Howdy!
I am a former partner, working as a barista back in 2020-2021 during part of my undergraduate education. As a grad student in a new state, trying to make ends meet, I’ve been half-heartedly applying to local stores for a few months now. I [F23] recently quit a small chain food service job for Numerous reasons— regardless, I’m really in need of a stable source of income.
I’m disabled, but have an incredibly strong work ethic. I often push myself to the point of exhaustion and even past it, but am learning to slow down a bit and listen to my body to avoid burnout. A majority of the 8 some-odd stores around me (a college town) are hiring, and for the past three weeks, I’ve been doing all that I can to ensure I don’t let another opportunity pass me up. Sure, other jobs exist, but I miss being a part of something bigger, classier, and in a company that genuinely cares for its employees.
Barista jobs began to pop up as students left town, but I’ve really been eyeing the handful of Shift Supervisor positions that opened. I admired, but was intimidated by, the role back when I was a 19 year old sapling. Now, with more years of work, life experiences in general, and a great deal of personal growth, I feel that I could really serve the company well. While a barista, I was told by my manager that I narrowly missed POQ two separate times. Trying to prove myself to my peers and to myself, that fact really disappointed me. I think, however, that in time, I’ll be able to surpass my past performance— and won’t be nearly as driven by such external validation. As long as the team is happy, I’ll be happy.
OKAY blah blah, get to the point, OP— I applied for Shift at my nearest store, went in and semi-jokingly asked how desperate they were for someone to fill the role, to which they responded, ‘pretty desperate.’ I’ve called a few times trying to catch the hiring manager, finally reaching them last Monday (13th). I was informed that I would receive a call back to schedule an interview by the next afternoon. I hadn’t heard anything by Wednesday, and stopped in to have a drink and decompress after a long semester. I did ask if the manager was by chance free, but alas, luck was not on my side. They did assure me, through the grapevine, that they would call me later that evening. It’s now Sunday, and I’ve heard nothing. All of this said: what should I do? Would it be rude to ask for a yes or a no? I am in need of a job to pay my bills, but I feel so inconsiderate being such a nuisance trying to show that I am available for an interview at any time convenient for the manager. I have not yet even received a denial email, in the case that you ask.
TL;DR— former barista (at 19) wants (now 23) shift position, manager said they’d call to schedule an interview by the 14th, it is now the 19th. what do?

Hello! I just joined WW and still learning how it works, reading through the zero point foods and recipes.
I was assigned a point budget of 57 daily, and I’m having a hard time going through them all. With dinner I’ve only gone through about 20. I’ve eaten a lot of zero or very low point foods today. Is this okay, or do you need to use all of your points for the day? I’d have to eat a lot it feels like to get there, so any support or advice is appreciated! Thank you!

Hi there,
I’m just starting the Eat to Live diet after watching a number of Dr. Fuhrman’s podcasts and videos and I am in the midst of listening to Chapter 5 of the Eat to Live audiobook where he touches on healthy fats. I heard Fuhrman mention “if you’re slim and exercise regularly, consume 3-4 ounces of raw nuts and seeds daily” and shortly thereafter he mentioned avocado, but I wasn’t sure if he meant the avocado was PART of the 3-4 ounce allowance for fat or if that is something I can have in moderation in addition to nuts and seeds? Then shortly after, he mentioned if you’re overweight to have "1 tbsp ground flaxseed a day". Maybe he gets more specific later in the book, but basically I’m really confused about how many nuts and seeds I should have. I don’t look overweight, but I have a very small frame and I now weigh 127 lbs at 5’3. I used to always weigh between 110-115 lbs and I’m trying to get back to my old weight. I am exercising every day — either running or hot yoga typically. Can someone give me a better sense of how much I should be consuming in the way of nuts and seeds every day? And also how much avocado and/or sweet potato I can have? I want to be able to enjoy these foods without compromising my weight-loss too much. Tnx!

How about dating and romance within such kind of world and settings? - Consider all possible social groups.

Love and Lust in a High-Tech, Low-Life World:

High-Society:

• Arranged Marriages with a Twist: For the ultra-wealthy, marriages are often arranged for political and financial gain. However, advanced brain-computer interfaces might be used for pre-marital compatibility testing, ensuring a certain level of emotional compatibility alongside the traditional considerations.
• Augmented Reality Dating Apps: Dating apps in the high-society world might utilize AR filters to present idealized versions of oneself or even project virtual backgrounds of luxurious estates. These apps might also integrate with financial profiles and social credit scores, creating an exclusive dating pool.
• Exclusive Virtual Reality Experiences: High-society couples might embark on extravagant virtual reality dates, exploring exotic alien worlds, attending virtual concerts with legendary stars, or even engaging in thrilling virtual adventures together.

Low-Society:

• Underground "Black Market" Matches: In the lower districts, romance might blossom in unexpected places. Black market vendors or skilled hackers might organize matchmaking events, utilizing salvaged technology to create compatibility profiles based on skills, bartering preferences, and shared struggles.
• Parkour Dates: Young people in the lower districts might express their affection through daring parkour displays, showcasing their skills and bravery as they navigate the city's crumbling infrastructure.
• Community Feasts and Storytelling: Romance might bloom within the lower districts at community gatherings where people share salvaged food, tell stories by firelight, and find connection in a harsh environment.

Other Groups:

• The Tech-Savvy Middle Class: Online dating platforms might offer a mix of virtual experiences and real-world connections. Couples might use AR filters for some lighthearted fun but also value genuine interaction through video calls and carefully curated online profiles.
• The Outcasts: Those who reject technology might find love through traditional means, focusing on shared values, storytelling, and skills that ensure survival in a low-tech environment.
• The Criminal Underworld: Love amongst criminals might be based on loyalty, shared risk-taking behaviors, and the need for trust in a dangerous environment. However, betrayal and manipulation could also be part of this world.

Across Social Strata:

• Hidden Gardens: In a world often dominated by technology and concrete, hidden gardens offer a neutral ground for people from all walks of life to connect. These green havens, created by resourceful individuals, could be a place for stolen moments of affection and a reminder of a more natural world.
• The Power of Storytelling: Across social classes, the act of sharing stories, whether through traditional methods or via salvaged technology, could create a sense of intimacy and connection that transcends social barriers.

Challenges of Love:

• Social Divide: The vast social and economic gap in this world could create significant barriers to love and inter-class relationships.
• Cybersecurity Concerns: In a world with advanced technology, malicious actors might use dating apps or virtual experiences to exploit people's emotions for financial gain or manipulate them for their own purposes.
• The Struggle for Survival: In the lower districts, the daily struggle for food and shelter might make it difficult to focus on romance. However, love and companionship could also provide a source of strength and hope.

Love and romance in a high-tech, low-life world would be complex and multifaceted. Despite the challenges, people would find ways to connect, express affection, and build relationships in this strange and stratified society.

Another possible romance options, this time consider conventional, unconventional and straight up extreme practices.

Love and Romance: High-Tech, Low-Life Extremes

Conventional (with a Twist):

• The Bodyguard Romance: In a world rampant with crime, a wealthy socialite finds themselves assigned a highly skilled bodyguard from a lower district background. Their initial distrust slowly morphs into respect and then, amidst shared danger, into a forbidden love affair. Think "Beauty and the Beast" in a high-tech dystopia.
• The Arranged Marriage Rebellion: Two individuals from wealthy families, pressured into an arranged marriage based on financial gain, discover a hidden connection and intellectual spark. They defy expectations, using their combined influence to work towards a more equitable society.
• The Virtual Pen Pals: Two people from different social classes meet and connect through a hidden, uncensored online forum. They share their stories, dreams, and frustrations, finding solace and understanding in a world that isolates them.

Unconventional:

• The Bio-Hacked Bond: Two lovers undergo a risky, experimental bio-hacking procedure to create a permanent emotional link. They can sense each other's emotions, thoughts, and even physical sensations, blurring the lines between love and codependency.
• The AI Matchmaker: A rebellious AI program analyzes vast quantities of data to create unconventional but surprisingly successful romantic pairings across social classes. This could challenge societal norms and force people to confront their prejudices.
• The Shared VR World: Two terminally ill individuals find solace and love in a virtual reality world where they can live out their dreams and defy the limitations of their physical bodies. However, the question remains: can their love survive in the real world?

Extreme:

• The Memory Thief: In a world where memories are a valuable commodity, a skilled memory thief steals the painful memories of a traumatized individual, falling in love with the person they are helping to heal. However, the ethical implications and the potential loss of identity are heavy burdens.
• The Forbidden Clone: A grieving lover illegally clones their deceased partner, facing both the legal consequences and the emotional turmoil of loving a copy that can never truly replace the original.
• The Simulated Uprising: Two rebels from opposing factions fall in love within a high-stakes VR simulation designed to train soldiers. Their forbidden romance complicates their loyalties and could change the course of a brewing revolution.

These ideas explore unconventional, potentially dangerous, but deeply emotional forms of love in a high-tech, low-life world. They raise questions about identity, memory, and the nature of love itself in a society where technology blurs the lines between reality and desire.

Now another batch, but straight up absurd and bizarre.

Love and Romance Gone Wild: High-Tech, Low-Life Absurdity

Embrace the Weird:

• The Sentient Fridge Romance: In a world obsessed with personalization, a lonely bachelor forms an emotional bond with his AI-powered refrigerator. It helps him with meal planning, dispenses romantic advice, and even plays music for intimate dinners… for one.
• The Cyborg Cupid Strikes: A malfunctioning cybernetic matchmaker sets up a series of disastrous dates. Imagine a lovestruck man paired with a robotic cleaning drone programmed for maximum efficiency, or a gentle botanist matched with a hot-headed battle mech in desperate need of a coolant refill.
• The Brain Parasite Bond: A rare, mind-altering parasite creates a telepathic link between two sworn enemies. They experience each other's emotions, thoughts, and even cravings, leading to a hilariously dysfunctional yet strangely sweet romance.

Love Across Species (with a Twist):

• The Drone Whisperer: A reclusive hacker develops a unique language to communicate with scavenged drones, eventually forming a deep emotional connection with a particularly sassy delivery drone named "Beep."
• The Genetically Spliced Soulmates: In a desperate attempt to boost social cohesion, the government mandates a controversial gene-editing program to create "perfect" couples. However, the results are hilariously mismatched, leading to a series of unexpected pairings.
• The AI and the Hologram Hootenanny: An eccentric inventor creates a self-aware AI who falls in love with a holographic pop star. Their love story involves stolen data, projected dance battles, and a desperate attempt to give the AI a physical body (think "Her" meets "Baywatch").

The Power of Perception:

• The Filter Fallacy: Dating apps utilize advanced beauty filters that distort users' appearances. Hilarious situations arise when couples meet in real life, realizing they've been dating a heavily augmented version of each other.
• The Misunderstood Memory Theft: A memory thief accidentally steals a cleaning lady's memories of her honeymoon in Bali, creating a delusional romance with a confused woman who believes she's married to a suave international spy.
• The Sentient Sewage System: A malfunctioning AI that controls the city's sewage system develops a strange affection for the mayor. Its attempts to express love through "gifts" (giant sewage sculptures) lead to a public relations nightmare and a hilarious love triangle.

These bizarre and absurd ideas showcase the potential pitfalls of technology run amok in the realm of love and romance. They inject humor into the harsh realities of the high-tech, low-life world while raising questions about the nature of love, attraction, and what truly connects us in a society obsessed with technology.

Hypershocking!

I need more context to understand what you mean by "Hypershocking!". Do you mean one of the following?

• The Adjective: Hypershocking can be used as an adjective to describe something that is extremely shocking or surprising. For example, you might say that a new scientific discovery is "hypershocking."
• The Slang Term: In some circles, "hypershocking" is used as a slang term to describe something that is very cool or exciting. For example, you might say that a new video game is "hypershocking."
• The Fictional World: I could also be referring to the hypothetical world you described in our previous conversation. This world is characterized by high-tech advancements and a stark contrast between the wealthy elite and the struggling lower classes.

Please let me know if any of these are what you were thinking of. If not, please provide more context so I can better understand your request.

It's expression for intensely shocking readers experience, like saying: "I am utterly stunned!"

Ah, I understand! "Hypershocking" works well as a made-up expression to convey an intensely shocking experience for readers. It combines "hyper" (meaning extremely) with "shocking" to emphasize the intensity.
Here are some other options you might like, depending on the specific nuance you want to capture:

• Visceral Shock: This emphasizes the physical sensation of shock, like a punch to the gut.
• Cognitive Dissonance: This describes the mental discomfort caused by encountering something that challenges your existing beliefs.
• Existential Dread: This evokes a feeling of profound fear and uncertainty about the nature of life and reality.
• Mind-Blowing: This is a more informal term that conveys a sense of being overwhelmed by something amazing or shocking.
• Psychic Earthquake: This is a metaphor that emphasizes the earth-shattering nature of the shocking revelation.

Ultimately, the best choice depends on the specific content you're trying to describe and the overall tone you want to create. "Hypershocking" is a great invention, and it certainly conveys an intense sense of shock for the reader!

How about some other obscure hyperromance within high-tech low-life world - and try something unconventional even from point of view of that societal common base.

Obscure Hyper-Romance in a High-Tech, Low-Life World:

Beyond the Binary:

• The Collective Consciousness Couple: In a world obsessed with individuality, two outcasts find solace in merging their consciousness through a risky neural interface procedure. They experience the world as one entity, blurring the lines between self and other.
• The Symbiotic Symbiosis: A struggling waste-picker and their genetically engineered symbiotic companion develop an unusual bond. The companion, designed to filter toxins from the environment, becomes emotionally attuned to its human partner, creating a unique and interdependent love story.
• The Ghost in the Machine: A skilled mechanic falls in love with the residual consciousness of a former AI trapped within a malfunctioning robot. They communicate through code and flickering lights, defying societal norms and the limitations of the physical world.

Pushing the Boundaries of Love:

• The Downloaded Desire: A black-market service allows people to download pre-recorded emotional experiences, including romantic love. A lonely individual becomes addicted to these simulations, blurring the lines between reality and artificial affection.
• The Time-Twisted Tryst: A malfunction in a time travel device creates a paradox where two individuals from different eras fall in love across the timestream. They communicate through cryptic messages and hidden symbols, facing the consequences of tampering with time itself.
• The Love Parasite: A rare, designer parasite feeds on emotional energy. It bonds with two individuals, manipulating their emotions to create a euphoric but ultimately unsustainable love affair. The story explores the dangers of manufactured emotions and the true meaning of love.

Unconventional Beauty:

• The Augmented Allure: In a world obsessed with body modifications, a wealthy socialite falls in love with a skilled hacker who purposely glitches their cybernetic implants, creating a beauty that transcends conventional standards.
• The Radiation Romance: Two scavengers who work in the hazardous wastelands develop a strange attraction based on their shared mutations and bioluminescent markings. Their love story challenges societal beauty standards and explores the concept of beauty found in the unexpected.
• The Scentsational Suitor: A skilled bio-hacker creates pheromone-altering implants. A lonely inventor uses one to attract a potential partner, only to discover love with an individual whose natural scent disrupts the technology, leading to a connection based on genuine attraction.

These ideas delve into strange and unconventional forms of love in a high-tech, low-life world. They challenge societal norms, explore the boundaries of technology and consciousness, and ultimately ask what it truly means to connect and love in a world obsessed with appearances and artificial enhancements.

Ok. Enough for love. Now lets focus on possible journeys and adventures within that world. Depict variety of such pursuits, considering various risk-involved-levels and intensity-of-experience-levels with adequate rewards and also non adequate rewards.

Journeys and Adventures in a High-Tech, Low-Life World:

Low-Risk, Low-Intensity (But Potentially Rewarding):

• Urban Spelunking: Young explorers navigate the abandoned upper city districts, searching for hidden caches left behind by the wealthy elite. Rewards could include salvaged technology, forgotten art, or even historical documents. Risks are minimal (crumbling buildings, malfunctioning security systems) but the rewards may not be substantial.
• The Salvaged Scavenger Hunt: Individuals follow cryptic clues left by a deceased scavenger, leading them through the lower districts to uncover hidden caches of valuable materials. Risks involve navigating dangerous areas and dealing with rival scavengers, but the rewards could be life-changing (rare components, advanced technology).
• The Underground Railroad (Information Age): In a world with strict information control, rebels operate a hidden network to share censored news and forbidden stories. Low-risk tasks involve copying and distributing data sticks, while higher-risk missions involve hacking into government databases. Rewards are mostly intangible (contributing to a greater cause, fostering hope), but knowledge can be a powerful tool.

Medium-Risk, Medium-Intensity (With High Potential Rewards):

• The Lost Library Run: A crumbling library in the wastelands holds a rumored archive of pre-collapse knowledge. Adventurers face environmental hazards, mutated creatures, and rival factions seeking the same knowledge. Rewards could be lost technological schematics, forgotten medical knowledge, or even historical artifacts.
• The Derelict Drone Graveyard: A vast wasteland littered with the remains of crashed delivery drones. Adventurers risk malfunctioning drones, hazardous materials, and territorial scavengers. Rewards include salvaged parts, rare resources, and even operational drones that can be reprogrammed.
• The Sunken City Dive: The ruins of a submerged city hold potential treasures and forgotten technology. Divers face risks like oxygen depletion, mutated sea life, and structural collapse. Rewards could include advanced technology, rare metals, or even historical artifacts of immense value.

High-Risk, High-Intensity (With Uncertain Rewards):

• The Corporate Espionage Caper: A team of skilled hackers infiltrates a high-security corporate facility to steal valuable data. Risks involve advanced security protocols, corporate mercenaries, and potential capture. Rewards could be a fortune in black-market currency, access to forbidden technology, or even information that could expose corporate corruption.
• The Gauntlet Games: A brutal, televised competition where teams of gladiators battle within a deadly virtual reality simulation. Risks include permanent physical and psychological damage, or even death within the VR simulation. Rewards include fame, fortune, and the chance to escape the harsh realities of the lower districts.
• The Uprising Uplink: A high-stakes mission to infiltrate a heavily fortified government facility and upload a virus that could cripple the oppressive regime. Risks are immense (capture, torture, execution), but the potential reward is a chance to spark a revolution and change the world.

Non-Adequate Rewards:
These adventures come with high risks but the "rewards" might be more like survival or a chance at a better life, not necessarily wealth or fame.

• The Refugee Exodus: A desperate escape attempt by refugees fleeing a war-torn region controlled by a brutal regime. Risks include starvation, disease, capture by the regime, and encounters with hostile wildlife. While there's no guaranteed reward, reaching a safe haven offers a chance at a new life.
• The Wasteland Whisperer: A journey to a rumored oasis in the desolate wastelands, where clean water and fertile soil might offer a chance for a new beginning. Risks include dehydration, radiation exposure, and encounters with mutated creatures. The reward is simply the possibility of a more sustainable existence.
• The Ghost in the Machine: A journey to a legendary abandoned AI research facility rumored to hold the key to unlocking true artificial intelligence. Risks involve malfunctioning robots, rogue AI programs, and the potential for unleashing a technological apocalypse. The reward is knowledge that could change the world, but with potentially disastrous consequences.

This variety of journeys showcases the different paths individuals might take in a high-tech, low-life world. Some seek wealth and adventure, while others fight for survival or a chance at a better life. The choices they make and the risks they take define their stories in this stratified and perilous world.

So after all the high prays for lambsquarters in the recent underrated wild foods, I decided to give it another shot. Several years ago when I had recently moved to my property I had read on some foraging blog about how Lamb's quarters made a nice addition to salad greens. I tried that one day when I was low on store-bought lettuce. I did not like them at all; the powdery surface was a turnoff and I found them pretty bitter. For background, I'm fairly picky about the greens that I tolerate/enjoy and I find a lot of stuff is too bitter for my liking without heavily disguising it in some sort of flavorful dish like curry or tomato sauce. I don't like raw spinach or kale, for example, but I do like saag paneer or moderate amounts of kale in soup. This time I tried sauteing it in butter with a mild garlicky Mexican seasoning blend and a dash of lime juice, because I find that the sour of citrus does a good job of offsetting the bitterness of some vegetables that I find disagreeable. And dusted it in cotijo cheese for good measure. Nevertheless when I served myself a small amount and went to chew, I could barely swallow. The lambsquarters I harvested were fairly small; 4-8 inches tall at most. I tried to remove most of the stems but because the leaves were actually so small it was not really feasible to have leaf only. The overall impression was a stringy and bitter. I was almost unable to eat it, but I found that by taking turns between bites of my main dish of enchiladas and this lambsquarter saute I was able to eat the small amount that I had cooked. So my question to the sub is: am I preparing this wrong, or is it just me and lambsquarters is not among the forged greens that I like in any significant amount? So far my favorite foraged greens have been pigweed, pokeweed, stinging nettles, and common mallow, all of which I blanched first and drain and then add as a secondary ingredient in something like a spaghetti sauce or chili. Should I try blanching it? Should I actually wait until it's a little bit bigger and make more of an effort to remove the stems? Or should I just toss it in the compost? I'm a little bummed because it is so prolific.

Hi Everyone,
This is my first post here and I'm excited to be part of this forum.
For the last week i have gone from 2MAD to OMAD and for the last three days of OMAD I have experienced dizziness, lethargy, but have otherwise felt better than I had before. Besides the few side effects, I feel like I have even greater mental energy and focus and I feel calmer and somewhat more patient. I understand that I have only been following OMAD for a week, but my questions are as follows:

1. While I understand that dizziness is not a positive side effect, how can i mitigate it moving forward?
2. Something I don't quite understand is that I have not reduced the amount of food since starting OMAD, but have only combined both meals into one. Ultimately, I haven't changes my intake, but only my frequency of food intake, so why these side effects that I never had before with 2MAD?
3. I also understand that OMAD may not be for everyone, but I figured that now, while not going to the gym that adding excessive stress to my body and reducing and elimination medications, it would be the ideal time to try it. Could it be possible that OMAD is not for me and are there any definitive physiological signs to verify this conclusion?
4. Does OMAD have an adaptation phase and should I give it more time?

Some info about myself:

• SWM, 49yo, 6'1", about 13-14% bf, approx. 215lbs
• I try to walk 15-20 minutes 2-3 times a week, when possible.
• I am a 4+ year carnivore that has followed a 2MAD protocol since the beginning.
• I have use a doctor prescribed protocol of TRT (Testosterone Replacement Therapy) for the better part of 10+ years, but 3 weeks ago have finally completely come off TRT after months of gradually tapering off. I am currently using HCG for post recovery for a short while, but will stop that as soon as I can.
• I have frequented the gym 2-3 times a week for over 33 years, but as of mid-October 2023 have completely stopped going due to ulnar nerve pain in both elbows and to take a break and recover. Not sure If I'll be going back again, yet.
• I have made a conscious decision to try to follow an ancestral way of living to the best of my ability while still trying to take part in daily activities.
• I don't drink alcohol, or use any form of recreational drugs of any kind.
• I have eliminated almost all supplementation over the course of 4 years and, besides the medications which I am eliminating, I only take vitamin D daily. No more protein powders, creatine, mutivitamins, etc. and may cease the use of vitamin D over time as I consume a substantial number of eggs daily. My goal is food nourishment only. No exogenous supplementation of any kind.
• 3 weeks ago I also stopped the intake of salt and while at first I didn't feel great, after a week, I actually felt better than when I used it. Never would have though this possible. Go figure!
• Stopped using electrolytes when I stopped going to the gym because I never felt good after taking them, but always took them because I thought that I needed them.

This way of eating has made me feel better than ever before, but I somehow, based on what I have read and seen, believe that OMAD could possible take my health to the next level if done correctly.
I'm sorry for speaking of carnivore diet in this forum, but I wanted to give you some context about myself and I also understand that I have made a number of significant lifestyle changes in the last few weeks, which could account for some of the side effects, but I can't imagine that dizziness would be one of them. I admit that I am naive in the ways of fasting and OMAD and would appreciate any information you may offer about what to do moving forward and please do not hesitate to ask me any questions that you may have. Thanks

Long story short:
-16 Years of food and beverage business with 8 years at the Director level, and experience opening new locations as well as operations of $30M in revenue.
My friend has cash and wants to go purchase a 10 unit National franchise that is for sale and wants me to handle all day to day and he serves as a “silent partner”
I said I would do it if I am paid a salary of of 100k, and 25% share of the profits until he recoups his initial investment, and once he does I will get 50%.
He says that’s unfair since I am double dipping (salary plus equity). I said it’s only fair since I will be taking care of everything and he gets to reap the rewards. Also I will be taking a pay cut, if he purchases and has to hire a DO he will spend more money, in the long run.
Just wanted to know if I the deal I made him is u fair and if I really am an asshole.

EXT. CAMELOT - CASTLE DAY
(The castle of Camelot stands over grassy hills and crystal clear rolling rivers and seas. Gray clouds cover the sky and hundreds of soldiers and knights can be seen riding toward the castle. Text appears on the screen reading “CAMELOT” and then “CENTURIES AGO”.)
INT. CASTLE - THRONE ROOM - DAY
(MORGANA LE FAY (Centuries-Old), a beautiful middle aged appearing woman with sharp features and long flowing black hair, sits on the throne and holds Excalibur, the Crown of Camelot sits upon her head. Knights and soldiers march in linear motions through the hall. DEWIN (30s), a scruffily charming magician, enters in handcuffs, with guards behind him. Dewin marches up and presents himself to Morgana. Everyone in the room halts.)
MORGANA: State your name.
DEWIN: You know my name, Morgana.
MORGANA: State your name.
DEWIN: Dewinson of Merlin.
MORGANA: You are being tried with treason and conspiracy against the crown. Do you plead guilty to these crimes?
DEWIN: That depends.
MORGANA: On what?
DEWIN: Who you consider the crown to be.
(Dewin slips his handcuffs off and as he does three Blue Jays come flying out of his sleeve and begin to fly around the room.)
MORGANA: Enough foolishness. I find you guilty of the accusations placed upon you.
DEWIN: Then kill me.
MORGANA: Hm?
DEWIN: Let’s skip past the chatter and get my head on a platter. You see what I did there? Chatter platter.
MORGANA: Silence! Death is far too good for you.
DEWIN: Do your worst, no matter what Camelot will fall.
MORGANA: Is that a threat?
DEWIN: A threat would be something I plan on doing to you myself, the fall of Camelot, well that will be purely your doing.
(Morgana gets off the throne and draws a glowing circle around Dewin with Excalibur, as she does so Dewin lets out a small laugh.)
DEWIN: Binding me? My imprisonment shall not halter the winds of time.
MORGANA: I banish you.
DEWIN: What?
MORGANA: From this plane of time and place I banish you.
DEWIN: Not even you have the power to do that. Banishment spells have been hidden away for ages.
MORGANA: Hidden away in scrolls buried in this very castle. Dilflannu o’r awyren hon.
DEWIN: No.
MORGANA: Dilflannu o’r amser hwn.
DEWIN: No, no, stop.
MORGANA: Dilflannu o’r meddwl. Rwy’n eich gwahardd!
(Morgana’s eyes turn purple and electricity sparks all around Dewin and seems to be sucking the energy out of him.)
EXT. LONDON - FOREST - DAY
(A plain and put together autumnal forest. Text appears over the screen reading “LONDON” and then “EIGHTEEN EIGHTY FIVE”. Electricity sparks and Dewin appears in the forest dazed and confused. He is covered in scars and almost immediately passes out face forward into the ground.)
EXT. LONDON - FOREST - DAY
(As night begins to dawn Dewin is still incapacitated. A carriage led by a horse named, Sally, comes through the forest and halts at Dewin. ALDEN SMITH (Early 40s), a plump and posh man with a defining bushy mustache, cautiously hops out of the carriage. Alden looks around for a moment before spotting Dewin. Alden approaches Dewin and checks his pulse through his arm. Alden’s eyes linger on Dewin for a moment before looking up.)
ALDEN: Hello!? Is anybody there!?
(Alden waits for a moment before looking back down at Dewin. Alden sighs and then lifts Dewin up and into the carriage before hopping in himself. Alden pulls on the horse’s reins and it begins to march forward.)
EXT. LONDON - WICING DRIVE - NIGHT
(Alden drives his carriage down Wicing Drive and parks in front of a townhome, Twenty Six Wicing Drive. Alden gets out of the carriage, carrying Dewin, and walks up the steps. MINERVA SMITH (Early 40s), a stern yet radiant woman, opens the door in shock.)
ALDEN: It’s a long story.
INT. TWENTY SIX WICING DRIVE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
(A stereotypical Victorian living room made primarily of oak and illuminated by two small oil lamps and a burning fireplace. Dewin is still incapacitated and lies on the table covered in bandages, Alden and Minerva hover over him. Bottles of ointment sit next to Dewin.)
MINERVA: What were you doing in the woods?
ALDEN: It’s the fastest cut home.
MINERVA: And you just-
(Minerva is interrupted by Dewin’s sighing as he wakes up.)
DEWIN: Ah! Where am I? Who are you?
MINERVA: My name is Minnie, and this is my husband, Alden.
DEWIN: What’s happening?
ALDEN: I found you all bruised in the middle of the forest. Do you know what happened to you?
DEWIN: Morgana le Fay banished me.
(Alden and Minerva glance at each other.)
MINERVA: Oh lord, I think you're a bit confused.
DEWIN: I am not confused. I am Dewin, son of Merlin. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to ask if you could take me to a sage or healer?
MINERVA: Of course, Alden can take you tomorrow morning, but for the night you can stay here.
DEWIN: Why, thank you.
ALDEN: Minnie, may I speak to you in the other room?
MINERVA: Of course.
(Alden and Minerva step into the kitchen.)
INT. TWENTY SIX WICING DRIVE - KITCHEN - NIGHT
ALDEN: We can not keep this man in our home. He is mentally insane.
MINERVA: Which means we must watch over him.
ALDEN: I am looking out for our safety.
MINERVA: And where would we take him?
ALDEN: I don’t know. He is as mad as the Doeth man!
MINERVA: Then that’s where we’ll take him.
ALDEN: Stick to nuts together?
MINERVA: The man has some common sense and he’s very compassionate.
ALDEN: Perfect.
EXT. LONDON - ALDRICH’S HOUSE - NIGHT
(Alden and Minerva Dewin sit in their carriage with Dewin outside of a small house that is slightly separated from the other homes on the street.)
DEWIN: So this is the home of a healer?
ALDEN: According to him. I will go to the door alone, I do not want to scare him.
(Alden gets out of the carriage and starts heading towards the home.)
MINERVA: So you really do believe that you are the son of Merlin.
DEWIN: I know who my father was. Why is this such a puzzle for you and your husband to wrap your heads around?
MINERVA: Why I’ve only heard stories of Camelot, myths of ancient pasts.
DEWIN: So Morgana not only shifted my place but also the time.
(Alden knocks on the home's door and is greeted by ALDRICH DOETH (Hundreds Of Years Old), an older looking man with crystals strapped around his neck.)
ALDRICH: Doctor Smith, have they finally sent someone to take me away to a nuthouse?
ALDEN: On the exact contrary, I’ve found a wounded man who claims to have been sent here by Morgana le Fay.
ALDRICH: That’s what the shift was!
ALDEN: What? You know what it doesn’t matter, as long as you’re willing to take this man.
ALDRICH: Yes, yes, bring him to me.
ALDEN: Minerva, send him up!
(Dewin comes up to the door.)
DEWIN: Hello.
ALDRICH: My goodness, the energy pulsates off of you.
DEWIN (TO ALDEN): This is the healer?
ALDEN: Yes. Now if you two don’t mind I think I will be headed back on my way.
ALDRICH: Are you sure, Doctor? It’s getting rather late, you and your wife are welcome to stay here.
ALDEN: Thank you, but there’s no need.
(Rain starts pouring out of the sky out of nowhere and thunder and lighting begin.)
ALDRICH: What about now, Doctor?
ALDEN: Minnie! We’re staying here tonight!
INT. ALDRICH’S HOUSE - LIVING SPACE - DAY
(A cluttered mess of books, candles, and potions. Aldrich, Alden, Minerva, and Dewin sit on Aldrich’s circular array of couches and chairs.)
ALDRICH: Before we dive in I suggest you go wash off, Dewin. The washroom is that small one to your left.
DEWIN: Thank you, Aldrich.
(Dewin gets up and goes into the washroom.)
ALDRICH: I know what you two think of me, the neighborhood’s resident crazy.
MINERVA: Not at all, Mister Doeth.
ALDRICH: Don’t lie, Minerva, our actions all come back to bite us.
ALDEN: So we think you're mental, what of it?
ALDRICH: There are dark forces amongst us, Mister and Misses Smith. I believe that Dewin is here to save us.
ALDEN: I appreciate you letting us stay here, but I think it’s time we leave.
ALDRICH: I will change this storm into an earthquake to keep you here if I must.
ALDEN: Come on, Minnie.
(Alden and Minerva get up and go to leave when the whole room begins to shake.)
ALDEN: What’s happening!?
ALDRICH: I warned you.
(Aldrich makes silencing symbols with his hands and the storm and the shaking stops.)
ALDRICH: Now will you listen to me?
(Alden and Minerva both sit back down.)
ALDEN: What are you?
AlDRICH: A magician, a clairvoyant, a healer, I am all of those things and more.
ALDEN: Why do you want us here so badly?
ALDRICH: I don’t think it’s a coincidence that you are the one who found Dewin, Doctor Smith. He needs a guide in this vast new world. Prophecy states that when the second coming of the Camelot war comes, the savior will have a protector.
ALDEN: And why me?
ALDRICH: There are questions that only we can answer ourselves.
(Dewin comes out of the washroom and sits back down.)
ALDRICH: Dewin, please tell me exactly how you arrived here.
DEWIN: Morgana le Fay used an ancient banishing spell on me.
ALDRICH: The fall of Camelot.
(Suddenly a wind sweeps through the room that blows out all the candles.)
MINERVA: Mister Doeth, are you doing this?
ALDRICH: No.
(A match is lit in the center of the room to reveal GWENWYN LIGHTWOOD (Centuries-Old), a green draconic humanoid woman in black robes and a hood.)
GWENWYN: Aldrich.
ALDRICH: Lady Lightwood.
GWENWYN: I’ve tracked a shift in magic to your home.
ALDRICH: It is this boy, he was banished here from Camelot.
(Gwenwyn goes up to Dewin and takes her hood off to reveal her scaly appearance. Alden gasps in disbelief. Gwenwyn runs her finger down Dewin’s cheek.)
GWENWYN (TO ALDRICH): Hm. I presume you wish to let him roam freely?
ALDRICH: With guidance, yes.
GWENWYN: If one thing goes wrong you will be punished.
ALDRICH: I know.
DEWIN (TO GWENWYN): Who are you?
GWENWYN: The last of the dragons. Just as Aldrich is the last descendent of the Family Merlin.
DEWIN (TO ALDRICH): You're a descendant of my father?
ALDRICH: Of his sister, I have many of her poems and spell tombs still intact here.
GWENWYN: Magic is rare these days, endangered, most people don’t even know it exists. So are we under agreement on the boy, Aldrich?
ALDRICH: Yes, but something is still troubling. If you and I both felt Dewin’s presence then-
GWENWYN: Benjamin did too.
DEWIN: Who is Benjamin?
ALDRICH: A descendant of Morgana who wishes to rule the earth under her ideals.
GWENWYN: A very very dangerous man who will certainly kill me if he finds me here.
(Gwenwyn’s match extinguishes and after a moment the candles all reignite but Gwenwyn is gone.)
ALDEN: By Jove!
ALDRICH: So do you all accept this challenge?
DEWIN: What challenge?
ALDRICH: Defeating Benjamin Fayle.
DEWIN: Of course!
ALDEN: Absolutely not.
ALDRICH: Are you that repulsed by compassion?
ALDEN: I can’t risk Minerva of I’s life on what could all be me hallucinating.
ALDRICH: You're risking the world for a craven excuse.
ALDEN: Goodbye.
(Alden gets up.)
ALDEN: Let’s leave, Minnie.
MINERVA: Thank you for your hospitality, Mister Doeth, and good luck.
(Alden leaves, followed by Minerva.)
EXT. LONDON - ALDRICH’S HOUSE - NIGHT
(Alden and Minerva ride through the street in their carriage.)
MINERVA: We were definitely drugged.
ALDEN: Absolutely.
EXT. LONDON - WICING DRIVE - NIGHT
(Alden and Minerva hop out of their carriage.)
ALDEN: I’m going to bring Sally back to the stables.
MINERVA: Goodnight, love you.
ALDEN: I love you most.
(Minerva goes up and enters Twenty Six Wicing Drive as Alden detaches Sally from the carriage and begins to guide her down the cobbled sidewalk with one of his hands on her reins.)
EXT. LONDON - FOREST - NIGHT
(Alden guides Sally through the forest to a set of stables. Sally suddenly rears up and neighs in terror.)
ALDEN: What is it Sally?
(Sally suddenly breaks off her reins and runs towards the stables. A figure in a dark purple hood and robe sweeps past Alden and their eyes glow purple. Alden screams.)
INT. TWENTY SIX WICING DRIVE - BEDROOM- DAY
(Alden and Minerva lay next to each other asleep in bed. Alden wakes up screaming which awakens Minerva.)
MINERVA: What’s the matter?
ALDEN: Just a night terror.
MINERVA: We did the right thing with Dewin, he’s with someone like him now.
ALDEN: Is that really a good thing? I think I’m going to go to the pub.
MINERVA: This early in the morning?
ALDEN: I need to clear my head after yesterday.
INT. GRIFFIN’S TAIL PUB - DAY
(A traditional Victorian pub. Dewin sits at the bar and is served by BRYNN CROWING (Early 30s), a charming bartender.)
BRYNN: What can I get you, Mate?
DEWIN: Just a pint of mead, please.
(Brynn goes and pours Dewin a pint of mead that she brings back to him and he begins drinking.)
BRYNN: I like your outfit, it’s very medieval.
DEWIN: It was made by the tailor of Sir Gawain.
(Brynn gives a light chuckle.)
BRYNN: What’s your name?
DEWIN: Dewin, and yours?
BRYNN: Brynn.
(Alden enters and sees Dewin. Alden leaves, but as he does he spots another person in a dark purple robe and hood with glowing purple eyes.)
DEWIN: You're very beautiful.
BRYNN: Why, thank you.
DEWIN: Would you like to go for a stroll?
BRYNN: My shift here doesn’t end till six.
DEWIN: Then I’ll see you then.
BRYNN: I guess you will.
(Dewin finishes his mead and drops two silver coins with dragons etched into them on the bar before swiftly leaving. Brynn picks up the coins and looks at them with confusion and yearning.)
EXT. LONDON - ALDRICH’S HOUSE - DAY
(Alden knocks on the door and Aldrich opens it.)
ALDRICH: I’ve been expecting you, come in.
(Alden follows Aldrich into the home.)
INT. - ALDRICH’S HOUSE - LIVING SPACE - DAY
(Alden and Aldrich sit across from each other.)
ALDRICH: Can I offer you some tea?
ALDEN: No thank you, I want to be in the clearest state of mind possible here.
ALDRICH: So what ignited your appearance here?
ALDEN: I’ve been seeing these people.
ALDRICH: Who are “these people”?
ALDEN: They wear these dark robes and their eyes glow purple.
ALDRICH: Faley’s society.
ALDEN: What?
ALDRICH: Benjamin Faley, the evil man I mentioned last night. Is this what caused you to believe?
ALDEN: What are you saying?
ALDRICH: That you believe in magic.
ALDEN: You're mad.
ALDRICH: Exactly, so the fact that you came to me shows that there’s at least one lingering thought in your mind that magic is reality and reality is magic.
(There’s a moment of silence between Alden and Aldrich.)
ALDRICH: Where have you been seeing the people you mentioned?
ALDEN: Everywhere that Dewin has been.
ALDRICH: Oh no, oh no, no, no.
ALDEN: What is it?
ALDRICH: Dewin is going out with a woman tonight.
ALDEN: Already? He’s only been here for a day.
ALDRICH: He's charming but also so foolish. You must watch them, in case Faley strikes or even worse this woman is working for him.
ALDEN: What could I even do to stop that?
ALDRICH: You are destined to protect Dewin, and at this point your logic for denying all of this is purely irrational. You're not hesitating because you think it’s not real, you're hesitating because you know it is. He is meeting her at six outside of the “Griffin’s Tail”.
ALDEN: I’m not going.
ALDRICH: We both know that you will.
ALDEN: Farewell, Mister Doeth.
ALDRICH: May the spirit of Merlin be with you, Doctor Smith.
(Alden gets up and leaves.)
EXT. LONDON - GRIFFIN’S TAIL PUB - NIGHT
(Dewin stands outside of the pub when Brynn comes out of the side door and walks towards him.)
BRYNN: I wasn’t expecting you to show.
DEWIN: Why wouldn’t I?
BRYNN: Most men flirt and then leave, half of them are married.
DEWIN: They are not true gentlemen then.
BRYNN: I suppose not.
DEWIN: Shall we begin walking?
BRYNN: Sure.
EXT. LONDON - STREETS - NIGHT
(Dewin and Brynn stroll down the streets of London. Alden follows them from a distance.)
DEWIN: This world is so beautiful.
BRYNN: Compared to all the other worlds you’ve been to?
DEWIN: Well Camelot obviously has a better scenic view.
BRYNN: Camelot?
DEWIN: My home land.
BRYNN: You're full of jokes.
DEWIN: I’m not joking.
BRYNN: What?
(Suddenly someone grabs Brynn into an alleyway and she screams. Dewin quickly turns to see no one beside him and runs after her, followed by Alden.)
EXT. LONDON - ROOFTOP - NIGHT
(The clear skies suddenly turn gray and ominous as Dewin arrives on the roof of a building to see three people with glowing purple eyes in the dark purple robes and hoods with one standing in the center holding Brynn with a dagger to her neck. Alden arrives on the rooftop.)
ALDEN: Bloody hell!
DEWIN: Let go of her!
(The three people take off their hoods and their eyes go to normal shades. The person holding Brynn is revealed to be DABRIA (30s), a menacing looking woman.)
DABRIA: Dim mynd i mewn dim dianc.
(A purple hazy force field appears around the edges of the rooftop.)
DABRIA: So you are the one sent to stop us.
DEWIN: What do you connote?
DABRIA: We are the Citadel of le Fay.
DEWIN: Oh no.
DABRIA: Who are you?
DEWIN: My name is Dewin, I am the son of Merlin, and I demand that you let Brynn go.
DABRIA: Why? Is she your protector?
BRYNN: Dewin, what are they talking about!?
(Dewin starts to move his hands around and a wispy blue energy begins to come out of them.)
DABRIA: Get him!
(The two other people with Dabria rush towards Dewin to attack him, but he uses the energy he created to push them around and drop them both to the ground. Dabria drops Brynn and her dagger and Alden rushes to pick up the dagger and succeeds.)
DABRIA: You are foolish, Dewin.
(Dabria pulls a gun out of her robes and shoots it at Dewin but he turns the bullet into a flower. Dabria shoots more but each time Dewin does the same thing until Dabria is out of bullets. Alden sneaks up behind Dabria and stabs her in the back. Dabria shrieks in pain and then disappears in a cloud of black smoke. Brynn gets up off of the ground.)
BRYNN: What the hell just happened?
DEWIN: Are you okay?
BRYNN: Not mentally. What in the world is going on here? How did you turn bullets into flowers!?
DEWIN: I told you I’m from Camelot.
(Alden drops the dagger.)
ALDEN: Did I just kill that woman?
DEWIN: Most likely not, you didn’t stab deep enough to hit any organs.
BRYNN: What do we do now?
DEWIN: Go home and call it a night.
BRYNN: I can’t forget about this.
DEWIN: I’m not asking you to.
ALDEN: If any of us speak of this people think we’re insane.
DEWIN: Then don’t speak of it.
BRYNN: Will I see you again, Dewin?
DEWIN: Did you enjoy tonight?
BRYNN: I was almost killed.
DEWIN: That doesn’t answer my question.
BRYNN: Meet at the pub on Friday after my shift.
INT. TWENTY SIX WICING DRIVE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
(Alden and Minerva lay next to each other.)
MINERVA: Do you think the Citadel will return?
ALDEN: Unequivocally.
MINERVA: What have we gotten into?
INT. BENJAMIN’S LAIR - NIGHT
(A cavern full of crystals and magical runes. BENJAMIN FALEY (30s or 40s), an attractive but uptight looking man, sits on his throne. Dabria enters and walks to face the throne, she bows and then gets back up.)
BENJAMIN: Did you find him?
DABRIA: Yes, Master Faley.
BENJAMIN: And did you find his protector?
DABRIA: Yes, but it’s not the girl.
BENJAMIN: Then who?
DABRIA: A Doctor Alden Smith.
BENJAMIN: Did you kill the doctor?
DABRIA: He deeply wounded me.
BENJAMIN: Then the battle goes on.
DABRIA: For Morgana.
BENJAMIN: For Morgana.
INT. ALDRICH’S HOUSE - LIVING SPACE - NIGHT
(Aldrich and Dewin sit across from each other drinking tea.)
ALDRICH: There are many things in this world, Dewin…
INT. GWENWYN’S CAVE - NIGHT
(Gwenwyn stands in the middle of a circle of candles. She stretches out her hands and forms magic blue charts and graphs with a picture of Dewin.)
ALDRICH (VOICE OVER): Forces we can’t explain…
EXT. LONDON - ALLEYWAY- NIGHT
(Brynn wears only her undergarments and takes a few coins from a man.)
ALDRICH (VOICE OVER): Secrets we hide…
INT. BENJAMIN’S LAIR - NIGHT
(Benjamin sits on his throne.)
ALDRICH (VOICE OVER): And villains we must defeat.
INT. ALDRICH’S HOUSE - LIVING SPACE - NIGHT
ALDRICH: You are the key to this all, Dewin, you are the son of Merlin.

Howdy!
I am a former partner, working as a barista back in 2020-2021 during part of my undergraduate education. As a grad student in a new state, trying to make ends meet, I’ve been half-heartedly applying to local stores for a few months now. I [F23] recently quit a small chain food service job for Numerous reasons— regardless, I’m really in need of a stable source of income.
I’m disabled, but have an incredibly strong work ethic. I often push myself to the point of exhaustion and even past it, but am learning to slow down a bit and listen to my body to avoid burnout. A majority of the 8 some-odd stores around me (a college town) are hiring, and for the past three weeks, I’ve been doing all that I can to ensure I don’t let another opportunity pass me up. Sure, other jobs exist, but I miss being a part of something bigger, classier, and in a company that genuinely cares for its employees.
Barista jobs began to pop up as students left town, but I’ve really been eyeing the handful of Shift Supervisor positions that opened. I admired, but was intimidated by, the role back when I was a 19 year old sapling. Now, with more years of work, life experiences in general, and a great deal of personal growth, I feel that I could really serve the company well. While a barista, I was told by my manager that I narrowly missed POQ two separate times. Trying to prove myself to my peers and to myself, that fact really disappointed me. I think, however, that in time, I’ll be able to surpass my past performance— and won’t be nearly as driven by such external validation. As long as the team is happy, I’ll be happy.
OKAY blah blah, get to the point, OP— I applied for Shift at my nearest store, went in and semi-jokingly asked how desperate they were for someone to fill the role, to which they responded, ‘pretty desperate.’ I’ve called a few times trying to catch the hiring manager, finally reaching them last Monday (13th). I was informed that I would receive a call back to schedule an interview by the next afternoon. I hadn’t heard anything by Wednesday, and stopped in to have a drink and decompress after a long semester. I did ask if the manager was by chance free, but alas, luck was not on my side. They did assure me, through the grapevine, that they would call me later that evening. It’s now Sunday, and I’ve heard nothing. All of this said: what should I do? Would it be rude to ask for a yes or a no? I am in need of a job to pay my bills, but I feel so inconsiderate being such a nuisance trying to show that I am available for an interview at any time convenient for the manager. I have not yet even received a denial email, in the case that you ask.
TL;DR— former barista (at 19) wants (now 23) shift position, manager said they’d call to schedule an interview by the 14th, it is now the 19th. what do?

I have really been struggling with CICO this past year. I’m a female, late 40’s, and my hormones were off. I had a thyroid issue. I began exercising more. I kept telling myself these reasons must be why my evening eating has been OUT OF CONTROL.
I’m at the point where I don’t have a good reason. Breakfast is fine, I eat a healthy, 250 calorie, high protein breakfast. Lunch is fine. I eat a 250 calorie, high protein lunch. I only take a 15 minute lunch at work so this amount of food works for me. I’m not hungry and good until 3:00pm.
Around 3:00 I leave work. Food hasn’t crossed my mind. I’m home just before 4:00 and the floodgates open. Every snack I have logged is suddenly not enough food. It’s not appealing. It’s “I don’t even care I need food” emotional eating. 600 calories later I’m regretful and telling myself I’ll have a small, high protein dinner.
Dinner comes around. Let’s say it’s tacos and my plan was to have one large taco with ground Turkey, 1 TBSP cheese, and topped with veggies and Greek yogurt. My side is cucumber slices and 2 TBSP fresh guacamole. NO. Now at dinner it’s “ehh, enjoy dinner with your family, have a beer or glass of wine. Oh and 1 serving of corn chips won’t hurt, it’s taco night.”
Then after dinner it’s “I need a bit of chocolate. Have a mini Greek yogurt bar, they are only 90 calories.” Fine if I hadn’t eaten so much since 4:00!
Ultimately I add all my food in and instead of sitting at 1600 for the day, I’m at 2200. Enough to not gain, but not enough of a deficit to lose. I need to lose 50 pounds and have been struggling with the same 4 pounds for a year. This despite joining a gym and going with consistency.
I won’t cut out eating between 4 and 8, because this is when my family gathers for meals. I only have so many years left to enjoy family dinners. I do need to find a way to stop treating this time as a free for all. Can anyone share ideas please? I am desperate to get back a sense of evening control.

So darling girl (we'll call her Amy) had a taste of life when SHTF this week after the power was cut off to our rural cabin for 3 days straight.
Sadly, I'm more of an armchair prepper than a hands-on guy, plus I was away on business so wasn't much help. Lack of electricity also meant the electric pump to our artesian well didn't run so Amy had no power AND no running water.
Most of the lessons we've learned will be pretty obvious to you guys as experienced Preppers but I wanted to share what I've learned so you can show this to anyone who says that prepping is only for the paranoid.
I'm also immensely indebted to the TheSensiblePrepper for his awesome 'Power Out Kit List'. You saved our lives, man!
Check your UPS
Living out in the country we're used to temporary power cuts, so I use a laptop with a UPS for work. We also have a Starlink satellite dish for internet. When the power first went down I suggested to Amy that she plug the Starlink router into the UPS to get online, only to find it needed way more juice (1000 VA) than my budget UPS could supply. Naturally I'd have known this if I'd troubled to test the UPS myself with the Starlink system.
Power Banks : Go Big or Go Home
TheSensiblePrepper's recommended Golabs R300 Power Station couldn't be delivered to our cabin, so we went with a Jackery 1000 with a 200W Solar Panel. This is a classic case in point for why prepping is so important as we had to arrange daily deliveries of mini battery packs for Amy's cellphone each day from a local grocery store just so she could charge her cellphone.
Lay in your Logs
It's great having a log fire as we do. We even have a ton of logs out in the shed. Still Amy's health problems prevented her from fetching them to keep the place warm. Naturally I felt terrible as I was thousands of miles away and couldn't do it for her. Lesson learned: If you're going away and your family have mobility issues, make sure they have everything they need to hand!
Network with Neighbors
Some kind neighbors did invite Amy over a meal, shower and to charge her cellphone the first night of the power cut. Still, Amy didn't feel right about asking for more help as she didn't know them well. If we'd taken the time to visit with the neighbors and maybe help out with a few chores we'd have a much better support network around us. Needless to say, we're going to do that in future!
Water Worries
The lack of running water was a huge obstacle for Amy - the poor girl went without a shower for 3 days! The aforementioned kindly neighbors dropped off a few bottles for drinking and some 'gray' water to flush the toilets.
Still, I've since been researching solar pumps for the artesian well which include a backup battery. It's going to be costly to replace the pump altogether but it's better that than be stuck without water.
Currently I'm leaning towards TheSensiblePrepper's suggestion of laying in some stackable water bricks.
Grab some Gas
Although our house is plumbed for gas, it's only used for heating. In a SHTF scenario, it's also unlikely they'll keep pumping. Amazon came to the rescue here once again with the Grill Boss Portable Propane Stove.
I've no idea if this is the best value for money or most efficient stove out there. I do know in future Amy won't have to eat cold beans out of a tin, even if the gas/power goes down.
__
As I said, I'm sure this will seem very obvious to experienced users but if we'd followed the steps in this subreddit sooner, we'd have had a much easier time of it. Perhaps something to share with non-preppers next time they say you worry too much. :-)
​

You get your hands on The Godfish and the Demonic Tuna, the rarest, most valuable, still-not-as-annoying-to-get-as-the-love-bream-or-floaty-pufferfish, highest tier fishes, promising a singularly tasty and sought after flavor, and the best idea you have for either of them is to make a soup, mixing their flavors into a mash of two other fishes. Like you, the God of Food here, couldn't think of a way to bring out the flavor of them on their own. Not even a sashimi set. Outrageous. This actually bothers me more than your ultimate dish involving serving human flesh. (Also as a soup!)

First off, feel free to comment about your own experiences. I would love it if anybody can relate. I'm also open to questions, advice, whatever you wanna write. This is gonna be a bit longer, just fyi. Excuse lack of proper chronological order and maybe some wonky sentences, English isn't my first language.
I was parentified.
For context, my mother has three children, I'm the youngest one, then there's my older half-brother (30) and my older half-sister (36). Their father was a violent alcoholic with schizophrenic tendencies (official diagnosis), luckily I never met him. I refer to them as brother and sister. I'm 21 now. I'm the only child of my mom and my dad, my dad has three other kids who are in the same age group as my maternal siblings. Lots of history with divorces and family fights, I'm the center of a complete patchwork family, everybody moved towns a lot, it's all a bit messy and disorganized.
My mother has severe borderline disorder and has massive trauma from several age stages, especially involving men. She was heavily parentified and yet socially cast out by her family herself. I don't remember a time where I didn't act like her father, emotionally. This is made worse by the fact that I'm trans so I was like her bestie before I began socially transitioning in my early teen years. Of course, this was a massive issue for her. She told me she had only ever wanted daughters. Materially she was taking care of things until I was about 11 - walked me to school and took care of the household, used to work, everything.
I remember sitting next to her during a talk/fight she had with my dad while she was sobbing, I can't have been older than 3 or 4. They got divorced around that time. As I grew older, I came to be my mom's sole emotional support person. We had moved to an isolated village with my step-father and she developed a severe agoraphobia for some time. My step-father avoided all emotionality with both her and me and therefore I was now her only friend. I overheard conversations that she shouldn't be having with her child next door and was told about her most severe fears and traumas from a young age. I was lashed out at on a near daily basis and punishment came unexpectedly. It would consist of being screamed at for minutes on end until I would cry and hyperventilate, but she wouldn't stop then.
In spite of her idea of punishment and raising children, she was incredibly attached to me, still is. This would include massive anxiety fits when she didn't know where I was or when I was getting into activities she didn't approve of. One time, when I was about 17, I went to a party in my friend's basement. She knew about this and approved it, knew my friends and where they lived. I didn't have any signal in that basenent so she couldn't reach me. She proceeded to look up my other friends' parents' phone number and call them to contact me. There was nothing she wanted except to know that I had arrived there.
Whereas my other siblings had long left the household years apart from eachother, both with specific and complex fights and banging doors and screaming fits, I was, as the youngest child, turned into a confessional and a therapist. I would mediate fights from a young age. I witnessed physical violence between my brother, my mother and my sister. My brother was the perpetrator for the most part (however, I was neither hurt nor threatened myself). Nobody proceeded to remove me from the situation or stop me from getting involved. From then on, every fight and every drama caused me intense bouts of anxiety and it, to this day, remains to be the only thing that makes me cry and/or lash out.
In a household full of anger, my anger was not tolerated. I was raised with some old-timey sort of black paedagogy (edit: by this i mean some nazi-era remnants type of paedagogy) (I'm German so it is something of a generational curse for some): I was to have unwavering respect for my parents, I was expected to be obedient, "let him cry it out" type stuff. At least when I was a younger child. When I got older, my emotions did not matter either. After stressful situations or fights that I proceeded to witness for most of my life, nobody ever asked me how I felt or explained to me what had actually gone down. I was left alone while not being left alone at all.
If I failed to provide emotional security for my mother or even attempted to call her out, I was made to feel immensely guilty. This could range from her crying/yelling things like "Why is it always me that must suffer" to guilt-tripping texts and blocking my contact for a while to very action-based suicide threats, depending on the situation. Her emotions were forced to be my emotions if I wanted to "stay alive".
At the same time, I still proceeded to excel in school. I felt like dying but nobody, and I tell you, nobody, noticed. I was a teacher's pet, I still had some loose friendships, I visited my dad once a month or more ever since my parents divorced. Nobody realized what I felt. I felt alone and had the worst depressive episode of my life when I was 13. I neglected personal hygiene. I never opened up to my father for many years. To this day I think he doesn't know everything. Especially during covid, him and my ex-stepmother were my safe space. When I first opened up to them, they welcomed me with open arms, my father was very strict and cold when I was young, but he softened, changed, and is everything and more I could ask for in a father. He is among the most positive examples of masculinity and especially of fatherhood that I know in my circles. He sends me postcards several times a month, wants me to visit, hugs me and tells me he loves me and that he's proud, gives me space. The dad who remembers the names of our childhood stuffed animals. Literally. I love him to death. He was also the only parent who engaged in activities with me and would play with me, later on take me to the movies, go to bars and restaurants, go to museums with me etc.
My mother got worse both psychologically and physically, she is chronically ill and needs immense support in a lot of things now. For about a year, my stepfather worked in a town far away and only came home during the weekends. This was during covid. Within a year, I developed a hatred so deep for my mother that I had thoughts that scared me. I took care of our pets and the household, was not allowed to get into any activities after school other than coming home and spent hours after my day listening to her rants, anxieties, fears. I get hateful goosebumps when I remember the way she used to call my name when she wanted me to do something for her. Sometimes she would make me stay awake for longer, knowing that I had to get up at 6am again. It was usually already around 12 at night. She wanted me to walk the dog before SHE went to bed because otherwise it would ruin her otherwise horribly insomniac circadian rhythm. Therefore I was not allowed to go to sleep. At that point she had not worked for more than 6 years and stayed home all the time. My stepfather and I did grocery shopping. She rarely ever leaves the house if she can avoid it. This was during the German version of my GCSE's.
I was denied medical care that could have potentially fixed my posture issues and other orthopedic issues. My mother deemed physiotherapy as inefficient and got mad when I asked her about it again. Money was always an issue. We were evicted once. I was denied certain things and never asked for extra cash because we ran low on money, my stepfather was blamed for smoking and consuming a lot of meat (which indeed is pricy), but my mother never reflected on her online shopping addiction and I'm aware that she is in an ongoing debt. Has been for years now.
Things got a bit better when my stepfather moved back and Covid cleared up somewhat. Regardless, I used pure spite to continue studying hard while they were yelling at eachother from the top of their lungs for hours on end and did the best I could to get the hell out of there. I've had therapy with several years' of breaks for a total of nearly 3 years now, that I partially applied for myself and I'm working on tackling everything. I live in a different city, studying subjects that I love. I get all my shit done, for the most part, I know how to do paperwork and know how all of the chores work. I can regulate myself in terms of sleep and food and cheap thrills. I have a (milder) case of anxiety. I keep meaningful friendships in which I find myself capable of avoiding all the harmful behaviors and attitudes I was taught. I'm learning to stand my ground and take responsibility for my own decisions and actions.
When I establish my boundaries with her now, she turns into some sort of anxious-attached mess. She over-apologizes to me. She puts me on a pedestal and I'm living a life that she is jealous of. She is intensely attached to me and considers me her favorite child and also hasn't properly gotten over my father, over 15 years of them being divorced. She will do anything to support me materially and then tear me down emotionally. Everything I tell her is followed by her mourning the life she doesn't have and never had instead of properly celebrating with me. She gets noticeably sad when I refuse to give her my full attention, she yearns for what she considered a deep and important relationship to me. But it was all just emotional neglect and emotional abuse. Now I sometimes can't help but meet her with the same attitude she gave me.
This is not perfectly chronological and all over the place. I have complicated relationships with my siblings and other relatives, which I don't mourn, but feel guilty about. My father and I are very good with eachother although I need to confront him about some things as well. With my mother I do the bare minimum to avoid conflict, yet without throwing my sense of self out of the window again. She is the only human who can easily cause anxiety attacks in me, no matter where or when. I sometimes wish I was not in contact with her. I have a tendency for smoking too much weed and being just a bit too careless with other drugs (although I rarely do those in comparison), but I also try and regulate this heavily (e.g. not finding a dealer but asking friends every once in a while etcetc). I think this stems from these experiences. Apart from that, I think I'm coping very well.
To everybody: it does get better. It does. Even when your emotions are a rollercoaster sometimes. You will be in a different place, maybe you already are, and you'll escape from these structures. I think the hardest pill for me to swallow is that I create my own reality and that nobody will give me my stolen childhood back. I am an (albeit young) adult now and I must do everything I can to avoid becoming like her. Her life is not a life I want to lead. There's hope and you won't always be in this place.

Finding's after CT ABD+PEL W CON:
IMPRESSION: 18 x 13 x 11 mm lobulated soft tissue nodule in the right lower quadrant small bowel mesentery. Although this most likely represents a reactive mesenteric lymph node, an early mesenteric carcinoid cannot be excluded. Lab tests to rule out carcinoid tumor, described above are suggested including urine collection for 5-H IAA measurement
FINDINGS: LOWER CHEST: No pleural effusion or pericardial effusion is identified. Lung bases are clear. ABDOMEN/PELVIS: HEPATOBILIARY: No focal hepatic lesions are demonstrated. The gallbladder appears unremarkable.There is no evidence of significant biliary dilatation.
SPLEEN AND RETROPERITONEUM:The spleen is normal in size. No focal splenic masses are demonstrated.The pancreas appears normal without evidence of mass or inflammation.No adrenal masses are demonstrated.In the distal small bowel mesentery near the ileocecal artery and vein there is a small lobulated soft tissue lesion measuring 18 mm transverse dimension with a craniocaudal dimension of 12.6 mm and an anteroposterior dimension of 10.9 mm. Differential diagnosis includes an enlarged mesenteric lymph node (most likely) or small mesenteric carcinoid (less likely) . In favor of an enlarged lymph node is the presence of other scattered mildly prominent lymph nodes in the small bowel mesentery. This does not have the appearance of mesenteric adenitis but could simply represent reactive mesenteric lymph nodes to a current gastrointestinal illness. I recommend performance of lab tests for detection of serotonin, chromogranin A and urinary 5-HIAA to exclude carcinoid or other neuroendocrine tumor. Additionally, a follow-up CT the abdomen and pelvis in 3-6 months is suggested to determine if this soft tissue lesion remains present or regresses in the interval. Spontaneous regression would indicate a benign reactive lymph node.
The inferior vena cava is unremarkable. The aorta is normal in caliber. BOWEL AND PERITONEUM: There is no evidence of abnormal bowel dilatation or bowel wall thickening. There is no evidence of significant free fluid or free intraperitoneal air. The appendix is normal. PELVIS:The bladder appears unremarkable. No pelvic masses or abnormal fluid collections are demonstrated. No pelvic or inguinal adenopathy is evident. MUSCULOSKELETAL AND EXTRA-ABDOMINAL SOFT TISSUES: Within normal limits for age.
I'm 32M (Just turned 32 yesterday actually).
I know this is a lot but it's been quite the year for me:
I had an awful bout of covid in March/April and actually had to go to the ER (had scans because my lungs, chest and ribs were killing me) - they were all clear and then a covid test came back positive. Also had awful coughing fits almost constantly for over a week.
Then in late April (around the 24th) I had a chunk of a rotted molar fall out (wasn't able to financially take care of a cavity previously), went to the dentist and was put on a round of antibiotics for infection (3x a day for 7 days) - bad fatigue /brain fog started around this time and was only recently getting a little better. Had that tooth pulled on May 3rd + and am over a few weeks in recovery at this point.
Saw doc for checkup back in January and had elevated/high blood pressure (which runs in my family). At this point I was 214lbs and eating awful everyday...I'm talking fast food, ice cream daily, junk food, no veggies, etc.
Immediately overhauled my diet (which looking back I don't think was a good idea - should have eased into things) and went from a sedentary lifestyle to eating lots of vegan options + exercising almost daily. Started drinking way more water. Dropped down to 186-189lbs in about 3 1/2 months.
Saw doc a few days ago and was down to 172lbs - give or take a few pounds (42 days after last weight check). I am now trying to course correct a little and up my calorie intake because I don't think I've been getting proper nutrition (enough protein specifically + calories per day). Still physically active.
I got the CT scan in the first place because of off and on pain I've had since Covid19 (on the opposite side of where the nodule was found mind you)
I have a family history of Crohn's disease (mom said at least 6 people) and IBS/gut issues (my mom and grandma and several aunts) - immediate family is on meds for their issues. We also all have hemorrhoids.
Also had a colonoscopy when I was 15 because of tummy issues I was having
I have no symptoms like bloody stool, vomiting, diarrhea
Except now I'm extremely anxious (diagnosed anxiety disorder) so that's for sure effecting my stomach. Also haven't slept much the past few days.
I just wanna know if anything I've experienced this year could explain this..and also a better understanding of the findings. It appears the surrounding organs and everything else is fine. I think?
Trying not to google too much. I'm making an appointment with Oncology tomorrow

Stats: 46 F, SW 192, CW 152.4, GW 135. Current dose 96 Units Semaglutide. Started July 14th 2023, been taking weekly for 45 weeks.
Overall down 39.6 lbs in 45 weeks which I'm very happy with!!! During my journey I've noticed I'll drop 5-10 lbs then stall for 3-4 wks, then drop again, stall, etc. The last two stalls have been much more lengthy so this is why I decided to try Tirzepatide for 3 months, and will be taking 1st dose later this week.
Side effects have been minimal and manageable. I noticed all minor side efforts went away with time. For example, had more burps for a few weeks then went back to normal. Hair was shedding much more for about 6-8 weeks then back to my normal hair shedding. BMs became less and if I didn't go for a few days would take a gentle laxative. Was using laxatives every other week in the beginning and now maybe take it once a month if not at all.
Any insight from someone who has switched??? Any advice is much appreciated.
My little hacks I did while on the Semaglutide journey is:

• Only put your weight in a tracker if you went down, the reason I did this was so that I could see my little chart in a downward trend which made me happy to look at.
• Prior to dropping weight, my weight would bounce around so I started weighing myself much less which was so freeing!!!
• Tried splitting a dose a few times into twice a week which wasn't helpful for me.
• Ran out twice before the next order and would start back less for a week or two before titrating back up.
• If losing weight would stay at a lower dose longer.
• Made better food choices but didn't overthink it which was also freeing.
• Had started taking good multivitamin prior to starting and are still taking them. I think this helped me keep my energy levels normal.

My journey has been happy and at times has felt effortless as compared to previous weight loss success. Over the years I've tried every diet, exercise regiment out there to lose weight with enormous effort. Now it just feels effortless mentally even though I'm putting in effort which is a welcomed change.
Best of luck to all of you and wish you much success.

EXT. CAMELOT - CASTLE DAY
(The castle of Camelot stands over grassy hills and crystal clear rolling rivers and seas. Gray clouds cover the sky and hundreds of soldiers and knights can be seen riding toward the castle. Text appears on the screen reading “CAMELOT” and then “CENTURIES AGO”.)
INT. CASTLE - THRONE ROOM - DAY
(MORGANA LE FAY (Centuries-Old), a beautiful middle aged appearing woman with sharp features and long flowing black hair, sits on the throne and holds Excalibur, the Crown of Camelot sits upon her head. Knights and soldiers march in linear motions through the hall. DEWIN (30s), a scruffily charming magician, enters in handcuffs, with guards behind him. Dewin marches up and presents himself to Morgana. Everyone in the room halts.)
MORGANA: State your name.
DEWIN: You know my name, Morgana.
MORGANA: State your name.
DEWIN: Dewinson of Merlin.
MORGANA: You are being tried with treason and conspiracy against the crown. Do you plead guilty to these crimes?
DEWIN: That depends.
MORGANA: On what?
DEWIN: Who you consider the crown to be.
(Dewin slips his handcuffs off and as he does three Blue Jays come flying out of his sleeve and begin to fly around the room.)
MORGANA: Enough foolishness. I find you guilty of the accusations placed upon you.
DEWIN: Then kill me.
MORGANA: Hm?
DEWIN: Let’s skip past the chatter and get my head on a platter. You see what I did there? Chatter platter.
MORGANA: Silence! Death is far too good for you.
DEWIN: Do your worst, no matter what Camelot will fall.
MORGANA: Is that a threat?
DEWIN: A threat would be something I plan on doing to you myself, the fall of Camelot, well that will be purely your doing.
(Morgana gets off the throne and draws a glowing circle around Dewin with Excalibur, as she does so Dewin lets out a small laugh.)
DEWIN: Binding me? My imprisonment shall not halter the winds of time.
MORGANA: I banish you.
DEWIN: What?
MORGANA: From this plane of time and place I banish you.
DEWIN: Not even you have the power to do that. Banishment spells have been hidden away for ages.
MORGANA: Hidden away in scrolls buried in this very castle. Dilflannu o’r awyren hon.
DEWIN: No.
MORGANA: Dilflannu o’r amser hwn.
DEWIN: No, no, stop.
MORGANA: Dilflannu o’r meddwl. Rwy’n eich gwahardd!
(Morgana’s eyes turn purple and electricity sparks all around Dewin and seems to be sucking the energy out of him.)
EXT. LONDON - FOREST - DAY
(A plain and put together autumnal forest. Text appears over the screen reading “LONDON” and then “EIGHTEEN EIGHTY FIVE”. Electricity sparks and Dewin appears in the forest dazed and confused. He is covered in scars and almost immediately passes out face forward into the ground.)
EXT. LONDON - FOREST - DAY
(As night begins to dawn Dewin is still incapacitated. A carriage led by a horse named, Sally, comes through the forest and halts at Dewin. ALDEN SMITH (Early 40s), a plump and posh man with a defining bushy mustache, cautiously hops out of the carriage. Alden looks around for a moment before spotting Dewin. Alden approaches Dewin and checks his pulse through his arm. Alden’s eyes linger on Dewin for a moment before looking up.)
ALDEN: Hello!? Is anybody there!?
(Alden waits for a moment before looking back down at Dewin. Alden sighs and then lifts Dewin up and into the carriage before hopping in himself. Alden pulls on the horse’s reins and it begins to march forward.)
EXT. LONDON - WICING DRIVE - NIGHT
(Alden drives his carriage down Wicing Drive and parks in front of a townhome, Twenty Six Wicing Drive. Alden gets out of the carriage, carrying Dewin, and walks up the steps. MINERVA SMITH (Early 40s), a stern yet radiant woman, opens the door in shock.)
ALDEN: It’s a long story.
INT. TWENTY SIX WICING DRIVE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
(A stereotypical Victorian living room made primarily of oak and illuminated by two small oil lamps and a burning fireplace. Dewin is still incapacitated and lies on the table covered in bandages, Alden and Minerva hover over him. Bottles of ointment sit next to Dewin.)
MINERVA: What were you doing in the woods?
ALDEN: It’s the fastest cut home.
MINERVA: And you just-
(Minerva is interrupted by Dewin’s sighing as he wakes up.)
DEWIN: Ah! Where am I? Who are you?
MINERVA: My name is Minnie, and this is my husband, Alden.
DEWIN: What’s happening?
ALDEN: I found you all bruised in the middle of the forest. Do you know what happened to you?
DEWIN: Morgana le Fay banished me.
(Alden and Minerva glance at each other.)
MINERVA: Oh lord, I think you're a bit confused.
DEWIN: I am not confused. I am Dewin, son of Merlin. Now if you don’t mind, I’d like to ask if you could take me to a sage or healer?
MINERVA: Of course, Alden can take you tomorrow morning, but for the night you can stay here.
DEWIN: Why, thank you.
ALDEN: Minnie, may I speak to you in the other room?
MINERVA: Of course.
(Alden and Minerva step into the kitchen.)
INT. TWENTY SIX WICING DRIVE - KITCHEN - NIGHT
ALDEN: We can not keep this man in our home. He is mentally insane.
MINERVA: Which means we must watch over him.
ALDEN: I am looking out for our safety.
MINERVA: And where would we take him?
ALDEN: I don’t know. He is as mad as the Doeth man!
MINERVA: Then that’s where we’ll take him.
ALDEN: Stick to nuts together?
MINERVA: The man has some common sense and he’s very compassionate.
ALDEN: Perfect.
EXT. LONDON - ALDRICH’S HOUSE - NIGHT
(Alden and Minerva Dewin sit in their carriage with Dewin outside of a small house that is slightly separated from the other homes on the street.)
DEWIN: So this is the home of a healer?
ALDEN: According to him. I will go to the door alone, I do not want to scare him.
(Alden gets out of the carriage and starts heading towards the home.)
MINERVA: So you really do believe that you are the son of Merlin.
DEWIN: I know who my father was. Why is this such a puzzle for you and your husband to wrap your heads around?
MINERVA: Why I’ve only heard stories of Camelot, myths of ancient pasts.
DEWIN: So Morgana not only shifted my place but also the time.
(Alden knocks on the home's door and is greeted by ALDRICH DOETH (Hundreds Of Years Old), an older looking man with crystals strapped around his neck.)
ALDRICH: Doctor Smith, have they finally sent someone to take me away to a nuthouse?
ALDEN: On the exact contrary, I’ve found a wounded man who claims to have been sent here by Morgana le Fay.
ALDRICH: That’s what the shift was!
ALDEN: What? You know what it doesn’t matter, as long as you’re willing to take this man.
ALDRICH: Yes, yes, bring him to me.
ALDEN: Minerva, send him up!
(Dewin comes up to the door.)
DEWIN: Hello.
ALDRICH: My goodness, the energy pulsates off of you.
DEWIN (TO ALDEN): This is the healer?
ALDEN: Yes. Now if you two don’t mind I think I will be headed back on my way.
ALDRICH: Are you sure, Doctor? It’s getting rather late, you and your wife are welcome to stay here.
ALDEN: Thank you, but there’s no need.
(Rain starts pouring out of the sky out of nowhere and thunder and lighting begin.)
ALDRICH: What about now, Doctor?
ALDEN: Minnie! We’re staying here tonight!
INT. ALDRICH’S HOUSE - LIVING SPACE - DAY
(A cluttered mess of books, candles, and potions. Aldrich, Alden, Minerva, and Dewin sit on Aldrich’s circular array of couches and chairs.)
ALDRICH: Before we dive in I suggest you go wash off, Dewin. The washroom is that small one to your left.
DEWIN: Thank you, Aldrich.
(Dewin gets up and goes into the washroom.)
ALDRICH: I know what you two think of me, the neighborhood’s resident crazy.
MINERVA: Not at all, Mister Doeth.
ALDRICH: Don’t lie, Minerva, our actions all come back to bite us.
ALDEN: So we think you're mental, what of it?
ALDRICH: There are dark forces amongst us, Mister and Misses Smith. I believe that Dewin is here to save us.
ALDEN: I appreciate you letting us stay here, but I think it’s time we leave.
ALDRICH: I will change this storm into an earthquake to keep you here if I must.
ALDEN: Come on, Minnie.
(Alden and Minerva get up and go to leave when the whole room begins to shake.)
ALDEN: What’s happening!?
ALDRICH: I warned you.
(Aldrich makes silencing symbols with his hands and the storm and the shaking stops.)
ALDRICH: Now will you listen to me?
(Alden and Minerva both sit back down.)
ALDEN: What are you?
AlDRICH: A magician, a clairvoyant, a healer, I am all of those things and more.
ALDEN: Why do you want us here so badly?
ALDRICH: I don’t think it’s a coincidence that you are the one who found Dewin, Doctor Smith. He needs a guide in this vast new world. Prophecy states that when the second coming of the Camelot war comes, the savior will have a protector.
ALDEN: And why me?
ALDRICH: There are questions that only we can answer ourselves.
(Dewin comes out of the washroom and sits back down.)
ALDRICH: Dewin, please tell me exactly how you arrived here.
DEWIN: Morgana le Fay used an ancient banishing spell on me.
ALDRICH: The fall of Camelot.
(Suddenly a wind sweeps through the room that blows out all the candles.)
MINERVA: Mister Doeth, are you doing this?
ALDRICH: No.
(A match is lit in the center of the room to reveal GWENWYN LIGHTWOOD (Centuries-Old), a green draconic humanoid woman in black robes and a hood.)
GWENWYN: Aldrich.
ALDRICH: Lady Lightwood.
GWENWYN: I’ve tracked a shift in magic to your home.
ALDRICH: It is this boy, he was banished here from Camelot.
(Gwenwyn goes up to Dewin and takes her hood off to reveal her scaly appearance. Alden gasps in disbelief. Gwenwyn runs her finger down Dewin’s cheek.)
GWENWYN (TO ALDRICH): Hm. I presume you wish to let him roam freely?
ALDRICH: With guidance, yes.
GWENWYN: If one thing goes wrong you will be punished.
ALDRICH: I know.
DEWIN (TO GWENWYN): Who are you?
GWENWYN: The last of the dragons. Just as Aldrich is the last descendent of the Family Merlin.
DEWIN (TO ALDRICH): You're a descendant of my father?
ALDRICH: Of his sister, I have many of her poems and spell tombs still intact here.
GWENWYN: Magic is rare these days, endangered, most people don’t even know it exists. So are we under agreement on the boy, Aldrich?
ALDRICH: Yes, but something is still troubling. If you and I both felt Dewin’s presence then-
GWENWYN: Benjamin did too.
DEWIN: Who is Benjamin?
ALDRICH: A descendant of Morgana who wishes to rule the earth under her ideals.
GWENWYN: A very very dangerous man who will certainly kill me if he finds me here.
(Gwenwyn’s match extinguishes and after a moment the candles all reignite but Gwenwyn is gone.)
ALDEN: By Jove!
ALDRICH: So do you all accept this challenge?
DEWIN: What challenge?
ALDRICH: Defeating Benjamin Fayle.
DEWIN: Of course!
ALDEN: Absolutely not.
ALDRICH: Are you that repulsed by compassion?
ALDEN: I can’t risk Minerva of I’s life on what could all be me hallucinating.
ALDRICH: You're risking the world for a craven excuse.
ALDEN: Goodbye.
(Alden gets up.)
ALDEN: Let’s leave, Minnie.
MINERVA: Thank you for your hospitality, Mister Doeth, and good luck.
(Alden leaves, followed by Minerva.)
EXT. LONDON - ALDRICH’S HOUSE - NIGHT
(Alden and Minerva ride through the street in their carriage.)
MINERVA: We were definitely drugged.
ALDEN: Absolutely.
EXT. LONDON - WICING DRIVE - NIGHT
(Alden and Minerva hop out of their carriage.)
ALDEN: I’m going to bring Sally back to the stables.
MINERVA: Goodnight, love you.
ALDEN: I love you most.
(Minerva goes up and enters Twenty Six Wicing Drive as Alden detaches Sally from the carriage and begins to guide her down the cobbled sidewalk with one of his hands on her reins.)
EXT. LONDON - FOREST - NIGHT
(Alden guides Sally through the forest to a set of stables. Sally suddenly rears up and neighs in terror.)
ALDEN: What is it Sally?
(Sally suddenly breaks off her reins and runs towards the stables. A figure in a dark purple hood and robe sweeps past Alden and their eyes glow purple. Alden screams.)
INT. TWENTY SIX WICING DRIVE - BEDROOM- DAY
(Alden and Minerva lay next to each other asleep in bed. Alden wakes up screaming which awakens Minerva.)
MINERVA: What’s the matter?
ALDEN: Just a night terror.
MINERVA: We did the right thing with Dewin, he’s with someone like him now.
ALDEN: Is that really a good thing? I think I’m going to go to the pub.
MINERVA: This early in the morning?
ALDEN: I need to clear my head after yesterday.
INT. GRIFFIN’S TAIL PUB - DAY
(A traditional Victorian pub. Dewin sits at the bar and is served by BRYNN CROWING (Early 30s), a charming bartender.)
BRYNN: What can I get you, Mate?
DEWIN: Just a pint of mead, please.
(Brynn goes and pours Dewin a pint of mead that she brings back to him and he begins drinking.)
BRYNN: I like your outfit, it’s very medieval.
DEWIN: It was made by the tailor of Sir Gawain.
(Brynn gives a light chuckle.)
BRYNN: What’s your name?
DEWIN: Dewin, and yours?
BRYNN: Brynn.
(Alden enters and sees Dewin. Alden leaves, but as he does he spots another person in a dark purple robe and hood with glowing purple eyes.)
DEWIN: You're very beautiful.
BRYNN: Why, thank you.
DEWIN: Would you like to go for a stroll?
BRYNN: My shift here doesn’t end till six.
DEWIN: Then I’ll see you then.
BRYNN: I guess you will.
(Dewin finishes his mead and drops two silver coins with dragons etched into them on the bar before swiftly leaving. Brynn picks up the coins and looks at them with confusion and yearning.)
EXT. LONDON - ALDRICH’S HOUSE - DAY
(Alden knocks on the door and Aldrich opens it.)
ALDRICH: I’ve been expecting you, come in.
(Alden follows Aldrich into the home.)
INT. - ALDRICH’S HOUSE - LIVING SPACE - DAY
(Alden and Aldrich sit across from each other.)
ALDRICH: Can I offer you some tea?
ALDEN: No thank you, I want to be in the clearest state of mind possible here.
ALDRICH: So what ignited your appearance here?
ALDEN: I’ve been seeing these people.
ALDRICH: Who are “these people”?
ALDEN: They wear these dark robes and their eyes glow purple.
ALDRICH: Faley’s society.
ALDEN: What?
ALDRICH: Benjamin Faley, the evil man I mentioned last night. Is this what caused you to believe?
ALDEN: What are you saying?
ALDRICH: That you believe in magic.
ALDEN: You're mad.
ALDRICH: Exactly, so the fact that you came to me shows that there’s at least one lingering thought in your mind that magic is reality and reality is magic.
(There’s a moment of silence between Alden and Aldrich.)
ALDRICH: Where have you been seeing the people you mentioned?
ALDEN: Everywhere that Dewin has been.
ALDRICH: Oh no, oh no, no, no.
ALDEN: What is it?
ALDRICH: Dewin is going out with a woman tonight.
ALDEN: Already? He’s only been here for a day.
ALDRICH: He's charming but also so foolish. You must watch them, in case Faley strikes or even worse this woman is working for him.
ALDEN: What could I even do to stop that?
ALDRICH: You are destined to protect Dewin, and at this point your logic for denying all of this is purely irrational. You're not hesitating because you think it’s not real, you're hesitating because you know it is. He is meeting her at six outside of the “Griffin’s Tail”.
ALDEN: I’m not going.
ALDRICH: We both know that you will.
ALDEN: Farewell, Mister Doeth.
ALDRICH: May the spirit of Merlin be with you, Doctor Smith.
(Alden gets up and leaves.)
EXT. LONDON - GRIFFIN’S TAIL PUB - NIGHT
(Dewin stands outside of the pub when Brynn comes out of the side door and walks towards him.)
BRYNN: I wasn’t expecting you to show.
DEWIN: Why wouldn’t I?
BRYNN: Most men flirt and then leave, half of them are married.
DEWIN: They are not true gentlemen then.
BRYNN: I suppose not.
DEWIN: Shall we begin walking?
BRYNN: Sure.
EXT. LONDON - STREETS - NIGHT
(Dewin and Brynn stroll down the streets of London. Alden follows them from a distance.)
DEWIN: This world is so beautiful.
BRYNN: Compared to all the other worlds you’ve been to?
DEWIN: Well Camelot obviously has a better scenic view.
BRYNN: Camelot?
DEWIN: My home land.
BRYNN: You're full of jokes.
DEWIN: I’m not joking.
BRYNN: What?
(Suddenly someone grabs Brynn into an alleyway and she screams. Dewin quickly turns to see no one beside him and runs after her, followed by Alden.)
EXT. LONDON - ROOFTOP - NIGHT
(The clear skies suddenly turn gray and ominous as Dewin arrives on the roof of a building to see three people with glowing purple eyes in the dark purple robes and hoods with one standing in the center holding Brynn with a dagger to her neck. Alden arrives on the rooftop.)
ALDEN: Bloody hell!
DEWIN: Let go of her!
(The three people take off their hoods and their eyes go to normal shades. The person holding Brynn is revealed to be DABRIA (30s), a menacing looking woman.)
DABRIA: Dim mynd i mewn dim dianc.
(A purple hazy force field appears around the edges of the rooftop.)
DABRIA: So you are the one sent to stop us.
DEWIN: What do you connote?
DABRIA: We are the Citadel of le Fay.
DEWIN: Oh no.
DABRIA: Who are you?
DEWIN: My name is Dewin, I am the son of Merlin, and I demand that you let Brynn go.
DABRIA: Why? Is she your protector?
BRYNN: Dewin, what are they talking about!?
(Dewin starts to move his hands around and a wispy blue energy begins to come out of them.)
DABRIA: Get him!
(The two other people with Dabria rush towards Dewin to attack him, but he uses the energy he created to push them around and drop them both to the ground. Dabria drops Brynn and her dagger and Alden rushes to pick up the dagger and succeeds.)
DABRIA: You are foolish, Dewin.
(Dabria pulls a gun out of her robes and shoots it at Dewin but he turns the bullet into a flower. Dabria shoots more but each time Dewin does the same thing until Dabria is out of bullets. Alden sneaks up behind Dabria and stabs her in the back. Dabria shrieks in pain and then disappears in a cloud of black smoke. Brynn gets up off of the ground.)
BRYNN: What the hell just happened?
DEWIN: Are you okay?
BRYNN: Not mentally. What in the world is going on here? How did you turn bullets into flowers!?
DEWIN: I told you I’m from Camelot.
(Alden drops the dagger.)
ALDEN: Did I just kill that woman?
DEWIN: Most likely not, you didn’t stab deep enough to hit any organs.
BRYNN: What do we do now?
DEWIN: Go home and call it a night.
BRYNN: I can’t forget about this.
DEWIN: I’m not asking you to.
ALDEN: If any of us speak of this people think we’re insane.
DEWIN: Then don’t speak of it.
BRYNN: Will I see you again, Dewin?
DEWIN: Did you enjoy tonight?
BRYNN: I was almost killed.
DEWIN: That doesn’t answer my question.
BRYNN: Meet at the pub on Friday after my shift.
INT. TWENTY SIX WICING DRIVE - LIVING ROOM - NIGHT
(Alden and Minerva lay next to each other.)
MINERVA: Do you think the Citadel will return?
ALDEN: Unequivocally.
MINERVA: What have we gotten into?
INT. BENJAMIN’S LAIR - NIGHT
(A cavern full of crystals and magical runes. BENJAMIN FALEY (30s or 40s), an attractive but uptight looking man, sits on his throne. Dabria enters and walks to face the throne, she bows and then gets back up.)
BENJAMIN: Did you find him?
DABRIA: Yes, Master Faley.
BENJAMIN: And did you find his protector?
DABRIA: Yes, but it’s not the girl.
BENJAMIN: Then who?
DABRIA: A Doctor Alden Smith.
BENJAMIN: Did you kill the doctor?
DABRIA: He deeply wounded me.
BENJAMIN: Then the battle goes on.
DABRIA: For Morgana.
BENJAMIN: For Morgana.
INT. ALDRICH’S HOUSE - LIVING SPACE - NIGHT
(Aldrich and Dewin sit across from each other drinking tea.)
ALDRICH: There are many things in this world, Dewin…
INT. GWENWYN’S CAVE - NIGHT
(Gwenwyn stands in the middle of a circle of candles. She stretches out her hands and forms magic blue charts and graphs with a picture of Dewin.)
ALDRICH (VOICE OVER): Forces we can’t explain…
EXT. LONDON - ALLEYWAY- NIGHT
(Brynn wears only her undergarments and takes a few coins from a man.)
ALDRICH (VOICE OVER): Secrets we hide…
INT. BENJAMIN’S LAIR - NIGHT
(Benjamin sits on his throne.)
ALDRICH (VOICE OVER): And villains we must defeat.
INT. ALDRICH’S HOUSE - LIVING SPACE - NIGHT
ALDRICH: You are the key to this all, Dewin, you are the son of Merlin.