I'm an expat currently navigating the US bureaucratic system and it's very difficult for me to put all the steps together and figure out exactly what I need to do to get approval for a visas, green card, etc. A lot of the documents online are written in a very legalistic way (for understandable reasons) and are overloaded with information to cover every possible exception. I often have to go onto forums (like this one) to get information. It's difficult to sort through the noise.
I've been using ChatGPT to step me through the processes step-by-step while using official government documents as references. I've had to navigate these bureaucracies over the last 10 years and it's always been a shitshow, especially since I do it infrequently.
ChatGPT has made navigating bureaucracy ten times easier. It even does a good job of estimating the different lengths for different stages, setting out a timeline, and listing out what supporting documents are needed. All of this information has to be double-checked, but it's been a huge help in the process.
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Schizotypal fact sheet version 2
Here is the updated version of the 'schizotypal fact sheet' I posted a couple years ago. I will probably add more to it and is somewhat of a rough draft. Suggestions for things to include and constructive criticism are appreciated. The full schizotypal fact sheet is much too long for reddit’s character limit, however I have uploaded it at Schizotypal Fact Sheet (version 2) (cloudfindingss.blogspot.com). This post is a summarized and simplified version, with the full schizotypal fact sheet going into more detail, along with citations.
Symptoms
Examples and more elaborate description of these symptoms are on the full schizotypal fact sheet
Ideas of reference: A tendency to perceive and over-interpret social cues and social occurrences relating to one's self that are unlikely, and a tendency to over-mentalise (think about and detect others thoughts, intentions, and mental states) in relation to oneself.
Magical thinking: Persons with schizotypal personality disorder tend to experience passing magical thoughts and often have magical beliefs, which are specifically unconventional and self referential (i.e., adherence to christianity, paganism, astrology, etc are not indicative of magical thinking and occur commonly in the general population)
Odd speech: Persons with schizotypal personality disorder tend to have unusual patterns of speaking and may have difficulty articulating themselves properly.
Eccentricity: Persons with schizotypal personality disorder tend to be seen as odd and eccentric by others and have unusual behaviors. Importantly, this eccentricity is not the same as oddness caused by social deficits or symptoms associated with other disorders like autism that may be considered odd
Social anxiety: Particularly extreme social anxiety often occurs in schizotypal personality disorder, and results in avoidance of social situations and interactions, often involving referential thinking and paranoid ideation
No close friends: Persons with schizotypal personality disorder tend to have little to no friends as a result of excessive social anxiety, paranoid fears, as well as a need for independence and to not be influenced by others.
Unusual perceptual experiences: A tendency to experience fleeting, mild forms of hallucinations such as visual, auditory, tactile, and bodily distortions. Typically the person is aware that these distortions are hallucinations.
Constricted affect: Persons with schizotypal personality disorder tend to have constricted and unusual expressions of emotion, especially socially. It is important to distinguish from unusual expression of emotion caused by social deficits in autism or other mental disorders
Paranoid ideation: Persons with schizotypal personality disorder frequently experience paranoid thoughts and suspiciousness of others motives. Typically this occurs in association with referential thinking, and involves preoccupation with fears of persecution, exclusion, and conspiracy against oneself, but not cynical interpretations of others motives which is associated with other mental disorders
Common traits
Antagonomia: Unconditional skepticism toward common beliefs, ways of thinking, assumptions, and values, taking an eccentric stance in opposition, with a drive to understand the world at a deeper level in a detached, anthropologist or scientist like manner, which is often perceived as a gift and having a radically unique and exceptional being
Delayed sleep phase: A tendency to sleep and wake much later than the average person, with better mood and mental functioning during the night than in the day
Ambivalence: An abnormally high tendency to have strong mixed feelings toward many things, such as other people, one's self, and decisions
Dyslexic-like traits: Dyslexia is linked to the schizophrenia spectrum and schizotypal personality disorder is associated with features of dyslexia
Motor control: Difficulties with fine motor control are found in StPD, often leading to difficulties with skills such as handwriting and using tools that require precision
Self disorders
Anomalous self experience is thought to be a core feature of schizophrenia spectrum disorders that is unique to schizophrenia spectrum disorders, in contrast to many symptoms which are transdiagnostic. The sense of selfhood, self ownership, embodiment, identity, and immersion in the social world is lacking in schizophrenia spectrum disorders, which leads to traits like antagonomia, hyper-reflectivity, eccentricity, double bookkeeping, social isolation, and “bizzare” delusions.
Hyper-reflectivity: Exaggerated self-consciousness and abnormally high levels of reflection and introspection, disengaging from typical involvement in society and nature, perceiving oneself from a sort of ‘third person perspective’. This may drive some individuals with schizotypal traits or StPD to an interest in psychology, with many innovative psychologists having significant signs of schizotypal personality disorder.
Double bookkeeping: A “split” experience of reality, where one reality is based in the laws of nature and independence of the mind from the external world, and the other reality is a “delusional” private framework that violates the laws of nature, which co-exist.
Childhood schizotypal personality disorder
There is a common misconception that schizophrenia spectrum disorders begin at adolescence, however this is not the case, rather the onset of psychosis tends to occur in adolescence, but schizophrenia spectrum disorders and symptoms are present from childhood. Children with schizotypal personality disorder have similar symptoms to adults, and may additionally have autistic-like traits (such as strong interests) which tend to fade into adulthood.
The schizophrenia spectrum
Schizotypal personality disorder is not a distinct category of personality and brain function, but is rather on a continuum with 'normal' personality, from no schizotypal traits all the way to severe schizophrenia. Traits of schizotypal personality disorder in the general population are referred to as "schizotypy". Increased levels of schizotypy are characteristic of creative, imaginative, open-minded, eccentric individuals who may otherwise be high functioning and healthy. Schizoid and avoidant personality disorder are included in this spectrum.
Personality traits
In the big five, schizotypal personality disorder is characterized by high openness, low conscientiousness, low extraversion, and high neuroticism. High openness and low conscientiousness most clearly differentiate schizotypal personality from schizophrenia and controls.
In MBTI, schizotypal personality is associated with introversion, intuition, thinking, and perceiving (INTP type).
On the fisher temperament inventory, StPD is associated with low cautious/social norm compliant and analytical/tough minded, and higher prosocial/empathetic and curious/energetic temperaments
Anxious avoidant attachment style is associated with StPD
Interests and Strengths
Schizotypal personality disorder is associated with having creative interests, hobbies, and professions, such as painting, music, comedy, scientific research, and entrepreneurship. Increased creativity, imagination, and global processing (“big picture” thinking).
Cognitive ability and intelligence
In contrast to schizophrenia, intellectual ability is not reduced in StPD but there are specific impairments in areas such as attention and verbal learning. Intelligence effects the presentation of StPD, being associated with lower magical and paranormal beliefs, lower sexual and social anhedonia, more successful creativity, and better theory of mind
Theory of Mind
Theory of mind ability is generally reduced in StPD, however this is not caused by mentalizing deficits as in autism, and are largely due to lower cognitive ability that is associated with schizophrenia spectrum disorders, anomalous self experience, and hyper-mentalizing.
Relationship with worldviews and religiosity
Schizotypy is conducive to affective religious experiences (e.g., feeling connected to a higher power), however evidence suggests that persons with StPD are less likely to be religious than the general population, but may have unconventional spiritual beliefs (“spiritual but not religious”)
Relationships with other disorders
Psychopathy
StPD is associated with low levels of primary psychopathy (e.g., dominance, lack of empathy, high stress tolerance, deceptiveness), and high secondary psychopathy (e.g., impulsivity, rebelliousness, social deviance)
Borderline personality disorder
StPD and BPD overlap very highly and are related disorders, however persons with BPD do not have negative symptoms (social isolation, extreme social anxiety, hyper-independence, constricted affect) and also do not have self disorders, whereas those with StPD do
Other SSDs
Given that StPD is on a spectrum with other schizophrenia spectrum disorders, there is overlap between the disorders with shared symptoms. Put simply, those with schizoid PD meet criteria for avoidant PD, those with schizotypal PD meet criteria for both, and those with schizophrenia meet criteria for all three. Avoidant PD involves social withdrawal and severe social anxiety, schizoid PD involves constricted affect, hyper-independence, and eccentricity on top of AvPD symptoms, and schizotypal PD involves odd speech, perceptual distortions, magical thinking, ideas of reference, and paranoia. Schizophrenia involves psychosis, anhedonia, cognitive deficits, and more severe expression of the symptoms of schizotypal PD.
Bipolar disorder
Bipolar disorder is very closely related to the schizophrenia spectrum, and it has been suggested that bipolar disorder may be on a continuum with schizotypal personality disorder and schizophrenia. Most people with bipolar disorder will have symptoms of schizotypal personality disorder and vice versa.
Histrionic & Narcissistic personality disorder
HPD and NPD are negatively associated with StPD, however they may appear superficially similar in some aspects (e.g., idionomia in StPD may be mistaken as narcissistic grandiosity).
Obsessive compulsive spectrum
StPD shows a positive relationship with OCD, but a negative relationship with obsessive compulsive personality disorder (OcPD), as OcPD involves hyper-conscientiousness and conformity whereas low conscientiousness and disinhibition are characteristic of schizotypy
Substance use
Substance use is extremely common in StPD, with 67% of patients having a diagnosable substance use disorder
Mood disorders
Mood disorders including generalized anxiety, major depression, and panic disorder are very common in schizotypal personality disorder, as is the case in most psychiatric disorders
Dissociative disorders
Depersonalization and derealization are common in StPD, and there is evidence that dissociative disorders and schizophrenia spectrum disorders may have shared causes
ADHD
Symptoms of ADHD are very common in StPD, and differences in attention and self regulation are thought to play a part in the causation of StPD.
Autism
Autism and StPD appear to overlap, but this is largely due to transdiagnostic symptoms and superficial similarities. Thorough and theoretically informed examination of the relationship between these disorders suggests that they are likely opposite ends of a continuum. Currently, no clinical tools exist that can differentiate the two disorders, however there is one being developed currently set to be completed by the end of 2023. Comorbid diagnoses of autism and StPD largely appear to be false positives upon investigation, and evidence suggests that a true comorbidity would either be characterized by very high intelligence or severe intellectual disability. Some distinctions (that are easily observable) between the disorders are listed below

• Interests
  • Interests in StPD oriented towards creation, such as music production, poetry writing, original paintings, etc. Not all artistic or conventionally considered “creative” interests are necessarily creative in this way
  • Interests in autism oriented toward collection of things or facts in structured domains, such as learning everything about a TV show or all the types of airplanes. Individuals with autism are often drawn to media and mechanical interests, such as video games or machines
• Sexuality
  • StPD associated with increased effort and willingness for casual sex experiences, reduced investment into long term relationships, lower sexual disgust, earlier development of sexuality, and unusual sexual interests, consistent with a fast life history strategy
  • Autism associated with reduced effort and willingness for casual sex experiences, higher sexual disgust, higher effort into long term relationships, delayed development of sexuality, and a high frequency of asexuality, consistent with a slow life history strategy
• Regulation
  • High levels of impulsivity, excitement seeking, drug use, risk taking, and novelty seeking, and low levels of self control, focus, responsibility, and organization, low levels of OcPD traits in StPD
  • Lower impulsivity, excitement seeking, risk taking, and novelty seeking, and is associated with higher orderliness, focus, perfectionism, and perseverance. Low rate of drug use. High levels of OcPD traits
• Social correlates
  • Low socioeconomic status at birth and careers and college majors in arts and humanities associated with StPD
  • High socioeconomic status at birth and careers and college majors in technical fields and physical sciences associated with autism
• Worldviews
  • Idiosyncratic worldviews, lower disgust-based, rule-based, and authority-based morality in StPD
  • More conventional worldviews with higher influence from culture and caregivers, more disgust-based, rule-based, authority-based morality, lower intention-based morality in autism
• Cognition
  • Low attention to detail, enhanced “big picture” thinking and ability to detect more general patterns in chaotic and noisy information. Increased perception of non-literal meaning and intentionality in speech. Chaotic, hyper-associative understanding of word meaning, increased awareness of different potential intended meanings of speech. Increased pain tolerance, high openness to experience in StPD
  • High attention to detail, sensory acuity, reduced ability to detect general patterns in chaotic and noisy information, reduced “big picture” thinking. Literal, rigid, rule based interpretation of language, reduced ability to understand non-literal language and unconventional or incorrect use of words, reduced use of intention in determining the meaning of speech. Reduced pain tolerance, lower openness to experience in autism

Biological causes
StPD is mostly genetic, but trauma may increase symptom severity
Cannabinoid system
Cannabis produces effects resembling StPD symptoms and associated traits, and StPD is associated with higher levels of anandamide, the neurotransmitter which activates the same receptors as cannabis. Cannabis is also found to temporarily increase the severity of positive symptoms
Serotonin system
Higher serotonin is associated with conformity, conscientiousness, and low openness, which is opposite of StPD. People with StPD have higher levels of enzymes that break down serotonin, and lower expression of some serotonin receptors.
Dynorphin system
Dynorphin is a stress hormone that produces dysphoria, dissociation, and psychotic-like symptoms and cognition. Dynorphin levels are associated with increased severity of schizophrenia spectrum symptoms
Glutamate & NMDA
NMDA is a type of glutamate receptor that is reduced in association with schizophrenia spectrum disorders. NMDA blockers cause symptoms and associated traits of StPD and can induce psychosis, and people with StPD also have higher levels of the NMDA antagonist neurotransmitter agmatine.
Cognitive, psychological, and evolutionary causes
Predictive processing
A recent model of schizotypy suggests that it is a cognitive-perceptual specialization for processing chaotic and noisy data, where patterns and relationships exist but can only be detected if minor inconsistencies are ignored (i.e., focusing on the 'big picture'), where giving higher weight to prediction errors prevents the detection of false patterns (i.e. apophenia) at the cost of being unable to detect higher level patterns (autism), and giving lower weight to prediction errors allows for the detection of higher level patterns at the cost of occasionally detecting patterns that don't exist, as in delusions and hallucinations that occur in schizotypy. This model explains many traits associated with schizotypy and links other theories of schizotypy
Hyper-mentalizing
The hyper-mentalizing model suggests that symptoms like ideas of reference, paranoia, erotomania, auditory hallucinations, delusions of conspiracy, etc are a result of excessive mentalizing, where intentions are inferred excessively to the point of delusion, in contrast to autism where mentalizing is reduced. Many other features and associated traits like odd speech and increased creativity can be explained by this model.
Imagination
It is thought that StPD may involve overly increased imagination, which can explain symptoms and features like hyper-mentalizing, dissociation, perceptual deficits, and enhanced creativity.
Life history
It is suggested that StPD may have been evolutionarily selected for due to its ability to enhance short term mating success through enhanced creativity and non-conformity, which are beneficial to desirability as short term partners, but not long term partners. This is supported by studies showing that persons with high traits of StPD have more total sexual partners, more effort into forming short term relationships, and lower effort into maintaining long term ones. This is consistent with a fast life history strategy, and StPD correlates with other markers of fast strategies such as impulsivity, sensation seeking, low disgust sensitivity, earlier maturation, etc.
Hyper-openness and apophenia
Openness to experience is associated with apophenia and intelligence, though the two latter traits are negatively related to eachother. It is suggested that schizotypy represents apophenia, and an imbalance of high openness relative to intelligence is suggested to cause symptoms of StPD. This model is in agreement with other models, with openness relating to higher imagination, mentalizing, and faster life history strategies.

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Nalah affixed the massive shield to her back, the rectangular form large enough for him to fit behind while only needing to crouch slightly. It was mostly ironwood, but the sides and front were metal-plated, so it still weighed a considerable amount. Despite that, the thing’s bulk hardly seemed to be noticed by the blonde-furred female, likely due to the constant construction work she involved herself in. It paired oddly with the long pike she insisted on using, but he couldn’t deny that poking at things while hiding behind a mobile wall sounded like a good idea.
Jax was wearing his new armour, the bulky chest-piece a mirror of his blond-furred pack mate’s. Though he forwent the protection a buckler or likewise would offer, he doubled up on gear. Gauntlets, vambraces, pauldrons, and anything else he could wear to compliment the massive axe he had taken a liking to.
Where Nalah was fitted to look like an apocalypse survivor—her protections limited to her torso, forearms, and shield—the black-furred male resembled a giant, if underfunded, paladin. All he needed now was some religious imagery and a penchant for exalting the qualities of their god. Joseph almost nudged the guy to suggest it for kicks.
On second thought, he decided that Jax absolutely did not need a reason to start yelling about the Human-turned-religious-figure, because there was no way in hell he wouldn’t. There was no telling what he would choose to say, and the Grand Hunter was perfectly happy never knowing.
Having been with the male as long as he had, it would probably involve ‘taming’ females or something else that would leave him groaning for weeks, if not just contemplating another high-dive from the cliff.
Joseph fixed his own equipment, the ‘Wraith armour’ worn over his own thin iron breastplate. He wasn’t thrilled to wear the extra weight, but it beat being mauled by the thing they were heading out to kill. The trips so far had been tolerable, fog and overcast skies keeping the temperature in check, but he didn’t want to go out in this on a hotter day as Summer really kicked back in. He was sweaty enough without baking inside all this crap.
He adjusted the wolf-skull mask, the rest of the hunting party having gotten over the worst of the unease it gave them. Though they’d needed to rotate people out for the sake of fairness, this would be their eighth consecutive scouting. Using the information that Raine and Faye provided, they narrowed down a likely stomping grounds for the creature and were systematically clearing sectors. It might have been discouraging to keep looking after so long, but the occasional marking on trees and the odd moss-wolf corpse tipped them off that they were getting close. There was still another week’s worth of searching left if today wasn’t the day, but somehow he doubted they wouldn’t need that long.
All in all, they numbered six; larger parties were attempted, but their efforts at stealth quickly became pointless between so many trudging through the forest and stopping for breaks. There was a bit of a scare where one of Mi’low’s pack went missing, but the guy had just stopped to relieve himself. Since the discovery was made by someone else knocking him over in the process by mistake, they decided that keeping the number smaller made communication easier. And lowered the amount of grumbling about needing a bath.
Jax, Nalah, two security members, one of the hunters, and him. Sure, grabbing Tel or the Wraiths would have been a bit more useful for cohesion, but they were all busy with things, and he didn’t want to grind everything in the settlement to a halt for nothing if the search turned up empty again. They were more suited to taking out their fellow Lilhun than some monster in the woods, as much as he disliked the thought.
Scarlet was spending a lot of time with Violet and the new Atmo, Faye was spending much of her recovery with the moss-wolves and moss-pup, and Tel was in the process of helping Harrow shore up the few security members that were slated to become snipers. Kaslin was still learning chemistry with Toril, and Raine was helping whoever needed a hand, so that marked off all of his usual accompaniment. He could have taken more of his direct pack, but they all had important things to take care of as well.
Sahari was managing the pack and putting people where people needed to be put, Pan was working with Idee and Heralt to make a line of armour for the whole pack, and Mi’low was...well, Mi’low. He was pretty sure she was unofficially the master of the hunter’s lodge and spent most of her time keeping track of what came in and out of it, while also making sure that everyone got their fair share. It needed to be done with the settlement growing as much as it had, and it kept Mi’low busy enough to stymie the flow of complaints, so he wasn’t about to complain.
They double checked that they had everything that was needed; food, water, arrows, bolts, and some bags to store anything that the snares had caught on the way back. Four ranged and two melee weapons meant that they would be mostly using Jax and Nalah to soak hits if it came down to it, the others peppering it with projectiles. Given that Harrow was insistent on the bear-thing being resistant to anything they could use at a distance, they also carried spare weapons for the ranged users, just in case. Nodding, Joseph gestured to the group finishing up their preparations for the day’s trip.
“A moment, sir?” Scarlet called to him as she approached the gate, the Wraith flanked by Rose and Cobalt. The two Atmo were decked-out in their own armour, which appeared to be almost entirely metal, save for the palm lining the inside for comfort. Each of their six legs were adorned with broad shields, their bases capped off with a flat storage carriage. They looked like someone had a little too much fun testing how much the insects could effortlessly carry and had ended up with sapient hexapedal tanks.
“Only if you explain why those two would look more at home if they had cannons installed on their backs,” he quipped, an expression somewhere between surprised, amused, and plain dumbfounded plastered on his face. The blackish red-furred female smirked for a split-second before resuming her usual servile presentation.
“The young mistress had extended her request for these two to accompany you.”
Joseph tilted his head incredulously. “Violet told you to send them?”
Scarlet nodded, gesturing to the outfitted Atmo. “They have been under her tutelage for some time now, and wish to be of assistance.”
The Grand Hunter snapped his mouth closed when he was about to ask why his daughter would teach them anything that might be useful for fighting a deadly beast. Of course she did; It was one of the first things he did for her. It would have been weirder for her not to pass on what she knew after all the hours she spent either seeing him coach the others, or being coached herself. With the time she had under her belt, she was the local Atmo Close Quarters Combat specialist, and no one else understood how the modified boxing she learned worked with their bodies like she did.
He wore a hesitant expression, shifting his weight to his other leg. “Well, they’ve certainly geared up.”
“It is a product our smith is rather proud of,” the Wraith affirmed confidently.
He exhaled slowly. “Seems a bit much.”
She seemed to be expecting the remark, barely pausing to register what he said before responding. “Your kit wishes you safe, yet understands you would not allow her to accompany you. These two wish to be of assistance.”
To punctuate her point, the two nodded in agreement, walking forward and slinging some of the backpacks onto their carriages. It seemed ‘no’ wasn’t something they were going to accept after Violet had said her piece. He sighed, conceding that they wouldn’t slow the party down with everyone carrying so much weight in equipment, regardless of the bags. They took breaks frequently enough to accommodate the Atmo, so that wouldn’t hinder anything either.
“Fine,” he relented with a wave of his hand. “We’ll take them. Not like they’d hurt anyway. But–” He put a warning into his tone. “–they’re not playing the hero and getting themselves killed. This isn’t going to work if they think any of us dying is still a net positive, got it?”
The two Atmo mimed their understanding, Scarlet replying with a victorious smile. Joseph couldn’t help but bemusedly roll his eyes. The female had taken rather well to baby-sitting, and that seems to have extended to humouring the young Queen’s schemes now. It wasn’t an unwelcome addition to their little sojourn. At least they could haul back any larger game without it tacking hours onto the return trip.
He thanked Scarlet for her trouble before dismissing her, confirming with the group that everything was accounted for, and set off before it grew too late. He wasn’t looking to get caught out in the woods during the night. The Lilhuns might be fine, but he was pretty well blind unless the moon felt generous.
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Jax watched the two Atmo quietly follow on the sides of the group, their heavily armoured forms posing no issues with their naturally soundless movements in the forest. In the den, they would make moderate clacks and clicks as their chitinous legs contacted the ground, but the soft dirt and foliage stifled all but the smallest report of their travel. With Scarlet supervising alongside Violet, he wouldn’t have been surprised to learn that the former Blade had influenced their movement with the goal in mind, though he had never paid much attention to how they walked before to compare.
He had to admit, having them carry the additional equipment was exceedingly useful. He had proposed having the group use the newly acquired platforms on their more arachnid-like abdomen to rest in shifts, but Joseph was quick to insist that the insects were of lesser stamina than even Lilhuns. The phrasing seemed like a comparative insult, but Jax had more than enough experience with the Human to know that he had simply spoken his mind. To him, everyone had sub-par stamina. Training had gone some way to remedy the discrepancy, but the Grand Hunter could still continue for longer than even the most well-conditioned of them.
The black-furred male rolled his shoulders, feeling the heft of his axe shift with the movement. It was an impressive size, the weight well-balanced and its edge sharp. He had once laid it to the ground out of curiosity and confirmed that it was about as tall as Pan from head to haft, though only if she stood to her full height. Regardless of its size, it was still lighter than the armour he chose to don.
Having only really worn leathers or a few sets of ironwood protections, the encumbering prominence of the iron equipment took getting used to. It wasn’t entirely restrictive, but did put a damper on any chances he had of sprinting from danger. That was fine, he supposed, since he was wearing it against a beast he had no experience with. It could very well outrun him regardless, and he would rather have the defences in either case.
Nalah seemed to be doing fine, the large barrier she kept on her back swaying slightly as she walked. She was unhindered by it, her movements barely affected by the bulk, which was reassuring. Joseph, however, seemed to be panting more than usual, the rolling cloud coverage easing as the sun progressively warmed the environment. The fog from earlier meant that it was rather humid, and that seemed to bore no well wishes for the male encased in dark leathers and thick plates. He had even flipped down his hood, the sweat beading on his skin adding a sheen to his visage.
“I liked this better when the sun didn’t exist,” the Human lamented quietly, just loud enough for Jax to hear. The black-furred male chuckled.
“It would be rather dark.”
Joseph glared at him for a moment before rolling his eyes. “I just don’t rank ‘heavily armoured hike through the woods’ high up on my list of things I want to do regularly.”
“I believe that list would be occupied by your mates, no?” he ribbed playfully, a smirk arising when the Grand Hunter shunted his eyes closed in a grimace.
“I hate you.”
“I can see your smile underneath your displeasure, Joseph,” Jax quipped, nudging the male with his elbow, then giving an apologetic smile when his friend almost fell. Joseph sighed, waving Cobalt over and fetching a water-skin from the luggage that the insect was ferrying without breaking stride—though he needed to be careful not to get stepped on.
The Atmo always amused Jax. Be it their passive demeanour hidden by their towering stature, or his interactions with the den-kit, they never failed to be curious people. Having the two that accompanied Volta with them was an unexpected development, but he couldn’t claim to disapprove. If they had been imparted the methods of combat that Violet had cultivated, then there was little worry of them being harmed by naught but perhaps their current target. At least not until there was a better reference of its strength than the single encounter the first-years had so long ago.
At the time, it had smashed pillars and pierced flesh effortlessly, claws proving to be little more than tempting ministrations of tender touch to the thick hide. Jax only had some of the pack’s recount to base the experience off of, but was content to take their word for it. He was, ashamedly, preoccupied taking care of baser needs when the event transpired, so he was woefully unprepared for the eventual encounter. Still, he was afforded the best the settlement had to offer so that he might serve his duty of protecting the Grand Hunter. Harrow would never forgive him if only he returned.
His thoughts were disturbed by Joseph calling for a rest, Jax’s legs thankful for the break from supporting the unusual weight for so long. The Human dispensed rations and water for the pack, the Atmo waiting until everyone else was supplied before accepting their portion. They rested on their base directly, instead of curling their legs beneath them like Jax had become accustomed. Perhaps the armour impeded such, or they wished to remain mobile in the event such was required. Regardless, they blocked what little breeze there was, forcing the Grand Hunter to walk beyond them to enjoy it in the shade. It was short-lived however, as Rose quickly repositioned to stay between the pack and whatever lay beyond their protections.
It was a futile effort, it seemed, because it repeated again twice before Joseph groaned loudly and threw himself atop the carriage to lay back, his legs dangling at the knee. He seemed perfectly content with the unorthodox arrangement, snorting his amusement along with a muttered comment about a ‘taxi.’
The entertaining sight was marred by a distant yelp, snapping the group to attention. Jax and Joseph traded looks, subtle nods and gestures given to move out while remaining quiet. Ignoring his earlier complaints, the Grand Hunter flicked his hood up and donned the mask, drawing his crossbow and readying a bolt. The hunter of the pack mimicked the preparation, the two security members loosely nocking their arrows while Rose, Cobalt, Jax, and Nalah took point.
They proceeded quietly for far longer than the proximity of the noise would have suggested, but marks and gashes upon the trees implied a moving conflict. Thoughts of it being a lost cause quickly became moot as a closer growl and bark shattered the careful silence they had been maintaining.
Motioning for the pack to stop, Joseph waved Jax forward, Nalah approaching the other side. Using the large shield as additional cover, they peered around a particularly thick tree. Locked in combat were two moss-wolves, both attacking a truly massive grey creature.
Twice the Human’s height, half that in width. Four pillars as legs—the muscular trunks sinewy and defined—supported the disturbing hunched figure, the wide base tapering slightly into a thick and extended torso. A singular eye-stalk replaced the head, the ocular organ atop it pitch black and free of any indication of its focus. Four arms with deadly claws parried and sliced the two yellow beasts as they attempted to drive off the predator, a sickeningly large maw gaping to catch any attempts at a lunge. The mouth of the creature almost occupied the entirety of the available surface area upon its front, the jagged bone tools of manduction undulating with the promise of sustenance.
Joseph pulled them back, cursing under his breath as he tried to fight off the tension. From Nalah’s worried expression, it seemed his caution was rather potent, the other members of the group smelling his reaction as well.
“So, what’s the plan, Jax?” the Human whispered, his grip on the crossbow alternating with his fingers stretching across the trigger lest his fidgeting cause a misfire.
“I thought that, with your record, you would wish to tame it for the settlement,” Jax replied while thinking through a plan of action. He was glad that his friend trusted him, but he wished he had known the true scale of the beast prior. Joseph grit his teeth, turning to glance past the tree again with sarcasm pouring out of his response.
“Can’t quite see Winnie-the-woodchipper there playing great with kids.”
“You say that after adopting an Atmo as kit, Grand Hunter,” he returned, nodding to himself when a plan formed. The Human smiled, the banter easing the tension somewhat. “Rose, Cobalt, you two are the most well defended of us. Circle around and drive the beast this way. You should be capable of such without noise, yes?”
The two insects nodded, emptying their luggage behind a tree so as not to lose any of it before disappearing into the trees. The slight glimmer of their iron armour was the only indication of their position through the dense forest. Jax hoped that the beast was not particularly curious about the dimly pulsing glare, nor finished with its current altercation in time to impede the pair.
Satisfied with their progress, he motioned for the two security members to scale a tree and gain a superior vantage point. Their weapons would be able to maintain a more rapid pace of sustained fire at longer ranges. Joseph and the hunter were instructed to hide behind trees nearby, though the Human would need to remain grounded as his lack of claws made scaling the large flora difficult with his equipment.
Finally, Nalah and he positioned themselves much closer, in order to flank the creature as it fled the Atmo and occupy it long enough for the others to bleed it out, if not outright dispose of it.
With the forms of the Atmo peeking through the brush opposite them, Jax raised his axe to signal the start.
= = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = = =
Joseph felt the hammering in his chest, his heart preparing him to fight for his life against the walking abomination that easily outclassed the only other predator that he had experience with. Sure, the moss-wolves were easy to take down once you had equipment and a plan, but that thing screamed danger.
He watched Jax and Nalah set up behind thick trees, their goal being for Jax to hopefully disable a leg or two with the war-axe while Nalah occupied it with the shield. As the two strongest members of his little family, he trusted both to do their job.
As a clusterfuck of animal and torture device, he had no faith in the creature playing along.
Swallowing his hesitation, he adjusted his grip on the crossbow again, mentally tallying his shots and cursing himself for not researching explosives. Sure, Toril didn’t want to be involved in that kind of weapon, but at the moment, the tailless white-furred male could suck it up and make one anyway. Joseph would give his left nut to see how quickly the chemist would make weapons of mass destruction just to annihilate whatever that thing called home.
Jax raised his axe, glinting the sunlight of it towards the Atmo. Receiving the start signal, the two clicked and loosed a deafening screech, the Human’s ears ringing even from this distance.
The beast seemed unperturbed by the noise, though the lack of visible ears may have had something to do with the lacklustre effect. Regardless, it did notice the two armour-clad insects charging at it, and smartly decided to extradite itself from the area. The moss-wolves, however, didn’t quite get the memo, mistaking the advancing assistance as yet another foe to defend themselves from.
He had to say, Violet taught the two well. They flashed their blades out in the same flicker jab that he had shown his daughter, and with an unceremonious squelch, the two bisected canines landed in four pieces, a vibrant green ichor now staining the weapon-like appendages of the Atmo. Undeterred by their first act of violence—as far as he was aware, anyway—they continued herding the beast.
It wasn’t as fast as they might have feared, its quadrupedal gait hindered by its proportions, but it was still quick enough to be damn intimidating. Its arms acted as a counter balance, constantly adjusting this way and that just to keep it stable. That thing was clearly never meant for sprinting, all its mobility being given to the overactive maw that pulsated with the exertion.
He readied his crossbow, the shaking in his hands not ruining his aim against such a large target. He eyeballed the distance between the creature and the ambush point, forcibly moving his finger off the trigger so that he didn’t fire early.
Closer. Come on. Almost.
Now.
Jax wound up like a particularly enthusiastic lumberjack, putting his full body into the rotation. The massive axe swung like a horizontal pendulum striking home with all the finality of a clock tolling midnight. It bit into the front leg of the beast, only sinking a few inches before momentum nearly wretched the weapon from the black-furred male. Luckily, the force and timing was enough to trip it, the creature crashing to the forest floor with a deafening roar of pain.
They could hurt it. That made him feel better.
His relief evaporated as the beast swiftly recovered, hauling itself from the ground faster than he thought possible, but his archers took it for an unspoken signal. Arrows and bolts peppered its thick hide, to no effect—it shrugged off the projectiles like they were nothing more than pine needles, none sinking far enough to gain notable purchase.
Jax hefted his axe for another strike, careful not to over-commit this time. Nalah prodded the beast wherever she could with her pike, the melee weapon sliced and skewered just past the surface of the hide, though not enough to do more than marr. It was, however, enough to gain the attention of the target, the creature swinging two of its four arms to rake across the shield that the blond-furred female held. The iron plating across the front let out an unearthly shriek as claws ripped and crumpled the metal.
Well, fuck.
Nalah was quick to react, treating the shield less as an immovable barrier and more like a slight distance buffer, dodging in and out of range to steal jabs with the polearm. The security members nocked another volley, picking different targets than before. An arrow bounced harmlessly off the black orb of an eye, another finding purchase in what passed for gums in its mouth.
The hint was received; aim for the mouth. Thankfully, that was a large target. Less thankfully, it realized that flashing its teeth was detrimental to its health, slamming the maw closed.
Jax managed another swing, this time into one of the rear legs. It wasn’t as effective as the first strike, but it did warrant a sweeping double back-fist from the creature, scoring Jax’s armour with shallow claw marks as he jumped backwards. Joseph let out a breath as he fired his second shot, only just narrowly missing the sliver of a gap between razor teeth that the enraged attack afforded. It couldn’t keep its mouth shut forever, each frenzied swipe pulling its form enough for glimpses of softer flesh within to appear. The hunter dropped from their tree, darting across to reposition for a wider angle to capitalize on. The creature noticed, lunging forward to eviscerate the easier target.
Joseph blinked as two armoured figures jumped in front of the Lilhun, raising their blades in a tight guard to block the four arms grabbing for a quick meal. The beast recoiled with a thunderous screech, two of its appendages sporting deep gashes that fountained blood, while the others managed to impact above the edged outside of the blades. Rose and Cobalt pressed forward, buying time and space for the hunter to collect themselves and scale up another perch. Taking advantage of its pain, two new arrows ripped through the air, smacking into exposed inner flesh. Two new protrusions joined the first in the mouth, one landing next to the existing projectile, while the other cleared the gateway of serration, driving deeply inside of it.
More flicker jabs and extended straights pushed and cut the beast as it tried to gain distance from the two that wounded it, every retaliatory strike earning it another gash in its grey hide.. Unencumbered by the constant barrage, Nalah thrust into its legs more vigorously, her body leaning into each attack to gain every inch of penetration she could into the muscle and thick hide.
Jax used the chance to score another chopping blow, doubling down on a previous wound to a back leg—striking bone this time, based on the unholy wail the beast uttered. Joseph raised his crossbow to land another shot into its mouth, but the beast flailed wildly to fend off the ambush.
Rose managed to block, Jax lunged backwards, Nalah deflected most of it with what remained of her shield, but Cobalt was caught by a strike, taking the hit to its torso. The Atmo flew backwards, rolling when it landed, the carriage and assorted armoured plates trailing behind it. Rose shifted instantly, covering the direction that their companion had been sent while Jax and Nalah focused on pulling the beast away from the downed combatant.
Joseph’s eyes flicked to the Atmo, waging an internal battle on whether helping the insect would be better or worse for the situation as a whole. He didn’t want to lighten up their assault if it would just mean more injuries, but Cobalt could be in dire need for a patch job. It was hard to tell from where he was.
Cursing, he bolted from his spot, firing off one last round into the gaping maw before clipping the crossbow onto his armour and sliding on his knees in front of Cobalt, healroot hastily retrieved from his pocket.
He paused, sighing in relief when none of the armour bore more than deep gashes, the carapace underneath unblemished by the attack. Cobalt clicked lightly, dazed, but otherwise seeming unhurt. Unlearned in the physiology relevant, he ushered the Atmo to remain out of the fight for fear of concussion or something similar. They could look at the insect back at the base to be sure later.
“Joseph!”
His head spun around at both Jax and Nalah screaming his name, a massive clawed hand sweeping at him—the monster's approach unnoticed while he focused on Cobalt. Lacking a better option, he lunged forward towards the underside of the beast to dodge the swipe, crashing to his shoulder on the dirt below.
The creature raised a leg above Joseph, pounding the earth scant inches from his head as he rolled sideways. Ignoring the kicked up dirt, he brought his fist to the underside of the beast, flicking the release on his bracer.
Blood spouted from the newly formed wound, the blade breaking at the mechanism as the massive animal lurched in pain, Joseph rolling out of the way of another attempted trampling. He scrambled to his feet, feeling the wind of another strike narrowly missing him.
Yeah, that would probably kill him.
Luckily, the injuries renewed the desire to flee in the monstrosity, the group of attackers proving too dangerous to continue challenging. It stumbled away from them, sparing Cobalt from its panicked trudging. Jax and Nalah started to run towards him, worry evident in their eyes, but he barked for them to finish it, redirecting the two to keep the pressure going. He didn’t want to mention the pain in the arm from where the bracer hitched. It didn’t feel broken, and thus was irrelevant.
Pressure applied, the grey beast picked a random direction free of opponents to escape, ignorant of the waiting security. When it was too close for them to shoot into its mouth at a decent angle, they slung the bows over their shoulders and drew the swords they had been afforded, patiently waiting with the blades turned down.
It passed below them, the two Lilhuns dropping from the branches to put their full weight into the plunging blades. Both landed on the large target, one sword sinking deep into a shoulder, while the other managed to pierce one of its hip joints. The beast spun haphazardly to dislodge the ‘new’ threats, both security members kicking off and finding new trees to set up in.
Whatever damage was actually done, it had lost the use of an arm, and its gait shifted awkwardly as the blade lodged in its hip worked more harm with each shambling step.. Emboldened, Jax picked up the pace, struggling to position himself with the amount of metal he wore. Ducking another swipe of its claws, he saw his chance and swung, pivoting with his axe as a counter weight. For the third time, his axe blade found the wound in its leg, adding a sickening crunch as the bone snapped from the impact.
The creature swung wildly, forced to favour its two remaining good legs, and the only other leg that could still support at least some of its weight. It was unstable now, the hunched figure swaying while unmoving. Unable to run, it decided to go down with as many of them as it could.
Rose caught up with the attack, drawing attention from the comparatively squishy Nalah as the blond-furred female deflected a wayward swing with her shield. The once iron-plated ironwood now sporting little more than jagged scraps of metal atop its silver wooden structure, a series of deep gouges marring the surface. Two lunging thrusts with the pike bit flesh, drawing new blood from the beast.
Joseph loaded his crossbow, getting off two bolts, but not managing to keep it steady enough to hit anything of use, his arm faltering under the weight of the weapon. Cursing, he decided to flank the beast and try his luck with the other bracer. If nothing else, the force in which the blade deployed was enough to pierce the thick hide, and the others were doing a good job of distracting it.
The red armoured Atmo let loose a series of directed swings, the fifth severing an arm in motion, the flying appendage forcing Nalah to raise her shield to block the unorthodox projectile. The female was sent sprawling from the weight of the impact, but the beast was too busy voicing its agony to take advantage of it. Jax worked another two chops into the broad legs, but neither managed to incapacitate it any more, and the prolonged exertion was slowing his reflexes.
As if cued into his waning energy, the beast flung Jax with another strike, the hunter of the group sinking a bolt deep into the cavernous flesh of its mouth to prevent an attempt at following up.
Joseph roared, desperate to finish it off before the creature could do the same to his downed pack. He sprinted at the monster's back and slid underneath it with as much speed as he could muster. Throwing his fist into the passing undercarriage, he let the deployed blade leave a long gash in its wake.
The grey monster lost its ability to stand, torn tendons, blood loss, and inflicted injuries taking their toll. The Grand Hunter kicked off his knees to fling himself out of the way of the collapsing figure, grimacing as the remaining bracer proved unable to support the abuse he had put it through. He looked back at the beast, the flailing body failing to right itself as teeth did little more than gouge dirt, its back exposed. Rose approached, raising their blades together and plunging it through the body over and over until it stopped moving.
Exhausted, the Atmo dropped where it was, breathing heavily. Joseph’s instinct to yell their victory was delayed as he hurried over to Jax and Nalah to confirm he didn't need to bring back bad news. Nalah seemed fine, if a bit sore from hitting the dirt and rolling, while Jax just asked to lay down when he heard that everything was over. Cobalt came over to the group, the armour that had come off collected atop the carriage it had managed to loosely affix to its base.
It was light, a chuckle originating from the Human as he slumped to the ground against a tree, but soon the entire group was roaring with laughter as victory settled in their minds. The two security members helped the hunter begin disassembling the beast, their contribution to the fight leaving them with more energy than the rest. They hadn’t been slacking off, that much was certain. The number of arrows jammed into the maw of the thing would have guaranteed a few extra seconds of survival and chances to escape if one of them had been forcibly tossed into there, and it had caused enough pause for the rest of them to get in a few hits up close.
Joseph rested across from Jax and Nalah, letting his heart rate slow from the rapid pace it had been pinned to since the start of the conflict. His arm continued its protests, but from the amount of movement he still had, he guessed that he had just strained the elbow. A few days taking it easy should straighten that right up.
Once the active members were about half way through processing the creature for hide and meat, Cobalt approached him, a mimed request for assistance putting their armour back on being redirected to Nalah since he doubted he could lift the damn pieces without hurting himself at the moment. She obliged, getting the blue Atmo back in full attire, though it took a while.
Rose stood first, stopping over to allow the hunter to place collected bits and pieces onto the carriage before securing it with whatever they could make due. A security member gathered the moss-wolf corpses for a similar treatment. Waste not, want not, he supposed.
Rose ended up carrying most of their spoils. When he was about to ask why, he, Jax, and Nalah were dragged to Cobalt and hefted onto the carriage. A series of confused questions revealed that the rest wanted to head back before it started getting dark, and it was pretty obvious who was the most exhausted of them. Lacking the will or energy to argue it, he flopped back on the Atmo as the trees passed them by, Nalah resting her legs across him as her head sat on Jax’s lap. The black-furred male didn’t so much as smirk, so it was clear he had pushed himself too far to quip about the arrangement as he laid down.
“The next time you wish to exhaust me this much, Joseph,” the Head of Security started after a long while of silence, tiredness in his voice, “I would prefer it to involve my mate and a bed.”
The Human snorted, closing his eyes and enjoying the lack of walking as the surprisingly stable Atmo carried the three of them. “Fuck off, Jax.”
“Of course, Grand Hunter.”
Next
A/N: Patreon is fixed!... aka new one cuz problems with the last. Check it out to support the story, get AI character art every now and then, or even preview sections of chapters as i write them! (aka, before kieve gets to fix them :D)

soooooooo, everyone who told me that being abused/assaulted would make me "great at spotting red flags" owes me 20 bucks.
i met someone back in 2020 over the web, and when they moved to my country, we became a couple, because i felt like we got along and i wanted to support them. they knew about my assault, and all my baggage, and supported me.
... except that's not the whole truth. the truth is, they fell for me first, and for two years, pursued me. i turned them down because i was scared of committing, after what i'd been through. but they kept pushing. so eventually i caved--they had nobody in this country! i didn't want them to be alone!
we ended up together, they maybe lovebombed the shit out of me in hindsight, and then it all came crashing down.
there were other red flags. twice, they'd physically assaulted their friends. at least twice that i know of. they had a laundry list of "cruel" past partners/friends. they had multiple mental illnesses that they were not getting therapy or medication for.
but for a few months, they loved me. or at least acted like it. we had sex and i only broke down crying once because the sight of blood triggered me. after everything, that was pretty incredible. they doted on me, and hugged me, and wrote me letters about how they wanted to marry me someday.
then things got weird. they started talking about other women--specifically one they met at work, who made sexual propositions towards them at least twice. these two moved in together almost immediately (my ex's housing situation was unstable and i live far away, so it logistically made sense), and began spending all their time together. they literally became just like her, in some ways.
i got jealous--especially when my ex would tell me shit like "haha so-and-so wants to get high and make out with me!" or gush about their other "workplace crushes." i have trauma from being cheated on, and i made this apparent, but they found it "hot" that i got possessive, so they... ignored my discomfort. for their own pleasure.
sounds familiar, huh? i'm not saying it's as bad as my assault was. but having my boundaries pressed on for the sake of THAT just feels so... gross.
and i let them get off on my fucking trauma responses, because hey, their life was hard.
the worst part is that we didnt even break up then. we broke up because their new roommate--the one who'd made passes at them (and me, once!)--hated me, and verbally abused me in a spontaneous confrontation while i was alone. this included misgendering me, accusing me of faking a rape flashback when i spent the night at their house, and more. it happened for hours, in the middle of the night. my family thought i'd gone missing--it was fucking traumatic.
my ex also... accused my being a bit needier than usual (gee wonder why! whatever could have triggered me!) of being abusive/controlling their behaviour, and... somehow... their roommate insisted this had given my ex dissociative identity disorder, and they now had an "alter" that was "protecting me" from them. i was a bit needy and sometimes demanding around the end of our relationship, but like...
i'm not stupid. i know that isn't how that works. maybe it was just an excuse to explain away all the texts between the two of them showing my ex being so excited to break up with me. some were even from when my ex and i were out together!
anyways. not the point. they dumped me--because even after all this mstreatment, i couldnt leave.
and it just... feels a lot like the relationship where i was assaulted. both of them just... dumped their trauma on me, used me to get off (even when it fucking hurt me), and then left when i started showing symptoms they didn't like and/or they could replace me with someone new.
i want to tell them off. but i know that's just because when i'm not angry, i start thinking about me. i start thinking about how in every romantic relationship i've been in, i just do double-duty as a therapist and a fucking fleshlight. i'm just something to use and then abandon for something better. i feel like i'm less than a person.
i hate them for making me feel like this, but i hate myself because it's becoming a pattern. please, someone help me. tell me it gets better. someone tell me i'm not replaceable and i'm not doomed to be abused by everyone. i just need to hear it from somebody.

hey im Orange! I use she/her pronouns and play any characters, however I have a strong preference for queer pairings.
I absolutely LOVE ooc chatter, communication, and sometimes getting off topic,,, so if you aren't looking for a partner who doubles as a friend then im afraid im not who you are looking for!
I do fandom and most plots! my list of fandoms is very.. very.. long, so kinda throw some at me and see if they stick!
I dont have an oc for everything, so if i dont have one that fits? i don't mind making a new one!
i am PST but often have too much free time, I often reply rather quickly, im semilit and up, 3rd person, and you must be 18+ if we are doing ANY type of romance.
and finally, when you message me please try to make yourself catch my eye!

need some advice for my first build: what y’all think is better for an o3? AOS 5 or TBS source one v5 with some mods to fit the camera? i’ve been trying to research how hard it is to make the o3 fit in the source one and apparently it just drops right into the AOS. it would be a no brainer if the AOS wasn’t over double the price lol. also any advice on my build would be good too: speedybee f405 v3, xing e pro 2306 2450kv motors and o3 air unit. plan to run it on 4s with goggles v2 and the dji controller. anything more i would need besides the parts listed? side note: i’ve been told the geprc mark 5 is much better and i think i will be going with that one

Hello friends! I've been lurking here since I failed my 1 hour screen last week at 158. This community made me feel so much better about my result! thank you all! I see there's a lot of posts about food recommendation requests. I've been "mindful of my carbs" for the last 6 years, so I have developed an arsenal of good low carb food options. I'll list a few below. Unfortunately many may be specific to the US. Also, luckily my 3 hour test came back all normal and I haven't had to monitor my glucose at home, so i don't speak from GD experience.
These are all things I'm able to find at my local grocery stores (harris teeter and giant)
[Bread] Hotdog buns, burger buns, bagels and slice bread: 647 brand from Schmidt/old time has so much fiber and half the amount of net carbs of regular breads. No one can tell this is "lower carb" bread.
Flat bread and "lavash": Joseph bread has a flax and oat barn line that's VERY good. Again, no one can tell it's lower carb.
Tortillas: so many companies make low carb tortillas, they're generally all good. I prefer Ole extreme.
[Pasta] Al Dente has a line called Carba-nada. It has been a go to. It's the closest to regular pasta with a little more character and half the carbs and double the fiber.
Bonza has chickpea pasta that is 30 grams net carbs per serving. It's a little more squishy than regular pasta, but I like it quite a lot. They have ready mac and cheese boxes with decent macros if you restrict yourself to a single serving!
Explore Cuisine has different types of bean pastas. I like all of them! They all have a mild but distinct taste that can be a hit or miss depending on the dish. They're all VERY good on their own with some light sauce or garlic olive oil. They're very heavy on the protein so I often prefer them with no meat.
[Savory snacks] Beef/jerkey sticks (look at macros)
Olives! Several brands make "liquid free" snacking olives. My favorite is Mario
P3 protein snacks
Popcorn if you can not finished whole bag
Flavored almonds. Blue Diamond has a wide variety of non-boring almonds.
Any snacking cheese in individual packs (string, cheddar sticks, baby Belle.. so many!)
Quest protein chips have only 3 grams net carbs
[Sweet treats] NICK'S products. Ice crams and bars and other stuff too. I LOOoRRRVVVEE their peanut chocolate protein bar, it's basically a snickers bar but not as sweet. It's the very best!
Berries with reddit wip
KIND ice cream bars have decent macros!
Halo top ice cream (NOT the whole pint, and not the sorbet)
Skinny Dipped almonds. Espresso and lemon are my favorite!
Lily's chocolate
[Sugar alternatives] I'm a firm believer in diversity and moderation. I believe that having huge amounts of any type of sugar on the regular is not great. So I personally try to mix them up (including having regular sugar in moderation). But here's my two cents.
Monk fruit sugar: most similar to regular sugar. By far my favorite. People can't tell the difference between it and regular sugar. Generally haven't noticed any bad gut effects.
Allulose: not as sweet as sugar. Still good. 85% similar to regular sugar in taste.
Stevia: definitely has a weird aftertaste. Not my favorite but has its uses and great mixed with other sugars or fruit-heavy desserts.
Swerve: pretty alright. It's an erythritol mix which makes me bloated if I consume a lot of it. I use it frequently in small amounts or mixed with other sugars!
Xylitol: has a minty cooling effect. I only like it in icecream and gum. May cause bloating too.
Sucralose: there's been many studies showing its not the best for you. I DON'T avoid it like the plague, but would personally rather have regular sugar over sucralose.
[Quick meals/sides/lunches/snacks] Boca burgers (with 647 buns, mayo cheese and sugar free ketchup!) Just pop them in the microwave for 1:30 mins!
Cherry tomatos + fresh mozzarella + olive oil and balsamic + basil
Cucumber + cream cheese + everything seasoning
Trader joes crisp bread crackers + smoked salmon + cream cheese
[Breakfast, other than the obvious, EGGS <3] Pancakes and waffles, there's SO many brands that make low carb options. Our store has Birch Benders and it's pretty alright!
Avocado + hemp seeds + seasoning + lime (or even a splash of apple cider vinegar)
647 brand toast with a slice of cheddar cheese!
Cottage cheese (even the fruity ones are very low carb)
Cheese platter, sugar free jelly and sugar free peanut butter and crackers/low carb bread
[General cooking advice] If you can, join a service that delivers vegitables to you weekly. This will force you to cook at home and not let things go to waste and eat A LOT more vegetables.
A spiralizer is fun! Veggies are not a substitute for noodles, but they often work well in many dishes!
Cooking shredded cabbage in a very hot wok with soy sauce and garlic is a great base for Asian dishes. A regular pan would steam the cabbage, so it's not as good.
Spaghetti squash is your friend. You can poke holes in it and microwave it whole.
Air frier is another one of your best friends. They speed things up tremendously making it more likely for you to eat at home!
Cooking LOTS of tomatoes + garlic + onion + Italian seasoning + dump any other vegitable and protein you have available until the tomatoes really reduce, will ALWAYS result in a yummy meal. Topped with feta and pine nuts and olive oil? Yes please. Low carb bread works with this.
Any vegitable combination + any ground or shredded protein + a can of salsa + Mexican seasoning + (beans optional, they add fiber, protein and substance but also add carbs) make an excellent meal on its own OR in a low carb tortilla. Avocado and sour cream work on the side.
Salads with a hot protein on top feel more like a meal than an all cold salad. They're less boring too.
I hope this was useful, even little!

New teachers (in 2023) do not accept less than 2.5 million won. You may even be able to get upper 2's. There is a recent shortage of foreign teachers in Korea due to years of stagnant and low pay with declining contract work conditions. Only very very recently has this situation changed and it is still working it's way through the system. Reject out of hand any 2.1 to 2.3 million won a month offers unless you work 4 days a week and maybe are on site for 4.5 hours a day with 4 short classes or something. The ESL Korea Facebook groups and Daves will have the best job listings. If a recruiter keeps steering you towards low pay bottom feeder jobs, quit working with them. Reject anything less than 2.5 million for starting. I suspect by next year if current trends continue, you may be able to soon be able to ask for 3 million won a month by next year or year after. (If the market re-floods with teachers, then all bets are off. For now many are staying home and getting better jobs there or going to China for double the pay of Korea.)
​
New teachers, please do 5 minutes of research and know what you are getting yourself into. If you come over and get 2.1 or 2.3 then you will be broke here (assuming you have some debts back home to repay). At least check what many jobs are offering on some of the sites. Do not come on here and complain you are only getting paid 2.1 million won a month if you didn't do some research and stand your ground. (This means turning down some offers and being willing to be unemployed a bit longer until you get what you want. Korea is no longer flooded with too many teachers. It has gotten a bad reputation for pay and work conditions unlike in the past.)
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Good luck to you. Hope this advice helps.

throwaway for obvious reasons.
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for close to two years i've been employed (had been?) by a corporate chain restaurant. i've always been a team player who pitches in all over the restaurant, a great employee who comes in early, stays late, works on days off, etc. i've never been written up or even called into the office to talk about my performance, and routinely do tasks that aren't my responsibility to help everyone else. i've always gotten along great with co-workers and management.
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treatment of employees runs the gamut, depending on who you are and how the managers, GM specifically, feel about you personally. accountability is only for certain people while others get held to different, or no, standards. ethics flew out the window a long time ago. management is willing to turn a blind eye to certain offenses for certain people, while others get fired for the same thing. favoritism is rampant, blatant, and obvious. personal information about employees, including things like who's getting written up and for what, is passed around to other employees by management. while some employees are held accountable for not finishing their work before clocking out, others not only don't finish their work, but chat with managers while everyone else does.
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early last week, i was asked by the GM to perform a task that is not listed as a duty of my position and for the first time in two years, said no. that task hadn't been completed by the earlier shift and instead of addressing it with them, the GM rather expected me to do it for them. when i said no, i asked the GM why it hadn't been done by the people that were supposed to do it, and without an answer they walked away.
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a couple of days later, when the new schedule posted for the following week (this week) my shifts in my primary department dropped from 5-6 (with doubles) to 3. i've been full time, five days a week, for at least 1.5 years. i asked a couple of the managers why (although not the GM) even though I knew why, and one of them confirmed that the GM went behind their back to change my schedule and remove shifts after the manager over my department had finalized it. i was also demoted from my position as a trainer without a word or a conversation or any notice at all, i found out when I went to clock in the same day the schedule posted and saw that my clock in code for the trainer position had been removed. i've been training for at least a year, if not longer, and in a conversation about 3 months ago with the GM they told me that i was going to be the primary trainer for that department, and said "i want a whole team of boopthesnoots. i want everyone on that team to work like you do." it's been roughly a month or so since someone trained in that position, and i was the one that trained them.
​
the list of violations in that restaurant are absolutely insane, ranging from things that the health department, osha, the CDC and the fire department would absolutely be interested in. issues are most certainly made aware to management and the only time anything changes is when a 'big boss' stops by for a visit, and then things revert to 'normal.' i reported a serious health code violation to a manager on saturday morning and when i returned to work on wednesday, nothing had changed whatsoever. i can't stress enough that these aren't small things like hair nets not being worn when preparing food, gloves not being worn when handling food, i'm not even talking about the pests in the ice machines that an exterminator has never been called out for, the kitchen knives that are never washed even when they come into contact with allergens or raw protein before being used on produce, or the cold foods that are kept too warm or the hot foods that aren't to temp when served. i'm talking about being told to serve expired food, pathogen exposure, and very unsafe methods of handling foods that contain salmonella. osha would have a field day . the fire department would lose their gourd.
​
tonight a team member discovered that an item that had been served throughout the day, for close to 8 hours at that point, contained protein that had not been thoroughly cooked and was still raw in some areas. (think a stew or a casserole where everything is mixed together.) that team member told me when it was discovered as i was looking for that item, and a member of management was immediately informed. 20 minutes later, i saw an employee scooping that same food item from its pan to serve - because it had not been removed and because employees had not been told to not use it. the rest of the batch was discarded by the team member that made the discovery.
​
at this point i felt that it was time to inform upper management- beyond the GM, who was not in the building today, that raw proteins known to carry salmonella had been served throughout the day and that the food item had not been removed upon discovery of said rawness. i sent a message through our internal communication platform to the district manager, who is the next step above the GM, simply saying i needed to speak to them immediately. they responded in approximately 6 minutes saying they were with family but i could leave a message with my number and they would reach out in the morning. i responded saying that it was a health issue, and that it was serious, and never received a response. about an hour later i received a message through a personal form of communication from an employee telling me that the district manager had forwarded my messages to the GM, wanting to know why i was talking about reporting health and safety issues, without ever responding to gather information. this same DM was in the store today, although they left before the issue was discovered.
​
returning to work is not an option. while i know they can't fire me for reporting this, they can and will make my life hell until i either quit or they find a 'legitimate' reason to fire me. i refuse to return to what is now a hostile environment. i've seen many people get screwed over for trying to do the right thing, and the GM can and possibly will make it very difficut for me to find a new job. the GM has absolutely been known to reach out to other businesses to prevent them from hiring a former employee, or even current employee that had been looking. at this point i need to consult an attorney to figure out what my next steps should be, before speaking to anyone from the company. all the pleases and many thanks, if someone could point me in the right direction, i'd be eternally grateful. location is ohio.

Hiya folks! Need to clear my boxes for more breeding and it felt wrong to just release these Pokemons to the nether. So, what better way than to give them a new home!
There's just a random assortment from me trying to breed 6IV mons and so these are basically all the good eggs that got the 5IVs. Just a reminder that all mons have HAs and are 5IV.

Ball	Pokemon	Nature	Egg Move(s)	Quantity
Beast	Skrelp	Modest	4 (Acid Armor, Dragon Tail, Haze, Twister)	0/1
Dream	H-Qwilfish	Adamant	4 (Acid Spray, Bubble Beam, Aqua Tail, Astonish)	0/6
Fast	H-Growlithe	Jolly	4 (Covet, Double Kick, Double-Edge, Head Smash)	1/6
Friend	H-Growlithe	Jolly	4 (Covet, Double Kick, Double-Edge, Head Smash)	48/51
Friend	Sobble	Timid	2 (Aqua Jet, Fell Stinger)	0/4
Friend	Stantler	Adamant	4 (Bite, Double Kick, Psyshield Bash, Megahorn)	0/5
Heavy	Carbink	Calm	0	0/4
Heavy	Stonjourner	Adamant	2 (Ancient Power, Curse)	1/5
Heavy	Squawkabilly-White	Hardy	4 (Double-Edge, Final Gambit, Flatter, Parting Shot)	0/1
Heavy	Fennekin	Timid	0	0/2
Level	Fennekin	Timid	4 (Heat Wave, Hypnosis, Magic Room, Wish)	0/3
Love	Hoppip	Jolly	0	1/2
Love	Oranguru	Quirky	4 (Dream Eater, Extrasensory, Yawn, Last Resort)	1/2
Moon	H-Zorua	Timid	2 (Extrasensory, Comeuppance)	2/3
Premier	H-Voltorb	Timid	0	0/5
Safari	Scyther	Jolly	0	0/3

You can adopt as many Pokemons as you like, but only one of each! Please shoot through your IGN and LC and I'll let you know when it's your turn and I'm searching. (˶◕‿◕˶✿)
I will be updating the list as I go, so apologies to those that don't manage to get what they want.

WhatsApp is a popular messaging app that offers various features to enhance communication among users. One of its key features is the creation of groups, which allows multiple people to chat, share media, and collaborate. However, there may come a time when you need to delete a WhatsApp group permanently. In this article, we will guide you through the process of deleting a WhatsApp group as an admin, as well as deleting group messages for everyone. So, if you're wondering how to delete a WhatsApp group, keep reading to find out the step-by-step instructions.

Introduction

WhatsApp groups are a convenient way to connect and communicate with multiple individuals at once. As an admin, you have the authority to manage the group and make decisions regarding its existence. Deleting a WhatsApp group is a straightforward process, but it's important to note that once you delete a group, it cannot be recovered. Therefore, ensure that you genuinely want to delete the group before proceeding.

How to Delete a WhatsApp Group

Here are the steps to delete a WhatsApp group as an admin:

Step 1: Open WhatsApp and Go to the Chats Tab

Launch the WhatsApp application on your device and navigate to the "Chats" tab. This is where you can see all your active chats and groups.

Step 2: Select the Group You Want to Delete

Scroll through the list of chats and locate the group you wish to delete permanently. Tap on the group to open the chat window.

Step 3: Open Group Settings

Once you are in the group chat, tap on the group name at the top of the screen. This will open the group settings page.

Step 4: Remove Participants from the Group

To delete the WhatsApp group, you need to remove all participants from it. Tap on the "Participants" option in the group settings.

Step 5: Exit the Group

After removing all participants, exit the group by tapping on the "Exit Group" option. This will remove you from the group as well.

Step 6: Permanently Delete the Group

Once you've exited the group, return to the chat list and locate the deleted group. Swipe left on the group name and tap on the "Delete" option to permanently remove the group from your WhatsApp account.

Deleting WhatsApp Group Messages for Everyone

In addition to deleting the entire WhatsApp group, you may also want to delete specific messages within the group. WhatsApp offers a feature that allows you to delete messages for everyone, ensuring that they are removed from all recipients' devices. Here's how you can delete WhatsApp group messages for everyone:

Step 1: Open WhatsApp and Go to the Chats Tab

Launch WhatsApp on your device and navigate to the "Chats" tab to see all your active chats and groups.

Step 2: Open the Group Chat

Scroll through the list of chats and locate the group chat containing the messages you want to delete. Tap on the group name to open the chat window.

Step 3: Select the Messages You Want to Delete

Within the group chat, scroll through the messages and tap and hold on the message you want to delete. This will activate the selection mode.

Step 4: Tap on the Trash Bin Icon

With the messages selected, look for the trash bin icon located at the top of the screen. Tap on it to initiate the deletion process.

Step 5: Confirm Deletion

WhatsApp will prompt you to confirm the deletion. Tap on the "Delete for Everyone" option to delete the selected messages from all participants' devices.

Deleting Old WhatsApp Group Messages for Everyone

Sometimes, you may want to delete old messages from a WhatsApp group for everyone involved. WhatsApp allows you to scroll up and delete old messages, ensuring they are removed from all recipients' devices. Follow these steps to delete old WhatsApp group messages for everyone:

Step 1: Open WhatsApp and Go to the Chats Tab

Launch the WhatsApp application on your device and navigate to the "Chats" tab where all your active chats are displayed.

Step 2: Open the Group Chat

Scroll through the list of chats and locate the group chat containing the old messages you want to delete. Tap on the group name to open the chat window.

Step 3: Scroll Up to Find the Old Messages

In the group chat, scroll up to browse through the old messages until you find the ones you want to delete.

Step 4: Select the Messages You Want to Delete

Tap and hold on the message you want to delete to activate the selection mode. Continue selecting additional messages if desired.

Step 5: Tap on the Trash Bin Icon

Once you've selected the desired messages, locate the trash bin icon at the top of the screen and tap on it.

Step 6: Confirm Deletion

WhatsApp will display a confirmation prompt. Tap on the "Delete for Everyone" option to delete the selected old messages from all participants' devices.

Conclusion

Deleting a WhatsApp group as an admin or removing specific messages from a group is a straightforward process. By following the step-by-step instructions provided in this article, you can easily delete WhatsApp groups permanently and ensure that selected messages are removed from all recipients' devices. Remember to exercise caution when deleting a group, as the action is irreversible.

FAQs

1. Can I delete a WhatsApp group if I'm not the admin?

No, only the group admin has the authority to delete a WhatsApp group. If you are not the admin, you can leave the group but cannot delete it.

2. What happens to the group members if the admin deletes the group?

Once the admin deletes a WhatsApp group, all participants will be removed from the group, and the group will no longer be accessible to anyone.

3. Can I recover deleted WhatsApp group messages?

No, once you delete WhatsApp group messages, they cannot be recovered. Make sure to double-check before deleting any important messages.

4. How can I delete a specific message for everyone in a WhatsApp group?

To delete a specific message for everyone in a WhatsApp group, tap and hold on the message, select the trash bin icon, and choose "Delete for Everyone" to remove it from all participants' devices.

5. Can I delete a WhatsApp group without notifying other participants?

No, when you delete a WhatsApp group, all participants will be notified that the group has been deleted.

Are you facing issues with your WhatsApp? Is it acting sluggish or not displaying the latest updates? It might be time to refresh WhatsApp. In this article, we will guide you through the process of refreshing WhatsApp on your iPhone. We will cover methods to refresh the app itself, contacts, and even your status. So, let's dive in and ensure you have a smooth WhatsApp experience!

Introduction

WhatsApp has become an integral part of our lives, allowing us to stay connected with friends, family, and colleagues. However, sometimes the app can encounter glitches or fail to update properly. Refreshing WhatsApp can help resolve these issues and ensure you have the latest features at your fingertips.

Why Refreshing WhatsApp is Important

Refreshing WhatsApp is essential to maintain the app's performance and ensure smooth communication. It helps in resolving common issues like lag, delayed message delivery, and outdated contacts. By refreshing WhatsApp, you can enhance its functionality and enjoy a seamless messaging experience.

How to Refresh WhatsApp on iPhone

If you're using an iPhone and want to refresh WhatsApp, there are several methods you can try. Let's explore each of them in detail:

Method 1: Force Quit and Reopen WhatsApp

Force quitting WhatsApp and reopening it is a simple yet effective way to refresh the app. Here's how you can do it:

1. Double-click the Home button or swipe up from the bottom of the screen (for iPhones without a Home button) to access the app switcher.
2. Locate the WhatsApp app preview.
3. Swipe it up or off the screen to force quit the app.
4. Tap on the WhatsApp icon to relaunch the app.

This action will close the app completely and open it afresh, eliminating any temporary glitches or performance issues.

Method 2: Restart Your iPhone

Another way to refresh WhatsApp is by restarting your iPhone. Follow these steps to do so:

1. Press and hold the power button (located either on the side or top of the device) until the power off slider appears.
2. Swipe the power off slider from left to right to turn off your iPhone.
3. Wait for a few seconds, then press and hold the power button again until the Apple logo appears.
4. Once your iPhone restarts, open WhatsApp to check if the issues have been resolved.

Restarting your iPhone can clear any temporary cache or memory-related problems that might be affecting WhatsApp's performance.

Method 3: Update WhatsApp

Keeping your WhatsApp updated is crucial for optimal performance and bug fixes. Here's how you can update WhatsApp on your iPhone:

1. Open the App Store on your iPhone.
2. Tap on your profile picture or the "Updates" tab at the bottom right.
3. Scroll down to find WhatsApp.
4. If an update is available, tap the "Update" button next to WhatsApp.
5. Wait for the update to complete, and then open WhatsApp to see if the refresh has resolved the issues.

Regularly updating WhatsApp ensures that you have access to the latest features and improvements.

Method 4: Clear WhatsApp Cache

Over time, WhatsApp accumulates temporary data, which can affect its performance. Clearing the app cache can refresh WhatsApp and potentially resolve any issues. Here's how you can clear WhatsApp cache on your iPhone:

1. Open the "Settings" app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap on "General."
3. Select "iPhone Storage" or "Storage & iCloud Usage" (depending on your iOS version).
4. Find and tap on "WhatsApp" from the list of apps.
5. Tap on "Offload App" or "Delete App" (note: this won't delete your messages).
6. Confirm your action and wait for the process to complete.
7. Reinstall WhatsApp from the App Store and set it up again.

Clearing the app cache removes temporary files, freeing up storage space and potentially resolving any performance issues.

How to Refresh WhatsApp Contacts

Having outdated or missing contacts in WhatsApp can be frustrating. To refresh your WhatsApp contacts, try the following methods:

Method 1: Sync Contacts with Phone Settings

By syncing your iPhone contacts with WhatsApp, you can ensure they are up to date. Here's how you can do it:

1. Open the "Settings" app on your iPhone.
2. Scroll down and tap on "Privacy."
3. Select "Contacts" and make sure WhatsApp is enabled.
4. Tap on "Update All Contacts" to sync your contacts with WhatsApp.

Syncing your contacts will refresh WhatsApp's contact list and display the latest information.

Method 2: Delete and Re-add Contacts

If syncing doesn't work or you encounter specific issues with certain contacts, you can delete and re-add them in WhatsApp. Here's the process:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to the "Chats" tab.
2. Find the contact you want to refresh and swipe left on their name.
3. Tap on "More" and select "Delete Chat."
4. Confirm the deletion by tapping on "Delete Chat" again.
5. Now, open the "Contacts" app on your iPhone.
6. Locate the contact you deleted and tap on it.
7. Tap on "Edit" and then "Done" to save the contact.
8. Open WhatsApp again, and the contact will be refreshed.

Deleting and re-adding a contact ensures that WhatsApp fetches the latest information for that specific contact.

How to Refresh WhatsApp Status

Refreshing your WhatsApp status is necessary to keep it up to date and share the latest updates with your contacts. Here's how you can refresh your WhatsApp status:

1. Open WhatsApp and go to the "Status" tab.
2. Tap on the "My Status" section.
3. Tap on the three dots (...) next to your status.
4. Select "Delete" to remove your current status.
5. Now, tap on the camera icon or the "Add to My Status" option.
6. Choose a photo or video from your gallery or capture a new one.
7. Add a caption or any desired edits.
8. Tap on the "Send" or "Share" button to update your status.

By following these steps, you can refresh your WhatsApp status and share your latest moments with friends and family.

Conclusion

Refreshing WhatsApp is essential for maintaining its optimal performance and resolving common issues. In this article, we discussed various methods to refresh WhatsApp on your iPhone, including force quitting and reopening the app, restarting your iPhone, updating WhatsApp, and clearing the app cache. We also explored how to refresh WhatsApp contacts by syncing them with phone settings or deleting and re-adding contacts. Additionally, we covered the process of refreshing your WhatsApp status. By following these steps, you can ensure a smooth and updated WhatsApp experience.

FAQs

Q1: Why is it important to refresh WhatsApp? Refreshing WhatsApp helps resolve performance issues, update contacts, and ensure you have the latest features and improvements.
Q2: Can I refresh WhatsApp on my iPhone? Yes, you can refresh WhatsApp on your iPhone by force quitting the app, restarting your device, updating WhatsApp, or clearing the app cache.
Q3: How can I refresh WhatsApp contacts? You can refresh WhatsApp contacts by syncing them with your phone settings or deleting and re-adding specific contacts.
Q4: Will refreshing WhatsApp delete my messages? No, refreshing WhatsApp will not delete your messages. However, it's always recommended to back up your chats before performing any significant changes.
Q5: How often should I refresh my WhatsApp contacts and status? There's no specific timeframe for refreshing contacts and status. It's a good practice to do it whenever you notice outdated information or want to share new updates.

My lists are always being updated and expanded when new information comes in—what did I miss or am I unaware of (even if the thread predates my membership in Reddit), and what needs correction? Even (especially) if I get a subreddit or date wrong. (Note that, other than the quotation marks, the thread titles are "sic". I only change the quotation marks to match the standard usage (double to single, etc.) when I add my own quotation marks around the threads' titles.)
The thread lists are in absolute ascending chronological order by the posting date, and if need be the time of the initial post, down to the minute (or second, if required—there's at least one example of this, somewhere). The dates are in DD MMMM YYYY format per personal preference, and times are in US Eastern Time ("ET") since that's how they appear to me, and I'm not going to go to the trouble of converting to another time zone. They are also in twenty-four hour format, as that's what I prefer, and it saves the trouble and confusion of a.m. and p.m. Where the same user posts the same request to different subreddits, I note the user's name in order to indicate that I am aware of the duplication.
This thread is about the recurring topic on Reddit.
For new owners of cats: askvet, kittens' "[META] It's kitten season! You found orphaned kittens or have a kitten in your care - now what? [2020]", cats, CatAdvice (no medical advice), catquestions, and PetAdvice for advice; thisismylifemeow, HandfulOfKitten (if it fits), IllegallySmolCats, and aww would also like see them; see https://www.reddit.com/Catsubs/wiki/index/ and https://www.reddit.com/suballthecats/wiki/index/ for lists of related subs (neither of which list is complete). Example for Catsubs: "other 200 subs to add" (13 October 2022).

• Gross, Terry (15 August 2019). "How Hannah Shaw, the 'Kitten Lady,' Rescues the Most Fragile Felines". Fresh Air. NPWHYY.

On:

• Shaw, Hannah, and Andrew Marttila (2019). Tiny but Mighty: Kitten Lady's Guide to Saving the Most Vulnerable Felines. New York: Plume. ISBN 9781524744069. OCLC 1099599649. Preview.

See also (per other Redditors' recommendations) her YouTube channel /c/KittenLady); and these:
CatTraining
PetAdvice

• "Both time for Smol group of criminals" (IllegallySmolCats; 8 October 2022)—How to bathe a kitten
• "I'm about to get my first kitty cat. What are some basic (or advanced) things I need to know to make her life better?" (whatisthisthing; 9 October 2022)—huge
• "Rescuing a mom cat and her kittens" (IllegallySmolCats; 19 October 2022)
• "smôl bathtime" (IllegallySmolCats; 11 November 2022)—How to bathe a kitten
• "dound it, no mom , it followed me home. what does it eat and how do manage it" (cats; 22 November 2022)
• "Ramsy gets a gentle cleaning" (cats; 14 December 2022)—longish; the video is from the Instagram account HeidiWranglesCats.
• "Husband and I don’t own a cat, but have mentioned we’re thinking of getting one. This is our Christmas haul. Now we need to get a cat. (Also would love some advice for a first-time cat owner!)" (cats; 09:13 ET, 27 December 2022)—huge
• "First time cat mom, bringing the dude home tomorrow. Any and all advice is welcome!" (cats; 17:02 ET, 27 December 2022)—long
• "Deaf cat advice: Hello all, I recently adopted this 7 year old floof and realized that she can't hear. I've never had a deaf cat so any tips on interacting and helping them feel safe would be greatly appreciated. Thank you!" (cats; 8 February 2023)
• "How can I get my cat to stop meowing 5000-15000 times a day (she meows every 2-40 seconds for the majority of the day and all night)?" (NoStupidQuestions; 2 March 2023)
• "We adopted a stray Mommy cat and her kitten a month ago, but her kitten is barely growing even when she's breastfed. How can I help her kitten?" (cats; 6 March 2023)—long
• "Found 3 kittens with their mom next to them dead. I assume they’re a day or two old. No idea if I can take care of them" (cats; 6 March 2023)—huge
• "HELP THIS CAT IS FOLLOWING ME WAY BACK HOME WHAT SHOULD I DO?!" (cats; 23 April 2023)—huge
• "I had to adopt this criminal without any preparation, does anyone have advice" (IllegallySmolCats; 15 May 2023)

Also:

• Cat labour – a guide to your cat giving birth—The People's Dispensary for Sick Animals (PDSA)
• What to do if you find kittens—The Humane Society of the United States
• The Big Fat Guide to Dechonking! (dechonkers; 9 November 2021)

Below is an archidekt link to the current list of potential cards
https://www.archidekt.com/decks/3709391/gargos_vicious_watcher_11
Hello everyone, thankyou in advance for any advice or wisdom in what to add, cut, or prioritize. I'm intending on being the mono green menace in my high to mid powered group and would love some help in getting the most out of gargos. I've done the typical scouring of edhrec data along with some peripheral research on what others have done, but now its time to actually cut down to the remaining 99.
Points of synergy/theming/prioritization that i've identified in my first baby steps
- obvious tribal synergy ideas
- +1/+1 counters (all sorts of doubling/additive effects)
- Gargos fight triggers/voltron ideas
- Synergistic creature ramp and mono green velocity/card draw fueled basic land ramp with doublers to pull away into silly amounts of mana
- X cost synergy (nexos stands out)

Hello
I sell amongst other things, key rings which I laser engrave.
I have 2 options for customers Single sided for £5.99 Double sided with their own personalisation on the back for £7.99
I have had an order where the customer ordered the double sided option but has omitted to send any personalisation instructions.
I was at my computer when the order came in so processed it immediately, buying the shipping label as I was going to post it that day, my processing is normally 1-2 business days, I noticed the omission and messaged her within 5 mins of the order being made asking what she would like, nothing.
Last night I sent her another message saying I’ve made the order but I need instructions for the rear. Today still nothing.
If I hold off any longer than posting it tomorrow I am outside or my professing time and Etsy will penalise me if she makes a claim.
Do I message her again and say
If I do not hear back by xx:xx today I will be forced to cancel the order
Or
If I do not hear back by xx:xx today I will create the order with the design chosen on both sides
It would technically be a personalised item as the standard item is blank on the back, so would fall outside of my returns policy.
This is the listing if the listing helps you in forming your opinion.
View Poll

Hey everyone, so my housemate has been showing the laundry list of symptoms listed below and we recently went to the ER which after 10 hours of waiting; we were discharged after the doctor said he doesnt think the episodes are dangerous and are probably panic attacks. Looking for some more opinions since they've had panic attacks before, and they don't display anything like what they're experiencing now.
Symptoms: - Frequent episodes (detailed below) lasting anywhere from 1-2 hours - Feeling faint and as though they need to lie down - Numbness and tingling (pins and needles) in arms, legs, torso and up to base of neck and complete loss of movement in left hand side for duration - Laboured breathing with apparent pressure on the base of their throat (not hyperventilation) - Difficulty speaking and responding to questions - Difficulty focussing eyes; some double vision - When trying to move left limbs, right limbs twitch instead - Body feels cold during episodes After episodes and other info: - Nausea afterwards - Increasing frequency (3 in the last 36 hours, each an hour+ and the third being the worst). 4 total, first was 2 days ago. First and fourth significantly worse than second and third - After 1-2 hours they very slowly regain control over their body/limbs and numbness fades - Balance issues that come and go with the day but have slowly gotten worse since February - Not a tumor or cyst on the brain either, they've already had a CT which diagnosed a cyst but the DR said due to the scalloping on the skull it's likely been there for years and is unrelated to the episodes
I think that covers it. We've also looked into the symptoms as well and have concerns that it might be GBS (Guillain-Barré Syndrome) so if anyone has any further insights as to what might be the cause, please let us know so that we can either curb our worries or get appropriate testing done.
They do also have an MRI on their head tomorrow afternoon to hopefully help figure out what's happening. Any advice/information is greatly appreciated.
If it helps rule out anything region specific, we are located in Australia
Edit: My housemate is 23 and trans masc non-binary

This scenario took place in BC.
A few months back my neighbor rented his two bedroom suite to a single person. In his listing he had specified one price for single occupancy and a higher price for double. They wrote the lease for single occupancy pricing.
Shortly after moving in his tenant then moved in his girlfriend, then later the tenants sister also moved in. After speaking with a tenancy board representative my neighbor's understanding is that this is perfectly legal in BC given that it's physically a two bedroom suite despite it having been rented and priced as a one bedroom unit. Also the tenant did not need his permission and the LL is not entitled to any additional rent.
This kinda blew my mind so I'm wondering how does one protect themselves from these types of scenarios if the tenant has the right to just move people in?
Should he have specifically stated in the lease that there would be increased pricing based on number of occupants?
Is there a legal way to correctly set up a single occupancy agreement that's binding?
Tia

So I love looking at tier lists in games like these to find out what the meta weapon/stance/style/class/whatever is. Not that it ever really impacts my gameplay other than “let me try that thing I hated one more time since everyone loves it” before eventually returning to my playstyle
But one thing I’m absolutely in love with about this game is every tier list I find for the stances seems different. I mean theres only 5 stances so they can only vary so much, but if I just start looking at different sources they’re usually pretty different
I’ve seen tier lists that put cross guard on top for its damage output, tier lists that out double blade at top for crowd control, blaster on top for range, and dual wield on top for the skill cap
The only stance I haven’t seen hyped up is single blade but even that stance, for being the master of none option, has the best mobility imo.
I just think it speaks volumes about the combat design that no two people picked at random are going to agree on each stance’s ranking. Shit I can’t even agree with myself on a day to day basis. Today I’m favoring single and blaster but yesterday I favored crossguard and double blade.
Devs really outdid themselves on that front.

PLEASE READ THE FULL POST BEFORE CONTACTING ME
IF YOU DO NOT KNOW ANY OF THE WOMEN BELOW PLEASE GOOGLE THEM BEFORE YOU REACH OUT
ALL CHARACTERS TO BE WRITTEN/USED AT 18+
I AM NOT HERE TO TALK ABOUT HOW “HOT” ANY OF THESE CHARACTERS ARE. I WOULD LIKE TO WRITE A STORY.
Doubling encouraged but not required.
I am looking for someone to play a female wrestler for my OC wrestler, now your irl gender doesn't matter to me as long as you can write for a female, now basically it's a slice of life rp. But, everything that happens in the ring and on the shows spills over into real life, below will be all the details(ienjoyham)there isn't much to the story yet. Below will also be a list of female wrestlers I would like someone to write across from, again, my male OC.(Bold indicates higher interest)
KEEP READING BEFORE YOU MESSAGE ME PLEASE
Female Wrestlers that I am looking for: Lita, AJ Lee, Stephanie McMahon, Trish Stratus
HEY, CAN YOU PLEASE READ THE FULL POST BEFORE YOU MESSAGE ME? THANKS
What I am looking for:

• Literacy! I need decent spelling and punctuation. I don’t mind errors and I am by no means the grammar police but, being adults I expect some sort of consistency in replies and OOC dialogue.
  
• Someone writing as a female and possibly open to poly situations. It’s and idea I’d love to try, by no means required though. I prefer to double so, if you have an OC you’d like to pair up with one of the canons from any of the shows(aside from those participating in my own ship) feel free to ask!
  
• Don’t be afraid to speak up! If you have an idea or an issue with the ideas I offer, say something! Again, two adults let’s be open and honest with one another!
  
• Dynamics I want you to challenge my creativity whenever possible. Throw curveballs at me if you want, I love thinking on the fly! I’m open to any and all themes but as of right nowilikehameI prefer Slice Of Life. I am open to Sci-Fi and Post Apocalyptic ideas but my cravings are in sitcoms.
  
• Communication I ask you to be open about issues as well as time away. While I’d love rapid fire responses that just isn’t an option at this point in my RP career. With work and home life I tend to get kind of busy during the week but, I do keep up OOC whenever possible. If you are going to reach out(CHAT OR DM)
  

HEY, ME AGAIN. KEEP READING BEFORE YOU MESSAGE ME.
IF YOU’RE READING THIS: YOU READ THE WHOLE MESSAGE! FEEL FREE TO MESSAGE ME WITH THE PASSWORD I PUT SOMEWHERE ABOVE SO I KNOW YOU READ AND UNDERSTAND EVERYTHING

Hello everybody, Scathus here with a new deck guide. Some background if you’re not familiar with me: I am high elo player and deckbuilder. Some of the previous decks that I have innovated or taken a serious part in innovating include: Sentinel Control, Feel the Minah, Ekko Zilean, Teemo TF Monke, Tristana BW Prize Fight, among others.
Today, I’m bringing you a deck guide for Jax Ornn in eternal. While I was not the deck creator, as the deck has seen play since its buffs a few months ago, I was the first to make an actually functional list this patch. Both I and my teammate infinipatrons have crested over 1000 lp each with the deck, and I think it’s one of the best decks in the game to climb and also to take to the Runeterra Open.
Deck Code: ((CUDACAYBAIAQMAQ4AEDAYCABA4AQSAQGAADBCBAGAECAQCYMAQAQEAIGAEDAMGYBAYABQAIGAELAEAIBAECQCBQBDA))
Runeterra.ar link

The Deck at a Glance

Ornn Jax is a classic big midrange deck that looks to forge a weapon and overwhelm the opponent with efficient stats and keywords. You will usually look to build up a few powerful weapons over the course of the first 4 turns, before putting the pressure on the opponent and looking to end the game with a giant leveled Jax or Ornn. We also have a variety of efficient Frejlord Combat Tricks, which we use to swing the board in our favor.
Remember: the power of the deck lies in the weapons more so than the units. If your opponent spends a ton of resources to kill a 7/6 Jax - guess what? You now have 1 mana 4/3 quick attack overwhelm weapon to put on whatever you want. This makes your deck much more resistant to traditional removal than other big midrange decks.

Card Analysis

• Jax
  • Generally the best card to be in your opening hand. While he’s essentially just a 2 mana 3/2 with quick attack, he has an extremely cheap weapon that is perfect for forging. Try to keep Jax alive at least until he levels so that his weapon gets overwhelm - it makes it much better to transfer to Ornn or a different unit. Jax’s champion spell is extremely strong and you can use it to completely blow out trades, especially if you are playing into a deck that struggles to pop barrier. If you keep Jax alive until the late game, he will become an enormous overwhelm unit that will threaten to end the game by himself.
• Ornn
  • The primary wincon against a lot of decks. A leveled Ornn will almost always end the game on attack immediately - very few decks can survive it. He is also too large for any deck without hard removal to answer, and even if he is killed, he has already doubled your strongest weapon with his play effect, giving you value. Generally speaking, you want to get overwhelm on Ornn - either the fishawack improvise weapon or leveled Jax’s weapon - but any large weapon will do.
  • Don’t forget that you can play Ornn without copying a weapon to take a big weapon from hand - useful if you have the bone club in hand but haven’t yet played it.
  • Try to level Ornn before attacking with him. This is usually done by playing bone club on a 3 attack unit, getting a huge forged weapon, or fish fighting with Ornn after you play him. This is not always possible, of course.
• Weaponmasters (Combat Cook and Innovative Blacksmith)
  • Your other sources of weapons besides Jax. Both are powerful - Blacksmith gives you constant healing while Cook forges his weapon for free. I will discuss improvisation below in its own section to help you figure out what’s best for which circumstance.
• Forge Cards (Weaponsmith’s Apprentice, Favored Artisan, Hearthblood Mender)
  • These cards make your weapons bigger, obviously. Apprentice and Artisan are two useful early units that give your weapons value and can be used as chump blockers later on. Hearthblood Mender is probably a top 10 follower in the game. He has an absolutely insane play effect and good base stats and is therefore a decent choice to put a weapon on.
• Ruthless Raider
  • An odd card out, but I promise that she’s vital to the deck because this card is the best cheap target for a giant weapon. The tough+overwhelm combo means that any large statted weapon will be extremely powerful on her. She is also a good target for the Bone Club.
• Bone Club
  • Big weapon go brr. Use this on Ruthless Raider or leveled Jax to have a big overwhelm unit that guarantees an Ornn level up. However, don’t be afraid to discard it without Parts Made Whole - it’s not playable in every matchup.
• Combat Tricks (Catch!, Troll Chant, Battle Fury)
  • Efficient combat tricks - go out and win combat. With Battle Fury, you do the normal thing: show lethal on the attack and then battle fury an overwhelm unit/unblocked unit for lethal when your opponent taps out of a response. Battle Fury can force games to suddenly end very well.
• Interaction (Entrancing Lure, Fish Fight)
  • Fish Fight is 2 mana slow kill anything in this deck, which is obviously very strong. It is also the only way to get weapons off your units without them dying, which is useful if you want to swap a big overwhelm weapon onto somebody else.
  • Lure is obviously best on a quick attack unit, but can be used to pull any backline unit to its death. If you have, try to develop on your attacking turns to bait your opponent into playing important cards/tapping under a response.
• Parts Made Whole
  • You don’t always have to discard a weapon - discarding a Time and Dedication from Artisan is also fine, along with any other cards that might not be useful. Discarding Jax’s weapon when you have another Jax in hand is also a common play, since he always brings the weapon back on summon.
• Bellows Breath
  • Aka Ornnvalanche. Use this to beat aggro when they overextend or to clear out chump blockers for a strong attack. Remember that it pings twice rather than deals 2, so it doesn’t deal any damage to tough units.

Mulligan

You NEED to find a weapon in this deck. If you don’t draw one of your 9 weaponmasters or bone club by turn 4, you will be extremely sad. Therefore, I would strongly recommend looking for a weapon in mulligan. If you have a weapon, I would then look for early forge cards. Jax+Weaponsmith’s Apprentice is your classic power curve and I would almost always keep those two cards together. I rarely keep combat tricks unless I have Jax and I want to keep him alive. Into some slower matchups where you know you need a strong wincon, it can be okay to keep Ornn (but only if you already have a weapon!).

Improvising

When you play a weaponmaster, you will be presented with a choice of two different random weapons from a pool of eight. One of the hardest things about this deck is picking the correct weapon for the correct circumstances, so I will go through all the different weapons here to help you out as much as possible.

• Fishawack (+2/+0, overwhelm)
  • Good when: you have Ornn in hand, you have a lot of forge in hand
  • Bad when: you already have leveled Jax, oppenent is a spell-based deck rather than unit-based
• Pot o’ Pain (+1/+2, impact)
  • Good when: you need a good blockeunit to trade up with
  • Bad when: you need a more aggressive keyword
• Pan o’ Pain (+2/+0, tough)
  • Good when: this is the best weapon imo. It beats any ping or removal based deck and scales insanely hard with forge.
  • Bad when: another specific option is more compelling under the circumstances
• Shepherd’s Authority (+3/+2, can’t block)
  • Good when: you really need to pressure your opponent who plays few units (Karma, Ryze)
  • Bad when: almost every other instance. I rarely take this weapon because forge renders the stat buff pointless very quickly.
• Combat Reel (+2/+1, refill one spell mana on attack)
  • Good when: you have a lot of combat tricks in hand, you plan to discard the weapon anyway, you don’t really care about keywords
  • Bad when: A more relevant choice is presented to you
• The Fix-Em 5000 (+2/+0, quick attack)
  • Good when: you want to be aggressive, you have entrancing lure in hand
  • Bad when: playing into a removal deck/need a good blocker
• Upcycled Rake (+1/+0, scout)
  • Good when: you have Ornn in hand, you’re okay with throwing away a unit
  • Bad when: you need a blockekeyword
• Sandworn Amulet (+2/+1, Fearsome)
  • Good when: you’re playing into Bandle City or Aggro decks
  • Bad when: You are playing into other midrange or big decks

Matchups

The eternal meta is pretty open, but I will put some of my thoughts and mulligans for the common matchups that I have seen.
As for the specific mulligans, assume that what I say is in addition to the generic mulligan I specified above.

• Timelines (BC) - Very Favored
  • Mull: normal.
  • We were already very favored into this deck before the nerf and will continue to be. Even if they hit early timelines, our units will generally be bigger and higher quality. They have no way to destroy equipments and no way to stop Ornn from killing them.
• Timelines (Jax/Vi) - Very Favored
  • Mull: normal.
  • This is our deck but worse. Not much else to say. Don’t get in burn range and you can’t lose.
• Annie Jhin - Favored
  • Mull: Early units, Innovative Blacksmith, Bellows Breath
  • This used to be a very bad mu but we have so much healing now and a 5 mana boardwipe. If you draw Innovative Blacksmith or Bellows Breath, they basically can’t close the game unless they really pop off with stuns.
  • If you’re going for lethal, try to open attack to play around stuns.
• Poppy Ziggs - Favored
  • Mull: Early units, Innovative Blacksmith, Bellows Breath
  • This is basically the same as Annie Jhin, except they play for units rather than stuns and burn. Just look for healing and board wipes.
• Ezreal Seraphine BC - Favored
  • Mull: Orrn + Weapon
  • Don’t let your weapon be hexbliterated if possible, so always try to keep combat tricks to stay above 6 hp.
  • They can’t deal with Ornn at all.
  • Don’t forget they can kill weapons at fast speed with Puzzling Signposts, so don’t commit too hard to a single weapon if possible.
• Nasus Thresh/Nasus Akshan - Favored
  • Mull: normal, but you can keep Bellows Breath if you have a functional hand.
  • You can easily wipe their board on 4 with Bellows Breath, but make sure it happens before Thresh comes down and gets value.
  • After Thresh comes down, slow down the game and stop him from leveling as much as possible. You can chill until Ornn comes down, they rarely run Vengeance and therefore can’t get rid of him.
  • If Nasus isn’t a 10/10 on turn 6 exactly, your units will generally be bigger and better.
  • Akshan Nasus is significantly weaker than Nasus/Thresh, but note that they are more likely to run things like Vengeance.
• Karma Sett (SI) - Favored
  • Mull: Aggression - Jax in particular.
  • This deck is too slow to win. The stuns and recalls are a bit annoying, but they fold under a swarm of high statted units. Sett rarely gets value in this deck.
• Plaza Guardian Spam (Ez/Samira/Seraphine) - Favored
  • Mull: Normal
  • You basically pop off around the same turn. It really depends on how many plaza guardians they can vomit out on turn 6 or 7. They struggle a bit to kill your bit units since they generally only run 2 copies of disinintigrate.
  • Try to open attack where possible to play around stuns.
• ViktoAphelios - Favored to even
  • Mull: Normal
  • This is very reliant on their draw and some RNG. Viktor can take over the game if he gets lucky, but also can do nothing. He’s easily killed with your interaction, though.
  • Obliterates are very bad for you. Generally speaking, they only run starshaping and don’t maindeck them, but you should still be careful about going too all in on an equipment.
  • If you can get a wide and big board, enough for a strong open attack, Targon/PNZ can’t deal with it.
• Timelines (Frejlord) - Even to mildly unfavored
  • Mull: Normal
  • This would be a completely free matchup, except that you instantly lose to buried in ice. You have to play very carefully around it starting on turn 6 and 7 because it not only kills your board, but also your weapons. Of course, if they don’t draw the card, you win for the same reason that you beat other timelines decks.
• Sett Trundle - Unfavored
  • Mull: Aggression
  • This has all the negatives of Frejlord Timelines, but also has ionia stun and recall tools that make you sad. The best way to win is try to rush them down as fast as possible to force them to overextend their mana and lose.
  • They rarely run avalanche, so I wouldn’t play around it.
• Ryze - Extremely unfavored
  • Mull: as much early aggression as possible
  • If the Ryze player is even slightly good, he will stun and recall all your big units until they assemble the 5 exodia pieces. Thankfully, a lot of ladder Ryzes are terrible, but still.
  • Their recall even destroys equipments - can it get any worse?

Let me know if there’s any other matchup you would like to know about in the comments.

Conclusion

And that’s the guide! Let me know in the comments about any questions or concerns you might have, and I’ll be happy to answer them as they come it.