I saw the Korean reaction post and I wanted to make one for Chinese players because I’ve seen a lot of people talking about how Riot is betting on the Chinese player base to buy this skin given the price and the potential for Uzi to be next so I think it’s worth looking at how the Chinese players are reacting.
Some necessary context:

1. There were leaks about the skin’s price being 400 dollars that were widely circulated before the official announcement, they were obviously wrong but this had prepared the community a bit for the insanity.
   
2. The Tencent run server has always had insane mark up on price skins to a point where there have been skins sold for even more money than this Ahri skin so this is not some out of the left field move in the view of Chinese players.
   

Top comments from the BiliBili announcement video in order of likes:

1. There may be many players in the Hall of Legend, but only one can show up for with four World trophies, would it not be awkward for those in the future who have none to show? (this is a diss against Uzi who has never won Worlds)
   
2. Oh my god, Ahri’s getting some insane treatment, four World trophies, is this the value of Faker’s first love?
   
3. A lot of references, I see the broccoli, the Ryze expression, the Galio and Azir icons, and the Hide on Bush ward looks fun, and the two skins are pretty good as well.
   
4. Oh no, the Rift will have Faker’s signature, customized Rift (this is a joke about some recent hate Faker’s been getting as some people have been calling the Worlds he’s won “customized Worlds” claiming Riot specifically tailored the meta to his advantage)
   
5. Ahri’s skin quality is amazing, with the kill and turret take down effects, it’s a T1 skin.
   

Top comments from BiliBili video showing the price of the skin in order of likes (note that the views on this video have surpassed the original announcement video):

1. What we thought: Riot, to honor Faker’s performance, will create a historical skin to celebrate him. What Riot planned: Riot, to use Faker to earn a lot of money, will create a historically expensive skin.
   
2. I will only ban Ahri in ranked, no one will be allowed to have this skin against me.
   
3. 15 dollars I can support it, but 500 I just wanna ask who is Faker? I don’t know him.
   
4. Just buy some food and treat yourself, Faker probably wouldn’t buy this skin with this price either.
   
5. If you really like Faker just buy the normal version and work on the pass, the pass gives a lot. As for the other two just leave the rich kids to buy it, it’s not better than buying something practical for you or your family, it’s seriously not worth it for a skin.
   
6. OK OK let’s stop arguing, all I can say is that Riot can’t even exploit its player base well. Just lower the cost by a bit and so many more people would be willing to buy it.
   
7. My god if all this money was used to buy bananas, how many could you buy? (Faker’s favorite snack is bananas)
   
8. All I can say is that this legendary skin is also insane.
   
9. As Faker has said on stream before, don’t buy skins if they are too expensive, buy something you actually need. Greatness, needs no explanation.
   

I wanted to speak a bit more about Uzi in particular because the perception here of how Chinese players think of Uzi is a bit wrong. While Uzi is without a doubt iconic, he is also pretty widely looked down upon for never having won Worlds. There is a very VERY widely known meme amongst the Chinese League community called the shockwave, stemming from his then mid laner Cool getting caught in chat on stream calling Uzi the World’s most fucking overrated player which in Chinese sounds the same as shockwave. It spread like wildfire and Chinese players call any underperforming players shockwaves for this reason. This is why I caution people to not overestimate the Chinese player base’s willingness to pay for an overpriced Uzi skin because he does not have as much love or as many Chinese fans as you think he does. Chinese players are absolutely ruthless (very much overall so) towards players who cannot win, in fact Bin of all people has become a big meme post MSI after BLG’s loss.

Reposting This from AITA sub. Hi Mark I see your videos on YT, maybe one of these days I'll see my own story in your video.😆 This is going to be a long one so bear with me please. I am also giving a lot of backstory and past issues bcz I feel they are relevant to the matter and also I feel like ranting. Also this is in India so the currency is Rupees. Before we start I just want to say that I am not perfect in any way or form and I have done any fair share of mistakes.
I(20F) have been in a relationship with my bf Jake(22M)(fake name) for roughly 5.5 yrs now. My family is not rich but we do have a lot of money bcz both my parents are doctors but I did not realise we have this much money until 2yrs ago. (Am not very street smart as U will see in this post). Since after abt 1.5 years of relationship (May 2020)when lockdown started his family fell on hardtimes as his family owns a shop and bcz of the Pandemic they weren't able to run it.
At first it was bcz one of his friend got into an accident so he needs money and he told me he will give it back etc (i don't remember if he ever did as it was yrs ago). At the time I had money saved up so I helped out the first few times with my own money. Then when I ran out of money then he said to ask my dad or mom, or steal from my house and give him some. A lil back story here, my mom and dad are separated so they did not used to talk about finances so I would take extra money from my dad than what was actually required and give the rest to jake. For e.g I required 3k for a parcel or smrg then I would ask for 5k, give my mother the 3k(I live with her, my father lives separately) and give the 2k to jake. I also gave him cash many times by essentially stealing from my mother's closet. When I used to say NO he hurled abuses at me and called me every name in the book which a person can imagine, guilt tripped me and pushed me very hard and I gave in almost every time. He told me he will give me back eventually, he has made an investment,etc. Basically all stupid lies to have more time, then one day during an arguement I pressed on when he is gonna return the money and after a lot of time he told me there is no investment and he used the money in his family's shop.
After 2.5 year of this in October-Nov of 2022 we both got admissions in universities which were around 2 hours away from each other. Till then this pattern continued and his family was still struggling bcz of his father's brother divided the joint business or something else.
Before this when we were at out respective homes he told me he got some operation done for smtg in his abdomen. I gave him 10k from my mother's closet for that and even when I went to meet he had an area bandaged (was very unprofessionally done my dumb self should have understood that it was also fake) one of his friend also confirmed that he had operation done and I was coordinating with him on the said dates when he was supposedly admitted. He also used to frequently tell me that he has suicidal thoughts and he will end himself etc .
After we went to our respective colleges once we had a big fight and next day he told me that he tried to end himself by jumping of the balcony but his friend (who he was staying with at the time),Luke, stopped him worrying for him I called Luke later and told him I was worried for Jake and to pls take care of him. He was confused by this and asked me why what happened. I asked him abt last night's attempt, he told me nothing of that sort happened. This opened a can of worms where it was revealed that he was making a fool out of me, guy owned a fucking Iphone and was telling me that his family was on hard times and taking money from me. This is also when I found out that their was no operation. I don't remember what else I found out that night but felt like a huge betrayal and I talked to 3 of his friends that night for quite a few hours where a lot of lies were revealed.
I broke it off with him, at this point I had lent a total of Rs.75-80k. He begged me for weeks for forgiveness, at first I laughed in his face but as weeks went by I started to miss us. He came to meet and win me back a few times at my uni. Eventually, a month later I forgave him on some conditions like he wont lie and share everything with me, won't tell me who or who not to be friends with (he did that before a lot).
Few months later the cycle started again, I was back to giving him money from the monthly spending amount I used to get(it was a lot at first bcz I was just settling in,now my monthy allowance is wayyy less). He did not like the friend group I was in so I stopped talking to them (bcz they knew abt our situation as I broke down crying in front of them when I found out abt all this so he felt like he lost respect and They didn't respect me etc, admittedly they weren't good and I would have distanced myself eventually anyways maybe cuz the vibe didn't match but that should have been my call I feel) and he still (>1 year later) yells at me if he suspects that I am casually talking to them.
My college is in a much smaller city so I go to meet him once to twice a month as he shares a flat with few ppl and the city has more activities to do. Other than the first few times (when we got back together) I pay almost if not all bills like gas (for his 2 wheeler) and food. It's very frustrating at times but I understand that he does not has enough money as his father does not send him enough to cover rent, food and expenses or so he says ( sighs IDK anymore guys what's true and what's not). Jake says his family is still struggling bcz his sister went to UK last year to study and that took a huge chunk of money and they have loans to pay, etc. I can believe this is true. Also he says they have virtually almost no savings left bcz business isn't doing great hence his father sends him rent t food expenses andsays to manage The rest on his own (he does not has a job so guess where the money comes from 🤡). In the Past few months admittedly he has not asked for money frequently but when he does its like a huge chunk. He has also taken loans (with interest) from some of his friends without telling me. He has done this multiple times before after I have repeatedly asked him to stop. (Embarrassingly I admit there are more instances when he has acted like a red curtain but I think I can write a book at this point if I list them all out so let's move on to the latest problem).
Onto The current issue Almost 3 days ago now, Jake called me (we already have been fighting for I don't even remember how many days at that point a week maybe?) and we told me that he was told by his dad that they have been unable to make payments for the loan they took from a person keeping their shop as collateral, they have to pay half the amount (Total amount was 5 lakhs) and interest which was 64k tomorrow to that person, they have arranged most of the money but are short by abt 30k. He asked me can I do something (steal or ask my dad). I refused as there is no money in my mother's closet anyway and I haven't talked to my dad in abt 3 months now. (ofcourse I did not outright refuse and just gave him my reas oning buz I'm a doormat 🥰🤡🤡).
He pressed me to pls talk to my father about money and tell him I need it for my tablet (I bought one just a few days prior). I refused and said he won't give me money anyway. He asked what about my mother's bank account, it must have something. One account is linked to UPI ( It's for making online payments in India) and one is not. The one that is linked does not have much money bCz my mother's salary has not been credited in 4 months. The other account has money but as it does not has UPI activated online payments cannot be done.I told him all of this. He asked can I activate the UPI if my mother's asleep and plz transfer him the money (also said to transfer it first to my own account so if she finds out then I can say my friend needed it so I have lent some for a month or two🙂 ) I mean maybe I could if I really wanted to but I have had enough, I do not want to steal. Now his family is potentially loosing the shop and he is blaming me for it. I have repeatedly tried to reason with him and told him that if I had the money in my account I would have given him (My account had 1k and I transferred him that😔). He says his blood relatives (his father's siblings refused to pay even a dime, I mean they and their children all are grown ups and have jobs and if They didn't pay how does he expect me, who does not has never had a job give him money, probably it's my fault I have enabled him enough every down time by giving him money so how he just expects everytime that I'll help bcz I am family).
He is still pressing me to give like 5k now bcz now he wants to go to another city and talk to the lender's brother to pls provide them with some Time. But I do not have the money 😕. He says that 'if I would have really wanted then I could but I did not think of his family as mine ', " U will understand my pain when U will loose something of yours for lesser value Than it really is " (The shop's market valve is 4O lakhs and they lost it for 5 lakhs) Also has called me quite a few names since then. He arranged 1K and said " I'm going today there I'll see what to do after reaching there." Says he wants to breakup ( it's pretty normal to say it's over after fights so I don't really know if he is even serious) for 2 reasons - 1. I did not give him money 2. When he will go to uni he won't have any spending money so he'll expect are to help out, and he knows I won't and he does not want that disappointment.
I mean TBH I wouldn't care if it were a few hundred rupees but it won't be, additionally I will be The one covering The costs as usual when I go to meet him. I won't have any money left for my own. And I really want to start saving up again. I have spent outrageous amounts of money in The past year (go figure the reason) and saved up nothing. Today he was still begging (he used the word) me to pls arrange the money. He said I leave for uni in 2 days after summer vacations so I'll get my allowance, technically I can ask for it in advance and give him. But I don't want to after he has treated me. Everytime I tell myself that this is the last time, I'll leave the next time he does this but I just stay.
I know I'm not responsible for him and his family but I still feel really guilty about not giving him the money. I know I should end things but it's just difficult to leave something which you have been attached to for so long, it just feels natural to you. Rn he owes me I don't even know how much but it's maybe around 1 lakh something. Not counting The amount of gifts (some he guilt tripped me into buying 🙄 ) I have bought him and the money I have spent on my trips to visit him. IDK if I'll ever see that money again probably not. Please also give me advice on how should I proceed with the breakup, I don't want him to do anything drastic like come to my house or call my mom to tell him abt our relationship (frowned upon in India).
I know the answer but still need the answer should I give him some money from my allowance and WIBTA if I don't ? (Sorry for any errors in writing, I'm writing on tablet with a stylus)

Hey everyone,
I've been digging into Spotify's payment system and thought I'd share what I've learned. The big question many artists have is: how much does Spotify actually pay us?
Spotify uses a pro-rata payment model, which means they distribute their total monthly revenue among artists based on their share of total streams. On average, this works out to about $0.003 to $0.005 per stream.
For example, if you manage to get a million streams, you might earn between $3,000 and $5,000. Of course, this can vary based on factors like:

• Spotify's total monthly revenue: Higher revenue means more money to distribute.
• Total number of streams: More streams overall can mean smaller individual payouts.
• Your share of the streams: The bigger your slice of the pie, the more you earn.

If you're interested in a deeper dive into this topic, check out this article on Understanding Spotify's Payment Structure for Artists. It's a great read for anyone trying to navigate the streaming landscape.
What are your thoughts on Spotify's payment model? Have you found it beneficial or challenging as an artist?

I'm a service manager for Albertsons and been working there for a year now and worked for Kroger for 5 years before. I'm about to start a new position in HR for a smaller local company in a few weeks.
I worked my way up from cashier at 16 years old. Therefore, I seen some stuff in my working life in grocery stores over the course of time, and worked with some pretty special figures. Instead of telling you stories about annoying customers like you always see, here's some examples of what workers do that annoy me and probably a lot of others.

• The control freak, power hungry co worker.

These people often are older and expedienced. However they are horrible at something part of their job that prevents them from moving up, like being a team lead. These people don't have boundaries and will often try to run over the people who's actually in charge. Control freaks also just make things harder than they really need to be and often piss off customers with policies that corporate doesn't have anymore or enforce. Sometimes this person will make up stupid policies themselves that tick off the customers and want others to enforce it manager or not.

• The stores designated boot licker

These people are different from control freaks because they don't want power. They just want validation from the store manager. These workers don't mind their own business and will tell on people who are late. Who did what task incorrectly or will take matters in their own hands if the boss isnt there, and call people from o every department who was originally scheduled but was approved the day off in short notice, and ask why they are not at work. There's always someone in every store thats like this . I don't know why but probably wants validation to slack off in the future or make a better work environment in their eyes.
-That one person that works at the customer service desk
These people are unique. They are the face of the store. They have great people skills and loved by customers but are really unliked by coworkers. The reason being is either they don't do anything but stand behind the desk while cashiers need help bagging or they do help out but complain about everything. They often feel entitled to everything from either working for the company for a long time or great secret shopper scores.

• Control freak store manager

Really the same as Control freaks but are managers. They make life hell for everyone. They control every departments schedule. They control the ordering and approve pto themselves. They come in on days off and bark orders at their department heads As managers they are sometimes good, but employees hate life. When they are bad though, they don't care if their decision made the store and company look bad. They just want to be the one who does everything and will pass blame on department heads or the assistant manager. I had a manager who cut my departments hours in half because we didn't sale enough donations boxes and made me the only front end employee for two hours on a Sunday afternoon. My boss was off that day and I wanted to die running register, service desk and SCO during that time before help came in.
-The store manager who only cares about their bonus
These managers are annoying because they look at metrics. That's what some companies care about when grading stores over time. The problem with metrics stores use is the don't matter or show how effectively the store is operating. The store managers get bonuses throughout the year when goals are met. Most managers know they don't have to to anything to get their bonus since their employees do the work. These managers will intimidated their employees to meet these metrics placed on them by corporate usually either by yelling at them or document sub lar standards and write them up. They will go as far as letting people go and bring someone else in. There's much more they do including shady stuff with people's salaries to save on payroll.
-The assistant manager that stepped down from store manager
These people are the same as before but step down to assistant manager. Usually they are older and want a more relaxing ending to their career. However they are stepping down because they were told too and still asked like they are the manager if they get transferred. They will act like the big dog when the manager is off and they are working. From my experience they will be an ass because there egos are boosted when they are to approve anything. This type of manager actually tried writing me up for working unapproved over time even though I was a department manager that covered for a sick employee. Took me another week to get paid too because he denied my timesheet.🙄

• People that ask for about promotions that are open but won't open their 6-2pm Monday-Friday dvisability.

This is mainly younger people but why do want to be promoted but not work times that the position is really needed. If you want to be a supervisor I'm all for it but I can't promote someone that can't or doesn't want to lose their morning shift. This only happened once to me but a lot of drama was caused when I promoted someone over another people one time and my desiding factor was they could work weekends.

• No call no shows

I learned how annoying this is when I became a manager. Just please let you manager know of something happened or quit. Even if you come into work the next day your schedule I usually won't ask for a doctors note or anything if the employee didn't have a habit of not showing up. Life happens and even last minute.

I started noticing this when my kids first got their own phones because we didn’t have a house phone while they were growing up for the most part- they don’t know the proper procedures. For instance, I would call my daughter and she would pick up but not say hello. Just silence. Or if we’re having a phone conversation she will just start doing other things and stop paying attention. My son will reach the end of the conversation and then just sit there, again in silence, instead of the obligatory talk to you later, etc. he waits for me to end the call every time. I’ve watched my daughter have hours long video “chats” with her best friend where they don’t actually talk to each other. They are busy doing their own things and just there as background company for each other. It’s kind of sweet so I don’t mind but it does show how times are changing. Is normal phone etiquette going the way of the dodo and cursive? I feel like we were probably the last generation that all had home land lines our entire childhood and adolescence so we were exposed to phone etiquette much earlier and often. Thoughts?

Book Your Free Consultation Today! > Discord @ shelbion

About Me

My name is Shelbion and I've been an avid League of Legends player for over a decade. In Season 4, I reached Challenger for the first time and even considered pursuing a professional career. However, after much reflection, I decided to pursue other challenges within the game.
Some of my notable achievements as a player include:

• Reaching Challenger on multiple positions.
• Participating and winning in numerous SR and 1v1 tournaments.
• Playing for various teams(Amateur and Semi-Professional).

Coaching

With over 7.000 hours of coaching experience, I fall into the category of one of the most experienced individuals in the field. My experience, passion, and ability to identify your flaws and tailor each session to your needs make me stand out as a Coach.
I've studied the techniques of renowned coaches, such as LS, MagiFelix, and others, and I've developed my unique coaching approach. So far, my approach has helped countless individuals, and over 20 teams advance their competitive play, across 5 different continents, including members of various College and University eSport Teams.
Some of my notable achievements include:

• Assisting a Diamond 2 player reach Challenger in just five weeks.
• Helping a Silver 2 player climb to Platinum in three weeks.
• Guiding a Diamond 3 player to Grandmaster in six weeks.

I am dedicated to continuously honing my skills and providing the best coaching experience possible to all of my clients, regardless of their rank or location.

Subscription Based Coaching

• One Individual Session (Monthly)
• Group Sessions (Weekly) x2
• Priority Coaching - Price: 99.99 > 49.99$.

Verifications & Certifications

• Certified IFOEC (International Federation of eSport Coaches) Educator & Coach.
• Certified EHPI (eSports Health & Performance) Professional.
• University of Irvine eSport Specialization
• Verified Coachify & Metafy Partner.

Community

In addition to my experience as a Player, I am also the Founder of Noxus Coaching - a rapidly growing, educational community on Discord. Our community is a great place to find new friends to play with, have a good time, and most importantly, improve your skills.
We hold various events on a weekly basis, including 1v1 & 5v5 tournaments, meme contests, and more. There are plenty of rewards to be won, including free coaching sessions with me. To join our community, visit https://discord.gg/RHW9BMxRd5 and message me upon joining to receive your role.

Podcast

• Podcast Appearance > https://youtu.be/4jn4FXOaOlE?si=98POLUJdJeSNnbiW

How Does it Work?

We will schedule an initial Interview during which we can discuss your goals and I can provide a more detailed explanation of my coaching services. This interview will typically last for 3-5 minutes.
The First Session is designed to assess your current level of gameplay and identify areas for improvement. After conducting an analysis, I will create a Personalized Coaching Plan tailored to your specific needs. This plan will outline a series of sessions designed to maximize your improvement.
The Coaching Plan may include various session types, such as:

• Theory sessions: These sessions will cover key concepts such as wave management, vision, decision making, and more.
• Practical sessions: These sessions will either be VOD reviews or live games, and will be used to put theoretical knowledge into practice and analyze gameplay.
• Reviews: These sessions will occur periodically and will be used as checkpoints to track your progress and identify any additional areas for improvement.

All sessions will be personalized and created specifically for each student's needs. By following this plan, you can feel confident that you are taking the most effective steps to achieve your goals.

Personalized Support (Available 24/7)

In addition to the structured coaching sessions, I offer personalized support to my clients on a 24/7 basis. Whether you have a specific question or just want to debrief after a tough game, I am always available to help. Simply message me and I will respond as quickly as possible.

AvailabilityPricesPayments

I am able to cover any server and any timezone! Rates for both Private and Team coaching are negotiable. We will easily get the sessions to fit your budget and your needs.
Payments are usually done through PayPal, however other forms of Payment such as Direct Transfer can be discussed.

Contact

Main form of contact is Discord on which you can find me at shelbion (Or Shelbion#8832)
Feel free to message me either on Discord or through a Direct Message on Reddit and I will come back to you as quickly as possible.

There seems to be some anxiety from Conrad fans that the ending might change based on unfounded and made up rumours of how S3 is going to play out. I think most Jeremiah fans have accepted the endgame (and are either just going to ignore S3 and pretend S2 is the ending or are bracing themselves and already coming up with arguments about why S3 sucks and unearned and blah blah blah - but of course there's some who just want to watch the show to see how it actually ends regardless if they get their happy ending or not.)
But it has got me thinking - let's say Jeremiah and Belly do end up together by the end. Let's pretend we're in a parallel universe where this happens. What has the show done so far to set up that ending? How has show positioned Belly and Jeremiah's characters by the end of S2 so them being together in S3 is a satisfying payoff? What has been set up so far that will pay off in S3 for Jeremiah and Belly to be together?
Because there's dozens and dozens of set up and foreshadowing for Belly and Conrad (so many that I'm not going to name any here because we'll be here all day.) And the character journey that they are going on just seems to obviously point towards a certain ending - not to mention that if Belly and Jeremiah were to end together then why make a season 3?
I think Conrad fans rely too much on Jenny Han quotes and the book to argue that Belly and Conrad are endgame where it's just obvious from the actual text of the show itself.
But maybe is the fact that it's too obvious that will lead to a Jeremiah and Belly endgame (but is that subversion in the spirit of the show?) The point I'm trying to make is that the text of the show is pointing towards a certain ending which is why Conrad fans shouldn't be worried...
...but let's say that Jeremiah and Belly did end up together. Has the show done a good enough job setting that up? What scenes/moments/motifs/themes are in the show that set up that ending? Is it equal to the number of set ups that Conrad and Belly have?
Does set up and careful planning actually matter in a story like this? What is the show saying with a Jeremiah and Belly endgame vs a Belly and Conrad endgame?
That's a lot of questions I know but they all come in good faith and I'd really love to hear all your thoughts, no matter what ship you're in.

Book Your Free Consultation Today! > Discord @ shelbion

About Me

My name is Shelbion and I've been an avid League of Legends player for over a decade. In Season 4, I reached Challenger for the first time and even considered pursuing a professional career. However, after much reflection, I decided to pursue other challenges within the game.
Some of my notable achievements as a player include:

• Reaching Challenger on multiple positions.
• Participating and winning in numerous SR and 1v1 tournaments.
• Playing for various teams(Amateur and Semi-Professional).

Coaching

With over 7.000 hours of coaching experience, I fall into the category of one of the most experienced individuals in the field. My experience, passion, and ability to identify your flaws and tailor each session to your needs make me stand out as a Coach.
I've studied the techniques of renowned coaches, such as LS, MagiFelix, and others, and I've developed my unique coaching approach. So far, my approach has helped countless individuals, and over 20 teams advance their competitive play, across 5 different continents, including members of various College and University eSport Teams.
Some of my notable achievements include:

• Assisting a Diamond 2 player reach Challenger in just five weeks.
• Helping a Silver 2 player climb to Platinum in three weeks.
• Guiding a Diamond 3 player to Grandmaster in six weeks.

I am dedicated to continuously honing my skills and providing the best coaching experience possible to all of my clients, regardless of their rank or location.

Subscription Based Coaching

• One Individual Session (Monthly)
• Group Sessions (Weekly) x2
• Priority Coaching - Price: 99.99 > 49.99$.

Verifications & Certifications

• Certified IFOEC (International Federation of eSport Coaches) Educator & Coach.
• Certified EHPI (eSports Health & Performance) Professional.
• University of Irvine eSport Specialization
• Verified Coachify & Metafy Partner.

Community

In addition to my experience as a Player, I am also the Founder of Noxus Coaching - a rapidly growing, educational community on Discord. Our community is a great place to find new friends to play with, have a good time, and most importantly, improve your skills.
We hold various events on a weekly basis, including 1v1 & 5v5 tournaments, meme contests, and more. There are plenty of rewards to be won, including free coaching sessions with me. To join our community, visit https://discord.gg/RHW9BMxRd5 and message me upon joining to receive your role.

Podcast

• Podcast Appearance > https://youtu.be/4jn4FXOaOlE?si=98POLUJdJeSNnbiW

How Does it Work?

We will schedule an initial Interview during which we can discuss your goals and I can provide a more detailed explanation of my coaching services. This interview will typically last for 3-5 minutes.
The First Session is designed to assess your current level of gameplay and identify areas for improvement. After conducting an analysis, I will create a Personalized Coaching Plan tailored to your specific needs. This plan will outline a series of sessions designed to maximize your improvement.
The Coaching Plan may include various session types, such as:

• Theory sessions: These sessions will cover key concepts such as wave management, vision, decision making, and more.
• Practical sessions: These sessions will either be VOD reviews or live games, and will be used to put theoretical knowledge into practice and analyze gameplay.
• Reviews: These sessions will occur periodically and will be used as checkpoints to track your progress and identify any additional areas for improvement.

All sessions will be personalized and created specifically for each student's needs. By following this plan, you can feel confident that you are taking the most effective steps to achieve your goals.

Personalized Support (Available 24/7)

In addition to the structured coaching sessions, I offer personalized support to my clients on a 24/7 basis. Whether you have a specific question or just want to debrief after a tough game, I am always available to help. Simply message me and I will respond as quickly as possible.

AvailabilityPricesPayments

I am able to cover any server and any timezone! Rates for both Private and Team coaching are negotiable. We will easily get the sessions to fit your budget and your needs.
Payments are usually done through PayPal, however other forms of Payment such as Direct Transfer can be discussed.

Contact

Main form of contact is Discord on which you can find me at shelbion (Or Shelbion#8832)
Feel free to message me either on Discord or through a Direct Message on Reddit and I will come back to you as quickly as possible.

Book Your Free Consultation Today! > Discord @ shelbion

About Me

My name is Shelbion and I've been an avid League of Legends player for over a decade. In Season 4, I reached Challenger for the first time and even considered pursuing a professional career. However, after much reflection, I decided to pursue other challenges within the game.
Some of my notable achievements as a player include:

• Reaching Challenger on multiple positions.
• Participating and winning in numerous SR and 1v1 tournaments.
• Playing for various teams(Amateur and Semi-Professional).

Coaching

With over 7.000 hours of coaching experience, I fall into the category of one of the most experienced individuals in the field. My experience, passion, and ability to identify your flaws and tailor each session to your needs make me stand out as a Coach.
I've studied the techniques of renowned coaches, such as LS, MagiFelix, and others, and I've developed my unique coaching approach. So far, my approach has helped countless individuals, and over 20 teams advance their competitive play, across 5 different continents, including members of various College and University eSport Teams.
Some of my notable achievements include:

• Assisting a Diamond 2 player reach Challenger in just five weeks.
• Helping a Silver 2 player climb to Platinum in three weeks.
• Guiding a Diamond 3 player to Grandmaster in six weeks.

I am dedicated to continuously honing my skills and providing the best coaching experience possible to all of my clients, regardless of their rank or location.

Subscription Based Coaching

• One Individual Session (Monthly)
• Group Sessions (Weekly) x2
• Priority Coaching - Price: 99.99 > 49.99$.

Verifications & Certifications

• Certified IFOEC (International Federation of eSport Coaches) Educator & Coach.
• Certified EHPI (eSports Health & Performance) Professional.
• University of Irvine eSport Specialization
• Verified Coachify & Metafy Partner.

Community

In addition to my experience as a Player, I am also the Founder of Noxus Coaching - a rapidly growing, educational community on Discord. Our community is a great place to find new friends to play with, have a good time, and most importantly, improve your skills.
We hold various events on a weekly basis, including 1v1 & 5v5 tournaments, meme contests, and more. There are plenty of rewards to be won, including free coaching sessions with me. To join our community, visit https://discord.gg/RHW9BMxRd5 and message me upon joining to receive your role.

Podcast

• Podcast Appearance > https://youtu.be/4jn4FXOaOlE?si=98POLUJdJeSNnbiW

How Does it Work?

We will schedule an initial Interview during which we can discuss your goals and I can provide a more detailed explanation of my coaching services. This interview will typically last for 3-5 minutes.
The First Session is designed to assess your current level of gameplay and identify areas for improvement. After conducting an analysis, I will create a Personalized Coaching Plan tailored to your specific needs. This plan will outline a series of sessions designed to maximize your improvement.
The Coaching Plan may include various session types, such as:

• Theory sessions: These sessions will cover key concepts such as wave management, vision, decision making, and more.
• Practical sessions: These sessions will either be VOD reviews or live games, and will be used to put theoretical knowledge into practice and analyze gameplay.
• Reviews: These sessions will occur periodically and will be used as checkpoints to track your progress and identify any additional areas for improvement.

All sessions will be personalized and created specifically for each student's needs. By following this plan, you can feel confident that you are taking the most effective steps to achieve your goals.

Personalized Support (Available 24/7)

In addition to the structured coaching sessions, I offer personalized support to my clients on a 24/7 basis. Whether you have a specific question or just want to debrief after a tough game, I am always available to help. Simply message me and I will respond as quickly as possible.

AvailabilityPricesPayments

I am able to cover any server and any timezone! Rates for both Private and Team coaching are negotiable. We will easily get the sessions to fit your budget and your needs.
Payments are usually done through PayPal, however other forms of Payment such as Direct Transfer can be discussed.

Contact

Main form of contact is Discord on which you can find me at shelbion (Or Shelbion#8832)
Feel free to message me either on Discord or through a Direct Message on Reddit and I will come back to you as quickly as possible.

Husband of 20 years is probably cheating on me. So here it goes, sll of my dirty secrets.
I, 45f been married to my husband 46, male for over 20 years to a man I met in my early 20’s. We have been very best friends since the day we met but it has been a rocky relationship. I am from an abusive alcoholic family and I was for a time blissfully an alcoholic along with the family. This of coarse was problematic when looking for a date. More than one boyfriend broke up with me because I drank too much, partied too hard and studied too little. Cue in my dream man, he’s responsible, well educated and a heavy drinker. We partied all night and he got up the next day, no matter how hungover and went to work. My mom said that this is normal, it’s how it’s supposed to be. If a man makes it to work everyday then he’s not an alcoholic. By her definition, only a man who misses work can be accused of drinking too much.
I married this replica of my father and for many blissful years we were married and we partied and drank. We’d drink a bottle or two of wine a few nights a week and on weekends we’d stay up all night, often having parties at our home. It was grand fun, until we had kids. All of the sudden I had to handle night feedings and morning diaper changes while tipsy, drunk or hungover. It didn’t take me long to quit, I had already quit for 9 months while pregnant and I had gotten the idea that life is better sober. But my partner didn’t agree. He was drunk most nights while I was pregnant. When I got annoyed and asked him to quit he hid the bottles. I had a second child with him in spite of the drinking (I wanted a matching set), not my best decision but I don’t regret it. When I was at the hospital he looked exhausted so I sent him home to rest. He went home and drank himself into a stupor. My mom had to drive me home from the hospital and when we got home, he was passed out on the living room floor. He slept for another 10 hours like that and he was drunk the entire first week of my daughter’s life. I had to ask my mom to help care for her since I’d had complications with the birth and had over 30 stitches.
His drinking went on for years with me going from kicking him out of the home to drinking with him. Often I would plead with him to quit and he’d refuse. On 4 occasions we separated, each time selling our home and dividing the property. But he’d get sober and he was always very sorry. At this point we had two kids and I needed the help.
Over time things got better and he went years and years without drinking. I had quit altogether after our first child. In fact things go so much better that he asked to start drinking again. He rationalized that he had been sober for 5 years and that he can handle one of two drinks a week. I agreed under the following terms, he can have up to two drinks with dinner once a week. I know this is a terrible decision, I think it’s fair to say that there is a pattern here of gawd awful decisions on my part. This 2 drink agreement lasted a few months but of course two drinks turned into 3, then it turned into a couple nights a week. I saw it was getting out of hand and I banned drinking again.
In the meantime my partner has gotten substantially better looking. It’s through a combination of favourable genetics, some recent work done and some excellent supplements. He aged well going from a 6.5 in his 20’s to a current day 8.5. More than that he’d recently opened a business and it was booming. For the first time in our married life he started to out earn me. For the first 20 years I was the primary wage earner, but now he’s making the more than me (this is temporary as my wage is about to pick up). The woman are noticing him and It’s not lost on me or him. We went to Mexico last year and women were practically following him around and throwing themselves at him. We go out to eat and woman hit on him. They hit on him at the grocery store and they hit on him at work. To his credit he does not respond to this in front of me or the kids. Nor have I ever heard of him hitting on somebody.
I’m a solid 7 - 7.5. I’ve aged okay, I look decent, I’m maybe a little heavier as size 10. But I’m not a hot young thing giggling at him. I am a wife and a mother, so not always sexy, but still quite a lot prettier than average. But realistically on the open market, I’m probably not attracting an 8.5 that earns his kind of money.
About 8 months ago he started coming home from work drunk. He was hiding it but I could smell the booze on his breath. He claimed it was heartburn but I knew better and I ignored it. I just wanted everything to be okay. There was a woman he was working with, he claimed to hate her, she seemed overly interested in him. There were a few incidents, that made me suspicious but he claimed he hated her. He was never home late from work. She moved away and he seemed fine and I was relieved. But a few months after this the drinking started, along with my denial. I guess I kinda figured that who cares if he cheated, she moved away. Now we can get on with our lives.
Recently he’s coming home from work late, but not too late. It’s an hour late here and there. Sometimes he’d claim that he’d have to stay an extra hour. A few times he went completely missing and claimed to have fallen asleep at the office. The problem is that I don’t really know his hours, it’s possible he’s done earlier. For context, he is self employed and rents a space. But other people rent spaces there too,
He’s been coming home drunker and drunker lately while still denying he’s been drinking. I’m ashamed to admit it but I ignored it to the point where I let him drive the kids a few times like that. I was just so far into denial, but I knew somewhere deep down that he was drunk.
He’s normally off work at 5pm and in the car by 5:10pm. But lately he’s not in the car until 5:45pm, ignoring my calls and sometimes coming into the house as late as 6pm. I mean it’s only 45 minutes right? A few times he’d go missing until 7:30 or 8pm and he’d say that he hate a late client appointment and had told me but I forgot. Strangely he’s never hungry when he gets home, in spite of being at work all day. In fact he’s not hungry 2 - 3 times a week. He told me that his stomach is bothering him.
Last night he went missing so I went to his office to look for him. I found him asleep in his office alone with an empty bottle of hard alcohol on his desk. I checked his office drawer and it was full of empty bottles. The office is a disaster, messy and all that. I’m not sure how he sees clients in a room like that and I’m worried that he’s taking appointments drunk. His business is doing really well and building it up was a joint effort. I’m worried that his drinking will destroy everything we built.
I woke him up and he was visibly drunk. He told me that he wants to stay at the office to sleep it off and that no he doesn’t want to talk about it and he didn’t come home. It’s been 6 hours. The thing is, that he hates sleeping in his work clothes and his office is desperately uncomfortable. I just don’t see him staying there overnight alone.
When the drinking flared up 6 months ago, it was just him drinking alone. But when he was sober he was still my best friend. But over time he’s stopped responding when I speak. He tells me that he drinks because he can’t stand to listen to my problems anymore. If I ask him about his day I get a one word answer. More and more he looks at me with contempt while drinking. But even stranger, he wants sex more often, I don’t know why this is. But he’s weird about it and hounding me. He’s going on and on about how to wants to try a sex position we’ve never done, talking about how much he likes it. He’s also looking over my shoulder and checking my phone, which is new. it’s intrusive as I don’t even know his passcode and feel no temptation to check his phone.
He gets paid in cash and has a drawer full of it at the office so I can’t check his cards.
Now I know what you are going to say. He’s definitely cheating, I mean he probably is. But we live in a no fault place so what does it matter if I get proof or not? Also I have two kids to think of and we aren’t in a financial position to leave. I will need time to pay down our joint debt and I need a new job. I’m thinking that the best course of action is to stay silent and improve my situation so that I can support my kids and myself. I think this works for him too as he doesn’t want to get stuck with all sorts of child support or alimony. Giving me time to get back on my feet and improve my financial position works for both of us.
The thing is that if I even bring up getting divorced or separated he says that I am the light of his life. He says that he loves me and that I’m his best friend. He says that he doesn’t want to leave. Then I feel so badly. If I even broach the topic of separating, he’ll shut it down so quickly. He’s overwhelming and persistent and he out talks me. I think there’s no use in talking it out and I don’t see us living together well under some sort of “arrangement”.
Do you have any advice on what to do next? Do you have any idea why he’s acting this way? If he wants to separate why not just do it? Also what’s with the increased sex drive?
One of the oddities is that I’ve been doing really great lately. I’ve lost some weight, my hair is looking good. My business sucks but I’ve been taking on new gigs and retraining. I’m becoming a person that I’m really proud of and every day seems to be getting better. But the better I do, the more contempt he seems to have for me. I can see the bitterness in his drunkenness. And he gets drunks on nights when I have to work and when I have something important going on. He blames the drinking on me. He says that I only talk about myself (maybe I do, I’m trying to improve). He says that I ask too much of him and that I make him contribute to the house too much but I do 100% of the grocery shopping, cooking, lunches, school stuff, homework and kids activities. He comes home and goes straight to bed while complaining that he’s doing too much. Meanwhile I’m breaking myself trying to make the home perfect enough.
Is there any chance that he’s just old and tired and not cheating? I mean he’s only missing for 45 minutes a day? I should mention that he’s stopped answering my calls during the workday and stopped reading my texts.
The weird thing is that I felt relieved to find him surrounded by booze bottles and I’m glad he’s done tonight. I’ve spent the majority of my adult life begging him to be sober. Tonight I could see the contempt in his eyes towards me. I just don’t know that I can move past it. I think I just want to be free from this now.
Do you have any advice? I’ve never been through anything like this and I could use some support and guidance.
I think that taking 4 - 6 months to resolve the situation might be best. This gives me time to find a new job and to pay down some debt and bolster savings.

I’ve always been a super light sleeper, super reactive to sounds around me but in that same retrospect, I’ve always been a super vivid dreamer and reactive to stress, having sleep paralysis and looping dreams on multiple occasions. (You can skip to the bold part cause the first part was mainly regular dream turned intense, if you’re uninterested)
The dream I just had was like me and my sister going out to run an errand at like 11:30pm and going with the kids I’m babysitting cause it was on their list of errands cause we should’ve done it earlier but forgot so we go out and I’m looking around for a place to get a drink cause most of the shops are closed this late and I tell the kids to go ahead to the place we’re going for our errand cause I’ll be there real fast while I’m getting this soda from the Chinese spot and I have some cash on me.
I go up to the guy and ask how much are the soda and he’s like 1.25 USD so I’m like okay cool let me get 4 cause I had four quarters and some singles and I pick mine (a coke, 2 sprite and an orange) and I’m giving him the money and bro starts laughing cause my cash is counterfeit and he thinks I think he’s stupid and I’m like O.O cause I had no idea it was counterfeit and try looking at my others bills (mind you I had like 27 dollars on me, and turns out all of it is counterfeit and I start freaking out
The boss comes up like what’s the issues, and I’m like I didn’t know this was fake my mom gave me some of these and he starts feeling bad and I’m like I’m gonna go get the bills from my sister cause she’s literally at the bank rn, and he’s like okay I’ll hold it and give you an extra sweet tea- and I rush over to where the kids I’m babysitting and my sister and my male friend I didn’t realize was there is at (I don’t have male friends- this was like some sort of faceless look a like to someone I knew in hs)
I’m like can I get some singles, I’ll give it back when I can (I knew my quarters were good but I needs cash) and my male friend is like I have the perfect thing and pulls out this super old 5 dollar bill cause it’s superrrr old cause it’s from the first time he went to the bank and put money away and for some reason even tho it was senstimental he was okay with it and we quickly go tg to get my sodas and he’s about to pay but the worker guy thinks it’s a joke cause it’s an old dollar and looks fake cause it’s an old print with no boarders and I’m like “it’s real!! We just got it from over there!!” And he’s like whatever this is where it’s confusing and stressing me out
We leave before the boss man returns but things get kind of crazy when boss starts chasing us down to get the dollar cause it’s worth thousands apparently??? And he wants to get us but I’m scared and whatever and at some point I end up in a big body of water and I’m panicking and having dual visuals of me stuck in bed so I’m like “open your eyes. Wake up.” While making a little noises from my body there like my usually humming or something and unlike usually, I open my eyes from that dream easily and end up in a room where all the floor is wet and cold and my head hurts cause I’m tired from that dream where I was being chased and I just woke up from it but I’m still asleep cause it’s a dream in a dream.
Mind you, It was like super bright where I woke up btw, like in the dream where the floor was wet/stained, it was like a dream equivalent to where squidward was when he saw the future but I didn’t see my reflection anywhere.
I walk through the floor thinking about how I’m gonna clean it cause I think it’s a mess from the ac leaking, and I go to find my mom to tell her about that dream but I keep like zapping back to the bed and looking at the water and it’s cold and I end up waking up pretty soon after just crouching down and looking at the floor and realizing it’s not water on the floor but it is stained and looks like it was wet and dried out which is more annoying to clean and mop.
But yeah I woke up and forgot the details for a while but just went to the bathroom and turned my ac to fan mode and typed it out.
I can give more context in my home situation if anyone is interested, but I’m super interested in any interpretations!! <3

So I've (19F) been texting this guy (22M) since May. He's 3 years older than me. I first met him at church as a mutual older friend.
A little context, though: in my country, all men are required to do mandatory military service, so he's currently in the army serving. He's supposed to be released in a few months.
I met him a few months ago when he was on a break, and he was in our church seeing his family, and because I was one of the only people who knew him, I just talked to him a little and we traded Instas. I thought he was cute, but back at the time I had a boyfriend so I didn't really care much about him.
A few months later, fast forward and I broke up with my now ex boyfriend. He posted something that I recognized on his story so I just casually responded to it, and while we were talking I mentioned that I'd broken up with my boyfriend somewhere along the way. He just laughed but I guess that's where it started, because we've been talking every day since May.
No joke. Every day: when I wake up in the morning there's a good morning text from him, and we always say goodnight to each other before going to bed. He texts me whenever he has access to technology (which is around a few hours a day, seeing as how he's in the military) and we've called a few times, since he gave me his phone number.
He's called me cute a few times, pretty once, but both only just in passing as a brief comment. He's told me I look good without makeup. We've talked about our types and I ticked off quite a few boxes on his checklist (and him on mine as well). I can't tell if he was openly flirting, but he told me he liked girls with glasses (I wear glasses) and chokers (I wear chokers) and short girls (I'm short). We've also arranged to meet up when he's on break and he's promised to spend a whole day with me together. He's also paying for the whole thing, which he says is because he's older but also????? Yes.
But, I have a few skeptical points.

1. He has quite a few female friends. He gave me his private Instagram a few weeks back and he has a lot of female friends (out of the 5-6 people that follow his private Insta, over half are women), some of which he hung out with 1-on-1, and although he hasn't hung out with a female friend 1-on-1 after 2024, I'm still skeptical because a lot of them are prettier than me and also fit his type more.
2. Also, I can't tell if he's just bored/lacking female contact because he's in the military, or if he actually does genuinely like me. Some people around me do say that men are a lot more desperate for female attention in the military, which I guess could be true, and that's making me quite skeptical.
3. I'm a few years younger than him. I can't tell if he sees me as just some cute kid he's hanging out with, or if he actually sees me as a woman. Once I told him I was going out with a male friend of mine and I got a thirty-minute lecture about how you can't trust guys (😭) so I'm worried he just sees me as a little sister to take care of and he just finds me vaguely endearing.
4. The longer we talk, it just seems like the less we have to talk about. Don't get me wrong, he still texts me every morning, makes sure to tell me if he can't respond because of this or that reason, and texts me goodnight, but it just seems like our conversations are getting repetitive and I'm paranoid that he's getting bored.
5. He's also mentioned in passing that he's starting to lose major hope in dating due to the conditions around him and the people around him. I just laughed it off because I've said that many times before getting into relationships, but also, what if he's genuine?

Any advice would be appreciated. Do you guys think he likes me? Am I being massively played? What am I supposed to do next in this situation?? What should I do next?

Disclaimer: I do not speak Korean. This is purely translated by machine with a lot of cleanup afterward. With that in mind, I am open to criticism to improve these translations. Enjoy!
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Chapter 424
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Kwaaaaah!
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Engulfed in searing blue flames, the vortex devoured everything in its path,
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Buildings crumbled - their concrete skeletons exposed and steel frames twisted grotesquely. The ground was littered with the scattered bodies of humans and monsters alike, casualties of the relentless destruction.
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The ultra-high heat obliterated nearly everything, reducing it all to ash and molten remnants.
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Except for one.
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- Blink.
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Everything but him.
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Beep.
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- Skill, [One Strike] has been activated!
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- [Qi] has been completely exhausted!
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- Everything comes with a price. Despite serious injuries, you have overexerted your power.
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- Status abnormality, [Exhaustion] has been applied!
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- [Strength], [Stamina], [Agility] have temporarily plummeted!
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​
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My strength ebbed away, leaving me hollow. The alerts from the System rang incessantly in my ears, while the distant cries of the Skeleton Warlord in my inventory faded to mere whispers.
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My body felt leaden, as though submerged in icy water. In the frigid solitude of my mind, one thought spun relentlessly:
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'This was my last chance.'
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Why hadn’t I seen it coming? Why hadn’t I guessed?
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The Arch Lich had warned me; he had been observing me through his network of familiars scattered across the battlefield.
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I should have suspected he'd seen my earlier uses of [One Strike] on the Liches and Death Knights.
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I should have questioned it, even without certainty.
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‘Idiot.’
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A laugh, bitter and mocking, broke from my lips. I had promised myself never to let down my guard, yet here I was, caught in the most critical of errors.
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The lack of options was no excuse. In battle, it is the outcome that counts, not the intent. This was the bitter fruit of my negligence.
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Thud!
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The iron bar I clutched fell from my weakening grasp, clanging loudly as it hit the ground. My legs buckled, forcing me to kneel.
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Head bowed, I was enveloped by a suffocating darkness.
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- You, human. How does it feel to pay the price for your reckless courage?
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Struggling to lift my head, I locked eyes with his fiery red gaze. A hoarse whisper clawed its way through my parched throat.
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"Of course it feels shitty, you damn bastard."
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- It was a fearsome strike. I'll give you that much praise.
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The Arch Lich’s voice dripped with triumph.
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Despite his use of teleportation magic, he couldn’t entirely evade One Strike, resulting in the loss of his left arm. Yet, there he stood, a grim victor amidst the chaos of the battlefield.
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His eyes, a sinister red, gleamed with a cruel joy as he gazed down at me, kneeling like a penitent sinner.
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- I waited until the end. Despite the humiliation suffered at the hands of a human, I endured and persevered. And finally... this body claims victory.
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His cunning was undeniable.
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As I had feared, he had been anticipating One Strike from the outset.
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Previously, I had obliterated Liches and Death Knights with One Strike, replenishing my stamina through leveling up, but he had keenly observed the moment I depleted all my strength.
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- Do you understand now? This is your limit - the limit of a human.
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Limit.
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That word burrowed deeply into my chest.
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Despite all my struggles, the label of F-rank haunted me. It was a limit I had strived to surpass every day since acquiring the System.
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'Is this really the end?'
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I had fought desperately, for myself and for those I loved, pushing through peril after peril. This was my life: a relentless challenge of transcending my own boundaries.
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"It's not over... not yet."
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The words fell from my lips, hollow and lifeless, as if spoken by another.
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My vision blurred as I raised my eyes to meet the Arch Lich’s gaze.
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- What?
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"It's not over yet."
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A battle to the death concludes only when one side falls and the other stands victorious.
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Until then, the struggle persists.
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As death loomed close, I whispered to myself.
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'Inventory open. Summon.'
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I thought I had secured one of the spears from my inventory in my grasp.
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But then, I dropped it.
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Clang!
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In that moment, I realized my strength had waned too far to wield a spear, let alone swing it.
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- Hahahaha!
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The Arch Lich’s laughter was grotesque, reveling in my plight.
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Yet, surrender was not an option for me. I would not, could not give up.
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'Open Inventory. Summon.'
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Weapon after weapon appeared in my hands.
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Thud!
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And one by one, I dropped them.
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'Open Inventory. Summon.'
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Thud!
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- Oh, you foolish, stupid human!
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The Arch Lich's mockery rang out.
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Yet I persisted, undeterred.
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Is it courageous to humbly accept one's end? If that is courage, then label me a coward.
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I must survive — I believed this was the highest respect I could pay to the life I had fought so hard to live.
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'Open Inventory. Summon.'
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It was at that very moment.
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Ding.
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​
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- [Endurance] greatly increases.
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- The attribute, [Endurance], transforms into [Will]!
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- Those with strong will are not easily broken; they do not fall. They will fight with all their might until the very end.
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- A strong will, at times, can give you the power to overcome your limits!
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- Special effect, [Indomitable], has been activated. Temporarily, all attributes slightly increase, and fatigue is reduced!
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​
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A surge of warmth spread through my core, faint yet fiercer than any force I had known.
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It wasn't just a burst of power.
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It was a beacon of hope kindled by my desperation and given by the System.
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With hands shaking, I clasped the cold spear shaft firmly.
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- You...
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The Arch Lich had noticed the shift too.
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His gaze, previously dismissive as if I was merely an exhibit, now widened in alarm. Seizing the moment, I mustered all my remaining strength and lunged forward.
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Time seemed to stretch, elongating the seconds as I thrust the spear towards his looming figure.
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Screeeeech!
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As the spear tore through the air with a sonic boom, I saw it clearly — the Arch Lich’s eyes, twisted into a crescent of scorn.
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It was a sneer.
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- Blood Explosion.
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Boom!
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The force of the explosion reverberated through my body, sending shockwaves pulsing through every fiber.
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With the last of my strength spent, my muscles seized up. The spear slipped from my weakened grip and impaled the ground at an awkward angle.
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I blinked through eyes filled with blood. In a world now painted a visceral red, something warm and sticky splattered onto my face.
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Drip, drip-drip.
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'...Ah.'
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It was blood.
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My own blood, spurting forth like a gruesome fountain, showered down in a macabre rain.
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As I raised my trembling hands, quivering like aspen leaves in a storm, the ghastly sight of my shredded flesh and starkly exposed bones confronted me.
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Blood Explosion. A literal explosion of blood.
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From the edges of my dimming consciousness, the cries of the Skeleton Warlord pierced the air.
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- ...Human, human!
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How long had he been shouting?
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I tried to answer, but all that escaped my lips was a grotesque mix of blood and fragments of my organs.
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"Cough."
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The world spun chaotically before my eyes.
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I reached out toward the Arch Lich, now just a blur through the blood-smeared lens of my vision, but my hand grasped only air.
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Perhaps it always would.
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- Snap out of it! Aren't you supposed to live?
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Is that supposed to be encouragement?
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I knew I had to survive, defeat him, and return home.
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But...
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'Can I really?'
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Slowly, the world seemed to tilt.
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No, the world was stable; it was I who was faltering. My body, ravaged by relentless bleeding and grievous injuries, used the last vestiges of its strength just to keep from collapsing.
​
'No. If I fall, it's all over.'
​
I propped myself up on a broken ankle.
​
The faint, thorn-like pain was a grim reminder that I was dying, yet the intermittent shouts from the Skeleton Warlord, sounding through the haze like a broken radio, affirmed that I was still somehow alive.
​
- ...Do it, human! Hurry!
​
Do it? Do what?
​
- Summon me now...!
​
My eardrums were ruptured, my consciousness slipping; the Skeleton Warlord's shouts were just muffled echoes in my shattered senses.
​
Even if I could have made out his words, there was nothing I could do to intercept the Arch Lich's next move.
​
- You have some interesting possessions.
​
Suddenly, in the Arch Lich's hand was a familiar object.
​
My cherished weapon, White Flames, which had weathered many battles at my side, now blazed in the hands of this usurper. He laughed, his skeletal frame aglow within the dancing flames.
​
- I have received a gift far too extravagant. I suppose it should be returned to its owner.
​
The Arch Lich drew back his arm. A potent magic dampened the inferno of White Flames and surged along the spear’s blade.
​
- Farewell, noble adversary — or perhaps just a fool who might have been something more.
​
Screech!
​
The sonic boom was fleeting, yet the moment stretched into an eternity.
​
I watched, mute, as White Flames hurtled towards me like a meteor. A whirlwind of thoughts raced through my mind, leading me to an inevitable conclusion.
​
'I can't avoid it.'
​
Then the only end left for me was death.
​
I had survived countless battles over the past seven years, but never had the specter of death loomed so palpably.
​
All I could do was witness its relentless advance.
​
'Yes, this is the end.'
​
I repeated the thought with eerie calm.
​
Crack!
​
The blade of White Flames cleaved through bone as it impaled me squarely in the chest.
​
I froze, eyes wide in shock — not pain.
​
"...You."
​
- Why, what?
​
Words failed me as I stared into the flickering blue eyes just inches from my face.
​
From a skull no larger than a soccer ball, the Skeleton Warlord had morphed into a towering figure over two meters tall, his voice blunt and confounding.
​
- Don't ask how I was able to get out on my own. Even this commander doesn't understand why.
​
"But why? ...Why?"
​
I asked, facing him.
​
The blade of the spear, protruding from the Skeleton Warlord's back to his chest, halted just a whisper away from piercing me.
​
If no one had intervened, I would have surely died.
​
He had just thrown himself to save my life.
​
- ...I don't know anymore. Damn it. I don't know anything now. Maybe I was enchanted by this sword.
​
Only then did I recognize the identity of the sword in the Skeleton Warlord's hand.
​
"Hero's Soul."
​
The only relic of Lei Fei, a sword that cannot be wielded by those who are not qualified to be heroes.
​
Yet here it was.
​
Held not by a hero, but by a Named Monster — the Skeleton Warlord.
​
- Hero's Soul, huh? For something made by humans, that's a pretty decent name. No, honestly, it's cool. Although it's too late to swing it properly now...
​
His voice trailed off, and the intense blue light in his eyes began to fade.
​
I understood what was happening to him.
​
'Extinction.'
​
Undoubtedly. Even now, the magical force of the Arch Lich, carried by the blade of White Flames, was devouring the Skeleton Warlord.
​
"You."
​
- Don't say any more. I'm already regretting this as it is.
​
I doubted his sincerity, especially given the soft chuckle that seemed at odds with his typically gruff demeanor.
​
- Human. There's something I'm curious about.
​
As the Arch Lich approached and the shoulders of the Skeleton Warlord crumbled, I gave a silent nod.
​
"Anything."
​
He hesitated for a moment then asked in a soft voice.
​
- About what you said last time. Was it sincere?
​
"Last time, what... Oh."
​
I suddenly remembered. The way he had been right after Lei Fei's death, pondering his forgotten past.
​
And the casual remark I had made.
​
​
​
'Well, I think he was probably a pretty good guy.'
​
'...Huh? Are you talking about me?'
​
'No. I'm just talking to myself.'
​
'Oh, yes. Right.'
​
​
​
So that's what it is.
​
For the Skeleton Warlord, who had awakened with power from a spirit that had lost all its memories, I might have been the closest thing to a friend he ever had.
​
The simple words I had spoken were like a pebble tossed into the still waters of his heart, causing ripples to spread outward.
​
'What an idiot.'
​
What was that all about? Why go this far over such a trivial thing?
​
A surge of emotion welled up within me, heat flushing my face, but I reined it in. I barely managed to muster my voice.
​
"Of course it was sincere."
​
- Yes, I see.
​
At that moment, as the blue light in his eyes flickered feebly, a cold voice cut through the air, heralding the end.
​
- Are you finished with your farewells?
​
"…!"
​
- Bone Explosion.
​
Boom!
​
Instinctively, I shielded my face with my arms, but the force of the explosion hurled me backward, sending shockwaves pulsating through me.
​
As I staggered to my feet, I witnessed a skull catapulted into the sky, bones splintering and scattering like brittle ice.
​
And then… silence.
​
The Skeleton Warlord had vanished.
​
Whoosh!
​
[Hero's Soul] plummeted from the heavens, its blade burying itself deep into the earth, gripped by a hand that had not relinquished it until the very end.
​
Previous Table of Contents Next

Im 13 and in year 8 and had the homework task of writing a paragraph about how Boxer from animal farm progresses throughout the novella and here it is! I know it’s not good so I would really appreciate feedback. I know it’s really long sorry
Throughout the novella, Orwell depicts Boxer as a selfless and sympathetic worker while simultaneously portraying him as gullible, and exposing the manipulation he suffers due to his naïveté and lack of literacy.
Napoleon, after successfully exiling Snowball, decides that the building of the windmill will in fact go ahead, requiring the animals’ input. In an attempt to inspire the animals, Squealer is then tasked with giving motivational speeches to them, yet it was often the sight of Boxer ‘toiling up the slope inch by inch, his breath coming fast, the tips of his hoofs clawing at the ground and his great sides matted with sweat’ that filled everyone with motivation. The use of listing emphasises the substantial amount of strength and vigour exerted by Boxer while working on the farm. Concurrently, it also creates a vivid image of travail using figurative language, which causes the reader to feel sympathetic for Boxer. The verb [toil] implies prolonged and fatiguing labour, uncovering how much he sacrifices for the farm and revealing Boxer’s altruistic and heroic character. Alternatively, it also connotes exploitation, with employees being forced to work unjust, strenuous hours with little to no return, exposing how his willingness to drudge is leveraged by Napoleon.
Despite enduring all these struggles, he never complains or protests and in fact regularly states ‘[he] will work harder’. Boxer’s frequent repetition of this maxim reveals how devoted he is to the animal’s cause and his unwavering dedication to Napoleon’s regime. It also demonstrates how he is a vital and key part of Animal Farm’s revolt, as he already works more than any other animal on the farm yet still endeavours to give more, shown by him reducing his sleep hours. His constant desire to ‘work harder’ is what has led to him becoming one of the most respected animals on Animal Farm, a quality Napoleon manipulates to promote his ideology towards the other animals. The first person personal pronoun ‘I’ depicts the accountability Boxer feels and through this, we are able to infer that in the face of adversity, he finds faults in himself, rather than in Napoleon and his governance, hinting at his indoctrination; he is convinced that Napoleon, as the leader of Animal Farm, can do no wrong, and any problems on the farm are a result of his own shortcomings, illustrating his naïveté. Alternately, ‘I’ could perhaps elucidate how he sacrifices himself to ameliorate the lives of the other animals on the farm, conveying his self-abnegation.
This is not the only motto Boxer adopts, as after Squealer diminishes Snowball’s accomplishments in the Battle of the Cowshed, Boxer has the chance to think things over, and comes to the conclusion that ‘Napoleon is always right’. The use of the simple sentence betrays Boxer’s innocence, as well as his lack of intelligence, as he is not able to deliberate complex pieces of information. Furthermore, this quote demonstrates that he believes everything told to him by Napoleon, uncovering the degree to which Napoleon reveres and follows the Pigs, indicating how he has been indoctrinated. This is further emphasised by the use of logical fallacy; it is impossible for Napoleon to be right all of the time, implying that this statement is false. From this, we come to acknowledge that Boxer is tricked and manipulated into assuming an argument that, with logic, can be easily dismantled, uncovering how it is lack of literacy that is allowing Napoleon to abuse and terrorise him and the other animals. Boxer is an extremely strong, large horse, as well as the most powerful on the farm, meaning he could easily take down the Pigs with brute strength, but as he isn’t able to realise the corruptness of Napoleon’s regime or speak out against him, he ends up suffering. The adverb ‘always’ implies the fact that there is no room for dissent against Napoleon and emphasises how absolute his power is. It also suggests continued faith and devotion to a leader, and this devotion keeps the animals passive towards Napoleon and his abuse.
Boxer, due to his lack of intelligence, is constantly at the receiving end of this abuse, contrary the fact that ‘Nothing on the farm could’ve been achieved without [him], whose strength seemed equal to that of all the other animals put together’ The use of the declarative sentence asserts Boxer’s significance on the farm, and shows that his strength was essential and critical to the farm’s development. By emphasising Boxer’s brawn through comparison, Orwell, while conveying his notably immense physical strength, prompts you to consider the fact that he is still just a subordinate worker, due to his stupidity. Additionally, the phrase might allude to how Boxer, as arguably the most influential character on Animal Farm, is used by Napoleon to control and manipulate the other animals: by indoctrinating Boxer with his corrupt ideologies, Napoleon is able to sway the others, meaning without Boxer and his influence, Napoleon would not have been able to dominate and command Animal Farm, exhibiting his role as a pawn in enabling Napoleon’s regime. The pronoun ‘nothing’ exaggerates the extent to which the farm requires Napoleon’s input, by suggesting that absolutely nothing could have been achieved without him, indicating his prominence. Contrarily, ‘nothing’ also connotes insignificance, which exposes how despite everything Boxer does for the farm, he is a mere tool utilised by Napoleon to further his agenda.
Orwell has arguably presented Boxer this way to reveal how without the benefit of learning and the ability to express themselves, people are susceptible to being exploited by their ruthless leaders, despite their strength in number. Boxer serves as an allegory for the Russian proletariat, who helped to oust Tsar Nicholas II and establish the Soviet Union, but were eventually betrayed by the Communist government under Stalin. His sympathetic character alludes to how the proletariat were abused by Stalin unjustly, and is a result of Orwell’s intent to prompt pity for the Russian proletariat from the reader. By characterising Boxer as gullible and naïve despite his immense physical power, Orwell uncovers the ease Stalin had in enforcing his power over the numerous proletariat and manipulating them due to their lack of literacy and simultaneously criticises Stalin’s tyrannical rule of the people powering his nation.

This is going to be a long one so bear with me please. I am also giving a lot of backstory and past issues bcz I feel they are relevant to the matter and also I feel like ranting. Also this is in India so the currency is Rupees. Before we start I just want to say that I am not perfect in any way or form and I have done any fair share of mistakes.
I(20F) have been in a relationship with my bf Jake(22M)(fake name) for roughly 5.5 yrs now. My family is not rich but we do have a lot of money bcz both my parents are doctors but I did not realise we have this much money until 2yrs ago. (Am not very street smart as U will see in this post). Since after abt 1.5 years of relationship (May 2020)when lockdown started his family fell on hardtimes as his family owns a shop and bcz of the Pandemic they weren't able to run it.
At first it was bcz one of his friend got into an accident so he needs money and he told me he will give it back etc (i don't remember if he ever did as it was yrs ago). At the time I had money saved up so I helped out the first few times with my own money. Then when I ran out of money then he said to ask my dad or mom, or steal from my house and give him some. A lil back story here, my mom and dad are separated so they did not used to talk about finances so I would take extra money from my dad than what was actually required and give the rest to jake. For e.g I required 3k for a parcel or smrg then I would ask for 5k, give my mother the 3k(I live with her, my father lives separately) and give the 2k to jake. I also gave him cash many times by essentially stealing from my mother's closet. When I used to say NO he hurled abuses at me and called me every name in the book which a person can imagine, guilt tripped me and pushed me very hard and I gave in almost every time. He told me he will give me back eventually, he has made an investment,etc. Basically all stupid lies to have more time, then one day during an arguement I pressed on when he is gonna return the money and after a lot of time he told me there is no investment and he used the money in his family's shop.
After 2.5 year of this in October-Nov of 2022 we both got admissions in universities which were around 2 hours away from each other. Till then this pattern continued and his family was still struggling bcz of his father's brother divided the joint business or something else. Before this when we were at out respective homes he told me he got some operation done for smtg in his abdomen. I gave him 10k from my mother's closet for that and even when I went to meet he had an area bandaged (was very unprofessionally done my dumb self should have understood that it was also fake) one of his friend also confirmed that he had operation done and I was coordinating with him on the said dates when he was supposedly admitted. He also used to frequently tell me that he has suicidal thoughts and he will end himself etc .
After we went to our respective colleges once we had a big fight and next day he told me that he tried to end himself by jumping of the balcony but his friend (who he was staying with at the time),Luke, stopped him worrying for him I called Luke later and told him I was worried for Jake and to pls take care of him. He was confused by this and asked me why what happened. I asked him abt last night's attempt, he told me nothing of that sort happened. This opened a can of worms where it was revealed that he was making a fool out of me, guy owned a fucking Iphone and was telling me that his family was on hard times and taking money from me. This is also when I found out that their was no operation. I don't remember what else I found out that night but felt like a huge betrayal and I talked to 3 of his friends that night for quite a few hours where a lot of lies were revealed.
I broke it off with him, at this point I had lent a total of Rs.75-80k. He begged me for weeks for forgiveness, at first I laughed in his face but as weeks went by I started to miss us. He came to meet and win me back a few times at my uni. Eventually, a month later I forgave him on some conditions like he wont lie and share everything with me, won't tell me who or who not to be friends with (he did that before a lot).
Few months later the cycle started again, I was back to giving him money from the monthly spending amount I used to get(it was a lot at first bcz I was just settling in,now my monthy allowance is wayyy less). He did not like the friend group I was in so I stopped talking to them (bcz they knew abt our situation as I broke down crying in front of them when I found out abt all this so he felt like he lost respect and They didn't respect me etc, admittedly they weren't good and I would have distanced myself eventually anyways maybe cuz the vibe didn't match but that should have been my call I feel) and he still (>1 year later) yells at me if he suspects that I am casually talking to them.
My college is in a much smaller city so I go to meet him once to twice a month as he shares a flat with few ppl and the city has more activities to do. Other than the first few times (when we got back together) I pay almost if not all bills like gas (for his 2 wheeler) and food. It's very frustrating at times but I understand that he does not has enough money as his father does not send him enough to cover rent, food and expenses or so he says ( sighs IDK anymore guys what's true and what's not). Jake says his family is still struggling bcz his sister went to UK last year to study and that took a huge chunk of money and they have loans to pay, etc. I can believe this is true. Also he says they have virtually almost no savings left bcz business isn't doing great hence his father sends him rent t food expenses and says to manage The rest on his own (he does not has a job so guess where the money comes from 🤡).
In the Past few months admittedly he has not asked for money frequently but when he does its like a huge chunk. He has also taken loans (with interest) from some of his friends without telling me. He has done this multiple times before after I have repeatedly asked him to stop. (Embarrassingly I admit there are more instances when he has acted like a red curtain but I think I can write a book at this point if I list them all out so let's move on to the latest problem).
Onto The current issue Almost 3 days ago now, Jake called me (we already have been fighting for I don't even remember how many days at that point a week maybe?) and we told me that he was told by his dad that they have been unable to make payments for the loan they took from a person keeping their shop as collateral, they have to pay half the amount (Total amount was 5 lakhs) and interest which was 64k tomorrow to that person, they have arranged most of the money but are short by abt 30k. He asked me can I do something (steal or ask my dad). I refused as there is no money in my mother's closet anyway and I haven't talked to my dad in abt 3 months now. (ofcourse I did not outright refuse and just gave him my reas oning buz I'm a doormat 🥰🤡🤡). I pressed me to pls talk to my father about money and tell him I need it for my tablet (I bought one just a few days prior). I refused and said he won't give me money anyway.
He asked what about my mother's bank account, it must have something. One account is linked to UPI ( It's for making online payments in India) and one is not. The one that is linked does not have much money bCz my mother's salary has not been credited in 4 months. The other account has money but as it does not has UPI activated online payments cannot be done.I told him all of this. He asked can I activate the UPI if my mother's asleep and plz transfer him the money (also said to transfer it first to my own account so if she finds out then I can say my friend needed it so I have lent some for a month or two🙂 ) I mean maybe I could if I really wanted to but I have had enough, I do not want to steal. Now his family is potentially loosing the shop and he is blaming me for it. I have repeatedly tried to reason with him and told him that if I had the money in my account I would have given him (My account had 1k and I transferred him that😔). He says his blood relatives (his father's siblings refused to pay even a dime, I mean they and their children all are grown ups and have jobs and if They didn't pay how does he expect me, who does not has never had a job give him money, probably it's my fault I have enabled him enough every down time by giving him money so how he just expects everytime that I'll help bcz I am family).
He is still pressing me to give like 5k now bcz now he wants to go to another city and talk to the lender's brother to pls provide them with some Time. But I do not have the money 😕. He says that 'if I would have really wanted then I could but I did not think of his family as mine ', " U will understand my pain when U will loose something of yours for lesser value Than it really is " (The shop's market valve is 4O lakhs and they lost it for 5 lakhs) Also has called me quite a few names since then. He arranged 1K and said " I'm going today there I'll see what to do after reaching there." Says he wants to breakup ( it's pretty normal to say it's over after fights so I don't really know if he is even serious) for 2 reasons - 1. I did not give him money 2. When he will go to uni he won't have any spending money so he'll expect are to help out, and he knows I won't and he does not want that disappointment.
I mean TBH I wouldn't care if it were a few hundred rupees but it won't be, additionally I will be The one covering The costs as usual when I go to meet him. I won't have any money left for my own. And I really want to start saving up again. I have spent outrageous amounts of money in The past year (go figure the reason) and saved up nothing. Today he was still begging (he used the word) me to pls arrange the money. He said I leave for uni in 2 days after summer vacations so I'll get my allowance, technically I can ask for it in advance and give him. But I don't want to after he has treated me. Everytime I tell myself that this is the last time, I'll leave the next time he does this but I just stay.
I know I'm not responsible for him and his family but I still feel really guilty about not giving him the money. I know I should end things but it's just difficult to leave something which you have been attached to for so long, it just feels natural to you. Rn he owes me I don't even know how much but it's maybe around 1 lakh something. Not counting The amount of gifts (some he guilt tripped me into buying 🙄 ) I have bought him and the money I have spent on my trips to visit him. IDK if I'll ever see that money again probably not. Please also give me advice on how should I proceed with the breakup, I don't want him to do anything drastic like come to my house or call my mom to tell him abt our relationship (frowned upon in India).
I know the answer but still need the answer should I give him some money from my allowance and WIBTA if I don't ? (Sorry for any errors in writing, I'm writing on tablet with a stylus)

I’m 23f, I work and have no commute fees luckily but im in 1k overdraft from paying a deposit for the new place I moved to near work and opened some credit cards in February and in like 3k debt in total. I now take home 1900 after tax and my rent is 820, food is about 120 and fun money is 300 a month
im trying to start saving again. I have 2k in total but im going to use most of it to pay off my credit cards and over draft.
My credit card debt is because I moved over new years and went back home to Africa to visit my family over Christmas
Im really sad that im 23 and basically have nothing to my name or nothing to show for it. I calculate all my outgoings and im still barely able to save. I have no family to rely on in London. No inheritance or anything which is a bit anxiety inducing and makes me worry about the future
It’s quite overwhelming because my birthday is coming up in a month and I can’t really afford to do anything besides not having any friends. I also needed to help my family with some money over the past few months
Does anyone have any advice how I can stop thinking about being financially stable and money so much ?

Hello everyone !
I’d like to start this post by thanking the community as a whole for the real treasure trove that is this subreddit’ and it’s wiki in particular, it really contains a lot of information and resources to get started!
After having read everything I could find there very thoroughly, I wanted to get some quick feedback on my plans on how to get started on this investment journey. There are many things that I read where I wasn’t sure if they were still valid, so I would also like to know if some of the assumptions I’m taking make sense.
My personal situation is the following: I’m 29, working as Data scientist in a consulting firm, I earn a bit more than 3.4K net per month (with 13th month, meal vouchers, etc to be added as well), and I spend about 1.8K-2K per month (I pay 850€ for rent). I’ve been quite careful with my money ever since I started working so I’ve managed to put some money on the side, here is the breakdown:

• 10K on my deposit account
• 15K on my savings account (not bringing much in terms of interest but better than on deposit I figured)
• 20K in ‘bons d’états / staatsbonden’, which I will get back in September with some interests
• 9K in Comptes-titres since end of 2022, I deposit 200€ on this every month but return is not great (+- 4%)
• 18K in ‘Argenta Life Plan’ investments since end of 2022, return has been +5% since I deposited
• 8K in ‘épargne-pension’, that I started in 2017, where I deposit 80€ every month (overall return has been +20% since I started)
• 9K in ‘pension complémentaire’ paid by my various employers since I started my career

This means that I have +- 45K in cash (including the bons d’états money coming back in September), +- 25K in investments that I can take back whenever I want, and +-15k that I cannot touch until I retire.
Here are my questions:
​

• How much to invest in ETF?

Having read the wiki and JLCollins Stock series thoroughly, I now see how interesting it could be to invest in ETF and let some of my money work for a couple of decades. My first question is about the money to invest in ETF, knowing the following elements:

• I’d like to keep some sort of emergency fund of about 10K, to pay for unexpected expenses or for my fees during periods in between jobs (I’m thinking of changing job soon)
• I’m thinking of buying a flat or a house in the coming years, my girlfriend will help but she has far less money on the side (15k) and my parents can probably lend me some money to get enough to ask for a loan from a bank
• Given my current revenue and spending level, I put approx 1K to 1.5K on the side each month

I was thinking of investing the 15K I have on my savings account into ETF now, add all the money I put on the side each month in there as well, and then add the 20K I will get back in September to that pile. This would mean I would keep about 40K in my deposit account and other investments where I can take the money back easily, to buy an apartment for instance.
Does this seem like a good ratio?
​

• Which broker?

My second question would be about the broker to go with for this investment. I am quite risk averse in general and reluctant to have to declare some revenues to the tax authorities myself, so I found using a Belgian broker like Bolero quite appealing. Knowing that I do not plan to withdraw that money anytime soon, I don’t know how the different fees and taxes they charge could impact my overall profit vs. If I went with a foreign broker like Degiro.
Could someone help me get a better view on this?
​

• What ETF?

In the JLCollins stock series blog posts, he mentions Vanguard products a lot and their returns seem quite appealing indeed. I originally thought of buying VWCE, but it seems like the TOB has recently been increased, making it less interesting than other ETFs, correct? The wiki also recommends IUSQ, is this commonly seen as the better choice now? Or does it make more sense to buy a Developed markets fund and an Emerging markets fund rather than an All-world one?
Many thanks for your help and your feedback !!

Last month, The Bad Batch came to its end with a quite explosive finale. And I made no mystery that I had a few issues with how this story wrapped up. After all the build-up we had in the previous episodes, the finale kinda fell flat, especially on a few meaningful plot threads that were basically dropped unceremoniously. Of course, I still love this show despite everything; this post is not meant to be a criticism towards the show creators: it's their show, and they did what they wanted with it. But I figured it wouldn't hurt to try to imagine a different ending just for the fun of it. I have no pretension to claim that my take is objectively better by any means; it's just different, some people may like it, other my prefer the ending we got or a completely different one and there is nothing wrong with it.
Also, I need to clarify that this whole thing came to me almost by itself in a moment when I just had the right inspiration to collect all the random ideas I had in the back of my mind and put them in a somewhat cohesive order. I admit that it might feel a little disjointed at times, and for that I apologize, but I wrote it in less than two hours and I didn't want to change it too much before posting it. I'm not a professional writer, and this post is meant to be just a fun experiment. Now, in order for this ending to work, we would definitely need to make the finale longer: half an hour should be enough and would make the finale as long as the pilot. Also, a few scenes, like Omega's escape with the kids and the unleashing of the Zillo beast could be moved at the end of the penultimate episode, to gain a little more time for the finale (would be nice if Omega were the one to control it through the Force, but that's a whole other can of worms I'm not ready to open).
My alternate ending differs from the original in three key aspects: first, Rex is present to play a small but important part in the mission on Tantiss, and ideally he would bring along a few of his men, including Howzer and Gregor. Rescuing the clones from Tantiss has always been his quest since late season 2; the Batch basically tagged along just to save Crosshair, and later Omega. Why would Rex only send Echo on this very important mission? They could have easily explained his arrival on Tantiss in various ways. Maybe they could have said Echo sent him the coordinates. Or even better, they could have showed that the ship they used to hitch a ride on the science vessel had a tracker on it, so that Rex could follow: just like they originally planned to do on Eriadu.
Second, the CX troopers would have a more meaningful role in the climax, without being just reduced to mindless NPCs that need to be killed: Rex and the others know very well that those clones are all victims; which leads me to the third, most obvious, point: Tech is revealed as CX-2. Now, I don't want to start another debate on the subject: no use to argue about it now that the show is over. I had my reasons to believe that the story could only benefit from Tech being alive, and I had plenty of reasons to believe CX-2 was actually him. This is just my opinion, and you are not forced to agree with it; if you think Tech's disappearance was handled correctly or that it was necessary for "stakes" or whatever reason, then it's fine. It's just that my version works with him being alive, in order to give us a proper pay-off with a complete family reunion. So, now that the premise is over, I can finally start to explain how the ending would be different in my take:
The big changes would start during the scene in the training chamber. Like in the original, while Hunter, Crosshair and Wrecker are being reconditioned, Hemlock does his evil monologue, where he mentions the last time they saw each other, after losing a brother and says that "history my repeat itself". To me, those lines seemed to be specifically written for a Tech reveal, so in this scene Hemlock actually has CX-2 unmask himself: maybe he could say something like "Isn't this a lovely family reunion?", while the others are being reconditioned, and can't even say a word as they look in horror at what their brother has become. As Hemlock leaves the room to answer Tarkin's call, Echo, Rex and the others are the ones dealing with the CX troopers down below while CX-2 (and not the other big guy) is the one watching over the others as Omega comes to rescue them. As soon as Omega recognizes Tech, she calls him by his name, and hearing it for the first time causes something to trigger in the assassin's mind. Then the scene goes differently after Omega frees the others.
They all try to fight against Tech who still has the upper hand for various reasons. We know he's a capable fighter and the smartest of the group. He's also actively trying to harm them, while the others are pulling their punches. Not to mention Omega is too weak for him, Hunter and Crosshair are already depleted and Wrecker is also injured. During the fight, however, the others try to talk to him, and he clearly starts to hesitate, especially when he hears some words that he might recognize. Even after being incapacitated, Crosshair is the one that's more desperate in trying to reason with his brother, by bringing up his personal experience with the chip and telling him that it's never too late to do the right choice. But then Hemlock, noticing Tech's weird behavior, calls him with the order to bring Omega to the landing platform for a quick escape. So he's the one who drags her on the bridge while she still desperately tries to reason with her brother, begging him to remember who he is, possibly referencing that conversation they had in the cave back in season 2.
Now, before the climax, we need to talk about the other 3/4 assassins that Echo, Rex and the others would be dealing with. Of course, they wouldn't just kill them, but they would make an effort not to harm them, trying to stun them instead. Unlike Tech, these assassins won't be freed from their mind control immediately, we could say it's because the chip has made the reconditioning take better hold of them. We'll leave the door open for Rex and the others to figure out a way to cure them after taking them away from Tantiss (no matter what, they're still their brothers). As an added bonus, we could reveal two of them to be named clones that we know of. One could be Cody, since Rampart could have lied about him being AWOL; in this scenario, I would also say that Cody should be the one to cut Crosshair's hand, adding another layer to their interesting dynamic. Another one might be Wolfe, who also might have tried to desert after Teth, or maybe they just took him before he could even start to doubt the Empire (apologies if this doesn't align well with Rebels: correct me if that's the case). This will, of course, add even more tension to the fight with Rex and the others; maybe, as cruel as it might be, he could be the one to kill Howzer, tough it's not mandatory, and personally I don't like pointless deaths.
Now, on the bridge the scene is a little different; my ideas can be a little confusing from now on so bear with me. Omega still gets handcuffed to Hemlock while Tech and Scorch are guarding his escape, maybe with a few more stormtroopers who are easily shot down by Hunter and Crosshair. Wrecker is also there this time: though he doesn't have a blaster, he charges straight towards Hemlock, but Tech shoots him on the shoulder and the leg, neutralizing him. So now we have Crosshair and Hunter on one side, Hemlock and Omega on the other like in the show, but we also have Tech, Scorch and the incapacitated Wrecker in the mix. The ship still needs to arrive and land on this specific platform, so we still have time for a brief verbal confrontation between Tech and the others during this stalemate. Hemlock tries to prove a point by giving Tech the order to finish off his brother, but Crosshair finally manages to breach through him by asking him "When have you ever followed orders?", to which Tech finally breaks free of the reconditioning on his own ("We do not need help. We will figure out a solution, as we always do").
Without thinking twice, Tech shoots Scorch to disarm him but in turn Scorch tackles him off the railing and they both fall; Tech manages to throw a grappling hook on the bridge and Wrecker, crawling on his side, is able to catch the rope before it snaps. Tech is still dangling for his life while Scorch is still clutching his leg, but Wrecker, despite his injuries, is not willing to let him go this time. The tension is high, and the ship for Hemlock has finally arrived, but Omega manages to stay calm and collected and so do Hunter and Crosshair. Just like in the show, she manages to stab Hemlock, allowing Crosshair to shoot the handcuffs with Hunter as a "tripod". Finally free from Hemlock, Omega rushes to help Tech, grabbing his hand after he finally manages to kick away Scorch. After everyone is safe, Wrecker starts to embrace Tech with all the strength he has left, crying as he promises that he'll never let him fall again, while Omega runs to Crosshair and Hunter, and they hug just like in the show: that scene was perfect, so I wouldn't change it one bit. Then of course there is a whole group hug (Echo may join as well), with a softer yet triumphal variation of the main theme in the background.
After the clones are back on the ship, headed to Pabu, Tech apologizes to his brothers for the harm he caused as Hemlock's puppet, describing how terrible it was to act as a soulless assassin while desperately struggling with his mind to break free. Crosshair apologizes to Tech for choosing the Empire over them and for indirectly causing his fall and capture. Tech reassures him not to feel guilty about it, and says that he made his choice when he executed Plan 99, and that, if he could go back, he would still do it, though Hunter jokingly orders him to never do that again, with Omega immediately backing him up. And I don't think I would need to add anything else after this. The rest can go on pretty much as in the original episode; we only need to spare a minute for a proper reunion between Tech and Phee ("Better late than dead") and of course everyone will be sitting under that tree in the end.
And there you have it, this is the best I could come up with after letting my mind wander for a couple of hours. Could have this been plausible? Maybe not. Is it perfect? Definitely not. Is it better than the original ending? I'll let you be the judge to that. But I still wanted to share it with you guys, as a testament to how much I love this show and these characters. Thank you, if you managed to stick this far; whether you liked it or not, hopefully I managed to entertain you a little with my ramblings. Have a good day, and may the Force be with you, always.

New here! -- have been reading these for a while and felt like I could relate (and how that's probably not a good thing)
I got my undergrad in December and quickly found a job in my field starting in the middle of January at a small (less than 5 employees total) office. My boss and his wife run the company as a duo, where he does all of the work and she takes care of meetings, schedules, hiring employees, etc. My coworker has told me that she tends to hire younger because she can "get away with paying them nothing". I have been grateful to have a salary at all, and don't have any issues with pay.
I signed onto the job and on the first day I was immediately assigned my own projects (no training). We do work where accuracy is EXTREMELY important for liability purposes. In the interview process, both the boss and his wife told me that I'd be able to utilize the first few months as huge learning opportunities, as I told them my undergraduate program did not cover much of what we do. They assured me that this would be "more than okay". In my first few weeks, I had made my fair share of mistakes, and instead of offering any sort of guidance, the boss would snap at me, say things like "who told you to do this?" and "it's not that fucking hard to figure it out" under his breath while I'm at his desk ASKING for information, and then send me back to my desk. About a month into working she pulled me into a meeting and told me I need to stop asking so many questions to my coworkers and start working independently. With zero training and zero references, I reminded her in this meeting that the nature of the work we are doing is not something covered in undergrad, but that I would do my best to minimize questions and try to figure things out on my own.
The "asking questions" problem very quickly turned into a "talking" problem. I thought it was very normal to make casual small talk with coworkers (at decent times) for about 5 minutes at a time. My boss' wife seems to have developed a very particular distaste for ME talking, and has begun to blame me for almost everything that goes wrong in the office. If my coworker takes too long to complete something, she'll come out and yell at me for "distracting others".
I think it is worth mentioning that about 1 month ago she pulled my coworker and I into another meeting and said that she was moving my desk. I used to sit in a position where I could at the very least mouth things to my coworker if I had a quick question, but I now am completely facing the wall with my back turned to everyone else. I have responded to all of these instances with complete honesty and respect, telling her that while I do not ask questions about work anymore, and have completely stopped talking during the (sometimes 11 hour day), that there are just some extremely specific things that i HAVE to ask someone, or else I wouldn't have a clue how to go about it.
Now that I have my seat moved, my coworkers talk (I can hear them behind me) and I very rarely chime in. She will still come in and "joke" with the interns/employees to "make sure I leave everyone alone" and "not let me start talking". I will occasionally hear this over my headphones (which we are allowed to wear at work) and remind her that I haven't said anything to anyone all day.
All in all, (6 months in) I now go into work every day feeling anxious, and leave feeling defeated. I will say that my REAL boss doesn't seem to have any issues with me. He's a generally cranky guy but especially recently he seems to be pleased with the work I put out. The issue now really feels like a peronal one that she has about me. I will hear her asking him if I've messed up anything, and he'll say no. I feel like although I've learned a lot, there are still a lot of things I'm not grasping fully because I'm not allowed to ask about them. My coworkers are all planning their exits in the next few weeks and have advised me to do the same. I've espressed my fears to them about how I may not be picking things up quickly enough, and they all confirm that my work is fine, especially for being pretty new to the job. The only reason why I want to keep this job is because I wanted to have something for my resume for grad school (I'd be applying in the Fall). I'm not sure if it's even worth it anymore, with the mental damage she seems to be doing to me.
Would really appreciate any sort of guidance, because I'm pretty sure she qualifies as a narcissist. I will end by saying she's generally disliked by clients, employees, and argues with her husband in the office almost every day. He'll tell her to "shut up" and "leave him alone" right in front of us. It feels like just a super toxic place to be in in general. I will say again that I'm new to the work field and that I could also just need to grow up and deal with it. My plan was to stick it out until the winter (stay for a year) and then leave.

Husband of 20 years is probably cheating on me. So here it goes, sll of my dirty secrets.
I, 45f been married to my husband 46, male for over 20 years to a man I met in my early 20’s. We have been very best friends since the day we met but it has been a rocky relationship. I am from an abusive alcoholic family and I was for a time blissfully an alcoholic along with the family. This of coarse was problematic when looking for a date. More than one boyfriend broke up with me because I drank too much, partied too hard and studied too little. Cue in my dream man, he’s responsible, well educated and a heavy drinker. We partied all night and he got up the next day, no matter how hungover and went to work. My mom said that this is normal, it’s how it’s supposed to be. If a man makes it to work everyday then he’s not an alcoholic. By her definition, only a man who misses work can be accused of drinking too much.
I married this replica of my father and for many blissful years we were married and we partied and drank. We’d drink a bottle or two of wine a few nights a week and on weekends we’d stay up all night, often having parties at our home. It was grand fun, until we had kids. All of the sudden I had to handle night feedings and morning diaper changes while tipsy, drunk or hungover. It didn’t take me long to quit, I had already quit for 9 months while pregnant and I had gotten the idea that life is better sober. But my partner didn’t agree. He was drunk most nights while I was pregnant. When I got annoyed and asked him to quit he hid the bottles. I had a second child with him in spite of the drinking (I wanted a matching set), not my best decision but I don’t regret it. When I was at the hospital he looked exhausted so I sent him home to rest. He went home and drank himself into a stupor. My mom had to drive me home from the hospital and when we got home, he was passed out on the living room floor. He slept for another 10 hours like that and he was drunk the entire first week of my daughter’s life. I had to ask my mom to help care for her since I’d had complications with the birth and had over 30 stitches.
His drinking went on for years with me going from kicking him out of the home to drinking with him. Often I would plead with him to quit and he’d refuse. On 4 occasions we separated, each time selling our home and dividing the property. But he’d get sober and he was always very sorry. At this point we had two kids and I needed the help.
Over time things got better and he went years and years without drinking. I had quit altogether after our first child. In fact things go so much better that he asked to start drinking again. He rationalized that he had been sober for 5 years and that he can handle one of two drinks a week. I agreed under the following terms, he can have up to two drinks with dinner once a week. I know this is a terrible decision, I think it’s fair to say that there is a pattern here of gawd awful decisions on my part. This 2 drink agreement lasted a few months but of course two drinks turned into 3, then it turned into a couple nights a week. I saw it was getting out of hand and I banned drinking again.
In the meantime my partner has gotten substantially better looking. It’s through a combination of favourable genetics, some recent work done and some excellent supplements. He aged well going from a 6.5 in his 20’s to a current day 8.5. More than that he’d recently opened a business and it was booming. For the first time in our married life he started to out earn me. For the first 20 years I was the primary wage earner, but now he’s making the more than me (this is temporary as my wage is about to pick up). The woman are noticing him and It’s not lost on me or him. We went to Mexico last year and women were practically following him around and throwing themselves at him. We go out to eat and woman hit on him. They hit on him at the grocery store and they hit on him at work. To his credit he does not respond to this in front of me or the kids. Nor have I ever heard of him hitting on somebody.
I’m a solid 7 - 7.5. I’ve aged okay, I look decent, I’m maybe a little heavier as size 10. But I’m not a hot young thing giggling at him. I am a wife and a mother, so not always sexy, but still quite a lot prettier than average. But realistically on the open market, I’m probably not attracting an 8.5 that earns his kind of money.
About 8 months ago he started coming home from work drunk. He was hiding it but I could smell the booze on his breath. He claimed it was heartburn but I knew better and I ignored it. I just wanted everything to be okay. There was a woman he was working with, he claimed to hate her, she seemed overly interested in him. There were a few incidents, that made me suspicious but he claimed he hated her. He was never home late from work. She moved away and he seemed fine and I was relieved. But a few months after this the drinking started, along with my denial. I guess I kinda figured that who cares if he cheated, she moved away. Now we can get on with our lives.
Recently he’s coming home from work late, but not too late. It’s an hour late here and there. Sometimes he’d claim that he’d have to stay an extra hour. A few times he went completely missing and claimed to have fallen asleep at the office. The problem is that I don’t really know his hours, it’s possible he’s done earlier. For context, he is self employed and rents a space. But other people rent spaces there too,
He’s been coming home drunker and drunker lately while still denying he’s been drinking. I’m ashamed to admit it but I ignored it to the point where I let him drive the kids a few times like that. I was just so far into denial, but I knew somewhere deep down that he was drunk.
He’s normally off work at 5pm and in the car by 5:10pm. But lately he’s not in the car until 5:45pm, ignoring my calls and sometimes coming into the house as late as 6pm. I mean it’s only 45 minutes right? A few times he’d go missing until 7:30 or 8pm and he’d say that he hate a late client appointment and had told me but I forgot. Strangely he’s never hungry when he gets home, in spite of being at work all day. In fact he’s not hungry 2 - 3 times a week. He told me that his stomach is bothering him.
Last night he went missing so I went to his office to look for him. I found him asleep in his office alone with an empty bottle of hard alcohol on his desk. I checked his office drawer and it was full of empty bottles. The office is a disaster, messy and all that. I’m not sure how he sees clients in a room like that and I’m worried that he’s taking appointments drunk. His business is doing really well and building it up was a joint effort. I’m worried that his drinking will destroy everything we built.
I woke him up and he was visibly drunk. He told me that he wants to stay at the office to sleep it off and that no he doesn’t want to talk about it and he didn’t come home. It’s been 6 hours. The thing is, that he hates sleeping in his work clothes and his office is desperately uncomfortable. I just don’t see him staying there overnight alone.
When the drinking flared up 6 months ago, it was just him drinking alone. But when he was sober he was still my best friend. But over time he’s stopped responding when I speak. He tells me that he drinks because he can’t stand to listen to my problems anymore. If I ask him about his day I get a one word answer. More and more he looks at me with contempt while drinking. But even stranger, he wants sex more often, I don’t know why this is. But he’s weird about it and hounding me. He’s going on and on about how to wants to try a sex position we’ve never done, talking about how much he likes it. He’s also looking over my shoulder and checking my phone, which is new. it’s intrusive as I don’t even know his passcode and feel no temptation to check his phone.
He gets paid in cash and has a drawer full of it at the office so I can’t check his cards.
Now I know what you are going to say. He’s definitely cheating, I mean he probably is. But we live in a no fault place so what does it matter if I get proof or not? Also I have two kids to think of and we aren’t in a financial position to leave. I will need time to pay down our joint debt and I need a new job. I’m thinking that the best course of action is to stay silent and improve my situation so that I can support my kids and myself. I think this works for him too as he doesn’t want to get stuck with all sorts of child support or alimony. Giving me time to get back on my feet and improve my financial position works for both of us.
The thing is that if I even bring up getting divorced or separated he says that I am the light of his life. He says that he loves me and that I’m his best friend. He says that he doesn’t want to leave. Then I feel so badly. If I even broach the topic of separating, he’ll shut it down so quickly. He’s overwhelming and persistent and he out talks me. I think there’s no use in talking it out and I don’t see us living together well under some sort of “arrangement”.
Do you have any advice on what to do next? Do you have any idea why he’s acting this way? If he wants to separate why not just do it? Also what’s with the increased sex drive?
One of the oddities is that I’ve been doing really great lately. I’ve lost some weight, my hair is looking good. My business sucks but I’ve been taking on new gigs and retraining. I’m becoming a person that I’m really proud of and every day seems to be getting better. But the better I do, the more contempt he seems to have for me. I can see the bitterness in his drunkenness. And he gets drunks on nights when I have to work and when I have something important going on. He blames the drinking on me. He says that I only talk about myself (maybe I do, I’m trying to improve). He says that I ask too much of him and that I make him contribute to the house too much but I do 100% of the grocery shopping, cooking, lunches, school stuff, homework and kids activities. He comes home and goes straight to bed while complaining that he’s doing too much. Meanwhile I’m breaking myself trying to make the home perfect enough.
Is there any chance that he’s just old and tired and not cheating? I mean he’s only missing for 45 minutes a day? I should mention that he’s stopped answering my calls during the workday and stopped reading my texts.
The weird thing is that I felt relieved to find him surrounded by booze bottles and I’m glad he’s done tonight. I’ve spent the majority of my adult life begging him to be sober. Tonight I could see the contempt in his eyes towards me. I just don’t know that I can move past it. I think I just want to be free from this now.
Do you have any advice? I’ve never been through anything like this and I could use some support and guidance.
I think that taking 4 - 6 months to resolve the situation might be best. This gives me time to find a new job and to pay down some debt and bolster savings.