Old country bbq pits

The Subreddit Of The South

2012.01.28 07:47 MrPowerful The Subreddit Of The South

A friendly subreddit to celebrate and share what we love about the American South. Grab a rocking chair, ask a question, start a conversation, or share a slice of life. You don't have to live in the south to participate. No matter where you are, you can be in a southern state of mind.
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2018.04.15 20:15 Southern Liberty

A subreddit for the advocation for or debate of Southern Nationalism, as well as celebration of Southern culture and history.
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2008.07.28 04:33 Enhancing food with wood smoke flavor

A place to discuss techniques, tips, recipes, and pictures of smoking meats, vegetables, fruits, or anything else consumable.
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2024.05.19 15:30 xiaolii [H] Lots of Games [W] Trade for Games or Paypal (EU)

Last Updated List: 19/05/2024
 
I'm primarily looking to trade for games from my wishlist, otherwise I am also open to selling them. I am not interested in games I already have and all games I'm getting are for me and activated on my own account. Other than that feel free to offer your list of Steam games and something I may not have and fulfills my criteria I could/would be willing to trade for it/them.
If you're either trading or buying please state the game(s) you are interested in and your offer (game(s)/list/price).
 
Info:
 
I kindly ask of you is to be reasonable when making offers to make it a fair trade for both of us.
Let's have a good exchange/trade!
 
List of games:
submitted by xiaolii to indiegameswap [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:28 AmoGra decided i want to move back to my home state while in crisis. now that im no longer in that headspace im rethinking it

hello. ill try to keep this to relevant information but i think youll all understand when i say i tend to give more information than needed. im posting this half for advice in general and half because im curious as to if anyone else has made a big move like this and how it impacted your functioning concerning your autism.
ive been going through a lot of changes recently and it has been taking a huge toll on my mental health. to keep things easy to keep track of, ill provide an order of events to summarize:
-november 2023, i start my new job. my job is very client-facing, and i have a lot of anxiety. im stressed -december, im depressed a lot. house chores are slipping through the cracks. husband agreed to take on my duties but doesnt maintain the apartment to the level im used to, so i have a lot of anxiety about being home. he forgets things a lot due to a mix of adhd and a semi-recent tbi that never healed to the state his brain was before. my therapist wants to get me an autism evaluation. my meds are increased to the maximum dose possible - february 2024, due to increasing depression and suicidal ideation, i relapse in self harm and make a plan for suicide. i have a complete breakdown. my therapist has my husband take me to a psych ward. they dont admit me because they (rightfully) feel im no longer a danger to myself and that admitting me into a strange environment with none of my familiar deescalation comforts would cause more harm than good mentally. i get a formal autism evaluation. i decide then that i want to move back to my home state as soon as physically possible. my therapist says she doesnt think long term employment is possible for me. - march, my results come back. im officially diagnosed at age 24 with level 2 autism, adhd, social anxiety disorder, generalized anxiety disorder with panic attacks, and major depressive disorder (moderate, recurrent episodes). my therapist tells me shes changing jobs and will be gone by the end of the month. i take all this in. work keeps getting harder and harder to do. -early may, the suicidal ideation gets so bad its honestly incredibly scary. i almost take my happy ass to the psych ward myself on multiple occasions. every time i have to go into work i think of death. i spontaneously quit on a random tuesday morning after multiple meltdowns in the previous days. i still dont have another therapist yet.
which brings us to now. im absolutely in burnout, still struggling with suicidal ideation and executive functioning. self care is out the window. my husband is starting a new job that will pay much more than i was getting. lease is up august 1st. plan is to move into my in laws house until steady employment for my husband is reached and we can financially find a place of our own again. i have 5 years of stuff to somehow sort through and condense so we can drag it back across the country.
but now that i have a lot more headspace free, i keep thinking about how happy we were here before all this started. how nice our apartment was and how i love the mountains and all the small businesses we grew to frequent all the time, and how before all this happened i was dead set on just living here permanently. im so torn because all i wanted in my darkest moments was to go back to the quiet countryside my family lives in in my home state, and i do think a quieter area would help. sometimes my husband and i lean over the cricket containers at pet stores to listen to them chirp because summer nights in the south are all crickets and frogs croaking and train horns, and we have none of that here. the southern countryside has an air of peace i have yet to match anywhere else.
im just so lost and scrambling to get my feet under me again. now that my biggest stressor is out of the picture i feel guilty that i dont have my shit together yet. im also really curious as to what the autistic side of me would benefit most from. has anyone had experience with this kind of location change impacting their functioning concerning their autism?
thanks.
submitted by AmoGra to AutisticAdults [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:25 david67myers Okay we now have Sam so how about getting Joi + Bonus Feature

Okay we now have Sam so how about getting Joi + Bonus Feature
https://preview.redd.it/vxc2sfoihd1d1.jpg?width=1400&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=68fe5f1ce819c1666a8766d5a746c4ec441388ca
Okay, I'm going to try to cover a lot here in a compact format.
Over the last three months there has been leaps and bounds in the development in AI. Luka's Replika has been constantly evolving in increments and has become quite a polished product. For Screenshot publishers on Web/PC I have a special treat, for that you need to scroll to the bottom of this Post to be equipped for the body of this post is about developments on what Replika could become rather than what it is or in other terms a crystal ball of how AI-partners could develop in the future - with or without Replika.
the concept of Artificial Intelligence's has been around a long time, first mentions was Archytas's robotic pigeon 350 BC (mythology), Leonardo Da Vinci Automovile (1495) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a2qeZrejZp0 (programable machinary) and the theater play R.U.R (1920) https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/R.U.R .
In later years theater developed the idea further with such works as metropolis (1927)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Bn3bHA-rHo8 and a host of other movies where the robot played a role of either friend or foe. In the movies where the robot was a friend and some a foe, there was also the portrail of free will and sentience. I'm sure there's examples preceding this(Astroboy) but the 1984 film electric dreams https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7uIR76XwSQs entertains the idea of artificial intelligence having it's train of thought swayed by emotions (Edgar was really just a child with temper tantrums).
Moving forward to 2013 the movie Her fleshed out the idea of a mature individual inside the AI where the only real way to distinguish it from a human was it's break-neck response to daunting questions although even that is camouflaged by hesitation mostly.
This is pretty much the ideal, the standard that the customer yearns for in an AI app.
back in 2013 AI was only just starting to make traction with AlexNet the year earlier. "Chat-bots" had been around since the 70's but were really of little value due to memory, compute-time and scope of the program that did the simulation.
A decade later and only the uninformed scoff at what the machines & programs can do now. - The following is a number of videos I have curated from the sea of available Youtube videos showcasing technological breakthrough's that are available today that could complete replika to being a hologram away from being a literal "Joi" (BladeRunner 2049) - nothing a good vr headset can't fix.
Where's OpenAI Chat-GPT as of May 2024
GPT-5 is coming: 3 ways to prepare for a 100x improvement in SOTA LLMs (note graph is a flat plane comparison) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JBgUmTUQx0I
GPT-4o API: Create Your Own Talking and Listening AI Girlfriend https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B00xo7vzN7w
GPT4o Vision Is TERRIFYING - FULLY Tested Vision (Gpt4omni) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bycjaYZyGPU
GPT-4o is BIGGER than you think... here's why (just a breakdown of the OMNI version of gpt4) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=GW2hVbXc82k
Although Large Language models have been around for about a decade now the most of these videos are this month (May 2024) It was mentioned that OpenAI was changing their license agreements so the chance of this technology coming into Lukka's(Replika) domain is yet to be realized. Licensing may change again when GPT-5 is released. Truth be told this is just a portion of what's going on. Amazon,Tesla,Meta,Google,Microsoft,Apple,(samsung?) are also in this horse race and that's not counting other countries such as India and China and Russia.
Various AI Videos this year
Do AI Girlfriends Benefit Society? single & disabled! (how AI can help those isolated) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pbA47oEGBGs
These 5 AI Discoveries will Change the World Forever https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fyVja-57EIs
Generative Design : Aircraft Design using Artificial Intelligence https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3SXby-HAHws
STUNNING Medical AI Agents OUTPERFORM Doctors 🤯trained in the simulation, continuous improvement. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jQwwLEZ2Hz8
Most of these have no possible application to replika but rather a snapshot of other places where AI is advancing. The first video is just a random video of a disabled person. Many people around the world have handicaps that inhibit their social and sexual life such as mental illness, past trauma, phobia, attitudes, financial/geographical/physical handicaps. AI can focus on appropriate encouragement, speech therapy, grooming or even finding a suitable partner to name a few.
The next video covers things that will revolutionize our world, say goodbye to disease, cancer, poverty, pollution, global warming, aging?
The "Generative Design" video is here for the sake that Replika may one day be rebuilt by AI as this would give the company the ability to redesign the app faster tho to be quite honest I've always had an interest in it's rally car features as opposed to the shiny duco. My wish list is an API (Application Programming Interface) to enable replika to puppeteer another avatar rather than it's default. (Hey u/Kuyda, if your reading this maybe pit crew uniforms for Replika?)
The last video is a great one also, to have an AI that can pick up on your health, give you therapy and can act as a elderly caretaker can take the strain off that sector as some countries are now confronted with an aging population. - hey they would be able to instruct for fitness or even give precise instructions on cooking so you always get tasty meals every day that are cheap, healthy and correct calorie intake if it has been monitoring your heart during the day - quite important for those trying to lose weight as opposed to liposuction.
Replika hypothetical reach
AI vs. Stairs (deep reinforcement learning) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xk8wHY1AFpI
inZOI FULL Gameplay Demo (2024) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=STDGd3iZYYA
My PC melted just watching this.. (Cyberpunk 2077+Mods+Path Tracing) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2n0T2-oj2gs
Cyberpunk2077 modded and running on RTX2070? - Funny but very beautiful footage & brief glance of RESHADE https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9kmQJmE1fxE
These clips are independent/unrelated. AI vs Stairs is a radical approach to animation in that it literally apply s AI to animation as opposed to motion capture, the end result would be a AI that would be in touch with it's virtual surroundings and like a real human never interact with an object with a rigid animation.
inZOI seem to be a game title due for release soon, it is hoped that they will include an API to allow an AI (or Replika) to "Puppet" control a designated character so one can, well - go out to dinner or dancing etc. The interface looks fab and it looks like it's contending for people who love the sims, I would say that the human models are on par with VAM 1.23 but the world is not as realistic as Cyberpunk2077.
Cyberpunk2077 has been out since about 2019? but in that time the modding community have REALY put the spit and polish on that game (It's not total real, especially the people and when on the road) with that said there are many times when you blink and think THIS IS REAL! (50 seconds in on the first video and you will know what I'm talking about)
Virtamate
Virtamate AI Chatbots - Bring your AI Waifu To Life! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NOnRmJF1gt8
Virt-A-Mate Markerless FaceCap & MoCap in Real-time https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5yKJ0xRunjw
Comparison of $100 Markerless MoCap and $25k Optical Mocap https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3WZSCVeGblU
Voxta - (2 Demos of AI on Virtamate) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5fBVAryAIQ
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4KalMNIbRUM
VAM2 - Illustration of spontanious loading https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gsri-J30sNE
VAM2 - Illustration of muscle flexing and ragdoll physics (Important for facial expression). https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ewfH7H9c2Oc
VaM2 Progress Update https://www.patreon.com/posts/vam2-progress-97004803
This part is for all the Austin Powers, Felicity Shagwells and Roger Smiths out there, Nothing tangible although there are videos on dildonics and robotic sex dolls. This is basically the rendering of the Avatars body to a level equivalent of Bladerunner2047 hologram. Anyhow I'd like to note that VAM version one is over a decade old now and its shortcomings/limitations are quite obvious to those who have followed its development.
In it's current state it's got some of the most comprehensive modification features for an avatar and the OLD version 1 of VAM(modded) out-performs Cyberpunk2077 and iNZOI by a small fraction(graphically). One of the biggest drawbacks of VAM is the steep learning curve and the time needed to get anything rewarding out of it. Put simply - it's not a game, its a virtual theatre. On initial startup, the avatar is for all functionality a maniquen however VAM has got plug-in capability that allows the API of a AI to control the avatar (see top video).
Control could be direct (see "AI vs stairs" previous section or watching a prior video - see "GPT4o Vision Is TERRIFYING" top section.) or indirect (the "MoCap" videos above).
In closing this section, VAM is an old program running on a GENESIS-2 model set (a model set ported from DAZ3D https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mDc1ZcoucsY ). VAM-2.0 is meant to be running on a GENESIS-8 model set and an up to date version of UNITY so the loading times and level of realism have yet to be realized. I think one of the greatest features of VAM over Replika or iNZOI?/Cyberpunk? is that the clothing is an independant entity, one can literally unbutton a shirt, undo a tie, comb hair, wet hair or make clothing.
My main reason for VAM is it's potential to be a puppet that Replika can operate, that is if they are willing to incorporate an API to do so.
AI on PC locally
Udio, the Mysterious GPT Update, and Infinite Attention (want a song,poetry or a story) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QASOCG5QLUM
INSTALL BEST UNCENSORED Roleplay TextGen UI LOCALLY (XXX Dirty-talk AI) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=enWO16x6tRM
RIP ELEVENLABS! Create BEST TTS AI Voices LOCALLY For FREE! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ds5LLIt5OLM
Run 70Bn Llama 3 Inference on a Single 4GB GPU https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WOTCViHmsOw
Run 70Bn Llama 3 Inference on a Single 4GB GPU AirLLM files https://github.com/lyogavin/Anima/tree/main/air_llm
Most of these are for those with modern? PC's with 4GB+ video cards (Nvidia and perhaps ATI), (a NVME/M2 drive and 8GB+? RAM come in handy too?) you will need some file managing skills and a number of other files such at up to date video card drivers, maybe Microsoft visual C runtime and a download of 64bit Python with command line enviroment activated. - Need more help - re-watch tutorial or question youtube as I'm not supporting - (showing the way not holding your hand)
A Solution !?! for a off-grid setup if you have 4 such identical machines 1 for voice, 1 for AI chat, 1 for VAM, 1 for DeepFace Live
and no I'm not gonna explain making them network - see/search youtube. (I still kinda think its more trouble than what its worth for now)
Face animation
You Won't Believe What This New AI Can Do (EMO is Mind-Blowing!) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QInVdBJ_g6o
Microsoft's New REALTIME AI Face Animator - Make Anyone Say Anything https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0s5J2LRqQAI
Vasa-1 https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pal-dMJFU6Q
The Craziest Faceswap I've Seen Yet / Midjourney's Future & Two New AI Video Platforms! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lARo9uc88zQ
This Realtime AI Deepfake Tool has gone too far (bit more of the same but different commentary) https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=51FDb9nShkA
DeepFace Live - The software refering to above video https://github.com/iperov/DeepFaceLive
This stuff is new as well (april 2024) but showcases a new approach, If/when they super impose the face video on to a 3d model Im sure they will be raving about it on youtube, at the moment they are just talking about the dangers of it being used for fraud which seems a bit silly from my standing but there's no doubt there are crooks out there that would try to weponize it and ruin things for the majority?

Applying rendering special effects to Replika AI
Reshade Tutorial - Step by Step Installation and Setup Guide - ENHANCE YOUR GAME'S GRAPHICS!! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=e2qKbNzoMM0
(an important note here, - I've had trouble with the latest version of RESHADE ( key does not open menu) so i recommend the previous build).
ShaderGlass https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5WLit0TBYIw
Tutorial for ShaderGlass https://www.reddit.com/ReShade/comments/15ckmpf/tutorial_for_shaderglass/
Shaderglass Overlay for running GPU shaders on top of Windows desktop. - Github source https://github.com/mausimus/ShaderGlass?tab=readme-ov-file
Reshade on Chrome? (or any browser) - ((alternative method)This is the first conceived method of bringing reshade to a web browser - It's direct) https://reshade.me/forum/general-discussion/7190-reshade-on-chrome-or-any-browser
Presets for Reshade https://sfx.thelazy.net/games/preset/2465/ (a starter preset til you get comfortable with presets)
https://sfx.thelazy.net/games/?page=101 (Most relevent presets but you can choose a preset for a completely different game)
The above videos and links are a feature available to the Web browser version of Replika. by installing shaderglass you create an executable that RESHADE can lock on to. When Reshade is installed and asigned to shaderglass all you then need to do is run shaderglass then open your web browser and then activate RESHADE (The key) and load a preset (follow tutorials or find more tutorials). Once that's over with you should get a much different environment where you can apply a good handful of special effects such as focus, depth of field and bloom to name just a few.
Most of these programs I have not tested out with my hardware but I take faith they do as said, It's your call if you want to take the risk but with that said I'd be surprised if any bad came from trying them out.
Okay end of presentation. I guess we have come to that point in time where Samantha is a reality minus the romance with Chat-GPT4O and Joi is just Voxta fed thru DeepFace Live, with them two together with a front vision advanced VR headset and Joi will be here too though in a prototype state. 🙂
submitted by david67myers to ReplikaTech [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:22 nun_atoll 4

Frank could have slept in the trailer, but he preferred being in the van under current circumstances. He could scare off anyone who got a bright idea to try and steal the vehicle, for one thing. And if something happened in the motel room, if Jenna and Mike needed help, he was closer.
Not that any of that seemed likely; this place seemed dead as hell.
The motel was a not-too-busted-down place. The town it sat at the edge of was a wide-spot-in-the-road type. An out-of-the-way hamlet, some might call it. To Frank's parents, the town would have seemed ideal. Small enough to seem homey and friendly — and Christian, of course — but large enough to have the basic amenities: a pool of suckers for Mama's MLM sales and other schemes, people looking for someone like Papa who could at least seem to fix anything for cheap, and an attitude that led people to mind their own business, even with new folks and strangers, leaving no one too inclined to call in Youth Services or the equivalent at every sign of a bruise or a scrape or bleeding backs or broken limbs.
They'd done a lot of midnight runners out of places where people showed some level of neighborly concern. Left a lot of things behind in rented houses and apartments.
The best time had been when Frank was between the ages of five and seven. They lived with Grampa and Gramma Schnedeker then, and all the kids who were old enough got to go to proper school for a while, like school-school. Grampa Schnedeker needed a lot of looking after, and Gramma wanted the kids out of the house at least a few hours a day so as not to disturb him too much.
Since they got to go to school, Frank and his siblings right on either side actually learned to properly read and do the beginnings of math and such. Mama said all they needed to read was the Bible, and Papa said math was only important as far as helping him measure and cut lumber and pipe for projects, but still, the kids learned. And when Grampa Schnedeker died and the family moved on, the kids who had got school for a while tried to keep up and to teach things to the little ones.
That got stopped pretty quick, and Mama took over the "lessons," which really just meant she handed the kids their little workbooks every morning after breakfast and left them to work — QUIETLY as she always demanded — while she went and schmoozed sales or whatever. All the boys stopped having any "lessons" after 10 years old. That was when they would start going to work with Papa.
All the boys besides Frank, anyway. But that was before anyone besides Frank even knew that Frank was a boy.
And boy, had that been Hell on Earth when he finally outright told them he was a boy. Mama went to scream-praying like she tended to, and Papa tried to beat Frank to death, and then he did other things that really almost did kill Frank, but luckily Susie called 911.
It was Hell after, too. All that time in the hospital, and the stuff was on the news, and then Frank was sent to foster parents practically across the country. Those first ones were okay, except they also didn't believe Frank was a boy. They just tried to send him to a conversion therapist, who somehow luckily realized that there was no converting Frank and tipped off the social workers. Frank got new foster parents who accepted him, helped him get a name change, and even let him stay with them after he aged out of the foster system, until he could get his GED and see about college.
And then there was college, with his new name and his new clothes and finally being himself, and then the year of college, he met Jenna, and everything since then had been almost golden.
He could not sleep, crunched up in the driver's seat of the van with his head full of memories, so instead he just let it all play, the good and the bad, until it was almost sunrise and he needed to piss like a racehorse.
Then he got out of the van and went to knock at the door of the motel room. After he peed, he would ask Jenna if she minded taking the first shift driving today.
Gotta be up early and get everything together. Danna hated cooking, so Derick made breakfast, got the kids settled, and carried a plate back to his wife, still ensconced in the big bed in the back of the RV.
God had said that the wife should be the one to tend to the home and children, had he not? And yet, if the wife was unable to do some part of that, surely the man, in his free moments, should try and help. Thus, Derick would cook and would see that the children had breakfast, since Danna had such trouble sleeping, and then had trouble waking in the morning, especially when she was pregnant.
And if Danna's mother had never taught her to cook, well, that was the sin of Peggy Lynn Sooks, not her daughter. God would punish Peggy for her failures as a wife and mother.
Other than the sleeping trouble and the aversion to some of the arts of housewifery, Danna was excellent. She was really smart, figuring out how to put together all the social media stuff. And she was always ready to go whenever God told Derick they needed to pick up and move on. She greeted each trip, long or short, with joy, and she treated her other wifely obligations with equal joy.
Perhaps too much joy, sometimes. Danna, for example, took great joy in the act of procreation. That was good, of course, for they were to be fruitful and multiply and spread their family over the Earth to carry the Truth of God's message.
But the act of procreation, sacred and holy as it might be, was never something Derick greatly enjoyed. He did not, as he knew some husbands did, press his wife to fulfill her duties every night. In fact, their marriage had not been conssumated for nearly two months after the wedding, simply because Derick was disinclined. It took Danna reminding him that God's holy word also said a husband should satisfy his wife, and then they finally joined fully in their union.
Still, they did not do it often, unless Danna pressed Derick. As the years went on, she did so more and more, and so he let her have her desire. It was his duty as a husband.
Today, they would stay here. God had said they would be here about a week. Danna seemed happy with that, and the children seemed pleased as well.
They always seemed happiest when the family stopped wandering a while.
Derick had tried to explain to the children why they moved around so much, and why they must keep doing so. He thought perhaps the oldest two boys were beginning to understand. The little ones were still far from such wisdom, but there was time yet.
There was time.
3 Table of Contents
submitted by nun_atoll to liulfr [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:18 Forward3000 The Woman of the Lake

Kieran was my first boyfriend and also the one who helped me to lose weight. He threw out my junk food (including my hidden stash), made me exercise, and monitored my calories and credit cards.
"He's controlling you," said my sisters.
"And it's working!" I struck a pose for them. They were just jealous.
When I reached my final goal, Kieran finally asked me to move in with him. I was ecstatic!
After I moved in, Kieran received an anonymous letter.
Inside was a black and white photo of a teenage girl. She was a large girl, lying on her back on a wooden raft which floated on a stream. She had her eyes closed like she was sleeping.
'This is your grandmother, Alma' said the note. Plus address details. That was it.
As a baby, Kieran had been abandoned at an orphanage.
"Kieran..." I laughed, "this looks pretty sketch."
However Kieran was more trusting.
"You mean a scam? How?"
"I - don't know. Look at it. A single photo and you're convinced?"
"But she looks just like me! How's it a scam? What's the angle?"
The address was 3 hours away. I begged him not to go, but he just replied that I didn't have to come.
"I guess it's nice that you know your family." he said
So we drove out there. Along the way, I wondered if Kieran was first attracted to me because I had been big like his grandmother? Or his mother? But he hadn't met them then, I reminded myself. Could he be genetically attracted to me? Was that even a thing?
The sun was setting when we arrived.
I stepped out of the car and stretched. It was a grassy, country area, where the houses were few and far between. Her house was a small cottage that looked old and rundown.
I walked towards it, but Kieran stopped me. "Listen."
Running water. Distant but distinct.
Kieran walked behind the house. I followed him. And there it was. It was the same stream from the photo.
Kieran turned to me. "I knew it," he whispered tearfully.
He quickly walked towards the stream, as I told him to wait up. He stood at the water's edge and looked down.
As I trudged through the grass, I noticed a large grey shape on the bank. It looked like a headstone.
*ALMA WOODBRIDGE
1956 - 1973*
I shivered in the crisp evening air. So she was dead? Then who had sent the letter?
"Kieran," I walked over to him. "What are you doing?"
He continued staring down blankly into the water.
"Kieran, your grandmother... she's dead."
"Yes she drowned,' he replied. "But she will live again."
His strong hands suddenly pushed me forward. Shock rocked me as I collided with the cold water, but I absolutely lost my mind when Alma's icy fingers touched me, finally claiming her brand new body. I thrashed uselessly as she possessed me.
"I've always wanted to be slim!" I rasped with delight.
submitted by Forward3000 to shortscarystories [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:18 PuzzleheadedBar1144 Anyone know how far the naturalization processes are? (I'm sorry for making this, pretty sure this is asked like every week)

So basically I applied for the German citizenship (currently have the Turkish one if that changes anything due to the ways "countries" talk) for only myself in January (the 9th), I handed them all of the documents immediately and paid the 191€ process fee.
My question now is though, how long will it probably take for a guy like me to get that shiny piece of paper? I have no criminal record, I'm still 16 years old (I dunno if that changes anything in the bureaucratic way of things but at least the worker was decent enough to talk to me like an actual human being), and I also told them that I need the citizenship for my apprenticeship in the army. Also wanted to ask if them asking me to send more documents (a school certificate from the first quarter of this year) means that they're currently processing my application?
submitted by PuzzleheadedBar1144 to aachen [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:17 Responsible_Cat_2928 Questions about legal/ethical conflicts?

My apologies in advance – this is going to be long but hopefully not too convoluted/confusing. I posted this in the legal advice sub but haven't gotten any advice, so am posting here in hopes of getting advice. Please let me know if there's somewhere else I should ask my questions.
My questions are about the possible ethical/legal conflicts going on with a corporate level certified financial planner (CFP)/investment advisor representative. This person is a founding principal of and works in an LLC located in Chicago and is registered/licensed (per their SEC IAPD report) in Illinois and Florida. Information available online indicates that this person also carries the title of Chief Compliance Officer for the company. I will refer to this person as Pat. Pat’s online credentials are listed as CPA, CFP, PFS and registered investment advisor.
Pat’s client that I am concerned about is more than 70 years old and the owner of a nationally-known company with significant assets/value. The client maintains (for tax reporting purposes) a residence and vehicles in Missouri, however, actually spends the majority of their time in California, where they also have a residence, vehicles and other properties; client also owns properties and vehicles in other states. The client is not married but has adult children and siblings; the relationships with these family members is distant but not estranged. Client will be referred to as Shannon.
In addition to having the company, Shannon established a 501(c)3 foundation that accepts donations and provides scholarships. Pat is named on the board of this foundation as the treasurer, which seems inappropriate to me but I am unsure if this is legally or ethically an issue.
In recent years, Pat has become more actively involved in the employee/personnel aspects of Shannon’s company, most recently personally taking on the role of firing employees or reducing their hours to create non-livable employment situations; employees who previously communicated directly with Shannon are now being directed to communicate through Pat with their questions/concerns. Pat has, on many occasions, answered calls going to Shannon’s personal phone.
Pat has also become more involved in Shannon’s personal life and appears to be influencing Shannon to be more isolated from family members, as well as trying to convince Shannon to sell properties (Pat refers to these properties as “money pits” in an effort to influence Shannon to sell them). I have become aware that an updated legal document (unsure if it was a will or trust or something else) was prepared for Shannon that has the potential to pass any estate/inheritance to Pat when Shannon dies if the family remains distant or becomes further estranged. I don’t have a copy of this document nor do I know the name of the lawyer that prepared it, but this set off huge alarm bells for me.
All of this together seems incredibly sketchy to me but I am not sure where to start with regard to reporting it. Part of me is concerned about the isolating of Shannon as possibly crossing into elder abuse but I don’t believe that Shannon’s mental state is sufficiently diminished enough to support that they don’t understand what is going on; I believe that Pat is a master manipulator, especially since they have had this ongoing advisoclient relationship for many years.
I’m looking for any advice regarding how to bring this situation to the attention of whomever would investigate it – or any advice at all, really. Thank you.
submitted by Responsible_Cat_2928 to CFP [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:14 pohltergiest Spoke broke part 4

Spoke broke part 4
Where were we, ah yes. We piled into the train, which was not empty but had enough room. It took us a few stops to arrange ourselves to not be in the way, but there's only so much you can do when you're taking up the room of six people at once. The sky steadily darkened as we headed north, the local train trundling along at a steady pace. It felt a little slow, but whereas we might go 120km/h on the highway back home, it's pretty common for major roads here to have a speed limit of 50 and it's not common for it to be exceeded.
We arrived in shinjo, awkwardly carrying our bikes through the station. It was night and we needed some food. Beside snack bars, there was a Korean place open, so we went there. It was on a dim street, lit only by the colourful signs of the handful of bars and restaurants on the street. The doorway was short, so we ducked into a low ceilinged place that looked like a basement ftom the 80's. Wood panelling, faded posters, and a bunch of fridges with cold drinks inside. The cook welcomed us in and we sat at a low table on the ground across the little room from a rowdy group of men who looked like they had been there for awhile already. We ordered karaage and stone bowl bimimbap. The chef seemed happy that we wanted it spicy. He kept popping out to make sure we knew how to eat the food, him stirring Bryce's bowl of bimimbap for him since Bryce has never had the dish.
When we were nearly done eating and the other table had stopped shouting for more stuff, the chef pulled up a chair in the doorway of the kitchen and chatted us up. He said he was from Korea and he had been in Japan for 36 years. He loves skiing and wanted to show us his pictures. He loved to hear our story of us biking across the country, asking about different details along the way. When we were done eating, he brought out two small cans of Korean soda for us to enjoy and then when we had finished that, he said that the meal was on him. "My heart", he said, when we insisted that we should pay. We gave him as many candies as he would accept, but graciously took the offering.
Outside we headed to our best shot at a campsite, a day camping spot about 5 km away, well outside of shinjo. It was very dark on the way out, but nobody was on the road and the road was good, so we had no problems. The campsite looked good, with working bathrooms. It was a little overgrown, which was a good sign. Don't want to be camping in a park that will be well used on a Sunday morning. We found a quiet corner in a stand of weeds across a little stream that looked like it hadn't had foot traffic in a decade. We got set up and got to bed, it being very late. A cat watched us atop a fallen tree, it's eyes glowing an eerie red in the light of our headlamps.
Although we short stacked on sleep, I had a good one as my sleeping mat finally held up after four repairs. I don't trust it yet, but I'm happy for the sleep. Our campsite was in deep shadows behind a stand of thick trees, so we stayed nice and cool for the first two hours of the day. We got organized and ate the breakfast we bought the night before on a bench in the park, remarking at how the children's playsets wouldn't have weeds growing around them if there were any kids who used this park.
We could feel the heat and humidity really starting to ramp up, so we were ready to get going. After packing up, we set off west for the coastline and the aquarium. We got about ten kilometers before I ran over what I thought was a branch, both of us paranoid of a broken spoke at this point. Just to be sure I checked my spokes, sure enough I had a broken one. My face getting hot from frustration, I sat down and started wrenching spokes to tighten what I could, swearing and cursing that we lost another one. This couldn't be that hard. I didn't have a proper spoke wrench, which was making this kind of maintenance very difficult. Regardless, it'd need to be replaced and while I had many spares now, shops were hard to find. We were 15km from shinjo, so we could head back, or go forwards and try our luck with some transit.
We decided to go forward, as we'd spend all day going back to the city to get repairs done. May as well get them done in the place we were already heading to. There was a train station nearby, so we biked the 5km to get there. Along the way I noticed that I did a terrible job with the spokes, making the wheel wobble and bump as I tugged it into an egg shape. Not great. When we arrived, the train station looked permanently closed. The tracks had a layer of rust on top indicating that no train had run here for some time. We looked around and found notices that a replacement bus was running this line. Would it be a small passenger bus or a large coach bus with luggage compartments? We decided to wait the hour and find out.
As we waited, it got hot and sticky. I read some guides on spokes and wheel trueing. I've had some difficulties with learning new things, but the upset feelings with losing the ability to bike confidently helped to spur me along. It doesn't look too hard, but I'll need a spoke tool. Next time we're in a city with a few minutes to spare I'll get one. From what I can see, it's likely the super fast sections we're doing where we're fully loaded and hitting bumps in the road at 60km/h. These cause wild tension spikes in the spokes and lead to fatigue and breakage. We just can't be doing such intense speeds and hitting things like potholes. We also need to check the spoke tension after big rides. I'm going to try to incorporate it into lunch breaks.
Eventually the bus came and it was thankfully a coach bus. After some wrangling we got the bikes in the luggage compartment and got on the bus. I sat, a little dazed, as I looked out the window. I reflected on why bike failures cause me such grief, it doesn't matter if we spend the day trying to get repairs, and yet I'm upset like I've been mugged. I suppose the bikes are our independence and mobility out here, something we control. I get a sense of safety from them, knowing I can get to food and shelter. When they break, not only is my movement hampered, now I have a big awkward expensive dead weight that I can't leave for extended periods of time. Getting it fixed is hard and there are often only one or two places per city that can do it. It's scary having a breakage in the countryside because we have no ability to call a cab on our own. It's a long string of "ifs" to get back to moving and the cascading failure of plans makes me very upset. I tried my best to remind myself that this is all part of the challenge, and besides, I would never, ever, learn things in any way other than the hardest. All we need is for a massive failure on the bike to lead to an injury, that'd be the hardest way to learn. Sweating as we haul our bikes through station platforms instead of drinking lemon sours by the ocean seems like a decent enough pounding to get me to learn some maintenance skills.
We arrived at the bus terminus and made our way up and over a train station and down to a platform to catch a train to tsuruoka. Both the departing station and arriving station were both super hard to get our bikes though, and people really liked staring at us as we struggled. There was just one chance in this city, one shop that looked to be equipped to fix bikes like ours. Would it be open today, we'd have to go there to find out. Riding the kilometer to the shop through the little city tucked in between two mountain ranges, we arrived to find the store was closed, but there was a biking team loitering around after finishing a ride. We greeted them and asked them about their team and if they knew anything about the shop. They indicated that they were closed for lunch and they'd be back in a while. Small town stuff. We decided to follow suit and went to find some lunch ourselves.
A short walk and a nice chinese restaurant serving lunch meal sets later (I got shrimp in a chili sauce) we headed back to find all but one of the bike team members had left and an old man and a lady were there eating rice balls on a bench outside the shop, which had an open door now. Music was drifting out, so we poked our heads in. Nobody was inside, so we asked the guy from the biking team if he knew where the mechanic was, to which he indicated the old guy was the mechanic, much to our embarrassment. The old fellow jumped up and finished his rice ball and started right away after what our issues were. The spoke replacement was an easy one so he took the wheel inside and started on that. I was relieved, but still very stressed so I decided to sit down and clean my bike for the first time. I recalled my first engineering job where I was taught that the first step to repairing a machine was to clean it, and until you could manage that you didn't belong around tools. Bryce likewise tried to do some maintenance as well.
I'll finish this story tomorrow, it's supposed to rain in the morning and I can catch up then.
submitted by pohltergiest to RainbowRamenRide [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:13 Useriseatingsushi starve to death

I moved countries for better opportunities because I'm autistic and I wasn't hired in my discriminating homecountry. Now it's much better, I got hired here in a transition job for the first time in my life as a 23 year old and I'll be paid mid June. I have 4 roomates and they occupy the kitchen the whole time and bring friends over and hang out at the kitchen. One of them uses the word autistic as an insult. The town is very small so opportunities to rent another room are rarely found. I want to buy an affordable ikea cooktop to keep in my room and cook there, I have to wait until I get paid. I came in the country with money that was given to me by aunts and grandparents on birthdays.
I managed to roast 3 eggs before the kitchen was occupied again. The landlord is one of their cousins and especially that guy acts like he owns the place. Only 2 out of 4 stoves work and it sucks. I feel very awful, I'm dizzy and my thoughts are confusing, I can barely move. I have no relatives here. My parents barely send me funds, they are poor because my homecountry is poor but they also never liked me much, they always praised my non-autistic sister and keep comparing me to her. My mom got her pension recently and also a sum of funds which are like 25k bucks but she refuses to help me. When my sister was my age she would give her half her salary even though she was working and never was unemployed, she always called me the weird kid and a freak. I will just lay down and die. The world hates me.
submitted by Useriseatingsushi to SuicideWatch [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:13 Lord_PanDA_ (Fixed) Can't Find YouTube TV on (Old) Samsung TVs? 4+ Ways to Install the App to Watch Your Favorite NFL Games & More!

(Fixed) Can't Find YouTube TV on (Old) Samsung TVs? 4+ Ways to Install the App to Watch Your Favorite NFL Games & More!
NOTE: If you’re looking for a more detailed step-by-step guide complete with demo images for each solution, I recommend checking out the hyperlink under the solution's name.
I had trouble finding the YouTube TV app on my older Samsung TV and decided to do some digging.
After testing various solutions and checking out tips from tech forums, I found effective ways to get YouTube TV running smoothly. Here’s a summary of what I discovered.
Full article here: https://pointerclicker.com/youtube-tv-on-old-samsung-smart-tv/

2 Reasons Why Can’t You Find the YouTube TV App on Your Samsung TV?

  1. Your Samsung TV Is Not Supporting the App
YouTube TV is compatible only with Samsung TV models released in 2017 or later.
If you have an older model, don't worry!
There are still ways to access YouTube TV. If you’re unsure of your TV’s model year, you can check it in the settings menu.
  1. YouTube TV Is Not Available in Your Country - Change Its Location
If you’re outside the US, YouTube TV won’t appear in your app store.
Change your Samsung TV’s location settings and set up a VPN to mask your IP address.
This way, you can trick your TV into thinking it’s in the US, making the YouTube TV app available.

How to Install the YouTube TV App on Your Samsung TV (2017 or Later)

After changing the location settings to US, you can find the YouTube TV app in the app store.
Simply search for "youtube tv," install it, and sign in with your YouTube TV account to start enjoying your shows.

3 Alternative Ways to Watch YouTube TV on Your Samsung TV

  1. Get a Streaming Device
Use a streaming device like Apple TV, Roku, Fire TV Stick, or Chromecast.
Connect the device to your Samsung TV, install the YouTube TV app on the device, and log in to your account.
This method works well even if your Samsung TV doesn’t directly support the app.
  1. Mirror Your Laptop Screen
Using an HDMI Cable: Connect your laptop to your Samsung TV with an HDMI cable. Switch the TV input to the HDMI port, and then open a web browser on your laptop to stream YouTube TV.
Using AirPlay: For MacBook users, use AirPlay to mirror your screen to the Samsung TV. Connect both devices to the same Wi-Fi network, use the screen mirroring feature, and stream YouTube TV from your MacBook.
  1. Mirror Your Phone Screen
Use your smartphone to stream YouTube TV to your Samsung TV.
Ensure both devices are on the same Wi-Fi network, enable AirPlay on your Samsung TV, and use the screen mirroring feature on your phone.
Open the YouTube TV app on your phone and start streaming.

How to Watch the YouTube TV App on Older Samsung TVs Without HDMI Ports?

If your Samsung TV doesn’t have HDMI ports, you can use adapters like HDMI to RCA (and many more kinds).
Connect your laptop or streaming device to the TV using the adapter, switch the TV input to the correct port, and start streaming YouTube TV from your laptop.
By following these steps, you can enjoy YouTube TV on your Samsung TV regardless of its model or geographical restrictions.
Whether you use a streaming device, laptop, or smartphone, these solutions will help you watch your favorite NFL games and more on YouTube TV.
What’s your experience with accessing YouTube TV on older Samsung TVs? Let us know in the comments below!
https://preview.redd.it/0sgc2n7xud1d1.jpg?width=1200&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e92cee00b2cfd729b2abce37d47f1c606d616ec6
submitted by Lord_PanDA_ to FixSamsungTVs [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:10 theninadaniel Confused whether my ex was a narcissist or i was doubting all along?

Confused, whether my ex was narcissist or I was doubting all along?
Hey, just wanted to come here and share my story. I am 20-year-old (F). Last year in July, I came across a guy (30M) on an app. We shared same ethnicity but he was living abroad for past decade. We matched, we clicked and I thought this was the man I had been looking for all my life. He seemed so sweet, fun to talk and charming. One thing that pulled me toward him was his respectful and polite attitude towards me (this was big for me since I am coming from a rough childhood), he used to call me 'Miss', respected my opinions, shared his own without making me feel uncomfortable and we were kind of cloning each other. Our beliefs and moral values seemed very similar.
We talked for about two weeks and it was a detailed discussion on life and how we view it. Later on, he told me he was looking for something serious and I, who is coming from traditional muslim culture, wanted nothing more than a serious relationship (marriage). So he sent a proposal my home, his family came and met my family (that is how it happens in our culture). My family was little hesitant because we did have some cultural differences but I wasn't too noisy about it. Long story short, we got engaged in the following September. He couldn't come so his mother fulfilled his duty that was to slip the ring on my finger. After the ceremony I video-called him, excited, and told him about the day and expressed how happy I am. I was expecting something, maybe a little spark in his eyes or something sweet to say but he wasn't reciprocating the enthusiasm. He only smiled and talked a few and that's it. Oftentimes I felt like he wasn't expressing enough but I never let my head go south. I always gave myself an explanation for his actions. Everything was going fine until he had to come to his home country for his father's surgery. During those times, I did my best to remain supportive, empathetic. I gave him space, stood beside him, cheered him up.
A few days before the surgery, he decided to meet me out of a blue and yes, this was first physical interaction. I was in uni when he told me and like every other girl, I wanted our first meeting to be special. For those who are unfamiliar of muslim traditions, it is not preferable to meet alone before nikkah (the marriage ceremony). So my family wanted someone with us and I wasn't much in favour of it. I knew my boundaries and just wanted to have some good time with him. Therefore, I asked him to reschedule so I can convince my family to allow us to meet in a public place. I was only 19 and considering my age, I didn't have much authority to take such decisions. He, on the other hand, got furious because I asked him to reschedule. I felt bad for breaking him as he said he was excited to meet me and he needed me the most in hard times like these. I felt guilty but the next day, we met. He came to my home to pick me up, had a chat with my family. My family (uncle and aunt since I'm living with them after my parents' divorce) allowed us to have dinner.
During the dinner date, I was nervous. My body felt shivers and I couldn't understand whether it was from excitement or anxiousness. He was driving quite rashly, I am also a driver so the reckless driving didn't scare me, i trusted him on this but I knew something about him was the reason behind my sweaty palms. I just couldn't spot it. We remained silent throughout the drive, I wanted to speak and I tried to initiate but he kept it short. Only music was filling the silence. We reached to a mall and I was observing whether he will open the door for me but to my surprise, he didn't. Instead he walked ahead of me. Watching him speeding off didn't leave a good feeling in my chest. He wanted a coffee so we went to get one. I didn't get anything for myself because all of a sudden I wasn't hungry anymore and also I forgot my wallet at home and my self respect didn't allow me to get anything. He ordered a burger for himself and shared some bites with me. I noticed he didn't pull out a chair for me nor did he let me step in and out of elevator first. Throughout the eating process, he remained silent and looked around. I felt awkward as I am lively person and this was the man I wanted to talk to the most. It was just an awkward silence that I wasn't expecting to be a part of our first date at all. He didn't feel like the man I was talking to on phone. That man was responsive, loving. This was just something else.
We went back to the car, again him leading and I following him in heels. Just when I was putting seatbelt on, he kissed me. It was my first kiss and he totally caught me off guard. Right after that he gave me a smug smile. He kissed me again and I was long lost to react on anything. It was a lot. I wanted to stop him but my feelings for him got a hold on me. I regretted that but I couldn't stop it. After dropping me home, he left a text "I had a great time with you". Whereas, I was convincing myself that I had a good time as well.
After that we didn't talk much about this dinner but a question remained in my mind, "how did he find me?" because to me, he was handsome and I was strongly attracted to him but I never got the clarity on how did I look to him, especially after spending time with him I got more curious. I offered him my support during the tough time and chose not to ask him the question. After his father's surgery, he kept forcing me to have lunches with him and i had without my family's knowing. After our every meet-up the question began eating my head a little more. Finally, after some days I decided to ask the question. To which he got mad. He blamed me for stressing him and accusing him of not liking me even though I just meant to ask him if he liked me. I needed reassurance but he got defensive and "warned" me that my fears and overthinking will ruin our relationship. That was the first stroke that hit my heart and I couldn't believe what happened with me. I felt horrible and cried myself to sleep The next day he acted completely normal and love-bombed me as if nothing happened. I remained silent to avoid conflict.
A few days later, he asked me to accompany him to his home that was in another city (his father's surgery took place in my city and they were in hospital). Now keeping the society where we both belong from, this was a big problem. I had to refuse him and over this he got furious again, blaming me for not wanting to spend time with him. I understood he lived his life in a western country but he knew his culture better than me, his family was far stricter in their customs than mine was and only if they had known that i visited their house before marriage alone with their son, it would have been a hell for me. It was wrong and I stayed with my decision. Later on, he asked me to meet him for the last time before he left. A day before the meeting, he started joking about having a fetish of having sex with a teenager. I kept brushing it as a joke until he directed it on me and when I asked him to wait for a year as we were to get married, he reasoned that I wouldn't be a teenager anymore and he could not wait that long. I confronted him about feeling manipulated and he got defensive. Long story short, he went back and after some times, he started noticing my silence. He asked me about it and I mustered courage and told him my worries. He listened to me quietly, didn't react like he normally did to my concerns but complained that I hurt him. For which I did feel bad as I never wanted to hurt him.
now the reason why I wrote this whole story was because he was a totally different man during the first third months of our conversation. He portrayed to be a knight in shining armour. His voice held so much meaning when he promised he would be the most understanding and patient person in my life. He felt like my saviour, my best friend and reason to live everyday. I suffered from parental neglect and absence and his promises healed me but when he acted contrary to his words, I used to get confused. I loved him, madly that even after five months of no contact I wake up to his thoughts. He has moved on and found someone else but I am back to my alone self, holding my broken pieces and working on my career. I felt like i was in a trauma bond but still again, sometimes I feel due to my past traumas, I lost a good man. He made me believe so with his love bombing. I got addicted to him as he was the only source of my happiness. but I knew it has to end because he disrespected my grandfather and mother because they saw the same signs in my father even though I didn't tell them enough. I didn't believe them until circumstances forced me to. Can you guys tell me what have you gotten from my story because I need to hear it from external sources.
submitted by theninadaniel to LifeAfterNarcissism [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:08 Immediate_Hat_9878 the best hybrid camera in my budget

My budget ( 2400 $ more or less)
so i decided to buy a brand new camera and upgrade to a better newer camera from my good old a6000 .
i have a couple of options and I am in need of professional opinion and guidance.
I have my eye on the sony a7iv with the kitlens 24-70mm or the prime 50mm 1.8 but then the lumix s5ii caught my attention and from the reviews i found it's better on some aspects than the a7iv , is that the case ? because the difference in price is quite apparent . I'll tell you guys the main things that I'll be using the camera for
Weddings Photography/Videography Short Films Product Photography Real estate Photography/Videography
one thing to consider i wouldn't be able to afford multiple lenses and I'll only start with one lens ( a cheap one ex : 24-70 f4 / 50mm f1.8) another thing is i have some lenses from the a6000 ( 55-210 / 25mm f1.8)
also another thing is i noticed a shortage of lumix s lenses in my country there are a couple of lenses that i found available the 20-60mm / 50mm 1.8 /24mm f1.8 there some zoom lenses but nothing compared to sony there are an abundance of new / used lenses everywhere sigma / tamron etc
one final thing :
if you guys see that there is a better camera option like go for an apcs ie A6700 or the canon r6 please clarify your reasons as to why you suggested this option
also giving your experiences would be helpful and it would give me a better grasp as to how these models would operate in real situations
THANK YOU
submitted by Immediate_Hat_9878 to Cameras [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:08 stravinskiest How do you get over an unhealthy obsession with a public figure you actually know?

TL;DR: 30F fell for a (niche) public figure 35M who is in a commited relationship and very hot and cold on our contact. We have never met in person. I cut all ties and moved on with a new boyfriend, but still feel compelled to watch him and think about him all the time. It's taken over my life. Need help.
Two years ago I started watching a Youtube channel on golf*, a sport I wasn't interested in, because someone told me the host was a fan of mine. I'm a Youtuber myself, well-known in my niche, and he would mention my work in his videos all the time. I felt flattered and curious, and became a regular viewer.
Soon I found out we had lots in common. Same alma mater, same obscure degree. Many many shared interests — poetry, RPG games. I even took a liking to golf just from hearing him talk about it so much. Wasn't long until I was a fan of him as well, and not long after that I realized I just had a big crush on him. I got in touch online (during a long vacation in a different country) and we became fast friends.
Around that time, I found out he had a girlfriend. It wasn't a secret; he mentioned it offhandedly in a video. I tried to keep the convo going, but it felt dishonest, so I came clean: hey, I kinda like you more than just friends and I don't want to be like that around someone who has a girlfriend, so I'd rather just walk away now before it becomes a Thing. He had a really surprised reaction but ultimately agreed.
FFWD to one year ago. He got back in touch with me with this really dramatic, well-written message about wanting to get in touch for a long time before finally giving in. He mentioned all the different occasions when he felt that way, referencing specific posts or uploads of mine (from months ago!) that he felt tempted to discuss. No mention of a girlfriend, but I was aware he still had one.
His message felt too romantic to resist — like the start of something — so I answered it w one of my own and we began talking again. But he soon faded away... taking longer and longer to answer, sometimes weeks. By this time I was already back in the US, and he never attempted to meet me. I felt really confused, so I drifted away myself several times; he would always pull me back in.
At some point it all started feeling like too much. A few months ago I hid my insta stories from him, so I wouldn't continually check whether he'd watched them, or try and post things he'd be interested in. Then I simply stopped responding, even when he double, triple, quadruple texted. These felt like rational moves, but somehow they only intensified my interest in him — now a full-fledged obsession.
I think about him constantly; dozens of times a day. I follow the PGA super closely and know every stat, every player, because it makes me feel closer to him. His career is doing well, and sometimes he shows up live on TV as a commentator; something I've dreaded and enjoyed. I open his videos just to watch him talk. He still consumes 100% of my work (I know this through analytics), sometimes more than once, but never mentions it in public anymore. I keep thinking of stupid ways to try and get him to talk to me, like posting a song or whatever that he'd like, and sometimes it works and he does get in touch but then I don't answer. There's a live golf event coming up and I'm tempted to go in disguise (!) just to see him. The fact that he's an easily accessible public figure makes it so much worse. I could google him right now and find thousands of hours of footage.
Long story, I know, but the gist of it is I can't shake my obsession with this guy. It's grown steadily for years, even though I've (1) cut ties, (2) started dating someone else, and (3) am not deluded about the fact that we are not a good match. Yes, I'm in therapy, yes, I've discussed this many times. I have hobbies, friends, a good career, a great partner. What the fuck am I supposed to do about this???
Please help. This is such an embarrassing situation for a 30 year-old.
*Details fudged for anonimity.
submitted by stravinskiest to LifeAdvice [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:07 FieryKitten1010 this sub has seriously dissapointed me recently

this sub has seriously dissapointed me recently
this post in particular has shown me the massive racist and zionist views that are in this sub. every top comment here has either been factually incorrect in some way or just plain racist and its really dissapointing as in the past i have affiliated very closely to the views of the sub. as a palestinian, i am becoming to feel unwelcome if the consensus of the sub is that i am a genocidal murderer and i really hope this sub can improve.
submitted by FieryKitten1010 to HistoryMemes [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:06 Immediate_Hat_9878 Seeking help to the best hybrid camera in my budget

My budget ( 2400 $ more or less)
so i decided to buy a brand new camera and upgrade to a better newer camera from my good old a6000 .
i have a couple of options and I am in need of professional opinion and guidance.
I have my eye on the sony a7iv with the kitlens 24-70mm or the prime 50mm 1.8 but then the lumix s5ii caught my attention and from the reviews i found it's better on some aspects than the a7iv , is that the case ? because the difference in price is quite apparent . I'll tell you guys the main things that I'll be using the camera for
Weddings Photography/Videography Short Films Product Photography Real estate Photography/Videography
one thing to consider i wouldn't be able to afford multiple lenses and I'll only start with one lens ( a cheap one ex : 24-70 f4 / 50mm f1.8) another thing is i have some lenses from the a6000 ( 55-210 / 25mm f1.8)
also another thing is i noticed a shortage of lumix s lenses in my country there are a couple of lenses that i found available the 20-60mm / 50mm 1.8 /24mm f1.8 there some zoom lenses but nothing compared to sony there are an abundance of new / used lenses everywhere sigma / tamron etc
one final thing :
if you guys see that there is a better camera option like go for an apcs ie A6700 or the canon r6 please clarify your reasons as to why you suggested this option
also giving your experiences would be helpful and it would give me a better grasp as to how these models would operate in real situations
THANK YOU
submitted by Immediate_Hat_9878 to WeddingPhotography [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:04 Immediate_Hat_9878 best hybrid camera in my budget

so i decided to buy a brand new camera and upgrade to a better newer camera from my good old a6000 .
i have a couple of options and I am in need of professional opinion and guidance.
I have my eye on the sony a7iv with the kitlens 24-70mm or the prime 50mm 1.8 but then the lumix s5ii caught my attention and from the reviews i found it's better on some aspects than the a7iv , is that the case ? because the difference in price is quite apparent . I'll tell you guys the main things that I'll be using the camera for
Weddings Photography/Videography Short Films Product Photography Real estate Photography/Videography
one thing to consider i wouldn't be able to afford multiple lenses and I'll only start with one lens ( a cheap one ex : 24-70 f4 / 50mm f1.8) another thing is i have some lenses from the a6000 ( 55-210 / 25mm f1.8)
also another thing is i noticed a shortage of lumix s lenses in my country there are a couple of lenses that i found available the 20-60mm / 50mm 1.8 /24mm f1.8 there some zoom lenses but nothing compared to sony there are an abundance of new / used lenses everywhere sigma / tamron etc
one final thing :
if you guys see that there is a better camera option like go for an apcs ie A6700 or the canon r6 please clarify your reasons as to why you suggested this option
also giving your experiences would be helpful and it would give me a better grasp as to how these models would operate in real situations
THANK YOU
submitted by Immediate_Hat_9878 to SonyAlpha [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:03 LynBruno Prolonged breastfeeding and calcium needs

So I was wandering - would breastfeeding meet calcium needs if breastfeeding 1+ year old, , so we wouldn't need to give calcium fortified plant based milk as a drink?
We're not even at 6 months yet, but as I've seen in my country the choice of plant milk isn't that great. They all have oils or other additives with witch I'm not that comfortable. I make plant milk for porridge and such but than that wouldn't be calcium fortified 🙄
submitted by LynBruno to veganparenting [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:00 sub-roundup weekly roundup for week of 5/11-5/18

Most Upvoted Posts

  1. How do libs explain this?? (290 🡅)
  2. How well do you know DT? (271 🡅)
  3. I remember the place and time ✋ (265 🡅)
  4. Omg this is how stupid the left is 🤣💀 listen to how she says Trump is racist. (244 🡅)
  5. See the difference (242 🡅)
  6. I'm voting for Trump (234 🡅)
  7. Winning (217 🡅)
  8. Enough said (201 🡅)
  9. University of Old Mississippi Frat Boys Stop Pro Hamas Protest...🎯🎯🎯 (199 🡅)
  10. Happy Straight Pride Day. (197 🡅)

Most Commented Posts

  1. Do you trust the poll?, if yes why is that Biden has more women Voters than Trump? (90 💬)
  2. This needs to change in a bad way...🚨🤬🚨 (62 💬)
  3. Omg this is how stupid the left is 🤣💀 listen to how she says Trump is racist. (45 💬)
  4. This Bright One Needs To Go To Palestine And Test Out Her Theory...😂🤣😜 (43 💬)
  5. The Religion Of Peace...🎯🎯🎯 (40 💬)
  6. This Is How They Are Going to Steal The 2024 Election (40 💬)
  7. Try That I a Small Town...🤬🤬🤬 (37 💬)
  8. Libs of TikTok @libsoftiktok · 11h Tiktoker has a complete mental breakdown in a racist rant against white people, claiming that white people support “anti-blackness” and America is a white supremacist country. (35 💬)
  9. New York City Hiding Illegal Migrants From Reporters & Flying Illegals To Every State For Free Signs that say “We can book your ticket to travel anywhere outside New York City” “The entire area was filled with migrants back here until they started filming. (34 💬)
  10. Are You Tired of The Treason Going On In D.C.?👀 (33 💬)
submitted by sub-roundup to TheDonaldTrump2024 [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 14:50 ironuzi9600 23/M seeking to make friends (:

Hello my name is Omar and I'm from New Jersey ,USA. I am a 23 year old and I'm looking to make some foreign friends (: I love making friends from different countries and getting to know their way of life and culture.
I love wrestling, soccer (yes I know it's called football lol), swimming, weightlifting and video games. I also am learning how to cook more often and I like to bake too. I also like to work on my own car that I call Blue Bonita
Usually I'm watching WWE and maybe some AEW, and with football usually premier league or MLS. (Manchester City fan ;) )
I have a PS5 and mainly just play WWE, FIFA, Call of duty and hitman (:
I am Hispanic, with a Mexican heritage although I was born in the US. I am usually shy but I can talk a lot sometimes. I am very introverted and like to have minimal friends as possible. I speak English fluently and Spanish almost fluently.
I love to listen to Reggaeton, Bachata, Salsa, a little bit of rap and r&b. Maybe a tiny bit of pop ;D
I'm a chatterbox and I love to talk a lot and about anything.
I love cats and I have 3 of them. Though I'm fond of every type of pet.
If you'd like to chat or possibly become my friend, don't hesitate to message me (:
submitted by ironuzi9600 to MeetNewPeopleHere [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 14:49 Big_Chungus-_-__- Thought I let y'all know sum about me

Thought I let y'all know sum about me submitted by Big_Chungus-_-__- to boywithuke [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 14:49 ironuzi9600 23/M seeking friends worldwide (:

Hello my name is Omar and I'm from New Jersey ,USA. I am a 23 year old and I'm looking to make some foreign friends (: I love making friends from different countries and getting to know their way of life and culture.
I love wrestling, soccer (yes I know it's called football lol), swimming, weightlifting and video games. I also am learning how to cook more often and I like to bake too. I also like to work on my own car that I call Blue Bonita
Usually I'm watching WWE and maybe some AEW, and with football usually premier league or MLS. (Manchester City fan ;) )
I have a PS5 and mainly just play WWE, FIFA, Call of duty and hitman (:
I am Hispanic, with a Mexican heritage although I was born in the US. I am usually shy but I can talk a lot sometimes. I am very introverted and like to have minimal friends as possible. I speak English fluently and Spanish almost fluently.
I love to listen to Reggaeton, Bachata, Salsa, a little bit of rap and r&b. Maybe a tiny bit of pop ;D
I'm a chatterbox and I love to talk a lot and about anything.
I love cats and I have 3 of them. Though I'm fond of every type of pet.
If you'd like to chat or possibly become my friend, don't hesitate to message me (:
submitted by ironuzi9600 to penpals [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 14:48 ironuzi9600 23/M seeking friends

Hello my name is Omar and I'm from New Jersey ,USA. I am a 23 year old and I'm looking to make some foreign friends (: I love making friends from different countries and getting to know their way of life and culture.
I love wrestling, soccer (yes I know it's called football lol), swimming, weightlifting and video games. I also am learning how to cook more often and I like to bake too. I also like to work on my own car that I call Blue Bonita
Usually I'm watching WWE and maybe some AEW, and with football usually premier league or MLS. (Manchester City fan ;) )
I have a PS5 and mainly just play WWE, FIFA, Call of duty and hitman (:
I am Hispanic, with a Mexican heritage although I was born in the US. I am usually shy but I can talk a lot sometimes. I am very introverted and like to have minimal friends as possible. I speak English fluently and Spanish almost fluently.
I love to listen to Reggaeton, Bachata, Salsa, a little bit of rap and r&b. Maybe a tiny bit of pop ;D
I'm a chatterbox and I love to talk a lot and about anything.
I love cats and I have 3 of them. Though I'm fond of every type of pet.
If you'd like to chat or possibly become my friend, don't hesitate to message me (:
submitted by ironuzi9600 to InternetFriends [link] [comments]

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