To be clear I don't have anywhere near as much depression as I used to a few months ago thankfully but I'm struggling to live like this just because of the sheer pain, I just turned 17 this month and I really hope that I don't have to live like this all my life (I have bad arthritis and we've tried many treatments with no luck:/ 😔
I'm usually always a positive person but I want to get your guy's opinion on what I should try next, I'm sure somebody else is dealing with something similar as me and it can cause a lot of negative thoughts if you keep thinking about it
I just wanted to add this too If anybody is going through something similar please stay positive and never loose hope, I had a meracle happen 3 months ago god literally saved my a** I was suicidal at one point especially during 2021 because the arthritis is nothing I was going through a lot more back then and just like what happened to me could and will happen to you it's just a matter of time
Yah I'm still in a lot of pain most of the time and barely able to get through the day sometimes but I'm in a lot better position then what I was in 3 months ago, pls don't loose hope I love y'all 🩷

The use of log burners and hardwoods made of ash, beech, and oak adds charm and spark to the effectiveness of the heating and lighting. They work well, are readily available, and burn for a longer period of time in areas where less smoke and other dust are produced.
Read more-log burner installer near me

I have a chronic fatigue condition (neurological, not related to sleep habits) which makes this all feel even worse.
As mentioned, I went to bed about 3 hours early one night, and basically never recovered from that. No matter what, I’ll wake up after 6 hours now, and it’s been that way for 2 months.
I’ve tried staying up for long periods of time, eating a lot before bed, eating very little before bed, and basically everything else. I’m incredibly frustrated, and this is ruining my life. Even when I used to get 8 hours of sleep every night, I was still exhausted, so it’s nearly impossible to manage with 6 hours.
It used to be that when I had sleep issues like this, melatonin was able to help me reset my sleep schedule, but it’s not working now, for whatever reason. Should I try increasing the dose?
Unfortunately, sleep aids don’t really work well for me; even if they do make me fall asleep, I usually feel worse the next day than if I hadn’t slept at all. Even melatonin makes me super groggy the entire day after I take it, so I have to limit it to small periods of time.
Blue light interventions are unfortunately not too feasible for me, and even when I’ve tried them in the past, they haven’t made any difference at all.
Any advice or avenues I’m missing would be greatly appreciated. Thank you very much!!

Hi there, I'm looking for insights/advice. I have a friend who's been in a similar situation and I'm gonna talk to her about it but I want to ask more people if possible.
I (26F) definitely wasn't a lesbian all my life. I had crushes on both sexes since childhood and I did identify as bi until some time after my first and only relationship ended. It was with a trans man and to make a long story short, it wasn't a very healthy relationship (2,5 years) for many reasons but one that I think is relevant here is that he definitely had "fragile masculinity" (which is understandable, insecurities coming from him being trans) which naturally pushed me into playing a very submissive role to make him feel more "manly". But I didn't like that, it wasn't me. Sex was also just him touching me and never undressing himself which made me feel used in a way. It's been years and it took me a long time to find myself and what I want in a relationship and realised I'm not submissive, I don't even want to be touched during sex for now (trauma I guess, maybe it'd change). Moreover I find male genitals off-putting (always had, I think) but could see myself having sex with a woman. On the other hand, I do watch straight porn and find it arousing but I don't feel like I want to do it myself you know.
It's confusing really, and I really feel like I don't need a sexuality label to slap on myself, I wish people would be allowed to like who they like. That said, I have called myself a lesbian because it was the label closest to the truth, which is that right now I want a girlfriend and am not attracted to men. But here's the catch: I have this one male friend. We've known each other for 5 years now I think? and have gotten really close in recent months. He's got all the qualities of my type of man back when I actively liked men - handsome but feminine, has a good ass (don't judge), wears skirts sometimes, jewellery and expressed wanting to try make up, while still being cis/straight. Has also expressed interest in femdom but idk how serious he was (I would definitely be down for that). And really, thinkink about this objectively he's pretty much perfect. We've got the same sense of humour, could talk for hours, have many inside jokes, have similar struggles we confided to each other, multiple shared interests, we even both want to emigrate to the same country in the future. He's patient (extremely important to me after my last relationship), kind, funny, very attractive... And one last thing I've been thinking about - I want to have kids. I'm already 26 and living in a country where I can't marry or adopt with another woman, it would be very complicated to start a family. I had thoughts like "I wish I was straight/bi, it would all be so much easier".
So, I laid it all down. To this day I don't find penises any attractive and definitely don't want one any near my mouth at the very least (but maybe that isn't necessary in a relationship?) and I don't want to be dominated but taking into account his feminine appearance, calm/patient personality and interest in femdom maybe it could work between us?? I'm pretty sure he likes me too, dropped many hints.
What I'm thinking about rn is maybe I should hook up with a woman (that'd be possible) and see for myself how it is and if I like it that much? Because almost all of my ideas of a perfect relationship is strictly theoretical, I don't have any experience besides my ex.
Thank you for anyone who read this and please give me any opinions/insights. What should I do?

Hey,
I am a rookie watch enthusiast, currently owning 4 watches, with the Iron Annie Bauhaus 50505 being my most valuable time piece.
I always loved the features of smartwatches, but hated their colour LCD screens and the idea of wearing a smartphone on my wrist because of the additional distraction.
Recently, a friend of mine bought a used Fossil HR Gen 6 hybrid smartwatch. In my opinion it looks really clean (especially because of the mono-color display) and elegant, while still having all the basic smart features you'd expect from a smartwatch, like reading messages, fitness tracking, sleep tracking, controlling music, etc...
I don't want to be a copy cat and just buy the same watch, especially because after reading some reviews on the Fossil HR, it seemed like many people have had some troubles with those.
That's why I want to ask if any of you know some nice hybrid smartwatches, that have a similar screen (where it fills up nearly the entire dial) and functionalities like the Fossil HR, while not being too big (not more than 38 mm diagonal) and maintaining a minimalistic look.
The price can be anywhere between €200 and €800.
Thanks in advance!

Hello, I am thinking of getting a radio, I must clarify that I am a complete novice, I have basic notions of how a radio works because as a child my uncle explained and showed me his shortwave radio, I remember it was great to listen to stations from other parts of the world and it is something I would like to teach my son too.
I want to listen shortwave with my son but, honestly I have no idea what to buy. I live near an airport, so, I want to hear AIR Band too and show to my son planes arriving or departing from our airport and showing him the plane's information using Flightradar24.
I want to buy an entry level radio, I have found this radio:

• XHDATA D-808 RadioDigital
  
• SIHUADON R108 Radio Portatil
  
• Sangean Receptor Mundial ATS-909 X2 -too expensive, but has Air Band-
  

Is there any other recommendation?
Best regards.

The option to purchase a bike via Bike to Work has opened up at my work and with me having been biking to work a lot since i started at this place back in August i've decided its time to treat myself to a new ride. Its not the longest commute to work but is a combination of road\paved surface, gravel track and on occasions when the weather has been nice so its not a mud bath i can go over some fields to finish off rather than taking on the main busy road that heads out of town towards the countryside which isnt the most pleasant of riding.
I'm currently doing it on my 2009 Giant Terrago mountain bike which whilst a half decent spec and ok bike its starting to show its age plus the mountain bike setup of front suspension and MTB tyres isnt the greatest for the road\paved sections and probably over the top for the gravel path bits. Also in the winter when its dark riding home i tend to stick to the road way home as a good chunk of the other route is not lit in anyway although it could be soon. Having initially looked at a drop handle gravel bike i then moved on to looking at a flat bar hybrid bike as i think i'd prefer the more upright position whilst on the road for a better view plus spec wise i'm looking well over £1000 to get things like hydraulic brakes etc.
After a visit to a good local bike shop and a chat with the guys there i think i've pretty much narrowed it down to either a Specialized Sirrus X 3.0 or a Trek Dual Sport 3 Gen 5 where they've dropped the front suspension. Pretty sure i dont need the suspension and like the idea of just a single chain ring at the front for ease etc. Anyone got either of these or have experience of either of them?
From shopping around at places i can use our bike to work scheme the Trek would likely cost me about £100 more but i'm wondering if its worth that for the Shimano stuff over microshift and tektro stuff on the Specialized?

Owl's description is genuinely incomprehensible. I mean it. Not only is it poorly explained, it omits key information. Owl bombards you with keywords (Astrohouse? Astroaspect? Astroforecast? None of these words were in the bible.) and UI elements without really telling you anything about any of them. If you, like me, read Zi Xiao's character descriptions and had no clue what they did, then this guide is for you. We'll start from the top down.

What even is an Astroaspect?

The heart and soul of the character. Astroaspects are represented as small scrolls inside squares (also known as your Astrohouse) below your primary skill. There are two main ways to gain Astroaspects: by

1. Using your primary skill. What? The description doesn't say anything about that? You're right. By god are you right. When you use your primary skill, your entire Astrohouse is filled with Astroaspects of random rarities and then you use your primary skill, which empties that Astrohouse.
2. Using your secondary skill. Gain 1 Astroaspect of a random rarity (or not-so-randomly, if you have the Explosive Hand Spiritual Blessing). If your Astrohouse is already full, discard the first Astroaspect and draw another.

You may note both skills draw random Astroaspects off, as far as I can tell, the same formula. The relevance of this will be expanded upon later in the post, but for now we'll go over

Which astroaspects will you get, and WTF is Scroll Divination?

Astroaspect rarity is determined by the rarity of your scrolls. The more scroll of any given rarity you have, proportional to the others, the higher your chance to roll Astroaspects of that rarity. So are you meant to just take Legendary Scrolls only? No, thanks to Scroll Divination, Owl's first talent. Skill Divination upgrades scroll rarity as considered by Owl's abilities. There is zero change in effect, but scrolls you pick up will automatically be "upgraded" to be considered rare or legendary scrolls by Owl's abilities, depending on the upgrade scheme you've chosen in the occult scrolls inventory menu. As far as I can tell, Normal Least attempts to minimize the number of normal scrolls you own while still upgrading rares, Legendary Most attempts to get as many legendary scrolls as possible, and Rare Most attempts to upgrade every normal scroll to rare and no more. You can also "reset" scrolls to another of equal or higher rarity with Scroll Divination, which is extremely powerful. You gain 2 upgrades per ascension, which will automatically be applied to scrolls in your backpack, and 1 reroll per ascension taken. But why does Astroaspect rarity actually matter?

What does Falling Star (and your astrohouse) do?

When you use your primary skill, Falling Star has one of four effects depending on the content and rarity of your Astrohouse:

1. If your Astrohouse has multiple different Astroaspects, it is considered "Impure" and deals 800 base damage within a 3.5 meter radius.
2. If your Astrohouse is entirely Normal, apply the effects of an Impure Astrohouse twice.
3. If your Astrohouse is entirely Rare, apply the effects of a Normal Astrohouse and deal an additional 1000 damage in a 7m radius.
4. If your Astrohouse is entirely Legendary, apply the effects of a Normal Astrohouse, deal an additional 1600 damage in a 7m radius, and deal a continuous 1000 damage per second within that radius along with a 50% slow.

Wild Astroaspects act as a wild card, can sub in as an Astroaspect of any type, and counts as a Legendary Astroaspect if you have a full Wild Astrohouse.
Your Astrohouse will always be full upon casting Falling Star. Why is this? If you were paying attention earlier, the skill itself fills your entire Astrohouse upon casting. But wait, if both your primary skill and secondary skill draw Astroaspects purely randomly, why use your secondary skill to fill your Astrohouse at all? One reason is Ascensions — we'll get to those later. Another is for information. Since you get to see what Astrohouse you'll get before firing Falling Star, you might be able to better position your stronger Falling Stars for stronger enemies, and it costs nothing to gain that Astroaspect. The final reason is because of Owl's second talent, Stellar Recovery.

Probability and you

The bar below your primary skill represents the probability of casting a Fallen Star of any given type (with grey corresponding to impure, etc.), with your current Astrohouse, given you use your primary skill. This is relevant because Owl's primary is all about RNG mitigation, and that bar provides an easy, convenient display of that RNG. Stellar Recovery refunds 100% skill cooldown if you hit no enemies. Read another way, if Stellar Recovery is off cooldown, you can intentionally miss bad Astrohouse draws to have another chance to reroll your Astrohouse. Aside from that, there's honestly... not much reason to repeatedly roll cards just for your primary without Ascensions like Persistence, which only works if you get a bad roll off cards, or Endless Stardome, which rewards repeated Astrodome hits of a certain type. Mysterious Revelation actually actively incentivizes trying to hit all your Falling Stars and taking 50/50s.

Conclusion and Gamplay Tips

That's most of the more arcane mechanics behind Owl. The character can feel really hit-or-miss, given your primary has the potential to sometimes do 500%+ more damage purely based on RNG. However, as you progress through the stages (with Owl's fifth talent, Star Rearrangement), and gather scrolls, every build tends to trend towards getting a nearly 100% Rare/Legendary rate. Earlygame can be rough, as a result, but Endless Assault is extremely strong all around if you build for skills. More primary skill-focused builds can result in a really difficult and punishing earlygame (especially coupled with the fact that Owl's only defensive Ascensions are not very strong) that eventually cascades into extreme value lategame. Rerolling scrolls is extremely powerful, and should be done very regularly. Also, take any info in this guide with a grain of salt; the character is very new.
​
Edit 1: Markdown. Feel free to add any and all info in the comments.

Jackie Jensen, "The Golden Boy", was a superstar athlete in the 1940s who seemed destined for greatness as the heir to Joe DiMaggio... only to be supplanted by a different golden boy, the great Mickey Mantle.
Jensen would eventually live up to the hype, but with the Red Sox -- but his career prematurely because, as baseball expanded to the west coast, his fear of flying made road games unbearable!
The Yankees between 1947 and 1964 were utterly dominant, winning 15 pennants and 10 World Series. And it wasn't just the major league team that was successful. The Yankees of this era were loaded up and down the system, from Rookie ball to their two Triple-A teams!
With such a loaded major league roster, the Yankees had many talented players stuck either on the end of the bench or in the minors who would eventually find an opportunity with other teams, including Bob Cerv, Vic Power, Gus Triandos, Lew Burdette, Jerry Lumpe, Bob Porterfield, and Bob Keegan, who would all be All-Stars with other teams. Clint Courtney would be the 1952 A.L. Rookie of the Year runner-up after the Yankees traded him to the Browns, and Bill Virdon was the 1955 N.L. Rookie of the Year with the Cardinals (and then Yankee manager from 1974 to 1975!).
But the most talented player who just couldn't find the playing time in New York was Jack Eugene Jensen, born March 9, 1927, in San Francisco. His parents divorced when he was 5, and he grew up poor, his mother working six days a week, 12 hours a day. Jensen said the family moved 16 times between kindergarten and eighth grade -- "every time the rent came due."
After serving in the U.S. Navy during World War II, Jensen went to the University of California in 1946 on the G.I. Bill. There he became one of the most famous college players in the country, leading Cal to the Rose Bowl. In 1947, he was the starting fullback as well as the team's top defensive back, and in 1948, he rushed for 1,000 yards and was an All-American.
He also was a tremendous two-way baseball player, pitching and hitting for the Golden Bears in 1947 as the won the very first College World Series, beating a Yale team that had George H.W. Bush playing first base. In 1949, he was an All-American in baseball, too.
His blond hair, good looks, and athletic accomplishments earned him the nickname "The Golden Boy."
Halfway through his junior year, Jensen left Berkeley to turn pro. Jensen would later say he couldn't risk playing a career-ending injury playing for free while teams -- baseball and football -- were trying to sign him to big-money contracts.

"There was a money tree growing in my backyard. Why shouldn't I pluck off the dollars when I wanted to?"

Jensen considered a number of offers, including from the Yankees, before signing a three-year, $75,000 contract with the Oakland Oaks of the Pacific Coast League. Jensen said he thought he'd face better competition in the Pacific Coast League, the top minor league of the era, than he would at the bottom of the Yankee farm system. He was right about it being more of a challenge -- he hit an unimpressive .261/.317/.394 in 510 plate appearances with the Oaks.
At the end of the year, the Oaks sold his contract (and that of Billy Martin, another Northern California kid) to the Yankees.
That same year, Jensen married his high school sweetheart, Zoe Ann Olsen, an Olympic diver. (By age 18, she had won 14 national diving championships and a silver medal in the 1948 Olympics.) "Together they looked like a Nordic god and goddess," Sports Illustrated reported. Nicknamed "the sweethearts of sports," they were the Dansby Swanson and Mallory Pugh of their era. More than 1,000 people attended their wedding.
Jensen would start the 1950 season not in the minors but in the Bronx. He joined the Yankees in a time of flux. They though they'd won the 1949 World Series, the Yankees knew they had to make some changes, with 35-year-old Joe DiMaggio nearing the end of his career. And their heir apparent was not Mickey Mantle -- at the time an 18-year-old shortstop playing in the Class C league, the equivalent of A-ball today -- but the 23-year-old Jensen.
But Jensen disappointed, hitting just .171/.247/.300 in 70 at-bats, and only starting in 13 games. Watching from the bench most of the season, Jensen would later lament the lost year of development, saying he'd have been better off playing every day in the Pacific Coast League.
The Yankees won the pennant for a second straight year, and in the World Series he once again was left on the bench. His only action was as a pinch runner in Game 3 as the Yankees swept the Phillies. That "Moonlight Graham" appearance would be his only taste of the post-season in an 11-year career.
The following year would be DiMaggio's last, and Mantle's first. Jensen began the year as the Yankees' starting left fielder and proved he belonged, hitting .296/.371/.509 through the end of July... and then, shockingly, was demoted to Triple-A and replaced with previously forgotten Yankee Bob Cerv.
I can see why they called up Cerv -- the University of Nebraska stand-out was tearing up Triple-A, leading the American Association in batting average (.349), home runs (26), triples (21), RBIs (101), and total bases (261) -- but why demote Jensen, who had a 140 OPS+ in the majors? Maybe the Yankees felt the brash 23-year-old needed to be taken down a peg. In any event, Cerv hit just .214/.333/.250 in August and was sent back to Triple-A, but Jensen also was left down there. He hit .263/.344/.469 and was recalled after the Triple-A season ended, only getting into three games (he went 3-for-9).
Mantle, too, had started the season with the Yankees, and after hitting .260/.341/.423 through the middle of July, was sent down to Triple-A. But he hit .361/.445/.651 in 166 at-bats, and unlike Jensen was back in the bigs by August 24. He would play pretty much every game the rest of the season, hitting .284/.370/.495 in 95 at-bats.
The torch had clearly been passed -- Jensen was no longer the heir apparent to DiMaggio. In the World Series that year, Mantle was the starting right fielder, and Jensen wasn't even on the post-season roster.
Jensen was so disappointed with how the Yankees had treated him in 1951 that he talked to the San Francisco 49ers about switching to pro football, but ultimately decided to stick with baseball.
Never shy about what he said to reporters, Jensen told The Sporting News on October 24, 1951:

"I felt so badly about the treatment that I received from the Yankees that, although I was in New York at the end of the season, I didn't feel like sticking around to even watch the club play in any of the World's Series games."
"I do not feel the Yankees were justified in sending me to the minor leagues. When I was shipped to Kansas City, I was doing as good a job as any Yankee outfielder and better than some of them. I was hitting .296, which was ten points better than Hank Bauer and 30 points better than Joe DiMaggio, Gene Woodling and Mickey Mantle. Yet Casey Stengel didn't give me the chance I felt I deserved."

Despite blasting his manager in the press, Jensen was still the property of the Yankees. That off-season, teams were circling, hoping to pry away the talented but disgruntled outfielder. There were newspaper reports of offers from the St. Louis Browns, the Detroit Tigers, the Philadelphia Athletics, the Washington Senators, the Cleveland Indians, and the Boston Red Sox -- with one rumor being Ted Williams to the Bronx in exchange for Jensen and several other players. (A Red Sox scout called the rumored deal "a lot of hogwash.")
Sportswriters spent the off-season speculating whether DiMaggio would retire, and if he did, whether Jensen or Mantle would take over as the center fielder, as there were still concerns that Mantle, who had hurt his knee in the 1951 World Series, wouldn't be fully recovered by the start of the season.
On Opening Day, April 16, 1952, it was Jackie Jensen in center and Mickey Mantle in right. Jensen went 0-for-5 with a GIDP; Mantle, 3-for-4 with a double, a walk, and a stolen base! Seven games into the season, Jensen was 2-for-17 (.118) and found himself on the bench. He'd never play for the Yankees again. On May 3, the Golden Boy was traded to the Washington Senators along with Spec Shea, Jerry Snyder, and Archie Wilson in exchange for Irv Noren and Tom Upton.
In two years with the Senators, Jensen hit an impressive .276/.359/.407 (112 OPS+), but the team was terrible, and Jensen wasn't happy. Still just 26 years old, he later said he had almost quit after the 1953 season... particularly after a harrowing flight to Japan for a series of exhibition games with a squad of All-Stars that included Yankees Yogi Berra, Eddie Lopat, and Billy Martin. That experience gave Jensen a lifelong fear of flying, a phobia that became so intense eventually he could only fly with the help of sleeping pills... and a hypnotist!
He might have quit if not for the trade on December 9, 1953, that sent him to the Boston Red Sox for pitcher Mickey McDermott and outfielder Tom Umphlett. He was homesick, he hated flying, and he now had two little kids at home. Red Sox general manager Joe Cronin convinced Jensen to come to the Red Sox, telling him that Fenway Park was tailor made for his swing. Cronin was right: Jensen was a career .279/.369/.460 hitter, but .298/.400/.514 at Fenway.
It was in Boston that Jensen finally lived up to the hype, becoming a two-time All-Star and winning the A.L. MVP Award in 1958 and a Gold Glove in 1959. During his seven seasons in Boston, he hit .282/.374/.478 in 4,519 plate appearances. In his MVP season, Jensen hit .286/.396/.535 (148 OPS+) with 31 doubles, 35 home runs, and a league-leading 122 RBIs. During his peak with the Red Sox, 1954 to 1959, Jensen's average season was .285/.378/.490 (127 OPS+) with 28 doubles, 26 home runs, 111 RBIs, 14 stolen bases, and 3.6 bWAR. During those six seasons, no one in the American League -- not Mickey Mantle, not Ted Williams, not Al Kaline -- had more runs batted in than Jackie Jensen.
Of course, Mantle was the far better player -- even in Jensen's MVP season, Mantle had more runs, hits, home runs, walks, and a 188 OPS+ -- but Jensen's 127 OPS+ between 1954 and 1959 would have been an upgrade over the aging Hank Bauer's 110 OPS+ in right or the left field merry-go-round of Norm Siebern (113 OPS+), Irv Noren (107 OPS+), Enos Slaughter (103 OPS+), and previously forgotten Yankee Hector Lopez (101 OPS+). Casey Stengel would later say the Jensen trade was the worst one the Yankees had made while he was manager.
Despite his success, Jensen was sometimes booed by the Boston fans, just as they sometimes booed Ted Williams. There even was an article in Sport magazine, "What Do They Want From Jackie Jensen?", taking Red Sox fans to task for their unreasonably high demands from the Golden Boy. In 1956, in a game at Fenway Park against the Yankees, the hometown fans were razzing Jensen so much that teammates had to restrain him from going into the stands after a fan. Later that same game, Williams misplayed a wind-blown fly ball from Mantle, and the fans booed lustily. The very next play, Williams made a leaping catch at the scoreboard to rob Yogi Berra of a double. But Williams, still furious, spit into the crowd. He was later fined $5,000.
And Jackie was unhappy to be away from home. He and Zoe Ann had bought a house near Lake Tahoe, where they could both ski and golf year-round, as well as hit the casinos. They also had a home in Oakland, and a restaurant there, and each year Jensen hosted a pro-am golf tournament. But the marriage was struggling. Zoe Ann, once nationally known for her Olympic exploits, was frustrated to be a stay-at-home mom in the shadow of her famous husband, and Jackie became angry if she engaged in her favorite outdoor hobbies, suspecting there were men around.
Jensen's fear of flying also had become even more intense. Sometimes he was so drugged up that he had to be carried on and off the plane, fueling rumors that he was a drunk. Other times he took trains or even drove while his teammates flew.
Once again Jensen was talking about retirement, and in Spring Training 1957, the Red Sox allowed him to train with the San Francisco Seals, Boston's Triple-A team, rather than having to go to Florida. But he was still miserable. That year, he told Sports Illustrated:

“In baseball you get to the point where you don’t think you have a family. It just looks like I’m not built for this life like some ballplayers. You are always away from home and you’re lonesome, and as soon as I can, I intend to get out.”

The 32-year-old Jensen announced his retirement after the 1959 season, and he spent 1960 home with Zoe Ann and their children and running his restaurant. But he returned in 1961. After hitting just .130 in April, Jensen took a train from Detroit home to Reno, determined to quit once again. After a week away, he rejoined the team and had six hits in his next 10 at-bats. By the end of the season he was at .263/.350/.392, and this time he quit for good.
After leaving baseball, Jensen invested in real estate and a golf course, but lost most of his money. He then got a job working for a Lake Tahoe casino, was a national spokesman for Camel cigarettes, Wonder Bread, and Gillette, and even tried selling cars. Ironically, Jackie found himself on the road almost as much as he had been as a ballplayer. In 1963, he and Zoe Ann divorced, remarried, and then divorced again.
In 1967, Jensen became a TV sportscaster, married his producer Katharine Cortesi, and eventually teamed up with Keith Jackson calling college football games for ABC and a college baseball coach, first at the University of Nevada-Reno and then at the University of California, and he managed the Red Sox team in the New York Penn League in 1970. In 1977, Jackie and Katharine moved to Virginia and started a Christmas tree farm while he coached baseball at a military academy. About five years later, on July 14, 1982, he died of a heart attack at age 55.
You Don't Know Jack(ie):

• How good would Jackie Jensen have been as a Yankee? Maybe not great. He was a career .279/.369/.460 hitter, but just .238/.326/.398 at Yankee Stadium, which -- especially in that era -- was famously death on right-handed batters. Fenway Park was much more to his liking!
  
• Born in San Francisco in 1927, it's no surprise Jensen's favorite player as a kid was Joe DiMaggio, who made his debut with the San Francisco Seals when Jensen was a 5 years old. When Jensen made his major league debut, on April 18, 1950, DiMaggio went 3-for-6 with a triple in a 15-10 win over the Red Sox. Two weeks later, on May 3, Jensen made his first start, playing left field and batting second, and DiMaggio was in center and batting fourth.
  
• Jensen wore #36 at Cal. When he came up with the Yankees, he was first issued #40, then switched to #27, and finally to #25. (With the Senators, he wore #8, then #4; in Boston, he first wore #30 but primarily wore #4.) Currently, #40 is worn by Luis Severino. Other famous 40's include Chien-Ming Wang (2005-2009), Andy Hawkins (1989-1991), and Lindy McDaniel (1968-1973). #27 has been worn by Giancarlo Stanton since 2018; prior to him, it was worn by Austin Romine (2016-2017). It also was the number worn by Bob Wickman (1993-1996), Butch Wynegar (1982-1986), and Woodie Held (1954-1957). Gleyber Torres has worn #25 since 2018; it also was worn by Mark Teixeira (2009-2016), Jason Giambi (2002-2008), Joe Girardi (1996-1999), Jim Abbott (1993-1994), Tommy John (1979-1989), and Joe Pepitone (1962-1969).
  
• Jensen is one of six major leaguers to graduate from Oakland High School, but the only Yankee. Cal has sent 83 players to the majors, including twenty Yankees -- most notably, early 1990s pitcher Chuck Cary, 1930s infielder Lyn Lary, and 1990 A.L. ROY runner-up Kevin Maas.
  
• The Yankees during spring training in 1951 tinkered with the idea of using Jensen into a pitcher. Jensen had been a star pitcher at Cal, including pitching in the 1947 College World Series, and had pitched in a winter league that off-season. But he was bombed in a handful of spring training innings -- while crushing as a hitter -- and the Yankees decided to leave him in the outfield.
  
• College teammates said Jensen wasn't afraid of flying at Cal. His second wife Katharine said the phobia came from a near-miss experience on a flight early in his baseball career -- he looked out the window and saw another plane coming straight at him! The two planes managed to avoid each other, but he was never comfortable on a plane again.
  
• Billy Martin, who also had grown up in Northern California and was Jensen's teammate on both the Oakland Oaks and the Yankees, was merciless when it came to teasing Jensen about his fear of flying. In 1953, on a flight from Okinawa to Honshu to play a series of exhibition games in Japan, the plane ran into a bad storm and was bouncing pretty hard. Jensen, who wouldn't get on a plane without the help of tranquilizers, was blissfully sleeping through the turbulence. Martin found a lifejacket and put it on, then stood over Jensen and shouted "We're going down!"
  
• Arthur Ellen, a hypnotist that Jensen had used to try to cure his fear of flying, believed Jackie wasn't aerophobic at all. It was really a fear of losing his family. "Subconsciously, it developed as a good reason to leave the Red Sox and go home," the hypnotist said.
  
• Jensen is featured prominently in Norman Rockwell's famous 1957 painting, The Rookie. Jensen is the one seated on the bench tying his shoe in the middle of the painting. Standing behind him is Ted Williams, and sitting on the bench next to him is pitcher Frank Sullivan (#18). Wearing the catcher's mitt in the foreground is Sammy White, and the player with his hand over his mouth to the far right is Billy Goodman. Jensen, Sullivan, and White had gone to Rockwell's studio in Massachusetts to pose for the painting; the images of Williams and Goodman were based on photos. The shirtless player was one of Rockwell's assistants, and "the rookie" holding the suitcase was a local high school student!
  
• Boston sportswriters named Jensen the team's MVP in 1954, when he hit .276/.359/.472 with 25 home runs and 117 RBIs. I guess they were tired of giving the award to Ted Williams, who hit .345/.513/.635 that year, albeit in just 117 games as he had broken his collarbone in spring training. Williams didn't qualify for the batting title that year because he had only 386 at-bats... mostly due to his league-leading 136 walks. The rule was subsequently changed from at-bats to plate appearances.
  
• After Jensen was acquired by the Washington Senators, manager Bucky Harris -- who managed the Yankees when they won the 1947 World Series -- pulled him aside and told him he was the right fielder and he'd hit third. "No pep talk, no nothing, but he made it sound like I was the right fielder and third place hitter for a long time to come," Jensen later recalled. "It made me feel good." The 1950s Senators had a number of ex-Yankees and several of them told reporters that Harris was a much more low-key, hands-off manager than Casey Stengel, and Jensen agreed. "With Stengel it was always 'watch for that curve ball' or 'watch for that change up'," Jensen said. "Bucky leaves you on your own up there." But Jensen would later say Stengel was the smartest manager he'd ever had.
  
• Stengel obliquely mentioned Jensen in his famously long, rambling testimony before the Senate Anti-Trust and Monopoly Subcommittee on July 8, 1958. Asked about legislation that would exempt baseball from federal anti-trust laws, Stengel said about 7,000 words without really saying anything. The hearing was held the day after the All-Star Game -- the Stengel-managed A.L. All-Stars won, 4-3 -- and in the American League starting lineup were Jensen and two other ex-Yankees, Bob Cerv and Gus Triandos. Stengel was asked if the Yankees were going to continue to "monopolize" the World Series, and his confusing answer: "Well, I will tell you. I got a little concerned yesterday in the first three innings when I saw the three players I had gotten rid of [Jensen, Cerv, and Triandos] and I said when I lost nine what am I going to do? And when I had a couple of my players I thought so great of that did not do so good up to the sixth inning I was more confused but I finally had to go and call on a young man in Baltimore that we don't own and the Yankees don't own him and he is doing pretty well and I would actually have to to tell you that we are more the Greta Garbo-type now from success. We are being hated. I mean from the ownership and all we are being hated. Every sport that gets too great or one individual -- but if we made twenty-seven cents and it pays to have a winner at home why would you have a good winner in your park if you were an owner? That is the result of baseball. An owner gets most of the money at home, and it is up to him and his staff to do better or they ought to be discharged." After befuddling the committee with answers like that for 45 minutes, Stengel was excused and Mickey Mantle called upon. His opening statement: "My views are just about the same as Casey's."
  
• Casey Stengel later said Jensen plus Spec Shea, Jerry Snyder, and Archie Wilson to the Senators for Irv Noren and Tom Upton was the worst trade the Yankees made during his tenure. But in reality it was pretty much a wash for the Yankees. Jensen, in two seasons, would be worth 4.9 bWAR for the Senators before being traded. Shea, a right-handed pitcher who had been an All-Star with the Yankees as a rookie, pitched four years in Washington and was worth 2.9 bWAR. Snyder was a good-glove, no-hit infielder worth -0.1 bWAR in seven seasons with the Senators. (You must have a really good glove to last seven seasons with a 55 OPS+!) Wilson, at one point seen as a good prospect but now a 28-year-old minor league journeyman, only played 26 games in Washington before being traded. In exchange, the Yankees received the 27-year-old Irv Noren, an outfieldefirst baseman who played five years in New York and was an All-Star in 1954; he was worth 7.9 bWAR, making the trade essentially even by bWAR. (The other player the Yankees received, minor league infielder Tom Upton, never made it back to the bigs.) Prior to the 1957 season, Noren was traded to the Kansas City Athletics as part of a monster 13-player trade that included Clete Boyer, third baseman of the early 1960s dynasty!
  
• The two players Washington got from Boston for Jensen, Mickey McDermott and Tom Upton, were both future Yankees. McDermott was a left-handed pitcher whose father, Maurice McDermott, had played in the minors with Lou Gehrig. Mickey was just 25 years old at the time of the trade but had been in the majors for six seasons, going 48-34 with a 3.80 ERA (114 ERA+). In two years with the Senators, McDermott went 17-25 (but with a 3.58 ERA), then prior to the 1957 season was traded to the Yankees as part of a seven-player deal; he went 2-6 with a 4.24 ERA as a swingman, and closed out the Game 2 win in the 1956 World Series. After that one season in New York, he was part of the trade with the A's that brought back Clete Boyer.
  
• Umphlett, a 22-year-old infielder, was traded back to the Red Sox in 1955, and then the Red Sox traded him to the Yankees in 1962 for infielder Billy Gardner. He would spend 1962 and 1963 in Triple-A for the Yankees, then ended his career in the minors with the Minnesota Twins -- the team that had been the Senators until 1961.
  
• In 1956, the anthology television show Cavalcade of America had an episode called The Jackie Jensen Story. Jackie had a cameo as the adult version of himself, but the 30-minute episode was focused on Jackie's teenage years and the influence of his middle high school coach, a man named Ralph Kerchum who became a father figure. The coach was played by Ross Elliott, a Bronx native whose most memorable role might have been as the director in the Vitameatavegamin episode of I Love Lucy.
  
• Jensen's MVP in 1958 broke a string of four straight MVP awards for Yankees -- Yogi Berra in 1954 and 1955 followed by Mickey Mantle in 1956 and 1957. Nellie Fox of the White Sox won it in 1959, and then the Yankees won it four years in a row again -- Roger Maris in 1960 and 1961, Mantle in 1962, and Elston Howard in 1963. Then a long drought -- the next Yankee to win it would be Thurman Munson in 1976.
  
• Going by bWAR, Mantle should have won it a third straight year in 1958 -- his 8.7 bWAR led the league, followed by Frank Lary at 6.7 and Al Kaline at 6.5. Jensen's 4.9 was 10th that year. Of course, they didn't have bWAR back then!
  
• Jackie won a Gold Glove in 1959; it was just the third year of the award's existence, or he might have won more. "Right field in Boston is a bitch, the sun field, and few play it well," Ted Williams said. "Jackie Jensen was the best I saw at it." Jensen was renowned for his throwing arm -- he twice led the league in assists, and twice led the league in double plays as an outfielder. One Yankee scout said he had the best arm he'd seen since previously forgotten Yankee Bob Meusel, usually said to have the best cannon in baseball history until Roberto Clemente came along.
  
• Jensen was well known for his brashness, especially compared to Mantle's aw shucks attitude. Mantle, asked if he thought he could beat out Jensen to replace DiMaggio in center field, humbly replied that there were three positions in the outfield and he hoped to win any one of them. Jensen, on the other hand, vowed he'd "out-run, out-hit, and out-throw" Mantle, an arrogant answer that didn't go over well with teammates. Joe DiMaggio, asked what he thought of the duel for his old job, quipped that Mantle was "out-quoting" Jensen.
  
• When Mantle was asked what he thought about Jensen's quote, he replied: "I don't know what to make of that guy." Jensen would later say he was misquoted, but reports of his cockiness would follow him throughout his Yankee years. Later in life, Jensen said people mistook his shyness and anxiety for arrogance and rudeness.
  
• According to Sports Illustrated, Jensen is the only player to have played in the East-West football game, the Rose Bowl, the World Series, and the Major League All-Star Game. I'll take their word for it!
  
• As a freshman at Cal, the first time Jensen touched the ball -- on a punt return -- he ran it back for a 56-yard touchdown. Cal quarterback Charles Erb said they'd never seen anything like it. "He was all over the field, dodging and leaping over guys. The rest of us just stood there on the sidelines with our mouths open. Finally somebody said, 'Who in the hell is that guy?' "
  
• Jensen is one of two "forgotten" Yankees in the College Football Hall of Fame -- the other is 1960s catcher Jake Gibbs. (Other Yankees in the College Football Hall of Fame include John Elway, who was in the Yankee minor league system before joining the Denver Broncos, and Deion Sanders, who was on the Yankees in 1989 and 1990.) Jensen also is a member of the Cal Hall of Fame, the Bay Area Sports Hall of Fame, and... ugh... the Boston Red Sox Hall of Fame.
  
• Despite his speed -- Jensen led the league in triples in 1956 and in stolen bases in 1954, and was in the top five in stolen bases in six seasons -- Jackie also was prone to grounding into double plays, leading the league in 1954, 1956, and 1957. His 32 GIDPs in 1954 was the major league record until Boston's Jim Rice hit into 36 in 1984, which is still the single-season record. Rice also had 35 in 1985. Jensen's 32 is tied for third with four others. The most by a Yankee? Dave Winfield with 30 in 1983, which is tied for 14th.
  
• Jensen lost most of his baseball earnings through a series of bad investments. His ex-wife, former Olympian Zoe Ann, later became a blackjack dealer in Reno to pay the bills.
  
• Jensen had four appearances on the popular show Home Run Derby, and set a record for most home runs in one match when he defeated Ernie Banks, 14-11, in Episode 24. The 25 combined home runs also was a record. He took on Mickey Mantle in Episode 3, with Mantle winning, 9-2, then defeated Rocky Colavito, 3-2, in Episode 25. He rematched against Mantle in Episode 26, with Mantle winning again, 13-10. Jensen set another record in that contest when he became the only player to hit four home runs in a row, and then a fifth home run in a row. That episode was supposed to be the season one finale, but it turned out to be the last episode of the series: The show's host and producer, Mark Scott, died of a heart attack at age 45, shortly after the last episode aired, and two months later the show's 64-year-old director Benjamin Stoloff also died. Rather than replacing them, the show was cancelled.
  
• Jensen's last game came against the Yankees, on October 1st, 1961, at Yankee Stadium. He appeared as a pinch hitter and popped out to shortstop Tony Kubek. In the 4th inning of that game, Roger Maris hit his 61st home run, breaking Babe Ruth's single-season record!
  
• Jackie and Zoe Ann had two sons, Jon and Jay, and a daughter, Jan. Jay's son, Tucker Jensen, was a pitcher in the Blue Jays farm system in 2011 and 2012.
  

In 1958, Jensen told Sports Illustrated that the biggest thrill of his career wasn't being an All-American or an All-Star, it wasn't winning an MVP or a World Series. "The biggest is having played in the same outfield with both DiMaggio and Williams."

Hey guys. So I had a stalker in the past. Some of the things he did was follow me from class to class. He would find me and wait for me near the staircase. He would show up unannounced and wait for me outside the restroom. Some people try to argue that it was just a crush and some boys just act like that. I don’t find it normal. I never told him any of my class periods or told him to meet me anywhere. He just decided that that was what he was going to do regardless if I knew he was there or even acknowledged him.
Anyways later on down the line he started trying to use other tactics to get me to be his. Fear and intimidation. He also wanted so badly to keep stalking me that when I said I was going to tell the principal he got all mean and in my face. He stood in my way so that I couldn’t go to the principal. Later he also threatened me because he had asked me a question. I just turned my face the other way to ignore him. Then he said. “If you don’t talk I’m gonna do something.” Also I remember I tried to leave because he said that and I was going to stand up for myself by just sitting far away from him. I got my backpack and he realized what I was going to do. So he again the same like when I said I was going to principal he tried to block my path and he got all mean and angry in my face.
Then a while later he started playing the good guy. He said he wasn’t going to do anything to me. Instead of following me to class he walked ahead of me and waited for me near my class and left when he saw me enter. He kept asking me “what’s wrong?” “What’s wrong?” Pretending to help meanwhile he was also my tormentor and also disrespecting me. It was a 180 switch. I don’t trust him. I feel like he was just trying to lower my guard. The abuser it still there behind the facade.

So, you’re at your house during the apocalypse of 1979 where the world has gone to shit, and your mom wants you to come visit her. Luckily, you have your work cut out for you! There’s a massive road right in front of your house that should take you directly to her, but who knows how long that will take? You must prepare for the wasteland to make it to your mom’s house. In this survival guide I’ll show you how to survive The Long Drive, so put on your seatbelt!

Preparation

Step 1: Personal protection

Before you begin your journey, you must bring supplies. I’m sure you’ve looked around and seen the mess that is your home, which can be a bit overwhelming. The first thing I would do is get a weapon. There are killer bunnies and zombie mutant things out there that want your organs, so you need some protection. Luckily, this is America.
First option: The moment you enter the garage, you'll see a wooden gun on the desk to your left. This is the BB gun; a single-shot gun that shoots tiny BBs. Not the most effective, but ammo is plentiful. I would only use that as a last resort.
Second option: go outside to the back of the house and go up the stairs. Across the room, you’ll see a katana. It’s a great weapon and will kill everything in one or two swings. A few issues with that though: 1, you need to get close to your enemies, which can be quite dangerous. 2, swinging that blade of death around can be hazardous in tight spaces since you could accidentally hit something explosive or break the nice base you built on your vehicle. Still a viable option, but not the best one to start with.
Third and final option: The old revolver. Like most American citizens, you have a gun hidden in your chimney. It’s a bit tricky to get to, but the more you do it, the easier it gets. Near your bed, there’s an old stove thing. Behind that is a brick pillar. If you stand on your bed and look at the space between the stove and the pillar, you’ll see a tiny trapdoor. Open it, and squeeze your way into the gap. Now you must be a bit careful since you can get stuck in the chimney. Press “Q” or whatever your lean key bind is, and move your mouse to the side while looking down. Once you see the revolver, grab it and move your mouse back quickly.
Now there are two possible outcomes: 1, you made it out with the gun. 2, you didn’t move fast enough and got stuck in the chimney. If you got the first one, skip this paragraph. If you got the second, I’m sorry you need to read this. To get unstuck, you need to do exactly what you did to get in there. Precise crouch with the scroll wheel, and lean out of the trapdoor. It might take a bit, but it’s better than pointing the revolver at your head.
The revolver is a great starting weapon, as it can one-hit most of the time. You only get 6 shots until you find ammo, so it’s good to have a backup.

Step 2: Vehicular maintenance

Now that you’re armed, you can start working on your vehicle. The first thing you should do is find the gas cap. Once you find it, take a look at what’s already in it. If it’s just gasoline, you got a good car, and you can just put some gas in it. (Gas can is located under the bench to the left of the door you use to enter the garage) If it has gas AND oil, then you have a tricky one. Not all two-stroke cars are bad, (I’m talking about the camper van-looking thing, or the pickup truck one) but most are. They’re a pain in the ass. You need to have a mixture of 95% gasoline, and 5% oil. (Oil can be found on top/in a barrel straight across from the door you use to enter the garage.) I highly recommend looking for a different engine on your journey that has a spot for the oil. Lastly, the tank could have diesel in it. If it does, you got lucky. Diesel is, in my opinion, the best fuel in the game. (PRO TIP: If you’re not satisfied with the vehicle you got, return to the main menu, wait 10 minutes, and then start a new game. The vehicle you get changes every 10 minutes.)
Gasoline is much more abundant than diesel, but not as efficient. As a bonus, there’s a barrel of diesel in the basement, so you start with more diesel than gasoline.
Once you’re fueled up, make sure you put oil in the engine, if you have a gas/diesel engine. Lift the hood and open the oil cap! Next, find the radiator. It’s a metal plate right in front of the engine. If your vehicle doesn’t have a radiator, that means it’s air-cooled. Fill the radiator up with water, which can be found in the sink, or barrels/jerry cans all over the house (even outside!) Next, you need to take care of your tires. Since the garage is already really cramped, I recommend driving your car outside. Don’t forget to engage the parking brake (space) and turn the engine off! (“I” for ignition) Once you’re out there, remove the hubcaps from the wheels so that you can take them off. Next, remove the wheels. Once you have the wheels removed, take off the rubber tires. I like to put them all in one place, so I can make sure they’re all in the same condition. Depending on what vehicle you have, you can use the spare tires from the garage, if they’re in better condition. Use sponges or Jizz-O-Nit to make the tires squeaky clean! Do NOT use a wire brush. It will worsen the condition of the tires. Make sure to keep them all in the same condition, or it will decrease driving performance! Finally, re-assemble the wheels.
Any spare cleaning tools can be used to make the vehicle look a bit nicer. If your car has any removable seats, you should get rid of ‘em. Every bit of space helps. If you’re using a gasoline engine, you can still bring the barrel of diesel just in case. You might decide to upgrade to one of the IFV variants or the bus! Food-wise, I only bring meat. It’s the best food in the game. Lots of meat can be found in the attic. Next, fill up as many containers as you can with water. Gotta stay hydrated! PRO TIP: Don’t fill barrels up all the way; you won’t be able to move them! Lastly, you can grab anything you want to bring with you on the trip. It’s gonna be a long one! Now, you’re ready to begin THE LONG DRIVE!

The Long Drive

Navigation

Unless you plan on leaving the road (which I don’t recommend,) it’s easy to stay on track. Just make sure the powerline poles are on the right side of the road. Rocks and trees can spawn on the road, so pay attention! A collision won’t be fatal the first time, but crashing a second time while there’s still blood on the dashboard will be. Cacti will break on impact, but sometimes it registers as a collision, so don’t take that chance. If you happen to see an interesting building that’s far from the road, try and use a compass. The best method is to point the compass at the place you want to go and set the arrow to point in the opposite direction (behind you.) If you don’t have a compass, try and keep the road in sight.

Looting

If you’re like me, you’ll want to take every item you find. That’s fine, but always prioritize the safety of yourself, your car, and your Rubber Wife or other companions. Only take meat, unless you’re desperate. Remember, they’re the best food source! If you need to boost your health, drink some alcohol or blood. Blood is preferable because alcohol makes you thirsty. Always grab fuel and water; you can never have too much! If you need a new weapon, the legendary AK is the best choice. It has high ammo capacity, and it’s full auto. (It also one-hits!) If you find a shovel or a metal detector, grab ‘em. They can help you find items buried in the sand. Sunglasses don’t just look cool, they reduce glare from that damn sun. Try and keep your vehicle balanced, otherwise, you’ll lose control!

Grand theft auto

If you have a shitty car, or you’re just sick of the one you have, stealing a car is the best option for you! There are only a few cars that can only be found in the wild:

• The bus - This vehicle has two variants; one main section, or two sections connected. The latter of the two is fun, but a bit harder to operate. The bus has lots of space for storage, and has an amazing diesel engine!
• The IFV - This truck has 3 variants, which all use the same diesel engine. For now, I’ll be talking about the pickup variant. As you might have guessed, this one has a big wooden bed for storage. To the left of the driver’s seat, there’s a lever that can be used to raise/lower the bed, like a dump truck! (Note: the engine has to be on for it to work.)
• The IFV (tanker variant) - This one has a giant fuel tank instead of a truck bed. It can hold 3000 liters of any fluid. (Yes, even piss.) This tank usually has fluids in it when you find it, which can be anything (gas, diesel, oil, water, blood, piss, and alcohol.) This tank has a few neat features. The faucet on the side can be positioned right over the IFV’s fuel tank, for easy refuel! (Don’t try it while moving.) On the top, there’s a big opening that allows you to refill it almost instantly. Just make sure to close it when you’re done; it will spill!
• The IFV (military variant) - This is a personal favorite of mine. The bed of the truck is replaced with a metal tent-looking thing. Sometimes it has all of the flaps and doors, sometimes it doesn’t. The back has an opening that can have a door, so you can get inside. A small panel on the roof can be removed, letting in that beautiful sun. The flaps on the side can open and close too. Above the passenger seat, there’s a “turret hole” thing. It opens, and you can press “E” to get out/stand on the roof of the cabin. This is exclusive to the military variant.
• The car carrier - remember that two-stroke car carrier I mentioned earlier? Yeah, this is it. It can hold a small car pretty well, but the physics lock doesn’t work so it can fall off. It’s also really hard to get a car on there in the first place, but it looks cool when you do! This vehicle is great for transporting a custom car that you’re working on.
• The Plymouth Fury - This thing is a force of nature. It’s the fastest (and coolest) vehicle in the game. Not the most fuel-efficient, but the abundance of gasoline makes up for it. This is the rarest car in the game. It has two possible color schemes: a gold and black one, and a silver one. This car can also have tinted windows. One of the few downsides to this vehicle is the radio. It has one, but it only plays AM stations. Besides that, this car is the fastest, and one of the most stable, vehicles in the game.

Conclusion

Finally, we reach the end. It’s been fun folks, but now you’re ready to see your mom. Take care, and have fun!

I am newly dating a guy (nearly 2 months exclusive and both deleted dating apps) who is going away soon to work for 2 months. I am worried about us when he goes and I told him about my worry and he said not to worry and not to put pressure on it. He said a few weeks ago he has access to wifi, to use fb messenger and we can call each other and speak everyday however yesterday when I mentioned my worry when we were on a date he seemed so blazè about it and did add that sometimes when he does long shifts he may not have access to his phone often so may not be able to contact me everyday but the other week he said he would, now I feel like he is backtracking. I tried to explain to him he has been going away with work a long time so he is experienced in this however I am not so do need reassurance a bit more. He also said things should be fine if the sparks still there when he’s away but surely frequent contact nurtures the spark? How do I go about having another convo about this before he leaves in a manner he will understand and so I can gauge where he’s at.

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So firstly. I have the nose of a blood hound and also am super paranoid.
I live in a crappy rental that still have a fuse box and outlets hanging out of the walls and stuff, I hate this place. Thankfully the building is being demolished in a few months so we're out of here.
Untill then i got 2 weird smells i cant figure out, and im gonna be honest, its throwing me into panic attacks.
First one is a weird smell coming from our bedroom vent. Now as far as ive been told this vent isnt even hooked up. Its a strange staticy dusty smell. I dont know what could cause it, but the staticy part freaks me out. I did stick my head in the crawl space above the ceiling and can't smell anything up there. It's literally like this grey gravel sand mixture up there and the only wires I could see were to lights we never use. And as far as i can tell from my father in law working on the lights, if the switch is off there is no power to them.
I also smelt a sweet smell for a day but also my neighbourghs place smelled similar so i think maybe she made something, i havent smelled the sweet smell in 2 days.
Also the heat is shut off cause when it was kicking in I smelt a kinda burnt smell for the first second or two of air if that's relevent. .
Second smell is in the living room. Its a warm plastic smell. Not hot or burning plstic but warm, it's in one corner that has no outlets or anything, maybe a little across the front wall where there are outlets, but strongest in the corner with none.
Now my neighbourgh has a portable AC, it's right in that corner up against that wall that we share, its only flimsy drywall seperating us. It smells like its strongest against that wall and i assumrd it was just her AC but it smells wether she is running it or not.
Anyways landlord is apprently an electrical engineer and said that if anything was wrong electrical wise if would smell like burning plastic so idk.
I'm just absolutly freaking out and want to just call the non emergency fire department but my fiance says that this place isn't up to code and he doesn't want them to kick us out.
It also doesn't help that other people don't seem to really notice the smell, my fiance did say he smelt something weird once but that was it. I would say I'm crazy but I don't smell these things anywhere else just in thr bedroom and living room.
Any help is appreciated cause I'm at the point of breaking down for the thousandth time over this nightmare place. Also im near Toronto if that matters for code or anything.
I'd have our own electrician come out but we cant afford it sadly. Any help would be awesome.
Also the lights flicker in here alot, but it's the whole place. So idk if that has anything to do with it, but I don't smell anything from the fuse box, I'm a little too paranoid to open it right now.
Again thank you for any and all help.

Hi, Stitchers!
It's June, which means we're officially halfway through 2023! This month's featured designer is one near and dear to the CrossStitch community heart: Stephanie Rohr, aka [StephXStitch]([https://stephxstitch.com)!
Stephanie has been around these parts for a long time, and her designs have become fan favorites over the years. I first came across her work with the now-iconic Barren Fields pattern, which was absolutely mind-blowing to me as a stitcher who learned from her very southern grandma. She's known for her subversive, feminist cross stitch, and has been featured in multiple magazines and news articles about our beloved craft.
To help our community celebrate Pride month, she's sharing her Pride flag pattern for free!
As an added bonus, use the code Reddit20 at checkout only on her website for 20% off any order of $10 or more! This discount can be used on any items, including patterns, kits, books and finished pieces, for the entire month of June.
Q&A
Who are you?
I'm Stephanie! I am a cross-stitch designer and author and I live in Chicago. I am the author of the books "Feminist Cross-Stitch" (2019), and "Self-Care Cross-Stitch", (2022). I have had my cross-stitch design business, stephXstitch, since 2010. My work has appeared in several cross-stitch publications, as well as on the shows "Key and Peele" and "We're Here" on HBO. I have been a guest on the Craft Industry Alliance Podcast and A Coffee With Makers. I was a speaker at Midwest Craft Convention in (early) February 2020. Thanks to this very subreddit, I was interviewed in the New York Times about my first book getting banned/destroyed by Michaels stores due to "language". Though cross-stitch is my main gig, I went to school for theatre, and I still perform in and direct shows, sing with an all-female band called The Bangers, and I teach voice lessons. Besides stitching I love: biking, dogs, reality TV, podcasts, karaoke, reading, playing piano, a good cheese board, being cozy, and hiking the the woods.
How did you get started cross stitching?
My mom was a big cross-stitcher in the 80s, and when I wanted to learn she bought me a kids' kit from the craft store. (Looking back it was more like needlepoint; it had a plastic grid and used yarn). I think I was always meant to cross-stitch, because as a child I loved to color in graph paper more than actual coloring books. I would use a thin-tipped marker and make designs using the grid. I started actually cross-stitching around 12-13 years old, using kits from the craft store. I loved how relaxing it was.
When and how did you start designing?
I gave up stitching during high school/college, partly because I was too busy, but also because I wasn't really interested in the designs that were available. I went to grad school in London and afterwards I was poor and bored. (Auditioning for shows, working in a pub, living in a very expensive city). One day I got the idea to try stitching again. I got some supplies and some graph paper, drew out a simple geometric design, and used it as my own pattern. Shortly after, a friend asked if I would be able to make a custom stitch as a gift for their family. I said sure, and designed and stitched the piece for them. It then clicked that my skill was something people were actually interested in. This was around the beginning of the subversive cross stitch movement started by Julie Jackson. I got her first book and stitched up some of those for fun, and also continued making my own patterns. I moved back to Chicago and invested in MacStitch software, and in 2010 I opened my Etsy shop so I could sell the patterns and pieces I was creating. The rest is history!
Where do you find your inspiration?
It is definitely all over the place. Stitching is such a time-consuming effort, I always say you should stitch something you love, something that is important to you, or something that amuses you. Sometimes my designs are inspired by my political/feminist rage based on current events. Sometimes it's a hilarious quote from a favorite film or TV show. Sometimes it's more visual, like my stained glass patterns, or re-creating famous images like Rosie the Riveter or Bernie and his mittens. Sometimes certain color combos inspire me, or styles of fonts I want to try.
Describe your designs using only adjectives.
Witty, vibrant, folksy, intricate, snarky, colorful
What cross stitch project did you have the most fun designing and why?
I think the most fun to design was my stained glass "It'll Pass" piece based on the show Fleabag. I worked really hard to capture the look of light coming through a stained glass window, stitched on black aida.
What is your favorite DMC floss color?
This is like asking me to choose a favorite child!! But one I always go back to is that lovely dark purple 154
Where can we find you on the internet?
Website
Etsy
Instagram
Patreon
Please give her a warm subreddit hello, and be sure to tag u/StephXStitch in your comments so she sees them!

I am studying Software Development at college as preparation for Discrete math. I have missed almost all classes however I have been self learning utilizing studying techniques (pomodoro etc) from several resources like KhanAcademy, asking chatgtp and preparation material for the test. The one thing 2 hours of daily study for 2 MONTHS have taught me is.. I suck at math? I liked studying it on KhanAcademy but it doesnt nearly give me enough theory to pass the test and the preparation material has made me even more confused than I was, I honestly think it might not be for me. Its like things I learnt last week disseapear from my head when I try to revise and learning new things take hours. I know this is super ungeneral post and there really is no helping me from what I said. I kind of just wanted to rant about how stupid I feel... I am trying to remain motivated but its hard man, I legit feel like I havent even learn anything and me now preparing for the test and not even being able to answer one question from example test kind of just makes me want to give up.
Here is the example test, the test in a week. I think its over and my efforts have been absolute waste.
Mathematical Analysis Sample Exam Paper Each question is worth 6 points, for a total of 60 points. Please answer all questions carefully. Explain your approach, simply stating yes/no is not sufficient, provide as much reasoning as possible. Write your name on each sheet of paper.
Question 1 Provide an example of a convergent geometric series and another example of a divergent geometric series. If possible, calculate the infinite sum for one of them. To what value must the individual terms of any convergent series approach?
Question 2 Determine the one-sided limits (from the left and from the right) at the point x = 1 for the real functions f, g, and h, given f(x) = 1/(x - 1), g(x) = signum(x - 1), and h(x) = ln(x). Determine whether these functions are continuous at x = 1. If not, justify whether it is possible to redefine them to make them continuous. Question 3 Explain what the domain and range of a function mean. Compute the domain for f = sin(x)/x. Is this function even or odd on its domain? Is this function monotonic on (0, ∞)? Question 4 Find the equation of the tangent line to the function y = 1/(x + 1) at the point x = 1. Draw the function and its tangent line. Question 5 Define the inverse of a function. Give an example of a function and its inverse. Also, provide an example of a function that does not have an inverse and justify it. Determine the derivative of the inverse function at 8, given that f'(2) = 12 and f(2) = 8, and f is strictly monotonic. Question 6 Explain what the trigonometric form of a complex number is. Compute the absolute value of the number 2i/(4 - i). Question 7 Write the general equation of the tangent plane τ(x, y) to the graph of the function f(x, y) at the point (x0, y0). Compute it specifically for f(x, y) = xy - y^2 and the point (0, 1). Also, compute all second partial derivatives at this point. Question 8 Find all functions whose derivative is f(x) = sin(3x + 5). Use the substitution method. Question 9 Define what it means for a sequence to have a limit at infinity. Provide a sequence that has a limit at infinity. Provide two different sequences whose limit is -1. Give an example of a sequence that does not have a limit (neither finite nor infinite). Question 10 Consider the function f(x) = x^2y + 5y + 3 and the rectangle with vertices at points [0, 1], [1, 1], [0, 2], and [1, 2]. Compute the integral of the function f over this rectangle.

I am newly dating a guy (nearly 2 months exclusive and both deleted dating apps) who is going away soon to work for 2 months. I am worried about us when he goes and I told him about my worry and he said not to worry and not to put pressure on it. He said a few weeks ago he has access to wifi, to use fb messenger and we can call each other and speak everyday however yesterday when I mentioned my worry when we were on a date he seemed so blazè about it and did add that sometimes when he does long shifts he may not have access to his phone often so may not be able to contact me everyday but the other week he said he would, now I feel like he is backtracking. I tried to explain to him he has been going away with work a long time so he is experienced in this however I am not so do need reassurance a bit more. He also said things should be fine if the sparks still there when he’s away but surely frequent contact nurtures the spark? How do I go about having another convo about this before he leaves in a manner he will understand and so I can gauge where he’s at.

I usually get my withdrawal bleed exactly on day 5 of my placebo pills. Last month, I had a decent bleed after trying to skip my previous placebo and had breakthrough bleeding. So this time, I decided to just stick to a normal 7 day break after 21 days. No missed pills. I use them to regulate my bleeding on the implant since it would be irregular. But now it's just...gone. My partner and I only did nude grinding about 12 days ago, no actual PIV. And the sex from 3 weeks prior to that was with a condom and pullout and I tested negative for that, so I know I'm not pregnant from that. Is a sudden disappearance of withdrawal bleed normal? Should I take a test at 14 & 21 days? There's not even any spotting or different discharge. It's just gone. And my anxiety is making me confused if the fatigue, headaches, and nausea I feel is early symptoms, just regular withdrawal symptoms, or from my OCD meds or from the anxiety itself. The nude grinding wouldn't get me pregnant, right? Other than possible pre cum, he didn't finish anywhere near my vulva.

Ok so a couple of days ago a raccoon got hit in the front of my neighborhood…I couldn’t find an active wound on him but there was blood in the road, blood coming from his nose (in the beginning). There was a garbage bag nearby that I ripped in half and used to pick him up and move him to the side of the road over in the grass…he seemed like he was in shock, he was very disoriented and just “turning circles” like his equilibrium was all messed up and very confused. He seemed near death and that really got to me in this moment. So, like a good idiot I went down there with a wagon and loaded him up and brought him back to my house because “I’m gonna save this raccoons life!” 😐…I went to the vet across the street from my neighborhood…told them about the incident, they gave me a squirt syringe of nutrient solution to try and help feed him something as well as another one for water to give him..he was never aggressive and never bit or scratched me..I went to the hardware store and bought some forearm length gloves to handle him because he kept wandering out into the street and just turning circles. Very tired, kinda derpy. I just chalked all this up to the fact that he had been run over by a car. To try and condense this novel real quick…my main paranoia is coming in contact with his saliva or blood which to my knowledge NEVER touched me..this is in between washing my hands like every single time I tried to feed or water him or pick him up with the gloves on. I guess I’m mostly paranoid that I could’ve like itched my eye with a fingertip after exposure to him OR some flys buzzing him that maybe touched or landed on me or my face (I don’t think that happened, but it’s hot where I live) which would be contaminating on like a microscopic level. I was very conscious the whole time of “this animal could definitely have rabies” even though he wasn’t aggressive and never offered to bite or scratch me. Last night when I got home from work I loaded him back up in the wagon and took him out to the woods and we parted ways..am I being overly paranoid about coming in contact with this dude?