Car rental near sugar land tx

My first ever car purchase was a 2011 LR4 in February of this year. long story short the used car dealer sold me a bad truck. They spliced and rewired sensors along with not mentioning an external head gasket oil leak, and incorrectly timing the engine when doing the timing chain job resulting in my current "restricted performance" situation.
My attorney is filing my complaint against the dealer this week, Hopefully I'll get all of my money back and then some in the future.
this is what I've test driven so far:
CPO 2019 Discovery SE White w/ black top Drives really nice, but lacks air suspension, Low Range, and the center+rear locking diffs. Sun roof doesn't open, just a sun shade. no CD Player (yes I still listen to CD's). otherwise, very clean and nice to drive. I really love the white on black contrast, just not sure if its worth the nearly 40k price tag.
CPO 2019 Discovery SE Grey Same as the white one with more miles. center console has a lot of scratches on the matte plastic.
Not CPO 2019 Discovery HSE Black It's all blacked out on the exterior. The interior is clean, and has every feature you can think of including A CD PLAYER!!!! The left 3rd row seat doesn't fold flat for some reason, would have to get that checked. Has all of the Off Roading features, Everything else is great.... only major downside is no warranty :/ Im told they would fix the Allstate extended warranty into the price of the truck, but part of me doesn't trust they'll cover an expensive repair when the time comes.
Not CPO 2017 Discovery HSE I really like the price on this one. they've changed all the fluids, installed new rotors and pads. It rides very smooth. the infotainment screen is a little laggy compared to the 2019 Disco's. I liked it (not as much as the 2019 HSE) but the miles and no warranty worry me, even if they've found no mechanical issues with it.
I want the 2019 HSE, but the Allstate extended warranty I'm not very knowledgeable about when it comes to Land Rover Coverage. the other CPO's don't have the nice HSE features, but come with the 2 yea100k mile warranty.

i caught onto this episode of dogman enounters
Dogman Encounters Episode 116 - YouTube
brief story of this episode - a man by the name of josh turner encounters his local co workers whos family had all seen these creatures all over there properties, he mentioned the general area and i was quick to realize the area he was talking about as im a fisherman and have traveled damn near everywhere in my surrounding cities areas.
his area he was talking about was below winberly texas, i have looked at other encounters in texas and this area from west of austin TX, to johnson city, wimberly, fredricksburg, have all had sightings.
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this region is heavy but not crazy heavy in oak forests and ranch land, followed by creeks and rivers, we have alot of hogs here in texas, theyre everywhere, and plenty of deer, acess to water which leads me to beleive these creatures set up camp here for years, looking at the map theres a little development but plenty of space between it all, mostly rich folk with big houses out in the hill country.
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North American Dogman Sightings - Google My Maps
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if you look down in texas you will see the two locations and reports posted up on google maps
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its crazy to me that seeing that videos made 6 years ago and these google map reports all reported in the same general vicinity are not by coincidence
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the fact i live close to this entire span of area makes me wanna go out there at night and camp, only thing is, i dont own any weapons except a butter knife.

So i saw crystal skull when it first came out, and then probably the last time i eatched it was in 2010
Ever since then ive avoided watching it again
When i saw it in 08 i wanted my money back, and have always said i still want my money back
Now i sat back and watched it for the first time in 13 years to give it a chance, as part of the lead up to number 5 i watched all the films back to back
And.....ya my opinion hasnt changed
Ive always said there are things i like in this movie. Lots of things even. But you put all these things together and you still end up with a movie i dont like
And now?
Well i struggle to find that many things that i do like to be honest.....
For positives:

1. The opening. Its great up until the nuking of the fridge. Which even that....sigh ill suspend my disbelief for it.
   
2. Cate blanchet as the villain. I do remember liking her More when i first saw it but shes not fantastic here. Shes fine. Just fine. Having just come off all the other indy films i found myself really enjoying each of the villains in those so much, then we get here and....well in those movies i always felt like the villain was having a blast. They seemed to be having a good time. Cate blanchet doesnt feel like shes having a good time. So she feels less interesting
   
3. The design of the skull. Its creepy and weird and i kinda like it. It also fits in with some meso american depictions of their gods well enough that it does feel both unique yet possible in a weird way?
   
4. Mac. I know a lot of people have reservations about "jonesy's" duplicitous friend but where cate blanchett doesnt feel like shes having fun, mac is clearly having a good time. My only criticisms are that stupid thing he wears around his neck, and the fact that in his final scene hes not getting sucked in by the vortex when indy throws him the whip. He just....fell down. And wasnt getting up. Come on spielberg coulda done better with that
   
5. The action was pretty good. Not as good as previous films save the early scenes
   

Now what i dont like

1. Mutt williams. This whole character just feels so out of place and so miscast. Shia feels out of place. The greaser thing is leaned into way to heavily. Every time he pulls out that stupid comb in serious scenes it just frustrates me.
   
2. The river sequence. Once marion guns that car boat off the cliff its all downhill from there. Theres 0 way she knew to hit that tree she just got lucky. There was some great advice i saw for writing- luck should never be a reason something happens in your script unless its Bad Luck. Everything should be "because or therefore" not "and then". The whole river sequence feels like and Then on repeat. And oddly enough i can suspend my disbelief this time on the bomb sequence. But not on them surviving those 3 waterfalls and somehow 1. Not getting injured or 2. Not losing the skull? Seriously?? No!
   
3. The aliens. Why george. Why. The whole aliens thing shouldnt have been anywhere near this. And yes i know spielberg directed it, but these were all georges ideas. But anyway the aliens didnt belong here. Ell dorado? Yes. Crystal skulls? Sure. But aliens? Or should i say "interdimensional beings"? No. Just...no. at the very least had they stayed as just the crystal skeletons i could go for it. But the fact that they are little grey men? That crosses a line. The crystal skeletons looked cool and weird and creepy, KEEP THEM THAT WAY
   
4. The flying saucer. I get it george, you wanted this to be a tribute to 50s bad sci fi. I got it in 08, and i got it now. But the flying saucer is, again, a step to far. Im not even sure what id use to replace the saucer with since clearly akhator needs to be destroyed but the fact that the temple breaks apart to show a futuristic flying saucer....thats jumping the shark. The movie just lost my good will
   
5. The cgi animals. Its not even about the cgi quality, its just that they are THERE. They add nothing to any scene they are in, if anything they highly detract from it. Except the gophers watching the rocket car, which made me chuckle. But the monkeys attacking the villain? Mutt tarzaning through the forest? No. Even the ants got to much. The fact we see them carry the heavy into the anthill was to much. The fact we see cate blanchetf squash one between her knees and splatter the camera was to much. They can use the ants and still have them be deadly, but these couple moments ruined it for me
   
6. The fact that theres 2 separate indiginous groups protecting the skull and the city that are completely unrelated to each other. This one is definately minor compared to the previous 2 but still. Its just....really odd and both groups amount to nothing. For how this could have been handled, look no further than the last crusade. We have the brotherhood of the cruciform sword. They show up, attack indy, and then later reappear to attack the bad guys. In this one we have random graveyard guard people, then we have the people of akhator. Who were the first group, why are they there? No answers. Apparently they are just locals who like to kill graverobbers. Its just....so odd and feels like either something was cut, or that the graveyard fight scene was added for the sake of adding an action scene for the sake of adding an action scene, like the droid factory in episode 2 of star wars was penciled into the script by george lucas for that reason.
   
7. "Get that greaser!" I liked the idea of the fight scene in the sock hop. The problem is the fact that everyone looks straight out of grease makes it feel a tad to cliche and on the nose. Its not terrible but its a perfect example of how a scene can take you out of a movie in 1 split second. And that second was when mutt landed on the other guys and they all turn around and all happen to be greasers
   

Anyway i think thats long enough for this post at least

NOTE: English is not my first language; please be patient and merciful with me. And this is my first time posting. So if it's long- I am sorry. You can send me to the shadow realm after reading this-.
This is a story of how I got kicked out of a dnd campaign that I am still unsure how to feel about since it is still fresh (about a few months ago), so I am writing it down to clear my head and tell you the story while I still have it in mind. And I am still confused if I could have avoided ending up this way or if it was me being an asshat that had it coming. But a friend tried to make me think otherwise and encouraged me to write this post. I still have mixed feelings on the subject, and I need more than just people in my circle to gain more insight if I was the only problem since there were small experiences that only confused me more.
Cast: OP: Me the problem player Bard/DM: The one who invited me and made the final decision. Cleric/GM: The second DM who ran our combat sessions more often than DM. Rogue: The Gm's girlfriend. Warlock: a friend of Rogue, GM, DM, and another party member and the only one I managed to get along with more than the rest. The rest of the party were a Druid, A massive Leonian Artificer, and a Milf tempest cleric, which were super fun to play with.
How it began:
DM and I met through a mutual friend through Discord, and we hit it off right from the start (At least, I think we did). We had a lot in common and talked a lot when quarantine was losing its grip around the world; eventually, one day, we started talking about dnd and how he was running a campaign where he DMED for the first time.
He talked about it, and I tried to give him the best ideas I could come up with, so it was a load off his back, at least. Eventually, I told him about another campaign I was in that ended horribly. Short story short, it was a toxic mess of childish degrees and just humiliation.
I was invited into the campaign by DM and asked what the party was playing, and eventually, with the DM, I made my first Barbarian which I still love. I made him a Feral Tiefling even though I do not like them because of hilarity. I made it so that he doesn't come from the world but from the nine hells. I was new to this group of people, so why not make the character alien to the world?
After a time when the Campaign was being prepared, the DM told me how he would be a player and a dm. After those words, my head went into the enormous room in my mind palace only to find crabs snipping, mice screaming, and a dragon snarling because of how much I have listened to their stories about DMPCS going super wrong.
After Den of the Drake lessons, the red flags started firing like an M1911 on rapid fire. But it increased a little more when he told me the GM would mostly run the combat sessions and do the same thing. I was afraid since I had never met the GM before, but the DM told me he was an okay guy, and they both had a lot in common, so I decided to give it a chance. So one session, it was Dm, and the next was GM.
I was fearful, thinking it would just be two DMNPCS who would not suffer the treatment as the players would during the entire campaign, but it did not go that way. Well, sort of. There was a time when I was being attacked a lot. I don't remember if it was goblins or some other creature, but I do remember me saying something as a joke:
OP: "What me again?! Hit the Bard! I wanna heaaaalllll!" GM: "You know I would! But he made the world, so he has the protagonist status, and you are the tank, so you'll be fine!"
When I tell you, I felt the flags rising. I mean "rising up"
I was very uncomfortable because it reminded me of when I could not damage someone else's character in an rp. (They were an admin, so they abused their privileges by ganging up against my character. ) But I placed that nightmare aside and only told the DM how it made me very uncomfortable with that small comment, and he acknowledged it.
I initially thought Dm was insecure about running it alone, so he asked for help, but the more I think about it… maybe it was that he was insecure about running it on his own. I was a bit worried, but I never voiced my point of view and gave it a chance. GM had more experience than the DM, and he was a pretty chill guy.
But there was something that bothered me.
After we started, I always had this tension within the group, it was mostly because we're strangers and I am getting to know them, but what's even weirder is that it simply just stuck; every time we were in a session, there was this tension in the air that it was sometimes hard to even breath, it wasn't anxiety. Still, it felt like judgment more than anything. I worked around it by thinking it was me being insecure.
There was a point where the problems began to surface. I did receive some warnings throughout the campaign as I am very honest with myself and about other subjects that I enjoy, especially if it's something I have liked for a long time and some greedy company fucking it up with either some woke bs or politics. I also struggled to express myself correctly when I was little, so I am extremely direct and speak things as they are without any filter. Which is an issue I am still working on.
After small ups and downs and attempts to be friendly with them, I only settled more comfortably with "Maybe knowing them as the people I play dnd with is better than just trying to be friends."
October was a horrible month for everyone at the party. When this campaign started, I had a pretty bad back injury for almost a year, and it began to tank my mental health pretty severely. I couldn't even walk normally without feeling pain, sitting down was an issue too. Before that month, I helped someone by carrying them because they were about to fall and break their skull open, but that fucked my back even worse despite working on it for a year, then something relating to my DID that caused me to have a pretty dire existential crisis, even to the point of almost attempting suicide and my cousin getting shot and killed. And then… The DM's girlfriend died, and the Rogue and GM's friend did so along with his fiance or wife (I do not remember; I am very sorry) and their kid in a car accident. It was a horrible month for everyone, and while the others took time to mourn, I did not stop and take a break for myself. I spiraled into a long frenzy of overworking, trying to keep my mind busy with work instead of letting it settle down. Still, the emotional turmoil got so bad that I had sleepless nights that eventually got me fired in December. I almost ended up in a mental hospital because of how concerned my GF, friends, and mother were. A broken body and a wrong sleeping schedule can do that to you.
But that's not what you are here for now. You are here to know the whys and hows and a big reason I got kicked out. So a little about me:
I tend to be considered energetic, blunt, direct, brutally honest and confident, kind, and caring, but a very self-destructive asshole. I also have a bit of an issue with D.I.D (Dissociative identity disorder), which at times has caused me a lot of suffering because I have memory gaps of things that I did or said.
I love breathing life into new characters, and I get excited to play them, which resulted in a minor problem and my first strike here as a problem player.
The DM is a fair man, and he is straight with me when something has to be said. He told me that I was taking the spotlight; I remember this being a complete fault of mine because there were moments of this silence that made it feel awkward to me, so I tried to place something so everyone could join in. I am an ambivert, so I didn't think of it that way. Plus, I liked playing my character a lot and interacting with Dm's world; I was so excited that I took the spotlight without me knowing. There was also the part where I talked about certain subjects that made other players uncomfortable, which was my fault 100%.
However, this second one is still the most unfair out of all of them. The first half is something that happened with star wars. I was livid because of Disney's stupidity in trying to ruin a character. I did say something very offensive when I saw red, pissing off the GM, and I can take responsibility for that… It was mine, 100%. In the second half, after a back and forth, I am still not even sure how the fuck this even happened or how I was in the wrong, so let's talk about Rogue.
She is the GM's girlfriend, and how do I say this? She is pretty tricky. There was one time I asked who was joining the campaign, and since nobody other than maybe Warlock, druid, DM, or GM would answer so, I asked the GM if she was joining that session; keep in mind I do not know rouge at all, and how she is or acts during this period, I only knew her as the rouge of the dnd party.
I shit you not. She instantly replies with the most aggressive and sassiest message that goes:
"If you're going to ask if I am coming to this session, do not ask my bf or DM about it. You ask me directly, and no, maybe I won't be coming to this session."
Uh yeah, I remember this situation, and honestly, I still feel like I was being mistreated and disrespected for such a stupid reason as to ask for someone who never even spoke that often. They only just came into the vc, and who comes, comes. And after that, she refused to even come to the session over that, and because of other personal stuff, she had to attend. I asked the DM to see what I should do. And he explained that Rouge was kind but very aggressive when she felt wronged. I still do not know how I even made her fly off just by questioning whether she was coming. We never talked, so I only asked the people I could feel more comfortable with to talk to so they could check on her. I was understandably more pissed off but gave it a bit of patience. Dm advised me to apologize to her, even if I did not want to. I still tried, but I wouldn't be treated that way again. I can understand if there was a reason. But I asked a question, and I got such a backlash. Yeah, fuck no; how was I supposed to apologize for something as basic as asking if someone was attending?
I wrote an apology despite clearly showing that I was still baffled about the unprovoked outburst. I told her that it was okay if she had a bad day. However, I told her I wouldn't take unprovoked hate, pettiness, or just a grudge from anyone; I came to have fun and not have someone lash out at me cause they had a bad day or just because I asked for their well-being. It happened in my last one, and Druid was with me, so I wouldn't let it happen to me again. She said it was fine, that she was sorry for being rude, and that she didn't mean it. And she was dealing with a lot and wasn't in a good headspace. I understood, and I thought that was the end of it.
But ever since that outburst, I was afraid to talk to DM's friends, ESPECIALLY GM. I came from dealing with a toxic server that was out to get me, so feeling that around the dnd table was a landmine just for speaking was a fucking nightmare.
What's worse? Oh yeah, remember how she said she was sorry for the rudeness? DM, came to me and told me why she didn't come. I told her in my apology that I took dm's advice to apologize to her, but stated that I DO NOT KNOW HER AND HOW SHE ACTS AND DID NOT KNOW WHAT TO APOLOGIZE FOR. Dm said to me that she found my apology not to be genuine. That's true, but a context behind it. This was one of the reasons why she didn't want to come to the sessions for a while. Which now that I am out of the campaign? This was the most enormous fucking unfair strike. To the point, I wanted to avoid going to the sessions, but low and behold, I still arrived first than anyone. Like a moron…
I also remember being a vc where I remember DM and GM just sitting me down.
And Dm said one of the first things I began to lose respect for him after the Rogue situation… He told me after we talked it out to end the bullshit.
"I'll give you a bit so you absorb what we just said, and then we will start the session."
I never felt so much fuckin disrespect and pure bullshit in shaming me for something I do not fault for. Then get treated like a fucking child over it.
Before you ask, "Did she do anything else that made you feel even more uncomfortable and more unsettled by her?" The answer may surprise you: YES, MULTIPLE LITTLE INCIDENTS.
Little things pushed me further away from interacting with her or her character.
So apparently, GM and Rogue have been rping with their characters when Rogue wasn't there. (GM made a separate character to help me while the other was with Rogue) which they had a little adventure together. Which is fine, but when she comes back, her character is wanted around the city, and the GM's DMPC is a noble from a house that wants him dead. That was fine. But what's worse is when we plan out what to do next, this happened:
OP: in character "I know the skills of Warlock and the rest, but I do not know precisely what you can do." Rogue: "Why are you asking? You're not my type; I have been doing this since I was x amount of age. I am a rogue, so deal with it."
I do not know what to tell you. I was amazed and still believed she did not let that bullshit go. I remember cringing at this; that killed my mood.
There were also these times when she just left, and the GM and sometimes DM just called the session in a few minutes. Not to mention the one time she had a screaming match in vc with someone on the other side of her mic that I just wanted to leave the session that day. And then the red flag.
Hearing the GM stop the combat for a bit, only to see her muted and him going
"What? What is it!? I am sorry!" in the most degrading way possible.
I have helped friends out of relationships that had those exact words. I felt terrible and uncomfortable for him, and the more these little things happened, the more I just wanted to avoid Rogue.
And I remember when we were in a VC, and Rogue told me to be careful about Warlock cause they might place some bad rumors about her. But what's weird.. It is that she wasn't alone. GM and Milf Cleric were there, which to me, smells like she needed people to confirm an alibi. But against her friend? Yeah, her words did not sit right with me. I lost credibility for her to a maximum.
But against Warlock? Her friend? Well, let me tell you, the only person other than the DM I got along with there…
Warlock was the other friend I made, then maybe Druid and Artificer.
They were very kind despite nearly killing us twice with fireballs. They were having fun. We made our characters friends even to the point he trusted him enough to protect his sister if my barbarian ever found her or if he died. The more I talked with Warlock, the more I felt at ease with the group, like at least I knew there was a mutual friend there. Or so I think.
Eventually, Warlock opened up to me about something that had them on edge, how they wanted to kill a character they liked.
Warlock told me that the problem was that their character was a female Dragonborn that was a harmless flirt, and her dead husband was a Goliath. There was teasing between their character and DM's, which was a Goliath. But apparently, the teasing got so bad that they wanted it to stop despite telling Rogue about it. Warlock also stated that Rogue sometimes holds grudges, even things that died out. That encouraged me to talk to Warlock about how I felt about Rogue, how I thought that she hasn't let it go, how I didn't want to get close to her character, and the antagonism was not something I wanted within the rp between our characters nor outside of it. I was not too fond of that idea, and Warlock reassured me that it wouldn't bleed into the game. In return, I told the warlock to say to the DM if the teasing happens to help them settle it down, Warlock doesn't truly express their feelings entirely just to not kill the mood, and I felt bad about it.
I was looking at myself before getting humiliated for making a character, so I didn't want them to feel alone and suffer that fear of just making something they liked. I hated seeing that similarity, and it opened a door. And it was like a whisper to me:
Suppose Warlock had so much bottled up and feeling this way. Is my feeling that there is judgment when I play my character or being myself? Is it their judgment and dislike towards me? After that, I started thinking that they were friends on different servers, so I began to assume the worst that they talked about the worst of me, and it was that they were waiting for something.
Then the OGL happened. Everything was going to shit, and my motivation was already on the floor. How much shit has happened to me the past few months and how uneasy I felt about the campaign was more like sinking into hell.
And then strike three happened… when I toned out so badly that I said something in a conversation that I do not remember, but after careful thinking, I remember now.
The DM and GM changed a few things that I thought were OGL bs. I remember talking to a friend before I realized my mistake when they mentioned it was their decision. But where I toned out was when I spoke to this with Warlock and Milf Cleric; I remember, at least in my perception, how there were better names for certain things, how I loved a specific and disliked some. As an artist and world builder, I am no stranger to criticism, but my mistake was not telling them or asking them directly. I admit here… It was my mistake. It was my third strike.
Dnd night, the most humiliating thing happened. Everyone was there and then slowly left as dm explained how upset he was. I pissed him off and explained how I talked shit behind his back, and I admit I should have asked beforehand… he was angry and had the right to be. I was a terrible friend for doing such a thing.
But there were some things in there. I still wonder if I do not remember or even if Dm mentioned it to me about it, but he told me he wanted to publish it how he wanted to, but I did not know. And I don't remember that conversation.
He was angry and then said to me:
DM: "I know you speak your mind; I am not asking you to change who you are. I ask you to THINK a little before you talk."
Those words hurt me because I had been told those words by someone else I knew. And that was when I didn't want to sit at that table anymore, not because he was angry but because those words opened an old wound. He then said that he would leave before he said something he could not take back when he already did say something that he could not take back.
I fucked up. The session was canceled, and I was left alone in the vc while I just stood in silence before feeling the same as the other times I was just humiliated by the servers that made me scared to rp. And that feeling of "You fucked it all up, might as well leave."
And the next day, someone joined, and I thought it was a new guy, but I knew he was going to take my place because I was going to get kicked out.
And my last conversation with the DM went like this:
DM: "So… You know I've been fair with you-" OP: "Look, if I am out, I am out; just saying don't sugar coat me anything." Dm: "Look, I hate to be the bearer of bad news. There are just a lot of votes against you. And not a lot with you." OP: "Okay." DM: "There will be campaigns but you won't be in this one… You can still stay in the server. I am sorry that has come to this?." OP: "Why? Your friends do not want me there. It's better to leave than watch you all have fun. I rather stay out where I am not wanted. And make my character disappear into the night with his stuff. No letter, no nothing. That's all I ask." Dm: "Okay… Well uh… See you later, OP." OP: "Yeah, see you someday."
And that was it. I left the server that day and asked Dm if I had his consent to post this down…and he said yes. (A few months late. But hey better late than never)
I know I did a lot of things wrong. I know that I made mistakes. But I am not sure how to feel if there was just me being a moron or there was something more.
DM, if you happen to read this by random chance, I am sorry for not being a better friend. I do not hate you, nor do I have a grudge. I only wrote what needed to be written down. And I hope that is good enough.
There you have it, Reddit. My RPG horror story and I was the problem all along. Take it as you will, be dragon, mouse, crab, or crow. Even if you believe you're a problem player yourself. I thank you for reading this post, and I am sorry if my grammar is not the best.
My advice for those who are in the same situation. Speak when needed. Keep your distance, and if you feel like you are not wanted there, talk it out first. You could be wrong. But if you're right? Walking away is easy, dnd is long, and life is short.
I hope that it was clear enough!
Take care, respect your body, keep your mind healthy, and sail to another day.

Same thing happened with Uber Rides as when I started Uber Eats and DoorDash. The first week I make a ton with lots of orders. Then after that it slows way way down.
Last Friday I got tons of rides and made a lot. Today I got three earlier in the day (two from the same person since I was waiting for another trip near where I dropped him off for like half an hour). I started up again at 9pm until 11. And didn't get a single trip. On a Friday night in a big city. I did get a couple good paying Uber Eats orders though.
I'm currently renting a car to do rides, and for the first week it was worth it, I made more even after the rental price. This week, I'll probably make less than my pre-rides average. So probably not going to rent anymore or do rides until I buy a car.

Tl;dr our dog is not responding to any of our separation training (deeper explanations of what we’ve tried below), we are getting desperate, and running out of options for what to do, but we can’t stay home much longer. We have tried everything short of drugging him and are seeing no sign of his behavior changing.
We rescued a very sweet, very smart lab mix a little over three weeks ago. He is estimated to be 9-10 months.
My fiancé is in school, and I work a hybrid job, so we’ve managed to always have someone home the last three weeks, but we’re reaching a point where we will both have to be gone for at least 3 hours at a time one day a week. And he is LOUD, not destructive, when we leave.
We’re in an apartment where the noise travels easily, and we have neighbors above and below. I left notes for them all to let them know and call me if they need to, but I still don’t want our dog to be barking all day because a bunch of people work from home or have babies.
We’ve been consistently working with him on it since we got him, but it feels like we’re making absolutely zero progress, even though the rest of his settling and development have been going at lightning speed.
Extra info: He is crate trained, he likes his crate, he sleeps in it through the night without problem. He does 2-3 hours of crate time a day where he will happily nap in there. He gets 2-3 hours of outside activity and exercise, and frequent mental exercise inside with puzzle toys and training sessions.
Things we’ve tried:
We have tried building up time that we “leave” (exit the door and wait on the landing) slowly, but his threshold is constantly changing, even if we build up by seconds only. One time is 12 minutes, the next it’s 6, the next it’s 8. It doesn’t seem to matter how we build up, he decides at random that he’s upset, and we have to start over. We do this every day for at least 30 minutes but no more than an hour.
We have tried music/tv/podcasts/etc white noise, but he’s smart enough to know it isn’t us, and is upset anyways.
We’ve tried frozen kongs with peanut butter. He finishes them in 10 minutes, then proceeds to whine and bark as though we’d just left.
We have tried a covered crate and an uncovered crate. We have tried leaving our T-shirts in his crate. We have tried setting up a zoom so that we can talk to him when he whines, but he always seems to know when we are there and when we are not.
I’ve consistently opened and closed the front door at random so that he doesn’t associate it with suddenly being alone. I’ve put my shoes on and grabbed my keys to sit on the couch so that he doesn’t associate that either.
He’s totally fine to be alone in his crate when I’m home, even if I’m completely silent and not anywhere near him. The second he realizes that he is alone in the apartment, hell breaks loose.
We have no idea what to try or what to do. We aren’t able to keep just being home for much longer, we can’t just go cold turkey and leave because of the neighbors, and we don’t have a good way to get him to a doggy daycare when we leave because we don’t have a car. Please please help, we’re absolutely desperate.

Tl;dr our dog is not responding to any of our separation training (deeper explanations of what we’ve tried below), we are getting desperate, and running out of options for what to do, but we can’t stay home much longer. We have tried everything short of drugging him.
We adopted a very sweet, very smart lab mix a little over three weeks ago. He is estimated to be 9-10 months.
My fiancé is in school, and I work a hybrid job, so we’ve managed to always have someone home the last three weeks, but we’re reaching a point where we will both have to be gone for at least 3 hours at a time one day a week. And he is LOUD, not destructive, when we leave.
We’re in an apartment where the noise travels easily, and we have neighbors above and below. I left notes for them all to let them know and call me if they need to, but I still don’t want our dog to be barking all day because a bunch of people work from home or have babies.
We’ve been consistently working with him on it since we got him, but it feels like we’re making absolutely zero progress, even though the rest of his settling and development have been going at lightning speed.
Extra info: He is crate trained, he likes his crate, he sleeps in it through the night without problem. He does 2-3 hours of crate time a day where he will happily nap in there. He gets 2-3 hours of outside activity and exercise, and frequent mental exercise inside with puzzle toys and training sessions.
Things we’ve tried:
We have tried building up time that we “leave” (exit the door and wait on the landing) slowly, but his threshold is constantly changing, even if we build up by seconds only. One time is 12 minutes, the next it’s 6, the next it’s 8. It doesn’t seem to matter how we build up, he decides at random that he’s upset, and we have to start over. We do this every day for at least 30 minutes but no more than an hour.
We have tried music/tv/podcasts/etc white noise, but he’s smart enough to know it isn’t us, and is upset anyways.
We’ve tried frozen kongs with peanut butter. He finishes them in 10 minutes, then proceeds to whine and bark as though we’d just left.
We have tried a covered crate and an uncovered crate. We have tried leaving our T-shirts in his crate. We have tried setting up a zoom so that we can talk to him when he whines, but he always seems to know when we are there and when we are not.
I’ve consistently opened and closed the front door at random so that he doesn’t associate it with suddenly being alone. I’ve put my shoes on and grabbed my keys to sit on the couch so that he doesn’t associate that either.
He’s totally fine to be alone in his crate when I’m home, even if I’m completely silent and not anywhere near him. The second he realizes that he is alone in the apartment, hell breaks loose.
We have no idea what to try or what to do. We aren’t able to keep just being home for much longer, we can’t just go cold turkey and leave because of the neighbors, and we don’t have a good way to get him to a doggy daycare when we leave because we don’t have a car. Please please help, we’re absolutely desperate.

TW: body image issues
I’m so mad at myself right now. I’m AFAB nonbinary w/ very slow metabolism and have been trying to lose weight in order to gain a more masculine shape since Jan 2022. I started at 192 lbs and lost 17 by August 2022. However, shit happened and by the start of this month I now weigh nearly 220 lbs.
I’ve been able to maintain a pretty balanced weight my whole life (not skinny but not fat either) but been steadily gaining since starting college. I don’t know why, but I get so much hungrier than when I am at home. I find myself needing larger portions and lots of snacks to stay satiated. It doesn’t help that all the cafeterias have shitty dietary options, literally everything is high in calories, sugar, and grease unless you want to eat only salads and a very limited selection of fruit everyday (seriously, that’s the only healthy option). I relied on caffeinated soft drinks to keep myself feeling energized and awake for classes. Exercise fell out of my routine due to issues with time management- I’m an ADHD art student and struggle to get my assignments done on time, and I worried that adding more things into my schedule (even if it was only for an hour or two) would put me behind on my deadlines even more than I already was.
Back home, if I wanted to lose weight, all I had to do was bike. I biked everywhere- to work, to the store, and to the gym so I could do a variety of different exercises. However, I’ve moved to a new state and the only exit out of my home is a highway, no bike trials or bike lanes anywhere. If I want to hit the gym, I’ll have to pay for an uber bc I have no car. I understand you don’t need equipment to do a workout, but those never really worked well for me in terms of losing weight. I don’t have a lot of time to work out either, since most of the week I’m working long hour shifts at a stationary job. (Also I don’t want it to take up most of my free time either, I have a life, I want to dedicate my time to my art and writing). I don’t even enjoy exercise anymore like I used to because all I can focus on is how fat and heavy I feel while doing it. It makes me feel guilty and disgusting. I’m very ashamed of exercising in front of other people bc they’re already so fit, I stick out like a sore thumb. I feel bad when I eat bc I know I can’t burn those calories.
I just feel worried I’ll never have (no less maintain) my ideal masc body. When I look in the mirror, all I can focus on is how massive my chest, hips, butt, and thighs are. How much I look like a girl (and not even a pretty one at that).
Anyone with similar issues in the past have any diets or equipment free exercises that helped them? I’m starting to worry the only way I can lose weight at this point is starve, fast, or eat “meals” that aren’t really meals (think the kinds of things you’d see in pro ana spaces). I feel really bad about myself and need help reaching my goals healthily without feeling shitty about myself.

Hi all, so as the title states, I need some help with a situation I'm unsure on how to proceed.
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Some background: Today I matched with a lady on Tinder. The conversation was going well and there seemed to be mutual interest and chemistry. A few hours after texting she invited me out to go watch a rugby game with her and her best friend, to which I agreed. (they were going to support her best friend's boyfriend who was playing in said match).
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The Meetup: We arranged a time to meet at the venue, and when I got there, we stood outside and had a cigarette while sussing each other out to make sure we're both who we say we are and to ensure we're both comfortable with each other. Once that was confirmed, we decided to head inside. This is where things started getting a bit weird. Before we decided to head inside, she tells me that I must know that there are three other guys (mutual friends of hers, her best friend, and boyfriend). To me this was a bit rude that she didn't initially tell me they were going to be there (I do know that it could be that they just showed up unannounced and she didn't know). I told her that I get slightly anxious meeting numerous new people in one go (more than 2 new people at a time), but I'm willing to face the situation and see how I feel. She told me that she doesn't mind if we meet up for coffee the next day (tomorrow) if I am going to be anxious, to which I replied "I'm here now, so I may as well face my perceived fear and see how it goes." We head inside and go to the table where everyone is sitting. I introduce myself and everyone seems friendly and welcoming. We sit down and chat for a while and I decide to head to the bar to grab myself a drink. As I mentioned that, the rugby game was about to start. We all agreed as a group that we'd wait for myself to return from the bar and we'd go to the field as a group. I head to the bar, order my drink, and upon returning to the table, I noticed everyone had left to go to the field. I didn't think much of it at first as I understand that they're there to support the boyfriend/friend playing in the match, but what left a bad taste in my mouth was that the lady I was there to meet didn't even bother to wait for me, or even let me know that they were heading to the field, she just left me. I message her asking where they are, and how do I get to them as it is my first time at the venue so I am a bit lost. She replied with "Oh I thought you used you getting a drink at the bar as an excuse to leave because you said you get anxious." I replied with "If i was going to leave, I'd say goodbye to everyone as I am not rude." Anyway, I find out where to go and make my way down to the field and regroup with all of them. I announce myself on arrival and the guys say hello, but the lady is having a fat conversation with her best friend and doesn't even acknowledge me. I landed up standing with the guys, having conversations about multiple topics while watching the game. After a while, I noticed that her best friend had left her, so I decided to go stand with her and spend some one-on-one time with her and actually get to know her a bit more. The conversation was good, jokes and laughs all around. Her best friend eventually came back and joined our conversation while we continued to watch the game. When the game ended, her best friend decided to go back into the clubhouse and grab a table for all of us to sit at. The lady just up and left me (once again) without any warning to go with her friend. I rejoined the group of guys and continued chatting with them as we all slowly made our way back to the club house a few minutes later. When we got to the entrance, two of the guys decided they were going to leave as they have an early start to their day tomorrow, so we said goodbye and off they went. The remaining guy said he was going to go to the restroom and will meet me back outside where I was standing. I decided to have a cigarette and after waiting for a while, he hadn't returned, so I headed inside and bumped into him on the stairs, to which he said he was going to be heading out to his car quickly. I continued upstairs and into the clubhouse to look for the lady and her best friend to see where they were sitting. I couldn't find them so I waited for a few minutes to see if they would walk in or if I'd spot them sitting somewhere, or if the other guy returns. After waiting for 15 minutes, I decided to up and leave and head home as I couldn't find them. Once I got home, nearly an hour had passed and I got a message from her asking where I had disappeared to.
TLDR: Matched with a lady on Tinder, conversation went well and there seemed to be mutual interest and chemistry. A few hours after texting, she invited me out to go watch a rugby match with her and her best friend to support her best friend's boyfriend who was playing. Met up with her. She forgot to mention that other people ( 3 other guys who are mutual friends of hers, her best friend, and boyfriend) were joining (NB: I get anxious when meeting large groups of people (more than 2 people) for the first time). I meet the group and they seemed friendly and welcoming ( I got on well with the guys). During the evening, the lady I met up with just up and left me either alone, or with the group of guys, to follow her best friend around on two occasions. Eventually I left because the group of guys had left, and I couldn't find the lady and her best friend after they left the group for the last time. An hour after I had left, I got a message from her asking where I had disappeared to.
For me, some of the actions that took place this evening is a clear sign of disrespect in my eyes. If you're meeting someone for the first time, you don't just up and leave them by themselves, or with people they don't know, to go run off with your friend, and you don't forget to mention that three other people will be joining as well. Also, to only notice an hour later after disappearing with your friend to grab a table that the person you're meeting is no where to be seen just shows me that she wasn't that interested in meeting/getting to know me.
Now the help I am in need of is, how would I respond to her message asking where I disappeared to in a polite manner to say I didn't appreciate how I was treated this evening as I find it disrespectful to just leave someone you're meeting for the first time alone or with people they don't know? I don't want to just ghost her as I don't feel that is the right thing to do, and to make her aware of the actions she took.

In Nov 2020, I signed a 3 year lease on a 2020 Land Rover Range Rover Evoque. 2 babies later, it’s not really working. I paid to have extra miles available to me through the lease, and instead I’ve put on 14k since having the lease (that was a demo car so started with 3k, totaling 17k now).
My purchase price is ~29k, and KBB values it at 35-43k. I technically still have 6 months remaining on the lease.
I plan to trade in my lease early if possible, for a 2023 Cadillac XT5. In comparing numbers, it is a more appropriate choice for me now and it looks like I could cut my monthly payment nearly in half.
This was the first leased vehicle I’ve had, all other had been purchases. Am I interpreting the numbers right that I can trade in and apply the difference in my purchase price vs the value to the new vehicle? Do I need to return my leased car to Land Rover? Just looking for info before I go out to shop and make moves in person and uninformed on this process.

ALL IMAGES WITH TIME STAMPS HERE:
Copy and paste the link to another tab if it doesn't work
https://imgur.com/a/Xq0oajf
I am male 23y/o 6'1
backstory skip if u dont care:
(i had gyno since 12 years old i used to be a very fat kid stayed with me till today gyno stayed the same, on ralox for about 4months praying it fucks off i think it might have shrunk but could just be lower fat and more muscle) (also don't say i dont because i can take a unflattering pic and it looks tragic) I started lifting at 14 doing pushups and basic shit even before working out i was the strongest mofo in my year group (tested via arm wrestling xd) then i continued on and off till 16, at 16to17 got fat as fuck and depressed to shit because going to school felt like i was setting myself up to becoming a depressed fat wage slave for the rest of my life so instead i quit school and started to transform -fasting for weight loss (longest ive done was 3.5days) and intermit fasting every day - it really worked wonders. dropped to 68kg from 95kg from 17 to 18 and then i started hitting the weights again, at 19 i was benching 70 for about 8 reps skipping legs and deadlifting 100kg for like 5 i dont remember i'm also a smoker since 15 but i quit when i was 19 for 6months during my gym journey then picked it up again because fuck it. Depression kicked back in wanted to kill myself but nothing too serious and quit gym from demotivation (had horrible sleep and was playing video games all the time with no sunlight) then i met someone through a friend and we started a business he quit a few months in but i kept it running from 2020 to 2022 (age20-22) which i then lost passion for and sold it. no idea why he quit to this day dumb mofo i made a half decent amount from it. I've always had my eyes on steroids since i was 15 and it seemed like this was juice of the gods to me and with more research i realised wait it really fucking is the juice of the gods. Anyway depression kicks back in this time from fucked sleep again but also the fact that i spent about 500usd a month on weed. Would spend all the money i made on weed and gambling and ive had some fucking insane wins on gambling, i was on a 50/50 chance to win 46k or 5k - OFC i won the 5k but i was still over the moon, gambled it all away after and the addiction stayed so i ran my business to the ground but with some loans managed to keep it afloat untill i paid my debts backs and as you can see no money to buy weed and a crippling gambling addiction that im using every last inch of will power to not throw money away thats not mine put me into a pretty serious depression. I would spend hours just staring at a wall thinking of ways to kill myself i even looked up how many paracetamol to take to OD but i found out i would probably survive be in pain and then be the biggest burden to the people around me (no-one knows this but me, and you guys now i guess) so one day i went for a walk and saw a random rope hanging from a tree (its still there to this day) i thought this is where i'll do it. But something inside me ticked and i managed to insult myself out of it, i think the walking alone was enough to bring my mental back a little bit. Drastic situations brings drastic solutions, and as you can probably guess this is where i put my foot down and decided to change my life around. I spent next few months researching the fuck outta steroids, quit smoking and found MPMD around this time while also hitting the gym 6-7 times a week with cardio 5-6 times a week (all natty baby!!!) and im not talking about trash 1 hour sessions of sitting on machines either, full body every day 2hours MINIMUM. bought my first cycle from australia so it took like 1.5 months to get to me (most shady website ive ever been on) so now ive been training for about 3 months and im about to hop on my first cycle. (update on my life at the end)
Started cycle 1 at 82kg ended at 95kg (and leaner) Test e 500mg week 1-16 anavar 40mg ED week 9-16 Started cycle 2 at 100kg peaked at 109kg now 98kg Test e 400mg week 1-20 primo 400mg week used var a few times but it started giving acne so i stopped
It is 09JUL as im writing this and i will be doing another 5 weeks of primo and test then finish with another 4 weeks of 150mg test hoping to negate some hormone fluctuations will be using hcg for 4 weeks of trt + extra 2weeks or however much hcg i got left untill pct.
***I ALSO AIM FOR 10K STEPS A DAY EVER SINCE I STARTED TRAINING AGAIN - WOULD USUALLY GO OVER THAT AMOUNT***
Cycle 1 rundown:
started eating at 2.8k calories (increased later to about 4.5k) while training 6-7 times a day with cardio 5-6 times a week (when i took rest days i blew up in strengh next training session) was hungry as fuck all the time so by week 4-5 i upped my calories and i started getting shin splints so i switched to biking, with such a heavy deficit i was craving food like crazy so with time i gave in and had some nasty cheat days (record was 18k in one day) my Bench started at 70kg for 10 by week 6 i was already benching 90 for 10 one day i couldnt find another 15kg plate so i threw on a 20 and repped 100kg for 10 - was very shocked no idea i had it in me, around this time i started anavar and strrengh climbed faster then ever near the end of the cycle i was benching 110 for 7 and 135 for 1 with a 140kg squat and 190kg deadlift. I fucking love anavar but this shit gave me acne after starting it but i didnt care because it didnt look bad and i felt like a fucking monster i noticed when im out i would find many people looking at me and had grannies ask if a 'big strong man' can help them to put groceries in their car. smaller humans would look almost petrified when im walking past them eventually i started smiling at people and shit so they dont think im gonna kill em. Took bloods mid cycle to find my estrogen was double the max range but my test was x10 the max range started AI around week. around week 6-8 i was suffering from high as fuck e2, felt shit, demotivated and no longer a monster also was bloated and craving sugar 24/7. First ai dose i instantly felt back to normal so i continued and even upped mmy dose based off how i was feeling. When the cycle ended i stopped taking ai too which was a poor idea because my e2 fluctated so hard i got the nastiest acne ( as seen on pics) during pct i aalso started cardarine to help with 50 miles bike rides + full body gym sessions (unlimited energy hack i swear to god) i lowered my training and cardio frequency around mid cycle. Training on anavar felt like i was moving feathers and then suddenly my armms just are not able to lift the weight further up anymore, training on pct felt like i had to use my entire will strengh on each set just to each 1 rep from failure (even natty training i would usuallyu have no problem hitting failure) took bloods 8 weeks after cycle - 6 weeks into pct. My test was just below the range but i fucked the test up because day before i had 2.5k calories with 40 mile bike and gym sesh also 15k steps, my ketone (the thing that puts muscle tissue in your blood from over training) levels in my blood were x6 the max range. during cycle my ballsack stayed the same only side i got was acne. also after cycle i upped the fuck outta my training back to 6-7 times a week but this time even more cardio. Ended cycle at 95kg benching 135 for 1 110for 7, ended pct at 88kg benching 125kg for 1 100 for 6.
Edit: i got a pretty bad inury during deadlift with my lat where i couldnt sleep for the first 3 days at all from how much it hurt, couldnt even walk fuck free healthcare shit idiots told me to wait 2 weeks for an apointment so i just decided to firm it instead, i still didnt miss gym days instead i just worked around the injury but i couldnt do like 80% of the stuff i used to. had a hamstring injury from deadlift too so i decided to not train it every other day :3 hehe
Cycle 2 rundown:
PRIMO BABBBYYy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! if i wasn't so broke right now i would have upped the dose already with how it makes me look/feel. started cycle at about 107kg was a bit demotivated so i ate more, training stayed the same. bench was at 130 for 1, i don't even recall much from this cycle to be honest just the normal training and biking, i noticed biking and training both felt so much easier and more fun, around week 6 of primo i started feeling like a god, insane confidence mood is amazing and i feel like a monster, primo a pussy magnet for sure everytime i would speak to a girl she would give me these eyes with a spark almost saying 'breed me daddy' but we must stay focused brothers. Heavy deficit now and lifts are 150kg bench 180kg squat 230kg deadlift god forbid what happens if i break cut and eat more then 2k calories, for some reason im not feeling hungry at all would go through a huge sesh and dread eating my meal (and i fucking love food) shredding fat day by day insanly quick and strengh is going nowhere just feel like my workouts are harder to give it my all if i can maintain this by end of cycle i will be expecting to look like the classic fake natty influencer. Acne is clearing up nicely and one more month of accutane should do the trick. Primo test giving me only 1 side and that's ive been nutting about 4-5 times a day which then resorted me into fucking anything with a pair of tits, even milfs are getting it and ive made moves on fat girls which i then would come to a conclusion that its NOT WORTH IT. Dick got bigger too pretty cool. Can keep you guys updated if this post blows up i've probably missed some stuff. (not taking any AI) Also i havent done bloods for this cycle at all as i cant afford it, but going off feeling alone i think im just fine :)
Current story: found better supplier that ships next day with all kinds of goodies, browsing their website i'm like a kid in a candy store, but just like a kid i'm broke as fuck. Working on 2 business' currently and picked smoking back up after about 1year break - i know i know the cycle repeats it self i am fully aware, but i think i've come too far to drop back into such a shitty place. For some reason i can feel depression creeping back for an hour or two in a day but i just dismiss it as ive been through much worse, i'm pinning this on the lack of income at the moment and the 2 business' are put on hold due to a lack of funds + i'm in debt, currently implimenting some unorthodox money making strats to hopefully guide me out of this. (I refuse to take a job i've tried i just cant fucking do it, born to be a leader not to listen to a double digit iq moron trying to back seat me with their aoura of im better then you because i can memorize questions on a piece of paper better, also that would give me no time + energy to focus on myself) A job will be my last resort and most people in the world today are living on cloud 9 so i really believe i would climb ranks up fast. Humble brag :)
TLDR:
PROS: bigger dick bigger muscle less fat better mood better mental better confidence
CONS: beat my dick too much the e2 problem in cycle 1 acne People are sus of me Thought of commiting crimes for finacial gain seems rational to me

Chapter 6: Two Girls, One Cuck
Me: Is he always like this during gaming weekends, or is this all my fault?
Athena: He’s always ranting and raving about his crusade of the week. And he usually gets into a screaming match with Mori over something dumb. But this is some next-level rage.
Sage (to Athena): You ummm... told...
Athena: She knows, babe. She already knew.
Sage: Okay. So sorry about that, by the way.
Me: It’s fine. It’s nothing new.
Sage: He usually has some nasty chick come over on Friday or Saturday. They go... do whatever they do, and then he comes back either completely chill or completely enraged. And fucking RANK.
Me: Maybe I should have packed his fleshlight for him.
Axton: Why the hell does he need a fleshlight when he’s got you?
Me: Oh, he hardly ever tries to do anything with me. And the last few times he tried; he was too plastered.
Snorlax: Whisky wang?
Me: Bingo.
Axton: That’s criminally negligent. Do you need a hug?
I smiled. “It’s fine. The whisky wang lets me off the hook. But I’m not gonna turn down a hug.”
I crawled over to him and let his arms envelop me. As I had been starved for affection for nearly a year, this was better than sex. Underneath the general aura of cigarette smoke and whiskey that permeated the room, I could smell his skin. It was intoxicating. So I nestled into that rare, delicate balance of euphoria and tranquility until we heard the back door open and close. Axton and I scrambled to opposite sides of the room. But it was just Mori.
Mori (grinning mischievously): What did I walk in on?
Athena: Nothing that would excite you, Mori.
Mori approached me and sat down. “I think he’s chilled out. Right now, he just needs to know that you’re not mad at him. Are you up for going to talk to him.”
I blinked. “I am mad at him. I’m embarrassed. And anything I say to him is just gonna piss him off.” Plus, I was high as a fucking kite on Adderall and affection. “Let me think about it for a minute?”
I considered a novel approach. After the puke-inducing fight that he’d had with Mori last night, they had made peace. I decided I would mimic Mori’s actions and try call a truce with as few words as possible, which would ideally prevent FPB wasting hours playing the victim and assassinating my character.
Me: I’ll let him know that it’s chill. That’s all I can do.
Mori nodded.
I headed for the back door and stepped onto the porch.
Me: FPB?
He grunted. He was sitting slumped in a chair on the porch, smoking a cigarette. I moved around so that I was standing in front of him and I offered my hand.
Me: Peace?
FPB: From now on, you only talk to Athena and Sage. No talking to ANY of the single dudes.
He was pointing his cigarette at me and punctuating each phrase with a little jab of the cherry in my direction.
Me: That’s not reasonable. Would you prefer it if I just left? How am I supposed to play if I’m not allowed to talk to half the people on the team? Or the GM?
FPB: Then you only talk about game-related stuff. Mori’s junk doesn’t go anywhere near you, you don’t share beer with Snorlax, and you don’t so much as look at pretty boy, Axton.
Me: If it’s game-related stuff, Axton’s the one I need to be talking to the most. You talk to Snorlax when we’re planning an attack.
FPB: That’s different.
Me: HOW?
FPB: Because Snorlax isn’t trying to get in my PANTS.
So much for a succinct truce. I decided to try and steer the conversation in a different direction.
Me: I’m being serious. I tagged along this weekend so that I could try to have FUN learning to play this game you love so much. (I extended my hand more fervently.) Peace?
FPB: Swear to me that you won’t so much as look at that jizz-mopping pretty boy.
Me: Only if you swear to me that some girl didn’t come over here to hook up with you last night.
FPB went white.
Me: It is what it is. But if you get to receive booty calls here, I’m allowed to interact with your friends. ALL of them.
FPB grunted dismissively.
I wanted to say, “If you’re allowed to LICK, I’m allowed to LOOK.” Again, I refrained from deliberately angering FPB out of respect for the other people whose time was being disrupted by his rage. And he was no longer snarling and shouting. That was as about as good as it was gonna get. I went back inside and took my seat. Everyone looked at me, appearing anxious to hear what had happened.
Me: Well, he had some unreasonable demands... I refused them. But I think he’s calm enough to play again. No promises.
FPB slammed the back door and trudged back to his assigned seat.
Mori: Axton and Sage, please trade places.
FPB: Why? Do you think I’m gonna...
Mori held up his magic Funky-silencing hand. “My run, my rules.”
It was FPB’s roll. It wound up being successful. Very successful. As he entered the media station, a swarm of heavily armed guards surrounded him, but he managed to obliterate all of them, wielding a sword in one hand and an SMG with homing bullets in the other hand. This might have been just the thing we all needed to calm his ass down!
Mori: Show of hands for all who consider this an epic success!
We all voted affirmatively.
Mori: Then my Assistant GM shall prepare the finest tincture in the land for our supreme Street Samurai, Funky P. Beard.
Sage soon returned with a shot of Johnny Walker Blue. FPB sniffed it deeply, toasted to the team, and slugged it back in one gulp. I think I even saw a small smile on his face, although it was hard to tell underneath that behemoth of a beard.
I exhaled and felt myself relax as much as I could with Adderall fueling my wakefulness. I planned a super sick (albeit risky) complex action, rolled, and... got hit with Tar Baby. That was a giga-glitch.
FPB looked over at me with menacing eyes. But I had an idea.
Mori: OP, come accept a staff punishment!
Me: Game Master... Sir? FPB, our epically successful Samurai, suggested to me that I should kiss Athena instead of kissing your staff.
I glanced nervously at Athena. She was giggling. Good. I hadn’t offended her. I also glanced nervously at Sage. He was grinning from ear to ear. Good. I hadn’t offended him, either.
Mori pretended to ponder...
Mori: ACCEPTABLE! You shall kiss for 15 seconds. Assistant GM, you keep time.
Sage: No way, dude. I’m watching.
Snorlax: I’ll do it. No promises that I’ll keep my eyes on the timer.
FPB growled at him.
Athena and I turned to each other, trying to keep from laughing. This was nothing new to me. I had kissed girls onstage, at theatre parties, during games of truth or dare... And I was confident that this wouldn’t anger FPB in the slightest. If anything, it might put him in a better mood.
Snorlax: 3... 2... KISS!
Everything was fine at first. Athena was giggling, which made me giggle, but we kept our lips locked. Then, after only a few seconds... she seemed to vanish. I opened my eyes and saw that FPB had grabbed her, pulled her away, and was now dragging her to the corner of the War Room near the staircase.
FPB: YOU WICKED THUNDER-SEE-YOU-NEXT-TUESDAY! HOW DARE YOU KISS MY GIRLFRIEND?!?!
With an almost feline stride, Sage crossed the room and put FPB in a chokehold. FPB was screeching and furiously thrashing about, but Sage seemed to be trained in martial arts (couldn’t tell you which one, specifically).
FPB: OP, YOU’RE A DEMENTED SLUT. I KNOW YOU’VE BEEN HOOKING UP WITH AXTON. I KNOW YOU AND MORI HAVE BEEN SNORTING COKE OFF EACH OTHER’S ASSES. NOW YOU’RE KISSING GIRLS, TOO! I SHOULD MA...nhjsnjvB...SVJLjvvvvvv... And then he passed out.
Silence fell over the War Room.
Mori: So... You wanna go snort coke off my ass?
I laughed. “I’m good with the Addy, Mori. But thank you.”
I glanced over at Axton, and he raised his eyebrows, silently making the follow-up to Mori’s joke. I felt the corners of my mouth involuntarily turn upwards and I raised my eyebrows in return.
But the beard stirred. Sage was still in full attack mode and Athena stood by at a safe distance. I crossed the War Room and asked if FPB had hurt her. She shook her head.
Athena: No, I’m fine. I just don’t want another fight to break out.
Me: I’m so sorry. I had no idea he’d get mad about THAT.
Athena: Right?! What’s wrong with him? I thought all guys liked to watch girls kiss.
Mori made his way over to a defeated FPB and an enraged Sage.
Mori: Gentlemen... Shall we take a break from the planning phase and settle this score with some PVP?
Sage: NO. We’re not settling this in game. Funky P. Beard called my girlfriend a horrible name, he physically attacked her...
Athena: I’m fine, babe. Can we just play without FPB for a while?
Sage: Okay, maybe he didn’t hurt her. But he definitely crossed a line.
Mori: I agree. There should be consequences.
Sage: No dick slaps or looking at your butthole or sitting in your lap as “punishments” this time. Actions have natural consequences. The natural consequences are that he scared my girlfriend, he embarrassed his girlfriend, and he pissed me off. He also disrupted our game, so I assume the rest of you are pissed off?
Before anyone could answer, FPB played the victim and pretended to cry over Sage choking him out after he grabbed Athena and called her that awful name. Nobody cared. Once he realized that he wasn’t getting any sympathy, he began to rage about being forced to watch his girlfriend “cuckold” him and how he was being made to feel like he wasn’t manly since he was offended by the sight of two girls kissing. Mori used the magic Funky-silencing hand and invited the rest of us to express our grievances. He also challenged Funky to take it all in without verbally (or physically) attacking anyone.
Snorlax offered FPB some weed to help him calm down, and FPB launched into an irrational tirade about how much he hated drugs. He also mocked Snorlax for his weight, which isn’t cool. If your personality sucks, your physical appearance is fair game for mockery. Otherwise, it’s just rude. Plus, Snorlax is a cute chubby guy. They do exist.
Axton basically told him he needed to take the stick out of his ass, and FPB barked out some more accusations of lust. In the midst of these accusations, he referred to me as “his property,” and declared that I was too “shallow and FEMALE” to make my own decisions. Axton clenched his fists and took a few steps towards FPB, but Mori intervened and gave a very flowery speech about going outside and letting the fresh air carry away the aggression.
Snorlax followed Axton outside, merrily carrying a bong. The whole thing wrapped up when I said, “I’m not your property. I agreed to be your partner once upon a time, but this isn’t a healthy partnership. I’m out. I’m done trying to be a girlfriend to someone who thinks so little of me.”
This was far from the first time I’d delivered this speech to FPB, so I had it memorized. Of course, it never “hit” the way I hoped it would. FPB wasn’t contrite. He didn’t seem sad to lose me. He seemed, as always, righteously angry over having a possession confiscated. So I went to join Axton and Snorlax on the porch. Athena whispered, “Good for you, girl!” as she followed me out, leaving the principal and the vice principal to deal with the delinquent.
A lot of commotion ensued in the corner of the War Room after FPB muttered a very offensive term for “lesbian” at Athena as she exited. Mori had to physically restrain Sage from beating the tar out of FPB. Mori also apparently got a little excited whist restraining his Assistant GM, and they traded some colorful words. Athena closed the door on the hullabaloo.
The bong was bubbling away and the sweet, skunky scent of gonja filled the air.
Snorlax: Want a hit?
Me: Nah. I feel like I might have to dash any minute now if FPB keeps raging, so I need to keep my head clear.
Axton: You’re not leaving with him, are you?
Me: Hell no! I’ve got my car here, and he’s NOT coming with me if I feel like it’s time for me to ghost.
Axton: Is there any way we can vote his ass off the island and convince you to stay?
I cautiously approached the bench where Axton and Snorlax were sharing the bong. They shifted a little to make room for me, and I sat down next to a still shirtless Axton. Athena pulled up a chair next to the bench and took a tiny flask from the pocket of her PJs and slugged back a few sips of liquid tranquility.
Me: For the sake of the other people on the road, I wouldn’t let his drunk ass get behind the wheel. Does Sage have a soundproof basement where we can lock him up?
Athena: I WISH.
Axton unapologetically threw his arm around my shoulder, and I brazenly laced my fingers through his.
Athena: OP, why did you start dating FPB? That might be too personal...
Me: No, it’s fine. Believe it or not, he was incredibly nice to me at first. He thinks I keep pulling away from him because he’s too nice, but... Let’s just say that he and I have very different definitions of “nice.”
Snorlax: Maybe I’m just high, but I think he was pretty chill when we first formed the team.
Axton: I didn’t join until last year, so I’ve only known him as a raging psycho.
Me: You’re both right. That’s his M.O. He’s nice and normal until he’s secured his place.
Before I had the chance to fully explain my perception of FPB’s uncanny ability to simulate sanity, Sage and Mori stepped onto the porch, with FPB trailing dejectedly behind them.
Mori: We’ve decided to wrap it up for the night. Feel free to get drunk as hell, smoke weed, snort coke off each other’s asses, party like rockstars! We’ll reconvene at noon tomorrow.
But fucking Funky lifted his head and roared, “You’re cheating on me AGAIN???”
Me: I told you, Funky. I’m out. I quit. We’re done. And you hate my living guts, so what the hell do you care???
FPB: I didn’t agree to that. So we’re still together.
Sage: That’s not how breakups work, FPB. And what exactly is your definition of cheating?
FPB: She’s cheated on me with EVERYONE. Except you, Sage. You’re actually the only one I still trust. OP’s a SLUT.
Me: WHEN have I cheated on you?
FPB: You let Mori put his dick on your face...
Me: So did literally EVERYONE here...
Mori: Hell, I’d put it on my own face if I were flexible enough!
FPB: I’m still talking. You also stuck your hand in Mori’s butt crack. You shared a beer with Snorlax. You kissed Athena. And now you’re sitting there canoodling with Pretty Boy in front of everyone. CHEATER.
Mori threw his arm around FPB. “This? Is this a good canoodle, or is your noodle still limp?”
FPB shrugged him off. “Barf me a river, Mori. It’s the intention.”
Mori (hugging FPB around the waist): Okay, suppose I’m imagining going to Pound Town with you right now. (He added a few demonstrative pelvic thrusts.) Does that mean we’ve hooked up?
FPB flailed about until Mori let go of him, bellowed some barely intelligible insults towards everyone, made some random animal noises, and stomped back into the house. As much as I hated to see my new friends on the receiving end of his wrath, I don’t think I would have ever been able to effectively stand up to him without five witnesses to his bizarre behavior who miraculously had my back, despite having a long history of friendship with FPB.
I had tried to discuss our problems with close friends in the past, but FPB would always be on his best behavior in front of them, so I always wound up looking like the asshole. It took the presence of people with whom he felt comfortable enough to stomp around (sans mask) in order to gather witnesses to the insanity. And gather them, I had. I was FREE.

So for starters, I cannot go to the gym. I have such severe anxiety that I cannot go. I got myself a membership and forced myself to go and I ended up having a panic attack. It was incredibly embarrassing and just not something I want to go through.
I’m female, 28 and I weigh 260 lbs and I’m 5’4. I lost 115 pounds a year ago and I have since gained back 50 of that due to lifestyle, a bad car accident that messed up my back, and depression, etc.
I have cut back on sugar and I’m eating pretty good. I’ve always eaten pretty healthy, I’m just a binge eater, snacker, sugar lover. I don’t eat fast food except the very occasional Taco Bell. I haven’t drank soda in like 5 years. I love my candy and chocolate tho. I’ve started meal prepping and trying to cut back on cheese and salt.
I found a trail near my house that’s like 2 miles long and then 2 miles back. I’ve been walking it everyday for the last week. I try to jog a bit too, but I get winded pretty easily. Is walking and better diet actually going to help me lose weight? Are there other things I should be implementing? I’m trying to get to my goal weight of 180 by December-January.
I should note I don’t really weigh myself. I have a scale, but It’s disheartening to do all this work and not see the numbers go down. I have been feeling so much better tho already.

Pura Vida Costa Rica,
I'm here to write to you and express my sincerest thanks for my experience in your amazing country. I want to express to you what I think makes the country particularly special within the global climate which I hope serves as a rallying cry for the values which I think are in rarified air.
But before I do that, I'd like to share a little piece on how I came to the country and why I'm leaving it for now. Several years ago, I met the first woman I ever loved. As it turned out, she was Costa Rican and I decided after some time to try and make a go of things in Costa Rica -- previously I had been put off as I was preferring cheaper pastures. That said, I made the move and eventually I came to love the country and the woman. However, years later we've decided to split up and she's kind of taken a hardline stance on me not patrolling the small country as we may bump in to each other. Do I think it's immature and selfish? A little bit for sure. It's pretty unreasonable to ask me to abandon the life I've built and the attachment I have to the country I love, but I'm someone who prefers not to have any drama or problems, and short of that I can see her point of view, and would prefer to avoid the advent of either one of us seeing the other with another person until considerable time has passed and the pain has subsided.
With that backstory I can say my farewell for now and in doing so, talk about what I love about Costa Rica:
- CR is a Latin American country but not one with all of the typical ailments. For starters, your Police force is truly friendly (albeit at times inept) compared to other Latin American counterparts. When I see a cop I don't have to worry like when I'm in Mexico, fearing a shakedown or exploitation. Whether I had done some sort of minor violation or they were just doing a routine check, they were always reasonable about it. I actually felt more safe around Costa Rican police than in my home country which shall remain unnamed :).
- Ticos have an amazing sense of humour. I was here across the pandemic and had absolutely nothing to do at one point so I temporarily picked up the nasty habit of Tik Tok. But no regrets with that decision as I'm proud to report Costa Rican TikTok is truly world class. It doesn't matter if it's a prepared joke or just some guy trying to cross a river during rainy season, the commentary is hilarious and ya'll are in a class of your own. I'd also like to note it had always been my experience that ya'll were funny in person, but I guess I didn't put two and two together realizing how much funnier you were until I could readily compare you against other countries' TikToks using a VPN during the pandemic (ya like I said, I had extra time on my hands). I predict an amazing comedian will come out of Costa Rica in the next decade.
- Ticos are super helpful. There is a special thing that happens when you get your car stuck, all of a sudden there are 12 Ticos there and a 12 pack of Pilsen or Imperial. No, I'm not going to choose one over the other, I think Imperial is better for micheladas though. Moving on, I always appreciated the informal roadside assistance I received.
- You kept your borders open during the pandemic. Now it may have been for economic reasons, but I assure you that socially this was ultra beneficial compared to the alternative. Please stand by this value of upholding freedom (even if it is in part sponsored by an over-reliance on tourism).
- Ticas are absolutely stunning and I'm totally jealous. Not only that, there's a ton of them, there seems to be an abundance of beautiful, single women. Praise God Ticos, ya'll are LUCKY.
- Costa Ricans are polite. I have always appreciated this aspect of the country. Politeness is valued, there's a certain warm charm here that while maybe not as overtly outward as say Colombia where people like grab you and start dancing, is still quite genuine and refreshing. I love talking to Costa Rican moms and grandmas, they are sweet.
- Costa Rica has a generally intelligent population capable of discussing a variety of topics with ease. Now I'm assuming some people are somehow going to get offended by this for whatever reason, but let me just say this isn't a given in every country. My home country has difficulty discussing political issues for example as people tend to get pretty aggressive, filled with self-righteous indignation, and defensive, that wasn't my experience when talking to Costa Ricans. I could assert my own views and they were often dealt with diplomatically if even not agreed with (even people say what a crazy dude after I leave). Conversely, it just seemed like most people were fairly politically conscientious and that people are willing to hit the streets for something they believe in. I recall the demonstrations across the pandemic where Costa Ricans were demonstrating against a seemingly absurd rate hike in property taxes and an unprecedented tax for removing your money from the bank. Congratulations Costa Rica, protesting and affecting change as one country is a vital democratic process, do not take this for granted and continue to celebrate it even if you don't agree with the particular reason for the protest. My country has a recent history of shutting down protests through illegal force.
- It goes to show how much I actually love Costa Rica that I put this so far down the list but obviously, and clearly, your nature and protection thereof is absolutely outstanding. All of the mountains, beaches, rivers, jungles, fresh water -- it's right in the name -- RICA. Your country is rich in nature, protect it at all costs and continue to boot out mining scum who want to exploit you. Watch out for the "illegal mining" narrative that is simply trying to act like only "legitimate mining" can protect you from this. It's a sham narrative that my home country would stupidly fall for.
- I like the traditional Costa Rican finca accent and saying "Costa Shhhrica".
- There is no military and that contributes to a peaceful disposition. This is a rarity in the world, and it was courageous step to take in favour of focusing on healthcare and education. It absolutely has helped Costa Rica to develop more of a middle class over its counterparts despite being one of the last to join trade agreements and thus be subject to more unfair stipulations. Never the less, it appears Costa Rica is taking center stage as a Latin American innovator.
- You had a civil war / disagreement between Grande Mexico and the now Costa Rica which someone won and yet you can't tell the winners apart from the losers. This is an absolute rarity, in fact I've never heard someone discuss this at all. Look how divided the north and south sections of the US are ideologically, yet here in Costa Rica there is no apparent winner or loser -- there is no faction that can be readily identified as having been for "Grande Mexico" and I don't think that's because you killed them all (hopefully I'm right). Rather it seems because of the principal of amnesty. Yes, I acknowledge I avoided the subject of the seeming divide between annexed and OG CR parts as well as the forgotten land of Limon. That said, there is still a high degree of unity in Costa Rica compared to other countries.
- I love the amount of good DJs. Yaya, this new house trend that seeks to form a snobby upper class through music that looks down on reggaeton is pretty annoying to me but I digress. -- there's really good DJs in Costa Rica who do a nice blend of reggaeton, dancehall, reggae, afrobeats, house and the like.
And with that, I say to you, some of the things I've loved about Costa Rica and hold near and dear to this day. To any Tico or Tica idealizing the lands beyond your border just let me say that in my experience Costa Rica is special. If you insist on holding something to an elevated status elsewhere and you think it's something you can't find in Costa Rica then by all means go ahead and explore, but I think you'll come to find in time that Costa Rica is in a bit of a golden age and a goldilocks zone (even historically you guys were just enough out of the reach of both Grande Mexico and Grande Colombia). Surprise surprise the least f*cked with Central American country also seems to enjoy the best "karma" for lack of a better term. Not without its limitations and its problems sure, but that can be said of any country, the general thing of importance is the foundation and the trajectory.
With all of that being said thanks so much for my time in your country and look forward to seeing ya'll again.
To the g's a cachete and the OG's:
PURA VIDA

Ashes shaped like the entire rave remained in the outline of a single soaring rook. I awaited their arrival. I had known to go no further than Man's Bane. I first had to sort out the Choir. I had no choice but to choose which of them would stay and live with the animals and which ones could come with me and my talking crow Cory, back to our own world.
They had a chorus of questions, most of them difficult to answer, for they were the inquisitions of the enchanted and the insane. The gibberings of the transformed ravens, now escaped medieval asylum patients, earned the attention of the inhabitants of Man's Bane. I glanced around nervously at the various animals attempting to walk upright, some of them wearing a single article of clothing or clutching an artifact of the old world.
"We are here to sort out a few of you." I told them plainly. Many of the Choir were compulsive murderers and worse. I simply couldn't unleash them back on the world. They'd have to live among the animals.
I first pointed to Serene Sinclair. "Do you want to stay here or come with me?"
She walked over to where Cory and I were.
"Well if she's your first choice, why not all of them?" Cory squawked.
"You'll remain under my supervision, right?" I asked her.
"I just want to be helpful." She promised.
"You do? Is that right?" I stared. Cory made a grinding noise in the back of his throat that meant he found her words amusing somehow. He was laughing and said in Corvin:
"She quotes you, my Lord. Remember when you met my Winters?"
"Uh, yes." I clicked to him in annoyance. "She has magics."
"Oh. Is that all?" Cory sassed me.
We continued to argue in Corvin as I selected a few more of the Choir. I was being careful. If I picked the wrong one or wasn't careful of the commotion, I could have a riot of lunatics and beastmen. I just wanted to make it home in one piece.
"Dini Ghanat, Jessica Darling, Clide Brown." I called on several more dangerous ones, yet they were the ones that were too dangerous to leave behind. Cory clicked rapidly at me in disapproval.
"Your bird. It does not like me." Dini Ghanat said with his heavy accent. I reached into my bag and took out the little leather case with his serum inside.
"You will not operate without my oversight." I told him.
"Of course not. You are our fearless leader." Dini Ghanat grinned obsequiously. I trusted him as far as I could reach. I knew better than to leave him behind in the fertile world of unguarded labs and shuffling beastmen. He'd experiment on them and make some kind of weird animal-man realm that I would have to worry about. I wanted to leave Man's Bane behind and forget the world or time period entirely.
"Christo?" I asked the man with a different Christo in his mind. He looked at me as the Christo I could trust.
"You can come too." I told him. Then I told him he was on fire and the other Christo stared at me. I told that Christo: "Sorry. You gotta stay here. You will never have another birthday if you come with us. Here though, it is always Saturday. Tomorrow is your birthday, and you know what that means."
"I can play with Polly?" The other Christo asked. His menacing grin spread, reminding me vaguely of the cartoon of the Grinch from my childhood.
"Well, goodnight Christo." I smiled. Christo turned around and then looked at me and asked:
"Where are we going?"
"I'm going home and I am taking you with me." I promised.
"I don't think this is how this works." Cory advised me with mock cynicism.
"It was your idea!" I hissed back.
"Oh yeah." Cory made a noise that was his most mischievous.
I picked a few more before we took that final flight as ravens. I got Samual Monica, Castini Ishbaal and Father Dublin the Exorcist. We flew the rest of the way, backwards through time, as ravens. The Choir was split, I'd say those I left there became the Choir and those I took were no longer really of the Choir anymore.
The world had changed in many ways and yet it had stayed the same. What I mean, is that the disasters of the time when we struggled to close the book of evil, or the time we were in Dellfriar and the world ended, all seemed to be gone.
The effect of such horrors pressed in from the sides of the familiar world I had once known. I asked Cory:
"Am I experiencing hallucinations from the medications we were taking in Dellfriar?"
"No, my Lord. We are escaped mental hospital patients in the same world we left long ago. How is this possible?" Cory sounded amazed and spoke in English.
I looked at the assembled ex-Choir members with me. They were all somehow out-of-place if we weren't facing the post apocalyptic horrors I had expected.
"You look confused." Dini Ghanat told me.
"I thought." I stammered. "I thought things would be different out here."
"How? We escaped." Father Dublin smiled. "What did you expect?"
"A world in ruins and desolation. A world ruled by rampant monsters and vengeful enemies like the Folk Of The Shaded Places." I tried to explain what my expectations were. "This changes things."
"This world is coming apart at the seems. It is about to collapse. The ends of all worlds push at its sides, like a dying universe, everything dies." Serene Sinclair announced in proclamation.
"Now wait." I told her. "You sense all of that too?"
"Indeed. You have chosen a tribe of the most dangerous, and some might be too dangerous. You chose most of them not." Serene Sinclair prophesized me. "And you would know death either way. At least this way you shall know its form."
"I'm starting to like her too." Cory chirped meanly.
"Your bird doesn't like any of us, does he, Mr. Briar?" Dini Ghanat was somehow behind me. I'd taken my eye off of him for one second.
"He doesn't trust you. He's seen how dangerous you all are. I'm taking you home to my family, showing a lot of trust in all of you, despite what I too have seen you all do. However, unlike those we left behind, none of you have ever threatened me or Cory or my family. To be fair, you've never given me a reason not to trust you."
"You're speaking to all of us, then?" Clide Brown asked.
"Dude, you're a werewolf." I gestured that I was making my point anyway. He nodded and muttered:
"Good point. I see your point. Yeah."
"I couldn't leave you people behind. Over these years, stealing artifacts and everything, you all have become like this depraved, lunatic family to me. Stop drooling." I said. I was looking at Christo on my last beat. "The point is, I have another family. Can I count on all of you as I already have? I have to ask."
"You can't count on me. We don't know if the moon is full. I could kill everyone." Clide Brown had changed his discord as he spoke. His confidence always went out of him whenever anyone mentioned his other half.
"Cory, is the moon full?" I asked my talking crow. Cory called out and his crow's call was answered by another.
"Of course it is." Cory said in English.
"See?" Clide Brown started swearing.
"Relax, I am only joking. We have a few nights to get ready for your monthly puberty." Cory teased the agitated werewolf.
Clide Brown frowned but was obviously still far from any sort of anger. He had the best anger management skills.
We all got onto the back of a hay wagon with nobody driving it and rode into town. In the street outside Dr. Leidenfrost's apartment we stood, a gaggle of straight jackets and a gleaming razor sharp hook on the end of Jessica Darling's prosthetic arm. There were no other visible weapons, but I knew all of them were armed.
It was early evening and I sensed something watching us. They were in the shadows, moving along in the darkness and avoiding the streetlights as they turned on one-by-one in the gloom.
"What is it?" Father Dublin asked, fear beaded on his forehead as he realized we were being stalked.
"Folk Of The Shaded Places." I thought I saw one as a dark rod, moving in jagged animation through a patch of shade and shifting light. Somehow the Cambrian elder was like a centipede, in its general shape. They were intricate and with a hundred different limbs and their faces somehow evoked an image of all-teeth, the kind that snack on trilobites. I knew their intelligence too, an angry and ancient species, waiting for their world to return to their endless hands. It was just my imagination, but it was also reality. Folk Of the Shaded Places could travel instantly from one dark corner, into a dream, through a wall and back into another shadow. To see them in any capacity, always occurs as a partial glimpse, easy to ignore.
"What to they want?" Dini Ghanat was perplexed. He used a simple charm to look and try to see them magically. "I'd like to know them better."
"No, you wouldn't. Trust me." I assured the mad alchemist and disgraced scientist that stared after the spy from the darkness.
The spies in the darkness were gone, I could sense that they had left us.
"Daddy!" Came the voices of Persephone Briar and Penelope Leidenfrost, my daughters. They came running out to greet me.
"I knew you were coming. I've watched all of your flights." Penelope told me. Her heterochromic eyes were the most beautiful in the whole world. She blinked as she spoke to me for the first time in her life.
"Daddy, you're back. Sister told me you were here." Persephone told me.
I stared at her, unbelieving how she had grown. My mind flashed to the rampage of the giant horse, death, gemstones, all of it to serve the cats so that she would live. I had always loved her, even when she was not alive, at the beginning.
I hugged them both.
"Such a sweet reunion." Samual Monica commented. There was always a strange hint in his voice. Part of me was not happy to let him near my family, but also, he was family now too.
Then I looked up and saw the love of my life, after being away for so long. She stood there, every aspect of her was dark, as she stood in the shaft of light from her home. A fairy flitted from her shoulder back to the sanctuary of indoors.
"Heidi?" I stared and stood and trembled. My legs forgot their strength when I tried to walk towards her. Clide and Christo were there to hold me up.
"I can walk." I said softly and I did. I walked to Dr. Leidenfrost.
"Welcome home, Lord." Dr. Leidenfrost stared at me. I wondered if she still loved me too. I noticed Isidore approaching me. She hugged me and then stepped back next to Dr. Leidenfrost.
"Who are all of these people?" Dr. Leidenfrost asked me.
"These people are my new family members." I told her.
"A gang of murderers that have escaped from Dellfriar with you?" Dr. Leidenfrost asked strangely.
"Well - I mean -when you put it in that way." I argued against her wording.
"I've missed you so much!" Dr. Leidenfrost nearly jumped me in the parking lot.
"You all have to stay out here." Isidore told the escaped insane asylum patients. "Girls, come inside, now."
And our daughters obeyed and I went inside with my family and Cory flew on in ahead of me and landed on the back of the couch.
"Right now." Dr. Leidenfrost wanted to rekindle our marriage immediately. I went with her and did so. When we were rekindled we found it was almost morning already.
"Your friends are keeping quiet out there." Isidore told me, over breakfast.
"What is going on? You're the only people we've seen." I ate.
"There's a massive evacuation going on." Dr. Leidenfrost explained. "But Agent Saint called and told us to stay right here. She said it would be safe until she gets here."
"Why?" I asked.
"Supposedly there is to be a tsunami. That was more than two days ago." Dr. Leidenfrost nodded sagely. "It was all a lie."
"I see." I gulped. "We gotta feed them. No low blood sugar for our crazy people."
"I already fed them. I didn't want to stay in the apartment while you two, you know." Isidore blushed.
"Did you want some of him? He's still yours too." Dr. Leidenfrost teased her.
"Stop, Heidi." Isidore looked at me and our eyes met briefly. I wondered if she had ever loved me. It didn't matter, she loved me as a friend, which was fair enough. I hadn't felt particularly crazy about her, after-all.
Dr. Leidenfrost watched our gazes repulse each other like opposing magnets and made a clicking sound with her tongue. Cory appreciated the word and translated, hopping up and down with excitement:
"My Matron calls you both cowards!" Cory exclaimed in English.
"You are both cowards." Dr. Leidenfrost confirmed. "That's why I am the head of this family."
"Fair enough." I muttered. Isidore said nothing.
"I don't agree." The soft and melodious voice of our resident fairy spoke up. "Lord has shown courage when he fears for another's sake. I've seen him stand against wrongdoing with no guarantee he could survive."
I looked over and spotted Silver Bell alight upon Dr. Leidenfrost's shoulder. I smiled and greeted her:
"Hello Sylvia." I recalled her earthbound name and used it instead of her Faerie name.
"I've waited a long time to go home." Silver Bell was glowing. "Penelope has drawn my key, but she is not strong enough to conjure. She needs her father for that."
"What?" I asked.
"You stole the way for such a key to be crafted. In Faerie, it was your theft that removed the one who would have touched the gold to craft it into what we needed. No new key can be made, without the hand of a smith. Do you remember?" Silver Bell explained. In her voice she sounded tired, there was no resentment.
"I rescued a child from your queen." I recalled. "Is that the consequence?"
"There is a horror upon your world. If we do not reverse the ways of magic, Man will fall. Nothing good will rise in your place. I have learned of all these things while trapped in your realm. I must report to my queen that Faerie cannot stand and do nothing or we will be obliterated next. What happens to one part of the body affects the whole." Silver Bell spoke slowly and we all listened.
"What horror?" Dr. Leidenfrost asked, her voice hushed.
"Lord knows of it. That is why I know he will help me. Your daughter has drawn my key. Now her father will forge it for me. It must be done." Silver Bell demanded.
Dr. Leidenfrost stood up and went to her desk. She opened a drawer that contained a stack of drawings made by the girls that hadn't made it to the gallery on the refrigerator.
After a silent shuffling she found a drawing of a key. She stared at it and then her eyes watered. She hadn't known what it was.
I got up and walked over to her and said quietly:
"She is like me. She is also like you."
"I know Lord, that's what scares me."

I have been grappling over this for months and months. I went to research on narc abuse sites and forums and those all say I have done the right thing by going no contact and protecting myself and my son from further harm from her. However, I have only recently come to Christ over the last year. I was raised Catholic, but never really got to hear the word. Then I started dating my boyfriend who told me he prayed and asked God what to do about me and if he should pursue me. He said he just knew.
I had been through a rough year (and life) and finally came to the end of myself and I knew I needed God. I saw a Bible Study sign up in our neighborhood and we started going and I got to start learning the word for the first time ever. One thing I will say is how true it has all felt so far. Every word of it. I have so much intense life experience in these last 33 years, more than most have by 60, and I finally have learned to trust myself and my own gut, and my gut says all of it is true. I'm so thankful to God for helping me to open up my heart and mind to see the truth. I have lived in awful sinful ways and I'm so grateful he gave his son Jesus to die for our sins. I have been striving to build a better relationship with him all year. I want to marry my boyfriend and start a family and raise them in the word.
Through all of this though I have been grappling with the fact that I cut off my abusive mother 3 years ago. I was the family scapegoat and had grown up in trauma. I was blamed for every mistake she ever made (including car accidents she got in) because I happened to be in the car as a small child. I was told things like "You have been a nightmare since the day you were born." She would abandon me on the side of the road and lock me out of the house when I was 5 or 6. When I got older she would hit me or physically bang my head into wooden stairs over and over until my dad pulled her off. After I had brain surgery in 2017 she tried to tell me that I was forever broken and shouldn't trust my own reality. However, she had already been trying to gaslight me this way for years. I had to fight to prove my sanity and earn my adult independence back. I forgave her and let her back in, but the final straw was when I lived in TX near her and wanted to move away to Florida for work, and she threatened to call CPS and frame me so that I couldn't take my son. My own mother instinct kicked in as this woman was trying to sever the bond between my child and myself and I finally had the strength to cut her off completely. In addition to this my father was finally fed up with her abuse of him and left.
He and I have a wonderful relationship now and I'm so grateful. As I have come closer to God though I am feeling sad and guilty over not having a relationship with her. This is not about mere pride as if it was, I would already know what to do. Even just writing about her or thinking of her I feel my heart rate increase and panic in my chest. I have even asked God what is his will here, I have prayed and prayed on it. Our pastor said last Sunday sometimes his word can come through counsel of others, (obviously you should be using discernment here though.) I wanted to ask other Christians, what they think would be the least sinful way to go? To forgive her either way yes, but to allow her back into my life or mind? To have some communication? Or would that be sinful if it were to cause me or my child (and hopeful future children if it is His will) harm? Is it my duty to be a good daughter or more so good mother? How?

RAW BUSINESS IDEAS 1.Rental houses 2.Transport vehicles 3.Motorbikes business 4.Bars and pubs business 5.Dairy farming 6.Cattle runch business 7.Poultry farming business 8.Videos and cinemas 9.PS halls 10.Salons and kinyozis business 11.Music industry 12.Entertainment industry 13.Private schools 14.M-Pesa shops 15.Airtel money shops 16.Gym and sauna business 17.Purchase of land for investment and resale business 18.Tree planting business 19.Fishpond and fisheries business 20.Butchery business 21.Poshomills business 22.Security service industry 23.Petrol station business 24.Car wash 25.Cyber business 26.Gas cylinders business 27.Hardware 28.Driving school 29.Computer packages school 30.Broadcasting industries/Media groups 31.Making of posters business 32.Pool 33.Phone shops business 34.Rental rooms for business 35.Pharmacy/Chemistry 36.Private hospitals 37.Welding sites business 38.Supermarket business 39.Writing books for sale/publishing 40.Small shops business 41.Tatoo buildings business 42.Movie shops 43.You Tube channels 44.Online jobs 45.Kungfu,martial arts,boxing,tai kuondo halls 46.Shoe repair Business 47.Digital marketing 48.Drug dealing 49.Tents and plastic chairs supply 50.Solar panels business 51.Betting companies business 52.Beautiful scenaries eg parks business 53.Photography 54.Videography 55.Electronics shop 56.Ice creams business 57.Smokies and eggs vending/Kahawa and mandazis/mtura/soup/nyama china business 58.Necklesses business 59.Sales person 60.Dealing in clothes (Ready made/Second hand-mtumba) 61.Green houses 62.Dancing crue and hall business 63.Putting money in fixed deposit accounts 64.Saccos and chamas 65.Buying of shares in unlisted companies 66.Treasury bills and Treasury bonds 67.Develop an app 68.Shares in listed companies 69.DJ 70.Chauffer 71.Body(ear,nose etc) piercing business 72.Insurance and reinsurance company 73.Boutique 74.Cosmetics 75.Fighting equipments(guns,bullets,bombs etc)shop 76.Ships and boats 77.Furnitures shop 78.Agrovet business 79.Livestock farming (goats,ships,rabbits,pigs etc) business 80.Acting on trends 81.Agricultural factories 82.Warehouses business 83.Barkery 84.Restaurants business 85.School requirements shop 86.Garage 87.Private toilets/bathrooms 88.Giving out credits at an interest rate 89.Guide(business, education etc)books/PDFs business 90.Supplying industry/supplier 91.Flowers for export business 92.Daycare business 93.Airtime(Safaricom, Airtel, Telcom etc) Business 94.Bookshop 95.Gift services overview 96.Laundry business 97.Nails making business 98.Forex trading 99.Bitcoin 100.Fruit and juice parlour 101.Podcasting 102.Yoga studio 103.Catering services 104.Computer repair business/shop 105.Modeling 106.Purchasing existing website 107.Organic vending business 108.Virtual assistant business 109.Translation service 110.Online tutoring business 111.Content writer business 112.Web design 113.Career coach business 114.Start a blog 115.Amazon reselling 116.Coffee shop 117.Home food delivery 118.Currency trading 119.Event planning business 120.Interior design business 121.Selling of phone case and other accessories business 122.Property management business eg Chakra company 123.Drive for Uber or Lyft 124.Water supply services 125.Personal fitness traineInstructor 126.Tour guide business 127.Accounting and bookkeeping business 128.Caregiving business 129.Transcription 130.Data analysis 131.Fast food restaurant 132.Yoghurt business 133.Nail and eye brows parlour 134.Screen printing 135.Real estate 136.Human billboard 137.Affiliate marketing 138.Pool cleaning business 139.Designing and selling print-on-demand t-shirts 140.Junk removal service 141.Printing services 142.Custodian 143.Dropshipping business 144.Craft business 145.Landscaping business 146.Bicycle rentals/Bicycle repairs 147.Painting business 148.Flower shop 149.House cleaning 150.Grocery delivery 151.Resale store 152.Subscription box business 153.Import/export business 154.Laundromat business 155.Party bus 156.Staffing services 157.Antique dealer 158.Construction business 159.Used car rentals 160.Cafe/Sandwich shop 161.Logo design business 162.Shoe business 163.Marine electronics/waterproof electronics 164.Publicity business 165.Drone business 166.Gutter cleaning business 167.Garden center 168.Kitchen store business 169.Cookie business 170.Framing business 171.Mushroom farming 172.Vending machine for fruits 173.Laundry services 174.Agribusiness 175.Business in waste management 176.Urban transportation business 177.Fin-tech business 178.Urban logistics 179.Automobiles 180.Bee keeping (Honey,wax etc) 181.Study platforms for Students 182.Financial consultancy firm 183.Stationery shop 184.Appliance repair shop 185.Party decoration services 186.Sewing business 187.Handcraft business 188.Online travel agency 189.Samosa business 190.Pancake and Chapati business 191.Wrap up 192.Milk bashop 193.Mobile money agent 194.Farming 195.Cake baking business 196.Selling snacks 197.Selling computers and accessories 198.Internet connection to the customers living nearby 199.Selling fruits and vegetables 200.Brick making 201.Selling handbags 202.Cereal shop 203.Paxful's affiliate program and peer program 204.Invest in mutual funds or ETFs 205.Data entry 206.Popcorn business 207.Bead making and wire wax 208.Sell perfumes 209.Designing book covers 210.Dog walking 211.Tailoring 212.Sale of hair extension 213.Dry cleaning services 214.Stadiums 215.Candle making 216.Mobile repair shop 217.Tuition 218.Hauling service 219.Home staging business 220.Window treatment business 221.Dreadlock business 222.Fashion house 223.Oil business 224.Music sounds for hire 225.Start a football club 226.Blended education programs 227.Wholesale business 228.Ironing services 229.Swimming pool 230.Mandazis and donuts business 231.Seedlings for sale 232.Soap making 233.Selling soft drinks,fresh juice and snacks 234.Stationery supply to rural areas 235.Tuk tuk business 236.Selling baby diapers 237.Start a video game lounge 238.Manicure, pedicure and facial scrubbing business 239.Landscaping and gardening services 240.Land brokerage 241.Eggs wholesale 242.Spare parts(motorcycle, bicycle, vehicles etc)shop 243.Pork meet business 244.Charcoal and coal business 245.Gambling business 246.Agricultural value addition business 247.Camels 248.Facebook 249.Instagram 250.Chicken spare parts business 251.Shopify 252.Hawking business 253.Amazon FBA 254.Flipping collectibles 255.Tik Tok 256.Carpets 257.Curtains 258.Mutual funds investment 259.Precious metals business (eg gold, silver and bronze) 260.Sport shoes/jazies/balls etc business 261.Grow profitable vegetables and fruits 262.Invest in the capital market via Nairobi Stock Exchange (NSE) 263.Dealing in second hand goods eg furnitures, electronics etc 264.Candle production 265.Plantain chips and bhajia business 266.Errands 267.Lawn care 268.Miti shamba/Dawa za kienyeji/Herbals 269.Beddings eg Mattresses 270.Homemade gourmet foods 271.Flea market vending 272.Music Instructor 273.Making custom furniture 274.Banking services 275.Own a tap/boreholes 276.Flight services eg Air hostess 277.Clothing lines 278.Book publishing/ebooks 279.Start charitable business 280.Pet training and grooming services 281.Data entry provider 282.Start a pop-up shop 283.Rent your car on Turo 284.College admissions essay tutor and editor 285.Travel consultant 286.Tax preparation 287.Commision-only sales 288.Ebay sales 289.Fiverr Gigs 290.Airbnb 291.Patreon 292.Alteration Services 293.Professional organizing services 294.Aquarium maintenance 295.Home inspector 296.Review website 297.Home Appraisal 298.Sell Jericans from certain suppliers 299.Referral services 300.Recycled goods seller

[First] / Next
After sitting, Markus realized that he would need to exchange his money for the local currency. He rushed back into the airport and found an exchange service. He traded nearly a thousand dollars for yen, receiving nearly 140 thousand yen, in bills and coins. Thanking the trader, he rushed back outside to wait for his bus.
As he was waiting, he spied a taxi nearby and wondered if it would be better. He walked over and knocked on the window.
“_I’m sorry, excuse me? How much to get to Rikyuan Kyoto Nishikyogoku?_”
The driver blinked twice and looked at this rude American. “_Nine thousand. No less._”
Markus slid into the back seat and fished out ten thousand yen, and handed it to the driver.
“Thank you, sir. Today is my first day in your country, and I would just like to get to my room and sleep. I have an important meeting tomorrow, and I’d like to be as refreshed as possible,_” While Markus’ Japanese wasn’t great, it _was passable, and better than most Americans.
The driver grunted an acknowledgement, and off they sped into the night. Along the way, Markus watched the lit streets for anything recognizable. Finding little beyond 7-11 gas stations and some obvious convenience stores, he quizzed the driver.
“_Excuse me? Where can I find a stylist? I’d like to look my best for my meeting._”
“_A stylist? For hair? You’re as bald as a baby. Or do you mean that mop on your face?_”
Markus looked sharply at the rearview mirror, only to see the smiling, mirthful eyes of the driver. He laughed softly. “_Yes, friend. I’d like to get this unruly mop tamed. Do you have any suggestions?_”
The driver was quiet for a moment, apparently thinking. “_One moment, please. I have to call him,_” he said as he pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.
“_Yes? Gen-kun? You want to make some money? Got an American here. Needs his beard taken care of professionally. Says he has an important business meeting tomorrow. Where? I dunno. Let me ask._” The driver spoke up to Markus. “_Hey, man. Where did you say this meeting was?_”
“_Uh…A place called Kitcho Arashiyama, I think. Why?_”
The driver let out a low whistle. “_Kitcho, huh? They must have some money. Hey! This offer will be amazing, man! You better take it. Not everyone can afford to eat there._”
“_Really? I think we are just meeting for tea, though. I don’t even know this man. Just got a letter out of the blue, and here I am. A lonely gaijin here in your amazingly beautiful country for the first, and probably last, time. I hope I’ve not been tricked. The gods have been merciless toward me lately,_” Markus replied.
“_Gen-kun? You hear all that? He’s going to Kitcho. Do him up right, and we might be taken care of, too! Okay. Okay. I’ll tell him. Bye, bro._”
Markus laughed softly. “_I’ll tell you what. If I land this job, or whatever it’s going to be, and it’s lucrative enough, I’ll call on you and your brother to drive me around and make sure I am as presentable as possible, and I’ll make sure you two are taken care of. How does that sound?_”
The driver looked up in the mirror, awe evident on his face. “_You would do that? A lowly cab driver like me and a hair stylist like my brother?_” he asked quietly.
“_Absolutely. I reward kindness with kindness my friend. I don’t have much right now, but if this goes well enough, I will take care of you and your brother._”
“You have a deal, American. What is your name?”
“Your English is pretty good. I am Markus Barton. And you are?”
“I am glad to meet you, Barton-san. I am Kimura Atsuki.”
“Thank you, Kimura-san.”
Atsuki grunted an acknowledgement and refocused on the road. In a few more minutes, they arrived at the small inn.
Markus got out, retrieving his bag from the back seat. Atsuki exited as well, taking a good look at this surprisingly kind, yet rude, American.
He saw a man, heavily built, with a bushy black beard that reached down to the middle of his chest. Broad shoulders that wouldn’t be out of place for a farmhand, but decidedly odd for a salaryman. A slightly too small t-shirt clung to his body, showing a bit of a beer belly, and most interesting of all, he seemed to be wearing a black skirt.
“_Barton-san? Why do you wear a woman’s skirt?_”
“_Hmm? Oh this? This isn’t a woman’s skirt. It’s called a kilt. It comes from the people of the British Isles. My family comes from that area, and once I tried it on, I was hooked. No pants for me ever again._”
“_Huh. You learn something new every day._”
“_Here is my contact information, Kimura-san. I will call on you should I take the offer. By the way, do you know of any decent restaurants or noodle shops in the area? I’m hungry._”
Atsuki laughed loudly. “_You were my last fare. I will wait, and then take my new friend out for dinner at a good place. Go. Check in, and I’ll see you back here._”
Markus smiled and nodded. He rushed inside and took care of business, being shown to a room on the ground floor. He deposited his bag inside, just past the genkan, locked the door, and returned to his new friend, hopping back in the taxi, to explore what Kyoto had to offer.
Atsuki took an appraising look at Markus. Nodding his head with a finality, he said, “_I am taking you to a good ramen-ya. You say you are hungry, and I say you will eat. Let’s go!_” He smiled and slapped the dashboard of his taxi, taking off into the night.
Atsuki and Markus chatted in a mish-mash of English and Japanese, getting to know each other as well as they could in the fifteen minute drive to the ramen-ya.
It turned out that Atsuki was recently divorced from his wife of four years and had no children. He and his brother, Gen, lived in a modest apartment not terribly far from the Rikyuan that Markus was staying at. He was an avid gamer, something of a shut-in, and had a collection of U.S coins.
“I am only missing the Arkansas _(he pronounced the final ‘S’), and the Marysland state quarters for 2022. I have the other years already. They are in mint condition and sealed in special bags so that they do not tarnish. Pretty neat, huh?_”
Markus gave him a lopsided grin. “_Have you ever met another American, Kimura-san?_” When Atsuki gave him a negative answer, Markus nodded. “_Very well. I shall help you some. I’m not really into coin collecting, but I think it’s pretty neat that you are. You’re the only person I know who is, if I’m honest. The state names are pronounced like this: Arr-can-saw and Maryland. There isn’t an ‘s’ in Maryland. I know it seems like there should be, but there isn’t. I can’t really tell you why Arkansas is said the way that it is, though. I don’t think I have either of those two quarters on me, though. Let me look._”
Markus dug around in his left pocket, pulling out the change there. He shuffled through the coins, not expecting to find anything larger than a dime, but came across a quarter. He unlocked his phone, using the screen to illuminate his findings. It was a 2022 quarter, but it was Hawai’i, not either of the ones Atsuki needed.
“_Nope. Just Hawai’i. Sorry, man._”
“_Bah. Thank you for looking, though. You’re a good man. I appreciate it very much. Ah. We are here. It may be just a little hole in the wall, but it happens to be one of my favorites. I apologize for the traffic. We would be here in half the time, had it not been bad,_” Atsuki said.
Markus smiled. “_Fifteen minutes is a short drive where I’m from. Don’t worry about it. Let’s just enjoy some ramen, yeah?_” he asked.
Atsuki nodded with a smile, and the pair walked in. Markus noticed that the shop was sparsely populated with people, and the gentleman behind the counter was relaxing with a book. Decidedly odd.
“_Yo, Komamura-san! Two bowls of tonkatsu with lots of chashu for me and my new friend, Barton-san! Firm, please. Thank you._”
Komamura grunted a reply and set about making the requested ramen, and the pair sat at the counter. Atsuki ordered a beer for both of them, and the two chatted and ate for quite some time.
At least until the shop began to get busy. When Atsuki noticed the line beginning to form outside, he paid the bill and thanked the chef.
Komamura glared at Markus for a moment, his face devoid of expression. “_Why did you bring a gaijin to my shop, punk?_”
“_This gaijin, my friend, has an interview tomorrow at Kitcho. He has promised to take care of my brother and I if he gets the job. Right, Barton-san?_” Atsuki shot back.
“_He is right, Komamura-san. If I do well, I will do what I can for the brothers. Kimura-san has been very helpful to me, and if his brother can tame this mop on my face, I’ll help him, too,_” Markus said, gazing softly at the older man.
Komamura grunted a reply and returned to his customers. As the pair were leaving, he shouted “_Good luck, Barton-san! You’re still a punk, Kimura-kun!_” and laughed loudly.
“_What was that about, Kimura-san?_” Markus asked as they got back in the car.
“_Ahhh… I might have stolen a few bowls in my younger days from old man Komamura-san. He never called the cops or anything. Just made me and my brother clean his shop when I did. He’s a good man, and I try to pay him back every time I come, but he never takes it. So, in return, I try to drive as much business to him that I can,_” Atsuki replied, somewhat embarrassed.
“_I see. Well, it is good that you are trying to correct your past wrongs. I’d say the old man has a fondness for you. You’re a good man, Kimura-san,_” Markus stated with finality.
“_Bah. I’m still a punk kid. I’m just lucky it was Komamura-san that I stole from. Other ramen-ya are said to be tied with our local gangs. I don’t ever want to step out of line again, so I stick with Komamura-san. He’s safe. The last time a gang tried to tangle with him, he sent them all running. He may not look like it now, but the old man used to be quite the fighter back in his younger days,_” Atsuki explained.
Markus nodded and yawned. He checked his phone. Good grief, it was already two in the morning. “_Kimura-san. It’s late, and I’ve been on a long flight. Plus I’ve my meeting tomorrow. I’m sorry to ask, but could you please take me back to my room?_” he asked, his face a mask of apology.
“_What? How late?_” Atsuki checked his watch, and saw the time. “_Oh shit. I should get home, too. My shift starts in four hours,_” Atsuki explained, heading back to Markus’ room.
The pair rode in relative silence for the remarkably shorter trip back. Markus exited the vehicle and turned to Atsuki. “_Thank you, Kimura-san. If tonight and tomorrow are all I have in Japan, You’ve made it all the richer. Be safe getting home,_” he said with a smile and a polite bow.
“_Let me know how it goes, yeah? I’ll send you a message so you have my number. Good luck, my friend!_” he called back, and drove off into the night.
Markus stumbled to his door, and went in. Shucking his shoes at the genkan, he stripped and fell into the surprisingly soft bed. He was asleep in moments.
Waking to his alarm always sucked. Markus reached out blindly and grabbed his phone. Shit, it was already noon. He checked his messages and saw a few from an unknown number. It was Atsuki. Apparently, he and his brother would be over in roughly forty-five minutes.
That gave Markus just enough time to shower and get dressed for his meeting. Hopefully. He scrambled for the shower, and got himself clean and dressed in thirty minutes. He was sitting there on the bed when he heard a knock at the door.
Opening the door, he saw the smiling face of Atsuki and a younger, much more shy man behind him.
“_Barton-san! I have brought my brother, Gen-kun and he will tame that mop on your face! Ha!_” Atsuki said jovially as he and his brother bowed respectfully and entered the small room.
“_I am so sorry, Barton-san. I speak no English. Forgive me,_” Gen said sorrowfully.
“_Think nothing of it, my friend. I understand you well enough. I only hope my Japanese is good enough for you,_” Markus replied with a soft smile on his face.
Gen nodded with a smile and set his bags down. He certainly carried a lot of product with him. Markus watched with interest as he set various amber-colored glass vials down, along with a bottle of yellowish oil. He also set out several tins with screw-on tops. Most interestingly, he had what looked like a spice shaker filled with coffee beans.
“_So, what do you have here?_” Markus asked the younger man.
“_I have various scented oils that I will blend for you to bring out your manly scent. It will be tailored specifically to you, Barton-san. No other may wear it and smell quite so nice,_” Gen explained.
“_Neat. So what is in the metal boxes?_”
“_Different lightly scented balms to help moisturize your “mop” of a beard. How do you want it styled?_” he asked.
“_I was thinking of a pair of braids, honestly. Or a single, thicker one if you think that would look better. I also brought some jewelry to put in it,_” Markus explained.
“_Show me._”
Markus fished in his bag and pulled out a small bag with a few metal beads in it. They all had different designs. Gen gently took it and selected a few after some moments of thought. \ \ “_These are what you will wear. Now be quiet. I need you still, calm and quiet for the next few minutes,_” Gen said to Markus.
Markus nodded, closing his eyes as Gen closed his own, centering himself.
“_I will drive you, Barton-san. You need not worry with me around!_”
“_Quiet, brother. I am concentrating._”
“Sorry.”
Gen sat still for several more minutes, then opened his eyes. He leaned in, sniffing Markus by his neck, behind his ears and even the top of his head. He lifted his arms and smelled his armpits, his back and his chest. Markus was certain he’d just been violated, but was too intrigued to say anything.
Wordlessly, Gen turned to his vials and opened three of them. Inhaling the aroma of the coffee first, he sniffed each vial in turn. Shaking his head, he closed one, and selected another. This pattern went on with periodic sniffs from the coffee until Gen had three vials in front of him. Taking an empty vial from another bag, he opened it. Wordlessly he dripped several droplets of the various scented oils into the empty vial, then filled it from the bottle of yellowish oil. He shook this concoction up, thoroughly mixing the blend.
Next, he opened each of the tins in turn, sniffing them and rejecting a few. In the end, he had two left, and proffered them to Markus.
“_Choose._”
Markus, confused, took first one, and then the other, smelling each. “_What does the oil smell like? Am I to pick one that compliments it?_” he asked.
“_No. They both do that. Which do you prefer?_” was the answer he received.
“_This one, then,_” Markus said, handing one to Gen.
Gen took the small tin and set it aside, and then concentrated on Markus’ beard. It was freshly cleaned and slightly damp. Gen took a towel and gently dried Markus’ face. Afterwards, he generously applied the oil to his hands and massaged it into Markus’ face. Markus recoiled slightly from the unusual scent, then gave a nod of approval.
Gen grinned. His gift had yet to let him down. He oiled his clients face, then massaged the balm into his hair. Such a lovely beard. Long, thick and curly. Just as it should be. Once his beard was tamed, he put a pair of braids in it, each hanging down from roughly the corners of his mouth. Once he was satisfied with their length and evenness, he slipped a barrel bead over each braid. They had a curious symbol on them, but his favorite were the pair of oni skulls the man had, that he slipped on under the barrel beads. These were surely the secret to his amazing looks and presence. To have a pair of oni looking after you was especially noteworthy. In his mind, at least.
Finishing his work, he handed Markus a mirror. Markus examined himself and smiled. “_This is perfect, my friend. Let’s get the final ties on them, and we can head out!_” Markus exclaimed as he looked at his phone. It was nearing three-thirty. How had two hours elapsed already?
Gen finished the work in front of him and nodded. “_I can do no more. I would surely be treading upon God’s territory if I tried. Get him to his meeting, Brother. I have a good feeling!_” Gen exclaimed.
Markus thanked the younger man and pressed a few bills into his hand. He rose, slipping on his new boots, and together with Atsuki, walked out to the car.
[First] / Next
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After sitting, Markus realized that he would need to exchange his money for the local currency. He rushed back into the airport and found an exchange service. He traded nearly a thousand dollars for yen, receiving nearly 140 thousand yen, in bills and coins. Thanking the trader, he rushed back outside to wait for his bus.
As he was waiting, he spied a taxi nearby and wondered if it would be better. He walked over and knocked on the window.
“I’m sorry, excuse me? How much to get to Rikyuan Kyoto Nishikyogoku?”
The driver blinked twice and looked at this rude American. “Nine thousand. No less.”
Markus slid into the back seat and fished out ten thousand yen, and handed it to the driver.
“Thank you, sir. Today is my first day in your country, and I would just like to get to my room and sleep. I have an important meeting tomorrow, and I’d like to be as refreshed as possible,” While Markus’ Japanese wasn’t great, it was passable, and better than most Americans.
The driver grunted an acknowledgement, and off they sped into the night. Along the way, Markus watched the lit streets for anything recognizable. Finding little beyond 7-11 gas stations and some obvious convenience stores, he quizzed the driver.
“Excuse me? Where can I find a stylist? I’d like to look my best for my meeting.”
“A stylist? For hair? You’re as bald as a baby. Or do you mean that mop on your face?”
Markus looked sharply at the rearview mirror, only to see the smiling, mirthful eyes of the driver. He laughed softly. “Yes, friend. I’d like to get this unruly mop tamed. Do you have any suggestions?”
The driver was quiet for a moment, apparently thinking. “One moment, please. I have to call him,” he said as he pulled out a cell phone and dialed a number.
“Yes? Gen-kun? You want to make some money? Got an American here. Needs his beard taken care of professionally. Says he has an important business meeting tomorrow. Where? I dunno. Let me ask.” The driver spoke up to Markus. “Hey, man. Where did you say this meeting was?”
“Uh…A place called Kitcho Arashiyama, I think. Why?”
The driver let out a low whistle. “Kitcho, huh? They must have some money. Hey! This offer will be amazing, man! You better take it. Not everyone can afford to eat there.”
“Really? I think we are just meeting for tea, though. I don’t even know this man. Just got a letter out of the blue, and here I am. A lonely gaijin here in your amazingly beautiful country for the first, and probably last, time. I hope I’ve not been tricked. The gods have been merciless toward me lately,” Markus replied.
“Gen-kun? You hear all that? He’s going to Kitcho. Do him up right, and we might be taken care of, too! Okay. Okay. I’ll tell him. Bye, bro.”
Markus laughed softly. “I’ll tell you what. If I land this job, or whatever it’s going to be, and it’s lucrative enough, I’ll call on you and your brother to drive me around and make sure I am as presentable as possible, and I’ll make sure you two are taken care of. How does that sound?”
The driver looked up in the mirror, awe evident on his face. “You would do that? A lowly cab driver like me and a hair stylist like my brother?” he asked quietly.
“Absolutely. I reward kindness with kindness my friend. I don’t have much right now, but if this goes well enough, I will take care of you and your brother.”
“You have a deal, American. What is your name?”
“Your English is pretty good. I am Markus Barton. And you are?”
“I am glad to meet you, Barton-san. I am Kimura Atsuki.”
“Thank you, Kimura-san.”
Atsuki grunted an acknowledgement and refocused on the road. In a few more minutes, they arrived at the small inn.
Markus got out, retrieving his bag from the back seat. Atsuki exited as well, taking a good look at this surprisingly kind, yet rude, American.
He saw a man, heavily built, with a bushy black beard that reached down to the middle of his chest. Broad shoulders that wouldn’t be out of place for a farmhand, but decidedly odd for a salaryman. A slightly too small t-shirt clung to his body, showing a bit of a beer belly, and most interesting of all, he seemed to be wearing a black skirt.
“Barton-san? Why do you wear a woman’s skirt?”
“Hmm? Oh this? This isn’t a woman’s skirt. It’s called a kilt. It comes from the people of the British Isles. My family comes from that area, and once I tried it on, I was hooked. No pants for me ever again.”
“Huh. You learn something new every day.”
“Here is my contact information, Kimura-san. I will call on you should I take the offer. By the way, do you know of any decent restaurants or noodle shops in the area? I’m hungry.”
Atsuki laughed loudly. “You were my last fare. I will wait, and then take my new friend out for dinner at a good place. Go. Check in, and I’ll see you back here.”
Markus smiled and nodded. He rushed inside and took care of business, being shown to a room on the ground floor. He deposited his bag inside, just past the genkan, locked the door, and returned to his new friend, hopping back in the taxi, to explore what Kyoto had to offer.
Atsuki took an appraising look at Markus. Nodding his head with a finality, he said, “I am taking you to a good ramen-ya. You say you are hungry, and I say you will eat. Let’s go!” He smiled and slapped the dashboard of his taxi, taking off into the night.
Atsuki and Markus chatted in a mish-mash of English and Japanese, getting to know each other as well as they could in the fifteen minute drive to the ramen-ya.
It turned out that Atsuki was recently divorced from his wife of four years and had no children. He and his brother, Gen, lived in a modest apartment not terribly far from the Rikyuan that Markus was staying at. He was an avid gamer, something of a shut-in, and had a collection of U.S coins.
“I am only missing the Arkansas (he pronounced the final ‘S’), and the Marysland state quarters for 2022. I have the other years already. They are in mint condition and sealed in special bags so that they do not tarnish. Pretty neat, huh?”
Markus gave him a lopsided grin. “Have you ever met another American, Kimura-san?” When Atsuki gave him a negative answer, Markus nodded. “Very well. I shall help you some. I’m not really into coin collecting, but I think it’s pretty neat that you are. You’re the only person I know who is, if I’m honest. The state names are pronounced like this: Arr-can-saw and Maryland. There isn’t an ‘s’ in Maryland. I know it seems like there should be, but there isn’t. I can’t really tell you why Arkansas is said the way that it is, though. I don’t think I have either of those two quarters on me, though. Let me look.”
Markus dug around in his left pocket, pulling out the change there. He shuffled through the coins, not expecting to find anything larger than a dime, but came across a quarter. He unlocked his phone, using the screen to illuminate his findings. It was a 2022 quarter, but it was Hawai’i, not either of the ones Atsuki needed.
“Nope. Just Hawai’i. Sorry, man.”
“Bah. Thank you for looking, though. You’re a good man. I appreciate it very much. Ah. We are here. It may be just a little hole in the wall, but it happens to be one of my favorites. I apologize for the traffic. We would be here in half the time, had it not been bad,” Atsuki said.
Markus smiled. “Fifteen minutes is a short drive where I’m from. Don’t worry about it. Let’s just enjoy some ramen, yeah?” he asked.
Atsuki nodded with a smile, and the pair walked in. Markus noticed that the shop was sparsely populated with people, and the gentleman behind the counter was relaxing with a book. Decidedly odd.
“Yo, Komamura-san! Two bowls of tonkatsu with lots of chashu for me and my new friend, Barton-san! Firm, please. Thank you.”
Komamura grunted a reply and set about making the requested ramen, and the pair sat at the counter. Atsuki ordered a beer for both of them, and the two chatted and ate for quite some time.
At least until the shop began to get busy. When Atsuki noticed the line beginning to form outside, he paid the bill and thanked the chef.
Komamura glared at Markus for a moment, his face devoid of expression. “Why did you bring a gaijin to my shop, punk?”
“This gaijin, my friend, has an interview tomorrow at Kitcho. He has promised to take care of my brother and I if he gets the job. Right, Barton-san?” Atsuki shot back.
“He is right, Komamura-san. If I do well, I will do what I can for the brothers. Kimura-san has been very helpful to me, and if his brother can tame this mop on my face, I’ll help him, too,” Markus said, gazing softly at the older man.
Komamura grunted a reply and returned to his customers. As the pair were leaving, he shouted “Good luck, Barton-san! You’re still a punk, Kimura-kun!” and laughed loudly.
“What was that about, Kimura-san?” Markus asked as they got back in the car.
“Ahhh… I might have stolen a few bowls in my younger days from old man Komamura-san. He never called the cops or anything. Just made me and my brother clean his shop when I did. He’s a good man, and I try to pay him back every time I come, but he never takes it. So, in return, I try to drive as much business to him that I can,” Atsuki replied, somewhat embarrassed.
“I see. Well, it is good that you are trying to correct your past wrongs. I’d say the old man has a fondness for you. You’re a good man, Kimura-san,” Markus stated with finality.
“Bah. I’m still a punk kid. I’m just lucky it was Komamura-san that I stole from. Other ramen-ya are said to be tied with our local gangs. I don’t ever want to step out of line again, so I stick with Komamura-san. He’s safe. The last time a gang tried to tangle with him, he sent them all running. He may not look like it now, but the old man used to be quite the fighter back in his younger days,” Atsuki explained.
Markus nodded and yawned. He checked his phone. Good grief, it was already two in the morning. “Kimura-san. It’s late, and I’ve been on a long flight. Plus I’ve my meeting tomorrow. I’m sorry to ask, but could you please take me back to my room?” he asked, his face a mask of apology.
“What? How late?” Atsuki checked his watch, and saw the time. “Oh shit. I should get home, too. My shift starts in four hours,” Atsuki explained, heading back to Markus’ room.
The pair rode in relative silence for the remarkably shorter trip back. Markus exited the vehicle and turned to Atsuki. “Thank you, Kimura-san. If tonight and tomorrow are all I have in Japan, You’ve made it all the richer. Be safe getting home,” he said with a smile and a polite bow.
“Let me know how it goes, yeah? I’ll send you a message so you have my number. Good luck, my friend!” he called back, and drove off into the night.
Markus stumbled to his door, and went in. Shucking his shoes at the genkan, he stripped and fell into the surprisingly soft bed. He was asleep in moments.
**********
Waking to his alarm always sucked. Markus reached out blindly and grabbed his phone. Shit, it was already noon. He checked his messages and saw a few from an unknown number. It was Atsuki. Apparently, he and his brother would be over in roughly forty-five minutes.
That gave Markus just enough time to shower and get dressed for his meeting. Hopefully. He scrambled for the shower, and got himself clean and dressed in thirty minutes. He was sitting there on the bed when he heard a knock at the door.
Opening the door, he saw the smiling face of Atsuki and a younger, much more shy man behind him.
“Barton-san! I have brought my brother, Gen-kun and he will tame that mop on your face! Ha!” Atsuki said jovially as he and his brother bowed respectfully and entered the small room.
“I am so sorry, Barton-san. I speak no English. Forgive me,” Gen said sorrowfully.
“Think nothing of it, my friend. I understand you well enough. I only hope my Japanese is good enough for you,” Markus replied with a soft smile on his face.
Gen nodded with a smile and set his bags down. He certainly carried a lot of product with him. Markus watched with interest as he set various amber-colored glass vials down, along with a bottle of yellowish oil. He also set out several tins with screw-on tops. Most interestingly, he had what looked like a spice shaker filled with coffee beans.
“So, what do you have here?” Markus asked the younger man.
“I have various scented oils that I will blend for you to bring out your manly scent. It will be tailored specifically to you, Barton-san. No other may wear it and smell quite so nice,” Gen explained.
“Neat. So what is in the metal boxes?”
“Different lightly scented balms to help moisturize your “mop” of a beard. How do you want it styled?” he asked.
“I was thinking of a pair of braids, honestly. Or a single, thicker one if you think that would look better. I also brought some jewelry to put in it,” Markus explained.
“Show me.”
Markus fished in his bag and pulled out a small bag with a few metal beads in it. They all had different designs. Gen gently took it and selected a few after some moments of thought. “These are what you will wear. Now be quiet. I need you still, calm and quiet for the next few minutes,” Gen said to Markus.
Markus nodded, closing his eyes as Gen closed his own, centering himself.
“I will drive you, Barton-san. You need not worry with me around!”
“Quiet, brother. I am concentrating.”
“Sorry.”
Gen sat still for several more minutes, then opened his eyes. He leaned in, sniffing Markus by his neck, behind his ears and even the top of his head. He lifted his arms and smelled his armpits, his back and his chest. Markus was certain he’d just been violated, but was too intrigued to say anything.
Wordlessly, Gen turned to his vials and opened three of them. Inhaling the aroma of the coffee first, he sniffed each vial in turn. Shaking his head, he closed one, and selected another. This pattern went on with periodic sniffs from the coffee until Gen had three vials in front of him. Taking an empty vial from another bag, he opened it. Wordlessly he dripped several droplets of the various scented oils into the empty vial, then filled it from the bottle of yellowish oil. He shook this concoction up, thoroughly mixing the blend.
Next, he opened each of the tins in turn, sniffing them and rejecting a few. In the end, he had two left, and proffered them to Markus.
“Choose.”
Markus, confused, took first one, and then the other, smelling each. “What does the oil smell like? Am I to pick one that compliments it?” he asked.
“No. They both do that. Which do you prefer?” was the answer he received.
“This one, then,” Markus said, handing one to Gen.
Gen took the small tin and set it aside, and then concentrated on Markus’ beard. It was freshly cleaned and slightly damp. Gen took a towel and gently dried Markus’ face. Afterwards, he generously applied the oil to his hands and massaged it into Markus’ face. Markus recoiled slightly from the unusual scent, then gave a nod of approval.
Gen grinned. His gift had yet to let him down. He oiled his clients face, then massaged the balm into his hair. Such a lovely beard. Long, thick and curly. Just as it should be. Once his beard was tamed, he put a pair of braids in it, each hanging down from roughly the corners of his mouth. Once he was satisfied with their length and evenness, he slipped a barrel bead over each braid. They had a curious symbol on them, but his favorite were the pair of oni skulls the man had, that he slipped on under the barrel beads. These were surely the secret to his amazing looks and presence. To have a pair of oni looking after you was especially noteworthy. In his mind, at least.
Finishing his work, he handed Markus a mirror. Markus examined himself and smiled. “This is perfect, my friend. Let’s get the final ties on them, and we can head out!” Markus exclaimed as he looked at his phone. It was nearing three-thirty. How had two hours elapsed already?
Gen finished the work in front of him and nodded. “I can do no more. I would surely be treading upon God’s territory if I tried. Get him to his meeting, Brother. I have a good feeling!” Gen exclaimed.
Markus thanked the younger man and pressed a few bills into his hand. He rose, slipping on his new boots, and together with Atsuki, walked out to the car.

I have been paying $490 per week for a standard but really nice SUV with enterprise for the last 6 weeks and will have to do so for another 6 weeks. I noticed enterprise is usually all booked so it got me wondering, why not fill the gap? DMV area, mostly (near or around DC area though so Baltimore County to Northern VA near Dulles).
So here’s the plan
Start off with 1 EV, Tesla model 3 Long Range with no full self driving ($50,380, $7500 tax incentive + $3000 state incentive). Then slowly scale up to Rivan R1S SUV ($80-90k) and the Cybertruk.
$80 daily rate (Monday - Thursday)
$150 daily rate (Friday - Sunday)
Loyalty program
-$100 p/m or rent for 10 weeks or longer per year to qualify
-$60 p/d rate
Optional add-ons

• $15 p/d for insurance
  
• $100 for pickup/drop off at xyz location
  
• $1.99 p/d or $10 p/m for Tesla connectivity
  

Customer acquisition

• online ads - $3.5 CPC, $15 CPM,
  
• 12.5% referral payout per rental
  
• online platforms such as turo, hyrecar, Ubers new platform
  
• partnership agreements with local businesses
  

$630 weekly rate ($90 p/day) if booked 24 hours in advance, $700 for instant booking
Rideshare option - renter can use for Uber or Lyft
Food delivery option - renter can use for Dominos or Doordash or Uber Eats, etc
US business mileage tax deduction- $0.65.
Assuming mostly rideshare drivers use me and the car is driven at least 100 miles per day, 36,500 miles * $0.65 = $23,725 back in taxes
Assuming I rent daily at my lowest price of $80, that’s $29,200 gross per vehicle.
$29,200 * 0.60 (40% tax) = $17,520 gross
$50,380 - $10,000 down payment = $40,380
$40,380 @ 10% interest, 48 months = $1,024.14 monthly
I want to pay the car off in 24 months
After 12 months, my balance will be $31,739.40
$31,739.40 - $7500 federal EV credit - $3,000 state EV credit = $21,739.40
I’m not sure how to calculate the mileage deduction so I’ll leave that out as extra income. I used to do Uber and Lyft and $200-300 after Uber fees working a day are realistic. I have also done Dominos which pays out $13 p/hr and has unlimited overtime if you are willing to close, you can seriously do 70 hours OT (10am to 2am) but your only driving half or 1/3 of the time, plus $350 tips, so your looking at $1000+ per week working 10-12 hrs daily, $1700 if your willing to slave away. The difference in electric vs gas is pretty significant. That cost savings could result in 50% savings. For example I was spending $50 daily to fill up with Uber (250-400 miles) and about $25 with dominos (120 miles).
I’m also calling up local repair shops and dealerships and businesses to offer my cars as loaners. Repair shops and dealers seem resistant though, they hate EVs. Dealerships in my area charge $50 per day for rentals while cars are being serviced. Not sure about how to contact insurance companies though.
So what do you guys think? Target market are gig workers who are all in for the most part, with some sprinkling of one off customers whether from partnering businesses or google ads, etc.

First time using Reddit, please bare with me. Also if theres typos its because my phone is 6 years old and the keypad is very uncalibrated now.
My fiance's farm has had a problem with whatever it is for years. However, it really hadn't been an issue as much as a presence. Like having a cougar on your land. You know it's there and could attack at any second. But it just doesn't. Our home is old, btw. Very old, and two of the beams in the basement are made up of giant logs that may have come from the woods behind the field. So anyways.
The first time its presence was seen, I was on the phone with my guy and he was sitting in his mom's car at night. We were teenagers then. That's when he noticed in this (admittedly really odd looking) twisted tree that's outside a creature that was large and in his words "looked like a man becoming a beast." He carefully, calmly, got out of the car and hurried inside. It didn't seem to notice him. There's still claw marks on the tree. Not bear-like or cat-like. I looked up the area and back then (Google's so messed up now, I can no longer find it) that a "wendigo king" has the hunting ground of the entire length of the creek that is down the road. It was this time of year and he said when he saw it, he heard laughter and war drums.
Then I moved here years later. One night I saw what I thought was a red reflector by our mailbox. I was confused about who put that there (it hadnt been that morning.) As I turned my headlights towards the box to better see, the red circle suddenly pulled back into the massive field across the street. As our friend and I got out of the car he said he saw something "that wasn't an animal" standing in the field. We hurried inside. This was autumn. The next autumn I was driving home alone and saw that same red reflector bobbing across the street. When I approached it suddenly whipped around like a startled animal and the light zoomed back into the field. I refused to leave the truck without someone coming for me.
I should add I've seen that same light pacing the upstairs of the barn, through the window.
Next time was during the 4th of july and we were having a small party. And had the barn door open. When dusk began I saw it. Giant, maybe as big as a horse. It looked like a man with no hair. Greyish purple (I suppose frostbitten colored) skin. Naked. Incredibly skinny as though it has no organs. A big grin on its face which seemed to be either because its lips were forceably pulled back over its mouth or perhaps it had no lips or cheeks. Big hands and feet, and no antlers. Walking into the barn like a wolf. Reminded me of something out of Bloodborne. Its eyes were black at the moment. I told my guy and he didnt believe me as I was begging him to help me close the barn. (Theres openings in the back it could leave from but the door being open didnt feel right after that.) Then his great aunt asked "did anyone see that little girl go into the barn?" Its well known by our family that a ghost of a small girl in white roams the farm and is well liked by us. He immediately agreed after that. Then nothing more. Occassionally I feel something reach out for me as I walk around at night but I've read about W's when I was young and there's many spiritual things about me that seem to keep me safe. Regardless I carry a buck knife when I travel at night just in case I have to defend myself.
But then his mom left. His mom is very unhealthy and gluttonous in every form. Over 2 years without her and our farm was peaceful. We had been caring for his grandfather, who always said something dark followed him around. And in the last week of his life weird things kept happening. Then he died suddenly and nobody knows why... I had stated earlier that month that the more his mom was showing up again and the more we cleaned up and worked on the farm, the angrier something seemed to get. In fact, a few weeks before something grabbed onto my guys father in the barn and make horrible screeches when he put up the mower after dark.
There was also one night the barn got left open by him and as we were headed inside we heard the neighbors screaming. But my guy assured me that he hears them do that every few months. However while the men sound like they're getting murdered the woman always sounds fake. But I always hated their house because Turkey vultures obsessively circle their plot... like a lot, sometimes 20.
So then two nights ago, my guy had to help his mom (who's now situated herself into his grandma's home like the parasite she is) for almost 2 weeks. Things had been feeling peaceful and earlier that day I had been hoping that grandpa captured the creature inside his body and it was going to be killed when he got cremated. Well... then they heard the lady neighbor screaming. Repeatedly. Inhumanly. From OUR pond. Before that they thought they heard a sound like a cat growl as well.
Well now his dumb mother is going around personifying It as "She" and saying "she's" a witch but that she's nice and spoke to her and "she don't mean no harm." I've been a practicing white witch my whole life. That is an evil spirit. She's a fool. Furthermore, as she was blabbing that to my boyfriends sister who was driving home at night a deer suddenly exploded out of nowhere and destroyed her car. This sister was wanting to inherit the land around the pond. Mid may we had also had a deer jump in front of us so fast it seemed impossible. Biggest deer I had ever seen and impossibly beautiful looking. Thankfully many people stayed with us while the cops got there. But ever since she had been visiting the last month worse and worse things have been happening.
Which brings me to today. To me, myself.
My guy was gone early today to help his uncle out. I was sleeping alone for the first time in months. I had a nightmare.
"It was that you sent me home from the food pantry because you had more stuff to do, but it was night. So I parked near next door cuz the food was for them and got out, and suddenly your mom came out from behind the house and was talking to me and I was just trying to get done quickly. But then I realized the whole time she was over I couldn't quite make out her face. So I started turning my flashlight onto her and your mom was like "Oh, honey, now you don't wanna do that." And when I did it was like seeing a refracted shadow. Like behind this vague silhouette was the appearance of your moms hair and hands and feet but the shadow was in front with this incomplete appearance of her in the back. And when I realized what it was my heart stopped and I started slowly backing up to their porch as this terrifyingly powerful man's voice said "You don't want to do that." Before my head erupted with terrifying music and that voice laughing maniacally, enough to drive someone insane. But I kept continually calmly going to the porch as I began to forceably pray and say in the name of god and jesus leave me alone and christ compels you and all that stuff."
This is what I had text him. It was horrifying. And I could sense it didn't want to devour me. It wanted to keep me. I said I was a practicing witch, but I also have been confirmed as a catholic and I have a belief that's parts of every old religion and some of my own beliefs that I've formed from things I've been witness to. I awoke feeling like something was at my back. But my oldest cats were laying on me. Defensively. They're all still laying in bed with me and hadnt really in a long time. As I tried to get back to sleep I prayed for my home and family to be kept safe. For positive energy to cover the land. And for evil spirits to be cast off of our land. Over and over and over until I finally fell back to sleep and had no more dreams.
I have the most knowledge of mythical beings. I sing many songs while I work outside, including cherokee songs. I work the land the old fashion way. I respect the land. Animals love me. And I've always felt that my soul is very very old. Like it's been recycled for many lives. People always have called me a god send as well because I'm at the right place at the right time to help. I don't quite know what it wanted of me but it didn't work because I'd previously been visited in my dreams many times by a demon who insisted my soul belonged to him, only for me to deny him each time. This being when I was only a teenager.
What I need is help to keep it off our land. At this rate my guys mom is going to be killed by it. Or bring it closer to us all with her horrific miasma of an aura. I was already planning on planting sage and smudging the house as well. I've previously done so before. But if there's ANYTHING else we can do I'd appreciate it. Any help at all. And I also know its hunting ground is indeed as vast as the creek is because a coworker who lives at the other end (we're near one ending point) caught it on video when he was walking at night and showed me. Its eyes looked like the red reflector I kept seeing. It seems to like to rest in our barn. But it's always been that we leave it be and it leaves us be.
Please help. I downloaded the app so I can easily check back. Only serious answers please. I know there are skeptics to many things, I respect everyones opinions and personal beliefs. But this is very serious. Also I should add that as far as I know there are no reservations around here at all. But that his great grandfather was part native american. Dont know what tribe. Thank you for any assistance. This has been over the course of roughly 10 years btw.