General advice for those concerned about their battery from the Support FAQ Wiki:
Battery health
Battery health depends on usage and a variety of other factors. It is normal to see a decrease in battery health by 7-10% per year, resulting in a battery health of 80-85% after 2 years. This number can fluctuate, remain the same, or decrease quickly over a small period and should not cause undue concern.
Apple recommend battery replacement when your device falls below 80% battery health if you notice reduced battery life. If it falls below 80% within the first year you may be eligable for a free battery replacement. It fails after your warranty, it's a $69-$89 USD replacement cost for a battery. Contact Apple Support here.
You can find more information about battery health and performance from Apple here.
You can check the cycles count with Coconut Battery for Mac or iCopyBot for Windows.
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Battery life
Issues relating to battery life can be categorised in three ways:

1. Normal battery life that is to be expected due to use
2. Reduced battery life caused by a recent update, iOS indexing, an iOS bug, or a third-party application
3. Reduced battery life, or other abnormalities such as overheating or sudden power-off, caused by device or battery aging

If you experience issues with your battery:

1. Check your battery health. If it is below 80% or you are experiencing issues you suspect are related to device or battery age, see Apple Support.
2. If you have a new or recently updated/restored device, wait a number of days for background process to complete. If you continue to have issues, wait for a further iOS update. If you are on iOS Beta, you can expect to have a decreased battery life.
3. Review the advice below on maximising battery life
4. Consider restoring your device.
5. If issues persist, contact Apple Support.

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Maximising battery life - the amount of time your device runs before it needs to be recharged.

• Use low power mode (This reduces mail fetch, turns off background app refresh and increases the auto lock timer)
• Remove apps from background app refresh
• Ensure auto lock is on
• Turn off auto brightness and manually reduce brightness
• Use dark mode if your device has an OLED display
• Clearing background apps from the app switcher does not improve battery life

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Maximising battery lifespan - the amount of time your battery lasts until it needs to be replaced.

• Avoid extreme temperatures
• If you notice that your iPhone gets hot when charging, remove it from its case
• Store your iPhone in a cool place, switched off, and half-charged if not using it for long periods - and charge it every 6 months when in storage

I’ve always hated the smell of gun oil. It clings to everything it touches, soaking deep into the fibers of my clothes, the lining of my backpack, the coarse hair on the back of my hands. Yet here I am, kneeling on the cracked linoleum of our mudroom, a Remington .308 laid across my thighs, and the stench of gun oil sharp in my nostrils. The early morning light barely scratches at the edges of the blinds, dim and gray like the belly of a dead fish.
My dad Frank is in the kitchen, clattering around with the coffeepot and mumbling under his breath. Today we’re heading up to the woods of Northern Michigan, same as we did every year before Leah… before we lost her.
I can’t help but feel the old scars throbbing as I load bullets into the magazine. It’s been ten years since that hunting trip, the one that tore my family into before and after. Before, when Leah's laughter was a constant soundtrack to our lives; after, when every silence was filled with her absence.
We were just kids back then. I was ten, Leah was eight. It was supposed to be a typical hunting trip, one of those bonding experiences Dad was always talking about. But things went wrong. We got separated from Dad somehow. One minute we were following him, the next we were lost, the dense woods closing in around us.
Dad says when he found me, I was huddled under a fallen tree, my eyes wide, my body frozen. All I could mutter through chattering teeth was "Dogman."
It was only later, after the search parties had combed through every thicket and hollow, that they found her. What remained of Leah was barely recognizable, the evidence of a brutal mauling undeniable. The authorities concluded it was likely a bear attack, but Dad... he never accepted that explanation. He had seen the tracks, too large and oddly shaped for any bear.
As I load another round, the memory flashes, unbidden and unwelcome. Large, hairy clawed hands reaching out towards us, impossibly big, grotesque in their form. Yet, the rest of the creature eludes me, a shadow just beyond the edge of my recall, leaving me with nothing but fragmented terrors and Leah’s haunting, echoing screams. My mind blocked most of it out, a self-defense mechanism, I guess.
For years after that day, sleep was a battleground. I'd wake up in strange places—kitchen floor, backyard, even at the edge of the nearby creek. My therapist said it was my mind's way of trying to resolve the unresolved, to wander back through the woods searching for Leah. But all I found in those sleepless nights was a deeper sense of loss.
It took time, a lot of therapy, and patience I didn't know I had, but the sleepwalking did eventually stop. I guess I started to find some semblance of peace.
I have mostly moved on with my life. The fragmentary memories of that day are still there, lurking in the corners of my mind, but they don’t dominate my thoughts like they used to. I just finished my sophomore year at Michigan State, majoring in Environmental Science.
As for Dad, the loss of Leah broke him. He became a shell of himself. It destroyed his marriage with Mom. He blamed himself for letting us out of his sight, for not protecting Leah. His life took on a single, consuming focus: finding the creature that killed her. He read every book, every article on cryptids and unexplained phenomena. He mapped sightings, connected dots across blurry photos and shaky testimonies of the Dogman.
But as the tenth anniversary of Leah’s death approaches, Dad's obsession has grown more intense. He’s started staying up late, poring over his maps and notes, muttering to himself about patterns and cycles. He’s convinced that the dogman reappears every ten years, and this is our window of opportunity to finally hunt it down.
I’m not nearly as convinced. The whole dogman thing seems like a coping mechanism, a way for Dad to channel his guilt and grief into something tangible, something he can fight against. But I decided to tag along on this trip, partly to keep an eye on him, partly because a small part of me hopes that maybe, just maybe, we’ll find some kind of closure out there in the woods.
I finish loading the rifle and set it aside, standing up to stretch my legs. I wipe my greasy hands on an old rag, trying to get rid of the smell. The early morning light is starting to seep into the room, casting long shadows across the floor.
Dad comes out of the kitchen with two thermoses of coffee in hand. His eyes are bleary and tired.
“You ready, Ryan?” he asks, handing me a thermos, his voice rough from too many sleepless nights.
“Yeah, I’m ready,” I reply, trying to sound more confident than I felt.
We load our gear into the truck, the weight of our supplies and weapons a physical reminder of the burden we carry. The drive from Lansing across the Lower Peninsula is long and quiet, the silence between us filled with unspoken memories and unresolved grief.
—
The drive north is a blur of highway lines and the dull hum of the engine. I drift off, the landscape outside blending into a haze. In my sleep, fragments of that day with Leah replay like scattered pieces of a puzzle. I see her smile, the way she tugged at my sleeve, eager to explore. The sunlight filters through the trees in sharp, jagged streaks.
Then, the memory shifts—darker, disjointed. Leah's voice echoes, a playful laugh turning into a scream that pierces the air. The crunch of leaves underfoot as something heavy moves through the underbrush. I see a shadow, large and looming, not quite fitting the shapes of any creature I know.
Then, something darker creeps into the dream, something I’ve never allowed myself to remember clearly.
Before I can see what it is I wake up with a start as the truck jerks slightly on a rough patch of road. Dad glances over. "Bad dream?" he asks. I nod, rubbing the sleep from my eyes, the remnants of the dream clinging to me like the cold.
"Yeah, just... thinking about Leah," I manage to say.
As we drive, Dad attempts to bridge the silence with small talk. He asks about my finals, my plans for the summer, anything to keep the conversation going. His voice carries a forced cheerfulness, but it’s clear his heart isn’t in it. I respond when necessary, my answers brief, my gaze fixed on the passing scenery.
The landscape changes as we head further north, from flat expanses to rolling hills dotted with dense patches of forest. It's beautiful country, the kind that reminds you how vast and wild Michigan can be, but today it just feels oppressive, like it’s closing in on us.
—
We finally arrive at the cabin, nestled deep in the woods, its weathered wood blending seamlessly with the surrounding trees. The place hasn't changed much since the last time I was here—a relic from another time, filled with the echoes of our past. I can still see Leah running around the porch, her laughter ringing out into the forest.
Dad parks the truck, and we step out into the crisp air. The smell of pine and damp earth fills my nostrils. We start unloading our gear, the tension between us palpable.
“Let’s get this inside,” Dad says, his voice gruff as he hefts a duffel bag onto his shoulder.
I nod, grabbing my own bag and following him to the cabin. Inside, it’s a mix of old and new—the same rustic furniture, but with new hunting gear and maps strewn across the table. Dad’s obsession is evident in every corner of the room, a constant reminder of why we’re here.
As we unpack, we exchange strained attempts at normalcy. He talks about the latest cryptid sightings he’s read about, his eyes lighting up with a fervor that both worries and saddens me.
“Did you hear about the sighting up near Alpena?” he asks, laying out his maps on the table.
“Yeah, you mentioned it,” I reply, trying to muster some enthusiasm. “Do you really think there’s something to it?”
Dad’s eyes meet mine, and for a moment, I see a flicker of doubt. But it’s quickly replaced by grim determination. “I have to believe it, Ryan. It’s the only thing that makes sense.”
We finish unpacking, the silence between us growing heavier with each passing minute. I step outside to clear my head, the cool air a welcome relief. The sun is starting to set, casting long shadows across the clearing. I can’t shake the feeling of unease.
"You can take the upstairs room," Dad mutters. His voice is strained, trying to sound normal, but it's clear the weight of the past is heavy on him. I nod, hauling my backpack up the creaking stairs to the small bedroom that I used to share with Leah. The room feels smaller now, or maybe I've just grown too much since those innocent days.
I unpack silently, setting my things aside. The bed is stiff and cold under my touch. As I settle in, I can't help but glance at the corner where Leah and I would huddle together, whispering secrets and making plans for adventures that would never happen. I push the thoughts away, focusing on the practicalities of unpacking.
After settling in, I go back downstairs to find Dad loading up a backpack with supplies for our hunt. The intensity in his eyes is palpable, his hands moving with practiced precision. I know this routine; it's one he's perfected over countless solo trips since that fateful day.
"We'll head out early," he says, not looking up from his task. "Gotta make the most of the daylight."
I nod, though unease curls in my stomach. I'm not just worried about what we might find—or not find—out there. I'm worried about him. Each year, the obsession seems to carve him out a bit more, leaving less of the Dad I knew.
—
The morning air is sharp with the scent of pine and wet earth as Dad and I head into the deeper parts of the forest. The terrain is rugged, familiar in its untamed beauty, but there’s a tension between us that makes the landscape feel alien. Dad moves with a purposeful stride, his eyes scanning the woods around us. Every snap of a twig, every rustle in the underbrush seems to draw his attention. He’s on edge, and it puts me on edge too.
As we walk, my mind drifts back to that day ten years ago. I can almost hear Leah’s voice echoing through the trees, her high-pitched call as she darted ahead, "Catch me, Ryan!" I remember how the sunlight filtered through the leaves, casting dancing shadows on the ground. Those memories are so vivid, so tangible, it feels like I could just turn a corner and see her there, waiting for us.
Dad suddenly stops and kneels, examining the ground. He points out a set of tracks that are too large for a deer, with an unusual gait pattern. "It’s been here, Ry. I’m telling you, it’s close," he whispers, a mixture of excitement and something darker in his voice. I nod, though I’m not sure what to believe. Part of me wants to dismiss it all as grief-fueled obsession, but another part, the part that heard Leah's scream and saw something monstrous in the woods that day, isn’t so sure.
As we continue, Dad's comments become increasingly cryptic. "You know, they say the dogman moves in cycles, drawn to certain places, certain times. Like it’s tied to the land itself," he muses, more to himself than to me. His fixation on the creature has always been intense, but now it borders on mania.
We set up a makeshift blind near a clearing where Dad insists the creature will pass. Hours drag by with little to see but the occasional bird or distant deer.
The sun rises higher in the sky, casting long, slender shadows through the dense canopy. I shift uncomfortably in my spot, the forest floor hard and unyielding beneath me. My eyes dart between the trees, hoping to catch a glimpse of something, anything, to break the monotony. Dad, on the other hand, remains steadfast, his gaze fixed on the treeline as if he can will the dogman into existence by sheer force of will.
A bird chirps nearby, startling me. I sigh and adjust my grip on the rifle. I glance over at Dad.
“Anything?” I ask, more out of boredom than genuine curiosity.
“Not yet,” he replies, his voice tight. “But it’s out there. I know it.”
I nod, even though I’m not sure I believe him. The forest seems too quiet, too still. Maybe we’re chasing ghosts.
As the sun begins its descent, the forest is bathed in a warm, golden light. The air cools, and a breeze rustles the leaves. I shiver, more from anticipation than the cold. The long hours of sitting and waiting are starting to wear on me.
“Let’s call it a day for now,” Dad says finally, his voice heavy with disappointment. “We’ll head back to the cabin, get some rest, and try again tomorrow.”
I stand and stretch, feeling the stiffness in my muscles. We pack up our gear in silence and start the trek back to the cabin. The walk is long and quiet, the only sounds are the crunch of leaves underfoot and the distant calls of birds settling in for the night.
—
Dinner is a quiet affair, both of us lost in our thoughts. I try to make small talk, asking Dad about his plans for tomorrow, but it feels forced. We clean up in silence.
After dinner, I retreat to the small bedroom. The fatigue from the day's hike has settled into my bones, but sleep still feels like a distant hope. I lie down, staring at the ceiling, the room cloaked in darkness save for the sliver of moonlight creeping through the window. Downstairs, I hear the faint sound of Dad moving around, likely unable to sleep himself.
I drift into sleep, but it's not restful. My dreams pull me back to that fateful day in the woods. Leah's voice is clear and vibrant, her laughter echoing through the trees. She looks just as she did then—bright-eyed and full of life, her blonde hair catching the sunlight as she runs ahead of me.
"Come on, Ry! You can't catch me!" she taunts, her voice playful and teasing.
I chase after her, but the scene shifts abruptly. The sky darkens, the woods around us growing dense and foreboding. Leah's laughter fades, replaced by a chilling silence. I see her ahead, standing still, her back to me.
"Leah?" I call out, my voice trembling. She turns slowly, her eyes wide and filled with fear. "Ryan, you have to remember," she says, her voice barely a whisper. "It wasn't what you think. You need to know the truth."
Leah’s words hang in the air, cryptic and unsettling. Before I can respond, she turns and starts running again, her figure becoming a blur among the trees. Panic rises in my chest as I sprint after her, my feet pounding against the forest floor.
“Leah, wait!” I shout, desperation lacing my voice. The forest around me seems to close in, the trees towering and twisted, shadows dancing menacingly in the dim light. I push forward, trying to keep her in sight, but she’s too fast, slipping away like a wisp of smoke.
Suddenly, there’s a rustle, a flash of movement in the corner of my vision. Leah screams, a sound that pierces through the heavy silence. It happens too quickly—I can’t see what it is, only a dark blur that snatches her up.
“Leah!” I scream, my voice breaking. I stumble, falling to my knees as the forest spins around me. My heart races, and the terror is so real, so visceral, that it pulls me back to that awful day, the one that changed everything.
I jolt awake, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
I sit up, wiping the cold sweat from my forehead as I try to steady my breathing. The room is still dark, the shadows cast by the moonlight seem to flicker and dance on the walls. My heart is still racing from the nightmare, the echo of Leah's scream lingering in my ears.
As I struggle to calm down, the floorboards outside my room creak. The door opens slowly, and I see the silhouette of my dad in the doorway, a Bowie knife in his hand, his posture tense.
“Dad, what the hell are you doing?” I whisper, my voice shaking.
“Shh,” he hisses, holding up a hand to silence me. “I heard something. Something moving around in the cabin. Stay quiet.”
I swallow hard, my mouth dry. I glance at the clock on the nightstand—it’s just past three in the morning. The cabin is silent, the kind of deep, oppressive silence that makes every small sound seem louder. I can’t hear anything out of the ordinary, but Dad’s expression is deadly serious.
He motions for me to get up, and I do, moving as quietly as I can. My heart is racing, a mix of lingering fear from the dream and the sudden, sharp anxiety of the present moment. Dad leads the way, stepping cautiously out of the bedroom and into the hallway, the knife held ready in front of him.
We move through the cabin, checking each room in turn. The living room is empty, the furniture casting long shadows in the dim moonlight. The kitchen is just as we left it, the plates from dinner still drying on the counter. Everything seems normal, untouched.
We finish our sweep of the cabin without finding anything amiss. The silence is heavy, punctuated only by our soft footfalls. I can see the tension in Dad’s frame, his grip on the knife unwavering. After checking the last room, we pause in the dimly lit hallway, the air thick with unspoken questions.
“There’s nothing here,” I say, my voice low. “Are you sure you heard something?”
He looks at me, his eyes searching for something in my face. “I heard growling. Deep and close. It was right outside the window.”
“Maybe it was just an animal outside, a raccoon or something?” I suggest, although the certainty in his voice makes me doubt my own reassurance.
“No, it wasn’t like that. It was different,” he insists, his voice tense.
I nod, not wanting to argue, but the seeds of worry are planted deep.
The look in his eyes sends a chill down my spine. It’s not just fear—it’s desperation. The kind of desperation that comes from years of chasing shadows and finding nothing. I can see the toll this hunt has taken on him, the way it’s worn him down, turned him into a man I barely recognize.
We head back to our rooms. As I lie down, my mind races with thoughts of my dad. I can’t help but wonder if he’s losing it, if the years of grief and guilt have finally pushed him over the edge.
Dad wasn’t always like this. Before Leah’s death, he was the kind of father who took us fishing, helped with homework, and told terrible jokes that made us groan and laugh at the same time. He was solid, dependable. But losing Leah changed him. The guilt twisted him into someone I barely recognize, someone driven by a need for answers, for closure, that may never come.
I try to sleep, but my thoughts keep me awake. I can hear Dad moving around downstairs, probably pacing or double-checking the locks. His paranoia has become a constant presence, and I don’t know how to help him. I don’t even know if I can help him.
—
The next morning, the sunlight filters weakly through the cabin windows, casting a pale light that does little to lift the heavy mood. I drag myself out of bed, feeling the exhaustion of another restless night. Dad is already up, hunched over his maps at the kitchen table, his eyes bloodshot from lack of sleep.
“Morning,” I mumble, rubbing the sleep from my eyes as I pour myself a cup of coffee. “Did you sleep at all?”
He shakes his head, not looking up from his notes. “Not much. I couldn’t stop thinking about what I heard last night.”
I sip my coffee, trying to shake off the remnants of my nightmare. “Maybe it was just an animal, Dad. We’re deep in the woods, after all.”
He finally looks up, his eyes intense. “Ryan, I know what I heard. It wasn’t just an animal. It was something else.”
I sigh, not wanting to argue. “Okay, fine, Dad. What’s the plan for today?”
“We’re going back out. I found some tracks yesterday, and I want to follow them. See where they lead.”
I nod, feeling a mix of apprehension and resignation. I can see how much this means to him, how desperate he is for any kind of lead. “Alright. Let’s get packed and head out.”
We spend the morning preparing, loading up our gear and double-checking our supplies. Dad is meticulous, going over everything with a fine-toothed comb. I try to match his focus, but my mind keeps drifting back to Leah and the dream I had. Her words echo in my head, cryptic and unsettling: “You need to know the truth.”
We set off into the woods, the air crisp and cool. The forest is alive with the sounds of birds and rustling leaves, but it all feels distant, like background noise to the tension between us. Dad leads the way, his eyes scanning the ground for any sign of the tracks he found yesterday.
As we walk, I can’t help but notice how erratically he’s acting. He mutters to himself, his eyes darting around as if expecting something to jump out at us. His grip on his rifle is tight, his knuckles white.
“Dad, are you okay?” I ask, trying to keep my voice steady.
He glances at me, his expression unreadable. “I’m fine. Just focused.”
He stops frequently to examine the ground or the bark of trees, pointing out marks and signs that seem meaningless to me.
“Look at this,” he says, crouching down to examine a broken branch. “See how it’s snapped? That’s not a deer or a bear. That’s something bigger. Stronger.”
I crouch next to Dad, squinting at the broken branch. To me, it just looks like a regular broken branch, the kind you see all over the forest. "I don't know, Dad. It just looks like a branch to me," I say, trying to keep my voice neutral.
Dad's eyes flicker with frustration. "You're not looking close enough. It's the way it's snapped—too clean, too deliberate. Something did this."
I nod, not wanting to argue. "Okay, sure. But even if you're right, it could be anything. A storm, another hunter..."
His expression hardens. "I know what I'm looking for. This is different."
I sigh, feeling the weight of the past and the tension between us pressing down on me. "Dad, I had a dream last night. About Leah." The words hang in the air between us, heavy and fraught with unspoken emotions.
Dad's eyes widen, and he straightens up, his entire demeanor shifting. "What kind of dream? What did you see?" His voice is urgent, almost desperate.
"It was... strange. We were in the woods, like we are now, but everything felt different. Leah was there, running ahead of me, laughing. Then she stopped and told me I needed to know the truth, that it wasn't what I thought."
Dad grabs my shoulders, his grip tight. "What else did she say? Did she tell you anything specific? Anything about the creature?"
I shake my head, feeling a chill run down my spine. "No, that was it. She just said I needed to know the truth, and then she was gone."
Dad’s grip on my shoulders tightens, and his eyes bore into mine with a mixture of desperation and hope. “Ryan, you have to try to remember. Think hard. What did the creature look like? Did you see anything else?”
I pull back slightly, uneasy with his intensity. “Dad, I told you. I don’t remember. It was just a dream. A nightmare, really. My mind’s probably just mixing things up.”
He lets go of me and runs a hand through his hair, looking frustrated and lost. “Dreams can be important. They can hold memories we’ve buried deep. Please, try to remember. This could be a sign, a clue.”
I rub my temples, feeling the beginnings of a headache. “I’ve tried, okay? I’ve tried for years to piece together what happened that day. But it’s all just fragments, like pieces of a puzzle that don’t fit. The dream… it felt real, but I don’t think it’s telling me anything new.”
Dad’s face falls, and he looks older than I’ve ever seen him. He turns away, staring into the forest as if it holds all the answers.
—
As we make our way back to the cabin, the sun begins to set, casting long shadows through the trees. The air grows colder, and I shiver, pulling my jacket tighter around me. Dad is silent, lost in his thoughts, his face drawn and haggard.
Back at the cabin, we unload our gear once again in silence. Dad disappears into his room, muttering something about going over his notes. I decide to explore the cabin, hoping to find something that might help me understand what’s going on with him.
In the attic, I find a box of old family photos and documents. As I sift through the contents, I come across a worn journal with Dad’s handwriting on the cover. Curiosity gets the better of me, and I open it, flipping through the pages.
The journal is filled with notes and sketches, detailing his obsession with the dogman. But there’s something else—entries that talk about Leah, about that day in the woods. His handwriting becomes more erratic, the words harder to read. One entry stands out, dated just a few days after Leah’s death:
“June 15, 2013 – It was supposed to be a normal trip. Keep them close, Frank, I kept telling myself. But I failed. Leah is gone, and it’s my fault. I heard her scream, saw the shadows. I tried to get to her, but… the thing, it was there. Too fast. Too strong. My hands… blood everywhere. No one will believe me. I can’t even believe myself. I have to find it. I have to protect Ryan. I have to make it right. God, what have I done?”
Before I can read further, the attic door creaks open, and Dad’s voice slices through the stillness.
“What are you doing up here?” His tone is sharp, almost panicked.
I turn to see him standing in the doorway, his face pale and his eyes wide with something between anger and fear. I clutch the journal to my chest, my mind racing. “I found this… I was just trying to understand…”
In an instant, he crosses the room and snatches the journal from my hands. His grip is tight, his knuckles white. “You had no right,” he growls, his voice trembling.
“Dad, I just wanted to know the truth!” I shout, frustration boiling over. “What really happened to Leah.”
His eyes flash with a mix of rage and anguish, and before I can react, he slaps me across the face. The force of it knocks me off balance, and I stumble backward, my cheek stinging.
For a moment, there’s a stunned silence. We both stand there, breathing hard, the air thick with tension.
“I’m sorry,” Dad says finally, his voice barely a whisper. “I didn’t mean to… I just…” He trails off, clutching the journal to his chest like a lifeline.
I touch my cheek, feeling the heat from the slap, and take a deep breath, trying to steady myself. “Dad, what aren’t you telling me? What really happened that day?”
“Stay out of it, Ryan,” Dad growls, his eyes dark with anger. “You don’t know what you’re messing with.”
He turns and storms out of the attic. I’m left standing there, my cheek throbbing, my mind racing. What the fuck is going on? What really happened to Leah? And what is Dad so afraid of?
—
That night, I sleep with my rifle within arm's reach, more afraid of my dad than any dogman. The slap still burns on my cheek, and the look in his eyes—rage, fear, something darker—haunts me. I lie awake, listening to the creaks and groans of the old cabin, every sound amplified in the stillness. Eventually, exhaustion pulls me under, and I fall into a restless sleep.
The dream returns, vivid and unsettling. I'm back in the woods, chasing after Leah. Her laughter echoes through the trees, a haunting reminder of happier times. This time, though, I push myself harder, refusing to let her slip away.
"Ryan, catch me!" she calls, her voice playful.
"I'm coming, Leah!" I shout, my legs pumping, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
The forest around us is a twisted, shadowy maze, the trees seeming to close in on us. Leah's figure becomes clearer, her blonde hair catching the dim light filtering through the canopy. She stops suddenly, turning to face me, her eyes wide with fear.
"Leah, what is it?" I ask, my voice trembling.
"Look behind you," she whispers, her voice barely audible.
I turn slowly, dread creeping up my spine. In the shadows, I see a figure, its form indistinct and shifting. It’s not quite animal, not quite human—something in between. The sight of it sends a jolt of terror through me, and I wake up with a start, my breath coming in ragged gasps.
I’m not in my bed. The ground beneath me is cold and hard, the smell of damp earth filling my nostrils. Panic rises as I realize I’ve sleepwalked into the woods. I scramble to my feet, my eyes adjusting to the dim light. The moon casts a pale glow over the surroundings, revealing what looks like a long-abandoned animal lair.
The walls are covered in giant claw marks, deep gouges in the wood and earth. The air is heavy with the scent of decay, and a chill runs through me. I can’t shake the feeling that I’m being watched.
Carefully, I start to move, my eyes scanning the ground, desperate for a familiar landmark. That's when I see them—faded scraps of fabric caught on the jagged edges of the underbrush. My steps falter, a sense of dread washing over me as I bend down to examine them. The fabric is torn, weathered by time and the elements, but unmistakably familiar. It's part of Leah's jacket—the bright pink one she wore on the day she disappeared.
As I strain to make sense of it all, a rustling sound behind me snaps my focus. My heart leaps into my throat. I spin around, my hand instinctively reaching for the rifle I don't have—because, of course, I didn't bring it in my unconscious state.
The shadowy figure that emerges from the trees is unsettlingly familiar, mirroring the menacing forms of my nightmares. But as it steps into the moonlight, I recognize the worn jacket, the weary posture. It's Dad.
"Ryan!" he calls out, his voice a mix of relief and stern concern. "I've been looking everywhere for you. What the hell are you doing out here?"
I exhale slowly, the terror ebbing away as reality sets back in. "I—I don't know, Dad. I must've sleepwalked again." My voice is shaky, my earlier dream still clinging to the edges of my consciousness.
Dad stares at me in disbelief. "You haven't sleepwalked since you were a kid, Ry. This... this isn't just a coincidence." His eyes dart around, taking in the surroundings—the eerie, claw-marked den, the unsettling quiet of the woods. "How did you even find this place?"
I shake my head, struggling to find an answer. "I don't know, Dad. I just... I woke up here." The uncertainty in my voice does nothing to ease the tension.
His eyes lock onto the tattered remains of Leah's jacket in my hands, and something inside him snaps. The color drains from his face as he stumbles a few steps backward. "This... this is where it happened," he murmurs, his voice barely a whisper. “This is where we found Leah."
“I thought you said you don’t remember anything from that night,” he says accusingly.
"I swear, Dad, I don't know anything about this place," I insist, my own heart pounding.
“It was you, wasn’t it? You’ve been hiding this from me.” His voice is frantic. “You... last night, the growling, it was you.” His voice rises, tinged with hysteria.
I step back, my pulse racing, feeling the chill of the night and the weight of his accusation. "Dad, I don't know what you're talking ab—”
"No!" he interrupts, his voice breaking as he points a trembling finger at me. "You knew, you always knew. It was you, Ryan. All these years, the evidence was right there, but I refused to see it. You were the dogman. You killed Leah!"
His words hit me like a physical blow, absurd and horrifying in their implications. "Dad, you're not making any sense. You're talking crazy! I was just a little kid! How could I–" I protest, my voice shaky.
He steps closer, his presence looming over me, the outline of his figure distorted by the shadows of the trees. "Think about it! It all makes sense now. You led us here, to this place, because you remember. Because you did it."
"Dad, stop it!" I shout, my heart pounding in my chest. "You're scaring me. You need help, professional help. This isn't you."
But he's beyond reason, his eyes wild with a haunted grief. "I have to end this," he mutters, more to himself than to me, his hand tightening around his rifle.
His finger hovers dangerously over the trigger of his rifle. My instincts kick in, and I know I have to act fast.
I lunge toward him, trying to knock the weapon away, but he's quicker than I expected. We struggle, our breaths heavy in the cold night air, the sounds of our scuffle the only noise in the otherwise silent woods. His strength surprises me, fueled by his frantic emotions. He shoves me back, and I stumble over a root, my balance lost for a crucial second. That's all he needs. He raises his rifle, his intentions clear in his wild, pained eyes.
I dive to the ground just as the shot rings out, a deafening blast that echoes ominously through the trees. The bullet whizzes past, narrowly missing me, embedding itself in the bark of an old pine. I scramble to my feet, my heart pounding in my ears, and I start running. The underbrush claws at my clothes and skin, but I push through, driven by a primal urge to survive.
"Dad, stop! It's me, Ryan!" I shout back as I dodge between the trees. Another shot breaks the silence, closer this time, sending splinters of wood flying from a nearby tree trunk. It's surreal, being hunted by my own father, a man tormented by grief and lost in his delusions.
I don't stop to look back. I can hear him crashing through the forest behind me, his heavy breaths and muttered curses carried on the wind. The terrain is rough, and I'm fueled by adrenaline, but exhaustion is setting in. I need a plan.
Ahead, I see a rocky outcrop and make a split-second decision to head for it. It offers a chance to hide, to catch my breath and maybe reason with him if he catches up. As I reach the rocks, I slip behind the largest one, my body pressed tight against the cold, damp surface. I hear his footsteps approaching, slow and cautious now.
As I press against the rock, trying to calm my racing heart, I can hear Dad's footsteps drawing closer, each step crunching ominously on the forest floor. He's methodical, deliberate, like a hunter stalking his prey.
“Come out, Ryan!” Dad’s voice is ragged, filled with a blend of fury and pain.
My heart pounds against my chest, the cold sweat on my back making me shiver against the rough surface of the rock. I know I can't just sit here; it's only a matter of time before he finds me.
Taking a deep breath, I peek around the edge of the rock, trying to gauge his position. I see him, rifle raised, scanning the area slowly. This might be my only chance to end this madness without further violence. I need to disarm him, to talk some sense into him if I can.
As quietly as I can, I move out from behind the rock, my steps careful to avoid any twigs or leaves that might betray my position. I'm almost upon him when a branch snaps under my foot—a sound so trivial yet so alarmingly loud in the quiet of the woods.
Dad whirls around, looking completely unhinged. "Ryan!" he exclaims, his rifle swinging in my direction. Panic overtakes me, and I lunge forward, my hands reaching for the gun.
We struggle, the rifle between us, our breaths heavy and erratic. "Dad, please, stop!" I plead, trying to wrestle the gun away. But he's strong, stronger than I expected.
In the chaos, the rifle goes off. The sound is deafening, a sharp echo that seems to reverberate off every tree around us. Pain explodes in my abdomen, sharp and burning, like nothing I've ever felt before. I stagger back, my hands instinctively going to the wound. The warmth of my own blood coats my fingers, stark and terrifying.
Dad drops the rifle, his eyes wide with horror. "Oh my God! What have I done?" he gasps, rushing to my side as I collapse onto the forest floor.
As the pain sears through me, a strange, overpowering energy surges within. It's wild, primal, unlike anything I've ever experienced. Looking down in horror, my hands are no longer hands but large, hairy, clawed appendages. The transformation is rapid, consuming—my vision blurs, senses heighten, and a raw, guttural growl builds in my throat.
In that moment, a flood of understanding washes over me, mingling with the horror of realization. These are the hands of the creature from my nightmares, the creature whose face I can never fully recall because, as I now understand, it is me.
What happens next feels detached, as if I'm no longer in control of my own actions, watching from a distance as my body moves on its own. I turn towards my dad, his face a mask of terror. He stumbles back, his eyes wide with the dawning realization of what his son has become.
The forest around us seems to fall silent, holding its breath as the nightmarish scene unfolds. I can hear my own growls, guttural and deep, filling the air with a sound that's both foreign and intimately familiar. The pain in my abdomen fuels a dark, violent urge, an urge that's too strong to resist.
With a ferocity that feels both alien and intrinsic, I move towards him. My dad, paralyzed by fear and shock, doesn't run. Maybe he can't. Maybe he doesn't want to.
The encounter was brutal and swift, a blur of motion and violence. My dad barely puts up a struggle, as though resigned to his fate.
Not that there is anything he can do. The creature that I’ve become is too powerful, too consumed by the wild instincts surging through me. I tear him apart, limb from bloody limb, my hands—no, my claws—rending through fabric and flesh with disgusting ease.
The sound of my dad’s screams, of tearing fabric and flesh is drowned out by the animalistic growls that echo through the trees.
When it’s all over, the red mist that had clouded my vision begins to fade, and the fierce, uncontrollable rage that drove my actions subsides. I'm left standing, my breaths heavy and erratic, in the eerie stillness of the forest. The transformation reverses as quickly as it came on, and I find myself back in my human form. My clothes are ripped to shreds, hanging off my frame in tattered remnants. At my feet lies what’s left of my dad, his body torn and unrecognizable.
I glance down at my abdomen, expecting agony, but instead find my wound miraculously healed. No sign of the gunshot remains, just a faint scar where I expected a bloody mess.
Shock sets in, a numbing disbelief mixed with a gut-wrenching realization of what I've become and what I've done. My hands, now human again, tremble as I look at them, half-expecting to see the claws that had so effortlessly ripped through flesh and bone. But there's only blood, my father's blood against my skin.
I stand there for what feels like an eternity, trapped in a nightmare of my own making.
Eventually, the shock wears thin, and a cold practicality takes hold. I need to get out of here. I need to cover my tracks, to disappear. Because who would believe this? Who would understand that I didn't choose this, that I'm not a monster by choice?
With trembling hands, I do what’s necessary. I bury my dad in a shallow grave, the physical act of digging strangely grounding. I cover him with leaves and branches, a pitiful attempt to hide the brutality of his end. I take a moment, whispering apologies into the wind, knowing full well that nothing I say can change what happened.
I leave the forest behind, my mind a whirl of dark thoughts. As I walk, the first hints of dawn brush against the horizon, the sky bleeding a soft pink. It’s hauntingly beautiful.

Besides bragging rights, do Crown Battles or Time Attacks give any extra rewards? Like extra exp as compared to normal Ghost VS?
I understand TA can be done to check your optimal use of lines, but Crown Battles just give you a cool background pic for your profile, no?
Still a new player, thanks in advance!

MD
Hi everyone, first time posting here and I’m very stressed out about this situation so please excuse my typos. A bit of background: I moved into my apartment back in December and didn’t need to a/c until very recently. However, when I first turned on my a/c it made this awful metal grinding noise before being actually kicking in. Then it would cause power outage to the point where I’d have to call maintenance to come reset my breaker as it would not come back on by itself. Maintenance fixed the grinding sound but the power would still go out and I still had to call them and reset it.
I submitted a few work orders and just decided not to use a/c until they sent someone out to fix whatever the problem was for the which was for the majority of the past month. My gas usage has not varied in any other way except for the fact that I was not using heat or a/c. Then one day it unbearably hot so I decided to finally try and use my a/c again around 8pm at night and my power cut off 30 minutes later. Emergency maintenance turned it back on and advised me not use a/c until they could take a look the next day. I submitted another work order
The next day they determined that my a/c would need to be replaced entirely and installed a box fan in the meantime. Now I’ll admit, I’ve never use one of them before but I figured I should cut it off when I didn’t need it and not make it produce low temperature so I wouldn’t have excessive usage. I only had the box fan for 8 days, and the other ways I used gas (cooking, showering, etc) stayed the same.
I went to check my gas bill a few minutes ago and it that it was almost 2k, and to say I was floored was an understatement. For reference, my gas bill during the wintertime where I consistently had the heat on would never be above 150$. And this past month I was without a/c and obviously not using heat for the majority of the month.
Is there any chance I could get any recourse from my landlord or the gas company? Should i contact my apartment complex first or the gas company? I can’t afford to pay both rent and this gas bill and I just feel so helpless right now.
PS: Sorry for the long post, this is my first solo apartment and it has been one thing after another and im reaching my breaking point

AM search is now all over the place. It's not working anymore. People are having crazy expectations. 1. Spoke to some one who with 34/F. She wants to 2 kids. One by age 36, two by age 40. She wants her own apartment & car but she does not earn enough. (Income less than 7lpa). The math just does not work out. She is single at 34. If she gets married asap then also it takes 1 yr to deliver a baby. Who wants to plan 2nd kid at age 40 ? Who has the physical n mental capacity to play, run, feed a new born baby at age 40 ? How she plans to buy an apartment costing 50 lakhs & a car costing 6-7 lakhs ? People just forgot maths.

1. Instagram life : 1st question to me: where do u live ? Do u have your own house ? How much is your salary ? Can u drive ? Why knowing driving is such an important factor to be checked on the first call ? Are we living in Canada or India ?
   
2. Cannot relocate out of town but expect guy to make 40 lpa. 40lpa jobs are not that much abundant in kolkata. But women here just love to complaint and ask for high salary. Even not working women are not interested to move outside because they are comfortable with the city/family.
   
3. Career oriented jobless people: Age 33/34. But not working. Having master's or PhD. Planning to work. Or trying for govt job. Which govt jobs have vacancy for ages 34 candidates? Why did you do phd and then sit idle ? Why can't to do food delivery at big basket or swiggy ? Bcz looks like you don't have any skills. When, asked to relocate, then they say, she can only relocate if she gets a post doctoral position. Otherwise she will stay in silchar, Assam and continue to "search" for job while sitting at home.
   
4. Can't live in Dubai, because it's a Muslim country. Why ? Is dubai government converting every hindu ? Are they doing hate speech against Hindu or other religions? (Oh wait, it happens in india!!). No. Dubai has no freedom of speech. Ok, so u gonna post a tweet and tell that the supreme leader is stupid & coward and a dictator ?? (Yesz try that in india and let's see which constitution right saves you from RSS)
   
5. Brother of potential candidate, with a state government clerical job, who can't type a English sentence properly asks for salary slip to verify earnings of the guy while her sister sitting at her Village home all day after BA in English and "searching for job" since 2016. While, asking why do you need salary slip, he says, I don't think this much salary is possible here in IT role. Because his friend working in TCS earns 60k/month only.
   
6. Women who are fat, don't do any basic workout or don't even walk 5000 steps a day at the age of 33 rejecting guys who are losing hair at the office 35. Also, they call themselves "healthy". Healthy is not fat apparently. Wtf, is wrong with society and peoples expectations.
   

People want kids but single till age 34. People want to have an apartment but never bothered to make an FD to save money. People want 40lpa guy working n living in a village of Bengal. People want to 2 kids then outsource the kids to nannies which the husband will pay, because managing 2 kids is so tough. People want long drives in tata Nexon car with a background song "Love u zindagi". But can't afford a car or don't know how to drive. Good luck to all of them.

Hi, I’m a recent graduate and I don’t have professional experience. However, when I was a board member of a environmental group in my university I did events coordination and digital marketing for them. I’ve added it to both my CV and LinkedIn but I’m worried it looks like I’ve made it up as when recruiters do background checks nothing will come up because I was never employed by them. How should I make it clear that my experience was an official position but I wasn’t paid and there was no contract?

Hi everyone, I am a Christian and I couldn't find the right sub to post this to, so I figured I would try here.
For background, I come from an Indian evangelical background and spent my entire life in the same church. I was heavily involved in my church back home. A few months ago I left home to travel the world and have currently been living in India for the past 3 months. My time in India has exposed me to different people and ways of life which has impacted/expanded my views, values, ect.
I grew up in the church and I guess I'm now exploring my identity outside of the church since I was basically forced to attend my entire life. I like the social aspect of church and refreshing myself spiritually on a Sunday, but I'm sort of worried of the congregation would get deeply involved in my life especially when I plan on being a nomad.
Recently, something I've been struggling with is that I lack a social life here in India. I have a friend or two but am also unemployed looking for work, hence, I don't have money to really go to fun places. I know some cool youth from a small church here, so I attended once which was cool, and they all liked me.
From the 2 churches I have been to here, I find that I never want to get too committed to a church because I'm afraid of my church and personal life clashing. I will have a few people approach me asking for my contact info here and there and it feels pushy. However, I noticed that usually outside of Sunday they don't bother keeping up with me like they claim to want to do. I get it, part of that is probably on me.
Moreover, I feel awkward being the new guy in church. Sometimes I'm not sure if people are genuinely nice or just faking it. For example: I seemed to gel well with this one dude over common interests and he even invited me over for dinner at his place. We exchanged numbers and he invited me to some Christian party they were hosting on the weekend. I noticed during the week he didn't save my number or bother checking in on me. That weekend I saw a reposted story from my 'church buddy' on Instagram of the party. I requested to follow my church buddy and surprisingly, he didn't even follow back lol
Maybe I am just overthinking it.
Thoughts?

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So l bought my pc about 2 month ago and its been working great, but just tonight while playing Counter Strike my screen went black and I had to restart my pc, after restarting my pc all my games started going super slow and I was unable to play them but my windows homepage and my google chrome tabs were working great, I opened amd adrenalin to see what the problem was and I just see that my pc is using the integrated graphics instead of my 7900gre, before this on the amd adrenalin app it used to say gpul 7900gre and gpu2 Amd(tm) graphics or something like that, now it only says gpul amd (tm) graphics, to try to fix the problem I downloaded the msi afterburner and to my surprise I see that my computer is reading my 7900gre, it says gpul Amd 7900gre and gpu2 Amd (tm) graphics but I just see the integrated graphics working not the actual graphics cards, I don't really know what to do since it has just been 2 months since I got the pc and I don't really use it that much to already have this kind of problems what should i do?
Computer Type: Desktop GPU: Hellhound AMD 7900GRE CPU: RYZEN 7 7800x3d Motherboard: Gigabyte Aorus Elite x670 BIOS Version: 7C56v15 RAM: 32GB CORSAIR VENGEANCE RGB PRO 6000MHZ PSU: Dont remember Case: Dont Remember Operating System & Version: WINDOWS 11 Home GPU Drivers: 24.5.1 WHQL Driver Version: Not sure Chipset Drivers: Not sure DRIVERS VERSION 6.02.07.2300 Background Applications: None
Description of Original Problem: Just Using APU( Integrated graphics) and not using actual gpu amd 7900gre but gou still working fine and still getting read by the computer, going into windows setting and using accelerated thing is not working.
Troubleshooting: I've been trying to check what vould have happened to the gou, the apu is constantly spiking from 0-100 on the usage and the gpu is not even appearing on the adrenalin software system when it used to before, the lights on the gpuare still turning on and the msi afterburner and the pc bios system is still reading the graphics card but in performance msi afterburner is showing how the 7900 gre is lot working and the integrated graphics are doing all the work.

(I wasn't sure what flair was appropriate)
Help would definitely be appreciated. I live in CO. About a decade ago (in a separate state), as a minor, I had a pretty rough home life that lead to a situation involving a single incident of self arm and a subsequent involuntary stay in a mental health facility.
Since then, I've spent over a decade with no issues. Went to college, have had a successful career, lot's of close relationships, no psychiatric or legal issues whatsoever, nothing in my personal life nor on paper. I'm a genuinely happy and really well measured guy. Other than that one embarrassing stain on my life, that is. In past decade, I've gone through all kinds of trials and tribulations and have stayed well adjusted throughout. I grew up.
Since moving here, many of my friends here in CO own fire arms, which I've enjoyed shooting with them. For both recreational (hunting with my friends, gun range), and self defense (I almost got killed by some random guy with a wooden club/nail combo while backpacking in a preserve) I'd like to start purchasing firearms. When looking into it, I noticed that in the ATF 4473 form asks:

Have you ever been adjudicated as a mental defective OR have you ever been committed to a mental institution?

For obvious reasons I am not willing to lie on a background check. Am I completely ineligible to purchase a firearm even if I was minor, and over a decade a go? Did I unknowingly forfeit my right to protect myself and bear arms when I was a dumb kid just trying to get away from my home in an irresponsible and short sighted way? I'm absolutely not a threat to myself or others, is there any kind of legal process which I could go through to prove that and gain eligibility to own a firearm, or am I permanently prohibited?
Any help would really be appreciated.

i could def do so much more and accomplish so much so im finally doing this, starting like 6 hrs from now
Da rules:

1. No watching tv unless eating or with family
2. No socials (except checking notifs [NOT PINTEREST]) (also, i can if im looking up a tutorial for something im going to immediately do, BUT I HAVE TO STAY ON THAT TOPIC.)
3. No games (except when playing with family)
4. No frivolous YouTube unless doing something productive and using the vid as background music
5. No shopping. This includes browsing and "planning" for something.

Will update daily and tell ya'll how this goes.

I stumbled upon GZCLP as I searched through many online powerlifting programs hoping to find one that would end my plateau. GZCLP has helped me end that plateau, as well as increasing many of my prs while also still being ripped!

My training background before GZCLP

I had originally lifted for a year and a few months before stumbling onto GZCLP. I was around 69kgs, split was push pull legs and my physique was pretty nice, but I definitely felt like I needed to bulk more and put on some weight. My previous prs were:
Squat: 130kgs (287 pounds)
Bench: 97.5kgs (215 pounds)
Deadlift: 140kgs (308 pounds)

Current Stats, Diet, and GZCLP Routine

My current stats are 16 years old at 5'6 tall, 74 kgs. My routine was a bit weird at the start as I was still getting used to everything and also I felt like there were some stuff I needed to change, however my final routine had me do everything the same, except for OHP, which I switched out for any shoulder work ( I didn't care about OHP). I ran GZCLP 4 days a week, however I never failed any of my lifts, even until week 9. Oh yea, I could only run 9 weeks as I was going to be away for the next few weeks and thus 9 weeks was the most I could run it for. I never really cared or checked on my diet, I just knew I had to eat a lot to gain more. Since I am also still a teenager, I should be eating a lot so a day consisted of me just eating many snacks and fruits throughout the day apart from the three meals, as well as drinking a lot, like 3-4 cups, of milk per day.
Final stats:
Squat: 145kgs (320 pounds)
Bench: 110kgs (242 pounds)
Deadlift: 165kgs (363 pounds)
I am very proud of my results, especially with only 9 weeks. However there were some things I felt like I could've done better. Of course if I had more weeks I would've extended the length of my program, especially since I didn't hit past failure for any of my lifts. I also feel like T2's were getting way more tiring and harder compared to T1s in the later weeks with more weight, could I exchange them out for other similar lifts? I had used the same SBD lifts for T2, and I think if I changed them to a different lift it would be much easier on my body, as I would feel so much more tired after T2s in the heavier weeks. I also didn't do OHP at all, so maybe I could've swapped it out with something more productive compared to random shoulder lifts???
Moving forward, I reckon I will continue with GZCLP (unless I find another program), but I have some questions. I still want to keep it 4 days but I want to know what I can do instead of any OHP work? Can someone help me on that? Also could I potentially start doing T3's for hypertrophy work, so maybe like 4 or 3 sets of 8 reps, with a weight that is not too light but definitely doable? Thanks in advance!
Overall, GZCLP has definitely taken my gym journey to a whole new level! I loved doing it and hoping will still continue on with it :)) Also thanks to everyone that helped me get onto this journey, I remember at the start where I made a post and a lot of yall helped me start this journey

Why Can't I Reapply until 5yrs??
I got an offer from a very well known global tech company and received a paycheck employee number and all. 2 weeks in the offer was rescinded due to something on my background check. They would not tell me what it was only that I can reapply in 5 years. But I've passed all BG checks after that with no issue or even a inquiry. Whatever it was someone had to have dropped the ball. I got several calls from recruiters and I wonder if I should take a shot and if it gets to the point of there is room to figure out what happened and cross the bridge if I should get an offer. Companies overturn mistakes or decisions all the time but I feel like I don't even know what it is and I didn't get a fair shot to even address the issue. Am I considered returning employee since I had an employee number? Don't want to lie on the application.
Any thoughts on this scenario and how I should navigate this? Working with a recruiter right now... Insight greatly appreciated !

I was arrested about 3 weeks ago in April and was charged for theft of lost property in az. I have accepted a full-time job with a company in new york and im really worried because of my background check is in the first week of june. My criminal attorney said that my charge woul likely be dismissed but it'll still be on going for a while. I don't know how my company's is going to react to this pending charge. Should I bring this up with my employer asap before the background check or after?

(I wasn't sure what the right tag was, I tried)
Help would definitely be appreciated. I live in CO. About a decade ago in another state, as a minor, I had a pretty rough home life that lead to a situation involving a single incident of self arm and a subsequent involuntary stay in a mental health facility.
Since then, I've spent over a decade with no issues. Went to college, have had a successful career, lot's of close relationships, no psychiatric or legal issues whatsoever, nothing in my personal life nor on paper. I'm a genuinely happy and really well measured guy. Other than that one embarrassing stain on my life, that is. In past decade, I've gone through all kinds of trials and tribulations and have stayed well adjusted throughout. I grew up.
Since moving here, many of my friends here in CO own fire arms, which I've enjoyed shooting with them. For both recreational (hunting with my friends, gun range), and self defense (I almost got killed by some random guy with a wooden club/nail combo while backpacking in a preserve) I'd like to start purchasing firearms. When looking into it, I noticed that in the ATF 4473 form asks:

Have you ever been adjudicated as a mental defective OR have you ever been committed to a mental institution?

For obvious reasons I am not willing to lie on a background check. Am I completely ineligible to purchase a firearm even if I was minor, and over a decade a go? Did I unknowingly forfeit my right to protect myself and bear arms when I was a dumb kid just trying to get away from my home in an irresponsible and short sighted way? I'm absolutely not a threat to myself or others, is there any kind of legal process which I could go through to prove that and gain eligibility to own a firearm, or am I permanently prohibited?
Any help would really be appreciated, thanks.

Help would definitely be appreciated. About a decade ago, as a minor, I had a pretty rough home life that lead to a situation involving a single incident of self arm and a subsequent involuntary stay in a mental health facility.
Since then, I've spent over a decade with no issues. Went to college, have had a successful career, lot's of close relationships, no psychiatric or legal issues whatsoever, nothing in my personal life nor on paper. I'm a genuinely happy and really well measured guy. Other than that one embarrassing stain on my life, that is. In past decade, I've gone through all kinds of trials and tribulations and have stayed well adjusted throughout. I grew up.
Since moving here, many of my friends here in CO own fire arms, which I've enjoyed shooting with them. For both recreational (hunting with my friends, gun range), and self defense (I almost got killed by some random guy with a wooden club/nail combo while backpacking in a preserve) I'd like to start purchasing firearms. When looking into it, I noticed that in the ATF 4473 form asks:

Have you ever been adjudicated as a mental defective OR have you ever been committed to a mental institution?

For obvious reasons I am not willing to lie on a background check. Am I completely ineligible to purchase a firearm even if I was minor, and over a decade a go? Did I unknowingly forfeit my right to protect myself and bear arms when I was a dumb kid just trying to get away from my home in an irresponsible and short sighted way? I'm absolutely not a threat to myself or others, is there any kind of legal process which I could go through to prove that and gain eligibility to own a firearm, or am I permanently prohibited?
Any help would really be appreciated, thanks.

As part of CS50 Week 9 project, I have this finance project completed: https://cs50.harvard.edu/x/2024/psets/9/finance/
Now, I intend to connect this project with Zerodha API (https://kite.trade/) instead of current Yahoo Finance API.
Not sure though I understand it is unlikely that all the Python files Zerodha has as part of their API docs (https://github.com/zerodha/pykiteconnect) to be added to my Codespace. The reason I feel so is Yahoo Finance too might have their own set of Python files as part of their API docs which were never added. They rather perhaps need to be imported using import command.
The configuration was made in helpers.py for Yahoo Finance API:

 # Prepare API request symbol = symbol.upper() end = datetime.datetime.now(pytz.timezone("US/Eastern")) start = end - datetime.timedelta(days=7) # Yahoo Finance API url = ( f"https://query1.finance.yahoo.com/v7/finance/download/{urllib.parse.quote_plus(symbol)}" f"?period1={int(start.timestamp())}" f"&period2={int(end.timestamp())}" f"&interval=1d&events=history&includeAdjustedClose=true" ) # Query API try: response = requests.get( url, cookies={"session": str(uuid.uuid4())}, headers={"Accept": "*/*", "User-Agent": request.headers.get("User-Agent")}, ) response.raise_for_status() # CSV header: Date,Open,High,Low,Close,Adj Close,Volume quotes = list(csv.DictReader(response.content.decode("utf-8").splitlines())) price = round(float(quotes[-1]["Adj Close"]), 2) return {"price": price, "symbol": symbol} except (KeyError, IndexError, requests.RequestException, ValueError): return None def usd(value): """Format value as USD.""" return f"${value:,.2f}" 

Modified the same for Zerodha:

ef lookup(symbol): """Look up quote for symbol using Zerodha Kite Connect API.""" # Prepare API request symbol = symbol.upper() headers = {"X-Kite-version": "3"} # Specify API version # Endpoint URL with placeholder for access token and symbol url = f"https://api.kite.trade/data/v3/instruments/{symbol}" # Read access token from config file securely try: config = ConfigParser() config.read('config.py') # Assuming config.py is in the same directory access_token = config.get('DEFAULT', 'ZERodha_ACCESS_TOKEN') except (FileNotFoundError, KeyError): # Handle missing config file or key gracefully print("Error: Configuration file or access token not found.") return None ..................................................... 

Although the above for Zerodha is still not functional, is it correct that if the above portion of the code configured correctly, I can connect the proposed web application with Zerodha API?
UPDATE:
ChatGPT apparently solved this query:
Yes, you're on the right track. If you configure the portion of the code correctly to interact with the Zerodha API, you should be able to connect your web application to the Zerodha API.
Here are some key points to consider:

1. API Endpoint: Ensure that you're using the correct endpoint for the Zerodha API. The endpoint you're accessing in the lookup function (https://api.kite.trade/data/v3/instruments/{symbol}) seems appropriate for retrieving instrument data.
2. Authentication: Make sure you're handling authentication correctly. It appears that you're attempting to read the Zerodha access token from a config file. Ensure that the access token is valid and that your application has the necessary permissions to access the Zerodha API.
3. Error Handling: Implement robust error handling to handle cases where the Zerodha API request fails or returns unexpected data. This includes handling exceptions such as FileNotFoundError, KeyError, and requests.RequestException as you've done in your code.
4. Testing: Once you've configured the code to interact with the Zerodha API, thoroughly test your application to ensure that it retrieves data correctly and handles errors gracefully.

By addressing these points and making sure that your code interacts correctly with the Zerodha API, you should be able to connect your web application to the Zerodha API successfully.
DigitalSplendid ➜ /workspaces/fin (main) $ pip install pykiteconnect ERROR: Could not find a version that satisfies the requirement pykiteconnect (from versions: none) ERROR: No matching distribution found for pykiteconnect @DigitalSplendid ➜ /workspaces/fin (main) $ pip install pykiteconnect ERROR: Could not find a version that satisfies the requirement pykiteconnect (from versions: none) ERROR: No matching distribution found for pykiteconnect @DigitalSplendid ➜ /workspaces/fin (main) $ apt-get install libffi-dev python-dev python3-dev E: Could not open lock file /valib/dpkg/lock-frontend - open (13: Permission denied) E: Unable to acquire the dpkg frontend lock (/valib/dpkg/lock-frontend), are you root? @DigitalSplendid ➜ /workspaces/fin (main) $ @DigitalSplendid ➜ /workspaces/fin (main) $ apt-get install libffi-dev python-dev python3-dev bash: syntax error near unexpected token `(' ld not open lock file /valib/dpkg/lock-frontend - open (13: Permission denied) E: Unable to acquire the dpkg frontend lock (/valib/dpkg/lock-front@DigitalSplendid ➜ /workspaces/fin (main) $ E: Could not open lock file /valib/dpkg/lock-frontend - open (13: Permission denied) bash: syntax error near unexpected token `(' end), are you root? @DigitalSplendid ➜ /workspaces/fin (main) $ @DigitalSplendid ➜ /workspaces/fin (main) $ E: Unable to acquire the dpkg frontend lock (/valib/dpkg/lock-frontend), are you root? bash: syntax error near unexpected token `('ChatGPT
It seems like you're encountering some permission issues while trying to install packages and run commands using apt-get. Here are some steps you can take to resolve these issues:

1. Permission Denied: Ensure that you have the necessary permissions to install packages and run commands as required. If you're working in a Linux environment, you may need to use sudo to elevate your privileges. For example:arduinoCopy code sudo apt-get install libffi-dev python-dev python3-dev
2. Lock File Issue: The error message E: Could not open lock file /valib/dpkg/lock-frontend indicates that another process is currently using the package management system. Make sure that no other package manager or update process is running in the background. If you're certain there are no other processes, you can remove the lock file manually:After removing the lock file, try running the apt-get command again.bashCopy code sudo rm /valib/dpkg/lock-frontend
3. Installation of pykiteconnect: Since you couldn't find a matching distribution for pykiteconnect, it's possible that it's not available via pip or apt-get in your current environment. You may need to check the installation instructions provided by Zerodha or consider alternative methods for installing pykiteconnect.

Try these steps and let me know if you encounter any further issues!
DigitalSplendid ➜ /workspaces/fin (main) $ pip install pykiteconnect ERROR: Could not find a version that satisfies the requirement pykiteconnect (from versions: none) ERROR: No matching distribution found for pykiteconnect @DigitalSplendid ➜ /workspaces/fin (main) $ ChatGPT
It seems that pykiteconnect is not available for installation via pip in your current environment. This could be due to various reasons, such as the package not being hosted on PyPI or not being compatible with your Python version.
You might want to double-check if pykiteconnect is available on PyPI by searching for it directly on the PyPI website or by consulting the official documentation or repository of Zerodha.
If pykiteconnect is not available on PyPI, you may need to install it using alternative methods, such as downloading the source code from the official repository and installing it manually, or using a package manager specific to your operating system.
Once you have successfully installed pykiteconnect, you should be able to import it into your Python scripts and use it to interact with the Zerodha API.
Could not find a version that satisfies the requirement pykiteconnect (from versions: none) DigitalSplendid DigitalSplendid 12:12PM in Kite Publisher Flag @DigitalSplendid ➜ /workspaces/fin (main) $ pip install pykiteconnect ERROR: Could not find a version that satisfies the requirement pykiteconnect (from versions: none) ERROR: No matching distribution found for pykiteconnect @DigitalSplendid ➜ /workspaces/fin (main) $
Is this the right way to install pykiteconnect? Just registered for Publisher program. I could see it is mentioned: No API access. HTML/Javascript buttons and basket.ChatGPT
It seems that pykiteconnect might not be available via PyPI for installation using pip. If you've registered for the Publisher program with Zerodha and it mentions that there's no API access and instead offers HTML/Javascript buttons and basket, then pykiteconnect might not be the right tool for your use case.
In this scenario, you might want to check the documentation or resources provided by Zerodha for the Publisher program to understand how you can integrate their features using HTML/Javascript buttons and baskets.
If you specifically need to interact with the Zerodha API programmatically and pykiteconnect is not suitable, you might need to explore other options provided by Zerodha or consider contacting their support for further assistance on how to integrate their services with your application.

So I visited a friend at hehis place of employment (a home residence) and they have Wyze cameras. Apparently from my innocent visits unbeknownst to me beforehand, these cameras have been used to detect my face, my license plate, and supposedly run background checks on me to dig for information on my address, employment status, and other things.
I was intrigued by this as I know supposedly “friendly faces” cannot be used in Texas. I know for sure these are Wyze cameras in use. Is this something that Noonlight does? Or do certain individuals get special access if they have a “Top Security Clearance” or the similar. Said friends family is not law enforcement but may be associated with TSA/DHS or the similar. I’m quite the law abiding citizen but did feel violated by this as no consent was given neither was I warned, and I didn’t trespass of course as I was invited over. Is this a feature I am missing as I cannot find this feature available and am curious how this is done.
If not moonlight is there another company that does this monitoring and snooping through Waze cameras?

BACKGROUND INFO (feel free to skip ahead to the QUESTION in 3rd paragraph) : I am the only biological child of my father, who passed in Jan 2021; he was still married to my step-mother when he died. He told me he left some money in his Will for me, not as much as he would have liked to, because it caused a huge argument between him and his wife. He also said the Will stated he was leaving all of our old family pictures (most of my childhood photos) and family heirlooms to me, things that have no sentimental value for step-mother, but she has not cooperated to turn over any of this.
Step-mother has verified she has his Will, even read off some of the items promised to me over the phone. Then I found out my father had put together a special box of items for me, which she opened and described as "beautiful", and she told me there was a diamond ring my grandmother owned in that box. My grandmother was THE most special person in my life, and I cherish the things she gave to me growing up. I told step-mother I want that box, my father invested his time to make it special for me and it contains a connection to my grandmother, and I want the old family photos. I live 700 miles away and it's very difficult to travel due to health issues, so I offered to pay to ship these items to me, but makes excuses not to do so.
QUESTION: I haven't been able to get a copy of the Will from step-mother, I know she has it. I have periodically checked to see if I could find his Will online, in their state of Minnesota, but there are no probate records for my father and it's been over 3 years since he died. Isn't there a requirement to submit the Will of the deceased person to be filed on record, even if it's determined that probate isn't required?

My(20) boyfriend(20) loves music and yesterday he was invited over to a friends house to make some music and apparently it was like his heaven. The whole apartment was a music studio and it’s shared between 4 musicians this is where the problem starts bc one of the musicians/roommates is a 50 year old man my boyfriend was telling me “silly” stories about how this man was constantly telling him how good he was and that he was one of the best musicians he had ever met and he will go really far (my boyfriend is just honestly not that great he alsonoticed his self harm scars and told him that they were just alike and like that he was connected to him in some way. My boyfriend was really excited about all of this and showed me a video this man took of him while he was playing the guitar and the video is odd it’s him playing but the man is circling him and zooming in on certain parts of his face and back not on the guitar and he is gassing him up in the background even though my boyfriend really wasn’t doing that great. When I expressed concern over this my boyfriend brushed it off and told me that he knows what his red lines are and he can defend himself I tried to explain that grooming is different then a plain assault it will eventually seem normal to him and I don’t understand why he would put himself in harms way for a music opportunity it’s really scary and I don’t know what I can say to make him see the red flags does anyone know what I can say or do to make sure he’s safe and am I being crazy I do have ptsd when it comes to grooming so I feel like I might be projecting so feel free to check me on that if I am. Also sorry for bad grammar or spelling English is not my first language