Measures, as deterministic and effective as possible, to re-peg DUSD and re-collateralize the dToken system with healthy loans sold against crypto, without permanent expropriation

TL;DR

This proposal offers a structured and maximally deterministic approach to stabilize DUSD immediately and consistently, aims to reward long-term supporters, and to enable projects in the long run. It does not rely on influencing market behavior and does not indefinitely expropriate holders. The primary goal of this approach is to re-collateralize the dToken system with healthy loans sold against crypto, the backbone of our dToken system, everything else builds on top. It involves locking nearly all circulating DUSD and dTokens in tranches and releasing them successively based on predefined conditions.

Goals

• Achieve the peg as deterministically and effectively as possible.
• Enable fair market price leverage trades on crypto, which is necessary for re-collateralizing the system.
• Repay those who supported the system.
• Enable projects to execute their mission and work with real liquidity.

Problem Statement

Current measures to stabilize DUSD rely heavily on influencing market participants' behavior, making the peg too probabilistic. Even if we reach the peg, the assumption that enough collateralized loans are sold against crypto for the dynamic interest rates to maintain this peg is too probabilistic. Relying on assumptions for a peg is problematic, because market participant behavior cannot be controlled and predicted, even if incentivized. While I believe dynamic interest rates can consistently maintain a peg effectively once we reach healthy collateralization levels, the implemented fees are not an effective tool to overcome the massive liquidity of algo dTokens and DUSD circulating today.

Proposed Solution

A new approach: instead of relying on voluntary actions of market participants, force-lock-up all DUSD and dToken liquidity, whilst providing opportunities and clear rules for paybacks based on system health.

1. Locking all liquidity away and releasing it successively as needed

• The defined percentage* of DUSD are locked/removed from each owning addresses and are in equal parts allocated in 50 tranches (1-50). Those are freed/returned to the owning addresses based on predefined factors.
• The defined percentage* of dTokens and relevant LP tokens are locked/removed from each owning addresses and are in equal parts allocated in 50 tranches (51-100). Those are freed/returned to the owning addresses based on predefined factors.
• Locked LP tokens do not receive rewards, they are used to reward new liquidity providers. Exiting at peg is reward enough for those currently invested, no need to make it more expensive.
• As liquidity is then minimal, ongoing measures will buy the DUSD up immediately and incentivize the creation of backed DUSD loans sold against crypto. Those are the backbone of the peg, they are the priority of the proposed measures. All other decisions are secondary and all rely on reaching this.

2. Releasing Tranches

• Tranches with the same number are released together, this means all DUSD tranches are released first, all dToken and LP tranches are released later.
• The following system health conditions for releasing tranches are checked on oracle blocks to avoid high computational load:

One tranche at a time: - DFI market cap 2 times than dToken System market cap - An algo ratio below 30% - Consistent 1% DUSD premium over the period between two futureswap blocks.
Two tranches at a time: - DFI market cap 4 times greater than dToken System market cap - An algo ratio below 25% - Consistent 5% DUSD premium over the period between two futureswap blocks.
Three tranches at a time: - DFI market cap 6 times greater than dToken System market cap - An algo ratio below 20% - Consistent 10% DUSD premium over the period between two futureswap blocks.
Four tranches at a time: - DFI market cap 8 times greater than dToken System market cap - An algo ratio below 15% - Consistent 15% DUSD premium over the period between two futureswap blocks.
Five tranches at a time: - DFI market cap 10 times greater than dToken System market cap - An algo ratio below 10% - Consistent 20% DUSD premium over the period between two futureswap blocks.
This way, 2-10 million DUSD worth of dToken-system liquidity can be reintroduced into the system per week, given a healthy system state.

3. Measures to be Eliminated

• All additional pool swap fees are lifted, allowing for healthy leverage trades on DFI that can later support the DUSD peg. This part is crucial for a healthy restart. A collateralization ratio makes no difference if the DUSD are not sold against DFI as those need to be bought back when the dynamic interest rises due to a discount to support a peg.
• Reward allocations to DUSD bonds are removed; those will be redirected to the community fund until we find a better use for them. All existing DUSD bonds are released, and the freed-up DUSD are counted to the DUSD that may be locked in the tranches together with all other DUSD.
• All negative interest mechanisms are lifted. DUSD loops are unwound, and the freed-up DUSD are counted to the DUSD that may be locked in the tranches together with all other DUSD.

4. Measures to be Retained

• The futureswap mechanism will be retained. It is advised to analyze the futureswap behavior while we are at peg over an extended period. If the futureswap creates unnecessarily high amounts of algo tokens even when at peg, the following adjustment is suggested: making the futureswap spread variable and increasing it if an asset shows higher implied volatility over two consecutive futureswap blocks. This way, the chain gains a bigger trade advantage for stocks that tend to surpass the current 5% limit more often. This will burn more tokens and mint less.
• The buy and burn bot will be retained.
• The rebalancing of the community fund will be retained.
• Dynamic interests will be retained.

5. Introduction of a New dToken System-Wide Fee That Consistently Burns DUSD and dTokens

• A dToken-system-base-fee is implemented on DVM and DMC. This fee applies to all dToken and DUSD transfers from account to account and pool swaps on the DVM side and all token transactions on the DMC side. The fee is initially set to 10 basis points (0.1%). This fee is necessary to account for rising stock prices and reduce the algo ratio.

Percentage Locked

The percentage of liquidity to be locked is crucial as this is a one-time approach. Locking too much liquidity is not problematic, as it can be reintroduced if system health allows. However, locking too little is problematic because maintaining the peg and enabling re-collateralization through backed loans sold against crypto will not be possible. I argue for minimal liquidity leading to a peg allowing for healthy collateralization to support the peg via dynamic interest rates rather than excessive liquidity that the system cannot support. Therefore, I propose locking away 90% of all dToken-system liquidity, leaving about 20 million DUSD in liquidity for the restart. If the system is healthy, up to 10 million DUSD in liquidity can be reintroduced per week. If not, we will wait until the system is healthy enough to support the liquidity.

Further Details

• Loans are all paid back before the dTokens and DUSD are locked in tranches. If insufficient assets are available on the address, they are purchased on the market via the cheapest route.
• Relevant pools are emptied before the dTokens and DUSD are locked in tranches. Trading counterparts are credited to the owning addresses.

Requirements

A hard fork will be necessary to implement these changes. Furthermore, cooperation is needed from relevant projects to handle the balances in smart contracts on the DMC. If they do not cooperate, this proposal cannot be implemented. Addressing smart contracts on the metachain is crucial to treat everyone fairly and ensure the success of the proposed measures.

Measure Until Implementation and Proposal Kill Switch

The implementation of the proposed measures is challenging and time-consuming, it will probably take months. Until implementation, we implement a 50 basis points fee on all dToken pools to burn algo tokens, in hope to be able to activate the following proposal kill switch: If, during implementation, DUSD consistently trades around $1, this proposal is not to be implemented.

Further Food for Thought

Measures targeted at changing voluntary market behavior have had insufficient success, forced locking with conditional payouts ensures fairness and effectiveness. Measures based on voluntary lockups are unfair because those who do not participate unjustly gain a bigger advantage, despite the cash flow offered as recompensation to those who support the system. Additionally, cash flows are costly to the system, either the dToken system or DFI itself. No solution will make everyone happy. However, a deterministic forced approach treats everyone fairly and equally, does not rely on probabilities and ensures success.

Optional

I would argue for future swapping all dTokens at the oracle price to DUSD, making the locking and releasing much easier. Additionally, the upside from here is 10x after fee on a repeg. Assets being worth times 10 should be enough to compensate the owners for the forced sale of their preferred dTokens. If not, we must release DUSD before dTokens, as dTokens might rise in value and the greater liquidity they provide would mean a slower payout for everybody, which is not fair to the people holding DUSD instead of dTokens.

Q&A

Q: If we have little liquidity, users will be angry that the system cannot be used. A: Whether we can afford liquidity at all is a secondary
issue for me. The liquidity we have in the system right now is a cost that, if we can't afford, should not be maintained. If we can afford it, the liquidity will be reintroduced; we have it on the backburner. Additionally, the goal is to attract real liquidity through backed loans, which we will achieve if the product is valuable.
Q: If we have a 10 bps fee on all transactions, there will be less usage. A: I also pay 10 bps on every exchange, usually much more, especially in traditional finance. I pay 2% on every card payment and substantial fees on asset management. For example, at Relai, you pay at least 50 basis points, usually 1%. Fees are charged everywhere; things cost money. I believe a usage fee on RWA is justifiable. RWAs rise in price, so even if the futureswap burns more dTokens than it mints, it may create algo DUSD balances. We have many algo tokens. This fee is a necessary cost that users must pay for an effective synthetic RWA spot system.
Q: Why include the fee system-wide on all transactions? A: New users will probably use the DMC. If DFC is successful, we will likely find most usage there. We want many projects using our dTokens. We need to charge the usage fee where the usage will occur; otherwise, users will flee to DMC where no fees are charged.
Q: But we have the stabilization fee. Can’t we just keep that instead of the base fee on all transactions? A: The stabilization fee makes healthy re-collateralization (sold against crypto) more challenging when the algo ratio is high because the user gets less crypto for his DUSD. When we have high algo ratios, we want more collateralization-based loans sold against crypto. It is the "collateralized loans sold against crypto" that maintain the peg if dynamic interests are raised. A loan left in the dToken system brings a low algo ratio but does nothing if I pay back a loan without buying the DUSD beforehand. Dynamic interest rates stabilize nothing in this case. By first eliminating most algo tokens and implementing a base fee, we can remove this fee and allow for healthy leverage trades supporting the system to occur in the first place.
Q: Why lock so much liquidity? A: This approach is a one-time silver bullet. It must be as deterministic as possible; I do not want to rely on probabilistic assumptions about how market participants will behave based on incentives and public information. In the past, single addresses hindered re-peg efforts, and we cannot predict which addresses will act against the peg efforts in the future. Therefore, we must lock substantial portions of everyone's liquidity. Liquidity is the cost in our current situation, and we aren’t at the peg because none of the measures or whales can afford it. If the chain were a person, it would be flat broke. We cannot afford the liquidity at this point. Let's gradually ramp up the expenses when and if we can afford it, but not before.

Hi, I posting here as I don’t know where else to post and who to ask for advice.
Briefly, I met a guy last year on a dating app, we had a couple of dates and nothing happened at all. After a few weeks, I kinda lost interest due to my personal life and circumstances and I told him and ask him if he would accept to be my friend. He got a bit mad and said that for him we had a mental relationship even though we met every now and then and nothing had happened and conversation were not sexualized at all nor was there any seduction or I would have put a stop to it… He stopped talking for a few weeks and then came back by himself saying he accepted but that he was not that close to friends and that we were going to talk occasionally which I agree with. Months passed and we kept talking by messages and on the phone and he started being or trying to be ambiguous so I had to restate that we were friends as we had agreed on. But at that moment he said that he wanted more and that if I didn’t want then we would be friends and not talk that much. I agreed with it since I never initiate contact almost and he is the one calling etc. He tried to put some dilemma on me like if you expect me to talk this much (we have a call once every few weeks and messages probably once every other day) otherwise I won’t do it etc. I told him his definition and modalities of what a friendship was fine to me and that we could follow his rule. Here is when he started saying that he didn’t need any more friend and that this wasn’t a friendship. I told him that I didn’t understand as talking to someone casually the way we do is very much of a friendship to me, how else could we call it ? Especially after having defined and agreed on it a few months back. I felt bad of having responded to his texts and calls as I do for other friends as I have the impression it mislead him even though I am particularly careful with my words and actions so as never to be ambiguous (I even mentioned many times our friendship etc). Although, I am by nature a friendly and caring person with my friends I don’t believe I could have given him wrong signals. Or is it already too much to talk and be nice to someone ? But isn’t it what friends do ? Also I am not dating right now but the day I will I usually have no problem talking about that with friends, how will he react ?
Am I wrong ? Did I misbehave ? What is happening ? Is it me or this is a strange way from him to try to “force” something with me ? How could he still want something with someone who told you “no” so many times ?
Something else that makes me question his personality is that he said that what we were doing was not being friends. I am surprised to say the least as I have the chance of having friends and this is usually what happens with them, I mean we talk and call and see each other just to enjoy time together. He asked me what these friendship bring to me and I said joy and happiness. And he said that he is busy and only has friends that bring him something and help him through his life goals. I said I respected his concept of friendship but I can’t help but wonder if this isn’t a bit particular way of thinking… Also I asked him if for him there was no value in time shared with loved ones just for the sake of it even with family for ex and he said no and that he would only for example spend time with his mom to pay her back for what she did for him. I was astonished but I didn’t comment further.
Should I put some more space between us ?

I hesitate to post this because I've been on reddit for years and know ya'll can be vultures but here it goes:
TL;DR - Fiancé and I are confused and exhausted. We're currently a dead bedroom, it's my doing. He needs more physical intimacy and for some reason I can't provide it. He has cheated, only since physical intimacy stopped, although he does not agree it is cheating. He knows he has hurt me. Blah blah blah, wedding is postponed, we've discussed an open relationship and/or taking a break.
Background:
We have been together for 10 years, engaged 2. We're in our early 30s. Wedding is planned for next year. No kids, but 3 dogs together.
The beginning of our relationship was like any new relationship. We were young, the honeymoon phase seemed never-ending as we didn't see each other often, and sex was new and exciting.
2 years into dating, I started birth control. Immediately, we didn't notice many sexual side effects, but looking back, there probably were. We had both been taking antidepressants/ anti-anxiety medication before we met, and we both currently still take those medications. We know these have sexual side effects, for both of us.
After dating a few years we moved in together and shortly after, sex became infrequent. About 3 years into living together he brought up concerns about lack of sex and physical intimacy. I eventually realized I got comfortable and content, and didn't prioritize sex and physical intimacy as I should have been. I promised I would change, but I unfortunately didn't. Around this time, he sent a nude photo of himself to a friend of mine. I couldn't believe it, he told me a few days later, and promised to never do anything like that or to hurt me like that again.
Fast forward to now, we own a house together, and still unfortunately, I have done little to nothing to increase my sex drive and physical intimacy. I start little things but no progress is made. For example I say I'm going to plan a "sexy time" but it just doesn't happen. I did surprise him with a photo album of sexy polaroids of myself, which he enjoyed. But maybe a year later he asked a different friend of mine for sexy photos. I think he's just missing that attention that I should be giving him. His love language is physical touch, mine is acts of service and gift giving, and I struggle to show him love in the way he wants to be shown (physically.)
Since our engagement, the past year has been filled with discussions about our dead bedroom: why it happened, can we fix it, etc. For both of us, it's been almost impossible to be excited about being engaged or planning a wedding or getting married because of this issue. We've agreed that we don't want to get married if we're not excited, so we're postponing the wedding. Also, we both see a therapist and have started couples therapy.
Where it gets complicated:
He recently told me that last year, he visited a club a few times. Only on one occasion it got physical: he received a handjob, (I do believe him because at this point there's nothing to hide.) This handjob visit occurred 6 months after he proposed. Leading up to these club visits (which remember, I didn't know about until recently) he would urge me in a healthy way to be intimate, communicate his needs, and so on. But for whatever my multitude of reasons are that I'm working out in therapy (vaginismus, piled on stress, self-esteem issues, maybe not being attracted or turned on by my partner, low libido, possible imbalanced hormones, health scares that may have caused trauma) I just couldn't do it. Of course I regret it, I don't know what's wrong with me and I wish I could snap my fingers and fix it. So I do understand why he went to that club.
We truly do not know what to do. We love each other. We've been through so much, helped each other through a lifetime of stressful events, and experienced such great things together. We've talked about our future together for the past decade. But we also recognize that time spent together does not mean you should or are obligated to stay together. We recognize that right now, neither of us are happy and something needs to change.
We've briefly mentioned opening our relationship, taking a break, or both. But we don't know what that entails. Since we live together and the dogs are like our children, we don't know how a break would logistically work. As for opening our relationship, considering the infidelity, I just don't know. But at the same time, there is no sex or intimacy happening and I want to see him happy in that way. I feel like it would improve his mental health. Our therapist has been focusing more on us rather than discussing those options at the moment.
Of course there is so much more to a decade-long relationship, and I'm trying to be as neutral as possible when writing this. But we just feel like we're in this best friend, roommate, sometimes cuddle limbo and are avoiding truly discussing it because we know the options...we just don't. know. what. to. do. So if anyone has any actual advice, similar stories, or experiences with an open relationship or taking a break (while engaged) please share.
Also if you're going to respond with something unnecessary or unhelpful like "just break up" we'll save you the time and say thank you, we've discussed that option as well.

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

What’s the Difference Between On-Page SEO and Off-Page SEO?

On-page SEO focuses on optimizing parts of your website that are within your control, while off-page SEO focuses on increasing the authority of your domain through content creation and earning backlinks from other websites. To further understand the difference between the two, you have to understand, at a basic level, how search engine algorithms work. Let’s break it down.
There are two main buckets that search engines (SEO) look at when evaluating your site compared to other sites on the web.

1. On-page SEO looks at what your site (or your page) is about
2. Off-page SEO looks at how authoritative and popular your site is

On-Page vs. Off-Page SEO: What’s the Difference?

Put simply, what you rank for is largely determined by on-page factors, while how high you rank in the search results is largely determined by off-page factors.

How Does Each Type of SEO Affect Your Rankings?

What is On-Page SEO?

On-page SEO (also known as “on-site” SEO) is the act of optimizing different parts of your website that affect your search engine rankings. Where your website appears in search engine results pages is determined by a number of ranking factors including site accessibility, page speed, optimized content, keywords, title tags, etc. On-page SEO is about optimizing the stuff that you have control over and can change on your own website.

On-page SEO checklist:

How do you make sure your on-page SEO tactics are up to snuff? Here is a helpful checklist for on-site optimizations that can help curate your strategy.

Title Tags

Put your targeted keywords in the title tag of each page on your site. There are many best practices that go into writing an effective title tag.

• Limit your title tags to 55-60 characters (including spaces)
• Push the keyword closer to the beginning of the title (ONLY if it sounds natural)
• Don’t stuff your keywords
• Include brand at the end of the title tag, separated by a pipe bar () Example: “Chicago SEO Digital Third Coast”

Headings (H1)

Headings are usually the largest words on the page, and for that reason, search engines give them a little more weight than your other page copy. It is a good idea to work your target keywords into the headings of each web page but make sure you accurately reflect your page’s great content.
Make sure your H1s limited to one per page, all other headers are H2 or H3

URL structure

Put keywords into your URLs if possible. However, do not go changing all of your current URLs just so they have keywords in them. You shouldn’t change old URLs unless you plan on redirecting your old ones to your new ones. Consult a professional before doing this.

• Label your directories and folders in a way that makes sense for users
• Don’t repeat keywords in your URL more than once. Keywords are helpful, but overdoing it effects user experience. Example: /best-socks-comparison-best-socks-best-socks?
• Keep URLs as short as possible

Alt text for images

Any content management system should allow you to add something called “alt text” to all images on your website. This text isn’t visible to the average visitor – alt text is in fact used by screen reader software to help blind internet users understand the content of your images. Search engines crawl images in a similar way, so inserting some relevant keywords while accurately describing the image will help search engines understand your page’s content.
Writing an alt attribute for each image keeps your website in compliance with WCAG (Web Content Accessibility Guidelines). Keep the following things in mind when writing alt text:

• Thoroughly describe the image in 8-10 words
• Include your targeted keyword where it sounds most natural
• Include, if relevant, a geo-locator (e.g., Chicago)

Fast-loading pages, or page load speed

Google wants to help its users find what they’re looking for as quickly as possible to provide the best user experience. Therefore, optimizing your pages to load faster helps your site rank higher in the search results.
Google has a tool called PageSpeed Insights that will analyze your site on both mobile and desktop. and then suggest tips to optimize page speed. There are also several quick fixes to eliminate whatever is bogging your site down and slowing your page load time. Key site speed factors to consider:

• Minimizing HTTP requests
• Making sure server response time is <200ms
• Setting browser caching to at least a week or longer
• Enabling Gzip compression
• Having image sizes under 100kb (.jpg, .png, .gif)
• Placing all CSS in an external style sheet
• Minifying all JS, CSS and HTML
• Prioritizing above the fold content loading

Mobile Friendliness

In recent years, Google has prioritized mobile page loading speed as a key ranking metric.
How do you know if your website is mobile-friendly? Unfortunately, Google recently dropped support for some free public tools that helped. However, you can now use Google Search Console to analyze this type of information. Specifically, the Core Web Vitals report can help you identify if your mobile pages are loading slower than they should be.

Page Content

The content on your pages needs to be useful to people. If they search for something too specific to find your page, they need to be able to find what they’re looking for. It needs to be easy to read and provide value to the end user. Google has various ways to measure if your content is useful.

• Aim for at least 500 words of copy. Although there is no exact formula for how many words a page should have, Google seems to prefer when a page has a lot of relevant and helpful content surrounding your topic.
• Copy must be unique to each page, not duplicated from other pages on your site, and should directly address your visitors’ search queries
• Push the keyword closer to the beginning of the title, but ONLY if it sounds natural

Internal Linking

Linking internally to other pages on your website is useful to visitors and it is also useful to search engines. Here’s an internal link to another blog post on our site that talks more about internal linking. Very meta.
When adding internal links, make sure to have relevant anchor text. Anchor text is the clickable text in a hyperlink (usually indicated by blue font color and underline). To optimize your anchor text, make sure the selected word or phrase is relevant to the page you’re linking to.
On-page SEO ensures that your site can be read by both potential customers and search engine robots. With good on-page SEO, search engines can easily index your web pages, understand what your site is about, and easily navigate the structure and content of your website, thus ranking your site accordingly. As a best practice, make sure your page content includes 1-3 relevant internal links.

Schema Markup

Adding structured data helps Google better understand the content of a page. Google also uses certain types of structured data to display “rich results” in SERPs such as a recipe with start ratings or step-by-step instructions with an image carousel. These rich results often appear at or near the top of SERPs and generally have higher click-through-rates than normal organic listings.
Google prefers structured data to use schema.org vocabulary, and recommends using JSON-LD format. They also provide a handy Rich Results Test tool to check your code. While there are a variety of ways to add structured data to your website (plugins, Google Tag Manager, etc.), it’s always best to get a professional involved if you’re not comfortable writing code.
Check out Google’s guide to structured data and rich results here.

Social Tags

Having your content shared on social tells Google that people find your content relevant, helpful and reputable. Not every page on your site is share-worthy, but you can optimize the pages that are with these tips:

• Make sure you have Open Graph tags and Twitter Cards installed
• Make it easy with “tweet this quote” links, or social share buttons for each post

Core Web Vitals

User experience is key to a website’s long-term success. In spring 2020, Google unveiled Core Web Vitals, a common set of signals that they deem “critical” to all users’ web experiences.
The purpose of these signals is to quantify the user experience with a website, from page visual stability and load time, to interactive experiences.

• Largest Contentful Paint (LCP) – measures perceived page loading speed and marks the point at which the majority of the page content has downloaded.
• First Input Delay – quantifies user experience of a user’s initial engagement with a page.
• Cumulative Layout Shift – quantifies the amount of layout shift on visible page content and measures visual stability of a page. It’s usually causes by images without dimensions, dynamically injected content, web fonts causing FOIT/FOUT, and other embeds added without dimensions.

To check your LCP score, access your Google PageSpeed Insights and make sure your page hits LCP within 2.5 seconds. To accomplish this, remove unnecessary third-party scripts that may be running, upgrading your web host, activating “lazy loading” so page elements load only as users scroll down the page, and remove any large page elements that may be slowing it down.
One of the simplest ways to optimize cumulative layout shift is to add height and width dimensions to each new site element. Also, avoid adding new content above existing content on a page (unless responding to user interaction).

Page Experience

Google is working on a new ranking signal (likely to come out in 2024) that prioritizes websites with positive user experiences.
The ‘page experience signal’ will consist of Core Web Vitals, plus mobile-friendliness, safe-browsing, HTTPS security, and intrusive interstitial guidelines.
According to Google, “optimizing for these factors makes the web more delightful for users across all web browsers and surfaces, and helps sites evolve towards user expectations on mobile. We believe this will contribute to business success on the web as users grow more engaged and can transact with less friction.”

What is Off-Page SEO?

Off-page SEO focuses on increasing the authority of your domain through the act of getting links from other websites.
A good analogy for how authority works is this. If you have a bathtub with rubber duckies in it (the ducks are your pages), and you start filling the tub with water (links), your duckies are all going to rise to the top.
This is how a site like Wikipedia ranks for pretty much everything under the sun. It has so much water in its bathtub that if you throw another rubber duck in it, it’s going to float to the top without any other effort.
There’s a score called “Domain Authority” that calculates how authoritative your website is compared to other sites. You can type your domain name into here to see your score.

How to optimize for off-page SEO

There are several factors that influence your off-page SEO rankings. While each one is tackled with different strategies, they share an overarching goal of building the trust and reputation of your website from the outside.

1. Inbound links
2. Social media marketing
3. Guest blogging and guest posting
4. Unlinked brand mentions
5. Influencer marketing

The biggest off-page SEO factor is the number and quality of backlinks to your website. Some examples of ways you can build links to your website are:

• Creating awesome content that people want to link to because it is valuable. For example, this super helpful blog post about how to improve about us pages. The post provides a ton of actionable recommendations. People tend to link to content that is useful. Creating an online tool for your industry is another powerful content type. Things like online calculators tend to get the most backlinks out of all content types because they help people accomplish a goal.
• Social media shares of your content that ultimately generate links.
• Outreach e-mails to influencers in your industry that ultimately link to you.
• Guest blogging on sites related to yours. These guest posts will have links back to your site.

While link quantity is still important, content creators and SEO professionals are realizing that link quality is now more important than link quantity. As such, creating shareable content is the first step to earning valuable links and improving your off-page SEO.
How many links do you need for good off-page SEO? That is a tough question and it’s going to be based on the domain authority of your competitors, as you want to make sure you’re playing in the same sandbox.
SEOs also used to believe that buying links was a valid way of link building; however, Google will now penalize you for buying links in an attempt to manipulate page rank. You can also be penalized for submitting your links to link directories whose sole purpose is to increase your domain authority. Again, quality wins out over quantity when it comes to link building.

Is On-Page or Off-Page SEO More Important?

It’s not about choosing between on and off-page SEO, that would be like having to choose between a foundation or a roof for your house. On-page and off-page SEO work together to improve your search engine rankings in a complementary fashion.
However, SEOs generally advise getting your on-page SEO ducks in a row before focusing too much on off-page SEO.
Just like building a house, you want to set the foundation first before building the rest of the house. Like a foundation, you may need to come back and do some maintenance to your on-page SEO from time to time. Balancing the two will help make your website “bilingual” so that your users can understand it as well as the search engine robots- and that’s how your rankings start to improve.

SEO #onpageseo #Offpageseo #Corewebvitals

I apologise if this is all a mess or hard to understand.
My best friend of 10 years Joey (25M) has been with his girlfriend Ellie (21F) for around 7 months now, they are engaged and getting married in a few months time. I’m his best man.
I’m struggling with this idea as I’m quickly learning she’s a little bit (I don’t like to call anyone this but) crazy and I’m not sure what to do.
I few red flags-
Obviously getting married so soon. He’s never talked about getting married before. I know she’s got to have put all these ideas into his head.
Ellie has sent messages to Joeys ex girlfriend Sarah (21F) telling her to kill herself and all this other horrible stuff. Shes even sent fake pregnancy scans to her just to mess with her. (I’m going to come back to this part later as a lot of stuff kicked off yesterday with this).
She’s never worked. Joey has now taken a credit card out and given it her. She’s borrowed a bit of money off his sister and spent it on clothes and mini breaks away. (His family are starting to see the crazy come out now too).
None of her family are coming to the wedding. They don’t even speak to her.
I’ve seen Joey twice this year since he’s been with her. She has a 3 year old kid and if he goes out she has to be with him which never happens because she can never get a babysitter.
Oh and they are trying for a baby..
It’s all a mess. I don’t see how he can’t see what’s going on. Anyway back to them messages she sent to Sarah and the stuff that kicked off yesterday. (I still speak to Sarah, although she can be a bit intense sometimes she’s never done anything wrong to me). Sarah has found out we are all in going to the same event next month at our local bar so she’s messaged one of our mutual friends freaking out a bit worried there’s going to be trouble. Sarah has now messaged Joeys mum asking politely if she could have a work with Joey and Ellie about leaving her alone because she doesn’t want trouble at this event. She’s told her about these messages and his mum is not happy. His mum has now messaged me asking if I know about them and I confirmed it all because I’m not going to start lying for people. We talked for a little bit and she has started to notice a lot of things off with Ellie too.
Now Ellie is denying sending all this stuff, even to me which is crazy because she has shown them to me and even bragged about sending them to a few people in our friend group. Sarah still has all the messages saved as well.
Now I’m in the middle of what feels like a family war. I can’t even speak to Joey because Ellie pretty much controls his phone and she can’t be apart from him.
Like what can I even do in this situation? I feel like I’ve caused more trouble by telling his mum about the messages and some other stuff about her.
I feel like ignoring everyone for a few weeks and hope it all blows over.

Hours ago, I cried over a bar of Irish Spring because it smelled like someone I terribly miss.
We typically use a different soap brand in our house, and because of that, our bathrooms smell like that brand of soap. Earlier, when I got in the shower, I was taken aback because it smelled different.
I am not exaggerating when I say that I got goosebumps when I realized I was smelling the scent of Irish Spring. Irish Spring was his soap.
I know this sounds silly, but I got teary-eyed, staring at the newly opened bar of Irish Spring on the soapdish. Naging isang oras tuloy ang 15-minute shower kasi nag-emote pa ako, haha!
It's been some time since we last spoke. He wants no contact with me, and I respect that. Kahit nga nung nagkasalubong kami the other day, hindi ko siya nilapitan in honor of the unspoken pact of peace between us. But scents evoke the strongest and most profound emotions in me. I can ignore all my other senses, just not my sense of smell.
Kaya naiyak talaga ako sa amoy ng Irish Spring. All the thoughts I had suppressed the past weeks came bursting out. I didn't like thinking about how I felt abandoned. I didn't like thinking about how he made my failures about him.
I busied myself to get him off my mind, and every time I did think of him, I forced myself to see him in a good light. He's a great guy, and I will continue to admire him for a long time. But he has hurt me very much, and I would've never known the extent of my anguish had I not smelled Irish Spring in our bathroom.
So ayun, naligo akong malungkot at namimiss siya. Hindi ko ginamit ang Irish Spring; nag-body wash nalang ako, haha!
Right now, I wish things were different. I want a chance to talk things through. I want to see him one last time to confront him with all this. But if that is impossible, I just want his sincere apology.
TL;DR: boycott Irish Spring. Kidding!

I’m curious as to what everyone’s opinions are of how every character in the marauders era life would have panned out if there wasn’t the backdrop of a war brewing. Like what do you think job wise they would have done and why? Who would get married and when/why? If they would have kids/how many/earlier or later? What couples would or wouldn’t exist? What friendships would last and what wouldn’t?
Like be as fantastical or as unpopular as you want with your opinions please 🙏 here’s a few of mine:

1. Molly and Arthur would not have married as quickly due to no sense of urgency from the impending war. This meant Molly could pursue a possible career after school and she chooses to follow her brothers into becoming a auror. Due to her training they delay on kids until a little later and this delay results in them not having Bill, Charlie or Percy. Upon finding out they are having twins straight off the bat, Molly becomes a housewife at that point for the time being but they have a better reputation in society due to her work as auror and they are slightly better off financially due to having dual incomes. Molly continues to have Ron and then Ginny and upon having a girl decides she is done with kids at 4. This results in their kids being better off with less insecurities. They still have a big sense of family as a family of 6 and with Molly’s brothers being alive with their own kids nearby, life at the Weasley’s is never not busy and full of love.
   
2. Due to the lack of impending war times during the Marauders’s schooling, there is less inter house tension based on politics. Lily and Severus have less arguments over his choice in friends though Lily still finds them slightly distasteful and due to him never using the slur at her, their friendship survives the course of all their years at Hogwarts. Due to this, despite Lily’s attraction to James she never acts on it in seventh year out of a sense of loyalty to Severus. James doesn’t grow up rapidly in seventh year like he does in canon and his growth is slower as he becomes an adult outside of Hogwarts. Once all of them are out of Hogwarts, the marauders don’t bump into Severus or Lily much due to vastly different life directions.
   

I personally don’t believe Lily and Severus would have stayed too close as friends as they got older as I think they continue to grow into different people but maybe they trialed out dating each other and it failed miserably. Or maybe Lily does choose to date James in seventh year and that fractures their friendship instead of the mudblood slur. I also don’t think James and Lily would have married and had Harry in such a quick timeline if there wasn’t a war.
Careers wise:
I actually see Severus as pursuing being a curse breaker honestly. And I don’t see it enough in fanfics. I think young Severus would have been enamoured by the fantasy of going away from his home and Hogwarts after all that bullying and finding a place he belonged abroad that holds a lot of prestige in society and the idea of it being considered a cool job would have excited him as well as the practical application of his knowledge in dark arts and defence. And I can kinda see Snape getting along with goblins tbh ahaha and wearing dragon hide boots looking snazzy in a few years into working. His knowledge of breaking curses would eventually lead to some discoveries in healing that are practiced in places such as St Mungo’s.
James Potter totally in a world without Voldy would have become a Chaser for a Quidditch Team. (Hell he wasn’t even a auror in canon) And he would have had some fun years as a bachelor being irresponsible before deflating his head a bit and wanting a wife and kids. After a solid track as a chaser for 8 or so years, he’d retire and work in the same department as Ludo Bagman.
I’m not too sure what I think Sirius would do as tbh he never had a chance in canon to show his interests beyond James and Harry. I know he’d have a massive bachelor pad though. And possibly a few illegitimate children scattered around from brief affairs.
Remus would spend a few years between jobs and getting support from James like he did in canon before being offered at 24 the defence job at Hogwarts by Dumbledore upon the retirement of the last professor. He’d then perform that job well for many years and be beloved by his students before eventually being outed as a werewolf but due to his positive impact on students for so many years he has changed how many of the younger generation view and treat werewolves. Due to him being a teacher whilst Tonks is at school, he never sees her as a romantic interest despite her high school crush on him.
Peter idk some low ranking ministry job.
Lily is an anomaly to me. I’m never too sure where I sit with her in terms of what I think she’d be like or what she’d do in different circumstances. But I’d love to hear what people think. I know it’s common for people to assume she would be a healer or auror. But I don’t see her as a auror esp in a work without Voldemort. Healer I can kind of see what I feel it’s a stereotype of a basic kind female character. But she is known to be good at charms and potions so it could suit. I do think she would get married and have quite a few kids though also.

Why exactly is it such a terrible mess now? I mean when you look at all the problems in society and all of the negative things going on, etc. etc. Theres all of these things like the "friend zone" and "nice guy" and "bad boy" Blah blah blah and all that nonsense. Yet there are bars set in place that are holding us all back with all these so called things going on. For example. Say you really had the hots for a woman, and you'd love to tell her that if you had consent you would love to pound her hard in the nearest love hotel. Yet of course there are also many factors such as preferences, personality, what you have in common, hobbies, etc. What confuses me the most is how sometimes kindness is mistaken for weakness. Or being a good and decent person and instantly becoming positively obsessed with a love interest in a good way is misunderstood or shot down by rejection? There are very many factors in play here. What perplexes me is why things are in such a chaotic state in the first place. Shouldn't a man and a woman just love eachother because they truly like eachothers personality, looks, etc.? Why all the games? What the hell are we doing as a species or even a culture?
Everyone has their preferences, hobbies, career, ambitions, etc. Why is everything so divided these days?
Why can't we all just find love easily by being ourselves instead of being put into this stupid game of "what ifs" "friend zone" or any of the other balderdash and nonsense?
If you love someone for who they truly are, then the answer should be you would be willing to love them forever, even beyond death. Yet, society has deliberately divided the family unit and has also parasitically infected and divided people. We must all wake up and realize that True, Pure, Genuine love is indeed the way.
Why then, is dating in the modern era so difficult when in the ancient era people would just be with one another because they genuinely liked one another? I feel things these days are very out of touch and I'm just trying to provide a positive point of view on this subject. Everyone has their preferences, likes, dislikes, hobbies, skills, interests, etc. Why then does society insist on this stupid "game of love" or "love is a battlefield" When everything should be plain as day to be your genuine self? I feel there is a major disconnect in society and humanity in this era because many people have forgotten their history and as consequence repeated it. I do believe it is our responsibility to create a new era in which love is found more easily with those who would truly appreciate you.
For example. say there was a man who had endured psychological, emotional, and all kinds of other misfortune all his life. Yet, there was a woman out there who would sympathize with him and have compassion because either she too had been through the same thing or in many other potential ways was just looking for someone who she could relate to or understand? (as well as on intimate levels)"
I think that many of the things going on today in this modern era have inhibited progress and made things increasingly more difficult. We don't need lies, corruption, greed, or any of that nonsense.
What we need is peace, love, progress, genuinely taking care of the environment in the correct and ethical way. Not some electric vehicle that creates more waste and emissions to produce than just a vehicle that modestly runs on gasoline. I'm sure I may get hate for what I stated there but I don't care, this is an in depth discussion.
What indeed happened previously in history? Where did people lose touch? Where was the disconnect? What ever happened to two people genuinely loving one another for who they are rather than what "society" told them to do? Brianwashing needs to be made illegal to prevent further damage. I say this from the perspective that there is far too much heartbreak and sadness in the world. Love and happiness is the answer to that.
What do you all think? Please do share how you truly feel, as this is meant to shed light on what we must change in order to have a bright future.

This song is the song where I have the most issue with when it comes to the fans' interpretation of it. Their biggest argument for this is the football references, but they fail to consider that the football metaphors were just a way for Taylor Swift to draw parallels between the (American) football world and her situation.
In this analysis, I'll be doing a line-by-line breakdown of why this is not a Travis Kelce song, but is instead a song that she wrote where she is directly addressing her fans, much like how "But Daddy I Love Him", and "Who's Afraid of Little Old Me" were written.
Here it goes. Please bear with me!
This happens once every few lifetimes

• Suggests a rare and significant event. Taylor's comeback after a major public backlash (Kim Kardashian's Snakegate incident) and hiatus was a unique moment in her career, and in anyone's public career, really.

These chemicals hit me like white wine

• The "chemicals" symbolize the rush of emotions and excitement, akin to the thrill she feels from reconnecting with her fans by organising the Eras Tour.
• "White wine" can imply a pleasant, intoxicating experience, like the support she gets from her fans (look up her sales and streaming charts).

What if I told you I'm back?

• The "you" here directly addresses her fans, announcing her return to the public eye after a period of "absence".
• IMO this line is not at all a shade to Joe, but directly references the line "but I come back stronger than a 90s trend" in willow.

The hospital was a drag / Worst sleep that I ever had

• This song is a direct reference to epiphany, and, on a bigger picture, the pandemic. We must remember that her plans ("Loverfest") were all cancelled thanks to Covid.
• The line also metaphorically refers to her time in "hiding" or dealing with the aftermath of the public fallout, which was a difficult and restless period.

I circled you on a map

• This is the easiest line - she always plans her tour ahead and would choose the locations that she would be performing at.
• This symbolises her plan to reconnect with her fans, targeting them, in each location, specifically as her focus upon her return to touring.

I haven't come around in so long / But I'm coming back so strong

• This line once again emphasises her "hiatus" and assures her fans of her strong comeback.

So when I touch down / Call the amateurs and / Cut 'em from the team / Ditch the clowns, get the crown / Baby I'm the one to beat

• "Touch down" signifies her reentry into the music industry. "Call the amateurs and cut 'em from the team" represents reclaiming her position, emphasizing that she is the top artist and dismissing those who doubted her or tried to take her place.
• "Baby I'm the one to beat" represents her thoughts that she's the one "ahead of the curve" (this is me trying). Now, couple that with her AOTY award for her albums "folklore" and "Midnights", despite the strong competition she had (SZA, Harry Styles, Dua Lipa) - no, folks, Taylor Swift is the one to beat.

Cause the sign on your heart / Said it's still reserved for me

• Indicates the unwavering loyalty of her fans who kept a place for her in their hearts despite her absence and the controversies surrounding her (in general)
• .

Honestly, who are we to fight the alchemy?

• "Alchemy" symbolizes the magical, transformative bond.
• Taylor thinks that the bond between her and her fans is a magical one, one that withstands challenges and changes.
• The Alchemy is what makes her bejeweled.

Hey you, what if I told you we're cool? / That child's play back in school / Is forgiven under my rule

• Now, this line is where she addresses her fans directly. In this line, she is suggesting that she forgave all that drama ("child's play") back during the snakegate. (disclaimer: we know she forgives, she forgets, but she never let's it go -- so let's move on from this one lol)
• But basically, between her and the general fans, she's saying that she's 'moved past' what she thought was her fans' reaction to the the public feuds and media drama.

Now, let's move on to the bridge!
Shirts off, and your friends lift you up over their heads / Beer sticking to the floor / Cheers chanted, cause they said

• This is where she uses the football metaphor to describe the celebratory atmosphere of her concerts, the unity, and the joy her fans experience together.

There was no chance, trying to be / The greatest in the league / Where's the trophy? / He just comes running over to me

• This line! Basically reflects on how she defied the odds and criticism to become the "greatest" with the support of her fans, symbolizing victory and recognition.
• By all means she is currently "the greatest".
  • She is, afterall, the first person in Grammy history to win album of the year four times.
  • Her name is definitely up there as one the greatest of all time, according to Billboard.
  • There's more but I mean, it's like repeating the same points basically.

These blokes warm the benches / We been on a winning streak

• In this line, she is trying to say that everyone else are just warming the benches, while she's the one who's been out there on a winning streak with folklore, midnights, and the eras tour.
• Her usage of "we" here indicates not only "her", but everyone involved, including her fans. This reinforces the alchemy that she has with her fans, and that all of this is a mutual success, i.e. she would not be here without the support of her fans.

He jokes that it's heroin but this time with an "E" / Cause the sign on your heart said it's still reserved for me

• This line is a controversial line, because of her usage of the word "he". Now, who is "he"? Is it Travis Kelce? Or could it be Matty Healy, considering his history with the pills? In this song, this actually does not matter. Why?
  • The point of this line is to symbolise the feeling she feels when she's performing, bejeweled, in glittery skirts, and the feeling insider of her when her fans giving her a standing ovation. To her, this feeling is euphoric. It's like taking heroin.
  • Because she is a female artist, she feels like a heroine in her show. Everyone pays attention to her, and only her. As with all heroines in movies (specifically, those movies with no heroes).
  • Combining both together, "Heroin with an 'E'" signifies as a powerful, euphoric connection (her and her fans) that's not destructive (unlike Heroin), but rather, a positive, euphoric, and uplifting feeling.
• Again, the "sign on your heart" symbolizes fans' loyalty.

and finally, this line....

• Where's the trophy? He just comes running over to me.
  • Before I do a deep dive on this, let's establish the definition of the "trophy". The "trophy" symbolizes ultimate success, victory, or recognition in a competitive field.
  • This line is a rhetorical question. There is no actual "trophy". Taylor Swift is the trophy.
  • Any dudes dating her should recognise that. That she's the trophy.

Addressing the (American) football references in this song:

As mentioned before, the football references in this song are simply metaphors to help illustrate the themes of competition, triumph, and teamwork.

• "So when I touch down"
  
  • While "Touchdown" is a direct reference to scoring in American football, it also, in a literal sense, means refers to when she has landed in her private jet. At this point, we all already know about her and her private jet "news" - I do not need to elaborate on this.
  • "Touching down" symbolizes a notable return after her hiatus and public controversies, Taylor Swift’s "touch down" represents her re-emergence into the public eye with a strong, confident, and elevated status.
  • In the context of the song, it symbolizes Taylor's return to the public eye and re-establishing her position in the music industry.
• "Call the amateurs and / Cut 'em from the team"
  
  • This phrase uses the concept of a sports team to signify separating the less dedicated or less talented (the "amateurs") from the main group. It implies that only the best and most loyal (fans) shall remain, akin to a team selection process in sports.
• "Shirts off, and your friends lift you up over their heads / Beer sticking to the floor / Cheers chanted, cause they said"
  
  • This imagery is reminiscent of celebratory scenes in sports, particularly football games where fans celebrate their team's victories with loud cheers, lifting people in celebration, and the chaotic but joyful atmosphere, very much like the Eras tour.
• "There was no chance, trying to be / The greatest in the league / Where's the trophy?"
  
  • Directly references sports league competition and winning a trophy, which signifies achieving the highest honor or success. And who is she? The Billboard Woman of the Decade. The first person in history to win the AOTY 4 times. One with one of the highest grossing tour of all time. Yes by all accounts she's the music industry.

TLDR: If you switched the "you" in this song to reference "the fans", this song will make complete sense. Now, try giving this song a listen, and think of "you" as "yourself" (the fans).
Taylor Swift's song "The Alchemy," is basically a powerful ode to her fans, chronicling her journey through public scrutiny and her triumphant return to the music industry. It draws parallels to her tumultuous period following the "snake gate" incident with Kim Kardashian and her subsequent hiatus before the release of "Reputation," the lyrics reflect a narrative of resilience, redemption, and the unwavering bond between Swift and her fans.
Once you are able to interpret "you" as "the fans", you'll be able to see, without having to do too much mental gymnastics, that the song is about the transformative and enduring connection Swift shares with her loyal supporters.
If you've made it this far, thank you for reading. Sorry for any typos or grammatical errors - but I hope I helped you made sense of the song!

hi lols my name is kori but my full name is but my entire family calls me kori leona which is my middle name but my last name is Bowling I live in texas in a town called waxahachie at 60 anna leigh drive with my dad Matthew and mom Terri and my sisters kenzie, kaci, and kylee and my cousins caleb and cassidy and i just can't do this anymore its all i want but ill get nowhere with it, and all i really want to do is die. im tired of everything. I poured lighter fluid into a blended drink I made for my family and poured gasoline over my enitre house, i dont know if they are dead or if theyre just unconcious but it wont matter anyways i guess im tired of my friends, family, the only thing I'm good at (which is art), i just can't do it anymore. i can't keep living like this in this misery. there's no point in trying anymore so i took my dads gun its a rifle and it was already loaded and after this post im going to kill my entire family and pour the rest of the gasoline over myself and light myself on fire both of my parents are selfish assholes. they both lied to me. they always lie and the only time they are truthful is in insult to me. my dad tells me everyday that im lazy and makes me feel like a disappointment (although i am and it gives me more reason to kill myself) while my mom is nicer except shes immature and is always yelling and ruining all her chances of a peaceful life over text and email, threatening my dad and just constantly being an immature asshole. all parents and teachers and whatever in this world are cheap immature liars, and ive never met a single one who hasn't been. i hate my dad for having me, heck, I resent him. he shouldnt have ever had children, he shouldn't have ever brought me into this world if he just wants to make my life harder than it already is. but hey, atleast it gives me more reason to hurt myself and die. i know I'd die alone anyway, so it doesn't matter who i keep in my life. im so, so tired, and sometimes i don't even have a reason for it. sometimes im just so sad and depressed all i can do is rot. all i can do is get worse and worse until i eventually follow through and kill myself, but thatll have to wait for awhile. though, no matter how much i blame the world and people for my suffering, i hate myself more than i hate anything else. i hate myself for walking on this earth, i hate myself for my incapability, i hate myself for my existence, i hate myself for ruining the people's lives around me because ive always felt that the world would get better when i leave. i hate myself so much and i feel i deserve death. all ill ever deserve is to die as painfully and excruciatingly as possible in punishment for my existence, no matter how much i want a peaceful and content death.

I have had periodic depression since my early twenties, I’m 39 now. It usually starts in the autumn and lasts until late spring. But sometimes longer. I used to not notice it when I was younger I just connected it to external factors of life. But now I’m much more self aware of the problem and try not to blame outside factors like work, relationships etc because I know it’s a false path. I tried that before. Changing jobs, changing relationships, moving cities, it does not make a difference - this dark cloud follows me everywhere.
My symptoms are: * negative thinking - and over focus on negatives around me. Like noisy neighbors, politics, increasing prices of things, my job etc etc - I become like a grumpy grandfather.

• stress and laziness at the same time - I feel like there’s too much pressure on me to do “stuff” that I don’t even know what it is, and at the same time I’m too lazy to do anything and have to force my self to do things around the house for example.
  
• feeling of hopelessness and wanting to quit everything. My ambitions fade. Stop caring about my career, my fitness, my visual appearance, my hobbies, friends and events - and just generally become a slob.
  
• escapist thinking - I start to dream about moving to a different country, selling the house, going on a long trip, changing jobs, etc And I motivate that by explaining to my self and others how awful it is where I’m at right now.
  

My coping patterns have been the following:

• withdrawing to get time alone as much as possible
  
• trying not to verbalize my negative thoughts because I have learned that it’s not socially acceptable to be native so much. I have often got the comment “ don’t be so negative “ and it’s a big trigger for me that makes me angry and withdrawn.
  
• trying to focus on my self like going to gym, watching movies I love, playing video games.
  
• temporarily down prioritize stuff that is “hard” - like chores around the house, working less hard at work, skipping some social events when I don’t feel like it etc.
  

Now to my problem: I can’t use those coping mechanisms any more. I now have a wife and child and a house. They need me. My son needs me. I can’t just escape in to my computer for hours of the day or go to gym. He’s just below 1 year old and he needs somebody to watch him all the time. I love the little guy. But in combination with my depression I find my self in a negative spiral.
I feel like I’m doing everything against the stream - I have to force everything I do through out the day. Playing, cleaning , cooking. Doing projects around the house that need doing. I find my self complaining a lot, and my wife is fed up with it already. And I can understand her. Im constant grumpy and tired. By the end of the day I have used up all my willpower to do anything to the point where I don’t even want to brush my teeth before going to bed. I have 0 action energy left. I have not even changed my clothes in like 4 days.
On top of that there are social events that were not there before. Meeting with daycare parents, my wife’s friends that also just got kids etc. I really dread those but I force my self to pull through. And some times my grumpy mood shines through and I make everybody feel bad.
I guess I’m kind of involuntary project my mood on others and make them feel the same way. But I feel bad about it at the same time.
I don’t know what to do now. There’s no where for me to escape and hide with my dark cloud now and recharge my energy. I have to be there everyday. I’m worried that this new life that is more demanding than before will ruin my marriage and break apart my family.
My wife has been very understanding and suggested I should take a day here and there for my self. And I have. But it seems to not be enough. I feel guilt for taking that day off and leaving everything at home to my wife. And then when I come back the energy I have regained is gone very fast. It’s not sustainable.
In a few months I have to go back to work and I’m not sure I will be able to. I’m worried about getting fired or burned out. I have nightmares about my marriage ending and can’t sleep properly because the little guy wakes up multiple times at night. I feel like they would be happier without me to be honest, at least this version of me that I hate my self. I don’t want to be like this, but I am anyway.
I don’t know where I should start now. I thought I had it figured out living with my depression but now I feel hopeless and I have not answers for my self.

I’m kinda experiencing eye fatigue with these on, also for anyone using nebula app on mac, whenever I use the app to have 3 displays - its not like how other people show it, it looks so janky, its like a ultra wide curved screen with no spaces between my screens what so ever and the quality is dog shit, idk what I’m doing wrong but trying to read something is really hard on the eyes and its distorted as fuck, it looks squished a bit from the top - I see them getting so much love and I wanna love them too, I seriously do especially after buying both the beam and the glasses for almost £600 - speaking of the beam, its so junky, it comes default with prime and Netflix - I was expecting it to be a lot more, now I know it can probably download a lot more like by side loading, but I thought its gon be like a lot better, a lot more stuff by default and be useable as a standalone device, regardless of that, I tried using prime video and it was dooooogshit, it was sooo glitchy and the quality so bad - tried to go back and forward and it was so janky - now idk if by any chance I got a faulty device or if I got entirely scammed with quite a good lookalike and that does all the stuff the original does but a lot shittier - because I got the xreal air 2 pro - and also on the mac (macbook pro m3pro) I really think its the app being shit, but I really don’t get how - when I do just mirror screen its a lot better the quality is noticeable better, but then it doesn’t make sense, also I feel like when even mirroring my screen (the iphone 15 pro screen seems to not be at full quality)
SOMEONE PLEASE FUCKING HELP ME

Hey, I'm a girl in my 20s and I want to tell you my IRL story. I currently study and play in my free time volleyball on an amateur level. I play mainly for fun and a the feeling of competition, my goal isn't to become a pro and I don't have much chance of it either ;) I'm not an athlete, I'm a normal girl. Sometimes I also work on weekends, so you can imagine how tight my schedule is.
When playing volleyball, I am (or rather I was) quite good, maybe even one of the better players in the team. "Unfortunately", I gained some pounds over the course of the winter, mostly due to stress at school and eating unhealthy 🍪🍫🍔🍩 late at night. I just can't keep my fingers off these tasty snacks haha. The extra weight became very visible and I can't hide the fact that I got heavier. Currently, while playing volleyball, I can no longer keep up with other girls, my weight slows me down, I can no longer jump as high, etc...
Our trainer tries to motivate me to get back into shape by teasing me. She often reminds me that I have become heavy and I also have to run extra laps during training, I feel that the other girls are watching my belly jumping and jiggling :)
My sister also take every opportunity to remind me of the fact that since I started studying, I've let it go and got fat. When I try to put on old jeans, I feel this thrill and uncertainty as to whether I will still fit into them. Recently I was trying to lose a few pounds and I was on a diet for a few days, unfortunately due to the constant feeling of hunger I ended up stuffing my face with 🍰. I'm really bad at eating healthy haha
Will someone talk? I can share my photos how I look with this extra pounds. Girls preferred :)
I can write here or on discord.

Hi all, a couple of questions about vassals

1. I have conquered all capitals but one. I am now approaching the last remaining capital, Warsaw. However Shaka, who is my vassal, is much closer to the city.

What happens if my vassal conquers the last remaining capital?

1. Previously in the same game, I had taken Athens and Alexander capitulated. However, after a long time (I am playing Epic speed) he asked me to let him free. I was in war against Shaka at that point, so I had to agree because he was ally with nearly all CSs and I could not afford a second front. (Later I annihilated him because he was getting increasingly hostile)

The question is, how to try and avoid vassals getting independent? I know that there is a tenet in Autocracy ideology, but it comes a bit late.

Hey all,
Hope you're doing well!
I'll be quick. I keep seeing the same mistakes over and over and over again and it's driving me mad.
If I see one more "Five Guys" "Online Transformation Coach" for "Busy professionals", I'm gonna bloody lose it.
I think what started out as a good idea, perhaps inspired by Alex Hormozi's GymLaunch, has now turned to a Madras of sameness and mediocrity.
If everyone is a transformation coach specialising in Busy Mom's/Dad's, frankly no one is. Your message is lost, your engagement will suck - whether it's paid ads, DMs or organic content. And I'm sure you've noticed this and think the above channels for acquisition don't work.
Boulder Dust!
Let's go back to Marketing 101. And actually identify and research a genuine niche. By the way, one thing most people don't realise when they clone GymLaunch marketing is that their niche was also 3 miles from the physical gym location. Not very helpful online!
The best way to shortcut a proper niche relevant for online marketing is to use a method called "Dream 100". It's actually not new, but nothing's golden but oldies.
The idea is to specify and research your Dream 100 clients. NOT CUSTOMER PROFILE. But your exact Dream100 clients in your niche.
Let's think of targeting High Performing Realestate Agents (there's lots of them and they earn good money). Whom are the dream 100 real-estate agents we'd like to sign up?
Identify them and research them. Great - Grant Cardone.... Who else? Make a list of 100.
What do they talk about? How do they talk? What do they care about? What problems do they have? How can we help? Where are they found (platforms etc)? What's similar?
With our dream 100 researched and identified, now you can create a genuinely compelling and unique marketing campaign that goes a bit deeper than "Busy 5 Guys."
Now we can promote our service in the right messaging, speaking about specific problems (on the road much Mr. Realestate Tycoon?), and in specific online locations.
Now we can create an ad that is engaging and relevant.
Now we can target Grant Cardone's followers with our ad.
Now we'll actually have a chance at gathering engaged leads that are more interested in buying from you than the next guy.
Food for thought. I hope this helps!
David from ScaleFit.

Hi guys,
I can see my DIGI internet bill keeps increasing, now 140% higher than two years ago, from 3100 to 7460 Ft./month (including "loyalty" discount).
Is everyone just accepting these inflated prices? With no competition, there aren't many alternatives, as most buildings have only one provider.
In Nordic countries, for example, there's a free market for cables, meaning all providers rent the infrastructure, making it much more competitive with all providers bidding for the same customers.
Also, they changed the prices twice within my signed 12-month loyalty contract, which I think is a BS move.
I always liked DIGI for their fiber connection and stable internet, but it baffles me how they take advantage of inflation, knowing they will never lower the prices again.

Hi, my dad is 58 now. His symptoms started in teen years, but back then there was not much information available for AK. So he has not received all the treatments you guys talk about here. He has mostly been on pain meds. So his backbone and neck bone has stiffened over time limiting his movements. His back is bent forward in ~45° angle.
Coming to current situation. He had accident last evening. His left leg's bone broke at two points between ankle and knee. Doctors are waiting for the swelling to go down, then they will do the surgery to insert rod. He has mentioned in the past that even normal skin injuries take longer time to heal for him. Like if he gets a scratch, it takes longer to heal compared to his younger years. And he also has this skin condition where dry skin flakes appear on his skull and eyelids, idk where else. He had surgery for ear infection last year, docs said that's because of some skin infection that spread and went inside his ear. Dad had mentioned he thinks this skin infection was also result of AK.
So my question is, considering the level/intensity of his AK how can I advocate for him to doctors? I am from India from second tire city so doctors are still not that aware about AK. Also, will he take longer to recover from this? Is there a chance he might never be able to walk without support?
Please help me with these questions and any other things that I should advocate for him.

Long story short and as much as it sucks to say, I haven't really experienced much of anything. I'm going to intentionally beat around the bush as to what category that "experience" falls under but I think most people should be able to figure it out lol. In other words (and if you play games), I'm a complete noob when it comes to all things girls. As for why those things haven't happened and why I want that to change.. There's a few reasons, but the main reason why I'm putting such an emphasis on this is because I'm a huge homebody and I don't go out much at all which makes it difficult to meet people. That's where Reddit comes in! The message I'm essentially trying to send is becoming physically and emotionally close with a girl is what I want the most. I want to experience it all; the laughs, excitement, curiosity, intimacy, hanging out, fun. Blame all the Disney movies I watched as a kid for that lol.
Finding someone would be a dream come true, but I'd love to find friends too if that's all you're looking for! Local or international, just let me know if that's what you want instead :) We could end up being really close friends and you'll introduce me to a friend who I end up being with? That may or may not be the plot from a romcom 🤔 So that means I definitely wouldn't be opposed to a relationship! I've obviously never been in one so I'm not exactly sure how to transition to that, haha. I totally wouldn't mind finding out, though :) Also someone to say good morning and night to, too. That would be the best even if it's incredibly cheesy.
Anyway, it could be someone with a lot of experience or someone with no experience like me, or introverted or not introverted, etc. I don't have a preference either way :) But if I were to be reaaally picky: they'd be sweet and down to earth because just cuddling on its own would be all kinds of cool. A bit about me: I'm shy, caring, kind, sweet and am normal in the weight and height categories. I want to say I'm cute in the looks department? 🙈 I'll let you decide that though lol. I think it's super fun learning about people through conversation so I'll leave the following hobbies section blank. Then again, I suppose it wouldn't hurt to give a small hint to something I love.. My username should provide clues to that! I Siriusly need to re-watch the movies again. Maybe with someone I meet through r4r?
Alright, I can't hold it in anymore. I pretty much like a little bit of everything. For example, when it comes to music, I go through Backstreet Boys phases to Disney song phases (Moana is awesome and I haven't even seen the movie 🙊) to something like Linkin Park, Paramore or 50 Cent. What I'm trying to say is I like a little bit of everything! So there's a good chance I'll like whatever you like when it comes to hobbies and interests and that means connecting with each other should be relatively natural/seamless. Or maybe that's wishful thinking on my part, haha.
I'm not the best with openers and if you're also in the same boat, then how about this: If you could have any superpower what would it be and how would you use it? Being out of this world smart like Tony Stark is an acceptable super poweanswer, by the way.
Hopefully my first impression is a good one! If anyone is even remotely interested, then just let me know and I'll get back to you asap!

So I'm gonna try my best to explain how I'm feeling right now. It's related to school and personal life ig. A couple days ago a friend of mine in school was selected to go to a funded trip to a European country for the finale of a contest he participated in. Now I've been an A/A* student my whole life and i just didn't partake in that contest because most of the times we never really get the rewards mentioned in the contests and they always sound like money-grabs. That particular contest i don't partake in and that happens.... Now since that day I've been feeling like shit. The moment i get a smile on my face i get reminded of that moment and my heart just constricts and there's the weird wave of depression and anxiety i feel.
The thing that hurts me the most is that i lost the chance to make my mother feel so proud. She always has high hopes for me and this would've just made her so happy. Thing is this has never happend before and being in a third world country its a pretty big deal to have a trip like that. And everytime i think about it i go into this whole thought about what my mom would've felt like how happy and proud everyone would've been.... This right here is what makes me just want to sit and hate myself over and over again.
I feel like I've lost motivation or something I don't understand but everything feels so much dull now. It's not like my parents or anyone else hated me for it, but there's just that feeling inside.
Please help me out. I try to tell myself it's God's will but i still feel depressed.
Thank you for reading this.

Hi everyone,
I'm looking for some realistic advice and insights on my current job search situation in Shanghai. Here’s a bit about my background and what I’m facing:
My Background:

• Nationality: EU citizen
• Education: Studied in the UK for 5 years. I hold a BSc in Computer Science (First-class Honours) and an MSc in Advanced Computer Science (Merit).
• Experience: 3+ years in software development:
  • 2 years at a private company
  • 1 year at a government research agency working on control software for particle accelerators
  • All work experience was before & during my undergrad and postgrad studies (all full-time: office, remote, and placement year).
• Relevant Languages: Fluent in English (though not a native speaker), very limited Mandarin.

Visa Situation:

• Looking to stay in Shanghai for around 2 years.
• My passport doesn't allow long-stay multi-entry L visas. I’ve managed to get a 60-day single-entry L visa before (considered rare for my passport), but I’ve been told by the visa people that I can’t stay longer than 6 months within a 12-month period using short-term L visas.
• Therefore, I need to secure a work (Z) visa or, as a last resort, an X1 student visa (though scholarship applications for this year seem to be closed).

Job Search Efforts:

• Applied to over 200 jobs at 100+ companies (multinationals, domestic companies, schools, etc.) in the past 2 months.
• Used multiple job platforms: LinkedIn, Indeed, GlassDoor, LaowaiCarrer, eChinaCities, HiredChina, SmartShanghai, LiePin (猎聘), and ZhiLianTuiTui (智联推推).
• Applied to a variety of positions: software-related, IT and tech support, CS/Programming & ESL teaching, customer support call centers, SEO optimization, QA/Localisation, marketing, various internships, etc.
• I've been open and flexible in my job search, willing to make sacrifices in career progression for roles I may be overqualified for or not directly related to my background.

Challenges:

• Multinationals seem to only need seniors or team leads with many more years of experience and have, for the most part, ghosted me.
• Expat websites are flooded with listings for teaching jobs that have good benefits and (frustratingly) loose requirements but require native English speakers.
• Many English-related jobs (localization, proofreading, digital content creation, translation QA, user research, etc.) inexplicably require native English speakers. Despite being able to excel in these roles and achieve a high IELTS/TOEFL score if needed, I am deemed unqualified solely due to my passport.
• HR on Chinese job boards have shown a lot of interest in me, but most Chinese companies don’t seem to be currently hiring international talent.

Current Plan:

• Planning to stay in Shanghai later this year for as long as my tourist visa allows, to continue job hunting in person. I am hoping that this will simplify the process and improve my chances. I will have, at most, 3 months on my L visa.
• If during that time I still don't manage to secure work, I really won't know what else to do, as I may not be issued another L visa.

My Question:
I'm currently in a bind. With my background and qualifications, finding a good programming job in Europe wouldn't be too difficult. However, in Shanghai, it's been so challenging to find any job, even those I'm grossly overqualified for, no matter how much I lower my standards regarding career progression and compensation. Although I could find a remote job, that wouldn't solve my visa issue.
Given my qualifications and experience, what are the realistic chances of finding any job in Shanghai that provides a livable wage and normal work hours? Any advice on navigating the job market or improving my odds would be greatly appreciated. Has anyone been in a similar situation or have insights on making this work?
Thank you!