Good morning everyone! Welcome to the writing prompt thread for the Dragon Age series. I hope everyone has fun and lets their muses fly free and they have an excellent weekend!
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Hey everyone. Welcome to the writing thread that is now seven years old.
Below are some general guidelines for the thread. Also please don’t hesitate to add prompts to the linked doc just above. This helps me out greatly when choosing prompts. Whether it’s a specific pov, or a line of a dialogue, or a theme choice, or whatever strikes your interest. Label the type of prompt you want it to be (Examples: bard style, villain pov, Modern Day AU, What If?, 100 Word Drabble Dialogue Only, etc) and then whatever phrase or idea for the prompt itself. Anyways, guidelines below, and also the prompts!

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Posted from GF's account.
My son's mum is going away this weekend. Leaving on Wednesday, home the following Monday. She booked the trip around 8 months ago. She didn't ask me anything about the trip at the time of booking but she does normally take a trip this time of year. This is a social trip, not work related or anything.
Around a month ago she asked me if I would come to stay at her house for 2 weeks (a week before and the week of the holiday) to look after our son (6yo) while she is there. I wasn't happy about it, but I reluctantly agreed.
She lives in S.Scotland, I live Midlands way so it's quite a trek for me and since I cannot drive it's a few hours by train and a LOT of money. She didn't offer to chip in with the cost. I pay her maintenance (more than she should get) and I see my son once a month for the weekend plus I tend to have him at my house for the entire school holidays throughout the year. I pay all travel costs and do all travelling, she doesn't help at all.
So I went up last weekend to collect son, I stayed overnight (she wasn't there but I stay at her place when I go and she tends to go out), and then brought him home the following day. When I arrived the house was a mess, dishes in the sink to be done, laundry left everywhere, toys all over the place, her stuff on every surface, couldn't see the dining room table for crap on it. I ignored the mess, did the dishes as I needed the sink and the dishes in there, but other than that left the place as it was. Took my son home the next day and that was it.
Monday evening came (bank holiday) she must have just got home and she called me screaming at me that I'd not cleaned the house, there was laundry needed doing, and I'd left it all for her to do knowing that she had work on Tuesday morning. Bear in mind, I left on Saturday morning, so she didn't return home all weekend and see this mess meaning she was out on a bender. I ignored the messages that followed, and the call I just listened and didn't talk. I didn't want to get into an argument so I just listened. I was seething but I didn't want to rise to it.
The next day I sent her a message stating that from now on I won't be going to her place, it's not my responsibility to make sure it's clean and tidy and if she leaves a mess, it isn't up to me to clean it up, I'm there to collect our child and that is it. I said I did do the dishes, but that's as much as I was willing to do and that the way she screamed at me was disgusting and I wouldn't be dealing with that anymore. I was due to take son home this weekend, I was doing the whole journey and then staying there for the 2 weeks. I told her that she would from now on have to help with travel and she would have to collect son from a halfway meeting point and that she would start this new routine this weekend. After lots of back and forward with her about it, she was livid and said no a lot, she realised I was not going to back down and she agreed to collect him from a halfway point.
She didn't realise that this meant I was not going to be there to cover her holiday at first. It must have clicked last night and she asked me about my plans for going to her place for the holiday childcare. I said I wouldn't be going there anymore. I said that I would have our son, but she'd have to bring him to my place (she's driving past my town on her way down south for her holiday, it's maybe 15 minutes out of her way), she has gone off. Said that he cannot miss any school and I'm renaging on our verbal agreement that I would cover the childcare during her holiday. I pointed out she never asked me when she booked, and she just assumed I would do it, and that after getting screamed at I wasn't comfortable staying at her place again.
I made it very clear I'm not going there but I am still more than happy to have our son, it means extra time with him so I'd love it, but that it was on her to sort out with school and drop him off with me and if she couldn't do that then it is not my problem and in future she shouldn't book anything in termtime. She has sent me a lot of abuse and lies about how I act and playing the innocent party saying she didn't scream at me and it's just what anybody would do if they went to someone's house and saw a mess, they would clean it up. But I've now just ignored her. She got her answer and sending reams of messages of abuse but I'm not responding.
So. AITA for going back on a verbal agreement to go up there to look after our son? I know it sounds harsh and she may well have to cancel her trip (or at least cut it short so son is only missing one day of school), but I have dealt with this shit for 3 years since we separated and her entitlement is disgusting and I'm fed up of being spoken to like shit whenever I don't do what she tells me to do. The relationship was quite abusive (not physically but mentally), she made me feel an inch tall. Moved me away from family and friends. Treated me like a housemaid. And I think she believes we are still in a relationship because she still acts like I have to do these things for her.
There isn't a court order, but I am on the birth certificate.
I just want to know if I'm being unreasonable really!

I work in a nursing home. We have a resident on EOL care who is often verbally abusive, and sometimes physically as well. It's well known/documented. Family couldn't care less about it. I'm thinking of trying to 'lay down the law' next time I have to shower him. Explain that I won't deal with it, and if he tries I'll leave the room. I won't actually, I'd just cover him up and pretend to leave for a minute or two; before 'coming back' and asking if he's ready to be civil. Is it worth it, or am I just asking for more trouble?

How to validate an idea?
Hi all, would love to hear from you how you validate your ideas outside your inner circle or community?
For the past decade I built a community that grew by itself since it covers a specific needs in the events/festival industry. But it was casual I just made it to connect with new peoples.
Now we are at a point were I have some volunteers and a partner and we put in what we can out of our pockets but there are many ways to expand it and we are trying.
Before we jump with our small money in and transform into something structured would love to talk with someone who has experience in music/festivals and events in general to understand if this idea could work on a larger scale and how to present the idea to potential investors or where to find them.
Thanks in advance to those who will take time to answer.

Background:
I am currently working for a startup company registered in Uttar Pradesh with its office in Hyderabad, Telangana. The company focuses on reusable launch vehicles. My role involved working on two main projects: a vertical takeoff drone and an Engine Control System Avionics, both of which I have completed and deployed.
After nearly a year of employment, I submitted my resignation letter and it has been accepted. I am now in my notice period, transferring knowledge, data, and completing the final documentation formalities.
Recently, the company sent me an NDA and a non-compete agreement. Here are a few things to note about these documents:

1. I had already signed an NDA upon joining the company as a Graduate Engineer Trainee (GET). This new NDA is different from the initial one.
2. The non-compete agreement was never mentioned during my hiring process and has only just been introduced.
3. The company, established in 2021, is a startup and has only recently filed for a single IP.
4. The non-compete document is vaguely worded, with terms that are not well-defined but raise serious concerns.

Dear members of Reddit, I am seeking your advice on the following concerns:

1. Lack of Definitions: The document lacks definitions. Is this advantageous or disadvantageous for me? Could the company add definitions later to frame me in a specific way?
2. Use of the Term "Technology": The document mentions "technology" broadly. Does this mean I would be barred from working with any company involved in reusable technology?
3. Competitors Clause: The document prohibits working with competitors. Does this imply that I cannot join any other company working on reusable launch vehicles?
4. Non-Disclosure During Hiring: Since I was not informed about a non-compete agreement when I joined, am I still obligated to sign it now?
5. Consequences of Not Signing: If I refuse to sign the non-compete agreement and the company retaliates by withholding my experience letter or creating other issues, what legal actions can I take?
6. Defamation Clause: The defamation clause seems designed to silence me under threat of a lawsuit. Is this enforceable?
7. Overall Concerns: Are there any specific aspects of this non-compete agreement that should concern me?

I appreciate any guidance or insights you can provide. Here is a link to the document for reference: [Document Link]
Thank you in advance for your help!

***ads play and podcast starts at 1:47
Intro (Timestamp: 1:47) - Rachel: Welcome back to another episode of Rachel Goes Rogue. This is your host, Rachel Savannah Leviss. Today, we are talking about part three of the Vanderpump Rules reunion. - Rachel: It has finally come to an end, season 11. It's been a long time coming, and we're here to react. I have my producers with me, and as usual, they will be asking me some questions to get my perspective on what we just watched during the reunion.
Well, first of all, I want to start off with asking you just your overall thoughts on the reunion, watching it. How do you feel? (Timestamp: 2:19) - Rachel: Overall, I just feel tired at this point. I don't enjoy watching this show, and (Rachel starts to get emotional) I'm just happy that it's over. It was good that they didn't talk about me very much this last episode, part three. - Rachel: That's great, but it's been really difficult watching each week. And I feel like I can finally start to move on from all of this, because it's been really difficult. It was really heavy and sad. - Rachel: And I think everyone on that cast is struggling. And I would be too if I was there. I mean, I'm struggling just watching it from the sidelines, so I can only imagine what it's like being on that stage.
So you're getting really emotional right now. Where is this emotion coming from? (Timestamp: 3:28) - Rachel: It's coming from a place of feeling like I haven't had much room to go. Feeling like stuck between a rock and a hard place, so to speak. Because this entire time, I have been preparing for them to slander my name, to paint me in the worst light. - Rachel: And my goal with this podcast was to be able to represent myself, to defend myself, to share what I've learned through my time that I took away and my recovery, and just to shed more light on the situation. - Rachel: And it hasn't been easy. It's been an extreme rollercoaster of emotions in a lot of different phases, getting sucked back into it, and then feeling like all consumed by all the comments and everything, and then completely cutting off communication with the outside world and living in my own reality in the moment. It's all about that balance, and it has not been easy to move on. - Rachel: I don't think it's been easy for any of the cast to move on rehashing it and talking about it and having other people tune in. It's not typical. It's not normal. And the day has finally come that the show, season 11, is over, and it's a relief to me because I don't have to keep waiting for the other shoe to drop. - Rachel: I don't have to think about what lies they're going to spread about me, and I don't have to think about what I need to defend myself about. And then following week, I feel like I can finally start to live my life again.
And so you're kind of talking about the boundaries that you've been setting by staying away and cutting people off, which obviously boundaries was a really big topic at the reunion. You obviously set some really strong ones by not returning to the show. What's your take on this discussion of boundaries? Do you agree with Lala or do you side more with Ariana when it comes to boundaries when it's in regard to filming the show? (Timestamp: 5:40) - Rachel: I could see both of their points of view. Setting a boundary for yourself is not an easy thing to do. And when other people are upset that you set a boundary for yourself, that's usually a telltale sign that that person is using you in some way and is not happy that you have this new boundary because it's not serving them. - Rachel: So, I can see why Ariana upholded her boundaries by not speaking to Tom, even though she actually did film with Tom this whole season, or for the later part anyway. But she refused to have that conversation with Tom at the end of the show, and I commend her for it because it would have been a fake conversation. You could tell that Tom, his only motive to having that conversation with her is for camera purposes and storyline purposes. - Rachel: Therefore, it's not an authentic conversation. It would have been crocodile tears, the whole thing. And I completely understand Ariana walking away. I walked away too, and people weren't happy about that either. - Rachel: For Lala's point of view, I can understand her perspective in wanting to have a good TV show for her livelihood and the longevity of her career. If you're going to commit to filming, then I can see why Lala is upset, because you are not only committing to filming with this person, I can see her point in that she is living under the same roof as Tom. - Rachel: They're living together, they're filming together, yet in Lala's eyes, Ariana is being stubborn by not filming with Tom, or that one scene. Who even cares about that one scene? I don't know. - Rachel: It's all so silly to me, but boundaries are important. I was in a place where I didn't have boundaries, and I was really trying to appease production and put on a good show. That became my priority season 10.
And where do you think the line needs to be drawn, you know? When at the end of the day, this is a paycheck and this is a job, versus this is someone's real life. You've talked a lot about wanting to live in reality. Where do you think that line should be drawn? (Timestamp: 8:32) - Rachel: I think that's an impossible question to answer when you're filming a reality TV show, because the line is so blurry, it's impossible to know what's real and what's not. And the more I'm out of it, the clearer I can see that. We see it with Tom Sandoval when he talked about production. - Rachel: He did the New York Times article, and he stopped talking mid sentence when a plane flew over or a truck drove by, whatever it was, because the audio, typically when we're filming a show and a plane flies by, you stop talking so that the audio can pick up normally without the distraction in the background. - Rachel: So it's like programmed in your mind to think a certain way, to act a certain way, to talk a certain way, to pursue certain things, where it becomes a part of your patterning. We also see the lines get blurred with Scheana and the comment section, and what is real life and what is not, what is her own true motivation for doing certain things, and what is influenced by outside commentary. - Rachel: That gets so blurry, and when you're all consumed in the perception of yourself, how can you really be sure that you're operating from a place of an inner knowing? That's a boundary that's blurred. With Lala, she clearly prioritizes the success of the show because she wants to secure her paycheck, and when people are setting boundaries for themselves and it's conflicting with what she wants and what is successful in her eyes, that sparks an anger within her. - Rachel: And it's all fabricated to a certain point because the bottom line is this show. So, I think it truly is impossible to live a real life and be on a reality TV show.
So, do you think it's fair for Lala to direct that anger towards Ariana? Or do you think she should be directing it more towards the show? (Timestamp: 11:12) - Rachel: Oh, no, not at all. I don't think that it's fair that Lala is directing that anger towards Ariana because Ariana has been very clear with her boundaries since the very beginning and…
I guess if she's feeling this way, do you think maybe she should have upheld her boundaries more if she was feeling so resentful towards someone doing the same? Do you think she's feeling like she regrets things that she had said in the past? (Timestamp: 11:35) - Rachel: I think she did uphold her boundaries. I think that she feels like she hasn't been supported the same way that Ariana is being supported. And it's probably not a good feeling, but she maneuvered differently than Ariana has. And Lala doesn't extend the same empathy towards others. So it's harder to support her, I believe.
She does make a point to say, many times, that she feels like things are not being honest on camera. She points out Tom and Ariana’s relationship being one of those things. Katie has a flashback moment where she also calls it out. Do you agree that things are not always honest on camera? (Timestamp: 12:12) - Rachel: Totally. Yeah. I think the point that Lala is making is that Tom and Ariana haven't been honest about their relationship on camera. - Rachel: And I think people are getting caught up in Lala being hypocritical because she wasn't honest about her relationship with Randall. Okay, yes, that might be true. But the point is that Tom and Ariana haven't been good for quite some time. - Rachel: And their relationship that was portrayed on camera for fans to see was not an accurate representation of their relationship. I see the frustration because I agree with that too.
Even on your part, how does it affect you as someone on the show when people aren't fully honest on camera? How does that affect the rest of the cast? (Timestamp: 13:21) - Rachel: Yeah, it affects everyone when people aren't fully honest on the show. I mean, I wasn't fully honest the season 10 reunion. I was still covering up for Tom Schwartz. - Rachel: I was still covering up for Tom Sandoval. I was still going along with that narrative, and it would have been much better to just be open and honest about it. But of course, Tom was like, no, that wouldn't be good for business. - Rachel: It wouldn't be good for Schwartz and Sandys if people knew that the Schwartz kiss wasn't authentic and we need that to seem real. So it does affect everyone when you're not being honest, because it portrays a certain picture that isn't reality, and the whole point of reality TV supposedly is to be real, following these real people's lives. - Rachel: So honesty would be like the most important value characteristic you would think that everyone on this show should have. But it seems like nobody does.
Well, speaking of honesty, Ariana kind of called out Tom and his motives behind wanting to apologize on camera. He finally does get that moment during the reunion to apologize to Ariana. He has some words when he does, he calls the affair something he regrets every day. He says that he wears it like a badge of shame. On your end, how did that feel watching that? (Timestamp: 14:46) - Rachel: It's hard to tell if Tom is being honest or not. Even in the Secrets Revealed episode, when he was asked how many girls he had sex with since me, and he had to pause and think about if he was going to be honest or not, he's just been caught in so many lies that it's hard to tell if he's being truthful. - Rachel: But hearing Tom say that he regrets getting involved with me every single day, I regret it too, so it is a little bit painful, but it's also like maybe something is registering for him. - Rachel: I don't know. But then again, his actions speak a lot louder than his words. He knows what words to say, and then it seems that he fails to follow through with meaningful action. And that's where true amends come into play.
There was just, I feel like, a lot of pain in the room all around. You kind of acknowledged that at the beginning of this episode. What do you think that this pain, and even Lala saying that she was okay seeing some of those friendships end, what do you think that means for the future of this group? (Timestamp: 16:07) - Rachel: I don't see much of the future for this group. It looks pretty shattered. It looks like these friendships are not healthy friendships. - Rachel: The dynamic between Lala and Scheana is not a healthy dynamic. It seems to be like a power imbalance. It seems like Scheana is trying to appease Lala to make sure she's secure, and she's getting certain needs met in that friendship because Ariana hasn't been around for Scheana the way that she's used to. - Rachel: Yeah, you could tell that Scheana’s struggling with coping with that. It seems like Lala's really on a wavelength of not effing with anybody on the cast right now. It seems like her friendship with Katie isn't strong because Katie's gotten really close with Ariana. - Rachel: It seems like even her friendship with Scheana is a little rocky. I think she sees Scheana as someone that's not...How do I want to say this? - Rachel: And I hate saying this word, because I don't want to like categorize somebody as something, especially because I've been called this before too. But I think seeing how Lala reacted to everything and how Scheana was trying to be the fixer and appease Lala, and it just didn't seem like enough for Lala. I think Lala sees Scheana as someone who is weak, perceived weakness. - Rachel: I'm not saying that Scheana is weak. And I think that there's a lot of alliances and manipulation happening, and none of that is healthy for our friendship dynamic. I can see why the show is taking a hiatus, because it just seems so fractured
Well, it definitely seems like at the very end of the episode, Scheana was very sure to get that last word in. I felt like she was looking directly at Lala and almost begging for her to hear her out that she was on her side. And it really did seem like the very end, Scheana had to choose. Is she Team Ariana or Team Lala? Do you think she made the right choice? Do you think she needed to make a choice, or do you think that she's putting this pressure on herself? (Timestamp: 18:21) - Rachel: Ooh, that's a good question. I think she feels a lot of pressure from the outside perspective, and she doesn't want to, obviously, like burn bridges with Ariana or anything. And I think Ariana has been very gracious towards Scheana. Do I think that she needed to choose sides? I don't think so. I don't know. - Rachel: I can see Lala's frustration probably because I'm sure Sheena and Lala have had conversations about the whole situation. And without Ariana there, I'm sure Sheena's singing a much different tune than what we're hearing at the reunion, and that's sparking some frustration in Lala. And I'm sure that was a similar feeling when she called out Katie about it too. - Rachel: So yeah, I think that Lala feels pretty isolated, I want to say, in her feelings. And now that it's aired, and I did check Reddit for the first time in a very, very long time, it seems like the majority of people are hating on Lala right now. I'm human. - Rachel: I do hold some resentment towards Lala for the way that she's treated me over the years. I do empathize with her a little bit because all the hate online is just a little bit ridiculous. And I think also people are afraid to speak a differing opinion than the team Ariana side because people are just ruthless online and they don't want to hear a differing opinion. - Rachel: And if you do, then you get shunned out, too. It's very, my therapist calls it tribal shaming, where if you're not following the rules of the tribe, spoken or unspoken, then you're cast out and you're shunned.
***ads play and podcast resumes at 23:24
I mean, it does feel like the fans have had more of an impact on this season than ever. Would you agree with that? (Timestamp: 23:24) - Rachel: Yeah, especially because as they were filming this show, the fans were boots on the ground. We're going to production, we're going to filming, and we're going to take photos and document what we saw and all that stuff. Like it was very interactive in a way. - Rachel: I think with after show this year, it was a little bit different because some things have changed since the ending of filming last summer. One of the things was me starting my own podcast and speaking freely about my experience and my opinion and the after show gave the cast an opportunity to rebut what I was saying and it provided more of a context. - Rachel: And I think with more time passing from the end of filming last summer to, you know, early January, February of this year, when they filmed the after shows, cast dynamics shifted because as we all know, now watching the finale, Lala and Ariana did not end on a good note whatsoever. - Rachel: And so, you know, she had some choice of words to say during the after shows. And it seemed like she really got Sheena to support her with that.
Speaking about the fracturing of this cast, something about her did recently open. Not many cast members were in attendance to this opening. What's your take on that? (Timestamp: 24:56) - Rachel: Interesting. Do you know who went? - iHeart Lady: I know Schwartz went - Rachel: It seems a little telling that maybe Sheena and Lala aren't on the best terms with Ariana right now, because they went to like the Broadway opening that Ariana did for Chicago. And they also went to Dancing with the Stars. But this is all before they knew that she didn't watch the show. And so that was all before the reunion and everything. So yeah, it seems like maybe they're not on the best of terms right now.
What are your thoughts on production holding the last five minutes until the reunion to show to everyone? (Timestamp: 25:47) - Rachel: I wonder if they got word that Ariana wasn't watching the season. And they did that as a way to ensure that they would get a reaction from her, kind of like forcing her hand a little bit, forcing her into a situation that she did not want to be in. It was very strategic in that way. And it was something new. Like, we've never done that before. It was creative, for sure, on production's part.
Do you think it was fair to Ariana? (Timestamp: 26:27) - Rachel: There's a commitment, and part of that is watching the show and having an opinion on what's happening besides your own story that you're sharing. So in a way, it's like ensuring that Ariana did have an opinion on it. So very eye opening, to say the least.
I want your take on Tom's final words. He says, I love it. It's good for me. A lot of people in the room were very shocked by that. Tom even has a reaction to it, where he shakes his head no. They didn't even really press him on what he meant by that either. What's your take on all of that? (Timestamp: 26:49) - Rachel: I wish they pressed him on what he meant by that a little bit more. And Ariana was pretty much the only person that called him out on it too. She caught it. - Rachel: She was like, that exactly proves my point, that you are doing things for the audience, for the production value, and for his own story purposes. I guess in Tom's eyes, having Ariana refuse to film and walk off was good for him because he felt like he completed his job and fulfilled his duty with what production was asking from him. And Ariana was not. - Rachel: And I think selfishly, he probably thought that it would give him a better chance of having more of a redemption story. - Rachel: Because, ultimately, production is the one picking and choosing what they're going to share on the show and edit and put certain music behind certain scenes to make it seem even more of a certain way. Tom knows how to play into that. But I would have loved to hear what his explanation for that comment would be.
Why do you think they didn't press him? (Timestamp: 28:34) - Rachel: I think that they're protecting him, like they always have been.
We did see something interesting at the very end with Lisa stepping up and taking Ariana's side, which is kind of a different tune. You've talked about this before, where she seems to protect the guys a lot of the time, but then she changes her tune at the very end of the episode and takes Ariana's side. What are your thoughts on that? (Timestamp: 28:39) - Rachel: I think Lisa is very strategic with what she puts out there as well. And she knows what people are saying about her, with her always supporting the guys. So that could have been a motivation behind her changing her tune and supporting Ariana in that way. Yeah, I don't know. It's hard because I think also Lisa is very aware of who the fan favorites are. It's her show. - Rachel: She's an executive producer on this show. So she's not a dummy when it's coming to that. I think it helps her if she is supporting Ariana because she'll praise Ariana for walking away and end up holding her boundaries. - Rachel: But then when it comes to me, I don't even remember what she said about me. But when it comes to me walking away and setting a boundary for myself, I've been told that I'm a coward and I'm running away from my problems. - Rachel: So that part for me gets a little frustrating because it's like, and also the fans praising Ariana for upholding her boundaries and walking away and supporting her and telling her like, you know, she's outgrown this show. - Rachel: She should move on and do something even better with her life. And she's finding out now that these aren't her true friends and like good for her for upholding her boundaries and walking away from this situation. And I've done the same thing and it has been met with scrutiny.
Lala compares her situation with Randall to Ariana a lot throughout this reunion. Do you think the two are similar at all? (Timestamp: 30:37) - Rachel: I don't think that the relationship that Lala had with Randall is comparable to the situation that Tom and Ariana were in. It's hard to get on Lala's side with some of the things that she's saying, because the way that she spoke about her relationship with Randall is like bragging about doing BJs for PJs and getting gifted a Range Rover very early in their relationship and not being honest about who she was seeing and the situation that was happening basically. And it just seemed like she was in it for the money and like to secure her success and fame. - Rachel: So it's hard to get behind that, especially when she's been so outright about it. Unfortunately, Randall wasn't the stand up guy that she was selling him to be. We weren't buying it. - Rachel: In Ariana's case, viewers got to see that relationship develop over the years, whereas with Lala's, he wasn't around, like it was secret for a while. And, you know, it's harder to develop feelings towards a person or a relationship when you're not seeing it play out on camera. I think Lala has a lot of anger, maybe even towards herself, for the situation that she allowed herself to be in. And I think she might be taking that out on Ariana.
How hard is it to be really honest when you're in this position? And do you think certain cast members have an easier time doing this? (Timestamp: 32:22) - Rachel: So this is like where your own values come in. Like, are you an honest person or are you not? Because there are people in this cast that are not, and we know who they are, and they have no problem lying, and it doesn't bother them when they lie. - Rachel: And for me, I'm working towards living a more authentic, honest life. And part of that is being honest with my emotions, thoughts, and feelings, and expressing that, and doing that in a way that is still respectful, because I'm not trying to hurt people in the process. And I am trying to express myself honestly and be true to myself. - Rachel: So I think it just depends on who you're asking. I mean, it's definitely not easy. It's definitely hard because you're on this platform, this public arena where you're opening yourself up to scrutiny. - Rachel: And if other people have differing opinions than you do, or if your opinion is the minority, you're basically going to be harassed and scrutinized. And so sometimes for people, it's easier to not be fully honest with their thoughts and feelings in order to save face or in order to go with more popular opinion because it's perceived to be safer that way. But I don't know. - Rachel: At this point, it's like your words aren't going to hurt me. You can say whatever you want to say about me online, and I've survived this far. So whatever else you say about me is not going to affect me any more than it already has. - Rachel: I've developed thick skin through this process, and I've come to the point where I value my friendships that are real in the sense of I interact with these people in real life. I care more about people's perception of me when they actually meet me and interact with me and the vibes I give off that way. So you get to a certain point where it's almost your duty to show up for yourself and be honest with how you feel and how you think about a certain thing in that moment. - Rachel: And your opinions can change with time too and with more information. It's not like I'm going to say this one thing and I'm always going to feel this way. It's always changing, it's always developing, we're always getting more information, and we're always experiencing new things that change our perspective on life. - Rachel: So it's just your duty to represent yourself in the most authentic way so that your people will find you.
***ads play and podcast resumes at 38:08
Well, I think there was one kind of shining moment, I'll say, even though it was a really emotional moment. But the moment between, and this is a little bit of a pivot, but the moment between Schwartz and Katie, I found really interesting, where Andy was asking about their relationship. It seemed like this season, they had a little bit more of a playful dynamic. But Schwartz gets really emotional, saying that he doesn't regret how their relationship ended. But you can kind of see in his eyes that he tears well up. He gets really emotional. What did you make of that moment? (Timestamp: 38:08) - Rachel: We don't think we've really seen a moment like that between Tom, Schwartz, and Katie. It really seems like they've come to terms with how the relationship ended, and that it was for the best. But it seemed like there was a lot of fond memories and just appreciation for one another, that I don't think I've really seen that dynamic between them before. - iHeart Lady: To me, it seemed like in a season where there was a lot of hurt, that seemed like the one moment of maybe seeing two people that are going through the process of healing. - Rachel: Viewing that, it did seem like they were both coming from a place of healing, because they weren't throwing insults at each other or trying to bring each other down. It was very respecting one another and appreciating the moments that they did have together while it lasted. And that's refreshing to see on this show.
Lala said something at the very end where she said it was really hard for her to show up to season nine reunion, I believe it was. You know, she didn't want to talk about certain things, but she showed up. Ariana said the same thing where she could say the same about the season 10 reunion. She didn't want to be there. You could probably say the same thing about the season 10 reunion. You didn't want to be there as well. Is it fair to say everyone's been in a position where they didn't want to be somewhere, but they did anyway? (Timestamp: 39:44) - Rachel: 100%. Yeah, totally. And that's like the part of committing to this show. It's a commitment. And even though you don't quite know what you're signing up for, you know that it's not going to be necessarily easy. And there's a challenge in that. - Rachel: And I think, just speaking for myself, there was an opportunity for growth for me in that. Yeah, I think we've all been in a situation where we didn't want to show up for something and felt, I don't think obligated is the right word, but we made a commitment to being there, and we followed through with our commitment. And it's hard.
You started this episode off by acknowledging that there was a lot of healing that this cast needs to do. As someone who has taken a step back from filming, you've had this time to kind of come back to your own reality. What can this cast expect when you have that moment to kind of breathe and have that separation and you rejoin reality for a minute? (Timestamp: 41:07) - Rachel: Oh, okay. That is a loaded question. Because I think that there's a little bit of fear with not being the current topic of conversation. - Rachel: I think addiction is the wrong word, but there's a little bit of the dopamine hits that you get when you're being talked about on a reality TV show and the fear of that going away permanently could be a scary thing. But taking time off and re-centering with yourself, I think is like the best thing for this cast right now, because we don't want to be forced into situations that we don't want to be in. That's not living an authentic life. - Rachel: I mean, I've been worrying about scenes and storylines, and I haven't even been a part of this show, but now it feels good not to worry about that. And I do have to say, just like reading all the comments on Reddit right now, it's like hardly anybody is talking about me, which is a great feeling. It's just so much more freeing when you're not living your life for somebody else's entertainment anymore. - Rachel: It just feels like you get your life back a little bit. It's so complex, and I think it's hard to understand if you haven't been through being on a TV show for millions of people to comment on and judge your life. I don't think humans are meant for that, and there's no way that that's healthy. - Rachel: Yeah, I said that I think the cast, we have a lot of healing to do. We, as in, I still do too, and part of that is coming back to reality. And I really don't think that we've had a minute this whole season. I think it's going to be good for everyone.
Has this year though felt different to you? I feel like you're like half in, half out (Timestamp: 43:42) - Rachel: Oh, yeah, it's felt so different. But I think like a large part of that has to do with going to the meadows and really reconnecting with myself and learning about my issues and how it was showing up for me and really coming to terms with like, what is this piece of external validation and how is that motivating me? And is it even real? - Rachel: And just like really re centering back into myself and gaining a lot more perspective with that. Without the meadows, I would not be where I am right now. There's no freaking way. So it is. I'm living a new life. I really am. - Rachel: And I feel like I haven't really been able to truly have the opportunity to live my new life to the fullest because this show has been holding me back. And I know that that's partially my fault too because I'm indulging and speaking about it, but I'm really looking forward to the days when I can truly move forward and evolve into something even more magnificent.
Outro (Timestamp: 45:02) - Rachel: Thank you so much for listening to Rachel Goes Rogue. Follow us on Instagram and TikTok for exclusive video content at Rachel Goes Rogue Podcast.
***end

The Context:

Silent Hill 2 is a 2001 psychological horror video game from Konami. A trailer was recently revealed for a remake of the game, with updated graphics and gameplay.
Angela Orosco is a character in Silent Hill 2. She is 19 years old, suicidal, and implied to be the victim of sexual assault by her father.
With the release of the trailer for the remake, some have noted changes to character designs and models — specially Angela’s.
Our drama begins when a user posts a screenshot of a reply to a tweet. The original tweet includes Angela’s redesigned model and a “non-woke” edited version. The reply tweet points out that the character is a 19 year-old sexual abuse victim.
Our drama spans over two threads as the new trailer and changes have sparked debate in the sub.

The Drama, Pt. 1

One user objects that the character isn’t real:

She's not real

so ?

So that's not a picture of a 19 year old abuse victim. The outrage isn't based on reality

it IS the picture of a 19 year old abuse victim FROM silent hill, just because she isn’t real doesn’t mean she doesn’t signify or carry a message from the real world

Silent Hill isn't real. The events in Silent Hill 2 never happened

[Continued:]

u really are close minded.. sexual abuse and people dying from diseases, depression, etc does happen irl

I never said that doesn't happen in real life. I said angela sn't real, silent Hill isn't real, and all the events that take place in silent hill 2 are a work of fiction, it's made up, it never happened.

Sure, but that's no reason to justify people reacting like they are. One cannot argue 'None of it's real' while also arguing 'these characters are important to me' or 'I want to invest in this series/game' because the point of the game is for you to immerse and invest in it. You're meant to care about the characters intrinsically, and not about 'what they do for you'. It's absolutely fine to be upset if some 15 year old idiot 'consoomer' whose first thought when he becomes upset about how a female in the game looks responds with "You want my money~! I am your demographic!" makes such an ignorant, room-temperature IQ take like this, and it's fine to let them know why.

I didn't say these characters are important to me. Real people who exist are important to me. People who get emotional about other people having opinions on made up characters must have some deeper issues. This is a subreddit for discussing a video game series, it's not Doctor Phil.

You don't seem to understand the concept of context very well

[Continued:]

The context is that you and some others don't like anything I've said because it hurt your feelings. I understand the context that you are implying, but I want you to find a way to say it before I go on

[…]

It's story telling, dude.

I say this with relief, but most people have not expirienced sexual abuse. Obviously, this is a good thing. However, it's pretty clear these days that empathy for people who have isn't wide-spread. The point of storytelling is broadening horizons, through different perspectives. It should not just be about catering to the audience.

Storytelling is that means of spreading empathy. There is value to the experience it has to share, and regardless of if Angela is real, the experiences she's there to portray are not without inspiration sourced in reality. If your argument is "She's not real. It's not real. Why care?" then you don't get the point of the whole of storytelling. Not just games, like, all of storytelling.

I just want to draw you attention to the OP's post, the original commenter in the image said nothing about SA, it's not mentioned instead the OP brings it up as a shield to prevent any criticism of the characters redesign. That's manipulation, and only an idiot wouldn't see it.

But what about word choice?

Calling someone a “fucking worm” is just as childish as the post they’re criticizing

if someone doesn't want to be called a worm they shouldn't act like a worm. even the engagement bait excuse doesn't work, it's gross behavior.

I would never call someone a disgusting worm but that’s just me 👌

lol ok snowflake
Boo hoo
it's very noble of you to come to the defense of some insane misogynist on twitter

No calling someone a worm is objectively hilarious tbh

”Vulnerable beauty”:

She was still the poster girl for the original SH2. Yes she was a sexual abuse victim but there was a certain vulnerable beauty to her that Team Silent/Konami wanted to convey in that iconic knife closeup shot as well as using her face for the actual cover art of the game.

"abuse victim"
"certain vulnerable beauty"
You actually wrote those two things together mate. Get therapy.

a lot of people who apparently have played and think they like silent hill 2 completely lack the maturity to handle any of the themes of the game apparently. angela's attractiveness should not be part of the discourse around her character at all.

A base level of attractiveness is relevant for almost all characters except Eddie. Thats the uncomfortable truth of human nature.
Attractiveness enhances a character’s charm. It enhances melancholic and profound musical performances, it enhances melancholic and profound movies. See Mazzy Star. See 500 Days of Summer. It wouldn’t have been the same if those musical artists and actors had unappealing annoying faces.

just because you are too shallow to empathize with people you don’t find attractive doesn’t mean everyone’s brain is broken in the same way man.

[Continued:]

This isn’t about me. This is about human nature. Look at the top YouTube comments on a Mazzy Star performance. They are praising her visual beauty. And we all know it feeds into the tenderness of the song. Nobody goes “Wtf is wrong with you- her face has nothing to do with the artistic value of the song!!!” You might call it shallow but it’s nothing to be faulted for. We are human.
Angela’s story is melancholic and profound. But Konami wouldn’t have made her the cover art had she been morbidly obese with a pudgy unappealing face. Nor would we SH2 fans hang the game poster of her on our walls if she was morbidly obese with a pudgy unappealing face. That knife pose shot wouldn’t have been nearly as iconic.
Saying all this stuff is very not PC. But there’s a difference between being bothered by the truth and refusing to accept it as the truth.

[…]

You misunderstand the term “vulnerable beauty”. You’re thinking about it negatively in terms of being taken advantage of. It’s not that. Im talking about tenderness and sorrow that is enhanced by natural beauty- and vice versa.
Go on YouTube and look at all the musical performances of songs about melancholy/ vulnerability/tenderness played by legendary artists. Like “fade into you” by Mazzy Star. The top YouTube comments are full of praises on her natural beauty. We know that aesthetic beauty enhances the artistry and vice versa.
Human nature tends to gravitate toward certain types of faces. It wouldn’t be the same if she had a derpy face. There is a reason why Konami decided to use Angela’s face as the cover art for the original SH2 game. Because her vulnerable beauty is a key component of her character. And her character is a key component of the game.
Even for James. The artistic value would be diminished if James had an ugly douchey and generally unlikeable face.

The Drama, Pt. 2

In a second thread, it is confirmed that this is the character’s final design.
DEI is blamed:

i vision apparently given by a DEI consultancy group named Hit Detection.

Holy shit you people treat DEI like it’s the fucking boogeyman. You realize that most games hire DEI consultancy, and they’re not some evil org pulling the strings changing the game, they almost always just check the game to ensure there isn’t any content that will unintentionally offend people?
It’s not some crazy scheme, it’s literally just checking that the writing has the intended response. It’s proofreading.

Because it is. Go actually read the ideology they are based of. DEI is the new fascism

Jesus, you have no idea what fascism means.
Just use pornhub man, this isn't something to go to war for lmao
You know, I was gonna debate you and use logic and sense, but the moment you threw out “facism” because it’s the buzzword of the day, I knew I’d be trying to debate someone with the IQ of a single cell amoeba

Insult to the single-cell amoebas tbh
Sure. Insult the person and not the argument.
Just so you know, I read most of post modernism general theories. It is amazing how it resembles fascism but just much better worded.
So, if you feel so insulted maybe go actually read the texts about DEI,instead of going hating on people.

[Continued:]

They insulted your argument too though. It's just the same basic rhetoric that everyone who thinks this way speaks. It's like you all subscribe to the same newsletter and read the weekly approved script. It's tiring and a waste of everyone's time, including yours.

Dudes never had an original thought in his life, if he didn't just parrot what the other incels say he wouldn't speak at all and the world would be all the better for it.

[…]

Or you could stop being incel
You didn't make an argumeny. You basically said "DEI is fascist go look it up". I looked it up ages ago when all these gamer dudes started scaremongering and it was the biggest non-issue I've ever seen. Like the whole SBI thing that got debunked fucking instantly. Outrage youtubers just found their new target to farm clicks, that's all.
User from kotakuinaction probably gonna link Jordan Petterson video if you ask for links

[…]

Just say the n word, man. We all know what you mean
Yup. People can stick their heads in the dirt and pretend these firms don't affect character designs but it is what it is.
Oh boy. Fuck DEI. Those people came to ruin games. The same way they ruined the other media.

There are allegations of gaslighting:

I cant with so many people gaslighting themselves into liking this design, OR the horrendous voice acting. So many of you guys are in pure copium mode right now, Just like with the trainwreck that is SH short message. This game looks worse and worse every time they show more of it, and everyone sticking up for the hideous character design and pretending the game looks good only because some of you compare it to the miniscule ps2 era gameplay of the OG isn't going to change how crap this remake's vision is. As someone who encourages people to take risks when it comes to remakes and reboots, I will be open minded. But it’s not looking good.

This sub is deleting any comments or posts that even slightly suggest there is something weird with how she looks. Her face does not look like a normal 19 year old girls and if you think it does your on some of that high dose copium.

People on the sub won't take any form of criticism, they'll just downvote you to doom. Her face is rather uncanny imo. I feel like they could've done it better

I don't mind being down voted. I've expressed my opinion and anyone who disagrees is welcome to express theres. What I do find amusing is the "you're just an incel" cope. These are supposed to be people against sexualization but make fun of other people's sex lives. But this is Reddit, so I'm not expecting anything better.

Comparisons are made:

I agree. If they feel inspired by Quagmire from Family Guy, then they should stick to their vision.

Bait used to be believable

I swear Silent Hill “fans” have to be the most obnoxious, I kinda see why we got nothing for such a long time.

Make Genshin fans look almost sane.

Denial used to be believable. Hit Detection worked on this game and that explains a lot.

”Hideous:

She looks hideous. Can't believe this is what Blooper is doing.

Trust me brother you absolutely look worse than her

Yet you don't know what he or she looks like.
Stand on business and post yourself then lil bro
Sad to see people lack the critical thinking to critique this game. Blooper gave this woman a man jaw and it looks downright ugly. How does a character model from 2001 look better than one from 2024? Goes to show how much team silent cared about their game while blooper is just trying to make a quick buck.

The Flairs:

• “the trend of uglyfying formerly ok looking characters just for the progressive checkmark”
  
• “you’re all shit with your toxic positivity”
  
• “if a female doesn't give them a boner then it's woke”
  
• “theyre mad cuz they cant nut to a trauma victim”
  

Do you think someone told Dumas to "up the stakes" or something... ?
Synopsis:
Bertuccio concludes his tale by telling how the jeweller goes to bed upstairs. Then later there are some suspicious sounds followed by a gunshot. Blood begins to soak through the floorboards in a "shower of blood" on him. He breaks free of his hiding place and witnesses the last dying moments of the poor jeweller. The scene comes to life for him. La Carconte has stabbed the jeweller and TheCad has shot his wife. Regardless of this scene, Bertuccio's pursuers find him just then and he is arrested -- his bloody clothes telling a different story than what happened.
Lucky for him, he has heard the name of Abbé Busoni. The man is searched for and after months is found. The Abbé hears Bertuccio's confession and works to free him. [We know that Busoni and MC are the same person, but Bertuccio doesn't...However, it does beg the question, why make him tell the whole story again???] Once freed, Busoni tells him to find Monte Cristo and now our dear Count has a servant who is highly motivated to serve him.
Next, we see Danglars try to pay him a visit. MC plays coy and then demands that Bertuccio buy the horses from him (MC must have the best horses, after all!) There is a curious moment where MC and Ali talk "for hours" despite Ali being mute? Hmm. And there is also an exchange with this valet where MC shows he has allowed the valet to steal, but MC is also investing money on his behalf? HMMMM.
Then MC visits Danglars and in a battle of manners and wits, MC bests him into unleashing "unlimited credit" by deploying displays of ample wealth and many letters of credit. I'm sure that will end well for everyone! Then MC is introduced to Danglars' friends and soon to his wife.
Discussion:

1. Yikes! Did you think TheCad and La Carconte had that in them? Is TheCad's fate what you wanted to come about?
2. What is your reaction to the way MC seems to accumulate and retain favours/servants?
3. What is the deal with the horses? Why must MC have the best?
4. Why do you think Danglars was bested in this scene? What weaknesses did MC play on?

Next week, chapters 47 and 48!

Hi all, would love to hear from you how you validate your ideas outside your inner circle or community? For the past decade I built a community that grew by itself since it covers a specific needs in the events/festival industry. But it was casual I just made it to connect with new peoples. Now we are at a point were I have some volunteers and a partner and we put in what we can out of our pockets but there are many ways to expand it and we are trying. Before we jump with our small money in and transform into something structured would love to talk with someone who has experience in music/festivals and events in general to understand if this idea could work on a larger scale and how to present the idea to potential investors or where to find them. Thanks in advance to those who will take time to answer.

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(Please note that the formatting for this post may change next week as I’m working everything out with it.)
Have fun!

I 28m, have a friend 34m, that I started developing feelings for and not sure what to do. I love hanging out with him because sometime we will hang out for 6+ hours, I feel comfortable staying the night at his house and the friend group I met him through is amazing as well, but idk how to tell him I like him and don’t wanna ruin the friendship or make the friend group weird. I enjoy all of these people but enjoy being around him the most. I get anxious when we text bc I say a lot, I prefer being in person with people. Sometimes I get so anxious to talk that I’m almost waiting for his texts, and I have plenty distraction from working 60+ hours a week to volunteering and yard / house work but he keeps coming up in my head. I haven’t texted him back but want to but wondering if I should wait a day or two so I can lean in to making plans for Wednesday and next weekend

Hi Fed!!!!! I know that you are waaaaay out of my league kayalang grabe hindi ko na napigilan AHAHHAHAHAHAHAHA. I think I like you. As in like,, like you. Nagstart sya nung ss. Nung nagkausap tayong dalawa. Baka ako lang nakapansin (baka nababaliw lang? pero wag naman sana) pero nung ss parang I got to know you really really better. (or baka masyado lang akong interpretative) Pero hindi nga, I know that THAT was not just a small talk. I felt this kind of connection that I've been yearning for. Grabe. The way you speak, your choice of words, your walls, your character.. hindi sa pagiging oa pero para akong nananalamin. All my life I've been trying to meet guys who are my opposite, para bang diba sabi nila kailangan opposite para "swak" "you complete me" ganon. It's the first time na nakakilala ako ng guy who thinks like me. That was last year October yet, hindi parin nawawala sa isip ko. From time to time diba nagkakasama tayo sa events. Hindi mo lang alam pero grabe yung pagka attract ko sayo.
Kapag sinasabi mo na "mahal kita, []" hindi ako kinikilig. Pero para bang ang comfortable comfortable??? (haha nakakahiya na toh, kaya toh napunta sa unsent letters eh) There's a silent agreement na we're both not ready (for anything!!! ) Grabe lang. Kahit alam kong friends lang tayo forever I think that I'll always think about how things might be kung ready tayo parehas at kung attracted ka sakin.
Grabe talaga. We tell each other words like "mahal kita" "ganda/gwapo mo, seryoso". Hay fed. Ang incapable natin pumasok sa relationship. Tinanggap nalang natin ahahhahahha. Nakakafrustrate but my heart is somehow happy and contented. Siguro magbabago pa toh, pag nagkagf ka bwhahahaha chos.
Baka isang taong ihip nang hangin lang toh, noh? Nagwwonder ako, if in case you're attracted to me too, ippursue kaya natin ang isat isa? kung oo, will it work out?
-♑

I 28m, have a friend 34m, that I started developing feelings for and not sure what to do. I love hanging out with him because sometime we will hang out for 6+ hours, I feel comfortable staying the night at his house and the friend group I met him through is amazing as well, but idk how to tell him I like him and don’t wanna ruin the friendship or make the friend group weird. I enjoy all of these people but enjoy being around him the most. I get anxious when we text bc I say a lot, I prefer being in person with people. Sometimes I get so anxious to talk that I’m almost waiting for his texts, and I have plenty distraction from working 60+ hours a week to volunteering and yard / house work but he keeps coming up in my head. I haven’t texted him back but want to but wondering if I should wait a day or two so I can lean in to making plans for Wednesday and next weekend.

I know this subject comes up quite regularly, so apologies if you’re tired of responding to questions of this nature. But has anyone had any experience actually going to court over PCNs?
Basically my PCN was for visiting a retail park after work briefly, before going home for a couple of hours and returning later. Lo and behold, the scumbags double dipped and decided we’d been there for more than 3 hours. I’ve already appealed to both the parking company and independent ombudsman and both have been rejected.
On the one hand, I absolutely want my day in court. I do think that if I actually got to speak to someone they may hear me out. I like to think we’re fine upstanding people and we might be able to show that for the sake of £60 we wouldn’t let it get to that stage if we were bang to rights.
But on the other hand, I suspect I may absolutely get rinsed. It’s getting to squeaky bum time with the letters from the debt collection agency and I kind of want to put it to bed, but also fuck those guys because we literally didn’t do anything wrong. If we’d wanted to park in that area for three hours, I’d have left the car in work, which is 5 minutes away.

I submitted an employment verification form to Mohela last September for PSLF. I also submitted tax exempt information because I worked for a 501(c)3 from 2021 to 2023.
They never bothered to verify that my job was eligible for PSLF, and I've been transferred to Edfinancial since I'm in the program for PSLF, and I have been since 2017. I had to complain the student loan ombudsman to make them verify my employment from 2016 to 2021, and when I complained about Mohela not certifying my new employer, Mohela sent me a letter basically saying "Complaining doesn't make us do our jobs. Nice try."
Should I resubmit my employer (the 501c3)? Or should I wait until the dust clears in July with Edfinancial? I cannot afford to have two years of PSLF tacked onto the years I already have in the program (2016-2021) and 2023-2024.

Maybe someone could answer this for me. It took me over a year and considerable suffering before I could get my GI NP to agree to give me an at home SIBO test. My results were positive for an overgrowth and I was prescribed Xifaxan. The NP left me an e-mail on my Hospital patient porthole informing me of lab results and that she had called the prescription into my CVS. The next day I called and automated service reported that they were in process of filling. I called the next day and same, in process of filling. I called the next day and received the same message. I got in my car and drove to the CVS and was told in front of other people that my insurance did not cover the medication. I work for a town and have Blue Cross Blue shield, so I was surprised that my insurance wouldn't cover an antibiotic. I went home, called my insurance, they assured me that I was covered fully, but was told that because of the circumstances, my doctor needed to get a preapproval and apparently had not done this. I called that office back but due to circumstances and lunch breaks, nothing was called in until after I had gone into work. At this point I have a pre approval status of approved from Covermymeds, my insurance company has approved this and I am now on day five of not having my medication. If I call, the automated response as of last night is that they are currently working on it. If the automated response system had a message that had alerted me to what was really going on, I would have been able to alert my Health care provider earlier and I wouldn't be sitting here suffering for NF reason. It is currently Saturday, almost 8am and my GI doctor left me a message on Monday, May 27th with lab results, which means she would have called that prescription in on Tuesday morning, the 28th.

Hi everyone. I’m doing my bachelor studies, 3rd year in Russia. In my current university I have a lot of problems: sexual harassment from the teacher with kids and a husband (I guess this is not OK), teachers trying to make me do their work they getting payed for. Also no original research created, teachers just copy foreign papers and translate it to Russian, then get some extra money for publishing. I have a bad GPA since I started studying for myself and skipped many classes in this uni. I was working, collecting money to then transfer for some programs in Russia that are actually good, in a Top Russian university. But every time I tried to transfer, some problems started to occur. They mostly linked with army since we have a compulsory military service in Russia. I once was ready to transfer as well as the university was ready to accept me, but the draft board stopped me. So I’m still at this uni, but I really wanna study at a place where people are interested in research and education.
I had work exp in different laboratories there, in Russia. My work was mostly connected with Deep Learning and Classical ML methods applied for some tasks. However, for now I have 0 papers (I helped with research in a lab, but they haven’t included my name in the paper and I personally think their research sucks). I’m looking for some bioinformatics program now. I have several courses completed (Molecular Biology and Genetics) a little bit of Kaggle with drug design and EEG analysis also, attended computational neuroscience school. And several projects I created in laboratories I was working in (face verification for laboratories, training system for doctors based on Computer Vision methods and some other).
Do you think I should get a gap year somehow to do some research first or do you think it is still possible to transfer to some good university abroad with my current experience? The problem is that I only have Cambridge FCE B2 passed with merit 4 years ago, some projects, motivation letter. No VISA, anything else. I suppose this is not enough obviously. Do you guys have any advice? We also get much less money in Russia in average for the same work so I have a very limited budget. Could you recommend some universities that might be suitable?

Hi There,
I just went to the post office to get a return envelope sent to Italy. I proceed to follow his instructions and then I pay.
He then says "hopefully this will work" and i said "why wouldn't it work?" which he replied "Well they might not accept UK stamps".
So, now I'm wondering whether he has done this correctly.
He has sent the envelope inside a larger envelope. The return envelope has a 1st class stamp and two £4.20 stamps.
Am I likely to get this letter back or have I just wasted £25? I can't find any information on whether these stamps will be valid for return to the UK.

Hey there, I need some advice on whether it's appropriate or just absurd to send a birthday letter and a small gift to my ex-girlfriend. Our situation is a bit complicated, so here's some background:
My ex and I had a relationship that spanned two significant periods. We met, got together, separated (without discussing it at all; we just drifted apart), and then almost a year later, we got back together. We broke up for the second time about three months ago.

• In our first relationship, we had significant lack of communication. I was very avoidant and stressed, which made me distant even though I wanted to be with her and truly loved her. She tried to connect with me, but I just couldn't reciprocate. After our first breakup, I realized what went wrong and started to work on myself, digging deep into my issues and aiming for personal growth. She unknowingly pushed me towards this self-improvement journey.
• We rekindled our relationship around six months ago. This time, I was the one trying to connect, but she had been through a lot in the past year, including a traumatic event, which I won't go into detail about. She wanted the relationship mentally but was emotionally too hurt and tired to commit fully. She has a lot on her plate: a full-time job, started her Bachelor’s studies, and has issues at home with her parents. After two months, she chose not to continue the relationship, feeling it wasn’t fair to me as she couldn’t be fully present, although she saw that I was willing to stay, fight for us, be patient with her, and sit in the mud with her.
• During our breakup talk, I gave her a therapeutic gift so she can draw in her alone time or whenever she likes (she loves to draw but didn’t have many opportunities to do so in the past year). We ended things positively, holding hands while walking around the park and saying "see you later" instead of a formal goodbye.
• I've been focusing on personal growth since then and am not looking to get back together. I genuinely see it as better for her to have the time to heal and get stronger. I wish her all the best because she deserves to be happy.

Her birthday is coming up, and I want to send her a short positive WhatsApp message to congratulate her and say that I've left her something small in her mailbox, hoping it will bring a smile to her face. The gift I want to make it handmade, along with a letter expressing my congratulations and appreciation.
My Conflict: I don't want to overstep any boundaries or make her feel uncomfortable. My wish is simply to make her something special. I aim to respect her space while showing this kind gesture. However, I worry about the potential of triggering negative emotions or discomfort.
So, the question is: Should I go ahead with this, or would it be better to keep my distance and let her celebrate without any of my input?
Any advice or similar experiences would be greatly appreciated.
P.S.: I'm ready for any feedback, and if I seem like I was or am a jerk, believe me, I have heard it all from myself. I really don't like the version of myself from the past year and there is really no excuse for my actions and the way I neglected her and our relationship. I also see things I still need to improve.
TL;DR: Ex-girlfriend's birthday is coming up. We broke up three months ago after a complicated relationship. I want to deliver her a handmade gift and letter but worry it might be inappropriate or make her uncomfortable. Should I go ahead or keep my distance and just send a normal message not too long and not too short?
Thank you in advance!!

Hello All,
I am a bachelor's level social worker. I have been the case manager of an emergency response team that is run by two LCSWs but the program covers four different counties that are all ran by peer recovery coaches. The point of my role was to assist with identifying mental health needs of clients and fulfilling the needs of the clients social determinants of health.
As the years have gone by (2 years ans 4 months) my role has become increasingly more obsolete. I offer to help out in any way that I csn but my supervision has been minimal. I was promised that I would have direct supervision from a LCSW working alongside them but that never happened.
In the past 5 months I have been slowly utilized less and less and seemingly pushed out of decisions that I was supposed to be a part of per my job description. I just so happen to also be in recovery and my anonymity was broken a few months into the job so I chose to disclose that I was in recovery to my supervisor.
The new chief of behavior health has been attempting to make everything uniform across the counties and they never hired another bachelor's level social worker either so I kind of got stuck with the county with the highest amount of need. There was talk of me taking on clients as a recovery coach role in addition to my normal job description. I had a feeling they were going to try to eliminate my position in the past few months but have been hanging on due to the fact that I have severe spinal stenosis that was misdiagnosed as arthritus.
On 5-14 my condition escalated to emergent conditions and I was having trouble getting a hold of my boss so I just went to the ER. When my boss finally called me back she asked me if I was still planning to go to the MAT training the next day to which I replied I had no idea, due to the fact that I was waiting on the neurosurgeon to review my case. She seemed upset that I missed an intake even though I was literally facing permanent nerve damage.
After my surgery I had to call her even though I was on PTO because of a client situation. She chose that time to tell me that they were going to eliminate my position as a case manager and wanted me to take on a peer coach which was obviously upsetting to me at the time. I requested a meeting with her and the chief behavior health officer.
We met on 5-20 and they backtracked and said that my position was not being eliminated but they did want to have me work as a peer coach and eliminate some of my responsibilities. I was told that the coordinator who is a peer coach would be my immediate day to day supervisor but I would still meet with my LCSW supervisor biweekly.
At this point I am applying for other positions as I cannot take any more of this complete and utter lack of respect. However, until then how do I address the NASW code of ethics as a social worker? Peer coaching requires self disclosure which I am not comfortable with entirely. I want to argue to protect my profession but I also can't afford to get fired or quit outright. I feel this is severely unethical to put me in this position. Does anyone have any insight? I am in Indiana if that helps at all.
Thank you.

Op- https://www.reddit.com/WritingPrompts/s/sWJUxDJ0SO
John’s left hand was squeezed white against the wheel of his old pick-up; he held his son, Alex, close with his other.
As they rattled down the uneven country roads, rain pelted their windshield with a fury. John continually glanced into the rearview. Thunder clapped at their back like the hands of god, and through the white flashes of lightning, he could make out a large barrel of rotating black smoke. Each time he looked, it seemed to have grown larger, and one singular thought repeated in his mind.
Make it to the cellar, he thought. Make it to the cellar.
He gripped his son tighter and pressed the accelerator with a heavy foot. The truck roared beneath them.
“Come on…” He muttered. He was driving nearly eighty.
“Dad?” Alex’s voice was small, and John could feel him trembling under his arm.
John rubbed his shoulder. “It’s okay, bud. We’re nearly there; it ain’t gonna get us.” Truthfully, though, he wasn’t sure if he believed the words himself.
“But Dad, I’m scared.”
Just then, a strong gust of wind punched the side of the truck, nearly sending it swerving into the ditch. With a squealing effort, John steadied it and accelerated faster. The boy’s head was now buried into his armpit. Limbs began falling from trees; scattered debris carpeted the roads.
John looked down at his son; he was still wearing his blue Little League uniform. All of this for a damn baseball game, he thought, then looked back at the road. He stomped the brakes. Alex screamed as they lurched forward and John stuck an arm out to keep him from flying into the windshield. The truck skidded sideways to a halt on the wet road. A giant oak tree, maybe eight feet in diameter, lay flat across their path.
“Fuck.” John muttered as he smacked the steering wheel with his palm. There wasn’t any getting around that.
He darted his eyes around wildly, looking for some sort of a solution—anything—but all he found was fear. The swirling column of dark wind was getting closer now, and his options were growing increasingly limited.
Then he noticed something. Just past the downed tree a green mile marker sign glowed back at him—the mile marker sign that’s about a half mile away from their house.
They were closer than they thought.
He grabbed Alex by the shoulders and looked him in the eyes. “We’re gonna make a run for it.
“What?” Alex asked, his eyes wide with terror.
“I know; I don’t want to either, but it’s our only shot. I—“
“No!” Alex shouted. He tried to say more, but the words just sputtered out in incoherent globs.
“Hey,” John said patiently, but Alex was in hysterics. John looked over his shoulder. Power lines were beginning to fall, and the transformers were popping into big blue sparks as they hit the ground. He looked back at Alex.
“HEY!” He shouted.
Alex stopped immediately and looked at him in surprise. He never yelled.
“Do you trust me?” He asked.
Alex moved his mouth, but no breath came to push the words out.
“Do you trust me?” John asked again, shaking the boy a little.
This time, Alex nodded yes.
“Okay, now listen. I’m going to pick you up, and we’re gonna run. I want you to close your eyes, and I don’t want you to open them until I tell you it’s okay. Do you understand?”
The boy nodded again, and a tear fell down his cheek as he closed his eyes.
John scooped him up and creaked the metal door open into the rain. Lightning continued to snap overhead; there was a metallic smell in the air, like burning wires, and the humidity was thick enough to choke a man.
He held the boy's head against his shoulder and started in a sort of half run to the driveway. Alex felt heavier than he used to, and it made him wonder just how long ago it was since he’d held him that way.
Cold rain whipped at their back, sticking their clothes to their skin like slick velcro. John spat the water from his mouth as he trudged forward blindly in the dark. His muscles started to burn. His feet snagged on branches, trash, and other debris that had blown in, threatening to trip him, and sudden dips or rises staggered him as his foot met only air where he expected solid earth.
John could feel the boy sobbing once more. “We’re almost there; we’re gonna make it.” He panted. This time, he really believed what he said. The driveway came into view as they rounded the last corner.
Limbs the size of cedar trees blew past them like confetti. One cracked John in the back of the head, sending him and Alex tumbling onto the ground. The pain was brilliant. For a moment, he saw white, but his vision quickly cleared, and he looked up at Alex.
Alex sat with his knees tucked to his chest, holding a scrape. His skin and clothes were covered in twigs, mud, and pine needles, and his face was twisted with fright—contorted like one of those dramatic masquerade masks as he rocked back and forth. His eyes were open now.
The twister roared behind them like a gasoline truck chugging up a hill. John scrambled to his feet. He scooped Alex into his arms, and started toward the house once again. His head was pounding, his muscles were on fire, blood was thudding against his ears, and that same thought from earlier continued to swim laps around his mind.
Make it to the cellar.
He pressed on, planting one solid foot into the ground at a time and marching forward like a well oiled machine.
Gravel crunched beneath his feet as he walked down the driveway; wind whipped their wet clothes like flags.
John shed Alex from his arms and looked down at the wooden cellar door. He tried pulling it open, but the wind shoved it back down. It was picking up even more now. Shingles began to be sucked from the roof, and John knew that if he didn’t get this door open, he and Alex would follow closely behind.
He pulled as hard as he could, grunting with the effort. Alex quickly joined him in the struggle, helping as much as a nine-year-old possibly could. It began to come up a little, but the wind was powerful.
John screamed and dug in harder. He had to get it open. He felt his muscles tearing beneath his skin, his joints cracking; he used every single ounce of his strength, and finally the door began to give. He pried it just far enough for them to fit.
“GET IN,” He shouted. The boy jumped inside, and John followed shortly after. The door slammed behind him with a smack that resembled a gunshot.
The cellar was dark. Screws and bolts and toolboxes filled with wrenches and other metal things shook and rumbled off of the shelves. A few baseball bats fell and clinked across the concrete floor. Up top, it sounded like a giant lawnmower was making quick work of the farmhouse, eating it up like it was little more than a stray blade of grass.
John’s head still throbbed, and he could feel warm blood trickling down the back of his neck. He was tired, breathing raggedly, and all of a sudden he had a very strong urge to go to sleep.
They held each other in darkness, sitting there for what seemed like an eternity, but just as quickly as it began, it was over. The roar lessened, quieted, then disappeared as it got further away.
The two looked at each other, both covered in dirt and debris, and John knew that everything was gone. He knew that the house was gone; he knew the farm was gone, and he knew that just about everything else he had ever worked for was torn to shreds in a matter of minutes.
But he looked at Alex, and when he saw the twinkle of life in his son’s eye, he breathed a sigh of relief. That was all that mattered. They sat for an hour in silence, not daring to step out until they were sure it was safe.
Eventually, rays of light began to beam through the cracks in the cellar door. John was the first to move. He walked to the door, flung it outward and shielded his squinted eyes to look outside.
The sky was blue. He hoisted himself upward and poked his head out.
His barn was still there. Bessie, his cow, was standing beside it, chewing on a mouthful of grass; all of the chickens strutted around the side of the barn, nearing the garden, which also looked untouched; the squash was even blooming. Behind him, their house stood tall, perfectly intact all the way up to the shingles.
The oddest thing of all was his farm pickup parked in the driveway—no worse shape than when they left for the ballgame.
John scratched his head.
“Dad?” Alex shouted.
“You can come up.” He said, puzzled.
Alex crawled out of the cellar in the same fashion as his father, and confusion dawned on his face as well. “It missed us?”
John shook his head. “No way it coulda missed us. I don’t really know what to make of it.”
He really didn’t. They saw the twister coming directly at them; they heard the house ripped to shreds right above their heads; the farm truck didn’t make it back to the house at all, for Christ's sake. It just didn’t make any damn sense.
A feminine voice called out to them—a voice John recognized at the first syllable. “John? Alex?”
“Vick..” He mouthed and whipped his head around. A tall woman with blonde hair was walking around the side of the porch, stepping as gracefully as a doe. Her eyes were as green as the pines behind her, and she gave a smile that held more reassurance than a million words could express.
She spread her arms wide. “My boys.” She said. John stood motionless, his mouth slightly agape. Alex pushed past him as he ran, “Mommy!” He shouted.
The woman wrapped the boy in a hug and lifted him from his feet. As she held his head against her shoulder, she pointed her eyes in John’s direction and held out her other hand.
He walked toward her, cautiously.
“John.” She said. “It’s me, I promise.”
John looked at her for a moment longer. He wanted to run to her, to wrap her up and lift her the same way she did Alex. For the past two years, there had been nothing in this world that he’d wanted more.
But his wife was dead. He watched as the cancer took her in 2014; he held her in his arms as she died in the hospital bed, yet there she stood—healthy and as real as the sun beating down on his neck. He reached a hand to the back of his head, feeling for the place where the branch whacked him.
But there was nothing—not even a tender spot.
He looked back up at his wife. “Are we…”
“Hush, dont think about it like that, John.” She smiled, “We’re together now.”
John staggered a little, staring down at his hands; his once farm hardened callouses were gone now, smoothed over with soft, healthy skin.
“I—“ He began.
“Get over here and hug me.”
He looked up; his wife looked back at him lovingly with her direct, green eyes, and for the first time in so long, he felt happy. A feeling he’d grown a stranger to. A grin tightened across his face, and he walked toward Vick as their old golden retriever ran panting toward them from across the yard, just like she used to, only now; she had all four of her legs.

CLUB STATEMENT: FREDDIE LINDGREN
We can, regrettably, confirm that Freddie Lindgren’s debut for the club has been delayed.
The Swede was expected to make his first appearance in Brummies’ colours in Monday’s (June 3, 7.30pm) Knockout Cup Semi-Final at home to Ipswich - but this will, sadly, no longer be the case due to conditions beyond the club’s control.
Birmingham CEO Nigel Tolley said: “First and foremost I would like to apologise to Brummies supporters, as well as supporters from across British Speedway, who have been let down badly by this entire situation.
“We were expecting what is known as an ‘invitational visa’ within the sport to be granted without any problems or issues whatsoever.
“That would have covered us for the next month or so whilst a longer term solution was worked on which is perfectly normal in these scenarios.
“For reasons we’re not allowed to go into at this moment in time, this has been refused and we must now wait for his ‘international sports persons visa’ to be granted.
“Again, unfortunately, we cannot say exactly when this will be but we would like to think it will be released soon as the application has been submitted and is being processed.
“As the club’s management, we totally understand how supporters will be feeling as they learn of this news, but we plead with them to still turn out in big numbers on Monday with us being just two meetings away from a big cup final.”
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