Dominican salons near me

As readers of these chronicles have no doubt realized, I have a lot of experiences. And while I try to relate as many as possible to you there are inevitably some I leave out for the sake of maintaining a good story flow, or because they aren’t relevant. But there are also some that are just too… crazy to easily explain.
Shortly after my stay on the undying world I found myself in a new kind of rest stop, though it barely resembled the cheap motels I was used to. Instead I appeared standing on a small platform, a good ten feet above what looked like some kind of arena. Infront of me was a podium with a number of displays that were currently blank.
“And here’s our challenger!” a loud voice called out before I could get my bearings. Looking up I saw the arena was surrounded by stands, mostly empty ones I should note. A man in a sharp suit stood in the middle of the arena with a bright spotlight on him, gesturing to me as he continued to speak to the crowd.
“It seems we have something of a grudge match for you today!” the announcer continued, speaking into a mic, “two world walkers from different species! To my left, on the red side, we have one of the esteemed Children of the Composers, calling himself, THE CONDUCTOR!”
As the crowd cheered I slowly looked at where a new spotlight glowed upon a red platform much like my own. Atop it stood a single figure, waving to the crowd, was my enemy the Conductor.
“And to my right, in the blue, we have a scientist from Earth, this is his first time in one of these contests so give a big welcome to THE TRAVELER!”
I was nearly blinded as I suddenly had a spotlight of my own. Shielding my eyes I squinted up at the light cheering I was, apparently, receiving.
“Since this is the first time for one of our competitors, and for anyone new to these proceedings, allow me to quickly go over the rules!” the announcer continued as the applause tapered off, “Each of these World Walkers has a grievance with the other, as such before we start each will make a demand which, should they win, will be enforced upon the looser. Once the stakes are set we proceed to the main game! Selected in advance for this match is Phantom Summoning Battle Royal! Each of the two World Walkers will be allowed to summon the phantom of someone they know, these phantoms will have all the abilities and skills of their real counterpart but will not be truly intelligent. In addition each phantom will consume a certain amount of energy capacity from their summoner, each competitor will start with a limited amount of energy with which to summon. But, with each new round their maximum energy will increase allowing them to summon more powerful phantoms. In addition, if one of your phantoms kills the phantom of your opponent you will steal half the energy value of that phantom from your opponent for your own use!
“After each round of summoning the phantoms will fight for ten minutes!” the announcer continued, “should one side’s phantoms be wiped out entirely all surviving phantoms will be allowed a single attack against the opposing World Walker. This continues until one of the competitors is unable to fight. Don’t worry though, in accordance with the Orange Entity Agreement no competitors can truly die in this fight, should an attack from an opposing phantom kill them they will be revived instantly. This will, however, cause them to lose!
“Now! On to the demands!” the announcer gestured towards the Conductor and, to my amazement, slid first across the ground then through the air till he was standing next to my nemesis, “Should you win, what is it you request?”
“My opponent was once a good friend of mine,” the Conductor started, “ever since he got his new memory module he’s been turned against me by some unknown force. Should I win I request his memory module be removed so that we might once again become friends!”
“How touching,” the announcer said, then, with a gesture, slid through the air till he was next to me, “and what about you, Traveler, what do you request upon winning?”
“I,” I admit I was still somewhat in shock at this but doing my best to recover I responded, “I would like if the Conductor would leave me the hell alone.”
“Fascinating!” the announcer said, sliding back through the air until he was hovering over the center of the arena, “with those demands, I’ll pass to our current Commentators. The Storyteller and the Battlemaster!”
“Thanks Announcer,” a familiar voice echoed through the arena, one I recognized as the Storyteller who’d I’d encountered last time I fought against the Conductor, “Two very different demands, wouldn’t you say Battlemaster?”
“Indeed,” a deeper voice I didn’t recognize replied, “very different.”
“On one hand the Conductor’s request appears to be couched in the idea of friendship, which we all know is one of the most powerful forces in any plotline,” the storyteller continued, “On the other hand having your mind wiped is a very serious consequence, akin to death, whereas the Traveler has requested something much less damaging to an ongoing story.”
As they spoke the displays in front of me lit up, showing a gauge with what I guessed was my ‘energy limit’ as the announcer explained. Another display simply had a handprint, so I carefully placed my hand there and… nothing happened. Was this how I was supposed to confirm my summons or something? For all the talking that had happened I didn’t really been told much. But that aside who would I summon? My first thought was the Saint of Battle, she was armed, skilled in combat and someone I considered a friend.
As soon as I thought that her image appeared on another part of the display along with a gauge that showed eleven bars. I quickly figured out that was how much energy she required to be summoned, and based on the other display I only had two blocks of energy to use. Perhaps unsurprising that she required more than the energy I started with.
“And it seems we have our first summon from the Conductor!” the storyteller announced, causing me to look up. Across the arena from me another person faded into existence, shrouded in a red haze, presumably to indicate which side he was on. This person was clearly the same race as the Conductor but wore something not to dissimilar from a martial arts Gi one might find on Earth. And, interestingly, hovering above the persons head was a name ‘First Student of a Martial King.’
“The summon appears to be some kind of Martial Arts student, judging by the name and outfit,” the Storyteller echoed my thoughts, “an interesting but safe choice for a first summon, well rounded abilities and some combat experience, easily able to fit with the minimal energy available this early in the game.”
I searched my memory for someone who knew how to fight but wouldn’t cost much. Unfortunately most of the people I’ve met weren’t fighters, they were researchers, scholars… mages.
I quickly pictured Alexandrite in my mind, the mage friend to the hero Aaron from one of my past worlds. Obviously Aaron, able to break free of any constraints, would be far too expensive but maybe his friend was weaker. And, thankfully, she only cost one bar of my available two. With another thought I confirmed the summon and saw half of my short energy bar drain and the woman I’d met once months ago faded into existence, surrounded in a blue haze. Interestingly above her was another title, this one reading ‘Only Friend of a Fallen Hero.’ And I wondered who was coming up with these names.
“Looks like the Traveler has made his first summon as well,” the Storyteller continued, “a woman in a scholars robe, perhaps some flavor of magic user? It’ll be an uphill battle for a mage against a fighter, don’t you agree Battlemaster?”
“Yes,” the deeper voice replied, “uphill.”
“But by summoning a woman he causes the viewer to instinctively be drawn to his side to her over a man,” replied the Storyteller, “a very shrewd tactic.”
“First round,” the Announcer interrupted, floating over the center of the arena, one hand held above him which he brought down in a sudden motion, “fight!”
Immediately the First Student the Conductor had summoned dashed forward, towards the phantom of Alexandrite. She looked… startled? She only started to react as the martial artist made it halfway across the arena, waving a hand in front of her, drawing out a large rune in the air. She barely finished before the other phantom reached her, activating the rune and sending forth a beam of energy, which the Conductor’s summon easily dodged and slammed his fist into her stomach. A few more blows and she fell to the ground, unmoving.
“And we have a winner!” the Announcer said. Suddenly I found myself standing in the center of the Arena, barely able to take in what had happened when the Conductor’s summon appeared and threw a punch at me. I flinched back but my shield easily took the hit and, an instant later, I was once more on my platform.
“As expected, a mage is a poor matchup against a fighter,” the Storyteller prattled above me, “but no one likes seeing a woman brutalized, which quickly grants the Traveler the moral high ground, if not the practical one.”
Almost instantly the Conductor summoned another phantom, this one looking very similar to the first with the title ‘Second Student of a Martial King.’ Was he planning to summon an entire school of martial artists? It seemed odd to me but clearly he knew what he was doing so I couldn’t underestimate him.
I couldn’t risk another magic user, I decided, I needed a good frontline first. Feeling more relaxed, now that I at least felt I understood the rules, I once again scanned my memory and landed upon the adventuring party I’d met in the world of The First Man. Mart, the essence user, was my first thought, but I quickly dismissed the idea, he was another mage type. No, I needed the leader of that group, what was his name… Riginald!
His face appeared on the screen and, thankfully, he cost only three bars of energy, one less than the four I found myself with. It seemed that while killing a summon allows you to steal half the energy they’re worth, it’s rounded down so the one bar Alexandrite cost was fully refunded. If my guess was correct Riginald would give the Conductor one bar should he fall. Not wanted to test if there was a time limit to how long I had to summon, I confirmed I wanted Riginald and he soon faded into existence before me, his title was, oddly, ‘Heir to a Shattered Land.’
“And fight!” declared the Announcer, signaling the start of the second round. Immediately Riginald snapped into action, showing much greater battle sense than Alexandrite, drawing a flintlock pistol from his belt, aiming and firing off a shot at the nearest of the two martial artists who both ducked sideways just as he fired.
But something odd was going on with them, the first student had previously taken a decent few seconds to cross the arena but now seemed to be moving much faster, keeping pace with the newest summon. Before Riginald could draw his second flintlock they were upon him, forcing him to drop the expended weapon and use his saber. At first I thought he’d missed entirely, not unsurprising given the nature of the weapon, but as the melee began I noticed some blood on the first student’s arm, possibly just a grazing hit but still some damage.
Riginald was handling himself better in combat against the two alien brawlers, but it was quickly apparent his combat skill wasn’t on par with theirs. Only his breastplate and the extra reach his saber gave him allowed him to fight them. Unfortunately it didn’t last, the second student managed to grab Riginald’s sword arm following an attack, which gave the first student an opening to kick Riginald’s legs out from under him. A few well placed blows on the fallen warrior and the round ended. Once more I found myself on the arena floor, this time both of the students threw attacks and while neither made it through my barrier, I noticed that the first student’s attack got further than it had before.
“And that puts the Conductor up with two summons and two wins,” the Storyteller said over the loudspeaker as I reappeared on my platform, “It will be hard for him to recover from this position. On the other hand readers love an underdog so falling behind like this does leave him with a narrative advantage. The Conductor’s strategy seems to rely heavily on the power of friendship, as his choice of summons seems to reinforce, but I’d say the Traveler’s choice of lower stakes and underdog storyline is superior.”
As the annoying Storyteller spoke the Conductor made his next summon, not even hesitating as the displays unlocked and updated with two more bars of energy. I could see his smug grin across the arena as the Third Student of a Martial King faded into existence.
I quickly ignored him, leaning against my own lectern and raking my brain for a solution. I still didn’t have enough energy to summon the Saint of Battle, who was one of the strongest warriors I knew. But even I didn’t know if she would be able to go against three enemies alone. Other fighters I’d met popped into my mind, Aaron, the broken hero, required nine bars of energy. The First Man required twenty-three, surprisingly. On a whim I pictured Purses, who likely had the most destructive power of anyone I’d ever met, even if he was technically a machine, and wasn’t surprised by his two hundred some odd energy cost.
What I needed now, I realized, wasn’t a fighter, I needed someone who could simply hold the summons of the Conductor. I knew some very powerful people, but their energy costs were more than I could manage. If I could just delay until I could afford them I might be able to turn this around. I thought about passing the round, but I wouldn’t be any better off next round and I was worried about how the first student had been faster and stronger in the second round. No I needed a defensive option, somehow who could take or avoid hits.
Someone who couldn’t die.
I grinned as a face appeared on the display, requiring only one bar of energy to my surprise, and confirmed the summon just before the countdown ended.
A simple man in jeans and a tee-shirt faded into existence, an empty smile on his face. Hovering above his head was the title ‘Hopeless Guide to an Eternal World.’
“Third round, fight!” the Announcer declared, and the three students on the Conductor’s side leapt into action. As I’d feared they were faster than previous, it seemed that for every student they grew stronger. I wondered if they were somehow making use of the Harmony for the self-buffing ability, it seemed like something that would be in its wheelhouse.
Quickly the three martial artists surrounded the guide, who had barely taken a few slow steps forward, and began laying into him. In seconds they had him on the ground and landed several blows, causing him to stop moving. For a moment I was concerned, as the three alien summons seemed to prepare to strike me, was the phantom not immortal like the man it was based on? But after a few seconds it became clear the round hadn’t ended, the three enemy summons exchanging confused looks when, behind them, the guide slowly pushed himself to his feet.
Seemingly angered by his refusal to die they quickly began to beat on him once more, landing punches with such coordination it could only be the work of the Harmony. One would stand in front of the guide while another stood behind him, and they would both land powerful punches to his chest, right where his heart was, that I was certain would kill a normal man. And while the Guide collapsed he didn’t stay down, starting to stand only to be kicked back down. For ten minutes they beat on him, but by the end the round was called without a winner.
“What a turnaround!” the Storyteller said excitedly, “it would seem the defensive abilities of the Traveler’s phantom are rather extreme, able to take that kind of beating. But the real question is what does this mean narratively? No one likes watching one man getting beaten up, perhaps this is another ploy to increase his underdog status while remaining defensive? In any case this is an interesting development, wouldn’t you agree Battlemaster?”
“Yes,” said the deeper voice, “interesting.”
I was just glad the plan had worked, I wasn’t sure if the rules of this strange game would preserve his unchanging status since that was based on his world’s oddities. Thankfully it had, the only issue I could see now was if the Conductor had some way to defeat this specific ability. I felt somewhat heartened as the Conductor took a moment to glare at his displays before summoning the fourth student. I now had six bars of energy free, which still wasn’t enough for any of the strong warriors I knew so I decided to hold off, passing the turn and relying on the guide’s durability.
It was clear now, if it hadn’t been before, that for each student summoned they all got stronger, something the Storyteller commented on, putting it up to the ‘power of friendship’ but I mostly ignored him. Watching and wincing as the four martial artists beat the daylights out of my phantom, hoping that these phantoms weren’t real beings. Ten minutes later the round ended in another draw.
The next two rounds passed much the same, there were now six students of the martial king against the guide, I held off summoning anyone new to save energy. At two energy gained per round I’d have ten free, one short of the Saint of Battle, but enough to summon Aaron. As I pondered if I should risk it or wait for more energy the Conductor shouted.
“Bullshit!” the alien shouted, “I demand a review of that phantom!”
“On what grounds?” the Announcer asked, sliding through the air to stand next to the Conductor.
“No mere human can take that kind of beating without dying!” the Conductor insisted, “much less without any kind of injury at all!”
“Very well, I shall send this to the judges for review,” the Announcer said, and before anything else could happen everything seemed to freeze in place. Some… presence had filled the room so totally that nothing could move, even my eyes were frozen in place, I couldn’t even feel my heart beating. It took me a moment to realize it, but this feeling was virtually identical to the warning one got when they had one minute left in a rest stop. Was this place run by the same entities as those?
Just as suddenly as it came the presence left and everyone was left gasping for air, all except the Announcer who seemed unphased.
“The judges rule that the phantom is properly balanced and allowed,” he announced, “as penalty for wasting the time of the Cricle Fourteen Orange Star Entity, the host of this program, one bar of energy shall be taken from the Conductor and given to the Traveler! Now, on with the Summoning!”
And like that I had enough for the Saint of Battle, without a second thought I confirmed the summon. Unlike all the others she didn’t simply fade into existence, but seemed to descend from the heavens on a beam of golden light.
“And it seems like we have our first World Walker summoned!” the Storyteller said, his voice still shaking slightly from the previous events, though he was good at hiding it, “And what a beauty she is too! Unless I miss my guess, that’s the Saint of Battle!”
Apparently unable to summon another student the Conductor passed and the Announcer started the seventh round.
This was my first time seeing the Saint fight, even if it was just a phantom of her, but I was impressed. At first she lifted her rifle and snapped off a number of shots, obliterating one of the Conductor’s phantoms in a cloud of blood. But she was never going to get many shots off like that with how fast the students had gotten, and she was forced into melee. But, to my relief, she managed to easily hold her own. With skillful use of her rifle and some simple attacks she was able to fend off the students, matching them in speed and strength. For a while they fought, the guide standing off to one side watching passively, and I was getting worried she’d be overwhelmed as it seemed the guide wasn’t good for much but taking hits. But five minutes into the brawl a snapped shot struck another student, vaporizing the alien martial artist. Just as they’d gotten stronger with each new student added, they also got weaker as their numbers waned. By the time the round was called a draw only two students remained.
I could practically feel the Conductor’s glare across the arena as my display updated. Two energy for the round and four from defeated enemies I now had six to spend. Apparently, each of the students were worth two energy which was mildly surprising. If my math was right, the Conductor should have two or three energy to spend, with four tied up in his remaining phantoms. I saw no reason to waste time or energy and so I passed my turn to summon, leaving the Saint and Guide to fight the next round, confident they would win.
Then the Conductor did something I didn’t expect, he sacrificed his two current summons, causing them to vanish while freeing up his energy. I hadn’t even known you could do that, but as I was considering the implications a new figure popped into the air on the Conductor’s side, landing on his side and tumbling sideways before coming to a rest.
Above his head ‘The Traveler’ appeared.
“Now that’s an interesting development,” the Storyteller commented.
“Yes,” the Battlemaster said, “interesting.”
“Summoning your enemy is always a gambit, while the phantoms aren’t truly conscious beings they will act just like their real counterparts. Often times one will summon their friends to fight for them in these games, and, even if they know the other phantom is their enemy will struggle to attack a friend. So I guess we get to see how the Traveler’s friend would react to having to fight him.”
“Round start!” the announcer shouted.
The Saint of Battle lifted her rifle and fired a burst of three shots, two impacting my phantom’s barrier while the third got through and blew a chunk of the phantom’s chest out.
I’m not sure what I was expecting, I admitted to myself as the Conductor, a surprised look on his face, appeared in the center of the arena and was subsequently gunned down as well.
“And the winner is The Traveler!” the announcer shouted to scattered applause, I was busy trying to decide how to feel about how willing the Saint of Battle was to gun me down like that.
“His demand, was for the Conductor to leave him alone,” the announcer continued, “thus, in the future the Conductor will be unable to challenge him to battles in other Orange Entity arenas!”
“Wait,” I froze, “but he can still bother me in other worlds?”
“Correct! The Orange entity battle arenas can only enforce rewards within their own domains, natural worlds and other entity rest stops are beyond the powers of our host!”
“Oh, god damnit.”
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Memory Transcription Subject: Tresn, arxur farmer
Date [Standardized Human Reckoning]: 2136–09-28
The day I learned about humans was a calm one. The sun had slid close to the horizon and with a basket of herbs and spices, I made my way back to the farmhouse where Taksak and I lived. When I arrived my mentor was waiting for me to prepare our dinner. He asked me for three portions instead of the usual two with the third one being unseasoned.
As I was going about my business, I heard a sound that caught my attention. It was the telltale noise of an airship landing in front of Taksak's farm. I hurried to the farmhouse's kitchen window to see what was going on and the reason for the third portion became clear. I saw a betterment officer stepping out of her vehicle. Her visit was out of schedule, so that means she is bringing some intel. Taksak seemed unfazed by her arrival but I was pretty sure that he was also in the dark with me.
My heart was pounding with anticipation as I returned to prepare the three portions of meals for the day. Our ancestors, blessed they are, had always emphasized the importance of plants in our lives. Some plants had medicinal properties that could cure sickness, while others could be used as seasonings to enhance the taste of our food. They taught us that there was more to food than just meat and that the plant world held great value as well.
My mind was filled with me thinking about what sort of news she was bringing today.
I finished preparing the meals and arranged the dishes on a tray. I took a deep breath to steady my nerves before making my way to the dinner table where the officer had been sitting with her brother. I placed the first dish in front of my mentor first, the second dish graced the betterment officer, and last, I placed mine before I sat.
Taksak and I used a small dagger as befitting of the civilized way of our ancestors, while his sister grabbed the pieces of raw meat with her claw. We ate in silence, each of us lost in our thoughts as we savored them. The Betterment Officer, who had been quiet for most of the meal, eyed the sauce we had been dipping our meat in. Curiosity getting the better of her, she ended up trying it as well, and her face lit up with pleasure as she put the meat into her maw. As she finished her meal, she dipped her piece of meat in every bite, I suppose she approved of it.
After we finished our meal, the woman fished into her satchel and took out a data chip.
"You didn't get this from me," she explained, her voice barely above a whisper. "If you get caught with this, I will deny any involvement."
I tried not to think about what would happen if we were caught with them. Death would be the best-case scenario.
Without another word, the taciturn arxur gathered her things and left us alone in our living room.
"Tresn, bring me the reader," Taksak instructed me, his voice low and urgent.
I didn't hesitate for a moment. I ran into our bedroom and retrieved the reader that Taksak had asked for. The old device was a modified pad with its connectivity disabled. Taksak had the physical module removed, ensuring that whatever we open in that device, stays in our farmhouse. After I handed it to him, Taksak inserted the data chip into the reader and we were presented with a document on the screen.
The front page was printed in large letters saying that this document is classified. The preface of the document described that the original copy was written in ventongue, which was then translated into our speech. I recalled that when Taksak's sister last came here, she brought news about uncontacted species. Everything about the new species made more sense then. They had just attacked Gojid's core world, weakening the prey. With their Cradle left defenseless, our people swooped down.
Taksak and I huddled over the secret documents, poring over the details of the new species and their way of life. According to the text, the Federation had not tainted them with the prey's way of life, allowing them to evolve in their way. They had been able to maintain their carnivorous diet and maintain a society that was not based on violence and cruelty. Taksak seemed lost in thought. His eyes scanned the text as he absorbed the information. I could feel the wheels turning in his mind as he considered the implications of what we were reading.
The document ended with a section filled with pictures revealing these elusive creatures. Their soft features and their lack of natural weapons made them appear almost prey-like. It was as if a mad biologist had modified a prey species to have binocular vision. As we swiped through the pictures, we saw glimpses of their society and their way of life.
Seeing these species, My feelings of jealousy and longing intensified. These creatures lived in dense, vibrant settlements full of life and energy. I could almost feel the excitement of their festivals and rites, imagining myself lost in the sea of people. Despite their dense settlement, they had managed to preserve vast tracts of wilderness, filled with four-legged predators that roamed free in their natural habitats.
One obscene image, in particular, caught our attention. It showed a human feeding a predator with striped fur markings. These creatures had so much meat that they could afford to feed it to their animals. Not only that, but this new species also brought some of the predators into their civilized places, treating them almost like members of their own families. One image showed a small orange predator with pointy ears being held by a human, as though it was their child.
And then, we saw it. A photo of four-legged animals with side-facing eyes grazing on a lush green field. Cattle, I realized with a jolt. Non-sapient cattle, to be precise.
"Sir...look!" I exclaimed, nudging my mentor. "They have non-sapient cattle!"
But when I turned to face him, my excitement turned into concern. A pang of deep sadness etched his face and tears were streaming down his cheeks. For a moment, I didn't know what to do or say. I had never seen my mentor like this before.
"This...might be what we could have been," he said at last, his voice trembling with emotion. "If we had not been contacted from the sky… If we had been left to develop our way of life, perhaps we could have been like this."
The older arxur placed the reader away on the side table. He sobbed, as though a lifetime of sorrow had come crashing down upon him, and he could no longer keep his emotions in check. I could feel my own emotions flaring up in response to his grief. I reached out to offer some form of comfort. But before I could say anything, Taksak pulled me into a tight embrace and we wept, feeling the pain that we shared, a pain that was rooted in all that we had lost as a people.
Outside, our cattle slept in peace under the shade of their pen without a care in the world.
Memory Transcription Subject: Johan, human exchange program participant
Date [Standardized Human Reckoning]: 2136–10-02
We spent a few days exploring the island of Bali, and the news of the Gojids' threat faded into the background of our minds. However, our peaceful respite was short-lived because the arxurs swooped in after the Gojids' defenses were destroyed by the humans. In terror, we felt like we were leading lambs to the slaughter.
Damn if we do and damn if we don't.
The bad news didn't stop there. We also received an update from the Federation's Special Session on humans. It was revealed that almost forty species said outright that they wanted to exterminate humans.
We received letters from both UNOFA and the Office of The President of Nusantara ordering us to stay in Bali until further notice. We were trapped on the island, and the beauty of the island didn't feel enjoyable anymore. A couple of days later, the UNSC Space Force began bringing back thousands of Gojids that they had managed to save from the opportunistic invasion. Some of the rescued Gojids were still in various space stations, waiting for resettlement.
President Fatimah Lim offered Nusantara as a sanctuary for the gojid refugee. Her offer was met with mixed reactions from the public. Some applauded her compassion and generosity, while others criticized her for using the refugees as a political tool to win votes in the upcoming election.
Regardless of the motive behind the offer, the logistics of providing adequate shelter, food, and medical care for the refugees were not that challenging. Kalimantan has some open areas where the damage from the palm plantation was in the process of being rolled back and we were in process of making a new farming village near the capital. The place has a lot of greenery but not outright jungles like the rest of the Island.
Which is why we were being shipped to Kalimantan. Despite the venlil's protest, they believed that Vani could act as the healthcare provider for the refugee and provide some "familiar face" for the poor gojids.
My van has taken me to many different places over the years. I had driven it as far as Kuala Lumpur thanks to the bridges. However, our destination this time was a bit different. We were headed to an island to the north of Java where bridges don't make sense. For the first time in my life, I had to ride a ferry. I was dreading of leaving my van, but then I learned that the ship was big enough to accommodate my mobile house.
When we came near the port of Buleleng, my van informed me that the area was commandeered by the armed forces, and I sighed as my steering wheel folded out while the system asked me to drive. With my manual guidance, we arrived at the port where several armed force members already stood waiting. They noticed my van's license plate and my vehicle told me that its driving sub-system had been subsumed by the armed forces. I let them lead my vehicle to a garage on the ferry. The giant vehicle itself looked more like an aircraft with clipped wings than a boat.
To my surprise, I met the familiar faces of Lieutenant Ayu again when I got off my Van into the passenger deck. From the lavish deck, all we could look at was the monotonous water passing us at high speed. Seated on one of the comfortable couches, Vani asked why the vessel only flew a few meters above the water's surface. I admit I wasn't sure of the answer, so we did some research together. We discovered that the ferry utilized a phenomenon known as Ground Effect.
The Capital was situated beside a large river, making it easy for us to reach it by ferry. However, the journey to Kalimantan was a long one, and the ride would take overnight. The government had made arrangements for us to retire to a cabin while we rode the ship to its destination. I was surprised to find that it looked nothing like a ship cabin and more like a luxurious hotel suit. The spacious room was furnished with a comfortable bed, a cozy seating area, and a large window looking out onto the sea. I was about to remove my shirt and get ready for my venlil when the cabin's door chimed. Opening my door, a private stood in the corridor, bringing a batik suit for me to wear for the meeting with the president. The government also tailored Vani with a bespoke batik apron.
I realized that there will be a lot of photo ops, and being a politician, the president wanted everyone to look uniformed and at their best.
In the morning, we found ourselves back in my van on the shore of Balikpapan with a couple of the government's armored vehicles before and after us. They had yet to relinquish their control over my vehicle so we had no choice but to wait and follow their lead. I had been briefed earlier that we were going to meet the president at the Capital spaceport, but I still didn't know the specifics of what the meeting would entail. The drive to the spaceport was a short one and we arrived in less than an hour.
I was deposited in the middle of the spaceport. Launchpads were arrayed in grid position, with ample distance between them. Not far from us, three mobile platforms had also been parked, I presume to transport the refugees.
The president and her retinue were already there to greet us. Her attire was simple yet somehow exuded an air of extravagance. Her entire attire from the head wrap to her pants was colored deep red. A batik stole hung around her kebaya and a large eight-spoked sun pendant hung from her neck, glittering in the bright sunlight. Here we also saw other familiar faces standing beside the president such as Zara Karun, the UN Representative for Nusantara. The other people in the group were members of the president's cabinet relevant to the event, all dressed in matching batik suits similar to mine.
"Greetings Johan and Vani." she greeted us in Bahasa.
"I hope the ride here was sufficient?" President Fatimah sounded like a canteen auntie back in school that would give a bit more portion to the student. This contrasted with her business-like tone whenever she appeared in the media, and I couldn't tell which one is her actual demeanor.
"It was more than sufficient, madam president. Thank you for entrusting us here." Vani answered. "I have to warn you that I know about gojid anatomy as much as your doctors do."
"It's alright Vani. You're here to give them a familiar face."
The shuttle that carried the refugees had just landed. The door opened and a bunch of giant hedgehogs tumbled down onto the launch platform. These poor people look confused and shaken. One alien in particular, however, climbed down the platform stairs ahead of their people and ran toward us, one human armed force member hurried to shadow him. The Gojid stopped at a speaking distance and they looked at us in a very human way. They even stared at Vani for what felt a bit too long before the venlil replied with a nod.
"Greetings Humans. My name is Bolad. Thank you for hosting us here." subtitles appeared when they spoke with their tongue. Their pitch there was similar to Vani but I can't tell if that was feminine or masculine for a Gojid.
"Are they a man or woman?" I whispered to Vani.
I was hoping that the venlil could tell me, but then he just asked for everyone to hear. "Are you a man or a woman?"
I guess I assumed too much of him. If Vani has difficulty distinguishing human gender, of course, there's no reason to think that he can tell other species apart.
"I am a man. Also, as you can tell already, I am like you." He put his paw on Vani's shoulder.
"You're gay?" I blabbered without even thinking properly.
The Gojid looked at me, his face twitching before he started speaking.
"Human, I know your people are not cruel. So I will assume that there is something lost in translation here and you did not mean to ask if I am happy. My homeworld is being desecrated by ferocious predators and my family is probably dead. Happiness is a distant concept at this moment."
"He was asking if you are attracted to people of the same gender." Vani stepped in to clarify.
"That is an odd euphemism. Do you call those who are attracted to different genders 'sad'?"
The president coughed. "In any case, we are honored to host you in our land for as long as you need." She looked toward the shuttle, where the gojids are huddling around in the launchpad.
"Perhaps," the president continued "We should visit your people."
Bolad led us toward the rest of the refugees, some of which had climbed down the launchpad toward the tarmac. When we got close enough to converse with them, one of them spoke.
"What have you negotiated with them?" The gojid held a small child with them. "How much of us did you promise to them in return for our safety?"
Bolad replied with an even tone. "I have not negotiated anything with the humans," he said in a firm tone "They have agreed to protect us."
The Gojid turned their head from side to side, a gesture I never saw Vani ever do before. "And you believe them?"
"It is getting tiring to keep reminding you that humans do not eat people. Look at this venlil. He is still intact after weeks of being here."
"Yeah, but he's diseased like you." the other gojid replied, and even with only subtitles translating their speech, I can hear the venom in their intonation. "I bet they think you're honorary predators."
It dawned on me that on our first encounter, Bolad meant that both he and Vani were diagnosed with the P-word Disease. I wondered if verbal abuse like this was what he had to deal with back in his homeworld.
"I'm as much a predator as you. The amount of murder I had made is zero." I said, trying to temper my voice as I held my anger. "If we want to eat you, why do we even bother bringing you down here?" My voice got a bit shakier, but before I said something that could jeopardize the president's political career, she patted my shoulder.
I looked back and the president shook her head slightly. "Let me speak to them."
"Sorry Ma'am."
"If you want, we can arrange for you to be transferred to Venlil Prime." She added. "However, that will take time and for the time being, why don't we visit the camp we have made for you? You must be tired and hungry. Hopefully, a rest can calm you down."
The Gojids murmured amongst themselves as we guided them toward their transportation. Their voices were low and tense and despite the language barrier, I could feel their fear and suspicion.
As I suspected, the mobile platform was meant to transfer them. We didn't have the measurement of a Gojid, so instead of using buses, several moving platforms had been provided to transport the spiky aliens. It was the same platform we use to transport cargo, but now, instead of having a big metal box on top of it, the platform has a clear wall installed around it and plush carpet on the floor. One by one the gojid climbed on the platform, including Bolad and Vani. Zara Karun advised that the humans shouldn't come with the refugees.
Alone in my van, I question whether we would need to transfer the refugees to Venlil. Although it made sense to send them away due to the looming invasion threat, I have a feeling that it might put the venlils in danger, especially if the Federation member responsible for the attack found them guilty by association.
I hope Vani's homeworld was not also under a similar threat.
Afterwords: If the gojid refugee is non-canonical, so be it. I want to write about the hedgehogs.

A local beekeeper who I sell bottles of mead to gave me a 25kg bucket of honey that wasn't "fit for bottling". It's mostly clear, save the odd bit of honey comb and caps, and tastes absolutely stunning.
I'm guessing this is what he had left at the bottom of his bottling bucket. He gave it to me for free so I could "experiment". It was very generous of him, seeing as 25kg of honey could set you back nearly €300 around here.
However, I dunno if I have to heat it or filter it or what, or can I just bung it into primary ferment and call it a day?

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Memory transcription subject: Captain Sovlin, United Nations Fleet Command
Date [standardized human time]: December 7, 2136
It was tough to cope with my proximity to this predator and his Venlil pal. I was standing just within the room’s threshold, and resisting the urge to flee. Binocular eyes were trained on my skull; it felt like they were burning holes in my head.
My eyes wandered, attempting to look anywhere but at the human’s scarred face. Marcel had placed a photograph of Slanek and himself, alongside a female Terran I didn’t recognize. The curious aspect was a young Gojid, riding on the redhead’s back with bright eyes. My victim was tickling her wrists, twisting his hands over his shoulders. Even in a still photograph, I could tell the child was squealing with happiness.
Why were Marcel and Slanek taking pictures with a young Gojid? Didn’t the red-haired human despise our species? Just looking at that child must remind him of my likeness; I wasn’t sure why he’d volunteer with our refugees. Perhaps it was an attempt at coping for him, but the fact he kept it as his selected photo…
Marcel thinks of his time with that Gojid kid as a happy memory. How can that be?
My throat felt like it was made of sandpaper. “T-the G-gojid. Who is she?”
“That’s Nulia. My adopted daughter,” Marcel replied in an even voice. “Slanek and I rescued her on the cradle, after she was abandoned in a stampede. She’s back at home with my fiancé now.”
I recoiled, unable to process why the human would adopt a Gojid child. Peering into his eyes in the photograph, the scarred predator was radiating affection. His teeth were bared in a full snarl, and Slanek was cozied up against his side too. Protector, why couldn’t I have tortured an asshole Terran? Not that it would’ve made it more moral, but Marcel was too kind. I could not have harmed someone less deserving of cruelty.
My eyes burned, as images of Marcel in a collar flooded my mind. Staring at his heartfelt smile, I could still picture his strained smile when Slanek came to visit. It had been my claw that pressed the shock trigger, while staring at him with absolute reproach. The cold, starving predator had seized on the floor, and struggled just to breathe. I could still hear his screams as I kicked him in the ribs…
Slanek snapped the television show off, and fixed a withering glower on me. The Venlil eyed me with murderous intent, flexing his wounded arm as if to test it. Marcel’s best friend remembered the exact details I had; I could remember how desperate he was to plead the human’s case. My response was to try to get him preyed upon. I would’ve intervened before the predator could eat the Venlil, but at best, it was an attempt to traumatize him.
Besides, there was no guarantee I could react quicker than a hunter could lunge. Poor Marcel must’ve resisted such terrible thoughts, just looking at Slanek.
It felt immoral to sympathize with a predator’s bloodlust, but I knew he couldn’t help basic, biological urges. Marcel chose to die rather than to eat his friend, and that was a remarkable show of willpower. The fact that he hadn’t enacted revenge upon me showed that he was a good person; his love extended even to Gojid children.
The red-haired human shot Slanek a pointed look. “Tell Sovlin what you wanted to tell him. This hatred is poisoning your heart, and you need to let it out.”
“I fucking hate you! If Recel hadn’t intervened, you would’ve killed Marcel. You meant to put him down like a fucking animal,” the Venlil screeched. “Do you know how it felt, to feel like I’d lose him? To know his last moments were agony? You deprived him of every basic need…I suppose he was lucky you gave him filthy water in a filthy bucket.”
“I’m sorry,” I offered meekly.
“What good does that do? You’re out living a respected life with the Terran military, and the trauma can never be undone. My government never even got to prosecute you for how you tossed me around. Then, I was helpless as he clung to life, on the day-long trip to Venlil Prime. I sat beside his hospital bed, watching them put wires in his face.”
“S-saw the p-pictures. T-terrible to look at.”
“It was terrible. I don’t know how you got Tyler to feel sorry for you, but he was never the brightest bulb in the box! You can keep your fucking apologies, because they aren’t worth shit!”
The Venlil started to sit up, but Marcel held him back with an arm. Slanek wriggled against the restraint, yet for some reason, the human wouldn’t let him charge at me. The prey alien reached for his IV line, and the predator intercepted his paw with nimble reflexes. I’d never seen a Venlil bare their teeth, or act with such aggression.
There was no question I deserved special animosity. Even the galaxy’s weakest race wanted to bash my face in, and I couldn’t blame him. Everything Slanek just stated was true, down to the fact that I would’ve murdered an innocent creature without Recel. The tears poured out from my eyes, and that only enraged the Venlil further. I pressed my face into my paws, wishing I could fall into non-existence.
“Relax, buddy. It’s okay,” Marcel whispered.
Slanek pinned his ears back. “STOP! I should be comforting you; he did it to you. You’re the one who has to live with the trauma. You’re the one who’s permanently disfigured!”
“Yes, and I don’t want you harming him.”
“You told me in the hospital you wanted Sovlin dead. You were fantasizing about it.”
“It wouldn’t make anything better, Slanek. I’ve been trying to make peace with what happened to me, since I learned that his family was eaten in front of him. Sovlin saved both of our lives, and I don’t wish harm upon him.”
“You said you didn’t want to see him. You were pissed he was there on Sillis.”
“I was pissed! I’m angry, I’m hurting, I’m hounded by memories when I look at his face, and…I forgive him.”
What was left of my spines bristled, and the world collapsed in on me. All I wanted was for Marcel to take those words back; they stabbed at me like daggers to the chest. I couldn’t breathe, and every part of me screamed against that forgiveness. Everyone in the galaxy knew that Slanek’s interpretation was the correct one.
I didn’t deserve mercy, and my life should be forfeit for my actions. How could the predator just forgive what I had done to him?
“N-no. You can’t do that,” I croaked, fighting for air amid the narrowing of my vision.
His hazel eyes stared directly at me. “Oh, I can. I won’t forget what you did, but it’s time to let it go. I choose to feel compassion for you. I choose not to be a victim…and not to let hatred control me.”
Marcel’s stated compassion packed the force of a sledgehammer. Those simplistic words echoed in my mind, warring against concrete certainty that I must never find peace. Without self-loathing as my purpose, there was no guiding star to light my dark path. Forgiveness stripped my life of all meaning; there was no reason to persist another day.
Why should I get to live, when I couldn’t protect my family?
“You just said you were angry.” Speech spilled from my vocal cords, as if borne of their own volition. “You wanted me d-dead; that was good! Why would you just forgive me?”
“Simple. I was playing with Nulia, and she’d overheard me talking with Lucy. She said, ‘Mawsle, you’re mean when you talk about Sahwin.’ Kid was right. It was consuming me, ‘cause I hadn’t let it go.”
The thought lanced me. It couldn’t be that simple, for a predator to cast aside his vitriol. The words of a child, who peered into his heart, caused him to forgive old wounds.
Slanek slapped his tail against Marcel’s earlobe. “Listen to yourself! You’re letting him get away with sadism, again!”
“I don’t control his actions. I control mine, and there’s power in not clinging to resentment. I won’t be free from this until I set my heart free.”
“You have to stand up for yourself, Marc. It’s not about being the bigger person! Justice matters too, and your life has enough value to me that he deserves my disgust.”
“Do you believe people can change, buddy? Because I do, and it’s wrong to deny a truly repentant person a second chance. Please, for my sake, respect the fact that Sovlin is trying to do better today. That is all he can do.”
No…Marcel is insufferable. Tyler also said I deserved a second chance, and it wasn’t true then. It doesn’t matter that I’m doing right by them, after what I’ve already done.
I fell to my knees, sobbing as I had when I first realized humans had empathy. A second chance was not what I was seeking; there was no reason why my unforgivable deeds deserved a do-over. My continued existence was meant as inadequate penance for my treatment of humanity. What aid I’d given them wasn’t nearly enough, though I hoped I’d made a minute difference in their war efforts.
It was tempting to believe that my reparations were sufficient. I knew my die was cast and my story was written, yet I yearned to pretend that wasn’t the truth. My eyes blinked open, turning to the Venlil. Surely he would slap Marcel’s folly down without hesitation.
“Fine,” Slanek spat the word, as if it were a sour taste in his mouth.
Marcel smiled with satisfaction. “Good. Now, thank him for saving your life.”
“What?! How did you—”
“Tyler told me. He explained everything, rather apologetically. We would both be dead without Sovlin, so a little thanks is in order.”
“Please don’t.” Snot bubbled in my nose. I shook my head, desperate to rebuff any praise. “That’s…n-not necessary.”
“I agree.” Slanek contorted his facial features into a mask of disgust. “You’re taking this way too far, Marc. The concussion got to your head.”
“Well then, humor a poor, sick human!” the red-haired predator chuckled. “I’ll watch the new episode of that god-awful The Exterminators show with you, if you say thanks sincerely.”
“Th…th…thanks, Sovlin. Bleh, that was vile.”
“I said sincerely.”
“I’m glad Marcel is alive.” Slanek spoke through gritted teeth. “Er, thanks for not trying to slice and dice him again.”
“You’ve got to be kidding me. That’s the best you can do?!”
“That…it was sincere,” I sniffled, buying time to regain composure. “Technically meets your criteria.”
Marcel heaved a sigh. “I guess so. Let me walk you back to your room, Sovlin.”
I raised surrendering paws, stammering, “N-no, you don’t—”
“I insist. I need to be sure I didn’t kickstart a full-blown mental crisis.”
The human maneuvered onto his legs, and stretched out his body with bloodcurdling pops. His strong hands tugged at my shoulder. The extended contact made me nauseous to my stomach, and my heavy limbs were sluggish to obey. I reminded myself not to think of him as my victim. Marcel didn’t want to be regarded in that fashion, so I shouldn’t do him that disservice in my perception.
The red-haired Terran wrapped an arm around my neck, which felt as heavy as a rock. How did every interaction with Marcel increase my guilt to chest-bursting levels? He led me out of Slanek’s quarters, and asked in a low rumble where I was heading. All I could do was point a few doors down, still a teary-eyed, snot-stained mess.
I noticed the predator drawing deep breaths, to quell his own anxiety. My self-centered concerns turned to him, and I withdrew from his grasp. Marcel blinked his eyes shut, his scars scrunching up with his grimace. I wanted to comfort him, even though I knew it was my presence ratcheting up his anxiety.
“D-do…you want a hug?” My voice was hardly more than a whisper, and I watched his eyes pop open with surprise. “No, I g-get that, of course you don’t want one from me—”
Marcel threw his arms around me, burying his face in my fur. The Terran finally let the tears spill over, which soaked my shoulder. I mirrored the way I’d seen Tyler comfort Onso, and pressed my paw onto his back. This was the first time I’d ever been this close to a human; not even my “friends” had embraced me. It was shocking how warm this predator was, like a heated blanket.
No wonder Slanek always curls up next to him. This is oddly disarming.
My heart ached, as the human continued to bawl his eyes out. I moved my claws into his hair, and ruffled the strands in the silly way I’d do with my daughter. It wasn’t clear how Terran years translated, but Marcel was probably about her age. He jerked his head back, and fear flashed in his eyes briefly. The poor guy mistook my playful gesture for an attack.
“Sorry, shouldn’t have used the claws. It must feel like I was slicing at you; I wasn’t thinking,” I mumbled.
Marcel patted his mane back down. “It’s just…never mind. This here is where you’re heading, right?”
“Yeah.”
“Cool beans. Hey, listen…I wish you only the best. I don’t want you to be depressed on my account.”
It’s not on his account. It’s because of me and knowing what I am.
“T-the last thing I want is you worrying about me.” I wasn’t going to spill my emotional turmoil on this human, who could keep his own trauma contained. “I wish you hated me.”
“Well, I don’t. You hate you, Sovlin.”
“…yeah.”
“I don’t have to be a therapist to tell you where it all stems from. You blame yourself for what happened to your family. If you want to do something for me, get help.”
“Tyler told me about someone. I didn’t think—”
“That you deserved help. It’s okay to be happy and live your life. You’re not going to pay off some self-imposed debt to me by being miserable.”
I averted my gaze. “T-thank you. Whatever anyone says about you…you’re the strongest person I’ve ever known. How much you care for others is astounding, and it speaks wonders of your species.”
“Nobody’s perfect. I just hope when it’s all said and done, I leave the universe a better place,” Marcel said. “It’s not too late for the sum of your actions, you know.”
“I promise I’ll try. From now on, I’ll try to be like you.”
“I’m not the worst role model…in my humble opinion. If only I could smack the same lesson into Slanek’s skull. But it seems like we’ve settled our issues, and that’s that.”
“That’s that.”
“Good. Well, I think I’d best be going. Rest up!”
As the predator turned away, I wondered how I ever could’ve believed his species was incapable of empathy. The truth was, Terrans had to be one of the most empathetic species to cobble together anything bordering normalcy. It took a great deal of emotion to repress their hunting instincts with such thoroughness. Perhaps that was why they’d bonded with the Venlil; they both were sensitive species with ample feelings.
As Carlos told me, the issue was when empathy wasn’t extended to a particular individual. Marcel chose to grant it even to me, after what I’d done; that was the sign of a good human. I couldn’t believe how openly he was conversing with me, and how he had wiped the slate clean. The catch was that I could not - would not - forgive myself.
I laid down on the floor of my room, and thought about the legacy I would leave behind. Marcel did have a point though. The torture would always be in my ledger, but I could surround it with other deeds. Suffering was my idea of a fair punishment, not any request of the scarred primate. It wasn’t going to make things right between us; if anything, it seemed like it would worsen his recovery.
Maybe it was time to get my head straight, as the humans so often suggested. I could become a better version of my despicable self, with the predators’ guidance.
---
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Hi guys i hope you’re doing great Sorry for too many posts in this month First of all : i wanted to point at a symptom that finally (thanks god) is leaving me is tingling in my body( muscle twitching) . I guess it was constant when i began this journey but now it’s been around 1 week that i don’t get them anymore.and another one is my heart would drop down like skip a beat and beats twice. I’m happy to report this one didn’t happen to me for 1 months. I guess it’s right when people say 6 months to 2 years . I’m near at 7 months but this 1 month was soooooo much game changer for me it was THE MONTH.at the begging of month 6 I experienced a huge wave but i knew it will pass but since then this wave was a turning point. Finally i saw my turning point:) . Hug to all

So I haven't seen this talked about and I'm sure someone will redirect me if it has. Has anyone noticed any groups of stars near an eye? Such as.. 6 stars and an eye at Franklin's first save house 5 stars and an eye at penris 4 stars and an eye at sinners gate mural
It's a pattern that really bugs me, also just the amount of eyes around the map bugs me, like at the Vespucci Beach mural, look at the zoomed in map or even the mini map and tell me what it looks like.
I know there's the eye at the observatory on a star platform, but I'm unsure if its related.

Hi Everyone,
I’m just posting this to ask if anyone knows of any stimulants that work similarly to Ritalin in its delivery system.
Background:
I currently live in Turkey and was previously prescribed Ritalin during the previous year until I was forced to switch to Concerta in November of last year due to shortages.
Ritalin worked perfectly for me as I found it’s peak following consumption allowed me to build momentum earlier in the day that would then carry over to later in the day when it wore off.
I initially switched to Medicinex (I can’t remember how to spell it), but found I was experiencing two peaks and blood sugar drops during the day - a small one in the morning and a larger one in the evening. To avoid this I tried taking it in the morning without breakfast, but found myself nearly fainting in public when my blood sugar crashed.
After a brief stint with medicinex I switched to concerta. Concerta’s been better, but I find it doesn’t really help with my focus and getting me out the door. It certainly feels better being on it than off it, but I only feel mildly more able to focus and enact my intentions when taking it.
To the topic:
From what I understand Ritalin, Medicinex and Concerta all have different patterns of release. Ritalin peaks not long after consumption regardless of if the consumer has eaten or not. Medicinex works through the gut and its peaks following consumption depend on if you have eaten or not. Concerta, doesn’t really peak but rather slowly releases throughout the day.
What I’m wondering, is if there are any alternatives to Ritalin I might be able to take that has a similar release pattern to Ritalin.
Sorry for how long this post is, and if anyone has any advice I’d really appreciate it!

I've never had a credit card but I'm in so much debt now
Around 2k which is my salary
It's overwhelming and I'm not sure where to start.
When I went to pay off a $30 debt (Cumberland farms sent it to collections less than 30 days.) They sent it to an agency who charged me $20 garnishing nearly everyday.
My bank fixed it and ended up closing my account (I never used it. It was a nonconsensual joint acc from nparent)
I owe a few pay in 4 apps
Next, I got a new phone as my nparent was hacking and spying using the one she bought me
Had no clue about activation fees and the sales associate was very vague regarding it
I couldn't keep up and the money I saved went to leaving
Now I owe att $1600+

I accidentally OD'd on my meds back in January. I still feel horrible.
My primary-care doctor diagnosed me with panic disorder. However, the panic attacks have stopped. I'm in a constant state of physical pain, and as a result, heightened anxiety, because I don't know what's going on with my body.
Muscle pain (mostly abdominal muscles) Headaches Dizziness Heart palpitations Chest tightness / breathing problems Tingling sensations in my head/face Heat intolerance Tremors, nearly every day. Sweating
And no one will help me. No one is taking me seriously. Not my family. Not my doctors. Everyone thinks I'm crazy. What do I do? I'm so tired of feeling like this. It's almost been three months, and I've been in pain for so long and everyone just brushes it off as anxiety.
I went to see a cardiologist yesterday. She's a woman, right? So I thought she'd get it. Apparently not. She took one look at my chart and say my mental illnesses, and attributed all my symptoms up to that. All she did was listen to my heart and lungs then send me home.
Am I crazy? What do I do? How can I get them to listen? What the hell is going on with me?

So ill get it out of the way, pretty sure most of you would call me a mercy one trick. My problem is I’m just bad at tracking and predicting, always have been. I do well as mercy( my hidden mmr hovers near masters)but I also get that she doesn’t fit in every comp.
The problem arises when I think I should switch off. My only real options at the moment if I want to have any impact are Moira and brig. But when i swap one of two things tend to happen, I either wont be healing enough (team just dies right in front of me) or i get beamed at the beginning of the fight with minimal-no impact. (Actually better off healbotting as mercy)
I think a good solution for me would be to two trick (so i can actually get gud at them) but I’m pretty limited and wanted to ask here. Who is best to choose for the majority of comps that dont need a mercy, but also falls under my condition of chronic doodoo aim.
TLDR: I’m looking for ONE support to main that doesn’t require GOOD aim but also can replace mercy in a team comp she doesn’t fit in.

Hi there!
I just recently went to a conference and felt an immediate attraction with a man I met for the first time, which is rather unlike me. But he was definitely looking at me a lot, both openly and when he thought I couldn't see. Our circles of research are close, so we spend a lot of time together, but he always chose to sit next/near to me. We also had dinner and drinks with mutual friends and it felt like conversation was just golden. It flowed, so nice and easy, and we got each other's humors.
This guy seems to be a rather approachable people person, so how can I tell if he likes me or if he's just well versed in humans and is being nice?

I hate the fact that there is a very narrow time window when my coffee has the desired temperature. I'd like to take my time and sip coffee without having to hurry so it doesnt turn too cold for my taste. So I decided to try a bunch of thermo cups. All of these cups fit the AeroPress on top, so if you want to use it directly on the cup, it's possible and stable.
Thermos King Mug This cup is designed to be thrown in your bag. It's tight and doesnt drip. When it comes to drinking from it, I personally didn't like the thick rim and the fact I'm drinking through a thin hole in the cap. Taking the cap off solves this, but leaves me with a thick rim which I happen to not be a fan of. Also, cleaning the bottom of it is tricky because it narrows down quite a bit. Keep in mind, that drinking from it without the cap means, you're drinking over the cap thread.
Stanley Beer Pint This can be imagined as an insulated cup. There is no thread and no cap, which is exactly what I want. I don't need a vessel to take my coffee with me, I just want to be able to finish a mail and have another sip of coffee without it being too cold by then. This is the size of a regular beer pint, double walled and easy to clean, because the hand fits inside and because there is no thread that has the coffee running over. I nearly chose this one, but it has a rather thick rim, which I'm not a fan of, although it's not as thick as on the Thermos King Mug. Imagine the rim on the Stanley beer pint to be about the thickness of your regular office coffee mug.
Stanley Shortstack Travel Mug Imagine this mug to be like the beer pint, but with a thread and lid, which makes it tight. The downside here is size. it can hold around 230ml, which for me personally is not the ideal size, but might be for others. It has the rather thick rim like the beer pint, and it has a thread you're drinking over, but other than that, it just feels great in the hand. If that size is ok for you and you're looking for a way to take a coffee with you without spilling something, this would be the cup for you. Also, my hand fits inside for cleaning.
Mepal Ellipse This cup is supposed to close tight like the Thermos King Mug and the Stanley Shortstack Travel Mug, but I didnt the overall design of it. The lid is very odd and dificult for cleaning, and there's a plastic rim you're drinking from which feels very weird because of the shape of it. Taking the lid off solves this problem and the rim then is fairly thin, which makes it ok. But the diameter of the cup on the bottom part is so narrow, that it's really hard to clean.
SIGG Neso Pure This is a double walled cup without lid, just like the Stanley beer pint. The SIGG Neso Pure is available in 2 different sizes (one that holds around 300ml, one that holds around 450ml) and it's coated with a really durable ceramic coating. Actually this is the cup I chose, because it has a thin rim, like a regular thin walled glas, which makes it so pleasent to drink from, and it feels like a regular cup. You wouldnt even notice it's double walled or something like that. That comes without compromising the insulation, so this cup keeps the temperature of the beverage for just about as long as the other cups without a lid. Side note here: The SIGG Neso Pure comes with a plastic lid with a hole, which is trying to resemble a coffee to go lid, which isnt completely tight, but rather prevents spillage, so when you walk to your car you wont spill stuff, but you can't throw it in your bag. Like I said, this is nothing I personally care about, so I'm glad this cup has a thin rim and no thread, and just feels like a normal cup but also keeping my coffee warm.
Hope this helped some of you out there looking for a way to have coffee even when typing longer mails... 😉

We here at whenwomenrefuse wanted to take a moment to thank everyone for the advice that we receive in the Mod Mail on a regular basis. After thorough consideration, we have determined to take some of the advice to heart and will be updating this sub to adhere with these new guidelines.
Some examples of the incredibly thoughtful advice include the following:

• "For the record, I believe in equality, and equity of the sexes, however, I believe discrimination is wrong, therefore “feminism” as a discriminatory cause, is also wrong."
• "I just fail to see how "all men bad" comments add to a discussion, but "not all men bad" is taboo."
• "Why was I banned? Is it because women owe me sex and when I see about the death of women I cheer for it, if so that's lame"
• "Yeah so she can call me a rapist but I can't call her a boomer great subreddit"
• "This isn't feminism this is old school conservatism.
• "I have nothing more to say because I have no more interest in participating in this subreddit. If I want this take I will go over to the Mormon subreddits."
• "Your sex lives are worse your bodily autonomy and body image issues are worse. Your rapes are entertainment and your wallets not nearly as fat as those who profit by selling you."
• "Idc those women deserved it, and I’m happy they are dead, they denied men sex and some also denied men a relationship, so I’m happy they are dead 💀 they don’t deserve to live if they can deny me anything like that."
• "I’ll always defend actions like this and I’ll always stand up for those men, they are champions to me, and I’m happy for them"
• "Femicides arent real Femicides arent real Femicides arent real" (we're not entirely certain what this means, but happy to listen to what useful advice this may contain)
• "Ur just too racist against men"
• "Well I apologize I should’ve never expected evil, irrational people to explain their position. That was expecting too much."
• "I was not being “casually a jerk”. I was asking a genuine question. I see the “/s” tag so often, I was curious how they had either managed to not see it till now or if they had seen it but had never asked before. In either case, the reason for the ban is both incorrect, and a little trigger happy. Especially given that it was a permanent ban, and not even a temp ban."
• "Hello, this message says that I've been banned, but it doesn't say for what reason. How am I supposed to correct myself if you won't tell me what was the reason? Can you please say what it is? Asking for someone to take something into consideration is not the same thing as telling them that they're wrong, so I disagree with your assessment."

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As you can see from the above quotes, we have been working diligently to take all views into consideration for the next phase of whenwomenrefuse. Please join us by commenting any helpful advice that you may have received whether it is online, offline, or on some other venue that may help to improve this sub.

My repelling aura works just beautifully and keep everyone at bad at bay.
It automatically filters out bad people...
But, this extremely toxic person, who kept repelling by my aura is now close to me, they weren't able to stand in my aura/near-me but I gave them so much love slowly they started inching closer to me and are now somewhat comfortable in my aura/presence.
I have observed this physically that people cannot come close or near me who are repelled like I have an invisible barrier.
Now, they are close when conscious. However when they are sleeping and I get close they turn side, get repelled in sleep. Even when awake this person gets repelled.
I know for a fact that they are toxic, taking advantage of me.
What I wanna know is that is that possible that bad people can enter manifestors aura if manifestors love them or like get soft with them energetically out of love. Due to unhealthy attachment, trauma bonding, what not.
Is this sort of conditioning?

Company Name	Title	City
United States Secret Service	Criminal Investigator	Wilmington
PTG Logistics, LLC	CDL A Driver	Milford
PTG Logistics, LLC	Trucker	Milford
Trans Quality, Inc	CDL A Driver	Seaford
Paschall Truck Lines	Freight Receiver	Seaford
ILC Dover LP	Sr. Accountant	Dover
ILC Dover LP	Senior Accountant	Frederica
ILC Dover LP	Sr. Accountant	Frederica
ILC Dover LP	Sr Accountant	Frederica
Harrison Senior Living of Georgetown	Charge Nurse	Georgetown
Liveo Research	Manufacturing - Rigid Packaging Solutions - $2000 Sign-On Bonus!!	New Castle
Liveo Research	Material Handler	New Castle
BAYADA Home Health Care at Bayhealth	Occupational Therapist (OT), Visits	Camden
Athletico	Physical Therapist - Lucrative Sign on Bonus Included!	Dover
North Peak Recruiting	Lead Technical Accountant Hybrid	Edgemoor
BAYADA Home Health Care at Bayhealth	Physical Therapist (PT), Home Health Visits	Harrington
Wawa	Overnight Manager	Middletown
Citibank (Citi)	Infrastructure Support Engineer	New Castle
Double J Transport	Class A Driver	New Castle
Beck Services Inc	FedEx Delivery Driver	New Castle
Duplainville Transport Inc	CLASS A OTR DRIVER	New Castle
Double J Transport	OTR & Regional CDL A Driver No Touch Freights	New Castle
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.	Finance Control Manager, Associate	Newark
JPMorgan Chase Bank, N.A.	Project Manager, VP- Party Reference Data Operations	Newark
Schilling-Douglas School of Hair Design, LLC	Student Salon Receptionist	Newark

Hey guys, here are some recent job openings in de. Feel free to comment here or send me a private message if you have any questions, I'm at the community's disposal! If you encounter any problems with any of these job openings please let me know that I will modify the table accordingly. Thanks!

Warning - this is long - it's hard for me to condense information. But I appreciate the kind souls who wade forward.
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That said, hello! There are elements of asexuality that feel familiar to me but I admit I'm not sure - there are facets of attraction that feel like an abstract concept to me.
For background's sake, I'm 50 years old. Part of the story is unquestionably that I have suppressed being gay or maybe some degree of bi all these years. I'm sure to younger folks on here that sounds crazy but when I was in school in a very small southern town it was just not a subject that was discussed. Anyone that was even a little outside of the norm (not just sexually) was teased and I became an expert early on in blending in to the woodwork. In a world before the internet, there were no examples in my small world when I was a teen or in college (a college smaller than some city high schools). I knew no one directly who was out. Between the general atmosphere and AIDS on top of it, I squashed that aspect of who I was. And as times progressed, I was used to the status quo and I lacked the courage and clarity to explore it. I just expected to be solo all my life. If anyone ever asked I just said I was too set in my ways to imagine someone else in my life.
Part of the confusion came from my relationships experience. There have been multiple women over the years who I felt close to. There was one in college who I remember feeling what I think was sexual attraction toward but she was married. So it was an experience that resulted in feelings of frustration. I will say she was a rare unicorn of any gender. I can't remember anyone else I felt that way about whatever it really was.
For what they are worth I've taken various online tests recently and most point to middle of the spectrum bi. However, if I was giving my own assessment I would say more gay than straight. But I do find the concept of attraction to be a muddy mess. If it had ever been more straightforward I think maybe I might have found the courage to come out a long time ago.
Aesthetically, I more often find men physically attractive but although less frequently I do find some women physically attractive. That's really the only type of attraction I find remotely clear cut and why I say more gay than straight. From what I would label an emotional perspective, I connect more with women. Most of my life, I have had more women friends than men friends. Sensual and/or sexual... I honestly don't know. I very rarely look at literally anyone and think gosh I'd like to have sex with this person. I find that very hard to grasp. Romantic feelings are a muddle for me as well. I mean in a hypothetical sense, I can imagine and like the idea of being physically close with literally anyone regardless of gender, cuddling, holding hands, etc. My only experience with that to this point was dating women and it was rare but happened if we knew each other awhile. I suspect it's not isolated to women but at this point it's a guess. As with sexual attraction, I don't just look at some random person and think I want to be close to them. Watching countless videos and reading about Demi, Gray, and Aego, they each have some feeling of "that sounds like me" to them. But at the same time I wonder if I'm in the asexual (and aromantic?) spectrum or if I'm more generally scared of being vulnerable with anyone? It all feels so abstract to me that it's hard to know the difference or trust that I know what those attractions are.
As I said, years ago I had just accepted my life was a solo one but as for others, 2020 made me second guess everything I had just accepted. You might wonder why it's three years later and I'm still dithering around. About ten years ago, I was laid off from a job I hated and I took that chance and traveled for a bit and on the heels of that brief free era of my life, my father got sick and ultimately passed away. As soon as he was gone my mother started showing signs of dementia. When it first started her doctor and I both thought it was depression from losing my father. She suffered from spells of depression going back to her childhood. After a year plus seeing a psychiatrist it became clear that she was getting worse instead of better and couldn't be alone. As their only child and not living near any extended family, I ended up taking care of her full time. With no family other than her and no expectation that was ever going to change, it felt like the obvious choice. Not that I regret it. I'm glad I was there for her. But in the past year she reached a point that I couldn't cope with her care on my own and I had to relent and let a nursing home handle the last mile. She's still around and most of the time still recognizes me but I don't know how as she seems to mostly be in a place before I was born and sometimes, she doesn't even remember who my father was. Anyway, between coping with the pandemic and watching my parents fade out, I started questioning everything about my life. And the past few months have been the first time in a while that I had the space in my head to think about me at all.
If there's a positive side to waiting this long, I have reached a point that family-wise there's no one close enough that I care what their opinion of me may be which is freeing and a little sad at the same time. Part of me will wonder how my parents might have reacted. My father is gone, so I can only guess. Telling my mother would be of little benefit. She literally wouldn't remember in five minutes. Maybe we'd have a Hallmark Moment. Or she might have a negative reaction and that's all I would be left with. It wouldn't be a normal situation where she could grow to accept things. She would forget it before I walked out of the room and I would forever more be left with whatever her gut reaction might be in whatever decade she may be in right now.
I absolutely realize some of this is just going to take finally being open to new experiences. And those experiences may or may not alter my understanding of where I do or don't "fit in." But for my own sanity I'd like somewhere to hang my hat for the moment. Aside from waiting until middle age (LOL) does any of this sound familiar?
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**On a possibly related note, about two years ago YouTube decided to toss me an adult diagnosed autism spectrum video. Maybe I'm just being a hypochondriac, but it resonated with me and the online tests I've tried all suggested that I should get tested. I don't have the money for that right now and I'm not sure if there's enough value in knowing for sure at this point in my life, but I read a few articles that suggested there might be some overlap between these, so I thought it was worth mentioning for a more complete picture.

I’ve known this woman for ~5 years to be clear from the get-go.. she told me she’s been wanting to get into the gym and wanted me to help her. Earlier in the week on Tuesday I texted saying her we should get a workout in sometime Sunday (which would be tomorrow) and she said she would love to but had to take a hair extension client at the hair salon then pick up her kids after that but that we should do it soon and suggest we do it the weekend after but didn’t give a specific day. I replied that would work. 2 days later, on Thursday evening, I texted her saying i had just found out that Sunday was Easter and the gym was closed but that we could do Saturday, mid afternoon after I finish work and asked if that sounded good? I haven’t heard anything but I’m a bit confused because she pretty much already agreed to do it sometime that weekend. Should I double text asking her if Saturday would still be good for her in this situation?

I fear that the implications of this story are in truth not pointless, however in the spirit of the sidebar this story had for 5 years been a story that noone would want to hear, but I have wanted to tell.
The story begins in the sleepy old town of Redacted, Australia. I had been working a somewhat unregarded job maintaining smoke alarms for real estates. This detail is important when I explain that in my duties I visited over 400 houses per month. Over 20 a day. Almost always these houses I had never been to before. With that sheer volume of jobs it's easy to imagine that they all would become a blur. Houses often unique, but every job the same. As the years passed thousands of times I would knock a door, spend a few minutes there before leaving.
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Tyler Durdens single-serve small talk kind of stuff.
Faces forgotten instantly.
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On my last day with the company I had looked into the stats. Nearly 20,000 houses I entered.
Now, years later when i reminisce on that time, I did one job.
One job that I remember.
Not only remember, but picture so vivdly in my mind that I could retrace my very steps; When I left my car, walked through the overgrown courtyard, and made my way up the steps. Knocking on the door. I remember it because it led me to him. Our interaction was short-lived. 5 minutes at most, and though I tell that my memory of it is undamaged, I cannot honestly say I carried out my work, because this time, I was visiting a sage.
After a breif introduction and typical small talk he asked one question of me. The question had no answer, or rather, the answer was irrellevant. It was the question that lingered with me through these years.
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I dwelled on this question for the rest of the day, and many days after that. Why did it stir something in me at the time? I thought highly of this many as soon as he asked it, although time did not permit me to stay, though I think I would have liked to. I've had many encounters where I have felt I liked someone shortly after meeting. But this was more, I felt trust almost.
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I found my answer about a year ago.
There was no mystical epiphone found in the subtext of a tome. I chanced to happen across a video that discussed this specific phonomenon. I was destined to as well, as it was in research for sales, and building human connection that I found it.
The video has been lost to me now, but the jist of the advise was this: Sortly after meeting someone, make a positive observation about them, and then link it to a absoulely random guess about what that person does.
That question, asked of me by that man all thouse years ago was exactly "You seem to be very philosphical, are you a guitarist?"
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Now, it sounds like such a stupid thing to ask. But it's really not. I don't think I need to unpack why a question like this would be so inerasable from someones memory. It's the synergy of some of the most basic principals of human connection, bundled together in a phrase that is just utterly unexpected.
It's amazing how things like this can linger on your mind. So simple it was, but it took me off guard. At the time it made me laugh when he asked. It seemed stupid almost, but inside me something changed. I answered his question and then was on my way.
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I hope I meet that man again. I think I'd remember his face. It may have been the get-rich-quick tactic of establishing a bond, but this tactic paid off. I've yet to pay this forward to someone else, the more I've reflected on it the more I feel I need courage to ask it. Maybe you, reader will be brave enough to give it a go. Who knows, maybe the person who you ask it to will never forget you, because maybe they won't be a guitarist either...