I [31M] & my wife [32F] have been married for almost 8 years, together for 13. We have two young kids, 3.5 & 1.5.
For 6 months or so my wife has been struggling with depression, OCD, & emotional bluntness. She’s felt different levels of anxiety & depression at times through our relationship but not like this. This time I wasn’t aware of how bad it was until about 2 months ago, she used stress as a cover until she couldn’t hide it anymore. She is also back on SSRIs for about 2 months as well. She doesn’t feel anything for me & she feels no romantic connection. She can struggle with find joy in moments with our kids as well, so it’s not just me. She still has a best friend like connection with me, but no spark. I can tell she wants to love me again, she says so & she forces herself to hold my hand or make other gestures but I know they aren’t real. It’s kind, but I want my wife & romance, not a best friend.
We’ve had several hard conversations, I’ve started therapy, & we’re committed to giving our relationship time & any effort necessary to find our way back.
I’m finding myself have moments where I’m depressed & anxious, but I don’t want my situation to weigh on my wife more than what is already taxing her. She feels terrible that I’m hurting and I don’t want to make it any worse but I also don’t lie to her. I could just use an outlet that helps me process & deal with this. If anyone has any books or suggestions I’m open.
We both work and divide all child care equally. I do about 75% of the house work because my job is less demanding so I can fit it in my work hours for the most part. This is never something we argue about or a point of contention, we usually just check in & make sure neither side is feeling overwhelmed.
Has anyone dealt with blunting and did you make it through?

All of you complaining that the games ‘dying’ have you never asked yourself why? No one wants to play family anymore unless they’re newbs. You bully family to the point they don’t want to play anymore. Just escape?🤷🏽‍♀️ Thought I would hop on family for once as the waiting times for victims was just to much, i was the only one levelled up, my team were newbs didn’t feed grandpa, didn’t chase they literally done nothing but followed me most of the game. I only play family usually if i have a team to play with, the game isn’t ‘dying because of bugs or the devs’. You’re literally ruining the fun for everyone on family side, can’t really do anything when your stunned half of the game🤷🏽‍♀️ so enjoy bullying the family, I’m done with playing family now after only playing 2 games and if this keeps happening there is going to be no family left so stop moaning when YOUR THE ONES KILLING THE GAME FOR PEOPLE. I’m a victim main anyways but fr, ya’ll are nasty. I don’t go out of my way to terror the family, especially new players thats low, i get my points and escape thats how it should be.🤷🏽‍♀️

I'm trying to find hidden files using this command, I'm using kali linux
cat /home/kali/Desktop/foldername/filterallext rush curl -skl "{}" grep "type\=\”hidden\”" grep -Eo "name\=\”[^\”]+\”" cut -d\" -f2 sort -u >> /home/kali/Desktop/foldername/hidden-files
however getting errors as follows
"Error: unknown shorthand flag: 's' in -skl
Usage:
rush [flags] [command]
Examples:
simple run, quoting is not necessary
$ seq 1 10 rush echo {}

1. keep order

$ seq 1 10 rush 'echo {}' -k

1. timeout

$ seq 1 rush 'sleep 2; echo {}' -t 1

1. retry

$ seq 1 rush 'python script.py' -r 3

1. dirname & basename & remove suffix

$ echo difile_1.txt.gz rush 'echo {/} {%} {^_1.txt.gz}'
dir file.txt.gz difile

1. basename without the last or any extension

$ echo dir.d/file.txt.gz rush 'echo {.} {:} {%.} {%:}'
dir.d/file.txt dir.d/file file.txt file

1. job ID, combine fields and other replacement strings

$ echo 12 file.txt dis_1.fq.gz rush 'echo job {#}: {2} {2.} {3%:^_1}'
job 1: file.txt file s

1. capture submatch using regular expression

$ echo read_1.fq.gz rush 'echo {@(.+)_\d}'
read

1. custom field delimiter

$ echo a=b=c rush 'echo {1} {2} {3}' -d =
a b c

1. custom record delimiter

$ echo a=b=c rush -D "=" -k 'echo {}'
a
b
c
$ echo abc rush -D "" -k 'echo {}'
a
b
c

1. assign value to variable, like "awk -v"

seq 1 rush 'echo Hello, {fname} {lname}!' -v fname=Wei,lname=Shen
$ seq 1 rush 'echo Hello, {fname} {lname}!' -v fname=Wei -v lname=Shen
Hello, Wei Shen!

1. preset variable (Macro)

equal to: echo sample_1.fq.gz rush 'echo {:_1} {} {:_1}_2.fq.gz'
$ echo sample_1.fq.gz rush -v p={:^_1} 'echo {p} {} {p}_2.fq.gz'
sample sample_1.fq.gz sample_2.fq.gz

1. save successful commands to continue in NEXT run

$ seq 1 3 rush 'sleep {}; echo {}' -c -t 2
[INFO] ignore cmd #1: sleep 1; echo 1
[ERRO] run cmd #1: sleep 2; echo 2: time out
[ERRO] run cmd #2: sleep 3; echo 3: time out

1. escape special symbols

$ seq 1 rush 'echo -e "a\tb" awk "{print $1}"' -q
a

1. run a command with relative paths in Windows, please use backslash as the separator.

"brename -l -R" is used to search paths recursively
$ brename -l -q -R -i -p "\.go$" rush "bin\app.exe {}"
More examples: https://github.com/shenwei356/rush
Flags:
-v, --assign strings assign the value val to the variable var (format: var=val, val also
supports replacement strings)
--cleanup-time int time to allow child processes to clean up between stop / kill signals
(unit: seconds, 0 for no time) (default 3) (default 3)
-c, --continue continue jobs. NOTES: 1) successful commands are saved in file (given
by flag -C/--succ-cmd-file); 2) if the file does not exist, rush saves
data so we can continue jobs next time; 3) if the file exists, rush
ignores jobs in it and update the file
--dry-run print command but not run
-q, --escape escape special symbols like $ which you can customize by flag
-Q/--escape-symbols
-Q, --escape-symbols string symbols to escape (default "$#&`")
--eta show ETA progress bar
-d, --field-delimiter string field delimiter in records, support regular expression (default "\\s+")
-h, --help help for rush
-I, --immediate-output print output immediately and interleaved, to aid debugging
-i, --infile strings input data file, multi-values supported
-j, --jobs int run n jobs in parallel (default value depends on your device) (default 2)
-k, --keep-order keep output in order of input
--no-kill-exes strings exe names to exclude from kill signal, example: mspdbsrv.exe; or use
all for all exes (default none)
--no-stop-exes strings exe names to exclude from stop signal, example: mspdbsrv.exe; or use
all for all exes (default none)
-n, --nrecords int number of records sent to a command (default 1)
-o, --out-file string out file ("-" for stdout) (default "-")
--print-retry-output print output from retry commands (default true)
--propagate-exit-status propagate child exit status up to the exit status of rush (default true)
-D, --record-delimiter string record delimiter (default is "\n") (default "\n")
-J, --records-join-sep string record separator for joining multi-records (default is "\n") (default "\n")
-r, --retries int maximum retries (default 0)
--retry-interval int retry interval (unit: second) (default 0)
-e, --stop-on-error stop child processes on first error (not perfect, you may stop it by
typing ctrl-c or closing terminal)
-C, --succ-cmd-file string file for saving successful commands (default "successful_cmds.rush")
-t, --timeout int timeout of a command (unit: seconds, 0 for no timeout) (default 0)
-T, --trim string trim white space (" \t\r\n") in input (available values: "l" for left,
"r" for right, "lr", "rl", "b" for both side)
--verbose print verbose information
-V, --version print version information and check for update

I've been on otezla for over 2 months now and to be perfectly honest, it's been useless.
I've done reading on various posts about the side effects of the loading dose, I was a little more regular for two days but outside of that I've not experienced anything close to the horror stories I've seen on here.
My Psoriasis plaques are very minimal, but that's nothing to do with the tablets, but the enstilar foam I've been using. Hitting the pantches from both ends.
I'm left with chronic redness all over since the early days of my Otezla cycle.
In the time being on the tablets I've seen new patches forming/getting bigger.
Safe to say I'm not sold on the tablets, I feel my body has adapted to the medication early and it's not working.
Has anyone experienced the same as me? Ideally I'd like to get one of the Biologics next as they are the most recommended course of action. I get the sense the NHS are quite resistant to giving people these doses?

Part One
There are dozens of cases like Joseph’s all across J.A County.
A woman who left her home walking to work and never walked back. Her name was Anna Hearth. The only hint to her disappearance is that strange activity was found on her Facebook profile. We believed it indicated a pattern, or more precisely a method of selecting victims. Though despite all of them being active quite regularly on Facebook and living in J.A county nothing else links these victims together.
As far as I and the rest of J.A County’s finest have pieced together this all started a month ago with the first victim, Carl Hauster. His front door was left wide open leaving his 6 year old daughter home alone. Luckily, she was found unharmed by her mother only a few hours later.
To be honest, we are nowhere closer to solving this case than we were when it started and that was made painfully clear recently.
I was sitting at the desk twiddling my thumbs watching the clock drag on. At that time, I always hated sitting at a desk being away from any possible action. It’s not that common that a sleepy little place like J.A County has a kidnapping endemic. Though someone has to watch the place, and those someones are myself, Cynthia Bell, and Justin Gomez.
Cynthia is an older cranky woman. It wouldn’t surprise me if she was the first woman cop ever. Justin was chill though, a recent transfer from somewhere I forgot. I think North Carolina.
“Ring-Ding”.
The familiar sound came from the computer across from Justin. I only saw the side off his face but he looked ill.
“You alright?” I asked him but he didn’t respond.
“You good?”
“...”
“Eh..” I went over to his desk. The JA County Police Facebook page was open with a message on bottom right. A single photo of an office space with a laptop on top of a desk with different stickers on it and pictures frames turned away from the camera. It looked fairly innocent.
Justin stood up,” I need to make a call.” He said as he left.
I took a second look. The name of the user was Joseph Ryder.
“Joseph Ryder” I repeated just for myself to hear. “That’s a sick joke.”
Justin had walked back into the room. “I need to go, she isn’t answering.”
“Who?”
“My Wife, that’s her home office.”
I didn’t know what to say.
“Ring-Ding!”
I turned back to the computer, the same photo but the window was now shattered with blood dripping from the broken glass.
“I’ll call it in” Justin walked off while I only got static on my radio. “Wait, I’ll come with you.” I said as he ran out the door.
“Cynthia! See if you can reach anybody on your radio.” I said running after Justin.
“What’s going on?” she asked.
“Justin’s wife.”
After going out the front door I saw Justin in his car and went around the side.
“I told Cynthia to radio it in”
He turned the key but the car didn’t start. He tried again but it stalled. “Damn it!” He said, throwing his fist onto the steering wheel. “Do you have a signal?” He asked. I tried to call anyone but they all dropped one after another while Justin worked the radio. There was no luck on either front.
“Fuck” he stormed outta the car. “I’m gonna run till I see a car.”
“Wait, let me see if Cynthia can lend her car” he kept jogging forward till he suddenly stopped dead in his tracks. “John?”
A pale looking man started shambling towards us from the woods. He wore a blue police uniform full of rips and dragged a bum leg behind him. I wouldn’t have recognized him if Justin didn’t say his name.
“You alright man?” The second the words left my mouth his head jolted up and let off an ear ripping screech before bursting into a full sprint at me. I reached for my gun but heard two shots pop off and John fell to the ground.
“We need to go inside,” were words I made out through the buzzing and ringing in my ears.
“You saw his face? That shit ain’t normal. He was gonna… We need to go. Now.” He said, shaking me out of my trance.
Dozens of people started stumbling out of the woodwork all looking very similar to John. pale almost pure white husks of themselves with dead beady eyes. Dozens of them. I wasted no time getting back inside and moving the desks to barricade the door with Justin.
“What the hell you guys doing?!” Cynthia asked.
“Somethings not right,” I said.
“That’s a fucking understatement!” Justin said.” Help us bar the windows and the back door”
“Jesus,” She said, doing the cross with her hands.
The Husks started banging down trying to force their way inside and then almost simultaneously the room filled with a fury of familiar rings and dings. Almost hypnotized, I went over to look and saw the Ja County Police Facebook page was drowning in messages. Random images that weren’t loading, voice messages, and nonsensical text but then the page refreshed.
“ A live stream” I said out loud.
“Stop looking at that and help us!” Justin said.
I started hyperventilating.. “We’re being broadcasted”
“What?” Justin came up and said“ Where are they recording from?” As if the camera heard us, the perspective of the live stream shifted sporadically.
Cynthia's scream brought us back to the moment. Three of them managed to crawl through a busted window and Justin didn’t miss a beat popping a shell into each one of them. I was deaf for a moment, but when my ears readjusted I wished they hadn’t. All the Husks outside started screeching and throwing themselves against every opening.
“Hurry, cover the window with the cabinet. Justin said, sprinting down the hall.
Despite her shock and being an older woman Cynthia seemed more put together than myself. I had to keep reminding myself to move and to breathe.
Justin had opened the weapon locker and pulled out rifles and ammunition. “ We need to force our way out of here and get help.
Cynthia racked a rifle and didn’t say a word.
“Ye..Yeah.” I stammered out.
They looked at each other and then back to me. “ Pull yourself together, it’s now or never.”
Before a word left my mouth every light in the station blacked out. The screeching had stopped, but in its place was a low hum. It grew louder as the seconds passed. It felt like something I may have heard before but can’t explain the tune.
A sloping sound hit the floor behind us. I almost tripped over Justin or Cynthia backing away from it. I wasn’t sure who. I was too focused on the slithering sound it made across the floor as the tune grew louder “Where is it?”
“What?” Justin asked.
“You don’t hear that?”
“Hear what?” Cynthia asked.
A blaring static sound rattled out from the computer before a woman came onto the screen. She had a bloody gash across her face with a chunk missing from her neck.
“Mi Vida Bomboncito?”
I didn’t understand what she said at that moment but I saw Justin’s face in the light from the monitor. He was visibly shaking before crying out in Spanish. I couldn’t catch what he said but his eyes were full of tears.
The lights came back on and Justin’s eyes remained fixed to the screen. “Justin?” He didn’t react.
“Cynthia?” She wasn’t with us.
“Cynthia?!” I called out.
Gun fire boomed from the restroom down the hall. I burst in shakily handling my gun. Several gunshots were fired into a mirror and Cynthia stood only a few feet away holding the rifle with shards of glass embedded in hands, and arms.
“Leave.” Cythnia said.
“What?”
“Leave!” she said pointing the rifle at me.
“Hey, calm down it’s me”
“LEAVE! Charles.”
“Charles?” She racked the rifle and I ran. I didn’t know who Charles was and I didn’t want to.
“Justin. We need to leave.” His eyes remained fixed to the black screen. I pulled his arm and he didn’t move.
“Ring-Ding”.
A voice message from a user whose name was just a string of text. I don’t know why but I clicked play, the voice..The voice was my mom.
“Alan, I missed you. Why don’t you visit me anymore?”
“Ring-Ding”.
“Alan, why won’t you talk to me?”
“Answer me!”
“Now!”. She screamed ”This is why you’re nobody and nothing just like your father.”
My anger boiled over, not at her words but at the very idea of someone using my dead mother’s voice to hurt me.
I grabbed the computer ready to slam it to the ground when…
I couldn’t breathe, there was a white hot pain on the side of my waist. “You shot me?” I said to Justin before blacking out.
I woke up a few days later in a hospital room all alone. I had a dulling aching pain on the side of my waist.
I found out later that Justin called 911 and got me and Cynthia to the hospital. Cynthia was sedated and held on another floor while Justin was answering questions to the state police.
I was questioned but I didn’t know what to tell them but the truth. I thought they wouldn’t believe me but they seemed more willing to listen than I originally expected. I in turn, asked for the truth,
“What happened to everyone else?”
Every police officer not in the station that day is still missing. The state police issued a warning that J.A County and several nearby counties should refrain from Facebook unless absolutely necessary. The details as to why they need to do this are being kept hush hush.
It’s just a warning without much or any context.
It won’t really help anyone.
This is why I made these posts. To be a warning, to share the stories of those who went missing and to find the truth.
However terrifying it might be.

Most of the other rooms in our house have a defined style and are almost finished.... except our living room.
We were originally going for an industrial decor, but it's an older house and it's a small, north-facing living room with 2 entry ways (on either side of the couch, opposite the fireplace wall) which makes things difficult. 1 couch is not enough for 2 people to lay down and watch TV. I have 2 of those blue chairs (the other is in a faux sunroom where the cats lounge by the back door) but they feel too big for the room. Maybe the shag rug is too shaggy. Maybe the coffeee table is too big? Should I paint the fireplace? Get a cool chandelier? Ugh. I like the faux concrete wall I painted but am open to re-arranging furniture and buying/replacing some other pieces. Room is approx. 11x17 feet for reference and the fireplace is offside to the left.
I need layout suggestions and some decor suggestions too I think.
TIA
https://preview.redd.it/ufdsl4qmml4d1.png?width=495&format=png&auto=webp&s=102af0f3553f0b59b7afc08dfdd4a9cf43ef72fd
https://preview.redd.it/fm0ruweoml4d1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a40c6d278ab51db83aaa0bcbd830ed3006a0b3c0
https://preview.redd.it/pk0a3sqsml4d1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=1e24c667f76850358c6da728efaa5815abc22923
https://preview.redd.it/3etsfbhtml4d1.jpg?width=2000&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=52511c48452378e0465a79c30f010158b2325f65

Introduction:

Hello, Hello everyone! I hope yall are doing good, and a Happy Pride Month to any and all who celebrate it. With a new month, comes a new challenge, and this one was right up my alley. Some of you will remember this concept from a couple of weeks ago, when it was a mere rough concept, but after taking feedback and seeing this month's challenge, I have fully ironed it all out. This is also the first time I have designed a Support Champion instead of a Carry or Bruiser style, and as you can probably tell from my submission history, I love making Mechanically Complex and Unique Champions. A Mechanically Complex/Unique Support was difficult for me, but as I mentioned, I got a lot of good feedback from people, and was able to create O'Rin, Lady of Butterflies
O'Rin is an Ionian, Vastaya that is supposed to be a mix of Battle Mage (or Warlock as I like to call them) and Enchanter, similar to Karma in that intrinsically she is a Support Champion that needs to be with an Ally in order to function, however she provides extreme amounts of Battlefield Utility and Damage, in this case through her Butterflies. Unlike Karma however, O'Rin is almost firmly set as a Bot LaneSupport Champion because her abilities revolve and rely on her allies. She could be a Mid Laner, in conjunction with a very tempo-oriented or Snowballing style Jungler, however she has very little tools in her kit that this would require, namely waveclear, consistent damage abilities and Lane Pressure of her own. On the other hand, just like Karma, O'Rin is designed to forego the traditional Support Items, barring World Atlas and maybe Imperial Mandate, in favor of AP Items as she scale incredibly well with Raw AP and Mage items in general. I foresee her Core build being World Atlas (Zak'Zak's Realmspike) > Imperial Mandate > Rabadan's Deathcap > Banshees's Veil/Cosmic Drive/etc in order to maximize the AP that she can get to turbocharge not only her Butterflies but also her abilities, especially considering that the abilities come with decently long cooldowns.
As to how she support's her Allies, O'Rin provides devastatingly powerful effects at the cost of long Cooldowns and Conditional Activation that relies on her teammates. She is very clearly designed to work in Higher Elos with Higher Skill pilots, however she provides a vast array of tools within her kit. The Butterflies on their own provide True Damage, Nearsighting. Crowd Control Amplification, Executes, %Max Health Burn Damage, Damage Amplification and Healing. Of course you cannot access these effects at the same time, but similar to Viego, participating in a Takedown Chain will allow you to rapidly cycle between effects of your choosing, allowing you to rapidly inflict whatever effects you want while in the middle of combat. In addition, her actual abilities provide Knock backs, Stuns, Heals, Shields, and of course work with her butterflies, creating a very potent Support Champion, at the cost of being incredibly squishy, incredibly complex and incredibly team reliant. More specific detail will be talked about in the Analysis Section below.

Base Stats:

Base Health: 530 + 90/Level
Health Regen: 4.0 + 0.5/Level
Base Mana: 400 +35/Level
Mana Regen: 7 + 0.5/Level
Armor: 30 + 4/Level
Magic Resist: 28+ 2/Level
Base AD: 50
Base AP: 70
Movement Speed: 335
Attack Range: 575

Abilities:

Passive: Butterfly Swarm:
O'Rin has a swarm of 3 Butterflies surrounding her, increasing by 1 when she reached Level 6, 11 and 16. Damaging Abilities and Applying Crowd Control send a Butterfly with a Unique Effect to that enemy. Healing or Shielding an Ally will instead send a Butterfly to them, empowering them to send a Butterfly of their own via the same conditions. Butterflies will stay with Allies for 15 seconds, before returning to O'Rin. If an Ally dies while bonded to a Butterfly, the Butterfly will immediately return to O'Rin.
Enemies can only be affected by a Butterfly' sent from the same Host every 10 seconds, unless Monarch's Ascension is used, Once a Butterfly has applied its' effects, it takes 1-5 Seconds, depending on distance from O'Rin, to return to her, and it cannot be sent to an enemy or ally until it is fed again.
O'Rin's Butterflies apply Unique Effects, depending on what plant O'Rin has fed them. Once all of O'Rin's Butterflies have been sent to an Enemy and returned, they must be fed again for the next 1.5 seconds, during which they are unable to be sent to an Enemy or Ally. O'Rin can choose what plant to feed them, to change what effect they apply:
White Lotus: Butterflies will deal an additional 12.5% Current Health True Damage to their Target
Black Nightshade: Butterflies will Nearsight Enemies and reduce their Movement Speed by 50% for 3 seconds. Additionally, the duration of any Crowd Control Effects applied within this time is amplified by 50%
Green Hemlock: Butterflies will Execute target Enemies if they fall below 7.5% Max Health. This effect will apply up to 1.5 seconds after the Butterfly lands on a target.
Red Wisteria: Butterflies will burn Enemies for 7.5% Max Health Magic Damage over 3 seconds
Blue Jasmine: Butterflies will deal an additional 40 + 20% Bonus AP Magic Damage to the target, and heal O'Rin or the ally which they where bonded to by 150% of the damage dealt.
Additionally, Butterflies will apply O'Rin's On-Hit and On-Damage effects only, however an Ally's Attack or Ability will apply their On-Hit or On-Attack effects like normal, via their own Attack or Ability.
Q: Chrysalis Kunai
Passive: O'Rin can store an amount of charges of this ability equal to the maximum amount of Butterflies she has. She regenerates a charge every 3 seconds. When she runs out of charges, O'Rin must be out of combat for at least 5 seconds before she will start regenerating charges again. Each charge has a 0.5 second, static cooldown between uses.
Enemies hit with 3 Kunai within 3 seconds are Knocked Away from O'Rin. If they hit Terrain, they are stunned for 0.75 Seconds, and a Butterfly is sent to them, if one is available and will apply its' effect, regardless of Butterfly Swarm.
Active: O'Rin throws an enchanted Kunai at a target enemy, dealing 20/30/40/50/60 + 35% Total AP Magic Damage.
Static Cooldown: 0.5 Seconds
Static Mana Cost: 25
W: Nectar of the Ancients
Passive: On Takedown, O'Rin can re-feed her Butterflies.
Active: O'Rin gives a target Ally some of her Sacred Nectar, healing them for 50/60/70/80/90 +40/45/50/55/60% Bonus AP and giving them 25/30/35/40/45% Bonus Movement Speed for the next 2.5/2.75/3/3.25/3.5 Seconds.
Cooldown: 15 Seconds
Mana Cost: 75
E: Flight of Beauty
Passive: While under the effects of Flight of Beauty, Allies cannot receive a Butterfly from O'Rin via Nectar of the Ancients, or Items, unless O'Rin is the target, in which case all of her Butterflies will contribute towards this ability.
Active: O'Rin surrounds herself or an Ally with half of her Butterflies, prioritizing ones that must be fed, granting them a (30/40/50/60 + 15/20/25/30/35% Total AP) per Butterfly, Shield for the next 2.5 Seconds. During this time, if any of the Butterflies can still apply their effects, and O'Rin or her Ally attempts to send a Butterfly to an enemy, then they will leave their Host and the Shield will decrease by the aforementioned amount.
Cooldown: 22/19/16/13/10 Seconds
Mana Cost: 125
R: Monarch's Ascension
Passive: If O'Rin dies while her Butterflies are in a Frenzy, the Butterflies will leave their hosts, and the Frenzy will dissipate.
Active: O'Rin summons all of her Butterflies back, feeds them with a plant of her choosing, puts them into a Frenzy for the next 15 seconds, and then sends her Butterflies to all of her nearby Allies. While in a Frenzy, they gain the following benefit;

• Butterflies can now apply their effects 3 times before they must be fed again
• Butterflies will now travel 2x faster to and from Targets, Allies and O'Rin
• While in a Frenzy, Butterflies will return to their Host instead of O'Rin
• Butterflies from the same Host can affect the same Target every 3 seconds now

Once all Butterflies have calmed down, they return to O'Rin and must be fed once again.
Cooldown: 180/120/60 Seconds
Mana Cost: 100

Lore:

Long Ago, when peace and harmony covered the land, the Spirits walked freely across the Land of Ionia. With them, the Vastaya did as well, romancing the humans and embracing the calm and steady life that Ionia was known for. Each Spirit took the form of an animal native to Ionia, and roamed the land, wholly unknown to the commonfolk and sustaining the Spirit of Ionia itself.
Mirithra, the Spirit of Nature itself, was oft to take the form of a Large, Colourful Butterfly and roamed the land, making sure that the Humans and Vastaya alike kept it proper. Myths and Legends grew from this, describing either a gentle, protective Butterfly that blessed those who came upon it, or a monstrous, cannibalistic flying creature that consumed any and all who dared tread foot on its' land. Nobody knew which story was true, yet all who walked amongst the sleepy forests, along the ivory coasts, up the craggy, granite peaks kept this story in mind. At the same time, others dismissed such things as the story that it was.
Indeed, there where some that took this the other way, and instead of treading carefully, took it upon themselves to hunt and slay this creature, not understanding what it actually was. Most failed, however after the son of a Lord was killed, the Spirit was hunted and slain. The beautiful butterfly that once flew through the forests, was cast into the depths of a dark cave. Its wings broken, its body full of stone and lead, it reverted into a Chrysalis and the Spirit went into a deep hibernation.
Millennia passed, and the tectonic forces of the world eventually revealed the entrance to the cave once more, and this was how O'Rin's ancestors found it. Still in the Golden Age of Ionia, her ancestors nurtured the Chrysalis, for they where stewards of the land instead of defilers of nature. After many years, the Spirit awoke yet again, but this time forsoke its bestial form. The only remnant was an intricate tattoo in the shape of a butterfly, that lain upon the chest of the clan's newborn child. But this was no ordinary marking, for rather it was a blessing by the Spirit upon its' caretakers, that gave them an extended life of eternal youth and the ability to commune with the Spirits themselves.
The ones marked by such a tattoo where elevated to Matriarch or Patriarch of the clan itself, for such powers where a sight to behold, and came with great wisdom and a long, powerful life. Yet for all these gifts, only the first born child of the Blessed could be granted such powers as well, and upon that child's birth, the Blessed would be found dead and a Butterfly would be found amongst the child's cradle. The butterfly would be a lifelong companion of the new Blessed, as they grew and matured both into a caretaker of Ionia and as the head of the clan.
O'Rin was the newest in this line. Just as previous generations had, her mother had died in childbirth, and her father had vanished, and in their place O'Rin was born with the tattoo upon her chest and a venom black butterfly resting upon her cradle. Such an ominous sign was not forgotten by the clan's elders, for this was the first time in history that a Black Butterfly was found with a child. In a quick, panic-driven, fear-induced coup, they cast out O'Rin as the head of the house, throwing her into the deepest, darkest prison within the massive estate.
Located amongst the high peaks of Northern Ionia, within the dense granite, the prison was O'Rin's home for the first part of her life. Yet within the darkness, amongst the cool air, isurrouunded by unyielding stone, the Black Butterfly found its way to O'Rin and just as previous generations, accompanied her as she grew within the the Prison known only as The Well of Despair. Yet instead of despair, O'Rin grew and matured with a sense of defiance. Instead or murderers, rapists and all other sort of criminals, she found instead people who where loyal to the estate rather then the Elders. Unbeknownst to the recent generations, the clan's elders had slowly corrupted and consolodated power to themselves, deposing all who stood in their way, and turning O'Rin's family into a puppet, while they ran the estate for themselves. With the Black Butterfly at her side, these former soldiers, stewards, clerics and advisors raised O'Rin in the ways of her ancestors. Reading by the ghostly candlelight, sh learned of the legends behind her family. Training by the handful of hours fo snlight, she became adept at a multitude of martial arts. Speaking in echoes through the mountains, she learned the Common Languages and the Uncommon languages.
In time, her Vastayan Roots came to fruition as well. From a young age, her skin was mottled and grew into rough scales. Her tongue, grew longer, and eventually split into a fork during her teenage years. Her irises changed from wholly circular to narrow slits, yet her vision became acutely stronger. Through her childhood, such changes where met with awe, and could not be controlled,yet in her teenage years she became adept at changing herself at will. She could disguise her mottled, scales as pale, smooth skin. She coudl shorten and fuse her tongue for a short time. She could rapidly grow out her hair after much exhaustion, to lose it days later.
Soon, her day of reckoning came, for upon her ascent to womanhood, she and her adoptive family escaped from the mountain prison, and set off for her ancestral home. Behind her a massive vanguard followed, made up of all those who who where falsely imprisoned with her, but also the humans and vastaya alike who where downtrodden by the clan's elders. Yet beside her always, was the same Black Butterfly that had been with her since birth.
She and her allies quickly overwhelmed the Elder's soldiers, and she retook her ancestral position back. With great speed and brutal efficiency, she purged the corruption and rot within the estate and instituted people who where not only loyal, but also capable in their place. Nevermore, was anything like this going to happen to her family again, and indeed the estate continued to thrive. Notably, she had her people hide and protect her lands with the strongest magic they knew of. Nestled between a mountain ranges, and amongst sleepy forests, these magiks guaranteed their survival from any potential physical and political invaders.
By in large the estate functioned like normal. Her vassals continued with their life, living in peace and prosperity like all before them, but she instituted a strict return to the stewardship that had been lost generations ago. Her land, while physically hidden, was quite easily accessible, and it became a respite for the Spirits, be they escaping from Human Hunters, or the Azakana that opposed them. Make no mistake, Humans, Vastaya and all in between lived amongst her estate, but only the Spirits could come and go as they pleased.
The heart of this Stewardship, was the Butterfly Shrine, where not only the original Spirit of Nature, Mirithra, permanently lived, but any other Spirit could visit to rest and recover in either their Mortal Form or their Animalistic Form. The Butterfly Shrine was half in the physical realm and half in the Spirit Realm, and was the crown jewel of O'Rin's estate. Humans could come and go, offering prayers and offerings to the Spirits, while the Spirits themsleves could rest, safe from the influence of physical hunters and Azakana alike.
The smoke from prayer incense drifted constantly through the air. Silent prayer took place amongst the Courtyards and Gardens. Food and other offerings where placed at the numerous shrines. The Gardens themselves where tended and amongst the plants, an incomprehensible collection of Butterflies lived with the Spirits. Notably, O'Rin's signature Black Butterfly could always be seen amongst the swarm of rainbow colored insects, for just like her ancestors, O'Rin had the power to commune directly with the Spirits directly within the realm, and served as bridge between worlds, and Mirithra had quickly bonded with her, re-uniting her family line, with the Spirit itself.
It was her duty as the Speaker of the Spirits to commune with them, but it was also her duty as Aegis of the Ancients to protect them as well. Such was the case, when invaders pierced the veil between worlds and began to defile the land with chaotic, dark magic. Yet as quick as they came, they fell quicker still for O'Rin wielded powers that where hitherto unseen. The gardens of the Butterfly Shrine, home to Butterflies and Spirits alike, rose up against the invaders. Thought quite beautiful, the Butterflies where capable of destruction themselves and O'Rin was their caretaker.
In time, she met a handful of outsider, that somehow traversed through the Spirit World and had arrived at the Butterfly Shrine. She knew not how they had survived, nor why they had come, yet all who arrived where clearly strong enough to survive amongst the Spirit Wilds, and respectful of the Spirits themselves to travel amongst them for so long. She met a tall, lithe swordsmen, with a red mask bound to his face, bleeding from many wounds and collapsed upon the forest's floor. She met a Ninja Master and his Apprentice, traveling amongst the Wilds, in search of the Spirits themselves, in search of harmony. She met an armored warrior. and his Acolytes, wielding shadowy, chaotic magic also in search of a Spirit. She offered them a respite, amongst her people and Spirit's alike and it was only their respect of the Spirits that kept them alive. As for keeping the Butterfly Shrine a secret, O'Rin bound all of them with a Blood Oath before they left the refuge, cursing them to hold their tongue lest they immolate in unending Spirit Fire.
In time, she found herself growing older, and with it came new responsibilities. She was of child-bearing age, and Tradition and Fate meant that she was to take a lover and give birth to a new heir, one who would take up the mantle as Speaker of the Spirits and Aegis of the Ancients. Yet O'Rin took care in whom she pursued, for haste was of nigh importance to her. She did eventually take a lover after many years, and many years after that they married, and years after that she found herself heavy with child. By no means, was she her young self that had overthrown the Elders but nor was she an old, demented Lady like the Elders that she had overthrown. Her pregnancy would be long and hard, but she was determined to uphold her duties till the birth of her daughter. In her mind,she knew that her life's end was near upon her, yet she felt a serene sense of happiness, knowing that child would be born into a safe world, accompanied by a Butterfly of their own, and would serve the Spirits as she had, reaping the same benefits she had.

Quotes and Interactions:

Pick Quote: Behold! The Butterfly Swarm takes flight!
Ban Quote: The Swarm will not rest!
Zed: My Butterflies will devour you and your dark magic, Defiler!
Shen: My praises, Spirit Walker. The Spirits themselves bow to you...
Akali: Careful young one! Your blades are Sharp, but my Butterflies are hungry!
Kennen: Where you to visit the Butterfly Shrine, you would achieve the Enlightenment that you so desperately desire...
Syndra: I pity thou. An unjust fate, for a woman whom was destined for greatness...
Karma: Your play at serving the Spirits! My family has served for Millennia!
Yone: The Azakana have been culled, and for that you have my thanks!
Xayah: Your actions are admirable! Mayhaps you would join our Sanctuary?
Rakan: A pity that you are spoken for, but your loyalty is admirable nonetheless!

Inspiration:

I was debating whether to put this above, but I decided to put it here. Apologies in advance to TheHerald for having to read all the way down here in order to see if this qualifies for the competition. This champion qualifies for the competition under the Art of Inspiration. My initial Inspiration was from Vincent van Gogh's Butterfly Series, however the specific Inspiration behind the Butterfly Swarm Theme and the Feeding Mechanic is Long Grass and Butterflies as well as Grass and Butterflies. The paintings are an abstract work where you can interpret the paint as either long grass in a field while blowing in the wind, or Butterflies feeding upon grass in a field. This became the initial inspiration, and of course I took it and ran to create the fundamental mechanics behind O'Rin.

Gameplay Analysis:

Writing a Gameplay Analysis is almost as fun as designing the champions themselves. It allows me to explain how my vision for the Champion and their gameplay, while also allowing me to reflect upon the design process and fix any errors or ambiguities that arise. But anyway, I digress.
O'Rin's main Mechanic is of course the Butterfly Swarm that she manipulates. Just a disclaimer, this is the first time I have ever build a Support Champion, however I think I did a decent job. Initially the effects that the Swarm can apply look to be incredibly strong on their own, in fact when I designed them I thought about what sort of passive would I give to a BruiseHypercarry, ie:

• %Current Health True Damage is very similar to Fiora's passive, and incredibly strong in the hands of a Bruiser or Assassin
• Nearsighted and Crowd Control Amplification are rare enough effects that a Support's entire Passive could be just this and it would be strong.
• Green Hemlock is The Collector's Passive but slightly better, and while you don't necessarily build The Collector for the Execute, and Execute is an Execute. This is incredibly good for Bruisers and/or Marksmen
• Red Wisteria is Burn effect that scales with Max Health. Everyone knows how annoying Brand is, and the ability for multiple people to apply this is similar in that vein. This could very well be a Mage's Passive on its' own.
• Blue Jasmine is a decently strong Damage Modifier, that also heals for a huge portion of the damage dealt. On its' own this could be the passive for a BruiseAssassin

However, these strong effects are gated behind some conditions that neuter O'Rin from spinning out of Control. Namely, that you can only apply these effects from the same "Host" once every 10 seconds, or in the case of her Ultimate, once every 3 seconds. Coordinating these effects would mean having a team that actually knows what O'Rin does and can function around her, which is the second Mechanism that keeps her balanced. O'Rin's intrinsic Butterfly Mechanics rely on your ADC/Team as a whole to understand what they do, and how it affects the rest of the kit. For example, Flight of Beauty is a shielding ability, but it can also be turned into an Offensive Ability at the cost of the Shield itself. The final effect that gates O'Rin, is the fact that all of her Butterflies have the same effect, which means that based on your Gamestate and Team Composition, you may want a different effect. For example, if you have a high octane, early game comp, White Lotus and Blue Jasmine are going to be more valuable compared to Black Nightshade or Red Wisteria. Consequently, if you are facing a heavy BruiseTank/Juggernaut Comp, then Red Wisteria and Green Hemlock will be more valuable. Even if you are skirmishing in 2v2s instead of 5v5s, then Black Nightshade would be more valuable then anything else, because you can lock down and kill the carry int he skirmish fast. What ability to use and spread to your Allies is going to depend on a lot of factors, and having a good team that can capitalize on your decision is also important for O'Rin to function properly
As mentioned, Flight of Beauty and Nectar of the Ancients are the abilities that synergize the best with the overall Butterfly Mechanic. Nectar of the Ancients is a decently strong, scaling heal, but more importantly this is the main way that O'Rin can get a Butterfly onto an Ally. Butterflies will only go to an Ally if O'Rin can heal or Shield them, so she needs one of each type of ability. The Heal itself scales incredibly with AP and also applies a MS Bonus that scales with rank in how long it lasts and how large the bonus is. Truth be told, this is a very powerful ability on its' own, but combine it an the Butterfly Mechanic, and you have an Enchanter that is unquely suited for more aggressive ADCs instead of scaling Hyper Carries. Flight of Beauty is the shielding ability, and uniquely it scale not only with rank, with AP but also with Butterflies. Specifically, the AP Ratio increases with Rank, and because O'Rin intrinsically scales the amount of Butterflies that she has, it also increases the total Shielding AP Ratio that is used.
Then we come to the Coup de Grace of the kit, Monarch's Acension. In essence, t is really simple, because it is a huge stat boost at the end of the day, but it allows O'Rin to make her Buttrflies and in extension her teammates extremely lethal and punishing. First, it automatically allows O'Rin to re-feed her Butterflies, which means that she can change what effect they apply just before or just after a teamfigth starts. From there it provides utility, such as the ability to re-apply effects on the same target every 3 seconds instead of 10, as well as being able to apply said effects 3 times instead of 1 before needing to be fed. This makes her O'Rin absolutely lethal in team fights, as applying something like Black Nightshade or White Lotus on a significantly lower cooldown and with the ability to do it multiple times means that unless O'Rin is dealt with immediately or before a fight, it will be very hard to combat, given the sheer amount of stats and effects that she allows her team to apply. However, killing O'Rin will dissipate the swarm, and therefore if you can kill her early in the fight, then the combat pressure she applies will also be gone
The main point behind having such High AP Ratios that scale as hard as they do was to incentivize O'Rin to not build Support Items, but rather AP/Mage Items. All of her abilities scale incredibly hard with AP, and this is because I wanted to push her towards a more Karma-esque build path. My intended, or rather predicted build path would be a World Atlas (into Zak'Zak's Realmspike) into a Blackfiretorch, followed by an Imperial Mandateand finished by a Rabadan's Deathcap. This gives the Mana and Raw AP, which O'Rin desperately needs/wants to turbo charge her abilities, whilst till providing some form of Support Utility. Namely, Imperial Mandate is arguably the best Support Item in the game, and O'Rin perfectly synergies with it, given her poke with Chrysalis Kunai and the Crowd Control Effects on Black Nightshade. Dipping into Imperial Mandate reduces the total amount of AP you can get in 3 items, which realistically Supports most commonly hit only 3 items or so, but the Coordinated Fire effect synergizes too much with the kit to not dip into it. Blackfire Torch gives her the Mana she needs, and also AP, but more importantly the Burn from BFT will spread via her Butterflies that deal damage. This means that with the help of her Allies, she can very quickly spread the Burn to many enemies, which in turn amplifies her AP temporarily, which in turn amplifies her Healing and Shielding. Rabadan's Deathcap is a must for any AP Centric Build, so that is why its the Capstone of this build.
Rune Wise, I actually think that O'Rin would take Unsealed Spellbook more then any other Keystone Rune. She is unique in that she does not really benefit from any other runes specifically, as the entire kit is really around enabling her teammates, but on the flip side, the traditional support runes really do not feel like they would fit either. Summon Aery would be the other potential Keystone Rune, but at the same time O'Rin actually benefits from being able to cycle her Summoner Spells because it would give her the flexibility she needs in order to survive or switch gears to help her teammates. Beyond that, I catered her Base Stats to be very Mana Hungry, so going Inspiration Primary with Boots + Biscuits > Sorcery Secondary with Mana Runes would probably be her most optimal Rune page.
Finally, in terms of weakness, O'Rin is designed to be incredibly squishy and immobile. Her Cooldowns are pretty long, and her envisioned build path has little little CDR. As well, her abilities are impactful when used offensively or on other people, so not wasting it on herself and using it on the proper target is important. Additionally, her high dependence on AP means that she is goign to be buying the most expensive item in the game, being Rabadan's Deathcap, which not only has a terrible buildpath but is coming off the income of a Support. In total, O'Rin really wants to play aggressively and snowball her lane matchups, while simultaneously being incredibly squishy and immobile. As well, she wants to be paired up with an aggressive ADC, which means that she will often be putting herself in danger, but if she can be piloted correctly, she can take over games on her own, given how strong her Butterflies are and how fasts he scales with AP.

I’m a newish purple belt, and I was rolling with a newish blue belt guy visiting my gym the other day. He started telling me about the importance of strong collar grips near the beginning of the roll, and I basically ignored him. Later in the roll, I had him in side-control, pulled his lapel out and began to hand it off to my other hand. He got super excited about this and started telling me it was something he did as well. I tried not to laugh and kept rolling. Giving unsolicited BJJ advice to a higher belt during a roll is not something that would ever cross my mind to do.

The Road to Omaha... there's nothing like it, if you ask me. As someone who grew up not too far from Omaha itself, the College World Series is a very fun time for all. But, to get there you must win in the Super Regional round. We began with 64 teams in 16 locations - we're now down to 16 teams in 8 locations. Let's see who made it out alive.
Knoxville and Greenville
The first section has two well known Southern college towns and two very good baseball teams hosting this past weekend. Now... Show me who escaped from Knoxville!
#1 Tennessee
Why do I hear Rocky Top? Oh god no... that song is going to be so gotdamn annoying. But there's a good reason for that - the Vols are a machine.
Tennessee as Brian Cage - Why Not?
They do everything well. On offense, it begins with 2nd baseman Christian Moore. He's one of the best players in the nation and the stats show it - a .382 batting average, a .789 slugging percentage, a beastly 1.236 OPS, 28 homers and 63 RBI's. The others on there aren't slouches either, it's just that Christian stirs the drink. Then, you have their ace on the mound in AJ Causey. He went 10-3 on the season with a 4.10 ERA (High ERA's are common in the college game, so don't be shocked) and 100 K's on the season.
As the machine they are, they blazed through their regional rather painlessly with wins over Northern Kentucky, Indiana and Southern Mississippi in rather simplistic fashion. It'll be up to the winner in Greenville to see if they can stop this monster. Now, show me who is the unlucky victim!
Evansville
Well, this is a nice surprise. You DO have a purple team coming out of here, but it's not the purple team you thought it was. It also speaks to the power of a team being molten lava hot in the postseason.
Brimstone and Fire intensifies!
The Purple Aces came in on a tear, blazing through the Missouri Valley conference tournament by winning four games in a row - which included a win over a highly ranked Indiana State team. No one thought that Evansville would do something, but that means ignoring the molten lava hot elephant in the room.
At the plate, the Aces' best man is left fielder Mark Shallenberger. The dude is hitting .383 right now and also has a .696 slugging percentage Heh - funny number is funny, a 1.224 OPS, 24 homers and 45 RBI's. Not bad at all. The Aces also do a good bit of stealing bases as they have two players with double digit steals. On the mound, they don't exactly scare you... but they have an Ace up their sleeve in Kenton Deverman. He went 8-1 on the season with a 4.03 ERA and 77 K's. Not exactly earth shattering, but he did have a breakout moment in the Regional against East Carolina where he went 8 innings and only gave up 3 hits, an earned run and struck out four.
With that win under their belt, the Aces would channel the spirit of old school college baseball with a 17-11 win over VCU. Hey, it was the perfect palate cleanser after the showdown the game before - Wake Forest and their stallion of a pitcher Chase Burns (10-1, 2.46 ERA and a nation leading 184 K's) taking on an angry East Carolina team who saw their ace - Trey Yesavage - make his return from a collapsed lung (Oh, he went 11-1 with a 2.09 ERA and 139 K's).
The Aces would get cooled off by East Carolina who did their best Gas House Gorillas bit in a 19-6 romp. But, it didn't take long for them to regain their form as Shallenberger's three run bomb was enough to give Evansville the 6-5 win yesterday and lead them to the Supers for the first time ever while keeping East Carolina away from Omaha yet again.
Can the Purple Aces stop the machine that is Tennessee? I highly doubt it, but weirder things have happened and there have been 4th seeds in the regional who have made it to Omaha (Oral Roberts says hello) and even won it all.
Tallahassee and Norman
Our next stop is the state capital of Florida. Show me who came out from that regional...
#8 Florida State
Looks like the Seminoles are clearly over the CFP snub and could of had a chance to take their anger out on Alabama... but someone else (Stetson) beat them to the punch.
Either way, Florida State is back to being who they are - good. At the plate, they're lead by James Tibbs
Cue Pumbaa as Florida State saying "They call me Mr. Tibbs"
Tibbs is hitting .377 with a .814 slugging percentage and a beastly 1.305 OPS to go with his 25 homers and 84 RBI's. He's the Player of the Year in the ACC for good reason. On the mound, you have their ace in Jamie Arnold. He went 10-3 with a 2.45 ERA and 134 K's.
The Seminoles took out Stetson to open the regional and then blasted their little brother from Orlando twice to get here. They now await the winner from Norman... so, who came out of there?
UConn
Oh no... another sport you guys are good at? Oh, come on! Isn't it enough that you guys are back-to-back national champions in men's basketball?
NOPE!
UConn has been the bread and butter for the Big East in baseball as of late and they have the pedigree to show it. The Huskies don't have that big show stopper at the plate (but they do have a center fielder in Caleb Shpur who is in the Top 40 nationally in stolen bases with 26) and their best pitcher is average at best (Garrett Coe went 9-5 on the season with a 4.53 ERA and 86 K's). But it is a team effort here.
The Huskies were placed in a very tough regional alongside the hosts (and Big 12 regular season champion) Oklahoma, ACC Tournament champion Duke and Summit League champion Oral Roberts (who went to Omaha last season). They started with a good win over Duke and then beat Oklahoma. The Sooners would get payback in the second Sunday game, but the Huskies were patient enough to take advantage of an Oklahoma mistake to win here.
They have a great chance of pulling the upset here.
Fayetteville and Charlottesville
Two "Villes" for this section of the bracket. Show me who came out of Fayetteville.
Kansas State
Alright... who used the Bill Snyder voodoo magic here?!?
A random K-State fan raises his hand
Okay, fair enough. Kansas State hasn't had a ton of success on the diamond, but when they have been successful they the make the most of it. This is their first trip since 2013 - where they made the super regional round and took a game at Oregon State. This team doesn't hit for power (the most homers on the team is 9, which is shared by three different players), but they make it up for being able to use their speed - center fielder Brendan Jones is in the top 15 in stolen bases with 36. The pitchers aren't world beaters either, but it is a team effort.
They opened play by treating Louisiana Tech to an old fashioned ass kicking to the tune of 19-4, an ass kicking that was so bad that Mother Nature herself took pity on the Bulldogs and spared them for a little bit. Then the Wildcats would beat Arkansas 7-6. The manager even said that they might not be able to beat the Razorbacks a second time... well, they didn't get that second time.
SE Missouri State would jump on Arkansas early and stun them. This gave K-State the opening they needed and with a comfortable win over the Redhawks, they're moving on. Now, who will face these stubborn ass cats?
#12 Virginia
You couldn't ask for a better offense then this. The team hits for a combined .336 batting average - 2nd in the nation behind Austin Peay. The team has a combined total of 715 hits - 3rd in the nation behind Wofford and Austin Peay. Oh, and they also score 9.5 runs a game - 3rd in the nation behind Wofford and Austin Peay. They're lead by left fielder Harrison Didawick. He may only hit .302, but he does have 23 homers on the season and 67 RBI's. Their pitching isn't great, but it gets the job done - especially when you can score 9.5 runs a game.
They defeated Penn (#QuakeShow represent!) and Mississippi State twice to get here.
I really like this team to do some big time damage here. It's been fun, K-State, but the Bill Snyder voodoo magic ends here.
Tucson and Chapel Hill
Ooh, cross country trip here. Okay, who escaped the desert?
West Virginia
Oh, no. I thought that Rocky Top was bad enough, but now you have to add in Country Roads?
Cue the Fallout 76 memes...
When the bracket was revealed, Tucson was pretty much considered to be the regional of death and for good reason. Not only did you have the final Pac-12 tournament champions (RIP Pac-12) in Arizona, but you have Dallas Baptist - the Conference USA tournament champions; Grand Canyon - the WAC regular season champions (Curses in Tarleton) and then a pretty good West Virginia team.
The Mountaineers do have talent, though. Their shortstop in J.J. Wetherholt is a stud. He's hitting .356 with a .663 slugging percentage and a nice 1.163 OPS along with 8 homers and 29 RBI's. The pitchers aren't excellent, but they get the job done.
They took advantage of the chaos (CHAOS!) in the regional with wins over Dallas Baptist and two over a damn good Grand Canyon team. Now, what awaits the Mountaineers?
#4 North Carolina
Well, look who's back.
The Tar Heels are a good team. Heck, getting a top four seed means you're really good. At the plate, it begins with center fielder Vance Honeycutt. He's hitting .319 with a .699 slugging percentage (HA! Funny Number is Funny) and a 1.118 OPS to go with his 22 homers and 58 RBI's. On the mound, there's the ace of the team in Matthew Matthijs. He went 12-4 on the year with a 3.81 ERA and 51 K's.
North Carolina did struggle in their opener with Long Island, though. The Sharks actually lead for a good chunk of the game and even threatened to blow it out of the water in the ninth. That's when the Tar Heel resolve showed up - in the bottom of the ninth the Tar Heels scored twice and then... Gavin Gallaher saved the day by bringing home some mustard and some rye bread for it was Walk-Off Grand Salami Time!
The Heels would beat LSU, but those crafty Bayou Bengals found a way to force a Game 7. The Heels would need extras to put them away, but hey... take what you can.
Pretty easy to see who comes out here. It's the Heels.
Lexington and Corvallis
Hey, a town I'm familiar with. But, with have to start in Lexington. Who came out from there?
#2 Kentucky
This is something new for Big Blue Nation. Usually it's the basketball team that gets the headlines here, but hey... it's nice to have something distract them from doomposting about Calipari leaving for Arkansas.
The Wildcats earned the number two overall seed because their body of work is extremely impressive. They have guys who can hit (four players with 1.000+ OPS ratings) and two good pitchers (Mason Moore and Dominic Niman) and they even have a guy who can shut the door in Johnny Hummel (6 saves). Overall, they're really good.
They did have a few issues with Western Michigan to start with, but they won that game. They would go on to beat Illinois and Indiana State in rather straight forward fashion to move on. Now, who gets to try and stop Big Blue Nation?
#15 Oregon State
Living here in the Pacific Northwest, everyone knows about how good Oregon State is. The Beavers are the gold standard of the Pacific Northwest when it comes to college baseball.
For this year's team, it all begins and ends with their star 2nd baseman Travis Bazzana. The Aussie (AUSSIE, AUSSIE, AUSSIE! OI! OI! OI!) is hitting .415 with a .939 slugging percentage and a monster 1.520 OPS to go with his 26 homers and 62 RBI's. On the mound, they have a three headed monster in Jacob Kmatz, Eric Segura and Aiden May. Each pitcher has 6 wins and anywhere from 70-80 K's on the season.
The Beavers rolled over the competition with a win over Tulane and back-to-back wins over UC Irvine (Please keep your Beaver Eater jokes to yourself, thank you very much!).
Call me crazy, but I like Oregon State to pull off the upset here.
Athens and Raleigh
Nice pairing. So, who comes out of Athens?
#7 Georgia
It's not enough for you bullies to rule over football with an iron fist, is it?
When it comes to these Diamond Dawgs, it's all about 3rd baseman Charlie Condon. This guy is a big time player. He's hitting .443 with a godly 1.043 slugging percentage and a monster OPS of 1.601 to go with his 35 homers and 75 RBI's.
Ladies and Gentlemen... I think you just heard the sounds of MLB scouts having orgasms.
On the mound, the Bulldogs' best guy is Kolton Smith. He went 9-2 on the season with a 4.40 ERA and 94 K's. Not bad at all.
The Bulldogs did have to fight off Army to start with, but they would breeze past UNC Wilmington and arch rival Georgia Tech to move on. So, who is the unlucky chump that has to face Condon in all his glory?
#10 North Carolina State
They say don't turn your back on the Wolf Pack for a good reason, you know...
Cue the NWO Wolfpac Theme
NC State has a good 3rd baseman in Alec Makarewicz. He's not Condon levels of good, but he's not bad either with a .376 batting average, a .724 slugging percentage and a damn good 1.162 OPS to go with his 19 homers and 71 RBI's. They don't have anyone on the mound that scares you, but that's not the focus here.
The Wolf Pack had no issues at home winning against Bryant, South Carolina and James Madison with ease.
But, there is just too much star power here... just too much Condon for NC State to handle.
Clemson and Stillwater
Not exactly cross country, but still a decent distance away. So, did the hosts win at home?
#6 Clemson
Of course they did. It wouldn't be Clemson if they didn't do well on the diamond.
At the plate, they're lead by 3rd baseman Blake Wright. He's hitting .341 with a .664 slugging percentage and a 1.048 OPS to go with 21 homers and 70 RBI's. Not bad at all, man.
Their best pitcher is Aidan Knaak, who went 5-1 on the season with a 2.96 ERA and 97 K's. They also have a shut down closer in Austin Gordon, who has 10 saves.
The Tigers opened with a win over High Point and then took down Coastal Carolina in back-to-back games, ending the career of their manager Gary Gilmore (Dick move, Clemson. Dick Move.)
So, what awaits the Tigers?
Florida
UNICORN ALERT! WE HAVE A UNICORN! I REPEAT, WE HAVE A UNICORN!!
If you haven't heard about him last year, prepare to meet college baseball's answer to Shohei Otani in Jac Caglianone. This guy does double duty as he hits (.415 batting average, .844 slugging percentage, 1.369 OPS, 29 homers, 58 RBI's) and pitches (5-1 with an ERA of 4.35 and 68 K's). Unlike Ohtani, you'll be able to see both sides of this guy.
Florida got in much to the chagrin of many fans (Cue the angry College of Charleston fans right about... NOW!), but they did have the toughest schedule in the nation, which is a by-product of being in the SEC. That battle toughness would come in handy after losing to Oklahoma State in the 1-0 game. The Gators would reel off three straight wins to take the regional and move on.
As much as I like Jac and all, he can't do it by himself. Clemson takes this one easily.
Santa Barbara and College Station
Another sort of cross country trip here. So, who came from the sunny beaches of Santa Barbara?
Oregon
Looks like it's time for a Quack Attack!
Cue the old Quack Attack theme - those who know it will know
For a young program, Oregon has made some strides to really be a good team knowing their neighbors to the north have the pedigree they crave for.
The Ducks don't have anyone that will knock your socks off at the plate and on the mound, they have two pitchers with 80+ K's on the season. All in all, they're good and really, that's all you can ask for.
Oregon opened with a win over San Diego (NOT the Padres) and then won back-to-back games against the hosts in UCSB. Also, none of the wins were big wins - their biggest victory was in the final game where they won 3-0.
So, what's next for the Ducks?
#3 Texas A&M
Did someone say TRADITION?!?
TRADITION!
Not now, you putzes! Gah... every time someone says Tradition... oh no.
Cue the rabid Aggies foaming at the mouth and me running for my life
Ahem... Texas A&M is known for one thing.
Tradition?
One other thing... clobbering baseballs like The Thing clobbers mooks or CM Punk clobbering Drew McIntyre on the mic. The Aggies have three 20+ home run hitters in Gavin Gahovac (21 homers), Jace Laviolette (28 homers) and Braden Montgomery (26 homers). This Aggie Hydra leads the batting order while the mound is controlled by Ryan Prager. He has an 8-1 record with a 2.51 ERA and 106 K's on the season.
Texas A&M didn't have to sweat too hard out there with wins over Grambling, Texas (in a moment that made the Corp of Cadets blow their collective load) and UL-Lafayette.
I think they won't have to sweat that hard either against Oregon.
With that said, I made my picks. In case anyone forgot they are...

• Tennessee
• UConn
• Virginia
• North Carolina
• Oregon State
• Georgia
• Clemson
• Texas A&M

Enjoy this upcoming weekend of college baseball and watch as I probably eat it on all of those picks.

It started as just another frustrating day for Ramona Diaz. The 38-year-old low-level city councilwoman was stuck in a seemingly endless DMV line, trying to get her license renewed before the lunch rush. After two hours of waiting, the fluorescent lights and droning announcements over the loudspeaker had already sapped her patience.
When she finally reached the counter, the clerk curtly informed her that she was missing a vital piece of documentation and would have to reschedule her appointment. A red haze of anger clouded Ramona's vision as she felt all the built-up stress and futility boiling over.
"You've got to be kidding me!" she erupted, slamming her palms on the counter. "I've been waiting here for two freaking hours!"
The clerk shrank back, eyes widening in surprise at the outburst. But Ramona was just getting started, sick of having to bottle up her authentic self for public consumption.
She let years of repressed frustration and impotent rage pour out in a torrent of profanity-laced tirades as she swiped everything off the clerk's desk, sending documents and office supplies clattering to the floor. She forget what it means to not think before act ever since people watched her all the time. By the time the stunned security guards managed to restrain her, she had already vented her fury on the office's antiquated computer terminals, leaving them in pieces amidst the detritus.
As the handcuffs clicked on, the viral footage was already spreading across LivePol - the 24/7 politicians livestreaming platform that had revolutionized American politics over the past few decades. For the first time, Ramona's unvarnished self was on full display for the nation to witness.
That evening, her husband Peter bailed her out, the viral DMV meltdown footage already making the rounds. LivePol almost crashed, since it was the first time in decades since some politician did something that didn’t alighted with the constants advices. Ramona was distraught, feeling deeply ashamed at her loss of control, and by the time she returned home, all her advisers resigned.
"I don't know what came over me, Pete. I totally embarrassed myself... my career is done." Peter didn’t know what to say. They couldn’t sleep, barely talked all night. Just laid in bed, while the phones rang.
Over the next few weeks, however, her popularity soared as the bemused public developed a strange fascination with the foul-mouthed, unrestrained version of Ramona they saw on their LivePol feeds. Here was a politician being brazenly, almost obscenely authentic - ranting about mobile games being stupid freemium cash grabs, or berating a barista who spelled her name wrong, or tearing apart fast food employees over getting her order incorrect.
At first it was shocking, even disturbing to see a Woman of State having such vulgar public meltdowns over trivial matters. But soon the Diaz RageCam became strangely compelling viewing for millions seeking an outlet for their own pent-up frustrations with modern life. Suddenly, across the nation, it was cool to "pull a Ramona" and vent with gale-force fury over the smallest inconveniences.
Something shifted in Ramona. The raw, honest responses across the internet praising her for "keeping it real" and "telling it like it is" started eating away at her remorse.
Maybe this unfiltered persona could be... empowering? Revolutionary, even? The idea fermented as she witnessed her popularity numbers climbing. Within a week, the decision crystallized - she would fully lean into this new identity.
What followed was a spree of increasingly unhinged public spectacles, each one meticulously captured on her feed as the "RageCam" phenomenon took off. There was the tirade against a barista who mixed up her order name ("It's fking Ra-moan-a, not Ramonica, you utter waste of zygotes!"). The on-camera beef with a self-checkout machine at a grocery store after it failed to scan several items ("You whiny little bch machine, not doing the payroll taxes you should be doing!"). Ramona's freakouts became mandatory watching for millions seeking catharsis.
Per longstanding tradition, politicians' homes and families were meant to be off-limits from public livestreaming to allow some privacy. But Ramona herself obliterated that norm during an explosive argument with Peter over household chores.
"I'm the lifeblood keeping this sad household running while you're out chasing corporate eunuch bucks!" she raged, hurling a lamp across the room that shattered against the wall. "So why don't you shut your domesticated pie-hole and show some f**king appreciation?"
Within a week of her DMV meltdown, Ramona had fully committed to leaning into her new uninhibited "RageCam" persona to Peter's dismay. Her unfiltered tirades were picking up momentum, much to her husband's increasing discomfort.
It all came to a head one evening when Ramona returned home from another day of profanity-laced rants making the social media rounds - this time angrily berating an innocent grocery bagger over a crumpled cereal box.
"Are you actually doubling down on this unhinged act?" Peter said, his voice a mixture of weariness and pleading as she stormed into the kitchen. "This isn't who you really are, babe."
Ramona whirled on him, eyes blazing. "And what, this docile Stepford wife thing is the 'real me' you want? Just keeping my mouth zipped and playing the pretty little politician's arm candy?"
"That's not what I'm saying at all," Peter said, struggling to keep his tone measured. "But there's a line between authentic passion and... this. The madness I'm seeing streaming out there isn't you."
"You're damn right it's me!" she shot back, jabbing a finger at his chest. "The real, unflinching, uncompromising me that you've never had the courage to accept! This is a woman who refuses to bottle up her justifiable anger and discontent anymore."
Peter put his hands on her shoulders beseechingly. "I've always supported you expressing yourself, babe. But this constant rage-spewing and adolescent hostility? It's self-destructive and so beneath you as a person."
Ramona shrugged off his hands in disgust. "There you go again, telling me how to act and what to think! Just like every other insecure man who can't handle a strong woman threatening his frail ego."
"I'm trying to be your partner here!" Peter retorted, his own temper finally starting to fray. "But how can I when you've decided to fully buy into this repellant, unrecognizable character?"
"Maybe I'm just finally showing the guts to embrace my most authentic self without apology!" she shouted back. "Not the demure little facade you want me trapped performing out of some 1950s housewife fantasy."
Peter sighed, shaking his head as he ran his hands through his hair agitatedly. "This... this isn't you being 'authentic,' Ramona. It's you being needlessly cruel and vulgar for a twisted likability game that's only going to leave you empty and alone."
She laughed bitterly at that. "You smug, insecure prick. You're just threatened by a woman who won't be controlled or shamed into compliant mildness anymore."
"This has nothing to do with control!" he insisted, his voice rising urgently as their kids poked their heads in, concerned. "It's about being a decent role model for our children... for acting with even an ounce of the integrity and respectability your office deserves!"
Ramona glared at him, fists clenched as the depths of their divide became clear. Something almost snapped in her at that moment. To see her husband so desperately looking for the woman he loved, watch her kids looking at her like she was insane, like she was a monster. But the crowds, the liberation, the phenomenon she became. Even if it wasn’t too late, could she really make a conscious choice like that?
Alas, Ramona's withering look said it all. She was all in on her new persona, regardless of whether it ultimately brought positive change or merely a fleeting sugar rush of angsty infamy. A battle line over identity and integrity had been drawn, with no signs of resolution ahead.
As Peter moved out with the kids, too shaken to continue together, Ramona's unbound furor only stoked her diehard supporters' zeal. They cheered her on as the ultimate truth-teller bucking the stifling politically correct norms. With each colossal public meltdown or vulgar slight against decorum, her grassroots grew stronger.
In the final weeks before Election Day, any facades of substantive policy messaging were abandoned in favor of pure, visceral emotional pleasure for Ramona's base. When an elder community activist attempted asking about climate proposals at a town hall, he was quickly cut off. But while her two main opponents still in the lead, Ramona had to do something radical. Something decisive, that would swing the tides. That opportunity arrived, at the last hearing of her trial.
It went well at first. She could have walked it off easily if not for her remarks about the judge and the verdict along the way. But as the judge declared her punishment - two weeks of community service and no more - Ramona took her chance. She glared at the judge and knocked over stacks of legal books and papers, throwing some toward the judge and verdicts.
“This whole damn court system is rigged from top to bottom!” Ramona said. “It's all a big act, a fake show to make you sheep think there's justice when really it's all been bought and paid for by the elite scumbags running things behind the scenes!”
She chucked a metal trashcan towards the bench, clanging loudly.
“You lords and masters in your little robes and costumes think you're so high and mighty, looking down on the regular people from your ivory towers! But we're onto your racket now. This so-called ‘justice’ you peddle is nothing but a corporate-controlled sham to cement the establishment's iron grip!”
A wooden gavel went sailing past the judge's head.
“I've seen how the system works firsthand - grinding down the little guy while your banker overlords and Big Business cronies get away with their dirty bullshit scot-free. Anyone dares to call out the status quo gets squashed under the state's boot like a bug!”
She started grabbing random objects like purses and briefcases from the gallery and heaving them towards the bench.
“This court is a disgusting farce, just another money-grubbing tentacle of the all-powerful deep state machine! You parasites in your cheap Halloween costumes pull the strings however your globalist puppet masters order to keep the unwashed masses in line!
Your robes and phony-baloney ‘rule of law’ are nothing but a wizard's curtain to hide how you elite filth are looting and pillaging this country into the ground! Well, I'm ripping away that curtain and baring your tyranny for all to see!”
Finally, she chucked the courtroom's recording device towards the judge, smashing it into the bench as she raged on.
“So go ahead and convict me, you corrupt establishment stooges! Throw me in chains if it helps you sleep at night knowing you're protecting your soulless, greedy overlords! Because I'll never stop screaming the truth from the rooftops about how rotten and rigged your entire decrepit system is against the real people of this country!
I'm the unshackled voice you sadistic bootlickers want to destroy! The unstoppable flame of righteous patriotic fury that's going to burn down your entire demonic deep state cabal and corruption empire to the ground! Try and stop me, you have-nots!”
She glared defiantly, surrounded by the debris and chaos she had created in the courtroom as the judge looked on in disbelief, blood trickling from her forehead.
The raucous cheers that erupted said it all - for her supporters, drunk on the adrenaline of watching public decency torched, facts and figures were irrelevant. Only the sick thrills of watching hot-headed id run rampant mattered now.
On Election Day, Ramona won by a landslide. The nation had spoken, choosing visceral gratification and a release from societal constraints over sober governance and moral leadership. But with her victory came a price.
As the cell door clanged shut, Ramona stood alone in the dim, cold confines of her prison cell. Her family was gone, too shaken and hurt to stand by her side. The walls echoed with her isolation, the reality of her choices pressing down on her.
But outside, the raging crowds still chanted her name. They had elected her even as she faced charges of disorderly conduct and contempt of court. To them, she was the embodiment of defiance, a symbol of rebellion against a system they felt had failed them.
As the inauguration ceremony approached, a small group of loyal supporters gathered outside the prison gates. Ramona, clad in her orange jumpsuit, was brought to a makeshift podium set up in the prison yard. Cameras flashed, capturing the surreal moment as she prepared to take the oath of office.
Peter sat alone in his dimly lit living room, the flickering glow of the television casting shadows on the walls. On the screen, Ramona stood in the prison yard, a solitary figure against the stark, cold backdrop. The woman he had once known seemed a distant memory, replaced by someone driven by a relentless, unrecognizable fury.
He watched as the warden stepped forward with a Bible. The scene felt surreal, almost grotesque in its juxtaposition of solemnity and spectacle. Peter’s heart ached with a mix of sorrow and disbelief. This was the culmination of a journey that had spiraled far beyond reason.
“Do you, Ramona Diaz, solemnly swear to uphold the Constitution of the United States, to serve the people with integrity, and to discharge your duties faithfully?”
“I do,” Ramona’s voice echoed, steady and firm, yet hollow.
The crowd outside the prison gates roared in approval, their faces alight with an unsettling fervor. To them, this moment was a triumph, a thrilling culmination of their desire for unfiltered emotion and defiance against the establishment. Peter saw it differently—a grim reflection of a society that had chosen chaos over coherence, spectacle over substance.
As the camera panned over the cheering supporters, Peter felt a profound disconnect. The country seemed to revel in the madness, drawn to the raw, unbridled spectacle that Ramona embodied. In their eyes, she was a beacon of rebellion, but to Peter, it was clear that the cost was far greater than they realized.
He turned off the TV, the applause and chants still echoing in his mind. Ramona’s image lingered, a haunting symbol of a nation that had forsaken stability for the rush of discord. Alone in the silence of his home, Peter understood that this was not just Ramona’s descent, but the nation’s as well. Spiraling into a future where spectacle reigned supreme and substance was a relic of the past, just to get a cheap thrills, something to joke about, and to see their basic selves in office.

I've had a hard go of it with jobs, but have been lucky enough to be able to leave toxic/hostile one in recent years, but it has been exhausting. I got fired from my dream job in September and it really devastated me. I made mistakes but most of it revolved around poor communication and lack of empathy from managment. My partner at the time also screamed at me for telling him I wish he would talk a little less because I couldn't hear myself think. He asked what he could do to make me feel better, but truthfully his non-stop attempts to make me feel better when I was just going to be upset no matter what overwhelmed me because I couldn't placate his feelings on top of all the ones I was dealing with. He was mad that I was "keeping" that from him when the reaction he had should make it clear why I didn't have it in me to tell him the day it happened. The fight was bad. He wouldn't stop yelling till I was on the floor aobbing begging him.to leave. I felt too weak to end things right there but I didn't speak to him for a few days. We broke up a few months later after I started a new job and was getting along really well with my coworkers.
In November I started at a place that felt very safe and comfortable. I was getting along with everyone and felt comfortable being myself. I hadn't been drinking much at all, maybe one or two for special/social occasions, but the job is next to a brewery and beers after work was a bit of a thing and these people were actually fun to drink with or just hang out with. I've since noticed and cut back the drinking but still get a little nutty with it from time to time.
It's my job to pack and transport expensive delicate things safely. It's everyone's responsibility to voice concerns about risks to the material. Someone who I thought I had gotten close with absolutely flipped out on me for minor things. It started as gentle requests to not whistle or snap to get attention. It's a normal thing a lot of people do when deeply focused and juggling multiple things in this kind of business but took it at face value, reassuring them that I meant no disrespect, and that I'd try to be better about it. I know it cam be disrespectful, but I really didn't mean it that way. I didn't snap in anyone's face, but like would snap towards something I needed, saying "tape gun please" or "can someone hand me the boxcutter" so they knew where the object was. I'd whistle to get attention when they don't respond to me calling their name. Well these continued and shifted more towards accusations and targeted even more innocuous behavior.
One day, while faced with a ton of work to be done, I held out an object label while I finished paperwork with a trucker, while the three other people on the dock were bs'ing and not really paying attention. I didn't think I was waving it around but my arm got tired as no one seemed to be on-task with getting this out of the way so we could get things done.
Well he finally noticed , snatched it out of my hand and then berated me when we went back in the warehouse. He said I could put the label on myself next time, that I am alienating myself, that multiple people have problems with me, that I am playing power games. All this over a sticker and 2 times I mentioned that something was packed in a risky way. He said it's not my place to tell people how to pack things. It's literally all of our places and no one hesitates to correct me if they feel so moved. He said it's a manager's job. I asked him why he was telling me this and not a manager? How is he not doing exactly what he is criticizing me for and worse? He didn't even realize I was still signing paperwork at the time.
It was really triggering and upsetting because I've had people set out to make my life hell at jobs before. Thankfully my two managers are on my side and both reassured me. My warehouse manager pulled the guy aside and said he was being an asshole and kept him doing another project for the rest of the day. I took breaks to cry and smoke cigarettes and calm myself down. The on-site manager assured me this guy gets like this sometimes and it's best to just give him some space, that I did nothing wrong, and I shouldn't worry about my job.
The guy even sent me an apology text that was pretty good if a little too self-deprecating. I told him I accepted his apology but won't accept being spoken to like that going forward.
I felt good about it, but only after days of agonizing over it, blaming and hating myself, and not knowing what to do until I realized talking to the on-site manager was a good call since he could tell me what is and isn't my "place".
It's destabilized me a lot. What was a safe work environment feels tarnished now and while I appreciate the support of my managers, I feel less confident with my peers and I feel it in our interactions. I have become a bit withdrawn, lethargic, and less able to laugh with them and read the room.
I think there is some jealousy because the job is very lax and people fuck up a lot and I am pretty on-task and don't like wasting too much time. We can jerk off after the work is done, I promise. I love jerking off. I am also a woman in a male-dominated labor field and having some guy tell me it's not my place to do things everyone else does had me feeling bitter and resentful in ways that are hard to manage/hide and only makes things harder.
Then someone else was inexplicably rude to me while I was offering them a kind gesture and I just kinda feel like I am spiraling in a really dark place and don't know who to trust, feel very vulnerable, and am either acting impulsively or dissociating and I haven't had this hard of a time getting over it since I got fired in September. I went from being so in-love with my job to questioning everyone's motives and doing things that make my life harder. Struggling with feelings of worthlessness, that my life is meaningless, that being a woman means I have to just roll over and be the bigger person all the time no matter how bad someone fucks with me. It's made my smoking habit worse, it's made me seek comfort in relationships that I knew weren't going to be comforting, and has made it hard to absorb legitimate comfort from the people who care about me. Like getting triggered like this activates a defense shield that doesn't let anything in or out and sends me into this spiral. I am doing everything I can to control it, but I got really drunk and reckless Friday, and just scrolling reddit for validation in the aftermath waaaaay too much.
I wouldn't let myself sleep last night. I kept telling myself to get ready for bed and go to sleep but hours went by and I was just looking for distractions. I woke up after only a couple hours sleep feeling sick and had to call out. I don't want to fuck up like this. I am trying to nip it in the bud, but I don't feel like I can do it alone right now.
I feel very fortunate that my managers are good, trustworthy people who are above the bullshit and have been supportive. I felt like it was a big breakthrough to feel secure enough to talk to them about the situation, but it's been a few weeks now and it just keeps creeping back up and I see myself strugging to care for myself and the consequences of that.

Hello! 17 y.o. upright bass player looking to form a swing trio, seeking rhythm guitar player. Must be versed in theory and be able to play jazz changes, moderate ability to read music is required (chord charts/lead sheets).
I will provide all my own equipment and have a decent guitar amp and a left-handed Gretsch which I am fine with other players using. All other equipment must be provided by you, archtop and Manouche guitars preferred but any semi-hollow or acoustic electric is acceptable. I plan for us to rehearse for a week or two, and then (with luck) I will start finding us restaurant/coffeehouse gigs.Young folks preferred, but anyone is welcome to email or text me if you are interested. My email and phone are listed.
A little about me! My name's Matt, I'm new in orange country coming from NorCal where I studied music at gavilan college under dahveed behroozi. I'm now attending Saddleback College as a music major. I dabbled in bandleading while up north, but now that I'm taking music much more seriously I'm excited to form a professional level group. I've had a love/hate relationship with guitar my whole life, but when I discovered bass at age 14 I was hooked. My gateway to jazz came through attending Aki Kumar's blues jam, where I first met jazz players and where I began playing upright. Fun fact, I am left-handed but learned to play bass backwards (Hendrix style) so my uprights are always strung right-handed. Also, I may be young but I promise I can hold my own. Here's some of my playing, including videos from jams and my college audition:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=M0ywO99WD6g
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Wj-33Max6Ok
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JM3s6I4KRBE

*trigger warning - grief*
Dear Minnie,
I miss you dearly, more than words could describe. Since 1954, when we were sitting on that big stone fountain in Darlington, listening to the chime of that old clocktower, wondering when the man of our dreams would sweep us off our feet like Cinderella, I have believed our bond to be unbreakable, something that nothing short of divine intervention can break.
I still remember (and am sure that you do too) how, when we were so much younger, we would sit by that fountain for hours. I’m sure you remember too, we would watch the water trickle down the side of the cheaply carved rock and, when we were both called in to eat dinner and go to bed, I would sneak out to the telephone box and call your landline, and we would stay awake, talking for far more hours in hushed tones, so as to not wake your old ma, about which member of which band was most attractive.
We only seemed to blink before you were in New York.
Neither of us could afford a plane ticket, so we would communicate purely by telephone and occasionally by letters. It was 74 by then and letters had gone out of style. The world had changed so much by then, and our world had changed even more. Do you remember how confused I was when you fell in love with Darren? I remember you telling me, all excited, practically jumping. He’s nice enough, but nowhere near as nice as all those band members we were talking about by then. Oh and the wedding! It was unbelievable how brilliant it was. I can still remember the colour of the roses. Do you remember how they were the exact same colour of Darren’s hair? That was that last time I saw you.
In fact, that was the last time I had ever left Darlington. If you remember, my back had gotten so bad by that point that I could hardly sit in a car for ten minutes, never mind all the hours it would take to fly to New York. And of course, you were nowhere near able to afford the ticket with your apartment’s prices. I remember talking on the phone about it.
“130000 Dollars!” you said to me “130000!”
And I told you “That’s just what you get for moving to such an expensive city. You could move a little bit further into the country.”
But of course, Darren was an actor, so he needed to be in the city and that company you worked for was in the direct middle of there. I don’t remember what it was called, it was something to do with fashion.
By this point it was the nineties, I was on benefits and had become a writer. I had sent you the first draft of my novel. ‘World’s apart’ it was called, I remember it so well. It was about us. We were living worlds apart too. Well, by 2000, it was published. I, Pam Earnest had a novel published and out to the public. Obviously, we both know it was a bit of a failure in terms of sales, but that wasn’t the point! I had pushed us out there, I loved it.
Now, our lives had slowed down a bit by this point as we grew older, and the world changed around us. There are no longer any telephone boxes on the street corners, and the big stone fountain has been removed. We can’t talk like we used to.
Loreen from down the street has started helping me around with my back, but I can’t call you on the phone anymore. I miss you Minnie.
I love you Minnie.
I miss you.
Sincerely,
Pam.

TNA 2008+ (Post Bound for Glory 2008) Part 1: First 4 weeks of TV and PPV card
You can find these more digestible to read with graphics for the PPV card here: https://bethebooker.net/thread/2357/tna-2008
Diary Start Date: October 16, 2008, The fall out from TNA Bound for Glory 2008
Note: This diary will not contain any knockouts or womens wrestling as to be perfectly honest I have never cared or connected with womens wrestling at all. I'm sorry if this upsets or offends anyone I just wanted to be honest.
TNA World Heavyweight Champion: Sting
TNA X-DivisioN Champion: Sheik Abdul Bashier
TNA World Tag Team Champions: Beer Money
Weekly Shows:
TNA Impact! - Thursdays on Spike TV
TNA Xplosion - Fridays on TNAWrestling.com and TNA's Youtube Channel
WEEK 1 TNA IMPACT October 16 2008
Segment 1:
Sting cuts a promo celebrating his newly won TNA World Heavyweight Championship from Samoa Joe at Bound For Glory. His promo is interrupted by AJ Styles who says that it's time for TNA to continue to evolve and move forward, he puts over the homegrown TNA talent and the guys who come up and are coming up from the indies. He says that another world title run with a guy like Sting is a step backwards and TNA needs to look forward with the future of this business. Styles says if Joe can't lead them, then it's time for himself to step up. He's cut off by Booker T who mocks AJ for implying he's anywhere near ready for a world championship match when Booker just beat AJ and Christian Cage in a Triple Threat at BFG. AJ and Booker argue back and forth before ultimately deciding for a one on one match in tonight's main event.
Match 1:
TNA World Tag Team Champions Beer Money (James Storm and Robert Roode) DEF. Eric Young and Shark Boy via pinfall from Roode onto Young at 8 minutes
After the match, Storm and Roode have already exited the ring and headed to the back, Shark Boy is reluctantly headed to the back selling his injuries, Eric Young is just playing into the crowds cheers while they applaud him for his effort while CHRISTOPHER DANIELS jumps the guard rail and slides into the ring and beats down Eric Young and hits Young with the BME as the crowd boos.
Segment 2:
Backstage interview with TNA X-Division Champion Sheik Abdul Bashier who cuts a promo on his opponent he defeated at BFG Concequences Creed and Creed's tag team partner Jay Lethal who won the #1 contendership for the X Division title at BFG, issuing the challenge to Jay Lethal for next week
Match 2:
Rhino DEF. Sonjay Dutt via pinfall in a squash match at 4 minutes
Segment 3:
Backstage interview with Scott Steiner who calls Rhino an absolute slob and taunts him for taking 4 minutes to put away someone the likes of Sonjay Dutt
Segment 4:
A video vignette plays that hypes the debut of Brodie Lee who appears to be mysterious yet cocky and likable drifter character he cuts a promo putting all of TNA on notice for his arrival coming soon.
Match 3:
Matt Morgan (w/ Abyss) DEF. Hernandez (w/ Homicide) via pinfall at 8 minutes
After the match, Homicide hops in the ring trying to argue and beef with Morgan while Morgan just smiles and laughs at the much smaller but the brave Homicide, Team 3D come down the ramp with mics in hands and say that there's clearly some tension still there from their 4-Way Tag at BFG but they can't let them get distracted by the real enemies which are Beer Money. They initiate a challenge next week where all 3 teams can resolve their issues with each other while also seeing who is the best team of the 3 when they have a triple threat #1 contenders tag match next week on Impact.
Segment 5:
Christian Cage cuts an in ring promo and goes over what AJ Styles said earlier about guys coming and taking spots from the homefrown guys, he says he felt slightly offended by what AJ said as after everything he and AJ have been through, he still considers them friends. He says that he wants to make one thing clear and that is that no matter how it may look, Christian has never been just "given" a spot in any promotion and he has busted his ass off to become as good as he's become.
He's cut off by Kevin Nash who mocks Cage from the entrance ramp and says that Christian shouldn't worry about something so stupid, he mocks Christian for the way he views the business where Nash clearly just views it as a way to make as much money as possible. The two have a promo battle with Nash just dismissing Christian and shaking his head and walking away, claiming Christian isn't "worth it"
Match 4:
Concequences Creed (w/ Jay Lethal) DEF. Johnny Devine via pinfall at 8 minutes
Segment 5:
We get a run down from Don West and Mike Tenay hyping up next week's episode of TNA Impact with the following matches confirmed:
TNA X-Division Champion Sheik Abdul Bashier (c) vs. Jay Lethal 3-Way Tag #1 Contenders Match: Team 3D vs. Matt Morgan and Abyss vs. LAX The Motor City Machine Guns vs. Kaz and Petey Williams
Segment 6:
Another video package for another debut coming soon to TNA Impact, this one showcases Kenny Omega, a young up and comer out of Canada with a bright future and an even brighter personality. Omega clearly shows a goofy side while clips of his matches from other promotions play that show although he's a fun loving guy, he's dangerous in the ring.
Main Event:
AJ Styles DEF. Booker T via DQ after interference at 16 minutes
Kurt Angle, Scott Steiner, Kevin Nash and shockingly, TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting surround the ring and swarm in as Steiner and Nash beat down Styles while Kurt Angle, furiously trash Styles while Sting stands there calm and collected with sunglasses on holding the TNA World Heavyweight Championship over his shoulder.
The show comes to a close with Angle, Steiner, Nash, Sting and Booker all posing and holding each other's arms up in the ring over a beaten down AJ Styles as the crowd boos.
—-
Week 1 TNA Xplosion October 17 2008
Match 1:
Doug Williams DEF. Volador Jr. at 9 minutes
Match 2:
Lance Rock (w/ Jimmy Rave) DEF. Sylvain Grenier at 5 Minutes
Match 3:
Kaz DEF. Kip James at 12 Minutes
—-
WEEK 2 TNA IMPACT October 23 2008
« REWRITING WRESTLING HISTORY (WITHOUT USING COMPUTER GAMES) TNA 2008+ Reply
« Prev12Next » Tony Soprano Avatar Tony Soprano Lower Midcarder
May 24, 2024 at 12:21am Asaemon likes this Quote TNA Logo
Diary Start Date: October 16, 2008, The fall out from TNA Bound for Glory 2008 Note: This diary will not contain any knockouts or womens wrestling as to be perfectly honest I have never cared or connected with womens wrestling at all. I'm sorry if this upsets or offends anyone I just wanted to be honest.
TNA World Heavyweight Champion: Sting
TNA X-DivisioN Champion: Sheik Abdul Bashier
TNA World Tag Team Champions: Beer Money
Weekly Shows:
TNA Impact! - Thursdays on Spike TV
TNA Xplosion - Fridays on TNAWrestling.com and TNA's Youtube Channel
(As of real time as of 05/27/2024) Upcoming PPV:
TNA Turning Point 2008: November 9 2008:
TNA World Heavyweight Championship: Sting (c) vs. AJ Styles
First Time Ever, Grudge Match: Kurt Angle vs. Mick Foley
TNA World Tag Team Championships: Beer Money (James Storm and Robert Roode) (c) vs. Abyss and Matt Morgan
TNA X-Division Championship: Sheik Abdul Bashier (c) vs. Jay Lethal vs. Concequences Creed
Eric Young vs Christopher Daniels
MORE TBA!
Tony Soprano Avatar Tony Soprano Lower Midcarder
May 24, 2024 at 12:24am Asaemon likes this Quote TNA Impact! October 16 2008
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Segment 1:
Sting cuts a promo celebrating his newly won TNA World Heavyweight Championship from Samoa Joe at Bound For Glory. His promo is interrupted by AJ Styles who says that it's time for TNA to continue to evolve and move forward, he puts over the homegrown TNA talent and the guys who come up and are coming up from the indies. He says that another world title run with a guy like Sting is a step backwards and TNA needs to look forward with the future of this business. Styles says if Joe can't lead them, then it's time for himself to step up. He's cut off by Booker T who mocks AJ for implying he's anywhere near ready for a world championship match when Booker just beat AJ and Christian Cage in a Triple Threat at BFG. AJ and Booker argue back and forth before ultimately deciding for a one on one match in tonight's main event.
Match 1:
TNA World Tag Team Champions Beer Money (James Storm and Robert Roode) DEF. Eric Young and Shark Boy via pinfall from Roode onto Young at 8 minutes
After the match, Storm and Roode have already exited the ring and headed to the back, Shark Boy is reluctantly headed to the back selling his injuries, Eric Young is just playing into the crowds cheers while they applaud him for his effort while CHRISTOPHER DANIELS jumps the guard rail and slides into the ring and beats down Eric Young and hits Young with the BME as the crowd boos.
Segment 2:
Backstage interview with TNA X-Division Champion Sheik Abdul Bashier who cuts a promo on his opponent he defeated at BFG Concequences Creed and Creed's tag team partner Jay Lethal who won the #1 contendership for the X Division title at BFG, issuing the challenge to Jay Lethal for next week
Match 2:
Rhino DEF. Sonjay Dutt via pinfall in a squash match at 4 minutes
Segment 3:
Backstage interview with Scott Steiner who calls Rhino an absolute slob and taunts him for taking 4 minutes to put away someone the likes of Sonjay Dutt
Segment 4:
A video vignette plays that hypes the debut of Brodie Lee who appears to be mysterious yet cocky and likable drifter character he cuts a promo putting all of TNA on notice for his arrival coming soon.
Match 3:
Matt Morgan (w/ Abyss) DEF. Hernandez (w/ Homicide) via pinfall at 8 minutes
After the match, Homicide hops in the ring trying to argue and beef with Morgan while Morgan just smiles and laughs at the much smaller but the brave Homicide, Team 3D come down the ramp with mics in hands and say that there's clearly some tension still there from their 4-Way Tag at BFG but they can't let them get distracted by the real enemies which are Beer Money. They initiate a challenge next week where all 3 teams can resolve their issues with each other while also seeing who is the best team of the 3 when they have a triple threat #1 contenders tag match next week on Impact.
Segment 5:
Christian Cage cuts an in ring promo and goes over what AJ Styles said earlier about guys coming and taking spots from the homefrown guys, he says he felt slightly offended by what AJ said as after everything he and AJ have been through, he still considers them friends. He says that he wants to make one thing clear and that is that no matter how it may look, Christian has never been just "given" a spot in any promotion and he has busted his ass off to become as good as he's become.
He's cut off by Kevin Nash who mocks Cage from the entrance ramp and says that Christian shouldn't worry about something so stupid, he mocks Christian for the way he views the business where Nash clearly just views it as a way to make as much money as possible. The two have a promo battle with Nash just dismissing Christian and shaking his head and walking away, claiming Christian isn't "worth it"
Match 4:
Concequences Creed (w/ Jay Lethal) DEF. Johnny Devine via pinfall at 8 minutes
Segment 5:
We get a run down from Don West and Mike Tenay hyping up next week's episode of TNA Impact with the following matches confirmed:
TNA X-Division Champion Sheik Abdul Bashier (c) vs. Jay Lethal 3-Way Tag #1 Contenders Match: Team 3D vs. Matt Morgan and Abyss vs. LAX The Motor City Machine Guns vs. Kaz and Petey Williams
Segment 6:
Another video package for another debut coming soon to TNA Impact, this one showcases Kenny Omega, a young up and comer out of Canada with a bright future and an even brighter personality. Omega clearly shows a goofy side while clips of his matches from other promotions play that show although he's a fun loving guy, he's dangerous in the ring.
Main Event:
AJ Styles DEF. Booker T via DQ after interference at 16 minutes
Kurt Angle, Scott Steiner, Kevin Nash and shockingly, TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting surround the ring and swarm in as Steiner and Nash beat down Styles while Kurt Angle, furiously trash Styles while Sting stands there calm and collected with sunglasses on holding the TNA World Heavyweight Championship over his shoulder.
The show comes to a close with Angle, Steiner, Nash, Sting and Booker all posing and holding each other's arms up in the ring over a beaten down AJ Styles as the crowd boos.
Tony Soprano Avatar Tony Soprano Lower Midcarder
May 24, 2024 at 12:33am Asaemon likes this Quote
TNA Xplosion October 17 2008 TNA Xplosion (February 19, 2014) – Atomic Drop Match 1:
Doug Williams DEF. Volador Jr. at 9 minutes
Match 2:
Lance Rock (w/ Jimmy Rave) DEF. Sylvain Grenier at 5 Minutes
Match 3:
Kaz DEF. Kip James at 12 Minutes Tony Soprano Avatar Tony Soprano Lower Midcarder
May 24, 2024 at 10:55pm Asaemon likes this Quote TNA Impact! October 23 2008
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Match 1:
The Motor City Machine Guns (Alex Shelley and Chris Sabin) fought Kaz and Petey Williams to a contest due to interference at 5 minutes
The 4 X-Division stars are beat down by the same group who ended Impact last week Kurt Angle, Scott Steiner, Kevin Nash, Booker T and TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting
Segment 1:
The group cut a promo primarily lead by Kurt Angle and Sting. They introduce their faction as "The Main Event Mafia" and say that they're there to set the record straight in TNA - There is no "future" of TNA without first going through them. They make it adamantly clear that this is all for and all about respect which they feel these "young punks" are not giving in TNA. They say that the TNA originals and new talent that come into TNA should be kissing them at their feet and grateful for everything that they've done for this company. This shocks the crowd especially to see someone like Sting join the likes of this group who goes on to tear down Samoa Joe at BFG several weeks ago. Kevin Nash mentions that there are "some" guys that don't value their own stock the way they should and have gone soft and it gives the main event talent a bad look (obviously referring to Christian Cage's promo last week) - while Scott Steiner then says there are other non TNA originals like Rhino who are not main event level talent and aren't even "has been" levels but are "never was" level talent - Booker T begins to speak his mind in the promo but the group is cut off by AJ Styles.
AJ Styles tries to tear down the group from a distance and is angry they attacked him and beat him down last week and taunts Booker for not being able to get the job done last week on his own, he challenges Booker to a rematch tonight but Booker doesn't agree to it before Christian Cage comes out and joins AJ on his promo and calls out Nash for his comments about him - Christian Cage demands that if Booker is too cowardly for a singles match then maybe tonight's main event should be a tag team match between Christian Cage and AJ Styles against Kevin Nash and Booker T with the match being set.
Match 2:
Brodie Lee DEF. Jimmy Rave (w/ Lance Rock) at 6 minutes in Brodie's debut match
Brodie made a great first showing and was able to showcase his fast paced but heavy hitting fighting style, after the match, Lance Rock steps into the ring and squares up with Brodie before ultimately checking on Rave and picking him up and helping him up to the back.
Segment 2:
We get an in ring promo from Christopher Daniels who recently returned to the company last week and says he's spent nearly a year away forced to be out of TNA while guys like Eric Young and his boyish personality make a mockery of this sport that he loves so much. Daniels puts the entire locker room on notice and says that he's better, faster, and stronger than ever before and he'll stop at nothing to reach the top of the mountain this time in TNA.
Match 3:
Christopher Daniels DEF. Shark Boy at 7 minutes
After the match, Daniels goes to beat down Shark Boy but Eric Young comes running from the back to try and defend his friend Shark Boy but is reversed by Daniels and is once again left laid out by Christopher Daniels
Match 4:
Matt Morgan and Abyss DEF. Team 3D (Brother Ray and Brother Devon) and LAX (Hernandez and Homicide) in a #1 Contenders 3-Way Tag at 13 Minutes after Matt Morgan pins Homicide
As Morgan and Abyss celebrate in the ring, Beer Money's music hits and the TNA World Tag Team Champions look to make their ring to confront their next challengers but stop dead in their tracks as both LAX and Team 3D stand tall next to Morgan and Abyss and all 6 men just stand there just waiting for the chance to attack Beer Money as Beer Money just scoff and head to the back instead.
Segment 3:
Mick Foley has an in ring promo and verbally attacks the Main Event Mafia and says it's an ignorant and foolish concept for a group, he spends time putting over the TNA homegrown talent but is cut off by Main Event Mafia's Kurt Angle who hits the ring and gets in Foley's face and says that it's because of him that he lost to Jeff Jarrett at Bound For Glory and made him realize how much of a joke this company actually is so if anyone is to blame for the MEM as a group it's Foley, Foley looks to try and defend himself but Angle headbutts Foley instead and knocks Foley out onto his back as Jeff Jarrett's music hits before Angle can cause any more damage but Jarrett comes running into a belly to belly suplex by Kurt Angle who then relentlessly beats down Jarrett to the point TNA security comes to escort and drag Angle away as Jarrett is helped by medical staff and a slightly bloodied forehead Foley is struggling to wobble to the back.
Match 5:
TNA X-Division Champion Sheik Abdul Bashier (c) DEF. Jay Lethal (w/ Concequences Creed) at 11 Minutes via lowblow after the ref argues with Creed after Creed tries to stop Sheik from cheating beforehand.
After the match, Creed hits the ring to try and get to Sheik but Sheik makes a run for it up the ramp with the X-Division Championship but is cut off by Jim Cornette at the entrance ramp who tears down Sheik's tactics have now cost 2 X-Division contenders a match and therefore, at the Turning Point PPV Sheik will now have to defend his championship against both Creed and Lethal in a 3-Way while Lethal and Creed smile with Sheik throwing a tantrum.
Segment 4:
We get a backstage interview with TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting being interviewed by Jeremy Borash with Sting doubling down on his new stance as a heel and says he truly believes the Main Event Mafia is a step in the right direction for not just TNA, but for this business as well. When Borash says if that's the case why did Kurt Angle just earlier tonight get dragged out of the ring like a wild animal after beating down two legends in their own right like Jeff Jarrett and Mick Foley. Sting says that both men ultimately had it coming and that they just need to trust the process, he's come to terms that Kurt knows what he's doing and will stick by his side.
MAIN EVENT:
The Main Event Mafia (Booker T and Kevin Nash) DEF. AJ Styles and Christian Cage at 12 Minutes after Scott Steiner attempted to come to the aid of Booker and Nash, Rhino attacked Steiner from behind and Christian was looking to the outside and was distracted and then turned around to get hit with a big boot and then hit with a jack knife power bomb from Kevin Nash
The show comes to a close with Nash, Booker and Steiner all posing in the ring doing a Main Event Mafia hand sign
Week 2 TNA Xplosion October 24 2008
Match 1: Amazing Red DEF. Lince Dorado at 8 Minutes
Match 2: TNA World Tag Team Champion Robert Roode (w/ James Storm) DEF. Gran Akuma at 4 Minutes
Match 3: The Motor City Machine Guns (Chris Sabin and Alex Shelley) DEF. Kaz and Petey Williams at 14 Minutes after Sabin pinned Williams
After the match, all four men shook hands in the ring.
WEEK 3 TNA IMPACT October 30 2008
Segment 1:
The opening segment is an in ring promo where Kurt Angle calls out Jeff Jarrett and says he's not finished with him yet. He says if it wasn't for TNA security he would have done a whole lot worse last week and he wants his rematch from Bound For Glory. He's cut off by Mick Foley who comes down to the entrance ramp and says that Kurt is too ignorant to realize that he doesn't truly want a rematch with Jarrett, because if that was the case he wouldn't have beaten Jarrett down so badly last week to the point he can't be medically cleared. He tears down the rest of the Mafia as well and says this whole "respect" shtick is tired and played out and they all lived through an era where a big stable of a**holes ruined and killed "another company" and Foley won't allow that to happen to TNA. He says that Angle won't get his rematch with Jarrett, but Angle will be getting a match with Foley at Turning Point!
The rest of the Main Event Mafia come out from behind and are slowly approaching and look to beat down Foley but from behind the rest of the Mafia comes down The Motor City Machine Guns, Kaz and Petey Williams! The four men who had their tag match stopped last week due to interference from the Mafia - it looks like there's about to be a massive brawl but TNA GM Jim Cornette appears on screen and calls the brawl off and announces an 8-Man Tag between Kaz/Williams/MCMG vs. The Main Event Mafia and that's gonna start ... right now!
Match 1:
The Main Event Mafia (Kurt Angle, Booker T, Kevin Nash and TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting) (w/ Scott Steiner) DEF. The Motor City Machine Guns, Petey Williams and Kaz in an 8-Man Tag via pinfall from Angle onto Williams at 9 minutes after Steiner distracted his former ally Petey Williams by taunting him from the outside.
After the match, The Main Event Mafia celebrate in the ring together as the crowd boos.
Segment 2:
There's a promo battle between TNA World Tag Team Champions Beer Money and Abyss/Matt Morgan who make their match at Turning Point next Sunday official with Beer Money trying to provoke Abyss into assaulting them outside of the match so they can report Abyss to the authorities and get him thrown back into the asylum that he was at earlier this year. Abyss is shaking in the corner and shaking his head and slightly squealing saying he won't go back. Morgan helps calm his partner down before turning to Beer Money and saying that it's true that outside of wrestling in matches, Abyss does need to keep his bet behavior. But thankfully, that rule doesn't apply to him before then kicking James Storm straight in the face with a big boot and then going for Roode who dodges and then rolls out of the ring and pulls Storm out of the ring quick while they need to try and preserve themselves for their match later tonight with Consequences Creed.
Segment 3:
Jim Cornette is backstage in his office and thanks Mick for offering to deal with Angle on a personal level. He says Mick Foley making his in ring debut for TNA against Kurt Angle in a first time ever dream match will be huge for the PPV but now he just needs to pen out the main event. Foley puts over AJ Styles huge and says he truly believes AJ is the best wrestler in the world and is everything that TNA stands for. Jim Cornette tells Foley he likes what he's thinking and that would be 2 big first time ever matches for the PPV. He tells Foley he's going to think it over.
Match 2:
Kenny Omega DEF. Kiyoshi in 5 minutes
This was Omega's first match as a signed TNA wrestler and he made a great showing as he celebrates in the ring with Mike Tenay and Don West both putting him over huge as a future staple of the X-Division.
Segment 4:
Jim Cornette's office is seen again and he's called AJ into his locker room, he informs AJ of the kind words Foley had for AJ and says that it would possibly be controversial to give him the title match though since he's not been able to secure a win in his last few matches. He says he'll give AJ the title match at Turning Point if AJ can beat any opponents of The Main Event Mafia's choosing later tonight which AJ agrees to.
Segment 5:
We get a backstage segment with a big argument between Brodie Lee and Lance Rock/Jimmy Rave where the tag team taunt and get in the face of the newly signed TNA star Brodie Lee and are trying to provoke him with Brodie also in Lance's face and says he beat his tag partner Jimmy fair and square in the ring and he's willing to do the same to Lance if he wants to give it a shot with Lance agreeing to it.
Match 3:
Brodie Lee DEF. Lance Rock (w/ Jimmy Rave) at 8 Minutes
After the match, Jimmy Rave slides into the ring and attempts to attack Brodie Lee but Jimmy runs right into a Discus Lariat
Match 4:
TNA World Tag Team Champions Beer Money (James Storm and Robert Roode) DEF. Lethal Concequences after Storm pinned Lethal at 11 Minutes
After the match, TNA X-Division Champion Sheik Abdul Bashier runs out to the ring to try and beat down Lethal Concequences with the help of Beer Money but Matt Morgan makes his way out to the ring and stops them as all 3 men leave the ring. Morgan gets on the mic. and says he knows Abyss isn't going to be able to keep waiting on having some fun before Turning Point so he announces tomorrow on a special Halloween episode of Xplosion, Abyss is going to face Sheik Abdul Bashier in a Monsters Ball match!
Segment 6:
We get a backstage interview with Eric Young by Jeremy Borash. Eric Young responds to the words of Daniels last week and says that he's trying his best to mature and become the wrestler that mama Young would want him to be and that he knows he can be. He says he's not going to run from his fears and lays out the challenge for The Fallen Angel Christopher Daniels at Turning Point. He goes to finish the promo but is ambushed from behind by Christopher Daniels
AJ Styles makes his entrance and is waiting to see who his opponents are that were handpicked by the Main Event Mafia and is just as shocked as the audience is to see its a reformation of the The New Age Outlaws now just going by "The Outlaws" Billy Gunn and Jesse James
Match 5:
AJ Styles DEF. The Outlaws (Billy Gunn and Jesse James) in a 2 on 1 Handicap match at 10 minutes after Styles was able to outsmart the two veterans and hit Jesse James with a Styles Clash
Styles celebrates the victory as we can see TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting watching on from a TV backstage
Main Event:
Scott Steiner fought Rhino to a no contest at 8 minutes after Rhino accidentally hit the referee with the Gore, Steiner would low blow Rhino, Christian Cage runs down to the ring to try and help Rhino but the rest of the Main Event Mafia look to hit the ring to attack Rhino and Steiner but AJ Styles, Mick Foley, Petey Williams, Kaz and The Motor City Machine Guns all hit the ring and make the save as the show comes to a close with The Main Event Mafia walking away and the babyfaces all standing in the ring taunting the Mafia to step up into the ring.
—-
Week 3 TNA Xplosion ”Halloween Special” October 31 2008
Match 1:
Doug Williams DEF. Gangrel in 6 Minutes
Match 2:
LAX (Homicide and Hernandez) DEF. Rellik and Black Reign in 8 Minutes after pinfall from Homicide on Black Reign
Match 3:
Abyss DEF. TNA X-Division Champion Sheik Abdul Bashier in a "Monsters Ball Match" at 7 Minutes
WEEK 4 TNA IMPACT November 6 2008
Segment 1:
The show opens with The Main Event Mafia all being in the ring as they all cut a promo about how things went down at the end of Impact last week and say that is exactly why the "Family" was assembled was to restore a feeling of RESPECT in this business. Sting is standing in the corner, sunshades on, TNA World Title over his shoulder, not speaking just soaking everything in as the crowd boos. Kurt Angle says that the Main Event Mafia is going to do what Jeff Jarrett and Dixie Carter couldn't do and that's take this company to new heights and make TNA a household name. They say this is the REAL world where guys like them are leaders, and the guys like the rest of that locker room are just lucky to pick up the scraps. Scott Steiner trash talks his former ally Petey Williams and calls him a loser. Kevin Nash speaks on Christian Cage and says he's got something coming to him after interfering in Scott's main event last week, Booker T speaks specifically on AJ Styles and says that he couldn't get the job done for so many matches in a row but got lucky and beat a couple of washed up nobodies like The Outlaws last week and now all of a sudden he's the #1 contender for the TNA World Championship? BLASPHEMY!
They are cut off by TNA's GM Jim Cornette who says that he comes from all of their era and even then some for a few of them, so he understands a thing or two about respect. He says that this is HIS show to run, not theirs. He's going to make them walk the walk since they want to try and talk the talk. He says our opening contest will be Steiner vs Petey Williams, Kevin Nash wants Christian? Well he's finishing up a few details but Nash and Christian WILL be in the same ring together this Sunday at Turning Point on PPV, and that leaves us with a main event for tonight, Booker T is going to go one on one again with AJ Styles in a final proving grounds for AJ.
Match 1:
Scott Steiner DEF. Petey Williams in 5 Minutes
After the match, Scott picks up his former ally Petey and looks as if he's going to offer him a handshake but instead hits Petey with a clothesline which completely knocks him out and leaves the crowd booing.
Segment 2:
Backstage, we see the other 4 members of the Mafia sitting in their private lounge when the camera pans out to a tall man in a bouncer's uniform who is former ROH star Claudio Castagnoli standing in front of a red carpet roped off entrance, watching guard of their doorway as The Outlaws Billy Gunn and Jesse James approach, Claudio just stands there flexing his giant arms and not moving a muscle just looking straight ahead while Claudio asks what their business is. They say they need to speak to Kurt. Kurt Angle overhears this and says for Claudio to let them in, which Claudio unclicks the rope and lets them in. The Outlaws apologize about last week, Kurt cuts them off and says no excuses, they had one job which was to prevent AJ challenging for Sting's world championship. The Outlaws ask for another chance to try out for The Main Event Mafia, they comically look around the locker room and see how extravagant they have it and beg to be let into their secret club. Booker begins to yell at them while Nash just smokes a cigar in the background. Booker tells them he has to finish doing the job they had to do last week to beat some sense into AJ before his big match with Sting. Sting, frustrated, says enough of that and he can speak for himself and he plans to go out there and do so tonight. He wishes Booker good luck tonight and then leaves the private lounge as The Outlaws just watch the awkward tension unfold.
Match 2:
Brodie Lee DEF. Lance Rock (w/ Jimmy Rave) in 6 minutes
After the match, Jimmy Rave grabs a chair and slaps it into Lee's back and Lee drops down to his knees and Archer looks to be taunting Lee to stand back up so they can two on one beat down Lee but they're cut off by the other recent TNA signing Kenny Omega who runs into the ring and hits Rave with a V-Trigger and knocks him out, Rock makes his way out of the ring and pulls Rave out and helps him to the back as Omega helps Lee back up to his feet and the two shake hands while looking at Rock and Rave.
Match 3:
Christian Cage DEF. Doug Williams in 9 Minutes
After the match, Rhino comes down and joins Cage in the ring and the two cut a promo on what Cornette said earlier about having something planned for the PPV, Cage confirms a 6-Man Tag between Booker, Steiner, and Nash against himself, Rhino and a man who he promises the Mafia he's been more than assured wants to be here because of what TNA has to offer and would love to join in on the war that's boiling up in TNA.
Segment 3:
We get Don West and Mike Tenay running down the card for Turning Point this Sunday with two more matches to be announced:
The Rock and Rave Connection (Lance Rock and Jimmy Rave) vs. Brodie Lee and Kenny Omega
Tag Team Gauntlet for Future TNA World Tag Team Championship Match with featured teams: Team 3D, LAX, Motor City Machine Guns, The Outlaws, and MORE
Segment 4:
We get a video package hyping up the Eric Young and Christopher Daniels feud with new promos from both men, highlighted by Daniels saying he doesn't care about any silly war going on he's just back in TNA to climb up the ranks and become champion, and a silly immediate cut to Eric Young just wanting to have a good time and continue to getting paid doing what he loves.
Segment 5:
We get an in ring promo by Mick Foley who cuts a promo on his upcoming match with Kurt Angle this Sunday on PPV and thanks the TNA fans and the TNA locker room for welcoming him with welcome arms. He says that this match is a chance to prove to not just the world, but to himself that he still has it. He says that this goes beyond just fighting for his good friend Jeff Jarrett, this goes to knocking guys like Kurt Angle down a peg. He says that he understands exactly what the TNA locker room is going through watching this tall, buff, handsome men try and take their spot. The spot that they've bled, sweat and nearly died for. He says he's the poster child of that movement in wrestling. He says that his family is begging him not to step into that ring but he says that he's always going to be willing to die in this ring as long as it's for the greater good. He tells Kurt he better prepare for the fight of his life this Sunday.
Match 4:
TNA World Tag Team Champions Beer Money (James Storm and Robert Roode) and TNA X-Division Champion Sheik Abdul Bashier DEF. Jay Lethal, Consequences Creed and Matt Morgan (w/ Abyss) after Roode pinned Lethal at 16 minutes
After the match, Beer Money make the escape after Abyss hits the ring, leaving Sheik Abdul Bashier behind to get hit by the Black Hole Slam by Abyss and then the 4 babyfaces celebrate in the ring
MAIN EVENT:
AJ Styles DEF. Booker T via pinfall at 17 Minutes
After the match, Booker is throwing a tantrum in the ring but TNA World Heavyweight Champion Sting comes out and demands that Booker cuts it out. He says that AJ beat Booker fair and square and now AJ steps into the ring this Sunday with AJ's biggest match ever. Sting has had a few weeks to think everything over that's gone down since forming The Main Event Mafia and he truly believes that this will be for the better of professional wrestling, to enforce respect and to enforce a hierarchy. He hates this reputation that TNA has as this "retirement home" or a "side show" he says that he came to TNA because he saw the potential that it had but then you've got these empty headed pricks like Samoa Joe jumping onto concrete steps and nearly breaking his back, you've got guys like AJ who can't go more than two seconds without doing a flip, making a mockery of this great sport that he's been in long enough that every morning he wakes in pain for. The crowd boos as Sting continues to speak. Sting says that the fans may not understand it, and they may not like it, but Sting is here to save the future of professional wrestling into devolving to a circus act again. He pulls out of his suit pocket, several tubes of make up and dumps them on the ground, takes his sunglasses off, looks right into the camera with no makeup and just the pure face of Sting and says "Now, more than ever, IT'S SHOW TIME!"
The episode comes to a fade ending as Sting and AJ look each other on from a distance.
—-
Week 4 TNA Xplosion November 7 2008
Match 1:
Kaz DEF. Mike Bennett in 8 Minutes
Match 2:
Shark Boy DEF. Sonjay Dutt in 5 Minutes
Match 3:
Amazing Red DEF. Elix Skipper in 10 Minutes
—-
TNA TURNING POINT 2008 PREVIEW: November 9 2008:
TNA World Heavyweight Championship: Sting (c) vs. AJ Styles
Mick Foley vs. Kurt Angle
TNA World Tag Team Championships: Beer Money (c) vs. Abyss and Matt Morgan
TNA X-Division Championship: Sheik Abdul Bashier (c) vs. Jay Lethal vs. Consequences Creed
Eric Young vs. Christopher Daniels
The Main Event Mafia (Steiner, Booker and Nash) vs. Rhino, Christian Cage and ?
Brodie Lee and Kenny Omega vs. The Rock and Rave Infection
Tag Team Gauntlet (Team 3D vs. LAX vs. MCMG vs. The Outlaws vs. TBA)

Age 29M. Is this temporal arteritis? Sometimes it's less visible, when I do exercise like running, it becomes more visible and it also depends on the perspective but also when I don't exercise I see it. I don't take any medicine / supplements.
https://ibb.co/8mfbPmR
https://ibb.co/H48K1pG
https://ibb.co/8c1xQSg
Few weeks ago I also had kind of nerve / muscle twitch/spasm always on the left side of the head a bit over the ear, and even feeling a weird sensation, like tendinitis while eating some type of food... Now seems to be disappeard, never had before... (maybe spasms was because I had introduced dark chocolate everyday which I stopped and the spasm problem seems solved but I'm worried about arteritis)...

I had vTOS and surgery last year. I have neurogenic TOS on the opposite side. Still getting back to normal strength after surgery. I was released with no restrictions from my surgeon, so I started doing strengthening exercises again. I am still doing PT, and I’ve been working out on my own + roller derby practice. Something weird happened at practice last week and I had been doing a lot of upper body exercises and now I have been having a lot of pain and symptoms on my non-surgery side. I have read different stuff on whether or not to do overhead exercises and things like planks. They had me doing some of these in PT so I thought it was fine, but since I have had such trouble this past week - I’m questioning
So overhead or no overhead?
I am trying to do PT exercises on my non-surgery side to reduce symptoms/prevent VTOS bc I am so nervous and still doing PT on the surgery side for strength and balance

this is the only place where i feel i can share my story, and i hope im not alone.
hi everyone, i was homeschooled from 2008 up until 2021 which is the year i graduated. i’m 21 now.
my parents got involved in a religious sect long before they started to homeschool me, but i do believe it’s the main reason why they started to homeschool me because they didn’t want me to be influenced by the outside world and didn’t trust the education system.
i don’t remember most of the education aside from being taught how to read from maybe 6-8 years old? my education has been a blur. i can’t recall if i was ever put in a co-op but i think i was? in 2014-2015 i had to take state tests and i failed all of them. i will never forget me and my siblings walking out of burger king and my mom crying when she found out i had failed. as of recently, i realized that the only reason that i failed those tests was because nothing in those tests matched the curriculum i was being taught. i was doing A.C.E packets if anyone knows what those are. that same year my mom got me a math tutor, and that woman was sent from heaven as she didn’t abandon me, nor shamed me for my issues. she started doing math u see curriculum with me. im a visual learner with math, which makes doing math 10x more difficult. aside from basic addition and subtraction, that’s all i really know. it’s bad enough to where i can’t trust my own brain to do math and have to use a calculator. i was evaluated by the tutor a few times throughout the years and it was very ugly for me at some points. with my parents being brainwashed by the religious sect and me having 3 younger siblings, my education was put on the back burner. i hated doing school work, so naturally i stayed in my room and was on the internet to escape my reality. a lot of the things i know are because of the internet, but academic wise, i hardly know anything it seems. by 2019 the same tutor from 2015 had started a co-op.. or something like that. again, i can’t be certain. the only things i remember doing was math, AP LIT, and some history. like i said, my education is a blur. i was living in a state with no other relatives except for my mom and siblings as my parents had separated and divorced and my dad moved out of state the same year. if im being honest, my household was abusive, and i needed to escape. i did not care about my education as i was suffering and i just couldn’t focus. no child likes school, but i wanted to learn but i just couldn’t function in the environment i was trapped in. this also applies to the same year i graduated as i was planning to get out.
i wasn’t set up for life like the rest of everyone else and it has created a massive insecurity within me. i have zero idea how college works, i dont know how to even apply for it, nor have i ever stepped foot into a public school. this whole thing is extremely foreign to me. due to my academic years being a blur for me, i feel it’s safe to say i have education neglect. the tutor (or teacher?) i considered to be a motherly figure to me as she could see i was not in a good situation but there was only so much she could do, but im still grateful for her. my high school graduation was held at a church and my diploma just looks sketchy to me. i truly do not have a good education and i also suspect learning disabilities. i can’t be certain, but i can assure you if i could change the way my brain functions, i would do so in a heartbeat. i got my drivers license back in november and it took me forever to get. i’m just now realizing how bad this could be for me if i don’t have a future career, but i don’t know where to begin because my prior years of education have simply not been good for me. i have poor memory and my brain feels like a scattered mess. in 2013 my parents considered sending me to public school, but i knew i was doomed. i was only 10. i knew i would be bullied by other kids and i knew i couldn’t survive that. between being bullied by children and my own parents, i chose to put up with my parents. a few months prior to graduating, both me and my tutor discussed possible autism. since graduating and escaping my household, i have learned a lot about the neurodivergent community and can see neurodivergent traits within myself. so not only do i have a poor education and potential learning disabilities, there’s also the potential of me being neurodivergent. both my mom and tutor suspected learning disabilities but i have never been able to be diagnosed.
i’ve been left to fend for myself and a lot of the things i know i have either learned from the internet, or taught myself. i remember being taught grammar and punctuation but i can’t remember what age that was, but in 2016 that’s when i taught myself. for all i know, my punctuation and grammar still probably isn’t the best but that’s due to me being self taught.
i apologize for the long read, as i’m just expressing my past. im currently married and although my husband accepts me, i still worry for myself and my future career due to everything i have expressed. i feel hopeless, scared, and due to being sheltered and the internet being my escape at a young age, im still learning how to operate in the outside world. specifically in work environments, those who haven’t been in my situation can tell something is off with me and that’s due to how i’ve been treated by them. it hurts badly because everyone can see something is wrong, but my own parents failed to take action for me.
my siblings are in public school now, and they all struggle with math, but that seems to be the only thing. everything they know, there is a good chance i don’t know any of it. my sister is 15 and told me she would help me figure out college and it’s so embarrassing to have someone so much younger than me help me out with this stuff. i love my siblings dearly, and they deserve everything good that happens to them as we all suffered together, but they’re also getting the life and education i never got to have. i mentally feel like a child trapped inside a 21 year olds body. i should be in college, getting a degree, being this successful business woman that my mom wanted me to be. no child is capable of doing these things that a 21 year old is capable of. this all has left me with intense shame.
thank you to everyone who took their time to read my story. i hope im not alone.
p.s. i apologize for everything being messy in this. any questions that are asked i will do my best to answer them.

I can’t figure it out. Usually after getting some lessons, watching pro matches and youtube videos I can quickly get a a vague feel for other shots when I am on the court, but smash is something I just don’t get.
I have a pretty loose grip when smashing, holding the racket not too high, get flexible and relaxed, bend my knees and lean back a bit, welcome the ball with my left hand and then just yeet it right into the net most of the times. The contact sounds great, just can’t get on the court like 90% of the times.
What feeling I am looking for to click it? Maybe reducing the power would help? Maybe there are some videos that helped you tremendously? Thanks for all the help! Currently playing with hex 03 2024 and I am loving it. Just not when it comes to smashes.

Comedy Cellar is a great date spot.
Just avoid sitting in the front row if you don’t want to be the target of jokes.
Row boats, roller skating, cooking class, pottery class, painting class, mani/pedis, art gallery, concert, volunteer somewhere.
Board game cafes! You could start with The Uncommons.
Look up drink and draw (on Wednesdays) in Williamsburg. Easy enough to get to, and then you can go to Barcade right afterwards.
New York City has inspired some of the most famous romantic comedies of all time, from When Harry Met Sally to Serendipity. So why is it that all too often, we fall back on the less-than-novel dinner and drinks date? Sure, we New Yorkers have some of the best culinary experiences at our fingertips, but that doesn't mean we shouldn't shake up our date-night plans every now and then. There are plenty of unique date ideas in New York City that are totally romantic and won't cost half your rent. In addition to being easy on the wallet, they just might make you fall in love with the city all over again, too.
From comedy shows and karaoke to scenic strolls and gallery hopping, these are the best date ideas in New York City.
44 Great Date Ideas to Keep Your Marriage Fresh
01
Get Reacquainted With Central Park
More than 8.6 million people live in New York City, but it doesn't feel that way at this four-season and free-to-enter oasis in the middle of Manhattan. Measuring in at 840 acres, there's plenty of room to go around here, whether your idea of the perfect date is a picnic lunch on the Great Lawn, a paddle across Central Park Lake in a rowboat, or a visit to the Central Park Zoo.
02
Explore the Met or MoMA
For residents of New York state, admission at The Met is pay-as-you-wish, so you and your date can browse the storied museum's 5,000 years' worth of artwork and still have some cash left over to grab a quick bite at one of the museum's on-site eateries. MoMA, on the other hand, waives entry fees between 4 p.m. and 8 p.m. on the first Friday of every month, so plan your outing accordingly.
03
Take a Sunset Stroll Across the Brooklyn Bridge
Whether you start at the Brooklyn or Manhattan side of the stone-and-steel bridge, you'll encounter an intoxicating panorama that really outdoes itself come nightfall. Plan a stroll around sunset to watch as the skyline is enveloped in golds and ambers before transforming into a glittering display of lights as the sun slips behind Manhattan.
Brooklyn Bridge Park hosts a weekly movie series during the summer to cap off your bridge-crossing with a free flick.
04
Explore the Hudson by Kayak
With a mission of "promoting public access to the water for all," Downtown Boathouse offers free kayaking between the months of May and October. Push off from the organization's locations on Pier 26 or Governor's Island for a 20-minute paddle through NYC waterways.
05
Lace Up Your Roller Skates
Relive a childhood pastime with a visit to Brooklyn Bridge Park's Pier 2 Roller Rink. In the shadows of the Brooklyn Bridge, the outdoor facility hosts regular public skate sessions that are either free or under $10, plus the cost of skate rentals. (Aim to show up on a Friday evening for DJ-led sessions.)
06
Hit the Ice
When temperatures drop, swap your wheels for a blade and hit the ice-skating rink at Central Park, The Rink at Bank of America Winter Village at Bryant Park, or, for a date experience that's quintessentially NYC, Rockefeller Center. You can glide under the festive canopy of twinkling city lights while holding hands to keep warm for a romantic night to remember. Finish the evening by snuggling up with a cozy cup of hot cocoa.
07
Book a Private Karaoke Room
Most New Yorkers love to karaoke, but when was the last time you actually went? Book a room at Sing Sing Karaoke in the East Village and let loose with your partner.
08
Browse the Stalls at a Food Market, Festival, or Flea Market
If you're not opposed to a daytime date, meet your S.O. at the Brooklyn Flea, Grand Bazaar NYC, or Chelsea Flea Market. Not only are these spots open year-round, but their pay-as-you-go pay structure also allows you to spend as much (or as little) as you want. Similarly, food halls and markets (think Smorgasbord or Essex Market) and city-sponsored festivals follow a no-purchase-necessary format. Bookmark the NYC Parks events calendar to stay informed about upcoming low-cost and free events.
09
Beat Each Other's High Scores at an Arcade
Give your date a glimpse of your competitive side by challenging him or her to a round of Skee-Ball, ping pong, pool, pinball, or an old-school video game. Spots like Full Circle Bar and Cellar Dog promise all of the above, plus brewskies and mixed drinks for the 21-and-up set.
10
Take a Spin on a Carousel
Channel your inner child with a ride on one of NYC's famous carousels, like the Central Park Carousel ($3.25/ride), The Battery's SeaGlass Carousel ($6/ride), or Hudson River Park’s Pier 62 Carousel ($3.50/ride). But if you have to choose just one, go with Jane's Carousel ($2/ride). Dating back to 1922, this historic, 48-horse carousel merges nostalgia with stunning views of the Manhattan skyline and the Brooklyn and Manhattan bridges.
11
Travel Back in Time at The Cloisters
Live out your romantic medieval fantasies with a trip through The Met Cloisters. Inspired by European churches, castles, and monasteries, these lush gardens and majestic architecture are home to The Met's extensive medieval art exhibits.
12
Catch a Budget Flick
New York has several independent movie theaters to choose from. Try catching a flick at Syndicated. This Brooklyn venue offers food, drinks, and movies—all under one roof. Grab a seat in the cozy theater-meets-restaurant to watch a second-run flick for just $9, then order from a menu of drinks and handheld eats to enjoy while you watch.
Syndicated also has a bar area that screens two movies via a duo of projectors, allowing you to match your movie-watching to the duration of your drink.
13
Ride the Staten Island Ferry
Who says the Staten Island Ferry is just for tourists and school field trips? Add it to your date-night itinerary and take advantage of a free (and dare we say romantic) cruise between Whitehall in lower Manhattan and St. George on Staten Island (or vice versa). Spend the 25-minute ride marveling at the city skyline and snapping selfies with the Statue of Liberty in the distance.
14
Skydive Indoors
Enjoy the thrill of skydiving without the weather restrictions or, let's be honest, sheer terror of jumping out of a moving aircraft. Located in Westchester, iFly is worth the short trek to experience the sensation of flying in the safe and controlled environment of state-of-the-art wind tunnels.
15
Stroll Across the High Line
A stunning example of adaptive reuse, this defunct elevated rail line-turned-linear greenway hosts manicured gardens, soothing water features, scenic overlooks, and conversation-starting art installations along its 1.45-mile stretch—and it's free for all to enjoy. We recommend popping by Chelsea Market first for a grab-and-go bite to enjoy on the High Line's many benches and seating areas.
16
Take a Walk in the Brooklyn Botanic Garden
A fantastic (and quiet) alternative to the classic weeknight drink, a walk through the Brooklyn Botanical Garden will give you a chance to chat with your date—without having to compete with the noise of a bar. Admission is reasonably priced at $18, but you can score free entry if you show up before noon on an in-season Friday (or any weekday during the winter).
17
Try a Cocktail-Making Class at Liquor Lab
If you need some liquid courage to help you soldier through those awkward gaps in the conversation, take a cocktail-making class at Liquor Lab, which leads imbibing students in the creation of craft cocktails, from margaritas to iconic NYC drinks.
18
Spin Vinyl at Tokyo Record Bar
Grab a drink and a bite to eat at Tokyo Record Bar, an izakaya and vinyl bar where you help make the playlist for the night—so you'll get to know (read: judge) your date's musical taste.
19
See a Concert at Carnegie Hall
Dinner and drinks are nice when you're on your second or third date, but a concert at Carnegie Hall is unexpected and something you frankly probably never do as a New Yorker. It's a surefire way to impress your date.
20
Explore a New Neighborhood
Trying something new is one of the best ways to form a deeper connection with someone, so pick a neighborhood you've never been to, and go for an adventure. May we suggest Red Hook?
21
Try Your Hand at Axe Throwing
Need to let off some steam and plan a memorable date night? Axe throwing is probably an experience neither of you has had a good go at. LiveAxe and Kick Axe Brooklyn both offer indoor throwing possibilities that you won't forget. Who knows? You might even find your calling.
22
Get Your Game on at Royal Palms
Skip the local sports bar's pool table and try playing shuffleboard instead. Royal Palms in Brooklyn is a guaranteed good time—and it's way more fun than the bowling alleys at Chelsea Piers.
23
Strike Out at the Brooklyn Bowl
If some old-school bowling is your thing, we get it. There's nothing quite as satisfying as the sound of pins falling down and the sweet taste of victory that goes with it. Get in the competitive spirit and take your date to Brooklyn Bowl for some live tunes, local brews, and delectable eats.
24
See a Comedy Show
Sure, comedy shows are a bit of an NYC cliché, but they're also really fun. And while it can be awkward on a first date to get grilled by the comedian on stage at the Comedy Cellar, your visit is sure to be a memory in the making.
25
Try a New Fitness Class
A date can be a great excuse to experiment with a new and novel exercise. Try Flatiron's Brrrn, where 50-minute fitness classes are held within a studio that's been chilled to a cool 50°F. You can even try the infrared sauna together afterward. Take advantage of first-time student discounts to save some money.
26
Take a Cooking Class at Eataly
Cooking together is a great way to deepen a connection with someone new, but in tiny NYC apartments, it can be quite challenging. Why not take a cooking class instead? Eataly offers a great selection, from pasta-making to pizza workshops.
27
Go Glamping on Governors Island
Collective Retreats has established itself in NYC with escapism experiences that make you feel like you're anywhere else. Take a ferry to Governors Island, and spend an evening glamping under the stars overlooking the Manhattan skyline for the dreamiest of date nights.
28
Take a Pottery Class in Brooklyn
If you've fallen into a routine of going to the same restaurants or watching the same TV series each Monday night, switch it up with a pottery-making class at Choplet in Brooklyn. You'll channel your inner Demi Moore and Patrick Swayze.
29
Sculpt Blindfolded
Or, up the ante on that Ghost-style date night by amplifying the sensory experience. Unarthodox's Sculpture Without Sight offers a unique art experience that reconnects you with your senses—specifically touch—by closing your eyes. The blindfold frees you from the visual plane and allows your hands to do all the talking.
30
Tour the Galleries in Chelsea
Chelsea is filled with incredible art galleries, but be honest: When was the last time you actually visited them? Walk around the various gallery spaces with your S.O. and pick imaginary art for your future home together.
31
Treat Yourselves at Ancient Aire Baths
If you're feeling a little exhausted from a long day at work or have young children at home, treat yourselves to a day at Ancient Aires Baths, where you get to just relax in a romantic candlelit environment.
32
Walk Through Halls of Gems
Want to commemorate finding your very own diamond in the rough? The Allison and Roberto Mignone Halls of Gems and Minerals at the American Museum of Natural History boasts over 5,000 sparkly specimens for quite the magical moment. (We're talking a legendary 563-carat sapphire, folks!)
33
See a Burlesque Show
Give the Broadway shows a rest for a far more provocative production. Whether it's dinner theater at Duane Park or the transportive atmosphere of Nurse Bettie, this date-night activity is sure to set the mood.
34
Visit the Museum of Sex
Speaking of setting the mood, an educational tour of the Museum of Sex should do it for the sapiosexuals among us. From a historic catalog of visual erotica to more hands-on exhibits, this museum admission ($36) will certainly give you the most bang for your buck.
35
Gaze at the Stars at Hayden Planetarium
Whether your love was forged in the stars or the two of you are die-hard cosmo-junkies, a space date is difficult to pass up. The American Museum of Natural History's Hayden Planetarium offers a riveting tour of the final frontier.
36
Scale a Building
When you live in a city that boasts some of the highest buildings in the world, what else is there to do but scale them? City Climb offers an exhilarating bird's-eye-view over 1,200 feet above the ground from the Edge's apex.
37
Enjoy a Scenic Cruise
Or, take in the sights without the heart-pumping adrenaline rush by hosting your date night on the water. Reserve a table aboard one of the city's many floating restaurants for a skyline view that's hard to top.
38
Peruse the Books at The Morgan Library & Museum
From ultra-rare first editions to manuscripts, drawings, and sheet music from some of history's most famous and talented artists, The Morgan Library & Museum has it all. Once the personal collection of J. Pierpont Morgan, the dramatic edifice houses plenty of architectural and literary delights to get lost in.
39
Start a Book Club for Two
If all those books whet your literary appetite, why not start your very own book club for just the two of you? Make a day out of visiting some of the city's most charming book stores to stock up on future reads. Some of our favorites include The Strand Bookstore in the East Village and Sisters Uptown Bookstore in Harlem.
40
Channel Your Inner Spy
If you spent your formative years living a double life as an imaginary spy, boy do we have a date night for you. SPYSCAPE may be a high-tech counterintelligence museum, but it also serves as a training (play)ground to really put those carefully cultivated skills to the test. We're talking laser beam hallways and lie detector tests aplenty!

I was just listening to Bethany's podcast. For quite some time I've been wondering about her mother's story even before her passing. She was always very vague when it came to her mother. I don't think we'd even know her name if she didn't do those public magazine quotes or whatever that disparage Bethany.
And one of her recent podcasts she mentions that her mom burned it had a sister which is I think the most info we've ever gotten about her mother Bernadette and that she has three cousins and their names at least first names.
I'm inquisitive by nature I'm a researcher and it's always made me a little questionable how there's like no info out there about who her mother was where she came from Bethany's grandparents on her mother's side etc. Is Birk her maiden last name or a married name?
Of course I have absolutely no right to any of this information Bethany does not need to share it. I feel like it just gives validity to her story and it also makes me question some things because very rarely can you not find any info on someone especially in my line of work and prior to Bethany's mother marrying her stepfather the paracella guy there's absolutely nothing on her no info of schooling no info on siblings parents anything and I just find it odd that she's been able to keep that private I mean kudos to her.
Yet some people like in my line of work find it odd that there's no info it's so I'm just quite curious is anybody had any am I missing something does anybody know anything further about the situation. Like I know her father left when she was two to go to California to set up his horse training there but they didn't divorce until she was four so that would be 1974.
I don't know if be and her mother move with how about that point but you have so much info about her father's family and that's not Bethany choosing so I understand that but to have absolutely nothing about her mother like she's got like a two sentence obit.
I know Bethany went through a lot and she had some serious issues with her mother and I listened to all the things that she said and I was sobbing at the end like I totally understand her pain just for my employment I find it odd that there's nothing to go on.
Like if I was trying to find a lost relative and reconnect someone with the other person they were with previously like there would be no way for me to find Bethany's Aunt for example cuz there's nothing linking them.
I'm just curious is there ever been any more info set about this woman then she's a horrible person and that her last name was Birk and she had problems. I think even though she had so many issues she had to have had some of the things some accomplishments in her life she graduated from school she got a degree in whatever she was a licensed hairdresser or whatever I'm making that last part of course but like there's usually something to go on. Perhaps Bethany intentionally made it that way so that people couldn't find out more info but she did say that her grandparents were horse trainers like her father and stuff but still there's like nothing about her past and the family that she comes from. And I just think that that piece of the information would be validating to those who view Bethany negatively like I think it could explain a lot if some of the puzzle pieces weren't missing.
Sorry for my rant I just am curious if I'm missing something if anybody was ever given any more info if anybody have more insight into this woman cuz I think she deserves more than just that little blurb of oh she died.
Especially if yours down the line someone wants to research about her and her own family for there to be nothing to go on. Like I was curious if her father's name was Robert j Frankel or if his real first name was his middle name because on his find A grave they have the picture of the original marker before the tombstone comes in and it says Julian Robert Frankel not the other way around.
It's just wild to me that and the reality TV world that her and Sonia too have been able to keep their original lives like their original immediate family private although unlike Bethany with Sonia there was stuff to go on like I could actually fill in all the blanks with her and although I would never share that publicly from what I found and to respect other family members of Sonia is including her own mother.
If they both been able to create this image that is contained which you don't see very often in the reality TV world. So I'm just curious is anybody know that she was born Bernadette Birk. I mean Bernadette checks out because she was born Catholic so that makes sense but was Birk her maiden name or a married man because even Bethany said she was married more times than she knew about.
I don't know I was trying about these stories so wild even beyond what she shared and what I believe there to be known