Out of town welcome letters

RunningOutOfLetters

2022.10.24 22:23 LateNightLattes01 RunningOutOfLetters

This is a community dedicated to those who find themselves running out of letters in the bra alphabet. This is regardless of whatever band size they may be. We also welcome those who may be partnered to any individual who finds themselves running out of cup sizes in the bra alphabet. We’re here to commiserate, guide, support, and validate those with end-of-the-alphabet bra struggles. And hopefully help members find ABTFs.

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2009.08.24 17:07 ohstrangeone I Want Out: Information for people who want to expatriate

Welcome to IWantOut: Reddit's expatriate community. Please take a look at the sidebar for some tips for getting the most out of it.

[link]

2010.02.09 22:18 Adamman62 Welcome to the Town of Eureka

A subreddit for news and stories pertaining to the TV show "Eureka" on the Syfy channel. Eureka is an American science fiction television series that premiered on Syfy on July 18, 2006, and since then five seasons have aired. The show has now ended.

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2024.05.19 18:15 EuphoricGloom ⊡ FORSAKEN: A Multi-genre RP [SFW, All Characters Welcome,]

⊡ FORSAKEN: A Multi-genre RP [SFW, All Characters Welcome]
⊡ Introduction Ello there. My name is EuphoricGloom(most call me The Shetlandian or Shet), and I wanted to invite you to Forsaken, a multi-genre roleplay that's continued for over 7 years. Started by two of my friends and myself long ago, this once small rp has grown into a vast and fun adventure fit for any character, regardless of genre, race, sexuality, and writing style. This roleplay takes heavy inspiration from games and media across the board, like:
⊡ Inspirations: Adventure Time, Ellen Ring, Dark Souls, Dungeons & Dragons, Cyberpunk 2077, Fallout, The Last Of Us, Ready Player One(the roleplay actually started out as a RPO rp but became so much more), Lord Of The Rings, Wasteland, Infinity Train, Mad Max, etc.
⊡ What Do We Offer? - SFW Environment - Allow Characters Of Any Genre Here - All writing styles welcome & will be matched! - Kind & Helpful Admin Team - Thoughtful Plot Lines - Almost 24/7 Assistance - 7 years of world building and lore to explore! - Anyone 13+ welcome (please follow Discord ToS) - Dice Maiden System With Light DnD 5e aspects
NOTE: You do not need to know any lore to join, but must know how to join.
⊡ Genres: Adventure, Action, Slice Of Life, Medieval, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, Post-Apocalypse,

⊡ Roleplay Synopsis

In the aftermath of a devastating conflict between Shifters(those with magical abilities beyond comprehension), Imported(those from other worlds), and regular humans over 700 years ago, Aeris stands scarred and fractured. Each continent a new dangerous adventure, while wild beasts roam freely amidst ruins and even new towns. Tensions simmer between numerous factions vying for control, each with their own agenda and grievances as the world recovers and starts anew. Out of all the destruction, a beautiful and daunting new world born.
Amidst this turmoil, your character awakens from stasis with only faint memory of their past, marked only by esoteric symbols on their arm. As they embark on their journey through Aeris to find why they are truly here, their choices will shape the fate of this world. Will they align with a faction, champion the cause of the oppressed, or succumb to greed and power? Will they settle down, have a family, and live out a new life? Or will they find a way home back to their own world, as memory and moment flow back through?

In this world of uncertainty, allies and enemies await discovery, and every decision carries weight. Will your character be the beacon of hope that illuminates a path to salvation, or the spark that ignites the flames of destruction? Will they find a new life, a fresh new beginning to start in this place? Join a diverse cast of characters of every genre, every world, and embark on an epic adventure in FORSAKEN, where the fate of people, of Aeris, of everything hangs in the balance.

Thank you. We hope you enjoy FORSAKEN! If you would like to join or just take a look around, here is a discord link!
⊡ Ask for discord link!

submitted by EuphoricGloom to roleplaygroup [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 18:11 authorsheart Entitled Employee Likes to Gift Trash (Part 2)

So, here is part 2 of my entitled employee story. We left off with discovering Sally’s retaliation of giving me trash as a Christmas gift after her latest write-up.
So, the next several weeks, I am noticing more problems, but here’s some of the highlights.

Ever since we had issues of the office’s checks going randomly missing, Sally had apparently decided to just stop throwing any envelope away when opening the mail. She would supposedly search the envelopes/paperwork & then keep the envelopes with the paperwork. So, instead of doing her job better, she would decide to just stop doing the job at all. After all, you can’t get in trouble for screwing it up if you aren’t doing it, right? However, this resulted in items getting left with the paperwork (which sometimes wouldn’t get touched for several weeks due to being busy) that had needed to be collected or addressed right away.
Sally’s careless mistakes continued at about the same rate (average of 2 to 3 a week). She would put deposit slips/emails with the wrong office’s report, put one office’s mail in another office’s bin, put one office’s funding papers in another office’s bin, put one office’s bills in the folder for their correspondence & vice versa, put one office’s bills in the folder for another office’s bills, put the new month’s bills in the folder without taking out the old month’s bills so they would get mixed up. I could go on & on.
Sally would still ask for help on things she shouldn’t need help on anymore, ‘cause I had helped her many times on items exactly like it in the 2 years she’s worked here. I mean, the whole point of asking for help when learning new things on a job is so you can take the input you’re given & use it to get better at the job so you don’t have to ask for help anymore. I mean, what kind of office works by their employees constantly needing to be walked through everything every day? Sally would even ask for help on things no one would need to ask for help on. For example, she asked me, “An office took a deposit to the bank without showing it on their report. How do I write that up in the letter to fax to them?” Um, exactly what you just said to me. Or another time, she asks how long she should wait before calling an office back. Well, how long do you think you should give them? Just use your good judgment. You don’t need help with that! Again, you’ve been here 2 years!

On Jan 26, I take the Dec bills, correspondence faxes, & timesheets out of their folders to scan them into the computer. Now, one thing the bills should always have on them are the check number used to pay for this purchase & the date it was paid. The offices themselves are supposed to write this on there, but they don’t always, which is why it is our job to write it on there if it’s missing. I had noticed when I scanned Nov’s bills around Nov 30 that a lot of Sally’s offices don’t have that info written on them. So, I explained to her what needed to be written on every bill/receipt. I now flip through the Dec & Jan bills of her offices really quick to check them. There are quite a few of them with no info written down on them. There’s strike one for noncompliance.
Another task we would do several days a week (that’s Sally’s responsibility) is to check the bank accounts online. She is to look at the bank balances & report any low balances to Greg (or me if Greg isn’t there). She is then to look at the transactions in order to see if anything looks fraudulent. Since we are a loan company, check fraud is very common for us. So, we look at the checks for anything funny-looking, & we look to see if there are any auto debits (like when you use your bank account online to pay for a bill) that would tell us if someone got hold of our bank account info.
On Jan 30, at 1:15 p.m., I asked if any of the bank balances were low (Greg was out of town for a few days). Sally said she had forgotten to check the bank accounts that morning. Weird, ‘cause you had to check the Dallas office to make sure the money we sent them had shown up. How did you get the login sheet out to look in their bank account but then forget about checking all the bank accounts? This just further cemented in my mind that she was NOT checking these bank accounts the way she should. I was 100% positive that all she does when logging into these bank accounts is checking the balances to give to Greg but then never checks the transactions. I know this ‘cause, 1) I’ve observed Sally only logging in to write down the balances & then logging back out (she had some flimsy excuse ready when I asked her about it), 2) there have been auto debits that appeared in bank accounts that we didn’t find for weeks until I happened to see it for some reason & guess what? She never pointed those out to us, & 3) Sally hadn’t bothered to check the bank account balances since Greg was out of town, so clearly she only felt the need to check the balances. There’s strike two for noncompliance.
& even more bad mistakes or decisions:

At the end of Jan, we discovered that Sally had mailed the employees’ W2s to the managers’ home addresses instead of to the offices to distribute to their employees!
We had an office that moved locations to right across the street, so the only thing that changed in their address was their street number (12 Main Street instead of 11 Main Street). I explained this to Sally & gave her an updated list of the office’s addresses. 3 weeks later, we get a call from that office saying that mail we send to them keeps going to their landlord’s house. I check the address labels Sally had created for herself. Sure enough, it had the wrong address on them. I go to grab the lease, & at the top is where the tenant’s new address is listed. & all the way at the bottom of the page in the paragraph titled “RENT” where it lists where to send the rent is the landlord’s home address. & that’s the address Sally had chosen to be the new office’s address on her address labels.
Sally hadn’t been faxing the offices to ask for bills/receipts that never made it to us.
I used the last towel on a roll of paper towels, so I went to the cabinets to grab another. We were out. Sally is in charge of keeping track of supplies that need ordering, so I go to Sally & say we’re completely out of paper towels, we need to order some. Sally response: “No one ever tells me when they grab the last roll so I know when to order them.” Um, excuse me, since when is it our job to tell you to do your job? It’s your responsibility to keep track of supplies. You should be checking the level of paper towels, toilet paper, Kleenex, etc., to see when you need to order them.

So, I knew she needed a second warning write up for carelessness cause of the numerous mistakes since the first warning write up in the middle of Dec, & I would be giving Sally a first warning write up for negligence cause of her not asking the offices for missing bills & not writing the info on the bills I had told her to do at the end of Nov. However, it was only a few days from Feb, which was the time for performance reviews. So, rather than doing a write up now & then in a week or so doing a performance review that was one of the worst performance reviews I’ve ever heard of, I decided to just do it in one fell swoop. You know, just get it all out of the way with one bad conversation, one bad day, & then both of us can hopefully put it behind us & move on.
I decided to do the performance review & write ups on Feb 5 (Monday). It went much smoother ‘cause Greg was there, so Sally couldn’t really give me lip or lash out by showing attitude & anger like she had previously.
On Feb 7 (Wednesday), I log in to get the transactions for an office who is switching banks. I wanted to get an updated list of outstanding checks so they know how many checks are left before they can close the old bank account. & what do I see? Someone had used the bank account to pay $100 on their AT&T bill. I call the office & find out it was actually them, so no fraud there. But I then ask Sally if she had seen that when checking the bank accounts. She said she didn’t remember. Obviously, I have found my proof that she is either not checking them or isn’t paying attention when she does. I have a discussion with Greg about it, & we decide I need to have a sit down with her about her not doing her job. She is sick on Thursday, so I plan to talk with her the next day she comes in.
On Feb 9 (Friday), I begin the conversation about checking the bank accounts & how important it is. I am planning to say things like, we expect you to do this job, you’ve been told multiple times to do this task, if you’re not going to do the job, then you’re welcome to go find another one, etc. But she cuts me off at the beginning with an excuse of, “Well, I didn’t know what I should be looking for, now I know.” & it broke me. She does this exact thing every time I have to have a conversation with her. She has an excuse ready to go on the tip of her tongue, always spins it around so it’s not actually her fault. It’s always, “Well, I didn’t know that, but now, I do.” & I was just done. I didn’t continue the conversation, even though I needed to, ‘cause I just broke down in tears from the stress of having to discipline her & knowing that nothing will ever come of it, but having our hands legally tied to be able to fire her right now. I cried nonstop for over 4 hours.
On Feb 12 (Monday), I sat down to continue the conversation, this time with a written statement for her to sign.
Me: You respond a lot of the time that you don’t know how to do things, which is very frustrating, ‘cause you’ve been shown multiple times how to do these tasks. It’s very inefficient & wasteful that I have to constantly check all of your work & retrain you on the same thing over & over again. This needs to change. This job is about accuracy & accountability.
Sally: You’re not giving me a chance to improve. I never hear “Good job,” from you. All I ever hear is, “You’re doing a bad job, sign this paper.” I get in trouble every time I ask for help, so I guess I’ll just follow the instructions & hope I’m doing it right.
The problems with that response:

You’ve worked here for 2 years, Sally. You’ve had plenty of time to improve.
The reason you never hear “Good job” is ‘cause you’re not doing a good job. How am I supposed to tell you “Good job,” but also need to give you a write up for doing a bad job? If you’re getting multiple write ups for doing a bad job, don’t you think that’s a sign that something is wrong? I mean, she thinks that managers should be telling their employees good job on everything they do right. No, you’re expected to do these tasks. We’re not going to congratulate you every time you do your basic job requirements like some toddler that needs constant positive reinforcement so they know that doing something right is a good thing! You will hear “Good job” when you are doing a really good job on something, when you go above & beyond!! I mean, do you think Greg tells me “Good job” when I’m just doing my job as expected?!! NO!!! I’ve never had a manager constantly tell me “Good job” all the time!!!! (Whew. Sorry about that. Kinda went on a crazy rant there. I’m good now.)
Here’s another example of her mentality of “if I don’t do the job, I can’t get in trouble for doing it wrong.” She’s going to stop asking for help instead of using the help I’ve given her to do better. I mean, if you’re making these mistakes when you ARE asking for help, how many more are you going to make when you stop asking for help? How does this make any logical sense?!

Well, here’s another chance for some malicious compliance. She claimed she didn’t know how to check the bank accounts, right? Well, my job as the manager is to make sure my employees know how to do their job. So, I need to sit down with her & train her how to check the bank accounts. Again. Even though I know she already knows how to do it. So, every time you tell me that the reason why you didn’t do a job is ‘cause you didn’t know how to do it right, well, we’re going to sit down & waste both our times & annoy you having to be retrained on something you do, in fact, know how to do.
Sally continues making careless mistakes & not doing stuff she doesn’t think she should have to do. Like answering the phones. It’s her job to answer the phones; that’s something I as the manager should be delegating to her. However, she never answers the phone unless I literally can’t. So, I had asked her to start answering the phone more. She will wait until the last possible second before answering the phone. By that time, it’s already rung twice, so I have to answer it before it goes on any longer or they hang up. One time, we were both away from our desks when the phone rang. We both went to answer it, but she was closer & got to her desk before me, put her hand on the phone, & watched me until I got to my desk before she picked it up. With a comment of, “Oh, (laughs) I didn’t want to make you walk all the way to your desk.” Well, you did, anyway, you little jerk.
On Feb 27, Sally asks for help on a report. She says that my note stating the office is over-deposited $28 on report 1 but fixed on report 2 by being $28 under-deposited didn’t work out. She says that they were never over by $28 in the first place. I take the report to look it over. Her calculator tape adding up the deposits shows the bank is in balance, but I don’t see deposit slips.
Me: Where are the deposit slips?
Sally: I haven’t gotten them yet.
Me: (trying to comprehend her logic) Then how do you have the deposit amounts added on this tape?
Sally: I got the amounts from the report.
Me: You…(my brain trying not to implode at this point) you can’t add up amounts to see if the bank has too much or too little money in it without knowing what was actually taken to the bank. The amounts on the report don’t always equal what was taken to the bank.
I log into the bank account & discover just that: the report says they took $500 to the bank, but their deposit says $528. They were indeed $28 over-deposited. I then lecture her (for the second time in a few months) on the correct way to account for the deposits at the bank, that we are only to use the dollar amounts on the bank’s deposit receipt. (The first time was her getting the deposit amount from what was written on the deposit slip instead of what the bank gave us credit for on their printed receipt. The bank had shorted us $500, & we never knew until her deposits didn’t work out when reconciling the bank statement at the end of the month. We were missing $500 for 4 weeks! It’s a miracle we didn’t overdraw the account.)
Another task that we do several days a week is checking the CFPB website. This is a government website that uses federal regulations to monitor financial institutions. It’s like the Better Business Bureau, but more official. Customers can make complaints through them, prompting an investigation to make sure we’re following the federal guidelines. We have 2 weeks to respond to a complaint before it is past due.
On Feb 29, Greg just happens to be looking at an email inbox that he never checks, ‘cause after all, we’re checking the CFPB website, so he doesn’t have to look there, right? There is a complaint in 2 of the portals that have been in there since Jan 22. He immediately marches out & tells Sally about them.
Greg: Aren’t you checking the CFPB sites?
Sally: Yeah, I am.
Really? Then how come you didn’t print this complaint off to give to Greg in the last 6 weeks? She came back from lunch to a second warning write up given by me for negligence.
On Mar 5 (Tuesday), we are working on reconciling the bank statements so we can close the month of Feb. Sally brings me a Jan bank statement for an office.
Sally: This never cleared in Feb.
I look at the bank statement. It’s an electronic deposit of $254 on Jan 31. I remember this. She had asked me at the beginning of Feb why this deposit wasn’t recorded on the office’s report. I explained that since it didn’t show up in the bank account until the last day of Jan, they might not have known about it before the end of the month & so recorded it on the first of Feb. We will wait until the first report of Feb. If it’s still not recorded, then we’ll bring that to the office’s attention. & here she is, clearly telling me she hadn’t brought it to anyone’s attention all month long.
Me: (staring at the bank statement as I try to prevent my autistic brain from exploding at her while also trying to prevent a spontaneous stroke) You didn’t keep track of this all month?
Sally: Well, I didn’t know if it was treated differently ‘cause it was OTBP (One Time Bill Pay, which is the electronic deposit). (Oh, what a shocker, she once again didn’t know how to do something.)
Me: But we talked about this. If it wasn’t on the first of the month, we needed to address it.
Sally: Okay, well, now I know that we treat this the same as other deposits. (goes nonchalantly back to her desk like it was no big deal, like she hadn’t just revealed she had once again disobeyed my detailed instructions)
Me: (seeing her flagrant disregard for the seriousness of the situation & wondering just how on earth she could once again think that not doing her job would have no consequences) This is exactly what Greg talks about over & over, about how we can’t leave errors like this to sit for weeks & weeks, that these need to be dealt with as they happen.
Sally: (still as easy-going as if she had simply used the wrong color highlighter) Okay, I’ll make note of that.
Now, I am getting really pissed off. She keeps saying, “Oh, now I know that OTBP is treated the same as everything else.” That doesn’t matter! It doesn’t matter that you didn’t know it’s treated the same! I specifically told you to take care of it if it didn’t appear on the first of Feb! It didn’t matter what kind of deposit it was! I said to tell me if it wasn’t on the first of Feb!
Now, this was right before she leaves at 3:30, so by the time I’m finished with my text conversation with Greg (‘cause he isn’t there that afternoon), she has already left. But I’m telling Greg that I have once again caught her being negligent, & she’s already had 2 written warnings about this, which means our next step is letting her go. Not to mention, her carelessness is still continuing. He said that he supports my decision to let her go. By the way, the final decision happened an hour after she left. If I had known before she left that we were indeed going to fire her, I would have done it before she left so she didn’t have to come all the way to work in the morning just to leave again.
So, on Mar 6 (Wednesday), I arrive early to work so I can be prepared. I am standing at my desk, watching her come in. This is unusual, so she frowns as she approaches me.
Me: Sally, we need to talk.
Sally: (still frowns at me)
Me: (handing her the typed up notice) We are going to read this together. “When reconciling the month of Jan, around Feb 5, it was brought to my attention that we had a deposit that hadn’t been reconciled. I gave you instructions to wait a report to see if it works out. If not, you would need to bring it to mine & the office’s attention for further instructions. This wasn’t done. It wasn’t until Mar 5 that you brought this to my attention again. You have been told many times the importance of reconciling the financials of the office. You have been warned several times of negligence. This is another example of negligence with respect to your job. All you had to do was follow my instructions. It is for this reason that it is now time to terminate your employment.”
Sally: When did you tell me to do this?
Me: (thinking, “Um, I kinda just told you when I told you do that, but, okay.”) When you showed me the Jan bank statement—
Sally: Yesterday?!
Me: You showed me the Jan bank statement a month ago when you were reconciling Jan. I told you to wait for the first of Feb & then—
Sally: You did no such thing!
Me: Yes, I did, Sally.
Sally: When does Greg get here?
Me: Around 9, like usual.
Sally: I’m calling him, ‘cause this is ridiculous. You’ve had it out for me from the very beginning.
Me: No, I haven’t.
Sally: Yeah, you have. Just like the other 2. (sets her bags at the front door, goes outside, & calls Greg)

How could I have had it out for you from the very beginning when we didn’t have problems for the first year & a half you worked here? If I’d had it out for you from the beginning, you wouldn’t have had a job the past 6 months. Need I remind you what Greg told you about the timesheet thing being something we fire someone for on the spot, but that Molly had gone to bat for you & gave you a second chance? Why would I have done that if I had wanted you gone from the start?
“Just like the other 2.” She’s talking about Irene (who had left in Feb 2023) & another employee (who we’ll call Phil). Phil had been fired (by Greg, by the way) for continuing to watch movies on his phone at his desk despite being told multiple times by Greg to not do that. & Irene? She wasn’t fired. She gave her 2 weeks’ notice. & we then discovered when going through the work she’s been doing as we started taking over her tasks that she didn’t just not do jobs. She would actually forge the work so she wouldn’t have to work. “A bank imbalance of $2.65? Well, I’ll just add it to the imbalance that’s been building up for who knows how many months & just label it as an over-deposit from the end of the month. That way, I don’t have to look into why the bank isn’t balancing.” But no, I had it out for them, apparently.
Does she really think that calling Greg was gonna reverse my firing her? Does she really think I would do something as drastic as writing her up or firing her without discussing it with my supervisor first? Did she really think I would do this behind his back?

Apparently, she did, ‘cause Greg confirmed that Sally tried telling him about all the stuff I’ve been doing to her as if he didn’t know. She hung up on him when he explained that he’s been told everything as it happens & he supports this decision.
Sally: (storming back into the office & towards her desk) I’m not signing anything.
Me: Ok.
Sally begins packing up her desk. I had known she kept a lot of personal items at the office, so I had gotten a big box or 2 out & placed them nearby for her to use to pack up her desk.
Me: We can give you a box if you need it.
Sally: I don’t need sh** from you guys.
Me: The only thing we’ll need is your office key.
Sally: You’ll get it when you get it. I’m packing my desk.
Me: Ok.
I go back to work, keeping an eye on her as she packs to make sure she doesn’t take anything she’s not supposed to or damage any company property. Sally at some point decides to use the boxes she didn’t want from us to pack up her many items. She takes both boxes to the front door where her bags are & sets them down to put the last of her things in. She picks up one box to take outside.
Sally: You are the worst manager ever. (goes out the door)
Me: (shrug)
Sally: (comes back in for the final box) Seriously, you’re the most evil person I’ve ever met. (leaves)
Really? I rank worse than the guy that beat you up? I’m worse than him?
I continued watching her to see if she’s going to come back to give up her office key. As she packed up her car, another employee had arrived (we’ll call him Randy). He had run into her on the way in & asks me if Sally quit. I explained, no, she was let go. I then see that Sally has gotten behind the wheel of her car without coming back to give us the office key.
Me: Well, I guess we’ll just change the locks.
Randy then takes it upon himself to go out to her car. He phrased it very gently by saying he wanted to spare her having to come back in to turn the key in.
Sally: I guess Molly didn’t have the balls to do it herself. (hands the key over)
& then…she was gone. Despite having to do the entire corporate office’s work all by myself & falling steadily behind little by little, I have never been more happy. I had forgotten how much I loved my job & how much I couldn’t wait to get to work. I haven’t been this stress-free in 6 months, & it feels fantastic! & the great part is, I’m not really falling as far behind as I expected to without her. Having to do 2 people’s jobs by myself is only affecting me a little. Really goes to show you how bad she was for the company & for my job when she disrupted everything that much. For example, me & her would get through maybe 5 to 6 offices’ reports between us in a single day when playing catch up after closing the previous month. One day? I caught up on 10 offices’ reports in a single day. By myself.
Oh, did I mention she smoked marijuana most days on her way to work or while on her lunch break? We could never actually prove it. But, come on, you don’t smell that strongly of marijuana on only select days if you aren’t smoking it recently. If it was leftover from the smell of your house or car, you would smell like that every day. But it was only some days she would come into work or back from lunch smelling like that. Obviously, smoking on the job. So very glad to be rid of her & her awful skunk smell. Although, I do wish her well on a new job search. I don’t wish ill on anyone, ever. But I am just glad she’s no longer my problem to deal with.
(Added 2 months after she was fired): By the way, I am actually gaining on my work. I’m not only not behind on my work, I’m actually getting it done soon enough to work on extra stuff. Also, out of the blue, we’ve started getting about 3 to 4 sales & scam calls every day since Sally left (for things like better Medicare benefits, better retirement benefits, & even one time recently where “Walgreens” was calling to ask if I still had diabetes). I’m convinced Sally signed us up for calls as retaliation. I hope they die down soon, especially as they are starting to get rude. (Our response to every one of these is “Sorry, this is a business.” This one guy responded to me with, “This is my job.” I said, “I understand this is your job, but this is a business. I am not allowed to take personal calls.” He said, “Why?” I said very slowly & firmly, “Because I’m working!” He started to say, “Can you explain to me why—” I hung up. Jerk.)

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2024.05.19 18:10 authorsheart Employee Likes to Gift Trash at Christmas

Oh, boy, Charlotte, do I have a doozy for you. It’s such a doozy that it comes in 2 parts. I guess it would qualify as petty revenge, since that’s the only flair that fit, but it’s more of an entitled Karen story.
For the sake of telling the story a little smoother, I'm going to explain some things up front. I (female, early 30s; let's call me Molly) am the manager in the accounting office of a very small loan company. Like, really small. We have less than 30 offices with only 2 employees at each office. For this reason, we are kind of low-tech, old-fashioned. I'm talking paper timesheets that get faxed to our office (we're also the corporate office that handles the payroll). Our office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a half-hour lunch. Me & my employee (who we'll call Sally) work this shift. Our boss (who we'll call Greg) is the owner & CEO. He works in the office starting at 9:00 a.m. till whenever he leaves for the day. Most of the time, that's around the time we leave, sometimes it's earlier due to errands he needs to run.
So, in Oct 2022, Sally (female, early 30s) gave us a note that her doctor wants to have daily appointments with her indefinitely. She let us know she would need to leave at 3:30 every day. Greg granted that request & even gave her the opportunity to come in early so she didn't miss any of her 8 hours each day. So, she began coming to work between 6:45 & 7:00 & would take however long of a lunch she needed to so she would have an 8-hour day.
Due to a combination of our fiscal year-end work in Oct & Nov 2022, playing catch-up from Dec 2022 to Feb 2023, & the other coworker (who we'll call Irene) leaving the company in Feb 2023 so we had to play catch-up again for several months before we got used to the bigger workload, I hadn't been able to pay too close attention to Sally's work. But in the middle of Aug 2023, I began to suspect her. I realized that the tasks Sally had in the morning would usually take me an hour & a half to do, which meant I would be relatively finished by the time I would arrive at 8:30. Sally, on the other hand, would only have stuff halfway done. Now, I knew Sally worked slower than me since I knew the job better than she did, but this still seemed very slow. I began to suspect Sally was either not arriving as early as she said she was (she was the only one in the office before 8:30) or she was arriving on time but wasn't working.
On Aug 21 (Monday), I decided to come in early to the office since I had to make up time due to a doctor appointment later in the week. So, I arrived at work at 6:40. 6:45 rolled around...no Sally. 6:50...no Sally. 7:00...same thing. Sally arrived at 7:20. Now, ok, maybe she ran into traffic. However, that's a bit of a coincidence that the one day I show up early unannounced is also the day she happens to be late. But I waited to see what time Sally would write down on the timesheet. However, she didn't write down her time until Tuesday right before she left. She had written down that she had arrived at 7:05. I asked her about it, and her response was "I must have copied it down wrong from my spreadsheet." That's strange, 'cause you hadn't arrived at 7:05 any other day that week. Just where did you copy it down from?
Now, I am curious as to what time Sally puts down when she believes no one has seen what time she arrives. So, for Sept 4-15, I would arrive in the parking lot across the street & read a book & eat breakfast while I wait to see what time Sally would arrive. Every single day, she would arrive around 7:15 or 7:20, but would write down 6:45 or 6:50, a half hour discrepancy every single day. & we have no way of knowing how long she's been stealing a half hour every day. She could have been doing this for the past year since her schedule changed.
On Sept 18, I write down Sally's actual times from these 2 weeks on a paper & tell her to correct all the times I indicated. Sally says that she will use the office clock to write down her times from now on. Wait a minute, you're saying that your phone is a half hour earlier than the rest of the world? But only when you arrive at work. When you go to lunch & leave work, it matches the rest of the clocks. & then switches during the night so your arrival time can be wrong again the next day? Wow, that's a pretty glitchy phone you got there.
On Sept 20 after Sally left, I installed a camera that connects to an app in my phone. I put the camera in a place where it wouldn't be able to see any computers/paperwork & turned off the microphone (I didn't want to risk any company info being seen/heard). I only needed to see when Sally arrived. Where I ended up placing it, I was able to see Sally where she sat at her desk.
On three of the following days, Sally would arrive 10 to 15 minutes after the time she would write down. I speak with Greg about this, & we decide to write her up. By the way, usually when an employee is caught forging the timesheet like this, it's an immediate termination. At any other office, she would have gotten fired in the beginning of Sept after I first discovered the half hour forgery. I am deciding to give her a chance to make this whole thing right.
On Sept 26 (Tuesday), I give Sally the write up when she arrives.
Sally: I'll sign it, but I don't know why. I mean, I get here at 7:00. (Ok, there's a sign right there. Who signs an official write up when their employer is lying or setting them up?)
Me: I've observed you arriving between 7:10 & 7:15.
Sally reads the write up & then keeps it at her desk for a bit after signing it. After plenty of time, I ask for it back. She grabs it, so I lean forward & hold my hand out (our desks are right next to each other), but Sally flings it at my desk. The whole thing is made better by the fact that Greg is out of town Tuesday thru Thursday. So, Sally proceeds to be angry & have an attitude all the way through Thursday. She refuses to talk or answer the phones. She does that tossing/flicking-papers-around, aggressive-typing, heavily-setting-things-down thing people do when they're frustrated or angry (which she did all...day...long). She sped out of the parking lot & down the street so fast that I could hear her engine rev & tires squeal from inside the building.
On Sept 27 (Wednesday), Sally is still doing that slamming things thing. I enjoy not responding to her whatsoever. I could see out of the corner of my eye that she would slam something down & look at me. I wouldn't give any kind of reaction, wouldn't look at her, & it would piss her off. Sally would then start slamming things around again. I admit, that was fun.
On Sept 28 (Thursday), I see on the camera that Sally arrives at 7:00, but then I watch her sit on her phone for 45 minutes! She is still having attitude issues, &—unbelievably—is still slamming things. After she leaves for the day, I then see the calendar that Sally keeps on her desk as I was passing by. On the box for Sept 26 (the day she was written up), she had written the words "F***ING JOKE!". The audacity of her to write that in plain view of everyone in the office & think she wouldn't get in trouble for it.
On Sept 29 (Friday), Sally arrives at 7:00 but sits on her phone for 30 minutes WHILE VAPING! (Not sure about other cities or states, but it's illegal to smoke or vape inside a building in the city where our office is.) But Greg is back this day, & I had been texting him what's been going on. He had texted back he wanted to do a meeting on Friday. So, the 3 of us go into the breakroom for a meeting.
Greg: So, Sally, what's been going on with this timesheet thing?
Sally: I just, I forget to write down the time when I arrive.
Greg: Ok, well, whether it's done on purpose or through negligence, we can't have wrong times on the timesheet. So, from now on, you won't be able to come to work before Molly gets here at 8:30. Now, are there any other problems you'd like to discuss with us?
Sally: (begins getting worked up) I just, I feel like I can't talk to her. She creates such a hostile work environment.
Now, I am blown away. Me? Hostile? I'm autistic, so I'm naturally shy & hate socializing, so I usually don't talk to anyone very much. Everyone I tell this story to, their eyes widen when I mention this, 'cause there's no way anyone would ever describe me as hostile.
Luckily, Greg interrupts her to defend me: This isn't a hostile work environment.
Sally: (backpedaling) Well, I mean, she gets mad at her printer & bangs on it, & that just flashes me back to stuff. I mean, I'm trying to work on myself & the anxiety, & she just sends me back.
Oh, so now, we're claiming we have PTSD & that my "violent" actions are giving her flashbacks? Um, who is it laughing right along with me every time my printer jams? (By the way, I know she's lying about the PTSD, 'cause I have a couple friends with PTSD & recognize the signs. Sally doesn't show any sign of fear or panic or shrinking away from things, nothing like that. There are no signs whatsoever of her being alarmed by anything I do.) Oh, not to mention the double standards. You're allowed to slam things around (for 3 straight days, by the way), but I'm not?
Anyway, we wrap up the meeting after Greg underlines (for Sally's benefit) that everyone in the office needs to get along.
On Oct 2 (the next Monday), I had a good drive & happened to get there at 8:20. Sally arrives at 8:25 & comes in, stopping at my desk.
Sally: (annoyed) Are you gonna be early all week?
Me: (frowning & caught off-guard) Um, I don't know. It just depends how long my drive takes.
Sally: (with a snarky attitude) 'Cause I had to keep driving around waiting for you, so if you're gonna be early, I'd like to know.
Ok, first of all, no one is forcing you to drive around. You can park your car in the parking lot. Do you really think we're gonna fire you for sitting in the parking lot while you wait for me? We only said you couldn't come in & work before I do. & second, it's none of your business when I get to work. My shift starts at 8:30, therefore, you should aim for 8:30, just like Greg told you to do. How am I supposed to predict the exact minute I get to work? & you're gonna get angry at me 'cause I didn't show up before my shift starts? Since when is it a requirement of mine to come into work before I start working?
Well, a bit of malicious compliance in this entitled story: if I can see I'm going to arrive at work more than 5 minutes early, I stop at the store just down the road & shop until 8:30. 'Cause guess what? Sally gets there who knows how early & sits in the gas station across the street, waiting for me. Fine, you wanna be that way? I can be petty, too.
By the way, Sally has a radio talk show she listens to from before I get to work until it ends at 10:00. I'm not into talk shows, but it wasn't too annoying (most of the time), so I didn't say anything about it. The reason why I started having a problem listening to it was that they would get into inappropriate things (s** toy review, for example). It made me super uncomfortable when they did segments like this. From the moment Sally was written up, she started only listening to the show on her headphones, thinking she was punishing me by me not getting to hear the show. Joke's on her. Sally did me a favor by not having to listen to that thing.
Sally was also told that she is no longer allowed to take smoke breaks on the clock. As no one else in the office takes breaks but chooses to work through them, this change would be made so all employees were equal now. But here’s the interesting thing: Sally suddenly stopped taking smoke breaks at all, but her bathroom breaks grew more numerous & longer. When she had been taking smoke breaks, the alarm on her phone would go off at specific times, such as 2:00. She would then go outside to take her smoke break. After the on-the-clock-smoke-break privilege was taken away, the same alarms would go off, such as 2:00. She would then disappear to the bathroom for 15 minutes. & I even smelled smoke in there when I went in there right after one of these long bathroom breaks.
Ever since the write up, there’s been attitude every once in a while. Most of the time, I have no idea what it is I did that could possibly have set her off that day. All I know is that Sally’s suddenly slamming things around again (hmm, PTSD cured now, is it?). & she’s still constantly making mistakes (like she’s always done).
On Nov 27, Sally is working on the Funding (loan proceeds funded onto a customer’s debit card). What we do is get the list of customers, determine how much the office funded that customer, transfer the money from the office’s bank account to the holding account, & then transfer the total from the holding account to the account that directly funds the debit cards to replenish the money. We had two customers with similar names (say, John Smith & Jack Smith). Sally hadn’t paid attention to the whole name & had applied John’s $0 funding to Jack. However, Jack had been funded $250. So, that money was missed, & I had to make a separate transfer for it.
On Dec 4, Sally is working on the Funding & writes down $0 for a customer. But the report from the office says he actually got $96.
On Dec 8 & 9, we discovered 2 checks that were supposed to be sent to our office (one from Oct, one from Sept). Neither had been cashed, & neither had ever reached us, even though we had the rest of the paperwork that would have come with those checks. Due to the dots I had connected, I had a pretty strong hunch that Sally wasn’t thoroughly checking the mail envelopes to make sure they’d been completely emptied before they got thrown away. I believed these checks were still in some envelopes that were then thrown away by Sally.
On Dec 11, on the bank reconciliation sheets we work at the end of the month (like balancing a checkbook), one of Sally’s offices was out of balance by $68, & she couldn’t find it. I couldn’t find it, either. I pulled out the one done for the month before. I couldn’t find it there, either. But I did notice one thing. The checks that hadn’t cleared the bank yet didn’t add up to the total amount of outstanding checks Sally had written down. By $68. I go back to the month before that one. There were a total of $68 in old checks that never got cashed & therefore should have gotten written off on the fiscal year-end at the end of Oct. But she hadn’t transferred them to the new month’s sheet. So, now, we have to hold onto them for a whole year to write off next Oct.
The same day, I went through all the offices to double check the GL codes that we post the expense checks to (GL codes determine where an expense gets coded, e.g., post an electricity payment to the GL code for utilities). The day previously, Sally had gotten several GL codes incorrect in the Miller office. She had forgotten to change the codes from the one for the Checkbook to the ones for the expense account. She had caught those ones since it affected the balance of the Checkbook, so I had helped her fix those properly. However, there were expense checks sent to a GL code that wasn’t the right one that Sally hadn’t caught.
I talk with Greg, as I feel that every time I turn around, I am either retraining Sally on stuff I’ve trained her on multiple times, I’m correcting mistakes on stuff Sally should know how to do by now (‘cause again, I’ve trained her multiple times), or I’m disciplining Sally about stuff she’s doing wrong. Greg asks how many mistakes due to carelessness she’s made in the last 2 weeks. I check my notes & tell him 4. He says that’s too excessive for an accounting office. We need to write her up.
So, I made the write up, but I just know I’m going to be dealing with the same attitude as the last time I had to write her up. & guess what? Greg’s out of town till Thursday again. I used my phone this time to record the audio of the interaction. That way, if Sally has attitude towards me again, I’m able to play the recording to Greg so he can hear what Sally’s like when he’s not here (which is why the following conversation is pretty much word for word).
On Dec 12 (Tuesday), I sat her down first thing.
Me: So, in the past couple weeks, I’ve noticed some errors happening due to carelessness, & they’ve become a bit excessive for an accounting office. The most important thing in an accounting office is accuracy. That’s why we focus so much on thoroughness & attention to detail. So, whatever needs to happen to lessen those errors, whether it’s slowing the pace of the work itself or double & triple-checking the work before it’s finished, it needs to happen. For example, when I work the payroll, after I get the total for all the offices, I then subtract each person’s individual hours to double check my entries. That way, if there is an error, at least I know it wasn’t ‘cause I was going too fast or not paying attention or something. So, whatever you need to do to decrease the mistakes, please—
Sally: What errors are we talking about?
Me: I have a page here with the items from the last couple weeks. (hand her the write up)
Sally: (reads the pages for a minute) Ok…
Me: So, whatever you need to do to—
Sally: (talking quickly ‘cause she’s pissed now) I’m gonna need more time & focus strictly on Funding. I don’t wanna touch mail, I don’t wanna touch anything else. I wanna focus strictly on that. ‘Cause I’m getting 80 plus a day (which was a lie, we never get nearly that much), & now, I’m gonna start getting in trouble if it’s not 110%. I am human. I will make mistakes. So, if that’s not allowed, then…(shrugs) let me know, I guess. I’ll talk to Greg & I guess figure something out. I am human, & I am gonna make mistakes, A. B, I feel like crap. He (Greg) has been in here sick the last week. I caught whatever he has. I’ve been hacking. I’ve been sicker than sh** the last week. I am trying. You guys usually have until the 12th to close the month. Since I’ve worked here, I’ve closed before the 8th. Yeah, I made mistakes. I told you I made a mistake on the Miller office. I knew what happened. So, to throw it in my face again that I already made that mistake is kinda rude, but…(shrugs) I’m actually kinda shocked to see that on there.
Me: Well, you did catch the errors involving the Checkbook, but there were other mistakes on that office that you didn’t catch, & that’s the reason that was listed on there.
Sally goes back to her work, & I decide to not ask her to sign the write up I had given her right away since she was diving right into the Funding. She had expressed she wanted to focus solely on it to minimize mistakes. I wanted to use positive reinforcement to convey that this was good behavior & good thinking, so I decided to wait for her to finish before asking her to sign & return the write up.
Now, here’s the issues with her little outburst above.

Sally is complaining that she’s human & makes mistakes & we’re not allowing mistakes. We’re not saying that she can’t make mistakes, ‘cause she’s right. Everyone makes mistakes; I make mistakes. What we’re saying is that she’s making mistakes much too often.
Sally says the reason for these mistakes the last 2 weeks is ‘cause she’s been sick the last week or so ‘cause she caught what Greg had (do you see the timing problem there?). Also, these kinds of mistakes have been happening for months & months. I only brought these examples up ‘cause they were recent.
Sally pointed out the fact that she closes each month really quick. We don’t care how fast things get done. Our goal isn’t to get things done quickly but to get things done accurately. If we happen to get it done quickly, that’s just a bonus. We would rather things go slow than to have errors causing problems or costing us money ‘cause we didn’t take the time to make sure it was correct.
Sally states it’s rude that I’m throwing her error back in her face (you already know my reaction to that). She obviously doesn’t know how a job works. Just ‘cause we discussed this error already doesn’t mean it can’t go on the write up. This is just one of the examples that required us to do a write up. We’re not doing this ‘cause we want to write you up or that we’re looking for excuses to get you in trouble. We’re doing our job. If a situation needs correcting, we have to correct it. We can’t just ignore it. & obviously, me talking about your errors all these months hasn’t helped. You’re still making the same mistakes. So, now, we’ve had to escalate to a write up on paper.

Sally doesn’t say another word. She, as expected, starts doing her tossing-things-‘cause-I’m-pissed-off thing. I just go back to my work. I’ve said my piece, now we can put it behind us & move on.
Now, we have until 10:30 to make the transfers for this Funding program in order to get the money back to the account the same day. We are still missing the paperwork for 2 customers from an office. (FYI, when we’re missing paperwork, we call the office & ask them to fax it. If we still don’t get it when it gets close to the transfer deadline, we call again & just ask for the amount to get it done.) So, at 10:20, Sally turns to me.
Sally: What do I do for these 2 customers? Do I just skip them?
Me: (frowning) Do what you usually do when you don’t have the paperwork in time. Call the office—
Sally: (in a sharp tone) I did. (she’s assuming I mean call the office to tell them to fax it)
Me: (ignoring her attitude outburst) Call up the office & ask for the dollar amounts.
Sally: But I don’t want to write down the amount without seeing the actual paperwork. If I’m gonna get in trouble for errors now, I don’t want to take down what could be the wrong dollar amount over the phone. I mean, I think that’s only fair to me.
Me: In the instances that were mentioned, they weren’t cases of taking down an amount over the phone. They were instances where we had paperwork or a report to see the amount. We would never write you up if there was a possibility that the office gave you the wrong amount over the phone.
Sally stares at me for a second & turns back to her desk. I turn back to my own work as Sally then calls up the office. I had to deal with her attitude the rest of the day: throwing mail into the mailbox, throwing open the letter folding machine so it made a big bang on the table. I was trying to still be the usual friendly, professional person I am at work; I told her “See you tomorrow” & everything. Sally wouldn’t talk to me unless she had to.
This is when I discovered that Sally has a habit of lashing out at me when she gets in trouble. The first write up involved her trying to drag me under the bus by claiming I’m hostile. This time, it was more personal. See, we do a Christmas gift exchange at the office; we each buy each other a gift. I had searched over & over trying to find something Sally would like. I finally found this desk calendar with gnomes on it (she likes both of these things), so I got it & a couple small items. I open my gift from Sally, & among a few cheap little things, I found…Sally’s own nearly empty bottle of nail polish remover. Wow, this is the thanks I get for not firing you back in Sept with the whole timesheet forgery thing?
& this is where I leave you until Part 2, the conclusion.

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2024.05.19 18:01 authorsheart Entitled Employee Who Gifts Trash at Christmas (Part 2)

Ever since we had issues of the office’s checks going randomly missing, Sally had apparently decided to just stop throwing any envelope away when opening the mail. She would supposedly search the envelopes/paperwork & then keep the envelopes with the paperwork. So, instead of doing her job better, she would decide to just stop doing the job at all. After all, you can’t get in trouble for screwing it up if you aren’t doing it, right? However, this resulted in items getting left with the paperwork (which sometimes wouldn’t get touched for several weeks due to being busy) that had needed to be collected or addressed right away.
Sally’s careless mistakes continued at about the same rate (average of 2 to 3 a week). She would put deposit slips/emails with the wrong office’s report, put one office’s mail in another office’s bin, put one office’s funding papers in another office’s bin, put one office’s bills in the folder for their correspondence & vice versa, put one office’s bills in the folder for another office’s bills, put the new month’s bills in the folder without taking out the old month’s bills so they would get mixed up. I could go on & on.
Sally would still ask for help on things she shouldn’t need help on anymore, ‘cause I had helped her many times on items exactly like it in the 2 years she’s worked here. I mean, the whole point of asking for help when learning new things on a job is so you can take the input you’re given & use it to get better at the job so you don’t have to ask for help anymore. I mean, what kind of office works by their employees constantly needing to be walked through everything every day? Sally would even ask for help on things no one would need to ask for help on. For example, she asked me, “An office took a deposit to the bank without showing it on their report. How do I write that up in the letter to fax to them?” Um, exactly what you just said to me. Or another time, she asks how long she should wait before calling an office back. Well, how long do you think you should give them? Just use your good judgment. You don’t need help with that! Again, you’ve been here 2 years!

At the end of Jan, we discovered that Sally had mailed the employees’ W2s to the managers’ home addresses instead of to the offices to distribute to their employees!
We had an office that moved locations to right across the street, so the only thing that changed in their address was their street number (12 Main Street instead of 11 Main Street). I explained this to Sally & gave her an updated list of the office’s addresses. 3 weeks later, we get a call from that office saying that mail we send to them keeps going to their landlord’s house. I check the address labels Sally had created for herself. Sure enough, it had the wrong address on them. I go to grab the lease, & at the top is where the tenant’s new address is listed. & all the way at the bottom of the page in the paragraph titled “RENT” where it lists where to send the rent is the landlord’s home address. & that’s the address Sally had chosen to be the new office’s address on her address labels.
Sally hadn’t been faxing the offices to ask for bills/receipts that never made it to us.
I used the last towel on a roll of paper towels, so I went to the cabinets to grab another. We were out. Sally is in charge of keeping track of supplies that need ordering, so I go to Sally & say we’re completely out of paper towels, we need to order some. Sally response: “No one ever tells me when they grab the last roll so I know when to order them.” Um, excuse me, since when is it our job to tell you to do your job? It’s your responsibility to keep track of supplies. You should be checking the level of paper towels, toilet paper, Kleenex, etc., to see when you need to order them.

You’ve worked here for 2 years, Sally. You’ve had plenty of time to improve.
The reason you never hear “Good job” is ‘cause you’re not doing a good job. How am I supposed to tell you “Good job,” but also need to give you a write up for doing a bad job? If you’re getting multiple write ups for doing a bad job, don’t you think that’s a sign that something is wrong? I mean, she thinks that managers should be telling their employees good job on everything they do right. No, you’re expected to do these tasks. We’re not going to congratulate you every time you do your basic job requirements like some toddler that needs constant positive reinforcement so they know that doing something right is a good thing! You will hear “Good job” when you are doing a really good job on something, when you go above & beyond!! I mean, do you think Greg tells me “Good job” when I’m just doing my job as expected?!! NO!!! I’ve never had a manager constantly tell me “Good job” all the time!!!! (Whew. Sorry about that. Kinda went on a crazy rant there. I’m good now.)
Here’s another example of her mentality of “if I don’t do the job, I can’t get in trouble for doing it wrong.” She’s going to stop asking for help instead of using the help I’ve given her to do better. I mean, if you’re making these mistakes when you ARE asking for help, how many more are you going to make when you stop asking for help? How does this make any logical sense?!

How could I have had it out for you from the very beginning when we didn’t have problems for the first year & a half you worked here? If I’d had it out for you from the beginning, you wouldn’t have had a job the past 6 months. Need I remind you what Greg told you about the timesheet thing being something we fire someone for on the spot, but that Molly had gone to bat for you & gave you a second chance? Why would I have done that if I had wanted you gone from the start?
“Just like the other 2.” She’s talking about Irene (who had left in Feb 2023) & another employee (who we’ll call Phil). Phil had been fired (by Greg, by the way) for continuing to watch movies on his phone at his desk despite being told multiple times by Greg to not do that. & Irene? She wasn’t fired. She gave her 2 weeks’ notice. & we then discovered when going through the work she’s been doing as we started taking over her tasks that she didn’t just not do jobs. She would actually forge the work so she wouldn’t have to work. “A bank imbalance of $2.65? Well, I’ll just add it to the imbalance that’s been building up for who knows how many months & just label it as an over-deposit from the end of the month. That way, I don’t have to look into why the bank isn’t balancing.” But no, I had it out for them, apparently.
Does she really think that calling Greg was gonna reverse my firing her? Does she really think I would do something as drastic as writing her up or firing her without discussing it with my supervisor first? Did she really think I would do this behind his back?

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2024.05.19 18:01 Optimal_Ad_1847 26 [M4F] #Chicago, IL/Anywhere - Love Sick

Hi guys,
Love, love, and love. A wandering hopeful romantic searching for love.
Me:
A Texan through and through, with roots in small towns and residence in the big city. I am currently pursuing a career in health-care as a medical student, and I moved to Chicago for that reason. Finally, I am of South Asian descent, which adds a touch of cultural richness to the mix.
Hobbies/Interests: If we share the same interests, then that is great. It's not necessary, though. I value a connection over shared hobbies.
One of my favorite pastimes is watching movies. I have frequent movie nights. Some showings include: "Inception", "Godzilla Minus One", "The Thing" (1982), "Whiplash", and "Shutter Island". Snacks and drinks are included. Terence Fletcher is mean, but my cooking is meaner. I enjoy exploring various cuisines at restaurants, and I enjoy trying new recipes when cooking at home. A few of my favorite cuisines are: Thai, Mediterranean, and Indian. I balance out the snacking, drinking (virgin), and eating by being active. I frequently run, walk, and lift. You might have seen me running on Bloomingdale Park Trail or walking along Union Park. A few other interests are reading, boardgames, videogames, and learning a language. I love the competitiveness, strategizing, and fantasy involved in boardgames, but I think Robinson Crusoe (novel character) has the upper hand in those areas. I think it would be fun to have our conversations in another language and whisper sweet nothings to each other. Mon amour. Mahal ko.
Personality:
I am a combination of reserved and adventurous, leaning towards seriousness yet showcasing a playful side when I'm comfortable with someone. I find comfort in being a homebody, but I do emerge from my cave. I strive to go the extra mile for my partner, and I always try to showcase of my love for someone through cards, poems (albeit poorly written), and physical affection.
Physical Description:
My hair cascades in subtle curles at mid-neck-length. I am a fan of the clean-shaven aesthetic, but I occasionally sport well-maintained stubble. My complexion is caramel that is accompanied by dark brown eyes. I have a slim-to-average physique, and I stand at a height of 5'7".
You:
I am searching for someone who values a healthy and active lifestyle, someone who takes care of themselves physically. While physical compatibility is important, I value a shared commitment to overall wellness. Intimacy and romance (sweet sweet love) are important to me, and I like physical affection a lot (a lot). Admittedly, I do like someone that is slightly clingy. It's nice to feel wanted. I would like someone that is vulnerable because it builds a stronger connection. I deeply appreciate the intimacy it fosters. I desire a partner who values companionship and reciprocity, understanding that mutual effort and appreciation are fundamental. I'm drawn to qualities like open-mindedness, calmness, and versatility in a potential partner. A lot of sweetness, a dash of spice, and a little chemical X.
Stuff:
Religion & Politics:
I'm personally not religious. I'm open-minded towards all religious affiliations and welcome the opportunity to learn about different faiths. Similarly, my political stance isn't easily boxed into conservative or democratic ideologies. I value the continuous evolution of my political beliefs, emphasizing independent thinking and the avoidance of polarizing partisan politics.
Kids & Pets:
I've made the decision not to have children. For me, it's about prioritizing my partner, hobbies, and career. I opt not to have pets due to lifestyle constraints, financial considerations, and personal preferences. I simply have no interest in having pets, but I'd be willing to accommodate.

Consistent communication and a genuine desire to converse are all that I ask. Please. If you're not interested, honesty is appreciated – I won't take it personally.

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2024.05.19 17:58 authorsheart Entitled Employee Who Likes to Gift Trash at Christmas

I never thought I would have a story to share in one of these threads, but it finally happened. I apologize for the length (so long it has to be split into 2 parts), but this one is a doozy.
For the sake of telling the story a little smoother, I'm going to explain some things up front. I (female, early 30s; let's call me Molly) am the manager in the accounting office of a very small loan company. Like, really small. We have less than 30 offices with only 2 employees at each office. For this reason, we are kind of low-tech, old-fashioned. I'm talking paper timesheets that get faxed to our office (we're also the corporate office that handles the payroll). Our office hours are 8:30 a.m. to 5:00 p.m. with a half-hour lunch. Me & my employee (who we'll call Sally) work this shift. Our boss (who we'll call Greg) is the owner & CEO. He works in the office starting at 9:00 a.m. till whenever he leaves for the day. Most of the time, that's around the time we leave, sometimes it's earlier due to errands he needs to run.
So, in Oct 2022, Sally (female, early 30s) gave us a note that her doctor wants to have daily appointments with her indefinitely. She let us know she would need to leave at 3:30 every day. Greg granted that request & even gave her the opportunity to come in early so she didn't miss any of her 8 hours each day. So, she began coming to work between 6:45 & 7:00 & would take however long of a lunch she needed to so she would have an 8-hour day.
Due to a combination of our fiscal year-end work in Oct & Nov 2022, playing catch-up from Dec 2022 to Feb 2023, & the other coworker (who we'll call Irene) leaving the company in Feb 2023 so we had to play catch-up again for several months before we got used to the bigger workload, I hadn't been able to pay too close attention to Sally's work. But in the middle of Aug 2023, I began to suspect her. I realized that the tasks Sally had in the morning would usually take me an hour & a half to do, which meant I would be relatively finished by the time I would arrive at 8:30. Sally, on the other hand, would only have stuff halfway done. Now, I knew Sally worked slower than me since I knew the job better than she did, but this still seemed very slow. I began to suspect Sally was either not arriving as early as she said she was (she was the only one in the office before 8:30) or she was arriving on time but wasn't working.
On Aug 21 (Monday), I decided to come in early to the office since I had to make up time due to a doctor appointment later in the week. So, I arrived at work at 6:40. 6:45 rolled around...no Sally. 6:50...no Sally. 7:00...same thing. Sally arrived at 7:20. Now, ok, maybe she ran into traffic. However, that's a bit of a coincidence that the one day I show up early unannounced is also the day she happens to be late. But I waited to see what time Sally would write down on the timesheet. However, she didn't write down her time until Tuesday right before she left. She had written down that she had arrived at 7:05. I asked her about it, and her response was "I must have copied it down wrong from my spreadsheet." That's strange, 'cause you hadn't arrived at 7:05 any other day that week. Just where did you copy it down from?
Now, I am curious as to what time Sally puts down when she believes no one has seen what time she arrives. So, for Sept 4-15, I would arrive in the parking lot across the street & read a book & eat breakfast while I wait to see what time Sally would arrive. Every single day, she would arrive around 7:15 or 7:20, but would write down 6:45 or 6:50, a half hour discrepancy every single day. & we have no way of knowing how long she's been stealing a half hour every day. She could have been doing this for the past year since her schedule changed.
On Sept 18, I write down Sally's actual times from these 2 weeks on a paper & tell her to correct all the times I indicated. Sally says that she will use the office clock to write down her times from now on. Wait a minute, you're saying that your phone is a half hour earlier than the rest of the world? But only when you arrive at work. When you go to lunch & leave work, it matches the rest of the clocks. & then switches during the night so your arrival time can be wrong again the next day? Wow, that's a pretty glitchy phone you got there.
On Sept 20 after Sally left, I installed a camera that connects to an app in my phone. I put the camera in a place where it wouldn't be able to see any computers/paperwork & turned off the microphone (I didn't want to risk any company info being seen/heard). I only needed to see when Sally arrived. Where I ended up placing it, I was able to see Sally where she sat at her desk.
On three of the following days, Sally would arrive 10 to 15 minutes after the time she would write down. I speak with Greg about this, & we decide to write her up. By the way, usually when an employee is caught forging the timesheet like this, it's an immediate termination. At any other office, she would have gotten fired in the beginning of Sept after I first discovered the half hour forgery. I am deciding to give her a chance to make this whole thing right.
On Sept 26 (Tuesday), I give Sally the write up when she arrives.
Sally: I'll sign it, but I don't know why. I mean, I get here at 7:00. (Ok, there's a sign right there. Who signs an official write up when their employer is lying or setting them up?)
Me: I've observed you arriving between 7:10 & 7:15.
Sally reads the write up & then keeps it at her desk for a bit after signing it. After plenty of time, I ask for it back. She grabs it, so I lean forward & hold my hand out (our desks are right next to each other), but Sally flings it at my desk. The whole thing is made better by the fact that Greg is out of town Tuesday thru Thursday. So, Sally proceeds to be angry & have an attitude all the way through Thursday. She refuses to talk or answer the phones. She does that tossing/flicking-papers-around, aggressive-typing, heavily-setting-things-down thing people do when they're frustrated or angry (which she did all...day...long). She sped out of the parking lot & down the street so fast that I could hear her engine rev & tires squeal from inside the building.
On Sept 27 (Wednesday), Sally is still doing that slamming things thing. I enjoy not responding to her whatsoever. I could see out of the corner of my eye that she would slam something down & look at me. I wouldn't give any kind of reaction, wouldn't look at her, & it would piss her off. Sally would then start slamming things around again. I admit, that was fun.
On Sept 28 (Thursday), I see on the camera that Sally arrives at 7:00, but then I watch her sit on her phone for 45 minutes! She is still having attitude issues, &—unbelievably—is still slamming things. After she leaves for the day, I then see the calendar that Sally keeps on her desk as I was passing by. On the box for Sept 26 (the day she was written up), she had written the words "F***ING JOKE!". The audacity of her to write that in plain view of everyone in the office & think she wouldn't get in trouble for it.
On Sept 29 (Friday), Sally arrives at 7:00 but sits on her phone for 30 minutes WHILE VAPING! (Not sure about other cities or states, but it's illegal to smoke or vape inside a building in the city where our office is.) But Greg is back this day, & I had been texting him what's been going on. He had texted back he wanted to do a meeting on Friday. So, the 3 of us go into the breakroom for a meeting.
Greg: So, Sally, what's been going on with this timesheet thing?
Sally: I just, I forget to write down the time when I arrive.
Greg: Ok, well, whether it's done on purpose or through negligence, we can't have wrong times on the timesheet. So, from now on, you won't be able to come to work before Molly gets here at 8:30. Now, are there any other problems you'd like to discuss with us?
Sally: (begins getting worked up) I just, I feel like I can't talk to her. She creates such a hostile work environment.
Now, I am blown away. Me? Hostile? I'm autistic, so I'm naturally shy & hate socializing, so I usually don't talk to anyone very much. Everyone I tell this story to, their eyes widen when I mention this, 'cause there's no way anyone would ever describe me as hostile.
Luckily, Greg interrupts her to defend me: This isn't a hostile work environment.
Sally: (backpedaling) Well, I mean, she gets mad at her printer & bangs on it, & that just flashes me back to stuff. I mean, I'm trying to work on myself & the anxiety, & she just sends me back.
Oh, so now, we're claiming we have PTSD & that my "violent" actions are giving her flashbacks? Um, who is it laughing right along with me every time my printer jams? (By the way, I know she's lying about the PTSD, 'cause I have a couple friends with PTSD & recognize the signs. Sally doesn't show any sign of fear or panic or shrinking away from things, nothing like that. There are no signs whatsoever of her being alarmed by anything I do.) Oh, not to mention the double standards. You're allowed to slam things around (for 3 straight days, by the way), but I'm not?
Anyway, we wrap up the meeting after Greg underlines (for Sally's benefit) that everyone in the office needs to get along.
On Oct 2 (the next Monday), I had a good drive & happened to get there at 8:20. Sally arrives at 8:25 & comes in, stopping at my desk.
Sally: (annoyed) Are you gonna be early all week?
Me: (frowning & caught off-guard) Um, I don't know. It just depends how long my drive takes.
Sally: (with a snarky attitude) 'Cause I had to keep driving around waiting for you, so if you're gonna be early, I'd like to know.
Ok, first of all, no one is forcing you to drive around. You can park your car in the parking lot. Do you really think we're gonna fire you for sitting in the parking lot while you wait for me? We only said you couldn't come in & work before I do. & second, it's none of your business when I get to work. My shift starts at 8:30, therefore, you should aim for 8:30, just like Greg told you to do. How am I supposed to predict the exact minute I get to work? & you're gonna get angry at me 'cause I didn't show up before my shift starts? Since when is it a requirement of mine to come into work before I start working?
Well, a bit of malicious compliance in this entitled story: if I can see I'm going to arrive at work more than 5 minutes early, I stop at the store just down the road & shop until 8:30. 'Cause guess what? Sally gets there who knows how early & sits in the gas station across the street, waiting for me. Fine, you wanna be that way? I can be petty, too.
By the way, Sally has a radio talk show she listens to from before I get to work until it ends at 10:00. I'm not into talk shows, but it wasn't too annoying (most of the time), so I didn't say anything about it. The reason why I started having a problem listening to it was that they would get into inappropriate things (s** toy review, for example). It made me super uncomfortable when they did segments like this. From the moment Sally was written up, she started only listening to the show on her headphones, thinking she was punishing me by me not getting to hear the show. Joke's on her. Sally did me a favor by not having to listen to that thing.
Sally was also told that she is no longer allowed to take smoke breaks on the clock. As no one else in the office takes breaks but chooses to work through them, this change would be made so all employees were equal now. But here’s the interesting thing: Sally suddenly stopped taking smoke breaks at all, but her bathroom breaks grew more numerous & longer. When she had been taking smoke breaks, the alarm on her phone would go off at specific times, such as 2:00. She would then go outside to take her smoke break. After the on-the-clock-smoke-break privilege was taken away, the same alarms would go off, such as 2:00. She would then disappear to the bathroom for 15 minutes. & I even smelled smoke in there when I went in there right after one of these long bathroom breaks.
Ever since the write up, there’s been attitude every once in a while. Most of the time, I have no idea what it is I did that could possibly have set her off that day. All I know is that Sally’s suddenly slamming things around again (hmm, PTSD cured now, is it?). & she’s still constantly making mistakes (like she’s always done).
On Nov 27, Sally is working on the Funding (loan proceeds funded onto a customer’s debit card). What we do is get the list of customers, determine how much the office funded that customer, transfer the money from the office’s bank account to the holding account, & then transfer the total from the holding account to the account that directly funds the debit cards to replenish the money. We had two customers with similar names (say, John Smith & Jack Smith). Sally hadn’t paid attention to the whole name & had applied John’s $0 funding to Jack. However, Jack had been funded $250. So, that money was missed, & I had to make a separate transfer for it.
On Dec 4, Sally is working on the Funding & writes down $0 for a customer. But the report from the office says he actually got $96.
On Dec 8 & 9, we discovered 2 checks that were supposed to be sent to our office (one from Oct, one from Sept). Neither had been cashed, & neither had ever reached us, even though we had the rest of the paperwork that would have come with those checks. Due to the dots I had connected, I had a pretty strong hunch that Sally wasn’t thoroughly checking the mail envelopes to make sure they’d been completely emptied before they got thrown away. I believed these checks were still in some envelopes that were then thrown away by Sally.
On Dec 11, on the bank reconciliation sheets we work at the end of the month (like balancing a checkbook), one of Sally’s offices was out of balance by $68, & she couldn’t find it. I couldn’t find it, either. I pulled out the one done for the month before. I couldn’t find it there, either. But I did notice one thing. The checks that hadn’t cleared the bank yet didn’t add up to the total amount of outstanding checks Sally had written down. By $68. I go back to the month before that one. There were a total of $68 in old checks that never got cashed & therefore should have gotten written off on the fiscal year-end at the end of Oct. But she hadn’t transferred them to the new month’s sheet. So, now, we have to hold onto them for a whole year to write off next Oct.
The same day, I went through all the offices to double check the GL codes that we post the expense checks to (GL codes determine where an expense gets coded, e.g., post an electricity payment to the GL code for utilities). The day previously, Sally had gotten several GL codes incorrect in the Miller office. She had forgotten to change the codes from the one for the Checkbook to the ones for the expense account. She had caught those ones since it affected the balance of the Checkbook, so I had helped her fix those properly. However, there were expense checks sent to a GL code that wasn’t the right one that Sally hadn’t caught.
I talk with Greg, as I feel that every time I turn around, I am either retraining Sally on stuff I’ve trained her on multiple times, I’m correcting mistakes on stuff Sally should know how to do by now (‘cause again, I’ve trained her multiple times), or I’m disciplining Sally about stuff she’s doing wrong. Greg asks how many mistakes due to carelessness she’s made in the last 2 weeks. I check my notes & tell him 4. He says that’s too excessive for an accounting office. We need to write her up.
So, I made the write up, but I just know I’m going to be dealing with the same attitude as the last time I had to write her up. & guess what? Greg’s out of town till Thursday again. I used my phone this time to record the audio of the interaction. That way, if Sally has attitude towards me again, I’m able to play the recording to Greg so he can hear what Sally’s like when he’s not here (which is why the following conversation is pretty much word for word).
On Dec 12 (Tuesday), I sat her down first thing.
Me: So, in the past couple weeks, I’ve noticed some errors happening due to carelessness, & they’ve become a bit excessive for an accounting office. The most important thing in an accounting office is accuracy. That’s why we focus so much on thoroughness & attention to detail. So, whatever needs to happen to lessen those errors, whether it’s slowing the pace of the work itself or double & triple-checking the work before it’s finished, it needs to happen. For example, when I work the payroll, after I get the total for all the offices, I then subtract each person’s individual hours to double check my entries. That way, if there is an error, at least I know it wasn’t ‘cause I was going too fast or not paying attention or something. So, whatever you need to do to decrease the mistakes, please—
Sally: What errors are we talking about?
Me: I have a page here with the items from the last couple weeks. (hand her the write up)
Sally: (reads the pages for a minute) Ok…
Me: So, whatever you need to do to—
Sally: (talking quickly ‘cause she’s pissed now) I’m gonna need more time & focus strictly on Funding. I don’t wanna touch mail, I don’t wanna touch anything else. I wanna focus strictly on that. ‘Cause I’m getting 80 plus a day (which was a lie, we never get nearly that much), & now, I’m gonna start getting in trouble if it’s not 110%. I am human. I will make mistakes. So, if that’s not allowed, then…(shrugs) let me know, I guess. I’ll talk to Greg & I guess figure something out. I am human, & I am gonna make mistakes, A. B, I feel like crap. He (Greg) has been in here sick the last week. I caught whatever he has. I’ve been hacking. I’ve been sicker than sh** the last week. I am trying. You guys usually have until the 12th to close the month. Since I’ve worked here, I’ve closed before the 8th. Yeah, I made mistakes. I told you I made a mistake on the Miller office. I knew what happened. So, to throw it in my face again that I already made that mistake is kinda rude, but…(shrugs) I’m actually kinda shocked to see that on there.
Me: Well, you did catch the errors involving the Checkbook, but there were other mistakes on that office that you didn’t catch, & that’s the reason that was listed on there.
Sally goes back to her work, & I decide to not ask her to sign the write up I had given her right away since she was diving right into the Funding. She had expressed she wanted to focus solely on it to minimize mistakes. I wanted to use positive reinforcement to convey that this was good behavior & good thinking, so I decided to wait for her to finish before asking her to sign & return the write up.
Now, here’s the issues with her little outburst above.

Sally is complaining that she’s human & makes mistakes & we’re not allowing mistakes. We’re not saying that she can’t make mistakes, ‘cause she’s right. Everyone makes mistakes; I make mistakes. What we’re saying is that she’s making mistakes much too often.
Sally says the reason for these mistakes the last 2 weeks is ‘cause she’s been sick the last week or so ‘cause she caught what Greg had (do you see the timing problem there?). Also, these kinds of mistakes have been happening for months & months. I only brought these examples up ‘cause they were recent.
Sally pointed out the fact that she closes each month really quick. We don’t care how fast things get done. Our goal isn’t to get things done quickly but to get things done accurately. If we happen to get it done quickly, that’s just a bonus. We would rather things go slow than to have errors causing problems or costing us money ‘cause we didn’t take the time to make sure it was correct.
Sally states it’s rude that I’m throwing her error back in her face (you already know my reaction to that). She obviously doesn’t know how a job works. Just ‘cause we discussed this error already doesn’t mean it can’t go on the write up. This is just one of the examples that required us to do a write up. We’re not doing this ‘cause we want to write you up or that we’re looking for excuses to get you in trouble. We’re doing our job. If a situation needs correcting, we have to correct it. We can’t just ignore it. & obviously, me talking about your errors all these months hasn’t helped. You’re still making the same mistakes. So, now, we’ve had to escalate to a write up on paper.

submitted by authorsheart to EntitledPeople [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 17:44 IsThisDamnNameTaken Season three is amazing.

I get that I'm more than 15 years late to this conversation, so I'm sure it's been discussed to death, but I just finished the show, and fucking hell is season three great.
I thought the first two seasons were pretty good – it's been a few years since I was into South Park/Family Guy/Rick & Morty, etc. and Moral Orel scratched a similar itch in a more satisfying way. It's deeply irreverent, willing to go any distance, cross any boundaries for the darkest, most shocking punchline possible, with an extremely broad and worthy target in the American fundamentalist Christian right. The first two seasons were, for the most part, just a kinda silly, deeply cynical sitcom, that managed to make a meal of a single target.
Then in the season two two-part finale, the show disrupts its own premise in some pretty major ways, with Orel and Clay's hunting trip going dark in ways that the show hadn't quite taken seriously before. Between Clay's drunken rant, Orel getting shot and the quiet "I hate you", these two episodes felt stronger than almost any other, because they expanded out from the show's perspective of a cynical takedown of religious fanaticism – it actually took the characters created in those circumstances seriously.
I honestly felt like the end of season two was made without the certainty of a third season in mind – the writers wanting to go out on the darkest, most interesting note possible. And it would have been a fascinating ending – if we hadn't gotten season three.
I feel like it's pretty common to see TV shows (particularly subversive sitcoms) end a season with a big, emotionally devastating, status-quo-breaking finale, and then just bounce back to regular episodes when the next season rolls around. And based on the very self-contained structure of the proceeding episodes, it's easy to assume that this would be Moral Orel's approach. But there was a little hope in there – that the show could deliver on all the potential it had built up over thirty episodes. That it would do something different.
Holy shit, it delivered.
Season three is an emotional roller-coaster, deconstructing the show from the very first opening credits with a perfectly dark Mountain Goats song, over a decisive title screen reading "THE FINAL SEASON: EPISODE 1 OF 13". It sets the audience up for something very different from the word go, and that's exactly what it does.
The focus on sidelined characters (particularly female characters) in the repressive town of Moralton is fantastic, and leads to many of the show's most interesting, biting moments of critique. The use of indie rock fits perfectly with some of the more inspired directorial choices in the third season, with some really perfect little heart-tugging moments coming where I wouldn't have expected them.
Choosing to break from Orel's perspective in many episodes also lets the show shed a bit of the core of cynicism that had previously been its defining tone. That cynicism isn't a bad thing, it's what a lot of the show is built on. But getting more experimental with the structure of the show, what it's willing to seriously grapple with, makes the show more than the sum of its parts.
It's not all serious of course – the twist that Clay's actually been MAYOR OF MORALTON the entire show killed me, as did the Reverend's increasingly despondency. But the decision to take a more humanist view of what had previously been somewhat more two-dimensional characters (ha ha) is both surprising and welcome.
Season three goes deep on the complexities of romance, sexuality, cycles of abuse, alcoholism, self-destruction, Freudian instincts, and how children try to reconcile their conception of their parents with a brutally disappointing reality. And, perhaps most surprisingly, it ends on a hopeful note, suggesting that Orel remains kindhearted, breaking away from the cruelty and numbness of his parents and authority figures. It's not what I would have expected based on the start of this show, but it sticks the landing exceptionally well.
Like I said, I'm more than a decade late to the party, but I just wanted to share how much I enjoyed this series. It was a fun, cynical and clever take on a classic formula, that delivered something more potent during its final stretch. Happy to count myself as a new fan of Moral Orel.

submitted by IsThisDamnNameTaken to moralorel [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 17:15 UnculturedSwineBC 18+ Discord Gaming Friends Looking for More!

How do you do, fellow humans?
I’m part of an 18+ gaming server that would love to expand its community! We mostly play Among Us and Minecraft, with the Town of Host Enhanced Mod once a week. Voice chat is optional but highly encouraged! As long as you’re prioritizing game chat. All events are either ongoing or start at around 8:30 EST. But we welcome all spontaneous games and events.
We look forward to making new friends. People who are respectful and use their brains. Those who don’t vote out the first name thrown in the chat, or act like an angry 12-year-old after losing COD. Whether you're new, experienced, reserved, loud, childish - we'd love to have you! Just treat others the way you want to be treated, and I guarantee you will have good memories. The possibilities are, shall I say…limitless.
Shoot me a message if you have questions or want to join! Just make sure you confirm your age when you send a message 😁

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2024.05.19 16:56 5h0rgunn The Peaceful Decades (1552 – 1570) The Xin-Mei Wars Ch. 3.4

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Emperor Karl V reacted to the Jiajing Emperor's invitation to bring tribute the way Mendoza had predicted he would: indifference. He was only vaguely aware of the fact Spain was in an undeclared war with China, and had only heard about the Battle of Acapulco in passing. Sending diplomats to present tribute to and grovel before the monarch of some Asian country wasn't in his wheelhouse—and he would've been even less interested if he knew that his diplomats would be meeting with one of the emperor's ministers rather than the emperor himself. Meanwhile, Antonio de Mendoza went to take up the viceregal office of Peru, where he soon caught his death of an unspecified illness.
Nevertheless, the agreement between Wei Chengjia and Bai Guguan held. Bai stopped sponsoring pirates. The NSS purchased more silver than needed, selling the excess off to Wei. Wei then sold it at cost to Bai, who sent it to China. Convoluted as it was, this system succeeded at keeping the peace.
Or at least, at keeping the peace between Xinguo and Mexico. All the pirates Bai Guguan had been sponsoring didn't simply go home: they'd gained an appetite for silk, silver, and other luxury goods. With their sponsorship dried up, they went into business for themselves. Wokou raids were now hitting the coasts of Xinguo with rapidly increasing frequency. New forts were built to repel them. Wei and Bai even agreed to a joint fortification of the Jaw, the strait that connects the open ocean to the Bay at the centre of the Valley where North and South provinces border each other. They built the Teeth forts, one on the northern tip of the Jaw and the other on the south. These were successful at keeping pirates out of the Bay itself, but they did little to dissuade attacks on the outlying coastal settlements.
What followed was the Anti-Piracy War (1553 – 1569), during which the Nine Anti-Piracy Expeditions invaded the Wokou's home territory far, far to the north in an attempt to rescue hostages and punish the pirates for their impudence.The geography of the region is difficult with choppy seas that constantly threaten to dash your ships on the many islands, and the innumerable bays and inlets not only make it easy to get lost, they provide perfect cover for ambushes.
That, however, is another story for another time. To put a long story short, the results were less than stellar for Xinguo. The most charismatic of the Wokou leaders was killed in the Battle of the Jaw (1569), and his followers fell into infighting. This enabled Xinguo to play the various factions off each other to the point where they were too distracted fighting other pirate gangs to launch any more major raids on Xinguo. Although the raids never ceased entirely, this was considered to be the end of the Anti-Piracy War.
Meanwhile, an undeclared peace settled over the undeclared war between China and Spain. With that, the Xinguans and Mexicans slowly became more familiar with each other, learned more about each other, and strengthened their economic ties. Ningbo was flourishing under the Treasure Fleet's attention. NSS merchants would buy silk, porcelain, tea, spices from the Indies, and other goods from Asia and bring them to Acapulco, where they traded for silver, cocoa, tobacco, spices from Mexico, and other goods.
However, Spanish merchants began to grow dissatisfied with this arrangement. Figuring they could get the same goods for a lower price if they went to the source, Spanish merchants began showing up in Ningbo with cargo holds full of New World goods to trade with the Treasure Fleet directly. NSS merchants immediately complained to Wei Chengjia that this would limit their profits. The NSS being the powerful lobby group that it was, their opinion prevailed and Wei decreed that only members of the NSS and DSS could trade with the Treasure Fleet directly. Some Spaniards applied for membership in the NSS, but were of course rejected.
Meanwhile, Dongguang fell into an economic slump. Businesses that had once thrived while servicing the Treasure Fleet were now closing up shop or barely staying afloat. Many packed up and moved their businesses to Ningbo. To pick up the slack, Bai Guguan pressured the DSS into accepting the Spaniards who were now applying for membership in their guild after being turned down by the NSS. The DSS resisted of course, since they didn't want a slough of foreigners taking over the guild. However, both Bai and the Spaniards painted a picture of soaring profits for them. Having members of their own guild with insider's knowledge and connections in Mexico could only be a good thing. Soon, Spaniards were showing up in Ningbo with DSS membership badges. Wei was forced to permit them to do business, but he didn't have to like it. He even passed a new law prohibiting non-Chinese, foreign-born individuals from staying the night inside the city walls, forcing them to stay in Dongguang or in small towns outside Ningbo.
In 1562, the Spaniards with DSS membership pooled their money and bought land along the Dongguang waterfront, where they built a warehouse with an adjoining office, and a pier. Savvy local businessmen built an inn, a pub, and a brothel nearby by to service the merchants and their crews. Many in Dongguang disliked this and complained to Bai Guguan that these foreigners were becoming too comfortable here. They shouldn't be allowed to own property, especially not inside the city walls. Bai, however, recognised the benefits of letting them stay, so he ignored the naysayers. Thus, the foundations of the Foreign District had been laid. Its size and prosperity would ebb and flow over the years, but it would eventually grow to be one of Dongguang's richest and most important districts.
Bai Guguan's welcoming of the Spaniards into Dongguang and even into membership with the DSS displeased Wei Chengjia. Wei decided to get back at him by refusing to sell silver at cost to Bai. This was no longer necessary for Bai, since he could now buy silver from the Spaniards who came to Dongguang, so Wei's feeble attempt at petty revenge had no serious effect. What it did mean, however, was that the treaty the two men had signed under the auspices of Cui Hejing was now as good as dead.
During this time, a linguistic shift began. Up until the 1560s, Nahuatl had been the trade language between Xinguans and Spaniards. Xinguan merchants had already been speaking it in order to trade with the Aztecs, and in the mid-16^th century, it was still a major administrative language of New Spain. Beginning in the 1560s, Spanish gradually replaced Nahuatl. Most Xinguan merchants spoke either Wu (for the northerners) or Yue (for the southerners), which are mutually unintelligible. Others spoke Min, Hakka, Cham, Vietnamese, or some other language. Amongst themselves, the merchants wrote in Classical Chinese and spoke in either Mandarin or one of their own languages. Not everyone spoke Mandarin, however. Humans, whatever their nationality, tend to gravitate toward the simplest solution, and to be able to do business with Spaniards, the simplest solution was for everyone to learn Spanish.
1565 would become a pivotal year in Sino-Spanish relations, and therefore, an important year in Xin-Mei relations. That was the year the Spanish conquistador Miguel Lopez de Legazpi invaded the Philippine island of Cebu and established the first permanent Spanish presence in the archipelago. This may not have been earth-shattering in and of itself, but it meant Spain was now expanding into China's sphere of influence. Tondo, a city on the island of Luzon just down the coast from the future capital of Manila, had long been a tributary of China and was the gateway for Chinese culture, trade goods, and political influence into the Philippines. In 1570 Spain conquered Manila, and the vagaries of politics soon brought it into conflict with Tondo, and therefore with China. Chinese troops were dispatched to the Philippines and fought with the Spaniards, whose army had relatively few actual Spaniards in it, with the bulk being made up of Filipinos and indigenous Mexicans.
The details of that conflict are beyond the scope of this work. What's important for us is how it affected Xin-Mei relations.
[Next]

submitted by 5h0rgunn to HighEffortAltHistory [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 16:41 Cultural_Sleep9678 Fulgrim's little Muse (2/?)

"Explain your past, Musa" the gov'ness walks at my right, shielding my from the piercing sun as we walks with the caravan. After the trench was dismantled, we are walking by foot to reach the capital, as the trench-line have been pushed far into our homeland.
"I was a cook when the war started, gov'ness" and now I am left wondering why did she chose me from anyone else in the caravan, there's the sergeant, the whom she asked to see earlier today.
"You have been trusted to cook rations for your company, as early as the war?" her baroque companion, similarly donned in her armor, walks close by ours, but never overtook us.
"No, gov'ness, I was a 10 years old when the war started, the war went for seven years and I fought for the last two" before she came, with weapons of the stars that could've decimate my trench instead of theirs
"Such a young man you are, seven years ago, the Emperor grants me audience, revealing that I was his progenitor"
This talk about an "imperium" across the stars and the deified emperor has gotten me worried. Is that her reason for talking to me, to ease my pain before sending me to the stars far from here? Or simply an act of pity?
The meager town came into view, and was it not for the ancient structure, we would've thought this was anywhere but the capital. Gray skies and beaten earth have become the synonym for the heart of Nagorow.
"I must say, this was not our expectation when your leader came into contact with my ship, begging for salvation" the gov'ness depart from me, and my instinct was to follow her, but who am I to her? And so I stay put and follow the rest of the caravan back to the main camp.
"You're lucky to have an audience with the Lady, runt" one of gov'ness' companion knocked me to the dirt, assuming that he's doing it out of spite and jealousy. I can see him walking to gov'ness
"I apologize for my companion's doing" another of gov'ness', as he extends his fingers that allowed me to stand to my feet "Lucius was indeed jealous, he was our best melee combatant and our Primarch haven't even bat an eye for him"
"Is that a rare thing?" Lucius and the gov'ness seems to enter the structure, doing their business there. I quickly glance at my watch, the gray sky seems to be forever, and it shows 1641. And I quickly look back at the gov'ness companion
"It is, perhaps Mother saw something within you, perhaps yours was interesting at the moment" the giant release his helmet, letting his bronze hair free from the confine "I am Rylanor, pleasure to meet you, Musa"
"As is mine, gov'nor"
The Sejm was delightful in seeing Fulgrim and her companions, as well as the news of the apparent victory on the frontlines. Such delight warrants them to spent their moneys on a grand feast right at the capital, inviting everyone within range to attend, with the guest of honor being the gov'ness herself.
"I would have thought you are with Mother, Musa" Rylanor brought two plates in his palm, the plate whom was enough for me was made miniscule by his hands, each contained meager food they could thrown
"Thanks, gov'nor" the feast gives us chair to sit, yet here I stand with him, outside of the building. Somehow the gov'nor chose to make a companion out of me, whilst gov'ness over there busy herself with her empire in the suns.
"I almost forgot what a food taste, Musa, back in the campaign, we would be served liquid ration with occasional starch" I took a look at him, and his plate was already cleaned
"You should try my cooking then, I cook better"
We let a simple laugh from the situation, from a soldier to another, from a human to another too. The door barges open and whom I thought to be Lucius emerge, escaping the feast.
"It's obnoxious inside, Rylanor, if you wish to see me, then don't, I'm heading to the nearest landing coordinate" and went he goes, somewhere place only he, gov'nor and gov'ness know. Something that I would not understand no matter how much gov'nor taught me.
"I have to agree with dear Lucius there" and speak of the gov'ness, and she shall came, looking at the horizon "they barely separate the nobility and the peasant"
I didn't mean to stare, but gov'ness wore something fine, something you'd see from paintings high in temple's ceiling, an ascendant of man. Looking carefully, it seems she wore old Nagorovian dress and modify it to suit her stature, or rather, her figure. She need not a corset, it seems.
"The food is delectable, Mother" Rylanor already took my plate without my knowing, something that I relent
"Every food is delectable when you are starved of them, dear Rylanor"
We all watched as a star suddenly rose at the horizon, perhaps something to do with Lucius and his departure. I suppose this is our future, being shackled by another uncaring emperor to fight the dangers of mankind.
"Say, Rylanor, but does that star seems approaching us?" and behind Lucius' ascend, a second star indeed looks as if its getting nearer. Just before I respond, nor gov'nor did for that matter, the air raid sirens blare and screech
"It is too late to dodge the missile, Mother, and I am the only one still wearing my armor, I would suggest taking a shield behind me" Rylanor easily stood and tower over us. I didn't even wait as I quickly take cover.
"Don't be ridiculous, Rylanor, these brutes couldn't even muster the technology to weaponize simple nuclear reaction" Rylanor didn't wait and cover me with his entire figure, and I just prayed that whatever nuclear is nor what reaction it cause would not be as devastating as I'd fear.
The moment of impact was blurry, but there was an apparent pain riddled to it, as the temperature rose akin to a sun blasting us with the heat. Like what was drilled into my head, I quickly wrap my entire face with anything, covering up the assuredly loud aftermath and the shrapnel flying around. I couldn't hear
And I wish I wouldn't hear
By the time the air around began to cool, my throat was hoarse, as if I have been shouting the entire time. It wasn't until I noticed the spasmic movement on my mouth that I realized, I have been barking around.
"At ease, gov'nor, at ease lads" I chanted
"It seems it was a nuclear explosion, Mother, albeit a primitive version of it" Rylanor seems to ignore my rant, addressing the gov'ness instead. He then release me, before coughing up liquids right at my face "apologies" he mumbles
"Be damned your humor, Rylanor" I hear the gov'ness, rasping in breath as I slowly gather my senses "Musa, you lived it seems" my eyes were blinking rapidly, due to the heat and the dust it caused "oh Rylanor, I apologized for your condition".
When my eyes fully recovered, I saw only desolation. No Man's Land was gentler than this, water and mud found refuge within them after all. But what I saw was beyond it, ruins and dry earth, trees and building charred, and people would likely evaporate. Peoples, on whom I was fighting with and fighting for, for two damned years. I couldn't take it anymore, first Maria and now this? Fate was far too cruel
Liquid barge through my mouth, followed close by every air in my lungs and waters in my eyes. There was no rythym, only that I was doing it in instinct, lying on all fours at the stairs near the gov'nor and gov'ness.
Only then did I brave to stand up, looking at them and the impact it caused. Gov'nor seems to be stuck in his place, unable to move as his hair rotted away and flesh melts to his armor. Now I understand why did he puke. The gov'ness was way less impacted, as her clothing burnt with the flesh on her skins, with her lying on her back.
"Cease your staring, Musa" she quickly commanded
"Yes ma'am" I quickly slap my cheek, a soldier need to finish his duties until the bitter end, and the enemy was no better after all "orders, gov'ness?"
"You're waiting for my orders?" she slowly sat herself, throwing out blood from her mouth while her arms sizzle and creates smoke "so it seems, help me get to one of landing coordinates" when she did sat, she saw her own legs, crushed from the debris of the railings and burnt to crisp "it seems I would have to relegate the matter of combat to you"
"Private Musa at the ready, gov'ness" so soon to serve this faraway empire, and my first duty is to escape the chaos that will ensue. And first, I need to find a cart or I will be carrying the giant on my back
"Musa, before you go" Rylanor rasp and wheeze as he reach for something, before he carved it with letters and numbers "you are familiar with latitudes and longitudes of your planet, I assume, and if not then you can ask Mother for direction" he gave me the knife, on which he have engraved numbers.
"And what will happen to you, gov'nor?" I took the knife and pocket it, then looking back at the gov'ness
"I will be fine, Musa, all I ask is that you deliver Mother there to the place, and rest assured that you will be awarded"
I ignore the last part, something about the futility in wealth and glory that I realized, living as a cook my entire life before becoming a soldier taught me that. I quickly strip my clothing, and though I have to face the cold soon, finding the gov'ness means of transportation is more valuable. I quickly wrapped the gov'ness legs with a shirt, then I cut another of my shirt into pieces before I wrapped it at her so I can carry her off, my suspender helped in holding her together too
"Something tells me I won't enjoy the journey" Fulgrim murmurs as she rest on my shoulder
"Be safe Mother, I pray that Musa will be sufficient to you"

submitted by Cultural_Sleep9678 to PrimarchGFs [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 16:27 Ok-Classic4475 [Recruiting] Ket Kingz #2LJV08CR8 TH13+ and above International English Language

[Recruiting] Ket Kingz TH13+ and above International English Language CW / CWL / CG / CR
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• Clan Name: ( Ket Kingz ) #2LJV08CR8
Ket Kingz https://link.clashofclans.com/en?action=OpenClanProfile&tag=2LJV08CR8
Link - https://link.clashofclans.com/en?action=OpenClanProfile&tag=2LJV08CR8
• Clan level: 13
• Clan War League: Crystal League 1
• Clan Games: Tier VI
• Capital Peak: Level 9
• Clan Location: International
• Chat Language: English
• Minimum required Town Hall Level: 13+
• Member count: 31/50
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We are a group of relaxed, chilled and friendly returned players that want to have fun in all clan activities. However, we do try hard so that everyone can have maximum rewards. Chat and donation are active. Feel free to join us!
─────────────────────────────────

Clan rules:

1). Have a laugh
2). Elder & Co Leader are earned, so please don’t beg otherwise it will wind people up
3). Participate actively in clan wars, clan war league, capital raids and clan games.
4). Try your best in CW / CWL. Doesn't matter if we win/lose, learn from mistakes and play better next time.
5). Ask questions when unsure.
6). Play the game actively, chill vibes 24/7.
7). INACTIVE for 7 days w/o valid reason, not using attacks in weekly CR and CW/CWL = KICK. This opens up available slots for more active players.
8). Mention if you want to be in war or want to start a war.
9). Indicate in Player Profile Preferences for opting in/out of clan wars and we will swap accordingly.
─────────────────────────────────

What we are looking for:

+ Town Hall 13 users and up.
+ Active clan members for all clan activities!!
+ New / veteran / tryhard players are all welcome! Experienced players are a plus!
+ No minimum trophy requirement!
+ Players that genuinely want to stay and have a laugh
+ ACTIVE players only. We need players that are willing to do ALL content daily & weekly.
+ Don’t particularly want rushed townhall, but if your active constantly, we will allow it
─────────────────────────────────

Additional Information:

> Clan wars will be started constantly every 2 days, actively. If break is required, do sound off.
> Indicate in Player Profile Preferences for opting in/out of clan wars and we will swap accordingly.
> Do check our clan profile for player TH levels. TH14s / TH15s / TH16s will be prio'ed for CWL.
> Let us know if you have any suggestions or concerns. Your input matters.
> Worry less and apply now!!

submitted by Ok-Classic4475 to ClashOfClansRecruit [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 16:02 brogflea Boyerstree update 2, year 25

Hello everyone, once again welcome to Boyerstree, update 2. 10 years is a long time, even in Banished, yet not that much has changed. Let me give you a quick tour.
Towncentre
First up is the towncentre. When I say not much has changed, I mean it, but it's hard to spot under all those trees. Why are there so many trees you wonder? Well, the town is called BoyersTREE after all ;) Jokes aside, since the very beginning I had the idea to fill the space between the two roads up with something. 3 tiles of streets should be enough to stop any potential fire from spreading, but having such huge highways through the village isn't really that nice to look at. In my opinion, at least. So I wanted to fill that empty space with trees because of the random name the village got. That's why I build a forester in the centre, to plant these trees. I still plan to build houses in the (previously) empty spots. Now it might take a bit longer to build them, but that should be allright. Next to the forester I build a Herbalist, because I thought that might be of some use. Also, one comment mentioned to have a Herbalist in the centre prevents the villagers from walking all the way into the forest if they are sick, so there's that benefit as well.
What's also new is the cemetery up top. I planned to make one as big as possible, but realized I didn't have the stone to spare. So instead, I split it up into quarters and will build a new quarter if one is necessary. Right now, I have about 20 graves filles out of 40 possible. So while there is still enough space, it showed me that it was about high time I built one. Further up North you can see the newest addition to the village, a Pasteur with 3 whole sheep in it! Trading is starting to pay off, Wool production can officially start soon! I'm looking forward to having warm coats, I think with the conditions on harsh that will be a huge benefit. The final addition is a little harder to spot, just below the cemetery I built additional barns. I've decided to up the production limits of all necessary resources considerably, especially food. As a result, I started to run out of space. These new barns are built just on the edge of the influence area of the Forester as to not reduce it's productivity too much. At the same time, the main culprit why I'm running out of space are these Foresters Hubs, so the barns are quite close to the source, which is nice.
The most effort during these 10 years was spent on building up the Traiding-Hub.
Trading-Hub
Since not that many Traders showed up and they also did not have the resources I required, I decided to improve my chances by adding more Tradingposts. 2 more have been added and I started to add the buildings which actually benefit from the imported goods, mainly the Blacksmith. Fun story here, I wondered why the Traders have not been delivering my custom orders. I later found out that while I have placed custom orders, I had left the slider of when to place custom orders on "Never" instead of "Every visit"... I'm an idiot. Anyway, one of my biggest gripes with the game since Time Immemorial has been that the Blacksmith needs coal for Steel Tools, while the villagers use Coal to heat their homes and there is nothing you can do to give the blacksmith higher priority. And I imagine even if you could, that would not help much because there are many times more houses than Blacksmiths. The only thing you can do is see to it that the Blacksmith gets to the coal first, which is what I'm planig to do here. Ideally that would mean the Trading Hub is far away from the village, but that would not work too since the people need to walk to their working station. And if I place their houses at the Trading Hub, we're back on square one, so I might as well build some houses nearby. As you can see, I plan to expand the village in that area as well, I've even started on a market. While that contradicts my strategy with the Coal delivery, I hope that the impact will not be that severe. Time will tell, as this part of the village won't be settled until I run out of space at the top. All three Tradingposts are stocked with resources, mainly Firewood, Cloth and Herbs, and ready to go. Up until this screenshot I have imported a grand total of 30 iron, but I'm expecting a sharp increase soon. Also I'm impressed how much I was able to build with the provided Stone and Iron alone. And I was afraid of running out of material at the year 15 update...
Next up I really want to start the alcohol export going. But for that I need to import the resources first, namely apple. While that might not be the best method mecanically speaking, storywise this is my goal: To establish an export of branded Boyerstree Mountain Cider (it's a valley, but shush). Until I have enough apples, I might substitute in berries. I have plenty of them, but they are a food source and I'd rather not turn food into alcohol. But at small numbers, that might be possible. Also, from just one keg I could by 15 apples, so that is tempting... Eh, we'll see. That might be depending on which Merchant arrives next time.
To the South of the Trading Hub I've planned to add a second Pasteur. This is mainly a safety precaution, since herds can get infected with diseases. And if that happens, well you can't do much beside slaughter all livestock and start over. This second Pasteur is my safety measure so I can quickly split the herd and start over right away. Also, yes, I've planed another Forester Hub. Look, you can never have enough, OK? Also as mentioned above, my plan as of now is to expand the village along the river for easy access to trading.
More shepp and Foresters because why not?
Finally, I'll show you some stats from the Townhall. This is more a detail for those interested, but since I'm posting another long post might as well. The production tab is slightly skewed because I traded some resources away, hence the consumption isn't exactly accurate.
https://preview.redd.it/mxtwzijvsd1d1.png?width=1394&format=png&auto=webp&s=9e7f2b2266a6db633695117d7bc073eec2216572
To be honest, I never look to closely at the overview tab. I know some people base their expansion plans on how many kids/students there are or how many homes there are relative to the number of families. I personally tend to just look at the population time range, mostly 5 years, and base my plan on that. As well as if there is a new home built, I have a quick look at who is moving in. If both future parents are in their 30s, I know I have to build more houses. As you can see in the population graph, there was a time when the population actually declined. I realized that, and in a fit of panic, built too many new houses, hence the increase later on. Fun fact, that is also why you saw many paused houses mid construction in the previous screenshots. Right now I want to have a stable population with only a slight increase. There aren't that many new jobs I want to fill and the food/fuel production as of now is just balanced. While I have the tools to increase both productions further, I'd rather not. The reserve is a safety net which should not have to be implemented yet. At the start of graph 3 you can see that we had a rocky start with only a few survivors after a food shortage, and I'm surprised how many years it took (4 to 5) to build back the number of people which you start with. That really was a close call.
Graph 4 shows the impact of not having a school at the beginning. I was very surprised to see that in only about 5 to 6 years, the percentage of educated people dropped from 100% to below 25%. I've checked on the internet to see if my gut feeling about the productivity difference was correct and, uh, yeah the impact is definitely noticeable. That school might have saved my village, especially considering how long it took to get back to 90% again.
https://preview.redd.it/1mw68xroyd1d1.png?width=1428&format=png&auto=webp&s=4a52035fb3eece686710eae49428218e81c4920a
Lastly, an overview over some resources. Nothing special to see here, except maybe you can see the year I decided to massive overproduce food and firewood. Food mainly for reserve, firewood to get trading started. Iron and Stone is only from gathered resourced, except 30 imported Iron. As I said, I'm surprised how long these last. I've still not collected every node I could, but the paths are now very long and the collection is very slow. I think I might have found a trick to speed things up, and that is to place a storage pile in the woods close to the Stone/Iron nodes. The Labours will deposit the resources there, shortening their paths as they now only have to return home to eat and warm up again. That means they can spend more time collecting stuff. Of course, building is a bit slowed down because of the longer paths, but I haven't noticed that big of a difference. Also, once all recourses are gathered up, I destroy the storage pile and let the resources be transported back to the village. Is this efficient? I don't know but it feels as if the gathering goes quicker. Heavy emphasize on FEELS.
Well, that's all I got for now. Quick glance into the future, I really need to strengthen my disaster resilience, meaning Hospitals and Wells. That needs stone, which should be arriving shortly. Hopefully. And yeah, Trading needs to be strengthened as well. Maybe I'll add more Trading Posts. As we are entering the 'lategame', something I always do once I feel like the village is turning into a well running town is to build an unnecessary long, yet somehow useful tunnel or bridge. I haven't found a place to do this here yet, so I might go search a spot. The next update will probably be more then 10 years in the future since I feel like not much interesting stuff is going to happen now. Time will tell, if something noteworthy happens I'll be sure to post it here.
If you made it this far, thanks for reading :)
* edited because of a typo in the first sentence. Dammit.

submitted by brogflea to Banished [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:48 lightingnations I found my girlfriend’s secret Google account and it feels like our entire relationship was built on a lie

I met Luna on a train two years ago. I’d just escaped from a toxic relationship, so romance was the last thing on my mind, but then she sat across from me in the carriage and asked about the book I was reading. She had a copy in her bag and wanted to know if it was any good.
I'd never felt such an instant, effortless connection with anybody before. I took a chance and asked her to dinner, and by the time the waiters cleared away our desserts, I already felt comfortable being vulnerable around her. So we went on a second date. And a third. And next thing I knew, we were planning our second anniversary.
In all that time she never gave off any 'creeper' vibes. Until a few months ago, when I stayed the night over at her place...
She'd gotten up early to use the bathroom. I grabbed her laptop off the side desk so I could catch up on some work e-mails, and the incognito tab was just sitting there. My first thought was: either she's having an affair or she's got a secret fetish.
What I found instead was a Google account with a photo album called ‘Michael’s EX’. In it, there were 427 photos of my former girlfriend turned psycho stalker, Sadie. This included shots of ‘Sadie the stalker’ with her family, screenshots of her passport—the works. On Facebook, Sadie's latest post said Moving to the Philippines, and since then she’d become a social media church mouse, so how did Luna keep her under surveillance? And how did you even get PERSONAL ID from a person halfway across the globe?
Down the hall, I heard the bathroom door swing open. Quickly I closed the laptop and pretended to be asleep until Luna planted a kiss on my lips. “Wakey wakey Bugs.”
I faked a stretch. “Morning Lola."
(At school, the other kids christened me ‘Bugs’ because of my cartoonishly large front teeth; I called Luna ‘Lola’ because of her blonde bangs and heart-shaped face.)
“How about we grab a fry for breakfast?” Her smile didn’t seem genuine, more like she was wearing a mask.
“Crap. I forgot I’m doing overtime today, I’ve gotta get to work.” With that, I shot out of there faster than a bullet train to Tokyo.
Because I didn’t wanna believe the worst about someone I cared so deeply about, I didn’t contact the police (not that anybody could’ve guessed what Luna was up to) and made excuses whenever she asked to meet, delaying the decision whether to end our relationship.
At night, I couldn’t sleep. Every time a hedge rustled outside, I’d run to the window and pull back the curtain only to discover a black cat skulking around the garden. I put this down to my previous relationship leaving me with a mountain of unresolved PTSD.
Sadie the stalker also seemed normal until we moved in together. After that she started picking fights if she caught me talking to another woman, even just distant relatives or childhood friends. The screaming matches went from weekly to nightly, only ever ending when I conceded to her every wish and gave her full access to my phone and social media accounts. I literally needed to grab my clothes into a bag and run away one night, and then I started hearing noises outside my new apartment. And although I never found any evidence, I was pretty sure she’d broken in at one point because the books on my side table were suddenly out of order one day. What hurt the most was Luna knew all this and still acted the way she did.
Right as I reached my lowest point, my close friend Gertrude called and said, “The universe is telling me you could use a sympathetic ear.”
I told her the universe didn’t know the half of it.
I’d met Gertrude—aka my surrogate mother—on a flight to London. Passing over Wales the aircraft hit heavy turbulence, and the grey-haired hippie in the seat next to mine squeezed my hand so tight that my fingers turned blue. After we levelled off, she apologized and said, “So what’s calling you to London?”
“A job.”
A few glasses of wine from the service trolley later, she blurted out, “You know your aura is strikingly similar to my husbands.”
“Uhh, thanks. Where is he now?”
“Oh, he burned to death in a house fire.”
Gertrude’s eyes started welling up. To take her mind off the subject, I said, “I lied earlier. I’m going to London because I fell in love with a Londoner.” I pulled up pictures of Sadie (back in her pre-stalker days) on my phone. “We met in Italy. She looked flustered trying to read a map book so I offered to help. Next thing I knew, we were planning a trip to this place called Orvieto.”
“Michael, I need to know how this story ends. Gimme your number.”
Since then, we’d met two or three times a year.
I laid the whole mess out over pizza. It was the first time since finding the Google account I didn’t feel hidden eyes crawling all over me.
Just as I wrapped up the story, over in the corner booth, a family burst into a chorus of happy birthday. A waiter appeared carrying a chocolate cake, capped by a giant candle that looked more like a flare. Gertrude tensed up.
“So what do you think about all this?” I asked.
She looked back at me and said, “It’s possible your reaction has been a touch on the dramatic side.”
“DRAMATIC??”
“Well consider things from Luna’s point of view. Your last relationship lasted for, what, three years? Maybe she felt threatened.”
“I don’t believe this.” I grabbed a cigarette from my pocket, but Gertrude snatched it away.
“You know how I feel about you poisoning your lungs, Michael.”
“Don’t you start. I got enough of that crap from Luna.”
Gertrude always encouraged me to work through my romantic problems. Ultimately, I decided her love of fairytale romances clouded her judgement and ghosted Luna instead. But I couldn’t escape her shadow. She always felt close. In fact, it got so bad that at a friend’s costume party several weeks later, my eyes kept compulsively scanning the crowd as if she was there in disguise, ready to pounce.
I stood off to the corner until, over the sea of heads, I spotted a beautiful stranger dressed as Jarlath the Goblin King. I took a shot of liquid courage and made a B-line towards her.
Halfway across the crowded room, beer splashed across the front of my Ziggy Stardust outfit.
“I am so sorry,” a female pirate said, patting me dry.
“Don’t worry about it.” Every time I tried circling her, she moved to cut me off.
“I am such a klutz. Why don’t you come into the kitchen so I can clean up this mess?”
I put my hands on her shoulders and steered her out of the way. “It’s fine. Trust me.”
Approaching Jarlath from behind, heart slamming against my chest, I said, “Well this is awkward. One of us is gonna have to change.”
Jennie had bright blue eyes and dimples impossible to miss. Ten minutes into our debate about David Bowie’s greatest album, I said, “You know Absolute Bowie are playing the Half Moon next week. I could take you?”
“Sorry. I’m going with my boyfriend,” she said with a sympathetic smile. From beside the buffet table, the pirate stared daggers in our direction.
“No worries,” I replied, despite the fact I was brimming with jealousy.
The next day, as I jogged off my hangover, a brown-haired lady cut across my path and we both went spinning to the ground.
“Flip, sorry.” I rushed to pull her up by the hands. “I’m like a bloody zombie lately.”
She did a doubletake. “Ziggy, right?”
There was no mistaking those eyes. “Jarlath?”
“Well, Jarlath or Jennie. Eithers fine.”
“Right. Well, sorry again. Enjoy Absolute Bowie.”
Before I could jog away, she said, “Hey, so that guy I was seeing? Turns out he’s a total prick.”
Jennie and I went for coffee. Coffee morphed into drinks. Drinks morphed into a steamy make-out session on my sofa.
But as she covered my neck in soft kisses, my stomach turned. It felt like cheating. So, I put the brakes on things and said, “I can’t do this. I’m really sorry. You’re amazing, but I just got out of a serious relationship…and…it’s just…”
“Hey, don’t worry about it.”
We agreed we’d let our connection blossom in its own time.
Jennie had a playful mystique to her. Within a handful of dates, we’d developed inside jokes and could tell what the other was thinking. But Luna’s imprint was hard to shake, to the extent I almost mixed up the two ladies’ names multiple times.
To detox, I suggested Jennie and I spend a romantic weekend in the Lake District, because after two days of hiking and kayaking my ex would no doubt be a spec in the rearview mirror.
Hours before we set off, however, Luna’s mom called. She wanted to meet and wouldn’t accept any excuses.
“Look, it’s obvious why I’m here,” she said, sitting across from me in Starbucks. “Ever since you and Luna broke up, she’s been acting…different.”
“Different? Different how?”
“I call but she hardly answers. I go over to her place but she’s never there. Now she’s telling me she needs to find herself. Says she’s moving to Australia.”
Her fingers tightened around her cup. “I need to know what happened between you two. And I don’t care if that paints anybody in a bad light. I’m just worried about my daughter is all.”
I told her about the Google account.
“Did you confront her about it?”
“Hell no. I ghosted that crazy bitc—” I cleared my throat. “I mean, I just…stopped seeing her.”
She started crying so loudly customers at nearby tables paused their conversations. I touched her forearm, promised I’d call if I remembered anything else, then set off for my romantic weekend.
But while Jennie and I enjoyed all that fresh air and pub food, a thought nagged at me. Luna adored London, so why move to Australia? It seemed so out of character. Back at our rented cottage, I was so fixated on the thought I needed a smoke, badly.
“What the hell is that?” Jennie demanded, as she stepped onto the front deck.
I glanced at my hands. “Uhh, a cigarette.”
“Michael! Don’t be sarcastic. You know how I feel about those things.”
“…Do I?”
“Uhh, well it’s the same as anybody else. Quit poisoning your lungs and put that thing out.”
“Alright alright, geeze. Sorry Luna.”
“That’s okay.”
A knot formed in my stomach as she went back inside. I’d called Jennie Luna by mistake. And she hadn’t noticed. In fact, her reaction to me smoking was identical to Luna’s—even the snappy way she said the ‘poison your lungs’ line.
I followed Jennie into the lounge, where she’d curled up on an armchair with a Colleen Hoover novel. She was hiding something. What else did she know about Luna? Maybe I could trick her into revealing some details…
From behind, I started massaging her shoulders. “Sorry for being rude before. I know what you said came from a place of love.”
“That’s okay.”
I waited until her eyes drooped shut, then said, “It really is perfect here, huh? Maybe we should stay forever.”
“Wouldn’t that be amazing?”
Her little groans of pleasure, the rhythm of her breathing, it all felt so familiar. I waited until the tension in her neck dissolved, then I pushed my lips against her ear and whispered, “So how about we take this into the bedroom…Lola.”
“Hmm. Sure thing Bugs.”
My hands froze. Jennie jumped up. “Uhh, that felt so good, why’d you stop?”
“What did you just say?”
“What did you just say?”
“I called you Lola,” I replied, my arms frozen in midair. “And you called me bugs.”
“Like the cartoon, right? I thought it’d be a cute nickname. Anyway, I’m tuckered out.” She forced a yawn. “Why don’t we get some sleep?”
As her hand laced with mine, an image of me waking up drugged and gagged and tied to the bedposts flashed before my eyes.
I said, “Sure. I just…need to use the bathroom first.”
The second the door shut behind me, I flew out of the house, climbed in my car, and sped away.
Within seconds my phone started blowing up with calls, followed by texts. Where are you going? Is everything okay?
No, I wanted to reply. I’m onto your sick little game. Whatever it is, I’m onto it.
Luna stalked my stalker, now Jennie somehow knew Luna and I’s nicknames. How? Did all women take turns drawing straws and whoever picked the short one needed to become my girlfriend?
I couldn’t go home. For all I knew, my exes would’ve been there burning effigies of me. I needed a safe place. Somewhere I could lie low until I got all this straightened out.
“Of course you can stay,” Gertrude said over the phone. “I’m out with some friends, but I’ll meet you later. If you hop the side gate there’s a spare key under the kissing gnomes out back.”
Gertrude lived in a detached house in Wembley. It took a bit of foraging to find the gnomes hidden beneath the weeds in the brown, patchy garden.
I needed to shoulder the door open. Inside, a mountain of letters and flyers had piled up on the welcome mat.
Down the hall, a huge archway connected the landing with a lounge, where a bar sat against the far wall, surrounded by upholstered sofas, a low table, and tie dye sheets strung over the filthy carpet. Everything had a real elegant vibe, despite the musty air.
I’d drained two glasses of whiskey before Gertrude arrived.
“Looks like you’ve had a rough evening.”
I said we could talk in the morning.
“Not a chance. You can’t take negative energy to bed. Come on, confession is good for the soul.”
She sat on the sofa and patted the empty seat next to her. So, with a weary sigh, I shared a tale of deranged exes.
“Crazy,” she said.
“I sure can pick ‘em, huh?”
“No, I mean you’re crazy.”
“What?”
“Think about it. What’s more likely: that your ex’s are secretly in collusion, or you’re being paranoid? Look how bloodshot your eyes are. When’s the last time you got a good night’s rest?”
She made a great point; teenagers on the street occasionally shouted ‘Bugs’ or ‘Thumper’ at me. Jennie might’ve come up with the nickname herself. I pinched the bridge of my nose, groaning.
“Look, sleep here tonight. Tomorrow we’ll brainstorm ways you can make it up to Jennie.”
I fumbled through my pockets for a cigarette.
“Really?” Gertrude said. “If you insist on poisoning your lungs, can you at least do it away from my home?”
“Well if I can’t smoke, I’m gonna need a refill.” I shook my empty glass.
On my way toward the bar, a wave of wooziness hit me. My first instinct was to blame it on the alcohol, but there was something else.
It was her reaction to the cigarette. My finger ran through the thick layer of dust along the bar’s countertop. Why was it like the place had been abandoned? Why did Gertrude always pressure me to stay with my psycho girlfriends? And how come she always reached out, as if on cue, whenever my relationships hit problems? It couldn’t be coincidence…
I poured two glasses of whiskey and carried them to the sofa. “So, you’re really against the whole smoking thing, huh?”
“Of course. It’s a filthy habit.”
“Yeah. Plus, there was that mess with your husband. House fire, right?”
“I’d rather not discuss it.”
“Sure, sure.” I ignited the lighter with a roll across my trouser leg.
Gertrude grabbed a cushion and hugged it. “What are you doing?”
“Alright, cut the crap. What the hell’s going on? Have you been sending your friends to date me?”
“What are you talking about?”
I wrestled the cushion from her and held the lighter beneath it. “I want an explanation right now or I’m torching this place.”
This was an empty threat. I wasn’t some pyromaniac—I just wanted answers. Inch by inch, I raised the flame. “Last chance. Why are the women in my life acting weird?”
Gertrude grabbed for the lighter. As I swatted her wrists away, we both got scorched, and for a moment her skin went wild with spasms, a sensation I can only compare to reaching inside a bucket of wet, writhing maggots. My gaze whipped between her face and her hands, which vibrated like plucked guitar strings.
Before I could scream, she yanked me up, clamped a cold, wrinkled palm across my mouth, and forced me against the wall. I thrashed around, unable to move. For a lady old enough to collect a pension, she was crazy strong.
She waited until I ran out of breath, then said, “Michael, please. I’m not going to hurt you. Open your heart and listen.”
What else could I do?
“You were right before. I have been keeping a secret from you. The truth is, I’ve been in love with you since we met. I’d never flown before. And you were so so sweet. You started talking about this other woman, but I knew our energies were perfect for each other. And it’s like I always say, love makes us do crazy things. You can’t begrudge me that can you?”
She looked as if she expected me to respond, so I shook my head.
“But I think we’ve reached a point where our connection is so deep we can be completely transparent with one another.” She took a slow, steady breath. “Michael, all your ex’s, Luna, Sadie, Jennie. They’ve all been…well, me.”
I stared at her, confused.
She sighed. “It’ll be easier if I just show you.”
Out of nowhere her hand wriggled again, then her face tightened, as though the skin was being stretched over the bone. Wrinkles smoothed out and colour bled into her grey hair, turning it brown, and within seconds I found myself face-to-face with Jennie. Even her vintage clothes morphed into a green blouse and white slacks.
“See?” she said in Jennie’s voice, her now blue eyes locked on mine.
I screamed into the soft flesh of her palm.
“Sssh, it’s okay. I’m not gonna hurt you. Watch.”
Her entire body jerked and twitched, the muscles spasming as she shifted from Jennie to Luna. “See? Think of these as costumes”—from Luna to Sadie—"the important thing is what’s underneath. And you’ve fallen in love with what’s underneath three times. Now I’m going to let go, but I need you to promise you won’t overreact. Understand?”
On the verge of a panic attack, I nodded furiously.
The second she pulled away I made a break for the exit. The thing posing as Sadie grabbed me and hurled me backwards against the wall.
Like a disappointed teacher, she put her hands on her hips. “I’ve been so patient with you, Michael. So very, very patient.”
She blocked off any hope of escape. I sidestepped around the outer edge of the room, towards the bar.
“All those years moulding you. Trying to grow you into the man I know you can be. I really thought we had it this time. For the record, I wanted to do this the easy way. But drastic times...”
I was so scared I slammed right into the cabinet and yelped. Glass bottles chattered together, and then something wet ran down the back of my shirt. It was whiskey, leaking from the overturned bottle onto the carpeted floor.
Speaking more to herself now, Gertrude said, “I’ll just have to keep you here until you love me as much as I love you. Of course, that means posing as you so nobody gets suspicious, but that’s no trouble. I’ll tell your dad you’re moving to Italy. You always loved Italy.”
Pose as me? She'd been killing my ex's and taking their place, I was just the latest in a long line. She’d keep me as a personal sugar baby if I didn’t escape, but how? She was impossibly strong, and the only thing that seemed to scare her was…
Snatching the bottle, I doused the remaining whiskey all over the carpet and furniture. As I flicked the lighter open, Sadie’s hands shot up.
“Bugs…darling…what are you doing?”
I took three slow, steady breaths. “Breaking up with you, you crazy bitch.”
I tossed the lighter forward. Within seconds flames sprung up all around us, spreading as far as the sofa. Sadie’s shoe caught fire, and as she stamped around, unintentionally fanning the blaze, her body writhed again, starting with the ankles. Fat boils climbed up every inch of exposed skin, milky white and with the consistency of frog spawn, like she’d had a killer allergic reaction to poison ivy.
She dropped to her knees, wailing like a wounded animal. This was my chance.
I made a break for the exit, giving the creature as wide a berth as possible. But as I got one foot planted in the hall something clamped tight around my ankles. My chin hit the floor, then I started sliding backwards.
I twisted onto my back. Where Sadie’s left arm should’ve been, a tentacle-like appendage stretched across the length of the room, a distance of over twenty feet. It reeled me toward her like a fish on a line. Whatever that thing was no longer looked human. It melted like an ice statue, with no bones or connective tissue inside, its lips nose and mouth becoming hideously elongated before dripping off in huge globs like melted candlewax. A fire alarm started wailing as the tentacle dragged me through the flames, scorching my arms and legs.
The loose mass of skin reached out and encased me like a mother bird sheltering its eggs.
“WHY WON’T YOU LOVE ME?” all my ex’s voices screamed at once. Whichever direction I looked, silhouettes of faces rose and fell, as if trying to burst through. Parts of them dripped inside my mouth, disgustingly warm with a bitter taste worse than Vaseline.
I put everything into clawing my way out if there. What was left of the beast had the consistency of wet clay and came apart just as easily. I tore away chunks until there was a hole large enough to squeeze through. Then, I crawled along surrounded by black smoke.
At the far side of the room I risked a glance back and saw a bumpy, uneven hand reaching out of a puddle of ooze. Soon I was crawling over the bristly welcome mat, then fumbling for the door. All I remember after that are paramedics wrestling me into an ambulance…
A specialist officer came to see me at the hospital the next morning. They’d been unable to contact the homeowner, Gertrude Huyton, and through his line of questioning I could tell they hadn’t found her ‘remains’ inside the charred house. Like the wicked witch of the West, my stalker had melted. I told the officer she said I could stay the night, and that I probably started the fire by dropping a cigarette.
“In that case, we’ll keep trying to reach her.” He walked to the curtain surronding my bed and paused. “Oh, and I almost forgot to mention, her cat is missing.”
“Her...cat?”
“Yeah. The little black one. One of the firemen pulled it out of the wreckage. The poor thing had burns over its legs but it ran off before anybody could take it to the vet.”
I swallowed a gulp and thanked him for telling me.
And now I’m still sitting here listening while nurses rush back and forth, terrified any one of them might be Gertrude…

submitted by lightingnations to nosleep [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:38 Zephxan A full out fallout farming game : Survival apocalyptique farming sim

~Player always get better or cooler reward for helping other~
Player race - fiver options for customization
Ghoul
No radiation damage + slow regeneration + npc more mefiant and discrimination
Glowing ghoul =
No radiation damage + slow regeneration + npc shoot on sight need to convinced them you’re sane
Super mutant =
No radiation damage + Npc are scared and treat you like an idiot and discriminate
Synthétique =
The compount will hunt you down eventually
Human = no malus or bonus

Character background :
Ghoul / glowing ghoul : Old ghoul ; new ghoul ; vault
Human : Vault ; settler ; brotherhood ; institute
Super mutant: amnesiac
Synthétique : Railroad ; Mister handy (Miss nanny) Old, new, vault.
START
New arrivant decided to etablished themselves in an old farm close to the local town and become farmer.
First objectif :
- rebuilt home by scavenging in delapited town

scavenging town to find seed (First seed of the player)
Scavenging town to find gardening tool

Mechanics

Upgrade house by collecting enough scavenging material (metal, stone, tape, glue, etc…) and paid the town entrepreneur to do so.
Possibility to upgrade town by the same way : drinkable water ; defense ; radio tower ; museum ; school ; etc…
Defend home from wild attack (animal, raiders, super mutant, ect…) with gun and eventually autonomous turrets (later game) and engage mercenary to defed (late game). The more the player amass money, the more frequent the attack will be.
Scavenger will gossip about big event and some minor event that occurred in the settlement that you participated in.
Settlement gestion :

Happiness (Festival ? ; npc request ; …)
Sanitaire (Water access)
Defense (Millitia ; autonomous turrets ; dogs)

Thirst gestion.
Can recolt skin, meat (and bones?) of wild animal.
Can recolt material, used to very used weapond, (rarely) health item, (meat and corpse body parts?) on intelligent humanoïds ennemy
Carrying can either be by weight of the item or by the number of item player can carry.

Farming

Season : Spring (middle season) ; Summer (high season) ; Automn (middle season) ; Winter (low season)
Tool: Hoe ; Scynthe ; Watering can ; Pickaxe hamme
Base crop value vs transform product :
Spring : -- ++
Summer : --- +++
Automn : ++ --
Winter : +++ ---

Can sell crop and other to nearest settlement (help with settlement relationship at first) or to traveling marchant.
The river close to your home have fish in it. It take two day for fish to repopulate. If seasonal fish have all be take out, it will take two years
Can raise different mutated animal. Sell them to the town for meat (or kill them and sell them yourself ?) or keep them alive for animal product. (Animal have life span?)
Transform product : Wine ; beer ; jelly ; dried spice,meat, fish ; cheese ; mayo ; butter
Farm building :

Coop and barn
Forge to fix used weapon

- Wind mill

Food storage (?)
Money storage (no bank, credit card or debit card. Need to carry in your inventary the money life in fallout)

Crop seed that can be found in the town :

Potato
Melon
Wheat
Corn
Carrot
Gourd

Seed you can buy for traveling marchants :

Spice seed (basilic ; persil; etc..)
Fruit seed
Legume seed

( - Flower and house plant seed ? (Aloes??))

Fight

No power armor for the player :(
Can buy stimpack and radaway from settlement healer or from scavenger in the town (for a more expensive price). When reach high enough relationship with healer, he will give you the recipe for both. The only way to regain life and get rid of radiation (sleep and food don’t heal). (Sickness (malus) if health too low for too long?)
Gain radiation by drinking
The main fight zone of the game is the town. In the edge : house, a small commerce (tiny to small dungeon) ; Closer to the center: Office, appartement (small to medium dungeon) ; Center : Commercial center, sky scrapper, (subway?) (normal to big dungeon.
Some raiders and some synth will drop their weapons and beg for their life if the health is low enough. Spare enough of them and you will receive letter from either : the minuteman ; the brotherhood or the railroad to thank you for sending more recruit their way. Two or three will regularly visit town.

Relationship

Can get a dog as a perm. Companion (can choose race?) (Can breed you dog and gitf puppy to the settlement?)
Npc relationship possible bonus :
- Discount (from marchant)
- Recipe
- Special cut scene
- (Sometime) help on the farm

(Sometime) help to defend the farm

Some npc love receving gift other will be inconfortable with it. But after (wedding?) no adverse reaction to receive gift.

2 gift a week
1 gift a month (After the first gift wil react more and more incomfortable, will start to lower relationship)

MAX : 2 gift a week
Might meet some settler in the edge of the town, scavenging like you.
Cause of relationship decay :

Unlike gift
(for some) offer to many gift
1 month with no interraction
Answer choice
Attacking townie (unkillable)
Question choice

There’s a vault “near” the settlement. Gain their trust by doing quest (# depend on race of the player). Once they trust you and when you become mayor, they will become full allied and allow circulation between their vault and the settlement.
Romanceable npc
- # Ghoul

Robot (Synth and miste handy (miss nanny)
Super mutant
Settler

- 1 Traveling npc
Special romance
- Mysterious stranger (need 10 Luck and insert condition)
Will randomly pop out of your house and pop back in. Will tell you about a lone wanderer, courrier or vault survivor he helped. Will come to your help in combat with baby in hand (if kid in the game)

intelligent deathclaw (insert conditions)

Rival ? Date ?
If there’s kid in the game
Player will be able to have two kids. (Hatchling deathclaw will count as one if in a relationship with Deathclaw).
If player or spouse can’t have a kid (Super mutant ; ghoul ; Synth); player will get a quest about a raider camp in town. Discover all prisoner are dead except one human baby hidden by the body of his dead mother.
Quest reward : Congradulation you are a parent :D
If player can have kid; if spouse is a women, player will have to catter to their wife food craving (nothing with rare item) or face a penality in the relationship. If player is a women ; Malus in health, energy, slower deplacement and carrying capacity decrease the more and more the pregnancy advance. New choice of answer : pissed as fuck and hormonal. Spouse will insist to become a companion until end of pregnancy
Kid will go to school (town upgrade) for three day, help on the farm for three other and have a free day.

Stats

Strenght : carrying capacity (?) ; combat ; energy ; health ; defense
Perception : detect ennemy ; scavenging ; npc interraction
Endurence : health ; energy ; resistance
Charisma : batter ; persuasion ; Npc weariness ; # limit of resident npc in settlement
Intelligence : crafting farm upgrade (fertilizer ; spinkler) ; used weapon fixing
Agility : sneak ; weapon ; defense
Luck : loot quality ; gambling (?) ; crit chance (max starting points : 5)

Skill

Tree skill style possibility : Path of exile ; Outer world
Farming: Tilling - Watering
Fight: Heavy weapons- Light weapons- Melee
Defence : Dodge - Block
Stealth: Sneak- Lockpick - Hack
Endurance : Poison resistance - Radiation resistance - Thirst resistance
Persuasion: Batter - Intimidation - Persuation (?)
Scavenging : Deconstruct - Descerning eyes
Thinkering : Crafting - Engineering - Medecine
(Upgrade skill to upgrade stat? Once you upgrade a skill enough, it allow you to upgrade the stat?)

Quest :
Attempt murder on the player by the mayor once town upgrade and settler relationship high enough. Scare that they would lose their place to you to engage mercenary or try to poison you to keep their place. Force the mercenary to tell you who paid them or find a note on one of them or talk to the mayor after the attack (will be surprise to see you alive). You can :
- Bring him to justice and let the settler decide of his fate. (Will be possible to talk to him in prison)
- Execute him (will have to prove to the settler that this was auto-defense. Lose some relationship with settler)

Let him life (will leave town. Grateful to be alive but bitter to have lose his title)

Result : Become mayor next election!
Raides have created a camp close to the settlement. Remove them. Player will find two npc in cage. You can :

Let them there

-Help them out
-Kill them inside the cage
Result :

They die
Will eventually die of thirsth
Will come to the town and become settlers

You’ve find a mister handy (or miss nanny) in the town. Why not fix them?
Result : They will propose you to help you on the farm. Accept and they’ll start working the day after. Refuse and they’ll becom settler. (Possibility to make them synth when relationship high enough?)

Find a sorry scene : deadraiders; a dead deathclaw; a nest with two crushed egg a one intact egg. You can :

Sell the egg
Eat the egg

-Hatch the egg
Result :

Money
Bost in one stat? Level upgrade?
Get a baby deathclaw. Will be able to switch with you dog as perm companion. (If romanced the deathclaw, you spouse will leave with the hachtling for a season. When back the hatchling statut will change from animal to children and gain dialogue)

The river close to your house is drying. Discover the reason. The river goes into a cavern and to a lake.
Result : new fish
There’s a thirsthy and hungry homeless man at the edge of the settlement. You can :
-Give him food and water for a week
-Let him there
-kill him
Result :
-They get back on their feet and eventually open an inn in town. Will sometime offer you free drink an talk to you about stranger he hepled by following your exemple.
-They will slowly die an talk with more and more difficulty. (Which led to kill him)
-Burry him and make a small tomb or let him root there. Will get eaten by wild animal.

Guiding an injured npc to the town
Result :??

The settlement don’t have enough food for the winter and ask for your help. You can :

Refuse
Accept

Result :

-- relationship with settler and some settler will die
++ reward if accept

Help to defend the settlement (before settlement defense upgrande)
Result :??

The scientist of the vault ## think they can help you rediscover old world crop see.
Result : new seeds :D

End game quest :
The vault now trust you enough to tell you about the G.E.C.K.S. The received one that ended up defective and never received the second. They want you to go to the vault building in the center of the town and see if you can find any information about it. Vault tower will be the most difficult dungeon in the game. Beat it to find that the G.E.C.K.S was sent to a second vault that was either unfinished or an experimentation. Go the the vault ## to discover that the G.E.C.K.S had taken some damage from bad condition and bad storage. Get all the item to fix it and either fix it yourself (no money cost) or ask to a vault scientist to fix it (+++ money cost)
Result : The map surrounding your house, the vault and the town will become more and more green with beautiful tree (Process will take ### day or month or years)

submitted by Zephxan to gameideas [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 15:31 SpecialistDevice5770 Did Taylor have a secret relationship with Julien Baker?

Look, this is high level clowning. I don't typically speculate about muses and I've mostly been a casual listener of Taylor. Actually, to be completely frank I've also dismissed a lot of gaylor theories as intentional queerbating on Taylor's part, even if my gay little heart would love it if she was one of us. However, this 89th show truly awakened something in me with how unashamedly lesbian it was.
So, seeing her do both Peter and Guilty as sin in Stockholm, I started thinking about Matty Healy and TTPD and what could have actually gone on in her life for her to write these lyrics - and I truly believe one of the muses for TTPD was Julien Baker. I understand this feels like it comes out of left field, but hear me out: Matty is a wild choice for a beard, for a lot of reasons, but it makes sense of she chooses her beards intentionally to conceal as much of what is actually going on in her life as possible. Julien and Matty were running in the same circles, so it gave Taylor a lot of plausible deniability. It also explains Matty signing up for it, doing a favor for several people he consider friends (at least Taylor, Phoebe, Jack). It would explain things like the "this is for you, i love you, you know who you are" - Julien was at that same show, and Matty saying it a few days earlier would make sense if Taylor needed cover up since she was planning to make a public move. Why she wanted to do that becomes clear a little further down this text. I also don't think she meant "this is about you", because as been theorized on this sub, cardigan is likely about Karlie Kloss. I think she literally meant "this is for you" as in, this is a song you like. Either way, let me wind back just a little bit and explain my reasoning.
Why not Phoebe Bridgers? Okay, so I know there are some people on this subreddit that think that Phoebe and Taylor had a thing, however, a lot of the lyrics in TTPD wouldn't make sense with Phoebe (tattooed golden retriever? substance abuse issues?), and the timeline would be wonky - when the relationship is supposed to have happened Phoebe was seen with Bo Burnham, and tbh, to me their interactions have seen like they ended up on film unintentionally and also they seemed quite real. Phoebe's and Taylor's relationship has been way longer than the slow start-intense middle and end described in TTPD would suggest. Also, I think the sexuality/identity crisis in TTPD would suggest Taylor had some "new" influence in her life - if the Gaylor theories are correct she has been dating people who are either closeted or bisexual for years - but someone who is openly gay and has even slyly criticized Taylor for queerbaiting in the past (see this billboard article: https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.billboard.com/music/rock/julien-baker-summer-of-pride-playlist-interview-8518598/amp/) - that is a whole different ballgame, and would probably function as inspiration for TTPD.
Would Julien Baker make sense?
Yes - first of all, look at Julien next to Matty - who here looks more like a tattooed golden retriever?
https://preview.redd.it/ek0mzey4rd1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e3d8c9716fa7f9f2d8ec350ee5f9c37268f5f589
https://preview.redd.it/bxfrzvo0wd1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8aab59531a72cc7984df92e5cb1dc63d51d0d870
But also, Julien lives in Nashville. She has been friends with Phoebe Bridgers for years, so Taylor and Julien would have naturally met at parties or functions, and thinking that a closeted Taylor might need a queer friend to confide in - to me it seems only natural that she would gravitate to and take an interest in Julien. Notably, if you look at their respective instagrams, it also seemed like Julien broke up with her partner around the end of 2022, so perhaps not that strange if she needed more support, especially considering she has been vocal about mental health issues and her substance use. Both Lucy and Phoebe lives in Philly, so where could Julien go for support? Taylor's?
Look, I know a lot of this is conjecture, but I personally think the most damning piece of evidence is seeing boygenius interact with Taylor at the Grammys - first of all look how happy Lucy and Phoebe seem to see her, like they don't seem to be the source of it being awkward as it later REALLY is. Also, look at the difference in the way she is embracing Julien:
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGeXkVr4p/
And then look at this video - for some reason the sound is cut out while she is talking to Julien, but the most important part to me is how the boygeniuses seem to stand in between Taylor and Julien, and how everyone - Jack, Lucy, Phoebe - seem to comfort Julien throughout the interaction, especially the way Phoebe comforts her as soon as Taylor has approached her:
https://ohnotheydidnt.livejournal.com/127739095.html
Taylor is acting a little weird and erratic, and people say it is because she wants to make things about herself - honestly never a good explanation for human behavior. However, something that could explain it is if you just announced an album that your ex knows is partially about them, and you haven't seen them since your whirlwind romance, and they seem visibly upset. That would make anyone a little nervous. Julien is actually sad in those videos, those are not tears of joy. What other explanation could there be for that?
(Also, I can see people being like, 'it's because they won a grammy - does this Julien, just a few moments earlier, seem sad to you? https://youtu.be/mI-MMMhLsow?si=X5XEX3CLMqsHyogJ The explanation that I have seen when looking around is that they had a discussion about the chairman of the Grammy's being a d*ck just before this happened, and while I think that is true, that seems a little far-fetched to me in terms of why she is looking so sad)
Song references - Fortnight
So let's talk some lyrics! This one I find interesting. Phoebe Bridgers toured with Taylor for about a month, and we know that Julien was there for at least the two first nights. (I just have to post this video of Julien and Matty at the eras tour... one of them seem like they are in a very new relationship, for sure: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGeXBkeD8/)
We also know that Julien lives in Nashville and easily could have been present for that time, and that she could have been around in Philly as that is where Lucy and Phoebe lives, so she would have had a place to stay. That is about a fortnight. Boygenius had a break in their own tour for this period of time, as Phoebe was touring with Taylor, so there would have been time for them to hang out together.
We also know that "the rest" by boygenius was recorded in May of 2023, i.e. while Phoebe was touring with Taylor, so Julien and Lucy would have needed to be around for some of it.
https://preview.redd.it/u0upzqcprd1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=beadbde3b7bf0f882ee487eec3f0b680e837b76b
"Run into you sometimes, ask about the weatheNow you're in my backyard, turned into good neighbors/Your wife waters flowers, I wanna kill her" So Matty and Taylor are not even close to being neighbours, but Julien and Taylor live in the same town. Also, the wife line makes Taylor sound as if she is jealous, despite having been very clear in Lavender Haze that she doesn't want to be seen as just a wife - maybe it is less about the marriage, and more about being in an openly gay relationship?
"My husband is cheating, I wanna kill him" - Very clearly a parallel back to the wife line, and could be about being in a relationship with a male beard who clearly isn't interested in you, hence the 'cheating'.
"I love you, it is ruining my life" - What if this isn't about pining for someone, what if it is about watching your closeted self crumble, wishing that you could be open so that you could be together? Julien has been vocal about why she feels it is important to be openly queer, if they were dating, that was definitely going to be a major issue.
The experiment/asylum vibes would also make more sense if it is a reference to internalized (and external) homophobia - drawing references to how homosexuality has been medicalised and deemed a mental illness throughout history.
What about "the rest"?
Okay, since I mentioned it, here are the two songs Julien wrote for "the rest".
https://preview.redd.it/6iwgrnxgsd1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a6bd721affd60379b598ea665acd48b2f58d670f
https://preview.redd.it/6igdmkxgsd1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=5d809ac31a7f4a0d364e625991a127894786fc61
Notable appearances: Alien abduction (like down bad?), failed experiment (like fortnight?), trailing behind a comet (like dating a global superstar?)
https://preview.redd.it/q8nayemlsd1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=872c6bc99a67f0771b16bf561daa2dbbab9ea432
https://preview.redd.it/cnjhg0y5xd1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=45b50de34a6f7439a780e926dc54ff0139146f3c
https://preview.redd.it/b2edj0y5xd1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=8e830b3782cd22b83f650fbba0e93df1234a1b28
Notable appearances: Stars and rain appareance (we'll get back to this), "it's out of your hands but have a safe flight" (being with someone who can't really be in control of their own life, who is constantly busy?), "all noise, fake smile, decoys" (beards? being miserable when nobody knows?) Important to note also that this was written towards the end of the recording of the EP, so if they dated, likely towards the end of the relationship, and it seems like it spells put some things that could have been frustrations.
Song references - Tortured Poets Department
Okay, so we have adressed the tattooed golden retriever-line, but let's talk about the typewriter line. Yes, Matty Healy has claimed to enjoy writing on vintage typewriters, but he has also been very clear he doesn't travel with them. Would he have really brought the typewriter to the US only to leave it at Taylor's apartment? It makes no sense, so I would think this is a red herring, specifically put in there because it takes the heat off of Taylor in a song where she makes some pretty clear references to someone else. Julien is however nearby enough that the line could have originally been about leaving something else, and that wouldn't really be odd. (For example, we know that Julien writes by hand a lot - try substuting "notepad" for typewriter in the first line, and the second typewriter for "handwriting", and especially the first line runs a lot smoother)
There have been clips of Matty saying he doesn't like poetry, however he has written poetry in the past. He does however seem to separate poetry a lot from his actual songwriting, while Julien seems to consider the two intertwined: (https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&source=web&rct=j&opi=89978449&url=https://m.youtube.com/watch%3Fv%3D7hbr1mqHj88&ved=2ahUKEwiBpquPy5mGAxUhCBAIHUCJAQ0QtwJ6BAhOEAE&usg=AOvVaw1wYqjHeiHq8rmlcnGgwbEk)
The Chelsea hotel reference is one that many seem to link to Phoebe's song Chelsea, but there is a boygenius song that references Leonard Cohen and "not writing horny poetry" that someone in the trio wrote. We know it wasn't Phoebe, as the song is about her and a drive they took. If Julien wrote the song, which seems likely, that would explain the reference to Cohen.
Julien smokes, just like Matty. Unlike Matty, Julien has smaller hands than Taylor, so she could fit her middle finger ring onto her ring finger (it is also an inherently lesbian move, not the move of Matty Healy, known comittment phobe).
https://preview.redd.it/8zawhjassd1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=32aab28dbcdc58db60aa04081b7b2031b8182963
The Jack and Lucy line shows why Matty was such a welcome beard. He gives plausible deniability here, even though Lucy has been openly antsgonistic towards Matty and does not seem to like him. She does, however, like Julien. Julien has also been suicidal before, and written songs about it herself “who put me in / your way to find? / what right had you / not to let me die" and had her friends write songs about it as well (see Lucy Dacus Please Stay). It also makes sense that Julien was more brittle at the time, if she had broken up from Mariah a few months earlier. Matty, on the other hand, has been quoted really wanting to live, and considering how nonchalant/aloof he has been about the potential relationship with Taylor, he doesn't seem distressed enough to be the person in the song: https://www.goodreads.com/quotes/3188904-i-think-about-dying-but-i-dont-want-to-die
Julien Baker, however, as you saw from the Grammys but also from crying during their tour in 2023 (for example - this is from august 2023, crying during cool about it which is arguably such a gay song, about a relationship where you pretend everything is fine but it isn't: https://vm.tiktok.com/ZGeXBshbt/) could be that person.
Song references - Down Bad
https://preview.redd.it/ps2twknbvd1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=d698f54240456d5d5bae5b9406e88a3727dce996
I don't think I need to talk about how this song is gay (and how interesting the alien/experiement references are when put in relation to Julien's song ) so I just want to say - we know from this song that Taylor was left, she didn't leave the person she is writing about. For Matty, she would have been the one leaving because of all the noise - but as we know, he is a beard. Julien has specifically talked about how she leaves people before they leave her, and disappear so that she won't be a burden for them.
I also think the lyrics to this song gives some more clues as to why someone would leave - "I'll build you a fort on some planet/where they can all understand it/how dare you think it is romantic/leaving me safe and stranded". This is alluding to someone leaving Taylor for her own good, specifically because "they don't all understand it". If you were dating someone so deep in the closet, that is genuinely fearful that their whole life might be ruined it the world finds out about you?? I've been there, and boy do I relate to I relate to the absolute heartbreak of having to leave someone because you can't stand being a secret that might eff up their life. Very gay.
Song references -But daddy I love him
The christian references? "If all you want is grey from me, then it is just white noise and it is my choice"? Nothing more to add here, except that Julien has specifically strugfled with christianity and homosexuality, and has written and talked about her experiences with that a lot (https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.cbc.ca/amp/1.5062456)
Song references - Fresh out the slammer
Also very gay, and about breaking free from a jail cell that she has referenced many times before. Just want to add a few things here - Matty Healy has a house in Hackney. He doesn't have a porch. You know who does? Julien Baker (momo_slider is Julien's ex-partner)
https://preview.redd.it/dy9l8qvbtd1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=56066e0340fbbf956f393157110383199f7c0fa4
Song references - The black dog
Notably, Taylor doesn't call The Black Dog a pub, she says a bar. This is important, why? Bc I think it is a bar is Massachusetts, called the Black dog tavern. Boygenius played in Boston on the 18th of June and then drove to Pennsylvania for their next concert. The black dog tavern is in that direction, and it is in a quite remote location near an inn where the band could have stayed with much greater privacy than in central Boston before driving to Pennsylvania. I think The Starting Line is a red herring, it is interesting that Matty referenced them in May 2023 for the first time, especially considering that his taste in music is acoustic/synthpop/etc, whilst Julien is specifically into punk and metal.
https://preview.redd.it/2bwem1pjtd1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a9117f53a7d5cd389574a2dd42e85fc7db34a768
https://preview.redd.it/bmk962pjtd1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=3737193da97a3e1d7ffcdde5b4725a2f478c2f1c
(the last screenshot is from an article of Julien talking about her favorite bands)
Also interesting is the rain mention here (see, I said I'd get back to it) and the rainstorm mentioned in Julien's song from the rest. The much younger girl could also be a reference to the actual age difference between Julien and Taylor.
Empty voices Julien hasn't put out any music after 'the rest' apart from the new Orphan Black series theme song and a song called Empty Voices that she co-wrote. Apparently she offered to write on it after hearing it was about voice of the public and voices over social media. Here is the text.
https://preview.redd.it/0l41r2vbud1d1.jpg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=e37e4acd2d9c6479198d668f00f0e430fdb2e553
"this block, this autonomy dread" - to me this reads as someone in a relationship with a person that prioritizes the opinion of others above the relationship. "maybe don't just go pulling this apart/before you brace yourself for a fall" could be referencing a fall from grace, the result of doing exactly what happens in TTPD, sort of an autopsy of the relationship, and someone finding out. It is especially interesting because Julien's last relationship before this (that we know of) was with a person who was very openly gay.
In conclusion I could keep going, but I think I have said enough. To me, this album has such overtly queer undertones, the way she talks about being caged and breaking free into a new form of chaos, the pleading temporary insanity - it reads as someone conflicted about themselves and their identity. People have been baffled that she has placed such a huge impact on such a short relationship, but if the very breaking point of the relationship was her choice to prioritize her career over her true self, that would explain not only the need to write about it but also many of the lyrics that otherwise seem puzzling or inconsequential. It explains, next to midnight where she is clearly bored of and criticzing the life she has created, why she has lived her entire life like this and is now questioning her choices - the people she have been connected to before have mostly been people that have seemed to make the same choices as her. This would have been one of the first times that was really truly questioned, where her counterpart was someone who had chosen a very different life. It explains the TTPD part of the eras tour - but daddy I love him for explaining the cultural context she is in, so high school to make fun of and portray this image she has created of herself (v much a call back to the 'are you ready to go back to high school with me' part during fearless), who's afraid of little old me as a way to call out her audience and the comphet that keeps her caged, down bad to explain her regrets and frustration with herself, fortnight setting the scene for what their relationship was to her and to her realizations, the smallest man who ever lived calling out scott borchetta for what he did to her life and for the master's heist, and then reaffirming her choice as the one she 'has to' make in ICDWABH. It is a tragedy, a story of hunkering down and going forward even though everything in you tells you stop stop, to just be honest, to make place for the love of your life. Nothing makes more sense to me, honestly.
If we assume that Taylor truly wants her relationships hidden, she doesn't want to involve the public, it isn't strange that we don't have more pictures of them interacting or of their relationship. The clues, to me, would be enough.
So - I fully fell down a rabbit hole yesterday. This might all just be clowning, let me know if I too need to plead some temporary insanity - I might have been hit so hard by that 1989 mashup yesterday that my head isn't on straight (was it ever?).
EDIT: Another thing of note - Julien has been discussing Florida as kind of the normative dream world/escape in the past, check out Satanist by boygenius (that she wrote).
EDIT 2: So I was right about that starting line thing... Apparently she covered -specifically- the best of me in 2014 (https://www.reddit.com/JulienBakecomments/1cdjyne/julien\_baker\_lostrare\_media\_iceberg/)

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2024.05.19 15:14 pohltergiest 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 14:48 aimzpotato Astray Survival US PC Namalsk

Astray DayZ Survival Cherno and Namalsk! Welcome to Astray were the objective is survive the wasteland with what resouces are left! We have Revamped and rebuilt our server with the best aspects of DayZ survival and Items from other games such as Tarkov aswell. We offer 1 safezone that is accsesable via extracion teleports and or a heli. Black market trader to sell higher tier items and also a flea market and or P2P trader. We also offer a wide quest line to help progress to gain the best loot and reach an endgame status of gear. Also have key card system that help progress through out your adventure. And a key room that teleports you to a hidden location to get the best loot and an PvP experience! We are a survival and PvP server so if your looking for the best of both worlds here ya go! There are Hidden stashes around all the militarys and some towns for those that are sneaky ! Other events such as airdrops and KOTH and heli crashes to gain high tier loot. Secure containers to keep some valuables if you were to meet your fate! Unique guns and armor tier system that has different ammo varients to gain an advantage over the enemy!
https://discord.gg/mNqUxdzpyC
Come give us a try and you will be hooked!

submitted by aimzpotato to DayZServers [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 14:26 Sweet-Count2557 Best Things to Do in Montauk Ny

Best Things to Do in Montauk Ny Welcome to Montauk, where adventure and relaxation await.As avid explorers, we've compiled the best things to do in this charming seaside town.From historic landmarks like Montauk Point Lighthouse, to picturesque beaches such as Ditch Plains and Hither Hills State Park, there's something for every traveler's taste.Indulge in luxury at Gurneys Star Island Resort & Seawater Spa, or immerse yourself in local culture at Deep Hollow Ranch.Quench your thirst at Montauk Brewing Company and feast on fresh seafood at Gosman's Dock.Montauk truly offers the freedom to create your perfect getaway.Key TakeawaysMontauk offers a variety of outdoor activities and attractions, including the Montauk Point Lighthouse, Montauk Point State Park, Camp Hero State Park, and Ditch Plains Beach.Visitors can enjoy beautiful ocean views, engage in water sports, go hiking or fishing, and explore historical sites in Montauk.The area also offers luxurious resorts and spas, such as Gurneys Star Island Resort & Seawater Spa, as well as unique experiences like horseback riding tours at Deep Hollow Ranch.Montauk is known for its local craft brewery, Montauk Brewing Company, as well as fresh seafood restaurants and shops at Gosman's Dock. Visitors can also explore local farmers markets for fresh produce and artisanal products.Montauk Point LighthouseWe absolutely love the rich history and breathtaking views offered by the Montauk Point Lighthouse. As one of the oldest lighthouses in the United States, it stands proudly on the easternmost tip of Long Island, New York. Constructed in 1797, this National Historic Landmark is a must-visit attraction for anyone exploring Montauk.When you arrive at the Montauk Point Lighthouse, you'll be greeted by its iconic white tower and picturesque surroundings. Step inside and embark on a guided tour to learn about the fascinating history of this maritime beacon. Explore the museum, which showcases artifacts and exhibits that highlight the lighthouse's significance. Don't forget to visit the gift shop to pick up some souvenirs to commemorate your visit.After immersing yourself in the history of the lighthouse, take a moment to soak in the captivating oceanfront views. The panoramic vistas of the Atlantic Ocean are simply breathtaking. Feel the cool sea breeze on your face as you gaze out towards the horizon.As you leave the Montauk Point Lighthouse, you'll be eager to continue your exploration of this beautiful area. Luckily, just a short distance away, you'll find Montauk Point State Park. This expansive park encompasses 862 acres and offers a wide range of activities and amenities for visitors to enjoy. So, let's head over to Montauk Point State Park and discover even more things to do in Montauk!Montauk Point State ParkLet's explore the expansive Montauk Point State Park, which encompasses 862 acres and offers a wide range of activities and amenities for visitors to enjoy. Here are five reasons why you should make a stop at this popular attraction:Picnic tables and playgrounds: Take advantage of the park's amenities and enjoy a relaxing picnic with your loved ones. The park offers plenty of picnic tables and playgrounds for children to enjoy, making it a perfect spot for a family outing.Fishing and stand-up paddleboarding: If you're a fan of water activities, Montauk Point State Park has got you covered. Grab your fishing rod and cast your line in the park's fishing areas, or try your hand at stand-up paddleboarding and explore the beautiful coastline.Stunning scenery and ocean views: Prepare to be captivated by the breathtaking views Montauk Point State Park has to offer. As you explore the park, you'll be treated to stunning scenery and picturesque ocean views that will leave you in awe.Hiking trails: Lace up your hiking boots and hit the trails at Montauk Point State Park. With a variety of trails to choose from, you can immerse yourself in nature and discover the park's diverse wildlife and plant species.Wildlife watching: Montauk Point State Park is a haven for wildlife enthusiasts. Keep your eyes peeled for a variety of bird species, including ospreys and peregrine falcons, or spot seals lounging on the rocks along the shoreline.Montauk Point State Park is a true gem on the eastern tip of Long Island, offering a little something for everyone. Whether you're seeking adventure, relaxation, or simply a connection with nature, this park has it all. So pack your bags and get ready to explore the beauty and freedom that Montauk Point State Park has to offer.Camp Hero State ParkCamp Hero State Park, located on a sprawling 754 acres, offers a captivating blend of historical significance, outdoor activities, and scenic beauty.As one of the premier destinations for fishing, the park boasts hiking trails, a beautiful beach, and opportunities for shopping and dining.From exploring the park's rich history to immersing oneself in the stunning natural surroundings, Camp Hero State Park has something to offer every visitor.Historical Significance and PreservationCamp Hero State Park, spanning roughly 754 acres, offers a fascinating glimpse into the historical significance and preservation of the area. Here are some highlights:Historic Military Base: Camp Hero was once an active military base during World War II and the Cold War, and remnants of its history can still be seen today.Bunkers and Coastal Defense: Explore the park's iconic bunkers and coastal defense structures, which played a crucial role in protecting the coast during wartime.Historical Interpretive Signs: Learn about the park's history through informative interpretive signs placed throughout the area, providing insights into its military past.Nature Trails: Take a stroll along the park's nature trails, where you can enjoy the serene beauty of the surrounding landscape while learning about the area's natural history.Scenic Beach: Relax on the park's beautiful beach, which offers stunning views of the ocean and a peaceful atmosphere.With its rich history and natural beauty, Camp Hero State Park offers a unique experience that combines historical exploration with outdoor recreation.Now, let's move on to the section about outdoor activities and recreation.Outdoor Activities and RecreationWe can explore a variety of outdoor activities and recreation options at Camp Hero State Park, such as hiking, beachcombing, and birdwatching. This sprawling 754-acre park offers something for everyone, with its beautiful beach, scenic trails, and abundant wildlife. Whether you're a nature enthusiast or simply looking to enjoy the great outdoors, Camp Hero State Park has it all. Take a leisurely hike along the well-maintained trails and immerse yourself in the stunning natural beauty of the park. Beachcombing is also a popular activity, allowing you to discover shells, stones, and other treasures along the pristine shoreline. And for those who enjoy birdwatching, the park is home to a wide variety of bird species, providing an excellent opportunity to observe and appreciate these feathered creatures in their natural habitat.Outdoor ActivitiesRecreation OptionsHikingBeachcombingBirdwatchingScenic Beauty and ViewsOur favorite part of Camp Hero State Park is its breathtaking scenic beauty and views, making it a must-visit destination. Here are five reasons why you should experience the stunning vistas at Camp Hero State Park:Cliffs overlooking the Atlantic Ocean: Stand atop the rugged cliffs and gaze upon the endless expanse of the majestic ocean.Rolling hills and lush greenery: Take a leisurely stroll through the park's picturesque landscapes, surrounded by vibrant vegetation and rolling hills.Pristine sandy beach: Enjoy a relaxing day at the beach, where the soft sand meets the cool ocean waters.Panoramic views from the bluffs: Hike up to the bluffs and be rewarded with panoramic views of the surrounding coastline.Spectacular sunsets: Witness the beauty of the setting sun as it paints the sky with vibrant hues, creating a truly magical experience.Camp Hero State Park truly offers an escape into nature's beauty, where you can immerse yourself in the breathtaking scenery and enjoy the freedom of the great outdoors.Ditch Plains BeachDitch Plains Beach offers miles of sandy shoreline and is renowned as a top-rated surfing destination. As we step onto the beach, the salty ocean breeze instantly fills our lungs, creating a sense of freedom and adventure. The crashing waves beckon us to dive in and experience the thrill of the ocean.With its wide expanse of sand, Ditch Plains Beach is perfect for sunbathing and picnicking. We can spread out our beach towels and soak up the sun's warm rays, feeling the sand between our toes. Lifeguards patrol the beach, ensuring our safety as we enjoy the refreshing waters.For those seeking a more active day at the beach, Ditch Plains offers excellent swimming and fishing opportunities. The clear blue waters are inviting, inviting us to take a dip and cool off from the summer heat. As we swim, we can't help but marvel at the beauty of the surrounding coastline and the vastness of the Atlantic Ocean.However, it's surfing that truly sets Ditch Plains Beach apart. With its consistent waves and strong swells, this beach attracts surfers from all over the world. Whether we're beginners looking to catch our first wave or experienced surfers seeking an adrenaline rush, Ditch Plains Beach provides the perfect playground. The crashing waves provide an exhilarating challenge, allowing us to ride the ocean's power and feel the freedom that comes from conquering nature.Ditch Plains Beach isn't only a paradise for surfers, but it also offers a sense of freedom and escape for anyone who visits. The expansive shoreline, the endless horizon, and the crashing waves all combine to create an atmosphere of boundless possibilities. It's a place where we can let go of our worries, embrace the present moment, and experience the pure joy of being alive.Hither Hills State ParkLocated on the beautiful Montauk peninsula, Hither Hills State Park offers a stunning beach facing the North Atlantic Ocean and a variety of outdoor activities such as hiking, skiing, and paddleboarding. Here are five reasons why you should visit Hither Hills State Park:Campgrounds and Nature Trails: Immerse yourself in the beauty of nature by camping at Hither Hills State Park. With spacious campgrounds surrounded by lush greenery, you can enjoy a peaceful night under the stars. The park also features well-maintained nature trails that allow you to explore the diverse flora and fauna of the area.Pristine Beach: The beach at Hither Hills State Park is a true gem. With its golden sands and crystal-clear waters, it's the perfect spot to relax and soak up the sun. Whether you want to take a refreshing swim or simply lounge on the beach, this idyllic setting won't disappoint.Hiking Trails: Lace up your hiking boots and hit the trails at Hither Hills State Park. The park offers a variety of hiking trails, ranging from easy strolls to more challenging treks. As you traverse the trails, you'll be rewarded with breathtaking views of the ocean and surrounding landscapes.Skiing: During the winter months, Hither Hills State Park transforms into a winter wonderland. With its gently sloping hills and well-groomed trails, it's the perfect place to enjoy cross-country skiing. Glide through the snowy landscape and marvel at the beauty of the park in winter.Paddleboarding: For those seeking a more adventurous experience, paddleboarding is a must-try activity at Hither Hills State Park. Explore the calm waters of the North Atlantic Ocean and enjoy the tranquility of the surroundings. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced paddler, this activity is sure to provide a memorable and invigorating experience.With its stunning beach, diverse outdoor activities, and serene atmosphere, Hither Hills State Park is a true paradise for nature lovers and adventure seekers alike. So pack your bags, embrace the freedom of the Montauk peninsula, and embark on an unforgettable journey at Hither Hills State Park.Lake MontaukWhen it comes to Lake Montauk, there's no shortage of boating and fishing options. The lake's sandy beaches and bustling marinas make it the perfect destination for water sports recreation.Whether you're looking to go fishing, boating, or jet-skiing, Lake Montauk has it all. Additionally, the waterfront attractions like restaurants and shops provide the perfect setting for a scenic cruise or a leisurely stroll along the lake.Boating and Fishing OptionsOne of the best boating and fishing options in Montauk is Lake Montauk, where we can enjoy sandy beaches, bustling marinas, and the opportunity to go fishing, boating, and jet-skiing.Here are some highlights of what Lake Montauk has to offer:Sandy beaches perfect for sunbathing and picnicking.Bustling marinas with a wide range of boats and watercraft.Excellent fishing opportunities, with a variety of fish species to catch.Exciting boating experiences, from leisurely cruises to thrilling water sports.Jet-skiing adventures for those seeking a more adrenaline-fueled experience.In addition to these activities, Lake Montauk is also home to waterfront attractions such as restaurants and shops, where you can enjoy delicious meals and browse for unique souvenirs.Waterfront Attractions and ShopsOur favorite part of Lake Montauk is its waterfront attractions and shops, where we can indulge in delicious meals and browse for unique souvenirs.The sandy beaches and bustling marinas offer a picturesque backdrop for a day of water sports recreation. Whether it's fishing, boating, or jet-skiing, there's something for everyone.The waterfront restaurants serve up mouthwatering dishes made with fresh seafood caught right from the lake. After a satisfying meal, we love exploring the various shops and boutiques, where we can find one-of-a-kind treasures to bring back home.And for those looking to relax and take in the scenic views, there are scenic cruises available to enjoy the beauty of Lake Montauk from a different perspective.With its vibrant waterfront atmosphere, Lake Montauk is a must-visit destination for those seeking freedom and adventure.Scenic Cruises and RestaurantsWe love taking scenic cruises and dining at the restaurants along Lake Montauk, as they offer a delightful combination of breathtaking views and delicious food.Here are some highlights of what you can expect:Sandy beaches: The lake boasts beautiful sandy beaches where you can soak up the sun and enjoy the cool breeze.Bustling marinas: The marinas along Lake Montauk are filled with boats and yachts, creating a lively and picturesque atmosphere.Fishing: Whether you're a seasoned angler or a beginner, the lake offers excellent fishing opportunities for various species.Boating and jet-skiing: Explore the lake's crystal-clear waters by renting a boat or a jet ski and enjoy a thrilling adventure.Waterfront restaurants: Indulge in mouthwatering seafood and other delectable dishes while overlooking the serene beauty of Lake Montauk.Gurneys Star Island Resort & Seawater SpaLocated on a private island, Gurney's Star Island Resort & Seawater Spa offers us stunning ocean views and a wide range of luxurious amenities. This luxurious resort and spa is the perfect destination for those seeking relaxation and rejuvenation in Montauk, NY.As we arrive at Gurney's Star Island Resort & Seawater Spa, we're greeted by the breathtaking beauty of the ocean surrounding the island. The resort boasts a private beach where we can lounge under the sun and take a refreshing dip in the crystal-clear waters. For those looking to unwind even further, the resort offers a tranquil pool area where we can lounge on comfortable sunbeds and enjoy poolside service.When it comes to dining, Gurney's Star Island Resort & Seawater Spa doesn't disappoint. The resort features several on-site restaurants and bars, offering a variety of culinary delights and refreshing beverages. From fresh seafood to gourmet cuisine, there's something to satisfy every palate.For those seeking ultimate relaxation and pampering, the resort's spa is a must-visit. With a wide range of spa services and wellness activities available, we can indulge in massages, facials, and body treatments that will leave us feeling refreshed and rejuvenated.Gurney's Star Island Resort & Seawater Spa truly offers us the freedom to escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life. Whether we choose to relax on the private beach, indulge in delicious cuisine, or pamper ourselves at the spa, this luxurious resort provides the perfect setting for a truly memorable getaway.Frequently Asked QuestionsWhat Is the History Behind the Montauk Point Lighthouse?The history behind Montauk Point Lighthouse is fascinating. Constructed in 1797, it's a National Historic Landmark and a must-visit attraction in Montauk, NY.The lighthouse offers guided tours and houses a captivating museum. You can explore the gift shop, which sells souvenirs.The highlight is the breathtaking oceanfront views that will leave you in awe. This historic landmark is a testament to the rich maritime history of the area.Are There Any Fees for Entering Montauk Point State Park?Yes, there are fees for entering Montauk Point State Park.The fees vary depending on the time of year and the type of vehicle.For pedestrians, the fee is $10 per person.For vehicles, the fee is $10 for cars and motorcycles, and $20 for buses and RVs.There is also a fee for fishing, which is $8 per person.These fees help support the maintenance and conservation of the park.Can Visitors Swim at Ditch Plains Beach?Yes, visitors can swim at Ditch Plains Beach. It's a top-rated surfing destination with miles of sandy shoreline.The beach provides amenities such as lifeguards and beach wheelchairs. It's perfect for sunbathing, picnicking, swimming, fishing, and of course, surfing.The captivating ocean views and the sound of crashing waves make it an ideal spot for water enthusiasts.What Are the Amenities Available at Hither Hills State Park's Campgrounds?At Hither Hills State Park's campgrounds, there are a variety of amenities available for visitors. These include well-maintained campgrounds, where you can pitch your tent or park your RV.You'll also find nature trails, perfect for hiking and exploring the park's beautiful surroundings.Additionally, the park offers easy access to a stunning beach facing the North Atlantic Ocean.Whether you're into camping, hiking, or simply enjoying the beach, Hither Hills State Park has something for everyone.How Can Visitors Access Lake Montauk's Waterfront Attractions?To access Lake Montauk's waterfront attractions, visitors can take advantage of the sandy beaches and bustling marinas. Whether you're into fishing, boating, or jet-skiing, there's something for everyone.Plus, you'll find waterfront attractions like restaurants and shops that offer delicious food and unique souvenirs.And if you're looking for a scenic experience, don't miss out on the opportunity to take a leisurely cruise on the lake. It's the perfect way to relax and enjoy the beauty of Montauk.ConclusionAs we bid farewell to the beautiful town of Montauk, we can't help but reflect on the adage, 'Time flies when you're having fun.'Our journey through historic landmarks, picturesque beaches, and luxurious amenities has been an absolute delight.From the captivating views at the Montauk Point Lighthouse to the adrenaline rush of surfing at Ditch Plains Beach, Montauk has truly captured our hearts.So, until we meet again, remember to seize every moment and cherish the memories made in this charming seaside town.

submitted by Sweet-Count2557 to worldkidstravel [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 14:25 Disastrous-End-1290 I may be getting a free month's rent, but I'm not sure? (GA)

This is my first apartment, so my first payment was really high due to a high security deposit. My welcome letter notes that and has a section listing upcoming concessions, and the month of June has a concession listed for the entire price of the month's rent (not counting fees).
The complex manager mentioned verbally they were offering one month's rent free to most units, but not mine, since I got one of their lower-cost units. They haven't really said anything about the concession to me since then, but I don't want to NOT pay rent if the welcome letter turns out to be a mistake, despite having both my signature and the apartment manager's signature.
I sent them an email asking for clarification, but I don't know how I can proceed if they come back saying that it was a mistake and I don't get the concessions, since we both did sign it. Obviously I want a free month's rent, but can they just say that its a mistake and revoke a document that we both signed? I am in GA if that helps.

submitted by Disastrous-End-1290 to legaladvice [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 14:23 Disastrous-End-1290 I may be getting a free month's rent, but I'm not sure? (GA)

This is my first apartment, so my first payment was really high due to a high security deposit. My welcome letter notes that and has a section listing upcoming concessions, and the month of June has a concession listed for the entire price of the month's rent (not counting fees).
The complex manager mentioned they were offering one month's rent free to most units, but not mine, since I got one of their lower-cost units. They haven't really said anything about it to me since then, but I don't want to NOT pay rent if the welcome letter turns out to be a mistake, despite having both my signature and the apartment manager's signature.
I sent them an email asking for clarification, but I don't know how I can proceed if they come back saying that it was a mistake, since we both did sign it. Obviously I want a free month's rent, but can they just say that its a mistake and revoke a document that we both signed? I am in GA if that helps.

submitted by Disastrous-End-1290 to Apartmentliving [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 14:01 Pacific--Wolf US PC BLACK SIERRA - DEER ISLE RP DEER ISLE RP AIRDROPS SAFEZONE TOWN TRADER HELIS BOATS NEW PLAYER FRIENDLY

https://preview.redd.it/syo1km92id1d1.jpg?width=323&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=4e69fc08d0760a52bf213c30a02892ffd4890a00
FRESH WIPED - MAY 18TH!!! NO WIPING WHEN 1.25 RELEASED!

Calling all Role Play (RP) players, come check out Black Sierra - Deer Isle! We are a growing server that is taking up the RP mantle. Come join us and get in on the ground level. We are new player friendly and welcome experienced hands as well!
We strive to keep the server as realistic as possible, without being uber hardcore, for the casual player.
you will find realistic pricing on items, and a multitude of ways to make money in your journey, depending no the type of player you are.
Raiding is limited to do weekends only and only through doors/hatchways. So you don't have to worry about getting offline raided during the week when you are at work!
Come check us out, we are always open to suggestions!

Discord: https://discord.gg/VdMPzKBT9S
Features:

🗺️ Playing on the Deer Isle map
💰 Fully stocked custom trader with real world pricing for all your buying and selling needs. For those of a Bandit heart, there is also a bandit camp for you.
📣 Automated Airdrop Events with a variety of different loot.
📣 Random patrolling AI, that may or may not engage you. And a Z virus that is spread by the infected!
🧱 Safezone towns if you choose to take up a craft.
🔐 Bank with individual and clan accounts.
💵 Events, a Bunker, Temple, and toxic crater.
📜 Additional Discord Features (More coming).
🚶 Friendly and fair admin staff (no toxic or cheating admin).
⚔️ Weekend Raiding only (No wall raiding) and Breaching Charges.
🔫 Boosted loot, along with modded gear and guns (FOG, MMG, SNAFU, TF, and CPB Mods).
🚙 Extra cars, boats, and helis available, along with Dodge Rams, Land Rovers, Baja Buggies, and Oshkosh Trucks, and Red Falcon Watercraft.
📷 First Person and 3rd person views.
🌙 Minor Quality of Life Improvements to make the game more.
🧱 For those with RP in mind, we have Metallurgy, ammo making and leather working mods, along with moonshine and a Pizzeria.

Find us in the community tab by searching "Black Sierra - Deer Isle RP".

submitted by Pacific--Wolf to DayZServers [link] [comments]

2024.05.19 13:26 Sweet-Count2557 12 Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks Across Connecticut for Winter Family Fun

12 Outdoor Ice Skating Rinks Across Connecticut for Winter Family Fun Are you ready to slide into winter with some chilly family fun? Connecticut has got you covered with not one, not two, but twelve outdoor ice skating rinks just waiting to be explored.From the picturesque town of Stamford to the vibrant city of Hartford, there's a perfect spot for everyone to lace up their skates and glide across the ice.So, grab your mittens and join us as we take a journey through the frozen wonderland of Connecticut's outdoor ice skating rinks.Key TakeawaysThere are outdoor ice skating rinks available in various cities across Connecticut, including Stamford, Westport, Darien, Redding, Fairfield, New Haven, and Hartford.Each rink has its own unique features and offerings, such as the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Ice Skating Center in Stamford, which spans over 9,000 feet of ice and is open most days through February.Some rinks have specific opening dates, such as the Westport PAL Rink in Westport, which is scheduled to open on November 25, 2022, weather permitting.Certain rinks, like Gorhams Pond in Darien, offer picturesque winter scenes and invite families for ice skating. Skating seasons may start earlier in locations with colder weather.Stamford Ice Skating CenterLocated in Stamford, the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Ice Skating Center offers an expansive 9,000 feet of ice for an exhilarating outdoor skating experience. Our center is the perfect place for ice skating enthusiasts of all ages and skill levels. Whether you're a beginner looking to learn the basics or an experienced skater looking to improve your skills, we've a variety of ice skating lessons and programs to suit your needs. Our highly trained instructors are dedicated to providing a safe and supportive environment for learning and growth.At the Stamford Ice Skating Center, we also offer a range of special events and activities to enhance your skating experience. From themed skate nights to holiday celebrations, there's always something exciting happening on the ice. Bring your friends and family for a fun-filled day of skating and enjoy our festive atmosphere.In addition to our regular ice skating sessions, we host a variety of special events throughout the season. Whether it's a figure skating competition, a hockey tournament, or a charity fundraiser, there's always something happening at the Stamford Ice Skating Center. Join us for thrilling performances and support the local skating community.Westport PAL RinkAfter enjoying the exciting skating experience at the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Ice Skating Center in Stamford, it's time to venture to the Westport PAL Rink for more open-air skating near the picturesque Long Island Sound. Westport PAL Rink offers a variety of activities and events for skaters of all ages and skill levels.One of the highlights of the Westport PAL Rink is its skating schedule and events. The rink is open for public skating sessions throughout the week, providing ample opportunity for families and friends to enjoy the ice together. Additionally, the rink hosts special events such as theme nights, live music, and even ice shows. These events add an extra element of excitement and entertainment to the skating experience, making each visit to the rink a memorable one.For beginners or those looking to improve their skating skills, Westport PAL Rink also offers skating lessons. These lessons are taught by experienced instructors who are dedicated to helping skaters develop their abilities and confidence on the ice. Whether you're a complete novice or just looking to refine your technique, the skating lessons at Westport PAL Rink are designed to cater to your individual needs and goals.With its beautiful location near the Long Island Sound, the Westport PAL Rink provides a unique and invigorating outdoor skating experience. Skaters can enjoy the crisp winter air and scenic views as they glide across the ice. The rink's open-air setting adds a sense of freedom and liberation to the skating experience, allowing skaters to fully embrace the joy of gliding on the ice.Gorhams Pond in DarienGorhams Pond in Darien offers a picturesque winter scene for families and individuals to enjoy the exhilarating activity of ice skating. Here are three reasons why Gorhams Pond in Darien is the perfect destination for family-friendly ice skating activities and winter scenery:Timing of the Ice Skating Season: Gorhams Pond in Darien starts its ice skating season earlier than other rinks due to the colder weather in the area. This means that you can hit the ice sooner and make the most of the winter season. Imagine gliding across the frozen pond, surrounded by the beauty of nature, with the crisp winter air filling your lungs. It's a truly liberating experience.Family-Friendly Activities: Gorhams Pond in Darien isn't just about ice skating. It offers a range of family-friendly activities to keep everyone entertained. From ice hockey games to figure skating lessons, there's something for everyone. You can spend quality time with your loved ones, creating memories that will last a lifetime. And with the stunning winter scenery as your backdrop, every moment spent at Gorhams Pond will feel like a winter wonderland.Winter Scenery: One of the highlights of Gorhams Pond in Darien is its picturesque winter scenes. The pond is surrounded by tall trees, their branches covered in a blanket of snow. The glistening ice reflects the sunlight, creating a magical atmosphere. Whether you're a seasoned skater or a beginner, you'll be captivated by the serene beauty of the surroundings. It's a place where you can escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and immerse yourself in the freedom of the winter season.Redding Community CenterTucked away in a quiet corner of Redding, the Redding Community Center offers a convenient and inviting location for ice skating enthusiasts of all ages. This hidden gem provides a safe and enjoyable experience for families looking to have some winter fun on the ice.The Redding Community Center boasts a flexible skating schedule that caters to various preferences and schedules. From dawn to dusk, the ice rink is open every day, allowing visitors to choose a time that works best for them.One of the standout features of the Redding Community Center is its designated evening skate times. These evening sessions create a magical atmosphere, with twinkling lights illuminating the ice and creating a cozy ambiance. Skating under the night sky adds an extra touch of enchantment to the experience.In addition to its convenient schedule, the Redding Community Center offers a range of amenities to enhance the skating experience. Visitors can take advantage of the on-site skate rentals, ensuring that everyone has access to the necessary equipment. The center also provides a warming hut where skaters can take a break and warm up before heading back onto the ice.The Redding Community Center isn't just a place for skating; it's a hub of family-friendly activities. Alongside the ice rink, there are often other winter activities available, such as sledding or snowball fights. Families can make a whole day out of their visit, enjoying the various winter activities and creating cherished memories.Whether you're a seasoned skater or just starting out, the Redding Community Center is the perfect place to lace up your skates and enjoy some quality time on the ice. Its convenient schedule, amenities, and family-friendly atmosphere make it a must-visit destination for winter fun. So gather your loved ones, embrace the freedom of the ice, and make unforgettable memories at the Redding Community Center.Gould Manor Park in FairfieldNestled within the picturesque town of Fairfield, Gould Manor Park offers a delightful outdoor ice skating experience for families and skating enthusiasts alike. As you step onto the glistening ice, you can't help but feel a sense of freedom and excitement.Here are three things to know about Gould Manor Park in Fairfield:Best times to visit for a less crowded experience: If you prefer a quieter skating session, it's best to visit Gould Manor Park in the early morning or on weekdays. The park tends to be less crowded during these times, allowing you to glide across the ice with ease and enjoy the peaceful surroundings. Embrace the freedom of having the rink to yourself or with just a few fellow skaters.Tips for beginners to enjoy ice skating at the park: If you're new to ice skating, Gould Manor Park is the perfect place to learn and improve your skills. Remember to dress warmly and wear comfortable, supportive shoes. It's also a good idea to bring a helmet for added safety. Take your time and start by practicing your balance and basic strides along the edges of the rink. Don't be afraid to ask for help or take a lesson if you're feeling unsure. With a little practice and determination, you'll soon be gliding confidently across the ice.Embrace the freedom of the open space: Gould Manor Park offers a spacious outdoor rink that allows you to fully embrace the freedom and joy of ice skating. Take in the crisp winter air as you skate under the clear blue sky. Feel the wind on your face as you glide effortlessly across the ice. Whether you're twirling, spinning, or simply taking leisurely laps around the rink, Gould Manor Park provides the perfect backdrop for an unforgettable ice skating experience.Owen Fish Park in FairfieldHave you ever wondered where to find a charming outdoor ice skating rink in Fairfield, Connecticut? Look no further than Owen Fish Park, a hidden gem nestled within the town. This picturesque park offers a tree-lined pond that is perfect for ice skating activities and immersing yourself in the beautiful winter scenery.At Owen Fish Park, you can lace up your skates and glide across the smooth ice, surrounded by towering trees and a peaceful atmosphere. The park provides a serene setting for families and friends to enjoy the timeless activity of ice skating. Whether you're a beginner or an experienced skater, Owen Fish Park offers a welcoming space for everyone to embrace the joy of gliding on ice.To give you a better idea of what to expect at Owen Fish Park, here's a table that highlights some key features:Owen Fish Park in FairfieldLocationFairfield, ConnecticutSkating ActivitiesIce Skating, Ice Hockey, Skating PracticeWinter SceneryTree-lined Pond, Serene AtmosphereAmenitiesBenches, Restrooms, ParkingOpening HoursDawn to DuskAs you can see, Owen Fish Park provides more than just a place to skate. It offers a tranquil escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life, allowing you to reconnect with nature and enjoy the simple pleasures of winter. So grab your skates, bundle up in warm attire, and head over to Owen Fish Park for a memorable ice skating experience.Remember to always check the park's opening hours and any safety guidelines before your visit. Enjoy the freedom of gliding on ice and creating lasting memories in the enchanting winter wonderland of Owen Fish Park.Osbornedale State Park in DerbyLooking for a stunning outdoor ice skating destination in Derby, Connecticut? Look no further than Osbornedale State Park, where you can experience the thrill of gliding across the ice in a picturesque setting.Here are three reasons why Osbornedale State Park is the perfect place for your next ice skating adventure:Safety First: When enjoying outdoor ice skating, it's important to prioritize safety. Remember to wear proper attire, including warm clothing, gloves, and a helmet. Check the ice thickness before stepping onto it, and always skate in designated areas to avoid any potential hazards. By following these outdoor ice skating safety tips, you can ensure a fun and worry-free experience at Osbornedale State Park.Best Times to Visit: To make the most of your visit to Osbornedale State Park, it's helpful to know the best times to go. The park is open from sunrise to sunset, but for optimal ice skating conditions, it's recommended to go during colder months when the ice is more likely to be frozen solid. Additionally, weekdays tend to be less crowded, providing more freedom and space to enjoy the ice.An Enchanting Winter Wonderland: Osbornedale State Park offers a magical winter backdrop for your ice skating escapades. The park's designated ice skating area is surrounded by beautiful natural scenery, including towering trees and snow-covered landscapes. As you glide across the ice, you'll feel a sense of freedom and exhilaration, surrounded by the beauty of nature.Wrights Pond in OrangeWrights Pond in Orange offers a delightful winter experience, with its serene setting and abundant wildlife. As you glide across the ice, you'll be surrounded by the beauty of nature, with snow-covered trees and the sounds of birds chirping in the distance. This hidden gem is the perfect place to escape the hustle and bustle of daily life and immerse yourself in the tranquility of winter.One of the highlights of Wrights Pond is the opportunity to observe winter wildlife in their natural habitat. As you skate, keep an eye out for graceful swans gliding across the frozen surface and playful squirrels darting through the snow. The pond is teeming with life, providing a unique and enchanting experience for visitors of all ages.To ensure your safety, the city Parks and Recreation Department closely monitors the ice conditions at Wrights Pond. They regularly check the thickness of the ice and provide updates to the public. It's important to always follow their guidance and heed any warnings or restrictions they may have in place. By doing so, you can enjoy a worry-free skating experience and focus on the joy of being outdoors.To further emphasize the importance of ice safety, here's a table highlighting some key tips:Ice Safety TipsCheck ice thicknessAvoid skating aloneWear appropriate gearStay away from cracksObserve posted warningsTrust your instinctsThe Bushnell in HartfordNestled in the heart of Hartford, The Bushnell provides a winter wonderland for ice skating enthusiasts of all ages. The Bushnell, known for its stunning architecture and rich history, transforms into a magical ice skating rink during the winter months.Here are three reasons why The Bushnell is a must-visit destination for winter fun:Winterfest activities: The Bushnell hosts a variety of Winterfest activities that are sure to delight visitors. From ice sculpting demonstrations to live music performances, there's always something exciting happening at The Bushnell. Families can enjoy the festive atmosphere while gliding across the ice and creating lasting memories.Free skating lessons: For those who are new to ice skating or want to improve their skills, The Bushnell offers free skating lessons. Experienced instructors are available to teach beginners the basics of skating or help more advanced skaters refine their techniques. Whether you're a novice or an expert, The Bushnell has something to offer everyone.The perfect setting: The Bushnell's picturesque location, surrounded by the beauty of downtown Hartford, provides a stunning backdrop for a day of ice skating. Skaters can enjoy panoramic views of the city skyline as they glide across the ice. The Bushnell's outdoor rink is the perfect place to embrace the freedom of winter and experience the joy of skating.Simsbury Farms in SimsburyAfter experiencing the enchanting winter wonderland at The Bushnell, it's time to explore another captivating outdoor ice skating destination in Connecticut - Simsbury Farms in Simsbury.Simsbury Farms is a hidden gem nestled in the charming town of Simsbury, offering a range of exciting winter activities for the whole family to enjoy.One of the highlights of Simsbury Farms is its covered ice skating rink, which provides a sheltered and cozy environment for skaters of all ages and skill levels. Whether you're a seasoned pro or just starting out, the rink at Simsbury Farms has something for everyone. And if you're new to ice skating, don't worry - they offer skating lessons taught by experienced instructors who'll guide you every step of the way.Aside from ice skating, Simsbury Farms also offers other winter activities to keep the whole family entertained. You can take a leisurely stroll on the nearby walking trails, surrounded by picturesque winter scenery. Or, if you're feeling adventurous, you can try your hand at cross-country skiing on the groomed trails. And for those who prefer a more relaxed pace, there are designated areas for sledding and snowshoeing.Winter at Simsbury Farms is truly a magical experience. The crisp air, the sound of blades gliding on ice, and the laughter of families enjoying the outdoors create an atmosphere of freedom and joy. So, gather your loved ones and head over to Simsbury Farms for a day of winter fun. Whether you're a seasoned skater or just starting out, Simsbury Farms has something for everyone.Winding Trails in FarmingtonWinding Trails in Farmington offers a charming and picturesque outdoor ice skating experience for visitors of all ages. As you glide across the smooth ice, surrounded by snow-covered landscapes, you'll feel a sense of freedom and joy.Here are three reasons why Winding Trails is a must-visit destination for winter activities:Tranquil Setting: Winding Trails is nestled in the heart of Farmington, surrounded by snow-encrusted pines and breathtaking natural beauty. The peaceful atmosphere creates the perfect backdrop for a serene ice skating experience. As you skate hand-in-hand with loved ones or gracefully twirl on your own, you'll feel a sense of tranquility and escape from the hustle and bustle of everyday life.Family-Friendly Environment: Winding Trails welcomes visitors of all ages, making it an ideal destination for a fun-filled family outing. Whether you're a seasoned skater or a beginner, there's something for everyone to enjoy. Parents can watch their little ones take their first wobbly steps on the ice, while older siblings can challenge each other to friendly races. The laughter and smiles of families enjoying the winter wonderland will warm your heart.Old-Fashioned Charm: Winding Trails offers an authentic and nostalgic ice skating experience. The rink is reminiscent of a bygone era, where outdoor skating was a cherished winter pastime. As you glide across the ice, the crisp winter air filling your lungs, you'll feel connected to a simpler time. The sound of skates gliding and laughter echoing off the surrounding trees creates a magical ambiance that will transport you to a world of pure joy and freedom.Make sure to carve out some time this winter to visit Winding Trails in Farmington. With its tranquil setting, family-friendly environment, and old-fashioned charm, it's the perfect place to create lasting memories and embrace the beauty of the winter season.Eastbury Pond in GlastonburyWith its expansive frozen surface and thrilling skating adventure, Eastbury Pond in Glastonbury is a winter wonderland for ice skating enthusiasts of all ages. As you glide across the glistening ice, you can feel a sense of freedom and exhilaration, surrounded by the beauty of nature.To give you a glimpse of what awaits you at Eastbury Pond, let me paint a picture with words. Imagine stepping onto the ice, your blades cutting through the smooth surface with ease. The crisp winter air fills your lungs as you pick up speed, the wind rushing past your face. The pond stretches out before you, inviting you to explore its frozen expanse. And as you twirl and spin, you can't help but feel a sense of joy and liberation.But while Eastbury Pond offers thrilling winter adventures, it's important to prioritize ice safety precautions. Before heading out onto the ice, make sure to check its thickness. A minimum of four inches is generally considered safe for skating. It's also essential to wear appropriate gear, including a helmet, knee pads, and warm clothing. And remember, never skate alone. Bring a friend or family member along for added safety and enjoyment.Now, let's take a look at a table that showcases the key features of Eastbury Pond:FeatureDescriptionExpansive SurfaceThe pond offers a large area for skating, allowing for freedom of movement.Natural BeautySurrounded by picturesque landscapes, Eastbury Pond provides a visually stunning backdrop.Family-FriendlyThe pond is suitable for ice skaters of all ages and welcomes families for a fun-filled experience.With its thrilling skating adventure and emphasis on safety, Eastbury Pond in Glastonbury is the perfect destination for a winter escapade. So grab your skates, bundle up, and get ready to embark on a memorable ice skating journey.Frequently Asked QuestionsAre There Any Age Restrictions for Ice Skating at the Stamford Ice Skating Center?There are no age restrictions for ice skating at the Stamford Ice Skating Center. It's a great place for the whole family to enjoy some winter fun on the ice.The center follows strict ice skating rules and safety measures to ensure a safe and enjoyable experience for everyone.As for the best time to visit the outdoor ice skating rinks in Connecticut, it's typically during the colder months when the ice is at its best.Is There a Fee for Ice Skating at the Westport PAL Rink?Yes, there's a fee for ice skating at the Westport PAL rink. The rink offers open skate time near Long Island Sound and is mostly dedicated to recreational skating.As for the age restrictions at the Stamford Ice Skating Center, there are no specific restrictions mentioned.Visitors are allowed to bring their own ice skates to Gorhams Pond in Darien, and skate rental services are available at the Redding Community Center.It's worth noting that there's no information about a limit on the number of people allowed on the ice at Gould Manor Park in Fairfield.Can Visitors Bring Their Own Ice Skates to Gorhams Pond in Darien?Yes, visitors are allowed to bring their own ice skates to Gorhams Pond in Darien. It's a picturesque winter destination that invites families for a delightful ice skating experience.However, it's important to remember to take safety precautions while enjoying the ice. At the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Ice Skating Center in Stamford, safety measures are in place to ensure a secure skating environment.Are There Any Skate Rental Services Available at the Redding Community Center?Yes, there are skate rental services available at the Redding Community Center. They understand the importance of providing convenience to visitors and offer skate rentals for those who don't have their own skates.Additionally, many other outdoor ice skating rinks across Connecticut also offer skate rentals. It's a great option for families who want to enjoy the winter fun without the hassle of bringing their own equipment.Is There a Limit on the Number of People Allowed on the Ice at Gould Manor Park in Fairfield?There is no limit on the number of people allowed on the ice at Gould Manor Park in Fairfield. It's a charming spot with a Currier & Ives scene of children skating.As for the Stamford Ice Skating Center, there are no age restrictions for ice skating. It spans over 9,000 feet of ice and is open most days through February.Both locations offer a wonderful opportunity for families to enjoy outdoor ice skating in Connecticut.ConclusionSo lace up your skates and let the ice be your canvas as you glide across the frozen landscapes of Connecticut.Whether you choose the Steven & Alexandra Cohen Ice Skating Center in Stamford or the Westport PAL Rink near Long Island Sound, there's no shortage of outdoor ice skating rinks for winter family fun.So grab your loved ones and embark on a winter adventure that will leave you with memories as sparkling as the ice itself.

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Out of town welcome letters

RunningOutOfLetters

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