Donate a miracle norman ok

I have been on the hunt for a freelance designing job for a while now. Right now, im struggling to work part time retail because of my physical and mental limitations due to autism and other chronic crap, and I wish finding freelance work wasnt so hard.
I am a graphic designer, i have been for years now, but for some reason i am incapable of putting together a proper portfolio because all of my work is so varied and also scattered to time and old computers that are long gone. I am proficient with Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, and Photoshop, but im only just now starting to learn after effects.
I used to try to find freelance work on Upwork, which was difficult before they started to charge you to "bid" on jobs by applying with in site currency, and it sucks now. All other work i can seem to find are shitty corporate agencies that are full time 40+hrs, and require you to be a web designer, power point designer, social media specialist, video producer and editor, content creator... some real "fast paced environment" crap. I have worked corporate before in another context and it caused me a mental break so im trying to avoid that but its getting harder by the day.
Luckily, i live in an apartment that is based on my income so that helps, but im only really making enough to cover bills right now. My boyfriend is incredible and happy to help with groceries and stuff because he works full time (at the same retail store, yes the store knows and its totally ok) and i take care of a lot of the home stuff, but he is also autistic and is starting to reach heavy burnout. I feel guilty because he claims he cant stop or rest as much because he has to make money for us, but i dont want to put him in the situation where he burns out for me because thats not fair.
So to cycle back around, i am struggling to find work that isnt either out of my wheelhouse/comfort level, or prove that i can do the work at all in smaller freelance instances.
I feel things like Fivr and other sites like it are not for me because my workstyle is so varied and job specific, and also its very oversaturated with people who already are doing so much better and will obviously get the attention of a customer first.
TBH it feels like no matter what i want to try to do for work nobody will want it because there is always something cheaper or better and easier. I really am trying my best but it feels not good enough...
any other designers/artists really going through it right now?

Ok so my mom has utterly crossed the line with this and I’m a 27 year old man by the way who’s treated like a 12 year old from her. This has gotten out of hand and I need to know what to do. I have schizophrenia yet I’m fully functional and would use the money wisely. Any help would be appreciated!

What is the most uncomfortable situation you've ever found yourself in?

It's my first time getting pcs. What's the rule of thumb for getting the right sleeve size? For reference, my pc is 55x85mm from svt fml album :") Are most kpop pcs this size? And is it better to get a slightly bigger sleeve for allowance if ever i get other pcs bigger than this? Are blueberry sleeves okay or are popcorn sleeves better?
I also got a binder with PP sleeves. Is it ok if I don't double-sleeve? The description says:

Sleeves: PP and exact fit for Ducky World 65x93mm. Regarding the Ducky World 65x93mm sleeves, since it is exact fit, a slight difference (0.01mm) in both card sleeves or album sleeves may cause bubbles. Also, please take note that there might be some pockets which are slightly smaller than the other (around 0.01 to 0.05 difference). Sleeve measurement: approx 63x94mm

TLDR; what pc sleeve size should i get given these:

• PC size: 55x85mm
• binder's sleeves: 63x94mm
• binder has pp sleeves, not planning to double sleeve (thoughts?)
• brand recommendations for the sleeves?

Sorry for the long post and thank you so much :) <3

Anyone dealing with DB due to ED? My husband and I have been married for 20 years. Our two kids are teenagers. I love my family, and I can't imagine life without him.
He used to be HL and always asking and innitiating. If anything his HL was the problem for us.
His issues with ED started due to an underlying health condition. It started on and off 3-4 years ago. He doesn't talk about it, and when I sum up the currage to talk to him he denys and shuts me down.
Our sex days have become very rare to none. I totally get that this can be devestating for a man.
My issue is that he wont allow for us to talk about it. He is completly shutting down emotionally towards me. He keeps distancing himself from me.
I don't have an issue with not having sex. Or doing other things physically. I have an issue with how he is dealing with it. I really don't like how he is dealing with it. He is dissmissing that it is an issue for both of us to deal with not just for him. He is abandoning me emotionally all together. He acts as if we are roomates!
He sometimes tries to claim that perhaps he is not finding me attractive any more, sometimes he says we should get a divorce.
(I have a good self-esteam, the things he says don't effect me at all. It is too obviouse to me that he is trying to distract me from the real problem).
I feel the way he is dealing with it is very immature. Regardless I do want to support him I want him to feel safe and ok with what is happening. I want to make room for an emotionl bond to exsist.
Emotional connection is VERY important to me.
So my question is for men and women here: What should I do to make him feel safe about it? Even if we don't talk about it, I still want him to understand that our relationship is NOT over. There is a lot more to marriage and relationship then sex.
( Please don't suggest divorce, or therapy, I am looking for helpful personal opinions).

I would like to go to Ukraine later this month, however I have a few concerns about my personal situation. I am a German citizen, travelling with a German pasport. Problem is, that I have a russian-sounding last name and my place of birth (mentioned in my pasport) is Moscow (Moskau). Furthermore I am a dual citizen of Russia and Germany. I have not been to Russia since 2021 and I am as anti-Russian as it gets. It is really hard to renounce my citizenship as russian embassies are extremely overloaded. Russian is my native language and although I speak fluent ukrainian, I do that with a noticable russian accent (I presume) and mistakes that are usual for russian speakers. I wanted to visit Uzhhorod and Lviv. To meet a friend of mine, who is unable to leave Ukraine. I am worried about crossing the border, what if I get denied access based on my personal situtation and also worried about block posts or police, as I am sure I am a rather suspicious person and about people being hostile when I will be talking to them in Ukrainian with a Russian accent. I am sure that possibility of something bad happening is extremely low, as there is no legal reason for Ukraine to have a problem with me and the last thing Ukraine needs is a diplomatic scandal with Germany over arresting German citizens for no reason. So, is it ok for me to go to ukraine, given my personal circumstatnces?

I hope it is ok to suggest my own books if anyone happens to be looking for UK based horror? I have written a series of zombie fiction stories set in the UK, called the 'Mindless Trilogy,' as well as zombie standalones 'Carnie's Wisdom' and 'Post Mortem.' I also have two short story collections, one called 'Wakeful Children: A Collection of Horror and Supernatural Tales' and one called 'Hag's Breath: A Collection of Witchcraft and Wickedness.' The latter is now on Audible and iTunes. I currently have a limited number of free codes if anyone would like one. They are VERY limited in number.
​
All of my horror fiction is set loosely or not so loosely in the UK. I also have a Dark Fantasy called 'The Dragon Has Wings.' All of these books are available on Amazon. I will be honest and adnit that I am really struggling for readers and reviewers so if anyone does feel like looking for one of my books on Amazon, then from the bottom of my heart, thank you, I hope you enjoy my stories.
​
So as not to make this all about me (!) and to stay on topic, feel free to share any UK based horror fiction that you have especially enoyed, or even not much liked. Be kind, review the book not the person. Looking forward to chatting with you.

A special thanks to u/SpacePaladin15 for the fantastical universe.
Have a really long chapter!
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Memory transcription subject: Jaxton, son of a humble sheep farmer
Date [standardized human time]: October 11th, 2136
If someone asked me years ago how many people would travel the globe just to see me. My answer would have been three; my father, my mother, and Dex Mason. My mother and father would have been simply obligated to do so, as I was their son, and I would have done the same thing. Dex was my best friend when I went to middle school in America, and he stayed my best friend when I went back to Wales, going back to Atlanta for many vacations.
What can I say? He had a nice collection of guns, and his general cheerful attitude made many people optimistic, so a day on the range with him led to the both of us being happier.
Then you add in Dex’s older and younger brothers, our mutual friend John Dillinger, and then you have a recipe for a fun time; guns, video games, hiking, and the occasional sheep herding if they ever come to my home: It’s a blast!
An alien porcupine though… I honestly never expected that I would ever in my honest-to-God lifetime, have such an impact on someone before. We barely knew each other for even a few minutes, yet she to my knowledge was merely some sad Gojid that was struggling with depression and loss. All I did was walk in and comfort her, or well, that’s how I saw it.
I still feel like an absolute idiot for forgetting about what I told her. It wasn’t a promise, but based on the implication of how I said it. It may as well have been a declaration to see the girl a few hours later, or however long it took her to get ready.
Now, speaking of Barlim, it’s been a few minutes since she arrived at my doorway at the most unexpected of times. I had her sitting in our living room on our couch. The Gojid, or Gojya, that I had to have explained to me, had her arms wrapped around one of our decorative pillows. She was giving squeezes every few seconds depending on how she felt, and if she was really giving it a firm squeeze, I’d reach over and stroke the top of her head. Barlim seemed to relax every time I did this.
“You holding up better?” Barlim appeared to be holding up better: No longer sobbing out tears from her eyes, or having mucus running from her nostrils.
She merely sniffed weakly for a second, nuzzling into my hand. If I had to admit, I had no idea if I was performing some massive social taboo by patting her like an animal, but if she wasn’t going to complain, neither was I. I mean, I already poked myself twice more! “I’m feeling much better. Sorry for intruding…”
“Don’t be,” I said while holding back a small laugh. “Are you feeling better enough to talk now?” Barlim’s ears flicked in response, and then she nodded in response upon realizing I didn’t know what those ear flicks meant. “Good.”
“Hey, I would just like to apologize for how I acted,” my mother started before I had the chance to speak. “It’s just that I’ve seen on the news and read of murderous xenophobic aliens…-”
“It’s fine,” Barlim let out the most adorable-sounding chittering noise I have ever heard. It sounded as if a porcupine was, well, laughing! “I would not have reacted much differently… Three days ago?” At least she could make fun of herself for how she acted. Her ears gave a few flicks, gesturing towards amusement or self-depreciation if I had to guess. They burned bright blue.
My father took a minute to stand up and walk over to Barlim. She only fidgeted a little bit, but not much when he reached out to her with one hand. “Jameson, again, it’s been pleasant to meet you so far.” The man’s hand hung in the air for several seconds. Barlim eyeing it up with what had to be a quizzical expression. “You’re supposed to grab it and firmly shake it,” my father eventually grunted.
“Oh!” That seemed to snap Barlim out of her stupor. She reached forward in kind with one paw, clasping her surprisingly big paw around my father’s hand, which he shook. The Gojid seemed to have a fair understanding of the action after a few seconds, at which point the handshake ended and my father returned to his seat.
A brief, quiet pause occupied the four of us before there was more knocking at the front door. “Oh, uh, that may be the rest of my friends. I sort of forgot about them when I realized we were so close.” The tips of Barlim’s ears turned a delicate shade of blue. She started to get up, but with a firm palm on the top of her head, I held her down, gently.
“You traveled a long way. Let me get the door,” I state and get up from the couch. My knees and back stretch, giving a satisfactory series of pops before I work my way to the front door. I decide against grabbing the mask, assuming that Barlim’s friends have gotten quite used to the infamous human binocular stare. When I open it, I see a rather eclectic group of individuals, some familiar and some not.
“Arwen, Trivi, Tova, and I take it Barlim’s friends.” Arwen and Trivi issue some friendly waves. Tova has her forearms clasped around Arwen’s neck from behind, jaw resting on the redhead’s shoulders. Her eyes are puffy and orange. It was pretty easy to assume what she had been going through. Meanwhile, the other three flick their ears and tails in a way that was most likely a greeting, but that was just me making an inference based on this being our first interaction, and them not giving waves in greeting.
I really need to learn Gojid and Venlil body language.
“Just delivering the rest of that one Gojid’s friends.” Arwen’s tone was the general cheerful tone it always was. She briefly stepped back from the door and swung an arm to the side, pointing to the three aliens behind her, doing so while under the weight of Tova.
“Barlim,” one of the Gojid said to Arwen. “My name is Pragh,” she then pointed over to another Gojid, “That’s Tack, and,” she indicated to the final Gojid, “That is Telg.” Again, the other two Gojid gave very similar flicks of the ears when they glanced at me with one of their eyes. “I take it you’re Jaxton?”
I couldn’t resist the urge to curl my lips upwards in a smile. The three Gojid didn’t flinch when I exposed my teeth, for which I was grateful. I really didn’t feel like bowing to more people than I needed to at the moment, having not gotten a particularly great amount of sleep last night was not a wise idea. “You’d be correct. It seems I’m the popular man of the hour. What can I do for you all?”
“Well, Tack and I were simply following Barlim, so we were going to stay with her until the UN or whoever really controls the whole Gojid refugee camp situation comes looking for us-”
I cut off Pragh with an amused tone. “So let me get this straight. You wanna come and mooch off my family for a bit because you have nowhere to stay at the moment?” I hold my tongue for just the slightest second, letting Gojid raise up her paws defensively. Even Arwen’s eyes widen briefly at what I just said.
“That’s not-” Pragh doesn’t speak for long before I dismissively wave my hand.
“I’m joking, yes, I’m sure my parents will allow you to stay for a bit, but you’ll have to clean up after yourselves, and all that stuff.” I lean up against the doorframe. “Ok though, jokes aside, what do you all want?”
Pragh rubbed her paws over her blue ears. “Yes, well, you did sort of hit one of them. I will admit, there was very little planning other than we’re going to Wales on our part. You don’t have to worry about Telg though.”
“I scored myself a date! Hah!~ So, I will be going back to Georgia in about an hour or two.” The Gojid paused, popped open one of the pockets on his hoodie, and took a peek inside at a slip of paper he pulled out. “Two hours, yeah, I have about an hour to spend here. So you and Tack are going to stay here?”
Pragh nodded to Telg’s words. “Yep, someone has to make sure Barlim continues to be a responsible Gojid. Also, I still have more research to do over the internet-”
“Ah yes, research, Pragh, research, am I right?~”
“No! Not that! I’m not going to be looking up that!”
The two male Gojid couldn’t help but hold back giggles and chitters, making me feel as if I was missing some sort of- Oh. The second it clicked for me, I just let out a long, slow sigh. “Please, let me just say that humanity is probably not whatever you found. Factory farms are a thing of the past.” Apparently, I was wrong, for the other two Gojid started laughing more uproariously, “Ok, I’m wrong it seems…” The gears proceeds to click a second time after realizing it was something a lot more bawdy than damning. I opened my mouth to say something but quickly realized that I wouldn’t have anything to follow up on if one of them decided to make any sort of accusation, so I quickly shut my plan to speak about that down. “How about you all just come inside now? Your friend Barlim already came by, and I’m pretty sure you all would like a break from your adventure.”
“Actually, Trvi and I were going to take Tova to my home. Might take her to the hospital if Quilix has calmed down. God, I wished they transported him to Ysbyty Gwynedd, but no. He had a freakout and had to be moved to London.”
“It’s all my fault…” The dark venlil whined.
Arwen’s hand managed to work its way between Tova’s ears, giving a few scritches. Scritches that Tova nuzzled into. “Come on you big, big venlil. I know you’re upset. Just, hang in there for a little while longer. I’m sure Quilix will come around. Let’s take you home, see ya Jaxton!” Arwen waved and carried the venlil toward the parked taxi in front of my house. Well, carried was a generous term for half-carry/half-assisted in guiding toward the car.
Trivi followed seconds later, giving his own bye and wave. “Tell your mother and father I said hi, see you tomorrow!” And with that, the blonde venlil scampered off, following after his human lover.
This left me with the three other hedgehog-looking aliens standing awkwardly in front of my door. They looked amongst themselves, thinking about saying something.
Wait, someone’s missing…
“Arf! Arf!”
The three Gojid who looked like they were about to say something all jumped about a foot in the air when Lacey came bounding through them, running straight past me into my home. “Oh, Lacey! Welcome ho- Oh, and ignored.” I shake my head upon hearing the following oof that comes from my father. Lacey must’ve claimed my father’s lap as her seat. “Well, if you want to come inside and meet the rest of my family. Come right on in.”
The next few minutes are filled with more pleasantries being exchanged. The Gojid all take their place on the couch, somehow managing to fit four of them on a couch meant for three. I end up choosing to stand by my father, who gently strokes Lacey across her back. The border collie panting jovially, looking back and forth between us and our alien guest, giving the occasional bark to beg for more attention.
The Gojid guests seem calm for the most part, sitting on that couch, but it is quite clear that the dog makes them uncomfortable since they flinch every time Lacey either makes a noise or stares at them with those heterochromatic eyes. “Not a fan of dogs, are you?” My father breaks the silence once it starts up again.
“I didn’t like…” Pragh started but stopped seconds later. “Listen, I believe you know why most Federation species don’t like humans, right?” Pragh’s words earned an affirmative grunt from my father. My mother and I nodded too. “Well, you’re all sapient and in control of your hunting instincts…” I raised my eyebrow at that but chose to say nothing. “That dog though-”
My father raised a hand, telling Praph to stop speaking for a moment. “I am going to have to stop you right there. Firstly, humans don’t, or we believe don’t have hunting instincts, and secondly, Lacey is a good girl that has harmed no person before, human or alien. I can assure you, as well as Quilix, Trivi, and Tova, that Lacey wouldn’t harm any of you, your pups, or anything else you will be worried about.”
Those few calmly spoken, but sternly voiced words are enough to calm the four Gojid down a fair amount. While I can’t see their muscles under their fur all that well, I can safely assume that their muscles grew lax at such information. Maybe we can do more to ease them around the dog while they’re here?
With an idea springing to mind, I take a few steps over to our old wooden hall tree. It is adorned with a few coats and hats, but what I am interested in is blue colored, six feet long rope of dog leash. The second it makes the lightest noise, Lacey is bolting toward me. “Eistedd!” The dog swiftly responds to the command: Hind quarters hitting the ground the second the word leaves my lips. I reach down and stroke the top of the dog’s head with one hand, getting a jovial arf out of her. “Merch dda, merch dda.~” I give the dog’s head a little bit more tender love with my palm and fingers before attaching the leash.
“Cefn.” I keep my voice low, coaxing Lacey into walking toward the couch.
The four Gojid, three of which have probably spent some time outside with the dog, all had a similar reaction when the dog came over: Paws came up off the ground, retracting safely onto the cushions above. It wasn’t really out of the border collie’s reach, but it was clearly instinctual-driven or propaganda-driven fear. “No need to be afraid, she won’t bite you - eistedd.” True to my words, Lacey gets close, sniffing along the edge of the sofa, but not jumping up onto the furniture.
“I see you’ve been practicing, Jaxton. You showing off for the guest?” My dad jokes.
“Hey, I don’t really get a good chance to speak Welsh. Dam- Darn it, really should’ve paid more attention in school. Might go get some lessons so I’m not part of the ten percent that can’t speak it. All I can do is shepherd a dog around, ask for the bathroom, a beer, where am I, and a few other things.” It’s hard not to let out a disappointed sigh. “I need to get off my backside and stop being so lazy.” I pause for one small moment. “And that probably translated for all of them to their native tongue. Doesn’t matter if I say it in English, Welsh, or honestly, Mandarin.”
My old man grins and laughs, leaning his back into the old rocking chair he claimed. My attention returns back to the dog, the fearful porcupine, and three scared hedgehogs.
The first one to reach out if I recall his name is Tack. The Gojid’s claws lightly brush the top of Lacey’s head in a tepid fashion. The dog stares back up at the curious paw; not growling, barking, yipping, biting, or making any sort of fuss that could freak out the apprehensive Gojid. Slowly, Lacey’s tail beings to wag as the curious touching continues for a few seconds. “Is that normal?”
“Mhm… Yes, dogs’ tails wag when they are happy. If she was really happy, she’d jump on you and start licking your face.”
The four Gojid recoiled with what looked like disgust: The thought of a predator’s maw all over their face, tasting them as if they were her next meal was probably what was coursing through their minds. “I think… That’s something I wouldn’t like from a non-sapient creature.” Telg adds in.
He says he doesn’t want it from a non-sapient, but what about a sapient? Oh, what wonderful thoughts this one has. I internally joked.
Both my father and mother let out an audible cough at Telg’s… Well, it could’ve been an indecent statement, or maybe licking was a sign of greeting? There was no way for me to know with my lack of knowledge of Gojid customs.
God damn; Gojid customs, language, body language, and Welsh! That was leaving out Venlil ear and tail signals as well! Too much to learn.
With a gentle nudge, I guide Lacey down the bottom of the couch, letting each Gojid get about a minute or two of bonding time with the goodest of girls. It’s only been a few minutes, but the four could be easily seen relaxing: Tack and Telg are both confident enough to let their paws touch the floor again.
From fearful of anything that ate meat their entire life to sort of fearfully allowing a dog to sniff them, or them to touch a dog, must be leaps and bounds beyond possibility months ago.
“So, you all more comfortable around dogs?”
I get a non-varied amount of reactions: All of them positive to a minor degree, but none are negative or super positive. “Good.”
With such a positive, or well, lacking in a negative reaction from our alien guests. I reach down and unhook the canine’s restraint. No one flinches and Lacey continues to sit for about another few seconds before lazily pacing around the front of the couch, sniffing at paws for some more time before retreating back beside my father’s feet.
“So… What’s the history between humans and dogs?” Pragh was the one that shot this question. One is no doubt born from the fact that we probably allowed a non-sapient predator into our home.
Well, if I was using their logic, of course: I wouldn’t be surprised if it came from ‘Wouldn’t predators eliminate the competition?’ if I had to guess.
“The history involving our canine companions is long and complex.” I reach behind my head to adust my blonde ponytail, tightening up the black band to keep my hair from falling in front of my face. “Most domesticated dogs you’ll see; German shepherds, border collies, Australian shepherds, golden retrievers, and on and on the list goes. I believe there are hundreds of breeds, but that is another tangent we can go on another date. What you’re more interested in is the history, as you have asked.”
I took a few steps around toward the front of the couch, using this new position to project my voice onto my alien audience. My parents had already heard this story a few times when they spoke with one of our dog breeders.
“It all started roughly speaking, thirty-thousand years ago.” I paused, totally for dramatic effect, but to also allow the Gojid to digest this fair-sized crumb of information. “Our competitor, an antagonizing species of persistent pack predators with a strong social bond, the wolf, would often invade human territories, and vice versa. You see, humans and wolves aren’t too dissimilar. We’re both highly social species, pursuit pack predators as I have heard, emotionally intelligent, highly adaptive, strong parental connections, and good communication skills. I can go into specific details another time, but those are some of the big traits we share. I’d say that the large preference for having a social structure coupled with good communication skills on both sides were the two assets that helped the most. Emotional intelligence and actual intelligence would probably be third and fourth. Dogs and wolves can be pretty smart.”
I take a moment again, allowing my audience to follow along with what I am saying, waiting to see if any of them have a question. “So due to these similarities, humans and these wolves cross species’ barriers?” The bipedal porcupine opined.
I nod to Barlim’s question. “Very close, but not quite.” I take a moment to swing a pointing finger down to Lacey. “I mean, as much as I love Lacey. I don’t see a dog diplomat coming through any time soon to argue for their sapience let alone an alliance.” I then straighten my posture back up, holding back a small laugh by letting a grin stretch across my lips. “It was more along the lines of wolves were desperate for food, and they’d feed off the scraps we humans left behind. This would go on for some time with the braver or more docile canines being allowed to slowly integrate with human society.”
“But they’re eating your scraps and food, but what do they do for you? Other than herd sheep? It just seems like your competition is swooping your food from under your nose, but… You’re not complaining at all.” Pragh was the one to ask that question.
Called it!
“These proto-dogs had many purposes! Just look at Lacey and you can probably see what she has that is superior to a human. Tell me what traits you can see.”
I give the four Gojid some time to look over the dog. They eventually look like they all have something to say, so I slide down the line of them; Pragh, Telg, Tack, and then finally Barlim.
“A better sense of smell to hunt for prey you can’t see?” Pragh opined.“Better hearing for locating threats?” Telg questioned.
“Sharp teeth and claws for fighting off other humans.” Tack would state rather confidently.
“To form an emotional connection with and to not feel lonely?” Barlim tilted her head to the side, giving the dog another look.
I let them stew over their answers for about thirty seconds to discuss amongst themselves. Needless to say, I was kind of shocked, but also not by Barlim’s answer. Maybe my time spent with her gave me some subconscious understanding of her mentality? The other Gojid all looked at her, so I assume her different answer probably made something click amongst all of them.
“Well, to answer your questions; yes, yes, yes, and yes. You’re all correct. Some may say that the first three are probably the priority.” This statement earns a chitter from the four Gojid occupying the couch. “But I like to have hope for that last one: When you’re by yourself. The world is a scary place after all. It’s best not to be alone. I believe you all have herds? Well, we humans have families, tribes, or nations, depending on how deep you wish to look into it, and yes, dogs can be a part of a human family. Family cares not from where the blood comes.”
“Quick question and not to side-track the conversation too far, but I was told by my date that humans dislike being called predators. Is that true here too, or was that a dialect or cultural thing?” Telg was the one throwing this question.
“It is that way here too. When humans refer to other humans as predators, it is because that other human is a gross pervert that does horrific, deviant, and sexual things toward other people, animals, or in this case now that aliens exist, aliens, so I would refrain from calling humans predators unless you personally know the individual and they are ok with it. That being said, humans define predator as more of a relationship adjective when between animals. A deer is a predator to plants as a wolf is a predator to a deer. It is the relationship of consumption rather than dietary traits.” I finish off my statement with a nod.
“Well… If you don’t mind me referring you to as a predator for one statement…” Telg droned on.
I take a brief glance over toward my parents. My dad gives me a nonchalant shrug. My gaze returns back to Telg. “Go ahead and shoot your question or statement at me.”
The four Gojid look stunned for a moment, off-put by something I said-
Oh, don’t tell me ‘shoot’ was predatory… Probably was.
“Just… throw out your question.”
“It was more of a statement, actually, but anyways. Family cares not from where the blood comes, has to be one of the most herd-like statement I have heard from a predator.”
Did he really just say that?
He really did, but I can’t fault him. From his point of view, he’s been spun so many times that up is down, and left is right.
I shake my head, lowering it. A small chuckle slipping from between my lips. I could even hear my mother and father laughing behind me a few seconds later.
“Was what I said really that funny?”
“No, just the logic behind it is kinda funny. Like I said, humans don’t normally refer to ourselves as predators, and this whole alien thing is kind of new to me.” My words carried upon by a light tone earns some laughs as well from our Gojid guests.
I clap my hands together, signaling the end of our little tangent. “Now, if I may resume my, if I do say so myself, informative explanation… The proto-dogs seamlessly integrated into our small tribes at the time; they could track threats and prey miles before we were even aware of them, they could hear the smallest sounds and alert us of their dangers. Moreover, their sharp teeth and claws served as deterrents against other threats such as large carnivores, food-stealing rodents, or hostile human forces. Additionally, their companionship provided solace to lonely humans. As you can see,” I pointed back to Lacey, who was having her back rubbed by my father’s sock-covered foot, “Lacey seems to be enjoying herself quite nicely, but so is my father. In short, interacting with dogs triggers the release of feel-good chemicals in both human and canine brains. Activities such as petting, snuggling, and playing contribute to this positive bond."
Again, I pause, giving everyone some time to follow along. “Thus, they’d impact our evolution and vice versa: Humans that had dogs in their tribes were more successful than tribes without dogs. Humans that bonded more effectively with their canine companions would get even farther. As millennia went by, humans would get better at reading dog expressions, and dogs would get better at reading human expressions.”
I reached into my pocket and pulled out my phone. I typed into it for a bit until an old photo of a wolf showed up. I turned my phone’s screen toward the four Gojid. “Here you can see a wolf. They aren’t extinct due to some wildlife restoration efforts, but we had a few close calls. Wolves are extinct in the UK and Ireland as of now, but not in North America, Europe, or Asia. What you see before you are what thirty-thousand years of evolution has done to us.”
Based on the look that the Gojid were giving me. I would guess it was along the lines of wow.
“Now, before you start asking more questions. I should let you know that humanity has not only domesticated one carnivorous species, but a few others as well; some birds of prey like falcons, felines, and mustelidae such as ferrets. Meanwhile, on the herbivorous side, we have horses, elephants, rabbits, and so on. Yeah, it’s quite a long list. Means more animals for us to pet and touch. Humans can bond with just about anything, even non-living things, but that’s a story for another time.”.
I perform a small stretch, feeling my back pop. A small break in the monotony of speaking for so long.
“Now, to go back to the human-dog bond. I should remind myself to tell you the story of Gelert. It’s quite a sad story, but bear with me for just a moment.”
I clear my throat, getting ready to speak out an old Welsh folklore myth.
“A long time ago, a prince of North Wales by the name of Llywelyn went out hunting without his trusty dog, Gelert. He’d return home later that day to see Gelert, covered in blood, jovially returning to him. This freaked out the prince, who rushed to his son’s crib, finding it knocked over and messy with blood. He feared that the dog had killed his son and immediately plunged his sword into the dog’s side.” The four Gojid wince at the description, having just been told of the forged bond I have described moments ago. “The dog’s pained cry heralds the cry of the prince’s infant son, who lay on the other side, protected from a slain wolf. Gelert had valiant fought to protect Llywelyn’s son from the wolf, and in so was rewarded with a blade through its heart! A tragic tale to discourage impulsive thoughts and rash rushes to judgment. It was said that the prince buried Gelert and never smiled again.”
I never considered myself a great storyteller, but somehow I managed to get the four Gojid all teary-eyed. Barlim was rubbing at her eyes once again, and so was Tack too.
“H-how could he have done that to the dog..?” Barlim’s meek voice trailed off.
“Well, as said, Llywelyn thought Gelert killed his son. It was a rash decision. This moral folklore is supposed to warn against such tragedies, speaking of which, isn’t there an extermination fleet heading this way?”
While I may have been speaking for so long, having taken all our attention away from the potential destruction of Earth, or the general mopey attitude that came from meeting Tova. It probably was wise to bring up the fact that armageddon was on its way to Earth.
The four Gojid just sort of looked down sheepishly at the ground or flicked their ears in a way that probably meant the same thing. I didn’t really mean to put them on the spot like that, considering it was some of their former allies committing this attack, but I guess that’s just how the cookie crumbles sometimes.
“I think I can speak for all of us here that we don’t-” Telg was interrupted by my father.
“We don’t blame you, or at least I can attest to myself, my son, and my wife over here. One day, assuming we survive this looming catastrophe. There will be regret, followed by hope, and then love and compassion once again. Though, I don’t think that’s what my son was hinting toward, more over the fact that your allies are about to make a rash decision they don’t understand. Probably one you would have made years ago, but that doesn’t really matter here, or there. We live in the now, and I think it’s time we started stocking up on some goods for our cellar. Well, we got goods actually, and a couple of guns too, but nothing fancy like the Americans and all their machine guns. A .30-30 lever action, an old .44 revolver, a twelve gauge shotgun, and a .22 hunting rifle. Nothing fancy,” he shrugs and grunts. “I’m more worried about my sheep. The best we can do is pray they don’t shoot the barn.”
There’s a brief silence as the seven of us come down from the long monologue that was dispersed between moments of questionnaires. I rub one of my eyes, stretching my jaw open wide in a hand-covered yawn.
How long have by been talking?
“Sprak! I gotta go or I am going to miss my flight!” Telg clamors, quickly hopping off the couch. He quickly taps at his phone with his claws, making his way toward the front door. “See you guys later, and thanks for letting us stay! Yes, I know how to call a taxi!” He opens the door and bolts outside. At least had the manners to close it back without slamming it.
This left us with three Gojid!
“Well,” my mother stood up from her chair. “I’m certain you’re all hungry after such a long adventure, and Telg is probably too, but he’s gone already. Let me see if I can make you all something to eat…” She hesitates for a second before continuing. “Nothing with meat or animal products in it. Just vegetables and fruit,” she iterates before walking off to the kitchen, leaving my father and I with the three Gojid.
You know, that leaves one important question that’s been on my mind. One that I had asked Barlim, but have been quickly distracted by her onslaught of sudden tears due to my forgetful nature. “A quick question if I may have your attention.”
The three Gojid turned their attention toward me, looking at me as they awaited my question
“How the hell did you all get here?”
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I know this is a very expensive game, so my hopes are already lost, but still I keep posting here don't know why haha Since I am unemployed, and maybe finding a way to get money could take longer than I hoped. I am also hyped to play it because of Diablo IV, but since I have a laptop and it is not strong, Diablo 3 will be the better choice, I already played the free version, so yes, I am more and more hyped to put my hands on the full game.
Hi guys, hope you are doing well, I am here today asking for this game, not the new one, because my laptop is not that good to run Diablo IV, but watching gameplays and videos talking about it, I got in love with the history of Diablo III, the graphic is spetacular, the fights are good, but its history seems like something that really would make me fall in love even more playing myself.
I am kind of a fan of Blizzard games, although I got to play really little of it, because of money reasons, not a fan of how the company is right now, but that's another thing haha. Well, I have played warcraft 3 before, Wow when a cousin lended me his account and also starcraft, but what always got my curiosity was Diablo, so I hope I can get my hands on it so, if not, maybe someday haha.
I am asking kindly for the game to be donated because I am an university student who has no job for now, so no way of me getting this game paying for it myself unfortunatelly, it would make me really happy to play it while I try not to think about Compute Science craziness and the future itself, so I hope someone could help me.
Edit:
The game can be cheaper if you're willing to pay it on the coin of my country, Brazilian Real price is R$69.90 which in US Dollar is something like $13,60. You could transfer to me and I can prove I bought the game.
Trying again is my only chance since in Brazil it is too expensive for a broke university student lol
This is the page of the game on Battlenet store
https://us.shop.battle.net/pt-bproduct/diablo-iii?p=38789&\_gl=1\*wdv8ad\*\_ga\*MTMwODA0MDU2NC4xNjc5NzQwMDEw\*\_ga\_VYKNV7C0S3\*MTY3OTc3NDc0Mi4zLjAuMTY3OTc3NDc0Mi42MC4wLjA.
This is my Steam id
https://steamcommunity.com/id/nand4a

I lost my dad to cancer on May 26th. One of my best friends wasn't really there for me. The day of his death, I made a post a out him on Facebook in the morning, she commented on it right away saying "sorry for your loss, I'm here of you need anything" then later in the evening she sends me a message on Facebook saying
Her - Hey girl, I'm really sorry to hear about your dad. I'm here if you need anything 🥰
Me - Thanks
Her - 🥰❤ love you hope you're doing OK
And then she didn't message me at all for a week until this pass Friday when I posted a instagram store about my dad. I told her how I felt upset that she wasn't there for me all week, never asked me how I was doing, just saying I hope your ok. She just keep going on saying I didn't want to bother you, everyone deals with loss differently. Then she said she was sick all week and wasn't on her phone much and sleeping alot, it takes less then a minute to send hey how are you doing?. ( I also want to add I've been there for her so many time during the bad and good, she's never there for me like I'm there for her.) Then I told her you weren't sick the day my dad died because she posted a instagram storie that she was out getting drinks with a friend. Then she send me this
"The friend I was out for a drink with Friday just lost her dad 2 months ago, she had to put her cat down Thursday because he had cancer and she is getting a divorce now because her husband cheated. She's going through alot aa well and I was trying to be there for her as well. I wanted to be there for you. I'm sorry if you thought I wasn't and if you're mad at me. But I do care and I still care and I still want to be there for you."
Like she trying to make me feel like the bad person here, I never asked her to come see me on Friday ( we live in different cities) or cancel her plans so i dunno why she would send that. I'm at the point that I just want to cut her out of my life.

So, I decided to watch all of the Jaws movies since they are currently on Amazon Prime where I am (UK). I have seen the original multiple times and consider it one of the best movies from the 70s. I had seen Jaws 2 before and remember thinking it was ok. I hadn't seen 3 of 4 before, so they were new for me. Here are my opinions.

• Jaws

Great movie. Solid cast, great story, less-is-more approach to the shark being on screen (thanks to production problems), amazing and memorable score. All in all a superb movie with tonnes of rewatch value. I can't really say a whole lot about this movie that's not been said before. I've read the book and I enjoy the changes the movie made (removed Hooper's affair with Brody's wife & didn't kill Hooper at the end).

• Jaws 2

Whilst it's not Jaws, it is a solid sequel. The storyline is fine. New shark, same old Amity Island. Same mayor ignoring the same warnings. Same kid going sailing after Brody tells him not to. This time the idea of the teens being stuck adrift in their locked together boats is interesting. The shark taking down the helicopter scene is one I remember from when I watched this film as a kid. All in all it's not brilliant but it's a perfectly serviceable Jaws sequel.

• Jaws 3 (Jaws 3D in theatrical release)

Boy, this is a crap movie. Even Dennis Quaid, Louis Gossett Jr. and P. H. Moriarty (Hatchet Harry in Lock, Stock & 2 Smoking Barrels) can't rescue it. I know it's mid 80s but even that can't excuse some of the "special" effects. Having a frozen shot of the shark being slowly moved closer to the camera wouldn't be acceptable for me shooting a movie on my phone, let alone a multi million dollar cinematic release. The movie felt like it was sponsored heavily by Seaworld (it was shot there) and Coca Cola (so many Coke shots). The 3D effects weren't in the 2D version I saw, but you could see what they were and how bad they were. 80s 3D was mostly pretty bad but this seems especially so. Annoyingly, they set up some interesting scenes with no pay off. Like the shark stalking a water-ski display team, only for all of the skiers to survive and the shark going off to stalk people in bumper boats... only for them all to survive too. There are also parts that make zero bloody sense, like the shark swimming backwards (they literally can't) with enough force to use it's tail as a battering ram to bend metal and break oven an underwater gate. And the ending! With multiple people having been eaten by the shark in front of them 2 minutes ago, Dennis Quaid and his love interest celebrate the fact that the dolphins have survived.

• Jaws: The Revenge

As much as I disliked Jaws 3 (I never plan on watching it again), Jaws: The Revenge makes Jaws 3 look like Citizen Kane. It's awful. Even the usually enjoyable Michael Caine can't rescue it. It starts with Sean Brody (youngest child of the Chief and wife Ellen) being eaten by a shark. Coincidentally, this is the 4th movie that the character of Sean Brody has appeared in, and it's the 4th different actor to play him. Anyway, he dies and mum Ellen is distraught, convinced that the shark has a vendetta against their family. Eldest son Michael (4th movie starting Michael, 4th different actor) invites mum to move in with him and his family in The Bahamas because "sharks don't live in warm water". This is bollocks, but let's ignore that. Anyway, the shark somehow follows them to The Bahamas where it proceeds to attack the family. Michael Caine somehow lands a non-sea plane on the ocean perfectly. It ends up eating Michael's friend and colleague before Ellen rams the shark with the boat which somehow leads to the shark exploding. Then the guy the shark ate actually survived being eaten, having no beathing apparatus and being inside the shark as it exploded. It is complete bollocks. Also, it was so clearly shot in a water tank on a studio back lot. Your can literally see the water ending in the near distance, and the "sky" being a painted non-moving wall. If I never wanted to see Jaws 3 again, this movie I want to actively remove from my memory.

I've been on 30mg mirtazapine for the last month and a half. I've felt better than I have in years, despite the increased appetite/weight gain it has been like a miracle drug for managing my depression. Cut to last week when my doctor prescribed a contraceptive mini-pill (to make a long story short, to help regulate my cycle). Within 4 days of starting the mini-pill, the depression is back in full swing and its like I never started Mirtazapine. I feel absolutely awful. I stopped the pill after 5 days and really hoping the mirtazapine starts working again. Anyone have a similar experience?

So I feel so utterly mongy and shit I can’t even process what to write. I want to quit but I’ll be honest and tell you exactly what this shit does to my head. I basically feel if I can’t use THC I should just end myself because of how I feel when sober, because of weed. I was so happy and clear and energised before I started weed, now my hands are 24/7 soaked my heart thumping 24/7, shaking, depressed, depersonalised, everything I can’t even explain, I sit here right now so exhausted and can’t even process anything.
Ok I like how it puts me to sleep but I feel like I have a alcohol hangover every day, because I’m not getting REM. I don’t even get “high” anymore I smoke and feel normal.
I never ever got the same high as my first time, never, no matter how strong the shit is or whatever I never ever got the first time high again, has anyone else experienced this?
I want to quit but I just seriously can’t explain what is holding me back… I know it’s causing me anxiety and I feel utterly braindead, I can’t even calculate money lately (plus I don’t have any because I spend it all on this shit)
I’m basically just saying I hate weed and I want to quit and to every single one of you who has, you all are seriously good strong people.
Can I ask please what were all of your most biggest reasons to give it up?

OK, so I'm currently using a Boeing 747 MacBook Pro Mid 2015. It's been loyal. Served me well, but it's got an issue of overheating, slow performance and overall, I just need an upgrade.
The highest OS I can get on this is Ventura, and with the latest features soon coming to Swift/SwiftUI I really look forward to it. So, I'm in the market for an upgrade, I'm looking to go for a preowned/refurbished MacBook. Most likely to purchase from Apple due to convenience.
I'm wondering, which MacBook would be bang for my buck? I've got a budget of £2,500.
I'm leaning towards Apples M Chip range and want a 16inch MacBook, so I'm asking the question, which is better value, the 2021 16inch MBP or 2023 16inch MBP?
I will of course use it for app development, video editing (marketing) and with what Apple may release in the future maybe even more!
I've avoiding the 2017-2020 Macbooks because butterfly keys had an issue from what I heard, don't really fancy the touchbar - could imagine it would annoy me if anything and don't really want an Intel processor.
But, I'm curious to hear your guys thoughts/input. Any help would be appreciated!

Ok, so today I wrote out an entire episode for Helluva Boss from my head in about 2 hours.
It is called Shootout Down Under and It’s about I.M.P have a client who lives in Australia so I.M.P have to travel to Australia to kill the devilishly handsome Rango but Millie starts to attract feelings for him since he’s so devilishly handsome.
Let me know if I should share it to everyone and maybe someone could get into contact with Vivziepop for me

Ok so here's a common pattern I've been noticing in people who either have a ADHD diagnostic or strongly relate with the condition:
A lifetime of frustration, where they were consistently made to feel they were less than adequate, which eventually made them turn against themselves, which in turn sets the stage for ADHD symptoms to actually worsen in a sort of self-fufilling prophecy.

• What if that pent up frustration is actually the bug, whereas ADHD is merely a feature?
• What if a big part of the solution is to accept your idiossyncracies, rather than joining the world in berating yourself for not being "normal" or "functional" enough?
• What if you're executive dysfunction is just your soul screaming out a big NOPE at your current life, and urging you to somehow change course in a more meaningful direction?
• What if you don't actually need to "fix" your ADHD but rather learn to embrace it and change your life accordingly, in a way that allows you to work with your nature rather than against it?

This is what I've been wondering about, myself. I don't have a diagnostic yet and I honestly don't want it, at this point (age 42). I've reached out to some specialists and it was highly frustrating because, at this point, I have more than a cursory understanding of these topics, backed with decades of empiric, subjective knowledge of actually seeing the world through this lens.
Also Because I'm more interested in learning to work with my (presumable) AuDHD rather than looking to "fix it" for the sake of blending into a society that, let's face it, is itself not nearly as, hum, executively functional as it is typically advertised.
So yeah, that's my opinion. And of one thing I'm pretty sure at this point: the people who seem to better manage their ADHD are the same people who learn to fully embrace it rather than try to fix it. Maybe what needs to be "fixed" is the frustration from having been born into a world that always has defied our particular mindsets.

Hi all, to start, my golden retriever is currently 3/4 through with his teething. Most of his adult teeth has already came in. He has had a nipping/biting problem since he was 9 weeks old, which i have been trying to train him out of since the very start. Nothing has ever worked. He will show improvements, then suddenly regress. Its not even a matter of accidental nips during play, but all out attacks on me, ignoring any kind of redirection unless put into timeout. Here is what i do for the common reasons that puppies go into full biting mode.
Not enough rest/enforced nap: everytime before i bring him out of his play pen, i always ensure he has at least 2 hours of rest/naps. His rest may sometimes be interuppted as it can get quite noisy in my house hold
Being out too long/Overtiredness: i usually bring him out for 1h to 2hr at a time. However, his biting can be completely random, even 5 mins after he is let out
Overstimulation: the common reason for overstimulate in the household is when he is playing tug. After a short while, he will completely ignore the tug rope and only go for my hands(basically his crazy biting mode) or he likes to bite near where my hand is holding(I use a long tug rope) and always nips my hand. This is why i do not play tug with him unless i am behind a babygate or on a high area like the bed. Even when i use a flirt pole to play with him, i have to be hiding behind a babygate as he may just suddenly go crazy biting mode on me.
Other than the above reasons, here are the other things that may trigger his crazy biting mode

• moving things out of his reach when he is trying to counter surf
  
• trying to carry him( which i avoid unless i really need to as he obviously does not like it)
  
• frustration when he can't get kibble out of his kong wobbler or puzzle toy( this is rare but has happened before)
  
• playing with his toys. If he brings the toy to me, it is a 90% gurantee hes gonna go into crazy biting mode
  
• complete randomness. I can be sitting on a chair with him nearby( i dont let him go around unsurpervised) and he may start biting me. I can be walking together with him to another room and he will start biting me. I can literally be minding my own business and he will decide its time to bite me.
  

I would like to add that very frequently his biting starts off as small, not painful nips. However, no matter what i do, his nips will always escalate into full biting mode.
Redirection? He will bite on the toy for 5-10 seconds, and go back to biting me, but this time he is even more riled up.
Walking away? He will continue jumping up and trying to nib my hands and legs until i go behind a babygate.
Ignoring him while he nips? He will slowly get rougher and rougher, but i rarely ignore it as i do not want him to think its ok to nip hands.
I am basically at my wits end here. I have watched tons of videos on stopping puppy biting, but nothing has ever worked out. I learned about 1/2 month ago that no matter what i do, consistency is key. Thus now I always just go behind a babygate in another room. If he follows me in, he will be put into timeout. If he stays outside(which he does as he knows he will go into timeout), i will close the door and ignore him for 30-60seconds, depending on how fast he finds trouble elsewhere. I would say there has been some improvements, in terms of his bite inhibition when he is tired and at night during. But other than that its pretty much as i stated in this post.
I am getting increasingly worried as his teething is coming to an end, and i do not see an end of his crazy biting anytime soon. This is definitely not a habit that i want him carrying into his teenage and adult years. Any tips or view on how i can do better is appreciated and deeply valued!

Kind of a mid movie for me. I'll start with what I thought were its strengths, though:

• Movie's pacing was super tight. Not a lot of filler, and everything shown was being used to drive the plot forward.
• If you look at it as simply an Indie Ocean's 11-type heist movie with less character development and an eco-terrorism flavour, then it's alright.
• The Indigenous character, Michael, almost certainly had autism and was by far the most interesting character.
• None of the dialogue was as cringe as I expected it to be.
• They actually blow up the pipeline.
• The only competent ones were the dudes who lived super rurally and knew how to hold their shit down, while the city kids were all pretty useless. Big fan of that.
• Need more movies that advocate for direct action so it's a good start.

​
Here's what I thought were its weaknesses, though:

• None of the characters had enough development or unique qualities to make me really give a shit about them. I understand the tight and crisp narrative thing they were going for, but there still could've been a lot more room to flesh out these characters. A lot of them were just personifications of regular movie tropes with nothing else interesting about them.
• Their motivations for blowing up the pipeline weren't all that compelling. I'm paraphrasing, but two of the characters (who are friends) essentially look at one another and go "You have cancer and I'm an orphan bc of pollution. Let's blow up a pipeline." Idk, that seems like a very intro-level understanding of the motivations behind why people do stuff like this. It just seemed very juvenile to have the primary motivation be "Climate change and pollution has materially affected me and I must enact justice on my own behalf." You rarely see people in Western movies commit acts like these purely out of moral resolve and a strong relationship with their ideology and principles.
• The twist of the movie: The fact that two of the characters were fed informants but it turns out that the main characters actually already know that and are using that to let the others get off free, while they intend to get caught so they can platform their anti-oil message in court. That would be fine, sure. But the entire twist relies on the audience thinking that, for most of the movie, some of the main characters are literally retarded for letting these fed informants into their group when they were so obviously fed informants. They literally meet in a library where one MC is reading a book about eco-terrorism or whatever, and the fed informant starts a convo, and the MC essentially goes: "I'm working on a project. I'm putting together a crew...." and suddenly the fed informant is part of the group ?????
• the MC thinking that she will somehow get off free in court which will strengthen the resolve of others, who now see that you can just commit acts of terror and not go to prison? That this will spark some kind of movement? Obviously the feds know that and will absolutely not let her go, regardless of whether or not pollution in her hometown killed her family. That main plot point at the end bothered me because it just makes no sense whatsoever.

​
It was overall an ok movie. Weird characters, tight pacing, somewhat juvenile and surface-level understanding of anti-climate change ideology. It's hard for me to take a movie seriously when the main characters are mostly arts majors living in a city with no expertise whatsoever, who rely completely on an autistic dude from North Dakota. I feel like the only way something like this happens is the same way al-Qaeda was able to accomplish anything: with high-ranking members who, although religious fanatics, are very highly educated and in possession of technical expertise (degrees in engineering, chemistry, biology, medicine, computer science) that allows them to succeed in committing acts of terror. Anyways, I'd still recommend it. It's a good, but not great movie.