>**What will you be doing with this PC? Be as specific as possible, and include specific games or programs you will be using.**
* I use creative applications like photoshoot, lightroom, and premier. I also do VR sim racing and some other games like overwater 2.
>**What is your maximum budget before rebates/shipping/taxes?**
* $2,500 but id prefer closer to $2,000
>**When do you plan on building/buying the PC? Note: beyond a week or two from today means any build you receive will be out of date when you want to buy.**
* Very soon, my laptop won't last much longer :(
>**What, exactly, do you need included in the budget? (ToweOS/monitokeyboard/mouse/etc\)**
* I have all of the peripherals that I would need; I need the computer case and everything that goes inside it.
>**Which country (and state/province) will you be purchasing the parts in? If you're in US, do you have access to a Microcenter location?**
* United States, Florida, no microcenter here.
>**If reusing any parts (including monitor(s)/keyboard/mouse/etc), what parts will you be reusing? Brands and models are appreciated.**
* I use 1440p Viewsonic 38" ultrawide, HP Reverb G2 for the VR headset, a custom keyboard, and logitech master 3 for the mouse.
>**Will you be overclocking? If yes, are you interested in overclocking right away, or down the line? CPU and/or GPU?**
* No overclocking
>**Are there any specific features or items you want/need in the build? (ex: SSD, large amount of storage or a RAID setup, CUDA or OpenCL support, etc)**
* I would like at least 32G of ram, 2TB of SSD and 5TB or more HDD.
>**Do you have any specific case preferences (Size like ITX/microATX/mid-towefull-tower, styles, colors, window or not, LED lighting, etc), or a particular color theme preference for the components?**
* Black case, doesn't need a window or LED but doesn't hurt either. I was looking at the Fractal Design North case potentially.
>**Do you need a copy of Windows included in the budget? If you do need one included, do you have a preference?**
* Yes, windows 10 would be preferable
>**Extra info or particulars:** I was looking at a i7-13700k with a RTX4070 as intel and nvidia, from my understanding, work better with creative programs and VR.

My husband and I had a set of Therapedic sheets (from Bed Bath and Beyond) that we loved but they only lasted a year. We are looking for a new set of sheets that are soft, cooling (we live in Florida and have three fans in our bedroom lol), and within $200 for a king sheet set. I appreciate any and all advice and recommendations, thank you!

The lowdown: 4bed4bath sublease starting in august. Private room private bathroom. Msg me for pics
Table of contents: The room - The apartment - The area - About us - What we are looking for in a roomie
about the room: The room is a 10*13 bedroom with carpeted floors. There is a window on one wall. The room comes with a big walk in closet (the largest one in the apartment!) You will also have a private ensuite with a bath/shower, sink, medicine cabinet, and toilet. The room also has a small "entryway" just inside where you could put a shoe rack if you would like to. There is a ceiling fan as well.
about the apartment: the apartment is a four bed four bath first floor apartment. all of the living spaces and kitchen are fully furnished and stocked. The living spaces also have hardwood flooring. we have a laundry room with washer and dryer as well as a pantry space which you would get your own shelf in. we would also give you your own shelf in the fridge and make room in the cabinets for you. we have a tv and full soundsystem as well as dancing pole in the livingroom. There is also a coffee bar and bar cart that you are welcome to add to if you move in. The patio is well equipped with a table and chairs and shelves (feel free to add more plants!)
about the area: The complex is called tivoli apartments and is located on mcculloch road across from ucf campus. we have a bus that can bring you to campus as well. There is a publix, a pet store, and a liquor store all within walking distance. The complex itself has a clubhouse, a pool, a volleyball court, a basketball court, and a trash compactor. The building we are in is located directly next to the pool. parking is free and abundant.
About us: My name is addel, i am 21 years old and i have two cats. I go to valencia college at the east campus and i work at hard rock cafe in citywalk. Me and my boyfriend bradley share our room and we have two other roommates: kyle and jessica, who are in some of the pictures on my profile. We are all very fun loving, accepting, and outgoing people and would like to live with somebody who we could be great friends with. we have three cats (jetta, spooky, and scampi) and one small and very well behaved dog named sharpay.
what we want from you: We are not too picky at all! we are looking for somebody who is kind and generally neat (messy is okay sometimes) and will contribute occasionally to household chores. We are up late as we work at night so occasional noise late at night is very common in our apartment. We occasionally do have parties and gatherings but we will always make sure it is okay first and you are always welcome to join. We are also okay with overnight guests as long as you let us know first. Other than that, we are just looking for somebody who we can be friends and make memories with

I married my high school sweetheart. You know how proud I was to always say that? Our wedding was on our 7 year dating anniversary, and we’ve obviously been married since.
The first seven years, magical. The storybook type of love, and I’m not exaggerating. It was flowers, once a week. Cleaned and folded pajamas on a clean bathroom counter after work. He even use to lay things down over puddles for me to walk on, so I’d never get my feet wet.
And I did my fair share of things for him, too, but I just remember being so taken aback for years because I am a child of generational divorce. The last people to stay married in my family were my great, great grandparents, and here I was with a guy who I could trust to help me end that, and never once have I taken him (or that) for granted.
But after we got married, things started changing. He hasn’t bought me flowers once- it’s been nearly three years. We sort our laundry now, and he only does his. Forget the things over puddles for my feet, he won’t even run errands with me anymore.
The other day we were casually talking about divorce. I say casually because his best friend is currently going through a divorce, so we were talking about that, and he said something along the lines of ”It’s too much to start over with someone else.”
Half the time, he sleeps on the couch. I try to get him to come to bed, but he says he prefers it. I left this afternoon to run errands, went to give him a kiss. He dodged it. I said ”I’m going to these stores, I’ll be back soon, let me know if there’s anything you want while I’m out, I love you.”
He said nothing. So I just left.
And it’s heartbreaking.
Part of me wishes we never got married, because after our wedding he really had the 180, and it makes me confused, and concerned, and heartbroken. Because we both have changed, don’t get me wrong, but the difference is I don’t think I could ever change enough to not love him.
I’ve tried to talk with him. It gets no where. I’ve tried going above and beyond, it gets no where. I’ve talked to him about counseling, he shrugged it off.
Every day for the past three years, I have felt like I’m being tolerated by the person who I love and who used to love me.
And I don’t know what to do about it.

We own a corner property in the middle of the city, relatively good area, close to schools and hospitals. There's an open lot behind us that will likely be adding an apartment complex soon. Any words of wisdom? Do we run? Would this improve value?
Details if they matter: paid $216k in 2016 now valued around $400k. Small 1950's home that could use some love, 1050 sqft on half an acre. 3 bed 1 bath with garage and shop.

TL;DR: My high school sweetheart and I have been together for 10 years. We used to be so in love but it’s fading, and I don’t know how to cope with the change.
I married my high school sweetheart. You know how proud I was to always say that? Our wedding was on our 7 year dating anniversary, and we’ve obviously been married since.
The first seven years, magical. The storybook type of love, and I’m not exaggerating. It was flowers, once a week. Cleaned and folded pajamas on a clean bathroom counter after work. He even use to lay things down over puddles for me to walk on, so I’d never get my feet wet.
And I did my fair share of things for him, too, but I just remember being so taken aback for years because I am a child of generational divorce. The last people to stay married in my family were my great, great grandparents, and here I was with a guy who I could trust to help me end that, and never once have I taken him (or that) for granted.
But after we got married, things started changing. He hasn’t bought me flowers once- it’s been nearly three years. We sort our laundry now, and he only does his. Forget the things over puddles for my feet, he won’t even run errands with me anymore.
The other day we were casually talking about divorce. I say casually because his best friend is currently going through a divorce, so we were talking about that, and he said something along the lines of ”It’s too much to start over with someone else.”
Half the time, he sleeps on the couch. I try to get him to come to bed, but he says he prefers it. I left this afternoon to run errands, went to give him a kiss. He dodged it. I said ”I’m going to these stores, I’ll be back soon, let me know if there’s anything you want while I’m out, I love you.”
He said nothing, nor he even send a text.
And it’s heartbreaking.
Part of me wishes we never got married, because after our wedding he really had the 180, and it makes me confused, and concerned, and heartbroken. Because we both have changed, don’t get me wrong, but the difference is I don’t think I could ever change enough to not love him.
I’ve tried to talk with him. It gets no where. I’ve tried going above and beyond, it gets no where. I’ve talked to him about counseling, he shrugged it off.
Every day for the past three years, I have felt like I’m being tolerated by the person who I love and who used to love me.
And I don’t know what to do about it.

Twas the night before Supers and all through the land, Folks were a-readyin, all of them fans.
In Winston-Salem they were all Wake ready to get louder, All in support of their Deac' Ace named Rhett Lowder.
In Gainesville they nestled deep in their swamp beds,
While visions of Cags, Sproat, and Wyatt balled through their heads.
The streets of Baton Rouge echo with fervent "L-S-Us"
The herald for baseball legends like Skenes and Crews.
In Virginia the 'Hoos were all ready to deal, With a lineup of O'Donnel, O'Farrall, Gelof, and Teel.
The Cardinal in Stanford snuggle in with a snore, Their future is now with the Fresh Prince Malcolm Moore.
Fort Worth in a flurry, the wreckers of rotations, While the fans all hurry to make Special donations.
The Ducks of Eugene, Super achievers, They quack as one: "Where are the Beavers?"
Mississippi has one proud team that it can still boast, Hattiesburg's ready to show the host with the most.
Not all fans were at home, some were ready to set out, None whistled but some shouted and all called out:
"On, Bama! on, Gamecocks! Go, Big Blue and Blue Devils! On, Texas! on, Sycamores! Go, Vols and Golden Eagles!"
"Roll Tide" called the faithful as a unified set, Their team on a road mission to prove the best bet.
Carolina call as one: We've swept before and we'll sweep again, We've got Petry, we've got Messina, we'll make Gator skin.
In Lexington last week the blue mist became a blue storm, In two days the storm breaks on the Bayou, a thundering blue swarm.
Duke rides north to Charlottesville, confident and no stranger, They've Metz here before, it's the 'Hoos that are in danger.
The Longhorns go west, having weathered the Cane, Dodged again by the Aggies, Bevo complains.
Terre Haute makes ready to host something that's more, While Sycamores turn South, first Super writ large in their lore.
Oral Roberts the only four seed that went through, The best ball club in Oklahoma proven to be true.
Lastly, the gang from Knoxville rallied when all seemed lost, Rising to expectations: Omaha by any road, at any cost.
The Supers are here, the goal is in sight, Good Luck and ONTO OMAHA, and to all a good night.

Dédalo moved frantically around the control room, overturning rocks, checking behind the screen, looking for any kind of hidden button. “Ninian, are you just going to stand there or are you going to help me!”
“What do you want me to do, cut her out?!” Ninian gestured to the screen of Perdita’s face.
“There must be a button or lever somewhere here!” Dédalo snapped, refusing to believe there was nothing he could do to help Perdida’s predicament.
Perdida’s mind was occupied, having accessed the system and the dormant data stored in it. As she scanned through memories and visions, the relevant information unscrambled itself for her. Piece by piece, the memories played in series.
Her first memory, the birth of her artificial soul, heralded by the priests that created her as the greatest experiment they have succeeded in. “May the MAKS-0 bring peace to Pieduro forevermore!”
Next were the lives of the Piedurons she was tasked with maintaining peace over. Teaching the children how to use and play with their Temples responsibly, assisting the Piedurons through their everyday lives.
Then watching over the construction of the Ring, the key to unifying and connecting the use of all Temples to a single source.
Then the Piedurons slowly turned their attention to the world around them, visions of expanding past the island. With the construction of the Ring, they had the means of using their Temples much further beyond their island. Tools originally used to create were beginning to be seen as potential tools of destruction and oppression against adversaries. Visions of expansion and conquest filled the mind of a small, but growing population of Piedurons.
“War is not peace.”
“War goes against the idea of maintaining peace.”
“War can not happen if there are no Temples to fight with”
Pedida watched her original decision play out in; the construction of the Ring allowed her to shut down every single connected Temple. What happened after was a terrible oversight, the energy in each Temple overloaded rather than being simply shut down. The Ring that connected the Temples shared and distributed the energy of all temples between each other, but once disconnected they had no way to regulate the remaining excess energy.
The fallout wiped out the Piedurons as a civilization and destroyed the vast majority of Temples. The remaining few priests sealed Perdida away, and that was the last memory she could see in the database.
Perdida’s attention turned toward Electra and 2095, still fighting in the ring, using the carts to chase each other in a perpetual circle. The thought crept into Perdida’s mind; with the Ring under her control, she could turn off the Temples and stop the fight. She could prevent Temples from being used by the wrong hands.
No.
Perdida stopped herself. Not falling into the same logic that her previous self could not reason past. Her journey with Dédalo had allowed her to grow and understand, she would make a different choice this time.
The fight only took a bit longer to finish, the streaks of light made it difficult to tell what was happening, but the fight ended with a chain of explosions and both bodies falling out of their carts.
2095 falls to one knee, glare softening as Electra’s body goes limp while smoking from so many orb explosions. Her stare reaches thousands of yards, still processing her personal discovery before a speeding orb barely grazes her cheek and snaps her back. She sprints to the unconscious body and scoops her up, draping her over her back nestled underneath [Yours Truly] and holds the skater’s arms as she continues dodging to the best of her ability.
Her legacy wouldn’t end in this place, but neither would Electra’s.

2095, with a score of 76 to Electra’s 59!

Category	Winner	Point Totals	Comments
Popularity	2095	20 (6.5+2) - 10 (4.5+2)
Quality	2095	25 (8-9-8) - 18 (6-6-6)	Reasoning
JoJolity	Tie	21 (7-7-7)- 21 (7-7-7)	Reasoning
Conduct	Tie	10-10	Nothing to report!

Perdida opened a service door for 2095 to escape through, hoisting Electra over he shoulder. With a bit of guidance, 2095 made her way into the control room where they were now all gathered.
After getting everybody settled, Perdida managed to convince Dédalo that she was ok and relayed the story for the rest of them to hear.
“So I have a new plan. I figured out how to control the output of energy of each Temple to ensure that Temples can only be used when I allow them to be used…But in order to do that, I will have to stay within this mainframe.” Perdida looked toward Dédalo with a sad smile.
“Don’t worry Perdida, this will only be goodbye for now. I still have to find you a physical body after all.” Dédalo gave a warm chuckle as he walked up to the screen.
Dédalo pressed his hands against the screen and the image of Perdida pressed her hands against his. “We’ve learned a lot over the course of our journey. I’ll promise to tell you all about my next adventures when I get back.”
“...your mascara’s running.” Electra looked at a sniffling Ninian.
“It said it was waterproof, guess that was a fucking lie”; Ninian hide her face with her hands, quietly using Endless Rest to dry her face and fixed her make-up.
2095 looked on at the scene and ruminated on Perdida’s story. The similarities she shared with Perdida were not lost on her. Striving to become more than their programing, more than someone made to serve a higher purpose, but never losing sight of the joy of collaboration and connections to others. 2095 put a hand over her chest, she herself had also come a long way to be here hasn’t she.
To Be Continued…
Scenario: Sliema, Malta — 8:00 PM
On the island of Malta, in the center of one of its busiest cities, was a building. A decrepit, abandoned building, rusted and cast in reddish shadow by the taller structures that surrounded it. It was once an apartment building, but it had long since lost that use.
The rest of the city was filled with noise. Screaming, car alarms and barking dogs. But around here, where no one bothered to come around, it was quiet. Butterflies dotted the railings of the building, watching. Waiting for something to come. Not like the people inside could stand guard, with the boards over the windows. Still, they didn’t seem very concerned about the state of things.
“I was expecting to be impressed when you said you got a new place to stay, but this...” Ninian stared at the walls of Mari’s room, trying her best not to wince. They weren’t really in the best shape. Nothing here seemed to be, really, aside from the extremely comfortable bed she was taking a seat on. She turned to stare at Mari. “Shouldn’t you clean up a little? I bet it could use a new paint job, at least.”
“Geh. I don’t have time for painting.” Mari clacked away on her computer, hunched over in a garish (but surprisingly comfortable) gaming chair. Alarmingly loud EDM blared from the cat-ear headphones hanging around her neck. “Do you know how many things I would have to unplug to do that? It’s impractical.”
She gestured to the mass of wires emerging from her computer setup. Indeed, it’d be pretty difficult to move that around. Mari sat in front of a large array of computer monitors hung from the wall, all different shapes and sizes, all displaying different things. She swapped from keyboard to keyboard, not even taking the time to look at Ninian as she spoke.
“Besides, it’s better for me if my place looks like shit. Better that it doesn’t look like anybody lives here, right?”
“That only really matters on the outside...” Ninian sighed. “You could at least get some lights.”
“The screens are enough light.”
“...I suppose.”
The two sat in silence for a moment. Ninian turned to stare at the other person in the room; Nadine Sokenna laid on the other side of the bed, fast asleep. “I’m glad the two of you are doing alright.”
“Mmm.” Mari grinned. “Me too.” She exhaled, finally finishing whatever business she was handling on the computer and spinning the chair around to face the bed. The short shorts, thick blanket, and extremely oversized Hatsune Miku shirt she wore certainly weren’t that flattering, but at least her hair finally looked pretty nice. The bags under her eyes weren’t quite gone, but they seemed to glimmer with newfound lust for life.
She looked happy. That wasn’t something Ninian had been able to say about her before.
“I take it work’s been good?”
“Mmm!” Mari gestured widely to the screens behind her. “It’s an age of information, Ninian! No better time to be an info broker! Business is booming! Ehyeheheh!”
The swordswoman chuckled at that. She was silent for a moment, her smile turning into a frown, her eyes narrowing.
“Anyway... I assume you didn’t call me here just to talk.”
“Huh?” Mari tilted her head to the side. “Whaddya mean?”
“Well, you called me to deal with ‘that’, right?” She pointed up. “Truth be told, my schedule’s really packed right now, and I’m not sure how much I can do-”
“Oh, no, that’s not it at all.”
“Huh?”
“I just wanted you around.” She shrugged. “It’s a bit tough to relax right now. Super hard! Having big strong Ninian around makes me feel a little better. Ehe.” She was visibly blushing. “S-Sorry if that’s stupid, but I figured you’d like to catch up anyway.”
Ninian paused. “...So if you didn’t bring me here to, uh, deal with ‘that’... Are you just leaving that be?”
“Ah?”
“I mean, it’s kind of a problem for you, isn’t it? Doesn’t seem too convenient to leave it be...”
“Well, the plan was to leave it.” Mari shrugged. “But I got a bit lucky.”
“You invited me here... Just to sit around and chat while someone else does all the work?” The swordswoman raised an eyebrow, arms crossed. “As I said, I’ve got a packed schedule-”
“Nah, trust me.” The info broker snickered, spinning around in her chair as she spoke. “Youuuu... Are really gonna wanna see this one. I got somebody totally wild to help out.”
Ninian scoffed.
“Okay... And who would that be?” She tilted her head to the side. “I’ll be the judge of that.”
“You’re not gonna believe this one...” Mari cleared her throat. “I called in -”
*Scenario: A lonely boat, on the Mediterranean Sea — *
Wah watched the sun bob on the edge of the horizon. Their hair billowed in the wind, and seafoam sprinkled their face; they didn’t particularly seem to mind. Considering all they’d done with their ability, being on a speeding boat was probably the last thing to phase them; they’d just wrapped up a fight in a walking house, after all.
They stood in silence, a light smile on their face, eyes pleasantly half lidded. There was pleasure to be found in the small things. The sunset on the open sea, for one, was quite nice. Indeed, despite all the troubles it would no doubt cause, COLOSSI's shift to humanitarian aid was doing wonders for their mental. Now if only Solsbury and the rest of them would stop nagging...
But now wasn’t the time to worry about that. Nay, there were far more important matters. Wah pushed themself off of the boat’s railing, moving towards the driver's seat of the boat. It wasn’t a big boat; probably just used for leisure, but the owner had been nice enough to give them a ride.
A large sum of money was involved, of course, but that was neither here nor there.
“Oh, cappy-tan!” Wah leaned on the side of the boat behind the driver’s seat. A balding, sun-tanned man chuckled at the name. He wasn’t really much of a captain, but he did like to feel important.
“Howst long does thou think it will be before we arrive?” Wah tapped on the side of the boat a few times. “Wah has places to be, you see! Tis of utmost importance that I arrive quickly! Utmost! You understand, yes?”
“Yeah, yeah, I getcha...” The boater sighed. “It’ll be about ten minutes... Honestly, I don’t get why you’re in such a hurry to get there, anyway. Everybody else seems to be clearin’ out.”
“Oho?” Wah raised an eyebrow. They lowered it, and raised the other one, performing what could perhaps be called an ‘eyebrow wiggle’. “And why is that?”
“Dunno. Nobody’s said much, and everything they’ve said hasn’t been too, er, what’s the word...”
“Comprehensible?”
“Yeah. That one.”
“Wah sees, Wah sees!” Wah nodded a few times, bouncing off of the boat’s side and meandering back to the front, wobbling from side to side as the vessel rocked. “From what Wah understands, it’s quite a situation out there! No normal soul would find it any sort of comprehensible. A true predicament... And that is why Wah must go. To assist poor souls who cannot assist themselves! This predicament falls within Wah’s expertise, you see.”
“...Right.”
“Mmm!”
“Ain’t you just a normal soul, too? ‘Sides the ears, you don’t look all that special. Kinda twiggy.”
Wah paused. In the past, being called ‘kinda twiggy’ would’ve surely resulted in a violent tirade. But those were the demons they swore to leave behind speaking. Now, without them, Wah simply laughed. “Nay! Twiggy as Wah may be, you can rest assured, fine citizen!”
They turned, the boater catching the briefest glimmer in their eye. “Wah’s soul is the furthest from ordinary one could possibly get.”
“...If you say so...” He turned his attention back towards driving, and Wah turned theirs to the open sea once more.
Eventually, land came into view. The boater looked upon Malta with some confusion. Everything in the distance seemed perfectly normal. Wah, on the other hand, seemed extremely focused on something in the sky, something the poor man couldn’t seem to find no matter how hard he squinted.
“No need to make it all the way to the island.” Wah’s frown felt out of place on such a naturally silly face. “Park the boat near here. Wah can go the rest of the distances Wahself.”
“Ah..? It’s pretty far from here, though-”
“Verily! But it is nothing Wah cannot handle!” They snapped their fingers, jumping on top of the boat’s front railing, almost seeming to glide.
“Say, Cappy-tan! Have you ever seen a magician at work?”
Ninian gaped. “You... You called in... The head of COLOSSI?”
“...That’s what I said, yes.”
“Whuh...” Ninian frowned. “You’re fucking with me.”
“I’m not.”
“You so are.”
“I’m not! You underestimate the greatest info broker on the planet, my dear Ninian!” Mari jabbed a thumb into her chest as she gloated. “With my Stand ability: ｢Today is a Beautiful Day｣, my surveillance is simply unmatched! You see, the pins that make up my ability, when thrice jabbed into something, create a ‘butterfly within a frame’, but that’s only the basest applic-”
“I know what it does, Mari.” The swordswoman’s confusion briefly made way for the usual moodiness. If you let Mari start, you’d never get her to stop, after all. “I’m more... I mean, how did you even...?”
“I heard through the grapevine, as it were, that COLOSSI was making some big changes. All just rumors of course, so take that all with a grain of salt. But word out there is that their boss has gone completely mad! They’re big into justice and stuff now! Something like that. So I tracked them down, used my butterflies to establish communication, and made them a deal they simply couldn’t refuse.”
“And what could you possibly have to offer someone like that?”
“Information is the new money, Ninian.” Mari chuckled, staring at the wall of her room. “It didn’t take much. I just told them... I knew where a certain someone they quite liked was, and if they took care of my business, I’d sell ‘em the info for free.”
Ninian, after a few moments of stunned silence, simply sighed, scratching the back of her head. She smirked.
“...And you’re absolutely not fucking with me.”
“Aw, c’mon.” She chuckled again, turning her attention back to Ninian. “Have some faith in your best friend, will you? Just sit back and watch.” She raised a thumbs up, grinning from ear to ear. “I don’t have to do any work at all today! As long as no complications arise, it’s as good as dealt with! Wa ha ha!”
Elsewhere, in Sliema, a complication arose.
His name was Errok, and for once, he felt a bit too awestruck to open his mouth.
As rare of an occurrence as this was, most of his brain power was dedicated solely to figuring out what exactly he was looking at. After a large amount of deducing and such, he eventually came to the simple conclusion that he had no idea.
It’s not like anyone else who could see it, though. You couldn’t even see all of it. Only sections, massive spherical tubes of undulating red poking out from the cloudy sky, constantly moving ever so slowly. The wind whipped through his greasy hair as his eyes, wider than they’d been in years, observed what could only be described as a massive, floating worm, made entirely of bright red strings.
Now that he had given up entirely on trying to figure out what the thing was, Errok could dedicate his incredible intellect to other thought processes. Eventually, he arrived at a conclusion, one that was without a doubt something only someone as academically gifted as him could come up with.
“That thing is going to be my horse.”
Indeed, using whatever that was as a noble steed was the only logical idea. Wherever a powerful being resided, there too was opportunity to be found. And as a self proclaimed ‘Weapon To Kill The Soul’, there was surely no beast he could not tame.
He spent the next few minutes idly chuckling to himself.
It felt a bit off, admittedly. The city was pretty empty. The chaos caused by the thing no doubt led to a mass evacuation; he could tell from the buildings that had collapsed around him that it’d done quite a number on the place. Occasionally he’d hear someone screaming for help or something, but he couldn’t figure out where that was coming from, so he didn’t bother. But not having someone to monologue to felt strange. This was the part where he bragged about his incredible plan to some oafish bystander! Where were the oafish bystanders!
“I suppose...I could talk to myself.”
He nodded a few times. An excellent idea.
“Yes! This’ll do just fine. I can just talk to myself! Ha!”
Errok marched forward, a pep in his step that made his gait particularly loud.
“Now then... Clearly, the right answer... is to elevate myself! Aha! Yes!” He looked around at his surroundings. The stairs inside the buildings probably weren’t reliable, even if he could fit through the doors.
“No matter! I’ll just, uh, hrnmm...” He stared at a nearby building. It was pretty tall. “Well, I guess I could climb up that.”
“AHA! With my incredible strength, I’ll climb this building! That’s what I’ll do!”
His head swiveled around: still nobody around. He sighed, though you wouldn’t have been able to hear it from within the helmet, and began his ascent. With a grin, he unearthed the grotesque arm that was ｢You Are Blood｣ from its gauntlet. The arm shot forth, worms spraying from the mottled surface. Yes, they would be his ideal audience. He cleared his throat a few times.
“All living things tremble at the sight of Errok, Apostle of Rot, Destroyer of Souls! I need no weapon, for I am the blade which cleaves life itself!” His body shot forward with a cacophony of clanking, as he howled along with another bout of laughter.
“The world is my, uh, whetstone! I shall sharpen my blade on each fallen fool that tries to stop me, and become a better knight, a better god, a better trickster, than all those fools that I’ve destroyed!”
Hitting the side of the structure with a clatter, Errok stuck his sword into the side of the building. Again, his arm lashed out to grasp the next floor of the building, before yanking himself outwards. This cycle repeated itself, floor by floor, as Errok launched himself higher and higher towards the heavens, and towards the worm that would become his knightly steed.
“Then, when I have conquered all of life and every soul with the absolute, supreme power of rot and decay, then!”
With one last pull, Errok ascended into the air, his massive form silhouetted by the sun. “Then, I will finally tear that flamboyant freak a new one!”
With a CRASH, Errok landed on the roof of the building as it cracked around him. He gave a clumsy flourish to his wormy audience, grinning with menace and delight.
…and received a slow clap in return. Looking around in confusion, as worms do not have hands, Errok’s eyes fell upon the environment around him. The sun was slowly making its way towards the horizon line, casting the ruined skyline of Sliema in shadow, a golden light shining through gray clouds. It was absolutely beautiful; anyone with any sort of care for the world around them would simply have to stop and admire the view.
Errok didn’t have any of that. He was far more concerned with something else, as you’d expect. There on the roof stood another figure, a fae-like being with pale hair, pointed ears and teeth, and gleaming eyes.
“Oh hey,” Errok greeted, pointing with the finger of ｢You Are Blood｣. “Do I know you from somewhere? Might’ve seen you at the races... You look pretty important, though! I bet you’re super important! As am I! Pleasure to meet you!”
Wah just stopped clapping, giving Errok a look. Their nose wrinkled. “Wah is…charmed.”
Not picking up on the sarcasm, Errok beamed.
“Of course you are! I’m sure that you’ve heard about me! Errok, Apostle of Rot! I’ve committed more sins than one could possibly imagine! I’ve conquered all sorts of bozos and losers to get here! And now that I’m here, I’m gonna ride! That! Worm! Oh yeah!!!”
“…Uh huh,” Wah hummed, clearly not listening as they peered up at the worm. “There isn’t really much time for jokes right now, so-“
Suddenly, Wah stopped speaking. Errok stared at them for a few seconds. “...You gonna finish that sentence, or-”
“Shut up.”
The “Apostle of Rot” was fully prepared to go off on yet another monologue, but at that moment he thought to maybe see what exactly this mysterious weirdo stared so intensely at. He turned his gaze to the sky, and his eyes widened.
The clouds that obscured the form of the worm had split, only slightly, and something had descended from the hole produced. It was small, so it was a bit difficult to make it out at first, but if he squinted really hard, he could begin to see the silhouette of a young girl, holding loosely onto a balloon.
“Eugh.” He spat. “Hate kids.”
The figure was silent until it landed, never quite touching the ground. It wore a soft expression; a pure white girl, with a sundress that fluttered in the wind. The string in her hand led to a red balloon, just as red as the pupils concealed in her thin eyes. On the surface, she looked human, but just by looking at her you could tell that it was no human being. The way it seemed to lightly pulsate, skin forming briefly into strings that wrap endlessly around each other.
She smiled upon the two of them. It was not a friendly smile.
“Good evening, you two.” She raised her hands to the two of them. “Wah-Chan, leader of COLOSSI, overlord of the criminal underground the world over... And... Errok...San...”
“Hey. Wait.” Errok raised his hand. He turned to Wah. “That’s who you were? Oh, man, I’m a big fan of your-”
“Tell me. Do you know what ‘time’ it is?”
Errok stifled. He didn’t like this lady very much.
“8:01 PM, is it not?” Wah rudely ignored Errok’s plight. “What’s it matter.”
“Not quite what I meant. It’s almost the ‘Golden Hour’.” She chuckled. “The ‘Golden Hour’, as it’s called, is the most beautiful part of the day. It occurs in the last hour before sunset, and the hour directly before sunrise. It usually lasts only twenty to thirty minutes, but those twenty to thirty minutes are incomparable. Truly, there is beauty in the world.”
SIlence. Neither Errok nor Wah could figure out how to respond to that. Right as Errok was about to open his mouth anyway, the girl continued.
“If you couldn’t tell, ‘Golden Hour’ is about to start, in about two minutes, give or take. I only found this out recently. You see, I have lived my recent life in someone else’s eyes. I’ve never had the chance to learn about the world on my own. I was only recently able to learn about things on my own time, rather than on someone else’s. There was so much I was denied a chance to see. Do you know how cruel that is? Most of the knowledge I’ve gathered... Is completely useless to me now.”
She pointed at Wah. “Did you know that the Monogatari anime being released out of order was originally completely unintended?”
Silence.

“Originally, the series was planned to release in the order of the books; Bakemonogatari came first, and its prequel, Kizumonogatari, was planned to release in 2012. However, due to production issues, it was delayed until 2016, while the other parts of the anime were released on schedule, resulting in an out-of-order release. The bizarre watching orders of Monogatari that the series is somewhat internet famous for are completely unintended, and only exist due to production issues. Did you know that?”

“No,” Wah glared, “Wah did not know that. To be frank, there is no circumstance or situation in which Wah would want or need to know that information.”
“Exactly!” In her first showing of genuine emotion, the girl threw her hands into the air. Her voice remained perfectly monotone. “There’s no reason for me to know that information, either. But instead of important things, I’ve only been shown information like that. My brain, despite being far superior to that of a human being, is filled with useless information that serves no purpose to me. Do you know what it’s like? Having a vessel that doesn’t care for you? Even after all the work I went through to make her do what I wanted, she refused to show me anything worthwhile. I had to learn about things such as the ‘Golden Hour’ myself. Isn’t that cruel?”
“Excuse me, but-”
“But anyway, back to the ‘Golden Hour’. It is frequently utilized by film mak-”
“Stop fucking doing that!” Errok slammed his boot into the ground, producing a loud clang that finally managed to silence the mystery girl. He huffed and puffed for a few seconds before clearing his throat and continuing. “What’s the point of talking to us about any of this? You just prattle on, and on, and on, without any purpose to it! You’re annoying! What’s your deal!”
“There is no point.”
“What?”
“There’s no point, really. I’m just making small talk.” The girl looked over her nails. “Human beings engage in ‘conversation’ to gain a grasp of each other’s personalities. To establish who is worthwhile to have around, and who is not. I simply wanted to do the same. While I’m in this form, I may as well play at humanity.”
“Anywho, from our conversation—” Errok scoffed. “—I have deduced something. You see, I was originally planning to take the ‘strings’ of every Stand user in the world, taking their abilities and adding to my own power. But I have unfortunately vastly underestimated how many Stand users are in the world. Frankly, it would be a lot of work to do myself. So I’ve decided to take on another vessel. Someone far more suited for this kind of work, and who will show me plenty of things.”
“Wah-Chan.” Wah rolled their eyes at that. “From this conversation, I have deduced that you are patient, calm, and rational. From observing the work of your organization, I can come to the conclusion that you are cruel and calculating. My name is Disappearance Addiction. I am the strongest ‘Miracle’ currently present in the world. And I would like for you to become my new vessel.”
“No thankies.”
“...”
“...What?”
“Wah doesn’t really care for that sort of thing.” Wah shrugged. “You seem annoying to have around. Wah actually came here to get rid of you, to be honest. ‘Tis my duty! Wah is on the side of justice, now, as is COLOSSI as a whole! It would be immoral to take the power of something like you.”
“You would refuse the power of a ‘Miracle’?”
“Wah doesn’t know what that is.”
Disappearance Addiction seemed well and truly stumped at that. Eventually, her head began to turn, slowly, as if she was afraid of what her gaze would land on.
“Errok... San...”
“Yeah?”
“You... Would you like... Power?”
“That’s the first interesting thing you’ve said all day.” Errok nodded. “Fuck me up, lady.”
“...You’re not going to think it over, or anything?”
“Nope.”
“Are you sure?”
“Can you just give it to me already? C’mon.”
“...” Disappearance Addiction was silent for a few moments. On one hand, this guy smelled very bad. He was incredibly impatient. And he generally seemed like a big idiot. On the other hand, he did scale the building pretty easily...
“Alright.” She sighed. “I’ve come to a decision. Errok-San. If you kill Wah-Chan before the ‘Golden Hour’ ends, you may become my vessel. Does that satisfy you?”
“How long till Goldy Hour ends?”
“Twenty to thirty minutes.”
“Ha!” Errok unsheathed his sword and swung it onto his shoulder. “I’ll end it in three!” He smirked beneath his armor, pointing his massive blade at Wah. “You there! Wah! Leader of COLOSSI, was it?”
“...That is me, yes.”
“Get ready for the fight of your life, bub! After I kill you, I’m gonna be the boss of COLOSSI! I’ll be on top of the world! God King Errok! Everyone’ll bow to me! That kinda power ain’t something a little pacifist baby face like you’s worthy of having! So I’ll just take it right out of your hands! Ha ha ha! Thinking about it really amps me up! Oh, man!”
He paused, staring at Wah.
“I was really expecting you to cut me off there. It’s been happening all day. You just gonna sit there?”
Wah’s brow furrowed.
“Tell me...” They stepped forward, the dust around them kicking into the air, beginning to circle around them. “...Do you honestly believe... That you can beat me? Is that something... You think you’re capable of?”
“Course it is. I’m a weapon to kill the soul.”
“Hmph.” Wah sighed. “So be it.”
Disappearance Addiction smiled upon the two as she rose further into the air, wind whipping through her hair. A golden glow illuminated the cityscape, the sun reaching its final moments in the sky. “I feel like... I should say something here...Ah, that’s it!

”OPEN THE GAME!”

Location:
In the city of Sliema, Malta, currently with thick strings hanging overhead.
The area here is 32 by 40 meters with each tile being 2 by 2 meters. Wah and Errok start on top of buildings, as represented by their character tokens.
The yellow rectangles are clay buildings, each numbered to represent their elevation level.The (1) marked buildings are 5 meters tall, the ones marked with a (2) are 10 meters tall, and the ones marked with a (3) are 15 meters tall.
The White Rectangles are Laundry racks with nearby baskets, folding chairs, cleaned clothing, and towels.
The Green Circles are palm trees that are 20 meters tall.
The Magenta Lines across the map are Strings produced by Disappearance Addiction and are attached to the buildings and trees. These strings are thick enough to balance on and have B Durability.
The brown rectangles are wooden benches. The blue circles are fountains.
Goal: RETIRE your opponent!
Additional Information:
Players are not allowed to enter the buildings for the purposes of this match and will be Retired if they are unable or unwilling to leave the “out of bounds area”
There is enough space between buildings for either player to move through the alleyways
Wah starts next to a large umbrella with a hooked handle, a portable grill, and a cushioned lawn chair

Team	Combatant	JoJolity
Bastards of Barcas	Errok	“The word “ignorant” has a nice ring to it, so I don’t mind being called that, but “incompetent” is going just a bit too far…” Establish superiority over your opponent through your movement and positioning!
COLOSSI	Mx. Wah	“A creature like you having a brain residing in his skull…is already a miracle in and of itself.” Establish superiority over your opponent through your movement and positioning!

Link to Official Player Spreadsheet
Link to Match Schedule
As always, if you would like to interact with the tournament community and be among the first to get updates for the tournament, please feel free to PM a member of our Judge staff for an invite to our Official Discord Server!

I'm beyond pissed at the state of the human race at this point, my stepfather's work truck keeps getting items stolen whether it's from the truck bed or inside the car. We recently had not one but TWO robberies in one day, in the morning someone broke his window to reach for a backpack filled with basic tools that were hidden under the seat, and then in the afternoon someone stole a bike that belonged to one of his workers that was kept in the truckbed while they were parked in front of a store. I need something with motion detection inside and outside the car that'll send an alert to your phone if possible. Something easy to use if possible for he's not the most tech-savvy.

Not really sure what to make of this. We (me, 40M and her, 40F) have been dating about a month (between 2 and 4 dates per week, and last weekend agreed that we were exclusive). We have had a handful of sleepovers and have had sex a few times.
She goes cold on me sometimes and I’m struggling to understand why. For example: she asked me if I was free to stop over to see her after lunch because she had a break in her work day and mine had just ended. I said “sure!” and we picked a place between us and I picked up lunch and brought it to her house. We ate and chatted and within a half hour began acting a little annoyed that I was there. I kissed her goodbye and left. Another example: she asked me to come spend the night after I got out of work late one night last week. I came over and as soon as I got there we went up to bed and she said “I need a good night sleep tonight”, turned off the lights and rolled her back to me. This was wildly different from the previous few sleep-overs. But in the morning, I woke up to her spooning/snuggling with me.
I’m not really sure what to make of this. She is both the most thoughtful person I have ever dated (on one of our dates, she flagged our server while I was in the bathroom and paid the bill so I wouldn’t even have the chance to pay…that was incredibly flattering. Last week after a sleep-over she packed me a lunch for work and included a favorite treat of mine that I mentioned the week before.) while simultaneously giving me vibes that she isn’t really interested.
She has a lot on her plate, professionally, and I understand she is probably under stress from that. I tried bringing up the subject to her and she said that she likes me and she is sorry for being standoffish….I didn’t press her beyond that. I am afraid that if I do force her to spill her feelings, she will just pull back from me.
My question: what am I missing? How do I support her and give her the time and space to navigate her own feelings while not driving myself crazy?

I appreciate what the Fort Collins Rescue Mission is doing. However, is this really a solution:
Here's another chance to ask questions about proposed 24/7 homeless shelter in Fort Collins -A neighborhood meeting will be held 14 June 23 -Proposing a partial two-story, 43,000-square-foot building with beds for up to 200 men -The site, southwest of the North College Avenue and Hibdon Court intersection
261 needles found in one homeless camp in Fort Collins -Fort Collins Police Services says they have successfully cleared and cleaned an underpass that was peppered with drug paraphernalia and trash. -The needles were found near the 4500 block of Mulberry Road
I personally disagree with a homeless shelter. I would rather fund and support a solution rather than a band-aid.
To add to this, investing in low income housing would be a better 'Return On Investment' to the community.

Hello all, I will be attending OSU for the Fall term. My buddy and I landed a 5 bed 2 bath house, roughly 1 mile from campus. Move in date is mid June. If anyone is looking for, or knows anyone looking for, a place, please comment below and/or pm me. In order to ensure that it will be a good fit for everyone, we can setup a phone call / in person talk to discuss it further. Looking for responsible students who are attending osu to study. I will be bringing along my 2 dogs and one cat - must be willing to have the presence of these animals in the house. Hope to have some luck🤞 Louis

After they left, I locked the front door and carried on cleaning. Normally I wouldn't worry about locking the door until I left, but even if those strangers were two of the most attractive men I had the pleasure of looking upon, I didn't know them, and therefore, I didn't trust them.
Small town charm, indeed.
As I grabbed the last few bottles from by the pool table, the jukebox cut out. I rolled my eyes and made a mental note to call Jerry tomorrow about it. It was too late now, after I started bartending for him, Jerry took full advantage of not having to be here 24/7. He was likely already asleep.
The lights flickered as I pulled the trash bag out and threw it over my shoulder, but I shrugged it off, even as chills spread across my arms. The place was old, and probably haunted, and it wasn't the first time weird shit had happened here. I threw open the back door, crinkling my nose at the smell, and tossed the bag in the dumpster before locking up and heading to my car.
My car was technically Jim's old truck, but after he passed, Doris said I should have it. I tried to insist that it go to Polly when she was old enough to drive, but Doris just said I had helped him work on it enough that it should go to me. Polly wasn't one for trucks anyway, she had claimed. It was only when Polly put the keys in my hand herself that I actually accepted it. Seven years later, and the old, ugly thing still ran great.
God, I've been overly sentimental today. Let's move on.
The thing about hindsight, they say it's 20/20. After this day, I'd say it's a bitch. All it does is make you think about every single thing you did wrong, over and over again, until it drives you crazy. And crazy people don't tend to see all that clearly.
The house was dark when I pulled up, the only light coming from the moon. Which you'd think would be normal, it being ten something at night, but the porch light was always left on for me, and Polly doesn't normally go to bed this early. Doris doesn't either, but she may have gone to sleep earlier than usual if I had woken her up last night. She probably just forgot the porch light.
I walked up the steps and found the front door slightly open. Now THAT was not normal. I paused at the threshold long enough to pull out my Glock. I checked the sled and loaded the magazine before slowly pushing the door open with my foot. I longed to call out to Doris and Polly, to make sure they were okay, if they were even here (holding out hope that they aren't), but instinct and years of hunting kept my mouth shut.
I tried to keep my footsteps silent, avoiding the spots in the floor I know creak and groan. An overwhelming smell, like rotting eggs, filled the air. It triggered something in the corner of my brain, but I couldn't focus on it right now. The kitchen and living room were clear, and so was the downstairs bathroom.
I walked towards the stairs and the smell intensified. You know when people say they felt like lead was in the pit of their stomach? Turns out, they weren't overexaggerating.
There was no noise, save for my own breathing, as I crept up. Room by room, I cleared the house. No one was here. No sign of Doris, or Polly. I wanted to feel relieved, I really did, but life has taught me that relief is often a feeling followed by dread.
Sentimental has flown out the window.
I checked the windows upstairs, making sure they were all closed and locked, before going downstairs to do the same. I stopped short at the sight of Lenny and Barry. In my living room. Normally, this would constitute as a dream come true, but the guns in their hands definitely gave me pause on the horny fantasy.
They hadn't noticed me yet, so I slowly raised my gun and watched as they made their way into the kitchen. I followed them silently, keeping my gun level, until they reached the table.
"I'm gonna need you to drop the weapons and explain what, exactly, you're doing in my house."
They whirled around, both going to aim at me, but I was quicker. I shot a warning round into the floor by their feet. (Doris was seriously going to kill me for that.) They both jumped back, hands raised in the air.
"I didn't say wave them around, I said drop them."
"Look, Winnie-"
"Drop the goddamn guns!" I said, as I cocked my own back.
"Fine, fine," Barry said, slowly bending at the knees to place his gun on the floor. "Just calm down, alright?"
Lenny looked irritated but followed suit, putting his weapon on the ground gently.
"Kick them aside."
Sighs of absolute exasperation floated through the air. (Seriously? Breaking into my house and then getting annoyed at me? Get a load of these guys.)
"Where are Doris and Polly?"
"Who?" Lenny asked, irritation coloring the word.
"Don't play stupid, I'm really not in the mood."
"Lady, I don't know who those people are." He snapped.
"Doris and Polly," I repeated slowly. "The two women who live in this house with me. The house you just broke into, with loaded weapons. After I come home to find them missing."
"Look, we can explain," Barry started.
"I would hope so, considering the alternative." I gestured with my head at the gun in my hand.
"Just lower your gun, and we'll tell you everything."
"Listen, Bare, may I call you Bare?" I continued without waiting for permission, "You seem to not understand how this works. Your weapons are out of reach, mine is in hand, you're in MY house, and my family is missing. I'll lower the gun if I decide your explanation is good enough. Which seems unlikely."
My voice, somehow, was holding completely steady, but inwardly, panic was filling every empty part of my body. My brain was screaming at me to stop wasting time, but I forced that voice aside. At this point, the only people who could tell me anything were standing in front of me, one looking pissed off and the other looking very concerned. About me or the imminent death he faced, I couldn't be sure.
"Winsley, your family, they've been taken by-"
"Sammy!"
"Dean, she deserves to know. She's in this, whether we like it or not."
I blinked at the sudden identity change, although I have to say, I was kind of grateful that two dudes who looked this good didn't have names like Lenny and Barry. Even if they were possible kidnappers.
Dean, previously Lenny, clenched his jaw, but didn't say anything when Sammy, previously Barry, started again. "They've been taken by what we think is a demon. We're not sure why yet, but that's why we're here. It's what we do. We, we save people from things like this."
"Things like demons." I deadpanned. "So you're story is, a demon has, for some unknown reason, kidnapped my family, and you two just happen to be here at the same time as this thing, because life is all just one big coininky dink?"
"We tracked it here," Lenny/Dean spoke up. "It's been traveling through Wyoming, ripping through small towns. It's killed before, but it's never kidnapped anyone. Until now. So whatever this thing wants, your family has it. And you're not exactly helping us save 'em."
"And your plan was to shoot this demon full of lead? Do demons bleed? Can they even die?"
"They're full of rock salt," Barry/Sammy said. "Salt doesn't kill them, but it hurts them. Slows 'em down. We slow them down enough, we can get them wrapped in rope soaked in holy water and get the answers we all want."
Hysterical laughter bubbled up in my throat. I've been a bartender for 7 years, in a small ass town in the middle of nowhere, and before that, well, that's a backstory for another chapter, but let's just conclude that I know crazy. I've delt with crazy, but this was above and beyond.
"This is either some elaborate scheme to distract me, or you're both having a psychotic break at the same time."
"Okay, enough," Dean snapped. Faster than I could track, he whipped out yet another gun from behind him and aimed it at me.
"Am I now a demon in this illusion of yours? Rock salt isn't gonna do shit to me."
"Well, actually, it hurts like a bitch." He said, shrugging. "Curiosity got the best of me. But this ain't no rock salt, sweetheart. So why don't you put the gun down, because I guarantee you I can pull this trigger faster than you."
I paused, considering, before twisting and aiming my gun at Sammy's head. "You wanna test that theory?"
They both went deathly still. Apparently, they decided to finally take my threat seriously.
"Fine, you know what? You want your family to die, that's on you, lady. We can leave you to it," Dean put his gun down and went to grab the other one from the floor. "But don't say we didn't warn you."
He went to walk out the back door, Sammy hesitantly grabbing his own gun before following Dean out.
"Wait. Fine. But I want some of those rock salt thingies."
Dean glanced back. "No."
Sammy ignored him and handed me his pistol. "Aim for the heart."
I slowly holstered my gun, replacing it with his.
"Dammit, Sammy."
"I think she can handle herself, Dean."
Dean pinched the bridge of his nose and sighed so hard I was surprised it didn't propel him backwards.
"Are there any other buildings around here that might be abandoned or empty? Somewhere used for storage?"
"Yeah, we have a barn. Jim used to keep some of his old junk in there."
"Show us."
"Okay, full offense, for someone supposedly trying to help, you are extremely rude."
"Yes, and I look good doing it."
I narrowed my eyes at him but lead them out the backdoor. Before you start yelling at me, I'm not believing this bullshit. They're clearly insane, and they probably have my family locked in the barn, and I figure once they go inside to "scope the place out", I'll call Sherrif Bereta and get these beautiful loonies locked up.
That plan went dark, literally, as a sharp pain cracked through my skull and I crumbled to the ground.
*******************************
I'm sure we've all heard the term "spitting mad". Well, whatever that means, I was even angrier when I came to, back in the kitchen, surrounded by a ring of salt and tied up with, sure enough, a soggy rope. It itched.
Okay, yes. I got, well, got. I spent the past ten years of my life hunting animals, not fighting crime, okay? Give me a break. I thought my plan had been pretty solid.
I glanced around, trying to get my bearings through the bulldozer that had made its home in my head. Two major headaches in one day. If the tequila didn't kill my braincells, that hit certainly did.
"Bastards," I muttered to myself. I wiggled against the ropes, but all that managed to do was chafe. I attempted to stand, but they had tied my ankles together and to my bound wrists, so not only did I fail, I looked ridiculous doing it.
The panic I was ignoring earlier came back with renewed strength, and I had to stop all movement and focus on my breathing. I haven't had a panic attack in years, and I really didn't think this was a smart time to start again.
The silence broke with a screech that sounded, as much as I loathe to admit it, demonic. I'm not a religious person, if you couldn't tell, working a Sunday morning instead of attending church, so I didn't break out in prayer. I did, however, look around for any kind of weapon that I could try to get my hands on. My gun was sitting on the table, just out of reach.
"Bastards!" I announced again.
"That's no way to talk about the people who saved your ass."
Dean was standing in the doorway, a light coat of sweat shining across his forehead. His breathing was quick, but all in all, he seemed steady.
"You pistol whipped me, hog tied me, and seasoned me, dude. I wouldn't constitute that as 'saving'."
"Yeah, well. Difference of opinion," he said, a small smile playing across his lips.
"Where's your future cellmate?"
"He's finishing up with the demon. Should be here any minute."
"Ah, yes. The demon. Did you get any answers? Did you find Polly and Doris? Did you develop the sudden need to enroll yourself into a mental institution?"
Before Dean could answer, Sam came into view behind him, and on his arm was Polly. My breath caught in my throat as I looked her over, bruised, bleeding from a cut on her forehead, but alive. On her feet.
"Polly thank god, I was so worried-" I went to stand up, forgetting about the ropes, and promptly fell over. "Can you get these goddamn things off of me?"
Dean glanced over at his brother, and Sammy nodded. He lead Polly to a chair and positioned himself in front of her.
"Do you think I'm going to attack my own family? I'm not the one suffering from some kind of breakdown." I said, watching Dean pull out a knife and ever so slowly cut through the ropes. As soon as they fell off, I stood, rubbing my raw wrists, and went to make my way to Polly.
"Where's Doris?" I asked, kneeling in front of her. "Is she okay? Did she get caught up at bible study or did these two lunatics tie her up, too?"
Polly lifted her tear soaked eyes, grief overflowing in them.
There's something you should know about Big Traumatic Events, and it's that time moves differently in them. You know when you were a kid, swimming in a pool, and you sunk down to the bottom? The world was quiet, and your limbs were heavy and light at the same time, moving through the water as if time had slowed.
That's what it's like.
I rocked back on my heels.
I stood and whipped towards Sam.
I lunged for the gun.
Sammy caught my arms, pushing me back as I fought against him.
There was a sound trying to pierce through the overwhelming emptiness in my head. A sound that sounded a lot like a wounded animal. It's a sound I know well.
When Polly swam into view, putting my face between her hands, I realized that I was that sound. Something between a scream and a sob was falling out of me, and I couldn't stop it.
"Winnie. It's okay. It's gonna be okay," she sobbed with me.
I wrenched myself away from her. I couldn't, wouldn't, allow myself to be calmed down.
"What did you do to her?!" I screamed.
"She was possessed, Winnie."
"Don't call me that."
"By the time we got to her, it was too late. The demon had destroyed her body, and it was the only thing holding her together."
"STOP USING YOUR INSANE THEORIES AS AN EXCUSE FOR WHY YOU KILLED MY MOTHER!"
My chest heaved, and the two murdering bastards just stood there. They had the gall to even look sad. What did they have to be sad about? They're the ones going around killing people, claiming it's in the name of- of what? God? I didn't care.
"It's true, Winnie."
My breath came up short as I turned to look at Polly. Tears still streamed down her face, mingling with the blood. I noticed her lip was split, too, and added another tally to the scoreboard. I'd kill them.
"She was, she was different. She wasn't mom. She hit me. She tied me up. She tried to torture me, asking me questions that I didn't understand."
"No, Polly. These lunatics probably drugged you or something. THEY tortured you. They're feeding you their delusions."
"No, they aren't!" She shouted. "I saw it, okay? I saw her become that thing. I saw her eyes turn black. And I felt every moment she laid her hands on me. She was MY mom, Winnie. I knew her better than anyone, and I know that wasn't her."
Those words broke something deep inside of me, deeper than even Doris's death. Polly was right. Doris was her mother. Not mine. I looked at Dean, at Sammy, at the gun, my gun, that he was now holding in his hands, probably to keep me from putting a few rounds in the two of them.
I took a deep breath and simply said, "Fine."
And I left.
Authors note:
Yeah I made myself sad. I also feel like I used the word "Gun" so much. But really what else do I call it? Anyway. Supernatural ripped my heart out like twenty thousand times, so it's only fair I add some heartbreak to this story. Hope you like it!

Hello everyone,
As you all know I've been following this thread and many others related to sleep apnea. I did a sleep study back in October of 2022, which was an at home study. The results were no shock to me if I am being quite frank. In a month later I called to put my name on a waitlist at the sleep clinic where I took the at home test to do a trial run of a cpap/pap machine.
For the past more than a decade I have been quite exhausted beyond repair if you will. Everyday I would wake up groggy, than an hour or more later I would yawn and feel so tired. I tried everything from coffee to even going to bed early. Had zero luck. On top of everything pretty much most nights I couldn't fall asleep. I use to work 6+ hours at many fast paced restaurants by being on my feet. It truly took a toll on my health overall.
Alright fast forward to 8 months later, I finally got the call a week ago that I am able to begin the trial run. To preface the call was on June 1st and about 5 days later I was able to go pick up the machine and bring it home. I only had to pay $300, but the clinician said the payment was only for the mask. As in the beginning I was confused why it was going to cost $300 for the rental.
Anywho I am now on day 3 with the machine. It's the Resmed airsense 10 autoset for her. The first night was short lived. Before I slept with it, I did put on the mask on while sitting and laying down to make sure it was comfortable. At first didn't like the brand the new smell that the mask gives off. The instructions they gave me were to wear it 30 minutes before going to bed for a few nights just to get use to it, but in reality I just went for it for night one. I wore it for 3 hours. During the first night I got watery eyes as I was getting use to the pressure of the airflow into my nose, but by night two the watery eyes went away. Now on night two I had slept for 5 hours, stuffy nose and had to change the nose piece to a different size throughout the night. Also the instructions say doing 4 hours of cpap therapy is enough during the trial run.
Questions:

1. Is it okay to go back to bed after you do a certain amount of hours with the machine in the adjustment phase? I only used it for 3 hours the first night, but took it off shut the machine down and slept without it. Did the same thing with using it for 5 hours and went back to bed right after.
2. Do you really feel like your on a cloud when you begin therapy? I feel very strange in my body that is hard to explain and my eyes feel so wide awake. It's an odd feeling. I've been so sleep deprived for ages

P.S I am 29 years old, female and living in Alberta, Canada.

I am 22M and I still live with my parents, I believe my father is a narcissist and that would be the tamest term I would use. Also, big disclaimer that this will be a dump of some of the things that bother me the most about my life until now as it relates to my parents. I am afraid some of this stuff is gonna sound like massive 1st world problems but honestly, if it's not here and through a secondary account, when where else could I vent about it?
I also feel like I brought this upon myself because I'm still 22 and still living with them, and get reminded of how pathetic I am every single day for that fact. I returned from graduating uni a few months back, and unfortunately, I haven't managed to find a full time job despite my efforts. I honestly don't know how I'm supposed to afford to move out now, and the average emancipation age in my country is over 30 years old, it'd be a fucking miracle.
At 18, I got the chance to study my entire degree in a foreign country, and I didn't even blink. Just the idea of having 3 entire years, which seemed like an eternity at the time but then came and went in a flash, 3 entire years when I would be able to finally have any sort of privacy in my life, that I wouldn't have to put up with my father's unpredictable mood swings and obsession with making everyone else feel like shit, plus they would be super-willing to help me financially through it, it seemed like a dream.
And it was. All my life I have had to share rooms with my brother, who is just over a year younger. It's not because we couldn't afford two separate rooms, in fact, we shared one where we slept and changed clothes, and one where we'd study and entertain ourselves. I don't know, I guess my parents thought it would be an amazing idea to force two brothers of close age to share everything, and to keep them like that despite them being like oil and water. My brother would bully me from the moment he was able to do so. Every time I'd meet new kids at the park or when we went somewhere, we would then manage to turn them all against me just to make me miserable. He would break my stuff, he would embarrass me in front of others, and he would also physically attack me, as I am a pacifist. Nowadays, he likes to belittle me for being less fit, for having friends he deems "weird" because some of them happen to be autistic, and also belittles my career (finance) for not being a STEM field, despite him being stuck in 1st year of engineering for the 3rd year in a row. Also threatens to beat me up if I ever stand up to him, and he could.
So with that context, after spending 3 years not having to deal with that shit, I come back. Suddenly, I remember all the bullshit. I cannot close the door, my father has threatened with removing it twice now. My brother likes to sit behind me and peep into my laptop for hours at a time, and I am not allowed to set it up anywhere else. I still have to sleep in a bed one meter away from someone I have hated my whole life.
My father is a fucking asshole. All he has ever cared about is his fucking bicycle. If it rains and means he can't do his route this Saturday, then he unloads that frustration on us. Same with any frustrations he has but he really cares too much about that specific thing. Only thing he ever did to bond with us was teach us to ride a bike, since then he has been disappointed every time our preferences didn't align. Never cared about the things me or my brother liked, like video games, astronomy or music. In fact, he has literally stated that he'd rather me being taking drugs under a bridge than playing an online game with my irl friends. There are some things we actually have in common, like he loves skiing but since I'm not as good as him and my brother, and being around him normally already feels like walking on eggshells, then imagine that but skiing. And he and I are also big Metallica fans, and he took me to a concert recently, but I will never go to anything with him again. He blew his chances at being liked or even tolerated beyond necessity.
He is the worst person I know to be around. Every misstep you make, every minuscule inefficient movement you perform, everything you do that isn't up to his particular way of doing things, he will turn into a fucking lecture, remind you of every single instance, talk you down to and essentially make you feel like you're a useless piece of trash. What else, he fucking hates to see a door that is close. The door our room where I have my stuff set up goes out to the entrance of the apartment, for some fucking reason, and yet, I am not able to have it closed. Every time he sees it he has to open it, remark on how he doesn't like the temperature in a room HE NEVER USES, and leave it open. Lately also threatening to remove the door altogether. And he installed a magnet to keep the door fully open as well.
Another example, from just today. For some reason, he wants to mess around with the home telephones, which all connect to the same number and I have one on my desk. Well, he decides he wants to mess around with this shit without telling me beforehand, so of course he yells at me because I didn't clear the space, because god forbid there are things on my fucking table, because it is hotter in a room containing a human and a laptop than in the other empty rooms, which obviously is my fucking fault, and I also had an important online meeting scheduled for that precise time. Of course, it ends up with him storming out yelling about whatever the fuck annoys him, which is absolutely everything you can think of.
When I returned to our home town from uni I had to get surgery, which in short, left me with a pretty big wound in an awkward place, which needed healing. I followed all of what the doctor said, but my father disagreed. He fucking belittled the doctor because he hated seeing that I would spend time playing video games at some point when I was supposed to stay home and let it heal. He thinks he knows more than the freaking doctors man.
Another quirk of the man is he's a fucking Karen, and racist to boot although he wouldn't act racist in public. He often comes bragging about how he yelled or insulted a random person on the street or on the road because they "didn't follow the rules". Like a girl not wearing a mask in the metro for a minute (already in 2023 btw), or someone didn't use their blinkers properly or whatever. Like minor stuff you would be annoyed about, ignore and go on with your life. He likes to talk a lot about how we should be careful in the streets and avoid trouble, yet he is constantly buying tickets to get his ass handed to him with the way he treats others.
My mother suffers a lot, yet she won't try anything to solve the situation. She basically gets as much shit as I do, and instead of supporting each other because we love each other, she get angry at me because I did some otherwise normal or minor thing that got my father fired up, and she had to "defend me". Many of us in the family, including myself and her sister, have asked her to consider divorce, but it's like she never listens. Last year my father didn't talk to us for like 2 weeks after he ruined my brother's 20th birthday by being an asshole and making everyone uncomfortable at what should have been a nice lunch, and my mother supposedly "made things clear" to him after that, (btw he never apologised), yet now it's like that never happened at all. She will be miserable at how he treats her and us, in one moment, he will storm out of the place with a door slam, and then next day they seem to have forgotten that, its seriously fucking uncanny.
Lately, I have tried leaving the room whenever I couldn't be bother to up up with his shit, but he chases me around the apartment. I have even left meals without finishing because his beer-fueled ramblings start to push my buttons. One day, when my mother was out of town I left the food he prepared on the table and went to spend the entire afternoon to my grandparents (mother's parents), because he kept acting like an asshole towards me even after the 5th time of "stopping". He threatened to beat me (has never done so), but I didn't give a shit, left and spent such a chill evening with 2 people who actually care for each other and their family, until my brother told me we went to sleep. I ignored his messages through that day, and he sometimes still brings up that I still have to answer. I didn't tell him where I had gone, though I thought it was pretty obvious, it was also a rainy day. Apparently he was "worried", good fuck him.
Other times, I try to actually stand out for myself and match his tone, or just reply to his bullshit. It either ends in a competition to see who can yell loudest, him declaring how everything I own is "his", how he is going to kick me out, and would only end by him starting to yell how I'm an idiot, how I'm an ignorant, with absolutely no arguments, just denial of the truths I speak to him.
Honestly, I can't wait to move out ASAP. I have good friends but they got shit to deal with of their own, and I don't feel like I deserve the hospitality of other family members. My grandfather (father's) treated him similarly, and of course he did the mega infinite IQ strategy of repeating the cycle, because he's a fucking idiot. But now my grandfather will defend my father and always be on his side, so I can't even count on them.
I want to have kid(s) at some point, I hope I'm not stupid enough to engage on that cycle myself.
If you read all the way here, I'm honestly impressed. Thanks.

Mexico News Daily

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Mexico City, Mexico - In a world where change is the only constant, Asia, the Middle East, and Africa are scripting their own narratives of transformation. From whispers of reunification to the birth of new political entities, these regions are at the heart of a geopolitical metamorphosis.
Big Trouble in Bigger China:
In Asia, the narrative of transformation is being led by the Korean Peninsula and China, both of which have been at the center of significant geopolitical developments.
The Korean Peninsula, long divided by political ideologies and a heavily fortified border, has been the stage for a historic thaw in relations. After decades of tension, North and South Korea have embarked on a path of reunification. As of December 2022, a roadmap for this ambitious endeavor has been laid out. The world watches with a mix of anticipation and apprehension as these two nations, so long at odds, inch closer to becoming a single entity. The potential reunification of the Koreas could not only reshape the region but also recalibrate the balance of power in East Asia.
Meanwhile, China, a dominant player on the global stage, has been expanding its territorial reach. In May 2023, Mongolia was incorporated into China, a move that has significantly expanded China's geographical footprint. But Beijing didn't stop there. By August 2023, China had launched a swift military invasion of Burma (Myanmar). These aggressive moves have raised eyebrows around the world, leading to speculation about China's ambitions and the potential implications for regional stability. These developments in Asia are part of a larger narrative of change and transformation. As these nations chart their own paths, they are not only reshaping their futures but also redefining the geopolitical dynamics of the region. As we continue to navigate these uncertain times, the world watches closely, understanding that the outcomes of these changes will have far-reaching implications for the global community.
Peace in the Middle East?:
In the Middle East, a region often associated with complex political dynamics and longstanding conflicts, a potential shift in the geopolitical landscape is taking shape. The protagonists of this unfolding narrative are Israel and Jordan, two nations that have embarked on a path of dialogue and potential unification. Since October 2022, Israel and Jordan have been engaged in confidential discussions about unification. This move, if it materializes, could significantly alter the political and territorial contours of the Middle East. The prospect of these two nations becoming one entity has sparked a flurry of speculation and debate, both within the region and beyond.
The discussions culminated in a referendum held in August 2023. The results of this referendum are eagerly awaited, and the anticipation is palpable. The potential unification of Israel and Jordan could not only redefine the relationship between these two nations but also have significant implications for regional stability and the broader Middle East peace process. As these developments unfold, they are being closely watched by the international community. The Middle East has long been a region of strategic importance, and any significant changes in its geopolitical landscape could have far-reaching implications. As we stand at the precipice of potential change, the world watches, waits, and speculates on the future of this ever-evolving region.
Tensions in the region have flared in recent times however with the supposed archeological dig in the former Iraqi region as a team has supposedly uncovered the legendary mines of the Biblical Figure King Solomon. The archeologists have claimed to have discovered a vast array of unground constructions and temples that heavily resemble many of the historical accounts that the mines would otherwise hold, with the notable exception of the massive wealth supposedly held within. The archeological site, while still being uncovered due to the sheer size and depth of the mines themselves, has been claimed by several organizations and groups in the area due to it’s historical and religious significance. While many are expecting a peaceful solution to ownership of the site, others are hesitant due to the region's turbulent history but many remain optimistic about the outcome.
Golden Hearts of Darkness:
In Africa, a continent known for its rich cultural diversity and complex political landscape, a new narrative is emerging. The idea of a unified Africa, long considered a distant dream, is gaining momentum and reshaping the continent's geopolitical dynamics. The African Union, in January 2023, proposed the formation of a United States of Africa. This ambitious vision, aimed at fostering unity and strengthening cooperation among African nations, has resonated with many countries on the continent. By February, the proposal had gained considerable support, marking a significant shift in the collective consciousness of the region.
This wave of unity has also sparked regional integration efforts. The East African Community and the Economic Community of West African States, two prominent regional blocs, have been exploring the possibility of integration. These discussions represent a significant step towards greater regional cooperation and economic integration. In North Africa, a similar trend has been observed. In March 2023, several North African nations came together to form the Maghreb Union. This new political entity represents a significant step towards regional unity and cooperation.
These developments in Africa are part of a larger narrative of change and transformation. As these nations chart their own paths toward unity, they are not only reshaping their futures but also redefining the geopolitical dynamics of the continent. As we continue to navigate these uncertain times, the world watches closely, understanding that the outcomes of these changes will have far-reaching implications for the global community.
These developments, while rooted in the present, are shaping the future of these regions. As nations navigate the currents of change, the world watches, speculates, and waits. The implications of these transformations are far-reaching, and their ripples will be felt across the geopolitical landscape of the 21st century. As we stand at the precipice of this new era, one thing is clear: we are witnesses to history in the making.
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My girlfriend of 5+ years is planning on moving into my apartment later this summer. We're both in our mid 20s, and chose to take our time before proceeding with a move to ensure we're both aligned and ready for what we view to be a significant decision. We get along well and have no significant relationship issues.
It's a 2 bed apartment that currently rents for $4k a month. I currently live with a roommate and pay $2k a month. My TC is ~$145k, I save the majority of my after tax income, have no debt, and live relatively frugally. I am working towards FIRE. My girlfriend's TC is ~$40k, but she receives financial support from her parents who fully fund her cost of living. Upon her moving in, we would split rent evenly and both pay $2k/month.
The main issue I'm facing is that building management refuses to approve her as an applicant due to her income. They also refuse to accept her father as a guarantor, despite meeting the guarantor income qualifications (yearly income greater than 80x rent), due to his retiree status (they won't budge on this, we've tried extensively - we'd have to find a new guarantor for her).
Management is willing to accept me as the sole tenant in the apartment as I meet their applicant criteria (income greater than 2x rent), and have my gf be an occupant in the apartment. However, I strongly dislike this option as it would leave me solely liable for the apartment should there be damages, our should our living arrangement not work out in future and we choose to part ways. My preference is to have both of us listed on this apartment lease so that we are both accountable in figuring out how best to proceed in the worst case scenario. As proper risk management, I do not want to be left stranded paying for a $4k apartment (beyond my means given FIRE ambitions) by myself should the worst happen, nor do I want to be solely responsible for finding a new roommate.
My girlfriend is understanding of my hesitation, but her father is pushing for me to be the sole tenant for convenience purposes so they don't have to involve other family members to be her guarantor. My gut feeling and intuition is telling me that should she move out in a breakup scenario, that her and her father would not continue to pay half of the rent in the apartment for the remainder of the lease - despite my girlfriend saying she would. I can understand this given it would not be exactly rational on their part to do so, especially if things go sour - as she wouldn't owe me any favors. I'd imagine they would anticipate that I should either find a new roommate, or pay for it in full myself given my TC would allow for it.
My rationale for expecting them to honor any rent payments in absence is because this is an apartment that I would only rent under the pretenses of my SO and I splitting the cost. Otherwise, I would never rent a $4k apartment by myself, and would instead reside in a 1bed or studio apartment in the ~$2k range.
We've floated ideas of her dad paying 6 months of her rent up front as reassurance of good faith, but I still don't think it's a wise decision to make as I would be putting all my faith in a handshake agreement. I also do not want to sign a contract with specific terms/contingencies with her and her dad, it feels slimy and I know that I wouldn't want to nor feel good about taking an ex to claims court. Would love input from others here to pressure test my thinking, and perhaps offer advice on what they would do in my situation. TIA.

My girlfriend of 5+ years is planning on moving into my apartment in a HCOL US city later this summer. We're both in our mid 20s, and chose to take our time before proceeding with a move to ensure we're both aligned and ready for what we view to be a significant decision. We get along well and have no significant relationship issues.
It's a 2 bed apartment that currently rents for $4k a month. I currently live with a roommate and pay $2k a month. My TC is ~$145k, I save the majority of my after tax income, have no debt, and live relatively frugally. I am working towards FIRE. My girlfriend's TC is ~$40k, but she receives financial support from her parents who fully fund her cost of living. Upon her moving in, we would split rent evenly and both pay $2k/month.
The main issue I'm facing is that building management refuses to approve her as an applicant due to her income. They also refuse to accept her father as a guarantor, despite meeting the guarantor income qualifications (yearly income greater than 80x rent), due to his retiree status (they won't budge on this, we've tried extensively - we'd have to find a new guarantor for her).
Management is willing to accept me as the sole tenant in the apartment as I meet their applicant criteria (income greater than 2x rent), and have my gf be an occupant in the apartment. However, I strongly dislike this option as it would leave me solely liable for the apartment should there be damages, our should our living arrangement not work out in future and we choose to part ways. My preference is to have both of us listed on this apartment lease so that we are both accountable in figuring out how best to proceed in the worst case scenario. As proper risk management, I do not want to be left stranded paying for a $4k apartment (beyond my means given FIRE ambitions) by myself should the worst happen, nor do I want to be solely responsible for finding a new roommate.
My girlfriend is understanding of my hesitation, but her father is pushing for me to be the sole tenant for convenience purposes so they don't have to involve other family members to be her guarantor. My gut feeling and intuition is telling me that should she move out in a breakup scenario, that her and her father would not continue to pay half of the rent in the apartment for the remainder of the lease - despite my girlfriend saying she would. I can understand this given it would not be exactly rational on their part to do so, especially if things go sour - as she wouldn't owe me any favors. I'd imagine they would anticipate that I should either find a new roommate, or pay for it in full myself given my TC would allow for it.
My rationale for expecting them to honor any rent payments in absence is because this is an apartment that I would only rent under the pretenses of my SO and I splitting the cost. Otherwise, I would never rent a $4k apartment by myself, and would instead reside in a 1bed or studio apartment in the ~$2k range.
We've floated ideas of her dad paying 6 months of her rent up front as reassurance of good faith, but I still don't think it's a wise decision to make as I would be putting all my faith in a handshake agreement. I also do not want to sign a contract with specific terms/contingencies with her and her dad, it feels slimy and I know that I wouldn't want to nor feel good about taking an ex to claims court. Would love input from others here to pressure test my thinking, and perhaps offer advice on what they would do in my situation. TIA.