Photo of eyes with cocaine use

I used to use a Revlon one a decade ago that was so perfect. I used it on my waterline and also for a quick wing effect on my upper eyelid. I stopped using when I went vegan and started using more clean ingredients. I am so frustrated with buying both cheap and expensive alternatives, even when I finally caved and tried ones that were more chemical laden. I have oily lids and a LOT eyeshadows/eyeliners end up dissolving or totally giving me raccoon eyes.
The ones that I’ve swatch tested at Sephora or blindly bought online are too powdery and more sheer than I want. The Revlon one was jet black and totally opaque. It wasn’t a cream but it had more of a glide to it. It had such incredible staying power and somehow smudged in a flattering way if I had a long night. It also had a pointed applicator that was such a cool texture, almost like a magic eraser vs the more porous style that’s more common. Does anything comparable exist?

U.S. only, shipping starts at $4 and goes up with weight Paypal only Will consider offers PHOTOS
• Paula's Choice 10% AHA body lotion, 7oz, brand new/sealed, $15ea (x2)
• Fur Stubble Cream, 5oz, brand new/sealed, $20
• Paula's Choice Acne Body Spray, 4oz, ~95% full, $20
• Paula's Choice 25% AHA + 2% BHA, 1oz, used once, $30
• Ordinary Azelaic Acid, 3.4oz, ~30% full, $10
• Bare Minerals 10% Phyto-Retinol Night Concentrate, 8ml, brand new, Free With Purchase (forgot to take out of box, can update)
• Bare Minerals Long Life Herb Serum, 1ml, brand new, foil packet, Free With Purchase
• Kiehl's Ultra Facial Toner, 8.4oz, ~85% full, $15
• Kiehl's Calendula Toner, 1.4oz, brand new/sealed, $5
• Kiehl's Calendula Face Wash, 1oz, brand new (didn't come sealed), $5
• Earth Therapeutics Tea Tree Facial Towelettes, 15 towelettes, brand new/sealed, Free With Purchase
• La Roche Posay Anthelios Body & Face Mineral SPF 50, 4oz, exp 8/2024, ~90% full, $15
• Walgreens Daily Facial Moisturizer SPF 30 Fragrance Free, 4oz, exp 6/2025, ~90% full, $5
• Differin Oil Absorbing Moisturizer SPF 30, 4oz, exp 8/2025, brand new, $10
• Bliss Vitamin C + Tri-Peptide Moisturizer, 15ml, brand new/sealed, $5
• Paula's Choice Rescue & Repair Weightless Moisturizer, 2oz, ~95% full, $25
• Summer Fridays Jet Lag Mask, 1oz, ~85% full, $15
• Paula's Choice Moisture Renewal Oil Booster, 20ml, ~95% full, $25
• Good Molecules Bakuchiol Oil Blend for Dry Skin, 12ml, ~75% left, $5
• Stratia Fortify oil, 1oz, ~85% left, $15

So I had an endoscopic sinus surgery on May 7th 2024. I was doing okay until I began experiencing severe pain on my head and left eye, fever and chills on May 10th which prompted an ER visit. There, I was treated with Dilaudid, Ativan, Reglan, IV fluids and got started on IV antibiotics. Went home by midnight with prescription of steroids and 10 day course of antibiotics. Fast forward to May14th around 3:10 pm, blood started dripping from my left nare. Tried to apply pressure and ice but it wouldn’t stop. A few minutes later I was bleeding from both nares and also coughing out small clots of blood. Paramedics were called since bleeding was getting worse and blood pressure was 160/96. Arrived at the hospital around 3:40pm, roomed in 5 minutes. ER doctor from may 10th recognized me and says “oh I remember you”. He assessed the bleeding but said he doesn’t see anything that he can cauterize now. At this point it’s been almost an hour of nonstop bleeding and coughing out blood. I am already nauseous and BP is still elevated. I asked for Zofran, nurse gave me 2. 10 minutes later the nurse starts an IV, and asked if I want anything for pain. I said yes, just not dilaudid. So he did the IV and gave me ativan and fentanyl along with labetalol to lower my blood pressure. These didn’t help me. Bleeding is significantly worse, clots are now a size of ping pong balls. The ER doctor tried a useless nasal spray called Afrin and also tried topical tranexamic acid but the bleeding is just bad. They put me on suction machine so I wouldn’t choke on my blood. There is no answer on how are they planning to resolve this. I had 3 total iv doses of Labetalol in an attempt to lower my BP but it never did go down cause I was losing so much blood. My mom and sister are already getting scared by 7pm, the ER doctor kept saying he is trying to reach my surgeon. He saw the suction machine and saw there was more than 300 cc blood there and that’s when he panicked a little bit and ordered for my labs. He tried to insert this device and pump it with pressure but it just cause me so much pain and didn’t stop the bleeding so that was ineffective. I actually felt bad for the ER doctor because he didn’t know what to do at this point. So I was just laying there bleeding until my “surgeon” came at around 8:30 and tried to correct the bleeding right there. He inserted these tubes which again did not work, and they hurt 20/10 I was wailing and begging him to take them out. But he said no, let’s wait a little bit. He asked someone to get a device with camera from the OR, but he couldn’t see the source of bleed too. After all the crying and more bleeding and him rushing, he decided it is time to go to the OR for another surgery. I woke up at 1am in the recovery room feeling traumatized and weak. I really thought i was going to die that night. I was saying goodbye and I love you to my family because I thought I was dying. Looking at my labs the next day, it says there that I was put on a critical care for 47 minutes due to the abnormal lab values. My hemoglobin went down to 11 and my hematocrit went down from 37% to 33 %. My RBC was low and MPV was low too due to blood loss. And more abnormal lab values. I am still weak and fatigued 5 days later. :/
I guess my concern is, do I have the right to complain? Is this medical negligence? Why did they let me bleed for 6 hours? Why didn’t the hospital have an ON- call surgeon? Is my surgeon to blame? I really feel like if my surgeon had use prophylactic antibiotics prior to my sinus surgery, I wouldn’t have caught the infection. Idk why he opted out when he knew I had history of postoperative pneumonia.
I feel traumatized by this experience. I don’t want anyone to feel the same way I did. Thank you!

TL;DR: Luigi and Saiko have the potential to be a pairing with fun contrasting personalities and character growth potential while working with what's there in canon already without much if any change.
Time for something a bit... different for this sub, at least from what I can tell. I only just joined yesterday thanks to Medi's recent video.
Before we begin, I want to start off by saying that this is in no way a "my ship is better than yours" post. You are all free to like what you want, all I'm doing is trying to spread love for a pairing I hold so dear, and why I wish more people knew what's special about it. In other words, don't take this the wrong way. With that out of the way...
Saiko Bichitaru is my favorite SMG4 character. It took a bit for me to appreciate her, but as a fan of the show since 2013, as her debut year of 2018 went by and she continued to develop into a core cast member, I thought that for a show like this it was a very well-executed character arc, with a pretty heartwarming conclusion to boot. In the years since, besides perhaps 2019 which I thought was pretty good for her character, she took a step back in favor of other characters getting the spotlight, which isn't necessarily a bad thing but part of me does wish they got to utilize certain dynamics with her more. Tari and Kaizo are obvious ones, but another obvious one that I think is largely unnoticed these days is her dynamic with Luigi.
Luigi is my other favorite character, for generally being likable while still being entertaining, but there are other, niche-er reasons too I will get into later. For now I will say that he has has a sort of "magic" about him, in that despite his cowardly exterior (occasionally gigachad moments aside, which are mainly done for comedy's sake) he has a big heart and tries to see the best in people. In SMG4, him becoming Saiko's friend during her darkest hour (heh) is one of the biggest examples of this. It started an unlikely friendship between a timid but kindly plumber and a tough and passionate rockstar, something that remains to this day, but mainly in background cameos. Despite this, I've noticed that the larger fanbase doesn't really acknowledge this much, likely to due A. the lack of major usage since 2020 and B. some fans weren't around when those videos were new. But that's why I'm here today: I am here to talk about what makes this dynamic work so well, but also that I legitimately think that while considering that, Luigi x Saiko is a pairing that can work extremely well given what's already there without much interference. Again, I'm not saying that it's "better" than other pairings involving one of these two, only that it's one of the more "realistic" pairings as a whole in my opinion. To start with, let's go over Saiko's character arc again.
PART 1: SAIKO
I don't want to turn this into a recap, so we'll go over her story briefly before getting into the parts involving the green Italian man. A fictional rockstar in a dating game from the band KS-2 brought in by Boopkins due to his loneliness, Saiko started off as an extremely clingy yandere, violently demanding attention from others if even a second was put away from her being the center of attention. After about six months of her being a villain, eventually she realized that she has a problem and became depressed over it, only fro a certain someone to come in and kickstart her redemption, slowly but surely becoming nicer and becoming friends with the SMG4 gang, notably Tari and Meggy.
I personally feel like a lot of Saiko's POV is understood if you saw certain videos happen as they aired, but it all started with Luigi's Lesson, where the usually cowardly Luigi learns about Saiko's problems and tries to help her become nicer. As you may know, he succeeded for the most part, with her doing a good deed by the end (saving Mario from choking on hot dogs), and she slowly became nicer over time. The thing is that Luigi was Saiko's first true friend, someone who saw her potential for being a good person before anyone else. In this case, I don't really count Boopkins since while he did care for her, after her debut he tried to stay away as much as he could and didn't really attempt to help her until after Luigi kickstarted that whole thing. Beyond that though, there were still moments throughout 2018 that showed Luigi being the one to help Saiko improve herself, the main one being a small moment in The Mario Cafe, but even Mario and the Diss Track had Luigi be the one to tell Saiko the truth about Bob in that arc.
All things considered, my personal interpretation is that Luigi saved Saiko's life. Without him being there for her, Saiko would've continued scared off people with her violent tendencies, and she never would've found the "attention" she desired so much via the SMG4 gang. And it all started because some easily-scared plumber saw something more in someone even he was previously scared of. Speaking of which, let's talk about him.
PART 2: LUIGI
To start with, I wanted to mention that Luigi is bisexual, not homosexual. "Gay" can be used as an umbrella term for anyone in the LGBT+ community, and Luigi has shown attraction for both men and women throughout the series, with a lean towards men mainly for comedy purposes. The 2015 episode Love for Luigi is a very notable example of this, where Luigi falls in love with Daisy and tries to win over her heart, and he succeeds by the end... but did he really? Much like several other aspects of the series, this is something only really brought up when it's convenient (like the 2016 episode Boo Busters) but otherwise Luigi is portrayed as single. Since we live in an era where they care about canon a little more, I think the only plausible explanation for this is that they broke up.
While I imagine that Luigi is fine with this these days, to get into headcanon territory a little, perhaps Luigi still feels lonely to this day. I mean, he still shows attraction to people, even showing interest in romance (such as this one clip from a Mario Does Things video from a couple of years back called "luigi tries to get with the ladies" on the Shorts channel), so there probably has to be some level of desire for it internally. Maybe he feels lonely, which is why he could relate to Saiko's struggles at first. But that's enough about headcanons for now.
Another thing about Saiko is that she just fits Luigi's taste in general. Luigi is with Daisy in Nintendo canon, and she's a strong gal with a lotta passion for what she cares about. While Luigi is plenty capable himself, in SMG4 he still shows signs of timidness and cowardice every once in a while, and of course he tends to be the butt of many jokes that he can't do anything about. From a comedy perspective that's fine, but from Luigi's POV, considering the several other responsibilities he has, the dude is tired. Someone strong and passionate like Saiko has the potential to teach him about confidence and standing up for himself in return for him teaching her about kindness and being rewarded for it. Long story short, being with Saiko not only fits Luigi's own tastes in partners, but Saiko in particular could do something that helps him better himself. In turn...
PART 3: LUIGI & SAIKO
Everything discussed leads to a relationship between two contrasting personalities with their own problems, and getting together leads to both of them becoming happier in the process. And hey, who doesn't like a ship with contrasting personalities? The thing about LxS though is that the seeds were already planted in the show itself to build off from, with the setup given in Luigi's Lesson potentially giving us just that. As for their dynamic, the times they do show up together, as I said before, consistently have them friendly without any real holes or inconsistencies. A large part of that is due to their underusage together, but even in recent episodes, we have moments such as the 2022 Christmas episode where they were cooking dinner together, or a more recent episode that shows them together at SMG3's coffee shop.
One final major point though is that I think Luigi and Saiko being a couple could bring things full circle. Saiko, a woman looking for love and improves herself thanks to a certain person starting it all.... only for said person to fall for the woman that Saiko became, and in turn Saiko falls for Luigi for being the one who started her new life and for being a kindhearted person who understands her the most, next to Tari mainly shown in the KS-2 mini-arc from 2022. In other words, the person Saiko was really looking for was the person in-front of her the whole time. If you ask me, that's a pretty fitting note to "conclusively" end Saiko's original character arc, even if it already ended around 2019.
As a side note, Luigi and Saiko have potential to be really good parents, but with the "gender roles" switched, which is always fun. Luigi is timid, caring, and tidy, while Saiko is also caring, but also passionate, tough, and cares for her friend's well-beings, both like a mom and a dad respectively. It also has a lot of comedy potential as you have the two of them learning the ropes of parenthood, and it could lead to more interactions with other characters, mainly Karen (in which Luigi already gave advice to on parenting one time, showing that he already has the ropes to a degree).
CONCLUSION
Overall, Luigi and Saiko have a lot of potential for not only their dynamic, but also the idea of them becoming a couple. I wish more people knew about this since I feel that LxS is largely seen as "MxM's Player 2" given how you only really see MxM fans mention the pairing. That isn't a bad thing at all, I myself like that pairing, but I do wish that the pairing had a little more of a fanbase of its own. But hey, that's part of why I'm talking about this now. The good news though is that there has been something of a small resurgence of the pairing already despite the fact of content, mainly through the existence of RockRage8962's fankid characters Angelo and Rin, who were made into Gmod characters by Duz/Glithware and AnEyeArtist.
Despite this, I do wish that more people understood why this pairing is special, and I hope with this essay, more people can do so. You can still like whatever pairings you like, but whether this convinces you on the ship's idea or not, I hope you at least gain a little more respect towards it. If anyone has any questions or want me to elaborate on something, let me know and I'll likely respond, but if you made it this far, thanks for reading!
BONUS: A playlist of videos containing at least one Luigi and Saiko moment, from 2018 to 2020.
https://www.youtube.com/playlist?list=PLDYLLnT8V-AT9AUb28cpE87_-a4CMbEed

I have been on lamotrigine for four years. I have never gone off my medication once, even in the times where I've fully believed that I'm just a dramatic, selfish, manipulative person who can sometimes be a baby, and overemphasized my normal human problems that everyone deals with and tricked my psychiatrist into giving me this diagnosis. I know that's a hallmark of this illness and is probably not true, so I use my logic brain instead of my feeling brain to stay on my meds without fail. But I feel like my symptoms are generally less extreme and more short lived than a lot of peoples and it makes me feel like a fraud.
I, like most of us, endured some significant trauma, and used to abuse alcohol and cocaine and other destructive behavior to cope for many years in my twenties. I was terrified of medication and wanted to try making positive lifestyle changes before medication.
Today is my 6 year anniversary of quitting smoking cigs or any form of nicotine for that matter. I stopped drinking and doing drugs 5 years ago. I exercise and take much better care of myself. I've been more stable than I've ever been. I can't tell if my stability is a product of my positive lifestyle changes, or the medication I'm on. Maybe it's both. I'm stuck in a chicken or egg question. I just want to live well, so I take my meds, but I wonder if I would be ok without them since I've changed my life so much.
Anyone have any thoughts?

The beginning of my daughters 6th grade year (2021), a new girl moved to town. We will call her Ruth. Her parents had recently divorced and she moved here with her mother. My daughter quickly became friends with her and I noticed my daughter coming out of her shell more. Being less shy, more outgoing. I was happy for her to have made a new friend that she was close so quickly with. The friendship quickly turned into best friends. The girl began coming over to our house for sleepovers on the weekends as kids do. They would hang out at the park together in town. She eventually asked to go over to her house to hang out and I said yes. She knew it would just be hanging out during the day as I really didn't know her mother well. My daughter got in the car and told me how much she liked hanging out over there and then proceeded to tell me there roaches crawling on the floor in the girls bedroom, THEN asked if she could stay the night sometime. I told her no and explained to her why and said that her friend is always welcome to come stay at our home. BFF's continue. No harm, no foul.
Fast forward to 7th grade year. Still BFF's. This is great. Especially since girls are so awful to each other ALL THE TIME IN JUNIOR HIGH. Her mom has a work trip and has to travel out of state for a few days during the school week. She asked if her daughter could stay with us. My husband and I agreed that it would be fine and she stayed with us for a few days while her mom was out of state. Still BFF's.
Now it's the middle of 7th grade year, around January (2023). Her mom (46 y/o)started dating a new guy(50 y/o). This guys fiancé had recently left him for another guy. We will call him John. I live in a dominantly republican area if this gives you any idea of the people I'm dealing with/talking about. Anyways, they fall in love and she moves in with John within 6 months of dating each other. (Approx May 2023). Her son decides to move back with his dad. Her other daughter moved in with a boyfriend (she is over 18). So, just the mom and daughter move in with him and his son(irrelevant).
Summer 2023 it is suddenly unfair that Ruth is always coming over to our house, but my daughter never goes over there. My husband(37 y/o) and I(35 y/p) agree that it is ok for her to go over there. John had just recently putting up an above ground pool. We don't have a pool. It's summer. I get it. She goes over there plenty of times, I let her stay late as we just live about a mile or two down the road. John starts building a "cabin" as a "great outlook over the pool". This is basically a cabin/pool house thing up 12 feet above the pool, but kind of to the side. My husband and I think its super weird...but whatever, they continue hanging out back and forth at one another's houses. Ruth continues to stay over a lot. In the midst of all of this and my daughter meeting John she informs me that....John thinks my daughter is a liar. Of course I asked why. John thinks that because my daughter will not look him in the eye when she speaks to him. My daughter is shy and has a lot of anxiety. I told her that she is not required to look him in the eye if she doesn't want to her. Its HER choice. John now has a say in what Ruth wears. He is not allowing her to wear short shorts anymore because it will give off the wrong impression to men dressing that way. Same with tops as far as her chest and stomach. I don't mean extreme stuff either. I mean if she has a shirt that touches her pants, but when she lifts up her arms it shows her stomach it is not allowed. I also really don't care how people choose to allow/not allow their children to dress, it is just that she was previously allowed to wear these things. She is also no longer allowed to hang out in her room alone, she has to hang out with her family in the living room.
Fast forward to a couple of months ago. Still BFF's. My daughter asked for Ruth to stay over. Of course, its fine with my husband and I. However, Ruth cannot stay over because it is now unfair that Ruth always stays at our house and my daughter never stays there. My daughter asked me if she could spend the night over there. She informed me that if she was not able to spend the night over there, then they wouldn't be able to hang out anymore. I figured it was just two teenagers making stuff up to be able to stay somewhere. I always used to do it when I was a kid...all kids do it. I asked my daughter if she wanted to stay there. She was upset, and said yes because if she doesn't then they won't be able to be friends. She said so if she has to do it to be friends with Ruth, then she will. My daughter does not even use public restrooms/school restrooms. The only place she will go to the restroom is at home. My husband and I talked it over and did not allow her to stay because of how he openly talks shit about our daughter, and if you've read above...its giving narcissist. We explained all of this to our daughter.
Later that night there is a knock on our door. Its Ruth mom and John. They asked if they could talk to us. John asked if we called him a pedophile. We didn't. We explain this. Convo continues. Not a heated convo just a normal convo. They continue to talk to let us know that they don't drink or anything but they are facing misdemeanor charges for fighting ANOTHER GIRLS PARENTS in the 8th grade class at a Poker Run for a fundraiser a few months ago but it wasn't their fault. Then John asks if I bought Ruth a tanktop recently. It was a spaghetti strap. John tells my husband and I "Ruth isn't allowed to wear those because soon they will be freshman in highschool and ALL of the seniors have a bet to see how many freshman they can fuck and the ones dressed like that will be the easiest targets" Blood boils . I informed John politely but sternly that girls should not have to worry about how they are dressed, parents should be teaching the BOYS how to behave properly and obtain consent. John also defended a sex offender that was charged for molesting a girlfriends daughter who is disabled and cannot speak or talk for herself. John defended him and said technically she WASNT a minor and he is a good guy. Idc about sex offenders and I do believe in rehabilitation but a crime is a crime. Long convo. Basically chit chatting about our kids. It ended with them telling us that our daughter is always welcome to stay and we said thanks and they left.
Now, Ruth is no longer allowed to hang out with my daughter. Ruth has to ride the bus and cannot get rides home with us because its US. They are not allowed at the park together. She's not allowed here. This is per John and Ruth's mom. They had graduation and Ruth had to make sure John didn't catch her talking to me.
I obviously want my daughter to be happy. She has not given me an attitude about any of this. She has gotten upset and cried and just told me that she would do it if she had to because she doesn't want to lose her friend. She wants to have a good summer but John gives me the CREEPS and narcissist vibes. I also feel like its a control thing for him?
Plz be nice. I'll cry if I'm TA. lol

Dear you,
I was at some college campus and had suddenly noticed an old colleague I used to work with 13 years go. He, of course, was older but he carried himself more maturely and was more put together than I remember. I approached him and he met my gaze. While he didn't immediately recognize me after shaking hands, he was open to conversation and catching up. That is, until his younger friend jumped in and started talking to me (that would be you). You told me that he had some kind of heart disease, and he was dying from it, that he was married, and she was taking care of all of his final affairs so he would have nothing to worry about. My old colleague left, while you kept talking to me.
I don't remember the words that you said, but I was listening. As you kept talking, you eventually made your way towards the nape of my neck and began nibbling and kissing. I will admit that it felt very good and I loved the closeness of you being right next to me. For a while, you kept talking and mixed it with your nibbling and kissing, to the point to where your talking stopped. I closed my eyes and wanted very much to kiss you very hungrily and let you have your way with me. Instead, I opened my eyes and clearly said, "Bruh, I'm old enough to be your momma." You immediately stopped, said, "Thanks" and you left.
The next thing I knew, I was in a small-town mom-and-pop, picking up a package of sponges. A lady at the pharmacy counter was asking me, "How did your claim go? Do you think maybe you could help me?" I answered to her, "Yes, it turns out that I just needed a different provider. Let me give you the number for rat traps." As I was on my way to purchase the package of sponges, I nearly ran into an elderly couple shopping for aspirin, and the husband kept asking the wife the difference between Advil and Tylenol. Then I woke up.
When it hit me that I was awake, I heard your spirit asking me, "WHY THE HELL DO YOU SEE ME AS IMMATURE?"
Normally, I'd have answer ready for you, being able to write a novel explaining why. But, this time, you've left me speechless. Honestly, I don't know ... ?
I'll have to think about that.
~ Me

For the last few months I’ve had worsening symptoms all of which have had SIBO come up A LOT- but I mostly ignored it anyway knowing my symptoms will all be brushed off because “that could be a normal symptom sometimes to an extent/ibs” I have an Eating disorder so bloating? Nooo that’s body dysmorphia… & so on HOWEVER bc of this I’m veryyyy used to if anything far beyond “normal” gastro issues- AND I’m already on gut motility tablets, I don’t consume any gluten, i am veryyy used to bloating & constipation & wind etc (tmi warning) - I had to go 5 weeks without a bowel movement in inpatient until I started involuntarily vomiting & oral laxatives did nothing until I needed a phosphate enema, & fast forward to being ignored by gastro over & over despite whatever insane symptoms I had eg; “some blood is normal… even the nurse agreed looking like I’d had my period was not within said “normal” range (ew I’m sorry) - oh & ofc “just eat more fiber & exercise & more water!!!” all while my dietitian was like “you only eat fruit & veg, + exercise n drink too much water so no, no & no”🙃 All of this to essentially say I know the full range of normal & am probably desensitised to abnormal gut issues… but I know I’ll still be ignored lol,
But in the last 2 weeks especially I’ve been especially confused by my v specific stomach distension- which I can confirm is not “in my head” because it’s not even normal “bloating” or fat etc (again I’m used to a lot) so I was more concerned by just not understanding when I also know the normal female bloat under bellybutton- but it’s not quite that either? Very very strange, literally had me querying if I somehow got pregnant n had it blocked from my memory in the most unironic way (not haha I look pregnant but genuinely concerning wtf is this) - TLDR EVENTUALLY - Had already searched vile b/m’s + farts that had me literally google if it can be toxic which led me again to SIBO & Methane (but ignored that day again) until the stomach distension also led me to this sub & I was shocked someone’s photo looked IDENTICAL to the ‘strange shape & bloating’ I have right now… which also led more into IMO vs SIBO… all of which became more concerning bc I’ve also tried to ‘rationalize’ the last few weeks that recent weight gain had to be water because I hadn’t been eating enough to gain ‘logically’ (still stressful none the less) But I think I also Ignored the majority of the SIBO red flags bc they all had the side affect of “malabsorption” which… not in a means of downplaying the symptoms & issues this causes btw- but my brain is just like ah okay worth it so grand it’s fine (again NOT logical n defo wouldn’t say to anyone else) But yes I am now several hours deep pretty sure the most likely issue it Methane variant of SIBO… but now also freaking tf out at the idea my body is somehow magically extracting exponentially more calories from anything & everything I consume which may sound dumb but genuinely the physical symptoms are bad enough alone n I can’t with this anxiety also
Vvvv appreciative if anyone could share any insights or experiences bc honestly I am quite confused as I didn’t really know that there were different versions in this sense & google is just equating it automatically to “you’ll just keep gaining n this is why everyone’s obese” which… idk how much sense it makes but I can’t find any actual info on like howww much extra you can absorb?? Or if it’s automatically that?? Are we just doomed regardless or is there any way to know? I’ve already had under active thyroid issues but atleast they had some actual %less BMR etc but for this google is not being v helpful other than “this organism exponentially makes u consume more calories” but surely that has to be based on something? Like an 80 calorie apple surely can’t just multiply into 800? Idk v sorry for the rant but yes pls any experiences genuinely so so appreciated 😭🫶🏻

Guys, I need help ASAP! This just happened a few hours ago at my hotel, and I’m freaking out. I was using the bathroom, and somehow, while wiping, I got poop on my wristband. 😭
I’ve tried scrubbing it, but the smell won't go away, and every time I catch a whiff, I gag. I’m worried about getting pink eye or something gross. I can’t believe this is happening right before day 3 of EDC.
Will Will Call give me a new wristband if I cut this one off? I don't want to miss out on tonight, but I also can’t deal with a poop-scented wristband all night. Help a desperate raver out! 🙏💩

I genuinely had no idea the depth this season would have. I just finished my second rewatch, watching edits, and reading people's analyses and metas. Nic was right when she said this season was romance because, wow, I’m speechless at just how much there is to their story. It keeps you going back, thinking, and pondering. To the point that I'm not as mad as I was about them splitting up the season. We're really able to take in these four episodes, unpack each scene, each character, and each expression because everything has been so purposeful.
On my second rewatch, it struck me that it wasn't the kiss that awakened Colin's feelings. I wouldn't have thought so until someone mentioned on twitter it wasn't the kiss Colin has a flashback of before he goes to the ball. it was the scene Pen wraps his hand with a cloth. I rewatched the show after that to pay closer attention and wow did so many things stand out to me the second time around. Maybe it was the candle that sparked that memory, but even then, was her wrapping his wound so significant to him that it prompted him to go to the ball, interrupt her dance, cause a scandal, and then chase her carriage?
Colin's behavior towards her has been odd the entire season. First, Penelope not responding to his letters messed him up. It made him realize that although he's always cherished her as a friend, she had a much more profound impact on him, and he didn’t notice until she was no longer there. He tries to talk to her, but she walks away, giving him the cold shoulder. He is left shook.
He sees her at the ball in her stunning dress. He keeps staring at her, so aware of her, constantly tracking her. Then she leaves, running up the stairs and passing him. He leaves his friends behind to go after her, despite their advice not to concern himself with her. They have that moment where he tells her he misses her, but in a much different way than he would have spoken to her last season or the season before that. "If you're going to make it, say it. I miss you." Not "I missed you," but "I miss you."
This distinction is crucial. "I missed you" implies a past tense, a temporary void that has now been filled. "I miss you," however, conveys a present, ongoing longing. It shows that his feelings are current and that her absence affects him deeply and continuously. This moment is pivotal because it reveals a more vulnerable and sincere side of Colin, one that he hasn't shown to others this season.
Colin is showing a different side of himself to everyone this season, including his own family. He's trying to present a more composed and assertive version of himself to the world. Yet, Penelope is the only one with whom he truly feels comfortable enough to be his genuine self. She makes him feel safe, allowing him to drop the mask he wears for others. With her, he can be kind, sensitive, and unguarded.
This sense of security that Penelope provides is significant. It’s clear that Colin values her presence not just as a friend, but as someone who understands him on a deeper level. She brings out the best in him, the parts he might be afraid to show others for fear of appearing weak or overly sentimental. In Penelope’s presence, Colin feels seen and accepted, which is why his declaration of "I miss you" carries such weight. It’s not just that he misses her company; he misses the person he is when he’s with her.
Then he seeks her out and comes to her house, gives her the big speech, and tells her he wants to get into her good graces. They go out, and he tells her to practice on those gentlemen. When she stumbles over her words, he just smiles so fondly at her. At this point, I don’t think he’s aware of his feelings, but I do believe he's starting to realize just how much he likes her. He really, really likes her. And he missed her so much, and being around her again is literally lifting his spirits.
One of my favorite moments is when they are at the market. Colin brings up the story of when they first met, leaning in and saying, "teasing me. Mercilessly, in fact." When he follows with, "I think I know why," it stands out to me because you can just see how different he is when he's with her compared to anyone else this season. Even with his family, his light is dim, and there is a cloud hanging over him. But with Penelope, especially in this scene, it's like a man who finally saw the sun after being stuck in endless rain. At this moment, I don't think he knows he likes her romantically, but he likes her even more than he did before. He notices how she makes him feel. He loves their banter and how clever and witty she is.
Penelope freaks out when he says this because she thinks she knows, and she keeps on walking. They are momentarily covered from each other by the rugs, and then Colin pops out and continues his sentence. Everything about it is so playful and flirtatious, even if unconsciously at this point. He’s just having so much fun, and it’s very different from how he used to interact with her before. That moment when Penelope says, "I should get back," leaning in and adding, "before we are noticed," is significant.
Then we have the moment when Colin says, "I've been eagerly awaiting your visit." By this point, he’s addicted to her. The interactions they had at the market, especially at the end, left a lasting impression on him. I see this as Colin testing his feelings, wondering, "Let me see if that was a fluke or if I actually like her." This moment is crucial because it reveals Colin's internal struggle and growing realization of his deeper feelings for Penelope. He’s no longer simply enjoying her company as a friend; he’s beginning to seek out her presence because it brings him genuine happiness and comfort.
This shift is evident in his behavior. Colin’s eagerness to see Penelope isn’t driven by a sense of duty or friendship; it’s a personal desire. His anticipation of her visit shows that her company has become something he craves. This is no longer about teaching her anything; he just wants to spend time with her, and you cannot convince me otherwise. Colin knows that teaching Penelope how to attract a husband doesn’t look right, as he mentions to Eloise. He is aware that his actions could be misinterpreted, and yet he persists. This indicates a level of emotional investment that goes beyond mere friendship or mentorship.
When Colin invites Penelope to the Bridgerton house and places a hand on her back, it’s a bold move that borders on scandalous. In the societal context of their time, such an action is highly intimate and could easily lead to gossip and speculation. Colin is well aware of this, which is why his decision to proceed regardless is significant. It shows that he’s starting to prioritize his personal feelings and desires over societal expectations and norms.
In Season 2, when he grabbed her hand and took her into a secluded room, he genuinely saw her as just a friend and didn’t see anything wrong with what he was doing. But this scene is different. Colin is aware that his feelings towards her are changing, and he doesn’t care about the impropriety. He just wants to be alone with Penelope. This awareness marks a turning point in Colin’s emotional journey. He’s beginning to accept that his feelings for Penelope are evolving into something deeper and more romantic.
His actions, such as eagerly awaiting her visit and ensuring they have private moments together, reflect a subconscious desire to explore these feelings further. He wants to understand the depth of his emotions without the interference of others. This need for privacy and his willingness to bend societal rules for her indicate just how significant Penelope has become to him. He values their time together, not just as friends, but as potential romantic partners. Colin’s behavior suggests that he’s on the verge of a profound realization about his true feelings for Penelope, setting the stage for further developments in their relationship.
Then we get to the moment that solidifies for me that he knows to some degree what he feels about her. When Penelope tells him his eyes are beautiful, he is visibly aghast, speechless. Jungshook. The compliment is so unexpected and disarming that he doesn’t know how to respond. Instead, he picks up his lemonade and chugs it down like a man who hasn’t had a drink in days. This reaction is significant because it shows how much Penelope’s words affect him on a deeper level. It’s not just flattery; it’s a moment of genuine vulnerability for Colin, revealing that her opinion of him matters more than he realized.
Now, let’s delve into the moment where I believe he realizes he likes her. I wouldn’t have thought anything of it and rewatched their moments with a different perspective if it weren’t for the flashback. The moment she wraps his hand is so intimate and romantic. She wraps his hand slowly, and he watches her intently as she does. There’s a tenderness in her actions that goes beyond mere care; it’s an unspoken connection. She continues holding his hand and slowly folds it, kind of caressing his fingers. This gesture is filled with unspoken emotions, and Colin feels it deeply.
She looks at him intensely, and he meets her gaze but looks down immediately, starting to fiddle with the end of the cloth like he’s nervous. This moment of eye contact is loaded with significance. Colin’s nervousness is a telltale sign that he’s starting to realize his feelings for her. He doesn’t pull away until she mentions his writing, and he gets overwhelmed. Despite all that, and even though he’s upset she read his journal, he asks, "Will I see you tonight?" This question is crucial. It shows that, despite feeling vulnerable and exposed, he craves her company. He just wants to spend time with her.
Even when he’s upset that she read his journal, his first thought is to secure more time with her. "Will I see you tonight?" is not just a casual question; it’s a plea for connection. Colin’s desire to spend more time with Penelope, even when he’s feeling vulnerable, underscores the depth of his feelings. He’s starting to recognize that his attachment to her is not just about friendship or companionship; it’s something much more profound. This realization sets the stage for the unfolding of his realizations and the emotional journey Colin is about to navigate.
Then the ball happens. Colin looks around the room for her and gives her a sexy smirk when he sees her. This smirk is significant because Colin typically reserves it for women he's flirting with, albeit usually in a fake and uncomfortable manner. However, this is the only time the smirk feels genuine and actually comes off as sexy instead of forced. The flirtatious "Good evening" from Penelope is everything, honestly. When she asks how his hand is, he replies, "All good, thanks to you." Sir, all she did was wrap it with a cloth; please be normal. At this point, he's fully aware he has a crush on her. He no longer views her as he did before. His entire demeanor is so much more different compared to their other lessons. There is an intensity to him when he's talking to her that wasn’t there before.
When Penelope talks with Lord Remington, it’s interesting that "Jealous" by Nick Jonas starts to play now and not after the kiss, when she converses with Lord Debling on many occasions where we know he's jealous. When Pen tells him she enjoyed her time with Lord Remington, he responds, "I'm certain he did as well," and he gets a bit awkward. Someone on Twitter mentioned that when Penelope was flirting and trying to engage with others, Colin wasn't jealous, but the moment she is herself and comfortable, his jealousy kicks in, as we saw in this scene. Someone said he's trying to gatekeep her lmao. He sees her smiling and enjoying herself—a part of herself she only shows him—and he can't handle it. Hence, why I believe they chose to play that song at this moment.
This moment is crucial because it highlights the shift in Colin’s feelings. His smirk, which is usually a façade, becomes real and filled with genuine affection when directed at Penelope. His awkwardness and jealousy when she talks to another man further emphasize that his feelings for her have deepened. Colin is no longer just a friend offering guidance; he’s a man who realizes he has a crush on her and is struggling to navigate these new emotions. The music choice underscores this emotional turmoil, perfectly capturing the internal conflict and realization he is experiencing.
And then everything else proceeds that leads to the kiss. I, like so many others, believed this is where he realizes his feelings for Pen. Someone on Twitter mentioned how his eyebrows furrowed and his lips quivered. When I first saw it, I wondered why this kiss would warrant such a strong reaction from Colin. At this point, it was just a kiss that Pen asked for in a moment where she thinks she is ruined and will never find a prospect. But upon rewatching, Colin's visceral reaction to the kiss, as evidenced by his furrowed eyebrows and quivering lips, suggests a deeper emotional resonance than he initially realizes.
Penelope tells him it would not have to mean anything, but for him but it did. He knows his feelings towards her have changed. If it had been just a kiss because she asked for it, it would have stopped after the first time. Just a fleeting moment of physical contact between friends. But they kiss a second time and it's from his pov this time. It's slow sweet and oh so romantic. It's a catalyst that triggers a flood of suppressed emotions and desires within him. In that brief instant, the walls he's constructed around his heart start to crumble, allowing his true feelings for Penelope to surface. it wasn’t a kiss that awakened his feelings; it was a kiss that confirmed it. And not just confirmed it, it made him realize it wasn't just a crush he developed this season but it brought all his dormant feelings to the surface from the past as well.
TLDR: I think he was aware that he liked her when she wrapped his hand specifically and the kiss made him realize that it wasn't just a crush—his feelings run much, much deeper than that.

So my girlfriend and I have been together for almost 3 years. I know to some people our relationship does not seem like such a big deal because of our age and I get that but ok. So my girlfriend has had self image problems in her past. She always looked at herself and thought that she was really really skinny and she has always wanted to gain some weight. I’ve always found her pretty and I have made sure to show it to her as much as possible. Lately she has gained some weight and you can clearly see the difference. I’m very proud of her achieving her goal!! After gaining that weight and restoring her self image she has started posting more pictures of herself. Not inappropriate in nature or anything but she just posts more often. I’m obviously totally ok with that and I haven’t even mentioned anything to her. But what makes me feel a little weird is that she has removed every single picture of us together from her profile. She has removed a stories highlight on instagram which used to be very special to us because it contained everything we’ve done together. She has replaced her profile pics with pictures of herself and she accepts some guys’s follow requests even though she wouldn’t do that before. I haven’t mentioned anything to her as it might come out as toxic but I believe plenty of people will find this post toxic but idc. I know this whole social media thing is bullshit and totally unserious to some of your guys’s eyes but she’s been quite different in that aspect which made me feel a little weird. Is there something I should be concerned about? Any advice? Thank you in advance !!!

I am finally building a new rig after a long time, but I am stuck on which CPU to choose. This rig will mainly be used for 1440p gaming, but I also dabble into photo/video editing, and some music production as well. However, I don't do those things often, so I'd say it'd be 95% gaming and 5% "productivity". Also, I will be pairing this CPU with a 4070 Super.
I wasn't even gonna consider the 700x3d at first, but it's on sale for $345 on Amazon, so that seems like a good deal? Idk, I just keep going back and forth lol
Games I will be playing: Overwatch 2, League of Legends, Fortnite, Valorant, Marvel Rivals, JRPGs and AAA story titles that interest me.

I am finally building a new rig after a long time, but I am stuck on which CPU to choose. This rig will mainly be used for 1440p gaming, but I also dabble into photo/video editing, and some music production as well. However, I don't do those things often, so I'd say it'd be 95% gaming and 5% "productivity". Also, I will be pairing this CPU with a 4070 Super.
I wasn't even gonna consider the 700x3d at first, but it's on sale for $345 on Amazon, so that seems like a good deal? Idk, I just keep going back and forth lol
Games I will be playing: Overwatch 2, League of Legends, Fortnite, Valorant, Marvel Rivals, JRPGs and AAA story titles that interest me.

So my ex and I were together for 2 years and everything was great. From the beginning we were almost everyday together and last year we even sort of lived together in his student room. He is a lovely boy who is always positive, brings a light into the room and made me feel the luckiest girl in the world. I had some bad relationships in the past and he was finally the one who loved me and cared for me in a way I would never imagine.
We both were students when we met and lived the typical student life: partying, drinking, going on vacation, etc. I graduated last June and had a job by the end of September. In the summer vacation we both went on a road trip together for 2 weeks and it was amazing. From the moment I started working, the relationship was not so exciting anymore: I came home, cooked dinner, ate together, we watch tv together or he is gaming with the boys and I’m doing my thing and then we went to sleep. My routine after work was boring if I look back at it, but it was new for me too. In the meantime we did some fun things, but not so often like we used to. I was into the adult life and even considered by moving in together and that kinda stuff.
Everything was fine and even the living together stuff was all fine by him too. We never argued (maybe 2-3 times in 2 years) and he always said “yes” or “fine by me” on everything, even if I asked his opinion 10x. So I thought we were still good. Until a couple weeks ago I came home from work and I noticed there was something wrong. I asked him a couple times and finally he said, out of the blue, that he had doubts about our relationship. I freaked out and cried so we couldn’t talk properly. He went home to his parents and the next day he came back to talk. He said he still wanted to be with me but some things had to change, for example my temper (I have a high temper and can get mad for the smallest and dumbest reasons and lately it did occur often that I got mad really fast). I said that I will work on it because it was true, it gotten worse and it wasn’t pleasant for the both of us, but he had to work on his communication as well. His doubts came for me out of nowhere because he never communicated with me about things that bothered him.
Our relationship went forward and I worked on myself and so did he. I thought it went good until 2 weeks laters the same conversation came up. He said he still have doubts about the relationship. I asked him why and what he wanted to do about it to fix it but everytime I got the answer “I don’t know”. So I suggested that we move on like we did but saw eachother less (like leave 2-3 days in between). So, then we did that because he agreed with the options I gave him to try and work things out.
Again everything went well. Couple weeks ago he was in his student room and I was at home by my parents. I noticed he wasn’t online on any social media and haven’t send me a message in 2 hours or so. Because of my past I panicked and spammed him with messages and phone calls asking what he is doing and where he is. I did this a couple of times and he got mad for my behaviour. After that, I came back to reality and realised that my behaviour is not healthy and apologised. He eventually calmed down too and said it’s okay and I love you. Later that week, we met up and he said “I think we shouldn’t see eachother for a time” and I broke down. The next day he deleted all my pictures on Instagram and removed me from the family groupchat so I was confused because this seems like a breakup instead of a break/pause. He came over and would only say “I made the decision so I stand by it”. So it was done.
Couple days later I went to his student room, where we ‘lived together’ to get my stuff. I made him a long letter which I read for him to say thankyou. After that he comforted me and we cuddled really long. We constantly kept eye contact and he admitted that he still loves me, felt butterflies in his stomach, felt happy, etc. I felt that he really had a hard time of keeping his hands of me and letting me go. At the end, we gave eachother a big goodbye kiss and it was magical. Despite all that, he still says he couldn’t be with me. He also said “maybe in the future” and “not right know” and that kinda stuff. I suggested that we go no contact for 2-3 weeks and then meet up again to see if his feelings have changed.
It’s been 2 weeks and he asked to meet up this tuesday. I want to feel hopeful, but in the meantime he deleted me on Snapchat last tuesday and unfollowed me on Instagram the same evening he asked me to meet up, which was last friday.
I have the feeling he is running away from his true feelings and is scared to get back because he thinks things will get better for 2 weeks and then the same conversation will end up. I am convinced we needed this because now I can truly see what behaviour from me is wrong and I need to get help to fix that for me. I already took the step to go to a psychologist. But he is stubborn and is convinced that it won’t work anymore.
I don’t know what else to do or say to him to get him back. I really love him and he is the man I see a future with. He does get the best out of me and supports me in things to make myself happy. I really think that if we gave this another chance it can work and we can get better out of this if we both work on our communication. How can I convince him that it can work between us and he doesn’t have to run away from his feelings? What do I do or say to him this tuesday? Is there a chance for us? I want my sweet boy back…

I've been working at this job for almost 3 months now, and for the first time I actually want to get close with a co worker. I use the term co worker very lightly here bec this is a store and I work at the deli section while this person works for grocery. I think they look kinda cute and I want to try to get closer without making them feel weird or uncomfortable. The first time I interacted wih this person was when I needed help with something. The whole time they seemed confused, but still tried to help me whatever way they can. I didn't realize they were deaf until I saw the tag on their shirt that says "I'm deaf."
So yeah, I've been sort of awkward and avoid eye contact with this person everytime I run into them cuz I still feel kind of bad for the misunderstanding. I just wanna know how to talk to them without giving them the same kind of confusion like the first time.

I (23-F) really like this guy (24-M) and he's been nothing but nice to me, but it's early days and we aren't official. (We have been flirting for months and confessed a week ago.) He says I look and act like his dream girl, and he looks at me with such adoration in his eyes, so I'm really thrown off by this.
He has a thing for gorgeous alternative Insta girlies, and my style at least already matches that because I've always liked it and I feel confident. The confusion comes in with a picture from a photoshoot I did during a modeling phase I had, and I sent him a fairly well taken - not my favorite, and fairly PG - professional photo to take his mind off the fact that he doesn't have to rely on a multitude of pretty girls on his feed anymore.
We had just had an amazing weekend together, but then, after myself already expressing that I was fairly unsure of the photo (however, also knowing that it's very typical "male gaze" orientated and similar to the photos he saved often before we confessed to each other) - he calls it unflattering and moves on to our normal, wholesome conversations.
It felt a bit like a punch in the gut, as nobody has ever made such a blunt comment about it, or even expressed their dislike. (It was for an ex-friend's photography portfolio, and Patreon, which he probably still makes money from. It's by far my most vulnerable professional photograph that I own too, with a lot of emotional attachment.)
He called me after I expressed that I was hurt, but that I know everyone has differing opinions. He was kind and sweet, but told me he's always blunt and didn't want to talk about the photo at all. I was crushed, and I don't know what to do. I wanted to talk to him about it, but he said "we" mustn't overthink it.
Currently I can't sleep and I'm now comparing myself to the girls he sent me photos of (I asked just so that I could see if I can match the styles, which was positive for me, but now feels sickening because I know what they were once for.)
I can't message him at the risk of being needy, and I can't wrap my head around how someone who has their "dream girl" would be so blunt and hurtful so early on and in such contrast to their usual, adorable personality.
My last relationship was incredibly toxic, and differentiating what is healthy and not is extremely difficult, so I'm very easily a target to be broken down for someone else's security if I don't stay on my toes and keep the confidence I've worked so hard on gaining.
I have so many questions. Any help would be appreciated as I don't know how to handle this or if it is a normal, healthy reaction from either parties. I really want to be with him, and think he's just wonderful, but I can't do it if I'm going to get hurt again. Please let me know how I should healthily handle this and proceed?