I make homemade almond/cashew butter, sometimes peanut too. I read a thread on another site about the dreaded botulism in garlic and olive oil and that it’s not specifically garlic that’s a concern, it could occur with other food items sitting in oil, like herbs or whatever. My question is, I make homemade nut butter and I use some avocado oil, as well as obviously the natural oils from the nuts. I did read the conditions needed for botulism to grow, but I don’t know if it’s wet enough (again, there’s oils and probably some moisture?), or what the acid content is (but I don’t think nuts are high acid). If I keep it in the fridge that helps, but how long would it be safe to keep in there? Can the botulism spores grow in fridge at all, or do they just grow slower? Sorry if these are dumb questions just trying to protect my family and I’m still learning new food safety rules today (I made garlic infused oil in the past and had no idea). Thanks!

Hello. I’m trying to choose the right way to thank a friend of mine. I have also been generous in the past, picking them up and dropping them off because they don’t have a car etc. We have been friends for 7 years and live in an expensive HCOL area.
I recently ended up in the hospital unexpectedly and am very far from family. I was injured and was scared. My friend took an Uber all the way to the hospital (about 40 min each way), stayed with me all day through tests, took me home after. The next day she came back to my house and helped me with a bunch of things around the house. Also Uber each way. It may not sound like a huge deal but I am far from family and it meant the world to me to have someone there. She did it without me asking.
I have been struggling with how to best say thank you. I have thanked her in person and in follow up texts, but would like to do something more. At a minimum I plan to send a handwritten thank you card.
I was thinking a massage might be nice, but the nicer places are all so expensive (the place I’d like to get the gift card to would probably be around 250 to cover the massage, as I’d hate to get a gift card that covers only part of the treatment). The money is not an issue for me and I’m MORE than happy to do this, but I also don’t want her to feel guilty or bad like she did something out of the kindness of her heart and I got her an expensive gift in return (like in a transactional way). I am wondering if a nice thank you card with an offer to take her to dinner sometime as a thank you would be more appropriate. Or really any other ideas someone might have. Or if you think the massage isn’t too much as well.
Thank you so much, I really want her to understand how much this meant to me, even if it wasn’t a huge deal to her. :)

*** Update : Reading of the Will Part 2 - The Drama Begins **\*
I’m going to try and get this out quickly and maybe a little more briefly because honestly things are happening so fast now that I don’t think I’ll be able to keep up with these posts.
Before I pick-up where I left off yesterday let me just share that the Chief of Police has been out to see me twice, two of my relatives are facing charges, and more than half of the family has been raging. More on that later.
Not everyone has been toxic though, I’ve had calls and visits from several relatives that told me they were happy for me and offered their support and my father has been there every step of the way. More on that later.
Sam has been the bright spot in all of this, her schedule at the hospital is crazy but when she isn’t there or at her house sleeping or changing, she’s been with me. She and I were together all the way through junior and senior high so she was basically part of the family but now she’s getting to a whole new level of insanity firsthand. She's remained supportive during all of it. When I told her last night about what Joe had done, well - that's a whole nother story!
Anyway – back to The Reading:
As soon as JA put down Joe’s letter and reached for a file, my aunt Patricia and my sister Sarah both started yelling, my cousin David stood up looking furious, jerked the door to the conference room open and left, slamming it behind him and my cousin Steven started coming around the conference table, not sure if he was coming at me or JA but he didn’t look happy. My uncle, Emily, and my other cousin were just staring at everyone in disbelief.
My father jumped up to get in between Steven and JA / me but the gentleman in the back was already on him. At this point it was obvious why he’d been brought in, turns out he’s a sheriff’s deputy from a neighboring county and the JA and Joe had wanted to err on the side of caution by having someone there. As soon as he grabbed Steven my Aunt and sister immediately shut-up to see what was happening. Steven was frog marched out of the conference room and JA followed him out along with my father. A few minutes later they all came back in except for the deputy who remained outside the door for the rest of the meeting. While they were gone everyone was completely silent and JA walked back in to a much more attentive group.
Obviously annoyed, he grabbed his file and asked everyone to wait until he was finished before anyone asked any questions. He explained there while he had been instructed to open the meeting by reading Joe’s letter there had been some updates to the will since Joe’s wrote the letter. Cousins who did not live within 100 miles of our town would receive the $100,000 even if they didn’t attend the reading. Joe had evidently also amended the will at some point after the letter was written to gift members of the family that did not attend $50,000.
JA went on to clarify that while Joe’s will had no conditions on the use of the money it did stipulate that should there be any challenge to the will or attempt to interfere with the orderly estate closure the individuals involved would not receive anything at all.
He wrapped up by explaining that there was adequate cash in the estate to pay any taxes associated with he estate and inheritance in addition to the cash gifts given to each of the family members. All property taxes had already been paid on the real estate and that was no debt associated with the estate. As a result, he expected an uncontested and simple probate period, despite the size of the estate. He shared that he hoped to see the funds distributed in a few months and asked if anyone had any questions.Patricia and Susan started to speak at the same time while Emily raised her hand. JA waved for my aunt and sister to be quiet and asked Emily what questions she had.
Emily just wanted to know if she had to wait until she was 25 to receive her inheritance since she was under 25 but over 18. JA explained that she was under 18 when the will was written but since she was now an adult there would be no waiting period. He did caution her to be careful with the funds and offered to assist her in handling them at no charge. He told her they could either be a a lot of fun for a short period of time or could make a big difference in her life in the future if she was careful. Emily thanked him and said that’s all she wanted to know.
My sister raised her hand next while Patricia sat there looking annoyed. She asked how new the will was. JA explained that while this version was written two years ago it had basically been the same for almost 18 years with changes mostly just reflecting increases in his gifts to the family. Answering the unasked question, he added that I had always been the primary beneficiary and that Joe’s intentions had always been crystal clear.
JA also shared that during the 18 years that this version of will had been in force Joe had increased the value of the estate by well over $175 million dollars, and that his mental health was never in question. Finally, he looked directly at each of the family members there and told them that if I had passed away before Joe the entire estate would have gone into a conservation trust, there would have been no gifts to the family at all. As an attorney I thought his point was crystal clear, you were never considered, don’t make trouble, you won’t win.
Patricia evidently didn’t get the point, still refusing to wait to be acknowledged, she jumped in and asked whether he was he sure this was the only will, was there maybe one somewhere else? She said she couldn’t believe her Uncle would leave them out like this. I wanted to roll my eyes but just kept a straight face, she hadn’t bothered to speak to him for at least as long as Debbie had and probably significantly longer. She lived even closer to her than Debbie and it’s not like we lived in a huge city.
It was when she said “I think WE need to go through his things, he must have changed his will and just not told you. Alex obviously manipulated my dear Uncle Joe.” (yes, she actually sounded just like a soap opera cliché’) that my father had evidently heard enough.
He slammed his hand down on the conference room table and in a voice that was as commanding now as it likely was 30 years ago declared “You absolutely will not go through his things. You’ve squandered everything you’ve ever been given, you know it, Joe knew it, and you’ve made sure I know it because for the last several years you’ve had me supplementing both your income and your sister’s. Don’t even think about making trouble over this, not only can you not afford an attorney, if you do contest this I’ll cut you AND your sister both off. That goes for all my children as well.
Turning to his brother he look at him pointedly and said “Rick, I trust I don’t have to worry about you or your children doing something stupid.” Rick looked down at the table for a minute and then looked back at my dad before saying something to the effect of. “No, I know what happened between Dad and Joe, and looking back Joe was right. I understand why he did what he did and have known for a long time that we screwed up. I’m not going to make it worse, and neither will my children if they know what’s good for them.” He also looked at Patricia and told her that she had treated Uncle Joe terribly, just like everyone else, and that she needed to shut up before she made things worse.
After a moment of general quiet JA asked if anyone had any other questions. No one said a word so he said that we were done for today and that if anyone did think of more questions to just contact him at the office. He told everyone what the will was filed with the probate court that morning and that we’d all receive formal notices shortly. He offered to provide everyone with a copy of the will or told them they could request it directly from the probate court.
With that everyone stood up to leave he asked me to stay back and said we had a lot to cover. I turned to my dad and asked if he’d stay as well. He agreed, JA had lunch brought in and that’s when we really started getting into the details, which I’ll have to share as appropriate but suffice it to say that it’s a complex estate.
Other than that, there is SO much going on. Someday I’m going to be glad I wrote this all down, right now it’s just overwhelming. I may make an update about the family drama that’s unfolding, plus some more about Sam and I. I do think it’s worth sharing what Joe did to hold the family’s legacy together and to build on it. They say still waters run deep… I think I understand that expression better now. I hope I can do half as well as he did.
So much for making this brief!
*** UPDATE: Joe’s Legacy ***
I’m going to summarize what was a three hour initial meeting with JA, my father ,and a series of managers that oversaw Joe’s holdings. The bottom line is that Joe and his brother (my Great Grandfather) had a serious difference of opinion about how the land should be handled. Since the land was easily divided they split the tracts and each went their own way. Enough of the land was already producing revenue from land leases that the family lived very comfortably and didn’t even bother to push for more to be leased out. My Great Grandfather didn’t want to mess with the leases or see the money come in a little at a time, he wanted a lot of money and he wanted it right away. As a result he eventually started selling it off, just smaller parcels at first, but over time he started selling larger and larger tracts.
Joe couldn’t have been any more different but he couldn’t stand the idea of someone else owning our families land. He actively began marketing leases and finding users until about 80% of the property was producing revenue. That gave him the cash flow to buy the land my grandfather was selling. It couldn’t have been easy at first and JA said that in the beginning he had to take out loans to buy the property, but over time he was tucking away so much money every year that he was able to simply pay cash whenever his brother sold off a piece. By the time my grandfather died about 20 years ago he had consolidate 45,000 acres under group of holding companies, a large portion of it producing.
Joe never married (in fact he rarely dated, although I think there may be more to it that simply his desire for privacy) and maintained a simply life, He simply socked away all the revenue from the land and held it to buy more real estate as the opportunity existed. When the Great Recession hit in 2008 he had so much cash on hand that he was able to not only purchase the rest of the land that had ended up with my father and his siblings, he also was able to extend the land holdings significantly beyond that.
He had done something similar in the 70’s and 80’s when the small towns across the U.S. saw businesses closing and buildings sitting empty on Main Street. As those buildings sat vacant Joe purchased them for pennies on the dollar. Among the real estate held by the estate are dozens of buildings and parcels, primarily in our town but also throughout the rest of the valley. All are now occupied although many are rented far below market rates to local business owners. JA said the journals would explain that.
Outside of the real estate, Joe made investments in businesses that he thought had merit. His estate has interests in over 20 locally owned successful enterprises and a couple that eventually moved out of the valley and went public. He stayed away from most stocks, saying he didn’t know much about “big business” (ironic) but did invest in and hold blue chip stocks when the real estate market wasn’t offering “good deals”.
About 35 years ago though he stopped buying anything except for the a few properties that were particularly important to him, other than the land that his father had once held. He avoided making business investments or buying any stock that had any hint of instability. His focus was on building adequate cash to cover estate and inheritance taxes that couldn’t be mitigated or avoided completely by proper planning. As a result he was able to fund trusts establishing a community foundation and a family trust. In fact, both of those already exist outside of probate and will require some immediate attention.
At the end of the meeting JA passed me back the box of journals and the rolled maps he had laid out on the table. The maps contained detailed notes about the properties and the circumstances of their acquisition. It will take me quite a while to get familiarized with them as we didn’t touch on any particular parcels or buildings during the meeting, save one notable one.
After my recovery, but Joe asked me if I wanted to live with him while I figured out what I was going to do. Since the university where I was going to be going to law school was not far from town, I took him up on it. We lived together for nearly two years before my graduation, although I spent my fair share of nights staying at friends’ home after late night study sessions. Joe had a converted apartment above the barn where he kept the Jaguar and a couple of other cars and I moved into it, so we both had our privacy. Going up and down the steep stairs felt like an easier version of rehab and the quiet of being in a barn overlooking the woods was the perfect transition back to real life.
After I graduated, I made the decision to hang out my own shingle about a year after passing the Bar and working as a junior associate at a larger firm. Being older than all the other junior associates was fine but being with a large firm just wasn’t for me. Joe asked me if I was going to continue to stay with him but I told him I planned on moving closer to town as soon as I could find something cheap enough. I explained that I felt like I needed to get back into the community to start building the practice and be more accessible to clients. He thought that was a great idea and I started looking around but wasn’t in a hurry.
About a month later I “ran into” JA and he mentioned that he heard I was looking for an office. He said he had a client that had just renovated one of the downtown buildings and was looking for a tenant. His client didn’t want to give anyone long term lease and so he knew he had to make the rent cheap enough to accept the risk that they might have to move out on short notice. There was an apartment on the second floor and professional offices on the first floor. Once he told me how much the rent would be I took it sight unseen and have lived there for three years.
JA had a smile on his face when he mentioned that my home was now literally “my” home. Evidently, as soon as I told Joe I wanted to move closer to town he had contractors begin rehabbing the building as quickly as possible. Two crews had worked for a month to turn it into an incredible apartment for and the perfect office for a small town lawyer. I have to admit that for the last three years I had been keeping my fingers crossed that I wasn’t going to lose my “too good to be true” rent deal. There is no doubt in my mind that Joe had did more to influence things around this town than anyone, save a select few, ever knew.
JA said we had a lot more to go through but that it had been a long day for everyone. He suggested we pick up the conversation next week, at my convenience. He told me to call him anytime over the weekend if I had any immediate questions. He reminded me that in addition to being one of the firm’s largest clients Joe was also his best friend. He said he’d like to talk soon more about Joe – that there were things I needed to know that probably weren’t in the journals. I thanked him and asked if my dad and I could use the conference room a little while longer. He said of course and started gather his things up.
Before he stood-up to go he paused and with a look of momentary discomfort said: “One last item. The “assistant” we had in the back of the room is a sheriff’s deputy one county over. We felt it best to have security due to the size of the estate and the circumstances of the distribution. We’ve retained him along with several other deputies from nearby counties to maintain 24-hour security over the next several days, just until tempers cool down.”
I was shocked, I hadn’t even considered that someone in the family might want to harm me. I started to shake my head, getting ready to object, certain that it wasn’t necessary, when my father put his hand on my arm and spoke first. “That’s a great idea – I’m sure it won’t be needed but given the circumstance you can’t be too cautious, for Alex AND for anyone that might be around him.”
As he said that my thoughts went to Sam, and I felt guilty for not thinking of her safety. I just nodded and said thank you, that we’d revisit security needs next week after things cooled off.
With that, JA got up, shook our hands, and left. Dad and I sat quietly for a moment, looking at the papers in front of me. Dad spoke first. “You gave Joe something no one else in the family did and he gave back to you in an equal way. Don’t question this and don’t let anyone else cause you to doubt whether this was fair. You’re the only one in the family that Joe could count on to respect his life’s work. If it had been handled any other way his years would have been wasted and he knew it.”
Dad was right, Joe had instilled in me the same respect for our way of life and our family’s legacy that he had. I knew that it was up to me to pass it on. The money was a huge life changer, but the responsibility he had passed on to me was what really had me thinking. Protecting our family’s legacy and preserving our community’s heritage and way of life, he had spent a lifetime building the resources he knew I would need if I was going to honor his vision.
I hope I’m able to make him proud. I told Dad I’d appreciate his help navigating the situation and told him how unprepared I felt to take this on. I asked him how much he knew about everyone’s (our relatives) financial situation and whether he had any idea how people were going to react. He shared that both his sisters had been reckless, they were living on a minimal income, supplemented by him. That their kids had drained them over the years and were themselves, for the most part, overextended. His brother had been more careful and didn’t have to worry but that his divorce had cost him and that when he died there wouldn’t be much to leave the children.
I didn’t ask, but he told me that he was better off than the rest. Even though he had been married three times he and his first wife (my oldest brother’s mother) divorced after just a couple of years and it hadn’t been very costly. It was quite a few years later that he married my mother, we lost her to cancer around 15 years ago. Dad said that when he sold the land it wasn’t because he wanted to live it up, he just didn’t want to deal with the property or manage the leases anymore. He had invested well over the years and didn’t need the headache as he got older.
He also told me that he had a very clear prenup with Jessica and that if they remained married she would receive an allowance after he passed and have a condo in a nice resort community in the area to live in for the rest of her life, but that she was not going to be receiving a sizable portion of the estate. He told me that as immature as could be sometimes that she was well meaning and that after the loss of my mother she had brought him happiness again. He said she forced him to stay young in order to keep up with her.
He told me she felt horrible about the way she handled the call with me, she was trying to be helpful and went about it horribly wrong. She wanted to try and get in front of it with the family because she knew I would want the car. Evidently, she had also told Dad he needed to buy it for me if I didn’t have the cash. I guess I misjudged her as badly as Joe misread the situation with Dad. I’ve got to do better if I’m ever going to be able to bring the family together.
Since he and Joe didn’t speak anymore he never knew Joe had held onto his land (and he’d certainly never told me) or that he would have wanted to buy it, so he put it on the market and reinvested the proceeds of the sale. His investments had done well and although his estate was nothing like Joe’s he didn’t need to worry about money, could help his sisters, and expected each of his children to helped well along in their retirement planning when he died.
I couldn’t believe how much I’d mistaken I’d been about Dad’s financial planning – maybe I picked up on Joe’s disdain for what he thought everyone was doing or maybe it was because, as a family we really didn’t talk much about money.
Dad and his siblings never really had normal careers so us kids money just “was” – it wasn’t until later that you really got to understand how hard most people worked for it. I know that my oldest brother and some of my cousins had struggled to put together normal lives, lacking much in the way of an example from our parents.
Joe had assumed my father had as little regard for the opportunities he had been given as his brother had had. I can’t believe that my father and Joe shared so much more in common than they thought. I immediately realized unless we wanted the family’s “legacy” to be misunderstandings and unrealistic life expectations the first thing that would have to change was going to be how we communicated.
I feel like Dad was thinking the same thing I was. It had been a long and emotional day, it was almost 4:30 and I knew that most people had probably already left the firm’s offices for the day. I didn’t want to take advantage of anyone and suggested we talk over the weekend. Dad agreed and said he’d be making some calls this evening to talk to other people in the family and would update me.
Both of our phones had been on silent, and when he mentioned making calls I looked down to see I had 37 missed calls and over 20 new messages I noticed Dad looking at his and the expression on his face told me that he was seeing the same thing. We stood up and hugged before gathering up our folders. I grabbed my backpack and Dad packed his briefcase (I just can’t bring myself to carry one or an attache) and we headed to the door.
Leaving the conference room we found the deputy waiting outside the doors, waiting to introduce himself. Dad gave him his number and asked him to call if he needed anything. I explained I was going to be meeting a friend for dinner but that first I was going to go change. He said he’d be posted outside my building or wherever I went until 7:00, after which he’d would be changing places with the next deputy. I asked Dad not to say anything about the security since I didn’t want to drive a wedge between myself and the family and he agreed. In hindsight me might have avoided some drama later if I hadn’t asked that, but I still think it was for the best.
I had about two hours to kill before I was going to meet Sam and share what happened that day. I knew she’d be happy about the property and the car but I didn’t know how she’d react to the news. I will share that it wasn’t what I expected.
Sorry – this is long again. I’m going to have to try and catch-up at some point but I’ll have to save what happened during my talk with Sam and the first of this weekend’s “family issues” for the next post.
Thanks again for all the well wishes and for giving me things to think about.

Hello! If you are passing by this, I would greatly appreciate any feedback or ideas you may have! I’m giving a lot of details, but I just want to give a full picture!
Significant other is in an arts-related industry, makes 70k. My career is super varied, so I’ve made 100k some years and 30k others. I also have some family money. We live in a extremely HCOL area, but have no debt or loans. Compared to our social circle, I am not materialistic— I would never ask him to buy me a Gucci bag or anything of those type of purchases. When we exchange gifts, they are always small, sentimental things, and I love it that way. That all being said, I would like a nice engagement ring, and it would be the only major thing he’d ever have to buy me. Knowing all of this, what is a reasonable budget to ask for, in your opinion?
Thank you!!

My niece graduated this year and is following in my dad's, her grandpa's, footsteps and is going to school to become a car mechanic. My dad was a master mechanic before he died when I was really young. I want to get her an awesome graduation gift a new mechanic would love/definitely need during their training besides just cash. I'd love it if it could be tools I could have engraved with our family name or something similar. My brother only told me she prefers Milwaukee tools. I'm just lost as to what a new mechanic would need or want. Any ideas are appreciated 😀!!

We make homemade kefir which I consume daily, as it helps with my intergestion.
I have read that fermented foods are fine during pregnancy, but some articles say homemade kefir should be avoided, because it can pick up harmful bacteria from your home and refrigerator.
Don't know why this would apply to kefir specifically and not to all other food you do not thermally process before eating.
I have no idea whether or not this is true and do not wish to give it up during this period unless it is scientifically proven that it can be harmful.
Does anyone have any input on this? Please help a kefirlover out.

Hello teens, I am in my 30s and lame, please help me with gift ideas for my niece 12(f) and nephew 13(m)?
Looking for something in the 50-100 range for my nephew, it's for his culmination party - he's starting HS and I would like to get him something cool and useful he can use there. He's very into sports
I also want to get a little something for my niece, she also just finished the school year with strait As, so any input for a preteen girly-girl would be dope :)
Thank you for any input y'all have!!

Tulum review
Just spent a week in Tulum with my husband to celebrate our one year wedding anniversary. Despite the negative comments I’ve seen on this sub/Trip Advisor we had a beautiful time.
Where we stayed:
We stayed at an Airbnb that was essentially a block of luxury condo type development. It was off Avenida Kukulkan between Tulum town and beach. We enjoyed the stay there, but after some reading I regret not researching more into the infrastructure and rapid development of the area. But we had WiFi, AC, easy access to most things, and it was safe. The staff were helpful and friendly. Despite ongoing construction in the area we enjoyed it.
Getting around:
About a week before we did some research and decided on renting a scooter. Taxis to our area seemed $$ and car we were nervous about parking. We loved driving around in the scooter and would do it again in a heartbeat! Everyone was helpful at the gas station and we didn’t feel unsafe in anyway. The only taxi we took was from the airport ($60 USD and to the airport $95 USD), those were a tad pricey to me coming from Boston, but we bit the bullet instead of public transit (but the ADO bus seemed easy to use if anyone is looking into it).
Restaurants:
Places we loved and would eat at again: El Camello (seafood), Honorio (tacos/tortas), street carts on Satélite, and Riviera’s Kitchen (actually a cooking class but easily the best food we had there). I highly recommend all these spots! Encanto, this place was pricey but the food really was excellent, just know you’re paying extra for ambiance and service.
Places that were good food but we would have been fine missing them: Mezzanine (by the beach). We knew we were paying premium for the location. The food was fresh but it was so $$. We just got it cause we were by the beach and hungry.…it can be missed though as there is nothing special or unique about it (to me). Rossina cafe, this felt like any brunch spot in a major city in the US. The food was good but you don’t need to come to Tulum for it. Unless you’re an American here for a long stay I don’t see why one would want to go here.
Places that were just not good: Negro Huitlacoche, wtf yall. I came here from recs on Reddit and was so disappointed. The food is so bland. The service is awful. It was not worth a minute of time or a singular peso spent on it. The elote was good but its street corn. Everything else I hated.
Nightlife:
We spent a night out at Obsidiana and another at M. Obsidiana was fun and relaxing with decently priced drinks. M was more expensive and the vibes were like a typical club back home, but we expected that and had fun. We didn’t too much else cause we’re old lol.
Experiences/excursions:
Snorkeling by Playa Paraiso, this was fine for a first time experience but my husband has done it before in Jamaica and he said it was okay. I still enjoyed it and we got to see the ruins from the water side. Got a little seasick but recovered with a fresh coconut afterwards.
Beach: after snorkeling we walked along the beach till we physically couldn’t cause of rocks and then made our way back to a random spot. It was relaxing despite the seaweed.
Chichen Itza: we booked a tour through MexicoKan and went to Chichen Itza and a cenote. The site was amazing and we got to get there before crazy crowds, and the lunch they took us to was great. The highlight was the cenote which was tranquil. If you’re looking for a more guided experience this company is excellent.
Cenotes: we visited Cristal and Escondido and they were perfectly relaxing. The scenery isn’t amazing or anything but there were people there who let us borrow their snorkeling masks and it was fun to try out and see the underground caves.
Tulum town: we felt safe the whole time, there was one incident with a drunk guy approaching us but we managed it fine. We stopped for ice cream and panna e cioccalato and Caterina’s a few days. They were both yummy. The nights are hot and there are markets in Parque Dos Aguas, we didn’t end up buying from them and shopped at Mixik, Hecho a Mano, some pottery from a fruit shop and Chedraui for some gifts. Might have overpaid or been duped idk.
Since this was for our anniversary we did want some mornings/nights to relax so we got groceries from Chedraui to make meals (eggs, rotisserie chicken, and bread). We also got homemade tortillas, mangos, and mamey zapote from a random fruit shop.
Overall we loved our vacation, that being said I can see why people may have felt bamboozled cause some things are definitely pricey. Do some research to get the most out of it brush up on Spanish and be baseline friendly and you should be okay. This wasn’t the cheapest vacation spot ever, but once we learned about the recent history of the place, it makes sense. We tried our best to branch out to spots that aren’t overly catered to tourists, but I do recognize that even the “local shops” are adjusting as well (Honorio and Camello). If I were to come here again I’d stay in town or maybe even somewhere else near by and just come to the cenotes or town for day trips. It’s a small city and we ran into the same people everywhere we went which was cute but anything more than a week would be tough for a tourist. I’m not sure if I’ll be back anytime soon as there are a hundred other places in Mexico and the region I want to travel to (Oaxaca, CDMX, Baja, Antigua, Atitlan…). I’m sure the next I come here the city will be way different since we were seeing such rapid development happening while we were there.

I live in the US and will be going overseas for a bit to visit my family- my cousin is a drummer and I wanted to bring him something (price range max $200, preferably less than $100 because I’m broke lol) as a gift that he’d find interesting and hard to find there. Any specifically American drum related things that would make a good gift? He listens to and plays mostly metal but also has some interest in rap, r&b, hip hop.

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These are some headcanons I have about the Hashira. spoilers for manga through the end, character death, and canon marriages. Things in square brackets are stuff I read elsewhere and is canon IIRC, but everything else is just headcanon
Sanemi

• very good at telling hours left until sunrise from the moon and stars. It was essential knowledge during his days as a rogue demon slayer
• His trainers frequently scolded him for going ‘marechi mode’ while fighting and tried to get him to rely on his blood less
• [The breathing forms were preserved as dances] Was onboard with the plan to pass on breathing forms as dances, but still bristled when people described what he did as dancing
• Proficient at unarmed fighting when his opponents are human
• Did a lot of traveling with the remainder of his life, to actually spend time enjoying all the places he had gone for work

Giyuu

• asked Kiriya to arrange a marriage for him after the final battle. Kiriya is the closest thing he has to a head of family and Giyuu is too awkward to do it himself. Kanata and Kuina were taken by the idea and offered Kiriya lot of dubiously helpful input
• Has the other two halves of his haori stitched together and stashed somewhere but doesn’t know what to do with it
• Moved into a smaller house after the final battle, but actually made this one into a home
• Kanzaburou died in his arms shortly after the final battle. Giyuu wasn’t too sad, he thanked his crow for seeing things through to the end and promised he would be ok from now on
• Has old man hobbies like bonsai and rock gardening
• Kept a Nichirin sword in serviceable condition for the rest of his life- just in case

Tengen

• He and his wives experimented with making semi functional hand prosthetics for him. They offered to bring Giyuu into the project but he declined on account of having much less arm left than Tengen
• Laid down a hard boundary early on that his wives had to settle their own disputes among themselves because of Suma and Makio’s bickering. The two of them worked things out and now most of their arguments are play fighting
• Of all his wives, worries about Hinatsuru the most because she’s very dutiful and will shoulder too many burdens without saying a thing
• His understanding of music and musical theory is intuitive. He felt his way through learning music and doesn’t have the words to describe how he understands it
• Never told his descendants that they came from a shinobi clan. His grandchildren loved to make up wild stories about how he and his wives got all their seemingly random (read: shinobi) skills

Gyomei

• offered useful advice for Kagaya to adapt as he lost his vision. Helped Kagaya and his family figure out what he would, and equally important, wouldn’t need help with as a blind person
• [Gyomei went blind as a child due to illness] Sometimes compares notes with Kagaya on their experiences with going blind
• Has never adopted a cat, but many cats have adopted him
• Sometimes while he’s meditating, he’s still for so long wild animals become used to his presence and will come close enough to touch. Gyomei never does touch, but he is aware of their presence
• Genya asked him not to meddle, but Gyomei did try one time to ask Sanemi about their relationship. He didn’t make any suggestions or pass judgement, just asked questions that would make Sanemi think

Shinobu

• keeps an herb garden for her pharmacology practice but isn’t much of a gardener. Aoi takes care of it when she’s away
• She made a unique butterfly hairpin for each of her tsuguko and butterfly girls

Mitsuri

• [Mitsuri keeps bees] adores fat fuzzy bumblebees and will sometimes pet the ones in her garden
• The plants in her garden were mostly curated with the bees in mind
• Dabbles in handicrafts and likes making little outfits and toys for her cats
• Indiscriminate in fawning over cute animals, including reptiles, amphibians, and fish. Even fawns over Kaburamaru sometimes. It’s yet another reason Obanai likes her
• Inadvertently ended up playing matchmaker to various people she met during her time in the corps, including fellow slayers and civilians she helped
• A known fan of sweets. Her friends and family frequently gift her any unusual or foreign treats they come across

Obanai

• Kyoujurou is the only Hashira who knows what’s under his bandages, because they were introduced shortly after Shinjuro saved him.
• Has experimented with making smoothies so he can drink his meals through a straw without taking his bandages off. Gave up because it was more trouble than it was worth
• Kaburamaru’s behavior has a few tells to his emotions. Sanemi and Mitsuri are the only ones who can read it to any degree, and Mitsuri has a few misconceptions because she doesn’t realize Obanai is in love with her.
• Kaburamaru hides in his haori sleeves while molting, and Obanai constantly has bits of molted snake skin in his clothes like other people have lint
• Instead of petting Kaburamaru, he’s soothed by the feeling of the snake slithering across his body

Kyojurou

• had a few private identity crises over being a copy and paste Rengoku flame Hashira. Considered developing his own derivative breathing style and look, hoping that might earn his fathers respect
• Wanted to move Senjuro out of the family home, but thought his father wouldn’t put up with it. Never had romantic feelings for Mitsuri but sometimes dreamed of the three of them living together and her as his platonic partner in taking care of Senjuro
• Tried to befriend Obanai once they became Hashira, never realized that Obanai saw him as a romantic rival

Muichiro

• feels more affection and loyalty for Amane specifically, compared to the other Hashira
• He’s still not clear how many children Kagaya and Amane have. Thought it was only two until he saw three in the same place at the same time. If one were to ask, he’d guess anywhere from four to eight.
• Unaware of Inosuke’s tendency to mangle people’s names. His attempts are close enough that Muichiro clocks them as the correct name
• Unless someone reminds him, will forget to eat until he’s ravenous

Bonus- Honorary Hashira
Tanjiro

• in his later teens, began to live his life under the assumption he would die by 25
• Kept up the new years Hinokami Kagura for the rest of his life. Nezuko took over after he died, until his children were old enough to do it
• He and Nezuko were familiar with many of their mothers recipes, but there were a couple they never felt like they could replicate accurately
• Tanjiro’s crow became a pet and household nuisance (affectionate) post-canon. He loved gathering and sharing gossip, and is credited as the main reason there were no secrets in their home, for better or worse

Inosuke

• wore the boar head less as he got older, to prevent wear and tear. Would play with his children while wearing it, but only once they were old enough to know to be gentle with it.
• Acorns are his favorite snack on the go and he always has a few in his pockets
• Remained resistant to wearing shirts for his whole life
• His marriage proposal to Aoi included gifting her an animal pelt

Zenitsu

• took up music after the final battle. Would sometimes practice playing with Kanata Ubuyashiki. She developed a crush on him in her teens but never told anyone.
• Proposed to Nezuko in a peach orchard where he spent a lot of time while training under Kuwajima
• Loves going to flower viewing parties. They’re his favorite type of date and he adores the sight of Nezuko against a backdrop of blooming flowers

Kanao

• Tanjiro had to teach her how to voice her disagreement. They’ve never had a proper fight, only disagreements that Tanjiro had to guide them through resolving
• Has no sense of fashion or style, so indecisive about buying clothes that Tanjiro and Nezuko pick for her
• Her garden has a lot of plants that attract butterflies. Every year they get dozens of chrysalises

Bonus bonus- Ubuyashiki siblings

• All three were somewhat anxious about the possibility Muzan’s defeat hadn’t broken the family curse. They kept constant attention on their health going into their teen years, looking for any sign of illness among any of them.
• Kuina decided to never marry. After losing her parents and sisters so young, she couldn’t bear the thought of anything keeping her from her remaining siblings. She was prepared to share Kiriya’s fate if the curse wasn’t broken. She lived to a ripe old age and was a beloved Aunt to many.
• Kiriya was emotionally comfortable dressing as a girl and liked the bright colors and patterns. He ended up preferring the physical comfort of boys kimono, the relaxed fit, and the simplicity of putting it on

I'm really struggling with the idea of no added sugar before 2 years old. My son is 11 months, almost a year.
I've tried to keep really good with the sugar for the last year, but as he's getting older and his diet is widening, I just don't know how to not include sugar.
For example, peanut butter is already in the rotation. I'm allergic to nuts, so I can't just get nuts and chop them or grind them into my own butter. I keep it in rotation for allergen reasons but it has added sugar.
As he gets older, I've been making him homemade yogurt pouches. I've noticed sometimes they can get quite sour because it's plain yogurt and some fruits like strawberries or other berries can make it even more sour. He won't eat it. He loves it with banana because it sweetens it up, but too much banana makes him constipated. I was hoping to be able to switch to vanilla yogurt which is a little less sour, but once again, added sugars. I'll stay away from it for now.
It just seems like even basic (not junk food or sweet food like ice cream, donuts, etc) has added sugar. How am I supposed to not give it to him before 2. It really limits his food.

Script Gallery along with my terms, please read before recording!
Link to Part 1!
Roughly 1300 words!
(Please notify about questions/concerns.)
(The listener is laying in bed, recovering from their blood loss. Dylan is sitting in a chair near them, as if he’s been waiting for them to wake up. There is a clock ticking in the background.)
Dylan:
“Looks like someone’s finally decided to wake up.”
Dylan:
“Believe it or not, it’s only been a few hours.”
Dylan:
“That’s right, no coma, no permanent damage, nothing. If I thought you were in a coma, I would’ve taken you to a hospital.”
Dylan:
“The closest hospital is roughly an hour away on foot, and I don’t have a car, so, I guess you’re quite lucky.”
Dylan:
“For the average human it would be two hours. Being a vampire has its advantages.”
Dylan:
“How did you sleep?”
Dylan:
“You were out cold, it had me a little worried. Eight hours passed and you hadn’t moved an inch..”
Dylan:
“I’ve just been sitting here, watching you. It’s not like I had any other preoccupations.”
Dylan:
“I’m sure you didn’t know that your resting breath rate is around 16 breaths per minute. That’s not all! Your resting heart rate is 80 beats per minute..!”
Dylan:
“There wasn’t much else to do.. I suppose I could’ve taken a little walk..”
Dylan:
“The evening sky does look beautiful.. Perhaps I can take you out for a stroll one day..?”
Dylan:
“One day, but not today, no, no.. You’d try running off, not that you would get very far.”
Dylan:
“I noticed you were wearing a necklace, I took it off for you so it wouldn't get damaged in your sleep. No need to thank me.”
Dylan:
“Oh.? What's with that look, it’s not important to you, is it?”
Dylan:
“Now that I know you have an attachment to it, I don’t think I want to give it back to you..”
Dylan:
“Is it some kind of heirloom? Perhaps a Valentine's day gift from a special someone?”
Dylan:
“Oh, I'm only teasing. It doesn’t really matter who you got it from; you won’t be seeing them again.”
Dylan:
“It’s on the table, just over there.”
(The listener attempts to get up.)
Dylan:
“Ah-ah, stay down. I don’t want you getting dizzy and falling. Then we’d have another problem on our hands.”
(Sigh.)
Dylan:
“You’re a rather quiet one. Are you contemplating something, like your mortality? Or are you just shy?”
Dylan:
“There’s no need to be shy, after all, I don’t bite.”
Dylan:
“Hm?”
(Evil chuckle.)
Dylan:
“Lying through my teeth, it’s what I do best.”
Dylan:
“On a serious note, come on, talk to me, it wouldn't hurt you to. You’re in good hands, so just relax and let yourself talk.”
(Sigh.)
Dylan:
“Do you need anything to eat, or drink? Is that why you’re so quiet?”
Dylan:
“Well, I can go get food tomorrow, but I do have some water. Hold on, I’ll be right back.”
Dylan:
“Before I go..”
(He grabs the necklace.)
Dylan:
“Just in case you try to run off, I’m taking this with me.”
Dylan:
“Stay there.”
(Fade to black, only a few minutes have passed when Dylan reenters the room, he sets the necklace down on the table, and places the water next to the listener.)
Dylan:
“Here’s your drink.”
Dylan:
“How are you feeling?”
Dylan:
“Disoriented? I’m sorry. You’ll be back to normal in a few hours, I’m sure of it.”
Dylan:
“I’m very sure, and considering my status as a vampire and former doctor, I’d trust my opinion on blood loss recovery if I were you.”
Dylan:
“I've seen many people recover from a bite, it barely hurts them in the long run.”
Dylan:
“Well, maybe many is an overstatement..”
Dylan:
“I may not have seen many people recover from a bite, but I’ve seen countless people recover from general blood loss completely unrelated to vampirism.”
Dylan:
“You’d be surprised by the stupid things people do that land them in a hospital bed.”
Dylan:
“There was a time where we had some very obviously drunk college students come in because of, and I quote, ‘bloodletting gone wrong’.”
Dylan:
“Yes, bloodletting. The historical medical practice.”
Dylan:
“I still remember my exact thoughts when they said that.. Bloodletting gone wrong? How could it possibly go right?”
Dylan:
“Don’t give me that look. That happened before I became a vampire.”
Dylan:
“No, I wasn’t born one.”
Dylan:
“Anyway, where was I..? Oh, right.. Most vampires, myself included, don’t bother to keep tabs on their victims after they feed, it’s just far too risky. Besides, there’s not much of a point. Why stick around to see how one little victim fares after a bite when it’s much safer to simply move on?”
Dylan:
“Well, there’s hunters out there. For all I know, you could be one of them, but you wouldn’t dare to harm me..”
Dylan:
“Right?”
Dylan:
“It doesn't look to me like you have any weapons..”
Dylan:
“As long as you aren’t planning to maim me with your bare hands, I should be fine.”
Dylan:
“Come to think of it, you're free right now, you have been since right before you passed out.”
Dylan:
“I untied you before I put you to bed, were you too woozy to notice?”
Dylan:
“Don’t-”
Dylan:
“...be getting any ideas.”
Dylan:
“I may have untied you, but that doesn’t mean I’m letting you leave.”
Dylan:
“Moving on, now that you’re clearly awake enough to speak.. Talk to me.”
Dylan:
“I don’t think you understand, I’m not giving you a choice.”
(He whispers into the listener’s ear.)
Dylan:
“You shouldn’t be so stubborn with someone who has your life in their hands.”
Dylan:
“Talk.”
Dylan:
“I have an idea. Let’s take baby steps, we’ll start with a yes-or-no question..”
Dylan:
“Are you a vampire hunter?”
Dylan:
“I'm not going to hurt you if you are, it’s just something I need to know in order to proceed.”
Dylan:
“Well, hunter or not, it's nice to have company around, someone to talk to, a reliable source of blood.. Another thing, if someone comes all the way up here and tries to kill me, I could always use your life as a bargaining chip for them to leave me alone.”
Dylan:
“Oh, don’t cry. I wouldn’t actually kill you. I already like you too much.”
Dylan:
“As I was saying, it doesn’t seem like you have any weapons, but you could always be hiding something up your sleeve..”
Dylan:
“So, look at me and tell me the truth.”
Dylan:
“Cat got your tongue?”
Dylan:
“Is it about that necklace?”
(He picks up the necklace from the table nearby.)
Dylan:
“It looks like there’s some compartments to this thing, I wonder what’s inside..”
Dylan:
“Oh? Apprehensive much? What’s the problem? I’m not going to break it.”
Dylan:
“It looks harmless enough.. I’m a little shocked that there’s no hidden knives, no tiny containers of holy water, nothing.”
Dylan:
“This seems like it’s made of some fine metals, where did you get this from?”
Dylan:
“‘A friend.’ Hm.”
(He sets the necklace back down.)
Dylan:
“You don’t seem like a hunter, and if you are, I’m assuming you’re brand new, because clearly you aren’t very good at your job.”
Dylan:
“If you were any good, I would be dead, and you would be miles away by now.”
Dylan:
“Aw, it’s ok.. If you weren’t such an uncoordinated hunter, I wouldn’t be having this conversation with you right now.”
Dylan:
“Still insisting you aren’t a hunter? Alright, whatever you say..”
Dylan:
“You seem to be rather interested in that clock over there.. We’re in no hurry. Now that I think about it, maybe I should take it down and hang it up in my room instead..”
(Sigh.)
Dylan:
“Looks like it’s almost 7:00 AM..”
Dylan:
“If I opened those curtains over there, the sun would probably blind me.. Which means.. it's probably time for bed.”
Dylan:
“I go to bed at sunrise, and you’ll be adopting that schedule as well.”
Dylan:
“How will I ever get the chance to talk to you if you’re always sound asleep while I’m awake?”
Dylan:
“You’ll get used to it in due time.”
Dylan:
“I'll be locking your door, so don't even think about sneaking off.”
Dylan:
“I.”
Dylan:
“Hear.”
Dylan:
“Everything.”
Dylan:
“I’ll get you some food at sundown.”
Dylan:
“Sweet dreams..”
(Dylan walks out and shuts the door behind him.)
(Part 2 end.)

I originally wrote this for Letterboxd and thought I would post it here, I hope that's okay; I never see this film being reviewed anywhere.
This was quite a surprise, to be honest. I wasn't sure how much I was going to enjoy the film, but I was immediately sucked in. The real genius here is the "documentary" parts spliced in between the faux horror film "Pumpkin" created by no-budget filmmakers and doomed lovers Warren Werner and Samantha Dixon who commit suicide (this is explained in the opening monologue so it's not a spoiler and you need to know it going in) when the entire town crucifies them for their graphic homemade serial killer gorefest. I (appropriately) wanted to shake the hell out of the interviewees who seem to blame the double suicide on Warren and his "dark personality" which seems to consist of a perhaps overly exuberant young love affair and an obsession with horror filmmaking; hardly anything to get in a snit about and certainly a far cry from the devil worshippers the town brands Warren and Samantha.
The other part of the film consists of the remaining footage of Warren and Samantha's film "Pumpkin" and I have to admit I thought this part was going to be awful but I loved it! Was it ridiculous? Yes. Was it cheesy? Sure. No budget? Terrible acting? Bad special FX? All present and accounted for. Technically terrible? Oh yeah. Maybe it's just me but I often end up enjoying the kind of SOV gore-and-tit-fests "Pumpkin" would've turned out to be and this one I would've likely watched more than once. It's in such incredibly poor taste that it becomes kind of delightful really, a harkening back to the era of analog without overdoing it. It concerns a serial killer named Taboris DeWitt who is hitchhiking across the country, or well, at least Alabama. But first we sit through a pretty pointless scene involving two bimbos having a pillow fight in their underwear in a seedy motel to the absolute most ear-splitting song I have ever, ever heard... and don't get comfy 'cause it plays many times throughout the film. First one girl gets a room with a "sexy guy" (god help me) named Johnny Knickerbocker, a loser hung up on his ex-girlfriend and traveling aimlessly across the country even though last Halloween he had his arm hacked off by a psycho clown and an old man traveling in a van (this part is important, for what it's worth, lol). The actor is clearly not an amputee by the way, his arm is just under his shirt. He also looks like a junkie about halfway into their nod but far be it from me to cast aspersions. They've only just seated themselves in their new temporary digs when Bimbo #1 (don't expect me to keep track of everybody's names) proceeds to immediately call up her gal pal, Bimbo #2, telling her she's got a hot guy in her motel room (yeah, no, sorry). She shows up, they have their pillow fight, they try to rouse Johnny from his opiate-esque stupor, and he then throws both bimbos out saying he's not ready to be with a woman because of his ex. He's clearly an idiot because these girls were actually pretty cute, especially for a movie like this! It's kind of a weird trend, all the girls bar one (who we'll get to later) are cute. Well I can't tell if the strippers are cute because you only really see their asses, but the asses were decent I guess. I mean, it ain't no high-class club is what I'm sayin'.
Okay, now we switch to storyline #2. Yes, these filmmakers were quite ambitious with their project, adding a whole other storyline, which means we're back with Taboris the serial killer from the beginning. They actually do a pretty decent job of switching between storylines considering. So we're back with Taboris now, who in what can only be dubbed a Tarantino-esque move has the serial killer walk right past Johnny Knickerbocker and get a room at the same motel! He's playing drunk but isn't and is in the process of dragging a very inebriated, rather portly woman (I'm sorry if you're reading this, actress) with the most irritating accent I have ever heard into a motel room. She seems amenable but simply unable - that is, to stand on her own. By some sweet miracle we do not have to watch the first sex scene between these two. He wants a ride in her Cadillac - but whoops, when she said her Cadillac she meant her pussy. Um, yeah. It's not a Cadillac. I admit to knowing this with shame. If you somehow wanted to see these two vastly unattractive people have sex, great! Because that's what happens after the Cadillac convo. And it's doggy-style. Oh yes, this glorious actress and all her rolls hanging down kind of makes her look like a pregnant... you know I'm not gonna say that. In any case, you get a good view of them doin' the nasty with great enthusiasm. He then strangles her and mutilates her body in the bathtub, talking to no one, and then washes all the blood off in the sink and kind of seems to have some sort of orgasmic experience while toweling off. It was weird.
Our two storylines (those being the serial killer plot and the Johnny Knickerbocker plot) are about to merge. Again, being quite ambitious. But you know, the editing's not bad for a camcorder production. I've certainly seen much worse. Anyway, right, so our two malcontent stars finally meet as Johnny picks up Taboris hitchhiking. Now I KNOW your mother told you not to pick up hitchhikers Johnny. Bad boy. Taboris tells him he just needs a lift for a few miles up the road. But oh no! Johnny doesn't realize he's picked up a crafty killer with a fake southern accent masking what I presume is this actor's "I am playing a serial killer" voice; a little bit Lecter-esque but mostly just pretentious. He chokes out Johnny and here I was almost certain they were gonna try and pull a Hitchcock and kill off their star (or at least one of them) early. But no, he merely chokes Johnny into unconsciousness and then ties him up, yes, at that same goddamned motel where you'd think the employees would be suspicious of this guy carrying a giant teddy bear (way to keep your cover doofus) and looking like - and answering to the name of - Taboris DeWitt, the serial killer on all the TV stations that two lamebrain detectives are trying to catch in yet ANOTHER storyline. One guy's words are barely intelligible through a thick accent and hardly any teeth. He tends to kind of force lines out in chunks but he does... okay? I mean you obviously have to keep your expectations in check here. The other guy is chubby and apparently hiding the fact that he's having gay hookups, possibly on the job? This movie has a lot of gayness, but not the good kind. More like the kind that would've been in a splatter movie from Alabama in the early 90's. Again, expectations.
Now that he's cast off the chunky paramour and left her body for motel employees to find, Taboris is moving on to Johnny. He's got him tied to a chair, listens to his story about having his arm hacked off by a psycho clown and an old man on the move in a van (but of course) and then subjects him to what feels like a very, very long and obscene dance in his underwear... to the same fucking song from the double-bimbo room earlier. This movie was starting to give off Greasy Strangler vibes, no shit. Speaking of which, that's the next thing Taboris does... with sound effects. I'm making this movie sound like torture but by god I enjoyed myself. So let's go on. Taboris is now in the mood for action (send help) and we thankfully do not witness this nor does Taboris get to fulfill his desires because... reasons. What, you gonna come for me now because I don't remember the details of the movie I literally just finished? Well, you do you I guess.
Alright, next I remember Taboris meets up with his beloved daughter Dana, who is a stripper in that sleazy-ass club I told you about earlier, but before we see her we see some pole dancing by some, uh, lovely ladies... TO THAT SAME SONG. The one difference with Dana is we can see her face and I don't think she actually gets naked in the film. She is, again, a pretty cute girl (I presume I no longer need to amend these sentences with "...for a film like this.") No really, she is cute and she does pretty much fine in her role, better than a lot of the others, not perfect but fine for... oh, I almost did it again. For some reason, Dana decides the right course of action is to tell her dad to get the hell out, allow him to leave the premises as a wanted murderer (and she knows this) and not inform the police of this amazing new lead. Oh yeah, Dana also knows where Daddy Dearest is heading. Where is he heading you ask? Why, to a horse farm on a rural road where an old man and a strangely-acting clown live. Alarm bells ringing for you? They should be; Johnny mentioned two such characters in his story about losing his arm. For some unknown reason under the sun, Taboris claims he has come seeking revenge for Johnny Knickerbocker, you know, the guy he choked, tied up, molested and almost killed? Right. Taboris gets the clown to come out to look at his car, which is beyond me because the clown is supposed to be intellectually challenged but of course that's not the term they use (which shall remain unnamed for those who can't read the goddamned room). Taboris sneaks up behind him and beats the clown to a bloody pulp with a baseball bat yet doesn't manage to kill him. I think he wanted to um, have relations with the clown. Ugh, some of this is kind of weird recounting. But if you fuckers can sit through Kuso you can sit through this!
Taboris goes back to the house under the presumption of talking about horse-racing with the old man. Uh-oh, twist incoming though! The old man and clown are no strangers. Taboris had found out previously that his real father wasn't who he thought it was, oh no. His real father was some schmuck his mother fooled around with a few times and who was married and unaware of the child's existence. Don't feel bad for him though because as soon as Taboris leaves him unattended, old Pops is getting out of his restraints and grabbing for a kitchen knife. Who will win this most epic battle of wits? Just who will survive and what will be left of them? Will I in turn ever regain my sanity? The answer to the last one is probably no, but there's hope for you (not really, there's no hope for you) if you like the sound of any of this. Oh, you thought this was the end of this gargantuan dictionary of a review? Sorry, not done with you yet. One last important piece of the puzzle has not been placed. That piece of the puzzle is the story of Warren and Samantha, dogged by rumors of devil worship throughout the town after a packed opening turns into a disaster. There are some short bits of what purports to be a local TV program who interviewed Warren on the show and you can see the light slowly going out of his eyes as he's grilled by the somewhat horrified host who clearly doesn't understand horror films or filmmaking or art. It's actually a really good acting job and very subtle and kind of brutal to watch. One can't help but think though that if the entire town hadn't made these two kids out to be some cockamamie cult and demeaned their artistic expression (such as it is), there probably would never have been a tragedy at all. Ignorance kills, and we know it. I think that is part of the story the film is trying to tell.
There's no sugarcoating that "Pumpkin" isn't great, but the documentary portion is also very sympathetic to Warren and Samantha. If a couple of kids in the middle of nowhere with a camcorder, some friends and some Karo syrup can't make an amateur movie without their lives being ruined then what the hell does that say about us as a nation? And no, you're right, it's a fictional story, but it's still a message worth sending, even though it will likely only be preaching to the choir. This type of film was never for normals anyway. What does it matter what their opinions are? They're never gonna get it. Don't chase after these type of "audiences" because they will never get or enjoy anything you make. And if Warren and Samantha had the gift of years to understand that, they would still be alive in their fictional universe and maybe even still making movies. Who knows? All that potential went to waste. And honestly I felt pretty sad after the ending, which I never expected to feel.

guys can first 100 registration get 1000 yuan on balance? it can be good idea i think if your website will be comfortable

Hi everyone,
Was hoping to get some ideas for a wedding gift and figured that this would be the best site to do so. I'm trying to book a hotel room for a couple as a wedding gift, that they can reserve at their own convenience. They travel to NYC frequently so I'm trying to see if any hotels have a deal where I can make a purchase for the hotel room and the couple can select a date that they'd like to stay there (that way they're not restricted to a specific date). I know it becomes difficult considering the prices fluctuate based on the day/season but was wondering if anyone knows of NYC hotels that may have a deal where I can purchase a gift card (or have them automatically put my card down) and then have the couple select the date that works best for them. I've seen a few sites that seem questionable so wanted to ask if anyone has given a similar gift and would have recommendations?

anyways started dating my gf 3 months ago. meeting tomorrow. I brought some gifts for her but have no idea what to do with themmm. do I wrap them? I don't think so. then what should I do? a letter with them maybe? I don't know anythingg. literally overthinking everything by now