So I understand that this might be my illiteracy showing because I don't read Kannada but I'm curious as to if my observation holds any weight at all! The difference I am noticing does not seem to be tonal -- the searches I've done say that Kannada is not a tonal language. It's more about inflection? there are so many words where (when transcribed to English) the specific emphasis changes the meaning -- so, in my title, it's Kali with the l softly aspirated (I'm not sure about technical terms), k - uh - lee, which mean to learn I'm pretty sure vs. Kali, where the tongue curves back on the l? so start with saying the l in the way that you would "love" but move your tongue further back so that it touches your palate towards the end of your mouth. I can't for the life of me think of English word where this kind of L is used tbh -- it's almost like you're flicking your tongue away from the back palate of your mouth? anyway, this one means "thief".
Kali, Kali -- and sure, you could say, oh in Kannada they're probably different letters, but I don't see anything similar in English? Like, saying love with the L pronounced from the beginning of your mouth vs the back -- it just changes the accent, not the meaning. You get what I mean?
I was just wondering if there's a specific term for this feature -- because it's not ubiquitous in Kannada but it shows up enough that even an illiterate idiot like me can kind of do word play jokes? See: Kathe vs Kathe (Story vs Donkey -- K - uh - th (soft th in the way of "thespian" maybe) - ey vs Kuh - th (more force maybe like how "thunder" is pronounced) - ay.
Hope this makes sense? And if you guys have any fun sources, books etc for me to do more reading into the linguistic inquiry of Dravidian languages, I would love that!

I devoured the Fourth Wing and Iron Flame last week and haven't really stopped thinking about them. This is my first romantasy series and I have so many thoughts haha. Two theories I have (which I know are far fetched) I haven't see others post. I would love to hear your thoughts!

1. Naolin is still bonded to Tairn. It's already a popular theory that Naolin is alive, so this theory builts off that. One of the epigraphs was about dragon bonding, along the lines of "we don't know why dragons don't bond two riders instead of one... but that's just the way it's always been done." I know I am completely butchering the exact quote here. What if dragons can bond multiple riders, they just chose not to. Afterall, no human is supposed to be able to bond two dragons either. My wild theory is that Naolin is still alive, gave up his humanity/riderhood to become venin in order to save Brendan (and is either a sage or the general), Tairn just shielded that bond. We know so little about Brandan/Naolin resurrection.Tairn never talks about the pain of losing a rider -- in fact, he just says "we shall not talk about the one that came before you." He has kept secrets from Violet for her protection. We know he is incredibly strong to the point that using magic to hold Violet in her seat only uses "a fraction" of his powers -- the way he said it made it sound negligible, so I think he would be strong enough to shield another rider.
2. Violet, Mira and Brennan will fulfill the fable of the three siblings who wield, which means Violet will have to sacrifice either her siblings to save everyone or sacrifice herself to save her siblings. The idea of siblings and the love Violet shares with Mira and Brennan is mentioned frequently in both books. The venin fables are also mentioned often. The epigraphs have also featured the stories of the three siblings (one was jealous of the other two and drained the Barrens). As far I remember, the Sorrengails are the only three-sibling family we meet that is still in tact. I think this is meaningful somehow. We already know how much Violet loves both of them and would do anything to keep them save and vice versa. Obviously, Violet with her lightning powers will be key in defeating/curing the venin, but one of the epigraphs mentioned that the one sibling who rained pure power from the sky and defeated the evils that plagued Navarre did so at a "great and terrible price." I think Violet will have to give up either her siblings, or herself (and thus the Tairn, Sgaeyl, Xanden chain) eventually to end any war with the venin.
3. Violet's second signet is predicting the future /seeing the past as a powerful form of truth-sayer. I'm fully on board with this great theory write up from u/notooryous thatViolet's second signet is truth-sayer, which is said to be "more terrifying than an intrinnsic." Since Andarna's breed as not been since in 650 years, Violet's second power has be special. There is a scene in Fourth Wing when JFB makes fun of Violet in Battle Brief by saying "I'm not the one who thinks precognition is a thing.... God help us if that one ever gets on a a dragon." I operate under the assumption the JFB is wrong about everything, which points to precognition/predicting the future is a very real thing. Plus General Melgren's power is a limited version of seeing the future already since knows how every battle (except with the marked ones) end.If we extent the premise that the most important thing to Violet is the truth -- well, what is more true than how the future turns out and what really happened in the past? This also gives a "time-travel" element to her powers which baby Andarna gave her. Knowing what happened in the past with venin would be hugely helpful to Violet and knowing critical elements/hints about the future might key to preserving the lives Violet values. We know from Fourth Wing that Violet wants her power to be useful (something she wrongly laments her lightning power is not when she first gained it). Seeing the future and/or past would be both useful to society and what she needs most at this moment.

I hope someone else feels as unhinged as me. The book hangover is very real for me.

I never knew how much this game would have an effect on me. I have recently been playing the original Mass Effect to clear all the achievements I need to collect as I enjoy doing that. In the early hours of the morning I awoke and just threw the game on to finish the last two achievements and I stopped at the resume screen as I listened to the music, whilst I contemplated what the hell I was doing with my life.
I'm 29 in a two weeks, I have graduated from University, twice. Once at London in Biomedical Sciences and just recently I have completed my Masters degree with a first/distinction in Microbiology. Games like Mass Effect were absolutely pivotal in shaping my decision to become a scientist and eventually maybe an astronaut. Recently, I've been struggling to find a role in my field and it all feels like a waste of time.
As I sit here typing this out and listening to the Mass Effect title music I cannot help but explore the idea that I don't know if I actually wanted to become a scientist anymore. I can't help but feel that I just want to create worlds, develop stories and lore about the universe and use my scientific knowledge to create works of fiction for people. Works of fiction like Mass Effect, works of fiction for others to enjoy. Books, drawings, animations, text logs and snippets of history reaching out and inspiring people like my younger self.
I cannot begin to describe how much this game instills nostalgia and melancholic memories of my past, reverberating through my mind of simpler times as a teenager. I cannot articulate those feelings into words because those complex emotions that are swirling around inside me from just the music alone is slightly overwhelming.
I do know however, that I would want someone else to feel what I felt when I first played this game, how it inspired me to reach for the stars and my dreams. Although I haven't got there and I'm struggling with pushing on and striving for those goals I still feel those original feelings beginning to rise once more and every single time I listen to that music as I boot up the game. I sit here wondering if I should just try and learn Adobe software to develop skills in an entirely different field and use my science degrees in an outside of the box sort of way.
I feel very lost right now, but at the same time, for the moment at least, I feel calm and hopeful as I'm listening to the title music, reassuring myself as the notes strike my ears. "Today is a new day" I hope that people feel comforted in the fact that games like Mass Effect have truly shaped my life and provided hope at even the darkest of times.

Hello All!
Cleaning out my closet. I'll have a lot more to add, but here are some for starters. Some CE's require a pretty big box, so for those it will take a bit longer to ship out. Pictures will be provided upon request!
Nintendo Switch Games

To The Moon LRG	BNIB	$50
To The Moon LRG Deluxe Edition	BNIB	$100
Fire Emblem Three Houses SEASONS OF WAREFARE CE	BNIB	$200 Shipped

3DS BUNDLE
I'm the original owner and still have the OG box. It is the Legend of Zelda A Link Between Worlds Gold LE 3DS XL. The code has long been redeemed but the console itself is in good condition.
The 3DS will come with the included games below. Some have a case and the rest will be loose cartridges.
Asking for $500 For the bundle
Games with a CASE
Monster Hunter 4 Ultimate
LOZ Majoras Mask
Shin Megami Tensei Devil Summoner 2
Loose Cartridges
Pokemon Y
Animal Crossing New Leaf
Mario Kart 7
Super Mario 64
LOZ Ocarina of Time
Sims 2 Castaway
Adventure Time - Explore the Dungeon Because I Don't Know
Professor Layton and the Azran Legacy
Wii

Last Story LE	CIB	SOLD

PS VITA

Trails of Cold Steel Lionheart Edition	BNIB	$80 Shipped

PS3

Drakengard 3 CE	CIB	SOLD
Record of Agarest War Zero Limited Edition	BNIB	$50 Shipped
El Shaddai	BNIB	$40 Shipped
Final Fantasy XIII Lightning Returns CE	BNIB	$100 shipped
Bleach Soul Resurrecion	CIB	$25 Shipped
Medal Of Honor Warfighter LE + Steel Book	BNIB	$30 Shipped
Tales Of Xilia 1 CE	BNIB	$100 Shipped
Tales Of Xilia 2 CE	BNIB	$100 Shipped
Atelier Totori Premium Edition	BNIB	$50 Shipped
Demon Souls	CIB	$15 Shipped
Dark Souls 1	CIB	$15 Shipped
Ultimate Marvel Vs Capcom 3	CIB	$15 Shipped
Tales Of Symphonia Cronicles CE	BNIB	$150 Shipped
PS3 Fat Console w/ PS2 backwards Compatibility	CIB (tested and working, plays PS1 and PS2 games) Only Console and Power + HDMI cable.	S****OLD

PS4

Nier Replicant White Snow Edition	BNIB	$150 Shipped
BlazBlue Central Fiction Limited Edition	BNIB	$150 Shipped

PS5

Diofield Chronicle 2 CE	BNIB	$160 Shipped

Misc

Nier Replicant White Snow Edition (no game)	BNIB	$120 Shipped (this version was for steam but the game codes were sent digitally so it's just the collectible box with all contents inside and not opened)

This year has been a rough year. A lot of things has happened, and I think every day is more intense in comparative of yesterday.
I'm in my 4th year of school, I really like the career I am studying, but it is so exhaustive. It is a humanist career, so I have to read a lot, like for the next next week I have an oral interrogation where I need to read 2 books with 400 pages each one, and that's just 1 subject. I am assistant in a subject and the rest of the assistant (2 other people, I'm mad with one of them because last year didn't help me with anything and I collapsed because of that) aren't very helpful, or they make some comments that hurt my feelings. Because of this and other situations, I am not comfortable when I'm in class and I get drained easily. Sometimes I'm daydreaming about changing career and study arts, because I always wanted to be an artist, but I don't have time to do something, and I am too ashamed to share what I do to my friends.
I am not comfortable in my home, neither. My little brother (4M) is at that moment of his life where his is super hyperactive but, at the same time, he is a little violent ? I don't know. He pushes me, he pinches me, he screams all the time, and he learned to open the door lock of my room, so I have no privacy. I am tired. I do not have the best relationship with my mother since never, and last time we started to talk more about how can we be gentle with my brother. Last week he got diagnosed with autism, so I have been helping and giving advice to my mother because I am autistic too, but I got diagnosed last year (my mother didn't believe me at that time, now she always tries to talk about it to me because I can help her with my brother but, at the same time, she hasn't said it to my other family about it ?? Like she ignores that I am autistic too and ignores all my struggles and that. It is not that I want she to say it to all the world, but when I came out to her, she told all my f* family and it was so weird. My family always tells everything to everyone, so. Yes. Is very weird) and I can help a little with that. My brother is like that because my grandfather (we live in his house since ever) like to scream and insult a lot, he has me fed up, and the father of my brother doesn't help her with him because he is having a parental burnout (is his first child so very understandable). This is a very stressing situation for everyone.
So, the "cherry on top" is that my partner (20M) and I decided to start living together. Yea. We both have similar situations on our respective homes, so we were so tired emotionally about it that we decided to search for a flat. And we luckily found a very good one last Saturday! So we are happy about it. But his family is more supportive than mine: my mom started the law of ice (I don't know if that's expression is valid in English, in resume she is ignoring me) and try to avoid me. But there are some days that she's super worried about it, and she gave me a washing machine and wants to buy me other things and that makes me so uncomfortable because since I was 15 yo I started to worry about myself and my needs (health and educations, my mom doesn't pay my university and nothing related to me) so is strange.
And I am tired because even if I have these good things in my life (a fantastic academic life, a partner that listen to me and is super nice to me and this new home only to us) I feel so sad and so insecure about a lot of things... I don't know if I am making the right decision with this, since I am just moving from home, but I'm still in the same city (I have this and the other year to finish my career, but I'm planing to study a master or still working in research) and sometimes I think that's dumb. And I know that it doesn't and this is going to help me with my mental health, but sometimes is just. I don't know. Everything is so complex.
I just wanted to vent, but if anyone wants to say something or share a similar situation, I am all ears. Or eyes in this case.
Sorry for my english, that's not my native language. And thank you so much for read me and for your time.

The episode resumed on a shot of Zee and Jo, their skin tones back to normal, running up to a smiling Chris. "Welcome back," he told the camera. "Zee and helper Jo are the first to arrive here, at the world's largest mud puddle!" The camera pulled back, revealing that the trio was standing near the edge of a large lake of burbling mud, a measuring stick rising out of it at the nearest edge.
"It's eight feet deep," Chris explained over a close-up of the measuring stick showing the mud reaching up very nearly to the 8' mark, "and 200 yards across. And," the camera quick-panned to the far right side of the 'puddle', "since it's too thick to swim through," the shot cut back to the couple and Chris, "the only way to the other side is with one of you piggybacking the other."
"Umm...," Zee said hesitantly, sharing a wary look with Jo, "doesn't that mean the person on the bottom..."
"Will drown?" Chris finished. "Yes."
"What?!" Jo said in wide-eyed shock.
"Unless they use this garden hose!" Chris added, a light chime playing as he held up a length of green hose.
Zee let out a breath. "Okay then. Guess I'm on the bottom, then."
Jo's eyes widened a bit in a brief bit of surprise, and she looked at her partner. "I should be objecting to this since I'm supposed to be the helper, but hey. No heavy lifting from me."
"Yeah…" Zee agreed half heartedly.
Confessional: Zee
"I was able to hold Jo onto my back while we were skiing," Zee told the confessional. "I can still do the same while under mud."
Confessional Ends
"I know that I said you were weak in the past," Jo said, "but that was until I saw that you were able to make it this far in the game."
"You thought wrong about me," Zee replied. "I wasn’t active at first in challenges and finding food, but with Julia eliminated, I was able to grow and become a finalist."
Chris suddenly stepped between the two. "How touching. Now start the challenge."
The scene cut to Zee and Jo jumping into the mud, the former disappearing below its depths while the latter, on his shoulders, held up the length of the hose. They started moving forward, and the camera panned back to the left to show Harold, Scarlett, and Chris holding up another length of hose.
"Yeah, I'll be on top," Harold stated.
"Pardon me?" Scarlett countered, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't trust you not to let me drown," Harold told her. "Self-preservation comes first."
Scarlett groaned. "That's fair," she said, taking the hose from Chris, "but if you let me suffocate, I'm dragging you down into the mud with me."
"Crustal," Harold deadpanned, and as Scarlett crouched down, she jumped onto the brainiac's shoulders. Scarlett stood back up and put the end of the hose in her mouth, and she jumped into the mud.
The tense music faded away as the camera moved onto Chris, the host sighing as Chef walked up. "You think the mud was a bad idea?" Chris asked. "It's a little quiet… oh yeah," Chris said as if in sudden realization, "almost forgot about the Peanut Gallery. Bring 'em back in!" he said into a walkie talkie he only then pulled out.
Moments later, the wind kicked up around them, and the camera zoomed out to show the large helicopter flying in with the former contestants still hanging – and screaming as they swayed ominously – below it. "Would you let us down already?!" Leshawna shouted angrily. "It's freezin' up here!"
"Yeah, I want to cheer for Zee!" Julia chimed in.
"If I wasn't tied up right now, I'd have half a mind to pound you!" Duncan shouted at the host.
The camera focused on DJ. "Hey, Chris?" he looked forward and asked loudly. "Just bring us down before anybody else gets miffed at you!"
"No, and I don't care," Chris answered with a calm smile, until Chef whispered to him. A flat note played over a close-up of Chris staring blankly at him. "Huh...good point," he admitted. "Ooh!" he said with a sudden grin. "I just had an idea!"
A flash took the scene to Zee and Jo, the tense challenge music resuming at a low volume and slow pace in the background. They were still slogging through the mud, Zee out of sight but Jo only submerged up to her stomach. She looked back over her shoulder, smiled, then said "Keep going!" into the piece of hose she was holding. "They're way far behind!"
Confessional: Zee
"So as it turns out," Zee said, "being submerged in the mud is kinda like being trapped in the dark. But there aren't any animals below to scare me."
Confessional Ends
The music ramped up as Jo suddenly stopped moving, then seemed to turn around and start moving back towards the start. "Uh, Fruit Loop?" she asked into the hose. "We're going the wrong way!"
The camera cut to Harold, looking somewhat bored as he held the hose atop Scarlett's shoulders, before noticing the other team and frowning. "Why are they coming this way?"
"Ugh! They're too safe to sabotage each other!" came the sudden voice of Chris McLean, the camera cutting to him standing in the show's jeep with Chef at the wheel, speaking into the microphone of the jeep's loudspeaker. "Deploy the 2.0 model!"
The shot cut back to Harold and Jo as they looked around with strange expressions, the sound of something like a rocket taking off coming from somewhere in the distance. They looked up and to the left, and the camera shifted to their viewpoint to show a large object shooting up through the sky overhead...
...then abruptly diving towards them, revealing itself as a red-eyed robotic bear with small jet engines coming out of its back. Harold and Jo screamed as their respective partners continued in their previous directions, getting out of the way as the Bear landed in the mud. It hit with enough force to cause a wave of mud, which shot all the way across the puddle carrying the finalists and their helpers along for the ride. All four immediately began to cough upon landing in a muddy heap.
Confessional: Harold
"At least I have a better shot," Harold said. "We're tied right now, but who knows what other tricks Chris has up his sleeves."
Confessional Ends
A close-up of the nozzle of a fire hose in Chef's hands preceded him blasting the muddy finalists and helpers with water, all four screaming where they'd landed on the shore of the 'puddle'. Moments later, the water was shut off, leaving them drenched but clean.
"We're all tied up," Chris announced with a smile. "Perfect time for a little break. First, let's bring in the Peanut Gallery again." He took out his remote and pointed it at a patch of ground nearby, a hole opening up in it and a rather shoddy-looking set of stadium seats shooting up out of it with the ten former contestants seated – and still tied-up – in it.
"Sha-finally," Lightning said, the shot cutting to him sitting in the top row with B, DJ, Duncan, and Max and Leshawna, Ella, Julia, Sammy, and Amy in the bottom row. "Are we gonna get to watch the rest of the challenge now?"
"Yup!" Chris answered with a happy smile, pressing the button on his remote again so that a large widescreen television emerged from another hole in the ground near him and the finalists.
"Will you untie us too?" Ella chimed in.
Chris huffed. "Whine, whine, whine," he said in annoyance. "Don't I do enough for you kids as it is?"
"No," all fourteen of the season's cast members replied at the same time.
A flat note played over a close-up of the host pursing his lips. "Yeah, I owe Chef twenty bucks about that," Chris said, the camera zooming back out again to show the finalists and helpers. "Everyone, grab a seat," he instructed, and the four reluctantly sat down on the logs lying behind them. "I'm gonna show you some of my favorite clips from the show..." He pointed his remote at the TV, and the shot focused in as it switched on and started to play footage of a confessional...
"Dunderhead was already pretty useless," Jo complained. "But now he's making moves on one of the actually decent players on the team? Not on my watch!"
The camera cut in close to show Jo pausing and looking back. "Something on your mind, Anti-Squeakerbox?" she asked, the camera shifting to show B peering at her and shaking his head.
“It's not what you think it is," Jo told him. "As long as they are on this team, Julia and Zee will not date."
“Not exactly how I wanted the elimination to play, but hey. Julia’s gone and with Zee still in the game, I could manipulate him into doing whatever I say,” Jo grinned.
The footage paused, and Chris leaned out in front of the television with a wide and mischievous grin. "Seems like there isn't a shipper on deck…" he said impishly.
"So you were trying to keep me and Julia apart?" Zee said as the camera moved to him and Jo, his eyes wide with shock. "Does this mean that...,"
"Yup. I convinced Julia to quit," Jo replied. "I didn't expect her to fully go through with it since I was gonna vote you out!"
"I can't believe you'd try and do that!" Zee said with a glare!"
"If I didn't do what I did, then you two likely would've blown challenges for us like the dueling one!" Jo argued back.
The camera focused on Julia in the Peanut Gallery. "I was trying to defend my boyfriend, but sure," she said dryly.
"I'm just worried what Chris is gonna show from Scarlett," Sammy said. "It looks like he wants to mess up the finalists and their helpers..."
"Maybe he won't show anything?" Amy suggested. "I mean, it's not like Scarlett and Harold were that close to begin with."
The shot cut back to a smiling Chris. "Oh, don't worry, I have no intention of leaving those guys out of all this fun," he said happily.
"I don't see how," Scarlett said. "Harold already knows everything about me now. I’m practically an open book."
Chris laughed. "Seems you forgot that the cameras are always on. So here's some more juicy information that everybody gets to hear." The screen on the TV went from static to a scene from the fifth episode.
Scarlett herself grabbed the dueling stick Ella retrieved, fished an electric eel out of the water, and tossed it to Max. "Max!" she cried, and her teammates looked at her in confusion, prompting her to pretend that she had coughed. "Pardon me!"
“The plan was for Max to be the only one not in the trap, so the team would know he built it and vote him off!” Scarlett confessed.
"I overheard Leshawna and Harold's conversation when they were foraging together, and Leshawna being on to me is something that I refuse to let happen," Scarlett claimed. “Zee's really gullible enough to deceive, and I'll try to talk to Ella.”
A deep, dramatic note was struck over a shot of Harold in shock. "So it was you who got Leshawna eliminated!" he scowled in Scarlett's direction.
"I wasn't ready to come out just yet, and between the two of you, you were less likely to warn anyone about me!" Scarlett retorted.
"So all this time, Scarlett was aiming to usurp her master!" Max ranted.
"I don't blame her," Leshawna commented. “As much of a pain as she is, I would've done the same thing and sent your annoying behind home.”
"Okay," Chris said happily as the shot moved onto him, "I'm sensing some major hostility and I'm liking it. I'm out of popcorn, though, so we should probably get back to the challenge."
"Seriously?!" the finalists and helpers alike exclaimed.
"Obviously, the helpers aren't gonna be very helpful anymore," Chris replied. "So, instead of helpers, Jo and Scarlett will now be hinderers." As he spoke, Chef walked back into view with a pair of video game controllers, tossing one each to Scarlett and Jo. "The island is now back online," Chris continued, "and, with these controllers, they will be able to throw up obstacles to throw you down, or, completely crush you."
The shot cut to Scarlett as she looked at her controller and smirked. "Good to know."
"Looking forward to it," Jo said in determination.
Harold and Zee gulped, and Chris laughed. "That was the good part," he said. "Let me tell you the bad part. You have ten minutes to finish this challenge," he told Zee and Harold. "If neither of you do, Scarlett and Jo get to split the money."
"Dude, what?" Zee said in shock.
"You can't do that!" Harold protested.
"I can! I will! I am! GO!" Chris announced, blowing his airhorn right in Chef's face, earning an annoyed sigh from the man. Harold and Zee immediately ran off, but the camera cut to a close-up of a thoughtful Jo.
"Well...I want the money, but I'm not really comfortable with how this is set up," Jo said to herself. "But...I guess it wouldn't be too bad if I just made this a little more challenging for them..."
"Do what you want," Scarlett said, the camera panning over to show her grinning darkly with her controller in hand. "I'm getting my justice."
Confessional: Jo
“And I thought I was an underhanded person,” Jo mentioned to herself. “Velma has less morals than me and Gnome Master.”
Confessional: Scarlett
"I was snubbed in the last episode," Scarlett confessed. "And now that I've been given permission, I can stop the finalists from winning without getting electrocuted!" She pulled out the remote from the seventh episode. "I don't even need this device. I have a controller to do the job for it."
Confessionals End
A few quick drum taps opened up a deep and dangerous challenge theme, the scene returning to Zee and Harold sprinting across the open field only to gape in shock as the pine trees in the background starting launching like rockets.
"What the heck?" Harold said. "Rocket trees?"
One landed right behind them, forcing both finalists to roll forward out of the way. "This island is wild!" Zee cried as the two continued running, more and more trees landing behind them like massive spears.
The two were shown together in a brief close-up, raising their eyebrows in surprise. A quick-pan ahead revealed the landscape changing, trees and rock formations rising up out of the artificial ground to form a large, dense barrier.
Harold jumped ahead of Zee as they climbed over the first big rock formation.
Zee vaulted downward and dashing forward along a lower 'path' among the rocks. Just as he was about to jump down onto grass, however, a boulder shot upward – and he landed on it groin-first. A close-up showed him letting out a high-pitched squeal of pain.
Harold's wince drew the camera's attention back upward to show him leaping from a boulder and grabbing onto the branch of a tree, only for the tree to suddenly shoot back down into the ground – causing him to yell as it dragged him down and slammed him back-first onto a fallen log.
Zee gave him a quick concerned glance as he jumped onto the same log, then upwards onto a rock formation before climbing onward and to the right and out of sight.
The scene cut back to the hinderers, both still working their controllers with Scarlett still looking considerably happier about it. "No need to change what works," Jo said uncertainty.
"What happened to that cutthroat attitude you've been displaying?" Scarlett asked. "Don't throw it away when I can get something out of it. And lower some of those trees. They're giving them too much cover from this storm I'm whipping up."
The camera panned onto the monitor to show Zee and Harold struggling against a powerful wind as they walked through what looked like a dense forest as leaves, dust, branches, and various small woodland animals blew past them.
A focus on the monitor's screen transitioned the scene back to the challenge. "I think...I can see the finish line in the distance," Zee said, pausing for a moment as he struggled against the intense gale.
"They're not making this easy on us," Harold commented.
The pair briefly passed behind a thick and mossy pine tree, the camera zooming in slightly as they reappeared. "Would you?" Zee asked.
"...I guess not," Harold answered after a moment.
The shot cut back to the Peanut Gallery to show them watching with worry and anticipation. "C'mon, Harold," Leshawna spoke. "Just hang in there."
"I know you can win this, Zee," Julia said. "You deserve it after everything."
Then the camera cut back to the hinderers, Chris standing next to their monitor with his hands behind his back and a smile on his face. "Ooh! They're getting close!" he said excitedly, prompting Scarlett to scowl and Jo to frown.
Once more the scene moved back to the finalists, their arms raised to buffer themselves against the winds – snow beginning to fall and lightning beginning to crack in the background - with Harold in the lead. "Two minutes left!" Chris called out over the island's loudspeaker. "Two minutes!"
"I...," Harold said with glee. "I think I can make it!"
"Not if I can help it!" Zee shouted, speeding up as the dense trees around him and Harold began to recede into the ground – and the tense and dangerous challenge music resumed. "If I win, me and Julia can go out and change the world together."
"I have to win this," Harold told him. "I've been undervalued and looked down on by my peers, friends, and even my family. I need to prove my might."
The snowy ground below their feet began to crack. A hollow sound played, then all at once, the ground shot up under them, earning startled yells from both. The shot soon cut to the new peak they were standing on rising up into the sky, then stopping.
"Drats..." Zee muttered, both finalists looking down with wide eyes. his final word echoed as the camera zoomed out, revealing the snowy mountain they were now at the top of.
The Peanut Gallery was shown gasping, as were Jo, though Scarlett was smiling as their misfortune. "Twenty seconds left...!" Chris said as the camera moved on to him looking at his watch.
The shot cut back to Harold. "I guess it's over," he sighed. “Scarlett wins after all.”
Zee noticed a bulge in the snow beside him. The boy shoved his hand into it and pulled out the phone Duncan stole from Chris. "I don't know how this got here, but we have to get down. Start stomping the ground."
Harold nodded and stomped on the ground at his feet, and after a few cracks, Zee hurled the phone down, breaking the device apart. Their eyes widened as the mountain began to crumble under them, and the ground imploded in on itself.
"Six! Five!" Chris began to count off, the music cutting out save for a single plodding note to highlight each number. "Four!" The camera panned onto the television, showing both finalists tumbling through the snow and rock. "Three! Two! One!" The shot cut to the finish banner, then zoomed out to show the avalanche stopping just under it – with neither finalist in sight. "GAME OVER!" he announced, blowing on his airhorn as a subdued but triumphant riff played.
Jo stood up in surprise, and Scarlett started cheering.
"My mission was a success!" Scarlett said in victory. “Now hand over my well-deserved prize!”
"Congratulations Jo and Scarlett," Chris said with his usual smile. "Revenge is sweetest-" he glanced at the monitor- "ohhhhh, what have we here?" he said with a sudden look of shock, the music cutting out as he pointed at the television screen.
A sharp note played as a familiar hand stuck out of the snow lying just past the finish line and waved. Scarlett's jaw dropped in shock, and Jo let out a sigh of relief.
The scene cut to the finish line, the camera pulling back a little ways as Chef walked up with a stretcher, dressed as a female nurse. Leshawna ran onscreen and pushed him out of the way. Chef flew off frame with a shout, and Leshawna grabbed the arm and pulled, freeing a shocked and snowy Harold from the aftermath of the avalanche. "Oh," he groaned, looking around as Leshawna dropped him on the stretcher, "what happened?" he asked as the victorious music began to play again with much more enthusiasm.
"You won, Ginger Baby!" Leshawna answered with a smile, the camera pulling out even more to show Harold looking back at the finish banner.
"I did it!" Harold said excitedly. "Harold Norbert Cheever Doris McGrady V has claimed victory! Boo yah!" he raised his arms and cheered, the shot cutting away to show all of the Peanut Gallery cheering.
“We weren't able to talk to each other as much, and it's clear we like each other as more than just friends, but how about we hang out a little bit back home and see where things go?” Leshawna suggested.
“As long as we don't rush into a committed relationship, I'd like that,” Harold smiled back.
The camera panned to the left to show Julia frantically pulling a dazed and half-conscious Zee from the rest of the avalanche, and picking him up onto her back.
"Julia," Zee said weakly, "I'm sorry that I-"
"Be quiet," Julia said with a weak smile as she carried her boyfriend over to the stretcher and set him down next to Harold. "You need to rest."
"But-" Zee tried to say.
He was cut off by Julia grabbing his head and kissing him full on the lips. "You didn’t win the money, but we can still provide for the world in our own ways, and with the power of love," she said with a smile as she broke the kiss, leaving Zee looking dopey.
The capstone theme began to play as the footage skipped ahead to a shot of the open sky, the double-rotored helicopter soon flying up into view. "That's it for this very, very off season," Chris began, standing in the open doorway with Zee and Julia sitting on the edge letting their legs dangle freely with Julia leaning into Zee; Harold and Scarlett standing on either side of Chris, the latter annoyed and the former grinning while holding the suitcase full of money to his chest; and the rest of the cast, crouching down and peering over in the gaps between and behind the rest, constantly jockeying for position as they tried to get one last shot of themselves on camera.
"This is Chris McLean, saying if you can't stand the pain-" the handsome host continued, the shot cutting in closer- "stay off the Total! Drama! Paaaahkitew Island!"
"RE-VENGE!" Max suddenly yelled from behind Scarlett, shoving her out of the helicopter, and the brainiac screamed as she fell.
The camera lingered on the dumbfounded looks of Chris and the other ex-campers, all of them staring at Max in shock. "This is how a traitor should be rewarded," he said, crossing his arms and closing his eyes defiantly.
The ex-campers and host burst out laughing, and a fun and energetic tune started to play. The camera panned over to the windshield to show Chef laughing along with the rest of the cast from the pilot's seat, and the helicopter flew away.
The music soon faded away, though, and the scene quick-panned down to show a screaming Scarlett landing in the giant mud puddle. She quickly surfaced with a shocked splutter, and pulled herself out onto dry land. "How am I going to get home now because of those imbeciles?!"
A few ominous notes were struck, and a ferocious growl caught Scarlett's attention. She looked up, and the camera zoomed out to show Scuba Bear 2.0 standing over her, eyes red. "Heheh," the brainiac laughed nervously. "You're not going to hurt me are you?"
The scene abruptly cut outward to the full long-distance shot of the island, the ominous music ending as Scarlett's scream and Scuba Bear's snarl echoed across the lake.
(Roll the Credits)
Lightning - 14th
DJ - 13th
Amy - 12th
B - 11th
Julia - 10th
Max - 9th
Leshawna - 8th
MERGE
Jo - 7th
Duncan - 6th
Ella - 5th
Sammy - 4th
Scarlett - 3rd
Zee - 2nd
Harold - 1st

This afternoon I got to witness a small portion of final tech rehearsals for the upcoming Rachel Chavkin/Florence Welch/Martyna Majok version of Gatsby with a group of other A.R.T. members here in Cambridge, MA! The visit included a Q&A session with Taylor Brennan, who is working on Gatsby as A.R.T.'s in-house associate production manager, and Lisa Field-Coleman, associate director of development with A.R.T. Here are some of the most interesting items we learned....
Several questions were asked about the "phone-free" policy for the show. Taylor confirmed that 1) the policy applies specifically to this Gatsby production and is not currently planned for any other A.R.T. productions; 2) the intention is to prevent bootlegged recordings, rather than to eliminate smartphone disruptions (although several folks expressed gladness for this added benefit); and 3) Taylor believed, as was suggested elsewhere on this sub, that the policy was requested by Florence Welch's representation, in order to safeguard her music rights.
On that note, Taylor said the music will be distinctively recognizable as the product of Florence Welch, for those familiar with her work.
Finally, because guests will NOT be able to use their phones to view a digital program, Lisa confirmed that A.R.T. will be providing full-size printed programs for this production.
(My own personal note - I think anyone coming to see this should 100 percent plan to bring physical, printed copies of your tickets if at all possible, and arrive earlier than you think you should. The magnetic phone pouches are going add extra time to the entry process, and if you forget your seat location, there's no way to view your mobile tickets from inside the seating area.)
Speaking in general terms, Taylor estimated that the show was about "75 percent" complete as of today, compared to the version that will be locked in for opening night on June 5. Book, music, choreography, and staging are all still actively being revised, and she suggested, for example, there could even be a new song written between now and the first performance, which is just 4 days away. Talyor also indicated that the May 23 invited dress rehearsal (formerly scheduled as the first preview) will potentially be the first time the complete show is run from start to finish with all elements in place (sets, costumes, lighting, sound, etc.)!
The pit orchestra will be mostly visible on-stage for this show, and is currently at about 10 pieces, including piano, strings, and horns. While the instrumentation is more jazz-era than modern rock band, Taylor indicated that because it's Florence Welch, there will still definitely be a pop-rock energy to the sound. Taylor did also mention that this production includes a lift platform under the stage, hence the need to locate the orchestra elsewhere.
On the topic of staging, Taylor believes this is the largest set ever placed on the A.R.T. stage, and once we moved into the theater to observe rehearsal, the set indeed spanned the entire width of the proscenium arch. Two massive abstract-looking metal staircases frame the space - one all sharp edges and mirrors, the other like a pile of twisted silvery automobile carcasses. It definitely seems to have Rachel Chavkin's imprint - the staircase elements look slightly reminiscent of Lempicka, while the back of the stage is a huge wall of headlights that reminded me a tiny bit of Hadestown.
Finally, we got to see choreographer Sonya Tayeh spend 30 minutes walking the principal cast (Gatsby, Daisy, Nick, Jordan, and Tom) plus ensemble, all in full costume, through final choreo adjustments, and a partial run-through with orchestra, for a song currently titled "It's Too Hot" (in the fateful scene where the group decides to take a drive to the Plaza Hotel).
I didn't hear enough of the music to form an impression of it yet, but the big surprise takeaway I can offer is this: it appears this show is going to feature modern interpretative dance in a serious, serious way - in this one song fragment, we saw ensemble dancers on the floor, on their backs, and crawling. The cast and creative teams also appear to be stacked with serious dancing resumes, and a number of recent alumni from Moulin Rouge! on Broadway, including Sonya Tayeh, who won the choreography Tony for that show. When Taylor Brennan was asked to compare this show to what she cordially referred to as "the other Gatsby," she said the current Broadway production is exactly what you would picture The Great Gatsby to look like in your head, whereas the A.R.T. production doesn't look at all like what you would imagine, which she was very excited about....

As always constructive feedback is welcome.
The Book of the War states that the three renegades/errant interventionists were tricked into returning to Gallifrey then operated on by House Mirraflex pyschosurgeons, (lobotomies and neural links installation) to become the remaining Babel's restraining control mechanisms. While their identities are not stated it is possible to use the knowledge that they were offworld and are not likely to have been among those the War King recruited, (for whatever reason) to deduce from the known renegades which could be candidates.
Possibilities
a.Political/Interventionalists
The Renegade Presidency members that didn't immediately return with the Leader Thorac, (.D.W. Shada and .F.P. The Book of the War).
Rollonovoradnavashir, (.F.A.S.A. The Doctor Who Role Playing Game).
The Interfering Nun, (.D.W. Shada novelisation and .B.F. .T.C.C. 14.3 The Prints of Denmark).
Volusagashanisam, (.F.A.S.A. The Doctor Who Role Playing Game).
b.Criminals
Madrigor, (Annual 1975 The Time Thief).
Rungar, (.D.W. Shada novelisation).
Sabjatrik, (.D.W. Shada novelisation).
Scintillia, (.D.W. Shada novelisation).
c.Bored
Berenyi, (.D.W.M. No.171 Breif Encounters, Untitled).
Sartiacradinora, (.B.F. .4.D.A. 6.8 The Skin of the Sleek and 69 The Thief Who Stole Time).
Verikasdroverka.(.F.A.S.A. The Doctor Who Roleplaying Game).
d.Other
Enigma Tree, (.F.P. Liberating Earth).
Notes
The War King likely recruited: Epislon Delta to develop Burlesque devices for at least the Fourth Wave. Kellyalphalunder as he still cooperated with the .C.I.A.. Ophiuchus due to their regeneration knowledge possibly to help develop military regen.

What is Frog Shaman anyway?

Frog Shaman, Raggro Shaman, and Tempo Shaman are all names for this deck, which aims to develop an early board, buff that board with cheap spells, and win games through a mix of aggressively-statted minions and burst damage from hand. In my opinion, this deck has a lot of interesting lines to play, an above-average level of agency and skill expression, and a play style that aligns with the "Good Cards" piles we've seen in the past that many people associate with traditional Hearthstone.

Mulligan:

Always Keep:

• 1x Novice Zapper
• Shock Hopper(s)
• 1x Pop-up Book
• Titan

Vs Aggro:

• Jam Session
• 2x Pop-up Book
• Turn the Tides

Vs Control:

• Backstage Bouncer
• Pozzik (if you run it)

Maybe Keeps (if you already have one of the above):

• Rocket Hopper
• Trusty Companion
• Jam Session
• Backstage Bouncer
• Flowrider

Gameplan

Vs Aggro: Control the board with burn spells, big minions, and taunts. Take value trades whenever possible. Against most fast decks, you can go wide with many small minions. Against Paladin, go tall with all your buffs on a large minion. Once you have a good board presence, start counting your damage in hand and potential damage from top decks and discovers. If you can likely kill your opponent in two turns, let your taunts do their job and start dealing damage. You have just as much burst damage as any aggro deck, if not more, so plan ahead. Once you have a clear lethal set up in two or three turns, work towards that.
Vs Control: Play minions when possible, then buff them with Jam Session and Companion when they survive a turn and can attack face. This makes your boards harder to clear and gets you as much value as possible out of both your spell and minion. If you buff a minion and it gets removed instantly, you're down two cards for one, which won't help you get ahead.
Keep in mind common removal AOE spells like Prismatic Beam, Bladestorm, Aftershocks, and Lightning Storm. On turn 4 against a Warrior, consider if you want to play into Bladestorm with your Backstage Bouncers or if you have other options. Weaker lines that play around removal can enable you to get just enough damage through for your combos to finish them off.
Vs Mage: Probably the hardest matchup in my opinion. To beat them, don't let them get any chip damage with minions. Fight for the board like your life depends on it. If you take 6 damage over two turns from minions, the Mage is very likely to kill you from hand. Once you get board control, keep developing minions that demand answers. Jive Insect is good for this, as it can turn anything into a must-answer Ragnaros.
Vs Warlock: Count damage all game. Set up a turn to kill them from hand all at once rather than spacing out your damage.

Combos

This deck relies heavily on powerful combos and two-turn game plans that provide either a huge amount of burst damage or build an impossible-to-deal-with board. Plan your overload around these combos as much as you can.

• Sand Art Elemental (Mini) + 2x Turn the Tides = 14 damage for 7 mana.
• Novice Zapper + Lightning Bolts + Overdraft = a lot of damage.
• Jive Insect/Rocket Hopper + Overdraft = board control while clearing, often sets up two-turn lethal.
• Rocket Hopper on turn 6 into Thorim on 7.
• Titan + Jam Session.
• Conductivity + Jam Session.
• Jam Session + Novice Zapper or spell damage totem.
• Pop-up Book + Backstage Bouncer.

Flex Cards

In the provided list, I prefer Conductivity because the most explosive turn you can have is Conductivity + Jive Insect. However, all of these cards are playable. If the deck isn't working for you, try these out. Facing constant Paladins? Try more control options. Lots of spell-based decks? Try Speaker Stomper.

• Flash of Lightning
• Pozzik
• Thrall’s Gift
• Zilliax
• Speaker Stomper
• Growfin
• Conductivity
• Cactus Cutter

Conclusion

Thanks for reading! I really want to keep practicing this deck. I don't think it's an absolute tier 1 monster yet, but it is definitely playable. I was able to cruise at around 400 Legend with the deck, but others have hit top 100 with it. This deck should be an easy Legend climb and should do well at most ranks.
For VODs, check out my stream at twitch.tv/makiahtime. I've been playing this about 3 hours every day.
Deck Code: AAECAaoIBMjQBY31BcL5BemVBg3q5wP5nwTE0AXl5AXN7gX08gWH+wXDjwbslQa/ngaopwbTpwbQ0AYAAA==

First_Previous
Chapter 5 halfway to first little milestone.
Foul language warning keeping strong! Still hope you enjoy.
_____________________________________________________________________
°So, what now?° The human asked.
°Now I´m going to sleep, today was a lot.° Mor yawned. °Good night°
°Good night, sleep well.° The human answered and began to slowly wander the compounds of Mor´s mind just looking. Which for Mor was somehow soothing and let him quickly drift off into sleep. But as sleep took him, so did the nightmares, and while he tossed and turned in subconscious movement, the human watched. Watched the nightmares, watched the boy, who will be his other self from now on, watched what the four bullies did to him, and felt a protective rage. °Those asshats will pay. This ends, right now.° the human promised the sleeping Mor.
The next morning Mor acquired some writing implements and got to write his punishment essay. While the Human was backseat writing or more backseat questioning.
°Ah, so if you use a spell, where your magic is insufficient you could die, because the missing magic energy will be subsidized with a thing you call "live energy", but those energies are more or less the same, just that the "live energy" is the magic energy getting held back for your basic functions. But wouldn´t that mean, if you trained your basic strength and endurance that your magic energy would also get stronger? But then why do the elderly have more energy than someone in their prime?°
°Could you please shut up, I need to concentrate. I don´t want to write it again. And I told you that is not how it works! Also, why would training your strength do anything? You have your body and that's it. What would you even do, to "train" a body? It´s stupid.° Mor complained.
°Wait! Is that why everyone I saw is so scrawny? You have no concept of training your body? It´s just "I have to be born right, or I can´t use the fancy pants spells I read in a book", for all of you?! How did your kin survive until now? What about hunting for food or gathering, what about natural predators?° The human exclaimed.
°What stupid question is this now, we grow our crops and everything here on our floating islands, why should we hunt or whatever? You cast a spell and all the fruits get neatly gathered where you want them. This has always been that way.° Mor explained while continuing to write.
°That´s idiotic.° The human interrupted.
°Shut it!° Mor shushed the human.
The rest of the evening was spent in silence, but just before lights out the human spoke up again.
°Got an idea how we will deal with those bullies of yours?°
°No... I don´t even want to think about that.° Mor confessed. °But it probably can´t be avoided, best get to it then. The biggest problem is Zaletha, with her illusion magic, but the last time it somehow failed. Maybe it has something to do with you? Because you have no fear of her, I was also protected? Illusion magic is strange like that, you need some kind of emotional power over your target, or it has a big chance of failing. If that is the case, then it will not take long for Ranbor to escalate their abuse. He somehow really hates me.°
°Yeah, seemed like it. Any idea why? Well, it doesn´t really matter. Still, then we need a good plan to deal with them it´s four against two, and I can´t talk to anyone but you. So more like four against one and a half? But if this girl needs to have some kind of hold against me, she will be shit out of luck. The problem then is they may do something else to keep you in line. Maybe trying to intimidate you with more physical means.° Human mused.
°Then they would get into a problem with the school because attacking another student with magic is against the rules.° Mor interjected.
°But what would stop them from claiming it was an accident while helping you train? The best thing we could do would probably ignore them and if they don´t get the hint we just loudly declare, that we don´t want to have anything to do with them.° This got Mor thoughtful. °That might work, but most might not understand, why we would not want to have anything to do with them, because it would be helpful for my social standing to liaise with the nobility.° And the human agreed. °Yes, let´s try this. What could go wrong?°
Agreeing on this plan of action, their talk went to other subjects until Mor decided it was time to sleep and rest. They would resume talking the next day, and it would again be Human to ask the first question.
°Could we use the time, while we are stuck here, for you to explain to me how exactly this magic is working?°
°Yes of course.° Mor answered. °Firstly as you already know, to cast a spell you need magic energy, but that is only the first step, you have to afterward concentrate on guiding those energies or the spell can fail. Secondly, while there are some continuous spells they are hard to upkeep, for you have to concentrate on the energy continuously. Because of that spells like body enhancement or elemental puppet spells are almost impossible for single mages.
Body enhancement more so, because a flesh and blood body is more complicated to move, by the limits of how the energy can flow. Therefore most mage teams would fall back on an elemental puppet if they needed someone to keep their enemy at a distance. But those are last option things, best to deal with anything at range of your instantaneous spells.° He explained.
°It would be really cool if we could pull something like that off, it would be something like a secret trump card.° Human joked.
°Yes it would, but how could we even start to pull something like that off, firstly the energy cost would be far too much for me and you would somehow be able to control the body or guide the magic energy and that is impossible. In the stories, the bound elemental only supplied the mage with more energy and affinities.° Mor retorted.
°That´s why I meant it as a joke. But still, the surprise on the faces of the other mages probably would be really funny. If it is true it is impossible for a single mage. Still, I think I got it, it is best to use those instantaneous spells, because you can just fire and forget them, or start casting the next one. How much concentration is required to keep a spell up?° The human asked.
°It depends on the spell, but it ranges from, almost nothing to completely occupying your attention. For example, letting a fire spell go on, would be on the lowest distraction level, while guiding an elemental puppet would be the highest.° Mor explained.
°Ok, got it.° But still the human got thinking because for them something felt off.
Mor used the time of quiet to finish his punishment report and catch up on the stuff from the missed lessons. So while the human brooded over the pieces of information, Mor got himself back on track with his studies with sporadic help from Miss Amethyne. Like this two more days have gone by and Mor was finally released from the infirmary, as good as new, according to the healing adept. But only Mor and his new partner knew, how close "new" was to the truth. Still, Mor had this bad feeling about the almost inevitable confrontation with his tormenters he would with almost perfect certainty end up in. He hoped with all his heart, that the strategy of himself and the human would work as they planned.
The next morning on the way to class, of course, it happened and he heard the call from behind him. "Hey peasant, finally up again, you have to make up for your laziness now." "Ranbor..." Mor sighed.
"Hey you worthless pawn, what kind of reaction is this? Is this how your parents raised you? Seems someone has to teach you respect of your betters again." Ranbor exclaimed and slowly Mor turned around. "Excuse me, your lordship, I believe the presence of someone of so lowly standing is no fitting company for someone as illustrious as yourself. But where sire is your noble retinue? It does not do for someone as royally important as yourself to be without them. Should I go and tell someone to summon them for you?" Mor replied trying to keep the sarcasm out of his voice, as the human in his mind giggled.
°Good one!° They not so helpfully added.
"You´re going too far this time!" Ranbor furiously stated, his ruby eyes glowing balefully with magic energy. But Mor just shrugged, turned around, and left. °Are your eyes also this creepy? It looks to me that you only have a black pupil and the rest is in whatever colour.° The human questioned Mor. °Is that different where you are from? In most cases the color fits the family, so Ranbor of course has ruby red, and mine would be of more an agate green-blue disposition.° Mor answered. °Nope, we have white, then a colored ring around the pupil.° The answer came back until they heard Ranbor behind them raising his voice. "Don´t turn your back on me, you worthless peasant!"
Which in turn led the human to giggle again °He is really creative with his curses. I diagnose a lack of intelligence.° That in turn was too much for Mor as he could not suppress an amused snort. "You´re not laughing at me!" Ranbor raged and as Mor turned around to address that pompous ass, he only saw the red and yellow of a fireball that was flying right toward him.
He felt the heat lick his skin, and the shock of the force and fury of the attack let his mind blackout. While the enclosing darkness would protect him from the pain of burning, he knew that this was too much and his end. The last thing he heard was the voice of his partner going. °Holy shit! OK, that´s interes....°

I never believed in monsters, but the events of last week made me question those beliefs to a great extent.
The job seemed pretty simple at first: some people saw a strange creature in the woods and the mayor of their little no name town was willing to pay me for taking it down. He offered me 5000 dollars for shooting what was probably just a mangy bear, I’d be a fool for turning him down. Besides, he even paid me half of it in advance AND offered to lend me the keys to a private bungalow near the forest, to make my stay more comfortable. It took some time for the keys to arrive (postal services be damned), but after about a week it was time for me to head out. I packed my rifle, ammunition and some clothes and got in my truck. This would be the job of a lifetime.
When I arrived at the town, there were no signs of life. I chalked it up to it being 11 PM on a Tuesday, but even so, you’d expect at least a few lights to be on, right? Nevertheless, I continued driving until I reached my “home” for the coming few days.
The bungalow was small, it looked more like a cabin. Then again, I wasn’t here for a vacation anyways, I was here to work. As I tried unlocking the front door, I noticed it was already open. Strange, I thought to myself, but nothing unusual. It’s not like you’d have to worry about people breaking into your house in a small town in bumfuck nowhere.
Once inside, I threw my bag on the floor and plopped down onto a chair. It was a long drive, and I was tired. After grabbing a beer from my bag I began to mentally prepare for the days to come. Tomorrow, I would visit the mayor and ask for any leads of their “creature’s” whereabouts, after which I would spend the remainder of the day scouring the forest for any tracks. If my hunt wasn’t successful by then I would simply try again the day after. Easy job, easy plan and easy money. I finished my beer and decided to go to bed.
That night, I was awoken by my stomach’s inability to digest alcohol. I rushed to the bathroom while vomit started to work its way up my throat. Sadly, I was too late, and now the bathroom door was covered in beer and the half-digested sandwiches I had the day before. I cussed for a while, thinking about how stupid this whole situation was. Sure, my body had not been the same since the accident, but I never had trouble drinking before. After sitting there for a while I went searching for something to clean up my work of art. A thorough inspection of the bungalow led me to a closet, where I finally found a mop and went to town on my stomach’s content.
I was humming a little song to help lighten up my mood, but when I heard someone humming back to me from outside my whole demeanor changed. I quit cleaning immediately and snuck over to my backpack. As soon as I did that, the humming stopped and was replaced by a man’s voice.
“Sorry… Didn’t want to startle you there… Buddy!” the mysterious man said, with no discernable emotion in his voice.
I sat in silence, loading my rifle while I listened to the man outside. Sure, it was no bear, but random people hanging around your place in the middle of the night rarely spell good news. I waited for him to start speaking again, but he did not resume talking, no matter how long I sat there in silence. An hour had passed and still he had not said a word. I figured it was probably just a local drunk that found his way to the cabin, heard me hum, hummed along like a merry drunk guy would and then left because why not. Drunk guys do what drunk guys do. After coming up with this rational explanation, I went to sleep again, thinking about how weird that whole situation had been.
When I woke up in the morning my stomach pain was gone. I got out of bed, packed my stuff and headed to my truck. I noticed the scratches on the truck almost immediately. I remember thinking that it must have been that drunk guy from the night before and that I would make him pay for this if I ever saw him again. Angrily, I got in the car and drove over to the town hall. On my way there, I once again noticed the lack of people in the street. The road being empty on a Tuesday night made perfect sense, but not even one person having to drive to work on a Wednesday morning? That’s suspicious, and it should have been one of the many things that should’ve made me reconsider the job. My car needed a new paint job though, and even then, I’ve always been a stubborn bastard. As I drove, I thought I saw someone move behind a building in my rear view mirror, but I didn’t get a clear view of the person. I felt happy to see that there actually were people in this town, so I continued my drive.
When I got to the town hall the first thing I noticed was the broken window. That drunk guy must’ve vandalized more than just my truck, I thought at the moment. I got out of my car and walked up to the front door, which was open, and entered the building. Upon walking into the entrance hall I was met by a rotten smell. My vomit would’ve been all over the floor if it hadn’t been for my little adventure yesterday, that’s how bad it was. It smelled like a mixture of dead animals, fermenting plants and rotting milk. I considered turning around and leaving right then and there, but I decided to at least try to talk to the mayor, to find out what was going on. Curiosity killed the cat, I thought, but I was no cat. Stupid as I was, I didn’t bother going back to the car to get my rifle. What was the worst thing that could happen? Against better judgment, I went to search for the mayor.
When I found him, his body was lying on the floor, completely dead. He was missing an arm and his face. His torso had been ripped to shreds. His office had been completely ruined too, with random office supplies and some antique vases lying scattered on the floor, along with a picture of the mayor and his wife. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, I heard a familiar voice coming from the hallway: the drunk guy from last night.
“Hey… I know you’re in here somewhere… Dude,” he said, his voice still as monotone as before.
His footsteps were heavy, growing louder with every step as he got closer and closer. Along with his footsteps, the sound of something being dragged across the floor could be heard. I even heard his breathing, heavy and labored, as he neared the mayor’s office. Suddenly, all of the sounds stopped. I knew he was right outside the door, waiting for me to make a move. I just sat there, regretting my choice of not taking my rifle with me. Then I realized something. I realized that I’m a 6’3 foot man who weighs 250 pounds and also used to be a boxer in his younger years. I got up with my fists ready to throw some punches and decided to make this man regret screwing with my car. I could hear the man scratching at the wall as I neared the door.
“Found you!” he yelled, his voice sounding more guttural than before.
I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder as my aggressor knocked me to the floor, followed by the warm sensation of blood flowing out of my wound. I remember thinking that the bastard had stabbed me.
The man jumped at me before I was able to regain my balance, forcing me to roll to the side to avoid him. That’s when I noticed that this “man” wasn’t a person at all. At the moment, all I could see was something vaguely bipedal, hunched over a bit and covered in long black fur. What I thought had been a knife were actually a set of long claws on each hand.
The creature began to turn towards me, and I took this as my sign to move. I picked up a vase that was lying next to me and threw it at the monster, hitting it straight in the head. Then I got up in an instant and booked it. As I was running, I could hear the creature following me closely behind. Its roars became more and more animalistic with each passing second, clearly enraged from my attempt to fight back. I practically jumped down the stairs, nearly breaking my legs in the process, after which I continued my sprint towards the door. Without thinking twice I just busted through the surprisingly weak door.
Once outside, I noticed more creatures coming at me in the corner of my eyes. Filled with adrenaline, I ran to my truck, got inside and started the engine. That’s when the creature from earlier came falling down in the parking space right next to me. The bastard had jumped through the first floor’s window. When it got up, I finally got a good look at the thing. The thing that I heard it drag across the floor was its tail, and the things that stabbed me and scratched my car were the massive claws on its hands. Yet the thing that got me the most, the thing that will forever haunt my dreams, was its face. Or, to put it in better words, the contorted face of a man, plastered over its head. It was the same face I saw on the mayor’s picture.
I stepped on the gas and floored it. While driving, I noticed more and more creatures started to give chase, each one wearing a different face. I drove as fast as I could until they were all out of sight and I had left the town. Even then, I did not drop my speed, probably committing multiple traffic violations as I drove. But I did not care. The stuff I saw there was way above my paygrade, and I wanted to get as far away from it as possible. I drove for hours, only stopping to tank my car.
This incident happened a few days ago. Currently, I’m still in the hospital, waiting for the wound in my shoulder to heal. The doctors say I’m lucky that I can still move my arm. Sure, I’m happy to be alive, but life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for me. I’ve racked up more debt than the 2500 dollars can pay and as if that wasn’t enough, men in black suits have been interviewing me ever since I got here. So if you’re reading this, please just remember one thing: if some guy offers you 5000 dollars just to shoot a bear, stay away. Because there’s no way in hell those things were bears.

I never believed in monsters, but the events of last week made me question those beliefs to a great extent.
The job seemed pretty simple at first: some people saw a strange creature in the woods and the mayor of their little no name town was willing to pay me for taking it down. He offered me 5000 dollars for shooting what was probably just a mangy bear, I’d be a fool for turning him down. Besides, he even paid me half of it in advance AND offered to lend me the keys to a private bungalow near the forest, to make my stay more comfortable. It took some time for the keys to arrive (postal services be damned), but after about a week it was time for me to head out. I packed my rifle, ammunition and some clothes and got in my truck. This would be the job of a lifetime.
When I arrived at the town, there were no signs of life. I chalked it up to it being 11 PM on a Tuesday, but even so, you’d expect at least a few lights to be on, right? Nevertheless, I continued driving until I reached my “home” for the coming few days.
The bungalow was small, it looked more like a cabin. Then again, I wasn’t here for a vacation anyways, I was here to work. As I tried unlocking the front door, I noticed it was already open. Strange, I thought to myself, but nothing unusual. It’s not like you’d have to worry about people breaking into your house in a small town in bumfuck nowhere.
Once inside, I threw my bag on the floor and plopped down onto a chair. It was a long drive, and I was tired. After grabbing a beer from my bag I began to mentally prepare for the days to come. Tomorrow, I would visit the mayor and ask for any leads of their “creature’s” whereabouts, after which I would spend the remainder of the day scouring the forest for any tracks. If my hunt wasn’t successful by then I would simply try again the day after. Easy job, easy plan and easy money. I finished my beer and decided to go to bed.
That night, I was awoken by my stomach’s inability to digest alcohol. I rushed to the bathroom while vomit started to work its way up my throat. Sadly, I was too late, and now the bathroom door was covered in beer and the half-digested sandwiches I had the day before. I cussed for a while, thinking about how stupid this whole situation was. Sure, my body had not been the same since the accident, but I never had trouble drinking before. After sitting there for a while I went searching for something to clean up my work of art. A thorough inspection of the bungalow led me to a closet, where I finally found a mop and went to town on my stomach’s content.
I was humming a little song to help lighten up my mood, but when I heard someone humming back to me from outside my whole demeanor changed. I quit cleaning immediately and snuck over to my backpack. As soon as I did that, the humming stopped and was replaced by a man’s voice.
“Sorry… Didn’t want to startle you there… Buddy!” the mysterious man said, with no discernable emotion in his voice.
I sat in silence, loading my rifle while I listened to the man outside. Sure, it was no bear, but random people hanging around your place in the middle of the night rarely spell good news. I waited for him to start speaking again, but he did not resume talking, no matter how long I sat there in silence. An hour had passed and still he had not said a word. I figured it was probably just a local drunk that found his way to the cabin, heard me hum, hummed along like a merry drunk guy would and then left because why not. Drunk guys do what drunk guys do. After coming up with this rational explanation, I went to sleep again, thinking about how weird that whole situation had been.
When I woke up in the morning my stomach pain was gone. I got out of bed, packed my stuff and headed to my truck. I noticed the scratches on the truck almost immediately. I remember thinking that it must have been that drunk guy from the night before and that I would make him pay for this if I ever saw him again. Angrily, I got in the car and drove over to the town hall. On my way there, I once again noticed the lack of people in the street. The road being empty on a Tuesday night made perfect sense, but not even one person having to drive to work on a Wednesday morning? That’s suspicious, and it should have been one of the many things that should’ve made me reconsider the job. My car needed a new paint job though, and even then, I’ve always been a stubborn bastard. As I drove, I thought I saw someone move behind a building in my rear view mirror, but I didn’t get a clear view of the person. I felt happy to see that there actually were people in this town, so I continued my drive.
When I got to the town hall the first thing I noticed was the broken window. That drunk guy must’ve vandalized more than just my truck, I thought at the moment. I got out of my car and walked up to the front door, which was open, and entered the building. Upon walking into the entrance hall I was met by a rotten smell. My vomit would’ve been all over the floor if it hadn’t been for my little adventure yesterday, that’s how bad it was. It smelled like a mixture of dead animals, fermenting plants and rotting milk. I considered turning around and leaving right then and there, but I decided to at least try to talk to the mayor, to find out what was going on. Curiosity killed the cat, I thought, but I was no cat. Stupid as I was, I didn’t bother going back to the car to get my rifle. What was the worst thing that could happen? Against better judgment, I went to search for the mayor.
When I found him, his body was lying on the floor, completely dead. He was missing an arm and his face. His torso had been ripped to shreds. His office had been completely ruined too, with random office supplies and some antique vases lying scattered on the floor, along with a picture of the mayor and his wife. Just when I thought things couldn’t get any worse, I heard a familiar voice coming from the hallway: the drunk guy from last night.
“Hey… I know you’re in here somewhere… Dude,” he said, his voice still as monotone as before.
His footsteps were heavy, growing louder with every step as he got closer and closer. Along with his footsteps, the sound of something being dragged across the floor could be heard. I even heard his breathing, heavy and labored, as he neared the mayor’s office. Suddenly, all of the sounds stopped. I knew he was right outside the door, waiting for me to make a move. I just sat there, regretting my choice of not taking my rifle with me. Then I realized something. I realized that I’m a 6’3 foot man who weighs 250 pounds and also used to be a boxer in his younger years. I got up with my fists ready to throw some punches and decided to make this man regret screwing with my car. I could hear the man scratching at the wall as I neared the door.
“Found you!” he yelled, his voice sounding more guttural than before.
I felt a sharp pain in my shoulder as my aggressor knocked me to the floor, followed by the warm sensation of blood flowing out of my wound. I remember thinking that the bastard had stabbed me.
The man jumped at me before I was able to regain my balance, forcing me to roll to the side to avoid him. That’s when I noticed that this “man” wasn’t a person at all. At the moment, all I could see was something vaguely bipedal, hunched over a bit and covered in long black fur. What I thought had been a knife were actually a set of long claws on each hand.
The creature began to turn towards me, and I took this as my sign to move. I picked up a vase that was lying next to me and threw it at the monster, hitting it straight in the head. Then I got up in an instant and booked it. As I was running, I could hear the creature following me closely behind. Its roars became more and more animalistic with each passing second, clearly enraged from my attempt to fight back. I practically jumped down the stairs, nearly breaking my legs in the process, after which I continued my sprint towards the door. Without thinking twice I just busted through the surprisingly weak door.
Once outside, I noticed more creatures coming at me in the corner of my eyes. Filled with adrenaline, I ran to my truck, got inside and started the engine. That’s when the creature from earlier came falling down in the parking space right next to me. The bastard had jumped through the first floor’s window. When it got up, I finally got a good look at the thing. The thing that I heard it drag across the floor was its tail, and the things that stabbed me and scratched my car were the massive claws on its hands. Yet the thing that got me the most, the thing that will forever haunt my dreams, was its face. Or, to put it in better words, the contorted face of a man, plastered over its head. It was the same face I saw on the mayor’s picture.
I stepped on the gas and floored it. While driving, I noticed more and more creatures started to give chase, each one wearing a different face. I drove as fast as I could until they were all out of sight and I had left the town. Even then, I did not drop my speed, probably committing multiple traffic violations as I drove. But I did not care. The stuff I saw there was way above my paygrade, and I wanted to get as far away from it as possible. I drove for hours, only stopping to tank my car.
This incident happened a few days ago. Currently, I’m still in the hospital, waiting for the wound in my shoulder to heal. The doctors say I’m lucky that I can still move my arm. Sure, I’m happy to be alive, but life isn’t all sunshine and rainbows for me. I’ve racked up more debt than the 2500 dollars can pay and as if that wasn’t enough, men in black suits have been interviewing me ever since I got here. So if you’re reading this, please just remember one thing: if some guy offers you 5000 dollars just to shoot a bear, stay away. Because there’s no way in hell those things were bears.

Attention -> This guide is highly opinionated, if you're looking for a post from a perspective from a highly experienced dev then you should probably stop reading and check out other posts. I've been working full-time for over 2 years only but I've been a part of startups in different capacities for the past 4 years, either as an intern or a contractofreelancer. Resources might be outdated but still check them out and decide accordingly, but in my opinion you should read my post since, I fall under these buckets ->

1. NON CS and Tier 2/3/4.. College -> I had 50k+ rank in JEE and was only able to land Civil in a Tier 3 college due to home state quota, later got a circuit branch from branch upgrade.
2. Off Campus Placement -> I had already started freelancing since culture at a company is a very very crucial to me and I loved the freelancing lifestyle this I skipped on campus placements altogether. Also due to freelancing I was making more than what all the companies who were part of our placement drive were offering.
3. Got placed primarily due to my past experience and projects as opposed to my CP ranking -> I asked my HR why was I hired and she mentioned that it was my past experience + projects which caught their attention, of course I went through their standard selection rounds but they still preferred my profile over Tier 1 students with good coding platform ranks due to my past work experience.
4. Consistent earning -> While someone can dismiss my current job as a fluke I've a history of making good money($20K in 6 months from scratch) through freelancing with multiple clients and was able to translate that experience into a job at a startup as well. My PPO comp was 40 base and a very sizeable portion of equity of a very fast growing startup. If we were to do the cringy CTC calculation it was a 1 CR+ job offer.

What makes someone hire a candidate?

I've interviewed over 40+ people and 4 batches of interns. Working at a startup has allowed me to be very close with recruiting process and work with recruiter with over 10+ years in premier MNCs and startups and there's a lot that goes into hiring but I think it can be put into some buckets.
Hiring for interns/freshers -> We personally don't hire for freshers roles and instead all junior devs go through our intern process but this is where the most non traditional profiles can break in tech early. I've noticed that for senior roles a lot of emphasis is given to the the companies they've worked in and which team were they a part of. Working folks might be aware that for senior roles usually the hiring manager personally have a chat before adding the candidate in interview pipeline and based on our debriefs I've noticed that institute rarely comes up but rather their work at the teams that they've been a part of takes the highest priority. Now a argument can be made that being from a Tier 1 institute allows the ability to get a headstart but a lot of folks are able to breakthrough into big tech even after working at WITCH so entering into high paying startups isn't that big of deal for them as tech profiles converge the more experienced one get. For interns and freshers a solid development and a mix of coding platforms experience should get you a job in startups with a very high probability.
To put more emphasis in why profiles matters let's take a look at a couple of profiles that I'm personally aware of ->
My friend working at a High Growth Seed Round
Highlights of his profile ->

1. Very very low ranking Engineering College.
2. No prior intern at a big company instead mixture of work at small startups and his own ventures.
3. Didn't apply for a job at all since he was also happy as a freelancer but finally decided to work at a startup and got a job in flat 16 days.
4. Comp-> 16 lpa base + seed round equity.

The best part about this friend why how deep his profile was. He has always been passionate about computers since school time and had experience in cyber security, crypto, fullstack-development,etc. As you can guess the secret of how quickly he was able to get a job was how many past experiences he had. When he started finding jobs at wellfound.com he was able to get calls from a couple of startups and he had a offer within 20 days. Wellfound was a a suprisingly good place to find jobs at small startups since my friend was able to receive a lot of calls for interview rounds.
My batchmate working at a FAANG equivalent MNC ->

1. Same college as mine.
2. Prior intern at a MNC but overall mid projects and a couple of development profiles and hackathons under his belt.
3. Average codeforces profile but experience of solving a lot of questions hence able to breeze through leetcode rounds.
4. Got a on campus placement here so didn't apply anywhere.
5. Comp -> 20l base + ~60l in equity.

His profile is a mix of development and a lot of coding rounds but the curious case in his case was how a lot of candidates with similar profiles in coding platforms or even better were knocked out from the selection process in the system design round. His previous experience in development surely helped him here in comprehending system design case studies and hence he was able to ace this round whereas others with better coding profiles weren't able to do so.
My batchmate working at FAANG and now a high growth startup ->

1. Same college.
2. Prior intern at startups and deep experience in development since school which includes projects in full stack development, compilers and couple of hackathons.
3. Better than average codeforces profile and breezes through standard OA rounds due to lots of practise.
4. Comp -> 50+ CTC at FAANG earlier and 25l base at a startup now.

His profile is similar to the first profile but way more competitive coding experience as well. Similar deep experience in projects and very passionate about software engineering and computer science in general.
A common pattern amongst the profiles posted above and mine is development experience allowed us from low tier colleges to be able to get a job quickly. This matters a lot since you'll get calls for interview rounds doesn't matter how tough the market is though what will fluctuate is how much are these companies are offering.

All of your eggs in one basket

It's pretty easy to see how big the market for DSA and Algorithm is. Youtubers are popping left right and center, but is it worth investing all of your time in getting a great rating in Codeforces. First thing first let's make this very clear that standard interview questions are very different than competitive questions and while it is true that due to market saturation some companies have resorted to asking questions that you would see as part of codeforces rounds in their OA. This though isn't the norm and you can do fine if you're good enough for Leetcode rounds. My whole post can be described that we need to stand out from other profiles if we fall into buckets of Low ranking colleges , Non CSE branches, etc.

Resources

The following section is a collection of resources that I and my friends used during the placement process ->

1. Roadmaps -> Roadmaps, Roadmaps, Roadmaps. Youtube is filled with didi bhaiya trying to come up with the best roadmap that they can. Honestly speaking while there's nothing wrong with that I always prefer roadmaps which are open source and updated time to time by community or the author to stay relevant. Go to roadmap.sh and pick paths. Focus more on topics rather than content, find whatever resource you can to read up on topics rather than sticking to one youtube channel. Similarly for people who might not be from a CS background the Open Source Society University is a very popular roadmap to follow.
2. Resume -> I used the variations of the following template. Overleaf is a solid platform for creating resume in latex. Keep your resume simple and keep on iterating with what you should and shouldn't have. If you want you can always ask recruiters what they found nice in your resume and double down on expanding those sections.
3. Freelancing Platforms -> Personally for me Upwork worked very well, I was able to get the chance of working on a lot of high paying jobs but based on what I've heard from candidates and personally managing profiles for a couple of friends the platform seems to have shifted in terms of job quality a lot. I'm noticing a lot of low quality jobs, underpaid jobs which has made it highly unlikely for new candidates to break through here. I would personally not recommend Freelancer and Fiverr since they have low quality, low paying jobs as compared to Upwork. Also fiverr follows a marketplace model so hard for non experienced folks to get discovered.
   1. If you're a experienced dev and have a solid profile and need a better platform as compared to Upwork checkout Toptal and A.team.
4. Job Platforms -> I personally had a great experience with Cutshort since it apart from applying on jobs as a candidates also has a strong emphasis on recruiters reaching out to candidates. Apart from that I've had a good experience with LinkedIn jobs purely in terms of response times. Atleast recruiters reached out quickly even though the quality of jobs wasn't great. As mentioned above wellfound.com is also a good resource for finding startup jobs. Apart from this cold mailing recruiters should be a part of your job hunting cycle. We used to go over startups which were recently funded and then messaging their client or staff for queries regarding openings.
5. Youtube channels -> I usually relied on the following channels during my prep and I what I usually watch as well.
   1. Traversy Media -> Followed his tutorials the most.
   2. Academind by Maximilian Schwarzmüller -> For learning full stack development I've mostly used his courses and honestly speaking they are amazing. I've also heard great things about her courses, Dr. Angela Yu.
   3. Tech News and General Tech Videos -> Fireship.io, Ben Awad, Devon Crawford, ForrestKnight. They Ben and Devon aren't posting these days but they are the reason why I found tech to be super cool.
   4. DSA and Algo Training -> Stick to no nonsense channels like TUF, Back To Back SWE, CS DOJO, Tushar Roy, NeetCode, Nick White, Priyansh Agarwal.
      1. Couple of websites which I liked a lot of practise includes USACO Guide, CP Algorithms, CSES.

The above post is a very opinionated post about what helped me, let me know what helped you in your job hunt.

We're currently broke rn. And were in debt so we had to sell our car last year and just booked a new one. And me and my mom thought that everybody already knows about that. But apparently my dad lied to everyone to not damage his reputation. So we had a family wedding to attend today evening and we were outside our house waiting for an uber because we don't have a car. It was very awkward and the cherry on top was the lightning. It was about to rain and my mom was really looking forward to this wedding. Then two of the neighborhood ladies who were taking a walk saw us and asked my mom where were we going so dressed up and my mom said that we're going to a wedding, then they asked for what were we waiting and my mom just told the truth that we sold our car due to financial issues so we're waiting for an uber. Then the two ladies awkwardly laughed and continued their walk. My dad got extremely angry at this because the husbands of the two ladies aren't rich and my mom just lowered his "value" in front of the two ladies by just saying the truth. He threw the wedding gift on the road, cancelled the uber and said that he won't go to the wedding. Then he started screaming vulgar language and "revealed" to everyone (all the houses' front doors were open) that my mother is six years older than him. Now this is a very sensitive topic to my mother. Whenever the word "age" is mentioned in front of my mother, she starts fidgeting. Apparently it's a big shame. A few people even came outside to see what was going on but they didn't interfere. I'm pretty sure someone recorded. My mom was very embarassed but still wanted to go to the wedding, so she tried to convince dad to book an uber again and then we went to the wedding. He refused to come inside and just waited outside and a thunderstorm started. Me and my mom went inside with dull faces and I ignored everyone who tried to talk to me. Idk why I did that, it just made it very apparent that something bad happened. Everybody started asking where was my dad and my mom just had to reveal that this and that happened. There was family who lived close to our house and they offered to take us home if our dad refused to which he did. He sent a message saying he's leaving. We had our food very quickly. I literally couldn't eat anything. Then we were about to leave when my dad texted that he doesn't have the house key and to give it to him. My mom and I walked to him during the thunderstorm and then he said that he booked an uber and we're all leaving. My mom had to say that we're going with dad so they don't keep waiting for us but they just wouldn't pick up the phone. So my mom had to walk back again and tell them. My dad then cancelled the uber. Said some things and then told us that he's leaving alone and to manage somehow and that he won't even open the door for us when we reach home. But then he came back with an uber. So we get in. He told my mom how he's going to reveal to everyone how she's six years older because my mom embarassed him in front of people who aren't up to his level (his words). Then he told my mom to go the houses of the two neighborhood ladies and tell them the lie which my dad told everyone else. We went to both the houses and the two ladies just laughed. One of them said she didn't even remember it and the other one said that my father had the right to be angry. He didn't enter along with us and when we left the house, he wasn't outside. He went home. My mom and dad then started arguing really loudly and my mom told him that she's going to the police to "scare" him but it just made everything worse. He took a heavy chair and was about to hit her with it. But he didn't, he just used his hand and he did it so hard, my mom started bleeding from her mouth. But he didn't care. He then took a photo of her while she fell down on the floor and sent it to everyone we had on WhatsApp. Even people from my school. I deleted it soon after and blocked everyone's number but I'm sure some of them saw the picture. He said he's going to embarass her ten times worse than she did. Then he also told me that he will not let me go to school again. And that he would kill both me and my mom and then glady go to prison. He won't let mom divorce him or report him to the police. He would kill us instead. I don't think life will ever get better. I've posted so many times on Reddit always hoping maybe it will get better one day but it never does. I feel really bad for my mother. She may be older but she's the prettiest woman I know. Her beauty will never fade. And we literally never have anywhere to go and my mom spent hours trying to look perfect because she wanted many pictures to post but it couldn't happen. She didn't get to take a single picture. I really really want to give her the life she truly deserves. She was so excited for today. She was planning her outfit and everything like two months ago.

Recently become obsessed with narrative nonfiction books relating to “hobby drama”. Started with The Dinosaur Artist: Obsession, Betrayal, and the Quest for Earth's Ultimate Trophy by Paige Williams, then became completely engrossed with this type of book. I have read the following and am looking for more. Hobby involved doesn’t matter all that much to me although I am big into nature, medicine, plants, paleontology.
Have read:
The Feather Thief: Beauty, Obsession, and the Natural History Heist of the Century by Kirk Wallace Johnson
Stolen World: A Tale of Reptiles, Smugglers, and Skulduggery by Jennie Erin Smith
The Orchid Thief by Susan Orlean

We're currently broke rn. And were in debt so we had to sell our car last year and just booked a new one. And me and my mom thought that everybody already knows about that. But apparently my dad lied to everyone to not damage his reputation. So we had a family wedding to attend today evening and we were outside our house waiting for an uber because we don't have a car. It was very awkward and the cherry on top was the lightning. It was about to rain and my mom was really looking forward to this wedding. Then two of the neighborhood ladies who were taking a walk saw us and asked my mom where were we going so dressed up and my mom said that we're going to a wedding, then they asked for what were we waiting and my mom just told the truth that we sold our car due to financial issues so we're waiting for an uber. Then the two ladies awkwardly laughed and continued their walk. My dad got extremely angry at this because the husbands of the two ladies aren't rich and my mom just lowered his "value" in front of the two ladies by just saying the truth. He threw the wedding gift on the road, cancelled the uber and said that he won't go to the wedding. Then he started screaming vulgar language and "revealed" to everyone (all the houses' front doors were open) that my mother is six years older than him. Now this is a very sensitive topic to my mother. Whenever the word "age" is mentioned in front of my mother, she starts fidgeting. Apparently it's a big shame. A few people even came outside to see what was going on but they didn't interfere. I'm pretty sure someone recorded. My mom was very embarassed but still wanted to go to the wedding, so she tried to convince dad to book an uber again and then we went to the wedding. He refused to come inside and just waited outside and a thunderstorm started. Me and my mom went inside with dull faces and I ignored everyone who tried to talk to me. Idk why I did that, it just made it very apparent that something bad happened. Everybody started asking where was my dad and my mom just had to reveal that this and that happened. There was family who lived close to our house and they offered to take us home if our dad refused to which he did. He sent a message saying he's leaving. We had our food very quickly. I literally couldn't eat anything. Then we were about to leave when my dad texted that he doesn't have the house key and to give it to him. My mom and I walked to him during the thunderstorm and then he said that he booked an uber and we're all leaving. My mom had to say that we're going with dad so they don't keep waiting for us but they just wouldn't pick up the phone. So my mom had to walk back again and tell them. My dad then cancelled the uber. Said some things and then told us that he's leaving alone and to manage somehow and that he won't even open the door for us when we reach home. But then he came back with an uber. So we get in. He told my mom how he's going to reveal to everyone how she's six years older because my mom embarassed him in front of people who aren't up to his level (his words). Then he told my mom to go the houses of the two neighborhood ladies and tell them the lie which my dad told everyone else. We went to both the houses and the two ladies just laughed. One of them said she didn't even remember it and the other one said that my father had the right to be angry. He didn't enter along with us and when we left the house, he wasn't outside. He went home. My mom and dad then started arguing really loudly and my mom told him that she's going to the police to "scare" him but it just made everything worse. He took a heavy chair and was about to hit her with it. But he didn't, he just used his hand and he did it so hard, my mom started bleeding from her mouth. But he didn't care. He then took a photo of her while she fell down on the floor and sent it to everyone we had on WhatsApp. Even people from my school. I deleted it soon after and blocked everyone's number but I'm sure some of them saw the picture. He said he's going to embarass her ten times worse than she did. Then he also told me that he will not let me go to school again. And that he would kill both me and my mom and then glady go to prison. He won't let mom divorce him or report him to the police. He would kill us instead. I don't think life will ever get better. I've posted so many times on Reddit always hoping maybe it will get better one day but it never does. I feel really bad for my mother. She may be older but she's the prettiest woman I know. Her beauty will never fade. And we literally never have anywhere to go and my mom spent hours trying to look perfect because she wanted many pictures to post but it couldn't happen. She didn't get to take a single picture. I really really want to give her the life she truly deserves. She was so excited for today. She was planning her outfit and everything like two months ago.
Wrong flair but can't edit it.

* I split all splitable codes; so, please ONLY redeem what we agree upon. Thanks in advance!
DISNEY HD SPLIT CODES (port to MA)
Aladdin 1992 Animated (GP)
Aladdin Live Action 4K (MA) or HD (GP)
Ant-man (GP)
Atlantis The Lost Empire (MA)
Atlantis Milos Return (MA)
Avengers Age of Ultron (GP)
Avengers Infinity War 4K (MA) or HD (GP)
Big Hero Six (iTunes) (redeems 4K)
Black Panther: Wakanda Forever (GP)
Brother Bear 1 (MA)
Brother Bear 2 (MA)
Captain America The Winter Soldier (GP)
Cars 3 (GP)
Cinderella 2015 (iTunes) (redeems 4K) or HD (GP)
Finding Dory (iTunes) (redeems 4K)
Frozen (GP) or (MA) (redeems 4K through iTunes)
Frozen Sing a Long Edition (GP) or (MA)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 1 (GP)
Guardians of the Galaxy Vol 2 (MA) 4K
Inside Out (iTunes) (redeems 4K)
Into The Woods (GP) or (MA)
Iron Man 3 (iTunes) (redeems 4K) or HD (GP)
Jungle Book 1967 (GP)
Lightyear (GP)
The Lion King Animated (MA) 4K
Maleficent (iTunes) (redeems 4K) or HD (GP)
Mary Poppins 1964 (GP) or (MA)
Mary Poppins Returns (iTunes) (redeems 4K)
Oz The Great and Powerful (GP) or (MA)
Planes (GP) or (MA)
Planes Fire and Rescue (MA) or (GP)
Saving Mr Banks (GP)
Spies in Disguise (GP)
Star Wars The Force Awakens (GP) or (MA) (iTunes redeems 4K)
Star Wars The Last Jedi (MA) 4K
Strange World (GP)
Super Buddies (GP)
The Good Dinosaur (iTunes) (redeems 4K)
The Lone Ranger (GP) or (MA)
The Nightmare Before Christmas (GP)
The Pirate Fairy (GP) or (MA)
Thor (GP)
Thor Love and Thunder HD (GP) or (MA 4K)
Thor The Dark World (GP)
Tinkerbell and the Legend of the Neverbeast (GP)
Toy Story of Terror (MA)
Zootopia (iTunes) (redeems 4K)
SONY BUFF PASS x1 (Choose 1 of the following options...)
My Girl 4K
Hancock 4K
Stripes 4K
The Blob 1988 HD
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Born Yesterday HD
Bye Bye Birdie HD
Guess Who HD
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Untraceable HD
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A Dog's Purpose 4K
Backdraft 2 4K
Black Christmas 4K
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Being Frank HD
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Kicks HD
Loving HD
Raw HD
HD CODES (VUDU or MA)
007 Skyfall (vudu/GP)
47 Ronin (MA)
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A Good Day To Die Hard Extended (MA)
A Quiet Place (VUDU HD/iTunes 4K)
About Time (MA) split
Alex Cross (Vudu) split
American Girl Grace Stirs Up Success (MA)
American Girl Isabella Dances into the Spotlight (MA)
American Girl McKenna Shoots for the Stars (MA)
American Made 2017 (MA)
American Reunion Unrated (MA)
Anchorman 2 (VUDU split)
Animal House Natinoal Lampoons (MA) split
Annihilation (Vudu) split
Apollo 13 (MA) split
Atlas Shrugger Part 3 (MA)
August Osage County (Vudu)
Bad Grandpa: Jackass Presents (VUDU split)
Barbie and her Sisters in a Pony Tale (MA)
Barbie and her Sisters in a Puppy Chase (MA)
Barbie and the Secret Door (MA)
Barbie in Princess Power (MA)
Barbie in the Pink Shoes (MA)
Barbie Mariposa and the Fairy Princess (MA)
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Battleship (MA)
Baywatch (Vudu split)
Ben Hur 2016 (vudu split)
Billy Elliott 2000 (MA)
Blackhat 2015 (MA)
Book Club (VUDU split)
Buttons A Christmas Tale (Vudu split)
Captain Fantastic (MA) split
Captain Underpants The First Epic Movie (MA)
Cirque Du Soleil Worlds Away (Vudu) split
Crocodile Dundee 1 (HD Vudu/4K iTunes)
Crocodile Dundee 2 (HD Vudud/4K iTunes)
Crocodile Dundee 3 in Los Angeles (HD Vudu/HD iTunes)
Curse of Chucky unrated (MA) split
Daddy's Home (VUDU split)
Daddy's Home 2 (VUDU split)
Darkest Hour 2017 (MA)
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (MA) (redeems 4K iTunes)
Dead in Tombstone urated (MA) split
Deadpool (MA) (redeems 4K through iTunes)
Despicable Me 2 (MA)
Despicable Me 3 (MA) 4K
Diary of a Wimpy Kid Dog Days (MA)
Dracula Untold (MA)
Dr. Seuss's The Lorax (MA)
Eddie the Eagle (MA) (redeems 4K through iTunes)
Ender's Game (VUDU split)
Epic (MA)
Everest ( MA) split
The Fast and Furious 2001 (MA)
Fast and Furious 2009 (MA)
Fast and Furious Tokyo Drift 2006 (MA)
Fast Five Extended Edition 2011 (MA)
Fast & Furious 6 Extended Edition (MA)
The Fast and Furious 2017 Theatrical (MA)
The Fast and Furious 2017 Extended (MA)
Furious 7 Extended Edition (MA)
Fences (Vudu split)
Ferris Buellers Day off (Vudu/iTunes)
Fifty Shades of Grey unrated (MA)
Flight (vudu split)
Get Out (MA)
G.I. Joe Retaliation (vudu split)
Hansel and Gretel Witch Hunters unrated (Vudu split)
Hard Target 2 (MA)
Hercules 2014 (vudu split)
Home Alone (MA) (redeems 4K through iTunes)
Hop (MA)
How The Grinch Stole Christmas 2000 (MA)
Hunger Games (Vudu)
Hunger Games Catching Fire (Vudu)
Ice Age Continental Drift (MA)
Independence Day (MA) (redeems 4K through iTunes)
Indiana Jones and the Last Crusade (vudu split)
Interstellar (VUDU split)
Jackass 3 (Vudu Split)
Jack Reacher (Vudu split)
Jack Reacher Never Go Back (Vudu split)
Jack Ryan Shadow Recruit (vudu split)
Jason Bourne (MA)
Jaws (MA)
John Wick 1 (HD Vudu/4K iTunes)
John Wick 3 (vudu/GP/iTunes 4K)
Jurassic Park (MA)
Jurassic Park The Lost World (MA)
Jurassic Park 3 (MA)
Jurassic World (MA)
Katy Perry The Movie (vudu split)
Kick Ass 2 (MA split)
Kung Fu Panda 3 (MA)
Labor Day (Vudu) split
Les Miserables 2012 (MA)
Life of Pi (MA) (redeems 4K through iTunes)
Lucy (MA)
Madagascar 3 Europes Most Wanted (MA)
Mean Girls 2024 (HD Vudu/4K iTunes)
Minions (MA)
Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol (vudu split)
Mission Impossible Rogue Nation (Vudu split)
Mission Impossible Fallout (vudu split)
Mission Impossible Dead Reckoning Part One (4K Vudu/4KiTunes)
Mr Peabody and Sherman (MA)
Nebraska (Vudu split)
Noah (vudu split)
Non Stop (MA)
No Strings Attached (VUDU split)
Oblivion (MA)
Office Christmas Party (VUDU) split
Olympus Has Fallen (MA)
Pain and Gain (vudu split)
Paper Towns (MA) (redeems 4K through iTunes)
Paranormal Activity 1 (vudu split)
Paranormal Activity 2 unrated (Vudu split)
Paranormal Activity 3 extended (Vudu split)
Paranormal Activity 4 unrated (Vudu Split)
Parental Guidance (MA)
Penguins of Madagascar (MA)
Percy Jackson Sea of Monsters (MA)
Perks of Being A Wallflower (vudu)
Pitch Perfect 1 (MA)
Pitch Perfect 2 (MA)
Pitch Perfect 3 (MA)
Project Almanac (Vudu split)
Rango (VUDU split)
Ride Along (MA)
Rio 2 (MA)
R.I.P.D. (MA)
Rise of the Guardians (VUDU)
Rise of the Planet of the Apes (MA) (redeems 4K through iTunes)
Runner, Runner (MA)
Safe House (MA)
Selma (vudu split)
Sing (MA)
Sisters (MA)
Snatched (MA) (redeems 4K through iTunes)
Snow White and the Huntsman (MA)
Spiderman 2 Theatrical/Extended 2004 (MA)
Star Trek 4 The Voyage Home (VUDU HD/iTunes 4K)
Star Trek Beyond (Vudu split)
Star Trek Into Darkness (Vudu split)
Straight Outta Compton unrated (MA)
Strawberry Shortcake Dance Berry Dance (MA)
Super 8 (VUDU split)
Taken 2 (MA)
Ted unrated (MA)
Ted 2 unrated (MA)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2014 (vudu split)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles Mutant Mayhem (HD Vudu/4K iTunes)
Terminator Dark Fate 4K (vudu split)
Terminator Genisys (Vudu split)
The Adventures of Tin Tin (Vudu split)
The Amazing Spiderman 2 (MA)
The Big Lebowski (MA)
The Big Short (VUDU split)
The Boss Baby (MA)
The Boss Unrated (MA)
The Bourne Identity (MA)
The Bourne Legacy (MA)
The Bourne Ultimatum (MA)
The Breakfast Club (MA)
The Croods (MA)
The Dark Tower (MA)
The Dictator (VUDU split)
The Dilemma (MA)
The Fault in our Stars (MA) (redeems 4K through iTunes)
The Gambler (Vudu split)
The Girl On The Train (MA)
The Great Wall (MA)
The Guilt Trip (Vudu split)
The Heat 2013 (MA)
The Impossible (Vudu)
The Internship (MA)
The Mummy 2017 (MA)
The Other Woman (MA)
The Purge 2013 (MA split)
The Purge: Election Year (MA) split
The Scorpion King 4 Quest For Power (MA) split
The Secret Life of Pets (MA)
The Secret Life of Walter Mitty (MA)
The Sponge Bob Movie Sponge out of Water (VUDU split)
The Wolf of Wallstreet (VUDU split)
The Wolverine Extended (MA)
This is 40 theatrical (MA)
Top Gun (vudu split)
Top Gun Maverick (VUDU 4K/iTunes 4K)
Transformers Dark of the Moon (vudu split)
Transformers Age of Extinction (Vudu split)
Transformers The Last Knight (Vudu split)
True Grit (VUDU split)
Turbo (MA)
Unbroken (MA)
Unfriended (MA)
Van Helsing (MA)
Warcraft ( MA)
War For the Planet of the Apes (MA) (redeems 4K through iTunes)
Warm Bodies (VUDU split)
What to Expect When You're Expecting (vudu split)
Whiskey Tango Foxtrot (Vudu split)
Wonder (Vudu or iTunes)
World War Z (Vudu split)
X-Men Days of Future Past (MA) (redeems 4K through iTunes)
XXX Return of Xander Cage (Vudu split)
ITUNES HD CODES (unless otherwise stated)
Alien Covenant (redeems 4K)
Alvin and the Chipmunks The Road Trip (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Anchorman 2 The Legend Continues (split)
Assassins Creed (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Bad Grandpa Jackass Presents (split) (redeems 4K)
Battleship (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Baywatch (split) (redeems 4K)
Big Little Lies Season 1
Buttons A Christmas Tale (split)
Cowboys and Aliens (ports to MA)
Daddy's Home (split redeems 4K)
Dawn of the Planet of the Apes (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Deadpool (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Despicable Me 2 (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Diary of A Wimpy Kid The Long Haul (ports to MA)
Dredd (redeems 4K)
Dr. Seuss' The Lorax (ports to MA)
Dr.Seuss' Horton Hears A Who (prts to MA)
Exodus Gods and Kings (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Fast and Furious 6 extended 2013 (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Fifty Shades of Grey (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Game of Thrones Season 1
Game of Thrones Season 2
Gifted (ports to MA)
G I Joe Retaliation (split) (redeems 4K)
Gone Girl (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Hansel and Gretal Witch Hunters
Hercules 2014 (split redeems 4K)
Hidden Figures (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Hitman Agent 47 (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Home Alone (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Home Alone 2 (ports to MA)
Hop (ports to MA)
How to Train Your Dragon 2 (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Hugo (Split redeems 4K)
Hunger Games (split redeems 4K)
Hunger Games Mockingjay Part 1 (split redeems 4K)
Ice Age (ports to MA)
Ice Age 5 Collision Course (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Identity Thief (ports to MA)
If I Stay (redeems 4K)
Independence Day Resurgence (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Interstellar (split redeems 4K)
Jack Reacher (split) (redeems 4K)
Jack Reacher Never Go Back (split) (redeems 4K)
Jack Ryan Shadow Recruit (split redeems 4K)
Jurassic World (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Keeping up with the Jonses (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Kingsman The Golden Circle (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Kung Fu Panda 3 (ports to MA)
Les Miserables 2012 (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Lets Be Cops (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Logan (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Lucy (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Mike and Dave need Wedding Dates (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Minions (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Mission Impossible Ghost Protocol (split redeems 4K)
Mission Impossible Rogue Nation (split redeems 4K)
Mission Impossible Fallout (split redeems 4K)
Miss Peregrines Home For Peculiar Children (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Nebraska
Neighbors (ports to MA)
Night at the Museum Secret of the Tomb (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Noah (split)
No Strings Attached (split)
Oblivion (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Office Christmas Party (redeems 4K)
Paranormal Activity 1 (split)
Paranormal Activity 2 (split)
Pitch Perfect 1 (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Pitch Perfect 2 (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Playing with Fire (redeems 4K)
Rango (redeems 4K)
Rise of the Planet of the apes (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Savages (ports to MA)
Silicon Valley Season 3
Sing (ports to MA) (redeems 4k)
Snatched (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
Snow White and the Huntsman (ports to MA)
Spectre (redeems 4K)
Spy unrated (ports to MA)
Star Trek Beyond (redeems 4K)
Star Trek Into Darkness (redeems 4K)
Super 8 (redeems 4K split)
Taken 3 (ports to MA)
Ted (ports to MA)
Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles 2014 (redeems 4K)
Terminator Genisys 4K (iTunes split) (redeems 4K)
The Book of Life (ports to MA)
The Bourne Legacy (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
The Fault In Our Stars (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
The Longest Ride (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
The Martian (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
The Maze Runner (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
The Maze Runner The Scorch Trials (ports to MA) (redeems 4k)
The Mountain Between Us (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
The Peanuts Movie (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
The Secret Life of Pets (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
The Wolf of Wall Street (split redeems 4K)
This is 40 (ports to MA)
Transformers Age of Extinction (split redeems 4K)
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True Grit (redeems 4K)
Unbroken (ports to MA)
War for the Planet of the Apes (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
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Why him (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
World War Z (split) (redeems 4K)
X-Men Apocalypse (ports to MA) (redeems 4K)
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XXX Return of Xander Cage (redeems 4K)
Zoolander No 2 (split)
ITUNES/MA/VUDU (SD) Redeem Codes (See Link Below)
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The Other Eye of the Serpent:

In which the heresiarch Cygnifer attempts to resolve certain mysteries of Lightning.
Cygnifer considers Lightning to be 'the division, the connection, the joined serpent. The Serpent's Eye is said to be the Sun - but as the division and connection, it must have a second Eye.
Cygnifer considers and rejects, three times, the hypothesis that the Moon is the Serpent's other eye, insisting that it and the Sun do not share a nature. (This, as much as the Serpent business, is what got him burnt by the Church.) He proposes that the Serpent's teeth are towers, that the Serpent's mouth is a gate, that the Serpent is the 'devourer of Ys'... and 'therefore' that the Serpent's other eye is amber.

There is only one Hour that is refered to as Amber: The Watchman. He is Amber due to his triple origin: Part remains of the Egg Unhatching, part the Unwise Mortal and part Light of Glory.
This eye business may refer to who is the Sun in The House of the Sun. In the times of the Gods-from-Stone the sun was Red and Low, who is most likely the Egg Unhatching. The Chiliarch's Victory':

The environment is a chilly desert beneath a low red sun. On closer inspection, the brighter patches seem to be golden blood, seeping from vast wounds.

Then the Sun was the Sun-in-Splendour. But since its Division The Watchman is the Sun, Lifting Fifth Eye Curse:

When the sun was always red and low, we needed all our eyes. Now, Glory enters mercilessly if we open them unwisely.'

Also if you look at the Sun during a sunny day you will notice it has the Watchman's eye. Mystery solved, the book makes sense. Leave now if you want.
I am not reponsible if the next part gives a fascination. Also you need to already have 2 to understand it.
What the hell is the Joined Serpent?
Let's think, who are the Serpents in the Lore and how are they tied to Light?
Worms: The Serpents which are not Serpents. Very unlikely, Lantern can be used to avoid their curse and they are not Serpents. In addition Worms are numerous while there is one Joined Serpent.
Great Hooded Princes: Unlikely given that they Worship the Key-Serpent, the Crossroads-Twins and the Mirror-Queen, (Twin Serpent Tantra). And again they are numerous, not one.
Seven-Coils: The Hour is dead, it has been dead long before the Watchman rose. I don't think it's him. And he has no known connection to Light.
Mother-of-Ants: She is not a Serpent, she is the Older Sister but not a Serpent herself. She also lacks connection to Light.
That's it then? The mystery goes on. No, because here is when I pull the rug. There is one more Hour, one who has the symbol of a Joined Serpent, one who has ties with Ys and one who has a connection with light, and that is pretty much all we know about them. That is Hour XXI, The Giribrago.
Joined Serpet: His Tatot Card has a snake eating its tail, often called Ouroboros.
Caer Ys: The Giribrago sponsors the Rose endings in Book of Hours. This endings are about building the City Unbuilt (Refuge from Eternity) in Ys.
Light: The Weather Factory description of The Giribrago is: "He contains; he brings gifts; he does not destroy. He bursts forth from the mountain. He is the Shard, the Leak, the Remnant, the Wound, the Diamond." Alongside it a photo of Jabal al-Nour, a well-known real-world mountain whose Arabic name means "Mountain of the Light". And he had the unofficial name "The Second Egg".

He bursts forth from the mountain.

This is a curious one because there is a type of Lightning that goes Ground-to-Cloud.
So what does it mean? Currently not much, I think. The best I can come up with is that: If The Giribrago is the Devour of Ys, but he also "contains and does not destroy", does it mean it's the guardian Hour of Ys? Hours in general do not like Ys, the city is a threat to them. They would have eliminated it unless it was protected.
Perhaps there is lore that can provide more info but I couldn't find many mentions of lightning. The best I could find was a text that connects mountains lightning and the Division, The Vinzant Inscriptions:

Everett Vinzant transcribed these from a cliff in Anatolia, where he famously survived a lightning-strike. He died seven years later to the day. His bones, the legend has it, were hot to the touch.
Long ago, the Sisterhood of the Knot recounted, the Forge loved the Hour called the Sun-in-Splendour. The Red Grail long anticipated their union, and the Grail-priestesses prophesied it...
The remainder of the text consists of gloating remarks by the Grail-priestesses of the Shaping that will come, interpolated with warnings and laments from those of the Sisterhood who serve the Ring-Yew and especially the Horned Axe. Nevertheless, an invocation to the Forge is included as part of an attempt to urge it onwards.

So a mystery is solved and another is open. In the future we should look for mentions of joined serpents/Ouroboros, and lightning.

UK based.
Thirteenth post in my accountability series. Using this as a progress diary since startihg my weight loss journey on 12th Feb 2024.
Started the week at 154.2 (down 1.6lbs from) 155.8 the week before.
Now this has been an interesting week to say the least. With 3 weeks left on MJ (I can’t afford to do any longer) I wanted to push the boundaries a little. I wanted to see what wiggle room I have.
I’ve made some real changes with walking, drinking water and portion size, to the point that my body water % is up 3% since making my health a priority, and my average daily steps has doubled. Now this isn’t to say I’m not going to continue with these great habits, but I wanted to see how affected I’d be if I didn’t do these things consistently.
This week I switched out some of my water for lightly flavoured sparkling water on occasion (think appletiser) and had a glass or two of Prosecco a few weeks after work with my husband (had a few days of work and was feeling a lot more chilled than usual).
Brother in law stayed over from Wednesday to Friday. Even though he’s very health conscious, I think his presence threw things off food wise in the house. Husband was more keen to get takeaway and snacks. It’s not necessarily because bro in law wants them, but I think husband feels happy and at peace when he’s around and fully relaxes. I love that, but not necessarily the food effect. I stayed eating the way I have but I had a KFC drum stick and some small chips (very delicious treat, but definitely more than enough).
Husband has been very congratulatory about my weight loss. I wanted us to go through this together as we were both unhealthy, overweight and have been through the rigmaroles of weight loss countless times, but he wasn’t ready. After bro in law left on Friday, and seeing my progress husband spoke to me about being interested in MJ. I’m excited for him if it’s a step he chooses to take.
We had Mexican for dinner on Friday after dropping our little one off at my parents house. I stuck to two appetisers which were protein and salad heavy and seasoned with lime for extra flavour. Delicious. What a relief it is to eat with my stomach instead of my eyes. I’m no longer exhausted thinking about food, I know how much will satisfy me and I don’t go beyond that, because why would I?
Saturday morning rolled round. Husband and I were busy and some friends very kindly offered to look after our dog overnight. We dropped him off and they were very surprised and congratulatory about my weight loss. We see them every few weeks but now the weather is changing, I’m not bundled in jumpers like usual and I guess my weight loss really showed. I didn’t really know what to say! I think I’m almost getting a little embarrassed now. I think I need to work on saying thank you, and knowing that that’s a full and complete sentence. Baby steps with that I guess.
On Saturday afternoon I had a big brunch that was booked from a few months ago and lovely fried rice dish and unlimited Prosecco / woo woo drinks for a few hours. I happily ate my portion of food, taking my time to chew eat and enjoy, rather than wolfing it down like I used to. The flavour was delicious and I really enjoyed it and had time to think about how much I was enjoying it. It’s wild that I didn’t do this before.
Now the drinks… I read a lot on Reddit and otherwise about the averse side effects people have even after a couple of light alcoholic drinks, so I’ve always been cautious about have 0-1 drinks if I do have a drink with MJ. Hand on heart, I lost count after 6 Proseccos, and had a few more in the pub afterwards. I had a small glass of water between drinks when I could remember. I was fully expecting to throw up or have a terrible tummy, but I write this now at 6:47am on a Sunday morning, waking up happy and well rested without even a whiff of a hangover, ready to resume my regular schedule (MJ shot, walk, healthy eating). I think I had a lucky escape, but it definitely isn’t something I’m in a rush to repeat. But a part of me wonders if I’m ok because of all the changes I’ve made. This is now a little blip rather than the norm.
I’m not really sure what my update is about today other than surprise. My son is with his grandparents for the weekend, and I guess I had a big relax. But I’m ready to get back to normal. It’s so interesting how aware I am of how my diet has changed. This would be something I could mindlessly do on a Friday and Saturday without thinking before. It wouldn’t have been an active choice.
Looking in the mirror, I like what I see and how I feel. I’ve readjusted my goal weight again since I feel I look good now (and looking good on the inside according to my stats), so would be happy with the top of the range. I’m really focussed on body recomposition and have started a home programme of 20 minutes of exercise after the little one has gone to bed.
As I expected, there’s nothing interesting to report stat wise, but I enjoyed the week.
SW: 184.4 lbs CW: 153.1 lbs WoW Loss: 1.1 lbs GW: 145-150 with tone/muscle 💪🏾
SW fat percentage: 36% why Last Week fat percentage: 31.4% CW fat percentage: 30.8%
SW visceral fat: 11 Last week visceral fat: 7 CW visceral fat: 7
SW metabolic age: 38 Last week metabolic age: 34 CW metabolic age: 34
Ready for next week ✨