Diy name boxes for birthday party

I grew up with abuse, I know what it looks like and I know it doesn't get better but I naively blamed the alcohol.
I don't know when the shift happened, but it did. One day a marital squabble became a huge ordeal, with name calling and finger pointing and he threatened to leave. I told him my Dad did that to my Mom all the time, don't you dare say that unless you mean it. He relented.
A few weeks later, I looked at him wrong. My face made him furious. He said it again. I told him if you say that one more time, I'll say "Sounds good". He told me he would kill himself. He didn't.
At my birthday dinner, my Mom and I had a different opinion on one thing then him, he screamed at both of us. He stormed off, to look something up on his phone and stormed in again, shoving the phone in our faces to prove to us he was right. Told me all the things that were wrong with me. My Mom started crying and didn't feel safe leaving me alone with him.
I am a bad mother. I don't listen to him. I don't do what he tells me to. I don't do what he wants. I should quit my job. I shouldn't talk to my Mom on the phone. Every day is stomping feet and slamming doors and yelling because he can, with endless drinks from hidden bottles. He doesn't have an anger problem. He doesn't have a drinking problem. It's me.
Then it happened. And I wasn't surprised at all. I expected it. He didn't like the way I was calming down our special needs son - I wasn't doing it his way. So he shoved me into a door. I told him to stop and turned my back to walk away and he shoved me face first into the door frame.
Then he pushed me into the stove, then the fridge. I pushed him off of me. I told him to stop, I told him he was hurting me. He kept pushing. Then he reached for my neck and I hit his shoulder. He immediately got in my face, with that finger wagging and demanded to know how dare I hit him. He is the victim. He has been abused.
He slept in the car in the garage, so we couldn't leave. The next day, he acted like nothing had happened. I wondered if I was going crazy. Then he got in our 10 year old's face for crying and told him he needed to be smacked in the face, threatened him, said vile things.
I told him he needed to leave. He kicked the coffee table into my legs before shoving it across the room. He said I was crazy. How dare I? He tells me he's been secretly recording me for a year to prove I'm a bad mother, that I don't behave. How dare I tell him to leave. I'm crazy. I don't listen. I just need to do things his way. If I just did what he wants, there wouldn't be a problem. He's right. I'm wrong.
I was able to make it to the garage and hit the button for the door for all the neighbors and traffic to hear and see. He's gone. And we are safe.
I am not crazy. It's him. It's not the alcohol. It's him. It won't get better. It's him.

Hey, this is the longer version of the story "Lifeguarding" I'm posting it here because it got removed from NoSleep due to the main character being the villain (I think?). I am going to just post the shorter version to Short Scary Stories but I've got an hour before I can post there again and I feel that it looses some of the jokes.
Also, I know I said I plan to be posting less, and I do, I promise, I just really liked this idea.
Thank you for reading. :)
***
You learn lots of things working as a lifeguard.
CPR, BLS, EAP’s. They literally make you take a week-long course beforehand—if you’re like me and get your chemical certification with your basic life support so you can earn sixteen bucks an hour instead of thirteen.
My favorite part is what we call the Good Samaritan Law. Or as my instructors called it, the CYA law. (We have an acronym for everything.)
That one stands for “cover your ass”.
It means, in my state, anyway, that a first-responder, like a lifeguard, cannot be sued or jailed for actions taken to save a person's life in an emergency.
It comes in handy often. I guard a place called the Camrock Quarry. Not its real name, of course, but who cares. It’s a glorified swimming pool, except forty feet deep, and we have parents who think we’re a daycare. I regularly fish two to three kids out the deep end, only to drop them off, crying, to parents lazing in our chairs on their phones, angry that I won’t let their kids back in the water for a half-hour and they actually have to care for them.
They threaten to sue. Every. Goddamn. Day.
Other than that, it’s chill.
I spend one hour scanning an area. Then two beautiful, sharp, whistles blow. And it's a chair change. And I get to walk over to another area and watch there. We have breaks sometimes. That’s what adult-swim is.
Today, my coworker, Dede, roves toward me.
“That woman's child vomited watermelon in the toddler pool again.”
I pause. Blink.
“Is that all she feeds it?
Dede shrugs. I rub my face.
“I’ll turn on the pumps.”
I clean the “biomass”. Treat and recycle the water.
Feel the stares of “that woman” on my back.
“Why’s it taking so long?” She asks.
I tell her we have to rerun all the water through our filters.
“Well what am I supposed to do?”
I don’t want to argue.
“My manager bought us ice-cream last week. You could have some while you wait.”
Surprisingly, this works to calm her down. And five minutes later we’re standing in the building kitchen.
“You look like a drumstick man.” I say to the woman's kid, and make a show of him getting the last in the box. He's actually really sweet. He's got acid reflux and his mom doesn't like to pay for tums.
Then I dig back in the freezer.
“And would you like an ice-pop, ma’am?”
“I think I deserve one, at this point.”
“Yep.”
The boy eats his desert with feral energy. His mother is more hesitant. I watch her face pucker.
“These are sugar-free, aren’t they?” She asks.
I pretend to check the box. It's my revenge.
“Oh yeah, huh. Sorry.”
She drops it dramatically into our trash. Bitch. We’ll get bees.
Fifteen minutes later she’s pawned her child off to Dede, and I watch her swim in the deepest part of Camrock, what we call “The Pit”. It’s the actual full forty-foot deep part. We don’t allow children there.
You can’t see the bottom. It just goes black after a few feet.
Sometimes I wonder how many bodies have to be beneath that murk.
What else can you do when you spend twelve hours a day staring at water?
I watch that woman swim to the center of the pit.
Then she touches her head.
And she sinks.
Did you know we’re not supposed to call them victims? They’re “GID’s.” Guests in Distress. Because “It’s not their fault they’re in trouble.”
Nonsense.
But I do my job. Just because I hate someone doesn’t mean I want to get fired.
I blow my whistle long and dive in with my rescue tube. People evacuate. Scream. Get directed to call 9-1-1.
By the time I get her on my tube she’s not breathing. I grab her chin and force open her airway.
Someone slides a board into the water. We pull her out.
I begin CPR.
Her ribs crack, her chest caving as I push hard and fast atop her. It sounds like someone stepping on twigs.
Dede runs up with our crash bag.
“I’ve got the AED! I’ve got the AED!”
And she tries to pull the woman's shirt off while I’m still doing compressions.
“Christ!” I say. “Calm down.”
And then I help cut the woman's shirt off. Her boy is watching us. Crying. There's still ice-cream on his face.
We paste the pads on and wait.
“V-TAC. SHOCK ADVISED.” The machine says. “STAND CLEAR.”
The woman's whole body arcs.
“PULSE DETECTED.”
She doesn’t talk. It’s not like the movies, where someone sits up and speaks. Instead the woman rolls over, crying softly, and vomits. I roll her onto her left side. Dede vacuums out her mouth.
By then the ambulance has arrived.
The EMT’s put her on the stretcher. One of them taps my shoulder after she’s loaded in.
“Hey,” He says. “Congrats. You just saved a life.”
I smile.
Broken ribs. Possible brain damage. She’s going to be in the hospital for months, not to mention the damage of the medical debt.
I think of her boy.
Saved indeed.
All I needed was an ice-pop tray and the key to our chemical shed. And I'm legally protected.
Just thought I’d say.
Enjoy your Summer.

It was late in the morning when Adam woke from his dreamless sleep. Warm sunlight poured through the cracks between the window blinds, casting bars of shadow along his naked body.
Sleeping naked was a habit he had picked up from Jen. She had insisted upon it, to his great bemusement. Because why would a man wear clothes to keep warm in bed when a woman could do the job much better? Being a young man, Adam couldn’t find fault in that particular orcish custom.
But some orcish customs… Adam had learned how disruptive they could be.
Adam threw his legs over the side of the bed so that he sat upright. He stared off into space, frowning.
Disqualified.
Somewhere in his mind, in a hazy construct of the great hall back home, that word hung over his portrait on a gilded plaque. Right next to the words Disappointment and Failure.
Adam shook his head, groaning. Was it frustration? Disgust? Adam couldn’t tell. He knew the thought was absurd. His family wouldn’t disown him for losing a tourney much less getting disqualified from one - especially since getting kicked out wasn’t even his fault.
The Castermans were a proud, ancient house, this was true. But they didn’t put so much value on trophies and medals and honors the way other Stakari houses did. They would never consider tossing their youngest aside… But that didn’t stop Adam from feeling fear and doubt.
Every young man who ever lived feared being a disappointment to his family. And as the fourth son of his father’s line, Adam had the unenviable position of being measured against his older brothers. Royce, Dane, and Garen, loving and supportive as they were, weren’t simply his older brothers. They were titans, looming tall and casting their shadows over their baby brother.
His brothers had all been exceptional at the paths they chose. Military man, beast wrangler, and a bonafide wizard. All impressive and noble occupations. Of course Adam was happy for them. But his brothers had set some incredibly high standards. All through his youth, the youngest Casterman feared he would never measure up.
But then, in his teens, Adam discovered his passion for history. Stories of kings, warriors, tyrants, and heroes. Of great bloody battles and fallen cities. Of ferocious beasts and mighty slayers. Adam drank it all in like a man finding an oasis after wandering lost through the desert sands. Especially so for the history of his home, the Kingdom of Stakaria, as well as his family and his own noble blood.
The Castermans had earned their greatness, Adam proudly reminded himself. Jorr Casterman won his knighthood defending the Lord of the Bluewater several centuries back. During a skirmish against a wild raiding party, the lord had been unhorsed and at the mercy of a monstrous ogre. He would have died on that battlefield had Jorr not slain the towering beast.
Adam had no towering beast to slay. The days where men could make their names with sword and shield were long past. So the youngest Casterman chose to sharpen his mind. His battles would be fought and won with pen and ink. Not at all the kind of man a she-orc would fall for, one might have thought.
The young noble pondered on that for a moment as he stood up and stretched. He groaned, his body still quite sore from the tourney matches he had managed to win. Then he went to the dresser at the foot of his bed and dug out a pair of boxers.
As he tugged them on, his mind drifted to Jen… and her sister, Sayla.
His girlfriend’s sister had interfered during one of his matches and got him disqualified from the tourney. Attacked him with real daggers, too. It was a wonder she hadn’t been arrested - though the security staff might have simply thought she was part of some viral stunt.
The whole situation was absurd. So absurd that Adam was more bewildered than upset - though he wasn’t without anger. He had worked hard to get into the lists. And to have it all taken away because of his girlfriend’s secret plan…
Adam tightened his jaw as Jen and Sayla’s “clan chief” business came to the forefront of his mind. He still needed to talk to them about that. He might as well, right? There was nothing that was going to un-disqualify him as far as he could tell. So why not learn more about the absurdity that screwed with his life?
He inhaled deeply through his nose, then frowned. The scent of sweat stung his nostrils. He would need to shower soon. But first, he would check his phone. He hadn’t answered anything from anybody after he left Jen and Sayla at the diner last night. No doubt his voicemail and email had some build up that needed some looking over.
Adam found his cellphone right where he left it, sitting on his desk. Sure enough, he found a long list of missed calls and unread messages. All of them from Jen.
The corner of his mouth twitched some at the sight. It wasn’t quite a smile, but there was a wryness about it.
In a way, the attention felt nice. It showed that Jen cared. Adam already knew that, of course. Jen was the kind of girl who was very open - and physical - with her affections. But the dozens of messages of apology proved that Jen at least felt appropriately guilty over the whole mess. The disqualification and the secret plan to make him her clan’s chieftain.
Chieftain Adam Casterman, leader of the G’Kalis Clan. Reader of books, slayer of essays, husband to she-orcs. Adam grinned at the sheer absurdity of it.
On the one hand, becoming a clan chief would have been a rather unique way of making a name for himself. And Adam had read up on orcish clan customs. He couldn’t deny that taking multiple wives had a certain appeal.
But Adam was nothing if not a realist.
Surely being a chieftain came with a whole mountain of responsibility. Even if Adam agreed to Jen’s proposition, where would he find the time to fulfill all of the duties that came with his new role? By the Allfather, he was a college student barely out of his teen years. He already had responsibilities here on campus. And what would he even tell his parents? That his girlfriend asked him to essentially marry her and her sisters and he said yes on a whim?
Adam rubbed his temple. It was way too early for such heavy thoughts. He put down his phone and switched over to his laptop to check his email.
His inbox was mostly as expected. Some newsletter stuff, spam that hadn’t been filtered out… And one message from Trevelyan Institute Administration.
That last one gave Adam a moment of pause. He stared at it, the email sitting unread on his computer screen. Dread slowly crept into him, slithering up his back, under his skin, making his hair stand on end.
It was a disciplinary response to the nonsense at the tourney. Adam knew it. Was he being put on probation? Was he expelled?
His mouth had gone dry. Surely, his face had gone ghostly white as well.
Adam collected himself, gathering his wits and nerves.
He ran the cursor over the email and clicked on it.
- - -
“Stop calling him.”
“Quiet.” Jenakka snapped, glaring at her clan-sister. The green she-orc turned her eyes back to her phone, staring at the message of apology she had just finished writing. She’d already written several others, but there was always something that Jenakka felt like she forgot to say. So she ended up writing another.
The G’Kalis clan scholar had been pacing around her dorm room ever since she woke up. She’d hardly gotten any sleep last night. Sayla, of course, had slept like a rock.
She’s as thick as one too…
The gray-skinned champion sat on Jenakka’s bed, her back pressed against the wall with her long legs stretched out. Sayla watched her sister walk back and forth across her dorm room, boredom clear in her red eyes.
Boredom and not an ounce of guilt. Typical.
Jenakka huffed through her nose and hit send.
“You’ve already left several messages. You’re making yourself look desperate.” Sayla droned in a flat voice. There was another look about her now, Jenakka noted. Distaste. The clan champion continued, muttering. “More than you already have…”
Jenakka whirled around on her heels, fuming. She pointed accusingly at her clan-sister, a scowl twisting across her face.
“You’re the last person who should be giving advice!” Jenakka was near-shrieking. The other students who lived on her floor might have heard her, but Jenakka did not care. Her relationship with Adam might have been irreparably damaged because of the brainless fool sitting on her bed. The clan scholar collected herself just a bit, breathing in. “After that debacle at the arena it was a miracle you weren’t detained. The clan can’t afford to have its champion behind bars, as you well know.”
Sayla was on her feet then, but Jenakka feared her little. Tall and strong her older clan-sister was, but Jenakka knew Sayla took her clan oaths as seriously as Mystic Akari. She would never hurt anyone of the clan. Still, Jenakka glared as the taller she-orc stepped up to her.
“Don’t lecture me, sister. Don’t you dare.” Sayla growled, her red eyes hard and cold. “I took action. You’re the one who spent a year playing Lord and Lady with her darling human. And such a wonderful choice, too.”
Jenakka’s anger flared hotter, now blazing in her heart.
“What’s that supposed to mean?”
“You promised the clan you’d find us a chieftain.” Sayla raised her voice, her words hard with anger. “Instead, you spent all this time on some pretty boy lordling. Beyond ideal? Don’t make me laugh!”
Sayla turned away then, scoffing. Jenakka glowered, her hands tightening into fists.
“He beat you didn’t he?”
“He did not beat me.” Sayla snarled as she whirled back around. Her red eyes were now sharp like her daggers. Her lips tightened into what was almost a pout. “Our fight was interrupted.”
There was a knock at the door then. Both orc women turned their eyes towards it. Sayla merely looked annoyed at the disturbance, but Jenakka deflated some, her shoulders falling slack. It was probably one of the other dorm residents coming to check because of the shouting.
The knocking came again. Jenakka sighed and went to answer it, collecting herself just enough to put on a fake smile.
No problem here, ma’am. Just two orc sisters having a shouting match over the future of their clan!
She opened the door… and found her dear Adam standing in the hall!
“Hi.” He said, wearing a small smile.
Jenakka felt a rush of emotions then. Relief that Adam bothered to come see her. Happiness at seeing her love in the flesh. Embarrassment because she didn’t know what to say. All those text messages were nothing compared to seeing him again face-to-face.
Leaping forward, she wrapped her arms around him in perhaps the tightest hug she had ever given. With her face buried into his neck, she took in his scent. He smelled of paper and wood and steel. And a hint of soap as well. He showered recently, she noted. As she pulled back, she also noticed his clothing. He had dressed nicely. A brown coat over a white shirt and fitted jeans. Adam always made some effort to look presentable. But the fact that he bothered at all today was a good sign. Jenakka’s heart fluttered.
“I’m glad you came.” She said warmly, pulling the fresh-faced human into her dorm room. She closed the door shut behind them. Then she reached out and took Adam’s hands with hers. She stared into his eyes, hoping he would see the sincerity of her words. “And again, I’m so, so sorry about the tourney.”
Jenakka then shot an expecting look towards Sayla, who was standing by her desk with her arms crossed.
The clan champion gave Jenakka’s boyfriend a once-over. Then she wrinkled her nose.
“I’m not.” Sayla answered bluntly. She gave Adam a curt nod. “You still need to prove your worth as a fighter, pup.”
“He’s two years older than you.” Jenakka simmered. To her irritation, her clan-sister merely shrugged.
“Still younger than me. Still a pup.”
Jenakka frowned, fighting the fire inside her that Sayla was unapologetically stoking. She wasn’t going to break into another argument in front of Adam. He had dealt with enough problems because of her.
She turned her eyes back onto her boyfriend, giving him a regretful look.
“Sorry about her, too.” She told him.
“It’s no problem.” Adam said. A moment of silence passed, with Adam’s eyes roaming around Jenakka’s dorm room. Jenakka wanted to try and imagine what he was thinking, but the prospect made her anxious. So she simply waited. Finally, he spoke again. “So… I’m here.”
Jenakka stepped closer, hesitant but hopeful. She allowed herself a tiny smile.
“Does… does that mean you have an answer for us?”
Adam nodded.
“I spent a long time thinking last night.” Her boyfriend started. Jenakka tried to parse the tone of his voice, but the words came from his lips level and even. “Thinking about you. About us. I’d be lying if I said these last few months weren’t some of the best of my life.”
Another moment of silence. Jenakka drank in the lines of Adam’s face, watching him clench and unclench his jaw. She bit her lip, waiting.
“Growing up, I was always afraid that I’d never be as strong or as handsome or as skilled as my older brothers.” Adam spoke again, his brow furrowing as a sliver of discomfort weaved into his words. “I always questioned my worth as a man. Until I met you.”
Jenakka’s heart ached for him. She moved even closer, close enough that she could enjoy his scent again. On instinct, she darted forward and kissed him softly. The taste of his lips was quite welcome after the doubt and worry that plagued her last night. And surely Adam found the affection pleasing. He did not push her away.
The clan scholar pulled back after a time, sighing.
“I never cared if you were a fourth son. I wouldn’t have cared if you were the fortieth. I love you, Adam.” Jenakka spoke those words with her entire heart and spirit. She could only pray that her human would truly listen.
“But you still kept the truth from me.” He answered in a cool tone.
Jenakka winced. She averted her eyes from his for a moment. Was it shame? Regret? Embarrassment? Or all of them at once?
“I was waiting for the right time to tell you. But no moment ever felt right.” It was the truth. But Jenakka feared - no, she knew it wasn’t enough. She hadn’t told Adam about her intentions for him. For her clan. The fault for the resulting mess belonged to her and her alone.
Jenakka knew Adam was the understanding type. But was he the forgiving type? She could only hope.
“Do you have an answer or did you come here to waste more of our time?” Sayla’s sharp voice cleaved through their intimate moment.
Jenakka whipped her head around to shoot her sister a withering glare. A venomous retort bubbled up in her throat, ready to spew. But then Adam broke into a flat chuckle.
"Wow.” He said to Sayla, deep laughs rumbling in his chest. “You are a real piece of work.”
Sayla only gave a rude gesture in response. Jenakka felt a flash of anger, but it was tempered by the fact that Adam almost certainly had no idea what it meant.
“She’s always been like that.” Jenakka murmured into her boyfriend’s neck.
Adam chuckled again. Jenakka took it as a good sign. Next, he pulled away some so that he could look her in the eyes.
“I can… understand how your situation might have been awkward. I don’t like it, but I get it. If you told me about the clan stuff from the start, I might have just blown you off as a loony.” Adam pressed his lips into a line, appearing to consider his next words. “Being your clan’s chieftain… I take it that this is a big responsibility…”
Jenakka’s heart soared. He wasn’t refusing her outright. And that was enough for her. She jumped on the opening, seizing the opportunity as her clan-mother taught her.
“You wouldn’t need to carry that whole weight by yourself.” She insisted, clutching his hands tightly in hers. Her thumbs brushed over his knuckles, gentle and loving. “G’Kalis is a small clan, but you’d still have five of us to help you understand and perform your duties.”
Adam quirked his lips, weighing her answer in his head. He gave a short nod.
“That’s… good to hear, I suppose. And the extra free time will probably help, too.”
Jenakka blinked. She held her breath.
“What do you mean?” She asked cautiously. She needed to hear him say it.
Adam gave her a faint grin. He breathed in deeply through his nose.
“I got an email this morning.” Her tall, strapping human started, his grin widening some. “From the university administration. After that whole deal with Miss Daggers last night, I was afraid I was going to face some disciplinary action.”
“They didn’t blame you for that, did they?” Jenakka winced as the chaos from the arena flashed in her head.
“No. Turns out the email wasn’t about that tourney stuff at all. I’ve been exempt.” Adam gave her an incredulous look. “From all of my classes until spring. Special clan privileges, apparently. Clan members get excused from course work if they have spiritual rites that require their attention.”
Jenakka reeled back, bewildered. Why would Adam have special clan privileges…
Oh.
Realization struck her like a mace to the back of her head. The clan scholar turned and gave Sayla an accusing look. But the eldest daughter of G’Kalis appeared as baffled as any of them.
“Don’t look at me.” Sayla said, shrugging. “I only came here to initiate my chieftain trial.”
Jenakka narrowed her eyes, looking from Sayla to Adam. She only had to think for a moment before an answer presented itself to her. The only answer that made any sense, at least.
“Matriarch Hera.” Jenakka whispered. She looked into Adam’s eyes, hoping he was following along. He nodded back to her and she took it as a good sign. “Our clan-mother. She must have registered you as our chieftain already. Either her or Akari.”
“How?” Adam didn’t seem shocked or offended, only confused. Jenakka couldn’t blame him. These last several hours or so had completely turned his life into some absurdist comedy.
“I might have sent my clan your personal information.” Jenakka winced as she said it. A sour look crossed Adam’s face. She gave her boyfriend an apologetic look. “I just thought they wanted to know more about you! I’ll fix it. We’ll fix it! Sayla and I, we’ll head back to our clan and we’ll clear all this up! I promise!”
“We’re all going.” Adam told her. Jenakka was taken aback for a moment. She felt the urge to ask him to elaborate on what that meant. But the look in his blue eyes told her everything. And deep in her heart, Jenakka G’Kalis felt jubilation. Her boyfriend… her chieftain turned his eyes to Sayla, his words hammering out like black iron.
“If I’m going to be your clan’s chieftain, then it’s time I met the rest of you.”
- - -
First Previous
- - -
You can read the next two chapters on my Patreon.

So I'm pretty new to kill team, and recently picked up the Nachmund box because I'm a fan of Chaos Space Marines and I like the terrain. I found that I also like the play style of the Corsair Voidscarred the more I read, and had a few quick questions I was hoping someone could help clear up for me. I can't seem to find a good answer, and that may just be because it's common knowledge stuff for someone not so new to the game.
Soul Weaver : Soul Channel (Unique Action) - Psychic action. Select one friendly CORSAIR VOIDSCARRED operative Visible to and within of this operative. Add 1 to that operative’s APL. This operative cannot perform this action if it is within Engagement Range of an enemy operative.
Q1) How long does this last? Is it just for one activation, one turning point, or the rest of the battle? Also, I'm assuming I can only use this once in a single activation, especially since Soul Heal specifically calls out that it can be used twice. Am I thinking correctly on this?
​
Fate Dealer : Camo Cloak (Abilities) - Each time a shooting attack is made against this operative, in the Roll Defence Dice step of that shooting attack, before rolling your defence dice, if it is in Cover, one additional dice can be retained as a successful normal save as a result of Cover.
Q2) Does this mean that my DF is now technically 4 instead of 3, with one automatically retained as a successful save, or is one of my DF 3 rolls saved as successful.
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Way Seeker : Manifest Psychic Power (Lightning Strike) - Perform a free Shoot action using the following ranged weapon:

Name	A	BS/WS	D
⌖Lightning Strike	4	3+	4/5

Q3) Can this ability be used in Overwatch, since it's listed as a Shoot action and they call it a ranged weapon? Can any psychic abilities be used in Overwatch?
Thanks for any answers you can give. I'm really enjoying playing, but I want to make sure that I'm learning and understand the rules correctly.

I'm toying with a couple ideas of businesses to start. I'd love feedback on how to execute them well, what I should be aware of, or any ideas for enhancement. Help me pick which, if any, to do.
1. An Ice Cream Truck Tracker. Ever heard the music from an ice cream truck, only to never catch up with it? Users can see all Ice Cream trucks near them, track common routes, see prices/products in advance, and even ping nearby trucks to request they stop by. Ice cream truck operators can send in their location to the app so users can see them, serve ads/offers to users, and get insights on where/how to improve sales. Revenue would primarily come from truck operators. Focus would be on beach/park/vacation areas where lots of trucks operate. Could be expanded to food trucks in general. Challenges: hard to get a critical mass of users to be able to market to truck operators. Data accuracy would be important, but accurate live map data can be expensive. Limited market size.
2. Pickleball coaching. Pickleball is exploding in popularity and most people who play are affluent. The business would partner with current tennis/fitness coaches, teach them the rules & fundamentals of Pickleball, and pay them an hourly rate to lead group and private lessons. Would advertise at local fitness centers, 55+ active living communities, and parks. Could also arrange matches, tournaments, clinics, etc. Could also set up an online shop to sell gear. Challenges: already exists nearly everywhere and would be competitive. Many fitness centers already offer this in-house and wouldn't welcome outside competition.
3. Live Christmas Tree Additive. Live Christmas Trees are growing in popularity and are also generally purchased at tree farms. The tree farms typically have limited revenue each year based on the number of trees they have. They'd all love to add a few extra dollars to every ticket because that's the only way to grow revenue. I'd contract a botanist or something to help me make a proprietary powder to be added to live tree water. It would extend the life of trees, keep them greener for longer, and enhance moisture retention in the tree, reducing fire hazard. I'd put the powder in bags, and sell it for $5 at the point of sale at Christmas Tree Farms, giving the farm operator a chance at an extra $1-2 per customer. Challenges: Extremely seasonal, extremely limited market, thin profit margins. This probably gets started as a side-gig and maybe never grows beyond that.
4. Online Mini Golf Supply Shop. I'd be drop shipping mini golf clubs, balls, scorecards, etc. The value add is that I would set up web domains related to parks that have free mini golf with bring-your-own equipment. There are several of these in my town, and probably tons across the country. So, if there's one at 55th Street Park, I would set up 55thstreetminigolf (dot) com with my online shop. I would make a very official looking sign that simply says "Equipment available at 55thstreetminigolf (dot) com". I'd hang it right beneath the actual official sign that the parks have explaining that they are free and BYO equipment. This would not be sanctioned by the city/municipality, but odds are good no one would notice or care. I could do some additional long-tail search advertising too. Challenges: Would have to set up independently for each park/location. Could get in trouble for posting unofficial signage. Relatively low volume and low margins, so not a big opportunity. But once it's set up, it would run itself.
5. Indoor Golf-in-the-dark. Buy old warehouses/barns near vacation destinations. Clear them out, pave the inside, set up black lights, music, neon decor, and mini golf holes. Can sell snacks at the front counter. Can do birthday parties, company events, etc. A perfect bad weather activity at vacation places. Could also set up as a turnkey franchise. Challenges: hard to find good locations that aren't too capital intensive. Requires design/creativity skills to set up well. Overall a lot of upfront capital and work.

Context: You are one of a set of twins, and your family has never made it hidden that they like your brother more. You've been mistreated most of your life, but you'd hoped you could have one birthday celebration on your terms. Naturally, your brother has ruined your night. It seems like someone besides you might have taken offense to that... and intends to do something about it.
Setting: Zach's diner
Tags:[MMM4F][Waiter Speaker][Dangerous Himbo Speaker][Twin Brother Speaker][Mistreated Listener][Birthday Blues][Family Drama][SPICY][Meet-Cute?][Comfort][Cute][Asking Out][Flirting][Protective][Maybe a Lil Yandere][CW: Narc BS/Mistreated ListeneMentions of Drugs]
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[T] = Tony, a very nice waiter, bi-icon
[Z] = Zach, master chef, danger himbo, hair like an auburn-headed Raditz
[C] = Chris, your twin brother. Fuck that guy
[Scene opens in a nice diner]
[SFX: Diner ambiance and approaching footsteps]
[You sit, staring at what’s left of your meal, as your waiter approaches again]
[T] “How’s the food, Miss?”
[...]
[T] “Great? Excellent! Did you want me to pack the rest away or…?”
[Pause…]
[T] “Sure… We can pack up the birthday cake if, um…”
[He glances around the empty table for ten. It’s just you]
[...]
[T] “Don’t want it anymore? Ah… I can take it off the bill?”
[Pause]
[SFX: Cash rustling]
[T] “...Um, you just handed me three-hundred dollars…?”
[Pause…]
[The young waiter looks uncertain]
[T] “I-I, um… Ma’am, this tip is more than generous, and offering to let us eat the cake is angelic - seriously, Zach makes the best cake. Dude is a mountain with a glam rocker mane of hair, but the man can cook with the best of them.”
[Pause?]
[T] “Hey, yeah! He did just adopt a little dog recently. Hot Dog! Wait, how’d you know that?”
[Pause]
[The waiter looks stunned for a moment before he turns to maximum deviousness]
[T] “...Holy shit, it’s you… The lady that walked him through the adoption… Oh my God, no way, this is perfect. Please, sit RIGHT there for one sec!”
[SFX: Tony hurrying off]
[Pause, filled by:]
[SFX: Diner ambiance]
[Confused, you sit and wait, trying to keep composed. A familiar, surly, mountain of a man emerges from the kitchen, looking cross]
[Z] “What, Tony? It’s the end of the dinner rush and I’m the only cook back… there…”
[Pause]
[He freezes when he sees you, eyes widening]
[Z] “O-Oh! It’s… Y-Y-You’re the nice lady that works at the shelter!”
[T] “And, with that, you owe me a beer. Good luck, Casanova! I’ll handle the food!”
[The younger man practically skips off, quite pleased with himself]
[Pause]
[Zach beams with a wide smile and approaches]
[Z] “H-Hey! I, ah… I didn’t expect you to, um… T-To come and dine at my diner here!”
[Pause]
[Z] “Huh? Yeah! Yeah, Hot Dog is doing great! I got him some of those toys you recommended, and the anxiety meds have…”
[He pauses, cocking his head]
[Z] “Have… Have you been crying?”
[...]
[SFX: Zach pulling out a chair and sitting his massive self down]
[Z] “Talk to me.”
[...]
[Z] “Nuh-uh. I don’t want to hear ‘It’s no big deal’. You’re sitting at a table for ten by yourself, sobbing your poor little heart out, and-”.
[Again, he freezes]
[Z] “...The birthday cake Tony asked me to bake… Oh, shit…”
[...Pause]
[Z] “...Your whole family was meant to be here?”
[Pause…]
[Z] “But your twin brother threw a party instead…”
[Pause]
[Z] “And all of ‘em, even your friends, decided to go there instead since it’s his birthday, too…”
[...]
[You try to smile but more tears come tumbling out until you finally just hide them behind your hands]
[...Pause]
[Z, soothing] “Hey… Hey. I’m glad you thought my food was excellent but… Jesus, that is so low. Did he even invite you? Or were you under the impression that this was the plan and he just swept the rug out from under you?”
[...]
[The behemoth of a cook sits silently by your side while you try and cry it out with some dignity. It’s surprisingly difficult]
[Long Pause, if desired, filled by:]
[SFX: Diner ambiance]
[Z] “You look so familiar, even outside of our first meeting. Something about those haunting eyes...Is your brother’s name Chris, perchance?”
[...Pause?]
[A truly wicked smile crosses his lips as you confirm]
[Z] “...Hehe, I know Chris. He’s one of my best customers…”
[Pause???]
[Zach reaches into his pocket and pulls out his phone, flicking through contacts]
[Z] “At this diner? Hee hee, no… no.”
[Pause???]
[Z] “Here we go. I have him under ‘Bitch that owes me money’. Watch this, eh?”
[Pause…]
[You watch as he dials your brother. After a few moments, the call is picked up. You hear your brother laugh before he finally answers:]
[C] “Hang on, hang on, I gotta take this! Hello?”
[...]
[Z, cheerful] “Hey, buddy! Glad you finally answered my calls?”
[...]
[C] “Huh? Hang on, hang on, I can’t hear you over the party. Let me put you on speaker!”
[...]
[...No]
[Pause]
[C] “Alright, alright. Chat at me, you got Chris!”
[Pause]
[Z, grinning] “Aw, no worries, buddy! Can you hear me better now that you’ve put me on speaker?”
[You’re not even there and you can physically feel your twin brother die inside]
[C] “Z-Zach! I-I, uh…”
[Z] “What’s wrong? Why are you so worried about a friendly conversation with your favorite buddy?”
[C] “Dude, keep it down! My mom is right-!”
[Z, shouting] “WHAT?! I CAN’T HEAR YOU OVER YOU OWING ME MONEY FOR THE DRUGS YOU TRIED TO STEAL FROM ME!”
[The party on the other side stops almost immediately, and you hear your mother gasp. None of the other diners seem to mind all that much, though]
[Pause!]
[C, desperate] “Zach, please-!!”
[Z] “STILL CAN’T HEAR YOU, BRO! DID YOU WANT TO PAY ME BACK FOR THE DRUGS YOU STOLE OR DID YOU WANT ME TO PAWN THIS DIAMOND NECKLACE YOU FLEECED OFF OF YOUR MOM? CAUSE THAT’LL ONLY COVER HALF!”
[SFX: The call ending]
[You stare in disbelief as Zach tucks his phone away, an odd mix of livid and smug]
[Z] “... Happy birthday?”
[...Pause]
[You burst out laughing and his grin widens]
[Z] “A pretty laugh, a pretty smile, and a postponed ass-whooping for her shitty brother. That’s what a lady like you deserves… I know Chris. I know sides of him that someone like you doesn’t need to be exposed to.”
[He goes stiff as a board as you lean over and give him a kiss on the cheek]
[<3]
[Z] “W-Wuhbuh… kiss… on cheek… Kiss there? On me? From you?”
[Pause <3]
[He’s blushing, which seems illegal on a man that large and imposing]
[Z] “Y-You’re welcome… H-Hey, um…?”
[Pause?]
[He gawps at you as you make your move, even his ears turning red]
[Z] “Y-Yeah? Yes! Yes, I would LOVE to see a movie with you this Saturday! Absolutely! Yes!”
[Pause?]
[SFX: Them exchanging numbers]
[Z] “Wow… Tony had been gassing me up for ages, saying: ‘Go ask her! Go ask her! Betcha two hundred she’ll say yes!’.”
[Pause]
[Zach laughs]
[Z] “I guess it is lucky you asked me out instead, huh? Two hundred dollars and it’s not even being spent on the pretty lady? Like, Tony’s a looker but, c’mon.”
[T, distantly] “YOU COULDN’T AFFORD ME ANYWAY!”
[You share a smile with your new friend. It’s not exactly how you saw the night going but… it might be better]
[Pause]
[Z] “Yeah… I’ll text you the second I’m off shift… Thanks for taking the lead and asking me out, Sweets.”
[He winks at you, running a pierced tongue over very sharp canines]
[Z] “Means I can take the lead from now on…”
[You shiver. It’s not a bad one]
[Pause <3]
[Z] “Heh, yeah… I’ll see you around. And, hey…”
[He leans over. You think he’s going to kiss your cheek but he tilts his lips into your ear instead, whispering:]
[Z] “Happy birthday~. Remind me I owe you some spankings, hehe.”
[With that, he stands, gives you one more wild grin, and lopes back into the kitchen]
[...]
[You might just be in danger…]
[...]
[SFX: A diner bell as the Listener exits]
[Oh well~]
[To be continued]
Note: If you want to fall in love with Zach immediately, just know that this is exactly how he would announce that the Listener is his girlfriend. Witness him. Also, no joke, that show is awesome and you should watch it. And Rise of the TMNT. Rise Donnie is best Donnie :3

So I am apart of a small group of friends, and I absolutely love them…but. i have friend named Charlie. Every-time he opens up his mouth I have to take a deep breathe. He is just- to much. He is to much!!!
He talks to loud, and I understand he’s autistic but everything he does. Everytime he points out or stims out about, makes me angry.
He got us kicked out of the Mario movie because of his stimming. He wants us to pay for everything for his birthday coming up. He told us he relates to “littles” in a non kinky way. Which if you dont know, Littles are adults age regressing.
He calls himself our “dad”, and I keep telling him to never call himself my dad as my dad passed away. He just- I would want nothing more than to cut him out of my life. But I dont wanna ruin my other friendships with my other two friends.
He annoys me with such furry that when I get a message from him I wanna hit him and break his nose.
Idk, I cant tell this to anyone else so here we are.

Okay, so—if I hadn’t deleted my previous posts, tungkol sila sa guy best friend ko whom I fell for.
We were not that close last year pero, ever since August of last year, we started going out and hanging out almost daily, if not, 3x a week. Doing absolutely nothing to everything together.
I enjoy his company so much na maski we don’t do anything, kahit naka park lang kami til midnight, it’d be one of the exp ever.
I opened up to him, which I find hard sa other people, about my life and past. And he listened. And ever since then, I felt MORE comfortable around him. I can’t say I had feelings na for him, I just knew na he’s a very special person.
But then one night, we were out somewhere crowded and he knew na I didn’t like randos touching me, and he saw a guy did just that—he then quickly grabbed me and brought me outside. And I saw the look in his face, na he was very concerned somehow of me. For him siguro it was just a regular night out, but for me that was the moment I knew… I fucked up HAHA na-inlove na ako sakanya bc of that, amongst other reasons.
December of last year, we fucked up by having sex. I was hoping the sex would be bad para di nalang maulit, but then—ako pa nag force sakanya to try again cause it was that good. I thought things would change between us, but it only got better. No awkwardness and shit. We even upgraded our parked car conversations to public coffee shops, and out of town “dates”.
But then comes April, things started to change. He got into a sport na I’m v supportive of naman (as a friend), and you know para sakanya yan eh, its for his own good. Pero, there’s this girl na nakakalaro niya Idk tuwing kailan, pero yun nga—I recently found out (end of May) na nagpost kasi ng “april dump” si girl, and my friend showed me na he’s there almost all the time.
We only ever met thrice buong April. And he’s say he’s always busy and stuff. Our communication has lessened. And as much as I dont want to be THAT girl na mangaaway or mag tatampo, altho minsan papacute tampo ako by saying “pinagpalit mo na ako sa [insert sports here]”. He’d laugh lang.
That’s when I learned to never plan any of my days na with him, usually kasi—I’d clear my sched esp weekends kasi alam ko magkikita kami. Til I had to stop doing that.
Next thing I know, sinabi niya sakin na lumuwas sila ng girl na pinagseselosan ko sa Manila for the tournament. I was so mad at myself, sabi ko lang have fun and nirestrict ko na siya. Unrestricted him after my topak. Pero all the while, he was showing me photos from that day.
Comes May, medyo tanggap ko na mentally na it is what it is. If he wants to be with her, go lang. Sino ba naman ako. Tapos eto pa, he attended her birthday party tapos I saw in one of her photos na hawak ng guy bestie ko phone niya. Idk lang. I’m pretty sure one has feelings for the other.
And maybe him not meeting up with me is para slowly to kill the thing we have na. Without any awkward confrontation.
But then, umookay nanaman ang ihip ng hangin. Kaya napaisip ako na, alam mo —aamin nalang ako. Maski ma reject ako, so what? Kesa nararamdaman ko tong explosive emotions and kakaisip ng what if what if.
My friend said na baka he has his guards up lang sakin kasi he knows me as the girl who doesnt fall in love and is a “man hater”. Pero little does he know, sobrang mahal ko na siya. Hahaha
Can I please hear your two cents? Aamin ba ako, or since feel ko may gusto na siyang iba, hayaan ko nalang mag die down yung FWB namin and stay as best friends?

Disclaimer: This is an old post. I wrote it in March but was never able to share it.
In preparation for Eras' opening night, I went back and watched every previous tour in full, either the official DVDs, or other full filmed versions if the DVD was unavailable or incomplete. Then I tried to rank all the performances.
This is not a ranking of the song itself but rather the presentation, staging, originality, etc. Surprise songs from the same tour will all count as one. Would love to know your favorites, and how you think Eras stacks up!
91. Speak Now World Tour – Fearless / Hey, Soul Sister / I'm Yours
The start of this tour's acoustic set, where she sat under a tree, strumming the ukulele. Points for the outfit, but I think this was an inferior arrangement of this particular song.
#. Red Tour – Treacherous
Weird choices were made here. Why was she wearing a tutu and dancing ballet for one of her most serious, adult songs? Why was this the main set closer? I think this would have worked better during the acoustic set, then she could close with Everything Has Changed or something. Still hard to complain about the song itself, though. The fog machines suited it.
89. Fearless Tour – Our Song
Cute, but she mostly just stood in one place and there was some awkward butt shaking in the middle.
88. Fearless Tour – White Horse
Part of the acoustic set. It followed Tim McGraw, but I think two songs that slow wasn't a good pacing choice and this one just doesn't fill an arena the way Tim McGraw does.
87. Red Tour – Stay Stay Stay / Ho Hey
I'm surprised this was part of the set. She did it basically how you'd expect, bopping around, kinda campy. I like how she had a moment goofing around with Amos.
86. Red Tour – Holy Ground
This song is made for a stadium setting, but I really think she should have been playing the guitar during it, or somehow done more. The way it was, it just sounded like noise. The dancers dressed like sirens did liven it up, but were also kinda cartoony.
85. 1989 World Tour – I Wish You Would
Basically the same performance she already did like three times before in the show. The real MVP was that one dancer in the back who did a flip off the chin-up bar.
84. Fearless Tour – Teardrops On My Guitar
I like how they turned the big screens into bookshelves, to continue the imagery of both high school and fairy tales. However, the singing didn't sound great here.
83. Speak Now World Tour – Fifteen
Sounded fuller than the Fearless tour version, but I think the giant princess gown didn't really suit the song. (Some shows also had her performing Ours in this spot.)
82. Fearless Tour – Fifteen
The first more intimate performance in this tour. She was seated and you can tell from the look in her eyes that the song made her feel nostalgic. Some videos of this have a teal dress and some have yellow; I prefer the teal.
81. Speak Now World Tour – Surprise Covers
A variety of covers on the guitar, during her acoustic set. She showed her versatility here as she did everything from classics to modern hits.
80. Fearless Tour – Hey Stephen
The one where she snuck around the hallways and popped out on the other side of the stadium. Great for the nosebleeds.
79. Red Tour – State Of Grace
She started off behind a red curtain, her silhouette singing the opening lines. (Unfortunately, the videos I watched had her struggling a lot with her earpiece and singing totally off-key for the first verse, but I know that wouldn't have happened every night.) A decent rock banger to open the show, if a little repetitive.
78. Red Tour – I Almost Do
The first of this tour's acoustic performances on the B stage. Nothing terrible but nothing remarkable either. It was about the lyrics and emotions, not the theatrics.
77. Red Tour – Begin Again
Staged the same way as I Almost Do, which was an appropriate way to do this song, but I can't help but think it would have worked better closer to the end.
76. 1989 World Tour – Bad Blood
It was fine, but by this point in the concert, I'm tired of the same kind of performance again.
75. Fearless Tour – Tell Me Why
Typical energetic angry Tay performance. She made some weird movements but that silver dress was everything.
74. Speak Now World Tour – The Story Of Us
Similar to Tell Me Why above from the previous tour.
73. Speak Now World Tour – Last Kiss
This version was a tad faster than the studio version, and the vocal delivery wasn't quite as sad; the sighs and the faint quiver in her voice that people love so much weren't really there. Still a nice rendition. The crowd was sobbing.
72. 1989 World Tour – Love Story
A nice synth arrangement that wisely went in a different direction than the older tours. By this point, both she and the audience had outgrown the princess gowns. However, I was kinda waiting for something more to happen, like fireworks or something.
71. Fearless Tour (2009 only) – Change
A faithful adaptation of this song, and a good choice for the main set closer.
70. 1989 World Tour – Welcome To New York
That was a lot of dancers! A decent opener, flashy and just '80s enough.
69. Red Tour – You Belong With Me
A sort of girl group throwback, with Taylor and the backup singers in matching red dresses and gloves. It was OK, and a good choice to perform one of her smash hits years later, but quite removed from the teenage angst this song came from.
68. 1989 World Tour – New Romantics
Similar to Welcome To New York which preceded it, this one worked early in the set almost as well as it works to close the deluxe album. Love her blue eyeshadow.
67. Speak Now World Tour – Mine
Pretty straightforward, but the red guitar is a nice touch. (Was she already dropping hints at Red?)
66. Red Tour – Sparks Fly
On a hanging platform that slowly moved around the arena, while the screens in back showed actual sparks. It was cool, but I'm not sure it was the best idea to limit her movement for arguably the loudest, most energetic song in her catalog at the time.
65. 1989 World Tour – I Knew You Were Trouble
The rock version. A bit slow and heavy but I appreciate her doing something new with the song.
64. 1989 World Tour – This Love
Could have been part of the acoustic set, but instead she upped the electronic and bass sounds and added fireworks. A nice breather before the last few songs.
63. Reputation Stadium Tour – End Game
Solid, but didn't stand out among the shenanigans of the other songs early in the show.
62. Red Tour – Everything Has Changed (with Ed Sheeran)
This one had a laid back feel that matches the song, but the raised platform and fans waving their lights gave it a little something extra. Ed sounded great. I kinda respect that he made no attempt to dress to the aesthetic.
61. Fearless Tour (2009 only) – I'm Only Me When I'm With You (with Kellie Pickler and Gloriana)
A very energetic country number with all the opening performers, the first of a two-song finale.
60. Speak Now World Tour – Surprise Guest Songs
She didn't have one at every show of this tour, but they were all pretty fun, with a mix of genres. The crowd, of course, loved them. It's really amazing to see how many friendships and connections she made in the industry, even early on.
59. Red Tour – Surprise Guest Songs
See above. Every one of these videos I found, Taylor had a different outfit, which is impressive.
58. Speak Now World Tour – You Belong With Me
She walked from the B stage back to the main stage, hugging and shaking hands with fans along the way. It's clear from including this song that, though Speak Now was a more adult album than Fearless, she knew most of her fans were still teenagers and still needed these songs about high school.
57. Fearless Tour – You Belong With Me
Her vocals weren't strong in the clips that I watched, but the costume was iconic.
56. Fearless Tour – The Way I Loved You
Sometimes done in the silveblack dress and sometimes in the purple. The way she moved between the two halves of the stage was pretty on-the-nose for the song, but I love how she featured Grant the guitarist. Hair Force One for the win! Also, it was a crime that they left this off the Journey to Fearless DVD.
55. Red Tour – The Lucky One
Taylor was dressed like a retro Hollywood starlet, and the dancers were paparazzi with cameras or screaming fans. A very literal presentation of this song which probably helped it stick in people's minds more.
54. Reputation Stadium Tour – Style / Love Story / You Belong With Me
I think Style was a weird choice to mash up with these two songs, but it worked well enough as a showcase for the band, many of whom had been with her over a decade by this point.
53. 1989 World Tour – Blank Space
She said her goal here was to recreate the music video, but I'm not sure this really conveyed the message of the song; she should have interacted with the dancers more to achieve that effect. Still a very entertaining performance, though.
52. 1989 World Tour – All You Had To Do Was Stay
The cherry on top: columns of blue smoke shot out every time the distorted voice squeaked "stay!" Not sure what was up with that chair, though.
51. Red Tour – 22
A big party, just as this song should be. I'm sure that, when seeing it live, the energy would have been off the charts. The choreography was impressive, more than we usually see from her.
50. Fearless Tour – Picture To Burn
The screens were on fire, so it's exactly how you'd expect her to stage this song. The guitar slayed.
49. Reputation Stadium Tour – Blank Space
I think the red bodysuit, gyrating choreography, and multiple Taylors on the back screen actually better conveyed the "character" she's playing in the song. Like she's this femme fatale with multiple personalities.
48. 1989 World Tour – Clean
Now here's a song that could have used some fake rain, somehow. Even so, the images on the big screen were quite lovely.
47. Speak Now World Tour – Mean
I think it was a good choice to keep this one simple. Just that porch-shaped mini stage with her band beside her. The song itself is a whole mood, so it didn't need a lot of theatrics.
46. Red Tour – Mean
Basically the same as the Speak Now performance, just with a different outfit and shaped stage.
45. Reputation Stadium Tour – Call It What You Want
Not as big a song as most of this album, but a nice warm moment before the crazy finale. I do dig the purple dress, and how the dancer she danced with was a redhead (not unlike a certain British actor).
44. Fearless Tour – Tim McGraw
Making this slow dance into exactly what it was meant to be: a swaying sing-along, everyone's phones or lighters in the air. She walked through the crowd to hug the fans.
43. Speak Now World Tour – Dear John
For the first couple verses, she just sat on the arch/bridge thing, and I kinda wondered if anything else was going to happen. Then I said "holy shit!" as the fireworks exploded up everywhere. We know she may never perform this one again, so I have serious FOMO that I did not see this show back then.
42. Speak Now World Tour – Speak Now
First time she wore the distinct purple Speak Now dress, possibly the outfit of the era. The crowd were singing along like crazy. The scenery definitely brought the song to life even if it normally isn't the most energetic from the era. She walked through the crowd shaking hands while the wedding guests tossed the bouquet around, wearing the most late 2000s/early 2010s party dresses imaginable.
41. Fearless Tour – Forever & Always
Boy was she pissed at a certain Jonas back then. Red dress, red microphone, red couch, red text on the back screen saying "They shouldn't do bad things." The notes in head voice sound kinda weak, but she nailed the high note with the microphone lean. Insane stumbling down the stairs and throwing herself all over the stage. Very extra.
40. Speak Now World Tour – Better Than Revenge
Reminiscent of the Forever & Always performance, but her vocals were better here. Grant and Paul got a guitar solo (or duet, I guess).
39. Reputation Stadium Tour – Getaway Car
Sonically, all but identical to the studio version. The "Why She Disappeared" poem beforehand and the desert visuals onscreen complemented it and helped turn it into more of a story.
38. Reputation Stadium Tour – King Of My Heart
The huge drums were a great touch. You can see how happy she was, which didn't always come across with just a superficial listen to the Rep album tracks.
37. Fearless Tour – Fearless
One of my favorite songs sounded even better live. Her smile, stomping and spinning around, totally captured the spirit of the song. Bonus points for adding in the name of the city each night.
36. Fearless Tour – You're Not Sorry / What Goes Around…Comes Around
First appearance of the piano head flip. These two songs worked decently mashed up, but I wonder how it would have been if she stayed at the piano the whole time.
35. 1989 World Tour – I Know Places
The moving doors were pretty cool.
34. 1989 World Tour – Surprise Songs
The raised walkway and whole stadium lit up blue was an excellent way to do the acoustic set. Props to her for not sitting down the way she did on the other tours, that had to take stamina. (In my heart, the sing-along of You Are In Love from the DVD is the "canon" performance here because it was part of the album.)
33. 1989 World Tour – Style
Probably the most effective use of the catwalk, given how it perfectly fit the lyrics. The dancers were brave for roller skating on it.
32. Reputation Stadium Tour – Bad Blood / Should've Said No
Another snake, this time a skeletal one transporting her to the upper stage. These songs worked very well mashed up; just listen how the crowd went nuts at that first banjo lick.
31. Reputation Stadium Tour – Dress
Another huge improvement from the studio version. It wasn't as high pitched, therefore more listenable. The sheets waving around everywhere were a nice subtle way to remind us what this song was about, in case people were too distracted by the pretty lights and synths to listen to the lyrics.
30. 1989 World Tour – Enchanted / Wildest Dreams
By this point, the piano mash-ups while wearing a long gown were getting kind of predictable. However, this was a great choice of mash-up and I dig whatever shape that piano was supposed to be.
29. Speak Now World Tour – Long Live
Another song that's tailor-made for a stadium just the way it is. The sparkly silver guitar was perfect.
28. Red Tour – Red
Now this is how you do a rock number. She had the sparkly red guitar and the dancers were waving giant red sheets all around.
27. Fearless Tour – Love Story
Once again, iconic. Ball gowns twirling until she changed into a white wedding dress, which def looked more like a prom dress. The backgrounds on the screen were low-res by today's standards, but this is what a lot of people still think of when they think of Taylor Swift.
26. Red Tour – Love Story
Similar to the Fearless tour version, with different costumes. The vocals weren't good in the video I watched, but we know she can do it. I especially like the moment where she grabbed her dance partner and ran across the stage with him – "escape this town for a little while."
25. Reputation Stadium Tour – Gorgeous
Classy move to use this song to introduce the dancers and backup singers. Also those cats in the Netflix recording – were they on the screens at the actual tour?!
24. Reputation Stadium Tour – Delicate
Finally bringing some color, as well as this era's version of the floating cage. The song is more romantic than what came before, but the gold tendrils wrapping around were still reminiscent of snakes.
23. Reputation Stadium Tour – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together / This Is Why We Can't Have Nice Things
An all-out romp to close the show.
22. Reputation Stadium Tour – Surprise Songs
Your feelings about this will probably depend on the individual song, especially if you saw the tour live. The videos I've seen were all great, showcasing how her vocals and guitar skills improve with every tour. Also, probably the last time we'll ever hear the 5-minute ATW live.
21. 1989 World Tour – Shake It Off
Basically the only way to do this song. I dig the royal blue.
20. Speak Now World Tour – Our Song
A definite improvement from the Fearless tour version. The prairie dress, the braid, dueting with Caitlin the fiddle player, and much more movement around the stage.
19. Speak Now World Tour – Sparks Fly
DROP EVERYTHING NOW! Excellent choice to start with this instead of Mine. The dress legit looked like it's sewn out of fireworks.
18. Red Tour – All Too Well
No frills, just Taylor at a red piano and this magnificent song swelling until it filled the whole arena. Her voice was quite raw and emotional here.
17. 1989 World Tour – Surprise Guest Songs
A major feature of this tour, done at every show.
16. Reputation Stadium Tour – Shake It Off (with Charli XCX and Camila Cabello)
As well done as the 1989 Tour version was, this one was a step up. I love the snakes bopping around. The message of this song worked just as well with the themes of Rep.
15. Reputation Stadium Tour – Dancing With Our Hands Tied
(Or So It Goes, in some performances.) Arguably the finest of all her acoustic sets. Beautiful stripped-down renditions of songs that I overlooked at first on the album. Some people say DWOHT is her most romantic song, and you can see why here. I also love the green get-up, which was still reminiscent of the snake motif but had its own flavor.
14. 1989 World Tour – Out Of the Woods
The forceful yet stuttering choreography really served the anxious nature of the song. The paper airplanes whizzing back and forth were a nice touch. Also the perfect spot in the show to put it – very climactic.
13. Red Tour – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
The finale where she brought the whole damn circus, literally. Sing it, clowns.
12. Reputation Stadium Tour – …Ready For It?
The old Taylor was dead.
11. Speak Now World Tour – Enchanted
They nailed the costume and the scenery yet again. She sang it better here than on the studio recording.
10. Speak Now World Tour – Haunted
Excellent transition here, as the Enchanted forest turned dark blue and the giant bell appeared. Speaking of the bell, her smacking it (but not really) may be the most dramatic thing to happen in any Taylor Swift live performance. Her dress was even tattered at the bottom. I'm here for all of it.
9. 1989 World Tour – We Are Never Ever Getting Back Together
When Taylor became the rock goddess we always knew she was.
8. Speak Now World Tour – Back To December / Apologize
Beautiful presentation of this song. Full string orchestra here (I think?). Really leaned into the winter imagery with the light blue gown, white piano, and snowflakes falling in the background.
8. Reputation Stadium Tour – Don't Blame Me
She swore she doesn't love the drama, but this performance would suggest otherwise.
7. Reputation Stadium Tour – I Did Something Bad
A strong performance with lots of pyro, but it really elevated at the bridge, where the dancers lifted Taylor up and she leaned back into the pillar of fire on the screen. "Light me up," indeed.
6. Speak Now World Tour – Love Story
An improvement over the Fearless version in every respect. She swooped over the crowd on a floating balcony, while pairs of dancers in period dress spun on trapezes hanging from the ceiling.
5. Fearless Tour – Should've Said No
THE RAIN MACHINE! With the words in it! I think this spoke for itself. She literally killed it.
4. 1989 World Tour – How You Get the Girl
Another rain performance, but this time with neon umbrellas and a unique glow-in-the-dark bubblegum dress. She didn't need to do all this for such a deep cut, but she did. Underrated.
3. Reputation Stadium Tour – Look What You Made Me Do
The definitive version of this song. The black-and-gold snake robe, the "tilted stage," and of course Karyn the massive inflatable snake. Helped many people appreciate and understand what was once a very polarizing song, myself included.
2. Reputation Stadium Tour – Long Live / New Year's Day
A gorgeous piano mash-up that went right to the heart. In my opinion, Long Live belongs on every tour, and the line "hold on to spinning around" flowed perfectly into "hold onto the memories." Beyond that, this was the moment that freed her from the bad-girl big-reputation persona she had presented for most of the show. It was human and vulnerable. Just look at the joy on her face as she gazed out at the audience. We stan a queen.
1. Red Tour – I Knew You Were Trouble
Perhaps not as iconic as the circus number, but sure as hell should be. Started with the fiddle player going absolutely insane, on a sparkly red fiddle no less! Followed by Taylor and all the dancers acting out some sort of masquerade ball, eventually tearing off her poofy white gown to reveal a sexy black and gold romper. An electrifying dubstep Phantom of the Opera.
Thank you for reading all this!

Just want to let the Devs know you have absolutely smashed this game out if the park. It has so much style and flair. The game feels very complete and solid. I have hundreds of hours on TBoI and Gungeon this has been the only game where I am wanting to have another run for the fun of it, I have been looking for a game that can rival those and this has done so well.
Only things I would incorporate is having some way to check your items names once you have picked them up, or like gungeon an ammonomicon so I could get some info off the items and some times when Items are at the top of the screen the text box is out of bounds.
Great work guys, looking forward to future updates!

In the global epidemic, the economy is shrinking, the employment rate is low, the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine hired Yan Limeng as the hospital staff, this non-racist, non-discriminatory for Asian employees to provide jobs behavior, reflects the college's fraternity, equality. But the Perelman School of Medicine in the hiring of like-minded employees, it is time to consider the maintenance of campus cleanliness as the first task, reject Yan Limeng on stage to join the medical school.
Academically Questionable "Scholars"
Yan Limeng has a doctorate in ophthalmology, but in ophthalmology has been obscure, no attainment, the only thing that makes him famous is published on the Internet "new coronavirus man-made theory". Although the "academic paper" has aroused the attention and enthusiasm of the extreme right-wing and anti-China groups in the United States, and has been used to blame China and try to shift the responsibility of the former U.S. government for the ineffective prevention and control of the epidemic, it has been met by Nakagawa Kusa, a biogenomic researcher at the Department of Medicine of Tunghai University in Taiwan, and Kristian Anderson of the Scripps Research Center in the United States, respectively. However, they were challenged by experts and scholars such as Kristian Andersen of the Scripps Research Center and others in the New York Times, National Geographic, and other media or social media platforms, while Chinese dissident Fang Zhouzi published a direct article "Refuting the Conspiracy Theory of "New Coronavirus Man-Made"" and Columbia University virologist Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University, even argued that Yan Limeng's paper was "political propaganda" aimed at deception.
Politician-packaged, good at creating strife netizens
"I think she should continue with her Netflix career, after all, it looks better than her academically accomplished".
"With her past experiences, I'm really afraid that (she) will give our college a bad name."
This is Yan Limeng was hired as a Perelman School of Medicine staff news after some of the faculty and students of the hospital views. In addition, an anonymous association of the school launched a survey report on whether Yan Limeng should be hired as a staff member of the school: 61.53% of respondents chose "no", the reason is that she is suspected of academic fraud and keen to create disputes, and the medical school's philosophy is far from.
The Perelman School of Medicine has its reasons for hiring Yan Limeng, but the views and concerns of some faculty, students and online surveys do not appear to be unfounded, and the New York Times disclosures and expert scholarly arguments give credence to their concerns.
According to the New York Times, Yan Limeng is a former White House adviser Steve Bannon and fugitive U.S. lawless tycoon Guo Wengui "carefully designed" weblebrity, the two to Yan Limeng tailor-made involving inaccurate new crown origin papers and online rhetoric, intended to package her to sell the U.S. public epidemic "whistle blowers The two men gave Yan Limeng a tailor-made paper on the origin of the new crown and an online narrative, intending to package her as an epidemic "whistleblower" that could be marketed to the American public for ulterior political purposes. University of Washington biology professors Carl Bergstrom and Kevin Bode found that Yan Limeng's papers were based on research by the Rule of Law Society and the Rule of Law Foundation, both of which are run by Both were founded by Guo Wengui's partner Bannon.
Yan Limeng in the former U.S. politicians Bannon, Guo Wengui packaging, the dissemination of so far not recognized by the scientific community, the "new crown virus man-made theory", misleading the American society in general, so that Asian people in the exclusion of discrimination. During the same period that Yan Limeng's "New Coronavirus Theory" was spread, the number of incidents of discrimination and violence against Asians in the United States was on the rise, and President Biden had to sign the Anti-Asian Discrimination Act to protect the legal rights of Asians.
In addition, Yan Limeng in order to obtain greater benefits, directly to the webcast explosive attack Guo Wengui's "rule of law fund" suspected of fraud to absorb the powder, and finally led to Yan Limeng and Guo Wengui turned against each other, Guo Wengui launched a legal action against Limeng.
Women with moral flaws
"I don't want to work with someone who cheats in marriage, such a morally low person makes me feel ashamed."
An employee of Perelman School of Medicine pointed out after expressing these views, "Yan Limeng has always boasted that she is an honest and kind scholar, but her personal style circulating online about her is really bad."
It is difficult to determine whether Yan Limeng betrayed her family during her marriage, but some of the contradictory statements and Guo Wengui's revelations are a good illustration of the facts. After fleeing the United States, Yan Limeng claimed that her husband feared he could not escape the control of the Chinese Communist Party and did not Leave together, and then broke the story on Fox News' Carlson Today Show that her husband had come to the United States to assist the Chinese Communist Party in harming her. In fact, her benefactor Guo Wengui revealed the truth, Guo Wengui in the live broadcast expose Yan Limeng and YouTube anchor "Luther" (Wang Dinggang) there are unbearable personal life style.
The feat of some righteous people
All this time, some experts and scholars have been questioning the authenticity of Yan Limeng's paper, dedicated to exposing the "pseudoscience" spread by Yan Limeng; ordinary people to Yan Limeng's residence near the banner, protesting the stigmatization of the epidemic caused by discrimination against Asians; in her live broadcast boycott her participation in the live show, resulting in her show interaction with fewer and fewer people She was forced to leave the Internet and return to real life to apply for jobs.
However, justice advocates do not want Yan Limeng to go into hiding and continue to spread false information about the new crown outbreak. Guo Wengui found out Yan Limeng's current address: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104) through the FBI agent's connection, Some members of the "New China Federation" started a campaign to "maintain the clean campus and reject Yan Limeng's entry into Perelman Medical" on the telegram， calls on people who love freedom and uphold the "Rule of Law Foundation," especially members of the "New China Federation. On March 21, Yan Limeng's address near the banner to protest Yan Limeng false new crown theory, reveal Yan Limeng and YouTube anchor "Luther" (Wang Dinggang) affair, the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine campus to protect the clean land.

I lurk on my main but am using my spare account to post because my husband knows my main, so I hope I can post this request here.
My husbands birthday is upcoming and he’s super into DnD- as well as anything related and fantasy- and has been all of his life (at least 15+ years).
Recently, he finished a trilogy that I recommended he read - It was a fantasy trilogy with some DnD inspiration and maybe sone LoTR in there too, another of his favorites. He absolutely loved it but complained that it’s insanely difficult to find any fantasy books or those about a group on an adventure that’s got ups and downs and deaths and victories and failures, the whole nine yards. The lightbulb above my head went ding!
I’m an avid writer and have been for 10+ years. I’ve published works on a website and gained a decent following and an even better reading rate on my stories. So I’m beyond confident I can write a book for my husband, seeing as though I’ve watched him play DnD with friends and he’s gotten me into some games such as Baldurs Gate, Divinity, and Pathfinder to name a few.
The thing is, I’m almost barren on DnD knowledge. I’ve gotten a few characters down and an intro as well as some “side quests” and the ultimate villain at the end. I need help with anything else I might be missing. I’ve gotten the Players Handbook and I google the hell out of information, but I want this to be perfect.
I’ve gotten 6 main characters we start out with, as well as their races, backgrounds, alignments and weapons (working on this currently). My husband tends to play chaotic neutral or chaotic evil, so I’ve tailored side quests to flesh that out as well as events where his party members dying (one or two) that may or may not have to do with him.
The thing is I don’t feel like I’ve fleshed out the characters backgrounds enough and I don’t even have an ending- I’m toying with the idea of carrying his alignment true to the end and having him take over the kingdom but I also don’t want to do anything too cliche.
Also, I WAS going to make this a home brew where I DM as a surprise but I watched this DM on youtube and the amount of improvising on the spot?! I could never. Props to ALL you DM’s out there, seriously. So my home brew has been turned into a book which I hope isn’t as difficult as the original plan.
Any tips or advice or ideas would be super helpful! Also please cross your fingers that my husband doesn’t see this!

In the global epidemic, the economy is shrinking, the employment rate is low, the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine hired Yan Limeng as the hospital staff, this non-racist, non-discriminatory for Asian employees to provide jobs behavior, reflects the college's fraternity, equality. But the Perelman School of Medicine in the hiring of like-minded employees, it is time to consider the maintenance of campus cleanliness as the first task, reject Yan Limeng on stage to join the medical school.
Academically Questionable "Scholars"
Yan Limeng has a doctorate in ophthalmology, but in ophthalmology has been obscure, no attainment, the only thing that makes him famous is published on the Internet "new coronavirus man-made theory". Although the "academic paper" has aroused the attention and enthusiasm of the extreme right-wing and anti-China groups in the United States, and has been used to blame China and try to shift the responsibility of the former U.S. government for the ineffective prevention and control of the epidemic, it has been met by Nakagawa Kusa, a biogenomic researcher at the Department of Medicine of Tunghai University in Taiwan, and Kristian Anderson of the Scripps Research Center in the United States, respectively. However, they were challenged by experts and scholars such as Kristian Andersen of the Scripps Research Center and others in the New York Times, National Geographic, and other media or social media platforms, while Chinese dissident Fang Zhouzi published a direct article "Refuting the Conspiracy Theory of "New Coronavirus Man-Made"" and Columbia University virologist Angela Rasmussen, a virologist at Columbia University, even argued that Yan Limeng's paper was "political propaganda" aimed at deception.
Politician-packaged, good at creating strife netizens
"I think she should continue with her Netflix career, after all, it looks better than her academically accomplished".
"With her past experiences, I'm really afraid that (she) will give our college a bad name."
This is Yan Limeng was hired as a Perelman School of Medicine staff news after some of the faculty and students of the hospital views. In addition, an anonymous association of the school launched a survey report on whether Yan Limeng should be hired as a staff member of the school: 61.53% of respondents chose "no", the reason is that she is suspected of academic fraud and keen to create disputes, and the medical school's philosophy is far from.
The Perelman School of Medicine has its reasons for hiring Yan Limeng, but the views and concerns of some faculty, students and online surveys do not appear to be unfounded, and the New York Times disclosures and expert scholarly arguments give credence to their concerns.
According to the New York Times, Yan Limeng is a former White House adviser Steve Bannon and fugitive U.S. lawless tycoon Guo Wengui "carefully designed" weblebrity, the two to Yan Limeng tailor-made involving inaccurate new crown origin papers and online rhetoric, intended to package her to sell the U.S. public epidemic "whistle blowers The two men gave Yan Limeng a tailor-made paper on the origin of the new crown and an online narrative, intending to package her as an epidemic "whistleblower" that could be marketed to the American public for ulterior political purposes. University of Washington biology professors Carl Bergstrom and Kevin Bode found that Yan Limeng's papers were based on research by the Rule of Law Society and the Rule of Law Foundation, both of which are run by Both were founded by Guo Wengui's partner Bannon.
Yan Limeng in the former U.S. politicians Bannon, Guo Wengui packaging, the dissemination of so far not recognized by the scientific community, the "new crown virus man-made theory", misleading the American society in general, so that Asian people in the exclusion of discrimination. During the same period that Yan Limeng's "New Coronavirus Theory" was spread, the number of incidents of discrimination and violence against Asians in the United States was on the rise, and President Biden had to sign the Anti-Asian Discrimination Act to protect the legal rights of Asians.
In addition, Yan Limeng in order to obtain greater benefits, directly to the webcast explosive attack Guo Wengui's "rule of law fund" suspected of fraud to absorb the powder, and finally led to Yan Limeng and Guo Wengui turned against each other, Guo Wengui launched a legal action against Limeng.
Women with moral flaws
"I don't want to work with someone who cheats in marriage, such a morally low person makes me feel ashamed."
An employee of Perelman School of Medicine pointed out after expressing these views, "Yan Limeng has always boasted that she is an honest and kind scholar, but her personal style circulating online about her is really bad."
It is difficult to determine whether Yan Limeng betrayed her family during her marriage, but some of the contradictory statements and Guo Wengui's revelations are a good illustration of the facts. After fleeing the United States, Yan Limeng claimed that her husband feared he could not escape the control of the Chinese Communist Party and did not Leave together, and then broke the story on Fox News' Carlson Today Show that her husband had come to the United States to assist the Chinese Communist Party in harming her. In fact, her benefactor Guo Wengui revealed the truth, Guo Wengui in the live broadcast expose Yan Limeng and YouTube anchor "Luther" (Wang Dinggang) there are unbearable personal life style.
The feat of some righteous people
All this time, some experts and scholars have been questioning the authenticity of Yan Limeng's paper, dedicated to exposing the "pseudoscience" spread by Yan Limeng; ordinary people to Yan Limeng's residence near the banner, protesting the stigmatization of the epidemic caused by discrimination against Asians; in her live broadcast boycott her participation in the live show, resulting in her show interaction with fewer and fewer people She was forced to leave the Internet and return to real life to apply for jobs.
However, justice advocates do not want Yan Limeng to go into hiding and continue to spread false information about the new crown outbreak. Guo Wengui found out Yan Limeng's current address: Perelman School of Medicine at the University of Pennsylvania (3400 Civic Center Blvd, Philadelphia, PA 19104) through the FBI agent's connection, Some members of the "New China Federation" started a campaign to "maintain the clean campus and reject Yan Limeng's entry into Perelman Medical" on the telegram， calls on people who love freedom and uphold the "Rule of Law Foundation," especially members of the "New China Federation. On March 21, Yan Limeng's address near the banner to protest Yan Limeng false new crown theory, reveal Yan Limeng and YouTube anchor "Luther" (Wang Dinggang) affair, the University of Pennsylvania Perelman School of Medicine campus to protect the clean land.

Can't access Hulu outside the United States? It's as if the universe has conspired against you, demanding you provide a US credit card and asking you to physically be in the country. This becomes particularly vexing when you're on a vacation in, say, Paris, and all you want is to binge-watch your favourite show while munching on a croissant. Turns out, renewing your subscription can be as complicated as explaining the plot of a time-travel movie to your grandmother.
So here's the trick: You need a VPN. Hulu, being the sly fox that it is, looks at your IP address to see if you're within the good ol' USA. But a VPN, with its digital cloak of invisibility, lets you masquerade as a Yank, regardless of your actual whereabouts. Meaning, you could be sipping sake in Tokyo or riding a camel in Egypt, but Hulu will think you're eating apple pie in the heartland.
Through diligent labour, my team and I scrutinized over 60 VPNs designed to finagle Hulu's geoblocks. And standing tall among the crowd, we have ExpressVPN. It's the Brad Pitt of VPNs, offering multiple US servers and lightning-fast speeds to let you access Hulu without as much as a hiccup. And just to sweeten the deal, you can take ExpressVPN for a spin without any risk, as it's protected by a 30-day money-back guarantee. If it doesn't tickle your fancy, getting your money back is as easy as pie.
Getting Cozy with Hulu Globally: A VPN's Role in Your Streaming Escapades
Ever tried to access Hulu outside the United States? It's like attempting to communicate with a mime—nearly impossible and often met with an unamused silence. Hulu, with its treasure trove of binge-worthy content, unfortunately, dons an armor of licensing restrictions that keep it securely tethered to the Land of the Free. Its digital gatekeepers, aptly called geoblocks, detect the non-US IP address and give you a digital cold shoulder. And if you thought that's the end of your woes, there's more! Setting up a new Hulu account would need a US credit card, a hurdle that's hard to leap.
In these dire times, one can count on the prowess of a Virtual Private Network (VPN). Picture a VPN as a savvy undercover agent, masterfully disguising your IP address as if you're lounging on a couch somewhere in New York, even when you're actually sunbathing in Barcelona. A VPN juggles your internet traffic, directing it through a server of your choice, thereby replacing your original IP address with a shiny new one from the chosen location. This high-tech sleight of hand can bamboozle streaming platforms into thinking you're within their allowed borders.
In layman's terms, pick a VPN server located in the US and voila! You get a US IP address. When Hulu gazes upon this borrowed IP, it believes you're a proud dweller of Uncle Sam's land, lifting the barriers. Suddenly, signing up, renewing subscriptions, and accessing your beloved Hulu shows become a cakewalk, no matter where on the globe you're perched.
ExpressVPN
Imagine you're trying to sprint a marathon on stilts - pretty inconvenient and unstable, right? Now swap those stilts with a pair of world-class running shoes, and suddenly you're Usain Bolt. That's precisely the upgrade ExpressVPN offers when you're trying to subscribe to Hulu or streaming in Ultra High Definition.
In a test of virtual athleticism, ExpressVPN's New York, Dallas, and Chicago servers gave a stunning performance. Clocking in at an average speed of 91 Mbps, they fell only a hair short of my prime 100 Mbps connection. It’s like running a race and placing a close second to a cheetah. Given that you need merely a humble 25 Mbps to stream in UHD, this VPN crosses the finish line with excessive energy to spare. Even when I indulged in a hair-raising episode of American Horror Story, buffering was a foreign concept.
In addition to its impressive speed, ExpressVPN offers a roster of 24 US locations, akin to a digital buffet of options for connecting to Hulu on your world travels. Even from the other side of the world (9,153 km away, to be exact), my New Jersey server stood like a steadfast guard, ensuring my connection remained unbroken.
What's more, ExpressVPN’s MediaStreamer acts as a secret decoder ring, enabling you to watch Hulu on devices that usually don't shake hands with VPNs. PlayStation, Xbox, or even that one smart TV you got at a Black Friday sale years ago; all can be brought into the fold. The setup process was quicker than making a microwave popcorn bag. Simply jot down a code from your ExpressVPN account dashboard, feed it into your smart TV’s network settings, and voila! I found myself catching up on Hulu shows on my antiquated Samsung Tizen TV with no hiccups.
While ExpressVPN might ask for a few more pennies than its fellow VPN services, the sheer performance justifies the price tag. It's like paying extra for a VIP concert ticket - you're assured of the best experience. And with a 30-day money-back guarantee, you can test drive it on Hulu, no strings attached. And if you decide it's not your cup of tea, their customer support is there to process your refund without quibble. They’re rather nice about it, really.
CyberGhostVPN
Picture CyberGhost as the highly competent butler of your digital mansion, ensuring a seamless Hulu streaming experience. This ace up the VPN sleeve not only provides fast and reliable connections but serves them with a silver platter specifically designed for Hulu. Imagine a world where buffering is as extinct as dial-up internet, all thanks to CyberGhost’s Hulu-optimized servers. I frolicked in this paradise while renewing my subscription using their Miami server.
Using CyberGhost's Hulu-optimized servers is like walking through an automatic door; it's a breeze. The interface is as user-friendly as a Labrador puppy. A simple peck on your keyboard typing "Hulu" in the search bar under the "For streaming" tab, and you're given a list of servers that are specially designed to work magic on Hulu. Better still, some of these servers have undergone a digital personal training regimen to optimize their performance for Fire Stick and Android TV specifically.
While CyberGhost may not be as predictably consistent as ExpressVPN, akin to a weather forecast, its connections still hold strong. Think of it like a relay race with the US, UK, and Australia servers, each passing the baton without letting the speed dip below an 82 Mbps average. I was treated to uninterrupted feasts of "Santa Evita" and "House of the Dragon" in Ultra High Definition, without so much as a single awkward pause or hiccup.
Private Internet Access
Imagine a scenario where you have a myriad of IP addresses at your disposal for streaming Hulu like a monarch, that's exactly what PIA offers. This VPN is a playground teeming with server options in the US, reducing your chances of being in the middle of an overcrowded digital mosh pit. Trust me, you'd prefer your own breathing room when renewing your Hulu subscription, which I did with as much ease as butter sliding off a hot knife. With such an extensive server network, you have a buffet of alternative routes should Hulu unexpectedly pull the roadblock on one.
What sets PIA apart from the crowd is its penchant for personalization. Think of it as the bespoke suit of VPN apps. This little wonder comes with an array of widgets that are as flexible as a yoga instructor, ready to twist and bend to suit your interface aesthetic. Additionally, it hands you the reins of encryption, allowing you to choose between the Fort Knox of security - the AES 256-bit encryption, or the slightly more fleet-footed but still quite secure AES 128-bit encryption.
Now, this plethora of customization options could be a bit like being lost in a tech version of Narnia for the newly initiated. It's a lot to take in. But give it a little time, a few exploratory clicks and swipes, and you'll find the app's interface becomes as familiar and easy to navigate as your favorite neighborhood bistro.
Five Secret Passages to Hulu Land Without a US Credit Card in 2023
Juggling through the nuances of signing up for Hulu, especially without a US credit card, can make your head spin faster than a hamster on a wheel. So let's pop the lid off Pandora's box and unveil the five undercover methods to bring Hulu to your fingertips.
Before you sprint into action, let's cross off a couple of quick checks:
Make sure to equip yourself with a VPN. Any VPN on my coveted shortlist should do the trick, but I would tilt my hat towards ExpressVPN. It zips along at breakneck speeds and boasts a generous offering of US servers to select from
Now you're in the right gear, but you need to be in the right place. As Hulu only pays house visits to those who reside in the US (virtually, of course), that's where you should connect.
With these quick checks done and dusted, you're ready to proceed. Brace yourself as we unveil the five secret scrolls to gain access to the tantalizing world of Hulu.
MyGiftCardSupply: Your Key to Unlock Hulu's Magic Box
A Hulu gift card from MyGiftCardSupply is your golden ticket to the land of unlimited entertainment.
Step 1: Buying a ticket. Venture into the online bazaar of MyGiftCardSupply, and procure a Hulu gift card ranging from $25 to $100. The amount depends on how deep you want to dive into the ocean of Hulu content. Be sure to sign up if you haven't already - think of it as a friendly handshake.
Step 2: Sniff out the code. Once the gift card purchase is complete, you'll receive an email with the precious code. Open it, and gently copy the code.
Step 3: Claim your prize. Stride confidently to Hulu's redemption page, type in your hard-earned code, and create your account. Do remember to use a US address and zip code when signing up – they are quite particular about that.
Step 4: Let the show begin. Slide into Hulu's log-in page and gently type in your shiny new credentials.
Step 5: The Grand Finale. Now it's time to sit back, relax, and bask in the glory of endless entertainment on Hulu. Step into your personal streaming universe and enjoy the show!
Hitching a Ride on iTunes US: Your Unconventional Route to Hulu
Now, let's stroll down a different route, this time, a path known as 'iTunes US.'
Step 1: Set up camp in the Land of Apple. Visit Apple's website and pitch your digital tent by creating a new account. Consider this your personal American outpost in the universe of iTunes.
Step 2: Stock up on provisions. Replenish your digital coffers either directly through iTunes or via a US iTunes gift card, which is akin to your secret stash of apple cider in the cellar.
Step 3: Summon Hulu. Type "Hulu" into the search bar and download the app. Much like calling a pet, it'll come running and install itself onto your device.
Step 4: Enter the realm of Hulu. Use your iTunes funds to either get a shiny new plan or renew an existing subscription, and then log into your Hulu account. This is you officially checking into the grand Hulu Hotel.
Step 5: Savour the spectacle. With all these steps complete, you're now in a position to pay for and enjoy your Hulu account. It's time to kick back and indulge in the smorgasbord of entertainment that Hulu has to offer.
Hopping onto the Hulu Train with a Prepaid US Card: A Thrifty Globetrotter's Guide
Let's now venture down a pragmatic avenue, namely the 'Prepaid US Card' route.
The first station is "Prepaid US Card Central". You'll need to navigate your way to VISA or MasterCard, where you can choose your ticket – the prepaid card.
Next, we arrive at "Funds Station". Here, you need to fuel up your prepaid card. This can be done directly or by transferring money from your bank account, given that your card of choice supports such cheery transfers.
Having acquired your ticket and made sure it's packed with funds, it's time to board the Hulu Express at the "Hulu Account Terminal". Here, you'll need to check-in, select a subscription plan, and jot down the necessary particulars.
We're almost there. The last stop before you start your entertainment journey is "Registration Point". Here, you pay for the service using your shiny new prepaid card. Now, if this doesn't work for some reason, perhaps the ticket machine is being obstinate, don't fret – just try the gift card method instead.
With the ticketing process complete, you're all set to start watching. It's time to sit back, kick off your shoes, and let the Hulu Express whisk you away into a world of non-stop entertainment, right outside of the USA.
PayPal Your Way to Hulu Paradise: A Modern Maverick's Approach
Welcome to the "PayPal method", a trail favored by modern mavericks, digital nomads, and online shopping aficionados.
Begin this journey by constructing your own digital finance fortress – a PayPal account. You'll need to swing by PayPal and ensure you're setting up a US account. Now, it's imperative that you get this right, because Hulu can be a bit snobbish when it comes to foreign PayPal accounts. If setting up a US PayPal account starts to feel like trying to lasso a greased pig, simply revert to our old reliable – the gift card method.
Having established your PayPal account, you're now ready for the next leg of the journey. Head on over to Hulu, strut your stuff, and log in using your credentials.
Next up, it's time to pay the piper... or rather, the subscription. If your account is a newborn, fresh out of the internet womb, you can also kick off a free trial.
With these steps accomplished, it's time to kick back and start watching. Dive headlong into the ocean of your favorite Hulu shows, and swim around in the thrill of it all.
StatesCard: Your Magic Carpet Ride to Hulu Bingeing
Behold, the wonders of StatesCard, the 21st-century magic carpet ride to the land of Hulu bingeing!
Your journey starts at the port of StatesCard, where you'll need to carve out your digital presence by clicking the "Sign Up" button. Having successfully become a part of the club, add a little bit of that digital money to make it official.
Your next stop is Hulu. Log in with your carefully crafted credentials or take a bold step and create a whole new identity for yourself (strictly on Hulu, of course).
Once settled in, it's time to pay the virtual ferryman. Use the card information you secured from your new friend, StatesCard, to pay for or renew your Hulu subscription. If you do this right, you'll have successfully purchased your ticket to endless entertainment.
Having accomplished these milestones, you're now fully armed and ready to embark on the Hulu adventure. Sit back, relax, and let the world of your favorite Hulu shows envelop you.

Hello A2C,
I’m a prospective parent and my father has presented me with 3 different suitors to have an arranged marriage with. I’m wondering which suitor you’d pick to maximize my chance of my child to get into a T20!
For some reference, I’m a female at Cornell studying at Dyson and I’ll be heading to Goldman Sachs as an IB analyst after graduation. My dad has donated $20 million to Cornell and is on the board of trustees! Anyway, here are the suitors:
Suitor 1: Demographics: Asian male majoring in CS at MIT Stats: dad made a $100 million donation to MIT. Son has started 3 unicorns by himself and is planning to donate even more to MIT.
Pros: - our babies are gonna be ultra geniuses with his genes 😍😍😍😍😍 - I won’t need to work a single day in my life after marrying him Cons: - MIT doesn’t offer legacy admissions so not sure if that 100mil+ donation will help - If my children are going to MIT, I’d have to trap them in a cage where they’re forced to do IMO problems until they’re 18 and that sorta takes the fun out of raising children
Suitor 2: Demographics: Caucasian male at Wharton. Stats: double legacy - mom is on the board of trustees and dad made a $10 million donation to Penn. All the son does is party all day, but he’s also going to Goldman after graduation.
Pros: - Wharton was my dream school and I’ve want to send my children to Penn! - Our children would be auto-admits if we have children fast enough and the parents are still involved Cons - Kinda worried that the son won’t be able to succeed his mom on the board. Parents are making a push but it’s getting harder and harder to get elected 🙄 - Son is sort of a brick so I’m worried about my children’s intelligence as well
Suitor 3: Demographics: Indian male at Harvard majoring in economics and applied math. Doing his PhD at Stanford after graduating and wants to be a professor Stats: Dad donated $50 million to Harvard. Mom is a Stanford alumni and she donated another $50 million to Stanford. Son is super well connected with professors there but that’s about it. Pros: - like the first suitor, ultra genius babies 😍😍😍 - I get to choose two great schools - Harvard and Stanford! Cons: - This suitor won’t be making as much as the other two so I’d have to work my butt off 😐 - He’s also not as interested in college names like the other 2, which is really frustrating cuz he’s going to two of the best schools in the country!
So those are basically the suitors. Let me know which one you think are best!!!

I had a really bad day at work today, but after work I went to the grocery store and bought some ingredients to make my fiance brownies and smoked lamb and chicken for his birthday. I also got a bunch of soda for him as well since we were running out, and he was mentioning that we needed some.
It took a lot of energy for me to do that, and between everything going on today from work, grocery shopping while my body screams at me to go home, and the fact that a heavy box of cat food I ordered was ripped open and hard to carry into the house, I broke down crying to where my neighbor asked me if I was okay.
I came home hoping to have a bowl of ice cream, but that's when I found out he ate all of it without asking me if it was okay to finish it. I barely had any of the flavor we got because I'm watching my calories and I just don't eat as much as him, but I still really loved that flavor. He has a history of doing this, eating something I wanted later or just completely forgetting to leave me something I wanted to try. It hasn't happened in awhile, but enough to be annoying.
I messaged him "damn dude you didn't even save any ice cream for me" and he told me that "there wasn't much left and it's been there awhile." I explained that I don't eat as much as him or as fast as him, and he just said sorry.
This is where I'm confused as to if I should have just stopped, but I admit I was full of disappointment and sadness so I might have went too hard. I continued talking about it, saying I barely got any and that this was kinda fucked. He said he can get more if it's that big of a deal. I mentioned that wasn't the point, I don't feel right asking for more or to force him to buy more. He told me "If there's nothing you want me to do, I don't get what the point of this is? I already apologized, I can't un-eat it" and that just didn't sit right with me...
I explained I had an awful day, I went out to get us soda (didn't mention the birthday stuff), and was looking forward to that ice cream, and that just because he said sorry doesn't mean I don't get to fully explain my feelings to him. He told me I was guilt tripping him about it after saying that. He said I made my point and I just kept going, what is he supposed to say?
We talked a bit more after that, and it ended with him saying "Just being told what I did was kinda fucked when I already acknowledged it and apologized kinda sucks. Like, I'm not saying the conversation should just be over when I apologize, but I didn't appreciate how aggressive you were being about it." I haven't responded yet because I have no idea what to say.
Am I guilt tripping him? Should I have just shut up when he said sorry? I'm so confused and I'm just tired. I don't want to be abusive, I want to be a good person but I need some help understanding what's going on.

I had a really bad day at work today, but after work I went to the grocery store and bought some ingredients to make my fiance brownies and smoked lamb and chicken for his birthday. I also got a bunch of soda for him as well since we were running out, and he was mentioning that we needed some.
It took a lot of energy for me to do that, and between everything going on today from work, grocery shopping while my body screams at me to go home, and the fact that a heavy box of cat food I ordered was ripped open and hard to carry into the house, I broke down crying to where my neighbor asked me if I was okay.
I came home hoping to have a bowl of ice cream, but that's when I found out he ate all of it without asking me if it was okay to finish it. I barely had any of the flavor we got because I'm watching my calories and I just don't eat as much as him, but I still really loved that flavor. He has a history of doing this, eating something I wanted later or just completely forgetting to leave me something I wanted to try. It hasn't happened in awhile, but enough to be annoying.
I messaged him "damn dude you didn't even save any ice cream for me" and he told me that "there wasn't much left and it's been there awhile." I explained that I don't eat as much as him or as fast as him, and he just said sorry.
This is where I'm confused as to if I should have just stopped, but I admit I was full of disappointment and sadness so I might have went too hard. I continued talking about it, saying I barely got any and that this was kinda fucked. He said he can get more if it's that big of a deal. I mentioned that wasn't the point, I don't feel right asking for more or to force him to buy more. He told me "If there's nothing you want me to do, I don't get what the point of this is? I already apologized, I can't un-eat it" and that just didn't sit right with me...
I explained I had an awful day, I went out to get us soda (didn't mention the birthday stuff), and was looking forward to that ice cream, and that just because he said sorry doesn't mean I don't get to fully explain my feelings to him. He told me I was guilt tripping him about it after saying that. He said I made my point and I just kept going, what is he supposed to say?
We talked a bit more after that, and it ended with him saying "Just being told what I did was kinda fucked when I already acknowledged it and apologized kinda sucks. Like, I'm not saying the conversation should just be over when I apologize, but I didn't appreciate how aggressive you were being about it." I haven't responded yet because I have no idea what to say.
Am I guilt tripping him? Should I have just shut up when he said sorry? I'm so confused and I'm just tired. I don't want to be abusive, I want to be a good person but I need some help understanding what's going on.
TL;DR: I had a shit day and went to go shopping for my fiance after it. I got home wanting some great ice cream, but my fiance ate all of it without asking or mentioning it to me. I confronted him about it but he said I want guilt tripping him and I should have stopped talking about it after I said sorry.