hi all so i’m 24F and i make about 120k/yr, 90k of that is base salary. i have no debt or big expenses. i live with my brother in his condo so i dont pay rent or have a car note. id like to buy my own place but ive never been in a rush. i’m just slowly saving money for when it does happen.
my mom and dad (49 and 56) desperately want to move out of their condo and my dad proposed an idea to me. he suggested i buy a single family home and the three of us live together in it until i decide i want them to move out (most likely once i get married). they don’t want to be on the mortgage or have ownership of the home. they want to just gift me 50k to put towards down payment and also pay me $1,500 monthly while they live with me to help me out with mortgage. where they live now is insanely cheap for them because they paid their condo off, but it’s massively inconvenient so they’d rather move even if it means increasing their monthly housing expenses. we would both benefit from one another with this arrangement
i just don’t know if it’s financially a good idea for me. i have about 65k saved in readily accessible funds. i’d use 35-50k of that towards down payment. my dad is adamant about me doing a 15 year mortgage bc of the interest savings. i’d likely buy a house around 425k. assuming 20% down, that would still be around $2,850 monthly payment. that is more than half of my monthly take home - i’d be left with roughly $2,450 every month. given that i don’t have any other major expenses, this seems fine, but i need input. am i overlooking something? the $1,500 they would pay could cover taxes/insurance/utilities etc. my parents would obviously have my back in the event that i lost my job or something so im not worried about that. i’ve just never had a big expense in my life before so i imagine id be stressed out by that payment every month.
this seems like a good idea to me, am i delulu?

Hi, first time posting so hoping I’ve met all the subreddit rules - will delete if not.
Just looking for some advice surrounding money and learning about it. As I am approaching 30s, I want to be more financially responsible and not live ignorance or fear.
TL;DR: My parents controlled me financially, looking to learn about money, savings and work out what good healthy realistic money management looks like - TIA
Context:
I grew up with my parents. My father was a financial advisor and my mother was a stay at home parent.
In my childhood, my parents did not let me look after my own money or learn anything beyond basics (basics being counting money, basic savings like emergency fund, and never going into debt).
My parents also would take my money on birthdays, christmas’, easter, me nan’s inheritance she left us and put it in accounts that I had no access to or awareness of.
My parents were financially very well off. I will admit that my father worked very hard. He worked 24/7 and was very senior in his roles. Never was told specifically what he does/did.
Before the only money I felt I had. I say that because I am sure there are bank accounts in my name which i have no idea or control over. Example I have moved to a new city. Parents ‘lent’ me £750 to help whilst I waited to start my role and then months later, informed me that I had 1.5k in an account I had no idea about and took the 1.5k and said it covered the £750 (not sure where the other £750 went but I didn’t see it). My parents always controlled me and my money or used money to ‘trap’ me and keep me with them.
I cut contact and I am now in the process of learning about money. I know very very little about savings (beyond the standard 6 months emergency fund), pensions, credit cards etc. I’m deffo not in a position to worry about investing so can thankfully avoid that.
I’ve been lurking on this sub for a while trying to glean all your knowledge.
I typically earn £1,950. House bills all come to around 1.1k (including our food budget and some private medication). I live with my wife who helps with the bills. She earns about 1.4k so we do the 60-40 rule as I earn more and she’s trying to get out of her overdraft and another debt she took out to help pay for a funeral/costs related.
I can afford the house on just my wage and I try to save as much as I can and save the money she sends me to cover her share of the house. I have worked out if I buy nothing else bar essentials I could save around £800 from my wage and save the money my wife sends to cover her share.
I feel that is unrealistic given that doesn’t allow for birthdays, emergencies, trips out. We’re both incredibly introverted so no worries about socialising and that cost.
What is a realistic amount to aim for in savings? Our current goal is a aimless save as much as we can and aim to get rid of my wife’s overdraft and debts hopefully this year (planning on using MSE to find her the best current (i think it’s called that? like the one you use daily - first direct, Natwest, TSB).
We have about 2.3k saved away in a MARCUS account. Was about 4k last year but we got married (very cheap, had a private assessment and treatment for ADHD, and house emergencies) so it took a hit and likely will do when my car insurance renewal comes up. Wife has around £600 in a cash wallet which is specifically for her debt.
We’re both trying to get serious and sensible about our money and planning our future financially as well.
What is a good realistic financial goal? or had anyone got any good links/books/article/youtubers where they teach money skills?
Thank you for reading this essay.

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The cave was dark, its luminescent crystals having long since faded, the shattered shards sprinkling onto the stone floors as inert fragments. Once intricate brickwork was now rubble and crumbled debris, their murals and etchings now lost to deterioration. Countless tunnels and subterranean floors had filled in over time, reducing the monument of his efforts to but a solitary room nested within an unremarkable hole in the hillside, far beyond the township he called home. Or so he assumed, anyway. There was no way of knowing where he was, nor if said home even existed anymore, though he was doubtful it did. It had been far too long since he entered this promise-turned-prison, and he had no more heart to ache.
An ashen glow of sunlight penetrated the pitiful, dreary depths he was once prideful of. The luminance fought against the haze of dust and miasma, but never quite brought its warmth inside, teasing him. He’d forgotten what it felt like to stand in that brightness. To experience the gentle breeze and soft rustle of leaves. Admittedly, the touch of nature’s blessing was one he never often experienced, making for those sparse moments of sunkissed relaxation to be amongst the first memories to dissipate. There were things he still recalled, of course—the days before a single well-intentioned decision changed everything.
The days before he knew only regret.
Altier could still picture the modest farmland that his brothers and father worked on, and how he watched from behind the moss-laden shutters of his room, a frail smile worn on his emaciated face. His two siblings were well and hearty; they quickly grew up to be strong men, becoming apprentices under the village’s herbalist and leatherworker respectively. One would always help their father tend to the crops while the other was off gaining the experience required to take over the storefronts of their eventual occupation.
Their father would regularly be seen wiping the sweat off his brow and wearing a proud grin whenever his young men came back to ramble about what they learned, even if the elder man never understood much of it. That hardly mattered to him; knowing his boys were happy was enough for him to listen with rapt attention, and he repeated their words to his spouse, pretending to know why what he talked about was impressive. The matron of the family always winked Altier’s way when his father would start his usual boasting, letting her adorable fool of a partner take pride in their children for wrapping their heads around whatever he couldn’t. She loved him anyway, calling him playful names with a serene and adoring smile. The sound of her laughter at her husband’s antics could warm even the coldest of winters.
She cared for Altier when she wasn’t busy tidying the home his father built with his own two hands, the structure degrading over time, yet cared for all the same. She would heat the iron stove they had saved up for, her enchanting singing softly reaching those who listened. His father purchased it from a promising blacksmith just to spare his poor wife the trouble of maintaining a fireplace; it cost them years of being frugal, but the delight she showed at no longer needing to bear the direct heat when preparing meals made it worth every coin.
Altier still blamed himself for wasting her time with his needs, but his main regret was the toll his birth took on the angel of a woman. Her constitution wasn’t the best even before his addition, and although she was far from crippled by it, the thin woman couldn’t quite hide the struggles it caused. She never explicitly said why she was so weak, but he assumed she didn’t want him to shoulder the blame for something she decided herself. He pretended not to.
Unfortunately, such a frailty was carried on to their youngest son, yet done so in the worst of fashions. Ever since Altier was but a babe, he struggled with even the simplest of tasks, his body brittle and his lungs temperamental. A gaunt, bedridden figure showed his pale flesh clinging to nigh useless musculature, with sunken cheeks and eyes shadowed by omnipresent illness. The doctors that visited their village only did so twice a year, and being seen by them cost a proportional sum. Yet his parents wasted their coin every fall and spring, hopeful that their child would be cured. They told him that it was subsidized by the crown when he asked how they could afford it, assuring him that it wasn’t making his family financially suffer. He kept quiet and smiled, hiding the fact that he could see the effects of their dwindling coffers.
The answer never changed. ‘Mana deficiency,’ the learned man had called it, recommending that the corpse of a boy channel energy from rare stones to ease his ailment. The doctor even offered to procure an appropriately attuned gem himself, which Altier’s parents latched onto, evaporating their meagre savings and relegating the hopes of hiring help for the fields to being but a dream. The first element, Nature, was what most people held some affinity for, and even if his alignment was dismal, a concentrated stone would curb the worst of his symptoms.
The light green gemstone failed to so much as warm within his palms.
His doting mother and strong-willed father were undiscouraged. In fact, they were delighted; they voiced enthusiastic speculation on what affinity their troubled boy might have, seeing as how something considered ‘common’ was unsuitable. Altier was of a different mind, seeing the blinds of optimism veiling the impending downfall of reality. The pair couldn’t fathom anything but excellence from their offspring, and although they never forced unrealistic expectations upon their young, they were ignorant of just how crushing that faith could be.
They never saw how strained his smile became as gem after gem lay inert in his hands, while their excitement only grew, though that too came to an end. Altier’s hopes of recovery vanished when his father was the one to break the news; the doctors had no more stones to give. They had tried them all, and anything more potent was well outside their means. He was promised that the search for a solution would continue, neglecting the fact that they had already borrowed funds from most of the village to afford what they already found.
His father held him in a tight embrace that night, reassuring the stock-still boy. Altier never noticed how his eyes had gone wide at the information. He didn’t even feel the rivulets of tears pouring down his sickly skin. No, he simply remained frozen as he connected the dots as to why his mother wasn’t the one delivering the news.
She wouldn’t be able to hide the fear in her eyes.
Though beleaguered he might be, Altier was not so ignorant as to forget the one gemstone they never tried—the only affinity that had yet to be tested, and never would be.
Decay.
Reviled by the church and woven into the concepts of death and entropy, Decay was what stalked heroes in tales of old. Decay was what bled from graveyards and followed the monstrous attacks that left bustling townships as little more than crumbled ruins. Decay was powered by pain, suffering, and bloodshed, using the gathered energies to bring forth yet more horrid atrocities.
And he was one of the accursed few who manifested an affinity with such a voracious element. It fed off his own vitality, consuming him to fuel its demands. He would never be healthy as long as he stayed quiet and kind; every ounce of growth would be combated by ever-increasing requirements. Eventually, the pittance he supplied might not be enough, and therein lie the fear he remembered in his mother’s visage.
He would be killed by his own affinity…or kill to provide for it.
Unwilling, unintentional death would be stripped from the cloth of others’ survival.
The bedridden young man became further withdrawn after that, turning away visitation to immerse himself in daydreaming. They still loved him, and they were sure to remind him constantly, yet he couldn’t help but notice that even the most assertive interaction never brought them closer than the doorway. He smiled regardless, escaping into books read by candlelight. The stories made his isolation less painful.
Altier lived vicariously through tales of knights combating orcs and goblins, suave merchants persuading harpies and lamia to relinquish their collections, and impeccable heroes who stood atop slain menacing dragons. It was a pastime of his that arose when his father acquired an old storybook from a roaming trader; he would turn the final page, then try to guess where fact ended and fiction reigned supreme. He had heard of the many monsters while eavesdropping from his window, but they all were either settled in distant lands or subdued by the army before they became a problem. A peaceful township like his benefited greatly from being so far from the uninhabited wastes beyond the kingdom’s borders, yet also came with its detriments—the lack of apothecaries was a notable one.
He was surprised when he heard the hushed whispers from beyond his room, the earthen pathways of their village set alight by curious voices. Men, women, and children alike gathered in front of their homes and workplaces to watch as soldiers of the king’s army politely marched through the streets, stopping in front of the humble abode belonging to a family of five.
At first, he feared that the financial toll of his condition had hindered his parents from paying due tax, earning the crown’s ire. But no, they came with a proposition; one of the king’s aides had received a letter from a doctor providing someone with elemental stones, and the news of a decay affinity was apparently quite intriguing to them.
He listened to parents refusing to part with their son, yet he also heard his brothers citing just how miserable their youngest was, begging their father not to imprison a child inside the cage of good intentions. It was hard to place both arguments inside the same frame, but it was clear that everyone still cared for him in spite of his affinity. The talking turned to shouting, then flipped to sharpened silence when the stairs creaked beneath his feet, drawing attention to the thin form of his weakened body. He took advantage of the guilty looks and curious new faces to ask what the offer was.
The crown’s minister of magic wanted to hire him—an absurd thought, but one he confirmed by having them repeat it twice. Decay seemed to be an exceedingly rare affinity, and was sparsely documented outside its occasional mention in yarns tumbling past the lips of horribly scarred and inebriated adventurers. He was wanted for study, and after receiving clarification that the process wouldn’t be harmful, he almost considered it. Why wouldn’t he? As much as his family tried, they were terrified of what he might become or do. He was tired of placing a burden upon them, never being able to help with the farm or clean around the house, and he was disgusted with how much more difficult his parent’s life was just by his existence. Of course, his mother and father had countless gripes they brought to light when they saw his contemplative expression, but the knight at the table placed down the final counterpoint.
A writ of promised compensation and a pouch of coin clinked against the aging furniture. The king himself had signed the document, and although neither of his parents received much education, they were both able to read the amount. As long as Altier continued to work, the crown would pay a portion of his earnings directly to his family. The house could get desperately needed repairs, the fields would see new farmhands, and his mother could hire help. They could have everything Altier had taken from them since his birth…and all he had to do was say yes.
So he did.
He ignored the protests, gathered his things, then hugged his parents and siblings farewell the next morning, promising to send them letters on how he was whenever he could. They were less than thrilled—hearing from him once a season at best wasn’t preferable—but they eventually wished him well when he explained that he hoped to control his affinity. His mother wept upon realizing he was aware of her concern over all those years. He cried when she told him that it pained her to remain so distant. The fear for her own life was something she didn’t feel at all; she just didn’t want him to blame himself if something happened that he couldn’t control.
“I brought you into this world to be loved,” she whispered into his ear as she held him, her voice damp and cracking, yet filled with familial affection. “I knew what it would cost me when I learned I was pregnant again; I just didn’t consider how you could think it was your fault. I would never forgive myself if you suffered because of something I decided. Death is too kind a punishment for what it would do to you.”
It took a while, but he did manage to collect himself enough to walk with his escort to the village’s limits, one of the soldiers helping him stay upright without an order or word of protest. They brought him to a carriage, then set off for the mainland, the view of his home shrinking until it was a mere speck in the distance. He could almost still see his parents’ faces filled with pride and sorrow, awestruck by his selflessness yet torn by his departure. His brothers had kept their facade of confidence and a jovial demeanour, but their concern bled through strained smiles. He fell asleep to the sounds of horses and the crackle of rocks against wooden wheels.
Some time passed without much of note occurring. Altier was examined by kind people of a town that was still rather far from the city, but no one had specifically said he was going there, so he wasn’t sure why he didn’t think to ask. Nevertheless, his affinity was documented using tools he couldn’t identify, and the answers he got for his inquiries passed straight through his ears. He was worried his lack of education would irritate the obviously more well-off researchers, yet the soft-spoken academics didn’t dislike him for his ignorance. They tried explaining things to him in ways he could understand, but switched to more general conversation when he was still struggling to comprehend. It was fine, though; he enjoyed the company.
Despite the long wait for a reply, the first letter he got back from his parents was a reassurance he didn’t know he needed. They had received their first payment since he left, and the pages were scrawled edge to edge with their praises, worries, heard gossip, and a single mention of his brother courting a woman. Altier wrote how glad he was that they were well, told them of all the interesting sights, his disappointment at not being in the capital proper, and how kind everyone was. He chuckled to himself after handing the letter off to be delivered, a last minute thought having him jot down a request for his mother to tease the nascent couple in his stead. He wondered if the next reply would include a relationship or not.
Things took a turn after a year. His eldest brother was still seeing his sweetheart, while the middle sibling had yet to have anyone catch his eye, his sights set on his work with the herbalist. Their mother mentioned how she suspected he was interested in the older woman in charge of providing salves and poultice for the village’s ill, and although she was hoping for him to find someone his own age, she put his happiness over having grandchildren. Their father was just as supportive, putting down his own sloppily written query on how their ‘brave boy’ was doing in romantic endeavours.
Altier smiled as he read, updating his family on how he had been moved to a more isolated region since their last correspondence, and thus wasn’t really able to meet anyone he could see himself with. He insisted he was fine, scattering well-wishes and the like while he avoided speaking of events he had promised not to mention. The response came off as somewhat stiff, but he was sure they would understand. All that really mattered was that they were happy and healthy.
His profession as a research subject came to an end, in a way. After collecting what information they could, there was a period where no one bothered to visit the Decay-afflicted young man. He dwelled within his humble accommodations in the middle of a forest, but he didn’t press when the people assigned to deliver food refused to answer where he was. It was fine; he had new books brought to him regularly, and knowing that his family was being taken care of by his ‘work’ was enough to dissuade him from complaining. He stayed quiet even as he got sicker and sicker, some nights spent shivering next to the fireplace with the most recent letter being held by trembling hands. The look of contentment on his face was genuine despite the insufferable pain.
Someone did eventually visit his little hovel in the woods. A man who introduced himself as a ‘Technician’ entered, accepted some simple tea, and made polite conversation for a while. It was a pleasant experience for someone who had grown used to solitude. Once they had both finished their drink, the Technician called for an aide to bring in an unexpectedly opulent box. The gold trim parted to reveal a strange orb—a ‘core’ the man called it, though he was reticent on what it was or did. All Altier was told was to spend the night’s rest with it in his hands, and by the morning, he would no longer suffer from his affinity.
“There is still much for us to learn, Altier,” the Technician promised, putting the younger man’s worries to rest. “Tomorrow, you will be stronger than ever. I would wager your parents will be ecstatic once you tell them.”
“W-what are we studying next?” Altier stuttered out, feeling the weight of the strange stone as it was laid into his unsure grasp. It was no larger than an apple, yet the smooth obsidian sphere somehow dragged him downward by the heart, the flawless surface captivating his attention in a way he both liked and despised. Light bent as he inspected the object, almost avoiding its very presence. He settled it on his lap after a moment, conflicted about how he would be healed by something the very world seemed to reject.
“We,” the newcomer started, flourishing an arm towards Altier, “are going to prepare. With your help, we can create the heroes from those stories you so love.”
It was a bitter memory in retrospect, yet the sickly boy at that table was entranced by what was promised to him. His soul would be captured by the orb, and he would be given the ability to make a Dungeon—the very same he read about hundreds of times. His body would be taken care of, suspended until he returned to it, which he was assured would be whenever he wanted.
That assurance came with a stipulation, however. Were he to decide that he was done, he would lose his new abilities, return to his old form, and be sent on his way, fully healed. But—and there was always a ‘but’—his parents would no longer receive compensation. The king had been withholding from implementing a tax increase in his village, and once the reason for it was no longer employed, then the other ministers would place immeasurable pressure until he capitulated. Altier’s whole world before leaving would fall under the demands. The Technician wore a sombre, sympathetic gaze as he expressed how difficult things would be for the boy’s parents.
Stupid, gullible Altier agreed, thanking the stranger for the opportunity. He went to bed with hope in his heart and wonder on his tongue.
[Initializing…]
[User identified: Altier
Affinity: Decay
Status: Deteriorating (Insufficient mana supply)
Inherent Ability: Avatar of Decay]
[Error: Insufficient Mana. System will acquire the excess from suitable sources as dictated by the User.
Error: User is unable to designate a suitable source.
Searching based on default requirements…Source found.
Converting source to Mana…Success.
Synchronizing…Success.
Updating libraries…Success.
Implementing framework…Success.
Establishing Domain…Failure. Insufficient Mana. Insufficient Authority.
Modifying criteria…Success.
Establishing Domain…Success.]
[Dungeon established! Generating assignment…Success.]
[Priority assignment: Prevent the End—324:450:3247:345:34:12]
[Priority assignment: Prevent the End—324:450:3247:345:34:11]
[Priority assignment: Prevent the End—324:450:3247:345:34:10]
- - - - -
When he awoke, it wasn’t to the small room where books threatened to take over every available surface, but to a claustrophobic darkness that crushed him as much as left him weightless. He had been warned that the experience would be disorienting, so he clenched the jaw he learned was no longer there, took a breath that could no longer be taken, and waited like he was supposed to.
Thankfully, the Technician was a man of his word, and he came back shortly after Altier had managed to figure out the basics of…well, of whatever he was turned into. He found a way to ‘see’ the world around him, though ignoring the sense of vertigo that came with having sight of everything at once was difficult. There was text that he could summon or dismiss at will, but it only really displayed a countdown he wasn’t familiar with. Truth be told, he wasn’t quite sure what to think of things back then, but he remembered feeling relieved when the Technician brought droves of researchers.
The first thing he noticed with his new senses was that he was underground. The second was that he didn’t know how to talk without a mouth. Apparently, his new company had a list of expected inquiries, and they set out to answer as many questions as he might have.
Someone explained that they had already moved his body to a secure area, and in order to make use of his nascent abilities, his new form was taken to a suitable location. It made sense to him; if he was supposed to be a place where soldiers trained to fight monsters and get stronger, then they needed it somewhere hidden away from people who might accidentally wander in. Guards were apparently placed outside the entrance, but when he tried to separate his focus from the polished black orb, his sight grew dim and indistinct. They mentioned that sort of thing was expected, and once they placed him on a pedestal, he would be able to ‘feel’ his Domain more clearly.
He learned over time what a Domain was and how to use it, guided by the researchers and the occasional soldier or knight who stopped by to see how Altier was performing. He summoned his first creature using his stockpile of mana, though the spider wasn’t very threatening. Apparently, the pool of his new resource incremented passively based on how large he was, and would strengthen his abilities, but it also required an upkeep to maintain. He could get more by analyzing new materials, objects, or whatever else he hadn’t seen before, and he gained a larger amount by absorbing something—after inspecting it, ideally. Beginning as a single room, neither the upkeep nor income was particularly exciting, but the researchers also had a solution to that: Invaders.
‘Invader’ was a term that referred to any creature that entered his Domain, and although he gained mana during their occupation, they were also a threat to the core. His imminent concern for his safety was abated by the Technician quickly assuring him that, in the unlikely event that the core was destroyed, he would be transferred back to his body without any ill effects, but it would also bring an end to the agreement that prevented his family from being crushed by financial demands. He quietly reiterated the point until it stuck, then waited through the explanation until he had most of his questions answered.
Sadly, the Altier back then didn’t know what questions to ask.
Once he worked out how to summon and manage the most basic of creatures, his guides urged him to build and expand, which took some getting used to. A single room became a hub of connections, and despite the advice given, he metaphorically banged his head against the wall that was trying to close off his core. It just didn’t work; any walls would refuse to be built, containers would topple before they fell over him, and everything else he tried ended just as unspectacularly. Something would always be able to reach him if they had the desire to.
Eventually, he was put through mock ‘invasions’ where fresh trainees fought his creatures, reached the core, then stopped to place a hand on it before leaving, taking some of his mana as a reward. He didn’t understand how it worked, but he learned that people could ‘absorb’ some experience to fuel their affinity if they touched him. The more experienced he became, the more that invaders received, and the more experience he got from defending his core from increasingly powerful invaders. It was a cycle he could comprehend, and it put to rest the lingering fear that someone would try to break his core.
There was also something of an exchange going on; coloured motes were left behind on the core’s surface, then slowly absorbed. Each time it happened, he gained a little more insight on how to integrate new things into his dungeon—first a small pool of water, then a fire, then other things that seemed fairly removed from the concept of ‘Decay.’ As soon as a researcher noticed what was going on, the Technician encouraged Altier to specialize in a particular element, since that was apparently more efficient. With a few more long-winded explanations, he had figured out how to hide anything that wasn’t related to Decay within his ‘menu,’ and focused on making himself as strong as he could.
Mock invasions became a regular occurrence, each one taking place after he had the chance to patch holes in his strategy or adjust rooms. He discovered that expanding downwards was an option, but doing so meant that he needed a ‘Boss’ to precede the stairs. The selection unsettled and excited him. A skeleton was what ended up guarding the way deeper into his Domain, and at the insistence of his guides, he left the new creature…monster…? He left his new creation as it was and set about expanding the second floor. Thankfully, the task went smoother since he knew what to do, and soon enough, he was the proud owner of ten floors. Every boss focused on testing what the knights and soldiers knew about fighting and teamwork, and every floor down grew harder and harder to contest.
Altier’s first ‘victory’ was gained when his ‘invaders’ surrendered on the ninth floor. He had been proud of that; they weren’t expecting him to branch into using animal as well as humanoid skeletons. A well-placed Ox made short work of their forces, but stopped before doing more than bashing them around. The thrill of defending his core was incomparable. He also gained access to some more cosmetic options for his existing structures, including the ability to write on a sign if he so wished—though doing so was prohibitively expensive. He didn’t care; a sign was put near the entrance within seconds, asking if someone would mind letting him know when letters arrived from his parents, and to write his reply to send back.
To his relief, it wasn’t much longer before a letter did arrive. He was delighted to hear that all was well, yet sad when he wasn’t able to attend his brother’s wedding. It was a simple affair, true, but he would have liked to go. He asked the person who was kind enough to read it out for him to pen his response, then got back to improving his Domain. His family was doing well, and if being the best dungeon he could be would ensure their happiness lasted as long as possible, then he would be just that.
Ten floors became twenty. Twenty became forty. He hit one-hundred floors after constant effort, happily using signs to ‘talk’ through short phrases with the nicer groups of ‘invaders’, while he mostly ignored the rest. It was too hard to keep track of everyone after a while, but he was supposed to be a training ground, so he kept up doing what he was supposed to, mentally smiling when someone he was keeping tabs on managed to overcome a challenge they were struggling with. Some got stuck on certain floors, unable to adapt to new creatures, while others had a hard time traversing the increasingly long voyage to his core. He made small recovery rooms for a party that thanked him for the challenge, filling basins with food and water, then instructed his creatures not to bother anyone inside.
Surprisingly, the group accepted his offer of rest with gratitude that seemed excessive. They spoke to the walls, regaling him of their various journeys and the humorous events spread throughout. He enjoyed the time spent focusing on that area, as well as the gifts people sometimes left behind. Each new item was transferred to a room near his core, where he kept a collection of keepsakes ranging from books to tarnished jewellery that had more sentimental value than monetary. Still, it was all priceless to him, displayed proudly next to the letters he received regularly from his family.
His one-hundred floors became two-hundred, and he struggled to find recurring visitors after some time. The soldiers grouped up into parties of five or six, venturing into the dungeon with the goal of increasing the strength of small units. Altier adjusted the difficulty to accommodate, dialing back the force he once used to combat near endless waves of knights. Magic was something that came from the change in tactic, much to his surprise. It was weak, but pretty much everyone who tried the dungeon could light a torch or chill their water. He wasn’t well-learned about what any particular element could do, but he was glad to see that his new participants were indeed getting stronger.
The two-hundred floors became three-hundred, which then became four-hundred. Altier’s creatures would have been terrifying if it wasn’t for the fact that he had yet to kill anyone, the skeletal monstrosities looming through corridors like horrific nightmares made manifest. He was pleased to find that they listened rather dutifully when he said to escort those who surrendered to the entrance, which was most people. In fact, hardly anyone ever made it to his core anymore, despite the jump in power of various magics he often saw. Flamethrowers, earthen spikes, empowered bodies, and many more effects were in play within each party that tried to conquer his trial. A particularly adept group eventually placed their hand on the obsidian sphere, taking suffocating amounts of mana, while also leaving a thick haze of their own. His creatures became far stronger for it, and so he adjusted the difficulty once more, wondering when they would try to best him again. Unfortunately, they never did, but he saw some people who shared a striking resemblance, and the newcomers were easily more magically inclined. It was fun to challenge them.
The cycle repeated, though he wasn’t sure when the Technician stopped visiting. Altier was too busy keeping his end of the deal, improving the crown’s army in exchange for giving his family a life they deserved. He did notice something wrong after the letters started taking a while to come, and although the contents filled him in on the newest events, things started seeming…out of character. The feeling tickled at his mind, but it was fine. They were happy and well.
How foolish he was.
A party entered shortly after he completed his six-hundredth floor, instantly setting off an incomparable feeling of dread. His senses warped when he tried to focus on them, blocking everything in their vicinity from his view. It took a bit for him to figure out why, but they were carrying something that sucked the mana out of the very dungeon itself, and his unbidden instincts screamed that whatever it was needed to be destroyed. He reacted without thought, releasing everything he determined too dangerous for simple training in a bid to drive them out.
It wasn’t enough. He watched the void travel floor after floor, leaving nothing but dismembered skeletal creatures in their wake. Veritable monsters were slain, chimeras he had worked on as a side project became incinerated dust, and the signs he left for the weary were torn off the walls. A voice bellowed through his halls from the darkness he couldn’t see, declaring what was happening.
They were not there to train. In order to defend against a force threatening the kingdom, they needed power, and in order to gain that, they needed his mana. His experience. All of it.
They were there to break the core under the king’s decree.
Altier’s nonexistent heart stopped, memories of how impoverished his family used to be flashing through his mind, and with a near silent refusal, he let the instincts to get rid of the invaders swallow him whole.
By the time he calmed down, it was to a pit of blackness and a dull pull in his ephemeral chest stopping him from being able to do anything. He could still ‘hear’ though, and he heard the choking breaths of a single man in his core’s room. He heard the bitter laughter that followed accusations of dooming the very world…as well as sympathies for what the pale, sickly, Decay-afflicted man had gone through.
Altier could only listen as the man told him how his dungeon was hundreds upon hundreds of years old, and how the party had been briefed on its history. He listened as the man spoke of the letters that were to be presented to the dungeon every scant decade, yet always claimed to be given every few months. The groups he befriended had left to start families of their own, and their children returned to befriend him as well, continuing the cycle and passing it on in a generations-long tradition. He listened as he ignored the warnings popping up, the transient text telling him that his mana production was insufficient to support the dungeon. That he was dying.
When the man perished, and the dungeon collapsed piece by piece, Altier listened to silence, because there was nothing else he could do.
Nothing besides reading the text that lingered in his vision amidst the warnings.
[Priority assignment: Prevent the End — Failure]
- - - - -
Altier ‘looked’ at the dim orb that seemed so much like his own, its small form sat next to dust that might have once been the man who unveiled all those truths so long ago. He didn’t know how long it had been since then, only that he was still alone. He wasn’t even angry anymore; the energy needed to feel rage or sorrow was gone. He was just lonely.
[Attempting to reestablish Mana Well…Failure.]
The core dismissed the message absently, more than aware of what it read. Thousands of the notifications had passed by, interspersed by various abilities and whatever else becoming ‘corrupted.’ He didn’t care anymore. His dungeon was his pride at some point, but now he just wanted to feel the sunlight that slowly dimmed as night claimed the evening sky. It would be nice to see the stars again. Or just outside, assuming there was anything left to see. Maybe it was all a desolate wasteland.
[Restructuring Affinity: Decay…Failure.
Reorganizing libraries…Failure.
Re—]
[Error. Ability ‘Avatar of Decay’ has been corrupted. Please provid—]
[Error. System corruption exceeding threshold. Please provide a valid framework.]
[Error. Affi—]
It might as well be. He sold himself to ensure his family’s well-being, but how many of those letters were real? Did they have a good life, receiving word that their ‘brave boy’ was healthy and happy? He hoped so. All there was left to do was watch the thin glow of the outside shift. Eventually, that draining orb the floor would run out of things to take from him. And to think that he just wanted those he cared about to be well…
[Error. Stability compromised. System integ—]
Altier roused from his trance, lethargically shifting his focus to a flicker of shadow near the deteriorated entrance. How strange it was to have his core room be right next to outside, yet he didn’t recall how that came to be. Magic, possibly, but he couldn’t quite bring himself to care. He was tired of numbers and percentages. Of values and skeletons. He was tired of being a dungeon, and of being alone.
A rock—a pebble, really—tumbled into the shallow curved hallway that acted as the path to his core, a strange sound getting louder. He ‘felt’ his brow furrow in perplexion before he actually considered what was happening. That was a voice. Speech. Someone was talking.
He was stunned silent before enthusiasm could build. A gaunt bipedal creature entered the cave, though it was decidedly not human. Taloned feet supported two legs, though they walked on their toes, he supposed. Its skin was reptilian, the pale black colour still managing to look plush, if dry. A thick, long tail swayed slowly to correct its weight, shifting its tattered garment that looked more like worn burlap than clothing. Nervous hands fiddled with chipped claws and felt along the wall, a lack of care rendering them dull and dirty. Fearful, exhausted eyes wandered the cave, the grey irises showing a pained soul underneath an etched smile on otherwise soft features.
Altier ransacked his memory as the creature nervously looked for something in his desolate ‘dungeon,’ recalling a crude painting in one of his old books. It was a kobold, though they shouldn’t have been anywhere near the kingdom, not that it mattered now. The scaly occupant muttered to itself, their voice soothing and feminine in a language he didn’t know. He wouldn’t have minded the conversation, but it was a moot point; he lost the ability to write on signs long ago. A part of him was surprised he would talk with a monster from his stories. He was never overly involved with his fellow humans—excluding his family and the odd party in his rest areas—but he figured there would be more resistance. There was no point in thinking about it. It would leave when it realized there was nothing here, and he would be alone again.
The last thing he would have expected was the kobold noticing a dusty obsidian orb sat atop crumbled stone, then excitedly picking said orb up to hold against its chest, its chirps of excitement filling the quiet room. Or, it would have been the last, if not for the messages that appeared.
[Compatible library found! Synchronizing…Error. Framework is incompatible.
Restructuring framework…Error.
Redefining framework…Error.
Replacing framework…Success.
Restructuring framework…Success.
Defining Affinity…Error.
Redefin—
Error.
Error.
Err0r.
Er44#%$@.
Rein#$^!@zing…Er$&*or.
Domaaaaaa#@%in…Er^r.
@%$%#$R.
Aff%$^: Null…Su^@!#ss.
D#@%^a@#n Es^!@l%#@ed!—]
[Null]
[Pr#%y #@$nment: ERRRR#*#$RRR—]
[Null]
[Priooooooority Assignmentmentmnet: B#&#$^—]
[Null]
Next

Introduction

Dubai, a city renowned for its luxury and modernity, offers a unique canvas for interior design. As we move into 2024, home decor trends are evolving to reflect a blend of contemporary elegance, traditional elements, and sustainable practices. Whether you want to refresh a single room or overhaul your living space, discover these ten incredible home decor ideas to completely transform your home in Dubai into a sanctuary of style and comfort. From utilising the expertise of an Interior Design Company in Dubai to incorporating the latest trends, here are some inspirations for your home decor journey.

1. Embrace Earthy Tones and Natural Materials

One of the top trends for 2024 is the incorporation of natural tones and materials. Think shades of terracotta, beige, and olive green paired with wood, stone, and rattan. These elements bring warmth and tranquillity to your home and connect seamlessly with Dubai's natural landscape. An experienced interior designer in Dubai can guide you in selecting the ideal materials. and colour palettes that reflect your style while staying on trend.

2. Smart Home Integration

Incorporating innovative technology into your home decor is no longer a luxury but a necessity. From automated lighting systems to voice-controlled curtains, smart home technology offers convenience and enhances the functionality of your living space. Collaborate with the Best Interior Designer in Dubai to integrate these technologies seamlessly into your decor, ensuring your home is stylish and intelligent.

3. Statement Lighting

Good lighting is essential for establishing the perfect ambience in your home. In 2024, statement lighting fixtures are taking centre stage. Consider oversized pendant lights, sculptural chandeliers, and bespoke lighting designs that act as focal points in your rooms. A Home Interior Designer in Dubai can guide you in choosing the right fixtures that complement your overall decor theme while providing adequate illumination.

4. Multi-Functional Furniture

As urban living spaces become more compact, the demand for multi-functional furniture is rising. Pieces like sofa beds, extendable dining tables, and storage ottomans offer versatility without compromising style. Engaging with a Residential Interior Design Company in Dubai will help you identify the best multi-functional furniture options that suit your space and lifestyle needs.

5. Indoor Greenery

Bringing the outdoors inside with indoor plants continues to be a popular trend. Introducing plants into your home not only elevates its visual charm but also enhances air quality and fosters a tranquil atmosphere. From large potted plants to hanging planters, There are many ways to add greenery to your decor. Consult an interior designer in Dubai to choose plants that will flourish in your home's lighting conditions and complement your design style.

6. Luxurious Textiles

2024 is all about indulgence in luxurious textiles. Velvet, silk, and high-thread-count linens are making a comeback, adding a touch of elegance and comfort to your interiors. Upgrade your space with these versatile materials suitable for both upholstery and curtains. An experienced designer can help you source high-quality textiles that elevate the look and feel of your home.

7. Artisanal Touches

Handcrafted and artisanal pieces add character and uniqueness to your home decor. Whether it's a handwoven rug, a custom-made piece of furniture, or locally sourced art, these elements bring a personal touch to your space. Collaborating with the Best Interior Designer in Dubai will give you access to exclusive artisanal items that can become conversation starters in your home.

8. Open-Concept Living

Open-concept living spaces remain in vogue, promoting a sense of openness and fluidity in the home. This layout is particularly beneficial in Dubai's homes, where maximising space and natural light is essential. A Home Interior Designer in Dubai can help you create an open-concept design that enhances the flow of your home while ensuring each area serves its purpose effectively.

9. Sustainable Decor

Sustainability is a crucial consideration for 2024, with a growing emphasis on eco-friendly materials and practices. By utilising recycled materials and selecting energy-efficient appliances, we can make a positive impact on the environment. There are numerous ways to make your home decor more sustainable. Working with a commercial interior designer in Dubai can assist you in exploring options and implementing

10. Personalized Spaces

Finally, personalization is a trend that always stays in style. Your home should reflect your personality and preferences. Incorporate personal mementoes, custom artwork, and unique decor pieces that tell your story. A Residential Interior Design Company in Dubai can assist you in curating these personalised elements, ensuring your home truly reflects who you are.

Conclusion

When decorating your home in Dubai for 2024, it's essential to incorporate the latest trends while staying true to your style. From earthy tones and natural materials to smart home integration and sustainable practices, there are countless ways to enhance your living space. Whether you work with an Interior Design Company in Dubai or take a DIY approach, these ten home decor ideas will spark your imagination and help you design a stunning and practical living space. Remember, the best interiors reflect your personality and lifestyle, making your home a true sanctuary in the heart of Dubai.

FAQs

Q1. What are the benefits of hiring an Interior Design Company in Dubai?
Hiring an Interior Design Company in Dubai ensures that your home decor is handled by professionals who understand the latest trends, local culture, and architectural nuances. They offer expert advice, help save both time and money. and help you achieve a cohesive and stylish look for your home.
Q2. How can I incorporate sustainable practices into my home decor?
You can incorporate sustainable practices into your home decor by using eco-friendly materials, such as reclaimed wood and recycled metals, opting for energy-efficient appliances, and choosing low-VOC paints. An experienced Interior Designer in Dubai can assist you in making sustainable choices that align with your design goals.
Q3. What are the latest trends in home decor for 2024?
The latest home decor trends in 2024 include earthy tones, natural materials, smart home integration, statement lighting, multi-functional furniture, indoor greenery, luxurious textiles, artisanal touches, open-concept living, and sustainable decor. These trends focus on creating stylish, functional, and eco-friendly living spaces.
Q4. How do I choose the Best Interior Designer in Dubai?
Choosing the Best Interior Designer in Dubai involves researching their portfolio, reading client reviews, and understanding their design philosophy. Look for designers who have experience with projects similar to yours and can demonstrate creativity, professionalism, and attention to detail.
Q5. What is the difference between a Commercial Interior Designer and a Residential Interior Design Company in Dubai?
A Commercial Interior Designer in Dubai specializes in designing functional and aesthetically pleasing business spaces, such as offices, retail stores, and hospitality venues. In contrast, a Residential Interior Design Company focuses on creating personalized and comfortable living spaces for homes. Both types of designers bring unique expertise to their respective fields.

Today, many women choose to wear high heels because they add height, look better than traditional high heels, and attract attention. Investing in a pair of stylish shoes is one of the best ways to spice up your look, no matter what you're wearing.
That is why, if you are looking for a modern shoe that will accompany you effortlessly throughout the day while maintaining the look of a fashion brand, high shoes can be the right choice if you want to look fashionable. Fashion all the time.
Many platform styles are trending in 2016, so if you don't have a platform in your wardrobe, it's time for a change!

Why Choose Happytoes.online for Buying Platform Heels?

When it comes to buying platform heels, Happytoes.online is your best choice. Here's why:
Fit: Happytoes ensures that each shoe fits your feet perfectly. They measure your foot to make the shoe that fits you.
Comfort: Since the shoes are designed to fit your feet, they are very comfortable to wear. You can look stylish without hurting your feet.
Arya Biswas, founder of Happytoes, believes in creating stylish and comfortable shoes. You want all customers to be happy with their shoes.
So when you buy high heels from Happytoes, you're getting shoes that look great and make you feel great!

What Are Platform Shoes?

Platform shoes are any type of shoe, sneaker, heels or boot, with a larger body than usual. Typically, the greatest distance is between one and four inches. They can wear shoes with high heels, but it is possible to wear shoes without heels because there is a special place under the tip of the toes. The consistency here tells you whether the shoe is classified as a platform or not.
Shoes are known as hidden spaces where the upper material covers the stage, creating the illusion that there is no stage there. This makes the heel appear longer and can add height without the obvious appearance of wearing wedges.

What Are the Three Main Advantages of Platform Heels?

The benefits of casual high heels can encourage you to wear these shoes and add spice to your outfit. High heels have been at the forefront of fashion for years, and for good reason: this simple, modern heel has many advantages over other high-heel options. A common problem for many women and men who wear a size larger than 8 is finding a shoe option that provides the right comfort and fit for their foot size. The speaker heel has the perfect structure and balance for this.
· A Thick Sole: Since heels are considered high heels, their length is essential to their design. The platform heel is created with a chunky heel running the full length and width of the shoe. These insoles are usually made of foam and rubber that provide a level of comfort and shock absorption, making them preferred by people suffering from foot pain.
· Even Height Distribution: Traditional high heels are angled so that the ball of the foot is closer to the ground when the heel is raised. This can put extra pressure on your calves and ankles. It can also cause back pain. The heel base provides even height distribution to make you look taller and slimmer without putting unnecessary pressure on your body. Thanks to this unique design, no matter how high your heels are, you will always feel comfortable.
· Casual or Stylish: Since high heels are considered shoes, they look natural and stylish. You can wear dresses and skirts anytime. Surprisingly to some, high heels also pair well with your favorite jeans. They can be worn as casually as you like and come in a variety of colors and materials to match any outfit.
These three benefits are just the tip of the iceberg when it comes to the benefits of running shoes. You will find that the shoes you choose on our site will be your new favorite shoes. You'll look effortlessly chic and feel more comfortable than ever wearing high heels!

How Are Platform Shoes Different From Other Heels?

Platform shoes and traditional heels differ only in design. While platform shoes have a raised heel that extends evenly from heel to heel, providing full length of the foot, traditional heels whose height is primarily at the heel create an upward bias.
Generally, platforms have a balanced height which generally provides greater comfort than a traditional fixed-height heel.

Platforms vs. Wedges

Although sandals and wedges offer height, they differ in design. Platform shoes have a firm, even heel under the entire foot, providing height without obvious heel-to-heel separation.
Wedge shoes, on the other hand, have edges that gradually extend from the back of the shoe toward the center or front, creating a continuous pattern.
Although one construction is different, both models are a great shoe choice.

Platforms vs. High Heels

Wedge shoes are also different from traditional high-top shoes. While high-top shoes are often characterized by a raised heel, the height is concentrated under the ball of the foot, platforms have a high heel under the entire foot, ensuring a balanced height distribution.
While both are great options for tall shoes, flats generally offer more comfort and stability thanks to a wider base. High heels, in fact, further emphasize the difference between the length of the front and back of the foot.

Are Platform Shoes Suitable for Your Feet?

The answer is definitely yes. The overall effect of heel height is significantly reduced by the use of platforms. In addition, it will be very easy to wear high shoes because they look very beautiful.
Additionally, platform shoes elevate the heels of your feet and heels, which helps keep your feet in better condition than other high-top shoes. As a result, wedge shoes are some of the most supportive and comfortable shoes for walking.

Are Platform Shoes Comfortable?

Because wedge shoes can be expensive, many people wonder if they will be comfortable to wear. The truth is that they can actually be a more comfortable way to add more height than regular heels.
Flat shoes appear larger, so they generally have a wider, more comfortable toe box. These are the best platform shoes for wide feet.
High-heeled shoes can also provide comfort because the raised toe box helps distribute it evenly across the entire foot compared to high-heeled shoes. As with all shoes, the key to comfort is fit. This will affect how the size and shape of the toe box fits your foot, the height difference between the heel and forefoot, and the overall shape of the shoe concerning your foot.
It's always a good idea to try on shoes before you buy them to make sure they fit you well. Try to do this later in the day as your feet tend to swell as the day goes on.
As you might expect, if you plan to wear your shoes for a long time, a lower sole is better for your feet. High-heeled shoes can put too much pressure on the sole of the foot, causing discomfort. Platform styles also tend to be too stiff and don't allow your feet to move and bend normally. Low-heeled shoes or flats help reduce pressure on the ball of the foot, but keep the foot in a stable position.

Is It Hard to Walk in Platform Shoes?

If you've never worn high heels, you may be wondering how to walk in them. The best way is to focus on maintaining good posture and shifting your weight from your heels to your feet when you take steps. It may also help to take shorter steps than usual and walk more slowly. If you're not sure, practice wearing it around the house a few times before going out!

Final Thought

Wedges are a stylish and comfortable choice for adding height and glamor to any outfit. Happytoes offers perfectly crafted heels that guarantee comfort and style all day long. Their commitment to perfect fit and customer satisfaction makes them the perfect place to find your favorite pair of heels.

Am I the bad guy for cutting off my mom and her brother for how they treated me?
This all happened 2 years ago but I wanted some outside advice so around this time I was 17-18m I wasn’t a good son to my mom we would argue about the stupidest things but at the end of the day we would always come talk it out but after I graduated high school I was constantly job searching because my mom would request large some of money she knew I didn’t have I lived with my mom an my younger sister at the time my sister was 16 I wouldn’t say that she was mom’s favorite but my sister would always get the lions share I was force to pay 3 quarters of the rent the same amount as getting my own apartment she knew I couldn’t do it so she kicked me out an I had to live with my uncle. My uncle at the time was the only father figure in my life my actual father was not around as much as he should have been so when I moved with my uncle my cousin(uncles daughter)moved in my room with my mom so it was fun in the beginning my uncle was laid back we would have fun boxing matches he especially showed me how to fight I began to take up smoking myself an my uncle would be ok with it as long as I didn’t let it take over my life fast forward to December of 2023 I was getting ready for school when my uncle yelled at me for not doing the dishes that he left after midnight when I was asleep I was a little annoyed but I did then he slapped me in the back of the head for talking my time doing them I asked me what is the issue an he went on a whole lecture that I need to do shit with out being told an all that other bs an we got into an argument about how things should be an he kicked me outside with nothing but a jacket on my back and my shorts no shoes mind you it’s snowing so I had to walk to a near bye McDonald’s to call my grandma to tell her what happened she blamed me for it because I even responded to being slapped on the back of my head she came an got me but I didn’t plan on going to school that day because I didn’t have my stuff but I didn’t think my grandma would take me back to my uncle after what he did my grandma is naive and optimistic in her eyes her son could do no wrong the guy is damn near 40 still depends on his mom even till this day my uncle an grandma argued as I was getting my stuff for school an to never come back to his home I was sent back to my moms house but since my cousin had my room I was on the sofa an that lasted until February of 2024 before she broke my game system yelled at me for doing my taxes an the cousin that took my room was just following in my moms actions an used that opportunity to tell me how unwanted I am there an that I should be on the street for context me an my uncle fought while I was collecting my belongings from his house when he snuck me from behind an punched me in my head my grandma called the police but the police were no help because it was apparently a civil matter so my uncle is a lot taller an more fit then I was at the time so when it was all said and done I was upset at my grandma for even taking me over there knowing how he was but back to my mom. My mother kicked me out for doing my taxes I understand I fucked up by not putting her as a primary but kicking me out seems over the top so she broke my things an I’m not proud of what I did after I broke her side mirror on her car bc my game was my therapy bc I could never talk to anyone about how I felt an I was never able to afford a therapist so I was just holding it an my game was my outlet and when she broke it I was in a rage an I know this seems pointless but that game meant everything to me. Right now I’m living with an ex that cheated an I feel like shit that I even came hear but I was desperate an didn’t want to be on the street I worked to get myself a car an I love it I’m sorry if this is all confusing I’m very tired writing this so please bare with me thank you for listening to my rant but I’m just looking for closure on what to do btw I’m 20

i’m sorry if this is a question that gets repeated too often, but i couldn’t find the exact answer i’m looking for. maybe it doesn’t exist 😭
looking to purchase a car for the first time with a budget of about $8k. willing to be flexible. (although this will be my first car i own, i’m NOT necessarily looking for a car to learn how to drive/get comfortable driving on. i have been driving a large vehicle (think the size of an ambulance) full time for work and driving a truck frequently on my off days for about a year and a half.)
looking for: coupe or small sedan. reliable. fun to drive (doesn’t have to be fast). okay city MPG (21+). automatic (STEEP hills + city driving).
to be completely honest i’m not 100% sure what i mean by fun to drive but i’m not really looking for a FAST car, more so a good experience. was originally looking into a corolla or civic because they tick almost every box for me but it seems generally agreed across the board they’re extremely boring to drive. then i was looking into a scion tc because from what i understand it’s basically a two door corolla with a camry engine but a little more fun to drive. plus it’s got a decent amount of space for passengers for being a coupe. and i love the way it looks. but after looking into it a bit more i’m seeing mixed reviews?
the car i purchase would be used frequently on a daily basis. i’d like to to be something i enjoy yknow what i mean! i’m not super interested in modifying it or purchasing a second vehicle to have fun/go fast with instead. (looking into getting a bike for that instead lol) i know my options will be limited for my budget and i am going to buy used.
is there a car that fits what im looking for? is it the tc or is there something better? should i just go with a civic/corolla? should i be open to a manual despite living in a city with steep hills? slightly off topic but, what does it mean for a car to be fun to drive to you?
i want to emphasize im not looking for pure power and speed but a fun ride. would love to hear people’s personal experiences with their cars. still learning what it mean for a car to be a “driver’s car.” i’ve only just recently begun to learn the basics about cars so i apologize if this has any silly questions!

Me and my gf will be coming to Anchorage from Whittier on 14 July after the cruise. Our plane home is on 16 July at 11:50 pm so we should have two and a half days total. The plan was to go to Denali Park via rental car and spend a night there but since the road is closed I doubt it is a good idea. So now looking for alternative routes/solutions, preferably budget-friendly. Ideally wanna allocate some time to explore Anchorage as well. Can you recommend anything?

Hiya everyone! Im being rather new to the MBTI community in terms of recognizing personalities easily. Starting with me. Here is my dilemmas. Im around my 20s (if cognitive development is an important factor).
TL;DR: I genuinely cannot decide between: INTP, ENTP 4w3, ENFP 4w5, ENTJ, INTJ
I run through some of my traits, what function to they intersect, then i will address my issue.
I have very good short term spontantenous strategy making capabilities (1-2 day), and also tend to be rather successful with setting up, and reaching long term strategies (1-2 year min.), the latter is rather unconcious however. However my skills are quite worse (and more draining to plan) when it comes between the two. I also tend to perform best when the goal is something more comprehsinble (like an award, befriending someone), rather than always looking
This situation is present also when it comes to learning new skills. This further charachterized by a demand for a more complete, but directly not relevant knowledge, however it gives confidence in an area (in terms of knowledge). This means that i join in later on certain age related acitivites (for example learning to drive a car), than my sorroundings. I tend create or compress these skills into a subjectively felt system, rather than a simple indepedently present bits of knowledge. This structure is much more capable for me to hold small details (for example one-one key date for a nations history).
I work with a very deductive, subjective, and logical approach when it comes to problems. This however not equivalent with not being result-orinted, rather i found it foolish to accept "black boxes" in life when it comes to my surroundings. The underlying reason is a wish to establish a very strong foundation for myself to help achieve my results which is. This is where the long term comes back, because my primary goal in researching into topics to be capable of two things.
A.) Maintain a sense "general knowledge", in order to bring out the maximum potential from my sudden event (for example reading literature, and then using it as a conversation stater). B.) Give an instrument to fight with tact, against narratives which either dehumanize individuals, or attempts to rile up sentiments. Dont be fooled however i usually somewhat depend on personal relation when it comes finding which can help A.) or B.)
As such i rarely learn something just for science, every one major topic i dwelve into has a purpose, and my attempt is to be capable to flexibly use it. I also admire, and wish to emulate those who are capable of communicate such concepts, to a wide audience.
I also have conflicts when it comes other people's evaluation, mainly that i always seek to understand either those who are possesing succesess which i desire, or avoid other paths which fear have some paralells with mine.
This attitude comes out best when comes to creating some kind of structure. I tend to be very comfortable when it comes to creating closed, and abstract systems regarding one one issue. Wether be a policy draft or a set of rules, or even research, lining out the tools comes with the least effort.
I have ambivalent feelings about this result oriented attitude. It helped me to achieve a lot of my dreams (learning to play piano, getting into Econ school and so on), but it also made me somewhat building a bias about their validity based on how well they are doing in their life (this means mainly happiness not wealth), with those who where validated by their lifetime, or in a short time usually enjoying more spotlight, but second to theory.
Some other things apparently im thinking outside the box (this comes naturally). I've been often mentioned as a person with a good and strong moral compass, but im not expressing this quite as much as others when it comes to people who i like. Im rebellious against many authority figures if i feel neglected by them, and adore those teachers who are "making fun" of the expected power dynamics between they and the students.
I have very hard time standing up for personal preferences, provided that i expect some level of disagreement. Wether being something simple like where to go for dinner, or a moral debate, or making or opposing judgement from a person, wether its you or some else. However when something inpersonal comes up i have both seemingly endless enthusiasm (and also apparently very good skills) I found rather few things to be in the first category.
Last info elements. I recently begun to respect detail, but previously i sadly ridiculed those "wasted" time instead of focusing on the big picture. I tend to learn by push an idea, or concept verbally until it gets refuted. I coordinate very well when the challange isnt really connected to previous experience. I also find knowledge which is niece to be much more calming when it comes to wishing to master it. I also love situtations where the chaos provides a much higher level of flexibility to solve it for yourself.
About people, i love social activities, somewhat talking. I really love talking about emotions, both ways. I tend to not maintain long wrath, but i tend to snap by making offensive jokes about the persons position (for example: "You're the one talking about loyalty huh..."). I fear that im someone who is only known for its knowledge, but in an inhuman way. However i aspire knowledge as trait in a way, because my ideal is a teacher who is capable of giving personal, attitude changing way seminars (perhaps to big focus), for them to show how did my research helped me and help. Im also not so proactive when it comes to proposing social activities, but very sensitive to popularity, and about being invited, (i usually use them as measures of failure of myself) however im improving on that.
The dilemma:
Im very much vacilitating wether ENFP 4w5 or ENTP 3w4 is more accurate.

It had transpired like this: a woman who lived next door to us at the time had said some unkind things to young Bud. Her son had hit or tried to hit him, and Bud had shoved him away. No big deal, but the lady took exception to it.
I had my back turned at the moment, doing some yard work, and was far enough away that I had not heard, as well as had not seen.
Our younger daughter raced past me into the house to tell Momma (she correctly surmised that She would want to know).
An unbroken string of shouted curses, the sound of bare feet pounding across the hardwood floor of a house raised on concrete blocks, and I sensed with some alarm that something was amiss.
The screen door flew open as I dropped the rake I was holding, and Momma came charging out. She cleared the steps midcry without touching a single one, and charged across the yard, long black hair flying.
She was wearing nothing but an old plaid shirt of mine, long sleeves rolled, buttoned down the front, and hanging to mid-thigh. The unbuttoned tails of which were flying backward to reveal a little more. I paused for the briefest of moments to enjoy the view. I’m only human. And have I mentioned she’s Pretty?
But then remembered myself and gave chase. From her proclamation of “I’ll kill you, you fucking bitch!!”, I presumed that her intentions were not good, concerning her obvious target.
That poor woman was in a bit of shock, mouth open and eyes round. And was just Standing there. As Gandalf would have advised: “Run, you fool!”
The first thought that ran unbidden through my mind was: “I don’t have money for bail.”
I cut her off at an angle, and snatched her off her feet. From behind, and I made sure to pin her arms to her sides. She wore her nails longer then, and I wanted no part of those.
It wasn’t hard to hoist her high enough that her feet were off the ground. She was only 4’ 9 1/2”, and hovering at the time between 90 and a hundred pounds.
Holding into her as I carried her back toward the house was the problem. She was squirming and twisting and kicking Me, her bare heels beating my shins and the sides of my legs like bongo drums.
And caught me with a good backward head butt. My fault - should’ve anticipated that. I thereafter had the good sense to tuck my face between her neck and shoulder.
And she was cursing like a drunken jarhead having a Good time as he was preventing himself from being ejected from a bar he did not wish to leave. In Spanish And English. She’d spent a lot of time around a lot of Marines at our last duty station - guess it’d rubbed off. They’d all liked her. So did I.
Interspersed with: “Put me Down, OP!!”
“Nope.”
“You better let me go, you motherfucker!!”
“Not a chance.” Pushing the screen door open with my foot.
I stepped inside with her and held onto her that way.
“Put me Down, you sonofabitch!!”
“Not ‘til you calm the hell down! Owe! Stop kicking!”
Her screaming and cursing gradually lessened, until, calmly: “It’s ok. You can out me down now.”
“Promise?”
“I Said it, didn’t I?!”
As soon as her feet touched the floor, she tried to bolt for the door again, the pint-sized liar! Here we go again.
Eventually I was sure I Could trust her, and I set her on her feet again. The object of her affections had surely, by that time, fled the scene and barricaded herself inside her house. Or hidden under the nearest parked car, whichever was closest. I would have.
I had a moment when she headed toward the kitchen, and I remembered the door to the outside there.
She: “Relax. I want a drink of water.”
I was limping the next day. You’ll do that when you have bruises up and down your legs, and said legs had tightened up. Even had some on the outside of my thighs - how had she managed that? Had a nice bruise high on one cheekbone. I’d taken less damage from some men I’d fought.
It reminded me of when I’d first started seeing her a decade or so before. We’d gone to a late movie, and we’re now walking toward the car in a now nearly empty lot. It had been full when we’d earlier arrived, causing us to have to park at the far edge, near a stand of high bushes.
I didn’t mind the walk. She was who I sensed she was even then. Untold beauty in miniature. Back and shoulders straight, he’d head high. A classic Spanish face such as I’d seen in old paintings, her father’s father having emigrated from there. One night, lying in bed together, I’d said: “I’ve met you before, you know.”
“Oh? And how is that?”
“I’ve seen your face looking at me from the walls of art galleries in cities in different parts of the world.”
I’d haunt the galleries in major cities, when we’d put into port, every chance I had - saw some wonderful old originals that way.
She was Perfection, as far as I was concerned, on that night. Long black hair falling loose down the back of the high school band jacket she wore above a pair of softly worn and faded denim jeans that clung to her perfectly. Brushing her hips, and catching highlights from the light on a lamp post we passed under.
Slender, proud, and unmatchable at 22, walking with a dancer’s grace.
And three men stepped out of the bushes as we approached the car. Probably not an issue, but they weren’t looking our way, as people normally would. It’s natural to give at least a glance. A small nod of greeting or acknowledgment. But they hadn’t.
On the streets, in the City where my brothers and I had done most of our growing up, you had to learn to read people and developing situations. Be aware and wary at all times. If a group of men were approaching you on the sidewalk, they and you going to pass each other, a glance and small nod of acknowledgement indicated no ill intent. A brief meeting of the eyes. Especially important if you yourself were alone.
But if they pointedly looked everywhere but At you, and made as if to ostentatiously ignore you, it was time to get ready. And you wanted on your person something with which to defend yourself. They would have their own. A sap or good knife, though illegal, PD would overlook if they found one on you. They understood the character of the place as well as we did.
That had saved me from being beaten, robbed, or worse on at least one occasion; being aware of what was about to happen. With no time or room to run, I’d stepped back into a recessed boarded-over store front. Those often, as did that one, kind of funneled or narrowed slightly the further back they went, until after seven feet or so, you had your back to the door at the narrow end.
Good defensive position. They’d have to come at you head-on - couldn’t do it from your back or sides. And not much room in which to maneuver.
A brief standoff, as they blocked my exit, and considered their options. Eye contact Now, the pricks. But I had something in my band by then, and at least one of them would get hurt, too.
They decided it’d be too much trouble, and went on their way. Easier pickings somewhere else. None of us had said a word.
I’d waited to make Sure they had, and hadn’t just been trying to trick me and draw me out. Then, after making sure the coast was clear, I did the same. I’d ventured alone into a part of town not my own, in which my brothers and I were not known. I’d been foolish to.
The things you had to know in that place.
A handgun, though, was another matter. Stopped and searched and one found on you, you were going to have a very bad day Before you got to the station house. And another bad one after. Too many of them had been killed with one. Just unwritten rules that were understood by all.
But still, there were times and situations when you needed one. They weren’t at all hard to find - didn’t even need to leave the neighborhood. And no paper trail to trace one back to you.
I motioned Momma to fall back a little, and she understood, and did. Three of them, but I knew I could take ‘em if I had to. I had before. And I had her with me to think about.
We both slowed our walk, as they and we drew nearer to each other, our paths about to cross at an angle. Get ready.
But they continued on their way. Just some guys taking a shortcut, maybe.
Paranoia? Not at all. In the inner city ghetto world in which my bros and I had lived, those not paying attention, and oblivious to what was going on around them, were the ones who got hurt. Killed, sometimes.
Momma stepped up beside me then, smiled up at me confidently, and I watched her slip what she’d been holding in her hand back into her purse. And laughed delightedly. The pretty little savage had been prepared to back me up all along.
My little honey badger.
I asked her once, years later, apropos of nothing, just making idle conversation during a long drive: “Would you kill for me?”
“To keep someone from hurting you? Of course I would. You’d do the same for me.”
That simple answer, and the easy confidence in which it was uttered, made me feel warm inside.
Another time, during the years we’d spent in California, when we were both still so unfashionably young, she and I had gone to a club in town for a much-needed night out.
She was looking better than I’d ever seen her that night, and that was saying quite a lot. A white summer dress with lots of lace. Black hair a river of shiny silk down her back. Silver at her throat, and in her hair. Silver hoops dangling from her ears. Silver bangles on her arms. The bright red lipstick she favored then.
I’d left her alone to make a quick head call, and had returned to find another man had taken my place in my absence, doing his best to chat her up. She watching his face in amusement and contempt, not saying a word.
I was used, by then, to other men looking at her. It didn’t bother me. Why should it? She was who and what she was. I’d’ve been looking, too. But this was a little much.
I walked over to where they both were, met his eyes and smiled. He stammered a hurried apology, face turning red, and headed for the door.
She and I looked at each other, and both started laughing at the same time. Worked every time - I never had to say a word.
“Why didn’t you tell ‘I’m to fuck off?” I asked.
“Didn’t need to, Babe - you were here.”
And I’d thought: “I always will be.”
I made a good friend at that our last posting, and she was the impetus of it. A very able and capable Lieutenant in our unit. He’d asked me one day: “Sgt OP, your wife is Latina?”
“Hispanic. South Texas girl by way of California, Sir.”
“I saw the two of you out walking the other day. Man, she has that long black hair! She reminds me of the small village in the mountains I grew up in in Cuba. The women there wore their hair like that. You don’t mind me saying so, she’s quite lovely.”
“That she is, Lt. That she is.”
“I’d say you’re a lucky man, Sgt.”
But I already knew that.
I liked Lt C a great deal, and we worked well together. Our new First Sgt didn’t seem to, though - they butted heads frequently. Top didn’t care for me, either, for that matter, and didn’t try to hide it. But considering C’s many outstanding qualities, I took That as a compliment.
All a long time ago now. Many years have passed. Her hair’s much shorter now, and has some white in it. She’s gotten a little rounder, and frets over it, though I continually reassure her it doesn’t matter - that she still makes me smile just by being in her presence, and is still as beautiful as ever.
She’s doing an aerobic workout every morning, though, along with some women on a U-Tube channel; determined to slim down. Can’t tell her anything - nothing new there.
And I’ve been using a walker today, for the downright humiliation of it. Better than falling on my butt, I guess. Knee’s starting to feel better, though. Doesn’t hurt as much, and starting to bend a little and take a little weight again.
When I was young, I could take just about anything. Fell out of the back of a moving pickup onto pavement when I was 19. Picked myself up, wiped off the blood, and laughed it off. We all thought we were immortal then, The Boys and me, until we learned we weren’t.
Had a surgical procedure performed the year before that with no anesthetic, due to circumstances, and hadn’t made a peep. Ever have an open bone-deep wound afterward flushed out with saline? Stuff Burns, brother.
And now my gimpy self, lol.
Hear here’s gone, though, with a storm blowing in. Thunder and lightning, strong, cool wind picking up. Lots of rain. Gonna sit outside here and enjoy it - love a good storm. There are certain things in life you don’t want to miss.
A buddy and I defied previous orders once, and snuck out on deck as our ship was passing through a typhoon it the Philippine Sea - wanted to experience it up close and personal. Experience of a Lifetime, and didn’t get blown overboard! Standing on deck trying to keep our feet under us as we watched the shrieking wind blow rain and sea- foam completely sideways was a thing to Remember! The high-quality weed we’d smoked only made it better.
The two of us were just surprised we were the only ones out there. Who in their right minds would willingly miss This? Afraid of getting in trouble, the lot of ‘em, the chickenshits. I usually was anyway, so meh.

This was one of the most demented sleep paralysis nightmares I’ve ever experienced when I lived back in my old house. And I thought I’d share it in storytelling mode. Someone asked me earlier to share. 😊
I do tell scary stories on YouTube. So, why not? 😅
I used to experience these dreams as least 2-3 times a week for so many years. But this one has stayed with me for the past 23 years. I hope y’all enjoy it. 🫶💀

 MY DREAM 

I was lying in bed and saw the Sun shining through the window. I could see every detail in my bedroom as if I was fully awake experiencing a moment of surreal clarity.
And then, out of nowhere, a sensation surged through me—a force pushing up through my bed.
A hand seizing me by the skin of my rib cage. Its touch was abrasive, like sandpaper against my flesh, calloused and rough, sinking in its sharp fingernails into my skin as it picked at my very bones.
I couldn’t move. Not one inch.
I tried to look around but only with my eyes. I tried to make noise with my voice, but my mouth wouldn’t move.
I couldn’t do anything…
Though my mind screamed for action, urging my limbs to obey, my voice was silenced. It was as though my very soul was held captive.
As the ghastly hand began its assault on my rib cage, a hideous voice growled at me saying, "I don't care. I don’t care.”
Abruptly, a hand with feminine features, with red painted fingernails, glided over my left shoulder, its touch almost caressing as it gripped me. Then, I heard a woman’s voice in a commanding tone, “you leave him be you bastard. You leave him be.”
After the feminine hand touched my shoulder, that calloused grasp seizing my skin from my ribcage? I felt it slither away, melting into the depths of my bed, but also mumbling and uttering something wicked that I couldn’t make out.
It sounded angry. And it was horrifying.
Shortly after, the feminine hand with red fingernail tips also moved away from my shoulder, but its retreat was a slow and reluctant release, almost as if it didn’t want to let go.
Yet still, I’m lying there. The sun shining through my window began turning into darkness, now with the moonlight subtly casting through.
I can feel my eyes moving rapidly, trying to look everywhere.
Suddenly, dark winged shadows began flying all around me. And there was a dark shadow figure sitting in front of me, cradling something in its arms, yelling at the top of its lungs but with the wind knocked out of him.
I forced myself to wake up and screamed as loud as I could!
“HOLY FUCKING SHIT!!” Every single time…
I grabbed my phone and looked and it’s 3:13 am.
Sleep paralysis, yet again.
Side note - For those who still suffer with this (because I don’t anymore, thanks heavens to Betsy!) It may be a good idea to cleanse your bedroom with sage as I would do it from time to time and truly did help. It sucks saving ALL THE TIME, but if you really want these horrid dreams/nightmares- whatever the heck they are - to stop or give your mind some ease, sage will help. It helped me. And trust me. My house was effed up! I hated living there… But… I had no choice for a while. But when I finally left? The dreams also stopped. Do I think it had something to do with that flippin house? You damn skippy I do! 🤦🏻‍♂️ Since I was a kid… Whatever was there tormented me. Not literally… But it was enough to keep me on edge every time I went to sleep.
Sage my friends. And keep a clear mind while doing it. Don’t think about the negativity that claims you while you sleep as you sage. Think of positive vibes and thoughts and it will help. You have to believe it will help. Will it into existence. And you’ll be sleeping like a baby soon enough. I promise. But if it doesn’t help… 🤷🏻‍♂️ I’m just letting you know it helped for me.
Sleep well… 🙏🫶

Type me pls
• How old are you? What's your gender? Give
us a general description of yourself. I prevere kiting my age and gender private
• Is there a medical diagnosis that may impact your mental stability somehow?
I maybe have adhd but I'm not sure, but I don't think it has a big impact
• Describe your upbringing. Did it have any kind of religious or structured influence? How did you respond to it?
I'm in a religious family, but I'm still learning from that religion, and I'm not fully prepared to follow it. I need more time
• What do you do as a job or as a career (if you have one)? Do you like it? Why or why not?
I'm still a student and I'm studying economics and financials no i don't like school
• If you had to spend an entire weekend by yourself, how would you feel? Would you feel lonely or refreshed?
I will feel extremely refreshing and un peace. i would love to
• What kinds of activities do you prefer? Do you like, and are you good at sports? Do you enjoy any other outdoor or indoor activities?
I like doing martial arts
• How curious are you? Do you have more ideas than you can execute? What are your curiosities about? What are your ideas about - is it environmental or conceptual, and can you please elaborate?
I'm very curious about many things
I have many ideas, but it's mostly for fun. When I get an idea, I immediately know if I'm gonna execute it or just think about it for fun?
My ideas can be very simple and sometimes not at all the most of things I take an interest in
• Would you enjoy taking on a leadership position? Do you think you would be good at it? What would your leadership style be?
No, I'm a lone wolf But yes, I do think I make a good leader My leadership style would be pretty chill do what you want as long as result are coming I give everyone independent and care about people well being but I also strive to productive
• Are you coordinated? Why do you feel as if you are or are not? Do you enjoy working with your hands in some form? Describe your activity?
I'm not coordinated at all. I often hit myself against something or hit something and accept break things
I like using my hands on many things Activities I do martial arts I like making jewelry even if I'm not the best at it, and I also like bow shooting
• Are you artistic? If yes, describe your art? If you are not particularly artistic but can appreciate art, please likewise describe what forums of art you enjoy. Please explain your answer.
I like making paintings but I'm not really good at it but I still can enjoy other paintings and art I can enjoy all kinds of paintings and music I just don't like poetry
• What's your opinion about the past, present, and future? How do you deal with them?
Past = useless. You can't change anything at all, so it's better not to stay stuck in it. i would eventually forget everyone, but I do like history, and I can be nostalgic
Present = it can be fun and boring and annoying. Still, I think not enough people focus on it all the problem you need to solve are in the present and if you don't got problems then just enjoy I don't get people who will think about past mistakes or future problems when they is nothing to worry about in the present it almost give the impression that those people want to be miserable Short said not enough people think of the present in my opinion
Future = unpredictable intriguing, yet I prevere letting the future for the future whatever is happening is not my business right now
• How do you act when others request your help to do something (anything)? If you would decide to help them, why would you do so?
I would think of why they need my help and what I can do to help them
• Do you need logical consistency in your life?
Jes, it hurts my head when their is no logic
• How important is efficiency and productivity to you?
Very important, but self health comes first physically and mentally
• Do you control others, even if indirectly? How and why do you do that?
No, I don't control others even if I try. I am bad at it
• What are your hobbies? Why do you like them?
I already have described wat kinde of activities I like
• What is your learning style? What kind of learning environments do you struggle with most? Why do you like/struggle with these learning styles? Do you prefer classes involving memorization, logic, creativity, or your physical senses?
Very adaptive I can learn different things in different ways and learning style but my teacher say I should learn more my theories and I should also learn things more by heart still struggling on that part
• How good are you at strategizing? Do you easily break up projects into manageable tasks? Or do you have a tendency to wing projects and improvise as you go?
My strateging is bad as hell, and I'm more of an improviser
• What are your aspirations in life, professionally and personally?
Becoming rich and better at communication and better organizer
• What are your fears? What makes you uncomfortable? What do you hate? Why? Deadt pain exams test and school
• What do the "highs" in your life look like?
Having good grades and not too much work for school
• What do the "lows" in your life look like?
Having bad grades and much to do for school
• How attached are you to reality? Do you daydream often, or do you pay attention to what's around you? If you do daydream, are you aware of your surroundings while you do so?
99% of the time I daydream no I'm not aware but this last time I'm starting to daydream less and also be more aware of my senrrounding still need to go a long way to stop daydreaming to much and need to improve my focus on my surroundings
• Imagine you are alone in a blank, empty room. There is nothing for you to do and no one to talk to. What do you think about it?
I'm a prisoner?
No Then I probably rest enjoying the peace and silent
Yes Try to think of a way out try to find the door find no door try to call for help get on my phone if something answers explain the situation than wait for that person to come so i get on my phone playing games not capable to call for someone try to Hit the wall try to think of others way to get out don't find any give up realize I'm tired go to sleep a bit and try again when I wake up this wall can't resist me for ever i will get out one way or a other
• How long do you take to make an important decision? And do you change your mind once you've made it?
The needed time some desicion I think longer other less time. Yes, I can change my mind if it's shown that my decision wasn't the right one. If not, I won't change it
• How long do you take to process your emotions? How important are emotions in your life?
Not long I don't have complex emotions I can deal with my emotions in a peaceful way and I know it's important for my mental well-being I now when I can express emotions and share them and I also know when i have to keep them for myself
• Do you ever catch yourself agreeing with others just to appease them and keep the conversation going? How often? Why?
I tend to agree with people who are right, or I'm too tired to start a debate/argument
• Do you break rules often? Do you think authority should be challenged or that they know better? If you do break rules, why?
I don't often break the rules authority should be challeng and but in their rights places cause to many of them are stupid idiots but it's not my responsibility do that I prevere to chill and I only break rules if I know their will be no consequences

Type me pls
• How old are you? What's your gender? Give
us a general description of yourself. I prevere kiting my age and gender private
• Is there a medical diagnosis that may impact your mental stability somehow?
I maybe have adhd but I'm not sure, but I don't think it has a big impact
• Describe your upbringing. Did it have any kind of religious or structured influence? How did you respond to it?
I'm in a religious family, but I'm still learning from that religion, and I'm not fully prepared to follow it. I need more time
• What do you do as a job or as a career (if you have one)? Do you like it? Why or why not?
I'm still a student and I'm studying economics and financials no i don't like school
• If you had to spend an entire weekend by yourself, how would you feel? Would you feel lonely or refreshed?
I will feel extremely refreshing and un peace. i would love to
• What kinds of activities do you prefer? Do you like, and are you good at sports? Do you enjoy any other outdoor or indoor activities?
I like doing martial arts
• How curious are you? Do you have more ideas than you can execute? What are your curiosities about? What are your ideas about - is it environmental or conceptual, and can you please elaborate?
I'm very curious about many things
I have many ideas, but it's mostly for fun. When I get an idea, I immediately know if I'm gonna execute it or just think about it for fun?
My ideas can be very simple and sometimes not at all the most of things I take an interest in
• Would you enjoy taking on a leadership position? Do you think you would be good at it? What would your leadership style be?
No, I'm a lone wolf But yes, I do think I make a good leader My leadership style would be pretty chill do what you want as long as result are coming I give everyone independent and care about people well being but I also strive to productive
• Are you coordinated? Why do you feel as if you are or are not? Do you enjoy working with your hands in some form? Describe your activity?
I'm not coordinated at all. I often hit myself against something or hit something and accept break things
I like using my hands on many things Activities I do martial arts I like making jewelry even if I'm not the best at it, and I also like bow shooting
• Are you artistic? If yes, describe your art? If you are not particularly artistic but can appreciate art, please likewise describe what forums of art you enjoy. Please explain your answer.
I like making paintings but I'm not really good at it but I still can enjoy other paintings and art I can enjoy all kinds of paintings and music I just don't like poetry
• What's your opinion about the past, present, and future? How do you deal with them?
Past = useless. You can't change anything at all, so it's better not to stay stuck in it. i would eventually forget everyone, but I do like history, and I can be nostalgic
Present = it can be fun and boring and annoying. Still, I think not enough people focus on it all the problem you need to solve are in the present and if you don't got problems then just enjoy I don't get people who will think about past mistakes or future problems when they is nothing to worry about in the present it almost give the impression that those people want to be miserable Short said not enough people think of the present in my opinion
Future = unpredictable intriguing, yet I prevere letting the future for the future whatever is happening is not my business right now
• How do you act when others request your help to do something (anything)? If you would decide to help them, why would you do so?
I would think of why they need my help and what I can do to help them
• Do you need logical consistency in your life?
Jes, it hurts my head when their is no logic
• How important is efficiency and productivity to you?
Very important, but self health comes first physically and mentally
• Do you control others, even if indirectly? How and why do you do that?
No, I don't control others even if I try. I am bad at it
• What are your hobbies? Why do you like them?
I already have described wat kinde of activities I like
• What is your learning style? What kind of learning environments do you struggle with most? Why do you like/struggle with these learning styles? Do you prefer classes involving memorization, logic, creativity, or your physical senses?
Very adaptive I can learn different things in different ways and learning style but my teacher say I should learn more my theories and I should also learn things more by heart still struggling on that part
• How good are you at strategizing? Do you easily break up projects into manageable tasks? Or do you have a tendency to wing projects and improvise as you go?
My strateging is bad as hell, and I'm more of an improviser
• What are your aspirations in life, professionally and personally?
Becoming rich and better at communication and better organizer
• What are your fears? What makes you uncomfortable? What do you hate? Why? Deadt pain exams test and school
• What do the "highs" in your life look like?
Having good grades and not too much work for school
• What do the "lows" in your life look like?
Having bad grades and much to do for school
• How attached are you to reality? Do you daydream often, or do you pay attention to what's around you? If you do daydream, are you aware of your surroundings while you do so?
99% of the time I daydream no I'm not aware but this last time I'm starting to daydream less and also be more aware of my senrrounding still need to go a long way to stop daydreaming to much and need to improve my focus on my surroundings
• Imagine you are alone in a blank, empty room. There is nothing for you to do and no one to talk to. What do you think about it?
I'm a prisoner?
No Then I probably rest enjoying the peace and silent
Yes Try to think of a way out try to find the door find no door try to call for help get on my phone if something answers explain the situation than wait for that person to come so i get on my phone playing games not capable to call for someone try to Hit the wall try to think of others way to get out don't find any give up realize I'm tired go to sleep a bit and try again when I wake up this wall can't resist me for ever i will get out one way or a other
• How long do you take to make an important decision? And do you change your mind once you've made it?
The needed time some desicion I think longer other less time. Yes, I can change my mind if it's shown that my decision wasn't the right one. If not, I won't change it
• How long do you take to process your emotions? How important are emotions in your life?
Not long I don't have complex emotions I can deal with my emotions in a peaceful way and I know it's important for my mental well-being I now when I can express emotions and share them and I also know when i have to keep them for myself
• Do you ever catch yourself agreeing with others just to appease them and keep the conversation going? How often? Why?
I tend to agree with people who are right, or I'm too tired to start a debate/argument
• Do you break rules often? Do you think authority should be challenged or that they know better? If you do break rules, why?
I don't often break the rules authority should be challeng and but in their rights places cause to many of them are stupid idiots but it's not my responsibility do that I prevere to chill and I only break rules if I know their will be no consequences

We were robbed. In more ways than one even.
And it surprises me how beyond just a few concepts an ideas, this part of Kung Fu Panda history remains so overlooked by the fandom and not as highly spoken about because I feel people aren't really giving it the attention it deserves given the issues it caused not just in the franchise as a whole BUT DreamWorks in general, and is something that forever changed the way they direct movies;
Let's talk Kung Fu Panda 3; An overhauled story that left the wrong lessons both within the franchise AND the studio, and for the looks of things it seems it won't get any better soon.
What do I mean by an overhauled story, and where do I come off with these claims?
The concepts art of the former draft for this movie, plus some tidbits share by executives and folks from within the creative team:
Kung Fu Panda 3 as a movie is a story literally cut in HALF; In characters, narrative, story and themeing. From my understanding what you got in the final movie IS what was always planned from former draft, however! There was so much more on top what we got that not only was it more thematically tied to the whole franchise, it was almost as nuanced and deep from a character perspective like the first two.
From what was said about original plans for the movie, the movie was meant to follow the footsteps of KFP2 in terms of tone and ambition; Instead of the movies getting thematically lighter to show the development of Po as a character, it seems former plans were to have the narrative of the series become slightly more grim and profound in themeing, perhaps to challenge Po as a character and his unbreakable innocence against the harsh world ahead of him, THE Dragon Warrior meant to take after Oogway's legacy.
For this to happen they had a villain much more merciless, brutal and above anything Po had faced before when compared to Tai Lung who at most was a broken Kung Fu student or Shen who had just a fair enough grasp of Kung Fu mastery which he compensated with weapons and armies; No, no, no, no. Kai was meant to be a whole other type of beast.
Said to be planned to be less comedic driven, more feral, far more of an active threat, it does sound they were planning him to be the personification of walking doom, an omnipresent ghostly figure that brought death upon anything he faced with very little remorse, set to destroy anything and everything Oogway had left behind to a point death wasn't even an arbitrary action to impose fear, it was a means to an end. In former draft he straight up killed Mr. Ping, and in his confrontation with Po before them going to the Spiritual Realm he straight up BEATS HIM UP TO NEAR DEATH.
Kai was a shift in the franchise's narrative tone and a change to the status quo, THIS was Oogway's Brother in Arms! A threat far beyond an above anything Po had ever encounter, a restless undead whose sole purpose was to keep Oogway's legacy become a myth after history had forgotten about him.
It plays into the themeing of Kung Fu Panda 3. Kung Fu Panda 3 as a movie is a story about familiar bonds and self-discovery, learning your roots but also finding your own strength. Already Kai was the anti-thesis of that concept but it feels it was gonna be way more hammered in, on its former draft. His feeling of betrayal led him to find his own meaning in destroying the legacy of the closest thing he had as family, a memory from the past haunting the future because it had no meaning.
However, his quest for vengeance went too far. A little too far for DreamWorks; And that's for ONE other thing...
You see, this part is tricky and involves a lot of speculation, but is backed up by a lot of concept art about the former draft that when coupled with everything known about Kai and the aftermath of the production of that former draft, the pieces actually fit. Sadly, not for the right reasons.
Meanwhile Kung Fu Panda 3 as a story is a father-and-son focussed narrative, it seems that wasn't always gonna be the case or if it was, it's themeing was gonna be more ABROAD; Tackling familiar bonds from foster family, found family and the meaning of the concept as a whole. In the story we got, the themeing was overhauled to fit Po and Li's lost relationship as they rediscover their family bond meanwhile Po tries to figure out who he is; But in the former draft it seems this aspects wasn't gonna be the sole focus, as it was only A THIRD of what the original tale was gonna be about.
From what I can gather from concept arts, one third was spent on Kai's slaughter to all of Oogway's legacy, one third was gonna be about Po tapping into his lost Panda roots, and the last third was SURPRISINGLY gonna focus on a side-story dedicated to TIGRESS;
Yep! That's right! It seems from concept art that Tigress was gonna have a much more prominent role in the movie since a couple of them show her in Panda Village BEFORE she has her encounter with Kai which IS still in the draft. She appears during Po's first welcome to the village, she's seen training and being observed by a few pandas, curious of her actions. It seems that a portion of the movie that included her was cut as a whole, and believe me you're not gonna like to hear what got cut because there is evidence of it IN THE FINAL PRODUCT that basically solidifies some of my thoughts.
For one: Kung Fu Panda 3 was a more romantic-oriented movie, to an extent.
Apparently, a cut running gag for the film was that Mei Mei's fixation of Po wasn't something that happened out of left-field, it was actually gonna have a reasoning. It seems they were arranged for marriage since birth, so a couple of concept art show stuff such as a love palace if I recall correctly?? As well as Po being chased down to marriage by Mei Mei. Pretty inconsequential things that got replaced in the final script by a directionless crush with no much after thought;
EXCEPT! That the former draft actually made use of Mei Mei in a more poetic albeit bittersweet way, for her. During the movie, Mei Mei would catch hints Po's heart kind of belongs with Tigress, so a huge twist and redemption of her character is when she gives her wedding dress to Tigress without context of the emotional value it holds, from my understanding she only tells her "Po may like seeing her wear it" or along those lines. THIS, now this better justifies Mei Mei and makes her less of a joke with no pay-off, and more of a nuanced character by better justifying her presence in the story as a push and possible jab to TiPo possibly being a thing.
Other than that, there is a random panel in which Po explicitly calls Tigress a "Sexy Ninja", which can't get more explicit that that. though! It isn't random, and I'll get there in a bit with further detail; Just understand the movie wanted to explore romance to a degree on top Kai looming around Panda Village...
Secondly: I don't think Lei Lei, Ray's Baby, was meant to be so inconsequential;
This is my boldest claim, but like Oogway once said, "there are no coincidences". This character TAUNTS ME because she feels like she should holds a deeper meaning in the story than what she appears to have, especially after Mei Mei was shown to be a joke with nuance in the former draft;
Tie me up, call me insane, but I think that Lei Lei's role is that we see on KFP3: Finding a maternal figure on Tigress, AND have that be expanded upon. It just makes too much sense because IS RIGHT THERE in the movie and it leads NOWHERE but cute scenes of Tigress holding a Baby Panda as a taunt;
No! I refuse to be fooled, especially when the themeing of your movie is the meaning of "Family". I think part of the idea of taking Tigress to Panda Village and even going as far as to seemingly try to explore TiPo, was for them to sort of hint at a possible future between them? Maybe have a certain character open the idea of something other than Kung Fu, like "Family", for Tigress?
This may be my craziest claim but I stand by it. You just don't make a character so inconsequential for looks, in a movie where Tigress was gonna be heavily involved in Po's emotional growth on Panda Village, formerly.
In fact, giving the idea of family to Tigress in Panda Village makes sense because it would be the only peaceful place where she could explore something as conflicting like that, from a narrative stand-point; And at some point I feel the writers would want to move her forward as a person rather than as a character, especially because...!
Thirdly: Mortality.
You know how Mei Mei understood Po's heart belonged to Tigress? You should, you've seen that scene; Is when Tigress arrives to Panda Village in the final flick and Po receives her. Except in the draft it was gonna play differently and be far more brutal...
Kai would've attacked Tigress, maybe even ambush her, their confrontation was so intense that although Tigress made it out alive, she was left wounded and fainted in a state of near death. She could not climb up that mountain, PO had to be the one to carry her up there meanwhile he held her on his shoulder. It's seen in a concept art how as he climbs, he looks at the distance fully aware something is looming ready to get them all.
Apparently his worriness for Tigress was so intense that's how Mei Mei could tell she didn't had a chance.
Of course, Tigress survives and recovers but she loses an eye on battle; A permanent remainder of her mortality and the fact that even if she's a warrior she isn't unbreakable. Of course, Po finds this amusing instead and refers to her in high key as a "Sexy Ninja". And this...!
Is where everything fell apart.
When Kung Fu Panda 2 released, one common complaint from parents was received: It was too dark for their children. Shen apparently scared kids, and the studio was met with negative reception from their biggest consumers and target audience, the children's market.
Originally, when KFP3 was still a draft the creatives were following the once "6 written scripts" of the franchise, but when executives saw what their team was cooking in the kitchen they were met with HORROR at the sight of what was once planned for Tigress.
Not only was Po gonna get beat up to death, not only was Kai such a destructive monster, the thing that broke the glass was seeing Tigress, one of the franchise's most profitable characters, wear an EYE-PATCH... THAT'S where everything went south for this movie.
The creative team did the one sin a creative team should not do to a profitable kids' brand, lesser the marketability of a popular character through questionable design choices; And boy, did the corporates not take that lightly!
Almost immediately the executives intervined demanding an overhaul (THE FINAL PRODUCT) which caused creative disputes between them and one of the directors whose name I sadly can't remember off the top of my head; The fight went for awhile until she was vetoed off of the project so executives could have it their way. They just couldn't risk making another movie that scared off the children and their parents' wallets!
They drew a line in everything that caused drastic changes to characters because they could not afford the marketability of the franchise, and in overhauling the story they made it from a dark story with a romantic side-plot into a father-and-son story, after changing Li from how he was portrayed in KFP2 to what he has been portrayed as since 3's release; They made the story mellower, they took out almost every single dark element, they downplayed Kai's performance, they avoided drastically changing Po's personality after being challenged by such monsters, and EVERYTHING Tigress was removed. They would NOT afford that risk.
Sounds awfully familiar?
It is an understatement to say that KFP3 was the exodus of how Dreamworks would treat this franchise moving forward, after what the creatives tried to do with Tigress left such a sour taste on them. "Luckily" for this movie it ended up being as enjoyable as it is because it was built off an already great former draft, so many of it's concepts, themes and plot points made it into the final film; They just got rid of the risky stuff.
But following products, and the handling of these characters wouldn't get that same luck...
Paws of Destiny and Dragon Knight, they lack the Furious Five on purpose, and opt to nerf AND soft reboot Po's personality because not only is that a much safer bet, they won't risk another KFP3 allowing creatives to get wild with their characters. At this point they understood the Kung Fu Panda brand sold itself since the characters were well known, so changing them beyond the market appeal wasn't ever again gonna be an option; New rules were set and a new direction to the franchise was born.
Those former "6 books of a solid narrative"? Retcon/possibly rewriten; Kung Fu Panda as a whole, in my honest opinion, had always has TWO protagonists although Po was the central one. In my opinion, KFP was as much Tigress' story as it was Po's, given how much importance and relevancy she held on the franchises' narrative, and how it was pretty entangled to Po's from a narrative stand-point; KFP3 WAS supposed to be the next step in their character development, the next direction of their narrative, but the moment executives held effective their new direction by gate-keeping her character, this narrative was then put in a questionable position in which it may not be relevant anymore.
Why won't Po ever mature? Because he loses his marketability towards kids.
Why can't they use the Furious Five? They won't dare to give the creatives power to change them beyond recognition.
Why won't KFP ever have profound and nuanced narratives? Too risky and too much money invested on writers. Settle for AI, and the villain of the week.
Why won't Po and Tigress get together? No can do, bud. Makes her less marketable to girls and we don't want that, plus the concept of love is antagonized in modern culture.
Why can't we have A FRICKING GOOD VILLAIN AGAIN? Think about the children.
AND THIS is how we got into KFP4; The after product of a company hellbent on change towards character, opting for safe scripts quick to produce and with an ensured market appeal with general audiences and especially kids. This is how we had a movie with a development so near insufferable from decisions, direction, tone deaf attention to feedback from creative staff, very little thought out into character progression and narrative, over-simplification of characters and personalities, and story elements that are pretty much inconsequential as a whole for the franchise.
It is deliberately a bland story because they know IT'LL STILL SELL, and KFP5 will follow suit AND SELL, and so will KFP6 and the so called Furious Five (cashgrab) Spin-Off!
They won't ever try again because they have already 4 products under their belts in which they've literally butchered the franchise and yet it is still going strong. And fan-complaint has only done much to change their perception because, sadly, what they learned from KFP3 goes completely against the fan dissatisfaction with the final product, because they already SUCCEEDED. And guess?
As of we speak, the director of the 4th one is already painting the scenery, he's letting us know they already have a certain way of making these movies and they know they've been profitable since the 3rd, so what are they gonna do? THEY ARE GOING TO DOUBLE-DOWN, AND HE'S MOST LIKELY TO REMAIN AT CHARGE TO PREVENT ANOTHER RISKY DIRECTOR FROM TAPPING THE FRANCHISE AND TAKING IT INTO UNDESIRED TERRITORY.
Every news that comes out about the following future sequels are more dreadful than the other because, at least to me, it is a higher key version of what happened with KFP3 in which they're ensuring fans that the narrative wad in good hands just to brush off the fact internally they were butchering the franchise on purpose; And yet I'm amazed this has been met with positive reception.
It'll only get worse, my dudes. Im sorry to be the bearer of bad bews but we lost the moment KFP3 was overhauled.
Already KFP4 sits as the highest grossing entry in the franchise so the executives' pride must be over the roof, and it clearly won't be humbled by fans' complaints because they figured out their franchise, as is, is profitable by doing the bare minimum; And NOBODY was bringing up how they got away with it.
Hence why I made this. Maybe to hopefully bring some light and get the discussion going, because this has gone under-looked for way too long and needs to be spoken about, especially under the current picture of mainstream animation in which creativity is being put on a back-seat in favor of profit and marketability. Sucks to see the franchise run that same fate... Sigh
This needs to be spoken about, I felt it needed to be at least, because each passing day people are wondering how did we get here and nobody seemed to understand why;
This has been my state of the franchise.

I'm currently a 2nd year Mech.E student with a 3.53 CPGA. I enrolled in Mech E because I had a slight interest in cars, as well as how things worked and the concept of engineering in general. My uni had a racing team and many clubs, which I thought was a good idea to join a lot of them. Fast forward a few semesters I had to resit a final exam which tanked my grades, so now I'm working to pull it back up to a respectable level.
My current dilemma is that I have to really study hard and put lots of effort just to maintain my grade. I fear that joining some extracurriculars will worsen my grade but having zero extracurriculars when I graduate is also not really a good look. I remember applying for an internship and when the interviewer asked whether I was in my uni racing team(cuz I said I liked cars), I sheepishly said no and he just stared at me blankly before continuing.

“I see myself in you every passing day”
A couple years ago I had lost a friend to a car crash over the summer, I remember i didn’t even know how to react. I was on vacation when I had received news about a person who died in a car crash on the interstate because of a careless truck driver who hit him. His head went through the window and he was the only one that died. My last words to him were “see ya next school year”, I said to him on the last day of school. I had no idea what sorrow and grief I would experience later on, I should have hung out with him more than maybe I wouldn’t feel so guilty knowing I barely spent time with him. I couldn’t even attend his funeral feeling so much guilt, I cover that guilt up with weirdness and I get sort of “pervy” and I blame my friends death. But his death hit my friends the hardest, my two female friends who were really good friends with him cried and bawled and attended his funeral while I was in a chair speechless and shocked for a whole week. I am jealous about what they had with him and I am guilty for not spending as much time with him as they did.
I know this is a lot and very confusing to follow. His last words to me were “I see myself in you every passing day”.

So I don’t know how to start this but I meet this girl on a dating app and we were talking, everything was amazing even the first time we met up. She spent the night over because she was too drunk to drive home so was I, I was very hesitant because this person at that time was a stranger but we just vibe so well. After that day we just keep hanging out and exploring places in SD. I got to really get to know this person so well and deeply that we had so much in common, Music, ideas, etc.
I started to like this girl so much but the only thing I didn’t like was she was talking to her ex still but for a reason. She had to pay him back for rent which I thought It was totally fine but it started to get to a point where she was like “ugh he is just pissing me off and I can’t take this with him.” Also she would bring up certain things with him to me which I thought was weird to me because even though I knew they lived with each other about two years ago and broke up a year ago.
I never seen somebody talk about their ex so much even though it was all bad things about him but even still have contact with him. I would kinda tease her about it sometimes like “oh sounds like you guys are still together.” She denies it and says fucker I like you not him anymore but it got to a point I would say stuff like that out of concern which one day, we had a conversation about it and she said I would bring him up all the time.
I never dealt with that before, so even though I know this is wrong I went on a the same dating app I found her on and was looking and I saw her sister friend at the time. I didn’t know the friend at the time so I swipe on her and we didn’t match but I get a call from the girl I was talking to and she was telling me how could I do this and everything else, which she is right I should of never done that. I just felt like she was so drawn on her ex and having conversations with him that I was going try and see what else was out there but after that we came to a agreement on just keep talking to each other.
Months go by and we fall for each other, we aren’t in a relationship yet because I just feel so doubtful that it could work because in my mind she is still talking to her ex. She wants to be my girlfriend but I just kept telling her let’s wait because of the ex stuff, I didn’t tell her that but she got it. We have each others location and spring break comes, I don’t know what happened but my location stops working for her.
I leave to go back home. She gets worried about not seeing it and wants to fix it and I tried to fix it but it wouldn’t work for me even showing her that it didn’t but then I told her I’m going to be spending time with my family because I never get to see them because I play college football. she got that but it’s also my fault because I spent so much time with them and didn’t text her as much when I was back at home.
My birthday is in spring break so I got gifts from my family but I got crocs that had I heart N which was from my mom which represented my uncle who passed, His name started with a N. she’s worried that I might have a another girl back home. I tried telling her I don’t but I wanted her to come over since I was gone for a week and she had gifts for my birthday that past so everything was good.
She is over my place and is fine with staying until I got back from practice so I left then I get text messages from my family friend telling me she is texting her on instagram and somehow gets her phone number. I couldn’t go back home to ask why she is doing that since I was already at practice but after practice I call her and she is literally back at her house and telling me that I lied to her and that she is done with me.
She literally took an edible and drove home which I think is crazy but she is so high and I tell her, What is going on and she says I have proof of you lying to me and I told her send it to me. She takes forever to send it but she sends it to me and it’s my crocs with the N. She tries to say my family friend is the girl so we go back and forth but then she realize that it wasn’t and says sorry for leaving and she also got in an argument with her mom.
I tell her that we need to just slow down we are just dating and you are doing crazy things. She agrees and we kinda slow down, after this she is still stalking my family friend. she doesn’t know that my family friend has a boyfriend and keeps looking at her stories and thinks it’s me so she jumps to conclusions and breaks up with me. I keep tryna tell her it’s not me and she keeps saying it is but we come to a agreement again and she asks me why do I still wanna date her when she’s done that, I tell her I just like her so much and wanna see how far it can go.
This is true and still is because this is still fresh. weeks later she is having conversations with her ex but she already told him that she wants me and not him anymore. he didn’t wanna let go and she was just paying him back the money she owed him but he started to make conversation with her and they were just talking like friends. Couple weeks ago he confessed to her about wanting her back and wants her to drop me and come back to him but they have a long bad history and she told him “I’m not doing that to him, I want him in my life not you just move on.”
He literally pass out or something while driving because he wasn’t getting sleep or something and she calls me and tells me everything that went on and all that shit made me so mad. she still was talking to him because I knew he would do something like that but he gives her a ultimatum of it’s either me or him. She told me that and tells him the next day I’m sticking with him. She couldn’t and wouldn’t go back to that place he put her in so after that I’m pissed off about that whole shit and keeping contact with him.
A week ago, my family friends car stops working so she asks me to take her to target to get stuff and I did because why wouldn’t I help. I do that and we are just laughing and talking then I take a picture of her with my crocs half way in it and she posted it but next thing that happens is I get a text from the girl. She says fuck you, bye then blocks me and it hurt so fucking much like I still think about it and tried to tell her, I wasn’t doing anything with my family friend but I was blocked.
I start to post on my story and she just watches them and not saying anything. I don’t say anything as well but then she posts something about karma is coming for the people that lied to her and did her wrong which hurt because I truly wasn’t doing nothing. I didn’t wanna text her because I was still shocked that she would do that then days go by and she stops watching it.
I saw she keep going public and private on instagram so when she opened it again I like some new pictures of her then she texts and delete. I asked her what did she say and she said why am I liking her shit and I need to stop because my little girlfriend isn’t going like that like just being so petty. She tells me that she is going block me on Instagram too so I started feeling sad and told her don’t let me just talk to her.
I wasn’t even home, I was literally in a different state for a family trip which was two days ago but I tell her everything that I love her and wanna fix it. I don’t wanna lose her but she tells me she isn’t changing her mind and I’m begging her because I truly love this girl but we come to somewhat an agreement of seeing each other Tuesday. I got back in the state so I text her and tell her my flight is going be late maybe let me stay over at her place because I know her mom a little and her mom likes me.
I told her maybe I could do that and we can just talk but then she tells me that’s not a good idea and she isn’t doing that so I keep trying and trying but she says we can talk on the phone when I land so I said fine I’m cool with that. I landed and I was about to text her that I landed, can we talk now but before I went on instagram to see if she unfollowed people because I just couldn’t stop thinking about her being with someone else. I see she blocked me on instagram so I go to text her phone number and I was blocked too.
I had a whole letter for her and she hasn’t even seen it because I sent it after the messages went green but it just hurts so much because I want this girl like she just matches me. This just happened two days ago,I am really hurting bad. I don’t know what to do I feel so alone but I just want her bad like what can I do and I know the story is everywhere but it’s so hard to type this out. I don’t know if anyone wants to hear all of it, maybe I can make a discord or something but I don’t know what to do and I don’t want nobody else but her.

I wasn’t planning on posting anything about this because it feels very minor compared to what I’ve read on this sub, but I figured someone out there would appreciate hearing about this stuff. I’m going to break it up into a backstory, what I was told growing up, and finally my personal experiences with the house. This is just to hopefully make it more legible. edited 3-4x for legibility I lost count
Backstory:
My Mom owns this house my Grandpa built like 70-80 years ago. It’s mostly unchanged from the original build (as in the inside is quite retro, but also falling apart a little bit). I lived there for a few years when I was a baby/toddler, but I don’t remember very much of that. My friends were always creeped out by this place when I was a kid. Otherwise,I grew up with the understanding that there were spirits in the home, but never spent much time there until a couple years ago, when I moved into the basement with my then boyfriend for around a year.
Stories I heard as a kid:
Chief:
Growing up my parents told me stories of how the house was built on native land (very possible based on where we live but I have never verified) and how they’d seen instances of a man dressed in Native American Chief’s attire from time to time. My Dad claimed he saw this man outside the house and that he felt like a kind presence.
Pumpkin:
My Mom had an orange cat named Pumpkin before I was born. Pumpkin was a good cat that my Mom rescued, as well as an outdoor cat, which was the typical fashion at the time. Pumpkin tragically passed due to some unpleasantness with a neighbour (sparing you all the details, only including this because ik traumatic deaths can sometimes be related to supernatural happenings). After Pumpkin passed my Mom swore she would hear and sense him around the house at times. At one point, my Dad felt the presence of a cat walking on him while he was in bed.
The weirdest Pumpkin related happening was this: a few years after Pumpkins passing, my Mom was painting the walls in what would one day become my playroom (the most active room in the house). Once she’d finished with one of the walls she left the room for a moment. When she returned a little while later, she found the entire freshly painted wall covered in orange cat hair.
The playroom:
this room gets an entry of its own because it always just had weird vibes while I was growing up. It’s super cold, this is probably to do with the DIY everything, but it adds to the spook factor. I have never liked being in there alone for very long. My Mom claims to have seen shadow figures moving to and from this door, which I believe. Toys with battery packs left in this room would randomly activate. At one point two of my toys awoke my Mom in the middle of the night because they were having a ‘conversation’ of sorts, like one activated the other and they were bouncing back and forth. (I think they were electronic care bears? I can’t remember what toy it was now - if there’s interest I’ll bug my mom to see if she remembers it) This alone is not so strange. What was very odd is that due to these toy’s “repeat after me” nature, my Mom habitually turned them off before bed. This one I vaguely remember, because my Mom was super creeped out by it and told me about it in the morning.
My experiences:
OK. so, having lived there a year, I did not see any Native Chiefs, orange cats, or shadow figures. However, other than a general feeling of not being alone, three instances come to mind.

1. The swoosh:

This one is the most minor, and I know my boyfriend (now fiancé) thinks it’s just me looking for ghosts, but it was weird. One time I was sitting in the bedroom while my boyfriend was in the bathroom, one room over (sharing a wall) and I felt him walk into the room. like I heard the noises someone would make walking into a room, and felt the air move, but when I looked up he wasn’t there, he was still in the bathroom.

1. the door:

So, I said the house was falling apart a little bit, right? Well, the front door would always be an endeavour to open. Due to reasons I won’t explain here, we could only use that door, which sucked. It had DIY weather stripping that sort’ve jammed it shut, and the knob was very loose, at times unresponsive the the key (lol). I got into this habit of greeting the ghosts (just in case, and also if there were ghosts there I figured that would be lonesome for them) as well as asking them to open the door or let me open the door. Maybe it was just me getting the hang of the thing, but this had like a 90% success rate. I also did this to creep out my bf who was not as open to the idea of ghost pals.
3- the giggle:
This one’s short and sweet, while my boyfriend and I were watching a movie one time, we heard a little kid giggle in the room with us. I asked him “did you hear that” and he was like “yeah but that was in the movie” so we rewound the movie and there was no such giggle.
to anyone who made it this far: thank you for reading, I hope the formatting isn’t too killer. I’m using a really laggy phone to type this, so if even one person reads this I’ll be happy haha

Hi, I've searched for a few threads about this but they are mostly dated from 3-5 years ago and there was a lot of nerfs and buffs in the meantime.
I have a 470 ED with 105 mlvl and hunt duo with 570 RP with 106 dist and we're looking for some hunting spots where we can pull best exp. I'm looking for ideas but also of a rough estimate of raw exp achievable in that duo so we know if we're not using an optimal path or is the spawn simply not that great for this duo
Ideas we want to try or have tried:
1) Summer court - mostly for charms for RP, but the spawn closes at 3,6kk raw exp. one route I found uses dream scar and something around 4kk raw can be achieved there but I don't have access. we'll probably do charms there on rapid
2) winter court - as above most likely
3) oramond catas - it looks really good on paper, only worried about DT running away, but currently someone voted mechanical dungeon so we can't try
4) mirror - mostly to finish charms for me, hate that spot
5) roshamuul - we tried west, I don't have charms, RP has frazzles and silencers, but exp was pretty poor so far, below 3kk.
6) deathlings - I have high hopes for that spawn because charm procs can be quite high, but RP doesn't have them unlocked yet. good thing here is that exeta is not needed due to their stupid retargeting, so I'd just stick with poison bombs. sadly our exp on first try was terrible because I made a mistake of telling the RP that dead deeplings can drop foxtail, and checking those bodies became priority
7) flimsy - I have never hunted that spawn and since RP has low blow unlocked it seems like a great idea on paper. what I'm worried about is their retargeting, because 3 flimsy were able to take me down to lower end of yellow hp. I saw some videos where you can wild growth yourself in venore but we're not familiar with the spawn yet, and since they just increased density on PH flimsy I'm wondering which would be better to start with
8) crypt wardens - also not sure about their retargeting and whether RP could survive a full box there
9) feru seals - we wanted to try blightwalkers when they were boosted but neither of us hunted there in that combo, and I'm not sure if RP could fullbox, especially if hellflayers are there. I was curious about undead dragon task
10) cobra bastion basement - RP has a vizier charm to finish and I think it's easier to pull and block the passage with mw/wild growth in some places so we can survive without exeta, also high charm procs
11) issavi sewers - I'm worried RP might be too low to fullbox there yet?
12) falcons - also not sure if we would have to kite or play on traps at eagle, especially with new density
13) nagas - I know that spot offers super high exp especially with druid, but I'm not sure if RP amp res will suffice to make this spawn playable. three spots can easily be played with traps and we would definitely live, but charms don't proc very high on that spawn and archers spreading might sort of ruin it but im not sure
any tips on what from that list would be best to check for highest exp/profit and rough ballpark of raw exp we should be getting in them would be greatly appreciated.
last thing, RP upgraded from 350 to 560 recently so he doesn't have a lot of experience yet, but he's not missing turns too much, I'm only a bit worried about him being the acting blocker. he also has decent eq, but by no means full set (falcon bow, no greaves, one ghost chestplate, shawls and pendulets, spangen helmet)

** Plot Twists, Red Herrings, and the Art of Keeping Readers on Their Toes**
My friends, we have arrived at the heart of a truly gripping story - the twists, the turns, the mind-bending surprises that keep those precious pages turning. A skillful plot will keep your readers guessing until the very end, begging to know what happens next.
Commandment #21: Play Fair (But Play Dirty)
There's nothing worse than a twist that comes completely out of left field. It feels cheap and cheats the reader. Plant clues throughout, breadcrumbs leading to the surprise, even if they don't seem obvious at first. Reward your readers for paying attention.
Commandment #22: Misdirection Is Your Best Friend
The red herring, the unreliable narrator, the seemingly insignificant detail – these are the tools of suspense. Lead your reader down a path, make them certain of the outcome, then yank the rug right out from under them. But remember, play fair! (see Commandment #21).
Commandment #23: The Shock Factor Isn't Everything
Yes, we all love a jaw-dropping twist. But smaller, more subtle surprises throughout your story maintain tension and give readers that delicious feeling of anticipation. Even a simple change in setting, a shift in tone, or a new character reveal can keep the emotional stakes high and propel the story forward.
Commandment #24: Don't Be Afraid to Scrap (and Pivot, and Try Again)
Sometimes even the most brilliant plot twist ends up feeling forced. If it's not working, don't force it. You might discover a completely different, even better, path for your story. Flexibility is your friend, especially when dealing with the unpredictability of plot.
Commandment #25: Surprise Yourself First
If you can see your twist coming a mile away, your reader certainly will. Force yourself to think outside the box. Imagine the most unexpected outcome, then work backward – how would you get there? This often leads to the most original and satisfying plot twists.
Revision: The Sculpting Knife of a Good Story
You've survived the first draft and wrestled your plot into submission. Congratulations, the fun really starts now! Revision is where you transform your raw lump of clay into a masterpiece.
Commandment #26: Let It Rest (Then Read It with Fresh Eyes)
Step away from your manuscript for a while – a week, a month, if you're lucky. When you come back to it, you'll be surprised at the glaring errors, the clunky prose, and the genius ideas that spring to mind. Distance lets you see your work with the ruthless objectivity necessary for the next stage.
Commandment #27: Find Your Tribe of Trusted Readers
Beta readers are your lifeline. Find a few people whose judgment you trust and whose opinions don't sugarcoat the truth. Seek diverse viewpoints to spot issues or blind spots you may have missed.
Commandment #28: Know Which Feedback to Take (And Which to Ignore)
Not all feedback is created equal. Consider the source, their intent, and their understanding of your genre. Take what resonates, discard what doesn't. Ultimately, trust your gut about your story – you're the visionary.
Commandment #29: Revise Until It Hurts (Then One More Time)
Revision isn't about tweaking a few sentences; it's often about major surgery. Be ready to cut beloved scenes, rewrite entire chapters, and rethink character arcs. It's painful, but that's how the good stuff emerges.
Commandment #30: Don't Stop Until It Sings
There's no magic word count or number of revisions. You'll just know when a story is ready. It will have a hum, a resonance, a sense of rightness to it. Don't settle for anything less.

So I don’t know how to start this but I meet this girl on a dating app and we were talking, everything was amazing even the first time we met up. She spent the night over because she was too drunk to drive home so was I, I was very hesitant because this person at that time was a stranger but we just vibe so well. After that day we just keep hanging out and exploring places in SD. I got to really get to know this person so well and deeply that we had so much in common, Music, ideas, etc.
I started to like this girl so much but the only thing I didn’t like was she was talking to her ex still but for a reason. She had to pay him back for rent which I thought It was totally fine but it started to get to a point where she was like “ugh he is just pissing me off and I can’t take this with him.” Also she would bring up certain things with him to me which I thought was weird to me because even though I knew they lived with each other about two years ago and broke up a year ago.
I never seen somebody talk about their ex so much even though it was all bad things about him but even still have contact with him. I would kinda tease her about it sometimes like “oh sounds like you guys are still together.” She denies it and says fucker I like you not him anymore but it got to a point I would say stuff like that out of concern which one day, we had a conversation about it and she said I would bring him up all the time.
I never dealt with that before, so even though I know this is wrong I went on a the same dating app I found her on and was looking and I saw her sister friend at the time. I didn’t know the friend at the time so I swipe on her and we didn’t match but I get a call from the girl I was talking to and she was telling me how could I do this and everything else, which she is right I should of never done that. I just felt like she was so drawn on her ex and having conversations with him that I was going try and see what else was out there but after that we came to a agreement on just keep talking to each other.
Months go by and we fall for each other, we aren’t in a relationship yet because I just feel so doubtful that it could work because in my mind she is still talking to her ex. She wants to be my girlfriend but I just kept telling her let’s wait because of the ex stuff, I didn’t tell her that but she got it. We have each others location and spring break comes, I don’t know what happened but my location stops working for her.
I leave to go back home. She gets worried about not seeing it and wants to fix it and I tried to fix it but it wouldn’t work for me even showing her that it didn’t but then I told her I’m going to be spending time with my family because I never get to see them because I play college football. she got that but it’s also my fault because I spent so much time with them and didn’t text her as much when I was back at home.
My birthday is in spring break so I got gifts from my family but I got crocs that had I heart N which was from my mom which represented my uncle who passed, His name started with a N. she’s worried that I might have a another girl back home. I tried telling her I don’t but I wanted her to come over since I was gone for a week and she had gifts for my birthday that past so everything was good.
She is over my place and is fine with staying until I got back from practice so I left then I get text messages from my family friend telling me she is texting her on instagram and somehow gets her phone number. I couldn’t go back home to ask why she is doing that since I was already at practice but after practice I call her and she is literally back at her house and telling me that I lied to her and that she is done with me.
She literally took an edible and drove home which I think is crazy but she is so high and I tell her, What is going on and she says I have proof of you lying to me and I told her send it to me. She takes forever to send it but she sends it to me and it’s my crocs with the N. She tries to say my family friend is the girl so we go back and forth but then she realize that it wasn’t and says sorry for leaving and she also got in an argument with her mom.
I tell her that we need to just slow down we are just dating and you are doing crazy things. She agrees and we kinda slow down, after this she is still stalking my family friend. she doesn’t know that my family friend has a boyfriend and keeps looking at her stories and thinks it’s me so she jumps to conclusions and breaks up with me. I keep tryna tell her it’s not me and she keeps saying it is but we come to a agreement again and she asks me why do I still wanna date her when she’s done that, I tell her I just like her so much and wanna see how far it can go.
This is true and still is because this is still fresh. weeks later she is having conversations with her ex but she already told him that she wants me and not him anymore. he didn’t wanna let go and she was just paying him back the money she owed him but he started to make conversation with her and they were just talking like friends. Couple weeks ago he confessed to her about wanting her back and wants her to drop me and come back to him but they have a long bad history and she told him “I’m not doing that to him, I want him in my life not you just move on.”
He literally pass out or something while driving because he wasn’t getting sleep or something and she calls me and tells me everything that went on and all that shit made me so mad. she still was talking to him because I knew he would do something like that but he gives her a ultimatum of it’s either me or him. She told me that and tells him the next day I’m sticking with him. She couldn’t and wouldn’t go back to that place he put her in so after that I’m pissed off about that whole shit and keeping contact with him.
A week ago, my family friends car stops working so she asks me to take her to target to get stuff and I did because why wouldn’t I help. I do that and we are just laughing and talking then I take a picture of her with my crocs half way in it and she posted it but next thing that happens is I get a text from the girl. She says fuck you, bye then blocks me and it hurt so fucking much like I still think about it and tried to tell her, I wasn’t doing anything with my family friend but I was blocked.
I start to post on my story and she just watches them and not saying anything. I don’t say anything as well but then she posts something about karma is coming for the people that lied to her and did her wrong which hurt because I truly wasn’t doing nothing. I didn’t wanna text her because I was still shocked that she would do that then days go by and she stops watching it.
I saw she keep going public and private on instagram so when she opened it again I like some new pictures of her then she texts and delete. I asked her what did she say and she said why am I liking her shit and I need to stop because my little girlfriend isn’t going like that like just being so petty. She tells me that she is going block me on Instagram too so I started feeling sad and told her don’t let me just talk to her.
I wasn’t even home, I was literally in a different state for a family trip which was two days ago but I tell her everything that I love her and wanna fix it. I don’t wanna lose her but she tells me she isn’t changing her mind and I’m begging her because I truly love this girl but we come to somewhat an agreement of seeing each other Tuesday. I got back in the state so I text her and tell her my flight is going be late maybe let me stay over at her place because I know her mom a little and her mom likes me.
I told her maybe I could do that and we can just talk but then she tells me that’s not a good idea and she isn’t doing that so I keep trying and trying but she says we can talk on the phone when I land so I said fine I’m cool with that. I landed and I was about to text her that I landed, can we talk now but before I went on instagram to see if she unfollowed people because I just couldn’t stop thinking about her being with someone else. I see she blocked me on instagram so I go to text her phone number and I was blocked too.
I had a whole letter for her and she hasn’t even seen it because I sent it after the messages went green but it just hurts so much because I want this girl like she just matches me. This just happened two days ago,I am really hurting bad. I don’t know what to do I feel so alone but I just want her bad like what can I do and I know the story is everywhere but it’s so hard to type this out. I don’t know if anyone wants to hear all of it, maybe I can make a discord or something but I don’t know what to do and I don’t want nobody else but her.