My husband (M29) and I (F25) have been married for a little over two years. The first year of our marriage felt like it was on hard mode — covid happened & we lost a big deposit on our wedding venue (we got eloped instead), moved back in with my parents, and I also struggled with depression for a year.
Our situation has improved since then, we’re in our own home, have stable jobs, both healthy, etc. However my husband is currently having a depressive episode which started last year. He just started going to individual therapy about two weeks ago. He is against medication, but has been smoking weed again the past year every day multiple times a day. I think it’s a factor that harms his progress rather than helps due to his state of mind. It’s hard to see him struggle, knowing that all I can do is keep supporting him and loving him and surprising him with treats/special things here and there. I love being around him when he’s not depressed, he’s fun and silly and adventurous. The depressed version of him just breaks my heart. I call it his “shutdown mode”
While I love him a lot and don’t want to leave him, for about a year now I’ve taken on all the household duties on top of working a full time job and also exercising/seeing family. He recently got chickens, and they’re about all he tends to when he’s home. In the beginning the chickens brought him a lot of joy but now they’re another source of stress for him. We currently have no children and as bad as this sounds I’m thankful that we don’t! I couldn’t handle raising a child and taking care of my husband on top of it all.
A typical week for us — I work 7:30am-2:30pm and he works 8:00am-5:00pm. I go to the gym after work, get home, shower, & start dinner. He gets home around 5:15 and usually lays down or plays video games until dinner is ready. After dinner I do the dishes and get ready for bed while he goes back to video games and comes to bed later on. Then during the weekends, I clean the house and do laundry while he tends to the chickens and plays video games. I do ask him for help and I started to not cook on weekends to take the stress off myself.
I love him and our life together. Sometimes it just feels like a lot, especially when I have my hard days too. And all in all it’s frustrating because I can’t go to him with these struggles when he’s the one who’s battling depression and having a tough time. I just want a happy, healthy, and sober husband again.
Tl;dr - Husband has been struggling with depression for over a year and I’m starting to feel some resentment and frustration due to taking on the emotional/mental load all household duties. I still love him very much and do not want to leave him.

Hi everyone, We’re planning our wedding for summer 2024 and are currently looking at venues. I don’t know why, but for the life of me I just can’t seem to make any decisions. We have seen numerous venues and availability is filling up so I need to decide soon, but I just don’t know what I want! I can’t even figure out what kind of vibe I want let alone choose an actual venue.
Decision making is something I struggle with in general, but does anyone have any tips on how to make these big decisions?
Thanks so much!

I (27f) am getting married soon and my mother is trying to control my wedding. I have a post I made earlier explaining my situation, and many commenters pointed towards this sub for help. I read up on this sub and realized so many things my mother does is consistent with others on this sub.
My fiancé and I decided from the start we won’t accept money from my parents for the wedding as we want final say on everything. Also my mother didn’t like my fiancé for years as he is of a different race and religion, and he expressed he doesn’t want to take money from my parents who couldn’t support him.
My mom invited her own guests to my wedding which I can’t accommodate due to my venue size and budget, and my moms throwing a tantrum.
Since I was small she’s expressed how she wanted my wedding to go, down to the fine detail. In her fantasy I was also married to a man in my culture and religion. She wanted a huge wedding with 200-300 guest, giant hall, and all her friends to witness this. I never liked the idea of it, and wanted something small and intimate, and eventually I fell in love with my fiancé of a different background.
I spoke my dad and siblings about my moms threat to not attend my wedding at all, and I didn’t get the response I want to hear. Though they disagree with what my mom did, they know my mom would stop them from attending my wedding with force if she has to.
My sister especially is worried as mom has talked to her about taking her out of university in the fear she, like me, might end up falling for a man of a different culture, and instead wants her home. My sister said if she disobeyed and even sneaked off to my wedding, my mom might pull that action.
I don’t want to get married without my family, a lot of people in my previous comment told me to elope but I want to be surrounded by the ones I love including my fiancé’s family. Not to mention we’ve already put down a deposit for the venue and most of the vendors.

Chapter Two: Wayfinder
The Warden’s return draws them into a half circle. Gilander stands back from the rest, head bowed.
A cool breeze brings shivers in the wake of morning showers and an uneasy silence settles over the group.
The Warden squints at them, leans on his spear and drains a waterskin. His coat is torn and stained with what looks like blood. He stabs the ground and slicks back his long, damp hair. Though ragged and disheveled, he commands their attention with a raking glare.
“This place is not safe. We need to break camp immediately. Get it done.”
The slight, robed woman they call Aostlah glides over the trampled earth to the Warden’s side and he allows her to examine his wounds. Gilander’s gaze hangs for a moment on the witch’s porcelain mask.
What strange fate has led a servant of the Collegium to travel the frontier with a Warden? he wonders.
The others turn away, eager to engage in something constructive. The terror of the previous night lingers, but the Warden’s return has somehow rendered it hollow and distant.
“Come, milord,” Samal slaps Gil on the back. “Help me knock down the lean-to.”
The half-breed is the only one who has tried to befriend Gilander, but the boy mistrusts the way the piebald man stares at him when he thinks no one sees.
The dirty little man winks at him. “Looks like your punishment can wait.”
“I don’t even know what happened.“ Gil shrugs helplessly. “I just know it was my fault.”
“The Warden will get to you, don’t worry.” He grins. “I seen him break a man’s jaw for talking back, y’know. Our friend Thirno, over there.” Gil looks at the pale seven foot tall warrior. Thirno catches his eye and sneers, revealing broken teeth.
Samal chatters as they work. “Guess the other guy didn’t make it. Strangest thing, I can barely remember him. Or was he a she? Damn this forest.” He coils rope. “Been here a week and you barely speak. But I know more about you than I can remember about him.” He shakes his head. “I think he was the other scout. Yeah, that’s right. He was our Wayfinder. Shit.”
A black wave of guilt washes over the young man. “Why are you even talking to me?” Gilander asks, as tears threaten to spill.
Samal gives him a sincere stare. “Hey. I know what its like.” He holds up his arms to show his spotted skin. “I can’t hide what I am, any more than you can hide the fact you’re a soft-as-milk nobleman from Alnara. But, for someone like you to survive on the Frontier, you must be lucky as only hell knows. Reckon some of that luck’s gotta rub off on me!”
He gives a mischievous laugh and Gil finds a smile in return.
“Gilander!” Mokoto shouts over the noise of the camp. “Warden wants ya.”
“Here we go,” says Samal. “Chin up boy.”
Apprehension rises in his gut as Gilander makes his way across the camp. The Warden is sitting on a log, his torn coat beside him, chipping the hilt of his crystal knife with a rock. The witch stands behind him, cleaning a wound on his shoulder.
“I’m sorry, sir,” he stammers. “I swear…”
The Warden interrupts in a low voice. “Not your fault, Gil. I thought the creature might attack last night, but I didn’t know there were two of them. I was … distracted. They were able to work a sleep glamour on you and when the fire burned low…”
Gilander looks up. “What?”
The Warden frowns. Aostlah stands frozen behind, her eyeless mask tilted at Gil.
“The error was mine.” Somehow, the admission makes things worse, erodes the Warden’s aura of indomitable strength.
“I owe you my life,” Gil bows deep. “I should’ve done better.”
“We have a long journey yet, Gilander. We must all do better,” The Warden sighs and looks at his hands. “Tell me, what is your gift.”
“I have no Talent.”
“Nonsense. You have the touch of Vilt. Aostlah has confirmed it.”
“It is shameful,” Gilander whispers. “My father … cast me out.”
“We need a Wayfinder. We need your Talent.”
The young exile swallows the pain and nods slowly. “I will try,” he promises.
The Warden grips Gil’s wrist. “This will sting. Be strong.”
The strange blade slices and Gil sucks air at the sudden sting. Blood drips and the man pushes a crystal shard into the wound. Aostlah hands the Warden a strip of cloth, and he binds the gash.
“This will allow you to sense my location. Clear your mind and focus.”
Gil closes his eyes and he can feel the burning cut pulling towards the Warden. And there is something else. The pulse of the living world echoes in his veins.
“As the crystal spreads in your blood, it will enhance your Talent. There will be a short fever, but soon you will be able to follow Leylines”
At last, the witch speaks.
“Rise, Wayfinder.”
^WC-836
[Chapter Index: The Tower In The Tangle]

Discord Username: shellshock3d#3620
Character Name and House: Alyssa Tully
Age: 26
Appearance: Click
Gift: Diplomat
Skills: Architect (E), Courtly, Cautious (E)
Talent(s): Painting, Harpist, Debate
Starting Title(s): Lady Paramount of the Trident
Starting Location: King's Landing
Family Tree: Click
Alternate Characters: No
Character Name and House: Axel Tully (AC)
Age: 27
Appearance: Click
Gift: Champion
Skills: Swords, Knightly Fighting Style, Footwork
Talent(s): Gambling, Dancing, Riding
Starting Title(s): Knight of Riverrun
Starting Location: King's Landing

Alyssa Tully

Alyssa's parents had already tried and failed to produce an heir before she was born. She never knew her brother Lucamore but he was his parents firstborn for the first two years of his life. The only two years of his life. A whooping cough took him before long. Her parents were certain they would get another son. But first Alyssa was born, then her sister Sabitha. The miscarriage after that meant they wouldn't ever get their son. Especially because of the war.
Edmure Tully had grown up as a ward in King's Landing after his own father funded the Dornish for their third Dance against the greens. A hostage. A promise that such things would not happen again. In his time there he became sympathetic to the King and friendly with the princess. So he joined the Targaryens as one of their generals and was cut down, his blood forever staining the sandstone of Dorne. And at just five years old Alyssa was made the new Lady of Riverrun.
Of course a five year old could not rule on her own. It was decided amongst her mother and uncles that Ser Roger Tully should act as her regent. Though if Danelle and Tristan both agreed that he was doing a poor enough job they would replace him. That never needed to happen of course. All the way up to her sixteenth nameday her favorite uncle ruled in her stead and things were calm for a time in the Riverlands.
Things were not, however, calm in Alyssa Tully's journey into womanhood. Her first problem was when she began to realize she did not look at the stable boys and the blacksmith's boys and the young squires like her sister or her friends did. In fact there was one particular of her friends for whom her heart sang. She confessed her feelings to Lianna Mallister when the two of them were just girls and was surprised that Lianna felt the same way. Their relationship lasted a long time. They even promised each other not to marry. Then Lianna broke that promise and Alyssa's heart.
On top of that, she was sick. The first inclination that anything was wrong with her was when her flower refused to bloom. Some women were late bloomers but her moon blood never came at all. Only when she was a woman grown did she finally seek a maester's opinion. He had her examined in a way Alyssa could only describe as uncomfortable and violating. But his conclusion was that she had no womb, nothing with which to produce an heir and bare fruit for future generations.
It was no matter to her. She didn't want to marry anyway. Alyssa began grooming her younger sister Sabitha to be her heir. Of course her plans would end up falling apart as they always did. She never thought much of the bandits that lived in Oldstones. To her they felt like a legend her uncles told her to keep her wits sharp. She sent her sister, her uncle Roger, and a smattering of other nobility up the road from Riverrun to Winterfell, intending to arrange a marriage between her sister and a Stark. It was on that same road outside of Oldstones that the party was ambushed and nearly all of them were slain by bandits. It was from then on that Alyssa vowed to rid herself of them.
Only it was not that easy. Nothing in the Riverlands was. Soon after the attack on her sister, there was to be a wedding between Whent and Lannister. Before said wedding could happen, it was discovered that a Lannister had deflowered a Whent, and everything went to hell. Steel was drawn, blood was drawn, and armies were called. Only the small council's intervention prevented a war. Then similarly the next year at Maidenpool. Brackens and Blackwoods at each other's throats. Banners called. Neither would listen to Alyssa and once more the small council had to send someone to keep the peace.
Now Alyssa feels like she's torn in two. She wants to deal with the bandits and wants to ask for help from the King or from another region to get it done but she wants to prove she can rule her people without constantly asking for help.
Axel Tully

• 181 AC Axel is born the first and only child to Addam Tully and Agnes Blackwood.
  
• 192 AC Axel becomes the squire to his father Addam.
  
• 194 AC After a disagreement between Addam and his cousin Tullys, Axel and his family move to Raventree Hall.
  
• 199 AC Axel's father passes away and Axel returns to Riverrun and is knighted by his kin.
  
• 202 AC He is betrothed to Lady Myranda Banefort.
  
• 203 AC Axel is named a hero by his family and the people of Riverrun after he is the only survivor of the bandits who killed Sabitha Tully and Roger Tully. He took down nearly a dozen bandits on his own, barely surviving his wounds.
  
• 204 AC The betrothal to Lady Myranda Banefort is broken after the calamity at Harrenhal, Myranda is sent home.
  
• 206 AC Axel secretly converts to the old gods faith but keeps his knighthood.
  
• 207 AC Axel joins his family in traveling to King's Landing to celebrate the Crown Prince.
  

Supporting Characters

Florian Tully
(Scholar)

• Alyssa's blind but loyal cousin, who by all rights of law would be her heir.

Danelle Whent
(Subterfuge)

• Alyssa's mother, a stern but compassionate women in her early 50s.

My best friend of 15 years has suddenly stopped talking to me, she won’t respond to texts or anything on social. We have travelled together, she was there for the birth of my son, she was in my wedding party. She keeps posting this passive aggressive stuff on IG about only having worthy people in her life, or quotes about cutting people out that are no good for you. The only thing I can think is I had to cancel plans last minute because my child was sick. I was apologetic and explained. We usually talk multiple times a week and it’s been 6 weeks of mute. I’m just so heart broken to be shut out without an explanation and I have reached out and asked. She’s done this to a few other people before if they have offended her in someway. She can be savage sometimes. How do I get over this? How do I get through this? I feel like a worthless POS and I’m so confused.

Hi all I am gif and I am sex addict. I have been home for the past 6 days and gratefully sober. I go back to work tommorow and this past week has felt like a hibernation. In many ways I am powerless over my x. I will never understand their behaviors, actions, and motives. I can however see how I needed these last few years to grieve a relationship that proved to have no future. We read step 3 tonight and one sign my hp showed me they had no desire to stay with me is they never in the multiple years we were married engraved my wedding band. The 12 and 12 references little things as such as blaring flashes of the obvious.
Today in a check in with a trusted fellow I felt grateful that I no longer have the same 3 fights over and over again. Which often put me in a precarious recovery space which I lived my life saying the serenity prayer. Coping with the heart ache of a relationship that vanished the moment they stopped working their recovery. My last partnership proved my recovery works if I work it. I may not be where I want to be but I am moving towards that. However, I no longer feel the same betrayal trauma I started feeling exactly 2 years ago when all these lies I have believed to be true became undone. I am today kinda in the same way as when I met this last partner in no where in a place where I can pick a healthy partner. My last relationship proved to me how consumed I can become and what I have learned is I fill in the narrative. I assumed my x and I had shared values and beliefs even when I learned I was nothing like the company they kept.
Quite frankly getting sexually sober was one of the hardest actions of self love I have ever taken I refuse to settle for anything short of a real relationship. My x proved that my disease is so cunning I thought them to be someone their friends told me they could never be. Yet, my addict thought I could make it work. If I prayed, kept the focus on my side of the street, turned things over and kept putting recovery first things would work out.. Which they have in the conversation with my check in fellow someone who has known me for many years they caught my conflicting thinking. They helped me see that what I want from my x they never even offered because no one can give you something they don't have. This sadness, this rejection by a mate has broken me. In my hibernation I realized not the first heart break but same behaviors on my side of the street of how I got there ...similar stinky thinking my addict keeps telling me it's time to find someone to use. I have gotten pretty close in addition to various rain checks I have created. Yet, the growth of recovery is before I take the action I have a stop gap. Sometimes it's the letters I wrote, other times it's flash backs to sad moments in my life all in all that reprogramming of my brain has helped me get to a place that acting out with people won't fix the discomfort of now. I know I am worthy of love and some day I will find someone who wants to love me for who I am. I know it's possible because of the fellows I have met along my way. Yet I also know I cannot force some one to value me who doesn't and when J turn things over to my hp she does all the heavy lifting. Including freeing me from the insanity of multiple years with solutionless fighting.
Thanks for reading.

Getting married fall 2024. Looking at venues, seeing if anyone has some suggestions for nice outdoor venues. We live in BR, but our top prospect is in Shreveport and we’re willing to even venture into east Texas for a solid venue. Thanks!
Edit: plantations are a non starter for us

Because I learned so much from reading other itinerary/trip reports here, I wanted to share our experience.
Beforehand: AT&T – signed up for international day pass which meant $10/day for first person on the plan and $5/day for the others, for the first 10 days of each month or maybe billing cycle. Worked well and allowed us to split up when needed. Bought Tokyo Metro Pass (about $11/day, well worth it for us for 3 days) and JR pass on line from Klook prior to trip in time for them to mail the JR pass voucher to my home. We also bought a limousine airport bus ticket ahead of time from Klook but see below. Picked up Tokyo Metro Pass by showing QR code to the machine at metro station (instant and easy) and went to Shinjuku JR station to pick up JR passes (show passports, ok to pick up passes days before you want them activated) in person and make seat reservations for the long shinkansen trips and for the Tobu Nikko trip (paid the extra fee to Tobu staff when we arrived in Nikko). It was helpful to have determined exactly which train we wanted seat reservations for (train number, time, and date) beforehand. Ask for Mt. Fuji side if going Tokyo to Osaka/Kyoto. JapanTravel app is great for checking train times. Do give yourself enough time to transfer – the app will give you 10 minutes, say, to transfer from metro to JR trains and given the size of the stations and having to swipe in and out of the stations, and being confused about where to go, you probably need more time. If you have an iPhone, add virtual Suica card to your wallet. Was incredibly easy to use and saved us from having to top up at kiosks or buy tickets. Used it to grab drinks from machines, at 7-11, etc. But, it was a little tricky to set up for some of us – you may have to try Amex or Mastercard if Visa doesn’t work. Once, it didn’t work the first day but worked the second day when we tried again, so definitely do this at least a few days prior to the trip. Get some cash and plan to stop at ATMs (we used 7-11) often because cash is king there. We did not make any reservations so that we could be flexible with our plans. All the food was excellent and we rarely waited long (we would just look for another place if a line was long). Of course, do the visit Japan web website at least 3 days prior to the trip and get your QR codes for customs and immigration. Screenshot these as well. If you can keep yourself to a carry on size bag, it will make finding lockers and taking the shinkansen much easier. Break in those shoes. We walked 11-12 miles every day.
Tokyo for <= 3 days. We stayed in Shinjuku and tried to cluster our activities when we could: Northeast: Kappabashi street to check out the beautiful knives and kitchenware, and buy some lovely chopsticks Asakusa Shrine: beautiful but we did not go in because we were there for the Sanja Matsuri festival; crowded but a lot of fun watching the golden shrines bounced up and down the street, and we still got to sample foods from the food stalls. Thought about returning for evening, but never made it there. Akihabara: this was on my if-we-have-extra-time list; so glad we made it because it was a real highlight. Playing retro arcade games (Super Potato Retro shop), watching the real pros compete in the huge multistory gaming center buildings; walked over the Owl Café but should have made reservations a week before if we had wanted to go. Went to a bonsai market garden center in Ueno which was kind of interesting. Ochanomizu Gakkitengai for guitars and other musical instruments. Didn’t do SkyTree, did go to Ameyoko market which I thought was just ok. East: Fukagawa Fudo-do Temple: Goma Ritual, drumming, prayers, fire; service lasts about 30 minutes. Take a look around the temple’s other rooms also. Multiple times daily. Hat Coffee: we did not go but I’d have loved to see the 3D lattes Southeast: Tsukiji outer market (we had a Klook voucher for limousine bus tickets to take us right to the hotel to drop off our bags, but we got through immigration quickly and waited around until 6 am when the ticket counter was supposed to open, but it didn’t open and the info desk told us it wouldn’t open for another hour, plus first bus wasn’t until 7:30 am– so rather than waiting around the airport for hours, we ended up going straight to the market on the monorail and the metro using our Suica card, getting there at 6:20 am). It might sound early, but we had such a wonderful visit to the market at 6:20 am, dropping our bags in a locker at the metro (some take coins but we found ones that took our Suica (virtual Suica was in our Apple wallet); there are also lockers at Plat Tsukiji). Enjoyed the market and excellent coffee at Yonemoto, then lined up at 8:30 for wonderful meal at Tsukiji Koromo Sushi. Fantastic experience being able to look closely at everything at the market and make our purchases. By the time we left breakfast, though, it was wall to wall people, long lines, too crowded to really check out the stalls, and a much different experience. We were glad we had gone early. We even came back (at 7 am) two days later to enjoy more food stalls and sample the fatty tuna at Maguroya Kurogin (worth it despite the line). West: Shibuya 109: go downstairs to food area and find the whipped cream vending machine next to the escalator. Bring cash! Shibuya Sky: we did not have tickets and they were sold out, but during the day we went to the floor below and walked through the art gallery to have a beautiful view of the scramble crossing. At night, we went one floor below that to a lounge to take in the free view. Everywhere: Don Quijote; bought all the candy. Very fun running around trying to determine what was in each package. Thankful for Google Translate. Walked through beautiful Yoyogi Park to the Meiji-jingu Shrine. Saw some of a wedding ceremony. Beautiful. Then walked through Harajuku which was crowded and lively. Didn’t really see eccentric clothes and fashion, but lots of restaurants and snacks and fun resale shops. Did not get to Shibuya Nonbei Yokocho. Did stop in at Omoide Yokocho in Shinjuku and enjoy an early drink; would recommend getting there early since was already packed. Also lots of smoking in the izakayas, which made it less enjoyable for us. Enjoyed a walk through Golden Gai also. There are many areas of Shinjuku other than these for nightlife and restaurants. If there is a long line, go elsewhere. So much excellent food. If you like electronics, check out the 11 buildings of Yodabashi camera. Also ate at Uobei Shibuya for fast fun conveyer belt sushi. Line moved quickly. Great value too.
Then we took the Tobu Nikko line to Nikko (direct from Shinjuku so saved time and transfers with our bags). Cost a little more since JR pass didn’t cover fully. You could just take JR but there were more connections. Checked into Ryokan Nikko Hoshinoyado. Enjoyed Kanmangafuchi Abyss and the Toshugu shrines (buy tickets at the train station to avoid the lines at the shrine). Highly recommend this ryokan. Great public onsen (not busy, mostly empty, indoor and outdoor options) and phenomenal dinner. Surprised by wonderful breakfast also. After one night, metro and shinkansen to Kyoto (nice view of Mt. Fuji; enjoyed an ekiben on the train that we got at Tokyo station).
In Kyoto, walked Gion/Shimbashi street and had dinner at Pontocho first night. Many maiko sightings from across from the Ichiriki Tea House as dusk fell. Second day got 7 am start to be at Arashiyama bamboo grove early (peaceful) and then over to Golden Pavilion by 9 when it opened. Still very crowded, but fun and beautiful. We took cabs to the bamboo grove (30 minutes instead of 60) and then over to the Golden Pavilion because buses required connections and much longer travel time when we were trying to beat the crowds. After those two cabs, we just took buses around. Went to monkey park which was great and the had obanzai lunch at Gyatei (upstairs on the left, excellent) followed by walk to Gio-Ji temple (moss garden) and then through the Okochi Sanso Villa; then walked around the Arashiyama shopping streets. If you do the bamboo grove very early, be aware that all of the temples on that beautiful historic street nearby are closed that early. Nishiki market then dinner in Pontocho. Third day, started at Kiyomizu-Dera (check out Tainai-meguri, a symbolic womb of a female bodhisattva – we were pressed for time and the next schedule wasn’t for 30 minutes so we couldn’t stay), walked down Ninen-zaka and sannen-Zaka streets and then bus over to lunch at Izusen for shojin-ryori (you could get reservations, but we just got there early and were lucky to get in) and a walk around Daitokuji temple complex. There is a wonderful new zen bonsai garden in the Hoshun-in sub temple. Staff at other sub temples told us that that garden wasn’t open but when we got there it was. Check Instagram for opening times. After another visit to Nishiki market, we walked the Fushimi Inari Shrine into the evening and then back to Pontocho for dinner.
Train to Osaka. Went straight to Okonomiyaki Chitose which was excellent and a bit away from the main food areas; tried to get there for 11 am but went the wrong direction on the shinkansen rushing to the unreserved cars ((at the front of the shinkansens, by the way, usually cars 1-3 or similar). Also be aware of what platform to be at, but also that you are getting on the correct train. We almost took a 10:01 train when we should have waited for the 10:03 train at the same platform. Similarly, you might find that the JapanTransit app asks you to get off on platform 16 and then get on a train at that same moment at platform 16. Do it — it is asking you to go from an express to a local train). Because we didn’t arrive until 11:45, we were in an hour long line to get in. It was excellent though. Spent the rest of the day at Don Quijote and all of the many endless food and shopping streets near Namba and ended at Dotonbori. Conveyer belt sushi close to the river but upstairs so harder to find – surprisingly not crowded when the other places on the river were all mobbed.
Next day train to Nara, a few hours there exploring the Daibutsuden Hall and Todaiji temple and feeding the bowing deer, fantastic lunch at izakaya なら酒蔵なべ At 34-1 Imamikadocho, Nara, and then to Kyoto for the shinkansen to Tokyo for the airport.

My best friend of 15 years has suddenly stopped talking to me, she won’t respond to texts or anything on social. We have travelled together, she was there for the birth of my son, she was in my wedding party. She keeps posting this passive aggressive stuff on IG about only having worthy people in her life, or quotes about cutting people out that are no good for you. The only thing I can think is I had to cancel plans last minute because my child was sick. I was apologetic and explained. We usually talk multiple times a week and it’s been 6 weeks of mute. I’m just so heart broken to be shut out without an explanation and I have reached out and asked. She’s done this to a few other people before if they have offended her in someway. She can be savage sometimes. How do I get over this? How do I get through this? I feel like a worthless POS and I’m so confused.

It's been very interesting lately, and I've been doing the best I can, but I'm regularly thinking being a twin flame sucks. It's been hard in so many ways. But at the same time, I know, I KNOW, that I wouldn't have become who I am, or healed all the things I've healed, or learned all the things I learned, or cleaned up my life so it's more aligned with who I am, without all of it. I know what it's doing but sometimes it's just so motherfucking hard.
I hadn't talked to my twin in while. We saw each other last on New Year's Eve and I knew he was going through a lot, changing a lot of things in his life, making decisions, figuring out where life goes, and I knew he wouldn't be as available, but he really ghosted me again this time, and honestly I was like whatever, I'm going through a lot, I hope you're figuring your end out and I'll see you when you're feeling better. I just had no idea how long it'd take or how hard these past few months would be. He has had a really hard time, and I felt it all along the way. That was hard too because I was dealing with my own crap.
Last week I was still recovering from being very sick, which always happens to me at the end of a cycle, and it used to cause me a lot of anxiety, because I'd be bedridden, too weak, too anxious, feeling energy too intensely, having headaches and digestive issues, head pressure, feeling floaty, feeling out of it, not being able to think straight, having no energy, everything hurting and aching. But since I've been doing this for years I realized that it's just the universe's way of knocking me on my ass so I'll be still and focus on myself and on taking care of myself, putting myself first.
Anyway, I decided to go get in my hammock at this place I like to go to, there's trails and a reservoir and it's nice and it always makes me feel better to go out there. I was in my hammock and I was journaling and listening to music and I'm not sure if it started with a song making me feel something, but I just started feeling my masculine's love. It was so sweet and tender and loving and unconditional and it felt so good, I hadn't felt it like that in a long time. Then I started to feel it for myself, it was just this unconditional love bliss burst that came over me and I started crying it was so awesome. I've had it many times before, I mean we're shown that to remind us where we will get if we heal and do the work on ourselves. So, I'm sitting there, just luxuriating in that feeling and I started to journal about it, and I look up and i think I see a guy that looks like my guy walking toward me. i have terrible eyesight, so I wasn't sure until he got close, but I smiled and waved and I wasn't expecting him to stop and talk, but he did.
He asked what I was doing, was smiling at me, he finds me endlessly amusing I know, and I said I'm hammocking, and he was like yeah, I know that, and then we started talking about things. He apparently had cut his achilles tendon almost all the way through in a freak accident at the dump when he backed into a broken pot. Well, so that made sense, I know how he is when he gets hurt, or has an injury or gets sick. He uses that as an excuse because he thinks he can't handle me if he's not at his best. So, we just chit chatted until he was ready to go, and he was antsy to go. I could tell he was triggered, he was getting awkward and I was just thinking, alright dude, get going, don't explain where you've been or what's up with things or whatever, just go. You'll be back, I'll see you when you understand it all better.
After he left I sat there watching him walk away and while I was thinking kind of bitchy things, like go on boy, get the hell out of here, go off and think about me obsessively and sit there overthinking it all, whatever. But I realized I wasn't triggered, I felt solid and good and at peace and calm inside. It was the first time in a long time I'd felt that way around him. It is because I've come back around to the place where I remember the truth, that we love each other unconditionally and that's not going anywhere and it's all going to happen the way it's meant to. So, us running into each other was so perfect honestly. It made me see that I am in a good place with him, and that he was not in a good place with us. I felt his guilt, his feeling bad about it, I felt absolute agony for the 2 days afterwards coming from him, I was fine, it wasn't easy because I still felt it, but it wasn't me.
Last week I started to have a lot of telepathy, a lot of love feelings, songs, number syncs, signs, and all kinds of things just started happening, the magic started percolating and getting going, and that helped, because I could feel his love and everything he was feeling and it was getting better, and we were both started to feel more balanced overall. I realized after our encounter that it was divinely orchestrated because we needed to be triggered by each other, but I wasn't which was awesome, but I know he was, I felt it. We needed to see each other to see where we are. And I'm in a place where I really am okay with however life unfolds. Things are happening in my life, I'm busy, things are changing for me, and I'm getting on the other side of the healing and work I've been doing for over 4 years hard core.
I feel balanced and at peace and solid in my truth of who I am and what I know and what it's all about now, and this balancing of my spiritual and physical side, my action and flowy side, my masculine and my feminine, my fears and my love and light. I feel lately that there's been a bit of like balancing in the middle like a see-saw and I'll kind of dip into the fears and deal with them, and I'll dip into the bliss and love and then I'll balance out and feel more "normal".
I feel like after everything I've been through in my life, my 54 years, that I'm finally on the other side of healing all the crap I've been through so I can be free of it. So I'm just happy being me living my life and looking forward to what's manifesting for me. Things are falling into place for me with work and money and all of that, now I'm not saying I've got it all, no, I have what I need and I can do what I want to do with limitations, and my new job won't be easy, but it'll lead to other things I want, like living alone in my own place, like paying bills on time, like getting to take care of the basics so I can rebuild my life the way I want it to be. My job is also with people I like who like me and appreciate me and I feel really good around them. Good vibes. And I'll get to be creative and use all my experience and abilities there which is lovely and makes me feel inspired and excited about it all.
I think I'm most excited about living on my own again. I left my ex abusive narcissist about 6 years ago, a month before I met my twin, and I lived with my dad, then my son, then my mom, then back with my son, because I haven't been able to work consistently for very long without getting really sick and just falling apart, but I was healing through all of that, and we all know how that just takes over in a way that makes it hard to function like a "normal" person. It's been a long road to here, but I know what I'm doing now.
One of the things that really has helped me was learning that when I start getting sick, or too anxious, or feeling like it's all too much, whatever it is, I have to listen to myself and accept where I am, bhonest and real about it, and not not NOT give myself a hard time about having a hard time. It's my reality.
If my body is exhausted I rest, if I can't be around people I stay home, if I can't do something or am not up to something I tell everyone and I stick to my boundaries and nurture and care for myself through it. I used to get so anxious, what will everyone think? I suck, I'm in trouble, I'm this and that, and why is this so hard and all of that. The resistance to the truth is what causes our suffering. Wishing things were different than they are causes suffering, and I don't particularly like suffering. When I offer myself the compassion and care and understanding and empathy and love and nurturing I'd give others in the same position, I start feeling better. I feel at least free to take care of myself, to give myself permission to let me be however I am. it almost instantly makes me feel better, when I stop giving any fucks about anything outside of myself. It's not selfish, it's self love.
I am getting that June is going to be a big month for twins, feeling things falling into place. I feel my twin getting closer, wanting to see me, getting all fired up, getting romantic, then getting confused, and going back and forth but as each day passes since I've seen him, it's gotten lighter and brighter and more loving, and our telepathy especially at night is ridiculous. We're having all our arguments now, in telepathy, like we're getting it out, and I know he feels it, because I've seen him change along the way, in ways that only could've happened with him somehow starting to understand what I'm learning too.
I once had this vision, and it was because the 3 of pentacles kept coming up last year in every reading, It was that we are walking side by side on two paths near each other, we are making progress, we are doing the work, for us, so we're collaborating energetically, and once in a while our paths would cross and we'd collide and then we'd go back to wandering our paths until it's time. I don't know when it'll be time, but things are definitely happening behind the scenes and I feel that too.
He and I both know we can't keep going the way that we were. It felt like a situationship and after reading so much on attachment styles I could see why he did so many of the things he did. We were and are both scared of it, I get it, it's intense and crazy and we've never felt this way before about anyone, and it's turned my entire life upside down and on it's ear, but I've never felt more authentic and empowered and like I'm on the right track in my entire life. There's a solid knowing of who I am now, and I trust myself, I listen to myself, and I can handle whatever comes now.
To me that's been the whole point of the journey. We think at first it's about them, about getting them, about us figuring it out. But it's really about us becoming who we were meant to be before life screwed us all up and wounded us with all it's bullshit, and having to rid our minds of all that negative self talk that was rooted in inner child wounds. It's been a lot, but wherever it's going is better than where I've been, and I'm grateful for all of it now, even when it's hard, because I know what all of it does, how it helps us release all the crap so we can be who we were always meant to be.
I'm really feeling with the full moon Friday and the 6/6 portal, we will really feel the shift and feel much more stable, positive, encouraging energies and we'll feel more stable as we head into the summer and settle into the new version of ourselves we've become after the last year or so. It's good stuff, but it's not always easy I know.
I keep having all these heated discussions in my head with my masculine, and last night I had this vision where he was being emotionally withdrawn when I was trying to be affectionate, and he was very uncomfortable, and I said, this isn't a boundary, you have walls up, and if you don't let them down you're going to lose me, is that what you want? And then I got mad and banged on the bed, and said, like you can ever lose me, dammit!
It's true, I'm not sure I'll ever be lost to him, and I don't think he'll ever be able to stay away, and hopefully he's started to realize why and sort out his stuff. I know it's hard for him too, I scare the shit out of him, I see it, I feel it, and instead of believing that he's just this emotionally unavailable avoidantly attached dude who will keep disappearing, I know that he's transforming with me, I've seen it all along.
We just wish it would hurry up and happen. Well, my healing couldn't happen overnight, I had to go through multiple cycles and all kinds of crap to get where I am, so I choose to be empathetic and understand. When I see him I will be a safe place, no judgment, no blame, just seeking to understand what he's afraid of, and hopefully that helps. I guess we'll see how it goes, because all I feel is energy and his feelings, I have no idea what he'll end up doing, but I'm pretty sure I'll see him soon whether the universe throws us together or he's finally tired of fighting how he feels and decides it's time to face it. I don't think he has any idea how easy it could be to find some clarity and understand each other, but I hope it's soon, because i am tired of things, even if I ultimately know, that it's going to happen the way it's meant to, and that I have zero control over that. It's been a long journey and I'm grateful for where I am, but I'd like for he and I to finally find our way through this so we can make it easier on each other and get this party started. I guess we'll see. Learning to have faith in the process wasn't easy but it really makes all the difference in being able to let go and just focus on myself and my life that I'm currently living right now in this moment. He'll join me when he's ready, and only the universe knows when that happens. I'm only in control of myself.
With unconditional love and light,
Cinamon

Reunion - Part 1
The reunion starts off with an Irish Castle theme. All the women look nice. What stuck out to me: Teresa is wearing some sort of train on the back of her outfit. Someone had to hold it to help her walk to her seat. Melissa wore a blinged out gown with a hoodie. She looks like a boxer. Oh, Teresa is wearing a short wig.
As soon as the reunion starts, Teresa gets a phone call. It's Joe Guidice. She puts him on speaker. He asks Teresa if Bill does surgery for bags under the eyes for his uncle. Then, Andy tells him hello, they exchange pleasantries and Joe ends up telling him he that he has a few girlfriends. This is so staged. C’mon!
Next, Teresa has Andy touch her heart, it is rapid. She asks for God to be with her and Namaste. She wants to close this chapter and wish Melissa well. Melissa agrees and wants peace. We shall see..
Andy asks Teresa about the wedding. She says the hardest thing was her family hurting her. Melissa jumps in and asks how did they hurt her. They start to go at each other, but Andy stops them and says he wants to talk about some other topics with the wedding. He asks Teresa why Dina wasn't there. She says Dina didn't want to be on camera. Andy said she could have signed a release to not be filmed. Teresa said yes true, and she wished she told her sooner. Andy then says he used to see all four of them together on social media, (Instagram) but now he doesn't see them together anymore. Teresa says they are all okay and Louie and Dina's husband, David had no business dealings and had no dispute. They are all good. We see a flashback this season of Joe saying Louie and David had a business dealing fallout which ended the friendship. Melissa chimes in and said Joe shouldn't have said that on TV because David doesn't want to be on any part of the show. So, with that, they are insinuating that Louie and David had a fallout and it strained the friendship with Dina and Teresa. Andy’s face seems to show that he knows something, so it might be true.
Next topic is Donna Marco not being invited to the wedding. It goes right to Teresa and Melissa arguing. This guy Shane comes up. He is Melissa's neighbor and Melissa claims she tried setting him up with Teresa. Teresa kind of liked him. Teresa is denying that they asked her to go to dinner. Melissa says when Louie started dating Teresa, they were on a girl's trip. Louie kept asking Joey to go crash the trip to get a scene on the show. Melissa also said Louie tried to date Alexia from Miami. The Marge says this is true. Teresa calls Melissa a liar and can't wait for the night to be over. Melissa asks her why are you leaving. Teresa says no you are leaving. Andy says we will see how the reunion goes. Teresa says either way after today, she is out of my life. Melissa said it's sad.
Then they talk more about the wedding and Teresa's 3 feet of hair. The Marge said it was beautiful. She says she cried, and she looked beautiful. She loved the wedding, but after the thing.s she heard on the show she is repulsed, meaning Louie hiring Bo Diet’s investigating the cast. Andy tells them more of that later.
Dolores is now questioned. Andy asks her how her relationship is with Paulie. She said her relationship with Frank Sr. is a little different because there can't be two #1's. This relationship is very different that she had with David. Frank is still living with David! How strange. Dolores is okay with that. Paulie is not divorced yet. He is legally separated.
Now what comes up is Danielle with her broken relationship with her brother. It's been three years since they spoke, but she is going to see him the next day. Their grandmother died so she will be in the same room with him. So maybe they will mend their relationship. She said that RHONJ was his favorite show.
The Marge and Danielle argue and go back and forth, same old story with this crew. Andy said Danielle came off tough, but she ended up being emotional. She said it was because she was in shock because Rachel twisted her to be the gossip. The Marge tells her you said I had an arsenal!! Danielle replies, I said it was Laura who said it!! Now they are all screaming at each other ... and I can't take it!! Danielle is too loud. People love her. I think she along with the rest of this cast fight too much and are too loud. No one can get a word in. It is hard to listen to every single episode this season.
Andy even said they talked about the same fight all seasons and it was the dumbest fight ever. He said it wasn't even a big deal. I agree. Repetitious too.
Moving forward Rachel and Danielle will drop their feud and have a friendship. Damnit, these two will be on next season! Please no. Rachel is boring, and Danielle is too sensitive and way too loud! Danielle seems to think the louder you are, the more of a star you will become. Maybe she thinks it will give her a spot next season. I hope Bravo realizes that viewers does not enjoy loud screaming rants over the same subject. Andy seemed to allude to this as well.
Melissa's new home comes up. It is finally done. People were coming after her design. The cast said they were there and it is beautiful. Andy asked if they hired Fuda to do the tiles. She says yes. Rachel chimes in saying Melissa is demanding. We find out Teresa moved two doors next to Melissa’s old home.
Now Antonia comes up. Teresa said she shouldn't have answered Rachel's question about her not coming to Milania's sweet 16. She feels like it was a setup question. Rachel denies it. Now they fight! How annoying these women are. No one speaks, they all just scream and argue. Now Andy brings up how Melissa said Teresa's daughters have hate in their hearts. Melissa says her daughter never says anything on the show, but Teresa's girls talk about her all the time. They go back and forth about the children and the same argument for a decade. This is annoying and boring.
Now up, The Marge. We see a flashback of Jennifer telling Melissa that The Marge thinks Melissa should be with a ball player. Andy asks Melissa if it was flattering or confusing. Melissa said it was all a joke and that Joe is not mad at all about it. Jennnifer says Laura told her that The Marge said it all the time. My opinion is Melissa is downplaying it and that Joey was probably a little annoyed.
Now Laura comes up They all discuss if she tried to be on the show. Jennifer had her at her premier party. The Marge said she wanted her on the show. Andy said if The Marge tried to get her on the show and if she wanted to come on as a friend it would be more interesting for viewers for her come on the show as an enemy.
I can't !!! .... they are all screaming over each other.
Teresa said she needs to get this out. She said Melissa and Joe's whole storyline has always been about her. She said Jacqueline told her so many things recently about what Joe and Melissa did to her years ago. She said her ex's partner outed her and that's why he didn't go to jail. He was in contact with Joe and Melissa, they were speaking to him, insinuating that they were behind her going to jail. After she heard all of this, she will never have anything to do with them. Melissa said last she heard Caroline put her in jail. Teresa takes it back. Now it's the Gorga's who did it

We've been touring rustic wedding venues at SoCal and are now deciding between Calamigos Ranch and The 1909. We're looking at 70-80 guest counts.
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For CR, the venue is gorgeous both in photos and in person. However, we saw there are posts mentioning the potential hidden costs despite having a contract in place, as well as bad service and attitude giving off "money-hungry" vibes which is what we don't want to deal with. We also won't have the venue place until 4 pm-11:30 pm compared to The 1909's 11 am-11 pm. Overall, there are more restrictions and cost for every add-on it seems. We wonder if anyone has had experience on this that can share with us.
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For The 1909, we love how sophisticated the setting is, but feel like the place can be more refined like CR (we care about every detail and corner that is visible when guests walk around and CR does a fantastic job). Not sure if the grass area is hard for people with heels. If this venue is selected, we plan to put in more decorating efforts compared to CR, but thinking the overall budget might still be slightly cheaper than CR's. The schedule is more flexible for us to have the venue for longer hours, and the staff is very supportive as well.
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We'd love to get people's feedback on these two venues on the above points to help us make a decision in the next few days. Thanks!

Reds @ Red Sox - Tue, May 30

Game Status: Final - Score: 9-8 Reds

Links & Info

• MLB Gameday
• Game Graphs
• Savant Gamefeed

	Reds Batters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	LOB	AVG	OBP	SLG
1	Friedl - CF	3	0	0	1	0	1	2	.326	.377	.496
	Barrero - CF	2	1	2	4	1	0	0	.235	.313	.353
2	McLain - SS	6	0	1	0	0	2	4	.357	.429	.554
3	India - 2B	5	1	1	0	0	1	3	.288	.372	.434
4	Fraley - DH	4	0	1	1	1	1	2	.252	.341	.404
5	Stephenson, T - C	3	1	1	0	2	1	1	.251	.343	.348
6	Steer - 1B	4	1	2	1	0	0	4	.288	.353	.485
7	Newman - 3B	4	1	0	0	1	1	3	.269	.333	.361
8	Benson - LF	5	3	3	0	0	0	3	.156	.182	.219
9	Fairchild - RF	4	1	1	1	1	2	2	.250	.348	.393
	Totals	40	9	12	8	6	9	24

Reds
BATTING: 2B: Fraley (8, Garza). 3B: Benson (1, Bello); Stephenson, T (1, Sherriff). HR: Barrero (2, 7th inning off Rodríguez, J, 3 on, 1 out). TB: Barrero 5; Benson 5; Fairchild; Fraley 2; India; McLain; Steer 2; Stephenson, T 3. RBI: Barrero 4 (17); Fairchild (15); Fraley (35); Friedl (20); Steer (26). Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Steer 2; McLain; Fraley 2; Newman 2. SF: Steer. Team RISP: 1-for-15. Team LOB: 11.
FIELDING: Outfield assists: Barrero (Hernández, K at home); Fairchild (Yoshida at 2nd base). DP: (Fairchild-McLain).

	Red Sox Batters	AB	R	H	RBI	BB	K	LOB	AVG	OBP	SLG
1	Tapia, R - RF	5	2	3	2	0	0	0	.277	.341	.386
2	Devers - 3B	5	1	2	2	0	1	0	.246	.286	.498
3	Turner, J - DH	5	1	1	1	0	0	1	.263	.353	.407
4	Yoshida - LF	4	0	3	1	1	0	0	.313	.389	.486
	1-Reyes, P - PR	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	.273	.314	.364
5	Duran, Ja - CF	5	0	1	1	0	1	3	.293	.342	.466
6	Casas - 1B	5	0	0	0	0	2	4	.193	.308	.359
7	Hernández, K - SS	3	0	1	0	1	1	0	.237	.313	.358
8	Valdez, E - 2B	3	2	1	0	1	2	4	.247	.301	.416
9	McGuire - C	4	2	2	1	0	1	4	.293	.318	.366
	Totals	39	8	14	8	3	8	16

Red Sox
1-Ran for Yoshida in the 9th.
BATTING: 2B: Duran, Ja (14, Lively); Tapia, R (4, Lively); McGuire 2 (6, Cruz, F, Salazar); Yoshida (11, Díaz, A). 3B: Tapia, R (1, Cruz, F). TB: Devers 2; Duran, Ja 2; Hernández, K; McGuire 4; Tapia, R 6; Turner, J; Valdez, E; Yoshida 4. RBI: Devers 2 (46); Duran, Ja (20); McGuire (10); Tapia, R 2 (10); Turner, J (21); Yoshida (30). 2-out RBI: McGuire; Devers; Tapia, R. Runners left in scoring position, 2 out: Casas; McGuire 2. Team RISP: 6-for-12. Team LOB: 7.
FIELDING: E: Hernández, K 2 (11, throw, throw).

Reds Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	P-S	ERA
Lively (W, 3-2)	5.2	4	0	0	2	6	0	87-59	1.99
Young, Al (H, 7)	0.1	0	0	0	0	0	0	4-3	2.91
Cruz, F	1.0	4	3	3	0	1	0	17-13	7.47
Farmer, B	1.0	1	0	0	0	0	0	12-8	2.70
Salazar	0.1	4	5	5	1	0	0	26-16	16.20
Díaz, A (S, 13)	0.2	1	0	0	0	1	0	12-8	1.69
Totals	9.0	14	8	8	3	8	0

Red Sox Pitchers	IP	H	R	ER	BB	K	HR	P-S	ERA
Bello (L, 3-3)	4.0	5	1	1	2	4	0	97-61	3.89
Garza	1.2	3	2	1	1	2	0	41-27	1.42
Rodríguez, J	0.2	2	5	5	3	1	1	36-16	18.00
Sherriff	2.2	2	1	1	0	2	0	31-22	1.93
Totals	9.0	12	9	8	6	9	1

Game Info
WP: Garza.
Pitches-strikes: Lively 87-59; Young, Al 4-3; Cruz, F 17-13; Farmer, B 12-8; Salazar 26-16; Díaz, A 12-8; Bello 97-61; Garza 41-27; Rodríguez, J 36-16; Sherriff 31-22.
Groundouts-flyouts: Lively 5-4; Young, Al 0-0; Cruz, F 1-1; Farmer, B 1-0; Salazar 0-0; Díaz, A 1-0; Bello 8-0; Garza 3-0; Rodríguez, J 1-0; Sherriff 2-2.
Batters faced: Lively 22; Young, Al 1; Cruz, F 7; Farmer, B 3; Salazar 6; Díaz, A 3; Bello 20; Garza 10; Rodríguez, J 7; Sherriff 10.
Inherited runners-scored: Young, Al 1-0; Díaz, A 2-2; Rodríguez, J 2-0.
Umpires: HP: Sean Barber. 1B: Alan Porter. 2B: Jim Wolf. 3B: Mike Muchlinski.
Weather: 65 degrees, Clear.
Wind: 3 mph, R To L.
First pitch: 7:12 PM.
T: 3:12.
Att: 31,642.
Venue: Fenway Park.
May 30, 2023

Inning	Scoring Play	Score
Top 2	TJ Friedl grounds into a force out, second baseman Enmanuel Valdez to shortstop Enrique Hernandez. Will Benson scores. Stuart Fairchild out at 2nd. TJ Friedl to 1st.	1-0 CIN
Top 5	Jake Fraley doubles (8) on a line drive to center fielder Jarren Duran. Jonathan India scores.	2-0 CIN
Top 6	Matt McLain reaches on a fielder's choice, fielded by shortstop Enrique Hernandez. Will Benson scores. Jose Barrero to 3rd. Matt McLain to 2nd. Throwing error by shortstop Enrique Hernandez.	3-0 CIN
Top 7	Stuart Fairchild walks. Spencer Steer scores. Kevin Newman to 3rd. Will Benson to 2nd.	4-0 CIN
Top 7	Jose Barrero hits a grand slam (2) to left field. Kevin Newman scores. Will Benson scores. Stuart Fairchild scores.	8-0 CIN
Bottom 7	Reese McGuire doubles (5) on a fly ball to center fielder Jose Barrero. Enmanuel Valdez scores.	8-1 CIN
Bottom 7	Raimel Tapia triples (1) on a sharp fly ball to right fielder Stuart Fairchild. Reese McGuire scores.	8-2 CIN
Bottom 7	Rafael Devers singles on a line drive to right fielder Stuart Fairchild. Raimel Tapia scores.	8-3 CIN
Top 8	Spencer Steer out on a sacrifice fly to left fielder Masataka Yoshida. Tyler Stephenson scores.	9-3 CIN
Bottom 9	Raimel Tapia singles on a ground ball to right fielder Stuart Fairchild. Enmanuel Valdez scores. Reese McGuire to 3rd.	9-4 CIN
Bottom 9	Rafael Devers singles on a ground ball to center fielder Jose Barrero. Reese McGuire scores. Raimel Tapia to 3rd.	9-5 CIN
Bottom 9	Justin Turner singles on a ground ball to right fielder Stuart Fairchild. Raimel Tapia scores. Rafael Devers to 2nd.	9-6 CIN
Bottom 9	Masataka Yoshida doubles (11) on a sharp line drive to center fielder Jose Barrero. Rafael Devers scores. Justin Turner to 3rd.	9-7 CIN
Bottom 9	Jarren Duran grounds out, shortstop Matt McLain to first baseman Spencer Steer. Justin Turner scores. Pablo Reyes to 3rd.	9-8 CIN

Team	Highlight
BOS	Bullpen availability for Boston, May 30 vs Reds (00:00:07)
CIN	Bullpen availability for Cincinnati, May 30 vs Red Sox (00:00:07)
BOS	Fielding alignment for Boston, May 30 vs Reds (00:00:11)
CIN	Fielding alignment for Cincinnati, May 30 vs Red Sox (00:00:11)
BOS	Starting lineups for Reds at Red Sox - May 30, 2023 (00:00:09)
CIN	Jose Barrero: Home Run Statcast Analysis (00:00:11)
CIN	TJ Friedl's RBI force out (00:00:19)
CIN	Lively gets out of jam in the 2nd (00:00:09)
BOS	Masataka Yoshida's sliding catch (00:00:24)
BOS	Bello gets out of jam with two K's (00:00:27)
CIN	Jake Fraley's RBI double (00:00:23)
CIN	McLain's relay gets Hernández at home (00:00:24)
CIN	Will Benson scores on an error (00:00:30)
BOS	Brayan Bello's four strikeouts (00:00:39)
CIN	Spencer Steer scores on a walk (00:00:08)
CIN	Barrero's 1st career grand slam (00:00:44)
BOS	Reese McGuire's RBI double (00:00:27)
BOS	Raimel Tapia's RBI triple (00:00:23)
BOS	Rafael Devers' RBI single (00:00:13)
CIN	Spencer Steer's sacrifice fly (00:00:16)
BOS	Raimel Tapia's RBI single (00:00:16)
BOS	Rafael Devers' 2nd RBI single (00:00:14)
BOS	Justin Turner's RBI single (00:00:14)
BOS	Masataka Yoshida's RBI double (00:00:18)
BOS	Jarren Duran's RBI groundout (00:00:21)
CIN	CIN @ BOS (00:00:10)
BOS	Masataka Yoshida's 3 hit day reel (00:01:14)

	1	2	3	4	5	6	7	8	9		R	H	E	LOB
Reds	0	1	0	0	1	1	5	1	0		9	12	0	11
Red Sox	0	0	0	0	0	0	3	0	5		8	14	2	7

Decisions

• Winner: Ben Lively (3-2, 1.99)
• Loser: Brayan Bello (3-3, 3.89)
• Save: Alexis Diaz (13, 1.69)

Division Scoreboard

MIL 2 @ TOR 7 - Final
KC 1 @ STL 2 - Final
TB 1 @ CHC 2 - Final
PIT 2 @ SF 1 - Top 6, 2 Outs
Next Reds Game: Wed, May 31, 07:10 PM EDT @ Red Sox
^{Last Updated: 05/30/2023 11:26:32 PM EDT}

I'm having a super casual and short wedding in Manhattan, and after the hour-long reception we want to take a group of 10-15 close friends out for some affordable fun. None of us are big drinkers and I'm literally allergic to alcohol but bars are an easy option and basically everyone except me can drink.
A lot of bars I've looked up allow reservations but also encourage people (even groups) to walk in. Are there bars in Manhattan that would be good for bringing a group of 10-15 without reservations? I'm open to making reservations, I'm just confused by all of these websites. None of them are very clear on what the norms are/what they want smallish groups to do.
This would be on a Sunday, if that matters. I'm on a tight budget so I can't just rent out a whole venue, unfortunately.

Hello everyone! It's been a while since I've last posted here. For anyone not familiar with my story, my JNMom, aptly dubbed "Cruella", has been quiet for a while. I thought we were making headway, and boy was I wrong. Buckle up, cause this is going to be looooong.
I got engaged to FDH in August of last year, and Cruella was thrilled. I'm her only child, and for the longest time, we had a very enmeshed relationship. She quickly got me a budget to work with, and I've been planning since then. FDH's family also provided us a budget from their side as well. Cruella also created a separate budget just for my dress.
Cruella came to visit me in February to go dress shopping with me and my FMIL who is absolutely JY most the time. This trip was an absolute nightmare. First, Cruella gets a hotel 45 minutes away from where we live and expects us to see her daily. Turns out, she and JMDad were here a few days early to go house shopping since they are thinking of moving back to our state. As a reminder, they moved to another state a couple of years ago as a knee jerk reaction to us getting a cold snap, and now ironically enough, Cruella works at the House of Mouse. Turns out that they moved because they expected me to follow, and when I didn't, they realized they may not get to see any future grandbabies whenever they wanted, so they started looking to move back. On the last night that JMDad was in town (he was flying out to let us ladies do some dress shopping), we had dinner with them at a very nice restaurant, which is a disaster I may need to post about on a later date. FDH and I were informed of the house hunting, which we promptly shut down. I let Cruella know that we are following FDH's job. He's only sticking with his current job for the PTO for our wedding, but then we are both job searching and house hunting. Cruella was not pleased with this, but eventually agreed it wouldn't be a good idea to move here just for us to move right as she gets here.
Wedding dress shopping will also need to be another post. Cruella was for the most part supportive, but she kept finding ways to try to start drama with FDH's family who I defended tooth and nail. On the second day, FMIL couldn't join us, so it was just Cruella and me, and we had a spat on the way to the first bridal boutique. I only got her to snap out when I told her she was ruining the say yes to the dress moment, and since it's a show Cruella obsesses over she stopped. During lunch though, we had a heart to heart, and I laid out all of my issues with her, especially that she never took any ownership of the shit she put me through as a kid. She seemed receptive and told me about some marital issues she is having with my dad. I told her I've played therapist since I was in middle school, which was never fair to me. I told her she and JMDad needed to go to couples counseling and get their shit sorted out because I would not let them ruin my wedding with their drama. Once again, she seemed to understand, acknowledge, and actually gave me what seemed to be a genuine apology.
That all went out the window when we came back after dress shopping, and my mom proceeded to get druuuuunk at my place on all my wine and started picking fights with me. One of the arguments was she wanted me to share a bed with her since she had checked out of her hotel (FDH and I offered to let her stay with us without expecting her to accept. Not a mistake we will repeat). FDH was sleeping on the couch, and I was staying on an air mattress. She said it would be more comfortable sleeping in the same bed. When I declined, she threatened to sit on me and tickle me until I peed. I used to have a bladder issue when I was a kid, not due to trauma or anything, just an issue I grew out of, and she has threatened me with that ever since. FDH told me after this happened that had she tried it, he would have pulled her off of me and kicked her out. She was one wrong move from getting kicked out, and I think she knew it cause she backed down.
So here I am in the present thinking that everything is going great when I get a text from Cruella telling me that she is feeling confused about something. She starts sounding more agitated with each text, so I just call her and ask her what she is getting so mad about. Turns out, she really doesn't like FFIL because he jokingly said he didn't want to get an appetizer she wanted BACK IN FEBRUARY. She's been holding onto this grudge for MONTHS! I told her that I didn't want to hear her complaints about the 2 times she's met him because he is a wonderful man who has helped me out tremendously and treated me like his daughter. Then she got into the REAL reasons she was annoyed.
FDH and I have a destination wedding planned. We aren't rich by any means, but we are careful with our money. We were setting up a shuttle to get us from the airport to the venue/hotel which is 1.5 hours away. Cruella said she was fine with taking a train. I told her she could do what she wanted, but there are train strikes going on, and I wanted to do something nice by paying for the transportation to make sure everyone got there ok. This past weekend, FFIL stated he was going to get a rental car and take FDH's brother and his SO to the venue so that we only had to worry about setting up a ride for my parents, me, and FDH. I told my mom about it and said that FFIL was taking one for the team to help us save money on that. Cruella didn't like this and said she had offered to do the same thing in the beginning, and now it feels like she's a burden. She thinks that when we told her in February not to move, we were treating her like a senile grandma who can't make her own decisions anymore. I don't talk to her about wedding planning at all and just expect her to pay for everything.
She's taking the train to get to the venue, and I told her that's on her, but if she is late or misses any of the associated events, I would be furious with her. We weren't trying to manage her or treat her like she was senile, just dropping some facts on her to make sure she made an informed decision when moving. And I tell her about wedding planning with every call I make to her. The real reason she wasn't happy about the wedding planning? I wasn't asking for her opinion! And there it is. She wants control over wedding planning. I don't need her opinion. I told her I'm happy to keep her in the loop, and I'm giving her the same info as FMIL. She had the audacity to say "I'm your mother! I should get more than FMIL!" What? She then told me we needed to talk more about the budget. I informed her that I was still well within the budget and that I was needing to get assistance with a few things soon.
FDH's ring? No, that's my responsibility since he paid out of pocket for my ring. Fair enough. My dress alterations? I no longer get a separate dress budget, and it's now part of the main wedding budget because I need to wear something to the WEDDING. Travel costs? That should come out of our honeymoon budget because it's for travel. How are we getting to the wedding again? Because of these changes, we are now having to significantly cut back on our honeymoon. 2 week trip? Nope! It's now 1 week. Fun sight seeing tours? Nope! Those are gone now. I specifically made sure that everything was under budget to take care of unforeseen things. We don't want to touch the money FDH's family gave us because that is for a down payment on a house.
FDH and I are fuming. We are only a couple of months from the wedding, and we are reeling to try to make this work. I was so shocked by Cruella that I didn't have a rebuttal for her for any of her budget changes at the time. This is pure retaliation. FDH said after the wedding, he's done and going NC with Cruella, and honestly, I'm going to join him. I will never forgive her for this. She's put me through so much shit growing up, and I thought the wedding that she always promised me growing up would be what she would be most agreeable on. I KNEW better. I've read similar stories on this subreddit. We wanted to elope, but I said no because I wanted the wedding and knew Cruella would turn into a fucking disaster if there was no wedding. I feel so stupid for walking right into this trap, and I can't even back out because we are locked into everything. Now we are trying to figure out how we are going to do this without dipping into our future house fund.
We are definitely going NC with Cruella, if not for the same amount of time that she lead me on with our "budget", then most likely forever. She will never get to be alone with our kids, and at this rate, she will never meet them. Guess it doesn't matter where she moves to now.

Read Chapter 1 Here
Previous Chapter Here
My other SSB story, Writing on the Wall, Here
Buckle in, this is a long one!
*****
"I still can't believe your dad," Ayen huffed as he glared at Elera from his seat next to her. He crossed his arms across his chest and gave his head a little shake, perfectly coiffed hair bouncing in the soft evening light cutting through a nearby window.
"It was pretty hilarious," Marin chimed in. They were staying with her parents at the moment, using it as a sort of neutral ground. Ayen's father, Allis, was in full wedding planner mode and staying there was getting pretty intense. Elera's parents, on the other hand…
"He thought I was some kind of… of…" Ayen's voice dropped to a near whisper, hissing through clenched teeth. "...escort."
"It's not your fault," Elera tried her best to placate the young man. She leaned against him from her spot to his left and wrapped one muscular arm across his shoulders. Despite Ayen's grumpiness he still leaned into her, his head resting against her chest. "I think he just never expected me to actually marry a boy."
"That part was even better." Marin, tall and lanky, stood near the window in their little room, watching the quiet dribbles of rain slip down the glass. It had been a good day, really a good month. Elera's proposal was well received, Ayen was happy, and with Stace on his mission Marin could feel like she actually had some of her husband's attention. It wasn't a particularly attractive or kind thought, but she hadn't quite managed to pull free of the jealousy the Human elicited in her.
"Don't you start," Elera warned with a glare.
"I thought it was kind of sweet!" Marin grinned, watching Elera and Ayen both darken with matching blushes.
The fact that Elera was getting married had come as a surprise to her family. Marin had the impression that Elera was pretty bad at actually communicating with her parents, and it had been nearly a year since Elera’s time in the frozen north. The Heleum clan was large and Elera was seen as being a self-sufficient adult who didn't need much looking after. She also had a bit of a reputation as a partier, so when Elera showed up with Ayen and Marin in tow to announce her engagement, Elera's father had made some assumptions.
Specifically, he had assumed that Elera was marrying Marin and that Ayen was an "entertainer" the pair hired to celebrate.
It made a sort of sense, considering how open Elera was about the time she spent with other girls. At some point, her father just assumed that she had no interest in guys at all. Convincing him that Elera was, in fact, marrying Ayen and that Marin was first wife took some doing. And now, three weeks later, Ayen was still grumbling about it.
Still, it all worked out.
"Think of it this way," Marin added as way of conciliation. "After that whole fiasco, you pretty much have Elera's family wrapped around your finger. They didn't even complain when you suggested a Human-style wedding."
"...as long as we have it here on Shil." Ayen sighed. "Which makes sense, I guess. We can't afford to fly everyone out even if Sam said we can use the Observatory for free."
"I bet if we asked Jel'si she would let us use that cliffside villa the Sams are staying at." Elera turned to look at Ayen as she spoke and Marin tried to hold in a sigh. Her husband's boyfriend's girlfriend was a nice enough person, and having the resources of a Noble House in the family was great, but thinking of Jel'si just made Marin think of Stace again.
There had to be some way for her to get past this funk. The strange Human was part of the family at least as much as the Sams were, and Marin wasn't about to give them up. Spending more time socializing had helped, but now that he was off on his mission and it was clear how much Ayen and Elera missed him, all of Marin's anxiety was flooding back.
Still, she had to be responsible. Their strange and ever-growing family needed to iron out any wrinkles and-
"Marin, dear?" The voice came from the side door and Marin turned to see Mevis, her father, quietly rapping at the door frame to get her attention. The room went silent as Ayen and Elera paused their conversation and glanced towards the doorway. The large, somewhat heavy set woman standing behind him was recognizable but entirely unexpected.
"You have a visitor.”
It took Marin a moment to recall the last time she had seen Colonel Et’tai. It was just after the first attack on the observatory; Marin had been a mess of nerves, having just repelled an invasion of Humans intending to kill her husband and new lovers. That she had to clarify to herself that it was the “first'' attack only made the memory sting more.
That said, it was hard to focus on the Colonel. Just like everyone else, her attention was drawn to the briefcase chained to the large woman’s wrist. The Colonel had the perfect posture of career military, but even then the case, a glossy blue rectangle of painted metal, unadorned aside from the seal of the Empress wrought in gold, seemed to have its own gravity.
“I need to speak with Lieutenants Elera and Marin,” she said brusquely. The Colonel’s voice was rough, her face lined with age and a grimace of displeasure. She turned towards where Ayen stood, his eyes fixed on that same case, and her expression softened. “Alone, please. I promise to give them back to you in one piece.”
Ayen started, then nodded. He stepped away as fast as he could without breaking into a run, tucking an arm around Marin’s father and pulling him from the doorway as he slipped past. Marin really couldn’t blame him.
After all, who wanted to share a room with a bomb?
Maximum security cases like the one Colonel Et’tai had strapped to her wrist played prominently in movies, tv shows, video games, really any media where you needed some sort of object to push the story along. What did Sam always call them? A macmuffin? Something like that. The cases were made to only be opened by one particular citizen of the Empire, and if the biometric lock detected the wrong person trying to open it the entire case would detonate, destroying the contents and, depending on the media it was being portrayed in, the entire room, building, or starship around it. Marin had never actually seen one in person.
“May I ask what this is about, ma’am?” Elera’s words helped pull Marin out of her distraction, and she watched as the Colonel stepped to a sideboard cabinet under a window..
“You can ask, but I can’t answer,” Colonel Et’tai replied with a grunt. “Four days ago, I was on Earth doing my job. Then I get a summons back to Shil, a boombox gets strapped to my wrist, and I’m told to meet the two of you.” The Colonel tapped at the case with a fingertip, smirking slightly as Marin and Elera both flinched. “I’m supposed to open it with the two of you present, then follow the directions.”
Colonel Et’tai carefully pushed the various curios and knickknacks decorating the sideboard out of the way, then placed the box onto the cleared surface. Marin found herself frozen in place, unable to do anything but watch as the old soldier pressed a finger to the golden seal in the center of the lid. The crest hinged open with a little click, revealing the dark glass of a camera and a hole just large enough to insert a finger.
“I hate this part,” the Colonel mumbled to herself. Marin tried to keep her distance, but to her chagrin she wasn’t going to be able to. Elera’s rough, strong hand reached out and took hers, dragging Marin closer just as Et’tai inserted her finger into the hole.
“Colonel Liretta Et’tai, nine-seven-twenty-three-six-fourteen-twelve-vector.” As the last word left her mouth, the case made a small ‘snick’ and Et’tai flinched. After a moment that felt like an eternity, a moment when Marin was sure she was about to die, the case made a much louder click and the lid popped open with a hiss of released pressure.
Relief flooded Marin’s body as the threat of imminent death faded. She squeezed Elera’s hand, then released it so she could rub the sweat from her brow. She closed her eyes and took a few deep breaths.
“Oh, fuck me,” Elera whispered, and Marin’s eyes flew back open. The Colonel had begun unpacking the case, and now where there had been only one bomb sitting on the sideboard there were now three. The two new ones were barely large enough to hold more than a few sheets of paper, but they had the same crest and very likely the same security system. The Colonel seemed to be ignoring the boxes, instead reading a piece of paper. Her face was a mix of concern and growing amusement. Finally, she stopped and placed the paper back in the case, removing instead two small boxes made of dark wood.
“Attention!” The word wasn’t loud, but it was direct and Marin felt her back slam straight out of sheer instinct. Next to her, Elera did the same. Neither was in uniform, but that only added to the surreal oddness of the situation. Marin wondered idly if she was dreaming.
“I don’t know what sort of shit you two have gotten yourselves involved in, but it’s not my job to question the wisdom of the Empress, only to serve Her to the best of my ability.” She reached out and handed Marin one of the wooden boxes, Elera the other.
“By order of Empress Tasoo of the Shil’vati Empire, it is my distinct pleasure to promote Elera Heleum and Marin Elbruk to the rank of Lieutenant Colonel, effective immediately.” The Colonel gestured and Marin, feeling as if she was sleep walking, popped the lid from the wood box. Laying in a little nest of velvet was her new insignia. Marin didn’t know what to say. She just stood there, staring down at the evidence of a promotion she hadn’t earned. She almost missed the Colonel’s next words.
“Enjoy your retirement.”
Now Marin was sure she was dreaming. She glanced over at Elera, who looked mildly concussed. The moment dragged on, Colonel Et’tai standing in front of the pair, seeming to delight in how awkward the whole situation was for the two other Marines. After another moment of watching the pair, Et’tai turned back to the counter and returned with the pair of smaller cases. She glanced at each one, then held them out.
Marin took the case in a trembling hand, awkwardly tucking the simple wooden box with its Lieutenant Colonel insignia into her pocket. Her name was embossed onto the security case, just below the Imperial Seal. She glanced at Elera, who tried to grin. The smile didn’t reach her eyes, where panic lurked.
“As fun as this is to watch, we don’t have all day, girls. I have an orbital to catch if I want to get back to Earth sometime in the next month.”
After a quick swallow and a deep breath, Marin pressed down on the crest. It popped open with a little click, revealing a camera lens and a finger-sized hole. Biometric test one passed. The inside of the hole felt cool as she slipped a finger in.
“Lieu… Lieutenant Colonel Marin Elbruk, Nineteen-thirty-seven-two-sixteen-one-one-eleven-tangent,” she whispered out. Her ID code was punctuated by a snapping sound and a burst of pain as the little box sank a needle into her finger, far deeper than she expected. Marin let out a little whimper as the needle withdrew, releasing her.
“Fuck that hurt,” grumped Elera. She had finished her own biometric test and was shaking out her hand, apparently not noticing that she was flicking blood onto the floor. Marin was about to reach out and stop her soon to be co-wife but her attention was drawn back to the box by the hiss of released pressure. She unfolded the lid and looked inside.
After all the pomp and ceremony, a few pieces of paper might have been underwhelming. Then again, any Shil’vati could recognize an Imperial Writ.
By order of the Empress,
Lieutenant Colonel Marin Elbruk is called upon to fulfill her obligation as a loyal subject of the Shil’vati Imperium and member of the Armed Forces. She is tasked by the Empress Herself to attend to the following duties:
Protect the persons known as Sammi Painter-Forsythe and Samuel Forsythe-Painter from all enemies of the Imperium, foreign and domestic, even at the cost of her own life.
Ensure the safety and security of the Painter Research Institute and its research even at the cost of her own life. If safety and security is untenable, she is tasked to destroy the Painter Research Institute, its data, and its employees as necessary to prevent their acquisition by enemies of the Imperium.
Prevent any knowledge of the planet Nix, its system, or its people from spreading outside of the Painter Research Institute and the Lone Caribou Survival Company.
This writ supersedes and countermands any orders that run contrary to the abovementioned duties. Its duration is indefinite, and failure to adhere to this Writ is to be met with summary execution.
Marin’s eyes continued to drift down, past the text, past the heavy gilt of the Imperial Seal. Her mind was reeling at the implications, but before she could focus on what she had read she noticed a small, handwritten note. In contrast to the plain text of the document’s body, this was an elegant scrawl.
Don’t fuck this up.
With fingers that felt wooden, Marin pulled the writ forward to flip through the papers behind it. They were far more plain, detailing Marin’s promotion to Lieutenant Colonel, effective three days ago, and her retirement at full pay and benefits, effective today.
She flipped back to the Writ, read it again, then looked at the other paperwork. She felt too stunned, too panicked to actually make the connections. When Colonel Et’tai started speaking again, it came as a relief.
—-
“Before either of you start yammering,” the aged soldier remarked, “I need to make it clear that I am NOT privy to whatever your assignments say. I get the feeling I would be better off not knowing.” She took a moment to lock eyes with each of the women in front of her. Neither one of them looked like they would be up to conversing much.
Liretta Et’tai had spent her entire trip to Shil worried that she had somehow monumentally fucked something up. Was she going to be the sacrifice to the Goddess of Blame for everything that had happened on the “North American” continent? Fear had turned into confusion and guilt when the boombox had been strapped to her wrist and she was sent to find the two Lieutenants in charge of the Painter Research Institute’s security.
Vivid, increasingly unlikely predictions rattled around in her head during the auto-cab ride to the house. The security case would detonate, killing the three of them as soon as Et’tai opened it. She would open it, and it would contain a pistol and orders to kill the two Lieutenants. Or the Lieutenants and their families.
What she had found had been enough of a relief that she was able to roll with the strangeness. Now that all three of the soldiers were on the same page (or at least the same chapter), Et’tai could fill them in on her side of things.
“My orders are simple: If you two get into a crisis and need immediate support with…” She gestured at the two thin boxes in the girls’ hands. “...that, I am to provide it. Maximum force, up to and including an orbital strike. You’ve both been retired at full LC benefits so you can focus on your Writ and not have to worry about providing for your families. Nobody else can order you around, and if you show off your papers it will at least sow enough confusion to buy you some time while I start dropping help from orbit.” At that, Et’tai found herself smirking. Who would believe these two young women who were little better than rank-and-file a year ago were now Lieutenant Colonels?
“Oh, congratulations on the engagement, by the way.” Et’tai paused to collect a slightly slack and confused fist bump from Elera, then another from Marin. When neither of the women had anything else to say, Liretta shrugged, packed up her case, and left.
—
Unpacked, it wasn’t at all what Paitl expected. A glossy black panel as smooth as still water, half a meter wide and a third tall, perched on a post of silver metal. The base was H shaped, designed to prevent the device from tipping if someone accidentally bumped into it or caught it with a tail.
Paitl sat on his little stool in front of the device. Unpacking the case had been a simple thing, and the glossy black panels that formed the inside of the box now lay flat in the sun. A thick, strangely intestinal-feeling hose connected the outdoor component to the panel. Paitl-Tesh had carefully cut a notch in the cave door for the ‘power cable’ to fit through, stuffing the gaps with bits of cloth while Paitl-Cet assembled the rest of it under Paitl’s instruction.
The other Fathers of the colony grumbled about Paitl being the one in charge, but there wasn’t much to be done about it. It was Paitl’s find, after all. He suspected that much of the complaining had less to do with Paitl being the one in the lead and more to do with him snatching up Paitl-Cet. Apparently he wasn’t the only one looking at her.
On Paitl’s lap sat a book. The paper was white, so clean and bright that it almost hurt to look at and so smooth that it clung to the grip pads on Paitl’s fingers in an unnatural and disconcerting way. It contained over a hundred pages of large print and diagrams, written in simple language. Instructions that he had taken the time to memorize while the rest of Paitl worked.
It was time.
Thirteen of the People surrounded Paitl and the device. Paitl-Tesh and Paitl-Cet flanked him, with three other Fathers and their nests crowding the space behind. As he raised a hand and reached out for the device, silence descended into the hall.
Paitl’s finger found the oddly raised, green colored ridge on the right side of the device and pushed. The ridge snapped down with a dull clunk, tilting so a new section raised in its place. The entire green section began to glow.
That single unnatural green light would have been disconcerting enough, but it was only a precursor. The entire front of the device, the water-smooth panel, lit up. The reflective glass was suddenly gone, perspective shifting.
Paitl wasn’t looking at glass, he was looking through a hole in the world, like looking into a box tipped on its side. The audience gasped as a white dot appeared, swelling larger and larger until the dot became a ball, then a globe. It hovered inside the device, the size of an almost-hatched father-egg. A ball of white and brown, wearing an uneven belt of blue.
His world, as seen from farther away than any of the People had ever been.
Paitl reached out, hand splayed to touch the orb, but his fingertips dully thunked against the glass. On the screen, the image of Nix began to spin slowly.
Only an illusion.
Paitl opened the book on his lap to the section explaining the gestures he could use to control the device. Or, as the book called them, “movements of the hands and fingers that cause actions.” The whole manual was written like that, never using one technical word when a bunch of simpler ones could work. With the fat pad of his finger, Paitl tapped a symbol in the corner of the display. It was a simple green cross with a smaller circle inside it.
As soon as his finger hit the symbol, the ball spun. Nix grew huge, speeding towards Paitl at a frightening pace. He was suddenly falling from a great height towards the frozen earth. He flinched backwards, pulling his finger away while yelping out in pain. The grip pad of his digit felt aflame and he began to shake his hand even as the flare of panic set off a fit of racking coughs.
With his hands and feet freshly cleaned, Paitl could easily climb up any of the walls in the cave his colony called home, wet or dry. The grip pads and their incredibly fine layers of setae let the People cling to nearly any surface with little more than a thought. The surface of this alien machine, however, was far smoother than any cave wall. In his surprised motion, Paitl had nearly managed to rip his grip pad off.
He would have to be more careful, using the less grippy tips of his fingers and peeling them free from the screen instead of just yanking like that. At least he hadn’t tipped over the device.
“Look,” Paitl-Cet remarked, pointing at the screen. “It’s us.”
The strange display was showing an image now, their home as seen from high above. He could recognize the curves of the coast line, the ruins that were once sea-side buildings long since destroyed by storm.
“It’s a thing of the past,” one of the other Fathers commented. A thin, nearly skeletal hand reached past Paitl to point. “We already cut those trees for burning.”
Paitl swung an eye sideways to look at the unnervingly thin Father, Asep, while the other watched the screen. Taking care to only use the very tips of his fingers, Paitl made the “motion to cause larger size” and the image loomed closer. The “motion to cause an area to be most visible” centered the spot in the center of the display.
There was a pile of four logs there, dragged from the dead forest. Those same four logs were now inside the caves, chopped into smaller pieces to keep them warm.
“When did Asep finish that task? We may be able to determine when this was made.” As Paitl watched, attention divided, Asep asked his nest. While he would have no direct knowledge, Paitl figured his nestmates must know. It only took a few moments to get a response.
“Asep-Nak says the last log was chopped four days ago. Asep-Tel believes they were down to four logs six days ago, perhaps seven.” Asep’s eyes, a kaledoscopic mix of blues and greens, swept to both sides to indicate the room. “It is the best they can tell us.”
Paitl smiled. “Your nest should be commended for remembering something so small. Asep’s reputation for studiousness is well-earned.” It was perhaps a bit of a platitude, and Asep knew it, but the males both knew how important it was to keep their nest mates happy. The girls of Asep visibly preened at the compliment. It took some of the sting out of not being the ones to find the treasure.
Carefully, Paitl played with the gestures in the book, manipulating the spinning globe that seemed to float in the air. He quickly found a dot that looked to be exactly where Paitl (or perhaps the device) was standing. It was marked in blue text as:
Receiver 7 - (0.2S,132.4E)
While Paitl-Tesh ran to the colony's library to find an atlas, Paitl found the section in the book that explained the numbers. They indicated latitude and longitude using a system that was slightly different than what the people of Nix had always used. Apparently the designers of this device only used one hundred and eighty major deviations. Converting it in his head was easy enough.
Spinning the ball around with increasing confidence, Paitl found at least a dozen other receivers marked on the sphere of Nix. They formed a belt around the equator, and referencing the ancient atlas Paitl-Tesh brought showed that many, like his own settlement, were near where small coastal towns once stood.
“What’s that?”
Paitl swung an eye up from the atlas and towards the display, his other looking for the speaker. A rather young woman stood there, her head crest still flat but twitching nervously. Paitl did not know her name, but the notches along the underside of her left ear marked her as recently brought into Tineh. Tineh himself was resting in his nest, his health increasingly poor as of late.
What the woman had noticed was a new blip, its latitude up in the 40s. Receiver 4’s text was blinking a dull red. Paitl reached for it, meaning to zoom in, but his first control finger tapped the words and a large, dark box suddenly appeared to block out the white orb of the planet.
CONNECTING…
After a moment, the text was gone and Paitl found himself looking somewhere else.
The five women peering through the screen were haggard, their skin rough and broken with weeping sores. They seemed just as surprised as Paitl was, stretching to full height and flaring their head crests in panic.
Paitl gasped as he was pulled backwards, stool and all. Paitl-Tesh and Paitl-Cet interposed themselves between him and the women, hissing and raising their own crests in challenge. He wanted to say something, to calm everyone down, but the sudden surprise had induced another coughing fit. He could do nothing.
“There shall be no violence here.” Asep’s voice cut through the panic, and tensions immediately began to ease. A quick eye flick toward Paitl conveyed concern and comfort; he would aid while Paitl tried to get his breathing under control.
More words were exchanged, but Paitl couldn’t make them out. His world was swimming, motes of light filling his vision even as blood seeped from between his teeth. Paitl-Cet brought him water to drink and a fresh handkerchief to wipe his face while Paitl-Tesh continued to interpose herself between him and any potential danger.
By the time his breathing was under control, Paitl did not have much strength left to continue his work. He received a quick summary from Aesp; the women were the only survivors of a nest living in volcanic caves far to the north. Their last Father had died months ago, and until their box had fallen from the sky they had assumed none of the People lived but them. Seeing multiple new Fathers appear in their midst had been a shock.
The other Fathers had a suggestion for Paitl, one he agreed to wholeheartedly. Even if the device was rightfully Paitl’s, it was too important to be left to just one nest. Instead, they would create a roster and ensure that at least one Father (or, at the least, an older juvenile male) would be near the “Receiver” at all times. The instruction manual would be shared and read by all.
As Paitl-Tesh carried Paitl back to their nest, he noticed the odd change in the air. Everyone was louder, more boisterous. He even saw a few glimpses of frill peeking out on the necks of the younger Fathers.
For the first time that Paitl could remember, there was hope.
*****
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This is a fanfic that takes place in the “Between Worlds” universe (aka Sexy Space Babes), created and owned by u/BlueFishcake. No ownership of the settings or core concepts is expressed or implied by myself.
This is for fun. Can’t you just have fun?

I keep trying to post this in an advice group on FB, but it's taking 5 years to be accepted, so I've copied and pasted it here
!!!! trigger warning for mentions of possible mürder, d3ath threats, and domestic violence!!!!!!!!!
My sister keeps dating horrible people and putting herself and our whole family in danger. She has massive trauma she isn't getting help for, so she jumps from one abusive relationship to the next. Her last fiance was a violent, homicidal felon, who got in a 🔫 fight with his own dad, b3at a guy akmost to d3ath before throwing him out a window, threatened our lives in great detail many times and much much more. She got engaged to him AFTER he held her hostage with a 🔪. Also bought her own ring and told everyone he bought it. Luckily, he dumped her and moved away. Finally, crisis averted... except not!
Now she's engaged to a man who's somehow 10x worse! He moved in the first week they met, changed his adress without permission, and just never left! He doesn't pay bills. He's been pretending to have a job the entire time.
He's been stealing from her and my brother the entire time, chearing on her, going through her phone, blocking people, contacting people, tells her who she can talk to, wont let her go places without him, won't let her get a job. One second, she's miserable and wants him gone, literally 5 minutes later she's on fb telling people how lucky she is to have found such an amazing guy. 🙄
When His wife (yup, wife) warned my sister about a slew of stuff, including b3ating her up, he convinced her she did it to herself and then found reason after reason to call the cops on his wife all month long. He even tried framing her for aszault and gave the cops my number, thinking I'd lie for him after meeting him 5 times!!!!
Within 3 weeks, he successfully took over my sisters life and isolated her from friends. She was almost immediately a shell of herself.
He offered to adopt her son on their one month anniversary and was mad when she went on BC because he was obviously trying to entrap her with a baby.
They've been dating almost 4 months. His divorce isn't even final until August. His wife got stuck with over 18k in fines because everything was conveniently in her name. He had the woman he was cheating on her with take money from her 401k to pay his initial divorce fees and then left her for my sister who has more money and is an easier target.
I am absolutely convinced he has my siblings home and vehicles bugged with recording devices and GPS. He's already told me he likes to secretly record people with his phone in his shirt pocket, and just yesterday, he put his wife on hold so he could secretly record their conversation.
Every time she's about to dump him, he knows and does some lame gesture. First, it was flowers, changing his cover photo to her, being overly nice to her son, and stuff like that. Then he moved his son in so she'd feel too guilty. When that didn't work, he had a lame birthday party for her, and when we got home, the stove had stuff melting directly on the burner. He tried blaming the kids but never said anything to them, as if he'd miss an opportunity to fly off the handle at them. Then he tried blaming my sister. 5 days later, the outlet on the porch just happened to catch on fire!
It's been nothing but red flags and one coincidence after another since he came around. Someone tried breaking into the house the first night he took her out of state. Our van tire went flat a week after we caught him with his ex. He was thrown out of a bar for harassing my mom, came back alone, parked by her truck for 3 minutes, doing God knows what... 4 days later, her tire almost flies off on the highway because her lugnuts were severely loosened. He found out someone was talking talking to his wife and must've wrongfully assumed it was my mom, because she told me last night she thought she saw him creeping by her house, then today her truck randomly breaks down on the side of the road. Now she missed work and might be fired. He was also creeping around the parking lot of where my bf was today, probably hoping for an opportunity to sabotage his motorcycle.
Anyways, my sister was gonna dump him a couple days ago and not even 24 hours later, he proposed with our late grandmas ring that he stole out of her lockbox over a month ago, as some "grand, romantic gesture", but really it's because he has fines hes expecting her to pay to avoid jail, and no money for a ring because he's lying about having a job!
Me and my brother were furious she said yes and left some not so nice comments on their engagement post. He saw and threatened to b3at up my brother the night they were engaged, so I'm sure my revenge will arrive shortly.
I could go on for an hour, but that was the highlight reel.
My question is, do me and my brother continue trying to help her out of this abusive relationship and risk his revenge? (even though she'll likely find someone even worse soon) or do we bow out and let him ruin her entire life for years and years like he's doing to his wife? We are both mentally exhausted from dealing with her poor decisions the last 3 years. We feel it's our duty to help her, but it's not fair that our family is being put in danger because she's so ridiculous. Idk what to do anymore and feel like I'm going to end up snapping on her in the very near future.
I have been documenting everything. I don't know if I should go to the police until I have absolute proof, but I'm scared that's going to escalate him, or the proof I finally get is gonna be reprehensible. I thought about hiring a private investigator, but i don't have money for that.
Also, after writing this, his wife told me he pinned her between 2 cars on their wedding night and also put her through a closet door because McDonald's got their order wrong. And also he put sugar in his ex gfs lawnmower, so that's probably what happened to my moms truck, and she hardly even did anything to him. This dude is unhinged and needs to go!!!!!

So, now that’s it’s summer and I finally have time (teacher) wedding planning is in full force for two months. We’re getting married in November, but I need help thinking about what else is needed. We have the venue, caterer, and photographer. His dad will be our officiant. What other things do we need to think about? Here are some of my questions on some main items I’ve already though about:
Rentals - Our venue doesn’t have chairs or tables. So, we’re going to have to rent. Should I have booked that a long time ago? Do I still have time?
Lighting - Can you rent lighting? We’re having a reception outdoors and tbh I can’t remember the lighting situation. I know I can just ask, but just in case - can you rent lighting things?
Decor - I’m gonna hunker down this summer and try to DYI as much as I can with whatever I can find and get.
HMUA - When should I do a trial? It’ll just be my mom and I that are getting makeup done. Would it be best to have someone come to us or go to them? Ideally I’d like them to come to us, but I’d assume that be extra?
Nails - How far out do y’all get a mani/pedi done? My nails are naturally long so I don’t do acrylics (also I’m just scared, haha). So, I was thinking gel polish? But the thing is I’m and art teacher, I’m so clumsy, and I talk with my hands, so regular polish chips fairly easily on me. Does gel hold up? I don’t really get my nails done that often (like I said, art teacher, so little spending money) so I have no idea when I should get nails done. Oh! I’m also a Hot Cheetos girly and they are my comfort snack in times of stress. I’m scared I’m gonna have Hot Cheetos fingers 🥴
Invites - We didn’t do save the dates since the people invited are people were already close to and we’ve told them the date once we set it. How far out do you send the invites?
Registry - How do you do it? Do you just go up to the service desk and ask? We were thinking Target and maybe Amazon? We wish Lowe’s had a registry because we have a fixer upper house and could use some assistance 😂
Speakers - We don’t plan on having a DJ to save on costs. What would be the best speakers to work with? Can you rent those also? How many speakers?
Rings - We don’t have wedding bands. I have my engagement ring but I haven’t gotten him a band. Am I pushing it? Do I, myself, need a wedding band or can we just use the engagement ring?
I don’t know what else I might be missing? Any guidance would be appreciated!