I have a gaming pc but the graphics card stopped working 2 years ago or so, it has intel i5 9th generation and 16 gb ram. i wanted to start gaming again... i was thinking of buying a graphics card, i was thinking of rx6700 to play vr titles too. but for me to upgrade to rx6700, i have to replace my power supply and add some extra fans... and after 2-3 years my cpu will get old and bottle neck. and then there's the problem of portability. i was thinking an xbox series s would be a better option, not as good of a performance and not many features and i have to say goodbye to vr but atleast it's simpler. what do you say?

For use in graduate school (classes, traveling for conferences), for image and video editing (Photoshop, Premiere, After Effects), and other general purpose use (video calls, streaming, light coding)
Both models are 16GB RAM, 1TB storage, and at the same price (~USD1950)

1. Macbook Air 15" M2
   1. Lighter & less bulky; easier to bring around
   2. Able to get 3 year AppleCare for ~USD 220; better peace of mind if repairs are needed
   3. Midnight looks good and not a big fan of the black keyboard section on the MBP
2. 2021 Macbook Pro 16" M1 Pro
   1. Bigger screen size; will not really be using external display due to needing to travel and attend classes
   2. 10/16-core versus 8/10-core CPU/GPU + cooling fan; not sure if it would make a difference tbh, but I assume it might factor in when using After Effects

Any insights/advice greatly appreciated!

I've been in the trenches of influencer marketing for quite some time now. And truth be told, I was pretty terrible at it when I first started out. The campaigns I ran for brands just weren't generating the sales I had hoped for.But after a lot of trial and error, I realized there were four common reasons why these campaigns were falling flat. Here's the lowdown: 1) Choosing the wrong influencers: I was dazzled by influencers with large followings and sleek feeds, only to realize these weren't the key to success. Now, the approach is more refined: -Checking follower counts and engagement rates. - Browsing through the comments to check the kind of engagement - Checking alignment with brand values. - Ensuring the influencer's content is engaging and persuasive 2) Sloppy onboarding: I was basically just sending products to influencers and hoping for the best. Not a good move. Now, I've developed a solid onboarding document with all the details like: - Info about the brand (logo, product shots, etc.) - Clearly outlined expectations and perks - Where to contact in case of questions - Any processes I use (approval, payouts, etc.)Let me know if you want a template of the exact document I use. 3) Infrequent posts: There were times when influencers just weren't posting enough. The solution? An 'activation drip'— a set of pre-scheduled, automated emails sent over time. These reminders: - Share success stories from other influencers. - Provide examples of effective content. - Keep them in the loop about the benefits of working with my brand. 4) Off product-market fit: And then, there were those times when I hit a wall and realized there was nothing more I could do. The product just didn't fit the market. If this happens: - Consider whether other channels are successful. If not, influencer marketing might not be right for you. - If you're not making headway anywhere, it's time to focus on finding your product-market fit. Let me know if you want more details about each problem and solution. I will share those. What about you? Any facepalm or eureka moments you've experienced in influencer marketing?

I was sure at this point i would feel much better. My use was super low (9-11 times over a year) and I'm already 100 days without it. In the last 140 days ive done it only once actually ( 100 days ago and around 145 days ago).
I don't need it. I don't want it for sure. I acknowledge this is the lowest point a person can reach to it. Most of days i even feel really good about the whole process and i do alot of stuff for it such as doing sport and going out with friends at least 4 times a week and i even doing my best to sleep more hours.
But I don't know why suddenly i get huge cravings or huge obsession to it. Yesterday i was thinking about meth all evening until i got the point i again downloaded dating apps and talked to people who's doing meth or watch videos of meth smoke and such. I live in fear and that i will do it again. Endless fear. In these 100 days i had maybe 1 or 2 days that I didn't think about meth and in most of them i was thinking about all that happened. I think that im in post-trauma. Im a good boy, I don't smoke even cigarettes and i mistakenly agreed to do meth with somone and i can't process everything that happened to put it in the past. I can't forget it
For the next 100 days ♥️

Does it really take 2 to love? Isn’t it just some fucking selfish emotion? Why the fuck did I dream about things that would happen to you, and then later see those things happen? I don’t understand? Am I crazy? Serendipity? Or, although I’m editing this because I was so squeamish writing this, was there something there? I know the sex was good, but that wasn’t it. How the fuck did you want to preserve a connection with me while you were seeing him? You fucking selfish bitch. Whatever.
I think I am more ready for death than anyone else realizes. And that’s okay. I’m angry with them for it, but it’s also a good thing. Hopefully nobody will blame themself if I ultimately decide to end my own life before the bitcoin dreams come to fruition. I just want to live the sandbox life. Dance under the pretty neon lights of SF. Get under cars in the desert. Travel the USA, and maybe even mexico doing stage rally. Drifting too. These are my soul, ya know? As much as I want to say that I don’t understand why other’s put so much fucking stock in reproduction, that’s just not true. I get it, but I’ve just thought past that. If my feelings and values about the world around me are so fucking irreconcileable with the actual world around me, then what is the point? Especially when this is the case with love. IDK. Maybe this is why most idealists aren’t realists. Shit. Oh well, I guess. It’s been relieving lately to see how people from tucson already get this, and this is all clearly why I can’t stand many people up here in the PNW. There’s some fucking concept of how things “should be” and ideals and what not. Don’t you idiots get it? It’s all chaos. Treat thy neighbor well, but don’t play the game with an assumption the world is just. It is not. Get to the point where the world is a sandbox to you. That is the only way out. And to anyone who says that I’ve become more selfish, FUCK YOU. I’m more empathetic and considerate than I’ve ever been. SJW virtue signaling is inversely proportionate with personal social social responsibility. Fucking bite me, and fuck you. FUUUAAUAAACKCKKKKk!!!!!!!!
I’m so angry. Was that his cum I ate out of you? Changing subjects, I don’t want to date ever again unless I can be honest about all of this. And I know this would scare most women off, so why bother? I better get into better shape anyways before I can even try with those who I’m interested in - male and female. Although, let’s be real, I’ve always been more interested in the ladies. The men are just a fleeting interest. An infatuation if you will? Huh, I really don’t know, I’m even questioning that as I’m writing it. Maybe… IDK. Ugh. Why is there so much social pressure and stigma specifically around those of us who are kind of on the fence on if we are bi or not. Like, not for gay guys, just for those of us who aren’t sure if we are bi or not. Anyways. IDK. I just want to curl up in someone’s arms. Someone who can read all of this and be OK. Someone who can remain calm, and not report shit so long as I’m not threatening to hurt anyone else. And someone who wouldn’t blame themselves if I did something to myself, intentional suicide or wreckless something or other or whatever the fuck else. That’s the person I could share something with, and I am doubtful that person is a high frequency individual in the population, if you will. Fuck you. FUCK YOU. DO YOU FUCKING HEAR ME? FUCK YOU.
Looking at a photo of you after venting all of this crap, I’m really not sure if you have much to do with this anymore personally. That cosmic connection is definitively in the past at this point. I no longer “feel” you. Anyways, check out this playlist: MOR chillstep memories. https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PL6wRM4KFxCbwPTzoKwJyYyGzjW6pM3rXo
Hopefully that link is still up by the time whoever the fuck reads this. ugh.

the dead eyes duty uniform for the upper body requires you to complete a full mission on Malice Threat or higher without taking even one single health worth of melee damage and given how much the game throws hordes at you and all the enemies in said hordes that use melee weapons i think that it is pretty hard a part of this is because i have been trying to get this upper body uniform since i first got the game which was last year and today i came so close that i could almost taste it but then a rager hit me for 5 entire health on malice and i nearly had a mental breakdown because something was within my grasp after so god damn long and was right at that moment ripped away from me in favor of being punched in the tits so hard that i could taste the very blade of that rager that caused me to lose everything in that moment TL;DR after a damn long time of not getting the one thing i've been trying to get since day one of getting darktide i think i might actually get it but instead got slaped in the face by a ragers fat throbbing nurgle loving cock and kicked out the door into the gates of hell
and my suggestion for this is to make it so that you can't take more than 50 damage from melee otherwise you need to do it over again because this will help avoid further near mental breakdowns/full mental breakdowns

Hey!
So, I have been smoking cannabis for recreational use for quite some time now, but because of the legal status, I am quite sure I have only gotten indica cannabis so far, and no info about the strain whatsoever. Now, I've been to the netherlands before and got to try a sativa mix joint, completely different experience. I recently got diagnosed with autism and adhd, and am willing to try sativa cannabis strains, as from my experience, at least in Amsterdam, it really was like my head and thoughts were structured better. Kind of odd, when you think about cannabis stereotypes etc.
I really want the best possible experience and because of that I wanted to ask you guys, if you are maybe even in similar situations, and what a good strain would be to choose. So far I've thought about pineapple express. Thanks!

Imagine being able to focus on your personal and professional life while still excelling in your academic pursuits. This seemingly unattainable balance is now possible thanks to the growing popularity of professional online course help services, where you can "pay someone to take my online class". No longer do you need to sacrifice your well-being for your education, as you can delegate tasks to skilled experts who will ensure your academic success. Intrigued? Let's dive into the world of online course help and discover how it can revolutionize your educational journey.

Pay Someone To Take My Online Class

Summary

• Professional online course services provide subject expertise and secure assistance with online courses.
• Researching options, consulting customer support, and setting expectations are key steps to finding the right online course helper for your needs.
• Hiring an online course taker can result in improved academic performance, effective time management and increased flexibility while upholding academic integrity within budget constraints.

Why Choose Professional Online Class Services?

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With the increasing demands of modern life, more students are finding it challenging to manage their academic workload. Enter professional online course services, the perfect solution for overwhelmed students seeking assistance in their online courses.
These services not only offer expertise in a wide range of subjects, but also ensure confidentiality and security, making them an excellent choice for those in need of a helping hand in their online education journey.

Expertise in Various Subjects

A significant advantage of professional online course services is the diverse educational backgrounds of the expert tutors. Their experienced professionals specialize in numerous subjects, from mathematics and science to languages and information technology. Whether you need help with algebra, statistics, calculus, or even essay writing in subjects like English, literature, linguistics, psychology, and religion, our services have got you covered. Choosing the right online ccourse helper means you can be confident that your academic needs will be met by top-notch experts who are committed to helping you achieve success.
In addition to our extensive subject expertise, online course helpers are equipped to assist you with various types of assignments, such as discussion boards, workbook pages, essays, quizzes, tests, and more. This wide range of assistance ensures that every aspect of your online coursework is covered, allowing you to focus on other priorities without sacrificing your academic performance.

Confidentiality and Security

Beyond subject expertise, confidentiality and security are essential aspects of professional online course services. Our services implement strict measures to protect your personal information and maintain secure communication between you and our academic services. For instance, we use custom-built VPN networks to bypass IP checks and submit all work as if it's coming from your city and state. Additionally, bank-level encryption technology, two-factor authentication, and non-disclosure agreements are employed to safeguard your data.
Moreover, our online class services have strict policies against plagiarism, ensuring that all work submitted is original and passes Turnitin or SafeAssign checks. With these comprehensive security measures in place, you can trust that your online class experience will remain confidential and secure, giving you peace of mind as you enlist the help of professional experts.

How to Find the Right Online Class Helper

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Now that you understand the benefits of professional online course services, it's crucial to find the right online class helper to suit your needs. This involves researching and comparing various options and consulting with customer support to gather essential information about the services offered, such as pricing, availability, and quality of work.

Research and Compare Options

By investigating and evaluating different online course services, you can find the most suitable option that meets your requirements and budget, while also avoiding scams and unreliable providers. Take the time to explore some websites and looking for key factors such as subject expertise, customer reviews, and pricing.
Another essential aspect to consider when comparing options is the qualifications of the online class helpers. Ensure that the chosen service employs tutors with relevant educational backgrounds and experience in your specific field of study.
By carefully researching and comparing your options, you can make an informed decision and select a service that will provide the best value and academic support.

Consult with Customer Support

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Before committing to a specific online class service, it's vital to consult with our customer support team. This allows you to address any questions or concerns you may have about the service and ensures that your chosen provider can fulfill your academic needs. Customer support can also provide vital information about the service, such as policies on academic integrity, confidentiality, and pricing, as well as offer guidance on any issues that may arise during your collaboration.
Additionally, customer support can be a valuable resource for determining the reliability and professionalism of the online course service. Prompt, helpful, and knowledgeable support can be an excellent indicator of the quality of assistance you can expect from the service, giving you confidence in your decision to entrust your online coursework to a trusted professional.

The Process of Hiring an Online Class Taker

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Once you've found the perfect online class helper, it's time to initiate the process of hiring them to assist with your coursework. This involves sharing crucial course information and setting clear deadlines and expectations to ensure a successful collaboration.

Share Course Information

To guarantee a seamless working relationship with your online class helper, it's crucial to provide accurate and detailed course information, including your course syllabus, assignment instructions, and any additional resources or materials required. This information enables the online class taker to fully understand the scope and expectations of the course, allowing them to complete tasks efficiently and effectively.
Moreover, it's essential to maintain open communication with your online class helper throughout the collaboration. Regular check-ins and updates can help address any concerns or challenges that may arise, ensuring that you stay on track towards achieving your academic goals.

Set Deadlines and Expectations

Establishing clear deadlines and expectations with your online class helper is vital to ensuring timely submission of assignments and satisfaction with the service. By providing specific due dates for tasks and outlining the desired outcomes, you can effectively manage your time and keep both parties accountable.
Setting deadlines and expectations also allows the online class helper to organize their workload, ensuring that they can dedicate the necessary time and effort to complete your assignments to the highest quality. In turn, this guarantees a successful collaboration and a more enjoyable online class experience for you.

Benefits of Paying Someone to Take Your Online Class

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Hiring an online class helper offers numerous benefits to students struggling to balance their academic workload with personal and professional commitments. These advantages include improved academic performance, effective time management, and increased flexibility.
Let's delve deeper into these benefits and how they can transform your educational journey.

Improved Academic Performance

One of the most significant benefits of hiring an online class helper is the potential for improved academic performance. By delegating tasks to skilled experts, you can achieve better grades and make greater progress towards your degree. Online course services have a proven track record of success, with many students reporting higher grades and a more enjoyable learning experience as a result of their collaboration.
In addition to enhancing your overall academic performance, professional online course help can also support you in specific areas where you may be struggling. For example, if you're facing challenges in a math class, enlisting the assistance of an expert tutor can promote academic growth and help you achieve the desired grades.

Time Management and Flexibility

Another significant advantage of hiring an online class helper is the increased time management and flexibility it offers. Delegating your online coursework to a professional allows college students like you to focus on other priorities, such as work, family, or personal interests, without sacrificing your academic progress.
Furthermore, hiring an online class helper provides you with greater freedom when it comes to scheduling and location. You can attend to other commitments while knowing that your academic tasks are being taken care of by a reliable professional. This increased flexibility can lead to a more enjoyable and less stressful educational experience, ultimately contributing to your overall well-being and success.

Overcoming Common Concerns about Online Class Help

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As with any service, there may be some concerns related to online course help, particularly in terms of academic integrity and affordability.
However, these concerns can be effectively addressed and overcome through proper research, communication, and understanding of the online class help process.

Academic Integrity

Academic integrity is a fundamental principle in any academic environment, ensuring that the work submitted is authentic and reflects the student's own understanding. To address academic integrity concerns, it's essential to choose a reliable online course help provider with a clear policy on academic integrity and a commitment to producing original work.
By being mindful of the potential risks associated with using online class help and taking appropriate measures to protect your academic integrity, you can enjoy the benefits of professional assistance while still adhering to the ethical standards of your educational institution.

Affordability and Value

Addressing affordability concerns involves thoroughly researching and comparing various online course help providers, looking for factors such as pricing, services offered, and any discounts or special offers that may be available. By weighing the benefits of the service against the costs, you can ensure that you receive the best value for your investment.
Moreover, taking the time to consult with customer support can help clarify any questions or concerns regarding pricing and overall value. This communication allows you to make an informed decision, ensuring that you receive the highest quality academic assistance at a price that fits within your budget.

Success Stories from Satisfied Students

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Many students have experienced the transformative benefits of online class help services, resulting in improved academic performance and a more balanced lifestyle. For example, Tim L. was struggling with his history class when a friend recommended an online class helper. After giving the service a try, Tim's grade significantly improved, allowing him to focus on other priorities without sacrificing his academic success.
Another student, facing challenges in their finance class, enlisted the help of an online class taker and found that they no longer had to worry about this particular subject. These success stories demonstrate the potential of online class help services to support students in achieving their academic goals while maintaining a healthy balance in their lives.

Conclusion

In today's fast-paced world, professional online class help services can be a life-changing resource for students struggling to juggle their academic workload with personal and professional commitments. With the expertise, confidentiality, and security provided by these services, students can improve their academic performance, manage their time more effectively, and enjoy greater flexibility in their educational journey. By carefully researching and selecting the right online class helper, and addressing common concerns related to academic integrity and affordability, you can unlock the full potential of these services and experience a more enjoyable and successful educational experience. Embrace the opportunity to transform your academic life and enlist the help of a professional online class service today.
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Frequently Asked Questions

1. What subjects do you assist with? I can assist with multiple courses including: mathemetics, statistics, accounting, finance, business, english, history, liberal arts but the best way to find out is fill out a quote form.
2. How does the whole process work?
It’s a simple 3 step process.

1. Get a quote
2. If the price is agreeable to you, I will get the work done
3. Make payment

3. How does payment work? Payment depends on the assignment: Whole class: first payment is due after I assist with the first week. Offline assignment: payment is due before work is doneOnline test or homework: payment is due after assistance is rendered
4. What payment methods do you accept? I accept credit card, debit card, 2checkout or paypal. I will send you an invoice to your email when you are due to pay.
5. What are your guarantees on grades? I get A’s 99% of the time. If you have a course that falls outside our range of expertise I will not take it. I will not put your grade at risk. I've completed thousands final exams with good grades. I guarantee an A or B on all of our work or money back guarantee.
6. Is this confidential? Yes my service is 100% confidential. I am only offering solutions to any questions you may have. I am a tutoring service, so there is nothing to be worried about our quality work.
7. How do you guys offer such reliable customer service? I am dedicated to making sure anyone I help is satisfied 100%. I understand that the whole concept of someone doing your homework can be unsettling. I am here to make it as simple as possible for you and I want to answer any questions you have.
8. Is this considered cheating? If you ask me to assist with your economics exam or assignment, I will give you the answers. I am just providing correct answers to your questions. Once I release the answers, it's up to you to submit those answers.

"As a natural continuation of the previous chapter, where we talked about Self-Awareness, this and the following two chapters will deepen our understanding of awareness — more specifically, Living Awareness. This is because we have used the term Living Awareness here and there throughout this book, to differentiate between mere idea and something experiential, truly alive; and now it’s time to delve deeper into it. Living Awareness is a term that I coined back in 2014 to refer the deeper levels of awareness, which I began to experience at that time. In a nutshell, Living Awareness means of a direct connection to Source of All Living Life — it is a state of pure awareness beyond the limitations of space, time, and form — the union of opposites, in which self and non-self are realized as one. In other words, Living Awareness is a pure state of being that passes beyond the boundaries of our personal existence — a deep inner knowing, an instant realization, recognition and acknowledgment in every moment that the observer and the observed, subject and the object — are the very same thing — One Interconnected Whole.
Before we can delve deeper into Living Awareness itself, it would be beneficial to explain the basic idea behind awareness, so that we can expand upon it later; and by doing so, we can ease the process of understanding when it comes to Living Awareness. Undoubtedly, awareness is one of the greatest gifts that existence has given to human beings — we all experience it, even if we don’t have a true understanding of what it is or how it works. With increasing awareness, one does find life to be more fulfilling — we will learn more about this in the following chapters. So what is awareness? Beyond definitions related to having consciousness, knowledge or understanding of something, awareness is the quality of being awake, with the recognition that there are different ways in which we may or may not be awake.
Awareness is the state or ability to feel, to perceive, to know, and to be conscious of our own existence — within and without. As such, awareness is closely linked to, and intimately connected with consciousness that makes us conscious of our body and mind, our environment and the world around us. This, in turn, makes us aware of our beingness as a living and breathing expression of life. The physical level of awareness is represented by the body and its sensations of the world. Although our sensations are experienced through the body, this awareness is distinct from awareness of sensation within the body itself, which goes on to say that there is more to awareness than meets the eye — a spiritual dimension or component, if you will. The spiritual level of awareness goes much deeper than the ordinary everyday states of wakefulness — it can be said to be a direct connection to all that is — knowing reality, knowing existence, knowing one’s being, and ultimately, knowing God, you see?
Furthermore, all life has awareness in varying degrees, or more aptly, all Life is Awareness — Living Awareness that comes from Spirit. Our current level of awareness separates us from rocks, plants and animals; as human beings, in a human level, we have expanded our awareness to a certain level of self-awareness, which allows us to express sapience — the ability to think and act using knowledge, experience, understanding, common sense and insight. It is this very self-awareness that allows us to think, wonder, ponder, and contemplate topics concerning existence itself; it allows us to conceptualize deeper or larger questions about human existence, to pose and ponder questions about life, death, and ultimate realities. This expansion has not yet reached the level where we would be fully self-realized beings, although we are well on our way towards it." You can read the full article on the website: https://www.infinitequantumzen.info/2023/04/living-awareness-the-heart-of-all-living-life.html
Get the Book on Amazon https://www.amazon.com/dp/B08NDT3GMH

Finding a good tutor who can effectively assist you in a specific subject is crucial for academic success. This article provides practical tips and strategies to help you find a qualified tutor who meets your specific needs.

1. Identify Your Requirements: Before starting the tutor search, clearly define your requirements. Determine the subject you need assistance with, the level of tutoring required (e.g., elementary, high school, college), and any specific learning objectives or challenges you may have. This clarity will guide your search and help you find a tutor who specializes in your desired subject.
   
2. Seek Recommendations: Ask your friends, classmates, teachers, or school counselors for recommendations. They may have worked with tutors in the past or know someone who can provide assistance in your chosen subject. Personal recommendations often carry more weight and can lead you to trustworthy and reliable tutors.
   
3. Utilize Online Tutoring Platforms: Online tutoring platforms have become a popular resource for finding tutors in various subjects. Platforms like Tutor.com, Chegg, and Wyzant connect students with qualified tutors who offer one-on-one sessions. These platforms often provide reviews, tutor profiles, and information on their qualifications and expertise, making it easier to find a good fit.
   
4. Check Tutor Qualifications and Experience: When considering potential tutors, review their qualifications, experience, and educational background. Look for tutors who hold relevant degrees, certifications, or professional experience in the subject you need help with. Additionally, consider their teaching experience and track record of success.
   
5. Interview Potential Tutors: Before committing to a tutor, conduct interviews or introductory sessions to assess their teaching style, communication skills, and compatibility with your learning preferences. Ask questions about their teaching methodologies, availability, and approach to addressing specific learning challenges. This interaction will help you determine if the tutor is a good fit for your needs.
   
6. Request References: If possible, ask potential tutors for references from previous students or parents. Contact these references to gather insights into the tutor's teaching effectiveness, professionalism, and reliability. Hearing from others who have worked with the tutor can provide valuable feedback and help you make an informed decision.
   
7. Consider Cost and Schedule: Evaluate the cost and scheduling options offered by the tutor. Compare rates and packages from different tutors to ensure they align with your budget. Additionally, consider their availability and flexibility to accommodate your schedule, especially if you have other commitments or extracurricular activities.
   
8. Trust Your Instincts: Finally, trust your instincts when selecting a tutor. If something feels off or you don't feel a connection with a particular tutor, it's best to explore other options. A good tutor-student relationship is built on trust, effective communication, and mutual understanding.
   

Finding a good tutor requires careful consideration of your specific requirements, seeking recommendations, utilizing online platforms, checking qualifications and experience, conducting interviews, requesting references, considering cost and schedule, and ultimately trusting your instincts. By following these steps, you can find a tutor who will effectively support your learning and help you excel in your chosen subject.

as the title says this Sunday I will be having my first test of class 11 in my coaching. Maine admission late lia hai abhi units and dimensions chal rha hai phy mai mujhe kuch kuch samajh aaraha hai. Test ka title hai Fundamental of physics which will be of 25marks 1hr. Mujhe Dena hai but mai prepared nahi hai bilkul bhi. Maine sir se baat Kari unhone ne kaha kuch doubt ho toh puch le but Maine toh chapter hi miss kardia hai. What to do now ?? Pls I want to score good in this !! Seniors pls madad kardo 🙏🙏

First Prev Next Royal Road Patreon
u/KieveKRS providing the Trash certification of quality! (with help from u/coldfireknight cuz this one needed it.)
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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.
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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)

I've been in the trenches of influencer marketing for quite some time now. And truth be told, I was pretty terrible at it when I first started out.
The campaigns I ran for brands just weren't generating the sales I had hoped for.But after a lot of trial and error, I realized there were four common reasons why these campaigns were falling flat. Here's the lowdown:
1) Choosing the wrong influencers: I was dazzled by influencers with large followings and sleek feeds, only to realize these weren't the key to success. Now, the approach is more refined:
-Checking follower counts and engagement rates.
- Browsing through the comments to check the kind of engagement
- Checking alignment with brand values.
- Ensuring the influencer's content is engaging and persuasive
2) Sloppy onboarding: I was basically just sending products to influencers and hoping for the best. Not a good move. Now, I've developed a solid onboarding document with all the details like:
- Info about the brand (logo, product shots, etc.)
- Clearly outlined expectations and perks
- Where to contact in case of questions
- Any processes I use (approval, payouts, etc.)Let me know if you want a template of the exact document I use.
3) Infrequent posts: There were times when influencers just weren't posting enough. The solution? An 'activation drip'— a set of pre-scheduled, automated emails sent over time. These reminders:
- Share success stories from other influencers.
- Provide examples of effective content.
- Keep them in the loop about the benefits of working with my brand.
4) Off product-market fit: And then, there were those times when I hit a wall and realized there was nothing more I could do. The product just didn't fit the market. If this happens:
- Consider whether other channels are successful. If not, influencer marketing might not be right for you.
- If you're not making headway anywhere, it's time to focus on finding your product-market fit.
Let me know if you want more details about each problem and solution. I will share those.
What about you? Any facepalm or eureka moments you've experienced in influencer marketing?

I need to get this off my chest, throwaway account for obvious reasons. (Looong post. Grab some wine and a snack.)
I feel like I've allowed myself to become a doormat and a fool and walked into a trap.
My DH and I have been together now for almost 12 years, got married 4 years ago. We have 1 son, 1 on the way and I am just so ashamed I even let this happen to me.
For starters, my husband and I live with my parents. My husband has a decent job, started his career while I went to college. The plan, or so I thought, was to finish college, he'd have a head start good paying career and we'd move when I graduated. Well, we got married right after I graduated college and that's when covid hit, about 6 months later. I had a small part time job at the time which ultimately I was fired from for downsizing during the covid chaos. This is when I started staying home. He swore up and down and convinced me "our" dream of me being a SAHM was a reality. I wouldn't have to work. It wouldn't effect anything for us bc my income was so incredibly low I didn't contribute financially anyway. Which was 100% true that wasn't a lie.
So, needless to say I didn't find another job and settled into at home life. Which I enjoyed 100%. I loved being in charge of the home. We did live with my parents still, I took on some of their chores and house work too. But the goal was still the same. To leave. The issue then was the market boomed (if you're from the US you know how insane it was) so we pushed back the plan to buy a home which at the time I thought was reasonable considering around the area we needed to live for his job was basically selling run down hoarder houses for no less than 250k. This was 2021.
During 2021 I fell pregnant. At the time I was thrilled despite the living situation. I was under the assumption we wouldn't be here long and tbh a FTM with a newborn, I liked the idea of having the help from my parents. I had my son, he's amazing. I love him and don't regret having him. However, as 2022 started I started pressuring my husband to move out. Get the ball rolling. To his credit he did find an agent, but started talking about how we didn't make enough. (Weird considering his job only got better during this time, housing stabilized a bit, and wtf you said we could do this?) At first I thought it might be cold feet. A newborn, turned infant, scared FTD, we got a lot of help in the early days from my parents. We had it easy to say the least.
I left the topic alone for a little, maybe a couple months and revisited it. He again started claiming we would need 200k in the bank, we would need at least 30k down, we would need this and that and basically saying it will never happen. I combats this argument. I grew up poor. Very poor actually. I'd start saying things like idk how you think my parents help us and helped my sister with her kids when they make significantly less than you do. And even my sister today has 6 kids and is a SAHM with a husband who makes 20-30k less a year. His ideas on how much people need to survive were wild to me. Of course I don't want to live poor, but we wouldn't be anyway. He had gotten a promotion. Unlimited over time whenever and if he wanted it. I was genuinely confused and he ignored my attempts at a realistic conversation about it. And again, WTF YOU SAID WE COULD DO THIS. Not only that but I do not spend money. I find deals, I shop around, etc. Again growing up poor you know how to make a dollar stretch a mile and it's just in me to do this. There is no way we can't make it work for our family. I even have a friend who has a son and her and her husband combined don't make as much as my husband. They are comfortable. Buying new cars, debt free, new cloths, trips etc.
I knew the market wasn't amazing still. I thought maybe it's bc he still sees houses for 250k+ and he just is scared to jump. I spoke to this agent and told her to send us over some houses lower than our initial target price point. There were some pretty decent houses. Cue me sending them over a few months and getting nothing but excuse after excuse. Or "I don't want to live there." Or "yeah but we'd have to renovate this or that" but also coupled with the confusing statement of "we can afford a 200k house why is she sending us these?" So it's turned into a cat and mouse game of. Can we not afford 200k? Or can we? What is going on?!?? When I asked him why he kept doing this flip flopping he used the amazingly dumb excuse of "well you deserve xyz" which is a cop-out in my opinion.
The end of 2022 hit, I started feeling stupid, defeated and worn out. I gave up. I just figured I'd learn to accept ill be the person who lives with their parents forever and my life will be hell with no privacy, nothing to call my own and in early 2023... oops. Pregnant. Again. On the pill. A cruel joke the universe had on me? Idk. I'm currently 22 weeks pregnant.
At this point we live in my parents (admittedly finished and nice) basement, no rooms. No doors. With a crib shoved in a corner for my son. No room to grow with a new baby on the way. My parents are while nice about it very much at their stage of life wanting to not have a bunch of baby things everywhere, so the basement is PACKED im constantly running into things, kicking toys around, I have no room and some how we have to fit another human being down here.
Currently my husband is STILL insisting we can't afford to move. He won't even entertain the idea of it anymore. And to top it all off, our marriage is in shambles. He routinely ignores any of my needs and wants. He constantly has a bad attitude. He is always annoyed, always running from reality and even my parents have noticed, even though I don't say anything about my marriage, how unhelpful, lazy and rude he has been. My mom has even said one night when he working overtime "well it's not like he helps you anyway." If he's home he sits on YouTube or plays video games and I'll be honest, I give up.
I feel like I have exhusted this topic to the point he refuses to engage with it. We barely speak about anything of value and I basically go about my day as If I was a single mom living with my parents and being THEIR live in maid. I feel betrayed. Like he sold me a lie. I feel stupid for even believing him. I feel trapped being unexpectedly pregnant. Idk what to do.
I have set up a therapy session for myself. I'm hoping this helps me just come to terms with everything and figure out my next steps and ultimately, idk. I just feel like I need someone to talk to about it so I signed up for it.
I feel trapped by an over grown toddler of a man who is simply living his best life rent free while his wife is miserable and cries alone at night trying not to wake her child. All bc I was too gullible in believing this man. Believed he'd be a provider. A good daddada great husbsnd. Now left with an embarrassing life and I'm so ashamed I'm bringing another child into this even if i will love them.
If you've made it this far, I appreciate you. Thank you for letting me vent. Idk anymore I feel fucking stupid. It's embarrassing to even post this anonymously.

Is there any word on flames being nerfed? (That falls under the category of Flamethrower, Molotovs, and Engine Fires).
Players should not be catching on fire instantly from simply touching a lingering flame unless its from a direct stream of fire from a Flamethrower, it should be at least 1-2 seconds sitting in the fire to engulf yourself in flames (Damage over time still applies without the instant flame stun). What really ticks me off personally is the engine fires instantly catching me on fire when i'm trying to extinguish it from outside of the vehicle. How big is the flame damage entity on the back of the vehicle? It feels like it covers the entirety of the vehicle than just on the point that's on fire.
In terms of the Flamethrower weapon specifically: It seems logical and fair that it should get a turn speed nerf while firing and movement speed nerf; to what percentage I don't know, as long as a i'm not able to swing nearly 180 degrees with a single mouse movement and casually strafing back and forth while firing the flamethrower. I think it's a good way to balance it as players will simply sprint and burst fire from cover to adapt to becoming sitting ducks when firing for long periods of time in the open without the ability to swing back and forth like its a low pressure squirt gun. Even then, players being attacked by a flamethrower would still be blinded greatly by the flame plume so its not much of a nerf than a balance pass.
I don't want to pull the "Realism" card but a high pressure tank and hose shooting an ungodly hot liquid shouldn't be so easy to spray around willy nilly getting free kills with the most minimal effort.
-Dedicated Flamethrower main, burning players through walls since 2021

A strong screenplay is necessary for grabbing and holding your viewers’ interest in videos, which have evolved into effective communication tools. You can create videos that engage viewers and clearly communicate your idea by understanding the essential components of a strong video script and using powerful strategies.

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I told him I knew. With viscous jealousy and anger, I read aloud the comments he wrote to her. I told him how hurt I was. He didn’t try to deny anything. We talked for hours and hours. He answered all of my questions with brutally honest answers. Hearing the answers hurt so badly, but if it had seemed like he was avoiding answering the questions or feeding me lies, it would have hurt so much more. After I ran out of questions, and tears, he apologized profusely for hurting me, and seemed genuinely sorry. But he did not regret being in love with her. He said it was not his intention to fall in love with her, or anyone. Also, that it did not start off that way. For context, I need to add that our relationship does not have some of the traditional restrictions that most do. We had agreed very early on that we did not have any restrictions as far as looking at porn, chatting online, even sexually, just for fun, things like that. Cheating to us was considered having a romantic relationship with someone, either online or in person, or a sexual relationship with someone in person. To me, if you’re just talking to someone online sexually as a form of entertainment, I saw no harm in it. He felt the same way. So, that’s how it started with her. It was all in good fun, until he fell for her. Part of me feels like it’s my own fault for creating that gateway, of sorts, in the first place. But I trusted him and had no reason not to. So, I did. Unfortunately, he didn’t have his walls up high enough when he began the sexual relationship, and that’s when the emotional cheating started. That was when he crossed the line. He admits that allowing that to happen was a mistake, and apologizes for letting it happen. He understands that he was wrong and that he should have ended it as soon as he developed even a notion of a feeling for her. But he did not. I am understanding to a fault. I understand how this happened. I understand how intoxicating those feelings of budding romance can be. And I understand how weak a person can become. But it doesn’t hurt any less. He won’t end things with her. He can’t. He’s in love with her. They are soulmates. So, that should make things simple for me, right? He loves her and he can’t end things with her. So, that should be the end of us. I knew it. I should have just walked away. I’m not dumb. I’m not naive. I would have told anyone to do exactly that! Leave his ass!! But I didn’t. I stayed. He promised never to lie to me again and to be completely open and honest with me. We discussed splitting up. He didn’t want me to go. He said he was still in love with me, every bit as he always had been. He said he still believed we are soulmates. He said he didn’t mean to fall in love, but now he was, and he couldn’t just simply choose not to be. He said he would understand if I left and agreed that if he were me, he would leave. But he wanted me to stay. I told him that if he wanted me to stay, he would need to end things with her. He said he couldn’t. He said, insisted, that if she asked him to end things with me, he couldn’t do that either. I spent days weighing my options…I could completely uproot my life, my child’s life, his children’s lives. I could be without him. I know logically that I would eventually be ok without him. I wouldn’t kill myself over it. But despite everything that has happened, I still believe we are soulmates, as stupid as that sounds to admit. I’m honestly embarrassed to admit that, because if I weren’t going through it, I’d say, you’re being a fool…your soulmate does not cheat on you. I decided to stay. For now. I can’t just uproot everything, rip myself and my daughter away from everything we know. And I can’t imagine an existence without him in my life. This tore me apart. I’m pretty sure that would literally kill me. I have had an entire lifetime of heartbreak from a very early age, not just of the romantic variety. I can’t handle anymore. Since deciding to stay, almost a year ago now, he has been amazing to me, just like he always has. He has so many great qualities, and so few not-so-great ones. Why couldn’t it be simpler? Why couldn’t he just leave me for her? Why is it so obvious to me, despite the situation, that he loves me? Leaving him would be instant devastation for me. But staying is slowly killing me anyhow. It’s eating me alive. I try to be happy, because I chose to stay. But thoughts of him and her consume me. His comments to her play on repeat in my mind. He seems to be being completely open and honest with me, as promised, but part of can’t believe a word out of his mouth anymore. I have no idea what the future holds, and that’s terrifying. I never will have that feeling of security, of knowing what the future holds and planning for it again. I had every indication of stability before, and here I am! He could leave me for her at any time, even though he says he couldn’t do that. Who knows, when her circumstances change. Right now, she’s not in a place that she can pick up and move to be with him. But what happens when that happens?…I am in constant dread of the looming end of us. Life without my best friend. I feel like maybe I’m just a place holder until he can be with her physically. Like, maybe he’s just the best liar and actor in the world. I’ve always been a pretty good judge of character and I am hyper vigilant, so I would trust my judgment. So, I think I would pick up on it if he were just pretending. I don’t really know what I’m looking for…Maybe just someone to talk to. I’m not looking for judgement. I understand that from an outsider’s perspective, it’s simple and I’m being a fool. I just feel like it’s not that simple when you’re actually living it. So, please refrain from judgement. I have no one to talk to about it. And it’s very emotionally taxing. I feel I’m on a constant verge of a mental breakdown and maybe talking to someone might help. Can anyone offer any insight?

Hi! Fellow artist here, looking to commission an artist to draw an OC of mine, specifically paying through Cash App. My budget is $30 USD exactly, I'm trying to clear out my app balance. I'll explain why in a moment, lol ^^; I'm looking for someone who would draw a character, preferably an artist who can draw masculine humanoid characters. For a preferred style, I'm looking for an anime adjacent art style, but it doesn't necessarily have to be that lol, I'll honestly take any style if I think it's cool ^^
Ok, now for the story lol. I'm an artist myself who's currently taking commissions, but I slipped up a bit and after setting up my Cash App account, I failed to realize that I should probably check if I could withdraw that money. Unfortunately, due to some... circumstances (being my own privacy concerns) I cannot actually withdraw it. So naturally, I asked if the client would be okay with a refund, but they (rightfully) did not want to and have been trying to work with me how to go about fixing this. Over the past few days, nothing has really cleared up and I feel terrible dragging on this long about payment, so I thought of my best solution, just buying a commission through Cash App so I won't need to bother on about being unable to withdraw my money! And also I've been looking to buy some art of my characters and this is a good excuse lol
Anyway, if any artists are interested, please drop me a DM with your portfolio/art examples :) I'm more likely to see it that way, but I will also try to filter through comments.

Hello yet again! As you can probably tell I'm still, like many of people in here, in search for the one! A vampire at that! A vampire in this day and age?! Yes I know I know!
Looks are very subjective and unless you see the other person you don't know if you like each other or not, so let's just exchange pics with each other!
First off, my ideal person would be:
-someone who enjoys video games, anime, art or playing music/singing! (but again not necessarily a requirement)
-someone loyal and honest (this is the only hard requirement) -Bubbly personality
-i dont mind if you are extroverted or introverted that much! However if you are a homebody too we are probably alike!
-can take jokes!
As for me, I would say I'm quite the introvert, I'm a homebody and my hobbies mainly consist of searching the web for information most of the time, watching anime, drawing, playing piano, enjoying video games, appreciating old horror movies and trying to accept the fact that no new movies will be equally as good as the older ones!
I'm honest at heart and I would love it if you were too! I can be quite cringeworthy or edgy at times though so you have been warned!
Lastly I'm 5'10 (178cm for us the elites) since I know many people nowadays care a lot about that. This is me : https://imgur.com/a/bM5WSxf
So yeah! Shoot me a message! Let it be something more than just a hey! Tell me something about yourself! A weird quirk of yours perhaps or how we are both depressed but edgy wannabes! 🤔😁❤️

Hey guys, me and this girl are both in our late 20s and have known each other for almost 3 years. We met on a dating app a long time ago and even though we hung out a few times, things didn’t really pan out. We kept in touch here and there, but it wasn’t until about 5 months ago that we reconnected and have been talking basically non-stop since then. 3 months ago we went on our real first date and have had a few more since then. We talk every day, our convos are usually text message. Don’t really call each other, but we will send voice messages sometimes. She is pretty busy with her job during the week and I run multiple businesses. She’s Asian, has only been in the US for 6 years, slightly on the conservative side, and a little nerdy as she works in tech. For whatever reason I think she’s beautiful on the outside and inside and am quite attracted to her. After our first date, our text convos became more detailed and exciting. We would share everything and ask questions to learn about each other, use hugs and kiss emojis, etc etc. We have a pet name for each other and say good morning and good night everyday without fail. Even if some days we are too busy to get back to each other, one of us always texts good night. You know how it goes. If you read our history of messages, you would think “they are definitely into each other”. Anyway, we just had our 4th date in the last 3 months. It’s been about a week and a half since then. The last two times we met up, we held hands during some portions of our time together. I wanted to kiss her on the third date since I saw all the signs, but I wussed out and instead gave her a kiss on the cheek, which she reciprocated back to me. After the 4th date, I dropped her off and we were sitting in my car just talking and laughing about stuff for 30 minutes. I grabbed some gum and started chewing it and she saw me and did the same. She started holding my hand and I said we should go home it’s late and went in for a hug. As I hugged her I slowly moved my lips to hers. She hesitated a bit so I pulled back and said “I’ve been wanting to kiss you for a while, is that okay?” She said yes. So I went back in for the kiss, our lips barely touched for 2 seconds when she pulls back and says “oh I almost forgot I got you something, let me grab it from upstairs, just wait in your car for 5 minutes.” so she leaves to grab the gift. I’m sitting there confused like did I do something wrong? It definitely wasn’t my breath cause I take care of my shit, not to mention I used mouthwash after dinner and chewed gum all day even up until I kissed her. So she comes back down to my drivers side door, I step outside, she hands me my gift. It wasn’t anything extravagant or wrapped up. Just a little kitchen gadget she bought two of and wanted to give me one. I thanked her and we hugged. Thought about maybe trying to kiss her again, but I still felt kind of awkward. Our hug lasted for almost 2 minutes though! We just didn’t let go of each other. It felt really nice. Once we pulled apart, she told me I smelled really good. After that, I get in my car to leave. My window was open so she starts holding my hand through the window and slowly lets go before saying bye almost like she didn’t want to. And that was that. The issue I’m having is that she’s being a bit more distant in our messages. Taking longer to respond, not bringing up as many topics. She will still share photos of food and send random videos and stuff, but it doesn’t feel as engaging as it was before the last date. This past week and a half I have noticed this behavior. She will still always text good morning and good night with the hearts and kiss emojis and use our pet names, but some days we only share a few texts back and forth in between. Sometimes I’ll bring up a topic and her response will be super short compared to mine. She also compliments me less. Mainly I’ve noticed that sometimes she won’t respond for 4-8 hours, though she always does. This started happening literally the next day after our date. It’s not like really bad since we still connect with each other every day, but there is definitely a difference or else I wouldn’t be asking for advice here. The first few days I pretended everything was fine and was still being my usual self. We didn’t talk about the kiss at all. Then I just started mirroring her because I didn’t want to come off as needy or desperate. Once I did that a few times, I’d get a double text from her. Or I would just get a goodnight text before she went to sleep. So what gives? I’m confused. Is she still interested? Is she playing hard to get? You think she’s just busy? Does she want me to chase her? Does she want me to ask her on another date again? I’d love to see her more than every 3 weeks, but I don’t wanna come off as needy or pushy since we are both busy people. Maybe since she’s foreign and a bit conservative, that was her first kiss and she feels confused herself about trusting me and wants to take it slow? Even if that’s the case, I don’t mind at all. I’m into her a lot and would be as patient as she wants. Maybe she didn’t want to kiss and felt I forced it? But she also gave me an affectionate and long hug afterwards and held my hand like it was a romance movie. What do y’all think? I know this is getting long, but I’m almost done. Some more context here. She never expects me or asks me to pay on dates. She tries to pay every time, even though I always say no and insist I will and would be happy to do so. On our last date, she paid the check while I was in the bathroom and I didn’t realize it until I came back. She’s a good woman for sure. And lastly, on Sunday after we texted good morning, she mentioned what she was doing that day and going shopping. I responded back and said that I need to buy a new shirt but maybe next week since I was busy that day. She didn’t respond back until midnight, but to her credit she did reply to each thing I had mentioned before she said goodnight. Referring to the shirt, she said “definitely show me the new shirt! Or we can go together if possible”. I got back to her in the morning and said that yeah I’d really like that. Didn’t ask her formally yet but planning to do so tomorrow. Here is what I had in mind: “Kimmy, how do you feel about Sunday? You can help me pick out a new shirt and maybe some new sunglasses. We can also go check out the Buddhist temple you mentioned last week. I’ve never seen one in person before. Something else that has been on my mind. I hope I didn’t make you feel weird or awkward when I kissed you that other night. I was quite nervous. And you looked so cute and pretty as you always do. I did it with good intentions and because I felt something special with you. I really like spending time with you, exploring new places together, and learning more about each other. I’m not the type of person to move fast with this kind of things, so if you ever feel weird, you can tell me “no” and I promise I won’t take it personally. I just wanted to communicate it to you since it has been on my mind. I feel it’s important to be open, especially since I care about you a lot.” If you read all that, you’re awesome and I could really use some advice. What should I do? Am I just worrying for no reason here? Should I talk about the kiss when asking her to get together on the weekend? Should I bring it up in person? Or even at all? TLDR: Talking with a girl every day for 5 months, started taking it more serious 3 months ago. We clearly like each other and have been on multiple dates. She’s foreign and a bit conservative. A bit nerdy too as she works in tech. I am a business owneentrepreneur. Every previous date has been great and fun and we had our 4th date recently and when I tried kissing her in the car after dropping her off, she pulled back a bit so then I asked if it was okay to kiss her? She said yes, so I kissed her, we barely touched lips for 2 seconds when she pulls back and says she has a gift for me and runs upstairs to get it. As I sit there awkwardly confused, she comes back, gives me a small gift, we hug. Hug is super tight and lasts for almost 2 minutes, just holding each other and not letting go. Didn’t try kissing her again. As I’m about to leave she holds my hand for a few seconds before letting go slowly and saying bye. Up until that night our conversations have always been very engaging and she’s pretty quick to reply. We always say good night and good morning every day without fail and use pet names and hearts and kiss emojis. Next day after date and for this past week and a half, she’s less engaging in convos. Doesn’t text back as quick - sometimes 4-8 hours, doesn’t reply as detailed, and won’t initiate as much as she used to. But she still mentioned a few days ago that we should hang out. It’s not all bad because we still talk every day and she says good night and good morning the same way every day with the hearts and kisses. But I feel it’s different. What do you think and what should I do?