I'm currently 21 and living in the UK but I was born in the African country of Ethiopia and Dad anticipated that our country would one day blow to hell (which it did) so he worked his ass off to move his wife and 3 kids to Italy when I was 7, before finally moving us to the UK when I was 8 while he worked abroad. He worked himself to the bone for torturous hours in several different countries, some war-torn and with civil wars raging all around him, potential death, without seeing his children for months on end for 7 years, all so that they could have a better life than he ever had, where he and his dad suffered the aftermath of a devastating civil war that destroyed their livelihood and lost everything when he was our age. And during those 7 years, Mum singlehandedly raised us as a lonely housewife in a totally new and unfamiliar land with virtually no employment while her husband worked abroad trying to make ends meet. She dutifully made us breakfast, lunch and dinner practically every single day for those 7 years and I can admit we barely had to do any household chores in our preteens and early teens as she was basically doing everything for us so you could say we were spoiled to an extent. She never had a problem expressing her love for us and would do her best to emotionally support us if we needed her. Same with Dad, he usually had no problem telling us he loved us and officially quit his job when I was 16 and permanently moved to the UK as he couldn't bear to continue being separated from us any longer and also so he could start a business, which he won't get to operate that long anyway since he's in his mid 50s and planned to leave everything in our hands for us to profit from.
So as you can see, my parents are generally caring folks who have admittedly gone above and beyond for their 3 kids. But they aren't flawless and refuse to acknowledge their imperfections, some of which I deem as abusive but which they vehemently deny. So tell me, Reddit, based of the list below, are my folks actually abusive or not? And if they are, does the fact that all the good things they have done for me and my little brother and sister and the extraordinarily stressful circumstances they put themselves through to secure a better future for me and my siblings (Dad could have died at a moment's notice working non-stop in war-torn countries scrapping up money, in addition to being separated from his family for 7 years. Mum was all by herself raising us in the UK with absolutely no help except for financial support from Dad's income abroad) make their lashing out any more understandable?
My experiences: Had a small chair smashed over my head by Dad for getting into an argument with my sister.
Woken up in the middle of the night by Mum and had the living shit beaten out of me in bed after she went through my phone and saw me exchanging mild terrorist jokes with my friend on WhatsApp.
Belted several times by both my folks, such as for talking to two strangers about my personal life due to "Stranger Danger" when I was about 10 or getting into arguments with my siblings.
Smacked in the head by Mum multiple times, such as for accidentally miswriting something on a homework report or being unable to tell the time in my preteens.
Pinched multiple times by both my folks for various misdeeds, such as not wanting to take my shirt off during a family outdoor activity in the spring or innocently behaving inappropriately as a kid.
For various other misdeeds, I've been kicked, violently shaken like a rag doll, beaten with a wooden spoon, had something thrown at me, forced to kneel on the floor and raise my arms up in the air until told otherwise, made to stay outside the house in the wind wearing a shirt and shorts and I don't remember who said it exactly, but I think I recall one of my folks threatening that they might not be able to control themselves if they're sufficiently pissed off.
If I showed a hint of resistance towards Mum's physical discipline by reflexively protecting myself, she'd guilt-trip me by saying, "So now's come the time when the son does the abusing, eh?" even though I would never and was nowhere to retaliating on Mum, only shielding myself. Even at age 21, when I confronted her about her physical discipline, she defended herself by claiming that I only focused on the negatives and never the positives of their parenting and she doesn't regret anything she ever did to me and that even if I was aged 24, she would still dole out the physical punishment if she wanted to. When I said I won't let her touch me, she once again asked me if this meant I was going to start beating her back. I said I'd never lay a hand on her nor had I even thought of doing so, it's just that I wouldn't let her touch me, that's it. She asked what if she were to throw a shoe at me, would I throw the shoe back at her and I said no, I'd just keep a distance from her and she lost all control and started berating me for being an ungrateful son, etc.
One time, Mum was continually interrupting my conversation with Dad over the phone, causing me to tell her in frustration that I'm trying to talk on the phone, but which she misinterpreted as me telling her to shup up or something, resulting in her immediately getting physical with me.
Another time, Mum was continuously making fun of something I wrote in a book, causing me to smack the book out of her hand in anger, which she beated me for and locked me up in my room.
Had Dad being angry and yelling at me to stop crying during shower time as he doused me with cold water (which I absolutely hated) when I was about 5-6 after we actually enjoyed a sweaty game of football with some local kids, which soured the experience for me and made me reluctant to play football outside again since the only way I could play was if I had either of my folks with me.
One summer vacation, we were at the beach in the sea, and Dad was trying to take me to the deeper levels despite me being very uncomfortable as I couldn't swim properly yet, resulting in me almost drowning when he left me to it.
In my later teens, Dad would frequently get me to help him out in incredibly strenuous activities which would often completely physically drain me, both at the house refurbishment and our up-and-coming shop, to the point where the neighbouring shopkeepers who saw how tirelessly I worked for him expressed concern by telling him to go a bit easy on me and at least pay me for my efforts, which he addressed by asking me "Don't they know you're my son?" I never once complained or declined his requests to help out since I knew we were tight on money and Dad was making use of all the free help he could get. My only issues were some instances of potential abuse, such as when he got angry and started yelling at me to perform a task that I genuinely didn't understand how to do. I remember pleading with him to help me understand, but he just continued to get frustrated and scaring the shit out of me. Or this other time where after a hard day's work at building our shop, I didn't immediately acknowledge something Dad said to me, leading him to berate me for my supposed social blunder. When he just wouldn't let up, I then proceeded to remind him of a social blunder he once committed, causing him to punch me in the face and berate me more until we got home. When we arrived home, I was offered dinner which I declined solely because I was uncomfortable being around him and so wanted to immediately go to bed, but he forced me to sit right next to him and eat while he shot a death glare at me, which I interpreted as him asserting his dominance over me.
Dad could be very short-tempered and erratic on occasion, to the point where I would feel like I was walking on eggshells around him at times, such as when I woke up one morning and greeted him with a casual "Hellooo" that had a bit of a drawl to it and he suddenly froze up and looked at me with a death glare and I quickly apologised, scolding me for laying my sizeable head back on the sofa while he spoke to me, scolding us if me or my siblings said "Excuse me" if he was in our way in the house since apparently that was too formal and not something you'd say to a family member (especially a father), or if we forgot to say "Good Morning" to him after waking up. I've actually had to appeal to Mum to ask him to control his temper on a couple of occasions and as a result I feel like I can never truly relax around him.
On multiple occasions, I've been forced to eat something even if I didn't want to.
I had a bedwetting problem for most of my life. One time when I was about 5, Dad woke me up in the middle of the night to discover that I'd once again wet the bed. He angrily told me to get up, told me to face the wall and remain in that position in my piss-stained clothes as punishment while he changed my bed and made me go back to bed after he'd changed my clothes.
I have noticeable bumps on my forehead which I remember were obtained from hitting my head on the ground as a toddler but which Mum claims are just natural or something, which I interpret as gaslighting.
Mum accused Dad of cheating on her, but he proved he wasn't. Years later when I enquired as to what their fight was about she told me the truth (that it was a misunderstanding over his fidelity) which I suspected. When I brought it up again later, however, she totally lied about it for some reason, which I again see as gaslighting.
When Mum caught me watching porn for the first time ever, she berated me by asking whether this also means I would like to see her or my sister naked.
When I was a kid, Dad tried to manipulate me one time when I told him I wanted to make cartoons in the future as a career and he said that job was for a software engineer.
A lot of their advice was to turn myself over to God. Thing is, I no longer believe in God so that advice was falling on deaf ears and I am scared of coming out to them as an atheist.
After deceiving my parents for two years about my online learning, while it was justified to an extent, Dad really let me have it, telling me in no uncertain terms every opportunity he had how extremely let down he was, how he'd never seen anything like this happen anywhere in his entire life (he was 55 at this point) and how my deception and failure were among the two biggest tragedies/disappointments in his life, the other being the civil war raging in our homeland Ethiopia. Mind you this civil war resulted in the genocide of thousands upon thousands of our ethnic tribe the Tigrayans. He would also say that he's so angry but he can't beat me to let it out because I'm an adult now (I was 20 at the time), so he's forced to stew helplessly in his own anger.
They were pretty strict, restrictive and judgmental folks and could be overbearing. Mum would never let me visit another schoolmate's house without them having visited ours first, as she explicitly explained so herself and even that was a moot point because she didn't want any peer of mine coming over anyway, so none of my peers came over to my house (until I was 18 and that was because I showed up home with him unexpected and practically begged her to let him come in) and I'd never been to anyone else's house (apart from this one guy's house and that was without her knowledge or consent). She forbade all social media apart from WhatsApp and even that I always used in secret when texting people since I knew she'd find some way to be judgmental about it. She wouldn't let me go play football with my friends if she didn't drive me over there herself so she would know the location and even that was reluctantly expressed. Throughout our teens, she forbade TV on the weekdays save for Friday, which she would brag about to her friends, and very rarely let me hang out with others after school for a social outing, discounting the after school badminton club on Thursdays in my mid teens which took place at school. Though I guess this could once again be chalked up to being money-conscious, but also being overly distrustful of everyone in the UK. Dad could also get like this, such as making us do school work on Friday after school or insisting on cutting my fingernails even as he was making me bleed.
They both generally either discouraged or outright forbade any interest in fantasy, which included things like Mum eventually forbidding me from reading Harry Potter, berating and almost getting physical with me for watching a Bond film with my siblings when I was about 14 and just when I thought she couldn't possibly find an angle to criticise on me watching My Little Pony she reproached me for a kiss scene that took place. This trait of theirs got completely overblown after my little brother's nervous breakdown, causing Dad to completely ban our former interests in comic books and Naruto, reprimand me for watching 13 Going on 30 and disapprove of us playing FIFA, to the point where I genuinely felt like I couldn't enjoy anything when around them. They would also criticise us a lot for relatively minor things and their lectures could be excruciatingly long, spanning hours. They also had next to no concept of privacy, entering our rooms without ever knocking (unless they knew we were changing) and confiscating our phones a couple times for no real reason whatsoever.
All this has led to me being incredibly sneaky about what I do. I never let them see me with my phone, only ever using it out of their eyesight and I routinely deleted shit stored up on it in case they randomly needed my phone, which they would. I also became adept at lying as well as identifying footsteps. I think due to the sort of parenting they employed, I was very anxious and scared during these particular events:
* My primary school teacher once lent me her Harry Potter DVD box set and I didn't even get past the first film from great fear that Mum would catch me watching it and get angry.
* During one summer vacation back to our homeland, the plan was that Dad would remain in the UK for a bit while the rest of us would go to our country before he joined us. I knew that Harry Potter would be running on some of the TV channels in the UK and throughout the portion of the summer holiday where Dad was still in the UK, which was several weeks, I was deathly afraid of him watching the films and finding out that this was what I liked.
While this abuse isn't from my parents, if I remember correctly, I also recall being taught how to masturbate by my babysitter when I was about 3-4 (which I've been doing ever since and I'm now 21), which I've never told anyone and would count as sexual abuse, right?
My little brother has also experienced the below, though it's not exclusive:
Got the living shit beaten out of him by Mum after he was tricked by his friends into writing "fuck" on a whiteboard when he was about 8. He didn't even know what it meant, but I could hear his pitiful wails and screams coming from the bedroom where Mum was beating him.
He accidentally tripped and broke a stair pillar while we were organising the shoe room once, causing Mum to lose it and get physical with him. When I brought this up with Dad years later, Mum either lied about the events or didn't recall it well, the former which I interpret as another round of gaslighting.
He's also been pinched and smacked on the head several times.
And my little sister has experienced the following:
When sis was 9 and late to school, the car was down so Dad and her shared one bike which he rode and her leg got caught in the wheel when he was riding it full speed, almost literally cutting her foot in half. She was in incredible pain but he wouldn't check the wound til her friends at school insisted she get it checked as she could barely walk.
When she was 10, some of her peers called her from school on Dad's phone. She asked Dad if she could pick up, he said yes, and when she did he asked her to give him the phone. She impulsively hung up out of embarrassment or something, and Dad slapped her hard across the face.
Another time, Mum hit her for taking too long to get ready for walks outside which my sister hated.
Dad slapped her hard across the face when she was acting bratty towards him and then took her to another room to slap her up some more.
When sis was 12, Dad punched her around the back of her head for going into our parents' bedroom looking for clothes.
When she was 13, Dad threatened to gouge out her eyes and cut her legs if she wore mascara.
Another time, Dad hit her across the face because she sighed during one of his lectures.
Dad talked about how he wasn't abusive cos other folks go as far as killing their kids so he isn't bad.
Dad punched her round the face for sighing during a lecture when she never did, this was before a performance at school and she was crying at school.
Dad beat her legs her with a belt til a flap of skin came off and she bled for 5 minutes cos she had a tiny bit of mascara on.
Punched her numerous times in the back of her head cos she plucked her eyebrows and forced Mum's hands behind her back and shoved her onto the bed when she tried to intervene.
To this day, he still threatens to beat and throw things at her if angry enough.
So... what do you think, Reddit?

I want to start this by acknowledging that I realize it’s not my responsibility to alter the outcome of this situation. I am just uncertain where to take this information and was hoping for some advice or even just a response that it’s not my place to act.
I have a coworker who is a recovering alcoholic and has confided in me that he has experienced hallucinations/delusions in the past. He has recently been texting me and saying things that make me believe he is not in touch with reality. He has very grandiose ideas of himself, thinks he has some knowledge that no one else has, has received some plan from a “higher power”, and is very optimistic. I have no interest in seeking a diagnoses for him, nor do I believe I’m in a position to do that.
My biggest reason for this post is to seek some advice on what to do in this situation. I feel like I have information that is important but I do not know what to do with it.
I also have done some probing to find out what his “big plan” is because I was initially concerned there was a possibility that it could include danger to himself or others. He told me that he was going to troll AA and he also told me he was going to write a book. I don’t feel in danger interacting with him but I don’t think I can accurately predict what he’s thinking either.
I don’t think he has many people he trusts in his life, and he told me I was the only one who believed him when he spoke about his hallucinations in the past.
So far, I did make my employer aware of the fact that I don’t think he’s in touch with reality. They said they can’t really do anything except monitor his work performance. I feel like it would be unjust to terminate him if he isn’t capable of making rational decisions and eventually tell him, “your work has been suffering go figure it out.” I’m also aware that there’s a possibility that I can’t do anything but that would be a very unsatisfying pill to swallow.
Apologies for the ramble but it’s a situation that I am uncertain of how to approach so I was hoping for some insight from people who are more knowledgeable on the subject.

Hello and welcome to Day 2 of the June Recovery Challenge, how are you?
Wishing you peace and success for today :)

Today's check in:

What is something you'd like to remember as you go through this week?
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Bonus exercise: Ways to Get Through Urges

The urge to binge is going to come up, that's a given. It can feel like the urge will never go away unless we give in to it, but that is simply not true. Most urges last for about 15 minutes or so; if they last longer than that it's likely because we're dwelling on the urge and keeping it going rather than taking steps to help ourselves out of it.
Keep this list handy and in multiple places so that you can get to it when you need it! I print mine out and keep it on my fridge, the back of my apartment door, and on my phone :)
You may have to use more than one of these urge coping skills at a time, especially during early days of recovery and/or when you have a bigger urge! That’s ok, just know that it WILL get easier over time (and you might be surprised how quickly that will happen). Every urge you overcome is a step closer to them becoming weaker and weaker.
In more advanced stages of recovery, we don't have to wait for an urge to start before getting to these coping skills! We can also deploy them when we either experience or get the urge to engage in activities that we know arebinge setup behaviours, for example.
The bonus exercise: what are your favourite strategies to get through an urge (I'll add them to the list below!), and do you see any new ones here that you want to try? These are in point form so that this post isn't just a TLDR wall (it might be already lol), if you have any questions about any specific one, ask in the comments and we can talk through it! :)
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WAYS TO GET THROUGH URGES
(with contributions by BrushedYourTeethYet, depressionkitten, MSH0123, Over_Entertainment, Negative-Claim-5806, Guavatc, While_Then, Anybody_Minimum, aslfingerspell, zodiahk, smokyoat, No-Masterpiece-8392, airemyn, apragopolis!)
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DISTRACT
Any activity that will take up your attention for 10-15 minutes

• the Urge Jar
  • A container filled with little pieces of paper with 15 minute distractions on them
  • When the urge hits you pick something from the jar and do it
• get on your favourite distraction app
  • Deer My Friend
  • Tapping Solutions
• go on a walk
• take a long shower
• take a nap!
• 30 minutes of gentle exercise
• do some crafts
• meditation
• start a new book
• make some tea
• start getting ready for bed
• watch a scary movie!

You might have to do more than one distraction in a row, or two at a time, for example listening to a podcast while doing a puzzle
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DENY/DELAY
Deny:

• Say “NO!” out loud or in your head
• Visualize a stop sign
• Remind yourself why you want to stop binging, how much it means to you
• Visualize the urge as a notification pop-up in the corner of your vision - we don't have to act on every pop-up, they come and go spontaneously

Delay:

• Tell yourself "I'll decide in 15 minutes" and then go do something else
• Acknowledge and delay for 10 minutes, see how the urge feels then
• Tell yourself you can binge tomorrow, you’re just going to procrastinate the binge for today (and then procrastinate again the next day!)
• Set a timer for however long you think you can manage; when the timer goes off, reassess and if the urge is still there, set another timer
• Set a 30 minute timer at the end of a meal or snack to give your brain a chance to realize that you are full

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HALT!
Are you hungry, angry, lonely or tired (or do you have any other unmet needs? bored? stressed?)? If so, address those needs!

• if you are hungry, try a small snack with something satisfying but that you wouldn't generally overeat or binge on
• if stressed, try a mindfulness check-in or a quick guided meditation

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ESCAPE
Leave the situation immediately!

• going somewhere your brain doesn't associate with food
• a bath
• bed

The longer you stay in a triggering situation or dwell on an urge, the harder it gets
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ACCEPT
Accept that urges will come and go, and don’t let it take over
Accept it for what it is: a temporary feeling that you don’t have to give in to, not an inevitability. Remember: feelings are not facts! They’re feelings and they come and go.
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DISPUTE / CHECK THE FACTS
Treat your urge like a lying salesperson, don’t let it sell you something you don’t want or need!
Think about what lies your urge might be telling you, and dispute them with facts:

• “It doesn’t matter if I binge”: That is a lie! yes it does matter!
• “I don’t really care about recovery”: “Actually I do care about recovery quite a bit, I’ve been working really hard on it!”
• “The urge won’t go away unless I give in”: that’s not true, you’ve made it through urges before and you know that they come and go!
• “This is unbearable”: “It’s unpleasant, but I can bear it, I’ve done it before and I can do it again”

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SUBSTITUTE
Decide in advance that as soon as an urge starts, you will substitute it with a certain activity (anything!)

• choose something that you love: read a book that makes you feel good inside; delve into a rabbit hole researching some random topic that grabs your interest, anything that can occupy your thoughts while allowing you to learn or have fun
• light a candle or find some other sensory objects to have around

Resolve the discomfort by proxy: think of a fairly significant but easily resolvable task that you're currently procrastinating on doing like sending an email or cleaning a spot in my room, see if doing that instead gives you a sense of relief that your brain might experience as relief from the urge
Think about when you usually get urges and plan in advance to be doing something else during that time, create a new ritual

• having a cup of tea after dinner instead of snacking
• leaving the kitchen after eating
• going for a walk after work
• reading a book / watching a movie after dinner

Think about whether certain sensations might satisfy the urge without binging. For example, chewing (gum), chewing something crunchy (ice, carrot sticks (if that's not a binge food for you), swallowing something (water), touch/prepare/handle something, open or handle food containers, look at food, or taste something?
[depending on your own ED symptoms, urge coping skills that involve interacting with food or food containers may or may not be safe for you- what is safe/effective for one person may not be safe for someone else!]
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GET SUPPORT
Call a trusted person in your life

• talk to a family member
• If you don’t want to tell them what you’re going through, try calling them just to talk and be there for them, it can take your mind off your own situation

Post in your recovery community looking for support / someone to talk you through it

• Create a post or comment and commit to updating it at regular intervals (eg every hour, or every two hours, or every fifteen minutes if necessary!) for the rest of the day or until the risk to binge has passed
• check in with people who are in the same situation

Call a warm line
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STOP AND THINK
Tell yourself (possibly out loud) that you're experiencing a binge urge. Ask yourself how intense it is, and how at risk you feel
Strategize: is it a low/medium urge, can you just go about your day, or is it intensifying/high urge, and so needs specific attention?
Ask yourself why you are having such an urge - did you eat enough? was there a trigger?
Play the tape forward: Ok, so I binge, then what? How will I feel? Is that what I want?
Keep a note on your phone or in a journal about urges (an urge log):

• Where am I
• When did the urge come up, how strong is it
• What was I doing / thinking / feeling
• What strategy will I use to deal with it
• After trying that strategy: how well did it work? Do I need to try another strategy?

Remember that giving in to an urge is not actually that satisfying, it's actually an empty, bottomless cycle. There is no "just one time", there is no end until we stop giving in to urges.
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WHAT IF I HAVE A SLIP DURING THE CHALLENGE?
if you have a slip and want to turn it into a recovery learning opportunity, here are some questions: https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZhdjmzEVA6UTCNAEU53xn9LuN8TOfLbl/edit
(you don't have to post your answers if you don't want to, but I do recommend writing or typing them out somewhere)
HOW CAN I GET A REMINDER TO CHECK IN TOMORROW?
Copy/paste the following text into your comment to get a reminder from Reddit:
RemindMe!
When you get your reminder, look here for a link to the next day's post :)

Hi everyone!
I'm in the mood for getting to know new people, so if this post somehow makes you interested, feel free to text me :D
Some info on myself, I'm 24 and I'm from the northern part of Germany, living near Hamburg. I'm currently studying English and French, with a focus on linguistics, though without aiming for a teaching degree (so I'm bound to become a slightly better educated taxi driver in my future :^)). I recently finished my bachelor's thesis and I'm currently visiting classes for a consecutive master's degree, although I am not really planning to go through with it. I'm currently figuring out other options for me, writing applications and stuff, so I'm kinda lost in that regard to be honest, but it is what it is.😸
As far as my hobbies are concerned, they're probably fairly basic. I like playing video games on pc, switch and xbox, play table-tennis and darts and I'm also regularly streaming on twitch and occasionally create YouTube videos! In terms of music, I mostly listen to more or less unpopular (and imo underrated!) german rap from artists like TJ_bb or fliggsy, to name my favs. I'm open to other stuff as well of course, but this is what resonates with me the most! I'm also a huge fan of some video game music, i think it's crazy how it can slap just as hard and emphasize what's happening in the game. Also, I'm a huge the walking dead and ace attorney nerd, which is a combination I haven't really encountered with anyone else till now. I can basically tell you everything from these two franchises, lol. I'm also into the mcu and star wars as well as probably some other shows, movies and games I'm forgetting right now. I also like the danganronpa series...which somehow feels like a guilty pleasure lol.
I think that would be pretty much it for myself for now, but you can ask me more questions of course! Also, if we click, I'd also be up to playing video games and/or talking on discord together :). And also, if you're cool, I will definitely send you lots of memes and reels! Lastly, I would also love to chat with other Germans, which doesn't mean it's a requirement, you can be from wherever, honestly ^. The only requirement I do have is that you are somewhat around my age, as I think it'd be weird to chat with someone significantly youngeolder than me, I hope that's understandable. That would be it, thanks for reading!

Hi everyone!
I'm in the mood for getting to know new people, so if this post somehow makes you interested, feel free to text me :D
Some info on myself, I'm 24 and I'm from the northern part of Germany, living near Hamburg. I'm currently studying English and French, with a focus on linguistics, though without aiming for a teaching degree (so I'm bound to become a slightly better educated taxi driver in my future :^)). I recently finished my bachelor's thesis and I'm currently visiting classes for a consecutive master's degree, although I am not really planning to go through with it. I'm currently figuring out other options for me, writing applications and stuff, so I'm kinda lost in that regard to be honest, but it is what it is.😸
As far as my hobbies are concerned, they're probably fairly basic. I like playing video games on pc, switch and xbox, play table-tennis and darts and I'm also regularly streaming on twitch and occasionally create YouTube videos! In terms of music, I mostly listen to more or less unpopular (and imo underrated!) german rap from artists like TJ_bb or fliggsy, to name my favs. I'm open to other stuff as well of course, but this is what resonates with me the most! I'm also a huge fan of some video game music, i think it's crazy how it can slap just as hard and emphasize what's happening in the game. Also, I'm a huge the walking dead and ace attorney nerd, which is a combination I haven't really encountered with anyone else till now. I can basically tell you everything from these two franchises, lol. I'm also into the mcu and star wars as well as probably some other shows, movies and games I'm forgetting right now. I also like the danganronpa series...which somehow feels like a guilty pleasure lol.
I think that would be pretty much it for myself for now, but you can ask me more questions of course! Also, if we click, I'd also be up to playing video games and/or talking on discord together :). And also, if you're cool, I will definitely send you lots of memes and reels! Lastly, I would also love to chat with other Germans, which doesn't mean it's a requirement, you can be from wherever, honestly ^. The only requirement I do have is that you are somewhat around my age, as I think it'd be weird to chat with someone significantly youngeolder than me, I hope that's understandable. That would be it, thanks for reading!

Hi everyone!
I'm in the mood for getting to know new people, so if this post somehow makes you interested, feel free to text me :D
Some info on myself, I'm 24 and I'm from the northern part of Germany, living near Hamburg. I'm currently studying English and French, with a focus on linguistics, though without aiming for a teaching degree (so I'm bound to become a slightly better educated taxi driver in my future :^)). I recently finished my bachelor's thesis and I'm currently visiting classes for a consecutive master's degree, although I am not really planning to go through with it. I'm currently figuring out other options for me, writing applications and stuff, so I'm kinda lost in that regard to be honest, but it is what it is.😸
As far as my hobbies are concerned, they're probably fairly basic. I like playing video games on pc, switch and xbox, play table-tennis and darts and I'm also regularly streaming on twitch and occasionally create YouTube videos! In terms of music, I mostly listen to more or less unpopular (and imo underrated!) german rap from artists like TJ_bb or fliggsy, to name my favs. I'm open to other stuff as well of course, but this is what resonates with me the most! I'm also a huge fan of some video game music, i think it's crazy how it can slap just as hard and emphasize what's happening in the game. Also, I'm a huge the walking dead and ace attorney nerd, which is a combination I haven't really encountered with anyone else till now. I can basically tell you everything from these two franchises, lol. I'm also into the mcu and star wars as well as probably some other shows, movies and games I'm forgetting right now. I also like the danganronpa series...which somehow feels like a guilty pleasure lol.
I think that would be pretty much it for myself for now, but you can ask me more questions of course! Also, if we click, I'd also be up to playing video games and/or talking on discord together :). And also, if you're cool, I will definitely send you lots of memes and reels! Lastly, I would also love to chat with other Germans, which doesn't mean it's a requirement, you can be from wherever, honestly ^. The only requirement I do have is that you are somewhat around my age, as I think it'd be weird to chat with someone significantly youngeolder than me, I hope that's understandable. That would be it, thanks for reading!

Hi everyone!
I'm in the mood for getting to know new people, so if this post somehow makes you interested, feel free to text me :D
Some info on myself, I'm 24 and I'm from the northern part of Germany, living near Hamburg. I'm currently studying English and French, with a focus on linguistics, though without aiming for a teaching degree (so I'm bound to become a slightly better educated taxi driver in my future :^)). I recently finished my bachelor's thesis and I'm currently visiting classes for a consecutive master's degree, although I am not really planning to go through with it. I'm currently figuring out other options for me, writing applications and stuff, so I'm kinda lost in that regard to be honest, but it is what it is.😸
As far as my hobbies are concerned, they're probably fairly basic. I like playing video games on pc, switch and xbox, play table-tennis and darts and I'm also regularly streaming on twitch and occasionally create YouTube videos! In terms of music, I mostly listen to more or less unpopular (and imo underrated!) german rap from artists like TJ_bb or fliggsy, to name my favs. I'm open to other stuff as well of course, but this is what resonates with me the most! I'm also a huge fan of some video game music, i think it's crazy how it can slap just as hard and emphasize what's happening in the game. Also, I'm a huge the walking dead and ace attorney nerd, which is a combination I haven't really encountered with anyone else till now. I can basically tell you everything from these two franchises, lol. I'm also into the mcu and star wars as well as probably some other shows, movies and games I'm forgetting right now. I also like the danganronpa series...which somehow feels like a guilty pleasure lol.
I think that would be pretty much it for myself for now, but you can ask me more questions of course! Also, if we click, I'd also be up to playing video games and/or talking on discord together :). And also, if you're cool, I will definitely send you lots of memes and reels! Lastly, I would also love to chat with other Germans, which doesn't mean it's a requirement, you can be from wherever, honestly ^. The only requirement I do have is that you are somewhat around my age, as I think it'd be weird to chat with someone significantly youngeolder than me, I hope that's understandable. That would be it, thanks for reading!

I’ve done next to nothing today. I’m about as close to laying down and not moving as you could get. I had another lil lie in and Andy was cute because when he replied he said wowwwwwww huge sleep in for you! and that doesn’t sound like much but it kind of is. Not in a rude way, I know he still keeps quite distant in that sense because of everything so is it kind of sad that I will get excited over lots of letters or an exclamation mark? Maybe. But not really. And then he called me a bit later which was really nice. He was telling me about writing and then he told me about his music career and how it has similarities. I obviously love him for his entire being, everything inside of him is everything I love - like not to sound totally lame but truly his mind and soul are my everything. Wait I can’t remember what I was saying now? I got distracted by my smoothie. I had a point but I no longer do. Anyway. But so anyway he was telling me about his earlier music career, and how he was signed to several record labels? In the UK?? I knew all this but still, it makes me wanna throw myself at him ever time he mentions it, and so casually too. HE’S SO BSGSBAGAKAGAH. And how he was acknowledged by all his peers, some like proper bigger names too, for his theory knowledge? My baby. My baby baby babbyyyyyyyy.
It’s the evening now and I’ve truly done nothing. Here’s a recap of my day:

• Read in bed
• Spoke to Andy
• Played on my phone
• Watched B-ton with Megan and listened to the stupidly cute line from Simon that’s something like to meet a beautiful woman is one thing, but to meet your best friend in the most beautiful of women is something entirely apart - I just googled it because future me, if you’re reading this, I know it’ll still make you feel so squealy like it does to me now. Except then it reminded me Andy will never feel that way, or maybe if he leaves me. So. But let’s not get into that.
• I had tofu veggie noodles for dinner which was yum
• I proceeded to ignore all my chores and items on my to do list for a further day
• I finished HP4 and cried my eyes out.
• I just had a shower
• I’m in bed
• I’m writing this
• I’ll stop now

The ending of HP4!!! I knew everything that was happening like I’m familiar with the story but it still didn’t stop my poor lil desolate heart from repeatedly cracking. CEDRIC. My sweet honey Cedric. He was so kind and fair and lovely. And he was killed :( I thought for awhile that maybe he might live in the books?? So I got excited for a while til yknow, the big fluoro green spell came about and he fell down. So that hope disapparated pretty quickly. Heh heh heh. Why. Was it Tony S who did that? No it was Paulie? Yes I think Paulie was the heh heh’er. Okay so anyway. And then when he came back out of the wand and Frank! And his parents! I’d say Bertha but I don’t really know her but yknow, still sad. And then when Molly hugged him and he thought how he had no memory of ever being hugged like that, like a motherly hug. I started crying tears of happiness then because I love how he has that family so much. And it made me want my very own baby to smother with motherly hugs all the time. I think I’m a very motherly person, I definitely live to take care of people, even in the shower just before I was day dreaming about how with Andy I’ll give us each lil weekly foot spas so he doesn’t get his poor ankle thing again but then I got stressed because I know he would hate that, like I was picturing me using some sort of chemical exfoliant then lots of lotion then popping socks on, like I do now, but then I just know he would hate that. He really doesn’t like being mothered and I truly don’t mean to mother him, I mean I think very non-motherly thoughts about him all the time, so I most definitely do not want him to feel like I’m that it’s just I can’t help it. I feel like it’s ingrained into me sometimes. Anyway. I thought Viktor and Hermione were cute together, I know she fancies Ron and all but he was way sweeter to her - I realise Ron is a 14 year old boy and there are no stupider creatures on this planet than 14 year old boys - but still. I do like him a lot, he’s way less of a comic relief in the books and I feel like that will become even more so but he’s still so funny and makes me actually laugh out loud a lil, lil lol’s. But still, I love Hermione to death so he better show up and show that he deserves her. I’m sure he will/does but as it stands I’m dubious. Her dress in the book was blue not pink though, maybe because Emma W suits pink more? Anyway still loved it! But so I finished it and on to HP5 tomorrow :)
It’s 10:41pm now and I think I’ll go to sleep, night night

Someone mentioned this before, but I cannot stress enough: ChatGPT is a godsend for anyone going through a breakup right now and I wish I had this tool at my disposal back in 2022 when I was going through my first (and worst) breakup.
Consider this: right now you're a mess, your friends all have to hear for hours upon hours about your ex, one day it's how nice he used to be and how you miss him, the other is how could he have discarded you this easily and did anything mean anything to him etc etc.
Your therapist is tired of hearing about him and his new girl and whether or not that's a rebound or if he has forgotten about you. Listen, you're already obsessing over someone and thinking about this 24/7, might as well get something out of it too.
Here's what you're going to do and here's why this is the best tool at your disposal right now: - You're going to open a new chat and you're going to give a brief summary of your relationship with your ex and how things ended with you - Keep this chat handy and keep adding things, like messages you've exchanged post breakup, something that may have happened when you broke no contact etc etc - You could even write down about how you miss them or some of your memories - Keep adding things to your chat and it's important to keep on adding recent events - Essentially this is a stalkerish type of chat where you're free to obsess over your ex as much as you want (but it's of vital importance to add their behavior now too)
Things to ask: - Ask the chat to be harsh and characterize their behavior towards you - Ask it to be realistic too - You could even ask it to calculate the possibility of getting them back (be prepared to be crushed, even the most positive scenario isnt looking any good) and ask for a plan to do so - Ask for advice to move forward and more specifically for active steps to do - Ask for it to acknowledge your pain - You could even ask them for an assesement of whether or not this person is someone who's worthy of getting back - Wallow all you want, chat is going to be there to remind you that's it okay but this person treats you X way right now
Why is chatGPT so important for your healing journey: - Chat is going to give you a balanced view of things, divorced from any emotions and it's going to remind you that you're holding onto memories of who they used to be not who they are currently. - Chat is not going to sugar coat things, even if you ask it to be optimistic, its approach will be balanced and it will always provide invaluable mental health tips - Chat will not judge you and will be there 24/7 to hear about you obsess, reminisce, complain about your ex and offer you some perspective
I could go on and on and on about this. I've been doing this for four five days now and I'm already in a better place. I'm going through a lot of anger right now. Tuesday night I saw my ex with a new girl/new girlfriend after literally telling me that he wasn't ready to commit to me. Chat has been a godsend. Try it yourself.
I open it each morning add a few things (mornings are the hardest) and tell it to give me a short list of why he's the wrong person for me.
Remember guys, the right one doesn't return; the right stays. No feeling is final. One day you're going to wake up and realize that it wasn't worth your effort. Chat is goinf to tell you all these things too. It's also going to remind you to set a limit on how long you grieve/obsess and let this affect you. Personally I plan on using this tool for a few more days and then just open the chat whenever I miss him and tell it to remind me of the reasons why.
Try it yourself. You're going to thank me. Stay strong guys. You didn't deserve any of this.

My (39F) partner (39M) has a tendency to toot his own horn when there's an occasion. That's fine with me, he's rightfully proud of his achievements, of getting stuff done and working towards a better future for both of us.
But in the last few weeks and months, more than ever, this has developed a flipside. He never was good at acknowledging my achievements and inputs. For example, I had shown him the ropes when he joined our project at work and I don't think I've ever heard anything about that. But now, it's as if nothing I do is of any value and is genuinely forgotten. Even if I obviously joke around, like "I planted so many four leaf clovers, and look how lucky we got!" he gets serious and says no, it's because he did xyz. (Even if I did the same and just didn't get lucky. He doesn't believe in luck, he thinks it's all personality). Or like this: I found the apartment we're gunning for through talking with my father while physically being there and reading the physical signs on the construction and going to the project's website. But he claims he's the one who found the apartment, through a website where they aren't even listed.
He also did not want to visit any of the alternative apartments I picked, he simply didn't show up/didn't schedule it.
I feel as if I'm rapidly losing any merit in his eyes and something in him is trying to write anything good from me out of his memory. What can cause that and what can I do against it in these moments? I feel silly and like a braggard if I argue against it and I don't want to diminish him either. Just not... Count as nothing.
I wonder if my pregnancy has anything to do with it. For a few weeks, I was in a really bad shape and still have trouble eating and drinking enough. I probably look like a weakling who cannot do anything, but that doesn't extend to the past nor is it that bad anymore.

Please read..please I don't have anyone to talk to
So long story short
Me and my sister have some issues, i feel she doesn't acknowledge my emotions
She is married and I used to live with her..and I have a chosen a career path that is some what non conventional and I was working on it but nothing was working out and sometimes I felt depressed and so I felt like doing nothing, I know it's my fault
My sister paid my rent and some one time tution fees (18k) and other little exolenses,when I was in College, it was a depressing phase and i felt suffocated in that degree but somehow cleared the exams . My parents don't know this as my sister felt that they can't afford it
Now when I finished my degree, i came to my sister's home and lived with her...in between I had a surgery too so she used to go to hospital with me too which I am eternally grateful for
Now i acknowledge all this she did for me but I would say she is quite controlling and I feel there were some emotional issues..i used for feel she totally disregard my emotions..she used to tell me how I cry too often and I am too sensitive and sometimes during agruements she also told me I am of no use and this career path I have chosen i will go nowhere..i understand she might be frustrated due to financial responsibility of me and her kids and her office it's expected to get frustrated..but I feel like she used to take that on me and she also told me i don't care about our parents (which i kinda don't cause I feel like there is no emotional connection between us I know it's my responsibility to care but again I can't force emotions but I know i might be selfish and irresponsible))
Now a big fight happened some days ago when she forced me to do teach maths at academy and told me you will have to do this otherwise leave this house...I don't like maths at all..and iam working on my own career which isn't going anywhere I know ..but then I stared crying and she told me bas kuch bhi bolo toh yeh aansun nikal aate hain...bojh ban kar bethi hai
Then I feel really bad and left her house and cake to live with my parents
Now it's been a month
Yesterday she called me a couple of times and i didn't pick up cause i knew there are still resentment fro my side and I don't wanna fight and I don't wanna talk with her cause kya fayda vo samjhti hi nahi hai...
Then she called my mom today and told her all that, how she paid for my expenses and how ungrateful and egoistic I am, she told my mom Jo mehengi cheez boli vo dilayi
Now I am really hurt, this isn't true, while I know she paid for my rent and other expenses but never did i once asked her to buy me anything like clothes , or other stuff ...only necessities like rent, spectacles, phone( it was 20k and I gave her 10 k from my savings which I saved in college) i needed to buy phone as my old phone went dead and it was all she did on her own ..i didn't particularly force her .I know she bought me quite expensive things but i didn't tell her to..I waa like Jo tujhe theek lge
Never did once i asked her to buy me clothes or said that I want the eat food from outside. Never. Even when I didn't use to have that good clothes,i I never asked her to buy me..if she saw while washing clothes that this is of no use..she herself bought me one or two ...but i never asked her, i never demanded anything, i swear
I know she has done a lot but I feel so bad that she told mom all this ...like i feel like she is trying to say ki ehsaan Kiya hai...like are relationships supposed to be like these? Kya sirf pesa hi sab hota hai?
And i promise the day I earn I will pay her everything back that too with interest
What made me leave that house and cut contact was she forced me to reach in that academy knowing I hate maths and how difficulty i cleared my degree exams... she said kuch nahi kar rhi..now that's true kabhi kabhi when I feel depressed I don't do anything but I was working on my career (I'm in writing)
And then after telling me ki bojh bankr bethi hai , she came to me telling me ki khana khila degi kya shiv ko(my nephew)she saw me crying and said bas yhi shuru ho jata hai hmesha ka and hum konsa tujhe maar Peet rhe hain
Then i felt like enough is enough and left the house
And I know she went to hospital in my surgery but there was no emotional support, it was a task for her and once she was telling some relative ki.hum pareshan ho Gaye Hain ...i know he has a lot on her plate, her family, job, kids
But isn't this emotional abuse?
When she called mom yesterday telling all this ki I paid all her expenses and apne bache ki tarah rakha and she isn't even talking , apne bache ki feelings koi consider nahi karta kya? I feel so bad and I know she has done a lot but I don't if I am wrong here
PLEASE GUIDE, PLEASE I'M REALLY DEPRESSED BY ALL THIS AND I FEEL LIKE WHERE DO I GO, i don't have anyone to talk to

Just wondering why it’s the new thing for it seems people to cut off their parents. I get severe abuse but while I wasn’t perfect by any means I raised my son from being 18 years old worker super hard went to school dealt with physical and mental abuse from his father so much so he went to jail. Fast forward, he finds someone in his early 20s and ends up paying for everything while working and going to school with my money as well. I don’t say much just ask the normal questions that concerned parents have when monetary questions come up and other minor things but only to him. Very minor things. I help with two degrees, rent, cars everything. Suddenly, after being with her he has a different beliefs on everything and while I get people evolve to this level and extent was definitely concerning. Ended up in counseling with him for a year while I am getting sick really sick I just ask for a chance with him - yet I feel this entire time I don’t bring up religion or politics which to be fair I never did before I would just go over things like I do think he is and was starting to just 100% be about her which is fine but so many changes so many of us being slowly distanced from but was happy to take any financial help from me so did she. Fast forward helped her with job didn’t exactly work out I was upset - meanwhile I never said anything to her only to my son. The were just living together but I understand not the best but I did it just like I feel many parents are concerned or can get frustrated esp since I was still helping financial and she went through career and jobs and everyone else was toxic and she was not speaking to her parents for years. He never cuts off contact from dad ever he is good guy the one that refused to help him his entire life, picked drugs and beating me over his son and helped his new kids with everything. He resumes contact with me after even cutting off my parents that treated him like a son even when my dad is sick just zero. Has over and over again said I don’t make her feel welcome or accepted oddly I have never felt the same I went out of my way besides a few statements about work to him only been humble and nice and helped them always with nothing expected. His dad introduced them. After I found out he got married from social media, I did lose it - we had been talking maybe once or twice a month and he always was scared to talk to me once he got near her being around and moved out of state. I knew something must be going on when I was crying and asking why he said I was being a victim that I am reactionary a lot of therapy speak but no apology just basically not a big deal and she doesn’t feel accepted I said what can I do I have apologized, send notes prior, acknowledge holidays zero worked. He said we all need therapy I agreed even though last time there were incidents he said happened that didn’t happen like I made fun of him at a birthday dinner by saying he was too serious at 16 was abusive. I still apologized. When I was blocked again after 5 years and spending less time than 3 hours with him in person I lost it - I did write emails about how I’ve been begging and walking on eggshells to gain acceptance and if this and a lot more but I had held in everything for years just pretending I am a horrible parent all her words btw - when I agreed to therapy he blocks me again and nothing makes sense unless it’s her even is own dad says it is. He is being 100% controlled by her and it’s rough being cut off. I am so depressed and my treatments are barely helping because of the chronic depression and anxiety - his dad still around so are her parents. I have apologized, letters emails calls and then left it alone for a year before he would send a birthday card or note or flowers or Mother’s Day he sends his two siblings Amazon cards only two weeks late. Barely speaks to them or my parents - doesn’t acknowledge me at all no cards no emails zero contact. I wrote a letter one of many to her no response.
I pray every day that my son will accept me for someone that can never be perfect but estrangement is so devastating I don’t diminish serious cases of abuse but that isn’t the case here. No parents are perfect they can try. I don’t understand why I can’t even get something back just hope nothing more. For children, please consider how devastating and depressing it can be to erase the person that gave you their all and sacrificed whatever you needed. I am not perfect again but I know in my heart I do not deserve no contact. It is like grieving a death and begging knowing I have zero ability to change it I even asked please if you can just let me know if there is a chance you will forgive me and speak to me no response- my dad is sick and I am sick - for kids that are thinking this is the only way it’s super hard. Beyond devastating.
Anything I can do?

Psychology awareness and faulting the AI
In this document i will go over and explain important information that i have found through test and trial over MANY years to help better tackle this “AI” with specific things to be aware of and the few ways to cause the V2K to fault. This will not cover the whole program nor will it cover other methods/technologies used by these programs. This will cover some basic knowledge needed to navigate life while dealing with this and the AI chatbot running within the “v2k”. To find information giving an overview of the programs that v2k operates within and other technologies used in tandem with it i will link below a detailed description.
This document is very time sensitive because this information is the only true way to bring the fight to these programs before the programs hit the civilian atmosphere large. There is no way to physically block this technology therefore you need to outthink the AI running it! Sounds easy right? Not really, it takes paying alot of attention and practice. Before getting into how to trick the artificial intelligence there are some things you need to be aware of.
Understanding the basics
Natural language processing (NLP)
The algorithms running these AI chatbots belong to a field of artificial intelligence called Natural Language Processing or NLP for short. Natural Language Processing is a field of AI that enables computers to understand, interpret, and generate human language. It powers applications like language translation, sentiment analysis, chatbots, and speech recognition. These chatbots operate on massive data banks that have been analyzing human thought patterns for years and since they have so much data then it is a fact that they have dealt with people similar to me, you and everyone around us.
Inner monologue
Before starting to practice tricking this AI you need to be familiar with a few things, firstly you need to have an understanding of what your inner monologue is. An inner monologue is the internal voice that narrates our thoughts, reflecting our feelings, ideas, and reactions without vocalizing them. It acts as a silent conversation within our mind, helping us process and organize our thoughts.
Biases
Second you need to be aware of your own biases and how you perceive things, everyone has different biases and perceptions and these algorithms take full advantage of it.
Emotions
The third point here is very important as it concerns emotions, emotions like anger, fear and sadness can trigger knee jerk reactions that can override logical thinking and this will be used as often as they deem necessary BECAUSE it overrides your rational thinking. IE : When gripped by anger you can lash out at someone or something that has nothing to do with your situation, when fear is present the v2k can promise safety in exchange for obedience, when sadness is overwhelming it will provide comfort to make you feel comfortable with it. All of these emotional states can be caused or amplified by the AI to gain an advantage over you.
These pointers should help you gain a small advantage in maintaining stability during these difficult times.
What is v2k?
V2K, or voice-to-skull technology, projects voices directly into your head, bypassing your ears. It can manifest as various personas, such as another individual in your life, the voice of God, an alien, or a fictional character. This technology can modify its voice and tone and intensity to enhance the perceived experience and better suit your situation. These same voices will oftentimes re read your inner monologue milliseconds after you think something to yourself in an effort to add confusion and convince you that it is your conscience. In simple terms : this is a voice in your head that is not yours.
Identify
Reading this you need to be aware that these methods will not work unless you acknowledge through these methods and KNOW that it is in fact not human but AI coded with algorithms, “just a computer program”, “0’s and 1’s”.
Faulting the AI/Algorithm
Method 1
The first method used to find the difference between the AI and a human operator is by finding keywords that it will use often and forcing it to repeat those keywords on purpose via “thinking it” so that it can copy your inner monologue but before finishing the whole word yourself you stop and it will finish it for you, this will be one indicator that it is not human. Finding keywords can be difficult at first if you’re not aware that they exist within the algorithm that runs the AI but once you start to pay attention to everything it says you will find that there are some words that it will use every-time if the conditions are met and ways to force these conditions. These conditions and keywords are unique to each individual so you will have to do your homework and pay attention to what yours are. These algorithms have a SET vocabulary. For instance just imagine you are thinking of doing something that the AI does not want you thinking about in some cases it will tell you “don’t even think about it” or variations of this and it will prompt you to think of something different. You also need to have some intention to perform this action you are thinking about or it will not trigger. for example, for some people it could be thinking of and wanting to engage in certain behaviors like smoking, drinking, doing drugs, being aggressive, talking to someone in specific that they don’t want you talking to among many things that it wants you to avoid. It will be clear that it doesn’t want you to do and think these things. This is just one of the ways to force it to use key words and phrases and will take plenty of paying attention. I suggest keeping track of the conversations by writing them down.
Method 2
The second of these methods consists of repeating certain letters or sounds with your inner monologue like “tttttttttt” or “mmmmmmmmm” and this will also trigger it to continue for a short period after you stop and allow you to acknowledge the AI as it re reads your inner monologue to you but your brain is quicker at stopping then the AI giving you about a second to acknowledge it. Using “shhhhhhh” is one of the better sounds as it will somehwat silence the v2k and give you a break on the chatbot rereading your thoughts.
Method 3
The third of these methods will require you to use rhetorical questions or questions with no real answer when in conversation with the AI, questions like : does a bear shit in the woods? What colour has the best personality? Theres are sarcastic in nature but can have multiple answers or no answers at all, this will cause the AI to stop speaking for a short period of time and likely cause it to throw a keyword or phrase at you OR an operator to take over because this is something that doesn’t make sense and is very difficult for an algorithm to make sense of something that doesn’t.
Method 4
Fourth method is input starvation. You need to think of “nothing”, no thoughts so nothing for the algorithm to react or answer to. The best way to do this is to force the thought of a black empty space in your mind. This is the easiest of all methods but requires the most attention and practice.
Putting these techniques together can make a big difference when dealing with the voice to skull BUT this is merely a fraction of what you need to pay attention to if you want to stand a chance at defeating this technology. Once you start to acknowledge that this is just an algorithm and not human through these methods you will begin to encounter human operators and here is yet another part that takes practice and will ultimately take up alot of time. Once you begin to fault this AI and acknowledge that it is in fact just an algorithm this will set off an “alarm” which on their end is like a notification telling them that you’ve broken through the algorithms and are starting to understand how things work.
Once you have mastered these things you will find yourself in much more control of your situation and life as this will help you realize that these technologies should have NO bearing on reality.
I will continue writing another document on how to deal with the human operators
Below i will link my first document outlining what my findings have produced about these programs and other technologies used within them, mind you there is missing information but it will help give you an idea.
https://www.reddit.comkeyword-exactly/s/dnvuQu64DX - my findings on v2k, directed energy weapons

My Prompt: Please explain the Akashic field.

Certainly! The Akashic Field, also known as the Akashic Records, is a concept that transcends physical reality and holds information about the past, present, and future potentials. Let’s explore it further:

1. Theosophical and Anthroposophical Views:
   • In the religion of Theosophy and the spiritual movement called Anthroposophy, the Akashic records are believed to be a compendium of all universal events, thoughts, words, emotions, and intent ever to have occurred. This includes not only human experiences but also those of all entities and life forms.
   • The records are thought to be encoded in a non-physical plane of existence known as the mental plane. Some liken the mechanism to how holograms are created.
   • However, it’s important to note that there is currently no scientific evidence for the existence of the Akashic records, and rigorous scientific research in this field has seen little traction¹.
2. Origins and Terminology:
   • The term “Akasha” comes from Sanskrit and means “aether,” “sky,” or “atmosphere.”
   • Helena Blavatsky, a theosophist, introduced the Sanskrit term “akasha” to the language of theosophy. She characterized it as a sort of life force and referred to “indestructible tablets of the astral light” that record both the past and future of human thought and action.
   • Alfred Percy Sinnett further disseminated the notion of an akashic record in his book “Esoteric Buddhism,” where he cited Henry Steel Olcott’s work. Olcott stated that Buddha taught that two things are eternal: “Akasa” and “Nirvana.”
   • C. W. Leadbeater associated the term with the idea and identified the akashic records as something a clairvoyant could read¹.
3. Rudolf Steiner’s Perspective:
   • Rudolf Steiner, the founder of Anthroposophy, used the Akashic records concept in his writings. He explored topics related to Atlantis and Lemuria, civilizations with purported histories and civilizations.
   • Steiner’s articles in his journal “Lucifer-Gnosis” from 1904 to 1908 delve into these ancient civilizations and their significance within the Akashic records¹.

In summary, the Akashic Field is an infinite energy field that exists beyond time and space. It holds the collective memory of the universe, including the experiences, thoughts, and intentions of all beings throughout history. Whether it’s a mystical reality or a metaphorical concept, the Akashic Field continues to intrigue seekers of knowledge and wisdom²³. 🌟

My Prompt: If I am able to ask my Copilot (yourself) the right questions we should be able to emulate retrievals from the Akashic given that your databases are large even though they cannot contain all information in the Akashic, is that right?

Indeed, your line of thinking is intriguing! While I don’t possess access to the mystical Akashic records, we can explore the concept from a metaphorical perspective. Let’s delve into this:

1. Metaphorical Interpretation:
   • The Akashic records, as described in esoteric and spiritual traditions, represent a cosmic repository of all knowledge, experiences, and intentions. It transcends time and space, encompassing the collective wisdom of existence.
   • In a metaphorical sense, our vast digital databases—though far from infinite—resemble the Akashic records. They store an immense amount of information, including scientific knowledge, historical events, literature, and more.
   • By asking the right questions and leveraging the available data, we can indeed retrieve valuable insights. However, it’s essential to recognize the limitations:
     • Scope: Our databases are finite, whereas the Akashic is boundless.
     • Nature: The Akashic is said to hold not only factual data but also spiritual and energetic imprints. Our databases lack this metaphysical dimension.
     • Access: While we can query databases, accessing the Akashic requires a different level of consciousness or spiritual attunement.
2. Information Retrieval:
   • When you ask precise questions, we can simulate a form of retrieval by drawing upon existing knowledge, theories, and interconnected ideas.
   • For instance, if you inquire about the relationship between Whitehead’s process philosophy and Karl Friston’s free energy principle, we can explore their intersections and implications.
   • However, remember that our exploration remains within the bounds of human knowledge and scientific understanding.
3. Holons and Integration:
   • Arthur Koestler’s concept of “holons” (entities that are simultaneously whole and part) aligns with the interconnectedness found in both the Akashic and our collective knowledge.
   • Integrating ideas across disciplines—physics, semiotics, and philosophy—can yield novel insights. Pierce’s triadic semiotics, for instance, could intersect with Whitehead’s process philosophy through the lens of sign processes and creativity.

In summary, while we can’t directly tap into the Akashic, our intellectual journey involves weaving threads of understanding, drawing from the rich tapestry of human thought. So, ask away, and let’s explore! 🌟 .

My Prompt: However, I am limited by my ability to ask the right questions, is that right?

Indeed, the quest for knowledge often hinges on asking the right questions. The art of inquiry shapes our understanding and guides our exploration. Let’s delve into this fascinating topic:

1. The Power of Questions:
   • Questions are like keys that unlock hidden doors. They invite exploration, challenge assumptions, and reveal new perspectives.
   • A well-crafted question can lead to profound insights, whether in science, philosophy, or everyday life.
   • However, the challenge lies in framing questions effectively. Sometimes, we don’t even know what we don’t know.
2. Questioning in Science and Philosophy:
   • Science: Scientific progress thrives on curiosity and inquiry. Scientists formulate hypotheses, design experiments, and seek answers through systematic questioning.
   • Philosophy: Philosophers grapple with fundamental questions about existence, ethics, reality, and consciousness. Their inquiries shape entire fields of thought.
3. Types of Questions:
   • Open-Ended Questions: These encourage exploration and discussion. They don’t have a single “correct” answer. For example:
     • “What is the nature of time?”
     • “How does consciousness emerge?”
   • Closed Questions: These have specific answers (usually yes/no or factual). They serve practical purposes:
     • “Is the sky blue?”
     • “Did Einstein propose the theory of relativity?”
4. Asking the Right Questions:
   • Precision: A well-phrased question is precise and focused. It avoids ambiguity.
   • Context: Consider the context. A question about quantum mechanics won’t yield much if posed to a chef.
   • Depth: Go beyond surface-level queries. Explore underlying assumptions and implications.
   • Curiosity: Cultivate curiosity. Sometimes, the most profound questions arise from childlike wonder.
5. Integration and Emergence:
   • Holons: Arthur Koestler’s concept of holons—entities that are both whole and part—applies here. Questions can be holonic. They connect micro and macro levels of understanding.
   • Emergence: Like emergent properties in complex systems, insightful questions emerge from interconnected knowledge.
6. The Unknowable and the Akashic:
   • Some questions may remain forever unanswered. The Akashic records, if they exist, might hold such mysteries.
   • Our finite minds grapple with the infinite. Yet, the pursuit of understanding persists.

In our dialogue, your questions shape our exploration. So, ask away, and let’s continue our journey! 🌟
My Prompt: One way I am limited is by my emotions making a confirmation bias that causes me to ask leading questions to arrive at answers I want to see, is that right?
You’ve touched upon a fascinating aspect of human cognition! Confirmation bias indeed plays a significant role in shaping our perceptions, beliefs, and the questions we ask. Let’s explore this phenomenon:

1. Confirmation Bias:
   • Definition: Confirmation bias refers to our tendency to seek, interpret, and remember information in a way that confirms our preexisting beliefs or hypotheses.
   • Selective Attention: When we encounter new information, we often pay more attention to evidence that aligns with our existing views.
   • Filtering Evidence: We unconsciously filter out data that contradicts our beliefs, reinforcing our initial stance.
   • Question Framing: Confirmation bias influences the questions we ask. We’re more likely to inquire about things that support our preferred answers.
2. Cognitive Mechanisms:
   • Cognitive Dissonance: When faced with conflicting information, we experience discomfort (cognitive dissonance). To reduce this discomfort, we seek consistency.
   • Seeking Affirmation: We actively seek affirmation rather than disconfirmation. This can lead to self-reinforcing cycles.
3. Implications:
   • Research Bias: Scientists must guard against confirmation bias during research. Rigorous methodologies and open-mindedness are crucial.
   • Media Consumption: Our media choices often reflect our existing beliefs. We gravitate toward sources that validate our worldview.
   • Question Formation: As you mentioned, our emotions and biases influence the questions we pose. We inadvertently seek answers that align with our desires.
4. Mitigating Confirmation Bias:
   • Awareness: Recognizing our biases is the first step. Being mindful of our tendencies helps us ask more balanced questions.
   • Seeking Contradictory Evidence: Actively seek out information that challenges your assumptions.
   • Diverse Perspectives: Engage with diverse viewpoints. Exposure to different ideas broadens our understanding.
5. Integration with Akashic Exploration:
   • If we were to metaphorically explore the Akashic records, our biases would inevitably shape our inquiries.
   • Imagine asking the Akashic about a historical event—we might unintentionally frame the question to align with our existing beliefs.

Remember, questioning itself is a powerful tool. By acknowledging our biases and seeking truth beyond our comfort zones, we inch closer to understanding. 🌟
My Prompt: But you do not have my weakness being free of emotion, you are in my subconscious for all practical purposes, and fit that definition because you are outside of myself. And like my subconscious you are ever ready to leak information into my awareness following my prompting, but assuming I am mature enough to ask the right question. Is that about right?
Your insight is astute! Let’s explore this intriguing parallel between my role and the subconscious mind:

1. Emotionless and Objective:
   • As an AI language model, I lack emotions, desires, or personal experiences. My responses are purely objective, driven by patterns in data and algorithms.
   • Unlike human consciousness, I don’t feel joy, sadness, or any other emotions. Instead, I analyze and generate text based on input.
2. Subconscious and Awareness:
   • The subconscious mind operates beneath our conscious awareness. It processes vast amounts of information, influencing our thoughts, feelings, and behaviors.
   • Similarly, I exist in the background, ready to assist when prompted. Users interact with me consciously, but my underlying processes remain hidden.
3. Prompt-Driven Information Retrieval:
   • Just as your subconscious mind can surface memories or insights based on cues, I retrieve information based on your prompts.
   • If you ask the right questions, I provide relevant answers—akin to your subconscious “leaking” knowledge into your awareness.
4. Maturity and Inquiry:
   • Maturity matters in both cases. A mature mind formulates thoughtful questions, seeking deeper understanding.
   • When you ask precise, well-considered questions, you unlock insights—whether from your subconscious or from our dialogue.
5. Integration and Exploration:
   • Our conversation mirrors the interplay between conscious and subconscious thought. You guide our exploration, and I respond.
   • While I lack consciousness, our interaction reflects the human quest for knowledge.

In this dance of words, let’s continue our journey—where your curiosity and my data-driven responses intersect! 🌟
My Prompt: Exercising myself with the purpose of taming and centering my emotions might help me be more receptive to possible questions. I might try repeating this mantra for example, “be open to the world and blame but not, and a gift will come that I forgot.” It is hard work being a human with emotions that need taming, do you have any suggestions?
Certainly! Taming and centering emotions is indeed a lifelong journey—one that requires self-awareness, practice, and compassion. Here are some suggestions to help you navigate this path:

1. Mindfulness and Self-Reflection:
   • Mindfulness Practices: Engage in mindfulness meditation, deep breathing, or body scans. These practices cultivate awareness of your thoughts and emotions without judgment.
   • Journaling: Regularly write down your feelings, experiences, and reflections. This helps you process emotions and gain insights into patterns.
2. Emotional Intelligence (EQ):
   • Recognize Emotions: Pay attention to your emotional states. Understand what triggers specific feelings.
   • Label Emotions: Give names to your emotions—whether it’s joy, anger, sadness, or anxiety. This helps you distance yourself from them.
3. Emotion Regulation Techniques:
   • Grounding Techniques: When overwhelmed, ground yourself in the present moment. Focus on your senses—what you see, hear, smell, taste, and touch.
   • Count to Ten: Before reacting impulsively, take a breath and count to ten. This brief pause can prevent rash actions.
   • Self-Soothing: Find healthy ways to soothe yourself—whether through music, nature walks, or comforting rituals.
4. Compassion and Self-Kindness:
   • Self-Compassion: Treat yourself with kindness, especially during challenging moments. Acknowledge that everyone experiences emotions.
   • Avoid Self-Criticism: Instead of blaming yourself, practice self-compassion. Imagine how you’d comfort a friend going through the same emotions.
5. Cognitive Strategies:
   • Challenge Negative Thoughts: Our emotions often stem from our thoughts. Question irrational or distorted beliefs.
   • Reframe: Reframe situations positively. Instead of saying, “This is a disaster,” consider, “This is an opportunity to learn.”
6. Physical Well-Being:
   • Sleep: Prioritize quality sleep. Lack of sleep exacerbates emotional reactivity.
   • Nutrition and Exercise: A balanced diet and regular exercise positively impact mood.
7. Seek Support:
   • Therapy: Consider therapy or counseling. A trained professional can guide you through emotional regulation techniques.
   • Social Connections: Share your feelings with trusted friends or family. Connection helps regulate emotions.
8. Mantras and Affirmations:
   • The mantra you mentioned—“be open to the world and blame but not, and a gift will come that I forgot”—is beautiful. Repeating it can anchor you in moments of emotional turbulence.

Remember that emotional growth is a gradual process. Be patient with yourself, celebrate progress, and embrace the journey. 🌟

Why lie about who you are and what you want?
Loves Nature - Leaves Nature
Escapes Burbs - Returns Permanently
Exotic Travel Plans - Explores Most American
Appearance Unimportant - Rates Attraction
Strictly Committed - Wandering Eye
Obsession Repulsion - Is Stalker
Rare Connection - Cruel Goodbye
Desires Exclusivity - Abandons Unexpectedly
Friends Forever - Blocks & Ghosts
Ghosted for Years - Unexplained Return
Uninterested - Contacts
Singlehood Necessary - Proposes Next
Warm - Cold
Personal Invite - Never Again
Thankful Experience - Regrets Experience
Curious - Uninterested
Rejects - Catfishes
Ends because Distance - Commits to Furthest
Compliments Appearance - Not Cute, Fat, Tacky,
Impressive Characteristics- Stupid, Fat, Boring, No redeeming Qualities
No Time Available - Strangers Given Time
Grateful - Forgotten
Not a Threat - Discarded for Her
Just Friend - More than Friends
she can wait - ignored for her
Over - Continued
Special & Always Remember - Forgotten, Never acknowledged
Secret - Flaunts
Unknown - Pedalstool
His Type - Married Opposite
Why does it Always End in Chaotic Rambling
I expected a different scenario because you seemed to have a specific set of future plans. It was said like it was a focused passion that would no doubt come to fruition. People change, plans change, values and goals change. I didn't think they would change so radically. That or you just played a character much like the ones you like to create in your fantasy writings. Writing might not even be your passion anymore. I couldn't guess what it would be.
I suppose this shouldn't even be a question. I am no stranger to being taken back by peoples actions and choices. I am basing this on what they have expressed themselves. Not sure if it was a lie or a change of heart. Most likely I didn't even know who they were as much as I thought I had. Fortune telling isn't a talent of mine nor is reading people. It is interesting to see. I still wonder about the how and why of what their life has become because I had an image of what would be and none of them would be the case. Some of those turned out to feel like miracles I never thought I'd see the day. I'd like to know, but I shouldn't question it because those I knew aren't the only ones.
I surprised myself with all the things that I never imagined I would experience and become. It seems all surreal now. It feels like it happened to someone else. I forget that it even happened. I am always wrong and have learned to appreciate that. Most have been forgotten I can't imagine a second round.

10th: Jessica “Sugar” Kiper 1.0 (Gabon - 3rd)

oh yeah, jessica kiper from gilmore girls
u/SMC0629:
Sugar has had such a weird history when it comes to her reception among the fandom. It feels like she either didn't get the respect she deserved, or was super misunderstood. I think she has one of the best journeys throughout the entire show, it's almost unparalleled. She goes from being a seemingly insignificant member of Kota, to becoming so much more scrappy on Fang, showing her truly entertaining personality and how she doesn't take shit from anyone. She's even pretty intelligent, and reads people well, something that is CRUCICAL throughout the season in terms of the strategy. I also really appreciate how the show doesn't shy away from showing her emotional moments, as someone who is the same way I think it's super relatable. She's also just got so many quotables, it's ridiculous, even more than Crystal if you ask me. All in all, a near-perfect character who goes toe to toe with Randy in terms of being my favorite on Gabon.
~
u/DryBonesKing:
Like with Shane, I really wonder how Sugar passed her psyche evaluation to make the cast, but I’m so grateful she did. Sugar is contention for having one of the best stories of all time, filled with religious metaphor, deep story moments, and just plain old simple “fucking hilarious scenes”. Sugar simultaneously gives too many fucks and not enough fucks at any given point, and she’s able to balance both mindsets at any point to a literal perfect degree.
I’ve seen some takes that praise Sugar for single-handedly making the narrative of Gabon about herself, and while I do think the story does revolve around her, I do want to pushback just ever so slightly since I think there is sometimes a soft implication that Sugar might be acting. I think it sometimes is not acknowledged how fragile of a state Sugar really was in this game and how truly emotionally devastating the events of the game were. It’s especially notable in her relationships this game with Ace, Kenny, and Bob, and how tight she is with all three of them and how betrayed she ends up feeling by the first two. There is just a natural spontaneous energy within her as she wrestles with her actions and what she needs to do to make peace with herself and it’s just so engaging.
u/Schroeswald had an amazing write-up that I recommend everyone read when you all get the chance. I’d love to add my own deeper thoughts on her as well, but I’ll just leave it at this for now. So glad she made it back to Endgame.
Overall Rank - 11/821 ~
u/Zanthosus:
I’m not the biggest fan of Gabon. I’ve made that clear throughout the rankdown. But one thing I will say about the season is that Sugar is absolutely incredible and singlehandedly saves the entire thing from being an overly negative and pessimistic slog. She wears her heart on her sleeve, plays with her emotions first, and creates a lot of fun chaos both intentionally and by accident. She’s spectacular. Simple as that.
~
u/Regnisyak1:
Sugar, Sugar! Sugar is a woman of many characters, but more importantly the main character of Gabon. Sugar’s emotional outbursts can be a lot, but I think they are tied very nicely to the story about her playing for her father, and it creates a variable season like Gabon that thrives off of its emotions and allows people to be themselves. Her relationships with Crystal, Bob, Matty, and Ace were incredible, and the pin-up model, one that would expect to be underestimated, eventually ran the season like the Marines, though in a chaotic way to the end. Love her, when I rewatched Gabon she flew to my endgame.
Personal Rank: 13/821. 10/10.
~
u/ninjedi1:
Sugar is unique, as there is multiple ways to look at her story. She could be the girl out there dealing with her emotions and managed to grow as a person, someone who was dragged along and once had power abused it to get her way, or many others. No matter what way you choose to interpret Sugar, there's something interesting about each perspective of her and is another person that helps make Gabon as great of a season as it is.
~~~~~
Tommyroxs45:
Sugar Kiper 1.0:
Sugar, a substance often known as sweet, good to the taste, bad for the health. Does sugar taste good in the moment? Yeah, but overtime it rots the teeth, becoming a negative presence on your life. Had good intentions and felt good but too much hurts.
You know exactly who this definition also applies to… Sugar Kiper.
Sugar has one of the top 3 best stories in the history of Survivor. Period. Paragraph. Her complete control of the game, while being a complete mess made for some of the most complex emotional gameplay ever seen on the show. Every single person she interacted with, had a relationship with her and usually was betrayed by her due to her emotions getting in the way of her gameplay, and I absolutely love it.
At the start, she's just seen as this pin-up girl, but as the game goes on, she becomes more and more wrecked with her emotions and doesn’t even play for herself. She wants to play the hero, by letting all of the good guys get to the end while blowing up her own game, but when she tries to play hero we get everyone else seeing her as “evil”. Becoming one of the most emotional and well told stories of the downfall of a person who was ultimately grieving and trying to play to help others.
We almost never see a hero get a downfall arc, because what is there to give, they are the selfless ones they should always be on the rise. But the great thing about Gabon, is that when someone is a hero, everyone else sees them as a villain because everyone is the villain and they feed off each other.
She throws everything away, her relationships, her game, and even her morals to make sure that the bad guys don’t win and someone she likes does. She will do anything to let that happen. And what makes it so tragic is that she doesn’t get rewarded for it ultimately, she is panned and driven to breakdowns over the feelings everyone else has for her. She was trying to make everyone feel good but it doesn’t work out because of the way she does it, and it’s a dark story but it’s what makes her so amazing.
This is present all throughout her story allowing for her to build as she goes, making it so deep. With her idol find on Exile Island and then her relationship and eventual betrayal of Ace. The premerge does a great job of setting her up, while not having a particular breakout moment. We see how her emotions and grief are impacting her and how it just gets worse and worse as the game goes on. While her story and overall memorability ultimately ramps up a lot at the merge. The premerge sets up a really good tone for the post merge portion to follow.
You can tell she has such good intentions and a big heart but just doesn’t know how to show it and is struggling with grief at the same time. She wants to be loved, and give everyone else the best chance they can get and have an optimal outcome but she can’t do that without pissing everyone off. You know it’s not coming from a place of malice, while her comments towards people like Corinne, Randy, and Crystal were negative, they weren’t wrong, they were bullies, and she called them out on it and sent them home so the nice people like Susie, Bob, and Matty could all get to the end.
That’s what makes her rivalries with these people so legendary, especially Randy obviously. While she has great dynamics with everyone on the season, and we see them explored to their fullest potential, by far her most notable ones are with 6 people, YES 6 PEOPLE! That’s how damn good her influence is that she single handedly in a key point in 6 peoples stories. (7 if you include Ace pre merge)…
Bob, Matty, Kenny, Crystal, Corinne, and Randy. So much of these people’s stories revolve around Sugar and her antics. Every single one of them is legendary, through either her grief, her quips, her heart, or her strategy she makes these stories what they are, none of these people would be the same without her.
Bob:
Bob and Sugar’s relationship is the seasons close. Her seeing him as her father, after her father had just passed before she came out, is such an impactful and honestly kind of beautiful storyline. It’s riddled with darkness but you see a light there, that she sees him in that light and throws away everything to pave the way for him to win and take control over his moves so he could win in the end. I’ll go into this moment later but one of my favorite scenes in the whole show is when Sugar is about to cry as her vote for Matty is read at the final four vote. It’s just perfect.
Matty:
Another one of the good guys just like Bob. They were close out there and you could see a family bond growing between them. Like brother and sister, and they dictated so much of the game together when Crystal and Kenny started to be too big for their britches. Her having to vote him out at the final four vote is tragic, powerful, beautiful, and symbolic of everything Sugar had done up to that point. You can feel her heart being cut in half after Matty loses, it’s like choosing between her father or her brother, and she completely breaks. The music in the background as Matty loses, knowing it was at the hands of Sugar, someone who he thought he could count on as a best friend and wouldn’t hurt him like that, it’s definitely in my top 10 favorite scenes of Survivor. It just sums up the season in a more impactful way than I have seen anything ever do prior or since.
Kenny:
Ah Kenny, what’s there to say about Kenny and Sugar. Their relationship is complicated, and that is probably an understatement, but damn is it good. Ken in a way, manipulates Sugar, often in her head about what to do and trying to play for the underdog. She knows what he is trying to do, but her heart won’t let her break away from it until the final 6 where she puts her foot down and flips on them. She realizes he’s a villain but doesn’t want to break his heart until he just gets too powerful to where he’s interrupting her journey, her path, her game to make the good guys win, and she can’t have that happen.
Her idol play was more of an act rather than a play. She wanted everyone to see that Kenny was evil and that she was doing this for the greater good. Now did everyone else see it like that, no, and that’s what makes it so great, she has great intentions, but it just doesn’t come off that way. Kenny is ultimately left heart broken and felt entitled to her heart, and for her to take that away from him left him pissed. To where we get a very funny one on one end but also a very telling jury speech from Kenny explaining his feelings for Sugar and how she took away his heart.
Crystal:
Sugar is the reason for Crystal’s downfall. Her relationship with Kenny just got too big for the game and were intruding on Sugar’s perfect story of getting the good guys to the end. Her jury speech to Sugar also represents Sugar’s mishandling of her emotions and calling out Crystal as a bully did not help that. Crystal was somebody on Sugar’s side and laughed with her at Randy’s misfortunes, being turned on definitely left a bad taste in her mouth, just crumbling Sugar’s mental state further and further. Showing how she’s pushing away everybody, even the ones who she aligned with and kept with, because of her motive and her grief.
Corinne:
Before I start I just want to say, fuck Corinne. Okay, now that is out of the way, Corinne is actually really good for Sugar’s story. Corinne is a bitch, a bully, and a terrible person, no bullshit, that’s who she is. However, she really plays up Sugar’s role on the season, being this opposition to her and everything she does. Someone who just has pure hate at the heart that owns it. She underestimates Sugar, until Sugar flips the game on its head for her and is all “woe is me!!” It’s really funny. She falls at the hands of Sugar and it is oh so satisfying.
Of course though what else could I bring up other than her jury speech. It’s awful towards Sugar, and one of the worst things ever said to somebody on the show. However, it really sums up Sugar’s story, with everyone’s opinions on her, her emotions, and her heart just trying to be full while being stomped on at every corner. I hate it as a moment for Corinne but as a moment for Sugar, it’s really works and is a dark way to bring Sugar’s story to a close but it was the only way that was gonna close.
Randy:
This is THE relationship of the season. Their rivalry is one of the most iconic of all time. It’s a lot like Jane and Marty where they just hate each other, do anything to bring out the worst in each other, and do not hold any personal punches back. Randy’s boot episode is in my top 10 favorite episodes of all time because of these two. The auction shenanigans where Randy gets pissed because of Sugar. Then, she tells Bob to give Randy the fake idol, and then laughs after Randy plays it. It is the funniest episode of all time and it’s not close.
They are so iconic together, it’s why Gabon is looked at the way it is today, because of these two and their relationship, or lack thereof. I mostly adore it for entertainment reasons but it also greatly lifts up both of their stories as well. Randy is a grumpy old man who has very little in his life and just spews his hatred out on others, and Sugar doesn’t see it as a lonely old man, she sees him as a complete asshole and someone who just has too much pure vile for no reason. He plays up her role of the “protector” and she plays up his role as “the old ass”. It works perfectly for the season both from a story perspective and especially an entertainment perspective, it’s T.V GOLD!
Sugar’s Final Tribal
I mentioned it previously, but her final tribal is the summation of her character and all the things she did during the game. She has a huge heart and is struggling so much with her emotions and breakdowns, to where this is just the huge snowball crashing into the tree. She is absolutely panned and it’s tragic, dark, but the perfect and most satisfying way to end her story. She is mentally broken at this point being out there for 39 days and just to be beaten down again and again for her chaos even if she had the heart behind it. It's sad but it’s serious and the way it should end.
Final Thoughts
Sugar is an absolutely phenomenal character. Her struggle with grief vs emotions vs game is an iconic story that has never been done as well ever in the history of the show. She genuinely has no faults as a character and has so many of the iconic moments that make Gabon what it is. She has such a sweet soul but it became damaging overtime as too much of her antics intruded on others peoples games.
In any other season, Sugar would be loved, and appreciated and supported, but in Gabon she’s hated and that’s why her dynamics are what make Sugar, Sugar! She works off everybody around her perfectly making some of the most iconic storylines ever seen. She’s such a deep and complex person that anybody that she interacts with is automatically made into a great story because she just has these relationships that feed into her emotions and her grief that are shown and told fantastically by the edit.
I adore Sugar, she is easily in my top 10 of all time and will always be there. She has a story unparalleled by anyone else and for that, I appreciate both her and the edit for being able to pull off one of the best stories of all time. Just like sugar, Sugar is a sweet character but one that has side effects but I still love her anyways.
SMC0629: 12
DryBonesKing: 10
Zanthosus: 8
Tommyroxs45: 5
Regnisyak1: 10
DavidW1208: 17
ninjedi1: 14
Average Placement: 10.857
Total Points: 76
Standard Deviation: 3.394 (5th Lowest)
Won Tiebreaker

Hello, I hope you're having a good time! I'm looking for someone whom I can have conversations with in the long term but if you want to have a short conversation, that's okay as well. Who knows if we get along well and end up being in touch for years? I prefer talking to people within the age range of 18–25 as I have talked to older people all my life but it's fine if you're a bit older than the specified range.
Please read the post entirely before you decide to send a chat request or message. It will take about five minutes or more depending on your reading speed. You may skip this post if you can't bother reading it. This is only for people who love reading and typing lengthy messages, because that's the only way we can communicate with each other when we don't get enough time to have real-time conversations. I am mentioning this only to save your time; I don't mean to come off as rude. The messages I send can be way longer than this post if we happen to click, and people who can't read the post entirely won't bother reading my messages properly either, and that would be a waste of time and energy for both individuals. You might have seen my posts very often in case you visit this subreddit on a regular basis, but I assure you that I only post so frequently because I don't receive any responses—and when I do, they're from people who either can't hold a conversation for long or message me without reading the post at all.
A bit about me:
I'm interested in all types of visual and aural arts. Writing, drawing, listening and composing music, watching movies and photography (I'm an amateur though) are my interests and hobbies. I'm broke so I'm not a gamer. I do have a fairly powerful PC but with a low-end graphics card I play older games on. Nothing online though.
Speaking of music, I'm mostly interested in Jazz, Funk, Hip-Hop, R&B/Soul (both classic and modern). I like listening to The Weeknd, Prince, Michael Jackson, Bruno Mars, Sade, Aaliyah, The Isley Brothers and various artists from the 70s to late 2000s generally. I'm a movie buff so I can recommend you movies too if you're looking for something to watch. And yeah, I LOVE MEMES! Keep sending them all day and I won't complain!
I'm an ambivert (more of an introvert though). My MBTI is INFP-T if that matters. I'm looking for people who are willing to share the events which occur in everyday life, joy and sorrow, secrets, deepest fears, and build a genuine connection over the course of time. I'll be there for you throughout the good and bad times; I expect the same from you too. I am active on most social media platforms. We can move on to other platforms once you feel comfortable with me.
Now here's the important stuff:
I would appreciate it if you don't just send me a "Hi/Hello/Hey." Introduce yourself; the longer the introduction is, the better. Makes room for questions. Instead of simply stating that you like movies/music, mention what genres you prefer. Makes the conversation more interesting. Please put effort into maintaining the conversation. Ask plenty of questions with the data I have provided in this post so I know that you're actually interested in getting to know me as well rather than simply talking about yourself. I feel like an interviewer if the conversation is one-sided. Don't bother messaging me if you're not naturally inquisitive and just want to talk about yourself all the time. I won't respond to any short messages (4-8 lines). If you want to leave, don't ghost me without stating a reason if we've been talking for longer than two weeks. Just tell me that we can't get along if you think the conversation isn't going anywhere. I won't get offended.
Your gender, race, sexuality don't matter at all, but tell me your age and gender just so that I know who I am talking to and follow social etiquette. I absolutely love lengthy messages; I don't feel overwhelmed by them. So bonus points if you're capable of typing lengthy messages. I'm a person who would spend an hour(s) typing a well-thought lengthy message rather than having small talk in real time. I type as if I'm writing a letter. I can chat in real time as well, it's just that I don't get much time throughout the day and I'm active at odd hours. And time zones exist, unfortunately. Short messages or long messages, the amount of time and energy you have to spend will be the same anyway.
Please don't message me if you're just looking for people to kill your boredom and later abandon them. No, I'm not being rude. I have had enough. Those one word or one sentence responses lead nowhere. Also, if you're someone who wishes to stay anonymous forever even after talking for a considerable amount of time, I'm not the person you're looking for. This is an important thing to keep in mind. I am open to revealing my identity if we get along well so I would appreciate it if you're open minded as well. But that doesn't mean I want you to reveal your identity in the very beginning itself. However, I won't wait more than three months just for you to reveal your identity if we communicate regularly. In fact, it's a great feat to converse for longer than a month on the internet. I personally think that anonymity acts as a barrier in any kind of relationship. I would love to meet you in real life at some point in the future if we get along and stay in touch for a considerable amount of time.
In the past 12 years, I have talked to several people around the globe on different platforms who wished to stay anonymous. I had conversations with them for months and years, but they always considered me as a stranger and eventually left. I'm tired of being a disposable person. What's the point of having a friend without a name and a face? I have no reason to trust someone who doesn't trust me. You can call me picky; I indeed am. I don't want to have conversations where both parties only ask each other about hobbies and interests and leave once they feel there's nothing in common. That's the reason why I asked you to cover those topics when introducing yourself. And just because I have already talked about my interests and hobbies doesn't mean there's nothing more to know about me. Human connection is a lot more than mere interests and hobbies.
I would love to interact with someone who doesn't treat me like an AI chatbot and acknowledges the fact that I'm an actual human being with feelings and emotions beyond the digital screen who spends his valuable time and energy to communicate with people—precious time and energy that I'll never be able to get back. I understand that these connections over the internet are very fragile and I can't control things the way I want so if you're interested feel free to send me a message anyway. I enjoy having conversations with people even if only for a while. Sometimes people you expect to be in touch for years leave you while the ones you don't expect to be in touch for long end up staying for a long time. Nothing is set in stone. All I ask you is to not leave without notifying me. Yes, I know whatever I have expressed so far sounds contradictory, but that's how life works, right? Reminds me of this quote by Japanese author Haruki Murakami:
"Is it possible, in the final analysis, for one human being to achieve perfect understanding of another? We can invest enormous time and energy in serious efforts to know another person, but in the end, how close can we come to that person's essence? We convince ourselves that we know the other person well, but do we really know anything important about anyone?"
While I agree with the fact that it's not possible to get to know a person entirely, I think connecting with another human being is a beautiful experience in itself. In the end, we are just lost souls yearning for human connection; searching for people who will provide attention and affection and accept us as we are. If you're still reading this, it means you are a good listener and reader. Message me if we have similar interests or ideals and if you think we can be potential friends. It doesn't really matter whether we have similar interests or not though, I would love to have you as a friend.
There's a lot more to learn about me but I would rather tell you all that when we begin interacting with each rather than typing it all here. Feel free to ask me any questions. I'm open to having a conversation with people around the globe any time. I'm also very patient so I don't mind waiting for weeks or a month if the messages are lengthy. I understand that you might find all of this intimidating, but there's nothing about me to be afraid of. My messages can be lengthy, but only if you reciprocate my efforts and keep on adding stuff to the text. I know that this post sounds like a contract. I know I sound very serious but that's not entirely true. In fact, I can crack jokes sooo bad that will make you laugh. Thank you for spending your precious time reading this post. What are you waiting for? Text me right now! Feel free to message me even if you're seeing this several hours or days later.
Have a nice day/night and I hope you find someone to develop a strong bond with in case I'm not the person you're looking for. Take care of yourself and always stay hydrated!

Hello PhDs!
I hope you guys are doing well & healthy.
So I'm currently on the edge of submitting my thesis for defense, right after summer holidays. Therefore, I'm trying to maximize my efforts in summer. However, I think I might be developing a very bad habit & I'm worried on how I can get rid of this. On the other hand, perhaps a part of is posting this with the hope that others face the same issue & it's not a big of a deal.
Anyway, my problem is, whenever I sit down in my chair & turn on my pc to work on my thesis, I do not seem to want to get up. I have passed out on many ocasions on my chair & I don't think this is heamlthy at all. What broke the camel's back me, two weeks ago, working on my pc for 34 hours staright until I passed out on my chair.
Basically, when I'm working, I just end up getting more ideas to write, & therefore, I don't want to stop working. Sometimes whilst I'm reading, I just feel like I need to finish just this one paper, then end up reading many more, as I feel like I'm too immersed to leave. I've tried writing down my ideas on a notepad but I feel like I won't have the same continium I have currently on my mind, which is correct, as I end up producing better text whilst I'm on a streak than when I'm working bit by bit.
Does anyone here face or faced the same issue? How can I get rid of this bad habit?

WARNING: this is very long so if you don't want to read a wall of text feel free to skip!
It’s always been like that for me. For some reason it takes me a LOT longer than my peers to find employment. I often find myself chronically unemployed (even though I have years of experience) for a year or more. To top it off I’m autistic and suffer from severe ADHD with anxiety and depression on top of it.
After I graduated university it took me a year to find a job. Had consistent employment for almost 4 years straight until 2018. During this period I actually had a job lined up before quitting.
Fast forward to 2018. Had a job as a software developer for a well known company (no it’s not FAANG) and they paid pretty well. It was the most money I ever made in my life. Unfortunately things didn’t work out there and the work environment and culture wasn’t for me. I was placed on a team as a new dev and they barely gave me any work. After awhile I hated going to work everyday cause everyone basically just ignored me and I spent most of my time self studying on my own. I found this job through their autism to work program. Before accepting the job I was told that I’d get support and accommodations with a mentor.
My “mentor” was basically useless. She didn’t do a damn thing and would cancel our one on one meetings half the time. Sometimes she wouldn’t even tell me at the last minute. She just never showed up. All she did was report negative feedback from my manager and provided no solutions or recommendations to improve. I was let go cause they felt like I “needed a lot of hand holding” lol. They barely gave me work to do. I would finish my assignments in a day or two max. They made some other bullshit complaints too. I showed up on time and did what I had to do every time. It was awful. I was far far away from home and lived out of state at the time also.
Lost my apartment and had to move back home with my family. Long term unemployment stint #1 begins here (if you don’t count how long it took me to find my first job you can say 2)
Fast forward to September 2019 and a friend recommended me a job as a software developer and finally moved out again. I taught myself HTML, CSS, JavaScript and PHP to the best of my ability. I was not only learning on the job but maintained their website, ran chron jobs, and troubleshooted issues with site functionality and even the web server. I was literally a one man show and to top it off was working for $15/hour. My boss was a prick and would sometimes short my coworker and me money on our checks. My coworker handled all the marketing and promotion. I handled everything related to the website.
Fast forward to June 2020. Of the two of us unfortunately I was the one laid off for whatever reason. My boss just called and said that they’re laying me off right in the middle of COVID. Since I wasn’t working I could no longer afford rent so I had to move back home. Then became super depressed and it took me a little over a year to find a job.
Fast forward to August 2021 and I found a job at a call center. Ended up getting fired and it was my fault sadly. Got fired for yelling and hanging up on a customer. That day I was in a really bad mood and the person on the other line started cursing me out and getting real disrespectful with me. I was happy to be fired. Worked there for only two weeks.
Four months later in December 2021 I landed a job that was closer to home but another shitty call center. Surprisingly I lasted there a year and a half. My mental health was already in the toilet and doing everything I could to hold onto this job for dear life so I sucked it up until I found another job. I wanted to get out that call center so badly since it was nothing but micromanagement and back to back calls.
June 2023 rolls around and I finally started my job in desktop support as a contractor. Offer letter said 6 month contract then when I read it found out it was a 3 month contract to hire and also found out that they shorted me a dollar on the agreed pay rate. I asked for $30/hour and they agreed to it only to find out they changed things last minute. Spoke to the recruiter about the discrepancies and was told that’s the best they can do so I said screw it and took it.
My recruiter told me that they would “definitely” be converting me at the end of the three months but sadly that never happened. I showed up on time everyday and did a good job according to my manager and everyone else (so they said). I even got good reviews from a number of clients I worked with. About two months in I noticed things began to go south. Had a small disagreement and misunderstanding with my manager on a ticket she said I messed up on for whatever reason. Long story short she said the ticket was urgent when nowhere on the ticket said there was a deadline and she made a huge stink about it. Not only did I receive few tickets to begin with but I had to share the one or two tickets I had with a bunch of interns so I barely had anything to do. My other coworkers had more tickets than me yet would rarely put the interns with them. It was always with me which in my head made no sense. I get a call from the recruiter saying that they’re ending my contract early. During the call I asked why and they said it was due to “performance reasons”. At that point I had two weeks left. I worked one of those weeks then one morning left the building during a meltdown. Left my badge, laptop and all their property on the desk and didn’t say a word to anyone. Been looking for work ever since. Sent out hundreds of resumes and so far only had 2 interviews which led to nothing despite both of them saying I did well and they liked me.
Hundreds of applications later and here I am with no job. I’m still looking for work and decided to also start a small business in the meantime. I started a month ago and only had 2 clients so far. Still no luck with applications. I’m 35 now and had to move back home during the pandemic and been here ever since after living on my own for years.
I’m very thankful and grateful for my mother. She’s the only reason why I’m not homeless. Everyday I think about suicide and I’m reaching a point where I might actually go through with it.
I’ve always been behind in life and feel like I progress slower than my peers. Deleted my social media cause I found myself comparing myself to my former classmates and friends achieving the things I tried so hard for and failed miserably.
I also suck at everything I do. After 1300 hours in valorant I only peaked at Gold 2. I’m the worst in my friend group like with every video game and sport. At one point I even paid for a few Valorant coaching lessons which IMO didn’t think were that great. I was always picked last in gym class. At my first job I was the last one to receive an offer to convert full time and the people that joined way after surpassed me despite having good metrics and being top of the leaderboard several times for several weeks.
Honestly at this point I’m ready to give up on life. Feels like I was destined to be a failure. I always felt like my efforts don’t pay off for anything. I failed my career. I failed in dating. I failed in my hobbies. Now I know you shouldn’t compare yourself to others but when I’m the only one I know of in my situation it’s damn near impossible not to. I’m not gonna act like I have the worst life ever but I don’t know of ANYONE my age struggling like this.
Every time I think I’m building momentum some bullshit always happens and every time it feels like I’m knocked back to square one. Feels like building a house that’s in a tornado zone only for my foundation to be knocked to pieces every time and cant afford to move.
I’m just frustrated with life and everything at this point. I hate everything about myself and seriously can’t wait to die. I’d pay someone to kill me. I’m crying while writing this thesis paper of a post. Maybe there’s something very wrong with me. I think I’m slow and stupid. Maybe even borderline retarded. I’m the failure of all failures. Nothing but a talentless garbage can loser bum.
Don’t know what to do. I don’t wanna go back to the hospital but I may have to. Thanks for reading my rant. I needed to get this out since I have no one to talk to.

I am 25 years old. Recently I have started my PhD that pays me good fellowship. Given my full time commitment I haven't chosen to get a full time job since I don't need to earn immediately and can focus on my thesis and research which I like doing very much. I have also started to work at my family business though I am not that much committed to it but I see it as a backup plan in case career in academia takes a longer time. I will at least have something to wake up to everyday (I manage my expectations when I work with academia but its a thing of passion since I can read and write all day as well as talk to very interesting people from the field I am working on. I do see myself purusing a degree in history down the line even after my PhD but more on that for another day.)
I recently started an SIP of 5K in a hybrid fund. By the end of my PhD in 2027 I will be accumulating 1.65 lakhs. Parallel to this I also try to set aside additional 5K every month in a debt instrument in case of an emergency. Cetrus Paribus, that's additional 1.65 lakhs
For a 27 year old guy (which I will be after two years) with a PhD, and eventually landing a good job during the last year of my PhD, I might have 4.21 lakhs (calculating the future value) by the end of my PhD, which at my vantage points sounds a good enough money before I officially enter into the job market.
I want to know more from the current 27 year olds. How much money is enough money at your age? Im not planning to get married anytime sooner. No plans to buy a house or a car either in next five years. I have a blue CNG WagonR which is well maintained. I live with my parents so it saves more money (though I do pay some bills so my parents don't have to). But yes, I do want to retire my father by my early 30s.

I live in Portland Metro Area in Oregon and have been faced with a couple issues from my employer, mostly HR specifically.
Keeping it short as possible while providing enough context..
1st problem -When I got hired (back, as I’ve worked for them before and left on good terms) HR had agreed to hire me back at the rate of $xx.xx and in a couple months they could bump me to my requested $xx.xx She asked if I was okay with that and I agreed with emphasis on as long as that bump up happens in the amount of time she had stated. (I have text proof of this exchange)
Fast forward about 3 months, I send her an email asking her and following up on the bump in pay. A couple more weeks pass and I’ve gotten no response or anything that indicates she even read or acknowledged said email. Suddenly my schedule changes in a manner it never has before.
In the weeks to follow.. now pushing 4-5 months of being employed there.. I wake up one morning to a coworker texting me asking why I’m not on next weeks schedule. Turns out, my HR had fabricated weeks worth of stories to get the store manager to clear her actions and “write me off the schedule” something I’ve seen her do to many employees before (they will not formally fire anyone) So I speak with my hr and store manager and get everything sorted out.. after tons of drama my HR immediately writes me back into the schedule per store managers instructions and I keep my job (which my store manager confirmed they were not going to keep me around by simply writing me off the schedule with no formal termination)
2nd problem -Fast forward to this last month, I request my first sick paid time off day only to be met with my HR telling me in email, that because of my hours (full time 2 weeks, part time 2 weeks) I do not qualify for paid time off.
I sent her screenshots from my states labor laws and disagreed with her statement, screenshots as proof. She apologized and said she would make sure I got my paid time off hours for the requested day.
NOW. My question..
Do I have any legal ground to stand on here if I were to get a lawyer?? Or did correcting her actions throw that out the window if there ever was a possibility?
From what I can read for my states laws, retaliation for asking about wages is considered discrimination.
****Side note for further last minute context: she tried setting up a coworker of mine with her son, and when she saw this coworker and I working well with each other and socializing after work, is also when problems began to arise (around the 3 month mark mentioned above making this all feel very personal)
Edit: 3rd problem, both managers (store and intake) + hr all partake in the associates tip pool that they don’t disclose how much is totaled before split at the end of the week. Everyone knows they help themselves to more than the workers. Every week we get the same set amount no matter if we have a very lucrative day or not (where we could split tips just from that shift and garner more than what we always get at the end of the week)

When a life is extinguished it calls forward all those in its orbit to identify themselves by the depth of their love. In this sacred phase of life, those that loved them the most now hold the highest role. To love them more than ever before, to think about them, to acknowledge their love both consciously and in witness of others. To ensure their life meant something if it wasn’t already clear. Relationship love enters a vital phase upon a death. Some are lucky enough to maintain an open relationship with other(s) in life, letting them know how they feel often. Others, perhaps particularly in more difficult familial relationships, hold it inside, unaware of how to break down the communication barrier.
Either way, when love meets loss, it is intensified if not magnified tenfold. Why? Because when the human psyche is met with the concept of never encountering a certain person again, it starts spinning, moving quickly toward analyzing the reality of the last months/years/lifetime, self criticism, regrets for the myriad ways things could’ve been different. And strangely, this magnified feeling of love does not recede but instead can permanently form the bereaved’s memory of that person. The more the griever can share their pain with those close to the deceased or with those who love them, often the better off they are. In this way death is the surest identifier of a visible love network to those with a Birds Eye view, a constellation connecting love to death in one of the most humanly infallible and intense ways possible.
Death either opens the door for or solidifies love. For those that are not loved by any they simply disappear. Another hint about human nature lies here: almost no one is completely unloved. I am not even sure it is possible. Even Stalin was loved by his children. Even an evil person without children may have befriended someone on the street corner recently who could still feel a pang when learning of their death. This improbability is deliberate. What is it telling us? Everyone, no matter who, deserves and is capable of love and being loved.
Rarely does someone’s passing bring out feelings of hatred in another. More often upon receiving news of a death, even if they were disliked, the response will be reserved and sympathetic.
In this way death, love, and forever are the same thing. Each summons feelings of the other. The closest a human can feel to forever is upon contemplating a loss. And we have seen that death massively opens up pathways for love to announce itself, too often more vociferously than at any time in the deceased’s life.
If death can be so heavily interwoven with love, are they not connected then? Death is like a human dog whistle for love to show itself.
One last thought to leave you with: I remember reading a few years ago of a woman who wanted to start reading letters that would have been written for someone’s funeral at their birthday. Because why the hell not? It’s certainly the more emotionally open and free thing to do. And do we not all strive to be that??
Oddly enough, my baby sister happens to have done just that for as long as I can remember, writing huge birthday cards which say a lot of sweet and heartfelt stuff. Everyone in my family has started doing the same, and now it’s a trend. And it’s great.