but it is in Nino's vault."
This is likely something Pookie tells the crew despite knowing better, but that is not really specified anywhere and it just says that pookie knows it is in Nino's without telling where the players are supposed to get the info that that is not the case.
"During their time in Teo's warehouse the characters can rest and plan the heist. This is a good time to introduce the flashback mechanic."
Since the flashback is unrelated to what the players actually plan/prepare, I'm not sure it is.
"Have the players come up with an initial point of entry and begin the heist."
Does it have to be one of the three options? Also is the wall entry point supposed to be along the northern wall? Whether the players know that immmedaitly or find out after looking at all the walls it doesn't matter, but if they try to climb another wall it might be problematic, as some of the walls only have descriptions of wants going on at the keep near the outer wall not that section of the outer wall itself.
In terms of choosing pookie or teo, if they figure out pookie is sus but can't convince teo, the most likely option is to pick neither, but I'm not sure if thats intended as an option.
Pookie has two pretty big downsides that would not be hard for the players to figure out which might be a bit much, but having a named character that might transform if things go bad adds stakes which is nice.
"a empty plate of food and two folders one labeled ̈Crew Vault" the other "Private Vault". A turkey zombie hides in the south east corner."
What’s in them?
The reward for saving Remy in the kitchen encounter is also pretty low considering the dumbwaiter is so easy to find.
The dumbwaiter makes noise, but how guards might react to that considering it's probably a normal occurrence is not stated. Might whether the alarm has been raised effect this?
"The keys need to be inserted into the locks at the same time or the vault an alarm will go off."
Another point where there is an alarm but no stated stakes.
"The vault is full with paintings, sculptures jewels and gold. On the southern wall is a wardrobe that has been boarded up. Pounding can be heard coming from it as if someone is trapped inside."
Earlier the wardrobe is stated to be being carried in the stair room, make sure to say it is only in the vault if the goons were allowed to carry it down the stairs uncontested.
"If there is a battle, Nino will engage for a round or two then attempt to escape to his vault using his hat and get the cornucopia. He suspects it is powerful enough to use to maintain his power."
And if he succeeds in this? What happens then. That is not explained here, and at the final battle section he is supposed to show up after the players if he is alive. Which does not make sense combined with this. How would the players even obtain his hat without knocking him out or killing him? It's possible I'm sure, but it seems like it would be pretty tough.
The players are supposed to be able to learn about Nosh from the kennel master, but what would they learn? As it requires visiting the kernel master, then going all the way down to the basement to meet Nosh or revisit him even after the new imformation is gained, it should be pretty good info.
Make sure this info can in theory result in a positive benefit after interacting with Nosh, not just avoiding negative effects ideally. Perahps an alternate route to defeating the turkey, effectively a different ending path after getting info on nosh in one area, then doubling back to interact with him. Additionally, Nosh has semi critical information, and the only way to bargain with him at present is either to become a warlock or help Niko, step costs. Maybe there is something that can give you leverage over him that the kennel master reveals (it would be funny if it's just a favorite food). Furthermore, why must Nosh be bargained with? The option to attack him or just keep him locked in the wardrobe if he does not help is never discussed.
Killing both Niko and Aurelia should have some benefit, likely an alternate path to defeating the turkey or breaking the curse without it, otherwise thats 3 successive cr 2 battles including the turkey, and they have to fight the turkey without mooks distracting it.
When having the battle, make the monsters and NPC almost like background pieces and only interacting with the players when it makes sense. This will make it easier to run since you wouldn't need to keep track of everyone's hp and turns. It also gives the players a fighting chance against overwhelming odds.
Having the npc be a bit background makes sense, not sure having the turkey and the monsters it spawned be in the background is a good idea though as they are the main obstacle. The giant turkey without the things it spawns having an effect just isn't that interesting an encounter.
What if the players just take the cornucopia, rather than destroying it or having a way to immediately place it in the fey wild. Especially if they don't immediately have the info on how to break the curse this is likely to happen.
"On a success, the host reverts to its original mastiff form, and losing 10 hp."
Clarify that the health total is kept despite transformation, it doesn't go to base hp then lose 10 hp I mean.
"the turkey is destroyed and it reverts to its host form with 1 hp."
The it/host form here needs to be clarified to refer to the dog.
There is little difference between bite and pounce, pounce should do more damage to reflect higher cr, move has a different name anyway.
"Engulf. The ooze moves up to its speed into a medium or smaller target's space and engulfs the target. The target must make a DC 12 Dexterity saving throw or take 4 (1d6 + 1) poison damage and is suffocating."
Should specify target is grappled or restrained or ooze stays attached to them as they move, and give guidance on when a player makes saving throws to break out after failing the first time and if that takes any option from the action economy.
"Any creature may use its action to make a DC 14 Strength (athletics) check to rip off the turkey. On a success, the host reverts to its original form, and losing 10 hp."
Definitely need to change wording on this, like the last instance but even worse as it involves temp hp. Having the pull of method do more damage but work quicker ain’t the end of the world though.

This story was originally written July 2023.
You might have heard of me. I was a social media influencer for two years.
I know kids have “influencer” as one of their top professions these days, but for me it was all an accident, really. I uploaded a few YouTube videos back in 2019, in the summer I finished school. All I did was rant about movies. I had a few notes, not a full script, and just spouted off to my laptop camera about inaccurate science, bad casting choices, real nitpicky stuff. In about six months I’d got 200 subscribers.
I was at university then, and I mentioned my videos to some of my uni friends. They subbed and told their friends, and I got up to 1,000 sub by January 2020. My videos were only about ten minutes long, and I had nowhere near the views to monetise. I was making one a week, but not on any sort of schedule. It was just something I did when I was bored.
Then the pandemic hit. A lot of students here in England basically got locked into their halls of residence (that’s dorms for any Americans reading), but I was lucky enough to get back to my parents’ before then. So I was doing what my uni laughably called “remote learning”, which basically meant a couple of video lectures a week, some worksheets, and lots and lots of my own research. I won’t bore you with the topic of my course; it’s not relevant.
I’m not exactly stereotypically pretty. I’ve come to accept that. My hair is stringy, my nose is too big, my face is profoundly asymmetrical, my complexion is strange and acned, my teeth are crooked … You get the idea. You can only do so much with makeup and hair that covers your face. I probably have fewer friends than I would if I looked like other people, and it actually took a lot of courage to make that first video - and even more courage to upload it.
I can only assume that’s the reason I went viral. It certainly wasn’t the high production values, or the tightly-written scripts, or the quality of my research. On the 9th of April I had 1,322 subscribers. On the 10th it was over 8,000. By the end of April it was up to 300,000, and I had actually monetised my channel.
The comments were … well, they were varied. Lots of hate because of my looks, but lots of love from people who just appreciated what I put out there, calling out others for their negative comments. I know many social media stars struggle with unkind comments, but I’d got used to it. Let’s be honest, they weren’t nice, but neither were they untrue. And comments under your video are easier to ignore than comments in the street. I was making decent money after all. If you were one of those commenters, you know which side you were on, and I love you either way. Thanks for the engagement - it’s not easy to gain financially from your unusual appearance!
The trouble with going viral is that it doesn’t last. Competing in the fast-paced world of internet stardom takes a lot of effort. I started experimenting with other things - YouTube shorts, TikTok, Instagram, pretty much anything going. The format that turned out to work best was actually TikTok. I’d bought some skimpy outfits and did ridiculous little dances. I quickly reached over a thousand views per video, and while I wasn’t up to their creator tier, it still worked. A well-known cosmetics company asked to sponsor my videos.
Cosmetics! Me! I guess they were going for woke points or something. I didn’t care, they offered me more money than I knew what to do with, as long as my views stayed high. So I started making 2-minute videos. A dance without make-up, then I applied the make-up - being sure to show the brand name clear and up-close - and then the same dance with make-up. If this is ringing any bells with you, then yes - that was me. And no, stupid - that’s not my real name.
I’d got used to undesired attention of course. Along with the unpleasant comments, I got my fair share of unwelcome male approaches. For a few hours after any upload, about half of my DMs were from men, and some women (or men with female account names), asking to see more of me. I wasn’t a camgirl, though I suppose I wasn’t a million miles away from one; but I could have been. I did seriously consider it a few times, but never actually followed through.
And half of the rest of my DMs, and a good portion of the public comments, were from angry women. What made me think I had the right to show off like that? How could I bring their favourite cosmetics brand into disrepute? But I’ve got pretty thick skin (hey, I can make that joke, you can’t), and mostly laughed the comments off and ignored them.
That was, in hindsight, a mistake.
By September my uni was reopening for in-person teaching. I was working six or seven hours a day just to keep up with everything, and had a couple more brands sponsoring me. Being an influencer isn’t just about filming for ten minutes a day and watching the money come in!
So I was going to tutorials an hour a day, watching video lectures at 2x speed, and ignoring my assignments in favour of making videos and replying to messages. It’s not like my pointless degree was helping with my real job.
Okay fine. It was geology. Rocks and stuff. You happy now? I bet you can’t tell the difference between sylvite and carnallite just by licking it, can you?
Anyway, the point is I came close to being chucked out. Actually I had to repeat the second year. At least I could afford it.
So anyway, I somehow got through to the end of my second year, the end of my second year again, and part way through my third year. I was passing my exams - just - and through several reinventions I had managed to maintain my social influencer role. Last Autumn I was getting some good views, and cash, back on YouTube. I was getting pretty good at make-up (I had an exclusive deal with one company on TikTok, and another deal with a different cosmetics company on YouTube). The videos that did well then were me with experimental hairstyles and not much in the way of clothes, putting on makeup for a few minutes, then reading out-of-copyright fiction in my patented “YouTube voice”. If you can imagine a cross between Shania Twain and Marge Simpson then… well, then you’re weird, but you’ve pretty much got it.
Then, last December, a week or so before the Christmas holidays, I went out with my friends. I had made a decent number, both girls and guys, by then. I could never quite tell whether it was my personality (which I assure you is fantastic), my influencer status, or the cash I was liberal with (it always seemed to be my round, and I didn’t mind). There were even a couple of boys who were keen on me, though I hadn’t done anything about it yet. Eight of us went out together to celebrate a birthday. It wasn’t actually anybody’s birthday that day, but Shireen had a Christmas Day birthday, and she wanted a proper party.
Now I look quite different in real life than I do online. I think the technical term is “frumpy” - jeans, trainers, fluffy jumper and a hat, or maybe a hoodie. The birthday girl had somehow convinced me to put a bit more effort in, and had helped me pick out some heels and a knee-length silver dress. Make-up was easy for me of course, and so I got dressed up and off we went to the Black Swan.
The Black Swan has several great qualities about it. One: it’s cheap. Two: it does good food. Three: it’s a couple of hundred metres from The Bar. We had a decent meal, a few drinks, and around 9 we walked to The Bar.
To be more precise, they walked. I wobbled. If you’ve watched my videos you might have seen me in heels, but did you ever see me walk in them? Didn’t think so.
The Bar is open til 3 in the morning. It looks respectable enough from the outside, especially in the afternoon; but after about 11, when most pubs close, it fills up with students drinking expensive-looking drinks. And almost every night, somebody jumps up onto a table, and then everybody’s up there dancing. In The Bar, either you hold your drink tightly, or you lose it.
I’d done this before, and I can handle my alcohol. I’ve stayed at The Bar till chuckout more than a few times, and I’ve been wobbly on the way home, but I’ve never thrown up or passed out. And so I was surprised when I woke up. The last thing I remembered was Stu saying he was tired, and Shireen replying that it wasn’t even midnight yet. Now I was lying on the hard wooden floor of my living room.
My head pounded. Daylight streamed through the window, and I blinked a few times and rubbed my eyes. My hands were wet and sticky.
I looked at them. They were covered in blood.
I looked down. My heels were across the room, but I was still wearing my dress. It, also, was covered in blood, a huge stain across the chest.
Panic set in. What happened to me last night? I checked myself out and could find no injuries. Where did the blood come from?
Standing up, I realised it was worse than that. Red pools stained the wooden floor. I don’t know much medicine, but if somebody had lost this much blood, I couldn’t see how they could have survived.
I stood up, unsure whether my shaking was from the shock or the alcohol. This was when I saw a shirt on the floor behind me. White, with a subtle pattern. I’m sure I don’t need to tell you that it wasn’t my shirt. I lived alone, and rarely invited people back to my flat. I looked around some more. A pair of men’s black leather shoes by the door. And then I saw it.
I suppose, rather, I should say him. He was naked except for a pair of dark blue jeans, slumped in the open doorway to the kitchen, covered in blood, and very, very, dead.
I panicked then. I’m calmer now, so let’s take a moment to describe my conclusions that morning. I had got very drunk. I had met a guy. We’d come back to my flat. We’d been getting naked (the shoes and shirt weren’t bloodied). Then, for some reason, we’d had an argument or a fight. The body had stab wounds in the chest, and a pool of blood had congealed onto the wooden floor of the living room and the linoleum of the kitchen where the man collapsed. How did those stab wounds get there? I didn’t know for sure, but a quick glance at my kitchen counter showed that my sharp carving knife was missing. It was all coming together. I didn’t know if he had picked up the knife, or if I had; I didn’t know why either of us would do that. I didn’t even know his name, and later when I checked his pockets, I couldn’t find any ID.
There was a lot I didn’t know. But I’m smart. So once I was done crying on the floor (I think it was about two hours), I came up with a plan. This man was dead, and I couldn’t do anything about that. But what would the consequences be? There’s no need for my life to be ruined as well. I decided not to call the police. People go missing mysteriously all the time, he can just be another statistic and I’ll get on with my life.
The blood on Dave was mostly dry by now. (Sure, I didn’t know his name, but every bloke’s called Dave, right?) So I put a badly-fitting vest on him to soak up the remaining blood, and his shirt over the top, along with his shoes. His jeans were bloody, but they were dark, so hopefully it wouldn’t show up in low light. I couldn’t find his coat, which was odd given how cold it was, but this would have to do. I put my dress and heels in a plastic bag, and grabbed a spade that I never used. Had I missed anything?
The knife. The fucking knife. I searched all over for it, but by the time it got dark I still hadn’t found it. I knew I couldn’t delay for long, so I figured it was best to deal with Dave now, and find the knife later.
Eight o’clock in the evening came. I’m lucky I have parking right outside my house, no street cameras, and a ground-floor flat. I put the bag in the boot of my car and came back for the body.
Have you ever tried to move a dead person? It’s not easy, and I’m not exactly strong. I put my arm around his waist and eventually managed to heave him almost upright. “Come on Dave, that’s it. We’re gonna get you home. Maybe calm down on the tequila next time right? Try to keep it in, and don’t you dare vomit in my car, you sexy bastard.”
Oh come on, what do you want from me? I’m an influencer, not a stand-up comedian. And anyway, I don’t think anybody saw me during the several minutes it took to drag Dave to the passenger seat. I really wish I’d got round to buying a bigger car than the Fiat Punto I’d had since I was 18, but it was too late for that now.
There’s a place about an hour’s drive from me called Epping Forest. The Heritage Trust reckon it’s most famous for its huge tracts of unspoiled wildlife, thousands of trees, and Iron Age settlements. But around here it’s best known as the place where murderers and gang members bury bodies. So off I trundled in my 1.2 litre pensioner-mobile. I arrived around 9:30, checked Google Maps, and drove offroad into the woods.
Do you know how long it takes to dig a grave? The answer is: a long time! By dawn I’d only managed a hole about two feet. Oh, and it was my third try, because the first two times I found too much rock. Well, it would have to do. In went Dave, and I shovelled the ground back over him. I thought I could put my clothes in with him, but it was a shallow grave, and when the inevitable dog-walker finds it I didn’t want them linked back to me. I mean, there’s my DNA in there for sure, but let’s not make it too easy for them, right? So I chucked the spade in a river, and the clothes went back home with me, including the vest I’d lent him.
Now in England we have a thing called ANPR everywhere. The police can just type in a car registration and see exactly where it’s been from traffic cameras. I needed an alibi. Why had I gone to Epping Forest? For a hike of course! So I walked around for a few hours, got breakfast at a pub, and told the staff about all the wacky adventures I’d had that night. And while I was there, for the first time in a good long time, I checked my phone.
Hundreds of messages, of course. But only one sent a shiver down my spine.
Jolly_Gal_56234
I KNOW WHAT YOU DID
My heart thumped. My ears started ringing. I felt dizzy, nearly passed out. How could anybody know?
Of course nobody knew. I actually got messages like this fairly often. Just some idiot trying to wind people up. They’d probably sent a dozen messages just like it, to random people, and I just blocked her. Still it rattled me. I finished my breakfast, paid up, walked back to my car, and drove home.
My flat was just as I left it. Dave was gone, but his blood was still there. I scrubbed the floor for hours, and it helped a bit, but you could still see the stains. Exhausted, I showered and went to bed.
The next morning I woke up. I hadn’t posted anything for a day and a half, so I needed to do something about that. Scrolling through my messages, one stood out like a police light.
Jolly_Gal_28473
YOU’VE BEEN A BAD GIRL 🔪
Shit. SHIT! What the fuck is going on? I stared at my phone, paralysed with indecision. When I finally snapped out of it I made sure the door was locked, and tried to come up with a plan.
I had no idea who was sending these. Maybe they didn’t really know anything. You send stupid messages like that to hundreds of people, you’re gonna come across one who’s actually done something bad, right? I poured myself a big glass of gin, decided that nobody could know anything, and made a video.
Remember that one where I didn’t speak at all, just danced for three minutes dressed like 90s Britney to 70s disco music, titled “HANGOVER DANCE”? Yeah, that’s the one. I didn’t trust myself to speak without breaking, but I could dance about as well as I ever could.
The rest of the day I answered messages, emailed my sponsors, and considered getting an agent. It’s still just me doing everything, and that Sunday afternoon, I really didn’t want to. I also spent a few hours scrubbing the wooden floor with baking soda and vinegar, and looking for the knife.
I kept getting messages from Jolly_Gal. It didn’t matter how much I blocked her, she just popped up again the next day with different numbers at the end of her username. Always all-caps, just a single sentence.
YOU DON’T DESERVE IT
YOU’LL GET WHAT’S COMING TO YOU
OWN UP
DELETE YOUR ACCOUNT
Exactly one message a day, but always at different times. I decided it was a bot, and it was just coincidence that it started when it did. Until Christmas Day.
I’d been back at my parents’ for a few days, and endured the usual conversations about what I was going to do for a “proper job” after uni. They’re great, and really supportive. They’ve just never understood what an “influencer” really is, and that “playing on my phone” for six hours a day counts as work. My brother Rich gets it, but the rest of my family is honestly baffled.
Anyway, Christmas morning comes. All four of us were in the house together (my brother’s 17 so he still lives there), and we gathered together in the living room opening presents. It was a couple of weeks since the incident, and I still had nightmares every night, and those sudden panic attacks - you know, when you’re sure you’re going to be found out - but I was getting used to it. It had happened, I couldn’t change it, and I’d have to keep it secret for the rest of my life; but it was becoming a sort of background hum. I don’t know if that’s too quick, but I suppose I’ve learned to handle difficulty in my life.
Until we finished opening presents and I checked my phone.
Jolly_Gal_814385
HAPPY CHRISTMAS
And underneath, a photo of my kitchen knife, stained with blood.
I ran out of the house in tears.
Rich found me, sitting on the wooden bridge down the road from the house, my legs dangling over the river. I came here a lot when I was a teenager, so it was the first place he looked. I’d left my phone on the living room floor, and the three of them had seen the message, so he knew what triggered me. He just didn’t know the full story.
Well, I told him. I mean, not everything, obviously. But I told him how this person had been harassing me for weeks. He listened sympathetically, like he’s always done, and asked if there was anything he could do to help. I didn’t say anything; I just turned around, hugged him, and cried into his Christmas sweater.
After about half an hour we went back to the house. Rich explained things to my parents, thank goodness. I don’t think I could have handled it.
The rest of the holiday was … okay, I guess. More messages from Jolly_Gal, but only text. I made videos most days, and met all two of my old schoolfriends for drinks, movies and shopping. They’re big fans of my channels. I even took Rich out for drinks one evening, though it took us four pubs to find somewhere that wouldn’t ID him. He’s a bit of a babyface.
I did all I could not to think about Dave. I put him to the back of my mind, letting him live in the shed at the bottom of the garden of my psyche where he couldn’t disturb me. I guess that’s why it came as a shock to me, when I packed my stuff into the boot of my car to head back to uni.
There was one suitcase I’d packed but hadn’t got round to taking into the house. And peeking around the edge was that plastic bag. I’d forgotten to get rid of it!
Dad was helping me load the car, so I couldn’t do anything about it. I tucked it out of sight, finished loading up, said goodbye, and drove back to uni. It was dark when I got back, so I unpacked everything else, triple-bagged my bloody clothes, left my phone at home (no tracking me!), and walked two miles to drop them into somebody else’s wheelie bin.
The next morning I checked my messages.
Jolly_Gal_12592
WELCOME HOME
And a photo of me dumping the bag the night before.
You know what? This didn’t bother me. I mean, it did bother me, but not as much as I guess Jolly_Gal hoped. I’ve been bullied and harassed most of my life, and I’ve got pretty good at ignoring it. Sure, it was an escalation - she was actually following me - but it was just one of almost thirty messages. Jolly_Gal was hoping to destroy me. Instead, she hardened my resolve.
Clearly she had enough evidence to go to the police, but she hadn’t. And obviously she lived nearby. Now I’m no hacker, but you don’t do a job like mine without learning your way around technology. So I started sleuthing. I hadn’t bothered blocking her after the third or fourth message, so I made a list of all the messages, including timecodes. I’ve got a geology degree (almost), and we have techniques to analyse rock strata. Finally I had a genuine use for all that studying I sort of did!
Jolly_Gal was not as clever as she thought. She’d got sloppy. About half of her messages were sent at strange hours, on the hour. These were presumably posted by her bot. But the other messages were all sent between 7 and 8 am, or between 6 and 10 pm. So I guessed that she has a normal 9-5 day job, or maybe she’s a student.
Next I searched all the social media sites I could think of for Jolly_Gal or JollyGal usernames. There are a few, so please don’t go harassing people with that username! I don’t want innocent people to get hurt. After a few hours I had profiles of all Jolly_Gals. Pictures, locations, partial travel history, even birthdays for some of them. I discounted those who clearly weren’t in England, but I still had too many to narrow it down. The photos had no EXIF data so I couldn’t tell the type of phone or camera they used.
So my days became something like this: Five hours doing uni stuff, five hours working on my socials, and an hour or two learning digital sleuthing. I still went out with my friends sometimes, but made sure not to drink too much. I know how to have a good time without being drunk!
The breakthrough came by total chance. I rarely read the local papers, and just got lucky one afternoon in March. I was waiting for a friend in the pub after lectures, and there was a copy of the Post somebody had left on a table. So I flicked through it. The local council was rubbish at doing traffic. Some group of OAPS was organising a May Day celebration. And a woman had been convicted of body-snatching.
I recognised her! There was a photo of a woman in her early twenties. She’d been arrested when a corpse went missing back in December, and they’d seen her take it on the morgue’s CCTV. She’d been released on bail. “Prevention of the lawful and decent burial of a dead body” is a rare crime these days, so she hadn’t been sentenced yet; instead she was released until her sentencing, expected to be in August. Her name was Jenny Smith, which is so common as to be almost useless - that is, if you don’t have a profile of her on your laptop at home!
The report also gave her address. So I started hatching a plan. I texted my friend that I wouldn’t make it, and went home.
Jolly_Gal, or rather, Jenny, lived near me, and actually went to the same university. She had accounts on Instagram, TikTok, YouTube, Twitter, and a few others. Of course you can’t get Jolly_Gal by itself these days, but my profile gave all her precise usernames. I spent my evening watching her videos and reading her tweets. And then I found the smoking gun.
Jenny had posted a video on TikTok last June bitching about me. She’s way prettier than me, and yet I’d got all the subs and follows. She deserved all those sponsorship deals. It wasn’t fair that I had hundreds of thousands of subs and she only had a few thousand. She even said I was ugly and deserved to die.
Well, she got one out of two right, I guess. You can decide which one.
It all started to slot into place. Jenny was absurdly jealous of me, so she’d hatched a plan to destroy me. She must have roofied me in The Bar, got me and Dave back to my place, stabbed him, poured blood everywhere, and taken the knife home. I mean, I don’t know anything about forensic science, and I was drugged and panicked when I woke up that morning. I’d have no way of knowing that Dave had died days before he ended up in my flat!
I’d never managed to get all the blood out of the wooden flooring, and ended up putting a really misplaced rug over it. I chiselled off a sample and gave it to one of my friends who was doing a PhD in biology. It took a bit of persuading, but he ran an analysis on it.
It was pig’s blood.
Fuck Jenny. She’s not Jenny, or Jolly_Gal, she’s fucking Carrie!
She planned to destroy me. She ruined my mental health, she framed me for murder. All because I was more popular on TikTok than she was. Well, two can play at that game. I didn’t deserve what Jenny did to me. She did.
I thought about this all night, coming up with plan after plan, weighing them in my head. I wanted two things: to destroy Jenny, and to feel good about it for myself. Finally I had a course of action I’m actually rather proud of.
I decided to start slow. I did something anybody could have done - I mocked up a poster. At the top was “Jenny Smith - body snatcher!”. Underneath were two pictures, her Insta profile pic and the courthouse photo from the paper, and between them: “From This … To This!” And all her various social media handles to top it off. I printed hundreds of these, and pinned them all around the university and her street.
I’ve never thought of myself as an unkind person - God knows I’ve suffered enough myself to be sympathetic to others. But I’m willing to admit I felt a lot of satisfaction seeing her comments fill up with accusations and links to the online article. Jenny carried on making videos, but I could tell she was suffering. Good!
That was stage one. I had to up the ante for stage two. Jenny had covered me and my flat with pig’s blood, so I think we all know what’s coming next.
I pondered for a long time whether I should do it in the day or the night. But you know what they say - go big or go home. I scoped out her house for a while, and found out that she leaves her kitchen window, at the back of the house, open. Now I’m not the most athletic girl in the world, but I can be pretty determined when I want to be. So one night around 2 am I walked to her house - it’s only about half a mile - and climbed through the window.
I almost gave myself a heart attack when I knocked a glass over on the kitchen sink! Luckily it didn’t smash. I hid in a corner and waited for a full half hour before I decided Jenny hadn’t heard me. Then I snuck upstairs, slow as anything, and crept into her room.
Actually, the first room wasn’t hers. She shared with a couple of other students. Thank fuck I checked first! The second room was the right one. She was asleep, alone, in a double bed. I was so quiet that the only thing I could hear was my heart pounding in my chest as I opened my canvas bag, gently deposited its contents onto the pillow next to her, and took a photo. It didn’t come out that well - I couldn’t use the flash - but hey, I have a souvenir!
I really wish I’d seen her face when she woke up the next morning, staring at a pig’s head. She didn’t post on her socials for a week after that, and for two days she even forgot to send me a threatening message.
I’m sorry? You think I’m done? Oh, my sweet summer child. I’ve barely begun.
Jenny had a boyfriend, Abdul. I made sure he wasn’t around when I broke in, but stage three involved him in a big way.
Abdul was also at our university, a year younger than me, a year older than Jenny. He wasn’t very active on social media, but he did tend to broadcast his activity on Twitter. And what do you know? He’s also a fan of The Bar. So I spent the next month planning my move. I bought a new clubbing dress and heels - hey, I kinda missed that outfit! - and asked around for the other thing I needed. Some things you can’t just buy in Next, or a local butcher’s, but eventually I managed it.
I got my chance one Friday in May. Abdul had loudly announced on Twitter that he was excited for his boys’ night out in The Bar, and Jenny had been gushing about a girls’ night on the whole other side of town. Perfect. I spent hours on my makeup, and got to The Bar around ten. Abdul and his mates were having a drinking contest, and leching up at the girls dancing on the tables.
I figured I had a good long while before he would be ready, so I had a couple of drinks - not too much, but like I said I can handle myself, and I knew Jenny wasn’t around - and got up on the tables myself for a bit. Then about midnight Abdul’s friend got another round in, while Abdul was in the loo. This was my chance. I walked up to their table - which had no dancing feet on it, but a heck of a lot of spilled beer - and started talking to them, saying I thought their friend was hot.
“Uh, what the fuck?” “Not a chance in hell.” “Get lost, freak!”
Lovely chaps. But they were too far gone to notice me dropping something into Abdul’s double-whiskey-and-coke. For all I know, it’s the exact same thing Jenny used on me all those months ago.
Abdul came back and downed his whiskey in one gulp. I was worried he was going to vomit it up, but he held it in and blamed his difficulty on the coke fizz. Yeah mate, sure, sure.
Not too long after, he started to fade. His friends were really taking the piss out of him for being such a lightweight. Well, when I came over, the pisstaking just got worse. I introduced myself (with a fake name, duh) and told him he was hot. Believe it or not, it was only about twenty seconds before he put his tongue down my throat. Wow, I’m not sure I even needed to bother with the roofie!
His friends, who had been so intent on being mean to me, now turned their attention to him. I suggested we ditch them and go back to his place (I’d checked, it was only five minutes’ walk sober) - and off we went.
That was the first time I had sex. I’m sure I don’t need to go into details, but we did a lot of stuff, and I enjoyed it. I’m not sure if that’s because it was good, or because he was good, or because I knew what it was all for. I was impressed that he managed to keep going as long as he did in his state, but I do feel a bit sorry for him; from his Twitter he seems like a decent guy.
When he finally fell asleep I left. I’d got what I came for - pictures. And the next day I made a new account and sent a DM to Jenny.
At first I blurred my face, or chose shots that didn’t include it. A bit of editing and I could have been anybody. I watched their messy breakup on Twitter, Jenny hurling accusations, Abdul protesting his innocence. I know this is the age of social media, but I never understood why people play these things out in public.
And then, after posting a picture a day for a few weeks (I’d taken a lot of pictures), I sent one that showed my face clearly.
Jenny had managed to restrain herself from replying before, but now she knew who I was. She was furious! The very idea that her boyfriend had cheated on her with ME, of all people, was unbelievable. And this was exactly the outcome I’d been going for.
Jolly_Gal was broken. She’d ruined her reputation. She’d lost her boyfriend. She had nightmares about pigs (okay, so I don’t know that for certain, but in my imagination she woke up screaming every night). She was possibly going to prison. And now she knew that not only was I more successful than her as an influencer, but I was the one to steal her lover. She still sent messages, at first angry, but they soon degenerated into pleading. “Please stop.” “I’m sorry.” “We can work this out.” Jolly_Gal without CAPS LOCK, it was glorious to see.
In fact it was almost perfect. Three stages of my plan were complete, and only one remained. Jenny’s sentencing was in three weeks, so I had to move quickly.
She had two flatmates, so I needed to work around them. They weren’t particularly active on Twitter, but Jenny was. I knew from her tweets that while her flatmates had gone home, she was staying on a couple of weeks after the end of term. She didn’t say why publicly, but it was for her trial. No flatmates, no boyfriend. Now was the time.
And that brings us up to date. I’ve typed this up over the last few days, and saved as a draft. The final chapter, hopefully, comes tonight.
*******
I’m at Jenny’s house, and I’ve just called the police.
I turned up at Jenny’s door just after seven. Luck was with me - she’d tweeted that she was expecting a Deliveroo takeout. And I got there first.
The idiot actually kept the knife. I’d seen it when I was in her room. When she answered the doorbell, expecting food, and saw me - ah, the look on her face was priceless.
“I’m so sorry! Please, let’s just talk. I didn’t mean it to get this -”
I stalked towards her, anger in my face. Jenny fled upstairs. Perfect! She went into her room and shut the door, but I was like the furies of Greek legend. I smashed the door in, and looked on as Jenny cowered on her bed.
In full daylight, I saw the knife took pride of place in what looked like a shrine. She had photos of me printed out, and she’d written on them “BITCH”, “WHORE”, “FREAK” and all sorts of other hateful words.
Jenny had tried to make me into a murderer, so I gave her what she wanted. I grabbed the knife and stood over her. The coward shrank into the bed, begging for forgiveness, pleading for her life. Unfortunately for her I was not inclined to oblige. I plunged the knife into her chest, just as she had done to Dave all those many months ago. Jenny whimpered like a whipped dog, and after the ninth stab (yes, I counted), she stopped.
The police are on their way. I’m definitely going to jail after this. But Jenny got what was coming to her. We could both have lived happily, but Jenny chose otherwise.
And me? I passed my degree. I have friends. And jail or not, I have a life.
Burn in hell, Jolly_Gal.

“AEW, we have, what I believe is the most exciting matches and we have great stories happening,” Tony Khan said. “We’re really a challenger brand. We’re fighting against an establishment, and we’ve built a huge fanbase in a pretty quick time. People that love the fast-paced, exciting action, and the interviews. In AEW, I think people really feel a connection with the wrestlers. We don’t script the interviews here.”
“People go out, they’re talking about, maybe they got bullet points and key pieces of information they’re trying to get out, but it feels like you’re hearing a real person talk, which isn’t always the way it feels with some of the competition’s interviews. I think that’s one major difference. I think our biggest strength is the quality of athletes and the charisma of our biggest stars. Some of the biggest names in wrestling are in AEW, and there’s a reason why these big free agents want to come here to AEW. It’s because this is where the best wrestle.”

The California recall election has been making headlines across the nation, captivating the attention of political enthusiasts and casual observers alike. With its unique process and high stakes, this election has become a political rollercoaster that is bound to have far-reaching consequences.

The Recall Process: A Quirky Californian Tradition

Unlike most other states, California has a recall process that allows voters to remove an elected official from office before their term is up. This process has been used in the past, most notably in 2003 when Governor Gray Davis was recalled and Arnold Schwarzenegger became the governor.
The current recall election is targeting Governor Gavin Newsom, who has faced criticism for his handling of the COVID-19 pandemic and other issues. The recall effort gained traction and successfully gathered enough signatures to trigger a special election.

The Candidates: A Colorful Cast of Characters

One of the most intriguing aspects of the California recall election is the diverse range of candidates vying for the governorship. From reality TV stars to political outsiders, the list of contenders reads like a Hollywood script.
Larry Elder, a conservative talk radio host, has emerged as one of the leading candidates in the recall election. His outspoken views and charismatic personality have garnered him a significant following among conservative voters.
On the other end of the political spectrum, Kevin Paffrath, a YouTube star and real estate broker, has positioned himself as a progressive alternative to Governor Newsom. With his youthful energy and social media savvy, Paffrath has managed to attract a sizable online following.
Other candidates include John Cox, a businessman who ran against Newsom in the 2018 gubernatorial election, and Caitlyn Jenner, the former Olympic athlete and reality TV star. With such a diverse array of candidates, the California recall election has become a spectacle that is hard to ignore.

The Stakes: What's at Stake in this Election?

The outcome of the California recall election could have significant implications for the state and the nation as a whole. If Governor Newsom is successfully recalled, it would mark a major political shift and could potentially have ripple effects in other states.
On the other hand, if Newsom survives the recall, it would be a significant victory for the Democratic Party and a blow to conservative efforts to regain control in California. It could also serve as a bellwether for the 2022 midterm elections, giving Democrats momentum heading into a crucial election year.
Furthermore, the recall election has highlighted the deep political divisions within the state. California has long been seen as a liberal stronghold, but the recall effort has exposed the dissatisfaction and frustration of many conservative voters. The outcome of this election will undoubtedly shape the political landscape in California for years to come.

The Future: What Comes Next?

Regardless of the outcome, the California recall election has already made an indelible mark on the state's political history. It has energized voters, sparked debates, and brought attention to the unique recall process.
Looking ahead, it remains to be seen how the results of the recall election will shape the future of California politics. Will it lead to a realignment of power? Will it inspire more recall efforts in the future? Only time will tell.
One thing is for certain: the California recall election has captured the imagination of the nation and will be remembered as a pivotal moment in the state's political landscape.
www.cashlesstime.com/2024/05/the-california-recall-election.html

Demographics

• Gender: Male
• Race/Ethnicity: White
• Residence: South
• Income Bracket: $100-130K
• Type of School: Public
• Hooks (Recruited Athlete, URM, First-Gen, Geographic, Legacy, etc.): N/A

Intended Major(s): Environmental Science, MoleculaEvolutionary Biology, International Relations
Academics

• GPA (UW/W): 4.00/4.85
• Rank (or percentile): 3/~600
• Honors/AP/IB/Dual Enrollment/etc: 10 honors, 11 APs, 15 IB (full diploma), 10 DEs (online)
• Senior Year Course Load: Chemistry HL, Biology HL, English HL, History HL, Enviro SL, Physics SL, Theory of Knowledge, AP Calculus BC (online), DE Stats (online), AP CSP (online)

Standardized Testing

• SAT I: 1540 (740RW, 800M)
• ACT: 32 (did not report)
• AP: reported 7/9 scores; mix of 4s and 5s submitted
• IB: French B SL (7), Math SL (6), Biology SL (6)

Extracurriculars/Activities

1. Environmental Activism (redacted org name) - chapter foundenational director team that uplifts network of ~70K activists; climate ed resource creation (9, 10, 11, 12)
2. Students for Enviro Action and Environmental Competition (same as Honor #1) - co-led 100+ students at meetings and coastal cleanups; co-coordinated 21 competitors (9, 10, 11, 12)
3. SSP Biochemistry - applied TO even though it wasn’t TO at the time! (wooooops); honestly feels like a fever dream (12)
4. Foreign Language Organization - as Founder, led team of ~18; tutored in French and created extensive lesson materials (10, 11, 12)
5. Key Club International - member of District Board; directed 12 clubs; co-designed a few graphics for 22K youth (9, 10, 11, 12)
6. District National Honor Society - president of 10-15 HS chapters; led community-wide environmental and educational projects (11, 12)
7. Environmental Research @ local college - explored MATLAB in context of seagrass health (11, 12)
8. Local Environmental Nonprofit - Front Desk Staff and Microplastic Citizen Scientist (9, 10, 11, 12)
9. Boy Scouts - Eagle Scout, held many many positions, earned 70+ merit badges (21 needed for Eagle)
10. Wind Ensemble and Marching Band - multiple distinctions on 3 instruments; self-explanatory; uhh I had to leave after 3 years because my directors were remarkably toxic (9, 10, 11)

Awards/Honors

1. 4th Place - team-based environmental competition (international)
2. ISEF Finalist in Plant Sciences (international)
3. Service Project Award - sorry for being vague - top 0.045% (national and regional)
4. Statewide recognition in STEM - designated top STEM student in district by school board (state)
5. Recognition for work in service organization - approx. 400 hours in this position (international)

Letters of Recommendation
Environmental Science Teacher: 100/10, he told me that it was “glowing” and I knew I would ask him for a LOR since sophomore year. I’ve known him for all four years of high school, taken 2 classes with him, gave him science fair guidance (for his son), and have continuously shared personal climate activism updates with him; he also coaches my Activity #2 (co-captain and senior officer)→ Honor #1.
IB English/AP Lit Teacher: 9/10, she and I would have heart-to-heart discussions (and sometimes rants about some ppl…oops) regarding politics and literature. I loved connecting our texts in class, such as one by Toni Morrison, to systemic issues (unfortunately no one else really cared). We also share a wicked love for the outdoors and exploring uncharted places! The only reason I say 9/10 is because I got a 4 on the exam and had a decent amount of absences in her class, however, she fully understood my personal circumstances.
School Library Specialist/Aide: 9/10, she is undoubtedly my school “grandma" who I share all of my updates and personal adventures with. I sometimes help her sort books, organize equipment in the library, and tutor students from time to time. I read her rec and it said “[my name] ranks among the most compassionate, driven, motivated, and dedicated volunteers I've encountered in my years at [my high school]".
Interviews
Harvard: 10/10, it was amazing and I clicked immediately with my interviewer. It honestly felt like a casual conversation where I also detailed various projects/initiatives; it was nice hearing him talk abt different traditions and house pride at Harvard. The first question asked by him was “do you think we can save the world?"
Yale: 8/10, I didn’t prep much, but I loveddd talking with my interviewer about his experiences at Yale, my interests in science and government, and how multidisciplinary Yale is. He sent me the sweetest message after getting in, which honestly made my day.
\Note: Both interviewers were in their 60s/70s and my virtual interviews were requested by the alumni very last minute with a 1 to 2-day turnaround time.**
Essays
Personal Statement: 9/10, connecting personal growth with scientific exploration - an estuary near my house inspired me to conduct my ISEF project alongside other pursuits - tried to also keep it light-hearted
Supplemental Essays: Harvard - 9/10 (honestly, I'm super proud of them :,)), Yale - 8/10, Stanford - 8/10 (wrote in 1 day..shhhhh)
Additional Information: 10/10, really helped highlight/reinforce parts of my application - mentioned semifinalist/finalist for programs like Coke Scholars and Senate Youth; elaborated on international recognition for work on the climate (e.g. travelling to DC for a funded event); discussed my burning love for languages (from a Chinese program to my Venezuelan friend helping me learn Spanish). In a parallel universe, I would undoubtedly major in linguistics and help indigenous language preservation efforts (sorry, ling is so fcking cool but bio/enviro currently has my heart).
Decisions (indicate ED/EA/REA/SCEA/RD)
Acceptances:

• Squidward Community College (SCC) - with a clarinet scholarship!
• Vanderbilt (RD) - Chancellor’s Scholarship!
• FSU (RD) - Honors/Presidential Scholars
• UF (RD) - Honors/Research Program
• Yale (RD)
• Stanford (RD)
• Harvard (REA)!!!

Waitlists:

• Touching Grass State University (TGSU)

Rejections:

• N/A :,)

Additional Information:
Initially, I wasn't going to make this post but a friend suggested I do so—I feel like the past four years have been a wild ride—filled with exhilaration, frenzy, stress, love, and growth (as an activist, student, researcher, and human being). There are a bunch of things that I would change, if I could go back, but—as many people say—EVERYTHING WILL WORK OUT IN THE END. I have listed a few brief (p.s. you should study for your AP and IB exams...lol) pieces of advice:

• Do what genuinely interests you! This is a cliché statement, but it couldn't be closer to the truth. Want to make a language in your own script? Want to develop a CS model to identify plastic wastes? Want to pour your heart out into playing the guitar? Want to write a blog analyzing your favorite Laufey song? Want to create a mural in your community made with recycled materials?
• Please do not take a quadrillion classes indiscriminately. I was obsessed with class rank in 10th and 11th grade, so I would naturally take online AP and DE classes on top of a full IB Diploma courseload. Uhhhh it was also crazy taking 4 sciences my senior year. Please. Do. Not. Do. This.
• Try not to compare your personal circumstances with others! Everyone is on their own path coming from different socioeconomic backgrounds, medical histories, etc. Be the best YOU.
• Appreciate your teachers. Yes, it's hard to reflect on your teachers when you have 6 others equally piling on assignments—as you also try to balance ECs. However, they have helped shape who you are and are (for the most part...yes some just suck) really interesting individuals.

SCREENRANT:
"Star Trek: Discovery season 5 actor Eve Harlow teases an upcoming fight between her character, Moll, and Captain Michael Burnham (Sonequa Martin-Green) that will be thelongest fight scene Burnham has had in all 5 seasons of Discovery. Moll and her lover, L'ak (Elias Toufexis), are Discovery season 5's antagonists. [...]
Eve Harlow and Elias Toufexis were interviewed by StarTrek.com about playing Moll and L'ak in Star Trek: Discovery season 5. [...] Read Harlow's quote below:

"I've never done as much action and fight sequences as I did on Star Trek . And even S onequa [Martin-Green] said that the fight that she and I have, it's the longest fight that she's had on the five seasons of Discovery . And I am not an athletic person, so it was funny. I got the first script, and in the first script, there's this fight. And I was like, 'Oh, I need to get the stunt coordinator's email because I need to tell him that I have not done anything like this before.'"

Harlow praised the support from the team and how badass the fight looks.

"His name's Chris [McGuire], he responded right away. We met up, and he's like, 'Look, you're doing yourself a disservice. You got this.' And they were so supportive and so helpful, but I will say it was like we're learning a fight sequence or whatever, it takes me an hour to learn it. Sonequa comes, learns it in 15 minutes. I saw some of the finished product, and I was like, 'Man, we look so badass. It looks so cool.' Again, Chris and his team, they're amazing, and they really held my hand through the entire process. Our stunt doubles were amazing. Everybody was so supportive. And coming to these sets that are gorgeous, I think it's the combination of all these people being really great at their jobs, and then you get the final thing, which I think is amazing."

SCREENRANT:
"Captain Michael Burnham is arguably the most prolific action hero of modern Star Trek, perhaps even of the entire franchise. Many episodes of Star Trek: Discovery feature Burnham thrust into jaw-dropping action sequences, and Michael has gotten into more than her fair share of fights (and walked away victorious). Whether going mano e mano with Klingons, throwing hands with Osyraa (Janet Kidder), the Orion leader of the Emerald Chain, or even Burnham fighting her younger self, Michael has proven herself to be indomitable.
Moll fighting Michael Burnham is an exciting prospect, and there is sufficient reason for the former courier to want to tear the Captain's head off. [...]"
Links (ScreenRant, StarTrek.com):
https://screenrant.com/star-trek-discovery-eve-harlow-moll-longest-burnham-fight/
https://www.startrek.com/en-un/news/warp-five-discovery-eve-harlow-and-elias-toufexis-moll-lak

My first try with Persona was the original release of 4. I found it intriguing because of the mix of dungeon-crawling with a visual-novel life-sim. I stuck with it despite the slow start, only to get lost somewhere in the bath-house dungeon representing a guy's ambiguous sexuality. I don't know, I need to get back to that one.
I blazed through 5 Royal in two weeks after it came on sale. The game's presentation and gameplay are excellent, but the story lacks momentum between its first arc and final one. I all but hated the Spaceman chapter which was simply dire on both a narrative and mechanical level.
The old version of Persona 3, available on Steam, is a PC port of a PSP port of a re-release of a PS2 game from 2006. It looks like fried ass, so I skipped it in favour of the full-on remake when that dropped in price.
The remake is the fourth and hopefully last telling of Persona 3. While the first version was groundbreaking, I'd find it unbearable to play today since it lacked so many features essential to the formula:

• Full party control.
• Fast-travel.
• Skill inheritance decision making,
• Platonic friendships with girls.
• Knowing when a social link would level up.

The remake incorporates all the tweaks and conveniences the series has amassed over the years. The new package runs beautifully on the Unreal engine, with an updated script and a voice cast that is now 100% Vic Migogna free. Like the other two games in the series it's standalone and acts as an excellent jumping-on point.
Observations
The game's cast is balanced both narratively and mechanically. Every party members gets their own social link, and they all stand apart in combat. The protagonist is a jack of all trades, Aigis and Shinjiro major in phsyical attacks, and the remaining six party members each specialize in a different element. There's no "Haru" character who gets introduced too late to mesh with the cast.
There's no "mascot" character like the sequels, mercifully. Koromaru is a normal dog that never talks, while Aigis the android is a serious character who's never undermined by the narrative.
All your party members receive their upgraded personas on the main path, when they undergo major character development. I think this is better than walling character development off to a sidequest that can't affect the main plot.
Notably, the player character isn't the founder of the SEES gang. He's the fifth member and he slowly becomes the de-facto leader because they get actual results with him around.
There is a lot of dead time. You have to grow three social stats and nineteen social links. There are seventeen links in the day, and only two at night. It's quite easy to run out of things to do if you play too efficiently. In the last 30% of the game there are no storyline bosses until the ending. You're just grinding and tying up loose ends for the most part.
Tartarus is surprisingly empty. Nothing happens there until the endgame. All the storyline bosses occur outside the place, you only go there to grind and complete sidequests, The place only gets a few paintjobs as you climb to vary things up. I was quite surprised to hit the section that looked like a clown vomited on the walls and ceilings.
The Greedy Shadows are baffling. When you encounter them you get locked into long cutscene and even longer loading screen where you chase them. It's not worth the effort as the game is already generous with Metal Slime monsters that are easy to kill.
The main villain is given plenty of build-up, as opposed to being some random deity that shows up in the eleventh hour as in the sequels. Like Final Fantasy X, the main threat is an unstoppable force while a minor human villain exists to give the player someone to hate. I couldn't take Strega seriously as antagonists. They're a band of fatalistic hippies while we're a bigger squad of rich kids who effortlessly steamroll over them. If you edited them out the plot would be almost entirely the same.
In a game with over 200 social link moments, it gets mighty tiring hearing the same wallpaper music throughout.
For as good as the game looks, the player's dormitory feels strangely low-res, as if it came from the PS2 era.
In the endgame it's worth power-leving the hero to level 83 so you can unlock his ultimate move, Armageddon. This lets you farm the Reaper for easy grinding. The final boss is a nuisance since he has 13 phases, announcing himself between each one. I didn't have any charm salt on hand, so I let him eat my apocalypse as soon as he reached his last phase. He died in one hit.
Some of the social links can be baffling. There's one where a fellow athlete refuses to have his injured leg treated. To progress the link you have to feed his ego and go along with his mad plan. The only real bad link is the Moon Kid. He's so egregiously awful that I wish he wandered off into Tartarus. Then I could have rescued a cat instead of him. Simply dire.
I got the platinum but I didn't bother with the super mega boss. They require a very specific build to take down, when I was sixty hours deep and in spitting distance of the climax.
The game world is limited to just six recurring locales and one mega-dungeon. It'a testament to the game's narrative that the setting never feels claustrophobic or isolated.
Conclusion
Persona 3 Reload is a 5/5 but I strongly recommend you have a guide on hand. There are a ton of great character moments that are easily missed because the event flags can be subtle or outright hidden. The game is moderately challenging until you chose to break it in the endgame, with nothing quite obnoxious as the Spaceman fight from 5 Royal. With two decades of polish mixed into a full-blown remake, an old game is allowed to shine without compromise. The story starts out plotless at first, before slowly gaining momentum and holding on tight for its sixty hour runtime. The epilogue reminded me of Terranigma, which is high praise.