Sorry if this is a weird place to post, it doesn’t really belong in relationshipadvice so I figured this might be more appropriate. So I (22 F) just graduated university last December. I’ve had three romantic partners since my sophomore year of high school, all of which were long term lasting a minimum of two years. I broke up amiably with my latest partner in August of last year and have been single ever since. In that time, I’ve been approached by no less than four guys, all of whom were very similar to one another in terms of their mannerisms. At risk of sounding unpleasant or prejudiced, all of them very clearly suffered from extreme social awkwardness, couldn’t take on cues and in general were very inappropriate in how they interacted/flirted (?) with me. Put simply, all acted very “creepy”. Some of these guys tried to invite me to their off campus apartments for “movie night” (we had never even spoken outside of lab), get my contact info and, in one case, would closely follow my friend and I and tried to find out how to get into my dorm (you needed a key card to enter).
Just to clear the air — I’m aware a lot of these guys are likely ASD or have some kind of social anxiety. It’s cliche to say, but some of my closest friends and even a partner of mine have been on the spectrum, albeit high functioning. I myself also feel that I am fairly attuned to those with social anxiety as I myself struggle with similar issues. However, during the latter half of my time at college I had a negative experience with someone matching the description of these guys. I very naively gave them a chance at friendship, didn’t reciprocate their romantic feelings, and they then took every opportunity to manipulate my emotions through threats of self harm, and when I cut them off they tried to convince the rest of our friend group that I had somehow been in the wrong. Fortunately they had a reputation by that point, and I had evidence to the contrary so no one believed their story.
Ever since then, I’ve been hyper aware of these sorts of interactions, and the amount I seem to draw in is really starting to worry me. I’ve often been told I tend to give people too many chances, and being the stereotypical “nerdy one” playing D&D and video games, I’ve had encounters like this since I was younger, much to my chagrin. It’s because of this I’ve tried to distance myself from said activities over the years and get into new, more active hobbies.
The last straw for me was this past winter — I had been volunteering at my local animal shelter on the weekends, and there was one guy who matched the description of the others. He was polite enough, I just made my mind up to make it abundantly clear I was NOT interested, even in hanging out. After multiple rejected coffee dates, I thought things had died down. Then, on my last shift before leaving for a big cross country road trip, while he and I were alone together in one of the meeting rooms, he outright told me that he had a crush on me. I froze up, hastily told him, “thanks for the vote of confidence” and then, not knowing what else to do, gave him a hug. I haven’t been back there since and am now in another state.
I know this is a pattern. I’ve done everything I can think of to discourage this sort of thing besides being outright rude to throw people like this off my scent. I try to stay optimistic, but I keep feeling like there’s something wrong with me. I never seem to attract attention from the kinds of people I’d like to be around, except in select circumstances. To be clear, people who act like this TERRIFY me, so I would never dream of leading them on. Maybe I’m overreacting, but the amount of times it’s happened makes me think I might be saddled with this forever. Does anyone have any advice, or have ever felt similarly? Honestly anything helps, I really appreciate you guys <3

Hi! so I have a small crossbreed japanese spitz x shih tzu that's about 2 months old and we've only had her for a less than 2 weeks. after watching puppy training videos, I've tried doing the thing where when she bites/nips at me, I tap the side near her back, do a "sh" noise and also mostly trying to hold her collar or near her neck, do a "sh" noise and wait for her to calm down then release her and pet her.
however, that didn't really seem to be... very effective. she still continues to nip, so I redirect her with her toys and that seems to work, but I don't really see marginal progress. which is, normal and I'm okay with slow progress.
Here's the tricky part though, occasionally, when I do that, she does this thing where she would go in a stance, snap/bite the air, bark loudly, and try to nip my hands (sometimes feet). To calm her down I try to pick her up and that seems to do the trick, but I worry I'm doing something wrong here, and I do think she gets somewhat scared/anxious and is the reason why she's doing that behaviour. mind you, she's an extremely quiet pup and rarely barks. this behaviour just showed itself only very recently as well.
I would love to hear advice or if anyone can point me in the right direction here, much appreciated.

Willow Wood

11th moon, 200 AC
The flow of people did not cease. Since the invasion of the Riverlands, the smallfolk of Pinkmakden and other keeps close to the Westerlands were forced east in order to escape the increasing wrath of Lannister forces. At first they were a few couple - families here and there carrying what possessions they had on their backs, or should they be lucky enough, on the backs of donkeys and the like. However that little trickle had long ago transformed into a cascade - a cascade of people that were increasingly frightened and horrified.
"Everything! They destroyed everything…" one of the smallfolk gathered at the walls of Willow Wood would proclaim to any willing to listen. Another would quickly follow him up - in turn this woman brought her tale. "Raiders came forth to my village as well - any who did not escape…gods…they killed everyone who stayed behind."
"Everything is gone. The houses. The people. Even the little critters. All of it. All of it…"
These words were present with Lady Shireen Ryger as she stared out from the battlements at the growing field of tents around the walls of Willow Wood. The keep itself was formidable - built into the hill, the battlements worked together with the earth to form a hard climb to any army wishing to take the walls. Unfortunately for Shireen - all the men she had were sent off to march, left with refugees; old men, women, children and the sickly. Hardly an army capable of repulsing the Lannisters.
The Ironborn…what of them…
The woman felt drained and exhausted - the past few days filled with worry had drained her energies. On one hand, she held the Lannister's letter - one which demanded their neutrality or submission to the lion. Then there was the worry of the Ironborn - who were eerily silent.
Willow Wood has been changed to repulse the Ironborn…but to repulse Lannister men!? Would it be wiser to simply accept the conditions of the letter…
Stupid honor…
Still, there was honor to consider. Shireen would also lie to herself if she didn't admit that she was a woman with a weak heart. She had a duty to her family to remain in place while the lot of them went off to fight - but she was left with only the most vulnerable of the masses. What did they expect her to do!?
Time and time again she'd considered simply accepting the conditions of the parchment - of sending for her family's armies to return home. Of informing Joss - likely to be met with furious anger. In the end though, her weak heart held.
Shireen did not respond to the message from the Lannister. Willow Wood would fall silent.
The woman could only hope that her choice was the right one.
The masses didn't stop coming - throughout the entire morning alone, hundreds would come from the Whispering Wood - having crossed over through the river or fleeing from that place itself. Their faces were drained and exhausted - eyes baggy, stomachs rumbling and a few even had marks from the smoke and smog after fleeing burning villages.
They've come for refuge. I can only hope that this refuge will last…
Yet the sight of them didn't make her just uneasy. It made her angry. Who were these Lannisters to come and pillage everything they'd worked for!? Nothing but monsters. Monsters.
Monsters which needed to be destroyed.
If only I had the men, I'd ride across the Whispering Wood and give them a piece of their own medicine! Bastards!
We did nothing to them! Nothing!
The woman would eventually turn away from the battlements - vanishing back into the keep. Still, with trembling hands, she kept the Lannister letter in her firm hold. A reminder of the enemy. A reminder of the bastards who had turned the world upside down. She could only pray the gods were good…and that they'd get their punishment.
Preferably with fire. One day they'll get the same treatment they've dealt us…
Still, the pit in her stomach continued to twist - she wasn't a strong woman. She, like the people huddled against and within the keep, was a woman filled with fear that given enough pressure - would also crack in the end. But for today they'd endure the fear - and pray for a better tomorrow.

Throwaway account just because. So, I'm looking to get some opinions on this, and I feel like I can't rely on my friends anymore since I feel talking about my relationship with them only makes me feel less confortable in future situations where she and them might be together.
I (24M) have been with my GF (23F) for 7 years now and we're the only relationship we've ever had (with a remark, but we'll get there). And I'm not really sure how to structure this post, so I'll do my best to go straight to the point.
My GF is not very sociable, but wants to be. She is also very insecure about her self-worth. This has always been the case, and I've done my best to make her feel good about herself and motivate her to make friends. On the other hand, I consider myself sociable, I have a group of friends that has accompanied me since HS and in pretty much every situation in my life I've been able to make friends, even if throughout uni I didn't really make that many.
Now the remark, a couple of years ago, on a transition in Uni, my GF left me because she got what I could simply call the "Grass is greener" effect. She got with a new group of friends that were very outgoing, and decided she wanted to leave the relationship to see what's out there, she did and I was left broken-hearted. I did no contact for close to 3 months, with her contacting me every other week, untill she decided she wanted to get back with me. It's important to note that she apparently had a fling with another guy during this time. I'm dumb I know, I shouldn't have taken her back and whatever, I was still recovering and the ego boost of her coming back to me made me want to give it another shot and we did, this was like 3 years ago, and since then we've continued our relationship like it didn't happen (to the best of my ability even if it still stings sometimes).
Her participation in the relationship is what I would call a rollercoaster, sometimes she seems to live for me, showering me with love, saying she wants me for the rest of her life. But then, she is also very reluctant to stay with me for the rest of her life, saying she fears she'll end up missing out on experiences by staying with me, this type of sentiment came to a head a couple of months back when she once again wanted to break up with me because she started talking with a new friend that seemed to have had many such experiences in her life. Even proposing we open our relationship, thing I told her was a big No for me. Thankfully (I guess), we talked through that problem, but we did almost break up, her hiding a situation where she went out with a group of people from a weekend summer job.
Another thing about our relationship is that it is very isolated, when we are together, it's mostly ourselves, she doesn't really like to hang out with my friends (which I get since they enjoy activities she isn't very fond off), she consistently has problems with some minor things my family does which makes her unconfortable in some of my family gatherings, making me feel very stressed in situations like my birthday for example, where I want to do stuff with her and my friends and family and we have had discussions because she wanted me to only be with her or I simply don't want to do anything because I don't want to go through the stress of arranging something she and my friends would enjoy. I should point that it seems that after arguing with her she is starting to try and change her behaviour when it comes to this, but still I can't help but feel stressed about how she is feeling in these situations.
Now. Why am I thinking of leaving the relationship? 1 year ago, she decided to change uni courses, and unfortunately the only possibility was on another city (like 4 hours away). Thankfully an aunt of hers lives there with a cousin she is very close to, so she decided to move there to do her course, plunging ours into a "mid-distance relationship". I of course motivated her to go to follow her dreams, and wanted to make it work. And throughout this year, unfortunatelly she didn't really make many friends and feels alone there, depending on me to sometimes go there to spend time with her. This was hard because I was still studying and didn't really have the money to continuously go there, so she started to motivate me to get a job and possibly move there with her. This created a big argument, since I didn't really want to move there and wanted to focus on completing my uni course. But since I was a year behind in uni and only had a couple of online classes to attend I ended up applying to jobs. And got one that payed well and would let me work remotely if I wanted. This was great, because I could spend more time there and not worry about money, but I still wanted to spend time here with my family and friends.
Enter the job. This was like 4 months ago now. On the first day, I thankfully made some connections with the people that were starting on the same day as me. And this started a chain of events that made my GF extremelly controlling and jealous. Since the first day, she told me she didn't want me to be friends with girls, to go have a beer after work with my colleagues or go to out of office meet-ups with them (be it activities or going out). And I thought it was a bit unfair of her to control me this way, so I wanted to find a middle ground. But she wouldn't budge, calling me crying and saying that she didn't feel confortable that I was meeting other people while she was away. This made me hide some instances of "beers after work" in the 1st week, because in my mind they were things that were very insignificant and didn't really need the stress of the potential outburst they would create. But the simple fact of going to the office in these first formation weeks were enough to make her come to my city and we had a big fight. Throughout the 1st weeks I started declining every activity with them because I didn't want to upset her, because she seemed to really be suffering with this. Then an idea of a dinner and night out to celebrate our first salary appeared, and I really wanted to go because mostly everyone was going and I didn't want to be left out and I was already declining so many things. So I told her like 2 weeks ahead about the plan to make sure she would be fine, I told her I would stay in contact all the time, I told her I wouldn't go to clubs, I told her I wouldn't get drunk, and she agreed reluctantly that I could go. So I went, and that was an awfull night, she blew my phone with messages and calls, saying she was having a severe panic attack and crying and saying I was shit for going knowing she would be like this. During that night I did everything I promissed and was the first to go back home. A couple of days afterward, she had a uni party, went with a friend and a couple of her friend friends, and ended up going to the club and getting drunk. I pointed to her the hipocrisy of the situation and she said she did it to spite me because of my night out.
This was now 2 months ago. And since then like 2/3 of my time with her, payed her weekend trips, stayed more than one week with her working remotely, I should also note that I always made sure to tell her how much I loved her and how certain I was of wanting to be in a relationship with her and not looking to further things with other people. And throughout this time, she would get mad at me for receiving group messages, instagram follows (even stalking my followers to check who was new), snooping through my phone and well, just not at all letting go of me meeting new people. We've had numerous discussions throughout this time (once she got physically agressive with me and I shouted at her), I went again one time to a bar quizz with them and she decided she would go a new colleague's house hangout (where there were substances), and once again I pointed to her the hipocrisy of the situation, to which she simply says "these are people I don't really care for, to you it's friends that you'll work with for the rest of your life". And so I passed on pretty much every single hangout with these people, because every single time her response would be the same. She talked with her friends and familiars about this, and pretty much everyone made her see she was being very controlling and jealous, so she promissed to change how she acted, and we made peace for a couple of weeks. Untill this last weekend.
I decided to test the waters and after being with her for 2 weeks, decided to go for a beer, she got mad at me for that. I got extremelly mad at her and she apologized to me the day after. In that same day, I got an invitation to hangout on a pub and disco, and I wanted to go (to the pub part, where I can socialize), I spent the whole day making sure she was alright with me going, and guess what, barrage of messages, phone calls and such, calling me all sorts of names and once again saying I should put her first than these people.
And this leads to the now, it's been 4 months of this behaviour, I don't know how I can take it. My friends say I should break up with her and get out of this toxic environment, my family says this isn't good for me also. But today she once again called me with an heartfelt apology about her behaviour, pretty much validating everything, saying she was being extremelly toxic and that she would change. And I'm not sure I should give her another opportunity. I don't know even if I want to. I find myself not being able to leave the relationship regardless, the distance doesn't help also. I also have this fear of the unknown, since the last 7 years of my life have been spent with her (remark notwithstanding).
And reading this, it's easy to say "leave her", but I guess I wouldn't be here if the relationship didn't have its good times. And it does of course, and I have many good memories with this person, great conversations, great trips and just great comradery. But the isolation factor of the relationship, the control, the jealousy and the overall stress I feel is making me think about leaving my long-term relationship.
I'm not sure if I want to vent, or if I want to get advice, but well here it is... Do you think I should leave the relationship, or give my gf it another chance?
TL:DR: Relationship with GF has very good times and is very long. But it also stresses me consistently, has history of hurt and is isolated. Recently, jealousy and control has made being in the relationship very tiring, unfair and isolating. But she promisses to change, so I don't know if I should leave the relationship, or give my gf it another chance.

I saw an ad on facebook and I bought a car Ford focus 2012 of $4500 and Dealership offered me warranty for $1000 for 2 years which makes $5500 and I sold my car in $1000 to the dealership so I paid total of $4775 including tax. The agreement didn’t disclose any previous car history except car Air condition and Radio. When I took the car to my house after payment (paid by credit card) I was putting windshield fluid in the hood and noticed that Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir is missing I tried to find everywhere but did not find. Luckily one person ‘bystander ‘ came to us and offered help and I said i am not able to find Windshield Washer Fluid Reservoir .
He was expert and got to know that many parts are missing and told us it’s an accidental vehicle. And we checked car deeply we found front bumper is hanging with elastic bands and horn is not working ,Music system too was faulty, the bystander suggest that we should return car immediately as it could be that it was not inspected before being sold and would not be safe to be on road. Also mentioned that we should have received some sort of inspection certificate which we didn’t. So I called the dealership they said come tomorrow and we will see.
I went next day and I said I need to cancel the deal but they refused to do so. So I requested them by law to do this they agreed and also returned my previous car.
When I went to office for payment they said they are not going to refund me $400 for inconvenience and cannot refund $1000 of warranty. I asked him why? Ziad (the guy I bought the car from) said it’s another company who gave you the warranty and they don’t refund it and they will talk to the warranty company, he asked me to come on Monday may-29-2023. So before going I called the warranty company Track Garantie Inc. (was given this name by Ziad) and they said they do not have my file under my name and car’s vin number also they said if you return your car within 10days you will get full refund.
But, the dealership is saying that they will still take the amount of $1400 without mentioning it in contract or giving me any receipt. I went there on Monday and they gave me a paper to sign it with $3375 refund check. The owner Ziad was not present even though I had already texted him and made appointment on Saturday that he will be there.
So I asked the salesman what is wrong why are you charging $1400 they said the manager is not there you have to come on Tuesday 30th May 2023. I called the manager and texted him same day several time but He ignored. I also spoke to my credit card company and found the full amount was charged by the company GTS Auto which I can’t find any website or on google. I feel like I am being taken advantage of by this Dealership as they’re not providing me with proper receipts. Also trying to defraud money from me for the warranty. I have also sent the screen shot of the website to the dealer from Track Garantie Inc. where it says that the policy can be canceled within 10 days which he has ignored too. There are multiple people in the dealership who talk in Arabic when I am there and very aggressively which I don’t understand and the other sales men at the company office say that they’re not responsible but always come forward to negotiate and tell me to accept a lower amount than what I paid.
I refused the check that was provided and one of the salesman aggressively said something in Arabic and tore the check and paper in front of me before I left the office today. They have asked me to come back tomorrow which is 30th May 2023 as they said their boss Ziad will be there. I tried to call and text him to see if he will be there and he is unresponsive. Thank you!

I'm (20s, f) very close with my mom (50s, f), we speak nearly every day, but I am worried that she has some sort of mental health issue though I'm not sure what.
When I was growing up, she would sometimes tell me about seeing angels and ghosts, but she is a deeply spiritual person so I always assumed it was part of that. She would get very hurt if I told her I didn't believe her, so I learned to sort of nod and just accept the experience is real enough to her. She also believes she has seen ufos in the past, which again isn't that out there compared to what a lot of people generally believe.
However, since I've moved out 8 years ago, she began telling me she sees more strange things. Like alien machines in the backyard, time travelers, and strange looking people disappearing into thing air. She is always alone when these things occur, but it seems to be super infrequent that they happen (like once every few months), but I do think she might be reluctant to share if it happens more because she is aware that it sounds crazy and she tells me I'm the only one she shares this stuff with.
I'm becoming worried about her, that maybe something isn't right and she should get checked out, just in case, but I also don't know how to encourage her to go without her feeling like I don't believe her. I'm worried that since I'm the only one she seems to tell these things to, if she no longer trusts me then she'll stop telling anyone about these experiences. She also seems to be perfectly normal besides this. She's a little paranoid about nosy neighbors, but that's about it. She is normally a very kind and smart person, but very defensive over these beliefs. Does anyone have a similar experience?

Ok guys... I`m almost throwing the towel here.
I have 2 monitors. The 1st one is 144hz Full HD, I use Display port. Second one is 60 hz 4K, I use HDMI. The GPU is a RTX3070.
Couple weeks ago, my windows updated and messed up my dual monitors. Here`s what I notice up until now.
After I started windows in the next day, my 144hz lost its signal. When I opened the display config in windows, I saw the 2 monitors DETECTED, but the 144hz didn`t had any information (resolution, scale, nothing).
First thing on my mind is to check the DP cable. Tried on the 4k monitor, and everything was fine. So the problem is not the cable. Tried then to plug the HDMI cable on the 144hz to see if was the monitor itself. Everything working. Then, tried to chenge the side of DP cable on the 144hz, don`t know why would work, but it did.
So it`s not the Cable, not the monitor and not the DP entry. Probally was the update with a bug. But here`s the catch: When I tried to go back to last version, windows said I didn't made any uptade in the last few days.
Seached everywhere for a solution, but I don't even know how to start making questions about this...
RN I'm using the 144hz with HDMI (so it's only at 60hz) and 4k with DP. Already updated the GPU Driver and did nothing to resolve.
In a few words, my PC detecs the two monitors when both are conected (DP in 144hz and HDMI in 4k) but only grabs info and gives signal to the 4k. If I change the order of the cables, detects and works fine on both.
Anyone?

first / previous
Terran year 5201 - 18th of August.
Species: Grogs - Emperor Reith the Third - Galactic Federation Center
I requested a meeting with the Galactic Federation ambassadors, after Commander Harry requested commander Reith to introduce humanity to the Galactic Federation and help with the diplomacy negotiations with the Cleyk Federation.
Commander Harry sent their ambassador, Marcello, we brought him to the Galactic Federation Center under escort by one of our destroyers, I am currently walking besides him, humans are a bit smaller than us, but I can feel that they are much stronger, given that their gravity is 2 times stronger than that of our planet, they breath oxygen instead of nitrogen like us do...
When I opened the door, everyone glared at us again, mainly at Marcello, but he didn't care, he was calm like nothing was happening, then we went to my position, I introduced him to the other ambassadors, the Cleyk ambassador was giving him a death glare, he didn't bother to care about that either.
Then it was time for him to start speaking with the Cleyk ambassador...
"Good morning everyone, it's a pleasure to be here, I am here to discuss about the conflict between the Cleyk Federation and the Grog Empire regarding my species, Humanity, I'm sure that Reith already explained to all of you about our history and how our last ship was found, well then, Cleyk Ambassador, what's exactly the issue with us? Shouldn't it be fine since the Grog empire is the new owner of the star system?" - He asked with a smile.
"You are surprisingly brave for speaking with us like that, well then, your species has broken the most important law of the Galactic Federation, that is, that all AIs should be destroyed the moment they were found, yet, your species uses them without any kind of fear, I should also warn that species that do that must be exterminated in order to avoid another event like the Rogue AI war. I've already given the ultimatum to the Grog Empire, they can give us the system back for half of the price back, and we will exterminate your kind, or we would do it by force, likely exterminating the Grog Empire in the process."
" Your issue is with humanity, leave the Grog Empire out of this, the reason I'm here is to discuss a possible solution that avoids an armed conflict between us, but if you attack the Grog Empire, humanity will be forced to intervene."
" You think your species can intervene with only 200 thousand individuals left? Don't make me laugh!" - the Cleyk ambassador said while laughing.
Marcello didn't flinch, he was serious, humans don't like to show emotions I guess...
"Let me make it straight for you, the Galactic Federation is not going to make an exception for your species, and as one of the creators of the Galactic Federation, the Cleyk Federation has the Authority and the military power to take you out alone." - the Cleyk ambassador said with an angry expression.
"Alright then, you refused to solve the issue peacefully, therefore, humanity declares that it will protect itself and their ally, the Grog Empire, of an armed attack and invasion, if you invade our system or the territory of the Grog Empire, we will fight back, we will not retreat, neither are we going down without drawing blood from your fleets." - Marcello declared with a serene expression.
I noticed that the Cleyk ambassador seemed to be a bit afraid, since he recoiled his tail, I don't blame him, how could a species say something like that without expressing anger? And Marcello did it without any difficulty.
"Humanity is currently reactivating its military industry, if its still not clear to you, if you attack us, we are ready to defend ourselves." - Marcello said with a smile.
That was unnerving, Marcello acted like a psycho, he smiled while threatening to declare war upon the Cleyk Federation, a single, weakened species, challenging the Cleyk Federation to a fight, I was sure that humanity would not allow us to help...
"Consider that before sending a fleet to attack us. Humanity is ready to fight to protect itself and its ally, should it be needed." - Marcello finished, leaving the discussion table and then seating besides me.
"Lets leave Reith, shall we?" - Marcello asked me with a smile.
He then left, probably to wait me near our shuttle...
Before I left, I noticed something with the other Ambassadors, they were afraid, the Cleyk ambassador was now truly showing that he was also afraid, he knew he had probably screwed up...
..........................
UNCS Brazil construction started.
UNCS United States construction started.
UNCS India construction started.
UNCS Russia construction started.
UNCS China construction started.
UNCS Argentina construction started.
UNB São Paulo construction started.
UNB New York construction started.
UNB Mumbai construction started.
UNB Tokyo construction started.
UNB Beijing construction started.
UNB Paris construction started.
UNB Mexico City construction started.
UNB Rio de Janeiro construction started.
UNB Cairo construction started.
UNB Shanghai construction started.
UNB Dhaka construction started.
UNB Osaka construction started....
Ps: UNCS stands for United Nations Carrier Ship, and UNB stands for United Nations Battleship.

^{11th Moon Raventree Hall}
Was it luck?
Fortune, perhaps, Joffrey decided. Or... well, he couldn't quite decide. He was a godly man, but one with much and more blood on his hands. Not literal blood. That would've been better; it would have pleased those whispers he yearned to hear if the unfaithful had been slain.
But no. It was his own kin that he shoved over to the fires, and though he longed for the pangs of regret and the wages of sin, he was granted only blessings.
He giggled when he saw the rider arriving through the gates. Down the dirt path and into the courtyard, undisturbed by the guards who knew him, the horseman only dismounted before the timber keep.
"Lucifer!" yelled Joff from his room, quickly going to open the door and descend down the steps. The keep was his, for now.
"Tell Lucifer to meet me in the godswood," he told a servant, barely able to contain his joy. Down the steps and into the great hall and out again into the courtyard, Joff received the rider with a quick few beckons. "Well? What happened? Did you succeed? Was—"
It was then that he saw it.
The cloaked rider produced a rolled-up carpet from his horse's saddle. "Aye, milord. Me, eh... trading mission was a success. Secured ye' some rare goods." Cradling the rug, he took some steps forward and offered it to the Blackwood.
Joff grinned. He took possession of the rug. Myrish in origin, and... surprisingly weighty. Perhaps it was the implication that rested therein. Of power. Of the many, many, many hours and hands that it took to craft such a magnificent thing. Or even the lives lost, the souls imbued in its... stitches.
And yet, the threat still loomed as if it were a blade brushing against the nape of his neck. His hair stood in place, gooseflesh marking his arms. His heart beat harder—not from a surfeit of exertion—as he went to the great tree that gave the castle its name. Quick steps. Slower, when he heard the cawing of ravens, gathered round and peering on with queer black eyes that mirrored his own.
It was not long before Lucifer showed. "Cousin?" said the bastard, rather puzzled.
"Do you hear them?" Joff stared up at the tree, mouth agape in awe. "The gods. Do you hear them?"
A grunt came from Lucifer. "Not really."
"Well—me neither." The tree was dead anyways, and Joff never had a knack for communing with the gods. "But that's not the point. They would be pleased, Lucifer. Very, very pleased." Joff turned then, revealing the rug to his cousin with a wide grin. "You'll wield this. For them."
"Is this some kind of joke?" Lucifer chuckled. "A carpet? Really?"
He didn't realize it, did he? All that he'd drilled into his head of avenging their faith, of keeping it in place, of defending against all manner of foemen—the Faith Militant, the turncloak converts, even Lady Tully. They would all see their tree burned or cut down by their vile axes.
Joff took the initiative. He placed the carpet on the ground and slowly unfurled it. Inch by inch, smoky grey steel, six feet in length and as wide as a man's hand, unveiled itself before the eyes of gods and men and roosting ravens.
Ice.
"What—" Lucifer stared down at the ripples that ran through the great sword, a sword of kings, a sword of winter, a sword of fate that was now to be kept theirs.
"Stark. He thinks himself better than us." Joff found some confidence in himself. The gods spoke for him. "Better than his faith. Better than his blood! No, no, no, it can't stand. This," he knelt, running a hand near the blade's wintry edge, "will stir him out of his folly."

This morning, my husband spilled soda in the kitchen. On the floor, all over the counter. He didn't clean it up and blamed it on our daughter, whom I yelled at and told her clean it up.
My daughter whined and cried and said I promise I didn't do it, daddy did and I turned to him and said "that's is really immature you need to grow up and stop lying and clean up after yourself, you're too old (36) for this"
I ended up cleaning the mess.
Later today, we are at my aunt's house for the holiday. I told my kids to go upstairs and go to the first door on the left and hang out in that room.
When my husband went to check on them, he got upset with them for being in the wrong room. I said "my mistake I told them first left, I meant right kids"
He went off on me. "You're too old to lie, you're immature, etc."
And I said "no... Let me tell you the difference between a lie and a mistake ... A lie is intentional, a mistake is not"
I turned my kids and I said "I made a mistake on which door it was, I'm sorry, go into that room over there" and my husband still, threw a fit in front of my family calling me a liar, screaming how mistakes and lies are the same, etc.
He then says "just like when I cheated on you and I made a mistake and said I wasn't at her house"
I ended up gathering all the family children and walked them down to the neighborhood park where I am at right now wandering if I was wrong or not... And how to even begin to comprehend the whole cheating thing because it was literally a fight we had a few weeks ago
Anyways... lie and a mistake are different, right?

Ok guys... I`m almost throwing the towel here.
I have 2 monitors. The 1st one is 144hz Full HD, I use Display port. Second one is 60 hz 4K, I use HDMI. The GPU is a RTX3070.
Couple weeks ago, my windows updated and messed up my dual monitors. Here`s what I notice up until now.
After I started windows in the next day, my 144hz lost its signal. When I opened the display config in windows, I saw the 2 monitors DETECTED, but the 144hz didn`t had any information (resolution, scale, nothing).
First thing on my mind is to check the DP cable. Tried on the 4k monitor, and everything was fine. So the problem is not the cable. Tried then to plug the HDMI cable on the 144hz to see if was the monitor itself. Everything working. Then, tried to chenge the side of DP cable on the 144hz, don`t know why would work, but it did.
So it`s not the Cable, not the monitor and not the DP entry. Probally was the update with a bug. But here`s the catch: When I tried to go back to last version, windows said I didn't made any uptade in the last few days.
Seached everywhere for a solution, but I don't even know how to start making questions about this...
RN I'm using the 144hz with HDMI (so it's only at 60hz) and 4k with DP. Already updated the GPU Driver and did nothing to resolve.
In a few words, my PC detecs the two monitors when both are conected (DP in 144hz and HDMI in 4k) but only grabs info and gives signal to the 4k. If I change the order of the cables, detects and works fine on both.
Anyone?

So I've finished all 49 eps of Yes!PC5. It was actually a breath of fresh air to the franchise. Like I've said before, Karen Minazuki/Cure Aqua is my favorite of the group,with Urara Kasugano coming in second. In order of favorites it'd be
Karen Minazuki/Cure Aqua
Urara Kasugano/Cure Lemonade
Komachi Akimoto/Cure Mint
Rin Natsuki/Cure Rouge
Nozomi Yumehara/Cure Dream
The only character I didn't like was Milk. She's annoying and on top of it a huge jerk to Nozomi for no reason. Any time she gets friendly with Nozomi or Nozomi saves her, by the end of the episode she throws it away.
I wasn't really a huge fan of some villains. Gamao was my least favorite, he kinda looks like a creep/pervert. Kawarina was my favorite of the lot,due to how he manipulates other nightmares into killing themselves with the infamous black paper,which was kinda messed up. I kinda like the buildup to Desperaia. I thought the series would end without us seeing her face,but we got a look. She looks like a kabuki doll. I did some research on this series and I saw people labeled the cures as
Nozomi as "Donut"
,Rin as "Agunimon-chan",
Urara as "Cream Horn or Cure Pine Sol", well her name and hair color reminds me of pine sol
Karen as "Babaa or Bitchy Honoka"
and Komachi as "Mama,Retasu". I've always heard the theory about Komachi being related to Mew Lettuce from Tokyo Mew Mew,well the hairstyle gave it away.
I'll be moving on to the sequel Yes!GoGo,although I heard Yes!GoHo allegedly killed the franchise until the next one came out,but I'll be the judge of that

I got my number Deactivated today even though I'm on auto renewal. This seems routine for ST as I have a recollection of this happening every 1-2 years.
I go online to reinput my contract for month, enter my credit card details -
'ALERT' "Airtime card is required." This would be a inconvenience itself that could be fixed going to Walmart, IF THEY WERENT PUSHING VERISON PHONES. Last time I bought a Airtime Card, the new SIM card didnt work at ALL, and it wouldnt even take the Airtime!

Hi, sort of a mini overview of my life > I'm 23M and I really don't like myself as a person and don't like what I'm doing with myself and my life and don't really have any plans to change. I would say I've dealt with anxiety and depression for the last 8-10 years very silently and I spent a huge amount of my life very alone just thinking. Alot. I'm a very logical person and self aware, almost too much so... I analyse every little detail of every single day of my life, and I dwell alot of things I wish I'd done very differently and how much easier i couldve made my life today. After doing that for so many years it feels like I have complete ruined my brain, it literally feels like brain damage. I used to use my thoughts really effectively as a kid, I had a lot of mental power and control over my thoughts, it made school and interactions really easy for me. I'm the polar opposite now, I cant visualise any thoughts or understand and retain any information. It physically feels like my brain is broken. I never really made friends with anyone past the age of maybe 15 and if I made acquaintances I simply just didn't care about them or anything they talked about. I can't take jokes the same, I'm not particularly funny anymore which makes it hard as my entire personality was being the class clown and making other people laugh. I struggled with thoughts of self deleting since I was 16 and my mind used to torment me with it making me feel all sorts of guilt and shame and It bothered me a lot that I felt that way. My entire life consists of, work, YouTube/xbox, sleep, everything I do is to remove myself from reality. I feel like I almost conquered the pain as I simply don't care anymore it's just normal to me, it's like breathing air. I wouldn't ever do it though, as it would be insulting to my parents who worked so hard for me and my siblings, but I always think well if x,y,z happens then maybe ill do it. Not out of unbearable pain but just because why not. I probably won't go to a doctor or therapist, I most certainly don't have a friend or family member I'd talk to. Purely because I just know myself to well, I wouldn't commit to making a change and I'm too pussy to face my fears. It probably seems like an easy situation to fix for everyone else, but in my mind there is 0 light. Nothing. The only thing that makes me feel something is the thought of having to live with my pain for the rest of my life, logically what is the point. I don't see myself ever being fixed. I could probably write for hours on my life and random bs but I'll leave it there. If you made it this far thanks for listening.

Me (27f) and my ex (28m) dated for over 7 years and even lived more than 5 of these years together. We got together quite young. He was the only boyfriend I ever had and also the person I lost my viehinity to. We were serious pretty quickly and talked about getting married and starting a family in a couple years from now. Although in the beginning we had the same plans for our future at some point apparently he felt like he hadn't lived life to the fullest because of us getting together so young, so he broke up with me essentially to sleep with other girls, go out to partys more and get drunk without worrying what I have to say about it. Also he wanted to live alone and figure out who he was separately from me.
After he broke up with me and it seemed clear to me he didn't want to be with me anymore I tried to forget him and gave up on any dream of spending the rest of my life with him. Totally uexpected to me, I even fell in love with someone else pretty soon, but this guy was not interested in having a relationship. We got intimate when we got drunk one time, but got back to being friends after, although we only talk occasionally now. I still have feelings for this guy, and admittedly liked the way he touched me more than I did with my ex.
Now, 8 months after the breakup, my ex wants to get back together and I don't know what to do. We started to hang out again but I thought only as friends and I actually liked it that way. But then we slept together (which he initiated), and I played anlong with it to try to and figure out if I still had feelings for him but I still don't know. I feel like I also 'deserve' to know what it is like to meet other people now that he had the chance. I feel he got to figure out whatever he was searching for but I still feel so lost. I like him and always had imagined a future with him but now I feel like I would be missing out on real love if I got back together with him. At the same time I am scared I will never find someone else that loves me and I get along with as good. I don't know what to do: tell my ex that I want to do the same thing he did, risking he will move on without me and risking maybe never finding someone else that wants to spend the rest of his life with me and start a family, or try and give our relationship another chance risking that I will be unhappy and unfulfilled and regret not having tried meeting other people?

I [18m] need to get out of a relationship but I've been so emotionally manipulated that I am nervous to do it.
Me [18m] and my current gf [19f] have been together for around a year. In around September she claimed I had gotten her pregnant and I believed her. She also claimed to have gotten an abortion too, which happened in the morning before I had waken up. Just recently I've started noticing all these little discrepancies in her story and I genuinely do not believe she actually ever was. Things that she's told me that contradict published medical research entirely and whatnot. However, in the moment, and up until only a couple weeks ago, I fully believed everything she told me.
She's also lied to me about talking to and hanging out with other guys, as well as going to the hospital emergency room (which she didn't actually go), and even getting into a car crash.
However, I've been so emotionally manipulated that for every single one of these instances I believed her.
I've lost all my friends because she doesn't allow me to see any of them. I have no self confidence left.
I tried breaking up with her around a week ago, which was one week after her period. After like 2 hours of what felt like verbal assault, she noticed I was not giving in, and told me that she actually missed her period but didn't want me to worry. She refused to take a pregnancy test. Then, a couple days later, she told me she took a test while she was at work and it was negative. She then took one in front of me the next day and sure enough it was negative. Around 2 days after THAT test she said she was still feeling symptoms so she took another test at work and it was negative.
However, I asked her where she got the test and she said the gas station by one of her friends house, which I assume she said because she thought I didn't know where it was. However, I dropped her off there one time when we first ever started talking, so I remembered where that gas station was. I went to the gas station and they didn't even sell pregnancy tests at all.
Fast forward a couple more days, and she tells me she has a blood test scheduled at the doctor. This was weird to me because the doctors office is normally closed on Memorial Day. She said that it was scheduled for the morning, when I would be at work. But, since it's Memorial Day (which I think she forgot), I didn't have work. I asked her if I could go with her and she said no. Then she cancelled the test all together.
That brings me to believe she has lied about this every step of the way because she has a history of lying and manipulation, and I've 100% caught an indisputable lie in this most recent story.
I know what I have to do, but I've been stripped of any of the self confidence that I need to do it.
I'm also worried that since we went to the same high school, and we share a lot of the same friends, this will be messy and the little friends I have left will not be my friends anymore.
What do I do here
TLDR gf has emotionally manipulated me to the point where I can't even bring myself to break up with her

Time for backstory: my wife (23) and I (22, today is my birthday actually) have been together going on 4 years now and we have a 16-month-old son. Neither of us had ever been poly or had an open relationship, and we're both frankly new to all of this, although we've talked about it for many months now.
Originally it was my idea, and she was very much against it but was willing to try for me. I had a hard time finding anyone to even had a conversation with, but eventually, the idea of me falling for another person overwhelmed it and we called it all off. I was okay with this as this is what we agreed on.
About a month later she told me she felt bad about it and wanted to try again, so we did. This time I found a girl on a poly Facebook group that was fairly local and we hit it off talking. I asked my wife if it was okay if I asked her out for coffee and she said she was okay with that. The day before we were supposed to go out, my wife said it was all overwhelming for her again and we called everything off once again. (worked out fine because that girl ended up ghosting me the same day)
My wife became very upset by the mention of poly shortly after this, and I agreed to not even bring it up again for the sake of our marriage. This was about 4-5 months ago.
Out of the blue a few weeks ago my wife ask if she could look for someone on Tinder to hook up with. I happily said yes, because I think that's hot and I'm kinda a cuck tbh. She hit it off with the guy and she left to go meet up with him. they ended up doing some stuff in his car (making out, fingering, etc) that night and she liked the whole experience. (this was the first time she had done anything like this since we had been together) she kept texting the guy and enjoyed his conversation as a friend and I was really happy that she was having fun.
The next day she met another guy (we will call him J), and they hit it off even better. He asked to take her out that night and she got excited and got dressed up and he came and picked her up. I met him at the door when she picked him up, he was a little old than us both (26), in much better shape than me, and shared in all her interests that I didn't. I felt a little jealous at first, but I wanted her to be happy, and this was what I had been wanting for almost a year at this point. She asked when she should be home, I told her 11. It was weird when she left, sending her out with this guy she had been talking about all day at this point. I felt jealous and lonely while she was gone, but I was doing my best to handle it. Around 10:30 that night she asked if it was okay if they stayed out a little late and said she was having a wonderful time. I reluctantly said yes, wanting her to have fun, but also missing her. She didn't end up coming home til almost 2 am, which was much later than I even expected and I was honestly upset, but I didn't feel like I could be mad since she did ask if she could stay out later. She came in swooning over him and telling me all the great things about him and then showed me all the Hickeys and bite marks and the videos of them fucking. He was much more dominant and aggressive than I am, and she was loving it. was equally jealous, and angry at this guy, and honestly turned on. I'm not the jealous type at all, but this had me overwhelmingly jealous and upset. My wife noticed that I was turned on and we ended up fucking ourselves and she kept telling me how hot it was that I was jealous and how she wanted both of us at once. Which did admitted turn me on a lot, even though I was jealous.
I talk with my wife about all the feelings I was having and that this was all a lot for me in all honestly. It was at this point she started telling me that she wants to be poly now permanently and that she finally gets it and I should go find a girlfriend. I was taken aback by both, how I was feeling and how she was feeling now. Our places from our last two experiences just flipped. I agreed that we could give it a try, and figured maybe I wouldn't feel so weird or upset if I was also getting to enjoy another person.
The next day my wife asked if she could have J over to have a campfire once our son was asleep. She was so excited when she asked, and I wanted to challenge my comfort zone, so I said yes. I was going to be in my office playing DnD with the guys, so I wouldn't be able to be around. She assured me they would just hang out as friends tonight and take things slower than before. Later into the night, about 3 hours after he got there, I walked in on them having sex on the couch in the living room, him on top of her. her moaning a little extra loud so I would hear them. At this point I was full of so much anger and jealousy I felt my blood boiling. But she was enjoying herself, and she smirked at me, which I knew meant she was wanting to make me a little jealous. I ended up leaving my dnd game early, and trying to calm myself down and talk to J. Maybe I would like him more. But I don't think talking to him while I was fully clothed, and he and my wife were both naked helped at all. They also were drunk, especially my wife. (which my wife never drinks) somehow it turned into my wife talking me into doing shots with them and her taking my clothes off. I reluctantly joined in, still not happy about this situation, but admittedly turned on, and not wanting to ruin the night for my wife. I remembered Tyrion from GOT thrones when he said "I should have defied him, but my cock betrayed me, and I did as I was bid." and related to this very strongly. I mostly was a 3rd wheel, as he was so dominant and she just leaned into him. I hadn't seen her kiss someone so passionately and aggressively before. It was hard, and I was too pussy to stop it. My wife certainly had a good night. J ended up sleeping on the other side of our bed with her in the middle, (later described by her as heavenly) while I was mildly wanting to stab this stranger that my wife was so infatuated with.
After he left that next morning, I sat down with my wife and gave her my recap of the evening and all of my feelings. She technically didn't do anything wrong, as we really hadn't set any rules or boundaries, but I quickly discovered that was out of our noobie foolishness. But I felt so betrayed and violated. This was 2 weeks ago now.
We have been talking a lot about everything, and I've tried to take some time to process everything. My wife is on board to never talk to J or anyone else again if I ask her to, as I had done for her previously. But she likes J, and I know that would hurt her, and I can't stand hurting her. I've talked a little more to J, and he's honestly a nice guy. I wanted to find red flags or something to dislike, but I can't. The worse part is, I kind of hate the guy, and I don't know why. I think he's just a victim of circumstance, and that evening hurt me and fucked me up a little, even though it wasn't his fault any more than it was mine or my wife's. It was just naive people doing foolish things before we were ready.
This last couple of weeks has been a lot of emotions, my wife and I communicating, arguing, crying, and hugging. Me feeling lonely, a little broken, and honestly depressed. We love each other and agreed that our marriage is most important as things are. But my wife has also expressed that she really likes J and could see a future for him with us too. And I don't feel like I'm able to give him a fair shot, because of my unfounded emotions toward him.
Now that you know all of that, here's the reason for the post: Any advice, I will happily take it. After careful consideration, I only see 3 options and I can't figure out which is best, and neither can my wife, and I'm honestly lost. 1. Stop polyamory in our marriage and ghost J 2. Stay polyamorous, and ghost J (he just leaves a bad taste in my mouth, and it's sadly not his fault but idk how to get over it, I want to, but idk how.) 3. Stay polyamorous, and try to befriend J for my wife's sake, even though it makes me extremely uncomfortable, and want to stab myself a little bit.
Sorry, that was long, thank you for reading.

I [18m] need to get out of a relationship but I've been so emotionally manipulated that I am nervous to do it.
Me [18m] and my current gf [19f] have been together for around a year. In around September she claimed I had gotten her pregnant and I believed her. She also claimed to have gotten an abortion too, which happened in the morning before I had waken up. Just recently I've started noticing all these little discrepancies in her story and I genuinely do not believe she actually ever was. Things that she's told me that contradict published medical research entirely and whatnot. However, in the moment, and up until only a couple weeks ago, I fully believed everything she told me.
She's also lied to me about talking to and hanging out with other guys, as well as going to the hospital emergency room (which she didn't actually go), and even getting into a car crash.
However, I've been so emotionally manipulated that for every single one of these instances I believed her.
I've lost all my friends because she doesn't allow me to see any of them. I have no self confidence left.
I tried breaking up with her around a week ago, which was one week after her period. After like 2 hours of what felt like verbal assault, she noticed I was not giving in, and told me that she actually missed her period but didn't want me to worry. She refused to take a pregnancy test. Then, a couple days later, she told me she took a test while she was at work and it was negative. She then took one in front of me the next day and sure enough it was negative. Around 2 days after THAT test she said she was still feeling symptoms so she took another test at work and it was negative.
However, I asked her where she got the test and she said the gas station by one of her friends house, which I assume she said because she thought I didn't know where it was. However, I dropped her off there one time when we first ever started talking, so I remembered where that gas station was. I went to the gas station and they didn't even sell pregnancy tests at all.
Fast forward a couple more days, and she tells me she has a blood test scheduled at the doctor. This was weird to me because the doctors office is normally closed on Memorial Day. She said that it was scheduled for the morning, when I would be at work. But, since it's Memorial Day (which I think she forgot), I didn't have work. I asked her if I could go with her and she said no. Then she cancelled the test all together.
That brings me to believe she has lied about this every step of the way because she has a history of lying and manipulation, and I've 100% caught an indisputable lie in this most recent story.
I know what I have to do, but I've been stripped of any of the self confidence that I need to do it.
I'm also worried that since we went to the same high school, and we share a lot of the same friends, this will be messy and the little friends I have left will not be my friends anymore.
TLDR gf has emotionally manipulated me to the point where I can't even bring myself to break up with her

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Skeeter was fed up. It wasn't that he disliked communal dining, in fact he rather enjoyed meeting the other passengers who sign onto this direct route between cradle worlds. Nor was he dissatisfied with quality of the available dining, although to his taste, it could do with more garlic and more cayenne, but apparently both plants are unsafe to a good chunk of the other passengers. The Star Sailors could handle them just fine, but the Jaceu for example experience severe indigestion from mere cross-contamination. That, however, was beside the point. The problem wasn't so easily born as the xenos inability to make a proper hot sauce. No, he had a particular problem with a particular individual. Jerry had mouthed off, again, about the Republic and called the limited franchise a "fascistic relic of a bygone age kept alive by irrational paranoia about the nature of the galaxy," To which Skeeter had said, "Tell that to Auerstedt."
This lead quickly to a shouting match in the middle of the dining room where Jerry demanded an apology for Skeeter's use of the victims of the grubs, some of whom were his relatives. To which Skeeter had shouted that he was there, and some "lily-livered CIPpy cup with his nose so far up in the air he doesn't notice the blood he's slogging through" could take his opinion of service do something anatomically improbable with it. The episode very quickly descended to a surprisingly creative exchange of profanity and very nearly came to blows. Skeeter just couldn't understand why Jerry couldn't be in his presence for longer than five seconds without saying something astoundingly stupid about The Republic, the non-interference policy, Republican standards for applicant planets, or the earned franchise, and then immediately becoming belligerent when his assertions were challenged.
The most infuriating thing, to Skeeter anyway, was that Jerry was more than capable of being civil with anybody else, and had befriended both Suzie and Ivan, both of whom were at a complete loss as to why Jerry was such an unrelenting jerk to Skeeter himself. Even Skeeter had wished that he could make friends with Jerry, and it wouldn't have been the first time he'd befriended a CIPer. No more, Skeeter thought to himself as he marched his way to the captain's office, I can't handle his shit anymore.
By the time he'd made it to the door, he'd cooled off enough to not simply demand that he be allowed to put Jerry through the nearest airlock, and his fury had abated to a mere simmering rage. It was with therefore with some level of difficulty he managed to knock with a normal, or at least appropriate, level of force. "Enter," came Vexkeed's voice from within.
"Vex, I'm losing my damn mind," Skeeter said as he entered and took a seat in the oversized chair across from his friend.
"I have heard that you and Jerry had an argument."
"That's putting it politely. We hollered cusses at each other."
"If you're asking me to eject Jerry at the next stop, I'm afraid we would need his cooperation for such."
"Naw, right now I wanna strangle the prick, but that's just me bein' mad. I just want permission to modify my cabin. I don't know what the fuck his problem with me is, but it's just me he can't seem to be civil with, and I have a bit of a temper..."
"From my perspective, he has impugned you honor in such a way that a duel would be considered justified under our customs. We would simply need to find the nearest Magistrate to officiate it. I commend your restraint."
"Duels can't be undone," Skeeter said as the acknowledgement of his position cooled his anger further. "Even if it was just first blood was the terms, accidents happen. I don't want him dead for being a jackass, I just want to go two weeks without getting into a fight."
"I see. What is your proposed solution?"
"I want to modify our quarters, at my own expense, and I'll put everything back the way it was, but I want a kitchen I can use. I'll just cook for myself and take my meals in private. Jerry should be capable of not starting something when we just pass each other in the corridors."
Vexkeed flinched at the suggestion, his upper shoulders slumped, and his face took on a stricken caste as he said, "It is not well for you to confine yourself so."
"What'is not well is us fightin' and disturbin' all of the other passengers."
"The We Bring Friends from Afar to Joyous Meeting should have some quarters for heavyworlders in the first place. Our peoples are quickly becoming entwined with how quickly the Republic welcomed our ships and fleets into her borders. I expect upon returning to Better Texas, I shall have more Sneakies to take aboard."
"I still can't believe that caught on."
"When a meme sticks, it sticks," Vexkeed said with a placating gesture, "Please submit a design of a remodel with engineering, and we shall have your quarters more comfortable furnished within the day."
"Aye sir, thank you."
"I will speak to my wife about hosting you for dinner soon. I do not think it will be well to isolate you from social interactions."
Skeeter suppressed his urge to tell the captain that he needn't trouble himself, and excused himself to start redesigning the quarters he and his party occupied for Terran comfort.
Meanwhile, in said quarters, Kip paced nervously in the living room area while Ivan and Suzie lounged on the oversized sofa, at complete ease with the situation. Kip gave a glance to the unopened bulkhead again and muttered, "What if... they get in a real fight..."
"They won't," Suzie said without looking up from the discussion in the comments she was reading. It seemed that there was a lot of interest in Ixiand's nature walks as well as speculation over whether they'd allow rock climbing on some of the more interesting formations.
"Skeeter's whole face was bright red!" Kip exclaimed as he made another circuit of the space, "Jerry's too! I could smell their anger..."
"As could I," Ivan grunted as he watched the boy's frantic activity, "But even if Skeeter's temper gets the better of his mouth, he does not get violent from words."
"It looked a lot like Jerry might though..."
Suzie's eyes flicked up for a moment, "Naw, well, maybe. But Skeeter'd be okay in a fight."
"But I saw Jerry and Ivan practice fight..."
"Jerry is very good at that martial art, and so am I, and so is Skeeter. In a real fight like you're worried about though, Skeeter would not be so gentle as I am when it is sparring. Skeeter would win, and Jerry would be the one to worry about." Ivan explained.
Rather than reassure Kip it set him down a different path, "I don't think Skeeter would be happy about hurting Jerry. Just because they don't get along wouldn't mean that he'd get riptide pulled into hatred... I hope not..."
"Kip, you're frettin' a lot for somethin' that isn't that big a deal. People can just rub one another the wrong way sometimes."
"Even if they were to have a fight where Jerry is hurt, there is a good infirmary aboard. I am getting frustrated with Jerry over this. Besides, you should not be staying up late much longer. Do you not have an exam in the morning?"
Kip sat down on the floor and glared at nothing in particular as he muttered, "I had hoped there wouldn't be a school in space!"
"The Joyous Meeting is the home for the crew and their children. Did you really think that they wouldn't have at least one teacher aboard?"
"No... I did hope that my mom wouldn't talk to him though!"
Kip scowled at the snickering of his hosts, and didn't even notice the bulkhead opening. "Bed," Skeeter ordered as it closed behind him.
"Is everything..."
"It's fine, kid. Jerry and I don't get along, I have a temper and he can't stop picking a fight, and that's that. We won't be friends and it's okay. I'll just have to avoid the dining hall from now on, and our quarters is getting a remodel so I can cook."
"Wait, Suzie doesn't cook?"
"I bake," she said primly, "completely different."
Meanwhile Juno was glaring at Jerry in his quarters, her hands were on her hips, her tail was absently lashing the deck, and her voice lacked her usually purring quality as she asked, "Are you pleased with yourself? Are the things you said about servicemen vindicated?"
Jerry withered under her gaze and he muttered, "No."
"What exactly did you hope to accomplish?"
"I don't know... I'm such an idiot..."
"I won't argue with that, Jerry."
"I'm sorry..."
"Apologize to Skeeter, not me."
"I will, but I'm sorry for ruining your dinner."
A frustrated yowling escaped her throat as she said, "All you had to do was not accuse a REPUBLICAN NAVAL SERVICEMAN of standing on the corpses of grub victims! You KNOW what they went through to stop the grubs! You AGREE with what they did to stop them!"
Jerry's last vestiges of dignity left him as he snapped, "I just can't stand the man! I have no reason, I have no right, and I'm a complete ponce for it, but I can't stand the smug bastard!"
"Smug?"
"Handsome, successful, fucking covered in medals, married to a wonderful woman! How can a man be so damn happy? I can't stand it, and I know it's irrational! I wish I wasn't like this. I feel like a crab in a bucket trying to drag the man into misery with me."
"You wouldn't be miserable if you weren't so insistent on fighting with him."
"I know, Juno. I never said this wasn't all my fault..."
"If this whole mess stems from base jealousy, maybe you should just tell the man so."
"I think he's given up on me. Serves me right."
"That's no excuse to not even try to be better than you were," Juno said as she left the man to stew in his guilt.
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4/30/07
Radio Bam #117
Bam Margera – Brandon ‘Heroin’ Novak – Chad I Ginsberg – Kevin Margera (Phil’s drug addict brother) – Ryan ‘ShitGoose’ Gee – Bill Bill aka youngunz (Kevin’s daughters boyfriend)
- Bam is taking a shit upstairs so Novak and Chad decide to start the show without him and tells the listeners He's making money while taking a shit.
- Bam skipped last week’s episode, so they played the rerun of Bam yelling at ShitGoose for being a shitty friend.
- Bam immediately calls out Novak for being noticeably high off what appears to be heroin again. He doesn't confirm or deny but claims Kevin smoked PCP earlier too.
- Kevin sounds like he is very under the influence, Bill Bill has already given Bam an Adderall to snort. He’s covered in piercings and tattoos.
- Kevin has an ongoing feud with his neighbors, which stemmed from parking too close to Kevin’s car and calling the police.
- Then in a separate event, the neighbor's nephew parked in the same spot that makes it difficult for Kevin to get his car out again.
- According to some of the neighbors, the car then backed up and hit a sign/post/pole busting out the taillight and then blamed it on Kevin as an angry neighbor getting even from the first failed police report. This one didn't go in Kevin’s favor either.
- Bam went to Buddy Bill’s second ever amateur boxing match in Wilmington Delaware at the Double Tree hotel. One of the other fighters coaches in a separate match started getting fired up on the side of the ring, enough to draw attention of the local authorities on site.
- The 2 police officers asked him to calm down, but he loudly voiced his disagreement to them staying it's his job to fire up his fighter and yell things at him. According to Bam, the police immediately tazed the coach.
- Which then caused the fans to attack the officers, which in turn resulted in more officers rushing the sidelines to disperse the angry crowd. In the end it caused a riot to happen before Buddy Bills match. Bam blames it all on the Wilmington Delaware police department for instigating the riot.
- There was a recent drug bust in Marcus Hook, Kevin’s hometown, Bam runs to grab the daily local to see how many of the mugshots he knows.
- Novak fell on his face during filming earlier, Bam again accuses Novak of doing heroin and checks the back of his phone to see if he hid his drugs where the battery of the phone is. Nothing's there.
- “You’re an awfully clumsy guy for someone who wants pain pills” Chad’s glorious one liner.
- Bam doesn't care if Novak does heroin, he's angry that his friend is lying to him. Chad and Bam begin to really grill Novak on if he is doing heroin again.
- Bam brings up a recent story on how he was supposed to have a ride from Baltimore to Westchester to film with Bam, but lied twice saying he couldn't find a ride. First with his friend Scott, the second with Mandy the on/off girlfriend.
ARTIC MONKEYS –
- Bam claims to have talked with Novak and Kevin of air and they both admitted to doing drugs today. Novak did in the bathroom of ‘Techa' bar.
- Bam is genuinely curious about what it feels like to do PCP, Kevin tried to explain it the best way he can using words. Why would people choose Downers over Uppers with drugs. Seems like Kevin does cocaine and possibly PCP too.
MARK ZAPPA – BROKEN HEARTS ARE FOR ASSHOLES
- Kevin claims he doesn't do PCP, he believes instead he is mentally ill and needs help. Bam and Novak claims he is fucked up on something but they can't figure out what.
- Kevin claims his neighbors are drilling holes and feeding microphones in his walls to listen to him.
- Kevin's son ‘little Kevin’ is currently in jail fort knocking two men out in two punches. The other day he was supposed to be released but the officers then claimed there was confusion with the paperwork and he had to server another year of jail.
- At Jess Margera’s wedding, little Kevin showed up in sweatpants with his heroin addict girlfriend. Little Kevin then proceeds to pick a fight with someone he thought looked like a cop.
- Bam rambles about the crazy stories involving DuPont family again. Bam decides to buy Novak’s belt.
HOOK ME UP WITH THE SHIT THAT KILLED ELVIS – SCOOTER FEAT. JIMMY POP
- Phil calls in to confirm if this is an old episode Or not because he heard Kevin saying he's on PCP
- Missy accidently pocket dialed Bam so they listen in for a bit, but don't hear anything. Novak almost got arrested for wearing small tight shorts that let his balls hang out on each side of them.
- ShitBirdz is getting drunk again with his ‘AA Lowlife’ girlfriend. They were annoying the hell out of Chad while he was setting his new studio, ‘Studio CIG’, at Bams.
- Bam believes MingHags will be the best thing he has released in 10 years, he thinks it's because he doesn't have a MTV executive telling him what he can or can't film.
- Bam discloses that he's hosting the VH1 awards and they’re paying him $70,000 for 2 hours. They start filming in May, if Bam didn't just void the contact by telling the radio his pay.
- April calls into the show to have Boof confirm her actual weight.
- Fanna pranks YoungGunz by texting him on Bam’s phone that they are filming in New Hope, after traveling there, they realize that everyone's in Westchester.
- Bam has had 7 Washington Apples soo far today and he thought he blacked out when he saw that he sent that message to him. Fanna confesses to pulling off the prank using Bams phone.
TOMCRAFT / JIMMY POP - COME GAY BOY
- YoungGunz did the same Skateboard gap that broke Novak's ankles, Novak has physical therapy starting soon for his ankles.
End of show

I don't know exactly where to start, but I'm fucking everything up. It didn't take long for us to click when we became friends. At first, things were nice and progressing. We got closer and closer each day, and we talked a lot, until we got to a point of constant arguing. Even now, I'm not exactly sure what the cause of all of it was. We took a break from each other as a result and after our break, we talked again. Things were okay, until the past simply started repeating itself, and I noticed that ever since the break, the reason for the arguments and problems is me.
She cares a lot about me. She asks how my days go, she downloads games I play to have something to talk about despite not even being a gamer, she always listens to me and hears me out, she always tries to help me even when she's powerless and she gave me a lot of space when I asked for it. She does a lot for me, but I never do anything for her. I just misstreat her at this point. She deserves so much better, and knowing this, you'd expect me to do better right? But I don't. I know exactly what to do to make things better, but I don't, and I don't understand why. It's as if I don't give a shit about her despite all she's been doing for me.
I've thought about it a lot and I'm making an effort into doing what's right, but I just feel like I'm deceiving myself. I know I'm not a bad person, but I can't help but come to the conclusion that I might be when I look at my situation.
I've felt the same way exactly only one other time in my life and that was with a girl I had a similiar type of relationship with. Does this mean or say anything? I don't know. I really don't know what to do. She says I just need to "change" and that she wants the old me back. Did I lose interest? Did I stop caring? It's gotten to a point where she said she'll leave me if I keep this up and I can't even blame her because if I were in her shoes, I'd have left already. She knows her worth and she's reaching her limits. She's been putting up with the way I treat her for weeks now. Maybe even months.
Please don't sugercoat anything in the comments. Just be real and realistic with me: What exactly is going on with me?

so, a little backstory:
I was a SAHM for 9 years. I took care of my kids, the house, did crafts and hobbies, and kept to myself. I had no friends but my husband and my kids.
Eventually I started going to college. I did online for as long as possible because my husband didn't want me going in person. That ran out and I had to finish the last few semesters in person. I met people, became friends so we could help each other with homework.
I tried soo soo hard to be friends with other women there. They acted like I was competition and shunned me. My field has few women, so I became casual friends with some of the guys. Eventually, we started playing video games online like 3 or 4 of us twice a week. I never neglected my family duties to do so. Once I graduated, I never saw these guys again in person, but we still play games.
During covid especially, I was stuck in the house with my agitated husband because the kids were around him 24/7 interrupting his video games and being loud. I was so lonely during that time. I couldn't talk to him about anything I felt, so I escaped by playing games with my friends and trying so hard to never want to go home. There would be days I'd park my car in a parking lot and sit there and cry, just so no one would see me.
I also went back to work my final year of college and made a few female friends that way. I hadn't hung out with another woman without kids in 10 years, so when I was invited to hang it was this huge deal.
My MIL was shocked saying "youre going without your husbands?" and just fully unsupportive of it. Or the time I wanted to go to a concert but my husband didn't, so he stayed home with the kids and I went alone. His mom couldn't fathom that and she always has an opinion on everything I do.
I've tried to keep in touch with the female friends, but one quit being my friend because I was complaining about my marriage too much and the other the last time we hung out, barely spoke to me so I dont have a friendship with her anymore.
I took my kids out today and my oldest daughter (12) tells me that she told her grandmother about my online guy friends and the grandmother told her "I hope your momma doesn't mess up with one of these guys and hurt your daddy". basically Implying im cheating with them even though we only ever play online.
My husband also plays games. He raids twice a week on a game with a mixture of guys and girls he plays with, but nothing is ever said about him. He also works at a job where he's the only man in a women dominated position.
If you read my profile you'll know that we are getting a divorce. My choice and it's mostly his lack of contribution to the home, his insane jealousy and controlling behavior, his lack of accountability, his sexual coersion..
Its been over a month since I've told him, I got my half of the house money in, and will soon be looking for a place. I was hoping he would tell his own mother, but it seems like he's stalling or waiting for me to do it.
My MIL is not one from he'll, I quite like her most of the time, but her true colors come out in situations like this or how she butts into our marriage. I confided in her a few times about her sons emotional.and verbal abuse and she brushed it off.
She had told me that I should just love him enough, pray for him, and everything would be ok. A few times she would reschedule our family lunches because she said she couldn't bear to see how he treats me, so instead she'll just not come as to not agitate him.
There was one time she stuck up for me, but it was super mild when he threw a temper tantrum at a restaurant because it was his birthday and I was too swamped with work, school, the kids, etc to make his birthday cake the day of his birthday so he made a big show and ordered a slice at the restaurant. She had defended me saying I was super busy, but I can tell she's terrified of him.
She knows I've been really unhappy for 5 years. A few weeks ago he bought a dog knowing I'd be the one taking care of it alone while hes at work and she came in the kitchen and quietly hugged me saying "Im.so sorry he did that" but of course won't say a word to her precious son.
I know once the cat is out of the bag that she will be on my case thinking I'm cheating, because neither of our two families think my reasons are "good enough" to divorce.
Since I won't have to deal with her too much longer in such a close manner at least, should I just let this go?