Keyboard drawings for love

Hello folks,
I am new to the area and any information would be helpful. I am curious if there any places that one can volunteer to work with abandoned or rescue cats or dogs. I used to do this in Toronto, primarily with dogs. Though there were a handful of felines that were feral and after working with them they found a loving home. I am also looking for someplace that does regular life drawing sessions. As well as a cafe that does games like settlers or chess? Go/igo/wéiqí is a personal favourite. Are there any woodworking groups? Is there a tool library here? Any used book stores? Any stores for graphic novels? Any places to get local honey and or fish, preferably white fish.
Thank you in advance for helping me transplant to this lovely area of Ontario.
-K

I cant find any data on it's latency performance. Would this be a good gaming keyboard? I love the sage green color on Amazon for this but I will primarily be gaming on it. FPS Games like PUBG mostly.

https://the-avocado.org/authogroggydundee/ Article originally posted to The Avocado.org https://the-avocado.org/2018/05/08/steven-universe-why-lapis-lazuli-matters/
This week’s Steven Universe episodes put fans through the emotional wringer. The second episode, “A Single Pale Rose,” will undoubtedly draw the most attention with its game-changing revelations about the show’s mythology. But the first episode, “Can’t Go Back,” offers poignant tragedy in a slightly lower key. It highlights the ongoing struggles of Lapis Lazuli, one of the show’s most poignant (and, for this writer, relatable) characters, and why she is an integral part of the show’s dynamic.
It’s hard to say that One Thing won me over about Steven Universe, but it took awhile for the show to grow on me. The mid-season one arc “Mirror Gem”/”Ocean Gem” was definitely a game changer, where the quirky Adventure of the Week humor and action formula turned into something deeper, a story line with more gravity and stakes than your average children’s cartoon. No longer were the Crystal Gems merely stranded aliens fighting random monsters, they were alien outcasts waging a rearguard action in a long-ago war. And no longer would we, or Steven, automatically view Gems (even the Crystal Gems) as benevolent forces.
The principal catalyst for all this, of course, is Lapis Lazuli. And man, what an entrance she makes!
Mirror Gem
We first meet Lapis as a mirror, whom Pearl stores in her own gem and thoughtlessly gives to Steven as a way to learn about Gem history. Steven discovers that the mirror is sentient, able to reflect his own words and actions back to him in thoughts, jokes and conversations that leave Steven delighted and baffled. All goes well until Pearl, Garnet and Amethyst freak out at the mirror’s ability; Garnet tries to destroy the Mirror, branding it a “thing, a tool” causing the Mirror to scream. Steven sides with his new friend and releases the gem on the back, which turns into a person: Lapis Lazuli.
Initially, Lapis is elated to be freed, thanking Steven and embracing him as a friend. Until the Crystal Gems arrive, snapping her into a defensive posture. She summons a massive wave to smash Pearl, Garnet and Amethyst, complaining about their mistreatment of her: “Did you even wonder who I used to be?” She escapes, taking the ocean with her in a vain attempt to reach Homeworld. After a further confrontation, Steven manages to talk Lapis down, healing her gem and allowing her to fly back home.
Yet Lapis came back to Earth. And keeps coming back, with her personality deepened and her traumas increased each time. Between a detailed, ever-evolving characterization and Jennifer Paz’s consistently perfect voice over work, striking the right tone between moody teen and otherworldly being, she deserves more analysis than many fans grant her.
Rebecca
Lapis began in an early, unpublished Rebecca Sugar comic as Margo, a teenager whom Sugar describes as “an old self-insert character from high school.” From the bits and pieces Sugar’s released, Margo is a troubled young adult who barely survived high school with her sanity intact. She’s alienated, depressed and struggles to form relationships. Then a much-beloved cartoon character from her youth comes to life…and Margo leaps at the chance to escape into fantasy made flesh. Only things aren’t so easy as she hopes, leading to misunderstanding, manipulation and further despair.
It’s clear that both Lapis and Margo reflect Rebecca Sugar’s own struggles with depression, how she (like many people, mentally ill or otherwise) use entertainment as an escape and a way of connecting with emotions that are otherwise hard to express. The show reflects Sugar’s love for all manner of cartoons, from anime like Revolutionary Girl Utena and Sailor Moon to Looney Tunes and The Simpsons, while demonstrating how difficult translating their lessons into reality can be. There’s a poignancy to Lapis that many analyses (especially those who brand Lapis “selfish” and cowardly and flaky) seem to miss. More than anything, she is damaged and desperately lonely, a victim of unimaginable trauma struggling to form connections not based around abuse or selfish needs.
In her first two episodes, her conflict’s straightforward enough. Lapis trapped in a mirror offers a literal manifestation of inability to control her own life; not only that, it robs her of her humanity. (We later learn that she wound up on Earth, was poofed by a Crystal Gem, then interrogated for centuries by Homeworld gems who mistook her for an enemy.) Garnet explicitly brands her as a “tool” incapable of thoughts or feelings; this proves a recurring theme not only for Lapis herself, but the hierarchical Gem society in general, where Gems are made for specific functions and deemed “defective” if they deviate from the norm. And their first response to Lapis forming is to instantly fight her. No wonder Lapis immediately wants to leave.
Lapis Steven
Therefore, most of Lapis’s introduction defines her by loneliness. Steven offers her empathy, and she responds by revealing, if not friendliness, then at least a nicer side. She just wants to go home…but more than that, she wants someone to treat her as a person, not a thing. Her powers are meaningless if she can’t use them of her own free will; her personality is irrelevant when she’s just a “tool.” Steven meets both needs…simply interacting with her allows Lapis to open up and feel like herself; talking to her, rather than treating her as a monster, calms her down; healing her gem allows her to travel home. It would be a nice, poignant storyline if that were the end of it.
But reality is messy, and so is Steven Universe. Not long afterwards Lapis is forcibly returned to Earth, kidnapped by Peridot and Jasper and forced to inform on the Crystal Gems (though she tries hiding Steven’s existence from them). During “Jail Break” she’s imprisoned on Peridot’s ship; Steven promises to rescue her, but can’t, and she barely survives the crash. This leaves Lapis vulnerable to temptation from Jasper, who talks her into fusion to defeat the Crystal Gems. They form the monstrous Malachite, only for Lapis to immediately turn the tables on Jasper and drag their new form to the bottom of the ocean.
This storyline, in particular, provides Lapis much of her depth. Whereas other fusions (Garnet, Stevonnie, etc.) provide expressions of love and trust between two individuals, Malachite is a raging monster who’s unstable, violent and filled with hate. “Chille Tid” explicitly shows Lapis and Jasper wrestling for control over the fusion, a perpetual, mutually destructive fight that obliterates their separate identities into an embodiment of violence (“I’m not Lapis any more…We’re Malachite now!”). Our sympathies are likely with Lapis at this point, between the presentation of her actions as a sacrifice and her disheveled, battered appearance. This grows more complicated later on.
We're Malechite Now
The next time Sugar addresses this directly is “Alone at Sea,” when Lapis joins Steven and his dad Greg on a boating trip. Lapis tries to have fun but is constantly reminded about Jasper, and how awful their relationship was. And, worst of all, how much she misses it. Steven’s aghast, and viewers may be as well. But Lapis admits that she loved the power and strength Malachite gave her, after a lifetime of weakness and exploitation. And she admits to receiving pleasure from the ability to control Jasper, to wreak misplaced revenge on someone who, for all her evil actions, didn’t fully deserve it.
It seems that Lapis’s detractors (and there are a depressing number out there) use this as their springboard to their hating her. Which is understandable, since Lapis admits to what’s essentially domestic abuse (similar, in Agnew speak, to Lawrence of Arabia‘s confession that he enjoyed killing Gassim), but misguided. Jasper, not Lapis, initiated the relationship on the explicit promise that it would make them powerful, not from any affection or love. Lapis, after accepting, merely repays her in kind, offering a fusion of motives from the selfless (helping Steven and the Gems) to selfish (revenge).
Without excusing Lapis’s behavior, it’s unfair to judge it without this context or nuance. Maybe it’s because this is a cartoon (or, worse, a “kid’s show”), or maybe it’s because the leads are females where flaws are somehow less forgivable, but it’s clear that some fans can’t stand when the Gems aren’t perfect. Consider one of the leads: Pearl’s obsessive attachment to Rose and struggles to understand Earth and form her own identity provide a major part of her character development. Yet episodes exploring this lead to backlash from some fans who merely see Pearl’s jealousy and selfishness and not the multifaceted person they inhabit.
Alone at Sea
Thus with Lapis. Having admitted her unhealthy attitudes, she’s conveniently confronted with Jasper begging her to re-fuse with her. “I’ve changed! You’ve changed me!” Jasper promises, an abusive spouse appealing to Lapis’s vanity and insecurity. Lapis, to her credit, recognizes that Malachite was bad for both of them, and winds up driving Jasper away when she won’t heed Lapis’s warnings. This is a sharp moment of character development; it doesn’t excuse Lapis’s past actions, but it does show that she’s trying to change and be better. The takeaway shouldn’t be that she’s now perfect or recovered.
Because she isn’t. And her other major relationship, her friendship with Peridot, graphically illustrates this. Whether or not you “ship” Lapis and Peridot (I don’t particularly care), it’s clear that their friendship/romance/insert label here is pivotal to both characters and their understanding of Earth. For Peridot, a reformed villain embracing her role as a Crystal Gem, it’s an opportunity to make amends; for Lapis, it’s a reminder of her resentments and struggles to adapt.
After Lapis and Steven take a sight-seeing flight in “Same Old World,” Lapis seems energized with hope and the possibility of living on Earth. Until she returns to the Barn, and finds Peridot already living there. Throughout “Barn Mates,” Peridot attempts to win Lapis’s friendship, only for Lapis to rudely reject each overture. This seems harsh until you recall that Peridot captured and interrogated Lapis for months at a time, making her just another person who callously used Lapis. It takes more than a few nice gestures to convince Lapis that Peridot’s changed.
Lapidot
Lapis’s mindset here is harsh, but understandable. Peridot seems incapable of a heartfelt apology (“You were just full of such useful information. That’s a sincere compliment!”), expecting Lapis to instantly accept her transformation, and Steven’s insistence that she’s a better person means nothing to Lapis; nor do her gifts, which Lapis dismisses as “garbage.” Even so, she learns to tolerate her little green friend and tries empathizing with her; by the next episode, “Hit the Diamond,” she joins the Crystal Gems in an impromptu baseball game with a gang of Rubies to save Peridot.
Peridot and Lapis’s relationship proves healthier than Jasper’s, and helps Lapis acclimate to Earth. She and Peridot watch an awful soap opera called Camp Pining Hearts, create bizarre art called “Meep Morps,” and enjoy each other’s company. Despite this much-needed connection, it’s clear that Peridot’s kindness hasn’t solved everything. Lapis lapses from hostility to flippant indifference, still struggling to connect or let her emotions show. And Peridot, we learn, enables her by refusing to discuss troubling matters, from Jasper’s presence to, in Season Five, a possible Diamond invasion.
Another key episode is “Room for Ruby,” where Navy, a Ruby survivor from “Hit the Diamond” and subsequent episodes, seems to defect to Earth and asks Peridot and Lapis for help. Lapis is constantly frustrated by Navy’s cheerfulness and immediate love for Earth. While she distrusts Navy’s motives, she also immediately blames herself, assuming that there’s something wrong with her for not instantly adjusting.
Lapis Come On2
The episode ends with Navy revealing that the whole episode was an elaborate con to recapture her ship and humiliate the Crystal Gems. Where Steven and Peridot are furious, Lapis is overjoyed. “I was right!” she proclaims as they watch Navy sail into the cosmos, laughing hysterically. In one sense, she was right to mistrust Navy; in another, it’s a validation that there’s nothing wrong with her inability to handle trauma. Comparing yourself to the happiness to others is another inevitable part of depression; if everyone else is happy and satisfied, why not me? Because you’re not other people.
Even when Lapis seems better-adjusted, there’s an inescapable undertow of depression. No longer traumatized, she’s simply detached and lazy, watching TV all day rather than doing anything productive. Between her hair becoming gradually more unruly and Jennifer Paz trading her wounded angel voice for teenage snark, it’s not especially subtle. Even in “Gem Harvest,” when she and Peridot manage to cultivate some crops, she lapses into defeat when the corn and pumpkins don’t magically come to life…or when Pumpkin leaps into Steven’s arms (“It’s just come into existence and it already doesn’t like us”). Why bother?
Pumpkin 2
Which doesn’t make Lapis’s departure from Earth in “Raising the Barn,” her exile to the Moon and subsequent escape in “Can’t Go Back,” any less traumatic. She fully expects Peridot to leave Earth with her, and feels betrayed when she won’t. Yet she can’t bring herself to abandon her friends entirely, keeping watch over Peridot and the Gems and wishing that she had the strength and courage to join them. This leads to a hauntingly poignant song where she expresses her disconnect, her wish that she could be a good person but fear that she can’t. At episode’s end she ignores Steven’s entreaties and flies further into space, proving her fears are both self-confirming and inescapable.
The tragedy of Lapis Lazuli stems from her inability to move on. She suffers from trauma and depression, possibly post-traumatic stress disorder from a life of mistreatment. It’s easy to read her as a frustrating, even negative character, but I feel that’s missing the point. She is difficult; she is hard to understand; sometimes, she’s hard to even like. But it’s all of a piece with her characterization, which seeks for a nuanced understanding of what it’s like to live with mental illness.
We don’t know what Lapis was like before being trapped in the mirror. Maybe she was happy and content with her lot as a terraformer; maybe she had the same issues, in less extreme form. We never see another Lapis Lazuli to confirm or deny any suspicions (it does seem like Gems have default personalities, however much they try to transcend them). We only see the shattered remains of a life gone wrong. And someone who has to pick up the pieces with a minimum of help.
That Distant Shore
It’s clear that Lapis responds to empathy and understanding. Hence her instant bond with Steven, the one constant throughout her appearances on the show. Hence her growing more attached to Peridot the less the latter tries to impress Lapis and starts treating her as a friend. But she also can’t stand deceit, which explains her falling out with Peridot. And her social awkwardness seems driven less by fear of others than self-loathing; a fear that she can’t connect, that she is different, and that others can’t understand her and she can’t understand them. And that’s it best not to try.
As heartbreaking is it watching Lapis fly into space, it’s understandable. She feels that she’s let everyone down, least of herself. Her mindset doesn’t allow her to accept that her friends love her for who she is; she’s convinced they only see her failures and bad actions. She can’t conceptualize that she’s a person of worth, that she matters to others and that she deserves to be loved. Which is a blinder which she can’t remove, no matter how hard she tries, no matter how many friends she makes.
So many shows, movies and novels struggle to offer sympathetic treatments of mental disorders, from the severe to the commonplace. I still cringe when I see ads for The Good Doctor, which evidently treats autism as a superpower, or the reductive, often-insulting treatments of illnesses ranging from depression to schizophrenia in other works. So often, mental illness still serves as the butt of jokes and dismissiveness from people who should know better.
Lapis Same
Characters like Lapis Lazuli are important. Aside from BoJack Horseman, an animated series with a similarly nuanced take on depression, I can’t even think of a cartoon character I’ve empathized with as readily as Lapis. Sure, I love Pearl and the other Gems as much as anyone; Mabel Pines from Gravity Falls represents everything good and joyful in the world; Hank Hill and the King of the Hill cast are recognizable and funny. But I never felt that I was Mabel Pines or Hank Hill; sometimes I do feel a lot like Lapis Lazuli, even if I’m a cishet white guy and not a queer-coded blue space rock.
People like myself struggling with mental illness share Lapis’s dream that someday we can find happiness on that distant shore. We make mistakes, we hurt and alienate people we love, and we struggle with issues ranging from basic interactions to broader emotions and life-altering decisions. We don’t ask to be excused for our mistakes, just for patience and understanding. Nobody deserves to be alone. Not you, not me, not Lapis Lazuli.

Hey I’m Zone! I am looking for potential friends or just a straight up relationship, preferably monogamous.
I would like to find my forever person, I have a lot of love to share and I’m quite clingy. My main form of love is touch, but I also like kind words and quality time. So eventually I would like to call sometime!
I am pretty laid back for the most part, I also like joking a lot but I have brain rot humor sometimes, and I also do say the most random things but my friends always find me to be pretty funny, so yeah I am silly!
If it ever comes down to interests I have quite a few, video games (I mainly play roblox if you’re gonna ask, but I do have steam games), anime, drawing, reading, cooking, and music! (I love Foo Fighters and Red Hot Chili Peppers) I can pretty much do a lot but I spend most of my time with my friends because it’s always nice to be talking to someone.
Physically I am pretty skinny, I only weigh 160 and I’m 5’10, I go to the gym occasionally so I’m around average, I am also white. I have short hair currently, but I have had pretty long hair and that’s kinda my thing so I plan on growing it out again.
Oh yeah I also do kinda have a baby face so I look 14, but yeah. I kinda am learning towards being feminine but I’ve always been closeted anyway out of worry, but I am very much open to it lol.
Oh well, if this has your attention feel free to DM me! I have discord and I mainly use that for communication but I do have snap also if it’s needed. Send me your favorite song so I know you read this far, but besides that thank you! :)

CIRCUS MAXIMUS renowned for their progressive metal sound entwined with symphonic and power metal influences, formed in 2000 in Oslo, Norway. Returning from a hiatus from playing live since 2019, the quintet is preparing for ProgPower USA XXIII 2024 and new music to be released later this year.
On returning to writing music, vocalist Michael Eriksen shares: "Eventually things started to get back to "normal", but there was a new "normal", things had changed, it wasn't as easy as you would think to get back on the horse and write new music. We got the band back on track because of ONE show, ProgPowerUSA!! We`ve played PPUSA 7-8 times and knowing that we would meet up with our fans and friends again triggered us to write new music, so now we are writing and having fun again. And lots of big plans; new management, more dates being scheduled... the circus is back in town!"
Bassist Glen Møllen comments: "I am really excited for the future of the band. We have had a good long break, a much needed one after so many years of not letting off the gas pedal. I think it was a healthy choice. But now we are back in the saddle, re-energized, eager to write new music, tour the planet and take the band to the next level. I hope people are as jazzed up for the next chapter of this band as we are. Can't wait to get the Circus rolling again!"
Drummer Truls Haugen adds: "For me the hiatus gave me time to pursue other musical endeavors. In retrospect, I think I needed that break. Then came the offer to return to the US, to Atlanta and the ProgPower festival, this time as a co-headliner. One thing led to another and now we have a lot of exciting things coming, including new music and touring. Will I see you there?
Guitarist Mats Haugen further stated: "We got a call from ProgPower USA. This festival is more or less where Circus Maximus was born; our stepping stone if you would. It feels really great to be back doing what we love the most, which is writing new music and playing shows. We can't wait."
Drawing inspiration from the likes of SYMPHONY X, DREAM THEATER, QUEENSRYCHE, TNT, and HELLOWEEN, CIRCUS MAXIMUS inject unique aspects into the music in the form of AOR-inspired vocal melodies combined with technical and heavy progressive metal music.
Across their career spanning more than two decades, the band have achieved four studio albums, two live albums an EP, and two live DVDs to date. Successfully making their mark on both national and international charts with their catchy hooks and fierce riffs, the outfit are no strangers to the live stage having performed on numerous occasions notably at ProgPower's USA and European festivals. CIRCUS MAXIMUS will return to ProgPower USA XXIII taking place September 4th-7th, 2024 with further live dates to be announced in the near future.
CIRCUS MAXIMUS is: Michael Eriksen (Vox) Glen Møllen (Bass) Lasse Finbråten (Keyboards) Mats Haugen (Guitar) Truls Haugen (Drums)

I guess I’ll type out all the questions and answer them accordingly. Apologies for the long post.
• How old are you? What's your gender? Give us a general description of yourself.
~ Hi, I’m 22F, and I don’t know what a physical description is going to help with, so I’m assuming I should list what I like? So here goes: Music, Video Games, Writing, Dungeons and Dragons, Being Creative, Memes, Learning About Others, and Sleeping!
• Is there a medical diagnosis that may impact your mental stability somehow?
~ Oh yeah. I have been professionally diagnosed with ADHD and Depression, and I think I might also have anxiety, as my mother does and I exhibit some of her behaviors.
• Describe your upbringing. Did it have any kind of religious or structured influence? How did you respond to it?
~ Daddy issues. I guess I should elaborate, but I’ll also keep it short: My father is a very strict man. He is very set in his own beliefs and lifestyle, and if I try to divert from it he is quick to raise his voice and lecture me for a long period of time about how I am not doing anything right. He only ever talks to me if he has something to lecture me about, he never says anything positive, etc etc. So I grew up walking on eggshells around him. My mother and I are on better terms, but as I was growing up, she would always tell me no. If I asked to do anything, the answer was always no. So I didn’t have much of a social life growing up either. They both have grown a lot, and are better at not being so negative towards me, so I am on better terms with both of them. I had some questionable friends growing up too, the type that always took advantage of me. Anyway, that’s enough here, if you have further questions about my childhood you can ask ig.
• What do you do as a job or as a career (if you have one)? Do you like it? Why or why not?
~ I work at Target, or retail if you don’t know what Target is. I actually don’t mind my job. It’s a lot better than fast food, by a lot. Sure, I like to complain about it, but overall, I find it to be in between tolerable and enjoyable. I’m good at talking with customers, and have received multiple compliments by them on my customer service. I would like to be an author though, that would be fun I think!
• If you had to spend an entire weekend by yourself, how would you feel? Would you feel lonely or refreshed?
~ Can I talk to people online, or do I need to be entirely alone? If I can talk to people online, then I’ll be fine, that’s just a normal day. If I can’t though, I think I’d be lonely. Due to my depression, my thoughts tend to turn down the self deprecating path, and I’d rather not be stuck like that for 2 days.
• What kinds of activities do you prefer? Do you like, and are you good at sports? Do you enjoy any other outdoor or indoor activities?
~ Sports are meh. Don’t love ‘em, don’t hate ‘em. I do enjoy being outside, if I’m with friends. I love roller coasters, I tried surfing once and really liked that. Camping/Hiking is also fun. But I need to do it with at least one friend, because if I do it alone, I get really self conscious that I look weird. Unfortunately, I’m bad at talking with people outside of a work environment, because I get stuck in my own head about if my body language looks normal, do I look okay, am I appearing interested in the conversation, oh god was what I said cringey? They probably think I’m a weirdo, etc etc. So I stay inside and talk online where it’s easier.
• How curious are you? Do you have more ideas then you can execute? What are your curiosities about? What are your ideas about - is it environmental or conceptual, and can you please elaborate?
~ Oh my god yes. I have so many ideas, mostly fantastical and artsy in nature, that I’d love to do, but there are just so many I don’t know what to choose from and aaaaaaa I wish I could get them all done!
• Would you enjoy taking on a leadership position? Do you think you would be good at it? What would your leadership style be?
~ I mean. I could if I had to, but I get bad decision paralysis, so I don’t think I’d be a very good one. I prefer to be told what to do, so that way when things go wrong I can blame someone else lol. If I had to lead, I would make sure the environment was a comfortable , yet productive one. I want people to feel like they can talk to me, but also know that they still need to get work done. I want to help out too, not just sit around telling people what to do, but actually showing them.
• Are you coordinated? Why do you feel as if you are or are not? Do you enjoy working with your hands in some form? Describe your activity?
~ Not really. I have been told I need to be wrapped in bubble wrap. If I'm learning something, I need to do it, not just see it, but that's about as hands on I get.
• Are you artistic? If yes, describe your art? If you are not particular artistic but can appreciate art please likewise describe what forums of art you enjoy. Please explain your answer.
~ Define artistic. Are we specifically talking about painting/drawing? Or are we talking about creativity in general? I can't draw, I can only paint if I am guided and it's fairly simple, but most of my creativity lies in writing/storytelling/messing around on a website that makes miniature figurines.
• What's your opinion about the past, present, and future? How do you deal with them?
~ Past: it kinda sucked ngl, but it made me who I am today! Also, while you shouldn't feel sorry for yourself over the past (for too long anyway), I still think the past is worth look back on and studying/reliving good memories/learning/remembering in general.
As for the Present: I think it's good to focus on the now and experience what life has to offer. While you shouldn't ignore the lessons of the past or the consequences of the future, the present is where you are right now. So don't spend all of it worrying or planning, take the time to truly just exist on this beautiful planet, and bask in the memories in the process of being made.
Future: The funny thing about the future, is that it constantly changes. What you have planned, may not come to fruition. Now that's not to say you should run into the future blindly. I think the future should be loosely planned for, with room for improvisation where needed. Have a structure of what you want your future to look like, work for it, and if things change, go with the flow and flex your structured plan to accommodate the changes.
Now, how I actually deal with them? I think I'm pretty on par for the whole past thing, with a couple hang ups here and there, same with the present, but the future? That's something I need to work on, I have no plan. Nothing. Which scares me. But I won't go into that.
• How do you act when others request your help to do something (anything)? If you would decide to help them, why would you do so?
~ I immediately help, I like helping! It forms a good connotation to my name, as someone who is reliable, kind, and worth being friends with! I also just like helping lol
• Do you need logical consistency in your life?
~ Not particularly. Do I like having a scientific explanation for life's mysteries? Of course! Do I also seek out unexplained mysteries and entertain the idea of fantastical reasonings for the occurrences? Absolutely!
• How important is efficiency and productivity to you?
~ I could stand to have it be more important to me, but in all honesty, it's not very. If the task gets done, I don't particularly care how. As long as it doesn't take an absurd amount of time, I'm good.
• Do you control others, even if indirectly? How and why do you do that?
~ I hope not, I just like making friends, and friends help each other out! I don't use my friends purely for personal gain, I'm also there to help them!
• What are your hobbies? Why do you like them?
~ I guess I answered this in the first question, but I guess the reasoning behind them is that I find them fun and engaging and they enable me to flex my creative muscles!
• What is your learning style? What kind of learning environments do you struggle with most? Why do you like/struggle with these learning styles? Do you prefer classes involving memorization, logic, creativity, or your physical senses?
~ Okay, this is a lot of questions in "one". I will keep this one short. I need to perform the task I'm being taught for it to even kind of stick in my mind. I have horrible memory, so if I don't physically do the thing while thinking hard about the thing, I will not remember it. So by that definition, the standard school experience was very difficult for me lmfao I prefer creative classes.
• How good are you at strategizing? Do you easily break up projects into manageable tasks? Or do you have a tendency to wing projects and improvise as you go?
~ Oh no hahaha. I wing it definitely.
• What are your aspirations in life, professionally and personally?
~ Man, I just want to have a job I at least somewhat like, that will also allow me to fund my hobbies. If I were in a perfect world, I'd like to be a successful fantasy author.
• What are your fears? What makes you uncomfortable? What do you hate? Why?
~ Do I gotta list them all? Being forgotten, blood, gore, losing my memories, needles, being forever alone, dying, not dying, not ever learning how to deal with my mental illnesses, gaining more mental illnesses, being secretly hated by people, never getting over my social anxiety, forever being a disappointment, being isolated from everyone, etc etc
• What do the "highs" in your life look like?
~ I'm not sure, I feel emotion very intensely, so even though I can't think of a memory right now, in the moment I'm sure it felt great.
• What do the "lows" in your life look like?
~ Like I said in the previous question, I feel emotions intensely. So the lows in my life were pretty bad, for me personally at least. I am well aware that I am very fortunate to have the life I do, but damn does the mind play dirty.
• How attached are you to reality? Do you daydream often, or do you pay attention to what's around you? If you do daydream, are you aware of your surroundings while you do so?
~ I mostly daydream. I get lost in thought sometimes, imagining fake scenarios and such. No I am not aware of my surroundings while daydreaming lol.
• Imagine you are alone in a blank, empty room. There is nothing for you to do and no one to talk to. What do you think about?
~ This is hell.
• How long do you take to make an important decision? And do you change your mind once you've made it?
~ It takes forever. and yes. Yes I do. Quite a few times actually.
• How long do you take to process your emotions? How important are emotions in your life?
~ I mean. If I'm upset I typically take a couple hours to be done being upset, then a couple days to talk to the person who upset me without getting upset again. Sometimes less. I tend to go through emotions very quickly. As for how important they are, I'd say very. I like to feel. I like the highs, and the lows are necessary to make the highs as good as they are, y'know? It's the roller coaster of life, and I'll be damned if I don't ride that sucker to the end.
• Do you ever catch yourself agreeing with others just to appease them and keep the conversation going? How often? Why?
~ Every single day. As I was growing up, if I tried to debate my dad, I'd get cut off, laughed at, and berated for not knowing everything there possibly is to know about the subject I wanted to talk about. So, I just stopped trying. It isn't worth it. I don't find joy in being yelled at. I don't like it when people fight. Arguing almost always ends up with people getting angry at each other, and instead of discussing the matter that they originally wanted to debate, they end up just insulting each other. It's not worth it to waste my time and exhaust my emotions over someone who doesn't even want to try and see what the other side might have to offer.
• Do you break rules often? Do you think authority should be challenged, or that they know better? If you do break rules, why?
~ I am a very emotional person. I don't like breaking rules, because I feel awful and sick when getting scolded. I'm a people pleaser, a doormat, someone who puts everyone else over herself. I also need others to like me. I NEED it. I want to be that person that everyone likes, that when my name is said, people smile and say "Oh yeah, she's fun/cool/insert positive remark here". Also, I know this word has been memed to hell, but idk how else to put it. I'm an empath, and feel what others feel. So that also makes me not want to like, break into someone's property or do destructive shit. I'm a goody two shoes, and I hate it.
As for whether or not authority should be challenged, that is a loaded question. I think that MOST rules and laws were put into place for a reason, and should be respected. ie don't murder people for funsies or whatever. However, some authority figures abuse the power they were given to enforce these rules/laws, and they should be swiftly removed from their position. I read somewhere, probably a tumblr post, about how there are two types of respect. There's "treat someone like a person" respect, and there is "treat someone like authority" respect. When someone doesn't receive the "authority" respect like they think they should, they stop respecting others as people. I think that is where the problem comes in.
I won't get more into this because as I mentioned in a previous question, I don't like to argue. So please don't try to argue with me.

He guys, i got an old macbook pro retina from 2015 laying around. A few years ago it got some water damage and a friend (amateur) replaced the keyboard to fix it. The keyboard is fine now but the fans started going off full speed everytime i turned it on. I downloaded some software to control the speeds and to monitor the temperatures. The macbook is kind of slow now, but it did not used to be that slow, could this be because of the fans? Or is it just the old macOS system? I need to do som CAD drawing for school that could possibly work even better on windows. The computer has the right specs to run it, so would it be faster with bootcamp and windows 11? Not sure what I should do. Any advise is welcome!

Few months ago I started a new remote job that I LOVED. It was perfect for me and I was in love with the remote aspect. Paid well and really was starting to set me up for the future I wanted.
But yesterday, during my lunch I opened up my personal laptop, checked a discord group I’m in to see the others joking around. I typed in a rather offensive/vulgar joke and hit enter. Turns out I accidentally typed that on my external keyboard that was plugged into my work computer and I just put that joke into Teams with the entire staff on it.
Today I was in a meeting with my boss where he let me go because of it. I do feel it’s a bit extreme but I’m super depressed, feeling hopeless, and more importantly, I no longer have an income.
How can I feel better? Bc this feels like an outright heartbreak.

-- func load function love.load() -- Player --/ Width (width = length) widthPlayer = 50 --/ Position posPlayerX = 0 posPlayerY = 0 --/ Speed speed = 5 --Map --/ Block1 --// Width (width = length) widthBlock1 = 200 lengthBlock1 = 400 --// Position posBlock1X = 50 posBlock1Y = 50 end -- func update function love.update() -- Movement if love.keyboard.isDown("w") then posPlayerY = posPlayerY - speed elseif love.keyboard.isDown("a") then posPlayerX = posPlayerX - speed elseif love.keyboard.isDown("s") then posPlayerY = posPlayerY + speed elseif love.keyboard.isDown("d") then posPlayerX = posPlayerX + speed end -- Collision --/ Variables --// Player, NOTE: coordsOfPlayer is the coords of the center of Player (This is done by offsetting the 'posPlayerX / posPlayerY') coordsOfPlayer = { x_value = (posPlayerX + widthPlaye2), y_value = (posPlayerY + widthPlaye2) } --// Block1 coordsOfUpperLeftCorner = { x_value = (posBlock1X), y_value = (posBlock1Y)} coordsOfBottomLeftCorner = { x_value = (posBlock1X + lengthBlock1), y_value = (posBlock1Y + widthBlock1)} coordsOfUpperRightCorner = { x_value = (posBlock1X + widthBlock1), y_value = (posBlock1Y + lengthBlock1) } --/ Condition if coordsOfPlayer.x_value <= (coordsOfUpperLeftCorner.x_value + widthPlaye2) then posPlayerX = coordsOfUpperLeftCorner.x_value end if coordsOfPlayer.x_value >= (coordsOfUpperRightCorner.x_value - widthPlaye2) then posPlayerX = coordsOfUpperRightCorner.x_value end end -- func draw function love.draw() -- Block --/ Color love.graphics.setColor(204/255, 255/255, 204/255) --/ Sprite love.graphics.rectangle("fill", posBlock1X, posBlock1Y, widthBlock1, lengthBlock1) -- Player --/ Color love.graphics.setColor(1, 0, 0) --/ Sprite love.graphics.rectangle("fill", posPlayerX, posPlayerY, widthPlayer, widthPlayer) end 

Hey, I am trying to create collision between a player and the edge of an object (object AKA 'block1' in the code).
I'm having problems with making the center of the player, which is a rectangle, the point at which the coordinates are being measured from, instead of the default way where Love2D uses the upper left corner of the rectangle. With these coordinates at the center, I want to use it for detecting collision.
I've spent such a long time figuring out a way to be able to somehow make the coordinates to be measured from the center. It doesn't seem to work though. So far, I've sort of created collisions between the player and the left and right sides of the block. It's not really working in the way I wanted it to though. Because if you look at the code, you will see that the code, for some reason (even after offsetting the position), is actually still using the upperleft corner instead of the center.
If anyone figures out a way (where I can change the coordinates to the center for the rectangle) or an easier way, please help.

Hey Warriors! I need a lil bit of help! I'm looking for a artist who has their commissions open! I wanna surprise my team with a pic of us for our next adventure into Dawntrail! I have the pictures of us and would love if someone could draw us! The easiest way to reach me is Discord (King_sonadow)! If you do message me just tell me you are from the ffxiv reddit and I'll answer! Thank you Warriors and see you soon! 😉

u/bupyca X2 - thanks for your complaint. It’s mine too. Healthcare in America sucks & why the hell must people pay an arm and a leg for dental care?
u/present_dust_2308 - thanks for the space card!
u/addisonellison - thanks for the kind words. I like the card you chose!
u/thefeistyfox X2 - love the drawing & love the card. I had a German shepherd who died two years ago. He was my favorite dog ever. He was a very good boy. Also the iron story is hysterical
u/hoolu123 - thanks for a card from the MTA transit museum. I absolutely love the NYC subway for getting around. It’s so convenient. Last time I was in NYC I also rode the bus there which I never did before. Very good public transit up there!
u/spaaaaaacey - I love the card you send. You don’t often seen Springfield at night.
u/zkhg - thanks for the postcard from target! I bought some of those yesterday to send out. It’s nice to get one to keep! Only national park I’ve ever been to is Cuyahoga Falls in Ohio. I witnessed a proposal there! I cried more than the chick did. I’m not a nature person. I like being inside where the AC is
u/pretend_constant4266 - thanks for the card. Thanks for the kind words. It came rather quickly!
u/powerful_cobbler_215 - thanks for the complaint card. I agree with you!
u/synchrotronboson - thanks for your complaint. It’s been lodged. I feel your pain regarding your workplace!
u/hispanglotexan - you have rhe patience of a saint not to have said anything after being complained about for the crime of not answering emails after working hours.
u/awachob X5 - thanks for all the thank you cards! It’s good to see stuff from you again!
u/mediocre_radish_7216 - thanks for the work complaint card. I can’t see myself cleaning rooms either. People are gross. At least in the hospital you can soak in hibiclens if you’re around too much grossness.
u/-random_ness- love the Trump card. The message is hysterical. I legit cracked up from it!
u/lavendarlarry X3 - thanks for the cards. Especially the sunflower one. They are my favorite flowers!
u/craftymonmon - thanks so much for the story! I enjoyed reading it. Looking forward to the next one you write for me :)

I think it's been said in previous interviews that despite starting as a trilogy, the producers decided to drop the third game relatively early on which would make KCD2 the final part of Henry's story.
Whilst it's hugely exciting knowing that game is now coming out, I'm almost as excited to see where they go next. There's a huge amount of semi-forgotten medeival European history to draw inspiration from, things like the Wendish (and other Baltic) crusades, the Reconquista, The War of the Roses etc.... all in very different locales, cultures and belligerents.
Personally i'd love them to do something involving the Reconquista. There's a long timeline covering many major events, lots of heroes and villains, lots of political intrigue and betrayal and the aspect of normal peasants suffering at the hands of all sides of the conflict would make a similar premise to KCD. Plus Spain has a hugely diverse landscape which would make for another beautiful game world.

It's been a while since I've been near a custom PC build for myself and I'd love a hand with putting together a PC that meets my current needs.
The goal is a PC that is around $1500, not including peripherals (monitors, speakers, mouse, keyboard). However, I would also like some suggestions for budget monitors and desk speakers as I've used the same monitors and headphones for quite some time, but that is aside from the main budget. There is some room in the budget to go a bit over, so it's not a strict $1500 budget, but I'd prefer to keep it below $1800 if possible for the tower.
I don't need RGB lights or a window into the tower as I prefer to keep them off and the PC wouldn't be located in a place that benefits peering inside easily.
I don't want to get into liquid cooling so a great air-cooling setup is preferred, and feel free to suggest additional fans to fill out the case and maximize cooling/airflow.
I will primarily be using the PC for gaming, Cyberpunk 2077, Fallout, Fortnite, etc. so while not pushing it usually, I'd like to have something that can play new and upcoming games for years to come ideally.
What I really want to ensure is that everything is compatible (Motherboard, RAM, CPU, Case) and will fit together in the case without too much fuss, preferably with easy hard drive installation. White is ideal for the case, but I'm willing to go with another color if it helps (my current case is black, but white goes better with my desk now).
I will also need a copy of Windows, so please feel free to include that if you'd like.
I'm located in the US, however I'm not near a Micro Center so I can't visit a store for deals, unfortunately.
I'd like to order the components at the start of next month.
I really appreciate your assistance, thanks!

Hey There!
My friend and I have a music project called Rising Violets and our drummer left due to other commitments.
We used to play in bands in Athens and looking to continue playing in the north Atlanta and metro Atlanta area (Sandy Springs, Marietta, Roswell). We play original music and are in the process of DIY recordings of our songs. We eventually want to release a full album and play live shows.
We are looking for a drummer who can commit at least 2 days a month with drums as their main instrument.
If you have the ability to play other instruments like bass, keyboard, guitar that would be an added bonus.
Artists we love: Guided by Voices, Prince, R.E.M, The Replacements, Beatles.
Looking to fill the spot soon for reply below if you're interested!

Scientists/military/political leaders discuss a plan to redirect an asteroid to hit Mars for scientific purposes, possibly looking for a way to terraform Mars.
When the time comes for impact, the asteroid misses, and the scientists go back to the drawing board, ignoring the asteroid.
Ends with the asteroid coming around and heading fohitting Earth, ending all life.
Some friends and I came up with the above thought when chatting, and I'd love to be able to see it in some sort of comic form. Please and thank you!

I have a few questions for FA’s out there or really anyone but here goes my story with an FA. We dated for a year and a half. When we met, he had been divorced for about a year. He told me his wife came home one day and told him she wasn’t in love with him anymore and so they divorced. Anyway, things were great the first 5 months. He was the sweetest, most emotionally intelligent and mature man I had ever met. He bought me flowers, took me out on dates and put in a ton of effort. He would drive 40 minutes just to visit me on my lunch break at work. However, I always felt things were moving too quickly. He told me he loved me after only a month and we weren’t even boyfriend and girlfriend yet. He told me he was going to marry me and we talked about a future in extreme depth and detail and planned it out. I realize now, that was love bombing but I didn’t know it at the time. Fast forward to June and we’ve been dating for 5 months. One day I texted him to ask how his day was and he said he was sad and had been crying. I asked what was wrong and he wouldn’t tell me but he said he was all better after crying and he was good, so I didn’t push it. A few weeks go by and one day when we’re hanging out he told me why he was sad the other day. He said he had found out his ex wife had been cheating on him throughout the marriage. He was never the same after this. I noticed he became irritable and cranky, he had mood swings and would get snippy. However, it wasn’t all the time just every so often but I knew something was wrong, I just couldn’t put my finger on it. Fast forward to Thanksgiving and his mom wanted us to go around and say what we were thankful for. I said I was thankful for my boyfriend and that I’m so glad I got to be a part of his family. When it was his turn to say what he was thankful for he got real quiet and just said “pass.” That hurt my feelings that he didn’t say he was thankful for me, I thought his reaction was odd but didn’t really know if I was overreacting. It is now December and one night when we were hanging out, he tells me he won’t be coming over next Saturday. I got teary eyed when he told me, which I realize was a bit of an overreaction on my part and it probably scared him a little that I reacted in that way. I was just upset bc I felt like it was out of character for him. We always hung on the weekends, in fact it was the only time we got to see each other. He said he was feeling overwhelmed with the holidays coming up and needed to take a day to himself. Once he told me how he was feeling I completely understood and apologized for getting so upset and for putting any unneeded stress on him. Recently, he had started a new job at a medical marijuana dispo. About once a month he started going out with his coworkers on Saturdays. It kind of bothered me bc when the weekends are the only time we can see each other and you choose to hang out with your coworkers (that you see everyday) instead of me, it hurts. Sunday he texts me after hanging out with his coworkers the night before and he asked if I wanted to come over to his place and then he said or we could just chill at our own places that day. I said well then we won’t see each other for 2 weeks and that I didn’t really wanna go 2 weeks w/o seeing him. He then said “you mean you’ve never gone 2 weeks w/o seeing someone on purpose to make you miss them?” And I said “um no.” I asked him if he had ever done that and he said yes. He then tried to convince me that, that was a normal healthy thing to do. Um ok…….There were other problems throughout the relationship. He would randomly text me that he was feeling sad and he didn’t know why. He got into an argument with his parents one day and told me that he’s angry all the time and that he’s tired of it and that he can’t keep being angry. He was suffering in front of me and there was nothing I could do. I told him twice he needed to get help but he refused. He said therapy is for weak people and that therapists don’t really care, they’re just paid to care blah blah blah. It got frustrating seeing him suffer all the time but he was never willing to get help. A week before the breakup everything was fine. We texted like normal which was a lot, he wasn’t quiet or distant at all. Then Saturday I texted him good morning and all he said was “morning.” I asked him if he slept good and he said not at all and that he was feeling down. He said he just wanted to draw the blinds, stay inside and not talk to anyone. He asked what I had planned for the day and I told him have a good day at work. 5 hours go by and he didn’t text me, which was not normal for him. We were supposed to hang out that night but about an hour before I was supposed to go to his house he asked if it would be ok if he stayed home to decompress and turn his head around, I said yes. The next day he comes over and says we need to talk. He then bursts into tears and says “he thinks the trauma from his divorce was worse than he thought.” He then gives the typical FA response: “I don’t have the mental capacity to be in a relationship right now” You deserve better.” “I don’t think I know how to be loved.” “I have a hard time trusting people and letting people in.” I asked him if he was going to get help and he said he made an appointment to see a therapist the next day. A few days later, I went to his parents house to drop some stuff off that he had left at my place. His mom gave me a big hug and said she was sad. She said he was getting help and seeing a therapist. She said he was never the same after his divorce and she thinks he’s afraid of commitment. She told me they met for coffee the day before and that’s when he told her we had broken up. She said he told her that he thinks he made a mistake and that this was the healthiest relationship he had ever been in. I found out 3-4 weeks later though after our break up he was already seeing somebody else and my friend found him on dating apps. What a joke. My question is how could his therapist think it’s a good idea for him to already be seeing someone else?? Unless he didn’t tell his therapist. Also, do you think he’s just rebounding to mask his pain and guilt from the breakup even though he’s supposedly seeing a therapist? There’s no way he’s healed even after a month of therapy. It sounds like he’s just repeating the cycle all over and using this new person to fill a void. Do you think it will last?
My other question is about sex and intimacy. Sex was great at first and he was very caring, romantic and respectful in the bedroom. However as time went on, he started becoming demanding and controlling. If I didn’t sit on him the right way or arch my back enough or spread my legs far enough apart he would get frustrated. He also kept pushing my boundaries. He had a genital wart when we met but had it burned off and we waited to have sex for the first time until it healed. For the first few months we used a condom then he kept pressuring me to have sex with him without one, keep in mind I’m not on any birth control. I kept telling him no. Finally I got tired of him asking so I just let him. Same thing with oral. The first few months I would give him oral with a condom but soon he kept pressing me to do it without it. I finally gave in. One nigh he was going to do it from behind. Well he accidentally stuck it in my butt although I think it was on purpose. It was so painful I immediately fell over into the fetal position and cried. He didn’t say sorry or much of anything. He just told me to take deep breaths as I laid there crying. Finally after I had calmed down I asked if we could cuddle and if he would hold me bc I wanted to be comforted. I’m lying there in his arms and at this point I’m not in the mood anymore. I’m not even mad, just in pain and the vibe was killed. As we’re lying there, he starts rubbing on me and tries to pull me onto him and he’s kissing me and I try pulling away and tell him I’m not in the mood. He said “you’re really going to let this stop us?” I said “yes, I’m just in pain and not in the mood right now.” He said “ok” all pissy like. I said “are you seriously mad bc I won’t have sex with you?” He said no in a very pissy tone. I turned toward the wall and he turned the other way but proceeded to huff and puff and toss and turn as if he was throwing a mini temper tantrum. Is he just an asshole? Why did he keep pushing my sexual boundaries throughout the relationship? Is this an FA behavior?
Sorry for the length, thank you for reading

My parents are getting into their early 80s. They are fortunately in great health for their age, and live independently. I have one sister, and we both have a good relationship with our parents. My parents live in Ohio with my sister, while I live in Maryland.
I'd like to make sure that, as they continue to age, my sister and I have the appropriate powers of attorney to be able to care for them, especially if they should decline cognitively.
I've discussed this with them, and my mother is fully on board. My father (who, of the two of them, is in the best shape cognitively), says it isn't necessary to do anything more than he has already done.
Some time ago, my father, a retired attorney, had his own attorney draw up all of his documents for his and my mother's estate planning, medical directives and powers of attorney. He and my mother are each other's powers of attorney, with myself and my sister named if someone is incapacitated. He thinks this is plenty. While I don't have copies of these documents, I know where they are stored in their house, and could get them if I need to--but it could take some time. They live 6 hours away by car (although my sister is 10 minutes from them).
Basically, I'm worried about getting into a situation where it would be best for me and/or me sister to have clearer medical or financial power of attorney for them, and it becomes very complicated get them, because of age-related cognitive issues. I've had other friend's who's parents or grandparents got paranoid as part of age related dementia, making it hard for them to care for them, and I don't want to be in that situation.
Is a power of attorney that names their children as a "back-ups" sufficient to avoid problems? If not, what should I be looking for? Any advice on convincing them that it is worth their time to do this?
I should say that I don't think my father thinks we'll take advantage of the powers of attorney for our own gain, or anything, but he is pretty fiercely independent, and doesn't like other people, even those he loves and trusts, to be in a position to make decisions for him.

My oldest and best friend (53Fs) - we know everything about each other and have been through it all. I love her like a sister.
Some random guy slid into her DM’s. She’s been in abusive relationships in the past and has been a lot more secure, making good decisions with men, and finally truly being happy when alone.
Until DM dude. In three months, she is back where she was a decade ago. He calls/texts her relentlessly, randomly shows up wherever she is without warning, they have had arguments already - he is always mad or in a mood - he’s crass, has no friends and lies constantly (the lies she believes, but friends and I have found out). And, he is on controlled drugs for pain (he goes to a pain clinic, but skips pills to save them for really bad days 🙄).
She’s like a teenager, drunk on the sex and swagger, and she is combative about defending him. We are in a weird place.
I am in a place in my life where I cannot have any more drama. Not my own, and definitely not hers. She had a horrifically abusive marriage and then an affair that devastated her. I was her crutch, her support, her therapist.
I detest hearing DM’s name. I feel like she is trying to sell him to me. He keeps saying he is going to crash our girls’ nights out or bring us food at my house. He is insistent we meet, and I am insistent we do not.
I don’t have the strength for this, but I also don’t know how to draw a boundary about how much I am willing to hear or support when it all implodes.