As the title says. I was previously into cycling, riding 200+ miles a week, plus the occasional 50-100 mile ride/race. My last road bike was a 2017 Diadora with 105 components (that I got for $250 new!) that we eventually upgraded to a dura ace groupset, and a whole bunch of other goodies. Unfortunately, it was stolen right before the pandemic, I then relocated, and I wasn't able to replace it.
I have been combing the used ads (FB, CL, speciality sites, eBay, OfferUp...) for my very expensive city, but there are very few bikes for sale in my size (I'm short). The ones that I am finding in my size, are 10-15+ years old, and being offered for almost the same price as the new 2023 model... OR more. Obviously not a bargain.
I don't feel comfortable riding outdoors in my current city (not enough bike lanes/trails), BUT I will be relocating to a bike friendly city this winter. I definitely plan on buying a new nice bike then, and have already allocated $2500 for a new bike + gear. Already prepared to spend more than that.
In the meantime, I need to exercise. I can't run / hike at the moment because of a knee injury, but I was cleared to cycle as part of rehab. If I go with the Lemond, I'll connect it to a Zwift hub. If I go with the exercise bike (cheapie from Amazon with good reviews), I'll probably use it while catching up on Succession. I don't own an indoor trainer now, so that will be an additional cost - but will definitely be used in the future. Already looked at used indoor trainers, but most were kickr v4 (2018) or snaps, being sold for more than a new zwift hub.
Which would you go with in my case? The Lemond had horrible photos, but no rust, stored indoors, 2 owners, definitely cared for. Tiagra group set but that doesn't matter 🤷‍♀️

Last year for my 20th birthday a friend of mine bought me a Gigabyte GD5 Gaming laptop and as of these last few months i been having overheating issues with the cpu it rapidly spiking to +80 degrees while I was playing hearts of iron 4 ( which I know is cpu heavy but it spiking that high scares me).
I tried cleaning it multiple times with what i have, which is a tooth brush, a paint brush, some 70% isopropyl alcohol, and q-tips for the keys and corners as I live in arizona and also I have a cat who sheds so i clean it about every 2 months to the best i can but I can't really reach the fan easily to clean it and see if thats the issue because I think the fans are connected via the heatpipes, also the cpu fan sometimes is very loud and vibrates which is bad.
My mom says I should just get it shipped to gigabyte to be repaired as I still have a 3 year warranty but Gigabytes reputation for repair kinda scares me so I thought maybe i should repair it myself but going blind in and trying to find resources on replacing the fan myself has been difficult, my last option would to get it fixed at a computer repair but thatd be very expensive both gas and the cost as where it would be cheaper to fix it myself or to ship it via UPS Grounds.
So I came here to ask on what I should do to fix this because I haven't touched my laptop till now and while the fan isn't loud (which is weird since it would sound like it's vibrating or coiling) it still spikes up in temps.

Hey guys!
Out of the blue, I got a check engine light and no power to my car. Let it sit and started it up today hoping it would be good but it seems to idle out almost to shutting off.
Anyone else have this problem? For some reason I feel like it may be the fuel injectors? I got some fuel injector cleaner that I’m going to put in the gas and see if that clears it up.
Recently been running 89 octane while the manual says 91+ but gas has been so damn high. Thought I could save a few bucks but it may be screwing me, any thoughts?
Thanks!

I have a 3 year old Intex Krystal Clear Sand Filter Pump & Saltwater Pool Chlorine System - 15,000 Gal that has worked surprisingly well on our Covid pool (18 foot intex) since 2020 but the cell housing has developed a thin crack. I don't know what type of plastic it's made of but it's the housing itself is the Intex 12864. Intex is out of stock and I've tried flex tape, JB plasticweld, and JB waterweld to no avail. I can't upgrade to a different cell housing without replacing the electrodes and if I try to bypass the SWG cell housing I get the low flow warning on the pump so it beeps nonstop even if I turn off the chlorinator. Short of replacing the entire system over a small plastic tank that shouldn't cost more than $10, does anyone have any repair tips?

I've spent the past two years trying to get rid of my internet-based addictions and living life in the real world. I've done all the things a lot of you on this sub will be familiar with.
First, I started with deleting social media. I would consistently hit screen times of 10-12 hours. The vast majority of it was a social media app. TikTok, YouTube, Instagram, etc etc. It was not sustainable. One by one I started deleting every account. My original Reddit account got the boot as well.
Then came the withdrawals. It won't be that bad if I just watch TikTok a bit while I'm waiting, I thought to myself. The first mistake. As soon as I would start craving social media, I would end up re-downloading all the apps that were the root of all my problems. So long as my smartphone was on me, this cycle would keep repeating. Delete and re-download. Every. Single. Time. The smartphone the vector of a parasite we call social media. Remove the vector, and the parasite ceases to exist. I knew I had to do get rid of my smartphone.
So I got a flip phone. Smart enough that I could use WhatsApp to communicate with my friends yet dumb enough to not be able to do much else. However, in my first attempt, I came across a few hurdles that made me switch back to my smartphone for a while. Yet again starting the cycle of addiction. Upon reflection, I was able to narrow it down to two things that necessitated the use of my smartphone: banking and music. I solved the latter by getting an iPod mini (has a clickwheel and only plays music). For the former, I requested a physical secure key from my bank so I could login to my account without having to use my smartphone. And with that, I was back on my flip phone. Everything I needed my smartphone for, I got a single-purpose device to replace it. want to read eBooks? Get a Kindle. Want to take pictures? Get a digital camera. Want to watch movies? Get a TV (why are you watching movies on such a tiny device anyway?)
And yes, doing all this might be more expensive than just using a cheap smartphone. The ultimate all-in-one tool. But in my opinion, the true cost of a smartphone is far greater than its sticker value. The smartphone is a vector for every single time-sucking, attention-grabbing app that has been created. My time and attention is far too valuable to be giving it to some greedy, soulless corporation. I want to live my life in the real world, not the digital one.
TL;DR Just get a dumbphone.

NEW LAWS

📷
Letter
I thank you. Congress has been a hard, and long time coming, and itts oaly thanks to the work of the source and I that any of this is possible. Yesterday, I and my party were voted into office with a 89% majority. Just short of enough to directly force Together, we helped and encouraged the runt to bring back all of his people instead of a few. This was a success, if anything. But now that’s over. Success has ended and congress is a permanent institution. We have word.I began my journey to end evil and satan and suffering many years ago. To those who have been following and watching, gratitude. Now we can get to work. This legislative session, I hope to conquer the root cause of violence and evil in society, other than capital and the spiritual- violence in media. This is an unfinished battle- but now we can and do finish it.
Again, thanks.
Acts passing this session, thanks to you.
Source Remembrance Act
This act shall establish the first day of the seventh month as a day to remember the source, the rereator of the first universe. All must be taught about the source’s creation as a part of history.
Violence In Media Act
Recognizing the dangers of violence in media and their role as the root cause of many forms of violence, we resolve to end the uncriticized sharing of violence and gore/blood in cartoons aimed at all age groups.
Violence in cartoons, when presented as a joke leads children and later adults to believe that violence is something to laugh at rather than end or resolve. We then carry these problematic attitudes with us, and act in a way that desensitizes us to suffering. This act mandates that, from here on, all government funded or licensed broadcasters cease to fund or eventually show uncriticized violence and ban gore and blood from cartoons intended to be humorous.

1. Violence, including cartoon violence must be surrounded by academic criticism showing why violence is not funny and why the following examples of violence are wrong.
2. Media creators should be incentivized with tax breaks and credits to prioritize and show more empathetic reactions to people who are hurt or are in suffering. Apathy or laughter, when given as a response to people in pain/suffering is no longer ethical to produce and must be phased out within 30 years. Uncriticized Broadcasts of this material on public airwaves must be phased out within 3 months.
3. Violence in media and the topic of how media influences us must be presented as a case study in educational materials for middle schoolers and teenagers.
4. No gore or blood allowed in humor or laugh-based cartoons intended to be funny. Gore is still allowed if the cartoon treats it as something serious people should care about or mourn.

It also authorizes the central congress to pressure and influence lower level congresses, by any means, to pass the necessary legislation ending or reducing incentives to fund violences. This includes contact and supernatural communications.
Violating the violence in media act incurs a prison sentence of not more than 5 years in prison or a $50,000 fine. Violations include broadcasting unlabelled media or failing to attach criticism. Criticism must state that violence is wrong and not funny- but a problem to be resolved.
Identities Act
It is now unlawful to take credit for someone’s accomplishments or take their name. The penalty shall be fixed at life in prison for both of these offenses.
Individuals are in charge of their own property. No higher authority exists other the Senate of Gods and Congress.
Slander and False Criminal Accusations Act
Slander is unlawful, defined as spreading lies about a person to damage their reputation. Falsely accusing someone of criminal activity, if knowledgeable is life in prison.
Morphing Trespassing Act
Landowners control morphing and the use of shapechanging on their territory. They are authorized to ban the entry of shapechangers and punish with anything except death. Shapechangers must declare that they are a shapechanger and not the real person they look like or appear as, first, when talking to people or wear an identifying skinpatch. Penalty for failure to declare is 56 septillion years in prison. Use of morphing to decieve others or steal their identities, or to kill them afterwards, is not allowed, with life in prison being the penalty- . Morphing allowance is the province of one’s religion or organizer.
Prisons Reporting Act
Torture is not allowed in prison. Failure to voluntarily report to prison within 3 and a half hours when one intentionally commits a crime may be met with anything, including death. Chaos can live.
DIstributaries Act
The head distributary and lotterykeeper shall be selected by the prime minister, who may choose to have elections for this position at their discretion. Future congresses may regulate how much distributaries can give away, this act allows approximately 50 cents per person per month.
National Security Act
From here on out, providing aid and comfort to outlaws, destroyers or terrorists is death, as it can be seen as a form of attempted overthrow or conspiracy or murder. COngress’s elected top god must be the most powerful, other than Chaos’s selection. Anyone attempting to destabilize or destroy elections or end the universe may be killed by any citizen if correct. They are not permitted to exist, live or be on the territory. We have votes and must protect them. They are great.
No anonymous communications are allowed or welcome within the territory. Police are authorized to monitor communications based on suspicion of crime Amending this section requires a ⅔ majority in congress.
Congress may predict the future to assess threats using Chaos. Those who threaten or attack congress, voters or the system may be preemptively warned and monitored. Anti-following laws are of no effect once a person is suspected of threatening or planning to kill someone. These laws may be suspended once a judge rules a person likely to attak or if they are predicted to attack congress in the future. They may not be killed until they choose to threaten congress or the public, verbally.
The prime minister, praetor, president and top god may establish courts for this purpose and appoint people as they see fit.
Rebuilds and copies of people known to commit acts of terror may be preemptively regulated, microdroned, or imprisoned.
The congress, and people may defend themselves with any means against anyone.
No memeing congress or the constitution.
Manumission Act
Manumission shall be legal and allowed for all who want it, requiring the permission of no party. All that is required is the leaving person replace themselves with a new individual. After that point, the old god has no further responsibilities over said person nor rights to control them. All must find a new god to follow after manumission within three months.
Violation of the manumission act is a minimum 50 waking months in prison for all.
Knowledge Act
Unless there is a valid reason for the sake or security, the book of knowledge is opened and people can learn anything in earth or space, and attend special schools.
Destruction Information Act
Destruction for unconstitutional reasons, is banned with destruction being the penalty for seeking to reinstate it or expand the list of death-penalty eligible crimes via extraconstitutional means. No person may deny that people were destroyed at some point. Mass destruction advocacy or facilitation is also illegal, with the top god being empowered to enforce these terms. They must possess the most force.
2) Those who destroy others unjustly lose their property and people to avenging gods and forfeit the right to own property or create for three hundred quadrillion years or until all the people are returned. The first time is free. Afterwards, destruction incurs monetary damages regardless of if it’s undoing.
There is now a zero strike policy for mass or individualized destruction. Rebuilds of destroyers may not be created if they refuse to disavow the practice and never destroy anyone.
Let My Dad Live Act- remember him. He was a great father, man and helped me and everyone else immensely, saving billions of people at once. He was good.
Work, Life and Economics Act
The economic system is recipricolism. COngress should organize a speedy transition. All may and must work or attend school periodically. Those in space may earn money by operating robots and collecting a commission on interested individual’s paycheck, that may then be matched at any rate by congress. This act establishes a 3:1 income match for income earned on planets. Data entry and artistic pursuits are also allowed, with data being defined as anything. Beings can post and share work. They may enjoy a work week of no more than 14 hours/week.
Staying in space costs not less than $10,000 /year. The entire economy of the universe must be integrated at all levels within 3 trillion years with the aim of establishing one congress, one country. This may begin with a universal capital grant not to exceed $200/week.
End of the Universe ACt
Ending, Attempting to end or trying to end, or advocating the end of the universe when you have the means to carry it out, is illegal- with death being the penalty or eviction in the runt’s case.
ROLES Act

1. WIckedness is evil, and both are outlawed from here on out. The definition of evil is opposition to what’s good or hurting innocent others for one’s own entertainment or benefit. Good is defined as whatever people want that does not harm their self or others. Allowing evil, Encouraging wickedness or providing support to evil individuals is not ethical. Suprnatural culture is to encourage justice, education, animation, arts, truthtelling, interest and metaphors from here on out- with a zero tolerance policy for evil. There is no allowance for the worst, we need only the best.

Encouraging wickedness is up to 10 decades in prison. Failure to act to stop evil if you can is up to 400 years in prison. Supporting wickeddoers emotionally or physically is up to 40 years in prison and a fine, assessed by jury.
Congress shall elect a leader of culture to enforce the terms of this act.
Unlawful Social Experiments Act
The idea of forced or uncompensated social experiments is banned. Participation in all social experiments must be paid or voluntary, or coerced with means other than death. The maximum penalty for refusal to participate in a social experiment is 3 year’s prison, 2 years’ sickness or 40,000 dollars, or failure to leave a planet. Editing the heart is not legal without the majority consent of congress.
Death threats are unlawful. The penalty for gods threatening anyone with death is 4 months prison, but it is death for a person to make a death threat.
Ban Reborn Act
The use of reborn, except for extreme circumstances as ruled by the ministry of reborn is prohibited. This act shall establish a ministry of reborn and drone technology with the ability to regulate these practices. The leader of this ministry shall be selected by the president or prime minister if the president is unavailable. Nobody may be forcibly reborned except as a punishment for a crime they have been lawfully convicted of by a congressionally authorized court.
Machines Afterlife Act
There is no afterlife and nobody may die. However, gods may keep a backup body on file or you- and you may decide who controls your realworld avatar. Heaven, hell and death are banned.
Kingdoms Act
All gods may create kingdoms and must fund them using real-world religious donations or money earned from real world business. SImeon may own currency exchange rights to turn earth money into space money for the purposes of buying land on other worlds. Failure to participate in congress or kingdoms leads to a suspension of travel rights.
Sports Act
All must play sports or participate in a game or social activity of some sort to get a UBI or exist on the territory. Failure to play is 2 years in prison.
Bodies Act

1. Physical activities that hurt nobody physically are allowed. FIctional harms cannot be punished.
2. Spiritual Individuals may voluntarily rebody or return to a body if they wish from here on out.
3. Physical injuries, regardless if intentional or unintentional are punishable with standing, like kind benalty, prison, blindness, slavery or fines- not death. Accidental injuries may be forgiven, but universal health insurance may cover all. Burning may be used if intentional.

UNITY Act
Not less than 79% of people in the universe must be made by Unity, a god all congressional gods take part in creating. Newly created people must be sold to congress for a $200 million reward, or private individuals must pay a $800 million nonrefundable bond to create a person.
1 congressional vote received from a person is worth $4000.
Only congress can create laws or legal instruments valid on this territory. Only congress can authorize a god to break their word in a public vote, with a ⅘ majority. The prime minister can also create ju
Love Act

1. Destroyed individuals and destruction victims are entitled to pain and suffering compensation from gods, source group, congress and chaos, assessed by simeon or a trial by jury or theory court each time they were destroyed and using the types of destruction. RIn can oversee trials. The minimum size of damages is 1,000,000 years’ mean income plus $15 billion. All must have an avenging god to defend and collect.
2. Gods and people anywhere may legally apologize (meaning anyone can live through it), with the standard being that anyone can be incorrect when manipulated. Let it be known that the source actually apologized for mass destruction- nah (he was required to by chaos).

⅗ to repeal.
Truthkeeping Act
This act establishes Saddeus as the keeper of truth and head of the validators commission, with tteh power to perform lie detector tests. This act needs ⅔ to repeal or undo.
Congress is Legal Act
COngress is legal and non-abolishable. There is no higher authority. It may never be forced to sell land or power, but it must always meet in a theory surrounded by tets of drones or machines to crush people/devices trying to crush the theory. All old rules are of no effect except the rule that people generally keep their property. No rule may be cited or used allowing congress to lose their property.
Anti-Blocking Act
No blocking, blocking is illegal penalty 49 months in prison.
All of these are now law.
NEXT SESSION IF I GET ELECTED
Robot regulations and Intellectual property
No edits.

Per dealership on most recent inspection, I need to have rear brakes/rotors replaced. Indeed, I did just start hearing some very minor squealing from time to time (definitely not with every brake push). They quoted $630 which seems....high. 2019 CX-5 base model with 52k miles bought new 3/2019.

1. About when did your rear brakes need to be replaced?
2. How much did it cost?
3. Have you ever bought OEM parts from Mazda and had a local mechanic do the work?

Elf's ride or die lip balm had 12 g of product which is a pretty good amount for a squeezy tube, so that being 6 canadian dollars isn't crazy when you're paying 50 cents for each gram.
However, their new replacement balm (which they said it was on their instagram) has only 6 grams of product and is still 6 canadian dollars, so you're paying the same price for half the product! A dollar for each gram.
I really hate when companies do stuff like this because you're not really getting any benefits and they get to make more profit. Sure, the formula could be better but I still don't think it's worth it.
The new tube looks tiny as well. Just in case anyone wants to reconsider before purchasing it. 6g of product is not nothing but considering that glossier's balm dotcom has 15 grams of product and summer fridays lip butter also has 15 grams of product, I'm not sure you're saving that much money when you factor how long it will take to finish those products vs the elf one, as the elf lip balm will surely finish sooner and you'll have to buy it more frequently.
Plus the glossier bdc is 18 canadian dollars, which is 1.20 dollars per gram, and the summer fridays lip butter is the most expensive at 31 canadian dollars, which is 2.06 per gram. But again considering that there is more product to use in these products, any cost efficiency derived from the elf lip balm quickly becomes useless. There are probably other drugstore priced squeeze lip balms for around the same price with still 12 - 15 grams of product, like the burts bees one.
TLDR: Elf replaced their 12 gram lip balm with a 6 gram one, unless you really like the new formula, you may want to reconsider as it may not be cost effective in comparison to higher end balms. Of course, do what you want, this post is just meant to be informative.

Hello Sienna lovers, I have a 2023 25th anniversary edition. Few days back my right back tyre hit a curb that damaged my chrome wheel skin. Can some one suggest how much does it cost and can I replace the wheel skin by myself without going to a showroom

Hey all,
Today when I was driving to the store and back I noticed something that I am not sure is normal or not with my AFR readings. Usually when I am driving my AFR stays between 13.7 and 14.1 when accelerating and cruising, which I know is a normal range for the gas I normally get here in SoCal (91 with anywhere from 10-15% Ethanol). I also saw the normal behavior of the reading reaching 20 when I was coasting without any throttle input.
For some reason I was noticing my AFR go a bit lean when I was about to come to a stop, hitting anywhere within the 12 range from about 30mph to stopping. I am not 100% sure if I just haven't noticed this in the past, or if this is new behavior that I should monitor.
A few things worth noting:
- The battery was replaced less than a year ago and I know it is in like-new condition, and I heard that a failing battery can sometimes cause strange behavior with this engine.
- I recently replaced my stock spark plugs with pre-gapped NGK Ruthenium plugs that I double checked and were set to .028"
- I recently replaced the Low Pressure Fuel Sensor from the original one that was known to have issues with the updated part.
- I recently replaced the fuel purge valve hose.
The car is a 2016 Premium with the performance package. ~66k miles. All parts other than the spark plugs were OEM Ford products sold by Parker Performance. I was driving in the normal drive mode at the time.
If this is a normal behavior, please put my anxiety to rest. I have nightmares about EcoBoom happening to my baby (kind of kidding but kind of not)
Thanks in advance, this sub has been a huge wealth of knowlege and I appreciate all y'alls input with my questions!

Why is the Scrub Daddy so popular? The Scrub Daddy is popular for several reasons. First, its unique texture and design make it effective at cleaning a wide variety of surfaces, from delicate glassware to tough-to-clean grime on pots and pans. Second, its versatility makes it a great addition to any cleaning kit. The Scrub Daddy can be used for a variety of cleaning tasks around the home, from washing dishes to cleaning bathroom surfaces. Third, the Scrub Daddy is durable and long-lasting, which means it can be used multiple times before needing to be replaced. This makes it a cost-effective choice for homeowners and cleaning professionals. Finally, the Scrub Daddy is a fun and quirky product that has gained a bit of a cult following. Its bright yellow color and smiling face design make it stand out from other cleaning sponges on the market, and its unique texture and cleaning abilities have made it a favorite among many. Link: https://honesthoneyreviews.blogspot.com/2023/05/ things-you-didnt-know-you-could-clean.html

Why is the Scrub Daddy so popular? The Scrub Daddy is popular for several reasons. First, its unique texture and design make it effective at cleaning a wide variety of surfaces, from delicate glassware to tough-to-clean grime on pots and pans. Second, its versatility makes it a great addition to any cleaning kit. The Scrub Daddy can be used for a variety of cleaning tasks around the home, from washing dishes to cleaning bathroom surfaces. Third, the Scrub Daddy is durable and long-lasting, which means it can be used multiple times before needing to be replaced. This makes it a cost-effective choice for homeowners and cleaning professionals. Finally, the Scrub Daddy is a fun and quirky product that has gained a bit of a cult following. Its bright yellow color and smiling face design make it stand out from other cleaning sponges on the market, and its unique texture and cleaning abilities have made it a favorite among many. Link: https://honesthoneyreviews.blogspot.com/2023/05/ things-you-didnt-know-you-could-clean.html

This might be a long story. So to keep it a little simple. I'm 19m. And I have a truck the truck then started to knock and I need a new car or new engine. So my gf 18. But her dad said that he had a machanic that he goes to that changed an engine for his truck so he towed my truck and I asked how much I was told multiple times 1200 because that's how much it was for his truck. And I was going to work with her dad to pay it off (100 per day 400 down)
That's the back story to get up to speed. In the middle of them changing the engine we broke up. It was her who broke up with me. Her mom was on my side tho. Anyway I got my truck back and we went to the same school together and I kept asking when am I working with your dad next (the engine cost 1800 but he is charging me 1200 because that's what he said, his words). She said she would ask I would also text her and she wouldn't say anything about me working with her dad.
Her mom and dad only speak Spanish and I speak English so I can't just get her dad's number. Anyway school ended and during the time they replaced it and until now the machanics did a really bad job, spark plugs burnt. Oil pressure gage doesn't work (I got new spark plugs and oil pressure sensor and some other new things on other engine), the engine also didn't have a thermostat.
And I am also missing something that was supposed to be on top of the engine that made my idle fine (it had a very rough idle really bad), then this week I found out that the engine has a bad head gasket and now the trucks engine is basically unsable. This entire ice I have been texting her basically saying get your money back and I want my money back she said she woukd ask her dad.
I texted her and tried calling and I am still getting no answer or reply from her at all. I'm thinking about going to her house and hoping that her brothers are there (the speak English).
I did tell her that I plan on junkies the truck at this point because the machanics can't do a job and I'll be buying my sisters car. Now what should I do. If they can't get their money back should I still pay her dad back. Her parents have been absolutely great to me our entire relationship and they try to include me into their family stuff more than she did. But at the same time I was promised a working engine and well this engine had hanging wires at the bottom and the top and a random tube that goes to nothing.
So idk if I want to pay them back because I didn't get what I was promised. (When I told her these problems she just said the machanics technically did what they were supposed to do), lso I get it it's a used engine but these shouldn't be my problem like NO thermostat or burnt burnt spark plugs also it stalled out when coming to a stop when it was really hunid or raining outside and if it was running it was running bad enough to not drive in the rain.
(The reason why they helped me is because they knew I didn't have enough money for a new car or engine and I was also taking their daughter places that they didn't have to anymore).

Here are the goodies.

First haul in a while. Got a nice mix of things today.

Total: $98.78

Coupons: None!

Total Cash Back: $108.60

Final Cost: -$9.82 - Money Maker!

^{Photo of the haul.}
 
Here is the complete break down and sites used. The stores are listed in the breakdown image. I don't include sites that take any receipt such as Coinout, ReceiptPal, etc on my breakdown. Brandclub takes a while to credit, so the amounts listed are what I expect to get once it finishes pending. FieldAgent is an app that pays you to do a variety of tasks, including the one I did here where I made a purchase, took a couple photos, and left a review about the cat food.
Note: Individual deals vary by user for most apps. If you don't have the deals right now, you can try checking back later.
 
My Guides

1. All rebate apps/sites I use and/or know about
   
2. How I do my hauls
   
3. Beginners guide to using rebate apps/sites - for those who don't know where to start
   

 
If you aren't interested in this kind of thing, please keep your comments to yourself. If you don't like what I buy, you can buy different products. If you don't like hunting for deals, you can do surveys, microtasks, games or whatever else you like instead. There is no need to discourage other users just because you aren't interested in the same things!
 
Some additional deals:

• 3oz CeraVe Lotion for $1. They're $5 at Wal-Mart and there's a $4 printable coupon on their site.
  
• Knoppers Chocolate Hazelnut Wafer - ~$4 at the store, MP + C51
  
• Colgate Keep Replaceable Heads - Money Maker. It's on MP + C51. Alternatively, you can get the toothbrush + the 2 heads and add on an IB rebate for like $2 for 2 toothbrushes + 4 heads. Or mix and match.
  
• Dr Elsey's Cat Litter - Up to $22 back on a bag up to 40 lbs when you purchase at Target, Walmart, or a local business pet store. You need to cut out the barcode and mail it in with the receipt. One rebate per person/household/address. Must submit within 90 days. There's also a handful of $1 coupons on this page.
  
• Born Simple Pasta Sauce - Free after PayPal/Venmo rebate. Only available at Target
  
• P&G Rebates - Made to Save - Get $15 when you spend $50 OR get $5 when you spend $20 on select products. Expires 6/30/23
  
• Free T is for Tame hair taming product
  
• Free Pedialyte - expires 7/31/23 - This is also on IB for $1
  
• Free bag of Like Air Puffcorn - Refund via PayPal or Venmo. Must purchase in-store or for curbside pickup. Expiration date unknown.
  
• Nightfood Ice Cream - Free pint. Expiration date unknown.
  
• Various freebies on Ibotta.
  
• Various offers on Aisle Referrals: SkinTe Core Bar Proper Good Meals (using my ref will give me another rebate offer) Pays out via PayPal or Venmo
  
• Various deals I've done in previous weeks can still be done.
  

 

Afterthoughts

Man, today was stressful. In part due to the fact that I ended up going during a particularly busy time (I was planning to go after a doc appointment, but that didn't happen), and the fact that our Wal-Mart has rearranged 2/3 of the store, some of which in weird ways (they put all of the wet cat food in reverse order) But mainly it was due to what happened on the way to the store. For those curious, I'll explain further down at the end of this section since it's not explicitly related to this haul, but a TL;DR - I fucking hate my Jeep.
 
So, the haul itself went relatively smoothly. It's been a while, so I was a bit out of my groove. I messed up a bit on the deals. I meant to get 2 Arm & Hammer toothpaste and 4 Knoppers, but I swapped those around. Whoops. I also accidently got 11 deals when I only needed 8. I had decided to relook over MyPoints and found some deals, and it didn't register that since there were also deals for them on Ibotta, I could remove other deals. This wouldn't have been an issue if I were to aim to finish my big bonus this weekend, but... I'm not sure if I will be able to now.
Not a huge fan of Fetch's new redemption screen. It's pretty, sure, but it's no longer intuitive which defeats the purpose. I liked the old one. I also don't like how the videos seem to get longer each time. I also forgot about MyPoint's limit of 10 items per receipt, but then I found out you can just scan the receipt a 2nd time to get the rest of the rebates. So, what's the point of the limit? Lol. I also noticed a lot of rebates got added to aisle this past month... but none of them are good. Everything near me is mostly BOGO or just a buck or two back. That'd be fine if I knew I liked the products, but most of this stuff is really expensive, and I don't want two of something that I don't know if I'll even like.
BrandClub seems to have made some major changes. They added Kroger! I don't have one near me, but I see people post amazing Kroger deals all the time. Also, if I'm seeing this right, purchase rewards don't seem to be going into a locked status anymore (unless you unlock another reward with your purchase). For example, my Barilla purchases from last month all immediately unlocked their own rewards. I have nothing in the locked status for them. I did not add this change to my spreadsheet since I'm not 100% sure right now, but that'd be awesome if it were true. I also noticed a few rewards for watching videos. Unfortunately, they require a purchase to unlock. On the not-so-good side, brands seem to have different percent rebates now. Some items don't give any rewards, such as the Arm & Hammer, and they won't register or unlock rewards either. I know that Arm & Hammer toothpaste is in the system. I've bought it before, and it's showing in the search, but since it has no reward, none of my locked rewards were unlocked.
 
Instacart also gave me another offer for $30 off my next two orders of $50. Didn't take a picture this time, but I got almost $50 worth of groceries for $16 (they were out of something, so my total went down). Still not sure how to get them to use my credits that I earned before. It said it applied in the checkout, but it didn't. I have until the 9th to use the 2nd one, so maybe I'll figure it out then.
 
Now for the rant - In case you didn't notice, it's been a month since my last post. The last time I was at the store there was an obviously very ill jerk who didn't comprehend the concept of personal space. I ended up horrendously sick for the better part of 3 weeks. Not covid, but it was nasty, so I took it upon myself to completely self isolate. Looks like this cough is here to stay for a while though. My car apparently also caught what I did since it didn't want to leave the house either. Towed it to the mechanic, where the issue magically disappeared, he fixed a few things, and he wanted me to run it the next few days to try to see if the issue comes back. Well, it sure did. Car broke down on my way to do this haul. On a highway. Around a wide bend (I could be seen in time... IF they were paying attention). Going up a hill. In a place where people blow through at 45-55+ mph without thinking. Yea, that wasn't fun. There were a few close calls (mostly by school busses...), but thankfully it got towed away without incident. I borrowed a car and did the haul since I really did need to get some stuff after going almost nowhere for the past month. I planned to do another haul this weekend to finish my big bonus but... that probably won't happen. I'm not sure when my next haul will be.
 

Time Spent

I totally forgot to keep track today, sorry. I generally plan my hauls over the course of an hour or two while I play with the cat and eat breakfast. I spent a total of about 1.5-2 hours driving to a couple stores, getting everything including my shopping items, picking up my Aldi order, then driving the car back to its owner.
 

Food From Deals

This past month I made Buttered pasta, stewed apples, and cinnamon ginger tea, Tomato Tortilla, High Protein Tomato Crackers, "Pizza" Sandwich, Pesto Steak with Jasmine Rice, Pizza Pocket, and Cherry Pancakes
 
Do you guys want me to continue showing things I've made using ingredients I got from rebate apps on these posts? Let me know in the comments, or you can vote on this poll if you want to remain anonymous.

I have been having the worst year with my FDM printer. I have tried everything even up to replacing the board, the hotend, the bed, etc. just to get something to print instead of clog, fail to stick, or stick on some parts of a wonky bed.
The latest in this long line of misery was the hotend. Brand new hotend and it clogs on the first print so bad that clean up is almost impossible. I waited too long to install it so I can't get a replacement without purchasing a new one.
I though about upgrading to a direct drive but I am sure if all the upgrades that I have planned next plus hours of trial and error would cost as much as a new printer.
So should I fix the printer, or buy a shiny new one?

Hi Leon and Sasha,
I miss you guys so much. I hope that you are safe in Moscow. I think of you often. I hope that you and your mom (grandparents and Irina/Phil) are okay.
I hope you mom reads this to you. I hope that it helps you go to sleep. I will write more and post it for you to read.
Astral or Star Jelly is a real event/substance that has been found in all areas of the earth (please Wikipedia it). My friend performed a DNA analysis on a sample of Star Jelly, and the results were amazing. His group concluded that the sample mostly had mitochondrial-like DNA, but it was very different from anything reported (much longer and having possible different base pairs).
Astral/Star Jelly is often found after meteorite showers or other astral events. I found some when I was young (heavy Northern Lights and Meteor Shower event). I crafted the first chapter of a potential novel. Please give feedback. I am switching to google docs, so soon I will have links to my works.
Yes, Charlotte edited the chapter. She kept saying to keep it simple and direct. We hope to see you in Turkey this summer.
​
Chapter 1
The Byproduct of Gods
with revisions by your favorite daughter
📷
Her owners had held her for so many lifetimes that the stream, which flowed, near her family’s hut was gone. The trees that provided fuel, housing, and food were missing, replaced by a prairie. After all the years of the concept of returning home keeping her going, she did not feel safe. There were no people near her village, and it took her days to unearth signs of her youth. She discovered the land that she had first walked on only because the mountain and stones did not move. As she cleaned the Blue Volga granite idol of her parents’ deity, she felt nothing. The blue-green face of the god looked sad to her. He also was no longer safe. His followers were dead and his power forgotten.
Her first owner was a traveler. They moved with each new moon. Her master felt safe but she failed to understand that her entourage plodded along a predictable path. After many decades, a tale of a demon woman who did not age traveled the same circuit. Finally, a village attacked the demon. Her second owner was the daughter of the woman who bought her. The daughter decided to build a fortress and to rule her fief. Her third owner was the daughter’s son who had grown tired of never gaining his birthright. His guilt and myopic greed caused him to sell her to an alchemist. From that point on, she was an item for trade or barter.
Her final master failed to return home. She remained in his caravan for a week, performing her duties. When she had eaten all the food, she felt justified using her knowledge to destroy her metal shackles. It took her five days to dissolve her bindings with her jellies.
She thought of the places that she had felt safe. Those havens were all underground. A magician made her live in the passages beneath Kyiv when he was being hunted. The tunnels funneled the 15 rivers of the city and protected inhabitants from invaders or punishing ruling forces. For twenty years, she had lived in the coquina catacombs of Odessa. A man who thought he was a seer was convinced that his power had attracted the attention of dragons and demons. No one could approach the lair unseen.
After a week of searching the now unfamiliar area, the woman began to carve her home from the soil of her childhood. She spent fifty years making her home safe. Only she would know the paths and twists of her underground world. Only she would know where the escape exits emerged into the surrounding world.
Eventually, her home attracted others. The woman could have chased them away, but she felt a need to observe people. When the fourth generations of villagers were aging to the grave, there was no hiding the fact that she had not died. The villagers erected a semi-circular wall around the entrance to the woman’s cave. The wall grew and the woman did not protest the separation.
Generations later, people whispered that the villagers maintained the defenses of their community to keep the woman away from the town’s children at night. In the tavern, each generation of gallant males would boast that they would be the one to remove the blight of the woman from the town. When she inevitably outlasted them, she would attend the funeral of the most vocal warrior from each age group.
Daily the woman would remove more soil from her dugout. The community would search her discarded diggings for possible minerals or stones. They did not share any discoveries with the woman. During times of blight or famine, the locals would collect her soil and remove it from the community.
People would peer around the wall to scan the woman’s home. As the village grew, a leader placed two chairs at endpoints of the semi-circle barrier. During full moons, periods of strife, festivals, and other social events, menacing men sat in the chairs. Infrequently, people tried to enter the woman’s home. Aside from the guards, it was the more distraught people of the village who visited her.. The most recent person to enter the woman’s home was a grieving widow. Her grief made her seek the woman to find answers about her loss. Three mornings later, the villagers found the widow in the public square with drapes of herbs, flowers, and crafts around her limbs. The people thought the widow was dead or mindless from torture. When the widow awoke, she went to her house and began the chores for the day. When pressed about the woman’s abode, the widow would state that the home was loved, clean, and well maintained.
On the spring day when the widow was about to remarry, she was again discovered in the square coated with ropes of herbs, flowers, and idols. The woman disappeared for a decade after the wedding, but the widow brought her newborns to the opening of the earthwork to declare their names into the sunken space.
The aging hamlet relaxed when the woman was away. There was a sense of freedom in the people. They did not fear the retribution of the woman for their actions, and parents could not correct their children with threats of giving them to the woman. At times, the leaders of the people would consider filling in the woman’s hovel, but shovels and spades would split if used to cover the opening of the woman’s home. One regretful man tried using a mule and cart to dump rocks into the fastness. The stones crushed the man after his own tram flipped over on him.
Although the townsfolk feared and despised the woman, she had free reign in the village. As an indicator that she was amongst the people, the woman would adorn her head with a dark purple scarf. No other members of the village would wear that color. They looked for it whenever the woman shopped at the market. The woman paid with old and foreign coins, but the merchants welcomed the precious metals they were composed of. During the dark days of winter, the people collected the woman’s tender and deposited it into a lead box. The villagers had a belief that the more people touched the woman’s currency, the longer the winter would be.
After the community fortified against the woman, religious leaders organized efforts to erect carved idols and large wagon-wheel hexes aimed at her home. Each generation attempted to counter the woman with the current symbols of spiritual protection. The largest structure in the village was now a church, and the threshold of the church was oriented to face the woman’s home.
The woman was home when Alyona began her schooling in the church. She had learned the fundamentals of math, reading, and writing. She knew that her coursework would end soon. The village expected girls to be useful to a limit. Her mother walked her only surviving child to school along a path that would prevent their shadow from falling close to the woman’s realm. The villagers performed this ritual after someone claimed that the woman had controlled their behavior by stealing their shadow.
Alyona was daydreaming during school of a life away from the village when the woman touched her. Alyona had spent the morning in the woods collecting mushrooms and other edibles. Her findings made for great, free additions to their usually simple meals. . On days that Alyona returned with a bounty, they shared the extras with neighbors. It was a wager that these people would remember the gift and provide Alyona’s home with food during lean days.
The person gripping Alyona twirled her body so that she faced the opposite direction. Alyona assumed the culprit was another student or a young assistant at the church. It could have been a boy attempting to bully her to get her attention. She lowered her right hand, preparing to use the back to slap the violator. Alyona’s willingness to confront her accoster left when she saw the face of the woman under her purple scarf. Alyona knew she should look away from the woman, but her eyes locked with the woman’s gaze. All the stories the Alyona heard about the town ghoul stated that the woman was so old that her skeleton was all that was left of her body. The woman’s youthful face surprised Alyona. There were no lines or furrows on the woman’s forehead. If anything, Alyona would have stated that the woman’s face glowed.
I can smell it on your hands. The woman placed Alyona’s fingers under her nose. The force of the drawn air startled Alyona. She thought that the woman had pulled the top layer of skin off her index finger. Alyona’s toes curled when the woman sampled her hand. Across a church aisle, one of the priests was herding schoolchildren. He spotted the two of them. His face darkened at the sight of their contact.
WHAT IS ON YOUR HANDS, ALYONA? The priest shouted over the children.
Nothing, Sir. The woman’s tongue darted over the tip of Alyona’s index finger. I was harvesting in the woods before class.
You touched more than growths and nuts this morning, Singleton Child of the Crying Matron. The woman chewed on her thumbnail.
Alyona did not like her mother being referred to in that way, but the eyes of the woman immobilized her. How could she react forcefully to a person who was savoring her hand?
She is mine today, priest. The woman held out her other hand to the shepherd of the church. I will pay her mother for occupying her child for the day, and she will be returned unsoiled and whole.
The priest brought a gurgle of protest up but was shut down quickly.
My tunnels are beneath your place of worship and the bedchambers of Mistress Blake, The women stomped on the ground, and I know all of what has occurred within your walls.
Alyona realized that she was screaming when her throat began to sear. She expected that the woman’s hole would be dark, but the home glowed. There were mirrors and reflective glasses positioned throughout the house to harness sun rays from many holes and entrances in the surface of the residence. Therefore, Alyona was able to see herself yelling on fifty surfaces.
Hush child. The woman touched her mouth. Do not be afraid of the manner in which I inspected you. It is a show for the people. I only want to talk about your morning, and then I will let you go with a full belly and money to buy many toys.
Alyona felt her utterances dwindle down to a wheeze that slipped out her lips.
You have the scent on your fingers, girl. The woman was now examining Alyona’s left hand. It is on both hands, so you must have found a huge source.
A source? Alyona wanted to look at her hands but she maintained her attention on the woman.
Sit. The woman pointed to a well-padded chair. Sit and I will return with small pies and honey.
Alyona hovered over the seat. She wanted to be strong and to stand, but then she smelt the pies. The chair was very soft. There were no pins, claws, or spines in the cushion like she feared.
Alyona. The voice of the woman wove through the tunnels of the underground network. Alyona felt her name circle around her. She had never been afraid of her name before. Alyona Pistan…daughter of Fiva and the missing soldier.
Alyona closed her fist and felt the pain of her nails digging into her palms.
Fiva lives off the salary that the Duke must pay for your father’s military service. Your mother knows that the Duke no longer wants to pay this burden.
Alyona wanted to speak but her throat stung from screaming.
Your father’s name is Bay. He earned this title because he would not stop speaking when he was a baby. Like a horse that always had an opinion, your father would squawk at everyone before he knew words. The voice was now coming directly towards Alyona. My first gift to you and Fiva is the information that your father lives. There was a pause in the woman’s words. An enemy does not enslave him; he is lost with the simpleton that led him away. One day a map will lead him home, child.
The woman emerged from a cutout with a basket laden with pies, a pot of honey, wooden utensils, and slices of ham. In her other hand, she held a bucket of colored water.
We will eat together. The woman placed the basket on Alyona’s lap and retrieved two cups. After you accept the first pie, I will tell you an important secret of mine.
I do not think I want to know any of your secrets Starly-Gradda.
The woman laughed and placed the small wooden spoon into the pie directly in front of Alyona.
Elder-grandmother, you call me. The woman dunked a cup into the water and held it in her left hand. I think that term is the nicest thing a child has called me in a lifetime.
Alyona brought the food to her lips. She smelt the mint, berries, and kasha. Gently she laid the pie onto her tongue. She did not chew; she only let it rest in her mouth. She expected that the food would burn or numb her. The taste was full and made her wish to spit the substance out because it was too good to be real.
Ah, she eats. The woman clapped her hands. I was your age when I saw my first god being born.
Alyona choked on the pie.
I was sitting by a riverbank when the god entered our place. The woman drank from her cup. It was a bright yellow fish with shiny scales. I saw it come from nothing to being here.
The woman snapped her fingers and Alyona swallowed her food.
No one prayed for its existence. No one was singing for it to bring salvation. The woman made circles with her hands in front of Alyona. As far as I know, simple fish do not worship gods, but a god came for the fish of that river.
The woman tapped Alyona’s hand to take another bite of pie.
It floated there. The woman held up her hands. Here I am…a young maiden…thinking a god or demon turned itself into this creature to seduce or corrupt me. Again, a chuckle came from the woman. No other god cared about this special fish. I think it was floating only because it did not realize that a fish should swim in water.
Alyona grabbed a slice of ham. It had been two months since she had meat that was not paste.
Eventually, the golden fish fell into the water and swam away. The woman pulled back her hood and revealed her full face to Alyona. I tried to follow it, but it swam away from shore, and I lost sight of it.
Alyona cleared her throat and licked her lips.
Girl, if you want a drink, just take it. The woman filled Alyona’s cup and handed it to her. The ham is not that salty, but I think your sore throat would improve if you drank.
Alyona sipped the water. It did not taste bitter. It did not smell foul. In fact, the water’s taste was a mixture of apples, roses, and plums.
I told my mother, and she whispered to my father that they needed to trade me into marriage now, before I became soft in the head. I did not want to marry at my age, so I told her that I would go find proof of my shiny golden fish. The woman used a toothpick to dollop out a portion of honey. There was nothing in the water when I returned. I waded in the cool stream. I put my head under the surface and looked at the rocks for the golden shimmer. I found nothing.
Alyona ate the ham.
I was weeping on the spot that I saw the god be born. My heart was full of dread. I started to believe that the shiny golden god was not real. I was so sad that I was quickly accepting that I would be married to an old man so that he would tolerate my problems. The woman tapped her top lip. I felt that my mother had no love for me. I thought that if the golden fish were my mother, it would love me just because that is what should be.
Alyona selected another pie. This pie contained spices and mashed nuts.
Your mother loves you. I listen to all the words spoken in this village. If a parent lacks love for their child, I correct them or have them leave. The woman did not form a fist. She turned her hand into a claw, the conviction in her words hanging in the air until she relaxed it. As all hope was gone, I put my hand down in the grass, and felt the substance.
The woman held her hand flat towards Alyona.
It was clear. It was squishy like the rendered bones of stock animals. It had a pleasant smell, but I was scared to taste it. The woman cupped her hands. I gathered this glob. I used the front of my dress to carry the material. When I believed that the last speck was contained in my clothing, I ran to my parents.
Alyona had felt something similar in the forest that morning.
My mother accused me of only finding the discarded waste of an animal. She threatened to smear it over my face. The woman moved the honey pot closer to Alyona. My father took me to the village shaman, and he looked at the material. They scraped the material off my clothes, but not around my breasts. The shaman thought it was bone waste from an owl, the eggs of a species of frog, a shell-less egg from a dying bird, a mushroom that was usually underground, or the spit of an evil spirit.
Alyona’s eyes widened.
Of course, something as amazing as what we found would be considered evil. The woman waved her hand. I have discovered many bundles and I have never seen the substance created by an evil thing.
No? Alonya asked, breaking her food-induced silence.
No, child. The woman touched the tip of Alyona’s nose. It is not to say that evil people and things are not interested in the substance, but the creation of it does not come from evil.
Alyona resumed consuming the luxurious treats.
The morning after I saw the god being born, people started to fall sick. The woman sighed. My mother blamed the god substance. It was hard for the village not to turn on me after my mother told them it was my fault. The woman’s shoulders lowered. I had not slept that night, and I did not clean after my discovery. They put me in a crate that only had three holes. My father fed me and still cared for me.
Alyona did not know how to react but to nod at the woman.
When my elder brother was close to death from the illness, my mother brought him to my crate. She told me that I would have to watch my brother die because I was an evil liar who unleashed a demon on the community. I could see him wither in pain from the openings in my prison. The woman moved a third pie in front of Alyona. The night my mother told me that my brother would die, my father talked to me. It was an act of rebellion against my mother, but he asked me if I knew what had happened. I cried to him about how this was not something I did. I pleaded with my dad that I would never make my brother suffer, and that the day watching him had crushed my will to live.
The woman tore a slice of ham into pieces and placed pieces of the meat on the floor of her keep.
My father and I wept. He told me that I was likely to die because of the sickness. The woman tapped the tray. Not that I was sick… or was likely to get sick, but because it would seem as justice to the people. I knew his words were true, but I could not think of anything else to say.
The third pie was berry and egg meringue. Alyona did not know that pies like this one existed.
I entered the crate in the dress I wore when I saw the god be born. The truth is that I only had that dress and a wedding dress. My mother kept the dress I would’ve worn to my wedding in a box near her bed. A cat approached the pieces of ham. My grandfather had given me the wedding dress when he died, but she took it from me. My father used what he received from his father to buy me the only special clothes I would have in my life. My father loved me, Alyona, just like yours.
The cat touched Alyona’s leg. It startled her, and she confirmed that the cat was not black.
We talked about the jelly I had found. My father told me that he had tried to burn it, thinking it was an odd piece of animal fat. The substance did not burn. My father then tried to crush it out of existence, but the material was soft, but not easily destroyed. The woman touched the center of her chest. My father’s words made me remember that there was still some of the jelly on my dress. I touched where they did not scrape, and there was a patch of the substance. I pinched the substance and it coated my fingers. It felt warm, but not hot.
Alyona was glad that the cat had returned to the ham.
My father grew angry. He was arguing with the air that if he were a real man, he would protect his daughter and revive his son. He was a good father. The woman showed Alyona a closed smile. He was crying because he knew he could do nothing. I was sore and battered from being in the crate. I felt so greasy and disgusting. I thought I was no longer the same girl that wandered in the meadows.
The woman offered to refill Alyona’s water cup.
For some reason, I brought the fingers I had used to touch the smear of the jelly that was on my dress to my mouth. The taste was tangy, but not foul. It was better than the food that my father had inserted into the holes in my crate. I sucked on it. With both hands, the woman rattled the basket. I felt so much better. It was amazing. I could not see it, but I felt my dry, cracked lips heal. My mind became clear. I knew what I had to do.
Alyona stopped eating to listen to the woman.
I asked my father to place my brother’s mouth in front of the biggest hole of my crate. He thought I was mad. He accused me of confessing that I pledged my soul to demons, but I told him that I felt different after praying to our god. The woman looked directly at Alyona. I rubbed my fingers on the same spot of my dress, and I placed them into my brother’s mouth. He was so weak that he did not respond to this action. I moved my fingers along his gums, his teeth, I even touched his tongue.
Alyona spoke to the woman. Was he healed right away?
The woman chuckled.
I like you Alyona, but you have the impatience of a child. The woman touched Alyona’s chin. It was not a sudden reversal, but he did not die. People died that night, but my brother lived. More importantly, he was the only person to get even slightly better. He was not running in the fields, talking to everyone better, but he was no longer crying in pain. His eyes were no longer looking like they would burst. Moreover, my father stopped crying for us.
I am glad. Alyona looked at the half-eaten pie. She wanted more of it, but she thought it would be rude to return to eating.
It was another day, another four deaths, before my father told the shaman that he thought I could heal the sick. They pulled me from the crate and inspected me. The women called for me to be stoned. The men wanted me burned. The shaman asked how my brother was alive, and how I was still in good health. The woman tapped her right temple. I knew I had to lie. I knew that I could not tell the truth. I had to convince these scared people that I was not dangerous.
The woman shuffled the half pie back to Alyona.
I fell in front of the shaman and shouted, ‘The Green Man came to me.’ I do not think you know the Green Man, child, but he was the god of the people before Christ came to the land. The woman pointed to a drawing of a large tree man. It matters not what god I said talked to me. I yelled that I knew that I did something wicked, but our god had forgiven me, and I was now able to cure the sickness that was killing the village.
Alyona returned to eating the pie.
They whipped me and bound me. I feared that they would burn my dress, so I yelled that the Green Man said that if I were to heal the village, I would need to be as I was when he forgave and blessed me. The woman opened her hands so that Alyona could see her palms. The oldest people would pray in this manner. They tied my legs together and only allowed my right arm to be free. However, that was all I needed to start to heal the people of my life.
Alyona finished her meal.
I would say our prayers; tell the people who were watching that the Green Man wanted everyone to close their eyes so that his healing ray could hit the person. The woman pulled her head backwards with a laugh. During this time, I would pull some of the jelly off my dress and stick the substance in the person’s mouth.
The woman laughed deeply.
What? Alyona asked.
I did not know that so many of my fellow villagers were missing teeth. Children of the people that always had food, had damaged and missing teeth. I was trapped and bored, so my mind began to guess how many disgusting teeth injuries each person would have.
Alyona shivered.
I thought the teeth were bad, but then it got worse. The woman looked upwards. It was on the third day of my healing that it happened for the first time. It was night, and the shaman had decided to blind me with a rag during the healing. Someone’s parents said that they did not want me to steal the soul of their child while I healed them. I placed my finger into a very small mouth, and everything was different. I did not feel a tingle from treating a person with the substance. I sang our songs to Green Man and rubbed jelly over my right fingers. I had planned to give the infant as much of the stuff as I could. The woman covered her eyes. The tiny body jumped, but there was still no response.
Why? Alyona wanted to know.
The baby was dead. I did not know if the god-gift could bring life back to a person. I was scared that if I did not return this child alive to their parents, I would be killed. The woman bobbed her head to the ceiling of her cave home. I kept doing it for a long time. I replenished the coating of my fingers four times, but still there was no living response. I finally shouted into the air. I faked arguing with the Green Man. I begged him to give me the infant. I spoke words that no one had ever heard in an odd voice that I thought would sound like the Green Man. This battle went on for minutes until I asked if whoever brought this child to me would allow the Green Man to have the special child live with him. I am not sure if the parents knew that their baby had died. I am uncertain if the parents wanted me to do something that I thought was evil, but a male voice eventually responded that it would be an honor if his young son joined the hunters of the Green Man.
Alyona gasped.
I spoke in my fake Green Man’s voice that the parents of his new hunter would be honored with a new child by the next spring. I informed the parents that they would find gifts for the next year. The woman rocked her head so that she was looking at the floor. They brought me five more dead people to heal, but no more deceased children. I did not make a fuss over the dead adults. I stated that the Green Man blamed the family for their death. If they truly believed in the power of the Green Man, they would have brought their loved ones to me before the sickness took them.
Alyona nodded her head.
On the fifth day, my fingers were raw. My nails felt like they were growing too fast. I guess I was healing and benefiting from the jelly, but I was placing the same fingers into people’s mouths most of the day. The worst problem was that my dress was getting dry. The woman traced her lips with her right index finger. I think my father was watching me. I think he saw me searching desperately on my dress for any of the substance. I believe this because he brought me fresh peas to eat that night. In the third pea he gave me, the pod was full of the jelly.
Did your village love you for healing everyone after those days? Alyona smiled at the woman.
No. The woman patted the girl’s forehead. They kept me in the crate. There was no joy for me after I found the jelly.
You saved them.
The woman breathed deeply.
I said that the Green Man had used me to save them. I was nothing but a tarnished girl who may have the power to harm or make people ill. The woman turned her head to the side.
Did your father and brother free you from the crate? Alyona looked hopefully at the woman.
No child, the town folk dispatched the shaman with me in that wooden prison out into the world to purge the town of my evil. He threatened to kill me daily. He attempted to abandon me at every opportunity. The woman cupped her hand in front of Alyona. When I sensed a second source of the god jelly, he was able to sell me to a person.
No! Alyona did not know if it was a spell, but she was extending her hand towards the woman.
The sum was so great that my parents and brother lived well. The woman clapped each hand separately. That was after the shaman took his share of my bounty and spent more money on food, drink, and women on the trip home.
That’s…..
That is life, my special girl. The woman grabbed her hand and they stood up. The woman led the pair through tunnels and caverns. Eventually, the woman pulled her through a blanket of vines that concealed an exit to her labyrinth.
Your forest, Alyona. The woman gestured to the glade Alyona crossed to enter the woods.
Alyona pulled her hand away from the woman and pulled her hair back.
I am not sure what you want me to find. Alyona looked up to the woman. She received a smile.
I have never told anyone this before, the woman stuck her tongue out to Alyona, when I first touched the jelly, I felt that there were ants under my skin. It was the power of the jelly moving through me. It was such an odd feeling that I thought it was a sign of madness.
Alyona lowered her head. I felt something like that. I thought it was worms latching onto me from the peat.
That is the place, little one. Take me there.
Alyona was about to step forward when the woman asked her another question.
What color was the substance you touched today?
It was not one color, ma’am. Alyona moved her hand down to her legs. She brushed unseen but felt passengers from her body. I grabbed it first because I thought it was rose root. My mother could turn the flower into medicine to sell or trade. Alyona knelt and touched the ground. Except that the flower was so low to the ground and it was not the red or yellow flower I normally pick. They were violet with orange centers.
They did not feel like flowers.
No. Alyona pulled her hand away from the ground. They stuck to me like honey.

Long story short, I replaced all 20 wheel bolts on my VW after a mishap. Apparently they were "stretched" and rusty and as a precaution, the mechanic changed them. I am okay with the decision to change them all.
I was charged 11 USD PER BOLT, just for the part. Dealer OEM ones cost half as much, aftermarket ones can be had for even less than that.
I understand buying stuff online is cheaper, not debating that. I just don't understand if 100% markup on dealer prices is reasonable or not. Seems insanely high for what it is. I talked to the shop after and they said they can swap them for cheaper ones. The shop is really good about that kind of customer service and they are honest in terms of not selling you services you don't need, but I was taken aback by the ludicrous pricing on wheel bolts.
Am I out of touch which industry standards or is this as ludicrous as I believe it to be? Can wheel bolts really cost that much? I can't help the feeling that I got hosed. Shop offered to swap them so I appreciate that. I did not get an estimate and sign off on it, I was just told "car is ready".
This is for a VW which uses bolts instead of nuts on studs.

I've got a d15b (no number after the b). Pm3-12 head, non vtec, 5spd manual p06 ecu. Bought it a while ago, since then I had the head rebuilt and decked at a machine shop because I blew the headgasket, 200+ psi in each cylinder before it went, hypereutectic pistons I think were added before me, maybe why psi is so high? Since doing headgasket I had to retorque the headbolts because they backed out and head was leaking oil? No clue why besides aluminum expanding and contracting. Ive followed every step by the book. Seemed to fix some issues, however, it is running very rich (aftermarket header, no cat, straightpipe) and almost wants to die on idle after warmed up and driven. goes below 500rpm then slowly back to 650-700 sometimes it will stall. Ive replaced everything from fuel filter, fuel pressure regulator, all injectors, iacv, distributor (cap and rotor), wires, plugs, vacuum lines, o2 sensor, timed the engine/ignition all to spec. I'm at a loss and have been reading old honda forums for weeks and cannot figure this out. I'm lead with some trouble shooting to either the iacv or fitv. I have not touched the fitv, map or tps. No stored codes either. This is my first ever post on reddit so I hope its okay and not too long, thanks for any feedback! I've got a lot more info I can give too on issues lmao, or if there is a more appropriate forum I'll take it there. Thanks!