How to install vinyl lattice fence

Ladies and gentlemen, art aficionados and TikTok addicts, gather 'round for a whirlwind tour through the wacky world where science meets art! Picture this: Leonardo da Vinci, resurrected via the latest AI algorithm, partnering with Elon Musk to create a robotic Mona Lisa that can dance the Macarena and dab on command. I kid you not, the age of robotic art and kinetic sculptures is upon us, and it’s as wild as a squirrel on Red Bull riding a rollercoaster!
Now, before we dive into this electric fiesta, let's set the stage. Imagine a swanky art gallery opening, complete with those tiny, overpriced hors d'oeuvres that leave you hungrier than before you ate them. Suddenly, KA-POW! Out bursts a towering, metallic creature that looks like a Transformer who got lost on the way to Comic-Con. This, my dear readers, is a kinetic sculpture. Not just any old hunk of metal, but one that moves, grooves, and interacts with you like it's auditioning for the next season of "America’s Got Talent."
Let's talk about these bad boys. Kinetic sculptures are like the rebellious teens of the art world. They don't just sit there all stoic and profound, oh no! They shimmy, they shake, they might even challenge you to a dance-off. Take Theo Jansen’s Strandbeests, for example. These majestic creatures, made from PVC pipes and lemonade bottles, strut along beaches powered solely by wind. They're like the love child of an Ikea shelving unit and a dragon, and boy, are they mesmerizing!
But wait, it gets even zanier! Meet the robotic artists who are here to steal the spotlight faster than a celebrity wardrobe malfunction. Take, for instance, the robotic arm that paints abstract masterpieces with all the flair of Jackson Pollock after a few too many espressos. Yes, this mechanical marvel, dubbed e-David (a nod to Michelangelo’s David, because why not?), creates stunning art pieces that can make you question whether humans really are the superior creators. Seriously, e-David has more Instagram followers than most of us could ever dream of. #RobotGoals.
And then there's Ai-Da, the robot artist named after Ada Lovelace, because apparently, giving robots human names makes them less terrifying? Ai-Da is not just any robot; she can draw, paint, and even write poetry. Move over, Shakespeare! This mechanical muse is here to give you a run for your quill. Imagine walking into a gallery and having a deep, philosophical conversation with Ai-Da about the meaning of art, only for her to drop a mic and segue into a slam poetry session about the existential angst of being a robot. Mind blown.
But what about music, you ask? Oh, hold onto your Spotify playlists, because robots are here to drop some sick beats! Shimon, the marimba-playing robot, not only plays music but also composes it. Picture this: a robotic DJ at your next house party, mixing tracks that make Daft Punk look like amateurs. Shimon's performances are so lit, you'll be asking for his autograph on your vinyl records.
Now, as we frolic through this bizarre bazaar of moving art and mechanical maestros, let’s not forget the installations that blur the boundaries between human and machine creativity. Enter the world of interactive installations, where you, yes YOU, become part of the art. Take Rafael Lozano-Hemmer’s "Pulse Room," where your heartbeat is transformed into a flickering light show. It's like your very own EDM festival, minus the overpriced drinks and questionable fashion choices.
Or imagine being in a room where robots follow you around, creating a dynamic dance of light and shadow, like R2-D2 on a mission to create the perfect Instagram story. These installations make you the star of the show, blending technology and creativity in a way that makes even the Kardashians seem tame.
But let’s not get too carried away (who am I kidding, that's exactly the plan). The real magic here is how science meets art in a whirlwind of gears, algorithms, and sheer chutzpah. It’s like watching a Marvel movie where Iron Man teams up with Picasso to save the world from bland, stationary art. The collision of robotics and artistry is creating a new frontier where the only limit is the human imagination—and the battery life of your favorite robot.
And if you think this is all a bit too bonkers, just remember: we live in a world where people dress up their Roombas and put them on TikTok. The line between art, science, and everyday absurdity has never been blurrier or more exciting.
So, next time you find yourself pondering the price of avocado toast or the latest TikTok dance craze, take a moment to appreciate the marvels of robotic art and kinetic sculptures. They're the perfect blend of human ingenuity and robotic rebellion, creating a symphony of movement and creativity that’s as unpredictable as a cat video going viral.
In conclusion, my bemused and bewildered readers, as you navigate this brave new world where art twirls and robots paint, remember to keep your minds open, your hearts curious, and your meme game strong. Because in the end, art, much like life itself, is meant to be experienced with a mix of wonder, wit, and a dash of delightful chaos. Now, go forth and explore this madcap universe where science meets art, and may your journey be as thrilling as a squirrel on a double espresso. KA-POW!

BoxOfficeTheory Presale Tracking
USA Showtimes As of May 31
Presales Data (Google Sheets Link)
BoxOfficeReport Previews
Quorum Update (May 31)

• https://forums.boxofficetheory.com/topic/31569-the-box-office-buzz-tracking-and-pre-sale-thread/?do=findComment&comment=4683375

DOMESTIC PRESALES

• YM! (Marcus is doing $7 matinees for children and seniors all day every day before 4 PM for the summer (May 31).)

Bad Boys: Ride or Die Average Thursday / EA+Thursday comp: $4.28M/$5.20M

• abracadabra1998 (Comp: $3.70M THU. Biggest outlier here is Equalizer ($6.47M), but that is also probably the best comp... tough to say with a release like this where we don't know just how backloaded it will be (May 30). All these comps had been on sale for longer, so those will go up, with the exception of Civil War, which went on sale at T-18 so that'll go down. Feels like a walk-up movie so it's hard to find good comps (May 19).)
  
• el sid (Counted yesterday for THU had 395 sold tickets with shows in 6 theaters. 10 days left. Bad Boys for Life (6.36M from previews) had on MON of the release week 915 sold tickets = 43% at the moment for Bad Boys 4 with 7 days left to come closer or maybe overtake. My guess is that BB4 could have 800-1000k tickets by next MON, so it could be pretty much on par with BBfL. BB4 does not have stellar presales and after several disappointments I shouldn't exaggerate but compared to the best comps it looks quite good for BB4 as you can see (May 28).)
  
• Flip (Decided to add one more theater but there was good growth in both of the original two (May 27).)
  
• katnisscinnaplex (Comp: $5.2M EA+THU.)
  
• keysersoze123 (We have to wait until early next week to tell the tale. These movies finish very strong. That said at this point I dont see a path for it to hit last movies OW ($62.5M). That is going to be a stretch plus the internal multi will be weaker relative to MLK weekend release of last movie. So I hope it goes for at least 6m previews to keep 50m OW in play (June 1). Pace is definitely going up but is it enough. We will only with final week pace (May 31). Still at very low pace (May 30). Presales are again not that much at this point. I think its not going to hit the heights of last movie (May 28). It should start to amp up sometime this week (May 27). This wont be fan driven. Even the last one initially trailed Dr Do little in presales but amped up big time close to release. This will be a late bloomer. I am still expecting 50m+ OW (May 23).)
  
• TheFlatLannister (Comp: $5.55M THU. Pace staying steady, but it increased against all comps which is a good sign. 39% of total sales is coming from the greater Miami region, which is a really strong split. The demo for this film is perhaps coming out (June 1). Actually slowed down a bit (May 31). Not as good as yesterday's update, but still increasing against comps (May 30). Excellent jump today. Starting to see the acceleration (May 29). Steady pace, no acceleration yet. Switch to G x K since that had super strong walkups ($6.12M THU comp) and Bad Boys 4 will likely replicate this (May 27). Comps ($4.11M) would mean $40M+ Opening Weekend (May 24).)
  
• TwoMisfits (Aging male-skewing franchises tend to get the biggest bump from this deal. Folks are on the fence but know what they are getting. Female skewing non-sequel ones tend to get zero help. You need baseline interest to get people willing to pay anything, b/c these still are $5. The other effect of the deal is that movies releasing around the $5 hits sometimes get hurt. June TMobile $5 Atom movie. This could help it go huge, like last year's Spider-Verse (May 22).)
  
• vafrow (Comp: $3.6M THU. Even without the slap, I don't think the 15-25 demographic has much affinity for Will Smith. That younger demo though is usually key to getting a big walk up. Breakdown of sales on my numbers tilt heavily to the ages 19+ VIP screens. That strikes me as older audiences looking for an outing without teenagers. That audience is important, but there's a limit to how much business they can drive. I can definitely be wrong. But every day that we don't see trends reverse is making me nervous. Slower than expected. It's staying pace with the films with a slow finish and falling behind the walk up heavy films (June 1). A good and steady day (May 31). A bounceback day that helped undo some of the damage from earlier this week (May 29). It's not having a great week. It's slowly slipping against comps, when the hope was that it would be gaining. New showtimes went up for the THU, and it's only gotten one additional screen. It's the 4DX screen, which makes sense, as what else justifies a 4DX screen at this stage (May 29). It's staying pretty flat (May 28). Zero sales day when all comps seemed to have done well. Not a great result. Note: This isn't a holiday weekend in Canada, so that doesn't explain the slow sales. Hopefully it's just an anomaly. This has been very steady to date (May 27). Ghostbusters and Apes both went up in comps, but I didn't have Hunger Games included, so it's brought the average down. Still, its growing at a steady pace (May 26). I still expect this to be more walk up friendly than the comps being used, and should see a gradual rise as the date gets closer (May 25). Nothing of note here. Staying steady. Will probably pick up only in the final week (May 20).)
  
• YM! (Definitely overindexing in the more diverse areas of SE Wisconsin but underindexing in less diverse areas (like a reverse Furiosa). 57% ahead of Furiosa without EA puts us at 5.5M previews and whilst not the perfect comparison, I feel good about a surprise for this one so pencil me in at 4.5-5.5M previews. Looking to overperform in SE Wisconsin if my four theaters are anything to go by. About 57% ahead of Furiosa and 170% ahead of Furiosa with Early Access. Definitely showing strongest signs in the Hispanic and Black heavy areas of SE Wisconsin (June 1). Like IO2 the pace for Bad Boys is small but mighty. EA is only available at Majestic much like Garfield. With EA, it’s a few tickets shy of Furiosa’s T-6 but without them it’s only a bit over half. Either way both is really good. I think we’ll continue to see the gap grow over the week but as of rn, I am thinking around $6-7m previews without EA solely on vibes to an OW north of $55m (May 25). Same thing as IO2 for Bad Boys (see May 23 IO2 comment), I expect this to not only skew more GA friendly and should bulk up ticket sales as we get closer to release. It’s almost at half of Furiosa’s T-6 which is a pretty great thing. Should easily outdo it by T-6 imho (May 23).)
  

The Watchers Average Thursday Comp: $0.86M

• el sid (Had a pretty muted start in my theaters. Yesterday 37 tickets were sold for THU, May 6, and today it were 44 (with showtimes in 5 theaters). Comps (always counted for THU):Tarot (715k from previews) had with 6 days left 28 sold tickets. The First Omen (725k) had with 8 days left also 28 sold tickets. Abigail (1M) had with 6 days left 97 sold tickets. And The Strangers: Chapter One (1.2M) had on MON of the release week 215 sold tickets. I don't think that The Watchers can reach the presales number of The Strangers, maybe half of that (= ca. 100 sold tickets next MON). So at the moment I go with around 500k from previews for The Watchers (May 30).)
  
• filmlover (Hasn't sold anything near me (May 26).)
  
• Flip (These are good numbers considering it’s only playing in 2/3 theaters I track (May 28).)
  
• katnisscinnaplex ($0.86M THU Comp.)
  

The Lord of the Rings Extended Edition Re-Releases (June 8-10)

• BoxOfficePro (Fathom Events has also announced that select Regal Cinemas will present the films in 4DX on June 22/23/24 for Fellowship/Towers/Return respectively (May 14).)
  
• AnthonyJPHer (Fellowship of the Ring (269 tickets, 6 showtimes, 4 theaters) on SAT, June 8, 2024 and SAT, June 15, 2024 (21 tickets, 4 showings, 4 theaters). The Two Towers (243 tickets, 4 theaters) SAT, June 9, 2024 and SAT, June 16, 2024 (22 tickets, 4 showings, 4 theaters). Return of the King (281 tickets, 4 theaters) for SAT, June 10, 2024 and SAT, June 17, 2024 (16 tickets, 4 showings, 4 theaters). 852 tickets sold in total. 793 tickets sold for the first week. 59 tickets sold for the second week (May 28).)
  
• katnisscinnaplex (Up to ~1,400 shows now with new locations picking it up and others adding a second showing. LotR1 has sold 831 seats OD, LotR2 sold 715 seats OD, and LotR3 sold 735 seats OD. For comparison, Phantom Menace didn't break 800 tickets until T-3 and we're still over a month out. JW3 comp is currently around 9m (it was at 1,670 tickets sold at this point!) (May 6).)
  

Inside Out 2 Average Thursday Comp using TheFlatLannister's Florida comp: $9.15M

• NRG (Now tracking for $85M domestic debut (May 30).)
  
• abracadabra1998 (Comp: $5.84M THU. Keeps chugging along, comps will start converging soon (May 30). Good update, hopefully this keeps on rising (May 23). Not impressed at all so far here sadly (May 19).)
  
• AniNate (Finally a little movement here. 23 THU, 52 Fri-Sun (compared to 18 THU and 23 FRI-SUN on May 17) (May 22). Safe to say the fan rush has ended, and it might not be immediately on casual family and radar when they're making memorial Day plans and there are two other kids movies out or about to be out (May 19).)
  
• AnthonyJPHer (Some growth for THU, not bad but I expect sales to increase steadily as we get closer to release. Presales are good enough to not be a disaster like Garfield, but not big enough to guarantee a 100m opening. I still like what I’m seeing though. My local theater has finally shown some signs of life with this film. 5 tickets sold. Way better than Garfield at the same point. Might not be completely accurate, but looking extremely strong on FRI. 900 tickets for the 5 theaters I track. Maybe even 1,286 tickets if my numbers are accurate. That tells me this is not front loaded whatsoever. Or at the very least not preview heavy (May 27). Out of the 4 tracked theaters, there is at least 774 tickets sold out of 1000+ seats. Blown Garfield out of the water (~200 tickets from the theaters I tracked). At least 3 sold out (or close to sold out) showings for Inside Out 2. Looking good for Inside Out 2. Of course this might just be fan surge and all. I was looking at the THU previews in a theater near me. There is an almost completely sold out showing. Out of 195 seats, 175 were sold. Where I live there seems to be real interest. I counted about more than 400 tickets sold on THU for theaters near me, kind of shocked me (May 19).)
  
• charlie Jatinder (Comp: $12.2M THU at MTC2. Moving along nicely (May 21).)
  
• Flip (Decided to add one more theater but there was good growth in both of the original two (May 27). Fan event on the 16th has 43 tickets sold from 2 showtimes (compared to 8 showtimes and 73 tickets sold for previews), so that might be depressing previews a bit.)
  
• katnisscinnaplex (Comp: $6.2M THU. No great comps for this. The last week and especially final few days will tell everything we need to know (May 31). Early sales haven't been there lately except for the extreme fans. $12.27M Mario comp (May 18).)
  
• keysersoze123 (If you compare this to any animation movies seen recently including Minions, its doing very well. Really good this far out for sure (May 25). Chugging along at this point (May 19). Show counts show Plexes are expecting a big OW. I dont remember when we last had a animation movie start with so many shows. I wont count Mario as that was a fan driven movie. Definitely not great presales but this is not a fan driven movie. Let us see where things are in the final week (May 15).)
  
• Porthos (BAD COMPS: $8.94M THU. I literally have zero good comps. I generally don't keep track of sub-5m pure kids animated films until right before release. It is too backloaded (or rather NOT frontloaded) for the AtSVs of the world to make much sense. IO2 had a (too) long (by half) pre-sale window which is wrecking a whole bunch of other slightly more plausible comps. If I had a complete track of KFP4, that'd probably help a great deal. As often the case with films that should be very backloaded, won't really know how backloaded they are until the week of release. (will note that IO2 does seem to be picking up a hint of steam right now. Which should bode well for its overall ticket total). Horror is, along side pure kids animation, THE most backloaded genre there is when it comes to pre-sales. ATP for the Nope comp will be wrecked, but the pace should be very instructive. Name recognition for Jordan Peele led to slightly stronger pre-sales for a non-franchise horror installment which should map fairly well with the in-built name recognition of IO2. Is complicated by the fact that Nope had an even longer pre-sale window than IO2, but that might help counterbalance some of the ATP errors. Won't be a good comp at the end but right now it might be one of the better ones, especially to show the insane growth that should be on the table. I don't think it's much of a coincidence that it's one of the few comps I have right now that is pointing to double digit previews (May 30). I don't agree with the undertone of concern when it comes to ticket sales. They seem perfectly fine to me, maybe even somewhat strong. It just isn't selling like a frontloaded CBM/fan driven franchise (even when adjusting for animation). So I suppose it really comes down to how much we think this will still act like a traditional kids animation film when it comes to buying pattern, how much demand has been burnt off, and how many people are still going to buy tickets but see no particular need to buy them early. Which I suppose really can't be answered until we get close to the time when kids animation films typically accelerate. But, I keep looking at the sales in Sacramento and not seeing much cause for concern (May 25). Decided to add Nope ($12.62M) to the comp block. Not because I think it's a particularly good one (ATP differences are a major red flag), but more for pace considerations considering how similar horror and kids animation are when it comes to being backloaded. The other consideration with Nope is that it was on sale for nearly two weeks longer, so it did have a small amount of extra time to pad some seats sold. But maybe the errors (ATP vs length of pre-sale) will cancel each other out. PROBABLY NOT! But the pace at the very least should be interesting (May 25).)
  
• Skim Beeble (I don't know if it's just me, but starting June 20th PLF showings for Inside Out 2 are stopping after around 4 PM. Is there possibly a surprise release coming or is it just a scheduling showtime thing from the chains. (This is AMC) (May 29).)
  
• TheFlatLannister (Comp: $8.52M THU Florida and $7.57M THU Orlando Comp. Thinking $85M OW is about right. Don't see much data as of right now to suggest a number much lower or higher than that (May 31). Excellent pace this far out. Does feel like something big is around the corner (May 27).)
  
• vafrow (Comp: $13.2M THU. I still have a wide divide between comps. KFP4 just did tremendously well around here, making it a challenging comp to use. Or Garfield and IF being the opposite (June 1). Take the comps with a grain of salt. The low numbers on IF and Garfield really throw things off. Numbers were flat all week before a jump in the last day (May 29). It's starting to grow (May 25). I'm surprised this hasn't been stronger. At this stage, I don't expect we'll see much activity until final week (May 19).)
  
• YM! (SouthEast Wisconsin: Already outdone Garfield minus EA. Ideally I’d like heavy buying to be prevalent next week with some form of buildup this week. Right now, looking at other data on here, put me down for 7-8M previews. At NS using pre-pandemic comparisons, it’s about 22% ahead of Onward’s T-9, 57% ahead of Sonic’s T-9 and 46% of Aladdin’s T-9 (June 1). Using Keysersoze123's earlier MTC1 data, the pace is pretty good. $6.74M average THU comp. The same caveats apply (higher ATP than the other animations due to older skew and PLFs but having lower ATP than TLM as that skews older and likely has more of audience to buy upfront, and Wish being on Discount TUES muddies things up) but the important thing is that pace healthy and gainer ground against its comparisons. Feel like tracking is right on the money of 75-85m OW but could grow stronger if pace continues strong and reviews are strong (May 26). The pace is moving nicely as we have about two and a half weeks left. Think there’s potential for ticket count pace to grow strongly. I have no comparisons but it is at Garfield’s EA-less T-3 ticket sales. Going to probably not say much on preview predictions but my thoughts of an OW in between 75m-100m still stand. Not much to make of things until we get to around 2 weeks for rudimentary guessing and opening week for figuring things out (May 25). Little has changed as IO2 keeps on trucking along. I do theorize at least from the 250 ticket selling Funko Event, it’s plausible families and fans went for that date instead of THU night previews. Not much to make of things until we get to around 2 weeks for rudimentary guessing and opening week for figuring things out. At the very least, I like that it doubled its previous sales a week ago as it shows pace and outdid Garfield’s T-6 (May 23). Did some snooping around for the Funko Event as I was curious if perhaps families getting presales for the opening SAT vs opening THU as those sales are kind of weak THU and uhm it’s at 250 tickets. Which is like 5 times Garfield’s EA showing of 50 tickets all at PLF prices despite normal theaters. Most of which at 9:30 AM with only one theater having it at 11:00 AM (May 22). Based on keysoze123's Elemental, Wish, Little Mermaid, and Kung Fu Panda 4 preview data, $5.66M THU comp and $22.2M FRI comp. Not a fan of the average comp (Disney has underperformed at MTC2 so not within history to rely on it overperforming like KFP4 and IF) but really like the True FRI although it is very inconsistent. Not sure if IO2 would jump that high from the THU average. However, there’s a lot of variable since: 1. TLM should skew more towards young adults than families by nature which should make ATP higher. 2. IO2 should and does have a higher ATP than either Wish, KFP4 or Elemental due to total PLF control and presumably skews a bit older. 3. Wish was on Discount TUES so that should muddy up the comparisons. 4. The comparisons apart from Elemental are either days before or days behind. 5. Both Wish and KFP4 opened outside the summer season so internal multiplier will be different (especially with Wish’s five day) due to how summer and fall have entirely different natures in walkups which leaves just TLM/Elemental as viable comparisons. It does show that IO2 should at least open above 65m? (May 20).)
  

The Bikeriders

• Pinacolada (Actually sold some around me. It does seem like Focus is giving it kind of a shitty release though. Small screens. Definitely no PLFs, which 20th Century Studios was gonna get it Dolby back when they had it. There's 3 theaters really near me. Only 1 of them has this on sale as of now, though the other 2 theaters may come later? (May 26).)

A Quiet Place: Day One Average Thursday Comp: $4.09M

• AnthonyJPHer (Alright start to presales, although kind of muted in my opinion. I’m hoping it’ll start picking up the pace soon, but it’s alright. Not much to say here (May 31).)
  
• Flip (Has a fan event on the same day of previews, PLF only (May 30).)
  
• katnisscinnaplex ($4.84M THU comp.)
  
• Porthos (Took a look locally. Not too bad. Before I tracked DBOX, AQP2 sold 160 tickets at T-22 and.... AQPD1 sold 166 tickets at T-28. Now I am now tracking DBOX seats, which at a glance sold 19 tickets tonight. However three theaters locally converted to having DBOX showings, so some local theaters will just have more DBOX sales. Still, basically in line with D1 of AQP2, more or less. Tickets sold for the 3pm fan event are practically non-existent right now (8 tickets sold). There are so many problems with an AQP2 comp as to make it nearly worthless but... promising start, I'd say (May 31).)
  
• TheFlatLannister ($4.44M THU Comp. Pretty good start, but nothing crazy or outright telling me a big breakout is coming (May 31))
  
• vafrow ($3.0M THU comp. Second day didn't go as well (June 1). Not a bad start. I don't have great comps with it starting at a month out (May 31).)
  

Deadpool and Wolverine Average Thursday Comp using TheFlatLannister's Dune2+GOTG3 comp: $29.31M

• AMC ("Some 200,000 movie fans have bought their AMC tickets already. This is more Day 1 ticket sales at AMC than for any other R-rated movie ever." Insiders tell The Hollywood Reporter that first-day sales are likely around $8 million to $9 million if extrapolating the 200,000 stat cited by Aron (May 22).)
  
• DEADLINE (Already heating up eight weeks before its debut, having already collected some $8M in first day ticket sales. $8M is pretty remarkable for an R-rated movie two months before release. While there are no direct comps on Deadpool & Wolverine ticket sales in post-Covid history, its current cash bests the 24-hour advance ticket sales of The Batman ($6.5M), Guardians of the Galaxy Vol. 3 ($6M) and John Wick: Chapter 4 ($1.4M). The Batman and GOTG3 opened to respective 3-day weekends of $134M and $118.4M (May 22).)
  
• FANDANGO (Broke Fandango’s best first-day ticket sales record for 2024. Best first-day pre-seller from the Deadpool franchise (May 21).)
  
• abracadabra1998 (Day 1/2 Comps (not serious ones): $25.82M/$28.14M THU. Pretty damn great day 2! (May 21).)
  
• AniNate (THU sales still largely biased towards primetime evening showings. There may be FOMO but not enough for people to take off work early. Good lord already 80+ THU previews sold for Deadpool at Canton (May 20).)
  
• AnthonyJPHer (Extremely strong growth from OD for THU. We have a monster on our hands here people. Buuut. Let me temper the excitement somewhat. The FRI numbers are good, stronger than Inside Out 2 by a considerable margin. However Inside Out 2 is looking very backloaded. This is looking extremely presales heavy right now. Much more than IO2’s 1,200 tickets for FRI. But here lies the problem. There is only 122 tickets separating THU and FRI for Deadpool and Wolverine, and for IO2, there is 500 tickets between the two days for that movie. This far out I’m not freaking out. I think the gap will increase. It just alarmed me a little. I still think it’s going to be massive though. Just a word of caution (May 28). Off to a hot start! At my theater in my town, there has been 8 tickets sold. That sounds low but it’s actually a lot, especially this far out and because Inside Out 2 hasn’t sold any tickets at my theater yet. Looking more broadly at 4 theaters I track other than my own, there is a mind- boggling 1,029 tickets sold! Already more than Inside Out 2 (May 20).)
  
• Charlie Jatinder (Comp: $28.23M THU. Weirdly strong day today, selling 200+ tix (May 31). Moving along well (May 27). Nearly 300 sales day vs ~260 by Black Panther & ~200 of GOTG3. Another brilliant day. Given the length of sales window, comps be falling off but they have remained steady for first 4 days (May 24). Looking at keysersoze123's MTC1 data: These are incredible (May 22). $40.22M THU (MCU first day sales). Amazing day two at MiniTC2. Well ahead of BP2, GOTG3 and AM3. Not too far off from Thor 4. This is more impressive considering they all were ~25-35 days out while this is 65 days out. MTC2 has lower ATP generally due to smaller screens, less PLF, and more family friendly chain. Does much better PTA than MTC1 (May 21). MCU MTC 1 24 Hours: Doctor Strange: Multiverse of Madness ~ 210K (T-29), Thor 4 ~ 137K (T-24), DP&W ~ 120K+ (T-66), BP 2 ~ 110K (T-38), AM3 ~ 88K (T-30), and GoTG3 ~ 76K (T-30). At T-30 guess DP&W would have been around 160-170K type. Will mostly be above BP2 and below Thor 4. 3.6k so far. BP2 final was 4.6k. It’s done (crossed GOTG3 day one sales). Almost crossed GoTG3 day one sales at MiniTC2 (May 20).)
  
• Inceptionzq (Denver Comp: $25.69M THU. Drafthouse THU/FRI/SAT/SUN comp: $31.04M/$38.62M/$40.21M/$22.35M (May 21). Drafthouse THU/FRI/SAT/SUN comps with L&T 24 hours and MoM 11 hours: (1.03x0.968x) / (0.884x0.945x) / (0.912x1.01x) / (0.561x1.004x). Denver THU: In like for like theaters: (0.828x Thor L&T First 24 hours) and (0.628x Doctor Strange MoM first 11.5 hours) (May 20).)
  
• jeffthehat (Took my first look in Indiana yesterday. Won't do a full post because I missed like 20 shows. But the gist is it was at ~3600 tickets sold and ~400 shows. Just as a point of reference, here are the highest values for tickets sold I have in my database. Bob Marley Wed T-1 = 3309 tickets sold. Dune 2 Thu T-1 = 3041 tickets sold. Godzilla x Kong Thu T-1 = 2328 tickets sold. Thus, sales are already the highest I've tracked with two months to go (May 29).)
  
• keysersoze123 (Previews was taken late yesterday and FRI data was just now. Still going quite strong. very impressive after huge OD (May 28). Still really strong 3 days later (May 25). 1st few days of PS is all about fanboys so T-x does not matter. By this FRI it will be in steady state mode. With this long a cycle that would be at very low levels. Looking at FRI sales, its IM will be closer to Thor 4 than BP2. So we can do the projections based on how the previews will go. However Its really early. Let us wait until we have T-x comps. Probably will have to wait until July to get credible comps. MTC2 early sales tend to be way weaker for all movies. The disparity for big movies is even higher. Nothing out of ordinary in day 2 pace for MTC1 (May 22). Obvious skew on previews (compared to FRI) as its 9+ weeks from release. Excellent growth even past 2:15 PM. Finished ahead of BP2 and ~20K below Thor 4 (116k for DxW and FINAL The Marvels previews at 133k). It has the longer cycle. This includes fan shows which sold 18K+ in initial check around noon PST. Fan event is just MTC1. I dont see anything for any other MTC so far or smaller chains. I think at this point we need to comp with 2022 MCU movies if OD presales are on par. Until we are within T-x cycle for this movie, we cannot comp after 1st 2-3 days. Fan shows are yuge. Adding FanShows and Previews should put it between BP2 and Thor 4 for now. Terrific OD. Over time, GotG3 should provide great comps. I can say for sure, its no where in the ballpark of DS2 which did 36m previews. Really good start. Should finish the day ahead of Ant 3 I think. Sales will taper off after fanboy rush. This does not include fan shows. No full data yet but show counts for previews (MTC1 - 7427 and MTC2 - 2914). MTC1 shows they are ready for big numbers. MTC2 is more conservative and numbers will go up close to release. If I have to guess based on really early indications, its OD between Guardians 3 and Ant 3 at MTC1. MTC2 I unfortunately cannot get data (May 20). Thor 4 is the most logical comp but that had meh WOM so IM was terrible. Previews were excellent though. Since its previews was 3 days after July 4, its final surge was stronger than even DS2. I dont think there is any difference between early and late July. All schools/colleges will still be off (May 19).)
  
• Legion Again (Previews this early in summer are almost a THU opening, so Fri soemthing like +35-55% from Th is IM ~4.9-5.5. If we get some strong Fri sales when we’re close maybe I’ll drag it up to 5.6 or something but it will be really really tough to beat that. Expecting an IM close to Thor 4. Better reception (in avg case, just by regression to the mean) but bigger previews/more fanrush element, ~cancelling. T-65 Projection Matrix ($166M-$186M OW) (May 22).)
  
• Porthos (Comp: $20.87M THU. Approx Earned So Far (Sacto Market Based Comps): $7.24M (June 1). For long releases of MCU/SW Saga caliber, it usually takes about 6 to 8 days for the initial wave to stop. The Rise of Skywalker didn't really "bottom out" until D9 or so (T-51). Then at T-21, more or less, it started up its acceleration again. Can see similar patterns for MCU long runners (May 24). MCU/SW films tend to have a bit longer of a slope-down on the decent of the "u-curve" so I think I'll keep posting "Day x" comps for at least a couple more days (May 23). Pretty standard Day 2, really. Best sign, I think, is it nearly matching BP2 (that also had a long pre-sale window starting at T-38) (May 22). $22.09M THU Day 1 Comps (8.4% 3D and 58.5% PLF) (May 21). Pretty good, all things considered. BP2 and onward tell a pretty consistent picture. Do think the extra month of pre-sales is gonna mess with these comps at least a little (May 21). Since setup took 60-75 min longer, take the following with a slight grain of salt: 1:45 PM with 2,105 tickets sold. (NWH 2am: 6515), (NWH 2pm: 10685), (Batman 12:45 pm: 1693), (MoM 1:00 pm: 5030), (L&T 12:15pm: 2519), (BP2 2:15pm: 2197) and (GOTG3 12:40pm: 1317). Two theaters have not yet checked in. Seems to be broadly in line with other markets that have reported in (May 20).)
  
• TalismanRing (NYC Regal Local. 17 shows (3 3D, 3 RPX, 11 Reg 2): 102 tickets sold for first hour - almost half for the 7pm RPX showing. COMPS MON opening week: Marvels: 91 (11pm), Eternals: 266 (7pm), Black Widow: 239 (5pm), and Venom 2: 131 (6pm) (May 20).)
  
• TheFlatLannister ($150M locked imo. Don’t really see under $30M for previews and a 6x multi gets it to $180M OW. With GOTG 3 early reception I think $200M becomes a real discussion (May 22). $44.36M Dune 2 Day 2 comp. Pretty ridiculously strong day 2. Sold more tickets on T-65 than Dune 2 did in its final day of presales. $22.42M THU GOTG3 Comp. Considering this thing is 60+ days out, I'd say day 2 was amazing (May 21). Sold around 1k tickets in the last 8 hours. Keep in mind this is not T-X so once I switch to T-X 30+ days from now, comp will probably be well over $30M for GOTG. Thinking ~8k seats sold by T-30 for ~$37M comp with GOTG vol 3. DON'T TAKE THESE THU COMPS (Dune+APES+GxK) SERIOUSLY: $46.33M. Rollout is pretty insane. Has almost 200 more showings than Inside Out 2. Sold more tickets than Dune 2 did as of T-1 (Dune 2 finished with 13.6k on T-0). Also surpassed Godzilla tickets sold as of T-0. Half way finished collecting data on Deadpool for Florida and it's nearly tripled Dune 2 first 24 hours of sales and data is still flowing in. Passed GOTG3, ATSV, Dune 2 (First 24 hours) in about 3 hours. I think we can put the under $100M OW discussion to bed. To the shock of no one, this is blowing up. First 24 hours update should have average comps near $35M (May 20).)
  
• Tinalera (Toronto having an especially good run on pre sales- overall sales looking healthy (May 27). For a movie this far out, yea presales are doing well in Vancouver and Calgary. Its hard as very few movies open this early, but its healthy when we are getting between 5-10 percent sales for a movie not due out for 2 months (May 24).)
  
• vafrow (Comp: $37.8M THU. Growth not quite as high as I'd like for a full week, but I'm pretty sure I had a miscount for one of the big IMAX screens that probably has thrown off the numbers. I've kept comps in, but I'm really stretching the utility (June 1). 12% over two days is pretty strong once the rush passes. We're not at the bottom of the curve yet it seems (May 24). 8% growth at this stage is very positive. I expect another drop tomorrow, but I'm probably not going to touch this until the weekend at this stage. I'm comping high, and without a proper MCU comparison (Marvels doesn't count), it's hard to gauge, but I feel this is just doing really well here (May 22). 20% growth on day 2 when it had a really strong first day is impressive. Ahead of T-1 for Dune Previews to officially be the highest selling film I've tracked since I switched to the 5 theatre radius (May 21). MTC4 has really jacked up plf prices in the last year or so, and D&W is skewed heavily towards PLFs in my track. I'm not sure how many trackers are doing price adjustments, but lack of good MCU comps in the last year could see a big price impact. Watching L&T comps in particular because being a rare adult skewing July MCU film seems to be the most ideal (May 21). Solid jump over the course of the day. Dolby sales jumped up the most, potentially as good IMAX screens got taken. Not sure what happened for the East coast this morning, but sales seemed to have rebounded. A little hit and miss in different markets, but that's what I'd assume for that region. There's some small communities. Not sure why it took so long for sales to hit when southern Ontario was hot off the mark. People may have assumed 9:00 am eastern time. Numbers pulled around 11:00 am, so two hours worth of data. Chain is pushing 3D for the ticket premium. Exception is IMAX showings, where I think they know people just want the 2D experience. 60% of sales being those four IMAX showings. 40 minutes into presales for my area. Almost triple Dune 2 on my first measurement for that, which was Day 2. Bit ahead of my first measurement for The Marvels, which was T-21, and I think about a week into sales. They're really leaning into 3D showings. I get the desire for theatres to get the extra premium, but I can't see a lot of people wanting to see this in 3D. Has been up for sale on the Canadian East coast, presumably from 9:00 local time. I did a sweep of all showtimes on MTC4, but there's been zero sales so far (May 20).)
  
• YM! (Sold ~10.6x Furiosa's T-6. One theater makes up a sizeable percentage of most mid-sized Marvel's T-2 in a span of hours. Such a strong start. Definitely feels like we got a potential 25m previews/150m+ opener. Still don't buy 200m OW but am starting to see 30m previews/175m+ OW as a strong possibility. On its first day has sold over 10x Furiosa T-6 here in SE Wisconsin. At North Shore, 70% of Shang-Chi’s and Venom 2’s T-2, 47% of Homecoming’s T-2, and 41.25% of Thor: Ragnarök’s T-2 - just using DP&W’s T-66! At half of Furiosa’s T-4 sales here in the past ten minutes in just two of the theaters PLF shows (May 20).)
  

Domestic Calendar Dates (last updated May 23):
JUNE

• (June 3) Opening Day [MON: Spider-Man No Way Home Re-Release]
  
• (June 5) Presales Start [Despicable Me 4]
  
• (June 6) Presales Start [Twisters]
  
• (June 6) THU Previews [Bad Boys: Ride or Die + Watchers]
  
• (June 8) 1-SAT Re-Release (1st day) [LotR: Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition]
  
• (June 9) 1-SUN Re-Release (1st day) [LotR: Two Towers Extended Edition]
  
• (June 10) 1-MON Re-Release (1st day) [LotR: Return of the King Extended Edition]
  
• (June 10) Social Embargo Lifts [9PM PT Inside Out 2]
  
• (June 12) Review Embargo Lifts [12PM PT Inside Out 2]
  
• (June 13) THU Previews [Inside Out 2]
  
• (June 14) Presales Start [MaXXXine]
  
• (June 15) 1-SAT Re-Release (2nd day) [LotR: Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition]
  
• (June 15) Inside Out 2 Funko Family Event (SAT)
  
• (June 16) 1-SUN Re-Release (2nd day) [LotR: Two Towers Extended Edition]
  
• (June 17) 1-MON Re-Release (2nd day) [LotR: Return of the King Extended Edition]
  
• (June 20) THU Previews [Bikeriders + Janet Planet]
  
• (June 22) 1-SAT Re-Release (3rd day) [LotR: Fellowship of the Ring Extended Edition]
  
• (June 23) 1-SUN Re-Release (3rd day) [LotR: Two Towers Extended Edition]
  
• (June 24) 1-MON Re-Release (3rd day) [LotR: Return of the King Extended Edition]
  
• (June 27) THU Previews [Blue Lock + Daddio + Horizon: Chapter 1 + A Quiet Place: Day One]
  

JULY

• (July 1) Presales Start [Fly Me to the Moon + Longlegs]
  
• (July 2) Opening Day [WED: Despicable Me 4]
  
• (July 4) Opening Day [THU: Possum Trot]
  
• (July 4) THU Previews [MaXXXine]
  
• (July 11) THU Previews [Fly Me to the Moon + Untitled New Line Horror movie]
  
• (July 17) EA [Twisters]
  
• (July 18) THU Previews [Twisters]
  
• (July 25) THU Previews [Deadpool and Wolverine (including 1 PLF fan show at 3 PM) + Didi + Fabulous Four]
  
• (July 29) Presales Start [Alien: Romulus + It Ends With Us]
  

AUGUST

• (August 1) THU Previews [Harold and the Purple Crayon]
  
• (August 5) Presales Start [Borderlands]
  
• (August 8) THU Previews [Borderlands + It Ends With Us + Cuckoo + The Fire Inside + Trap]
  
• (August 12) Presales Start [Alien: Romulus]
  
• (August 15) THU Previews [Alien: Romulus + Horizon: Chapter 2 + Ryan’s World the Movie: Titan Universe Adventure]
  
• (August 22) THU Previews [Blink Twice + The Crow + The Forge + Slingshot]
  
• (August 29) THU Previews [City of Dreams + Reagan + They Listen]
  

Presale Tracking Posts:
May 11
May 14
May 16
May 18
May 21
May 23
May 25
May 28
May 30
Note: I have removed most tracking data that has not been updated for 2 weeks. I think there is value in keeping data for a week or two but at a certain point they start to lose their value and should not be treated the same as more recent tracking data.

I purchased a W206 in late December and towards the end of March the car developed a fault with the HUD saying is was inoperable and that I should contact a work shop.
So I did , but not where I purchased the vehicle from, they took the car in for a day and then after an hour after the vehicle had moved (thanks to geo fencing) they advised that the issue could be rodent damage and that the entire dashboard would need to be taken out.
Note I've never had rodent damage in any vehicle ever.
So I then decided to book the car in with the dealership where I purchased the vehicle as I was horrified that the first dealer wanted to rip my car apart. They spent a good half day investigating the issue and diagnosed that a new control unit would be required.
Now a week later MBUX update 2.4 arrives and a day after installing my HUD is working.
I seriously can not explain how two separate Mercedes dealerships are unable to do their checks as well as mercedes themselves are unable to communicate software issues to either their own dealership network or the customer.
I took two days out of work for each dealership visit and for an issue that was fixed over the air.
The second dealership hasn't called me on arranging a date for the control box replacement as yet, should be an interesting conversation.

My kitchen floor (which is a sheet of vinyl from the 1980s) needs to be replaced because it has cracked in numerous spots. More importantly, the subfloor will need to be replaced in front of our dishwasher, which leaked, and now the floor is sinking when you walk across it. A fine mess.
My question for those who have been thru kitchen floor replacement is, what do I need to do to prepare for the work? I will need to have a professional installer. Do we need to remove everything from the room before they work? We not only have usual kitchen major appliances (fridge, range, DW) but also washer and dryer. The table, chairs, and three shelving units are daunting but seem less so than all the major appliances! Hopefully the ENTIRE sub floor will not need to be replaced but I guess that they won't really know how much until they pull up the vinyl.
Our house is just one uf project after another but since the floor is literally sinking under our feet, this one will have to be top of list.

I'm currently in a stupid situation with my neighbor. There's a fence on the line between our properties that's wooden and in bad shape. They installed a new vinyl fence around the rest of their property a few years ago and asked me to split the cost of the shared section, which I was not financially able to do. Since then they've become somewhat hostile towards us. They purposely have people park in front of our house (it's a public street, so they're not doing anything wrong) and have loud gatherings in their back yard just about every weekend that it's nice out. Last week, I asked them to please keep the music down (it was just the homeowners doing yard work with very loud music playing the entire day) as I was doing stuff in my yard with one of my kids, and it turned into a shouting match. I apologized after the fact, and it's been somewhat quiet, but I just got a notice from the borough that they received a report of a dilapidated, unsafe fence. I've been given 15 days to take care of it, and I'm wondering if they could have any legal recourse if I just rip the whole thing out. The notice says "Fences and walls that have deteriorated parts and materials shall be replaced or removed," but i know that's some places require consent when removing a shared fence.
I'm going to call the borough on Monday, but I figured I'd ask here since it's weighing on me and I can't do anything else until then.

ULPT request: I live next to some highly annoying folks. I know it's no one's fault that our houses are so close, but that's besides the issue. my neighbors house is split into four apartments: two in the front and two in the back. The back of the house folks are CONSTANTLY so loud. Blaring music at all hours outside from their vehicles. Screaming habitually to the music like a drunk white girl when she hears journey. They pass out drunk in the vehicles so the music can go until 4, 5, 6 in the morning. I guess they have to be pretty fucking drunk to not wake up, considering how loud it is. The front of the house people used to be fairly decent, but they are long gone. Now the front of the house is all junkies that rotate in and out of the house constantly. I don't give a shit about your vice of choice, but they get more and more sketchy and there's people lurking at all times of the night. there's literally a girl standing in the lawn at any time of day, talking to herself and walking in circles. I know she probably needs help, but that's kind of outside my purview. Their driveway is right next to mine, like 2 feet away, and I have installed a camera to make sure that nobody fucks with my car. I have called the police so many times with noise complaints, them breaking into one anothers cars (not mine), the junkies fighting, sounds of DV issues, etc. and nothing is ever done. The police never show up on time, or they never actually make a stop. Or they go to the wrong fucking house. They're worthless. My landlord has tried to speak to their landlord, but he does nothing. I know it sounds really petty about the noise issue, but because we're so close together, blaring music until all hours of the morning is really inconsiderate, entitled and fucking rude. I'm kind of at my wits end, I don't think that I should have to move because of their problems. But nothing gets done about it. Any advice to get them to leave? it should be noted that I live across the street from a middle school, so camera footage could be used, but I believe most of the middle school cameras are focuse toward the door of the school. Also, the back of the house folks are Hispanic, and I know for a fact some of them are illegal. I don't give a shit about that, I feel everyone should be welcome here and I don't wanna I don't get them in trouble or deported because I know they support their families. only throwing that in if it could be used as a bargaining chip. But a lot of them don't speak English. I should probably also throw in that one of them broke into my house and they have constantly sexually harassed me once my boyfriend moved out. I can't even sit outside in my backyard because they constantly harass me. I was promised a fence as a barrier, but l'm not gonna hold my breath for that. Any ideas of what I can do to get them out of that house?

Okay, so I've been working on a load order the past few weeks, have restarted a new save several times & keep running into this issue. At this point I'm unsure if my mod list or Bethesda is to blame, I remember years back when Fallout 4 released the dlc Automatron had issues with crashing, possibly the new update bugged missions again or possibly Bethesda never actually fixed them to begin with.
So anyway enough scapegoating, the issue I'm having is every time I'm on certain missions & walk through a door with a siren going off my game will CTD. These are the following missions I've experienced crashes on thus far: 1. "Restoring Order" mission while approaching the Mechanist inside the RobCo Center at a certain point a siren will go off & game will CTD. 2. "Echoes of the Past" mission while trying to clear the Atlantic Offices building of Enclave Soldiers, like before certain point in building sirens will go off & game will CTD. 3. "The Secret of Cabot House" mission while helping Jack reach the basement, same thing as others once i get to a certain point sirens will go off & game will CTD. These are the missions I've came across so far that are causing the stupid siren to crash my game consistently, I'm sure there will be more & feel that it is related to Automatron dlc issues.
A few notes, I own all the DLC's & have them installed, I'm not currently using UFO4P mod. Here are a few things I've tried to fix issue: Uninstalled Automatron dlc (game wouldn't even start without crashing), moved Automatron dlc to external harddrive, Set my display settings to 30FPS, disabled AWKCR & S. C.A.P mod. None of these suggested fixes have worked, I'm running game on a Xbox Series X, the game runs mostly fine other then crashing when that dumb ass siren goes off.
My question is am I the only one experiencing these issues, I've tried searching & haven't seen any post with similar issues. Are there any mods in my load order that stand out that could be causing this issue, possibly I have mods out of place in my load order that are conflicting with each other? Is Automatron dlc just broken at the moment? Any help or suggestions would be greatly appreciated, I've been working on this load order for weeks & finally got it where I want it, I just want to actually beat the game for the first time but these missions being blocked is causing massive headache's.
Here is my load order that I'm running, listed how its currently ordered.

1.------------Master Files---------- [LEGACY] Mutant Menagerie - Big Game Hunting (XBox) Armor And Weapon Keywords Community Resource (AWKCR) (XB1: All DLC) [XB1] Settlement Electricity Overhaul Revamped Player Responds To Pain By EngineGaming (Extended Version) ------------------------------------ ECO + NEO ALL DLCS MERGED 1.1------------Fast Start------------ SKK Fast Start New Game [Xbox] SKK Fast Start Location [Xbox] ---------------------------------- Legendary Modification Cheat Terminal [Xbox One] A Touch Of Life - Basic Immersive Fallout (DLC) Zombie Walkers (XB1) Worldwide Ghouls Fall Evil Mega Zombie Pack Boston - Less Enemies Random Encounter Manager [Xbox] Quality Of Life: Custom Ini Face Texture Glitch Fix A Bullet Time For Xbox One Idiot Savant & Better Criticals Redone (XB1) Rich Vendors+ [Complete] [XB1] Better Casing Ejection Glowing Animals Emit Light [XB1] Glowing Animals Emit Light - Far Harbor Add-On [XB1] Dynamic Light For Glowing Drinks 21.3---------Crafting: Power Armor--------- X-01 Invisible Flashlight Remove X-01 Tesla Upgrade Kit (XB) ------------------------------------------- Weapon Jiggle Remover By MaxG3D [XB1] 17.------------HUD------------ HUDFramework [XB1] HoloTime - HUD Clock Widget [XB1] Immersive HUD (IHUD) [XB1] Better Dials For Power Armor By Sanhedrinn Paper Vault Boy DEF_UI Core [XB1] - disabled [waiting on next gen update] DEF_UI HUDFramework Patch [XB1] - disabled, placeholder till DEF_UI fixed DEF_UI Preset Compass On Top By Chucksteel [XB1] - disabled, placeholder till DEF_UI fixed DEF_UI_INV_config Author's Picks [XB1] - disabled, placeholder till DEF_UI fixed DEF_UI_tags Icons Definitions (VIS) [XB1] - disabled, placeholder till DEF_UI fixed DEF_UI_tabs Inventory Tabs (VIS) [XB1] - disabled, placeholder till DEF_UI fixed ----------------------------- Clarity - A Visual Overhaul NAC X Fixed NAC X - Nuka World NAC X - Far Harbor Clarity + NAC X (Patch) Sunlight Alignment Tweak - Better Dawn And Dusk [XB1] Visible Galaxy 4k Enhanced Lights And FX [XB1] Wasteland Illumination Shadowing Ed. True Grass 'Lite' + Grass Reworked [XB1] Overgrowth, Immersive Living Forests And Grasslands White Phosphor NVG/ High Tech Vision Kit Update CROSS Crit Gore-Verhaul Fixed Enhanced Blood Textures (Standard With 1k Resolution) (Official) Caliente's Beautiful Bodies Enhancer -CBBE- Curvy AIO Sexy Lingerie - Optional (Curvy_CBBE_BBP) [XB1] 11.-----------NPC and Companion Changes----------- Natasha Face Texture Immersive Face Animations REMADE - IFAR - Serious Version (XB1) Immersive Mouth And Teeth True Eyes Gorgeous Vault Girl [XB1] Companion And NPC's Face Replacer All-In-One Pack By Keke-Bu [XB1] Ponytail Hairstyles By Azar V2.5a Better Settlers XBOX [XB1] Clean Faces Of Settlers --------------------------------------------------- 9.-----------Game-Play Changes and Tweaks----------- Fallout 2287 - Gas Masks Of The Wasteland [XB1 Light Edition] Fallout 2287 - Universal Gas Masks [ XB1] Fallout 2287 - Gas Mask Biped Fix Gas Masks Of The Wasteland With NAC Updated Fallout 2287 - Nuclear Winter [XB1] - version 18 Hardcore Health Overhaul -------------------------------------------------- Immersive Animation Framework By AnotherOne 16.---------Sorting & Menu Changes------------ Kane's Items Sorting (XB1) ---------------------------------------------- Modern Clear Purified Water And Gatorade Bourbon Replacer By Sdak1 [XB1] Russian Stimpack Replacer MAIM 2 Modern Pharmacy IAF MAIM 2 - Russian Stimpack Patch MAIM 2 - Hardcore Health Overhaul Patch MAIM 2 - Nuclear Winter Patch (FlashyJoer) - Advanced Needs 76 (ALL DLC) Girly Animation [XB1] More Girly Animation [XB1] Smokeable Cigars - Cigarettes - Joints - With Hardcore Auto Save (Updated) Running With Hands Animations XB1 Swimming Animations XB1 In-Game Third Person Camera Config (XB1) Much Better 3rd Person Animations Tactics [XB1] Glowing Sea Glowing Critters - XB1 More Behemoths In Commonwealth Amazing Follower Tweaks FO4 Edition What's Your Name? By Pra 12.---------- Radio and Audio Mods------------ Commonwealth Ambience [REDUX] All DLC Stalker UI Sound Replacer Lost World - Immersive Soundtrack Replacer Distortion - Combat Music Replacer Icebreaker Settlements - Settler Dialogue Overhaul Louder Project Reality Footsteps FO4 Commonwealth Warfare - Realistic Gun Sounds And Bullet Cracks Commonwealth Warfare Explosions - No Ear Ringing Sounds Physics Impact Overhaul And Bullet Casing Sounds Bullet Impact Overhaul Where'd You Find This Legendary - KnightHasen Tarkov-Esque ADS Sound Replacer Tactical Weapon Foley - Weapon Equip Sounds Pick Up Ammo SFX --------------------------------------------- 22.------------New Settlements and Other Buildings Changes and Tweaks------------ Sanctuary Hot Springs Home & Settlement Red Rocket Bunker (XB1) The Red Wave (Reloaded) Fast Travel Player Home [XB1] APC Home On The Move (Xbox) APC - Home On The Move And Fallout 2287 Nuclear Winter (Compatibility Patch) N.E.S.T Survival Bunkers V1.5 Conquest - Build New Settlements And Camping [XB1] Taffington Boathouse Revamped Xb1 Sunshine Township A Tragedy For Xbox 1 ----------------------------------------------------------------------------- 20.-----------New Weapons, Armor, Clothing, etc. (non-craftable)----------- Gunner Operator CBBE [XB1] Grease Rat Garbs - CBBE Curvy Classy Chassis Replacer Outfits (CBBE) Elite Riot Gear - Standalone --------------------------------------------------------------------------- See Through Scopes - GOTY [XB1] -----------Weapons----------- Zenit REDUX (AKM, AK-74, And AK-12) RU556 Revamp Accuracy International AX50 Anti-Materiel Rifle (1k) Honey Badger (1k) Steyr AUG - No Camos (1k) RPG7 Compress Version M2 Flamethrower Redux (Updated) Mp7 Revamp MP5 Complex V2 The M14 Standalone Rifle Police Shotgun (Remington 870) - Commonwealth Weaponry Expansion Glock 19x Revamp Glock Pack - 17 - 19 - ZevOZ9c By Marion Glock 19x And Glock Pack 10mm Replacer Enclave Plasma - Fallout 76 Recreation New Vegas Uniques 05: Sprtel-Wood 9700 (XB1) Classic 10mm Submachine Gun (1K Textures) New Vegas Uniques 13: Chance's Knife (XB1) New Vegas Uniques 11: Fist Of Rawr + Bonus (XB1) New Vegas Uniques 09: Golden Glove(S) (XB1) New Vegas Uniques 06: Holy Frag Grenade (XB1) Obtainable Animatronic Alien Blaster Quantum Weapon Pack --------------------------------- Quick Step ADS Lean Patch 19.-------------Pip-boy and Map Mods------------- [XB1]Tactical Tablet 2.1 ------------------------------------------------- Graf's Security Fences [XB1] A Simple Sleeping Bag Place Anywhere [XB1] [XB1] Building Budget Extender V4.3.1 S.C.A.P (Settlement Cleaning Reveals Absolute Perfection) 

Original post was edited in a attempt to quickly categories load order, I did my best in a short amount of time.

Prev Next Patreon Ko-fi Discord
PRs: u/anakist & u/BroDogIsMyName
- - - - -
Ceele strolled through the damp grass along the outskirts of the village, a spring in her step and the dwindling scent of dew following behind. It rained yesterday, which had prevented her from going out to gather supplies, but the mild morning air had been accommodating enough for her to get an early start and make the trip. She was glad she did.
One hand clutched her new prize to her chest, while the other held a fraying wicker basket filled with herbs and some edible roots she gathered by exploring the forbidden forest. Despite her reservations regarding where she chose to go, her excitement now lingered like a steady thrum of shifting stones, giving her energy that defied how long she had been walking. She all but pranced beneath the burgeoning night's sky, gleefully toeing the line between the dirt pathways of the settlement’s outskirts and the trees of unclaimed land. Normally, her path back home would never be so close to the village, but she was far too gleeful to mind. She had come back with a sense of fulfillment and a rare object—or if not rare, then hopefully of great value.
It was hard to point to any one specific reason that she came across the orb. There had always been a ‘draw’ during her travels, urging her that there was something missing in her life, yet it was no more than a mild whim to walk in a particular direction more often than not. Once she reached this part of the continent, she was compelled to wander, never quite able to explain why she obliged the sensation besides having nowhere in particular to be. Even when she finally settled somewhere, it stayed in the back of her mind, suggesting that she was close to whatever would make the pit of vacancy go away. She ignored it, purposefully distracting herself with her work and responsibilities, yet that could only last so long. When she awoke this morning with plans to resupply, and all of her newfound spots had been picked clean by wildlife, she turned to the depths of the forest where she was warned not to tread. It was all too easy to follow the subtle tug in her chest through the loose justification.
The urge to be somewhere grew unbearable with every step closer to the forbidden area. That sense of having a direction she needed to go became stronger and stronger, until she was well into land long since forgotten. She came across an overgrown depression in the hillside, and was entranced by the foreboding image. Something about the cave just…beckoned her. She was far too weak to resist.
Horrible tales echoed into her ears as whispers of fearful voices, warning and unending, yet but a dull drone compared to her hammering heart. She navigated the trees and brushed aside unkempt vines, stepping into the cavern with a mix of expectation and trepidation, then laid eyes on the small obsidian stone perched atop a crumbling pillar. The feeling of needing to travel somewhere…stopped.
The pull was absent, which was why she held the orb close instead of placing it into her basket. She wasn’t sure what it was exactly, but she recalled overheard tales of hidden gemstones, deep cavernous expanses, and the untold terrors that lay within. Comparing the scenes of those fables to the cave seemed foolish now; it wasn’t some torturous chamber, but a dusty depression in a small hillside. Besides, anything this pretty was sure to be worth a fair sum, and she needed the coin. Yet the thought of selling the precious-looking stone was a conflicting one. She shook off the thought for the time being, turning her attention back towards where she was going.
Shadows stretched and faded as the moon stole the last of the illumination afforded by the sun, replacing it with a calming glow that caressed the log frames and thatched roofs of various homes. A star-filled sky came into prominence as clouds lazily drifted away, revealing the promise of tomorrow’s fair-weathered arrival. It was too late for anyone to notice her treading on the edge of their town while lost in thought, but she was still careful not to get too close to the houses or livestock pens where people might be finishing the evening’s duties. It was best that they didn’t see her returning from a place she was told not to go. Still, her feet carried her near the dwellings as she took in the noises.
Ceele enjoyed the comforting chatter from a distance. Indistinct words floated freely. Meaningless gossip and warm goodbyes were exchanged between friends and family. Places of various occupations were dark and quiet, only the faint contented mewls and clucks of livestock coming from their pastures as they ate what was recently put out for them. No metal rang throughout the streets as it was struck inside a centralized smithy, no heated bartering came from an overactive trade house, and the crunch of dirt beneath transport or merchant wagons was absent, replaced by the rapid steps and yelps of children rushing to their homes before it got too dark out. It was all just gentle conversation and life drifting through the wind, taking the rustle of leaves along for the ride, just so she could hear it. Tranquil, in a word.
She wondered what it would sound like if she were yet one more voice within that crowd of kindness. Would it be loud like the larger cities? Would she struggle to maintain a thought with so many stray topics floating about? Would she once more yearn for the peace and quiet of solitude that she had grown used to, or would she immerse herself, free of judgment and laughing like the carefree young that scampered about? Did thinking about it even matter?
Her smile fell from its genuine intensity—still worn, but not as fully. She glanced downward as her stride lost its jubilant bounce, her tail losing its sway as her grey eyes examined the dry black scales that adorned her body against her wishes. It was the ugly hue of tarnished oil, unlike the skin of any other kobold she had met. Some had reds or greens, yellows or whites, while most were between a sandy tan or earthen brown. The rainbow of peculiarities was displayed by the lucky few, and she was one of them…
…Yet she was different in the worst of ways.
Even if she would rather any other colour, she supposed it was that way to make sure no one came near without accepting the unspoken risks. That was what her mother always said, anyway, though the woman hardly feared much of anything in her old age, and dedicated herself to giving her offspring all the love she had left to give—a perk of living a full life. She would always help her daughter bathe, complimenting the colour of what most were unnerved by. That was more than a decade ago now, however. Ceele’s parents had passed on while she was still young, and she took to travelling not long after, working at what she could to afford what little she needed. Never for long, though—just enough to get to the next town between where she was and where the urge to go lay. There were certainly moments she looked back on fondly, but the journey had taken its toll.
The crude material of her ‘dress’ was coarse, old, and heavy, but it helped ease the worst of spring's chill—even if it was more of a modified sack than proper attire. Still, it was all she had after the last of her clothing fell apart, and giving the repurposed material a name that reminded her of something else made it less uncomfortable to wear, somehow. It would have to do until she could afford a pitying seamstress or the like. Until then, she would pretend she didn’t look so desperate, even if it only highlighted her status and made finding work difficult.
But it did. The dishevelled garment was a far cry from the wonderful silks or breathtaking designs she had seen some women wear, harshly marking the distinction between herself and those of affluence. The clothing of commoners was also a leap in style and quality, so she couldn't say her attire was up to even modest standards. No matter how hard she squinted, and no matter how much she fantasized otherwise, she seemed every bit like the vagrant she was, down to the soil embedded in the curvature of her claws and the stains throughout her fabrics. She looked like a serf from the more oppressed lands, yet they too wore crude cottons, which said a lot about how she appeared to those who had never lived a life of servitude. It was obvious that she was an outsider. That she didn't belong amongst the rest. It made changing something as simple as her appearance all the more difficult; prospective employment always saw a young woman who seemed more likely to steal or swindle than make an honest day’s living.
There was one good twist of fate in recent memory, however, and she came upon the result of it after leaving the slowing bustle of the village behind. Her steps carried her through a small copse of trees on the outskirts of town, the small shaded path leading to the back of a large, carefully pruned clearing, a scattering of fruit-bearing trees providing even darker shadow than the already dim moonlight. She skirted along the aging fence on the border that kept predatory animals away, carefully hoisting herself over the barrier where a large vegetable garden she was responsible for tending resided. If one were to tell her she would be living in such an area several months ago, she would have smiled politely and walked away, yet here she was.
A modest, warmly lit home occupied the middle of the clearing, sitting front and centre when one approached from the village path. It looked quite cozy, surrounded by berry bushes that were just beginning to bloom as the last dregs of winter slipped away. A front patio displayed a nice table and well-loved chairs, the rustic appearance only adding to its charm as a place where friends and family spent the warm summer afternoons. A smithy to the left of the house functioned as an additional heated building during the colder months, but usually served as a storefront and to muffle the sounds of hammered iron, though that had become less common. An old stable was nearby, close enough to be accessible, but not so close as to disturb the once occupying animals with sounds of iron craft. It hadn't seen a horse in quite some time, apparently, so it was mostly a workshop for whatever tasks didn’t require fire or metal.
There was a long history attached to each little detail—from the scuffs along the wooden siding to the depressions in the ground where daily routine wore into the earth. Every fault suffered throughout the years was matched by a thousand quirks that made it feel welcoming, like the house itself was merely waiting for the next friendly face with one of its own. She knew that the inside of each building would look just as cared for.
Her concern lay outside, however. It was a comparatively miniscule space just barely visible through the sheltering trees, true, yet it was where her efforts turned into tangible results, and where a stranger’s trust was painstakingly repaid. Once overgrown grass had been laboriously trimmed, the weeds plucked and disposed of, and now nothing distracted from what she could claim she had done.
The small plots of rock-bordered soil had little buds of growing vegetables, a sense of pride never failing to bloom in her breast with the knowledge that it would be barren without her touch. When her troubles and concerns grew heavy, and fears of the future or spectres of the past loomed over her head, she could look at where she had brought life where it wouldn't otherwise be. Some days, that was enough. She smiled in appreciation at what was admittedly amateur work, the night’s sky helping to hide any inevitably made mistakes.
She enjoyed the sight for a moment longer, then turned to walk towards a neglected old tool shed that was well out of sight within the trees, far away from whatever warmth and comfort the larger house offered to everyone and anyone. She put a hand on the degrading wood of the entryway, giving one last sad smile at the garden as she dismissed selfish thoughts of taking the eventual harvest for herself. A breath cleared the uncertainty from her voice, and she pushed open the door.
“I'm home!”
= = = = =
It took a while for Altier to adjust to his situation, and even once he accepted that his mana wasn't being siphoned, he was still reeling from confusion. He had spent centuries with every year passing by without his notice, yet now he was painfully aware of each creeping second languidly dragging on with the expediency of growing grass. It was as disorienting as it was painfully nostalgic.
Time was something he was never good with, and it only got worse as a dungeon. He'd get lost in creating rooms, corridors, creatures, and whatever else needed doing, only pausing to watch or listen to the few adventurers he became interested in. There was a stint where he spent what felt like hours agonizing over new abilities or options while he let the system manage things in the background, though he supposed it might have been much longer. So many wasted days, yet he still hadn't managed to try everything he had gained access to. Some abilities were simply too niche, came with concerning titles, or held descriptions that made him wary. Anything with ‘Decay’ in the name was instantly ignored—he didn't need more reasons to fear his affinity, and from the few he took the effort to read through, they were always vile.
But his existence for the moment was no longer like those endless stretches spent pondering the minutiae of what would help his adventurers grow stronger. Now, he could follow the rhythmic sounds of footsteps and steady breathing that set a calming pace. They were someone else's, yes, but they contextualized how easy it was to slip away without the subtle noises of life that he had long since surrendered to help his family. Of course, there were more differences that he noticed since being removed from his crumbling cavern, and his sight was the newest change.
He never gave much thought to how far he could see before. Why would he? As a man, his world extended as far as he could fathom, yet was also confined to the room where he spent his days, and as a dungeon… Well, who was he to consider distance when an event happening miles away could be seen with a flicker of thought? Nothing was too far when it was within his creation. Or his ‘body,’ he supposed. Sadly, his entire perception currently consisted of the small sphere of his obsidian core, and maybe a finger's length beyond it—which is to say, not much. He could make out the fine details in the dirty burlap he was held against, and how pale moonlight slowly took over the blurred reds of sunset, but hardly anything more. It was all just frosted colours after a certain point, and he found it infinitely frustrating. He just wanted to peer beyond the haze and scaly hand holding him to confirm that the sky he remembered was still there. Alas, the sunlight faded at too quick a pace, yet one oh so agonizingly slow.
The ensuing darkness gave him nothing to do but think about where he was, not that he had any ideas. He was too curious about why he wasn't dead to bother much with his blurry surroundings after the soft-spoken kobold abducted him, thus why he only belatedly noticed how limited his worldview had become. There might have been a forest beyond his cave, but the greens and browns were gone, and the sounds of steps through brush was replaced by the distant din of a village. An idle curiosity pondered if he would recognize any descents of his ‘family tradition’ adventurers there, but he was being carried by what most considered a monster, so likely not.
That short musing was short-lived, however, and he brought his focus back to the matter at hand. He supposed he was being taken somewhere specific, but that was an obvious deduction, considering he was taken at all. The why of the matter was less so; for what purpose would someone want a Decay-aligned core? He hadn’t heard of them before…well, before he was made into one, but he couldn’t imagine many uses. Maybe he was being sold? His…kidnapper? His sudden companion seemed rather pleased by their discovery of him, so that might be the case, and it was morbidly amusing to think that a frail, sickly young man might one day become a coveted, highly valuable item. His abduction could also be a part of some cult’s nefarious activities, but he didn't want to think about that too hard. He experienced enough odd ceremonies from the adventurers who took the time to tell him their tales.
Either way, he wasn't in the dungeon anymore, and he couldn’t see where he was going. He tried to query his menu to glean an answer, but was met with a scrambled mess he suspected read ‘Synchronizing…’ and little else. It gave him a headache trying to make sense of it—which he didn't know was possible anymore—so he dismissed the text and distracted himself with blurs from whatever diluted senses he still had. There wasn’t much to observe other than the constant footfalls and the flicker of shadows on his companion’s burlap garment. They might have travelled through brush again, but it was too dark to really say for certain.
Eventually, there was something new. He heard an old latch rattle and rusted door hinges groan, then a shuddered clack that confirmed he was now in a building. His kobold acquaintance gently cooed at something before moving about the nearly pitch-black space, finally setting him down on a… He wasn’t sure what it was, besides old and wooden.
[D$#@m$n E@$*ded]
The headache from before became a blinding migraine that suffocated him under a flash-flood of suffering. Seconds passed in abject torture until it blissfully abated, the mental blinks clearing his mind enough to notice a change in his existence. Specifically, he could actually see something besides the rotting wood grain he was placed on top of.
And it wasn’t anything promising…
He was more or less in the centre of a room no bigger than twelve paces by maybe ten. Not a terrible size for a space, but it was clearly never meant to house someone. His resting place looked about as neglected as he surmised; it was an upturned feeding trough, he supposed, since calling it a table seemed too generous. The surface was rife with holes and degraded iron, so it was something that once saw regular use before being replaced and tossed into storage, never to see the light of day again.
Actually, most things in the room seemed to fit that description. The window shutters were installed with metal hinges that had since rusted them closed, the misalignment letting in a draft—and whatever weather was outside as well, most likely. A poorly carved bowl sat on the floor, the stain beneath it hinting that it collected any rainwater that slowly dripped from the leaky roof. The wooden floorboards looked old, splintered, and in need of maintenance or replacement, though an effort had been put into abrading it somewhat smooth lately.
A tiny and decrepit fireplace was to the left of the door upon entry, its brickwork slowly crumbling due to weathering and age. It was sized more for keeping the room warm during mild days than to keep away the frigid chill of night. Its base only held cold ashes, but there was a collection of deadwood and scraps nearby, so that would probably be rectified soon. A small wheel-less cart had been turned into storage against the opposite wall, some herbs and other foraged items stowed away in it for future use. Various things he remembered seeing his father and brothers use in the fields were scattered about, too. It was nostalgic to see, honestly, even if his recollections had blurred over time.
Bundles of tattered blankets formed a pair of nests in the far corner, the smaller of the two had a pile of rough plants nearby. That answered his silent pondering of the room's purpose somewhat, though he was pretty sure the bedding material was salvaged, and there didn’t seem to be any hay or padding underneath whoever was sleeping on it. He didn’t know what to think about the weeds; they were purposefully placed there, and whoever did so had taken the time to wash them, but it was still strange.
He couldn’t see a doorway besides the entrance, yet most of the hallmarks of residency were put where space could be afforded, however crude. All in all, he surmised that it was a gardening shed of sorts, and his new acquaintance apparently lived here. He wasn't sure what he was expecting when a creature he had only read about came into his dungeon, but it wasn't being brought to a rundown and decrepit shack for unknown purposes.
Even if he had been raised by parents who made a humble living at the best of times, and they had emptied their coffers for unsuccessful attempts to ease his ailments, his acquaintance's living space made him uncomfortable. His family's house was never anything fancy, true—it shared some of the worn qualities that inevitably gathered over the years—but it was never this bad. His home benefited from a father's touch keeping it robust and a mother’s love keeping it warm, whereas this place had seen neither in quite some time. Oh, there was evidence that such was once the case; a wall was adorned with carefully made and well-spaced hangers for the various gardening tools, though the implements themselves had become a victim of neglect. That being said, he could make out the fresh soil and recent scratches exposing furrows of silver, so they were seeing use again.
A scrape and clack of flint drew his attention to his kobold companion. They were kneeling in front of the fireplace, methodically sparking life back into a dead flame with twigs and dried leaves. A slow, steady breath into the reddened base illuminated its face with a dull orange glow, revealing its weary visage and the permanently etched smile that rested beneath its cold grey eyes. The black-scaled kobold looked tired, if he were to guess—much the same as Altier did when he spent countless days watching everyone living a life he could never have through the mossy window of his bedroom. He was probably humanizing it too much. Still, he was surprised by the muted pang of sympathy, and how he would feel much more than blithe curiosity after spending so much time alone in the crumbling crypt of his own making.
A mental breath cycled through him as he looked at the odds and ends yet to be observed. Hardly anything else was of note—everything else was degraded and neglected, too. He did notice a nest of blankets move though, which was as good a distraction as any. The answer to his previous ‘pile of weeds’ inquiry poked a tiny nose from a crease in the fabric, then rapidly pawed at the blankets to dig itself out. Altier stared at the creature in both recognition and confusion.
It was a rabbit…or at least it looked like one, assuming you were to also describe a porcupine and a sea urchin as well. He was pretty sure he didn’t remember any hare that had jagged metal-tipped fur, nor that had said fur arranged into a row of spiked horns that flowed down its spine, terminating at a large fluffy tail, which was equally bizarre to see. The whole of its coat could double as a weapon, with semi-sharp barbs sticking off seemingly at random, yet he remembered an adventurer saying most animals used that sort of thing defensively. He increased his focus as he tried to make sense of the odd creature. Surely he would have heard about—
[Hoppittttttt#%%÷ — Ferro-o-orabbit-it (Ma%$le)
Abil—]
[Null]
[Er0Rrrrrrrr—]
[Und#$f—]
He bit back the pain caused by the sudden intrusion of his menu, blanking out the text and mentally retreating to hide from the source. Did he just inspect something? How? Shouldn’t his entire…‘framework,’ was it…? Yes, that was it. Shouldn’t that have been corrupted? Why could he see the creature’s information when his entire framework was damaged? That was the first ability he lost, so why is it the first to be functional? How was it functional? Was it? It did just spit garbled text at him, but it was something, and that was more than he had gotten from it in a very long time. If it was somehow working—no matter how poorly—then that left the question of why he hadn't heard of anything called a ‘ferrorabbit’ before, assuming he read that correctly.
A soft thud vibrated the tro— table, startling him out of thought. He turned his attention to the button nose wiggling erratically at him, the short, stubby muzzle leading to surprisingly expressive and curious red eyes. Dull brown fur jutted off in random tufts and patches, changing to a darker tint on its paws and the upper half of its ears, while the tips of its spikes were a muted hue of iron. It still seemed just as soft as the less pointed variety he remembered, if a touch dirty. Upright ears twitched this way and that way as its head vigorously shook, eventually settling on pointing in his direction when it calmed down enough.
It was apparent that he had its undivided attention…for all of a few seconds. His scaly companion called something out in their foreign tongue, and whatever conclusion the pointy-furred animal came to, it seemed more interested in the kobold, parting from him after nudging his core with its nose.
[Cre-e-e—]
[Errrrrrr0r: Undefiiiiiiii—]
[Acceeeeep-t-t-t??]
[Yeeee— s s / Nnnnnnn—]
He winced at the intrusion, but the contents detracted from the pain. He couldn’t remember the system ever asking him a question without his explicit intent being involved. It wanted him to…accept something? Was it the system prompting him, or the animal? What was he to accept?
[Creatuuuuu—]
[Acce-e-e-%#@ed!]
…What?
= = = = =
“Hoppit, that's not food!” Ceele admonished half-heartedly, placing a larger branch on the burgeoning flame before she got to her feet. She wasn’t actually that worried; the stone was as big as his head, and she was pretty sure he couldn't bite into it. Hopefully. “Come here, momma has a treat for you!”
The ferrorabbit playfully bumped the gemstone and jumped off the low table, landing with a soft thud that belied how heavy he was for his tiny size. He wiggled in excitement, his ears flailing and releasing a slight clack whenever the two connected. It got even louder when she grabbed her basket and put away the useful herbs, taking out a specific item that she had gathered just for him. The little bun wasted no time in scurrying over and standing tall on his hind legs to judge if the offered plant was to his liking—and it was, based on how he dug in with enthusiasm. She stifled a laugh as she contentedly watched him nibble away on the treat, ignoring the guilt that came with knowing she couldn't afford proper vegetables for him. He had a hard life too, and it tore at her to have so little to give.
She came across Hoppit a year ago, during a storm that worsened while she was travelling between towns. The day had darkened to night in spite of it still being about noon, but the weather didn't care for how bright it was supposed to be. Wind and rain became a typhoon, forcing her to seek shelter in a thankfully abandoned den of what was probably a larger animal. She was fine with waiting out the squall, since the stone roof over her head was more than she usually had back then, but the sounds of dull bangs and thuds near her hideaway was followed by cries of animals yelping in pain. Curiosity won over reason, and she left the safety of her shelter to see what was causing the disturbance. Truthfully, she was hopeful that she'd come across scraps or the like, her hunger driving her forward, and she could always turn back if it seemed dangerous. Yet when she arrived at the source of the commotion, she found herself thinking of anything but food.
Two predators had fought over a small burrow, both trying to dig out a meal and taking offence to the other doing the same. What they didn’t know was that they were assaulting the home of ferrorabbits. Specifically, the home of an angry, protective, and well-fed mother that was keeping her newborns safe from the storm when predators decided to try their luck. From the scene Ceele came across, it was certainly obvious why most people dislike trying to hunt the creatures.
Sadly, the rabbit didn't survive an attack from two predators, but she did make their victory pyrrhic; neither could do much about their hunger with their bodies full of cuts and holes, and it was only a matter of time before they succumbed to blood loss or infection. The mother's sacrifice meant that the babies had avoided the imminent threat, but they were left unattended as a consequence, and it took an opportunistic bird swooping down to shake Ceele out of her shock. Despite her subsequent hurry, she only acted in time to save one of the orphaned young. The warren was new and barely dug out, which meant that it didn’t take much effort for the kits to be found—by both her and hungry maws. All she could do was scoop the ball of fluff into her arms and run back to the cave before anything else tried to eat it.
In retrospect, it was a stupid decision for a number of factors. She barely had the resources to supply herself, and an attempt to raise offspring of any type would only make the inevitable heartbreak worse. But when she saw how quiet and scared he was… How his tiny, shaking body calmed in her arms, those terrified red eyes seeking comfort… She should have just walked away when she knew there wasn’t going to be anything to fill her stomach. She should have put the baby animal down and let nature take its course…yet the preciously furry face stole her heart far too quickly for it to grow so cold. The next day was spent backtracking to the nearest town to get him something suitable to eat, which used most of her meagre savings. Still, it was worth every coin.
Hoppit had been accompanying her ever since. He grew quickly, transitioning from something she saved that stormy night into a presence she had grown to love like a child. The little lagomorph would bounce along beside her during her travels, then ride in her arms as he rested—though the latter happened with worrying frequency as of late. She hadn’t learned much about the springy herbivores, but she knew enough to say that he wasn't as big as he should be, nor was his fur as sharp. No matter how startled he was, his spiky coat never managed to do more than stiffen slightly, which was apparently a side effect of poor diet, according to snippets of conversation she had overheard on the topic. She wanted him to be healthy, but she didn't know what he needed. Not many farmers raised ferrorabbits, and those that did were far away, so she didn’t have anyone to ask what she should be doing. Her best course of action was to give him what little she had.
Ceele was well aware of how he would be better off on his own, but he followed her whenever she tried to set him free. Hoppit just kept launching into her arms and wiggling his ears, ecstatic that he was with her again, uncaring that food was scarce and that they spent most of their days travelling. No amount of cold nights spent bundling up under the tattered blankets she managed to find ever dampened his spirits, and he was content to eat the grass or flowers whenever he felt like it, oblivious to the fact that he wasn’t getting enough nutrition. He would dig and excitedly drag back oddities that he found, and the one time he found a plant that looked particularly good for him, he insisted that it be shared with her.
A black pit still lingered in her chest when she recalled how pleased he was while he munched on the rare vegetable he discovered, then how distressed he became when she wouldn’t have any as well. He bumped and nipped at her, all but begging her to eat. His ears pinned back against his head, his fur bristled in a way she hadn’t seen since. It was only when she took a small bite and let him inspect the new teeth marks that he seemed to calm down, but perhaps she had been looking too deep into the actions of her tiny friend. All she could say for certain was that he was scared she was going hungry.
A morbid thought wondered if his first mother had refused food shortly before being attacked, and he—as small and simple as he was—had connected the two events in his mind, making him absolutely terrified that something would happen if Ceele didn’t have something too. All of that fear, and desperation overwhelmed him, just because she was happier watching him eat. She was determined to erase that issue. She would find something that needed a worker and earn enough to feed them both. One day, she would be able to smile at how big and healthy her little fluffy boy had become, but until then, it was becoming increasingly difficult not to think about how she was spending so much time growing vegetables and fruit that he couldn’t have…
Every morning was an exercise in tending to the gardens while actively shoving down images of a pleased ferrorabbit happily eating the results. That never went well; no matter how determined she was to complete her duties without a single selfish thought, most tasks were done while picturing his full belly and delighted bounces. There were a few weeks until the fastest of the crops would be ready for harvest, and Ceele would have to collect them while fighting the urge to bring back just a few for him.
She couldn’t, because she knew exactly how quickly that could escalate. It would start small—A vegetable here, a fruit there—but seeing Hoppit happy was one of the precious few good things she had in her life. Crossing the line would only become easier each time. They couldn’t risk losing their new home over greed, and she was already betraying the trust given to her by housing a wild animal, especially one known to be a pest for crops. She didn't want to know how angry it would make her benefactors if she was caught taking their vegetables for one.
No matter how tame and precious Hoppit was, and no matter how well he listened, they would only see him as the same creature that ruined harvests in droves. Thus was why she had to tell him to stay cooped up by himself while she was working or scavenging. And to her surprise, he did.
Honestly, she had made the initial request with the expectation of needing to carry him back into their home until he understood that she wasn’t leaving him forever. There wasn’t much she could do to stop the ferrorabbit from digging through the old wooden building if he wanted to get out. He wouldn’t need to damage anything either—a rotting board on the door only needed a little push to nudge it out of the way, and his natural curiosity made sure he was aware of it. But no, Hoppit was well-behaved as always, keeping hidden until she walked through the door, where he would leap from the shadows to personally show her how good he was and how he stayed put like she asked him to. It never stopped amazing her that he had such a surprising level of understanding despite being an animal, and that was to say nothing of how young he was.
All that intelligence, joy, and companionship he offered her…and yet the best she could give back to him was the weeds from the garden and the odd plant she found while scavenging…
Soft clacks of flicking ears dragged her from her pondering, her mind returning to the present. Hoppit finished his treat of the small plant, then bounced in place and scurried over to his bowl of water, perfectly happy to have eaten only that. He was so joyful with how little she provided, approaching every day of scarcity with the same enthusiasm she could never muster, as if certain that everything would be alright.
“It’s bedtime, Hoppit,” Ceele announced through a soft sigh, stoking the fire with enough branches to hopefully last the night. The ferrorabbit perked an ear in her direction, then sat on his haunches to extend the rest of himself up, his two little forepaws adorably held to his chest as he inspected the room like he always did. She smiled and made sure everything was stored away, then laid down on her bundle of blankets, covering herself with the warmest one. Hoppit bolted over to snuggle once he decided everything in the shed was up to his standards, throwing himself to the floor in a dramatic flop of comfort. Her quiet laughter subsided as they both settled in for the night, her tail completing the rabbit’s encompassing cuddle, but her eyes fell towards the obsidian orb on the table, her thoughts following suit.
It sat there, just as she left it, as benign as anything else ever placed atop the improvised furnishing. Yet there was a sense of ease and purpose as well. The old wooden trough seemed…important with its adornment firmly laid upon its surface, and she couldn’t puzzle out why. She was starting to doubt her earlier excitement.
Should she sell it? Would anyone know where it came from? Would anyone know what it was, or if it was worth anything? If she could get even a modest sum for it, she would be able to buy clothing, food, and new bedding. It would be easier to convince someone to give her work if she was dressed better and wasn’t so thin, and then she would have the income to slowly improve both of their lives. She could pay for a wandering merchant to ask a ferrorabbit rancher about the animal, even if it would take time to get back to her, or maybe she could hire a local if they needed to go near one for some reason. The cost didn’t matter to her as long as it happened.
But there was something else bothering her about the idea of selling the stone. She had travelled so far with a tug in her chest, only for the feeling of wanderlust to dissipate as soon as she held it. Was that a sign? She was never one for things like ‘fate,’ but a niggling doubt in her mind discouraged the idea of making a profit off her discovery. Even if what she could gain was so very tempting, and even if Hoppit would be happier if she did…
She tore her dampened eyes away and closed them, ignoring the burning trails running across her face. It would be another early morning, and she needed to sleep so she could take care of the garden. Decisions like this could wait. Once she had nothing else distracting her, and she had time to properly think about it, she would see how she felt about the stone.
Eventually, she dozed off with Hoppit pressed against her chest, and a longing in her heart.
Next
—
A/N: Patreon and Ko-fi will be 1 chap ahead this time around, and I've set it so everything from the lowest tier up can read the newest trashfire! Anything above that is sheer show of love. Hope you enjoyed!

I'm not an expert but am knowledgeable enough to know periods/commas matter. I'm being told that this statement below is specifying only privacy fences are allowed around patios but, the way I believe it's truly interpreting is, you can't have chainlink/similar fencing and if you want privacy fencing it's only allowed around patios. Otherwise, any other fencing is fine. They say it's because they love the "Greenspace communal feel" but some members yell at you if your dog/kids walk in their yard. Before hiring real legal help, am I crazy??
" All fences shall be subject to prior approval by the board and by any committee created by the board to approve such matters. No chain link or similar fencing shall be constructed or erected anywhere on the property. All other fencing shall be approved by the board. Wood stockade-type fencing may, if approved by the board, be erected abutting the rear of a dwelling unit for the purpose of enclosing a storage area or around the side or rear yard patio area abutting a dwelling for privacy purposes. "
Adding in the area about the proposal approval:
" The board shall approve plans and specifications submitted to it ... if it finds that it (a) complies with the requirements of this article and (b) conforms to any additional standards promulgated by the board. "
The article referenced states how to submit a proposal (diagram, material, etc) and referencing the rules written in and doesn't have anything other than "proposed fencing".
Edit: we'd be wanting to erect Kentucky board style fencing whether it's wood or vinyl. Possibly the standard black metal bar fencing.
Edit2: I understand that fencing in general needs approval. I'm more-so trying to figure out if it's accurate (as written) that it says NO fencing is allowed except the privacy fence and we'd need an amendment if we want to propose different fencing. It seems more like it's written in a way we just need a pro-fence board not an amendment.

I'm moving my shed to a different part of my garden due to it being placed in an awkward, silly place. I already had raised planters installed when I moved in and planted honeysuckle and Montana clematis to cover my back fence before I noticed how the sun set in my garden.
I'm going to dig out the honeysuckle and keep it in a pot until the shed has been moved (i've read it prefers lots of light) but can I keep the clematis where it is? I know Montana's are hardy and fast growing but how much sunlight does it need?

Hello all,
New neighbor installed a new fence and nicked service lines and telecoms. They are refusing to cooperate. I did a records search and found their mortgage company and deed information. However, it did not list the insurance provider. How do I find out neighbor's insurance if I have their mortgage information? Thank you.

Planning to have a new vinyl fence put in my backyard by an installer in a few weeks.
My yards are fairly flat, no trees. That said, I do have some areas of heavy weeds near the property lines.
Is it a good idea to have all the weeds removed prior to the fence installation? Would it make sense to just spray and kill everything along the property line? Just trying to make install as easy as possible and I guess once the fence is up it will be difficult to kill any of that in the future? Any other pre-work that is helpful to complete before a fence install?

Hi friends <3
So, several years ago, a good friend of mine and her wife started experiencing some really weird behavior from their neighbor. I honestly can't tell if it's stalking or harassment. Here are some examples of what she's been doing:
My friend has a bulldog, a chubby, quiet, mostly indoor dog. But when he's in the backyard, which is separated from the neighbor by a thick, tall fence, the neighbor will come to her back door and just stare at him. It's rare for the dog to be out alone, so my friend and her wife have seen her do this many times. When they do let the dog out alone and then join him later, they often find her at her door, as if she'd been standing there the whole time. There's no way for the dog to get out of the yard, so it's not like she's monitoring him to prevent an escape or anything. It's just... weird.
Crazy Neighbor (or CN) also has a window facing the side of my friend's house, right at a big window where you can see both living rooms. CN will stand at her window, open her curtains, and just stare at them whenever they're in the living room. They tried closing their curtains, but then they noticed she had applied one-way tint to her window so she could still watch them without being seen. They might do the same, but it won't solve all the problems.
When she's not staring, CN slams her doors and windows anytime my friends are outside. If they walk their dog, she comes to the front door, opens it, and just stands there. They've tried being friendly and they've tried ignoring her, but nothing works. She won't go back inside until they're gone, and even rushes out when they return. She must be able to see their path of return from another window
From time to time, there are bigger outbursts. This week has been the last straw. Before I say this, note that there is no HOA or other authority over how homeowners treat their property other than city stipulations on mowing and such. My friend’s wife set up a temporary cabana for the summer, a simple four-legged tent-top thing just off the back door. It’s about 7x7, well within their property and nowhere near their fence. She took all needed precautions so it can stay up for the summer, such as rooting it in the ground with deep metal stakes. This led to a series of days where, from within their house, my friends could see CN out in her backyard staring at this thing in anger. On Monday, they clocked a 1-hour and 7-minute staring spell. Yes, over 1 hour in the Utah sun.
Tuesday, when they went out back, she began to scream questions at them. Why did you put that up? Who said you can do that? Why would you do that? She was asking the questions with the tone you’d use if someone poured a bucket of water on you in a movie theater. She was absolutely incensed by the thing. My friends attempted to ignore her questions by speaking like normal people, saying hello, how are you, but she would not stop. They eventually started trying to offer answers, “We put it up, we don’t need permission, we wanted it up.” These were not enough. She came up to the fence, pounding it with her fists in rage and screaming at them, hopping up and down as she is maybe 5 feet tall, and the fence is 6 feet.
All of this together is a taste of CN’s behavior. Firstly, what do you think this behavior is? We’ve discussed that this could be a mental illness, like a kind of OCD that extends to her neighbors, or even dementia. We want to answer these questions before we decide on the next step, what to do. If she’s unwell, obviously that is a whole other fight to do something. I know the police will not help as this isn’t criminal.
They live in Utah, and as I’ve noted, are two women living together. We have considered this is all homophobia-based, but the obsession with the yard and them walking the dog has us thrown. Why is she mad about the yard if she simply hates gay people? Those aren't related, in my mind. Being ex-Mormon as well, specifically ex-very-sheltered-Mormons (not FLDS), we feel at a loss for what the ‘real world’ answer to this could be. We’ve considered them going to her door to just ask what the issue is, but given she rushes to her door when they AREN’T coming to the door, I’m honestly frightened that their stepping on her property will trigger a violent response. Because of this, we are trying to find another way. Perhaps I, a person she doesn’t know, could go to the door and ask her very firmly what she’s doing. I am not worried about her violence as much as they are, as if she does attempt to hit me, I have made peace with the fact that I could, if needed, respond to her in kind. I understand that won’t produce an answer; rather, I’m hoping the idea that someone else is aware she’s a ‘creep’ may shame her into stopping. Out creep the creep? Besides that, I am at a complete loss. They cannot move, and while they are looking at getting an even higher fence installed, it will take time if they even decide they can afford it. What, besides ignoring it, would you suggest?

I would like to change the color of my suv. And add some vinyl artwork on the sides of the car. But since doing it without registering on the daftar is illegal. How can I get this done.
Also I want to add a roof top tent, steel bumpers, offroad lights etc. Although I have them all installed, i still don't have that too registered on my daftaar.

We had our basement renovated/finished about a decade ago and the contractor didn't level the concrete before installing the floating vinyl plank flooring. It's very uneven in places and so we're now looking into fixing it. A few questions:

1. I'd like to ballpark exactly how much leveling would be needed before ripping up the existing floor. Is there a technique for that? Do I just need to crawl around with a long level at various points or is there a more clever solution?
   
2. A portion of a hallway and the bathroom are currently tiled. Would I need to plan on redoing/raising those areas as well? Or is there some amount of "drop" onto the tile that it would be reasonable to live with? If so, would I want a clean step down from one level to the next at the threshold or would I need to try to slope down into the transition?
   
3. Is it possible to reuse the existing flooring? I assume I can uninstall it without much damage, and I have a dozen or two spare planks somewhere, but I'm not sure if the fit/tolerances will be affected if I change from a (very) bumpy floor to a flat one.
   

Thanks!

I have a friend who bought a fence there and installed himself a few years ago. He got a good price and so I'm checking it out. I'm looking at a 400' aluminum fence. I already have a materials quote from a local company for 4' high at $8000, with $85 6' panels.
The site my friend used, Aluminumfencesdirect.Net, has a sale on their 5' Appalachian fence for 20% off. So I could get 5' high, 6' panels for $80 each, with a discount on the posts as well, I'm assuming.
I'm just worried about quality and how the company is to deal with. My friend said they were fine, but looking for others' experiences

Looking to expand your living space and enjoy the outdoors year-round? A patio cover can be your ticket to shady relaxation and protection from the elements. But with so many options, choosing the right one can feel overwhelming. Fear not, fellow sun-dwellers! This guide will break down the most popular patio cover materials to help you find your perfect fit.
Aluminum Patio Covers:

• Pros: Lightweight, low maintenance, durable, fire-resistant, variety of colors and styles.
• Cons: Can dent, may not offer as much insulation as other materials.
• Price: $ - $$$ (depending on size and complexity)

Wood Patio Covers:

• Pros: Beautiful natural look, classic style, good insulation, can be customized.
• Cons: Requires regular maintenance (staining, sealing), susceptible to rot and insect damage.
• Price: $$ - $$$$ (depending on type of wood and size)

Vinyl Patio Covers:

• Pros: Affordable, low maintenance, durable, weather-resistant.
• Cons: Can buckle in extreme heat, fewer style options than other materials.
• Price: $ - $$

Fabric Patio Covers:

• Pros: Retractable for adjustable shade, lightweight, portable, many colors and patterns.
• Cons: Not as durable as other materials, may not withstand heavy rain or snow.
• Price: $ - $$

Additional Considerations:

• Size: Consider the size of your patio and how much space you want to cover.
• Shape: Lean-to, gable, arched, or custom designs are all available.
• Permitting: Check with your local building department to see if a permit is required.
• DIY vs. Professional Installation: While some patio covers are DIY-friendly, complex designs may require professional installation.