We both tattoo and met 9 months ago at the tattoo shop I worked at, she was an apprentice and we just clicked and started talking. In the beginning looking back I think we both love bombed eachother but at the time I didn’t see it that way I just saw it as love at first sight and I was so into her and her I. But I recall her telling me I told her I love you sooner than normal, I want to prefise this as to say I may also have some undiagnosed issues. I have an identical twin who has bipolar I dnt know the specifics but he could be very irrational and angry most of the time. But I’ve never been that way. I’m typically passive and try my best to avoid conflict, a people pleaser. But back to the story we fell in love and in the beginning our age gap was an issue for her but over time that became a non issue. I became part of her family and she became part of mine. But at least once a month she would break up with me for various reasons one main reason being she was confused about her sexuality, we are both bi, she would always come back saying she loved me and I’m just confused and we would have the most amazing sex and special moments. When we met she had a male friend that she told me was only a friend but after 4 months randomly confessed he wasn’t just a friend, he was an ex she met though a dating app. Which really shocked me because they talked everyday which isn’t a problem and I wouldn’t typically care but the fact she chose to lie for so long made me uncomfortable. Which she insisted on continuing to talk to after I expressed that it made me uncomfortable. She also had a mutual friend lie to me so they could spend time together without my knowledge saying that she did this because she thought I would be mad considering she’s bi and our mutual friend is lesbian. And again I was shocked that she did this. I found this out by looking in her phone which I’m not proud of but if I didn’t this information would have never been known. after this she treated me with so much love for a small period of time and I always wondered if it was only an attempt to make up for the things she’d did as it soon stopped and we went back to the ways things were. Her withholding affection silent treatments and lack of communication. But she wanted to regain my trust and so I chose to forgive her and build back the trust. Fast forward to now she would txt me I love u every morning and we had plans for the future and all the things in a relationship and suddenly and randomly again she messaged saying I can’t do this I’m confused and I no longer have feelings for you. Obviously I was confused and deeply hurt, I regrettably begged her to work on this with me because she has done this in the past and hasn’t been taking her medication throughout our relationship and since I’ve met her I’ve learned so much about her condition. She has quiet bpd and disorganized attachment. And I’m anxiously attached so in my mind I thought could this be a repeat of her past behaviors and with time this may pass. She agreed but said she only would do it to make me happy and that because her family loved me it made sense but deep down I knew and she vocalized that she didn’t want to and that she was putting on a mask to satisfy me. Which hurts because I want her to be happy but I also wanted her to want to fix this like I did. The plan was to take things slow so I invited her over for dinner and movies and told her I would refrain from serious talk but the problem is with her I was never able to talk about my feelings. Anything serious or relationship related and she would shut down and it stifled any communication. we had a few drinks and regrettably I brought up my frustrations and how it wasn’t just the two of it was us and her bpd. Like usual she shut down and I tried to be present while she explained her feelings. The mistake I made was that while she was crying I was smirking this is what she said and that wasn’t my intention to make her feel crazy but she said my facial expressions made her feel that way .so she left and has blocked me on everything. I kind of vommitted all my backed up feelings on her because I repressed it for so long and I feel bad, I didn’t want to hurt her but I never felt safe telling her how I felt out of fear of her reaction but since it may very well be the end I wanted to at least tell my truth. I loved her so much and regret my inability to hold to what I said and not bring up serous talk if u will but I also feel like it’s not fair to me that I can’t express my self to my partner. Through our relationship she said some of the meanest things anyone has ever to me that anyone. I guess this is kind of a rant and idk what opinions you may have because I don’t think she will ever speak to me again but the saddest part is I truly loved her and her family and would have done anything for her and I tried every day to be there for her and learn about her condition so that I could be the best partner possible . I’m scared about my future and the pain I will face in the coming months, I built my life around her. But I think deep down I knew this wouldn’t work I just so badly wanted it to. I love u Andrea always and forever. I’ll never know how much of our relationship was steered by her bpd but I know that she has an amazingly loving and kind person and just has her own set of problems. I want to say that I know I have issues to and in no way want to be negative towards her or undermined my issue I just can only write so much in this post. I’ve never felt a pain like this and I’ve had other serious relationships. Sry for the rant I just need to vent my feelings and I just miss her already and I dnt see a point in anything anymore but I’m to weak to unalive myself.

Both my parents have tracphones and are paying too much for what they get. Is there a good unlimited, or high-minute/month plan on Verizon towers? There is zero t-mobile service at their home, and spotty AT&T service. I've been looking at the cheap yearly USMobile plan.
They have no use data for it as they have VoLTE flip phones.

Several months ago, there was an option for me to use UPROAM to add in roaming credits in case I need a bank text message. Now I am essentially forced to buy the minternational pass which could be prohibitively expensive if I only use it to get bank verification even in a day. Basically, abroad, I would buy a SIM card and use my data through that SIM Card. I am currently in Europe and bought a 150GB plan for a whole month whilst I am travelling there and use my VOIP text now number in case I wanna keep touch with family and friends, so I basically don't even use my domestic phone number at all except for bank verifications. I even added in my voip number for my bank.
However, when I were to pay a train ticket online in Europe, I am forced to go through bank verification and in that case, essentially forced to use my domestic number as that is the only number my bank would show me, not even the VOIP number. I am so devastated and don't know what to do, as paying 5 dollars just to buy one train ticket makes absolutely no financial sense. Even though I am affluent and make far above the US median household income as a self employed mobile app developer using ad revenue, 5 dollars a day is not wise and could be using that towards a nicer meal whilst travelling.

A jamming device plays a significant role in disrupting mobile phone communication. By transmitting signals on the same frequencies as mobile phones, it creates interference that prevents phones from establishing a connection with the base station. This disruption renders the phones unable to receive or transmit signals effectively.
The way jamming devices work is by emitting radio signals at the same frequency range used by mobile phones. This causes interference and blocks the signals between the mobile phone and the base station. The strength of the jamming device's signal overwhelms the weaker signals of mobile phones, effectively disabling their communication capabilities.
The use of jamming devices is typically found in places where phone calls would be disruptive, such as entertainment venues where silence is expected.However, it's important to note that the use of jamming devices is illegal in many jurisdictions, especially without a license.

Legality of Jamming Devices in Different Countries

The legality of jamming devices varies across different countries. In some jurisdictions, the possession, operation, or supply of jamming devices is explicitly prohibited, while in others, there may be exceptions for specific purposes.
For example, in Australia, it is illegal to operate, supply, or possess jamming devices unless the user has a PMTS C telecommunications license. In Brazil, jamming devices are illegal, except for proposed installations in prisons. Canada considers the use of jamming devices illegal under certain sections of the Radiocommunication Act, with the exception of federal law enforcement agencies who have obtained approval.
In the European Union, the use of jamming devices is categorically illegal according to the European Commission's "Interpretation of the Directive 1999/5/EC." France has seen changes in its legislation, where the use of jamming devices was legal until 2012 in cinemas, concert halls, and performance venues but has since become illegal.
Other countries, such as India, have specific regulations that permit the use of jamming devices by security and military agencies, as well as in certain locations like prisons, theaters, mosques, and schools with prior permits and limited jamming capabilities within the perimeter.
It's important to note that this is not an exhaustive list of all countries and their specific laws regarding jamming devices. The legal status of jamming devices can vary widely, and individuals should consult their local laws to determine the legality of such devices in their jurisdiction.

Consequences and Risks Associated with Jamming Devices

The use of jamming devices can have various consequences and risks. One significant concern is the impact on emergency services. When a jamming device is active, it can block access to emergency services, potentially endangering lives in critical situations. The ability to make an emergency call is vital, and any disruption caused by a jamming device can have severe consequences.
Moreover, using jamming devices unlawfully can result in legal repercussions. Many countries impose penalties for the possession, operation, or supply of jamming devices without authorization. These penalties can range from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense.
Another risk associated with jamming devices is the potential for abuse. While jamming devices can be used to maintain silence in appropriate settings, they can also be deployed by malicious individuals to disrupt communication intentionally. This can lead to significant disruptions in public spaces, creating chaos and potentially affecting public safety.

Related Concepts and Technologies

In addition to jamming devices, there are other related concepts and technologies worth exploring. One such concept is IMSI-catchers, which are used for tracking and intercepting mobile communications. IMSI-catchers work by impersonating cell towers and capturing signals from nearby mobile devices, allowing the interceptor to eavesdrop or track the device's movements.
Another related concept is radio jamming, which encompasses a broader range of deliberate interference with radio communications. While jamming devices specifically target mobile phone frequencies, radio jamming can target various wireless communication systems, including radio broadcasts and Wi-Fi networks.
Lastly, microphone blockers are another type of device that aims to protect privacy by blocking the microphones of smartphones, tablets, or laptops. These blockers are designed to prevent unauthorized audio recording or eavesdropping.

Conclusion

Jamming devices, or blockers, play a significant role in disrupting mobile phone communication by intentionally transmitting signals on the same frequencies as mobile phones. While their use can be deemed necessary in certain scenarios, it's crucial to understand the legal implications and potential risks associated with these devices.
The legality of jamming devices varies across different countries, with some jurisdictions strictly prohibiting their possession, operation, or supply. The consequences of using jamming devices unlawfully can range from fines to imprisonment, and there are also risks related to public safety and the disruption of emergency services.
Furthermore, related concepts such as IMSI-catchers, radio jamming, and microphone blockers provide a broader perspective on the field of disruptive technologies. Understanding these concepts helps shed light on the complexities surrounding the use of communication-blocking devices and how they impact our daily lives.
Overall, the use of jamming devices should be approached with caution and in compliance with the laws and regulations of respective jurisdictions. Balancing the need for privacy or maintaining silence with the potential risks and legal implications is essential to ensure a safe and functional communication environment for all.
A jamming device plays a significant role in disrupting mobile phone communication. By transmitting signals on the same frequencies as mobile phones, it creates interference that prevents phones from establishing a connection with the base station. This disruption renders the phones unable to receive or transmit signals effectively.
The way jamming devices work is by emitting radio signals at the same frequency range used by mobile phones. This causes interference and blocks the signals between the mobile phone and the base station. The strength of the jamming device's signal overwhelms the weaker signals of mobile phones, effectively disabling their communication capabilities.
The use of jamming devices is typically found in places where phone calls would be disruptive, such as entertainment venues where silence is expected.However, it's important to note that the use of jamming devices is illegal in many jurisdictions, especially without a license.

Legality of Jamming Devices in Different Countries

The legality of jamming devices varies across different countries. In some jurisdictions, the possession, operation, or supply of jamming devices is explicitly prohibited, while in others, there may be exceptions for specific purposes.
For example, in Australia, it is illegal to operate, supply, or possess jamming devices unless the user has a PMTS C telecommunications license. In Brazil, jamming devices are illegal, except for proposed installations in prisons. Canada considers the use of jamming devices illegal under certain sections of the Radiocommunication Act, with the exception of federal law enforcement agencies who have obtained approval.
In the European Union, the use of jamming devices is categorically illegal according to the European Commission's "Interpretation of the Directive 1999/5/EC." France has seen changes in its legislation, where the use of jamming devices was legal until 2012 in cinemas, concert halls, and performance venues but has since become illegal.
Other countries, such as India, have specific regulations that permit the use of jamming devices by security and military agencies, as well as in certain locations like prisons, theaters, mosques, and schools with prior permits and limited jamming capabilities within the perimeter.
It's important to note that this is not an exhaustive list of all countries and their specific laws regarding jamming devices. The legal status of jamming devices can vary widely, and individuals should consult their local laws to determine the legality of such devices in their jurisdiction.

Consequences and Risks Associated with Jamming Devices

The use of jamming devices can have various consequences and risks. One significant concern is the impact on emergency services. When a jamming device is active, it can block access to emergency services, potentially endangering lives in critical situations. The ability to make an emergency call is vital, and any disruption caused by a jamming device can have severe consequences.
Moreover, using jamming devices unlawfully can result in legal repercussions. Many countries impose penalties for the possession, operation, or supply of jamming devices without authorization. These penalties can range from fines to imprisonment, depending on the severity of the offense.
Another risk associated with jamming devices is the potential for abuse. While jamming devices can be used to maintain silence in appropriate settings, they can also be deployed by malicious individuals to disrupt communication intentionally. This can lead to significant disruptions in public spaces, creating chaos and potentially affecting public safety.

Related Concepts and Technologies

In addition to jamming devices, there are other related concepts and technologies worth exploring. One such concept is IMSI-catchers, which are used for tracking and intercepting mobile communications. IMSI-catchers work by impersonating cell towers and capturing signals from nearby mobile devices, allowing the interceptor to eavesdrop or track the device's movements.
Another related concept is radio jamming, which encompasses a broader range of deliberate interference with radio communications. While jamming devices specifically target mobile phone frequencies, radio jamming can target various wireless communication systems, including radio broadcasts and Wi-Fi networks.
Lastly, microphone blockers are another type of device that aims to protect privacy by blocking the microphones of smartphones, tablets, or laptops. These blockers are designed to prevent unauthorized audio recording or eavesdropping.

Conclusion

Jamming devices, or blockers, play a significant role in disrupting mobile phone communication by intentionally transmitting signals on the same frequencies as mobile phones. While their use can be deemed necessary in certain scenarios, it's crucial to understand the legal implications and potential risks associated with these devices.
For anyone considering the adoption of such technology, reputable providers like JammerX offer a range of signal-blocking solutions tailored to various workplace needs.

Out of nothing, a program called "Campaign Manager" opened over the full screen and showed the following. This appeared while watching netflix without downloading anything in the last few hours. Where did it come from?
program window (fullscreen)
tasklist icon

Hi! Would like to ask for opinion only. Planning to buy my mom a new phone, kaso wala akong idea what to get her 🥹 any suggestions po for a phone ranging 20-25k? She just uses her phone for SocMed, texting and calling, pati pag watch ng KDrama. Malapit na gumive-up current phone niya 😅

Some background: He's (21M) my (21F) coworker. We've been working together since June of last year but didn't really start talking to each other until September. We were hitting it off during the fall but didn't get the chance to work together as much during the spring due to scheduling changes. I definitely liked him first. I'm honestly not sure what I did to get him to like me back; I'm not particularly good at flirting at all. I guess I just annoyed him enough that I eventually started to grow on him. He's always asking me how I'm doing and how school's going. He goes out of his way to start a conversation with me. We have our little inside jokes; he's always teasing me about how aggressive I am. I've caught him looking at me several times.
Anyway, now that the school year is over, he's going to be doing an internship in another state for the next three months. I, on the other hand, am working on finding a new job so that I can move out. Suffice it to say, I'll probably be gone by the time he comes back to work in the fall. So, I decided to message him via our work communication app and ask for his contact information. I would have asked him in person, but our workplace only releases the schedule week-by-week, and it's not always consistent each week, so I didn't know that our last shift together (on May 5) would be our last 😔. This is a part-time job comprised mostly of high school and college students, so it's not like dating a coworker would risk my career or anything, and like I said, I'm planning on quitting anyway. What I said was this: "Hey, do you have Instagram or Snapchat or a phone number or something? Since I probably won't be working here by the time you come back in the fall. Idk just in case we never see each other again 😅".
I'm so scared. I was literally trembling as I sent the message. That was about six and a half hours ago; it's nearly 4 am now, so he's definitely not responding until morning. Was I too forward? Guys like it when girls make the first move, don't they? Did I make the right decision? I mean the worst he can say is no, right? Or, I guess, leave me on read, in this case. I'm worried I might be bothering him during finals week, although I think nearly everyone's finals are over at this point. I know he's a super busy guy; if he doesn't get back to me right away, I understand. I just couldn't hold back any longer; I was worried he'd stop looking at our work app over the summer and I'd lose my chance forever.
I'm also worried that he thinks I lost interest in him. I feel like I was bolder when talking to him during the fall, but these past few months I've been kind of shy around him since we hardly see each other anymore. Sometimes my mind just goes blank around him. I'm able to socialize with my other coworkers really easily because I'm not attracted to any of them, but when it's just us one-on-one my brain is just like "Oh my god, cute guy!" and turns to mush and I forget how to speak. Most of the time he's the one initiating the conversations and I feel bad. But I don't know, maybe I'm just overthinking things.
Lastly, I'm worried he might think less of me now that I've dropped out of college. I told him during our last shift together that I had dropped out about a month ago, and the way he reacted seemed a bit judgmental. I don't think he meant to be judgmental, though; I think he just had no idea what to say. Or maybe I'm just hypersensitive to criticism, I don't know. I didn't want to go into the personal reasons (mental health and family stuff) behind why I decided to drop out (although I think he can kind of tell something's up), so I'm worried he just thinks I'm lazy and a quitter. It doesn't help that I tend to goof off and socialize a lot during work; not to the point where I'm not doing my job, but enough that it's clear I'm definitely not the hardest worker there. He, on the other hand, is super conscientious about his work; he has a great work ethic, which I admire. I think we just view work in different ways. I'm never going to slack off so much that I'm hurting my coworkers, but I'm also not going to put in maximum effort for a corporation that doesn't even pay me a living wage. I'm just worried that he sees the way I act at work and thinks of me as this ditzy dumbass when I'm so much more than that.
I've never actually been in a relationship, but I have had quite a few crushes, and I can say without a doubt he's the biggest crush I've ever had. I know everyone views their crush through rose-colored glasses, and while I know he's not perfect, this man is seriously a walking green flag. He's so smart, handsome, and funny. He's the sweetest guy; I don't think he has a mean bone in his body. He's always trying to cheer me up whenever I'm down. He's effortlessly kind to everyone and goes out of his way to help people. Did I mention we work at a movie theater? Well, during the worst shift of my life, two weeks after Barbenheimer (fun for audiences, but absolute madness for movie theater employees), I was stuck working the concessions stand completely alone on a Saturday night (usually we would have three to four employees on such a busy night). It was chaos; literally a nonstop line for at least an hour and a half, with absolutely no help from my managers (until I had a mini mental breakdown later that night, but I digress). Anyway, my crush was literally the only one who helped me prior to my mini mental breakdown. He was working as an usher that night (one of the people who cleans the theaters after each movie) and stayed ten minutes past the end of his shift to help me make popcorn and restock the concessions stand. He didn't have to do that. Our managers worked us like dogs that summer; most people would have been out of there the moment their shift ended. But not him. This was before we had even started talking, definitely before he started reciprocating feelings. There was no ulterior motive here. He just saw a coworker struggling and decided to go out of his way to help, with no benefit to himself. Because that's just the type of person he is. And that might seem like a small thing to you guys, but I feel like genuine kindness is so rare these days. I feel it's such a dog-eat-dog world out there; seems like we're all becoming more and more individualistic, and that everyone is only looking out for themselves. I don't know, I just hear horror stories about shitty guys all the time, and he just seems different.
I'm just terrified of the response (or lack thereof) I'm going to wake up to in the morning. Because even if he does give me his number, what then? There's been this unspoken chemistry and connection between us for months now. One of us has to confess our feelings, right? Will it be me? Will it be him? Will either of us have the guts to do it? It's our last chance. It's now or never. And I feel like maybe I'm not in the best place in my life for a relationship... but are any of us ever truly ready for one? I couldn't help falling for him when I did. I just feel like if I don't take that risk and confess my feelings to him now, I'm going to regret it for the rest of my life. And even if he rejects me, or we try dating and it doesn't work out, at least I can say I tried. The pain of rejection is nothing compared to the pain of regret, right?
I just need some reassurance and support. Someone tell me I made the right decision. And wish me luck 😅

So, things were getting really bad in our relationship from October until we broke up. It was never about cheating, it was more about false expectations, could not really foresee a future with him anymore. I was madly in love with him, really pains me we couldn't make it. Well, beginning of April I broke up with him, 19 of April it was my birthday and he left a rose on my doorstep. I heared this from my neighbour as I went on a holiday with myself to NYC. He didn't know I had this plan of going there. Apparently he knew I was not home so he asked (emailed) me numerous times where I was. I really tried to cut contact and ignore him but then I felt bad as I know how shitty the silent treatment is so I replied and told him everything. I think he mistaken this contact for me wanting to be closer to him. Not sure as I was really clear about the break up. Over there I also slept with a guy I met on Hinge. It felt ok-ish to do but also felt that it was quick after my break up. I don't have contact with this hinge guy anymore. My ex called me yesterday, crying, telling me he had the worst nightmare of me admitting I cheated on him and beating up this guy real bad and asked me if I had slept with someone already. I couldn't lie, felt a lot of pressure somehow so I said yes. I just felt him breaking thru the phone, it felt so fucking bad. Should I have said NO? I should right? I have caused him so so much pain, the fact that he sees this as cheating is also not helping. I tried to explain to him that it all happened after the break up but for him it was too soon. Are here people who lied about this for the good and how did that turned out? I want to be honest with everything in life but with this one I think it really was better to just say NO. I feel I caused him really unnecessary pain.....

I've been trying to make a new friend. Almost two weeks ago I approached him at an end of the year type school event and asked if he'd like to hang out sometime. We didn't actually know each other, but we've had a couple of classes together and I just think he's really cool. He said sure and we exchanged numbers. A day or two later I asked if he'd be interested in going on a hike with me. He said that sounded like a lot of fun, but that he'd be busy until the following week with family stuff. I said that sounded great, and waited a few days to text him again asking which days would be the best for him, and mentioning two days that would be the easiest for me to plan on. He never responded. He does seem to be pretty slow at responding, but he's texted back within a day. The next day my phone was acting up, so I wondered if perhaps my text was never received. I restarted my phone (because that usually fixes it when it's acting weird) and texted him the next day to ask if he had received my last message, clarifying that my phone hadn't been working well. I never got a response to that text either. That happened three days ago.
I'm a pretty anxious person, especially when it comes to texting, so my mind has been doing me no favors. I'm wondering if I did something wrong, or misunderstood him, or if he actually never got my texts and thinks I'm being rude by not following up with our plans, or if he's not interest in going on a hike anymore. (Though I'm pretty sure it's not the fault of my phone, because after I reset it, I was able to text other people normally again.) I'm also wondering what, if anything, I should do. I know I can either text him or not (since school just got out, there is basically no chance we'll ever see each other in person). If I don't text him I risk never seeing him again and wondering forever if I could have done something more. But there are so many more variables to think about if I decide that I should text him again. When should I text him again? What should I say? Should I mention just the hike, or just the fact that I haven't heard from him, or both? Do I apologize in case I offended or misunderstood him? Should I explain my anxiety around texting people; if so, how do I avoid being manipulative? Most of these questions just lead to more questions. I don't actually need it wasn't answers to each and every one of these questions, but I included some of them as context for what sort of things my anxiety-ridden brain causes me to think about. Any help will be much appreciated (especially examples/suggestions of specific things I might say; I struggle a lot when it comes to wording things). Thank you!

PERSONALIA

• Age: 34
• Education: Associate's degree IT and Network management (starting this year to get my bachelor in distance learning)
• Work experience : 3y current function (Previously 9 years as a software tester consultant; 3,5y 1st line callcenter; 1,5y field technician telecom)
• Civil status: legally cohabiting
• Dependent people/children: 2

2. EMPLOYER PROFILE

• SectoIndustry: IT Solutions and services
• Amount of employees: +3000 (Belgium), +-6000 internationally
• Multinational? Yes

3. CONTRACT & CONDITIONS

• Current job title: Senior consultant application security and devsecops
• Job description: code security assessments, infrastructure security assessments, implementing devsecops, vulnerability management, implementing software security scanning tools, ...
• Seniority: 3 year
• Official hours/week : 38
• Average real hours/week incl. overtime: 38
• Shiftwork or 9 to 5 (flexible?): 9 to 5 very flexible
• On-call duty: no
• Vacation days/year: 20 days + 7 ADV

4. SALARY

• Gross salary/month: 4160
• Net salary/month: 3094 (+ repaid 200 EUR charging; so basically 2900 Net; see "other benefits" to see what else is also included in the Net salary already)
• Netto compensation: /
• Mobility budget/cabike/...: premium electric car + charge card (can be used private)
• 13th month (full? partial?): partial
• Meal vouchers: 8/day
• Ecocheques: 250
• Group insurance: yes
• Other insurances: hospital + health insurance, medical advice, mental health coaching
• Other benefits (bonuses, stocks options, ... ): +-1100 EUR yearly non-recurring bonus, annual sectoral bonus 312, every 2 years new phone with biggest subscription included, work laptop can be used private, monthly road allowance 70 (already included in net amount above), monthly representation allowance 300 (already included in net amount above)

5. MOBILITY

• City/region of work: Belgium, mostly West- and East-Flanders, Brussels and Antwerp
• Distance home-work: depends from project, sometimes 35km and sometimes 125km
• How do you commute? Company Car
• How is the travel home-work compensated: company car
• Telework days/week: contractual 1 day a week, but you can align with your customer. Mostly remote.

6. OTHER

• How easily can you plan a day off: easily
• Is your job stressful? When starting a new project or a go-live
• Responsible for personnel (reports): no

Hi, I would like to have your opinion on my current wage since I don't really know if it's a good package or not. Thank you in advance.
1. PERSONALIA

• Age: 26
• Education: Bachelor degree in IT
• Work experience : 1.5Y
• Civil status: Single
• Dependent people/children: 0

2. EMPLOYER PROFILE

• SectoIndustry: Insurance
• Amount of employees: ~150
• Multinational? Yes

3. CONTRACT & CONDITIONS

• Current job title: Fullstack developer
• Seniority: 1.5Y
• Official hours/week : 37.5
• Average real hours/week incl. overtime: 37.5
• Shiftwork or 9 to 5 (flexible?): 9 to 5 (flexible)
• On-call duty: No
• Vacation days/year: 28

4. SALARY

• Gross salary/month: 3250€
• Net salary/month: 2400€ including netto compensation, 2900€ if you include the mobility budget
• Netto compensation: 180€
• Mobility budget/cabike/...: Mobility budget of 500€, no car
• 13th month (full? partial?): Full
• Meal vouchers: 8€/day
• Ecocheques: 250€/year
• Group insurance: 4%
• Other insurances: Hospitalization insurance
• Other benefits (bonuses, stocks options, ... ): Laptop, phone subscription

5. MOBILITY

• City/region of work: Brussels
• Distance home-work: 20 minutes
• How do you commute? Public transportation
• How is the travel home-work compensated: STIB/MIVB subscription
• Telework days/week: 3

6. OTHER

• How easily can you plan a day off: Easy
• Is your job stressful? Can sometimes be
• Responsible for personnel (reports): 0

Hi :)
When I connect the iPad over a Dock to a Monitor: Is it possible to get two sound sources into the same headphone at the same time? For example when I play games on the Monitor and have Discord or Youtube open on the iPad itself?
So far I know that u can use the iPad (as long es it has a M-Chip in it) with Stage Manager on an external Monitor. My bf has a Mac mini that he keeps and we are no longer together and because I want to buy myself either a Mac mini OR a iPad as my daily driver to Surf, YouTube, Game (Cloud Gaming), Write in Pages, Speak in Discord, etc. When I use Discord on my iPhone and "close" the app into the background the calls stay and the Microphone records indicator stays - even when I open Youtube into the foreground.
So, can I do the same with iPadOS or has Apple put some limitation into it? My plan is atm to buy an iPad and to Game on the Monitor Screen and have Discord open on the iPad and speak with my people in at the same time

The recent short post that rorih made should have a 100 likes but it does not. People did not seem to fully understand it initially, but once they do grasp the message, they will likely embrace it wholeheartedly.
This is not a bad thing however, but rather, it presents an opportunity to use everyday phrases to paint the picture so you can see where Hoge is going.

The Neighborhood Analogy 🏙️🏘️🌆
Imagine you're looking to buy or build a house in a neighborhood. The wise approach would be to ask your city for the long-term plan for that neighborhood, say, the next 5, 10 or 15 years so you know that the house you are aiming for will appreciate in value or at the very least, you will be in a good neighborhood for years to come.

In our case, the neighborhood is the crypto space and the long term plan that the city has is for everyone to have decentralized access to it.

The city wants to move away from centralized inefficient ways that are based on humans that are prone to error, cheating and other dubious ways of operating, to a decentralized, automated way (smart contracts) where nothing needs human intervention to corrupt it and everything that is done can be verified on your phone to ensure your neighborhood and the city at large are good. (Transparency)

One might ask, how do we know this is what the city wants to do? The short answer is: this is evidenced by the biggest neighborhood by the unwavering conviction behind Bitcoin and its blockchain.
With multiple blockchains emerging, it's clear that decentralization is the 5 to 10-year plan and beyond for the crypto landscape. So, why would we chase centralized exchanges that are archaic, filled with corruption? That will not be smart nor wise.

The Crypto Construction Site 🏗️🚧
Imagine the cryptocurrency space as a neighborhood under construction. The decentralized projects that are being built and the bridges are like new housing developments in this area. While they may appear rough and unfinished at the moment, with the equivalent of shovels, bricks, and construction materials scattered about and noises being made, this is a natural part of the building process.

Just as a new house looks messy during construction, with exposed framing, drywall dust, and tools strewn about, the decentralized crypto projects are still works in progress. They're undergoing active development and implementation, which can create a disorderly appearance. However, this temporary disorder is simply a byproduct of the ongoing construction towards a well-established, decentralized future.
👀 S*eeing Past the Disarray *⛏️⚙️🔨
While some may be put off by the current messy construction sites, those with a forward-looking mindset can see past the temporary disarray. We recognize that this is a crucial phase in the journey towards a decentralized neighborhood aligned with the principles of blockchain technology and in our case Defi.

Rather than being deterred by the present disorder, we should embrace it as a sign of progress towards our larger goal. While others chase the quick gains of centralized exchanges, akin to seeking temporary shelter in a run-down part of town, we're focused on building for the long-term, constructing robust and resilient structures that will stand the test of time and will be one of the biggest, safest houses for not just us reside in but many to come.
Building for the Future 🔮🌉🏢
By allocating our resources towards building bridges to these decentralized projects, we're investing in the future of this neighborhood. Just as a well-constructed house in a thriving development appreciates in value over time, our project will be worth exponentially more in the years to come as the decentralized landscape matures and flourishes.
While the construction phase may be messy and chaotic, we must remain steadfast in our vision, recognizing that the temporary disarray is a necessary step towards creating something truly remarkable, enduring and valuable.

3 things before I start with the story First, english is not my first language and I haven't practiced in a long time. Second, I have avoidant attachment, which it's a important thing in this story. Third, the main characters are the girl, who I'll call morgana, obviously fake name, my brother, that is also friends with her, and me(19)
Long story short, she's a friend from my brother's college, and I met her one day that I went with my brother to some hang out/reunion, I only wanted free drinks tbh lol, but my brother insisted that she had similar interests and that he saw us being friends. This happened on december of two years ago I think.
We bonded, and so we exchanged phone numbers. She was a lot more outgoing than me, and made some plan for us to go out, as an introverted person, who lost a lot of friends because of the quarantine, (they didn't die, just we were too anxious and depressed to talk lol) this was a new experience for me.
As the time went by, there were some instances in which I did disappear for a while, but nonetheless we were really good friends. On october last year, we made other plans to go out to watch a movie, Plans which she cancelled in the morning of the day we were supposed to go out, I really wasn't mad. On halloween, her friend group, including my brother, were having a party, apparently her parents didn't let her go to this so she was free, so I thought it would be a good chance to hang out, first, I ask her if she wanted to go to the cinema, but she refused bc the movie was gonna take to long and she didn't want to go to her house that late, so finally we decided to watch some scary videos while chatting on discord. After that she kinda started to ghost me for some hours until late in the night when she just told me "I'm going some place else"(she also send me some gifts and said nice thing, but the important part is that she just cancelled the plan only by saying that she was going somewhere else).
This time I did get angry, and send her some messages telling her that she made me feel like her backup plan, which up to a certain point I do think it's true. But because I was bored and needed someone to talk to, I kinda just started talking to her again and downplayed what she did.
The last time she cancelled a plan she did compromise to was on december of the same year, in which I was in a work related thing close to her house, so I just asked her meet up some place close, she accepted but told me that she was cleaning and as soon as she finishes she is going to tell me. 4 hours passed and she just tell me that she ended cleaning late and that she was sorry, but was going to go with her sister to eat or something, once again I wasn't mad.
After that I have to be honest and say that I did hold some resentment torwards her, that and the fact that I was pretty busy studying, just made my avoidant attachment worst and so we just kinda talked once or twice per month (which being honest sometimes happened before this but not as often). After that I just tried to go back to when the friendship was really good, but I still hold some resentment torwards her and she just kept rejecting everytime I proposed to hang out, I know this sound like I don't know how to take the hint, but, in my defense, she was constantly saying that she wanted to hang out with me, obviously she never tried to make plans, and everytime I did she just rejected them.
The breaking point was on february of this year, I bought her some valentine gifts as a friendship thing, I happened to go close to her house twice because a relative lives in the same area, so I asked her those two times to go to her house just to give her the gifts, it goes without saying, I got rejected again.
That last time I asked was on march I think, just to give an idea of how much time I held to those shitty gifts I bought, because she refused to just lend me hand them to her. So, she kinda picked up the vibe that she was making me feel like, or I think my brother told her because I did say to him how I was about to just stop talking to her if she kept on doing the same thing. So she tried to make some plans to make up for it, which honestly I would have accepted, but something in my mind just felt wrong, and I just couldn't make the resentment magically go away just because after like 6 months she decided that she should stop rejecting hanging out with me, or at least stop pretending she wanted to.
So I confronted her, being fully honest I was kind of hurtful, I did say one comment that was only to make her feel bad, I told her about her valentine gifts and how I was going to eat the chocolate and if the plushie hasn't been given to her in a week I was probably going to throw it in the garbage, and I blocked her, which apparently was what hurt her the most, because of some personal things that I wasn't aware of. I did unblocked her some time after that only to apologize for saying those things, and clarify that I only blocked her because I needed time to think and not feel the need to talk to her.
Basically, everybody thinks I'm the asshole because of my avoidant attachment how that has ruined some of my previous friendships.
TLDR: I ended the relationship with a friend because she kept rejecting every time I ask her to meet, and everybody thinks I'm the asshole because I have avoidant attachment

I'm considering buying this iPad since its gotten cheaper now I plan to use it mostly for studying, digital art and probably 3D modeling & light video editing on the side. I did considered samsung's S9 FE because its newer, have water resistance, 90hz screen, phone app), and stylus included but the iPad is a little cheaper with apple pencil included than samsung's now. I still prefer the iPad as its more powerfull, got the "pro" and the apple pencil is better than Spen I think.
The only concern I have is the OS update I'm not sure how many more years of updates it'll get and I'd like to keep the it for atleast another 3-4 years. I did see that iPad 6th is compatible with iPadOS 17 so it got about 5 years of OS update after it got discontinued so thats quite encouraging but still I'm still unsure.

Ok I DONT EVEN WORK THERE ANYMORE but I’m still involved somehow, I was close friends with two of my coworkers ones a woman ones a man, I am a girl, I quit about 2 months ago but we wanted to get together we had a plan to do a bonfire but it was too cold and we ended up getting dinner and then going back to the guys apartment and getting very drunk, this ended in a threesome, we all woke up in the morning and everything was fine we were all still very comfortable with each other and happy with what had happened, just the guy and I seemed to have a more intimate morning it felt and went to continue things in the morning but ended up not, everything seemed fine we left about midday because he had work, come Tuesday I wake up to a phone call from the other girl involved, turns out she’s at work and found out he slept with another girl who also is a server there, he slept with all three of us basically within the span of 12 hours flirted with all of us and thought we wouldn’t find out, with the other girl the situation seemed worse because she was drunk and he wasn’t so much, I immediately drove there to discuss, she confronted him about it and we all recieved long apologies, I never responded until the next day and sat on the phone with him talking it out, everyone’s hurt and feels decieved and I feel like I’m not as hurt or mad as I should be more so mad for the other girls

For anyone still not clear with 3a Pillar scam of life insurances in Switzerland.. please DO NOT make my mistake and stay away from any life insurance contract. Better put your money in 3a accounts or investment funds such as VIAC.
My experience: in 2019 I subscribe a 3a Life Insurance contract with Helvetia, which is the insurance company I use for Responsabilité Civile, and (at the time) also car insurance. They propose me a monthly payment of 300.- CHF, with all the standard conditions. I sign, and the contract starts on 01.06.2019.
Fast forward to 2021, I decide 300.- a month was a bit much, since I was starting using VIAC and other funds, which were looking much more interesting. I ask them if possible to reduce the monthly prime from 300.- (3'600.- per year) to 100.- (1'200.- per year), so I could have more spare to invest in other accounts. They say yes, no problem, just send a letter. I do, and the contract is amended on 01.06.2021.
Fast forward to today, I am planning to buy an apartment with my wife. Of course I start inquiring all the various accounts to check my balance of private funds. Surprise surprise, the amount on Helvetia insurance 3a is strangely low. To remark that they never send automatically the account statements, or at least I have never received them before unless asked. I call and ask what happened. This is what they reply to me: "as per CGA, the previous contract has been released in 2021, so your current amount is the primes paid from 2021 to today".
I am puzzled. I've never asked such thing, and all the exchanges by email are clearly mentioning a modification of the contract, never ever was mentioned that the contract was being "closed". Also, the contract on their webpage "myHelvetia" still indicates a start in 2019. The guy on the phone says that effectively something is strange, but "as per CGA, the previous money is gone". STOLEN, I would say.
So now I am sitting on a loss of more than 5k CHF of the years 2019-2021, and they seem to blame the thing on me. Of course I'm contacting a lawyer (and if you know any good one around Lausanne, please PM me), but the story is: NEVER NEVER NEVER trust insurance companies, and especially Helvetia. NEVER put your retirement money in Life Insurance 3a. NEVER subscribe useless insurances. It's all a big scam, and the client is always the one to blame.

Here is one for you all and its a long one. 44M here, been with my significant other for ~20 years, married for 11 years. At this point I don't feel like we are going to make it much longer. I don't think she wants to be with me anymore but needs me for financial support so she is trying to string me along.
Background:
I want to say right off that I know I am not perfect, have never pretended to be nor have I overlooked my shortcomings and have done everything I can to address and deal with my issues.At first things were good. We did things together, went out, hung out with friends together, bowled leagues together, had a lot of fun. We also had a good, sex life. We were having cuddling times, regular sex, great foreplay, she was pretty open to positions and trying things.
When we first got together she was working miscellaneous retail jobs. She had a 4 year college degree at this point as well but never even tried to find a job utilizing it. I was fine with her working whatever made her happy. I work in IT/Tech. I have always been the higher earner, making almost double her salary up until a couple years ago. I never once said anything about this, never gave her crap for making less or the job she worked. I only encouraged her to find a job she enjoyed. I went years, never saying anything that might hurt her, even when I was working 50-60+ hours of work in a tough field at a job I hated while she worked maybe 20-30 hours a week in a super easy job of her choosing. After about 10 years of us being together she finally decided to go back to school for computer science. To support her doing this we lived in a couple places and worked jobs I absolutely hated to make sure she could finish school without any pressure. Again, I never said anything to her about this, I did it so she could be happy. She ended up finishing and getting an extremely good paying tech job after a few years, around the time that I noticed the biggest changes about her. Prior to her latest job and changes, we were OK for a few years. We starting doing well together as we were both earning well and have no kids.
Start of problems:
After we were married for a few years she started changing. She stopped wanting to do things together, we went out less and less. Stopped watching shows and movies together, stopped gaming together. She started treating sex like a burden, made me feel bad for even trying to initiate it. She became more of a prude, stopped wanting to do almost anything sexual, stopped wanting cuddling/petting, lost almost all interest in foreplay that wasn't directly for her, she lost all interest in any type of intimacy, cuddling, foreplay, or really anything that isn't about her getting off.
I feel that I have been extremely patient over the years about all of this. She has some back issues (self inflicted, she was having soreness and pain but continued a workout regimen that was obviously not right and causing issues. I have tried to be understanding and accommodating since she had these issues. Sex was never really a big issue, even with the back problems we had a decent sex life until the last 5 or so years. She started wanting to do less and it really felt like she was just trying to get it over with (outside of when I was pleasuring her and getting her off. Once that was done it was like hurry up and finish.
More recently, last couple of years she has had 0 interest in sex or even anything physical. I mean I can barely kiss her, cant touch her at all without some excuse that it tickles or some other BS. No cuddling as she says I always pressure for sex, BS, I love foreplay and am happy with mutual getting off. I have mentioned the lack of intimacy, mentioning that is had been months since we did anything and it is always some excuse or a suggestion it may happen this weekend (going on 20+ " this weekend" without anything) . She has almost every excuse in the book as to why she doesn't want to without really having a good reason. She will blame her back bugging her but will then do a lot of work that is physically punishing, especially to someone with back issues and despite the fact that I said I would do it or try to help. I have also gotten several different things to help, wedge pillow to help with her back, tried it once and had some random complaint that I forget. She had mentioned trying a swing so she could have support in different positions. I found several options and she then made excuses about all of them, the primary one being support for the swing. I eventually called her on this being BS when the new house we got had a chain mount in one of the bedrooms ( looked like it was possibly for a heavy punching bag) that would be perfect for a swing and I tested it holding my full weight. I again mentioned getting a swing to make things better to only get additional excuses.
Further Issues:
We had always talked about wanting to move back to California and get a house there when we had the chance. We had also talked about houses we would like and things like that. When we started seriously talking about getting a house, she said she would check with work ahead of time about being able to move to another state as we had discussed, she did not. I don't think she even talked to her boss about it. She just refused to move outside of this state as she said her job required her to be her even though her boss lives in a completely different country.
When the time actually came to find and buy a house it did not work out the way I guess I had expected. Eventually, we purchased a house here after several fights as she decided she wanted a cheaper house to fix up. Not even considering the amount of work and money it would take to do so. One of her "options" was a run down ranch house that had a surprise renter (9 months left on a lease) in a very obviously water damaged basement. She picked out this house so she continued to try to justify buying it for about 100k over what it should be sold for. After about a week of looking at shitty houses and fighting she finally agreed to look at one of the houses I had chosen, the house we eventually purchased. It was a bit more but had almost all of our wants without the need to fix it up.
For the purchase, she provided the down payment from her inheritance and jointly financed the house. Once the purchase was finished and we moved in she changed, a lot. Things became more about what she wanted, she would mention things to me but completely ignore any input and just talk like what she wanted is what I chose too. Her dad then decided to visit and this was the largest wake up call I think I have had. I saw him doing all of the things that she does that annoy and frustrate me. I then realized that if I stay with her, dealing with this is my future. He took over the house and she treated me like an asshole for just wanting a bit of space that I could have to myself. She refused to deal with him or reign in his behavior. I think it was around this time that I realized that it felt like I didn't even have a home even though we just bought one, that I was just a wallet to help pay bills.
We ended up having a fight about this and I ended up leaving and staying at a hotel for a few days. This is where it got really eye opening as I considered this fight as something we would think about and get over. However, the first thing she did was talk to her friend and then reach out to divorce lawyers. She mentioned that she was talking to them about post nuptials to make sure she got the house and money. This was a signal to me, that she did not consider nor seem to appreciate all of the years that I spent working jobs I hated to supplement our income and cover for her while she went back to school. All it seemed she saw was that she got money now so the house and all of it was hers. She made a comment about how she felt the money, stocks, and house were hers. She added that she wanted a post nuptial to define this so I shouldn't be surprised if I get one to sign. Unsurprisingly, she never actually got this done, never mentioned it more so I am assuming she just got lazy and never followed up. One thing that stood out to me was that she mentioned that she could not afford the house by herself. She rambled off several things about us just being roommates and me continuing to pay for the house and bills. She came up with something about me paying and her giving me money back later or something, I ignored most of it as it was dumb, I.E. me leaving my checks going into our shared account and continuing to pay like I have been but doing so knowing she plans on keeping the house and that I might get some money later if she ever sold it. She also made a comment that I did a good job with the stocks so I should keep doing that for her and she would give me like a 1k in a few years. Since I started working with the portfolio and diversified the stocks I have made over 40k in gains for it so yeah I ignored this as I felt like it was insulting. This whole fight and conversation hit me hard, especially after 15+ years of me working hard, shitty jobs, to provide for us just to get slapped in the face by greed.
We ended up talking a bit after that fight after I ended up stopping by the house. She had mentioned previously about going to marriage counseling. I told her I didn't think it would help with our situation considering what the issues were but if she was willing to go and actually participate, I would be too. We ended up seeing a marriage counselor as she had suggested it previously and I wanted to try everything to make this work. I had previously mentioned that I didn't think it would work as she refuses to open up or discuss her issues with anyone and if she wont do that, it is a moot point. She said she would so we found a counselor and we went for a couple of months. During this time I was very open about my thoughts and feelings and gave the counselor details on my issues. She however, did not provide anything ahead of time, participate much, would not open up, and eventually said that we might as well not go as she didn't feel like we were gaining anything.
Turning Point:
I think the f*ck it point, straw that broke the camels back for me is that about a month ago, around 10 months or so since we had any kind of intimacy we had a fight. During the fight she admitted that she actually masturbates fairly regularly which really, really pissed me off as she knows the lack of sex and any kinds of intimacy was a big issue for me and was causing a lot of frustration. I was quiet about it as what I would have said would have started a big fight. I am now struggling because I cant really get over the fact that she shows me no interest, wont let me touch her, we haven't had sex in months and she admits to masturbating instead of having sex with me when she knows I am extremely sexually frustrated. To me, this shows her lack of caring about me and shows that she only really cares about herself and what she wants. This is furthered by conversations with her family I have overheard because she talks super loud on the phone and I guess she didn't realize I could hear her in the other room. This last conversation was essentially her talking about the money again and additional money she may get when her dad passes. She made the comment to them that in hindsight she would have made me sign a prenup as all of the money she has gotten and will get belongs to their family and she wants to keep it in their family. This was another moment when I was like what the hell, I am not your family?
I am torn, I have been with her for a long time, I do care for her, but she shows no interest in being with me. No interest in a relationship, doesn't want to do things together (she even said that if I want her do more things with me I have to do things she wants to do first), nothing for how I feel, what I want, no cuddling, no touching, nothing. It came down to the fact that she essentially wants a roommate that pays for her to have the house, help with chores, and helps take care of the dogs without expecting anything in return. She does not seem to get how she is, care how I feel, what I want, or really care about anything that does not benefit her.
I am at my breaking point, I have tried for years to give her everything and now as thanks, I get nothing from her. I am getting to old to keep wasting time in a loveless, sexless relationship but am also having a hard time walking away from a relationship I have been in for so long. After writing this out I am also realizing, well more wondering, what the f*ck I am doing as it seems pretty obvious I am bailing water out of a sinking boat.

I am planning to buy Truthear Hexa since i heard great things about it and is also planning to buy (if its necessary) a Dac/Amp to accompany it.
Well.. I already have a Dac/Amp namely the Jcally Jm6 Pro but i think its already broken since the connection isn't proper anymore, so I am thinking of buying it again or do i need to upgrade it? To the likes of Dawn Pro, Shio, Jm10 pro, Space lite?
My phone is: Samsung A35 5g My genre is: Anything if it sounds cool

Introduction
An excessive rise in blood sugar or glucose is known as "Diabetes Mellitus". The primary form of sugar in blood is blood glucose, which also serves as the body's primary energy source. In addition to being produced in the muscles and liver, glucose is obtained via diet. All of the body's cells receive glucose from the blood to utilize as fuel.
The hormone known as insulin, which transports glucose to every cell in the body, is released into the circulation by the pancreas, an organ situated between the stomach and the spine. When the pancreas produces insufficient insulin or insulin that is not functioning properly, glucose remains in the bloodstream instead of entering cells. Diabetes can be brought on by excessive blood glucose levels. Diabetes can affect people of any age or gender. Diabetes occurs in three basic types: Type 1, Type 2, and Gestational Diabetes.
Type 1 diabetes:
Although it can occur in adults as well, type 1 diabetes, often known as juvenile diabetes, primarily affects young people. Due to an immune system attack and subsequent destruction of the insulin-producing cells (pancreatic beta cells), type 1 diabetes results in insufficient or nonexistent insulin production. You won't get diabetes if you eat too much sugar, despite popular belief. The immune system of a person with Type 1 diabetes attacks the beta cells in their body, which produce insulin, which is how the disease began. Monogenic diabetes is the term for a subset of rare types of diabetes caused by mutations or alterations in a single gene. The two primary types of monogenic diabetes are Maturity-Onset Diabetes of the Young (MODY) and Neonatal Diabetes Mellitus (NDM).
Before the age of six months, diabetes is more likely to be non-diabetic diabetes mellitus (NDM) than autoimmune Type 1 Diabetes Mellitus (T1DM). MODY refers to a class of hereditary autosomal-dominant conditions characterized by early-onset, usually moderate hyperglycemia (high blood sugar). Rather than insulin resistance, it is the consequence of beta-cell malfunction. MODY is associated with mutations in a minimum of eight genes. There is an older group with the slower onset disease in addition to the typical young individuals with acute onset T1DM. They may appear to have Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus (T2DM) in middle age, but tests for the anti-glutamic acid decarboxylase (GAD) antibody show indications of autoimmunity. Eventually, they develop an insulin-dependent lifestyle. This condition is known as Adult Latent Autoimmune Diabetes (LADA).
Complications of diabetes
Complications from diabetes have been shown to significantly raise health care expenditures for both treating and managing the disease as well as increasing morbidity and mortality. Diabetic patients who have out-of-range diabetes treatment and higher long-term blood glucose levels are more likely to experience microvascular and macrovascular problems.
Blood glucose levels that are too high over time can lead to a number of problems, including:

• Diseases of the eyes caused by alterations in fluid levels, tissue edema, and injury to the blood vessels in the eyes
• Foot issues brought on by nerve damage and decreased blood flow to your foot
• Gum disease and other dental issues, as harmful bacteria are encouraged to proliferate in your mouth by a high blood sugar level in your saliva. Food particles and bacteria interact to create plaque, a soft, sticky film. Eating foods high in sugar or carbohydrate can also cause plaque. Certain kinds of plaque lead to foul breath and gum disease. Cavities and tooth decay are caused by other types.
• Damage to your blood vessels and the nerves that regulate your heart and blood vessels can result in heart disease and stroke.
• Renal disease brought on by harm to the kidneys' blood arteries. Diabetes frequently results in elevated blood pressure. That could also be bad for your kidneys.
• Damage to the nerves and the tiny blood arteries that supply your nerves with oxygen and nutrients might result in nerve issues (diabetic neuropathy).
• Nerve injury and decreased blood supply to the genitalia and bladder can lead to sexual and urinary issues.
• Disorders of the skin, some of which are brought on by modifications to the small blood vessels and poor circulation. It is also more common for people with diabetes to get infections, particularly skin infections.

Additionally, acute hyperglycemia emergencies can be brought on by high blood glucose levels. These emergencies consist of:

• The most common cause of ketoacidosis, a potentially fatal condition marked by hyperglycemia and elevated blood acid (ketone) levels, is type 1 diabetes.
• Hyperosmolarity is a condition that causes the body to lose water from its organs. It is marked by prolonged hyperglycemia without ketoacidosis and severe dehydration.

Management of diabetes
Type 1 diabetes is a complicated illness that needs to be managed on a daily basis with effort and preparation. Here are some tips to help you effectively manage your Type 1 diabetes:
Check your blood sugar frequently: Using a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) or a glucometer to check your blood sugar is essential for managing diabetes and avoiding complications. If nothing else, make an effort to monitor your blood sugar levels before bed and after meals. Treating high blood sugar as soon as feasible is crucial.
Regularly take your insulin and other medications: Pay attention to the directions provided by your healthcare practitioner when taking your insulin and any additional drugs, if any.
See your endocrinologist frequently: To ensure that your Type 1 diabetes treatment plan is effective, it's critical to see your endocrinologist frequently. Don't be hesitant to pose targeted queries to them.
See your eye doctor and all of your other providers on a regular basis. Complications from type 1 diabetes can affect many parts of your body, but particularly your eyes. It's crucial to visit your ophthalmologist (eye doctor) at least once a year so they can examine your eyes.
Plan ahead for a sick day: Consult your endocrinologist about self-care and managing your diabetes during illness. Diabetes-related ketoacidosis (DKA) can be brought on by illness, so it's critical to be prepared by knowing what to do if you become ill in advance.
Stay educated: Never be reluctant to inquire about Type 1 diabetes with your healthcare physician. Your chances of leading a healthy life and avoiding problems from Type 1 diabetes increase with your level of knowledge about the disease and how to manage it.
Find a community: Making online or in-person connections with other Type 1 diabetics can make you feel less isolated while managing your condition.
Ensure your emotional well-being: Compared to people without diabetes, people with diabetes have a two to three times higher risk of depression and a 20% higher chance of receiving an anxiety diagnosis. Having a chronic illness that needs ongoing care can be very demanding. In the event that you exhibit symptoms of depression, it is imperative that you consult a mental health expert.
Conclusion
Four daily actions can help blood glucose levels remain within the desired range:
I. Stick to a balanced diet.

1. Engage in physical activity.

III. Regulate the dosage of insulin.
IV. Monitor diabetes.
At first, these tasks could seem overwhelming. Make minor adjustments until completing these actions becomes a regular part of your day.
To prevent hypoglycemia, learn to balance your insulin dosage with each meal and physical activity. Establish a goal range for your blood sugar and raise your HbA1c (keep it between 6% and 7%). Take part in running events and diabetic camps to network with other Type 1 diabetics and gain insight from their experiences. Stay positive, do yoga, and meditate. People can resume their normal lives and no longer have to fear diabetic consequences once they have learnt how to manage their diabetes.

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Anglestan
Augustus 5, 1923
Facility 9, Mancheston
Colonel Jacobs
His hands flew through the folders General Jorgenson and Colonel Thatcher had. There were dozens of them, stacked upon each other all filed in alphabetical order. It had only been a few days since he had woken up from his coma and visited his home— now his mother’s grave. He clenched his fists at the thought. The grief and rage threatened to bubble and spill over once again. He took a deep breath and dragged out the exhale, almost to the point where he had emptied out his lungs.
He was the only one with clearance, and so he couldn’t disclose any of what he learned with his team. They would simply have to trust him and his judgment. Which he was sure they would do. His hands went over one of the folders skimming through it. There were multiple secret projects, but the ones with the most notes were Project S.T.A.R, Project L.U.N.A.R.I, Project R.E.V.I.V.E, Project D.A.W.N, and Project T.E.M.P.L.A.R.
The colonel decided to start with the most notes and papers. Project D.A.W.N.
He skimmed through the notes, reading through some of the details and highlighted words. Project D.A.W.N, the espionage project Thatcher had started placed two spies in Verlin who were to report directly to a Crescent general named Sienna Moretti who was apparently on humanity’s side.
So I was right. There was an espionage element. With the recent attacks and Thatcher’s death, however, it’s safe to assume that it had somehow failed. Either they got found out or they betrayed us. Both seem very likely, but if they were found out, it would be possible that they had died.
He read through all of it before setting the folder down. There were no new notes recently. He sighed and assumed that Project DAWN was a failure. Whether or not the agents were still alive and well, it was too risky to check if they had been compromised. It was better to assume that they had been and cut all contact. The only way to find out now was to go there himself and check. I can’t contact them again. There’s no telling if it would still be Moretti or the agents who would see my messages. It’s a big risk, and judging by the state of things, best to assume it failed.
He picked up another folder. This one had the label ‘under development’ on the folder. Project Templar. He opened the folder and was instantly met with a blueprint and drawings of a massive bipedal machine. It looked humanoid with strange proportions and was supposed to be standing at an impressive 30 meters, or 100 feet. The Titanic Engine Mech for Personal Land Assault and Reconnaissance.
It was apparently a joint project with the Church of Sol, utilizing new and advanced technologies he hadn’t heard of. A 203mm Gatling cannon on one arm, while the other had three different weapons. A massive firestarter that utilized a new type of fuel mixture that could theoretically spew flames a kilometer away using a high-pressure nozzle. The fuel was ignited using an electrical spark. The second weapon was a high-powered light weapon that fired a single powerful beam of focused light that was even further amplified by layers of focusing lenses that could increase its output several times. Its third weapon was… a dust domina?
Mark read through the specifications of the so-called ‘sand cannon’ weapon. It was a massive cannon that accelerated tiny particles several times. Each particle was to be electrically charged, and it would travel at immense speeds. Near impossible speeds. The resulting impact of a microscopic particle at such speeds would be enough to form a small crater and punch through armor like it was nothing. This weapon would fire multiple at the same time, which could literally eat away at anything on the opposing end.
In terms of secondary weapons, the titan had two missile launch chambers in front of its shoulder each containing about 40 missiles, and two massive howitzer cannons on top of it. Both are 800mm in caliber. It had massive stumpy legs that served as bunkers for a small platoon on each leg. Each leg had machine dominas and 155mm cannons. Its chassis held two nuclear reactors inside providing for its power and weaponry. Its armor was the thickest and most ridiculous he’d ever read. Two meters of heavy steel armor.
How far are we in terms of technology? This thing looks like it came out of an H.G. Wells sci-fi novel. He thought, shaking his head. It was over the top, but there was no denying its combat capabilities. If it was already under-developed then it must be the first prototype. This has already been approved. Guess I better see it for myself later and check how it's coming along. Construction apparently started just a few months before the invasion.
Next was project L.U.N.A.R.I. It was a project involving Six. “Huh,” he said, continuing to read on.
The Light Undone: Nocturnal’s Adaptive Resistance Initiative. As he read further, his eyes widened. The reason why Six was so special wasn’t just because of her immunity to all strigoi weaknesses, but because of her impressive ability to turn any true born strigoi like her. She could transfer her strain like any other strigoi and transform them into a version of hers. It however only seemed to work for naturally born strigoi. The new species of ‘half-breeds’ were called ‘Blessed Children’ as Thatcher had coined in the folder.
The plan was to turn all willing true-born hemolite strigoi into these blessed children. Able to withstand the sun. Immune to silver. Free from the dependency on blood. They could remove all the weaknesses of the strigoi and after the war— make it possible to integrate them into society as normal citizens living on the surface. The project folder also made mentions of a city-wide draft in Dante and highlighted the possibility of turning all Dantenite true born strigoi into these blessed children and renaming them as ‘Lunari’. A mix of the dark and the light. The light of Sol reflected in the children of the night.
“Thatcher, what the fuck have you been up to…” Mark whispered to himself.
While it was true that it could help in the war effort by utilizing Six and the dantenite population, it would also invite some unforeseen problems and consequences. Would humanity be okay with the Lunari? Would the world even be ready for them? Strigoi who were immune to the sun. They wouldn’t be impossible to kill, but they would be immensely more powerful if we were to take away their inherent weaknesses. This is a gamble. Its gain would only be seen during the war period, but its unintended effects on society could be catastrophic.
He frowned, setting the folder down. It was obviously Thatcher’s main plan; seeing as all her moves could be traced to the path of the eventual completion of this project. It seemed dangerous in the long run, but the duskwalkers and dantenites had been monumental in the war effort. Maybe it was the time the world started to accept them more. Isolation and segregation was definitely not the way to disperse fears and foster understanding.
If Thatcher thinks this is the next step forward… then I’ll put my faith in her plans.
Next up was Project S.T.A.R, or the Superior Tech and Adaptive Resistance. An upgrade to the current hemolite weapons and gear by using new researched studies. The Starfire Pattern Domina. The SFD-23 This thing features a new loading system and magazine, ditching the rotating cylinder most domina used, or the rotating helix magazine design of the current hemolite standard BM-16 domina.
The new domina had its magazine like a box… a strange design but it was certainly easier to handle than the bulky cylinders the helical mags used. In terms of ergonomics, it was smoother and fit more. Its placement however was on top of the domina, just above the barrel. Most of the weapon were to be made of lightweight polymers and the barrel itself were to be crafted out of reinforced aluminium. In addition to that, it had a 10-inch bayonet attached to it.
There were other new things as well, such as the composition of the bullet. Looking at the conceptual cross-section designs, Mark read through its description and how it would function. A .308 cased telescoped bullet covered in a silver jacket with break-away petals surrounding the main body. Inside the jacket was a penetrator core that was to be made of depleted uranium. It had a small amount of incendiary compound and… powdered white phosphorus behind an explosive compound. The thin silver jacket would deform and trigger the explosive compound inside the body. It would blow up causing massive internal damage and release the incendiary materials into the body with the flecks of powdered white phosphorus. The penetrator core could still potentially keep going and hit a second target, or punch through heavily armored targets.
Part of the new Project S.T.A.R was overhauling the armor and gear of not just the Hemolites but the Hunters as well. Starfire Mk 1. Carapace Armor. Carapace? It looked like plates of steel covered in a rubberized coat. It was supposed to be slipped on over the original hemolite body armor. It added a spring-loaded wrist blade to the gauntlet, a thicker coat made of resistant materials, and added extra padding for the knees, shoulders, and elbows.
However, the hemolites weren’t the only ones mentioned in the folder. It was to serve the Hunters as well. “Hunters…” Mark said. “August’s group is part of this initiative too.” He flipped through some of the pages. There were blueprints and drawings of an armored suit. A mechanized suit even smaller and more compact than the jotunn units. The Mark 1 STR battlesuit. It was supposed to hug the wearer’s frame and increase their overall power. It was supposed to be built of titanium alloy and a heavy steel frame with composite armor. It had a cooling system, life support systems that could recycle bodily fluids, and an exoskeleton frame that could increase the wearer’s strength and speed.
However, the real eye-opener was Thatcher’s notes. She had been ranting about the new human evolution, and how the Hunters were the first of the ‘Solari’. She wanted to enhance human genetics and push past the peak of human ability to reach greater heights. Implants and restructuring of the anatomy to make it more efficient. Using the blood of the goddess herself. She must have lost it. These are the ramblings of a lunatic. At least… if she didn’t mention the goddess. Why was the goddess important here?
The writings ended with the words: “See Project R.E.V.I.V.E, for more details.”
Mark eyed the final folder. His hands shook as he reached out to take it. Flipping it open, his hands nearly dropped it in shock. The goddess Helena was alive. There were pictures of her naked form floating in a giant tube of fluid. There were more of Thatcher’s ramblings and excited rants about the possibilities of such a discovery. Resurrection, Enhancement, and Veneration: Implementation of Visionary Evolution.
The goddess is alive?! According to the file, she’s currently under the Cathedral of New Lundun. Not only that, but the file also detailed the extraterrestrial tech that lay beneath the cathedral. So the goddess is real and she’s— not really a goddess, but rather, a vampyr who created herself a human body to stand in the sun, and decided that it wants to be on humanity’s side… what the fuck.
Mark’s frown and confusion only increased as he read on. Thatcher’s notes seemed to nearly descend into madness as she had written about creating ‘the first hundred’, alluding to the 100 members of the Hunters division. Her plan was to revive the goddess, and with her help and expertise in genetics— use her DNA to transform the Hunters into demi-humans. Super soldiers. Literal children of the goddess Helena. They would then don the STR battlesuits, the first of the superhuman warriors to defend humanity. Solari.
Their lightning-speed advancement into technology was heralded by studying the alien tech, which deepened the understanding of physics and engineering. Nuclear technologies, chemical warfare, new material sciences, the mechs, and walkers, it was spearheaded by trying to reverse-engineer technology centuries ahead of our own… for the past hundred years. It wasn’t completely stolen, however. More or less borrowed ideas that had been made into our own with our own designs and implements. Still, the speed at which the Church and the military had deciphered such advancements all by themselves was… impressive to say the least.
Still, the fact that the goddess was alive, and could be brought back was big news. Checking the file for details, he found that the previous general, Jorgenson, had already approved this project. It was their next step as soon as they returned from New Amsterdam; which never happened.
If Helena was alive, then she could end this war swiftly, or at the very least help greatly like she once did during the War of Darkness. Having the goddess back would throw a massive wrench in the Crescent’s plans. It would certainly be something they wouldn’t expect. Not even I expected this, since many sources say that the goddess had already ascended to watch over humanity, while conspiracy theorists claim she had died in battle and that the Church was worshiping a corpse. This could be the trick up our sleeves that no one would even consider.
The colonel quickly got up from his seat and gathered the main files he had read. He placed them in a bag and rushed outside of his office in Facility 9. He went over to a nearby room and flicked the lights on. “We need to go,” he said. In an instant seven hemolite soldiers got up from whatever they were doing and instantly stood in line.
“Sir! Whatever you need of us, sir,” the group said in unison.
They were Hemo-1. His former squad members. He had taken up Louis' suggestion that they be his personal security detail. It was a shame that he had basically placed the best hemolite team out of commission, but after all he had been through he convinced himself that he could be just a little selfish. He didn’t want to lose any more friends. Not on his watch. Not while he was in an office, and they were out fighting.
“We’re going to New Lundun. Better pack up, it’s going to be a long night.”
“Mark,” Olivia said.
Jacobs turned to her direction and gave her a nod.
“Colonel, sir, may I ask where in New Lundun?”
“Liv, you don’t need to do that with me. Please. I give all of you special permission,” the colonel groaned. “It’s so weird. I mean, ‘captain’ was bad enough, but now you’re acting like I’m an authority figure.”
“You… are, though,” Emma shrugged.
“I’m your friend, and Liv I’m literally your partner. Unless you have some kind of weird fetish, save it for later.”
Olivia grinned, shaking her head. “Duly noted!” she chirped.
“That’s better,” Mark chuckled. “Now come on, we have a cathedral to visit.”
“Uhh, I’m not sure if you noticed, but we’re kinda… strigoi?!” Louis groaned. “I’d burn the moment I step in that place! Plus, it’s coated in silver! Anything I even touch will give me burns!”
“Oh come on, Lou. You have fucking gloves on. As long as you’re not a clumsy dumbass you’ll be fine… oh wait.’
“Uh huh, just sayin’ what I think, boss.”
The group headed out and Mark said something on his radio. He then sat on the ground, making his joints pop. The rest of the squad shrugged and followed his example, sitting down on the grass and waiting for… nothing. Charles and Zach looked at each other in confusion. “Uh, sir?” they asked. “Aren’t we supposed to be heading out and traveling right now?”
“Oh yeah, we’re just waiting.”
“Foooor…?”
The colonel gave them a smirk as a loud noise began to make itself known. A hummingbird transport appeared out of the distance and stopped right above them, slowly descending into the grass. “Being colonel has its perks,” Mark said with a smile. He stood up and hopped inside the hummingbird as soon as it landed. “Come on now! We’ve got work to do! Last one aboard buys everyone food later!”
Emma zipped in before Mark could even finish his sentence, followed by Olivia, Phineas, Charles, Zach, and then Louis, who sadly took too long to process what the colonel said, and lagged behind.
“Aw, man! Fuck this shit.”
“Rules are rules, Lou. Prepare your wallet later.” Mark grinned.
With a smile, the colonel pulled Olivia to his side, who blushed for a moment before shaking her head. “Take us up! New Lundun Cathedral! How long would it take?” he asked the pilot.
“About an hour and a half!” The pilot replied. “Less if you want to get there as soon as possible!”
“Take your time! The night’s still young.”
The hummingbird started to lift up, taking them into the air. The group settled down in their seats and watched outside the open. Mark opened up a bag inside the hummingbird and took out some ear muffs built for a strigoi. Extremely loud noises were damaging for a strigoi’s enhanced hearing, so the military started implementing ear muffs for them after complaints from early deployments of the hemolite squads.
The trip didn’t take too long. In only an hour and twenty minutes they had arrived at the safe zone of New Lundun, heading straight for the cathedral. The night mass had just ended and people were leaving the cathedral. “Looks like we made it in perfect time!” Mark smiled. They hovered for a few minutes in the air before eventually landing down right in front of the statue of Helena.
As soon as they landed, the colonel and his group left the hummingbird. Mark instructed the pilot to wait for them. He went straight for the cathedral with his group following behind. He entered inside, clearing his throat. “Hello?”
“Well this is surely unexpected,” an old man said, walking up to greet them.
“Great Grandfather Aurelius. It’s uh, an honor.”
“Please. The honor is mine… I see you’re the new colonel. Yes, I’ve heard the news,” he said. “Would you mind telling me your name, young man? As well as your companions, if they feel so. I usually don’t allow duskwalkers here but, I have nothing against them. I’ll make an exception for your group.”
“Thank you, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “I am Colonel Mark Jacobs. These are my friends and security detail. Olivia, Zach, Phineas, Charles, Emma, and Louis.”
“I see, and what brings you here?”
“Since Thatcher’s demise, I was given access to her research and project folders upon taking up the title. I’ve learned about what’s under your cathedral,” Mark cleared his throat. “Would it be alright if we could see it? I’d like to check it for myself. Of course, under your permission and guidance, Great Grandfather.”
The church head looked from Mark to his companions. He pulled a slight frown and hummed. “Do these companions of yours have the clearance? Surely, we wish to keep our secrets hidden,” he said. Mark nodded.
“They do not have clearance to know what is in Thatcher’s folders and her findings,” the colonel nodded. “However, I give them permission to accompany me, and should they discover things for themselves, then you have my word and my trust that I can keep them from spilling state secrets.”
The Great Grandfather gave a short pause before ultimately relenting. “Very well,” he let out a sigh. “Follow me.”
Aurelius walked behind the altar and pulled the same lever, which opened the same staircase leading underground, where Jorgenson and Thatcher had once gone. “Over here, colonel,” he said. “I do not know you completely yet, but this is a big deal of trust I am giving you. Perhaps you would be the one to do things that Thatcher could not have.”
Mark nodded, he and his group followed the Great Grandfather down the staircase. It led down to a massive underground facility, with numerous priests, researchers, and scientists. Libraries, records, instruments, and artifacts of old. It was a treasure trove of learning.
“So,” Aurelius cleared his throat. “What would you like to know about?”
“This isn’t all of it,” Mark said. “Thatcher mentioned a living, breathing, Helena.”
His group behind him let out a soft gasp, but they tried their best to hide their surprise.
“Hm,” the Great Grandfather nodded. “Perceptive young man aren’t you? Very well.”
They were then led into another room, behind a set of heavy blast doors. If the whole group were trying to hide their surprise then, now they could barely contain it. Even the colonel stared awestruck at the things he had seen. Despite the near-magical objects around them, the true shock was the massive starship at the end of the hallway. “It’s impressive isn’t it?” Aurelius said. “All of the goddess’ artifacts and items at our disposal, to use and learn from, to integrate into our own. This is why Anglestan is the most powerful nation in the UHT in terms of development. When it comes to industry, however, that would go to the UNA. But we share our secrets with them. All our advancements are handed to them first before any other nation.”
“This is all amazing, Great Grandfather,” Mark replied. “But this is not what I’m here for.”
“No, it’s not.” Aurelius nodded.
He led them to another room, one that was sterilized and sported advanced machinery. Things that Mark had never even seen. There were screens with luminous green texts that appeared in front of it. Large panels with numerous keys, levers, and dials. Graphs of all sorts and beeping monitors. In the center, was the very thing he had come all this way to confirm. A large cylinder filled with liquid, sporting tubes and pipes connecting to its base. Inside was a woman of large proportion. Four arms, two legs, and six wings. In her bare chest was a symbol of the sun that seemed to glow dimly.
“There she is, there’s you goddess.”
Neither Mark nor his group spoke a word. He walked up to it, eyeing the woman inside. It really is her. Down to the last details. Golden hair, six limbs, six folded wings, and she looks massive. Probably as big as her statue just outside the cathedral. This is it. The very goddess in the history books, the one spoken about in legends and the one worshiped in the Churches of Sol.
“Can we free her?” he said.
The Great Grandfather nearly choked on his spit upon hearing those words. “Free her?! That could kill her! We don’t even understand this technology, let alone control it!” he said pointing at the panels. “The machines you see here are the best and most advanced we have based on what we can reverse engineer, but even then, the consequences of tampering with its functions may be disastrous!”
“I understand, Great Grandfather,” Mark said. “But we are in a dire situation, and the goddess may be our hope of turning this around. Whatever secrets of her tech that you don’t understand, wouldn’t she be able to teach us directly? What good is she floating around in Sol knows what?”
“That is her miraculous healing fluid. She had already built this contraption centuries ago in case anything were to happen to her, that her body’s natural healing could not sustain,” Aurelius said. “During the War of Darkness, Helena was struck with a weapon so deadly, her very cells began to tear away. The Reaper. Dealt to her by Absolem the progenitor. Her flesh was peeling from her body, and she began to decay whilst she still breathed. She entered this contraption and gave strict instructions to the Great Grandfather at the time, not to interrupt the healing process. The machine that monitored her, however, began to fail over time.”
“So this… these screens and panels…”
“Is only what functions we can understand. We took it upon ourselves to rebuild and study it the best we could. What we have right now is only a cheap imitation of a technology we do not fully comprehend,” he said. “It took us decades to even figure out the fundamentals and create a working prototype of this machine. By some miracle, the goddess’ healing process had remained even while we replaced components of technology ahead of ours.”
“But you know how to free her, don’t you?”
“I… yes.”
“Great Grandfather Aurelius,” Mark began. “We can end this war. Imagine what we could do with the goddess fighting on our side. We could advance even further, we could finally end the bloodshed, and we can show humanity that there is still hope. Imagine how people all over the world would feel seeing as their goddess has returned.”
“I wish I had your enthusiasm,” Aurelius said. “But it is simply too risky. The Church’s duty is to protect Helena and her legacy. We keep her alive, literally and figuratively. She nearly died the last time she was involved in a war. Would you risk losing the goddess?”
“Would you risk humanity losing?”
The Great Grandfather fell silent, looking back at Helena floating inside the tube, then to the panels that controlled it. He frowned and let out a long sigh. “The goddess said that we should not interrupt it. That it would end as soon as it was finished. Maybe we should trust her words.”
Mark shook his head. “I don’t spot a single blemish on the goddess. Not a single scratch,” he argued. “You said it yourself that the machine had begun to fail and you replaced components. How would you know that the thing that’s supposed to wake her up was not tampered with? Think about it. What you may think is a useless piece may be integral to the whole machine. Or maybe your replacements were not up to the task. Just because nothing’s happened doesn’t mean its functions have remained whole.”
“Young man, we simply cannot gamble with the goddess’ life here.”
“Have you no faith? Great Grandfather?”
Aurelius stepped back in shock. Mark’s companions looked at each other, clearly surprised as well. “Mark… I don’t think we should keep arguing with—” Olivia tried to say.
“No,” the colonel said firmly, cutting her off. “Great Grandfather Aurelius, do you think that Helena will not be able to pull through if we wake her? How long has it been? A century? How much longer will we wait? She may be immortal but humans aren’t.”
“I'm sorry, but the chances of failure are too high. The probability of her—”
“I don’t care about the probability! Would you rather put your faith in a statistic?!” Mark raised his voice. “I lost my mother to this war! My friends! My job! My eye, and almost my life! I’ve put mine on the line out there! You don’t know what it’s like out there! Was my mother’s death just a probability too? Was she just a statistic to you?! That as long as the numbers are good, no matter how many are lost, we are ‘winning’?!”
“Mark—!”
“No, Liv! He needs to know what’s really going on out there!” he spat. “Great Grandfather, with all due respect, but you don’t have a damn clue what it’s like to be in the field. You’re a man of faith, aren’t you? Take a risk. Everyone else has.”
Aurelius stood there, dumbfounded. He bit the inside of his cheeks and clenched his fists. “For your insolence, I would have had you flogged and stripped of your rank,” he glared at the young colonel. However, his features slowly softened, letting out a soft sigh. “But I have never seen such conviction. Mighty is your faith.”
The Great Grandfather moved over to the panels and reached into his robe, pulling out from around his neck a key with the symbol of the sun. He inserted it into the machine and turned. A beep sounded, right before Aurelius pulled a lever. In an instant, the fluid inside the glass chamber began to drain out into the tubes under it. Slowly, the chamber emptied and all that was left was the nude form of the goddess sitting in the glass.
“Did it work?” Louis asked, stepping forward and looking at the woman.
Aurelius stayed silent, his hands shaking in anticipation. Mark moved toward the glass chamber, when suddenly, the glass opened up like a door, releasing a fragrant mist. They stood there, watching for a whole minute. Nothing. At first nothing. The Great Grandfather looked like he was about to break down. His knees shook as he covered his mouth, thinking that he was responsible for the death of Helena.
That was when… a soft sound was heard. Movement. Olivia immediately went over to Mark and stood in front of him. Ready to protect him should anything happen. Slowly, the goddess moved more, her arms inched to the side.
Then, her eyes opened.