Hi everyone,
I need some advice on how to handle a situation that happened recently. My girlfriend was involved in a minor car accident with an elderly pedestrian, and we are unsure of the best course of action. Here are the details:

1. Accident Details: My girlfriend was parked on a side street and was trying to reverse when an elderly woman walked between parked cars, not at a designated crosswalk. My girlfriend barely hit her, and the woman fell down. 2. Hospital Visit: The elderly woman initially didn’t even want to go to the hospital, but my girlfriend insisted. They went to the ER, and thankfully, the doctors said she was fine. 3. Interaction with the Son: At the hospital, the woman’s son initially didn’t mention anything about money when it was just my girlfriend with them. However, when he saw me and my girlfriend’s friend, he started steering the conversation towards financial compensation. From my 2-3 minute conversation with him, I got a bad feeling and don’t trust him. 4. Current Situation: We just spoke to the elderly woman, and she says she doesn’t have any intention of suing or taking this to the police. She mentioned that she’s sore and wants treatment, and asked for $100 to help with transport costs. 

We are in Ontario, Toronto, and we want to know what to do next:

• Should we give her the $100 she asked for to help with transport and treatment costs? • Should we wait to see if they file a report or call the son’s bluff? • What are the potential legal implications if we give her the money versus if we don’t? 

Any advice on how to handle this situation would be greatly appreciated. We want to do the right thing but are wary of potential legal and financial consequences.
So basically the old lady was really really nice. We really want to help her but we’re very careful because the son mentioned legal action and from my research, if we send money and they still take legal action (remember the son didn’t seem like a nice human being from my convo with him), it might be taken as an admission of guilt in court?
Thanks in advance for your help!

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I am just a little curious if it’s just us! (utah based) In the past 2 weeks we have fired 4 phlebs and they are not planning on hiring people for 2 CLA shifts that opened up when someone left. Are there any other HCA hospitals doing this? We have a neighbouring hospital (also HCA) who just let off 10+ people on their lab staff. We do 7/7 shifts on nights and days and I was more burnt out by day 3 than i ever have by day 7. We need more staff, HR get upset every time we hit overtime or go over our designated lab hours but I like my coworkers too much to leave the lab in chaos at the end. Any advice on how to get a resolution?? We also picked up another hospitals lab corp drop and we have 400+ more samples coming in at 2am and they still cut us. Rumour has it a high up person overspent massively so now they are cutting staff to make up that money but that could be all made up. Anyone else having lab staff let go within HCA?

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this.
I’m currently doing advertising strategy remotely at an agency. The hours are horrible. I recently spent a week in the hospital for a stress related illness. My team has repeatedly asked for help, and I’ve tried to make this job work, but things aren’t getting better. I need work/life balance and would love to do meaningful/helpful things with my time on earth.
Specifically interested a few things:

• What STEM “future proof” fields or programs are a good investment with realistic job prospects? Anything that would translate this skill set?
  
• Ad strategy is a well-paid job, and grad school might bring a slightly higher salary or an equivalent one. Is it worth going back? Am I being ungrateful?
  
• Any recommended programs? I’m interested in STEM bridge programs, specifically those that accept BA grads. Even better if it’s accelerated.
  

—-
Background: 34F with 12 years of experience in tech web/marketing/advertising and a BA in English from a state university. Willing and happy to relocate - no family to bring with.
My GPA in undergrad was something like 3.5. (Wish I’d cared more, but live and learn.) As far as my application goes, I’ve worked for high-profile, household name tech companies, and have a former VP and director willing to write recommendations.
I’m interested in MSc programs that accept a variety of backgrounds (for example, Design + Innovation at UW), but I have mixed thoughts on the longevity of these sorts of degrees and what I’d be able to do post-graduation. Also considered stuff like ML, biotech, and NLP. I am 100% willing to take remedial STEM courses. My highest math class was calculus, and I know some Java and Python.
TYIA. In response, I’m happy to answer any advertising career questions you have.

Thanks in advance for taking the time to read this.
I’m currently doing advertising strategy remotely at an agency. The hours are horrible. I recently spent a week in the hospital for a stress related illness. My team has repeatedly asked for help, and I’ve tried to make this job work, but things aren’t getting better. I need work/life balance and would love to do meaningful/helpful things with my time on earth.
Specifically interested a few things:

• What STEM “future proof” fields or programs are a good investment, in your opinion, with realistic job prospects?
  
• Ad strategy is a well-paid job, and grad school might bring a slightly higher salary or an equivalent one. Is it worth going back? Am I being ungrateful?
  
• Any recommended programs? I’m interested in STEM bridge programs, specifically those that accept BA grads and value industry experience. Even better if it’s accelerated.
  

—-
Background: 34F with 12 years of experience in tech web/marketing/advertising and a BA in English from a state university. Willing (and happy to) relocate - no family to bring with.
My GPA in undergrad was something like 3.5. (Wish I’d cared more, but live and learn.) As far as my application goes, I’ve worked for high-profile, household name tech companies, and have a former VP and director willing to write recommendations.
I’m interested in MSc programs that accept a variety of backgrounds (for example, Design + Innovation at UW), but I have mixed thoughts on the longevity of these sorts of degrees and what I’d be able to do post-graduation. Also considered stuff like ML, biotech, and NLP. I am 100% willing to take remedial STEM courses. My highest math class was calculus, and I know some Java and Python.
TYIA. In response, I’m happy to answer any advertising career questions you have.

Introduction
Brian Montecalvo is a seasoned tourist guide based in Pennsylvania, United States, known for his expertise in crafting personalized tours that reveal the state's rich history and hidden treasures. With a profound passion for travel and a deep understanding of Pennsylvania's cultural and natural heritage, Brian has established himself as a go-to guide for travelers seeking authentic and immersive experiences.

Early Life and Passion for Travel
Born and raised in Pennsylvania, Brian developed a fascination with travel and exploration from a young age. His family's road trips across the state sparked his curiosity about its diverse landscapes, historic sites, and unique cultural heritage. These early experiences ignited Brian's passion for showcasing Pennsylvania's beauty and history to others.

Education and Career Beginnings
After completing his education in tourism and hospitality, Brian embarked on his career as a tourist guide. His initial years were spent honing his skills and knowledge, exploring every nook and cranny of Pennsylvania to uncover its hidden gems and untold stories. Brian's dedication to his craft and his genuine love for his home state set him apart in the field of tourism.

Personalized Tours: A Signature Experience
What sets Brian apart as a tourist guide is his commitment to providing personalized experiences for each of his clients. Rather than offering cookie-cutter tours, Brian takes the time to understand his clients' interests, preferences, and expectations. Whether it's a historical tour of Philadelphia, a scenic drive through the Pocono Mountains, or a culinary adventure in Pittsburgh, Brian crafts each tour with care and attention to detail.

Expertise in Pennsylvania's History and Culture
One of Brian's greatest strengths as a tourist guide is his in-depth knowledge of Pennsylvania's history and culture. From the colonial era to the present day, Brian can provide fascinating insights into the state's past, bringing history to life with captivating storytelling and engaging anecdotes. Whether it's the founding of Philadelphia, the industrial revolution in Pittsburgh, or the Amish culture in Lancaster County, Brian's tours are both educational and entertaining.

Sustainable and Responsible Tourism
Brian is a firm believer in sustainable and responsible tourism practices. He emphasizes the importance of respecting the environment, supporting local communities, and preserving Pennsylvania's natural and cultural heritage for future generations. Brian's tours are designed to minimize impact on the environment while maximizing the benefits to local communities.

Client Testimonials
"Brian's tour was the highlight of our trip to Pennsylvania. His knowledge and passion for the state's history made the experience truly unforgettable." - Sarah, New York "Brian's attention to detail and personalized approach made our tour of Pennsylvania truly special. We learned so much and had a great time!" - John, California

Conclusion
In conclusion, Brian Montecalvo is a dedicated and passionate tourist guide who is committed to providing unforgettable experiences for travelers visiting Pennsylvania. With his deep knowledge of the state's history and culture, his personalized approach to tour planning, and his commitment to sustainable tourism practices, Brian is a true ambassador for Pennsylvania's tourism industry. Whether you're a history buff, a nature enthusiast, or a foodie, Brian's tours are sure to delight and inspire.

I realized my title could be misread, what I really mean was: Architecture school feels outdated and architecture in it feels romanticized?
I'll just start off by saying I'm pretty young, 20, and I've been in a drafting design firm in Florida for just over 3 years now. I've done residential and very small amounts of commercial now so I'm confident in my ability to design a nice looking house.
I just started my architecture classes in spring and it's the most miserable experience. It feels like everyone in my class, teachers and students combined, have this mysticism and romanticization of architecture. Maybe it's just me or maybe it's because I've been working in the field for a while, but it all just seems so ridiculous. I can design a nice house and I want to learn how to design commercial, but the things they're asking of me feels nonsensical.
Then the models, the models are the bane of my life. I'm not much of an arts and crafts guy, so these models take so long for me to do. There's a laser cutter at the school but it's 50 minutes to an hour away which makes it near impossible to go during the week when I'm working 20 to 40 hours just to have any kind of money. I've been doing and working with AutoCAD my entire time working there, we switched from R14 to 2015 while I was working there. I feel incredibly comfortable designing in it, so to have to switch to physically drawing plans feels so tedious. I know drawing by hand is an important tool to learn, but it feels like their importance on physical and digital drawing/designing should be flipped. It's been years since before I was even born that physically drawing plans was the normal way to do things.
I dunno, I was just wondering if this was the normal experience? The amount of all-nighters I've need to do has jumped lime 800% since I've started this course and it feels like it's draining the life of me. Is this the normal school experience, is this really what architecture is like and my firm is an exception, and any advice you could give to a mentally dying student?

Hi everyone,
I'm working on electrical design and need some help understanding how to apply diversity factor and grouping factor in load estimations. I've read the regulations from IEC, IEEE, and NEC, but I'm looking for practical examples of how to calculate these factors for different applications like a mall, hospital, or school.
Could anyone provide detailed examples or point me to resources that explain these calculations in a practical context?
Thanks in advance for your help!

for context; I (19F), my sister(15F), and our parents moved from England to Australia 8 years ago while my brother (24M, same dad and, a different mum from me and my sister) stayed with his girlfriend in the UK. My Brother fell out with his mum when he was young. He visited with his girlfriend about 5 years ago and they just did not get along with my parents. There were always arguments between them, beginning at least a year before this visit, and in the end, my father (who was an alcoholic at the time, a raging drunk, who still has issues controlling his anger but we'll get to that) had a massive yell at them over another one of their many small disagreements. They both said many hurtful things and in the end, my father told them to f off, which they took literally, packed up, and left that night back to England.
There was no contact for about 4 years, apart from occasional small talk between me, my sister, my brother, and his girlfriend, which was still awkward due to their sudden departure and the previous arguments. About a year ago my father started sending messages to my brother trying to catch up, which resulted in some small talk exchanged between them as well.
About 3 months ago, my brother was telling our father about how he lost his IT job and both he and his girlfriend were having health issues that impacted their everyday life(not sure if I'm allowed to get into them). My brother then called my mother out of the blue, which was a shock due to the no contact between them, and asked to speak to both her and our dad. He basically told them that they are coming to Australia as they will have more luck with their health issues here and possibly better job opportunities for my brother, his girlfriend has an online job which she can do anywhere.
They arrived in Australia and stayed in an Airbnb and a hotel for some time, and after struggling to find a place asked my parents if they could sleep on the floor for a bit while they got back on their feet. They bought an air mattress and set up in an area close to the kitchen and the rest of us 4 have our own rooms. (Our parents have been split up for about 5 years but we still all live together due to general convenience in our current financial situation, and we feel better being closer as my father had recent suicide attempts and intense mental health struggles.) During this time, my brother would do Uber delivery and his girlfriend would do her remote job.
For about a month and a half, they stayed and there was very little communication between our parents, and my brother and his girlfriend. Our parents constantly complained to me and my sister about them contributing nothing financially or around the house. They also said that they felt overcrowded and had lost their space. Our father is a tradesman and found a few days that my brother could help him out on building sites to earn some extra cash. During this time my father talked about how his business doesn't have a website and my brother offered to design and construct it for him and my brother says they agreed on the same hourly price as the laboring.
My father told my mother briefly about how my brother was working on the website. He spent many hours a week, and late nights, for three weeks working on the website and then sent my mother the invoice. My mother took this as a shock, and an insult to their hospitality as they had asked my brother and his girlfriend for no financial contribution. My parents then sent a message asking if they could organise a time to chat about them paying rent and giving them a deadline of 4 weeks. They were made aware of the deadline in the text, but this conversation never happened and we are still unaware about the outcome of the payment on the website.
My brother's girlfriend stays up late working on the laptop and my brother goes out delivery driving, sometimes not arriving home until the early morning. Our parents would get up for their early starts and loudly complain about how insulting it is to see them "sleeping all day" while they go out and work hard. This constant complaining both loudly so that they could hear, and privately to me and my sister continued for a few more weeks.
A week ago my father got up for a really early start around 5 am and began slamming doors, throwing pots and pans from the kitchen near to where they were sleeping, and playing the TV on the highest possible volume, in his state of anger he was flipping up the rude finger several times at my brother and his girlfriend while they were asleep, which my brother woke up in the middle of. My brother went to ask my mother if he had done something wrong and he was brushed off. Me and my sister asked our mother why they were being treated like this, to which we got "We're just sick of it", however, there was little communication between anyone about what the real issue was.
They ended up leaving that day as justifiably that wasn't an environment they wanted to be in. They found some house sits, me and my sister are planning to catch up with them frequently unlike last time. Later that day, we received a long message on a group chat with all 6 of us, from my brother stating how our father handled his issues with them poorly and that he needed mental help, our mother then replied on the group chat about how disrespectful it was to send that message to the whole family and removed herself and our father from the group chat. There has been no further communication that me and my sister are aware of.
We just want to know who is the asshole as we don't know how to feel towards both sides when moving forward, and would appreciate an outside perspective or advice
​

Nature of Humanity Ch 67 A NoP fic
Under Pressure Part 10
A Fanfic of u/SpacePaladin15’s work “The Nature of Predators.” Thank you for the story!
___
Memory transcription subject: Silvera, Factory 13 Manager
Date [standardized human time]: November 4th, 2136
If it wasn't for the clearly artificial sky above my head someone could possibly convince me I was outside in a new park. The neon blue screen with a white dot to represent the sun was nothing like the actual pale gray visage a mile above. Yet, it did have an enjoyable warmth to it.
A smooth artificial wind swept through the saplings ensuring that they would develop healthy stress wood. It also pleasantly cooled the fur of anyone in here, providing a nice little respite from the heater simulating the sun's unbearable hatred of us. Fuck you fake sun!
Any flora used to decorate the park would be exotic to Frozen Mountain, even if it came from the nearby tundra, but my humans decided to do something interesting. While they had covered most of the ground with a soft short-growing Terran clover, they chose to make the rest of the decorative plants functional. All of the saplings were different types of fruit trees that, when mature, would be free for anyone to harvest as much as they want. Even the decorative topiary isn't hardy tasteless plants, but berry bushes that would provide a variety of sweet treats relatively soon.
Agurcorp was more than happy to allow its failed startup out here to be turned into a local park. Well, so long as they didn't have to pay for this expensive mistake of theirs. The Mayor was all too happy with this, especially since my humans were happy to let him have all the credit so long as they got to design the park. With voting season right around the corner, the Mayor that ‘Brought life to this blighted land’ was a shoo-in to get re-elected. Or would be if he also wasn't ‘The idiot who allowed predators into the city.’
With everything that's happened I am still a bit surprised at everyone currently enjoying the park. A small herd of Venlil are exercising in the open field. A family of Gojids are walking along the cobblestone path. All the while, some humans are playing a very weird game of throwing a round plastic plate into chain nets. It's almost as if this city didn't have two separate riots on the same day.
The sound of wheels traveling across a bumpy path caught my attention. I glanced across the way to see an embarrassed-looking John driving an electric wheelchair over to me. His eyes locked onto mine before quickly switching to the ground. He tried to laze in a chair designed to enforce good posture and looked rather silly as he adjusted himself.
He came to a stop just a foot away from where I sat, “Hey Silv… I, uh… I don't actually need the wheelchair but Mikvia threatened to break my legs if I didn't use it, so I'm just humoring her.”
Oh, don't freaking tell me. Why are humans like this… “John… you were hospitalized with a punctured lung. Sure, doctors have some miracles they can perform these days, but you know you shouldn't be stressing yourself by walking.”
He huffed, “Please, I'm fine. Really. It wasn't as serious as everyone is making it out to be.”
I thumped my hind paw against the ground, “John.”
He threw his hands into the air with a huff, “I'm in the damn wheelchair ain't I? Gawd…”
He grasped his nose before calming down, “I apologize. Shouldn't have raised my voice like that. I mean… I am using the wheelchair and not lifting stuff. Doctor's orders. They even said getting out in this park would be fine. Said it might even help!”
We let out a deep sigh together. I hopped down from my bench and back up onto his lap, “Let's go for a ride… while we figure… us out…”
I could see John's guard drop as the exhaustion crept back onto his face, “...alright...” He pressed his controls forward, and we slowly began our first lap of the park.
John wrapped one of his lanky ape arms around me like a fleshy seatbelt and I laid my head on his chest appreciating the contrast of his warmth with the cool artificial breeze. I could have slept like this. The beating of his heart was rhythmic, and his deep breaths sounded a bit like waves washing up on a shore.
I even heard his heart quicken as I cleared my throat, “So… we aren't really dating are we?”
His exhaustion was quickly replaced with unease as he started to fidget a little, “I'm sorry…”
I held his hand and stared into the ocean blue eyes of his, “Don't be sorry. I think we were both drunk when we agreed to go on a date…”
He shook his head, “I still should have said something before then.”
It wasn't like I couldn't have taken the initiative and talked to him sooner too, “I know you were going through a lot. Actually, I know you still are… I'm really only able to guess but… Are you one of the types that thinks Xeno-dating is weird?”
He looked ashamed as he scrambled to smooth things over, “I- No- well, yes- but- it's just… ok. Let me start over… alright… yeah… so… uhm… the thing is… how do I put this… it sounds bad… well, it is bad… it’s just…”
My tail wagged involuntarily at the rather cute display of embarrassment radiating from John. I leaned in and let him have a doey-eyed look to help heap the embarrassment on.
It felt like John tried to stop the next words from rolling out of his mouth, “Sometimes I have trouble thinking of you all as people.”
John came to a complete stop as I just stared at him wide-eyed. My brain struggled to grasp what he was saying and the implications of it. He cringed and covered his face with his hands, “Gawd, that sounds horrible. It's just… It's not as bad with you and the others… I talk to y’all a lot. It's easier for it to click that you are people too.”
I was desperately trying to see this from his angle, “Wha- why does this happen in the first place?”
His hands drug down his face trying to drag the flesh with it, “I think it’s cause you are always naked. Like your back brace helps a little bit, but still everything else is… That and I hear your voice and the chip in my head then gives it meaning. Like its disjointed. Then it's the way your body language works and- and- fuck. Just…. Fuck me man. I don't even think that's all that's wrong with me. It’s just… like you look, sound, and smell like animals. It's just not really what my mind had in place for aliens. So- like- ugh! Why can't I just explain it!?”
It's difficult to explain, but his words connected to a deep sad memory, “It's like everything is just too… slightly wrong…”
It felt like I had been whisked back decades to my own childhood. I could still smell the bleached halls of the Venlil orphanage on Nevis. My heart whimpered when the Sivkits who came to adopt me shuddered with fear and disgust. Their strange voices sounded slow as they spoke a strange version of Klipic. Like hearing a pale imitation of yourself, try and pretend to be just like you.
My eyes locked with his as I carried on “It’s like you look at them and a part of you knows what they are, but your brain just snaps back to… to what you think reality is.”
I could see a glimmer of hope well up with his tears, “Y-you know? I-Iv've felt like such a monster! How can I- How can I look them in the eyes when they took me in and say- say- that I can't see them as people sometimes!? After everything they've done for me?! They want to adopt me and I- I- I can't even!”
I wrapped my arms around his neck as he buried his face in mine. It felt like he could crush me with his arms, yet they held me gently. What was causing me pain was this damn back brace. The blasted thing was trying to force my arms down while it hunched me over. I wiggled out of John's embrace and ripped the freaking thing off and chucked it as far as I could before burying myself in his embrace again.
We held each other as he drew in shuddering breaths and let his emotions flow out. John’s grip eventually began to loosen and we both took a moment to calm down. I gently tugged at the shirt covering John's torso, “So… Us not wearing clothes constantly is… disconnecting for you?”
He nodded his head, “Y-yeah… It’s like… every person I have ever known wears clothes. Animals never wear clothes and at most wear like a collar or harness if someone owns them. Then a few months ago, a bunch of nudist aliens show up and… well, my brain lops them into the animal category and the translator isn't helping.”
I glanced down at my body and suddenly felt… exposed, “So now that I am no longer wearing clothes…”
He cringed, “You look more like a large rabbit thing than a person… when you had the brace on it helped a little, but you were on all fours… When you were wearing your weather suit and had your hood off, It felt like you were a person, just different.”
An idea crossed into my skull, “Ok then… so your brain attaches personhood with a level of nudity, body plan, and familiarity… take your shirt off and give it to me- Don't give me that look! I know you’re male and are far less sensitive about people seeing your nipples. So gimme.”
He begrudgingly took off his shirt, revealing a pelt of fur that caught me off guard. I shook off the confusion as I slipped his shirt overhead and stuck my arms through the sleeves. It immediately tried to slip down my body and off. Mostly due to how large the hole for his head is, but also due to my utter lack of true shoulders. Another gift of my freak mutation. The ability to walk upright as well as sprint on all fours like a fucking Arxur.
I bunched up the collar and knotted it on itself, solving the slipping issue. With a small twirl, I spun in a circle, “So how is this?”
A smile formed on his face, “You look adorable!”
I happily flicked my tail, “Is that girlfriend adorable or pet animal adorable?”
His grin beamed with happy, mischievous energy, “Little sister adorable.”
I stomped my hind paw again, “Wha- why?!”
He held out his arms and I hopped back into his embrace, “Its cause it's my shirt. Jamie would wear my clothes sometimes, and they were so baggy on him, and well… on you that's practically a sundress! … you’d look really nice in like… a yellow sundress with like a straw hat.”
My mind tried and failed to make an image to match his description, “Hrm… well… I wouldn't know where to even start getting a… sundress.”
John carried on like clothes shopping was a normal intergalactic thing, “You would have to go to a tailor and have it custom-made. Like you already had to adjust my shirt cause you don't have shoulders like we or the Gojids do.”
We sat in a comfortable silence as John started the wheelchair back on its path. I almost fell asleep in his arms before I asked, “So… Are we dating?”
John didn't hesitate to bend over and freaking bite the top of my head! I, rather fruitlessly, slapped my paws against his face as fast as I could and only managed to elicit a laugh from him. Jumping up, I got a mouth full of his cheek in my teeth.
I made sure not to crush as I mimicked what he had done to me back, “Ah! The turns! They've tabled! I'm sorry! We're dating! Augh!” I spit out the lump of flesh between my teeth and sat down rather proudly.
It was only then I looked around to see most of the nearby groups staring at us. As well as three silver suited flame whack jobs walking our way. One of them held up his paws to try and seem as big as possible, “YOU! PREDATORS! DON'T MOVE!”
John growled at them, “YOU FUCKING IDIOTS. WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU DOING?”
The trio froze in their steps and reached for weapons they didn't have. The boldest one took another step forward and shouted, “SHUT UP PREDATOR!”
John held his issued jacket up, letting the reflective emblem of the guild shine for all to see, “I WORK WITH YOU NUMB NUTS! I'M JOHN! ADOPTED SON OF YOUR FUCKING CHIEF! RING ANY BELLS?”
The trio halted in their tracks and the most skittish of them turned a one-eighty on their paws and began to walk away. The boldest one’s paws slowly dropped, “J-John?! I- I've never seen you without the mask or artificial pelt… wait! You're supposed to be in the hospital!”
Johns voice grew cold, “They said I could go out around the park so long as I mostly stayed in the chair. If it pleases you, you can talk to Loke. He's right over there with his wife and two kids. I bet he'd be thrilled to learn you three are going around accusing people of being predators.”
The bold moron took a fearful half step back, “D-d-d-d-don't twist my words! You bit her and she bit you back! I have witnesses! That's predatory!”
John leaned back and stroked the fur on my cheek, “No, it’s erotic.”
I could see the gears turning in the bold one's head grind, “What.”
John pressed his lips into my neck, “Ya know… sexy. It’s like… gently grooming your significant other's neck from behind but more playful.”
They looked revolted, “That's disgusting.”
John cocked his head to the side like a confused Gojid, “That’s odd.”
The look of revulsion quickly transitioned back to confusion, “What?”
A smirk grew on John's face as his fingers massaged into the sore muscles on my back, “It's just, that’s exactly what your mom said last night, but she grew to like it.”
I slapped my paws to my mouth to avoid laughing as the rage flared up in the bold one's eyes, “WHAT!?”
I let out a happy purr as John began to work at my sore muscles and utterly humiliate the idiot bothering us, “Yeeeeah. You weren't supposed to find out like this, but I'm your dad now.”
Their ears pinned back in rage, “You're lying to me.”
John waved a hand at our surroundings, “We are in a hermetically sealed park. There is no way for any significantly threatening animal to get in here. You are only here looking for trouble and I assure you, this will be looked into. Go clean your nose and keep it clean. Understood?”
They both tucked their tails, “Understood, sir.”
John nodded his head and calmed his tone, “Dismissed.”
As the trio of troublemakers left, we sat in relative silence as John continued to work away at the stress in my muscles. If you proved this was how humans prepared their food before eating it, I would argue that it's still worth it.
His rough voice messaged my ears, “Hey Silv?”
I stretched and enjoyed the pops my spine made as it took its natural shape, “Hrm?”
A hint of curiosity hung in his voice, “Why did you understand what I meant? Shouldn't… You've lived with aliens being a part of everyday life for… Like… ever right?”
I slumped against John and thought. Dredging up old memories that I almost wished I didn't have, “It was… a very long time ago. My doctor told me I was making up false memories to cover up a traumatic event and make it to where I was normal and everyone around me were the weird ones…”
I could hear John doubt my doctor's claims, “That sounds… fishy.”
Despite John's odd word choice, the meaning still fit perfectly, “It feels like it, but I just have no proof. I swear to you, I remember running along a beach, with my parents on two legs. Every Sivkit I knew as a child walked on two legs. It’s like… well…”
I grabbed John's hand to stop it from distracting me, “One day I woke up, and I was unbelievably cold. I thought I was a corpse. There was this strange… tentacle thing with bulgy eyes standing above me. His words didn't match his lips, but I understood him. It was terrifying.”
“He scooped me up and started running. Said I was in grave danger, and he was going to keep me safe. I didn't trust him one bit. He jumped into some strange ship and told me I had to be very quiet. The bad people would attack us if they heard either of us talking.”
“Eventually, he crashed the ship into something and pulled me out of it. I was surprised to see we had been on a submarine that entire time. That and the sky was the wrong color. I didn't even have an opportunity to think about it as he carried me to a weird looking vehicle that once again surprised me as a giant wall turned into a window.”
“I had never even heard of spaceships before, and I watched as we went up and just moved into space like it was nothing. He tried to calm me down, but he told me my parents were dead. I- just remember sobbing in his tentacles for hours. Eventually, I calmed down enough for him to play with me.”
“For a few days it was just me and him. Then we met up with another ship, and he left that one to drift in the void. He said we were meeting his friend Aylin on Nevis… a Venlil colony not too far from here, actually. I got to meet more aliens on that ship but Kalova- sorry that was the name of the Kolshian who took me out here. Kalova didn't want me to talk about anything to anyone. Said to just say I was his adopted daughter, and he just got a job on Nevis managing the new colony.”
“He never saw it. I didn't know what they were at the time but the Arxur attacked. They were trying to raid the colony and the Gojids and Venlil where desperately trying to protect it. I remember the alarm going off the second the ship’s captain announced we were leaving FTL. Kalova sprinted through the ship carrying me. He placed me in an escape pod just before that terrible lizard spotted us. He pulled the lever and my pod jettisoned down to the surface.”
“I was in that pod for three days before the Venlil found me and put me in an orphanage. Every time I met other Sivkits… they made my skin crawl. There's something wrong with all of them. I swear to you, we Sivkits are supposed to walk on two legs. We also aren't supposed to be that… stupid. Between how they talk being just… off, and the fact what they said was often either retarded or downright wrong, I couldn't ever feel like one of the so-called Grand Herd.”
“Eventually, I aged out. Graduated college, top of my class. And started working out here when they began to rebuild my plant after it burned down. That’s all there… Well, there is more, but It's not actually relevant to your question.”
John leaned down and kissed the top of my head, “Thank you for sharing that with me.”
I groomed the tip of his nose in return, “You're welcome. … Hey John?”
I could see a small bit of… hope in the back of his eyes, “Yes Silv?”
“Can you tell me about your past?”
He frowned as memories came back to him, yet he smiled still. “Yeah… it’s not a happy story either.”
I pressed myself into him, “Well… we can both be sad together, at least.”
John's hands began to absentmindedly work through my fur again, “Yeah… That doesn't sound as bad.”
___/\___
Important question, do you want a chapter dedicated to John retelling his story? Or would you like it smash cut out in favor of more of their first real date? I am not sure how I want to do it and am happy with both, so please let me know.
John and Silvera finally had the relationship talk! Woooooo! John's confessed something he'd rather never bring up, but knows he needs to address to start living a happy life with his new family. Aaaaand, It's time for Silvera’s tragic backstory! (Trademark pending). Strange names though, right? Kalova… weird how John's old boss has a missing brother with the same name as an alien Ivan the Arxur knows! And Aylin… strange they share a name with Talen's dead wife! Man that's just weird!
Special thanks to u/JulianSkies for proofreading! Seriously it felt like my eyes were melting out of my skull and your feedback was everything I needed!
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Heya fellow sisters and male sisters in scrubs, today let’s chat about whats next. To everyone who has, or is thinking about moving away from nursing as a career, where did you go, or what do you think you would try to move into. Extra points the further disconnected from primary healthcare your move is/was!
Personally, I have been a psych nurse for about 10 years, the first eight of those in the acute public setting. Since moving to a low acuity private hospital, I have always said it is where I will retire: either in one year or ten, I won’t be going back to acute. I’ve been giving serious consideration to studying pharmacy with designs to pursue a more research orientated role down the line.

~A utility ladder or rope that let ops climb up hatches, I think it could work for both sides.
~Several "classic" gadgets added to utility for all attackers/defenders and their original operator reworked, jammers and throwable cams come to mind. Maybe Mute could be like Dokk, and press a button to disable HUD or mic or radio. Valk could get 2-4 flying drones that automatically scan and require several bullets to destroy.
~Grenade throwback reimplemented! OTL
~A defender like Mira, but instead of two narrow murder holes, he has two rotate (hard breach charge) sized bullet proof glass hatches that only open if you are a defender, or have looted a defender's phone. Nade/Gonne6/Ash/Zo/Buck can ruin the visibility of the glass but not break it maybe. I imagine these opening and closing shutter style.
~Maps that are a little more grounded in reality and less vaguely tactical locations. Stole this list from an old thread:
Hospital
Oil rig
Mall/shopping center
A massive shipping or cargo boat (something bigger and better than Yacht)
A high tech science lab (With tons of glass and weird shit) Mostly got this with Nighthaven
An industrial meat packing plant (I want to see gunfights in a freezer full of hanging beef).
A Farm.
A Movie Set.
A Police Station.
A Nightclub (that isn't just clubhouse).
Area 51.
~In general, maps that have a distinct approach or theme are really neat. Stadium was hugely flawed, and the opposite of inspired, but the massive bullet proof glass was unique, lead to interesting strats, and could easily have been used more liberally around the whole thing. Stuff like that, singular design elements that make for interesting maps, even stuff as simple as "Kanal is two buildings connected by two bridges" is cool.
~Walk back some of the whacky ass lore lolllllllllllllll